It took Rhodes about five minutes to give Katerea a clear understanding of her own combat power and the global power scale. If anyone else had told her this, she would have branded them a heretic spreading delusions. However, after personally experiencing Rhodes' speed, she had no choice but to believe him.
By the time he finished, her spirit had completely collapsed.
She thought she was Satan-class; she was only Ultimate-class. She thought Ophis's power would let her surpass the Demon Kings; it only barely pushed her into their territory. Serafall and Asmodeus were top-tier powerhouses in the Satan realm—what Rhodes called "Satan-class Peak."
She, even with her buffs, was only at the early Satan stage—no, "Quasi-Satan-class," because while her mana might reach that level, her technique and endurance were far inferior to a natural Demon King. Sirzechs and Ajuka were on a whole other level.
It was like a Middle-class Devil trying to challenge her current self. What was this if not a moth flying into a flame?
"Then what was the point?" Katerea slumped into her chair, her sharp edge and arrogance vanishing. "What was the point of all those years of enduring hardship and humiliation?"
It wasn't just the fact that the plan would fail. It was the realization that despite all her effort, despite sacrificing everything and even using the power of the Infinite Dragon God, she—a pure descendant of Leviathan—was still inferior to those from the 72 Pillars of the nobility.
The royal bloodline was inferior to the noble bloodline. This was the truth Katerea hated to admit most.
Seeing her spiral into despair, Rhodes realized that if she gave up now, he wouldn't be able to finish his quest. If he couldn't finish the quest, what was the point of the tier-list lecture?
"You shouldn't be so pessimistic," Rhodes said seriously. "While your combat power isn't as high as Serafall's, your administrative and leadership skills aren't as good as theirs either."
Katerea felt even more crushed. Even in exile, she had heard that the Underworld was flourishing under the current government, far more prosperous than it had ever been. The most painful personal attacks aren't random insults; they're the ones that point out exactly where you're failing.
She wanted to argue that she could do better, but Rhodes hit her with another blow.
"Wait, I phrased that wrong. My point is: if the path of war is closed, try the path of politics."
"Politics?" Katerea, like most of the Old Satan Faction, belonged to the militant faction. But she knew war was no longer an option. Sirzechs alone could probably solo their entire faction.
"You can establish a nation here," Rhodes said solemnly. "Still call yourself Leviathan. Focus on developing the livelihoods of your people. Eventually, you might even be able to establish diplomatic ties with the current Demon King government as a Queen in your own right."
"Doesn't that fit your goals perfectly? If you build a nation, you are still the Leviathan Demon King."
"Establish a nation here? But... I wanted to return to Lilith. That city has always been the capital of the Underworld, where the Demon Kings reside. What does this place matter?"
"Your perspective is too narrow," Rhodes said, his tone stern.
"Wh-What do you mean?"
Had she said something wrong? Lilith was the capital. Every Demon King had been crowned there.
"You call yourself the True Leviathan, but a true King doesn't need a monument to prove themselves. If you truly believe you are the legitimate successor, then your bloodline is a fact that doesn't change regardless of where you stand! Where you are doesn't matter; what matters is whether you believe you are Leviathan."
"I am!" Katerea blurted out. Rhodes had struck a nerve. Her primary obsession was the name "Leviathan." If she were truly recognized as the Leviathan Demon King of the Underworld, why would she bother attacking the leaders of the Three Great Powers?
"If that's the case, then that's all that matters." Rhodes lowered his voice and gave a small smile. "Why not give my way a try?"
"But... is building a nation really feasible? The current government won't agree to it."
"Why do you need their agreement? You aren't splitting the Underworld; you're just setting up your own shop. You've already been exiled anyway." Rhodes shrugged.
"But if we truly declare independence, will they send troops against us?" Katerea asked.
"It's possible, but the probability is low. Sirzechs wouldn't agree to the proposal," Rhodes mused.
The four Demon Kings of the Underworld weren't a monolith. While they were friends personally, their political and diplomatic stances differed. Ajuka Beelzebub was hyper-rational; he would sacrifice a part to save the whole. Sirzechs was the opposite; he wouldn't pass a proposal if it required a sacrifice he deemed unacceptable.
The only reason the Old Satan Faction had been exiled rather than executed was because Sirzechs and Serafall were merciful. Even in the original plot, Sirzechs repeatedly tried to persuade them to surrender before things got lethal.
From Rhodes' perspective, Sirzechs was an incredibly kind brother-in-law. If it were Rhodes, he'd have personally wiped out the Old Satan Faction the very first day.
Katerea fell into thought, weighing the feasibility of Rhodes' "Nation-Building Plan."
"In the current government, aside from Sirzechs and Ajuka, Serafall has the lowest public support rating. If you can show results after establishing your nation, you might even be able to replace her. After all, there are many devils who still lean toward the Old Satans. Your goal is to reclaim the seat of Leviathan, right?"
"...Yes." Katerea nodded slightly. Her priority was the throne. Conquering the Heavens or the Fallen Angels was secondary.
"Will this really work?"
"Guaranteed," Rhodes smiled. "After all, I'm the only one you can trust right now, aren't I? Your other two companions, Creereere and Shalba, are far too short-sighted. They're not exactly the brightest bulbs."
"...What are you going to do to them?"
"I don't need to do anything. Just don't tell them about this. The Underworld can only tolerate one second, and final, nation established by the Old Satan Faction."
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High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (216 Chapters – Ongoing)
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