Fantasy Library, Ch 131-135

Chapter 131: The Condition Proposed by Kaiser

What Sirzechs wanted was actually very simple—just intelligence on the Khaos Brigade.

The organization’s layout, detailed information on its members, its fundamental goals, strength, methods, trump cards… and so on. All of it was in high demand.

Even Azazel desperately needed this information.

Although he had noticed the existence of the Khaos Brigade early on and had even discovered that Ophis was its leader, he still didn’t know the organization’s true strength or what its actual purpose was.

In fact, the Fallen Angels had only recently learned the name and background of the Khaos Brigade. If it weren’t for the Grigori keeping a close eye on Sacred Gear users and uncovering this suspicious group—one that had gathered dangerous individuals from the three major factions and various Sacred Gear wielders—they might have remained completely unaware, just like the Angels and Devils.

Therefore, Azazel only knew the identities of some of the Khaos Brigade’s members—or rather, he had made educated guesses about who they might be. As for the rest, he was completely in the dark.

As for the Khaos Brigade's founding purpose, Azazel had always believed it to be chaos and destruction.

Terrorists, dangerous individuals from all factions—undoubtedly people dissatisfied with the current world who wanted to use their own strength to make a change.

Some had joined the Khaos Brigade simply because they couldn't stand the current peace and wanted to restart the war.

There were even such people among the Fallen Angels—some of them high-ranking officials. So Azazel had always known that certain Fallen Angels disliked him, and had long been dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. They had accumulated too much resentment and were itching to take action.

Such individuals were all potential recruits for the Khaos Brigade. Azazel had been keeping a close eye on them precisely so he could control them when necessary and neutralize any threats they posed.

Compared to Azazel, Sirzechs and Michael were undoubtedly far behind. If Kaiser hadn’t revealed it to Rias, they might not have even learned the name “Khaos Brigade” yet.

This alone showed that Kaiser’s previous praise of Azazel wasn’t without reason.

This Governor of the Fallen Angels was indeed very capable. No wonder he was the one who managed to develop Artificial Sacred Gears.

After all, Sacred Gears were creations that only God had successfully produced. While the Artificial Sacred Gears developed by Azazel were still far inferior to true Sacred Gears, the fact that he had managed to create them at all was already a tremendous achievement.

In the future, Artificial Sacred Gears would be put to great use, becoming widespread and providing substantial support to Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels alike.

Naturally, knowing all this, Kaiser would never underestimate Azazel.

To be honest, Kaiser was not without interest in Artificial Sacred Gears himself.

For someone with Ultimate Authority over armaments, any weapon, armor, or even tool could become a part of him—growing and becoming stronger alongside him. If he could craft Sacred Gears himself, it would undoubtedly be an enormous advantage.

So when Sirzechs suggested having a talk, Kaiser, while calming the fighting spirit within him, took a moment to think carefully and then proposed a condition.

“If you want detailed intelligence on the Khaos Brigade, I can give it to you,” Kaiser said flatly. “But you’ll have to trade me the research data on Artificial Sacred Gears.”

With just one sentence, both Sirzechs and Michael turned to look at Azazel.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa—don’t you think that’s a bit much?” Azazel said with a bitter expression. “That’s the result of years of hard work, the crystallization of the Grigori's efforts, and now you want to take it with just a few words?”

“Besides, aren’t there traitors from the Fallen Angels in the Khaos Brigade too?”

“Didn’t they bring over some information on Artificial Sacred Gears?”

This was also a kind of test.

After all, Azazel had just begun to suspect that someone in the Grigori had defected to the Khaos Brigade.

Kaiser didn’t hide anything in response.

“Indeed, someone from the Grigori did bring over some information on Artificial Sacred Gears,” Kaiser said, looking at Azazel with a meaningful gaze. “But that was just the surface, wasn’t it?”

“Don’t think I don’t know. Even within the Grigori, the core and truth behind Artificial Sacred Gears has only ever been known to you and Shemhazai.”

“That’s what I want—not the superficial scraps you deliberately leaked.”

Azazel’s mouth twitched slightly.

This guy… he even knows that?

Did this really come from the Khaos Brigade’s intelligence network?

Azazel found it hard to believe that the Khaos Brigade’s information network was so powerful it could uncover even such deeply hidden secrets.

If that were true, then wouldn’t the three major factions be completely transparent before the Khaos Brigade?

That would be… troublesome…

“What do you two think? Should we give it to him?”

Azazel shifted the focus by turning to look at Sirzechs and Michael.

Sirzechs and Michael exchanged glances and both fell silent.

They had only just learned of the existence of Artificial Sacred Gears.

They knew the Grigori placed great importance on Sacred Gears and had been researching them and gathering Sacred Gear wielders, but even they hadn’t imagined that the research had come this far—that the Fallen Angels could even create Artificial Sacred Gears.

Although there were still many flaws and shortcomings compared to genuine Sacred Gears, if things continued like this and the Fallen Angels persisted in their research, wouldn’t they eventually succeed in creating real Sacred Gears?

That would be bad news for both the Devils and the Angels.

However…

“I think it’d be best to propose a different condition,” Sirzechs was the first to speak up.

“Oh?” Azazel raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised and curious. “Why?”

“Because it’s too dangerous,” Michael continued where Sirzechs left off, speaking with a serious expression. “If the Khaos Brigade obtains the true core and principles behind Artificial Sacred Gears and starts mass-producing them for their members, it would be devastating for us.”

“The Khaos Brigade would grow stronger and stronger, and the pressure on us would only increase.”

“So, we can’t agree to that condition.”

“Exactly.” Sirzechs nodded. “Even if the Artificial Sacred Gears they create don’t reach the level of the one you just used, it’s still a massive threat to us.”

Once the Fallen Angels had Artificial Sacred Gears, it would indeed be bad news for both Devils and Angels.

But right now, their common enemy was the Khaos Brigade.

If they let the Fallen Angels hand over the method of producing Artificial Sacred Gears just to weaken them for their own benefit, that would be a foolish act of aiding the enemy.

Some selfish individuals might do that, but neither Sirzechs nor Michael were that kind of person.

Rather, they were both somewhat selfless, even idealistic.

They were the type who genuinely cared for the world, for its people, and truly longed for peace from the bottom of their hearts.

It was precisely because of this that, despite the centuries of hatred accumulated between Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels, these leaders of the major factions were still willing to meet in secret and work together to confront the Khaos Brigade.

If it had been anyone else, given the thousands of years of warfare and bloodshed between the three factions, they might have rather died alone in battle than join forces with their former enemies.

“No wonder it’s you two.”

Azazel clearly felt this and the usual playful smile vanished from his face, replaced by a rare moment of sincerity.

“It’s only because the Devils and Angels are currently led by people like you that I’m willing to be here.”

If it were the God and the original Four Great Satans of the past, there’s no way they could have coexisted peacefully like this, jointly worrying about the world.

God viewed the Devils as evil incarnate, unable to tolerate even a grain of sin.

The original Satans were obsessed with ruling the world and overthrowing the divine.

Even the Fallen Angels were born out of all sorts of personal desires—naturally, most of them weren’t exactly saints.

The thousands of years of war had come from all of this.

Fortunately, the current Satans were decent, and Michael had already replaced God as the leader of Heaven.

After all, God was already…

At this thought, Azazel smiled again.

“I know what to do now.” Azazel turned to Kaiser with a smile. “You want the method for creating Artificial Sacred Gears, right?”

“I can give it to you.”

Hearing this, Sirzechs and Michael were both visibly shocked.

They seemed ready to speak, but Azazel stopped them.

“I can tell you haven’t fallen in with those twisted individuals in the Khaos Brigade,” Azazel said leisurely to Kaiser. “I won’t bother with cliché lines about turning back; you don’t seem like someone who’d do that anyway.”

“So, I have only one condition.”

“You alone can read the data on the Artificial Sacred Gears. You cannot hand it over to the Khaos Brigade.”

“If you can agree to this, then I’ll accept the trade.”

Without hesitation, Kaiser nodded.

“No problem.”

He hadn’t intended to give the method for creating Artificial Sacred Gears to the Khaos Brigade in the first place.

In fact, trading the Khaos Brigade’s intelligence for something else was already an act of betrayal in itself.

If this deal were to be exposed, he might even face retribution from the Khaos Brigade.

Thus, both emotionally and rationally, he had no reason to inform the Khaos Brigade of this transaction.

Azazel clearly understood this as well, which was why he agreed so readily.

“Give me some time to prepare,” Azazel said to Kaiser.

“Come to Kuoh Academy in two days. We’ll trade in person.”

Chapter 132: The Attitude of the Three Factions

After finalizing the terms of the transaction, Kaiser didn’t linger. He turned around and left without the slightest hesitation.

Azazel, Sirzechs, and Michael watched Kaiser leave, not taking any further action until his figure disappeared from sight.

“Say, is it really okay to just let him go like that?” Azazel suddenly broke the silence. “If we captured him instead, we wouldn’t even need to negotiate—we could find a way to get intel on the Khaos Brigade that way, right?”

Azazel actually suggested such an idea, clearly not with good intentions.

“You were the one who negotiated with him. If you didn’t make a move, how could we possibly do so?”

Sirzechs wasn’t about to fall for Azazel’s bait and responded with a smile.

“His nature isn’t evil. I don’t think using force against him is fair.”

Michael had always believed that the Church—and by extension, himself—bore some responsibility for Kaiser joining the Khaos Brigade. Thus, he would never raise his hand against him.

Azazel naturally understood their thoughts, but still deliberately made such a remark, wearing a teasing grin.

“Michael being a bleeding heart is one thing, but Sirzechs, you actually have a legitimate reason to make a move. So why turn a blind eye?”

As far as he knew, Kaiser’s killing of the Astaroth family’s successor had caused a huge stir in the Underworld. Many pure-blood Devil families had stood up, demanding vengeance.

Especially the Astaroth family—their intention to hunt down Kaiser was strong, and they'd stirred up quite a commotion.

Under such circumstances, Sirzechs, as a Maou, had every reason to act against Kaiser.

“What about you?” Sirzechs countered instead. “He destroyed one of your Stray Exorcist groups and even killed several Fallen Angels. Don’t you have a legitimate reason to go after him too?”

“About that, I have something I need to ask you, Azazel.” Michael suddenly interjected, his face serious as he looked at Azazel. “I heard that the incident was caused by a lower-ranked Fallen Angel who admired you and tried to use Asia Argento as a sacrifice to steal her Sacred Gear. Is that true?”

Clearly, Heaven had already investigated and learned the reason why Kaiser had attacked Raynare.

“It’s true.” Azazel didn’t hide it and admitted bluntly. “The girl confessed. Since she’s already been punished, I didn't do anything further. I just sent her back to the Underworld and had her put in solitary confinement for a while.”

“And what about Asia Argento?” Michael pressed on, unwilling to let the matter go. “That child is a victim.”

“She wasn’t harmed, was she?” Azazel looked at Michael with a sarcastic expression. “Besides, if we're talking about victims, don’t you think she suffered more from your side?”

“I’ve met that child too. She’s very pure. That holy aura around her made it clear to me that her faith is incredibly strong. Even now, she probably still worships our God.”

“And yet, because she healed a Devil—which is such a foolish reason—you labeled her a heretic witch and expelled her from the Church. That’s what led to her being targeted by people on our side.”

“If you want to seek justice for that child, maybe you should reflect on yourselves first instead of coming to me.”

Azazel’s words rendered Michael speechless.

Guilt once more surfaced in his eyes, and he looked downcast.

Seeing Michael like that, Azazel suddenly felt a twinge of guilt himself.

He knew this wasn’t really Michael’s fault.

Michael had worked hard to manage Heaven and the Angels.

But alas, he wasn’t God. He couldn’t constantly watch over the world and grant blessings and guidance to every believer.

The Church indeed had many problems, but those shouldn’t be blamed on Michael.

God was no longer present. Michael was just an Angel—he truly couldn’t manage both Heaven and the human world at once.

Just as Azazel was wondering if he should apologize, Sirzechs suddenly spoke up.

“Actually, the Astaroth family incident can also be traced back to Asia Argento.”

Sirzechs’ words startled both Azazel and Michael.

“What do you mean by that?”

Azazel asked in confusion.

“Our people, through Rias and her peerage, have already investigated the matter.”

Sirzechs then fully revealed everything Diodora had done, holding nothing back.

“…So that Astaroth punk deliberately injured himself to get close to Asia Argento, leading to her being labeled a witch and expelled from the Church. That’s what made her a target for our people?”

Azazel’s mouth twitched. He almost wanted to pull out a Light Spear and fight Sirzechs right then and there.

If Azazel reacted that way, Michael’s expression became even more dreadful.

Because Diodora didn’t just covet Asia.

What happened with Asia hadn’t even come to fruition yet. Before her, numerous nuns and Saints had already fallen victim to him, turned into his playthings.

Knowing this, how could Michael not look horrified?

If not for his gentle nature and pursuit of peace, even he would’ve pulled out a Light Spear and gone at it with Sirzechs.

“I know. The root of the problem lies with us.”

Feeling the overwhelming Aura from both Azazel and Michael, Sirzechs gave a bitter smile.

“After I found out about this, I personally went to talk with Ajuka. He agreed to take responsibility for the matter. Regarding the Astaroth family, he will handle them and make sure they don’t act recklessly.”

Ajuka Beelzebub—one of the current Four Maou, formerly of the Astaroth family, and the blood relative Diodora had mentioned before his death.

He came from a branch of the Astaroth family and was Sirzechs’ close friend. He was also the top technical advisor in the Underworld, the architect of the Rating Game’s foundational theory, and the creator of the Evil Piece System that enabled the reincarnation of other races into Devils. His skill in formulas and systems was exceptional.

His power was nearly equal to Sirzechs. Though a current Maou, he had long surpassed the bounds of both Maou and Devil. He had once raised the banner of rebellion alongside Sirzechs against the bloodlines of the Old Satan Faction, and personally killed the daughter of the original Leviathan.

Though a blood relative of Diodora, his connection to the Astaroth family wasn’t as close as outsiders assumed due to his branch lineage. He merely maintained limited contact.

Compared to his ties to the main family, his friendship with Sirzechs mattered far more to him.

Therefore, once Sirzechs explained the full situation to him, Ajuka immediately promised to personally handle the matter and keep the Astaroth family in check.

In other words…

“Even though he killed the Astaroth family’s successor, we’ve already decided not to pursue the matter.”

Sirzechs informed Azazel and Michael of this and explained why he had no intention of acting against Kaiser.

“So, apart from the fact that he’s a Khaos Brigade member, we have no reason to hold him accountable for his past actions?”

Azazel let out a wry laugh.

Whether it was the incident with Raynare or with Diodora, Kaiser had acted for justified reasons.

That being the case, aside from his affiliation with the Khaos Brigade, none of them really had a reason to go after him.

“Even his joining the Khaos Brigade needs to be re-evaluated,” Michael added, still speaking in Kaiser’s defense. “He clearly operates alone and hasn’t aligned himself with the terrorists in the Khaos Brigade. The fact that he so readily disclosed their intel proves he isn’t truly on their side.”

“Perhaps he revealed those threats to us on purpose—to warn us.”

Michael had completely taken to viewing Kaiser as a good child.

“That’s also what I think.” Sirzechs nodded in agreement. “My little sister held quite a grudge against him, but after learning about what he did for her peerage and for Asia Argento, her opinion of him seems to have changed.”

“Well, that’s also why I felt confident making a deal with him.” Azazel shrugged and said, “The spear in his hand emits a pure radiance that even past Holy Spear users couldn’t match. Someone who can generate that kind of light could never walk the same path as the Khaos Brigade scum.”

“It’s a light that brings peace to the heart and stirs nostalgia,” Michael said kindly, smiling. “That child may have already grasped the true essence of the Holy Spear. If he is someone recognized by the Lord, he might even become the next Saint.”

“Oh, give me a break. That kid will never be some 'Saint'-type.” Azazel burst into laughter. “If anything, he’d probably get along great with the rowdy kids on our side—they’re all battle junkies, all a little crazy.”

“If that’s how it is, I think he and Rias have a good relationship too,” Sirzechs chimed in, unwilling to be outdone. “Maybe all they need is a trigger, and they’ll come to understand each other.”

Somehow, the leaders of the three factions had developed a strange sense of rivalry, competing with one another, completely breaking the previously serious atmosphere.

While bantering with his old rivals, Azazel looked once more in the direction Kaiser had left, a meaningful expression on his face.

“What’s going to happen next, I wonder?”

To be honest, Azazel was looking forward to it.

He was curious what kind of effect his research would have in the hands of someone like that.

Just thinking about it made it all the more interesting.

Chapter 133: The Deal Two Days Later

Having already left that battlefield, Kaiser naturally had no idea that, after his departure, Azazel and the others had such a conversation.

After leaving the battlefield, he returned to where Kuroka and Asia were and reunited with them.

“You’re injured?”

Kuroka was the first to notice Kaiser’s return. She was just about to approach him when she caught sight of his body—covered in wounds and drenched in blood.

“Kaiser-san!”

Asia, who had been praying, quickly opened her eyes upon hearing Kuroka’s voice. One look at Kaiser’s miserable state made her cry out in shock.

Immediately, Asia ran over to Kaiser and pressed her hands against him.

“Zheng—”

In the next moment, a pair of silver rings appeared on Asia’s hands.

This was her Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing.

Activating her Sacred Gear, Asia triggered its power. A green glow, full of life energy, radiated from the rings and shone over Kaiser’s body.

Under the glow of that green light, Kaiser’s injuries began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The speed of recovery was comparable to that of Priscilla, who possessed a regeneration ability—it was not inferior at all.

Kaiser allowed Asia to treat him, feeling the pain in his body gradually fade away. His complexion improved significantly.

In contrast, Kuroka scrutinized him and spoke with some uncertainty.

“All that was caused by the Governor of the Fallen Angels? He’s really that strong?”

Kuroka wasn’t unaware that Azazel, as the Governor of the Fallen Angels, was far stronger than she was. However, she had never witnessed his true strength, so she couldn't make a definitive judgment.

But she had seen what Kaiser was capable of. Even without using the True Longinus, he could easily crush a not-too-weak High-class Devil. When wielding the True Longinus, he could obliterate such an opponent in a single strike. Even she had felt a chill down her spine when facing him.

Don’t be fooled by how she seemed to be toying with Kaiser that time—it gave the impression that she was handling him with ease. In truth, she was well aware that she had only taken advantage of certain abilities.

If it came to a real fight, she definitely wasn’t Kaiser’s match. She might not even last a second.

That’s why, when she saw Kaiser preparing to fight Azazel, Kuroka couldn’t stay calm, but she never believed that Kaiser would lose to the Governor of the Fallen Angels.

Even if his opponent wasn’t a Devil and thus not weak to the Holy Spear, the power of the strongest Longinus couldn’t be underestimated. As long as Kaiser could fully unleash its strength, even if he didn’t win outright, he surely wouldn’t lose easily to a Maou-class being.

But judging from Kaiser’s appearance, he had clearly suffered a significant loss.

“Don’t underestimate him.” Kaiser seemed to notice the surprise in Kuroka’s heart and said, “He’s the leader of all Fallen Angels. If that guy was weak, there’s no way he could’ve survived since the ancient times thousands of years ago.”

Azazel possessed Maou-class combat power. On top of that, with the Down Fall Dragon Spear—an artificial Sacred Gear that sealed a Dragon King—his power was greatly enhanced when activating Balance Breaker, far beyond that of a typical Maou-class being.

If that artificial Sacred Gear weren’t still incomplete and undergoing refinement and enhancement—if it were on the level of a proper Sacred Gear—then upon activating Balance Breaker, Azazel would definitely surpass the Maou-class level, possessing power far beyond the norm.

A Sacred Gear that sealed the power of a Dragon King—even if it couldn’t yet be classified as a Longinus—was undoubtedly at the pinnacle of all normal Sacred Gears.

If such a weapon weren’t an artificial Sacred Gear but a true one, then without activating his own Balance Breaker, Kaiser certainly wouldn’t be a match for him.

“Fortunately, the outcome was good.”

Seeing the curiosity in Kuroka’s eyes, Kaiser explained everything that had just happened.

Upon learning that the current Maou Lucifer and the leader of Heaven had both descended to this place, intervened in the battle between Kaiser and Azazel, and even negotiated a deal with Kaiser, the two girls were utterly shocked.

“The current Maou actually appeared here?”

Kuroka furrowed her elegant brows.

“Archangel Michael…”

Asia had a look of disbelief on her face.

“Two days from now, I’ll be heading to Kuoh Academy again.” Kaiser looked at Kuroka, then at Asia, and after a moment’s thought, said to both of them, “Do you want to come with me?”

“Yes!”

Kuroka and Asia responded in unison.

“I-I want to meet Lord Michael!”

Asia said, somewhat shyly.

For the faithful of the Church, Michael—the Archangel who always stood by God’s side and was called the one who resembles God—was second only to God Himself as a spiritual pillar.

Thus, even Asia couldn’t resist the desire to see Michael in person.

As for Kuroka…

“I’ll go check on that stupid little sister of mine.” Kuroka feigned indifference and said, “She’s just become a Devil, and now she’s caught up in something like this. That timid Shirone is probably at a total loss, right? I’m going to laugh at her, nya!”

Kaiser looked at Kuroka with a half-smile.

You call that going to laugh at her?

I’m not even going to expose you.

“He’s healed.”

The green glow on Asia’s hands faded, and Twilight Healing disappeared from her fingers.

Only then did Kaiser realize that the pain that had wracked his entire body had completely vanished, and all his injuries were gone. Only his tattered clothes and messy appearance remained—proof that the battle just now had really happened.

“That was fast.”

Kaiser looked at his completely healed body and praised Asia’s ability.

“It really is amazing—completely healed in such a short time.”

Kuroka also clicked her tongue in admiration.

Though she was well-versed in various arts, including Senjutsu and Youjutsu, she wasn’t skilled in healing. At most, she could use Senjutsu to help someone recover stamina and energy or slightly boost their natural healing.

That was her weakness. In the past, whenever she got seriously injured, she’d usually have to hide somewhere and lick her wounds alone.

Because of this, she could clearly understand how valuable Asia’s ability was.

She might not be powerful, but for those who needed to fight and were often injured, someone like her was absolutely indispensable.

Their leader was smart to bring such a rare talent into the team.

Hmm… Looks like I’ll need to protect her properly from now on.

Kuroka’s mind was filled with thoughts.

“Let’s go. We’re heading back.”

Kaiser moved his body a bit and, after confirming there were no issues, finally spoke.

“Let’s take it easy for the next two days.”

Though, to be fair, they had already been relaxing for a month before this.

……

After Kaiser’s battle with Azazel, and his meeting with Sirzechs and Michael, Kuoh Town had grown even more peaceful.

This time, the peace was different from before. It wasn’t the calm before the storm—it was a genuine return to normalcy.

The Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels no longer had their blades drawn against one another. They weren’t roaming around in public like before, as if they had received orders to stay in their respective territories and refrain from acting rashly. The three factions no longer clashed. Everyone simply minded their own business.

Under such circumstances, two days passed in the blink of an eye.

That evening, Kaiser entered Kuoh Academy with Kuroka and Asia.

Whether school had ended early or there was no class today, the academy was eerily quiet. As the three walked through the grounds, they didn’t encounter a single person.

Their destination was the old school building.

This time, upon returning, Kaiser was no longer treated as an enemy like before. Instead, he was welcomed as an honored guest.

The proof was that someone came to greet them when they arrived at the old school building.

“…Welcome, all three of you.”

Dressed in Kuoh Academy’s girls’ uniform, Akeno Himejima acted like a proper maid. She bowed gracefully as she greeted the trio in a dignified tone.

“You’re Rias Gremory’s ‘Queen,’ aren’t you?”

It wasn’t Kaiser who responded, but Kuroka.

“If you’re here, then that means the rest of the Gremory peerage is here too?”

Kuroka spoke with a teasing smile, her kimono loosely worn and exuding a seductive air that contrasted sharply with Akeno’s graceful demeanor—as if one was a shrine maiden and the other a temptress.

No, they quite literally were.

One was the Shrine Maiden of Thunder, and the other was a Nekomata.

“My master and Lord Maou Lucifer have been waiting for you for some time,” Akeno replied politely without acknowledging Kuroka’s antics. “The representatives from Heaven are also inside.”

Upon hearing this, Asia—dressed in her nun’s habit—looked a bit nervous.

“What about the Fallen Angels?” Kuroka smirked mischievously. “Are their people inside too?”

Akeno didn’t answer, but both Kaiser and Kuroka caught the flicker of displeasure in her expression.

Clearly, she was intentionally avoiding mention of the Fallen Angels—or perhaps simply unwilling to speak of them.

“Please follow me.”

Akeno turned and began to lead the way into the building.

“Behave yourself.”

Only then did Kaiser tug on Kuroka’s cat ear, causing her to let out a yelp of “Nya!”

The three followed Akeno up to the second floor, heading straight to the deepest room.

The room with the plaque reading “Occult Research Club”—this was the Gremory peerage’s base of activities, and also the location for today’s deal.

Akeno opened the door and invited the trio inside.

In the next moment, the room—covered in mysterious runes and symbols—and the figures already gathered within came into view before Kaiser and the others.

Chapter 134 – Kaiser Is Targeted

The Occult Research Club’s room at Kuoh Academy wasn’t particularly spacious.

On normal days, when only the Gremory peerage was using it, the space felt more than sufficient. But today, the number of attendees was unusually large, making the room feel quite crowded.

Kaiser glanced around and was surprised to see that members from all three factions had shown up, and each side had brought more than one representative.

From the Angels’ side, Michael was present. He was seated in a corner of the sofa—not in the center, even somewhat off to the side—but the radiance emanating from him seemed to declare that wherever he was, that place became the center of the world, making him the first one people would notice.

Behind Michael stood two girls draped in black robes. They appeared to be his guards, both carrying swords that emitted holy energy.

Kaiser recognized them instantly. Those were Holy Swords.

Not replicas made from Sacred Gears like Jeanne’s, but genuine, authentic Holy Swords.

Their presence caused visible discomfort among the Devils in the room—especially Yuuto Kiba, who was glaring fiercely at the two Holy Sword wielders, his expression filled with hostility.

Akeno Himejima walked over to stand beside Kiba, accompanied by Rias and Koneko Toujou.

At this moment, Rias was looking at Kaiser with a complicated expression, while Koneko, upon seeing Kuroka behind Kaiser, broke her usual emotionless demeanor and showed clear shock.

“...Nee-sama? Why are you here…?!”

Koneko’s voice was filled with shock and fear, but no one responded to her.

Including Kuroka—she only glanced at Koneko briefly before looking away, clearly displaying an attitude of complete allegiance to Kaiser.

“So that’s... Lord Michael…”

Asia whispered quietly as she stared at Michael.

Sirzechs was also present, seated on a sofa in front of Rias and her peerage. Beside him stood a beautiful silver-haired maid pushing a tea cart. Unlike Michael, she didn’t have a strong presence and remained as low-key as ever.

As for Azazel, being one of the main figures in today’s trade, it was only natural that he personally attended.

He was sitting alone on a sofa that wasn’t originally part of the Occult Research Club’s furnishings, legs crossed, grinning as he watched Kaiser walk through the door.

It was worth mentioning that he hadn’t come alone either.

Standing behind him, leaning against the wall, was a silver-haired boy.

The boy wore stylish modern clothing, had a slender figure and handsome features—like a character straight out of a manga, radiating an unusual charm.

His eyes were a clear blue—not like gemstones, but more like the sky—so vivid they naturally drew attention.

He had his eyes closed at first, seemingly resting. But the moment Kaiser entered, the boy abruptly opened his eyes and locked his blue gaze onto him.

Within those eyes burned a startlingly pure fighting spirit.

“Hoh?”

Kaiser was intrigued by the surge of battle intent. When he saw the boy, his brows lifted.

“So... he came too?”

Kaiser murmured internally, then ignored the boy’s intense stare and shifted his gaze to the others in the room.

“Quite the turnout, huh.”

With that, he made his first remark.

“It’s just a trade, isn’t it? Is there really a need for such a grand setup?”

To an uninformed observer, it might’ve seemed like the three-way summit from the original series had been moved up.

Azazel seemed to think the same. Upon hearing Kaiser’s comment, he immediately spread his hands.

“Can’t help it. The Devils and Angels are worried I’ll stir up trouble after getting first-hand intel. They’ve completely forgotten that I’m the one trading with you—and I’m the one paying the price. Truly unreasonable, isn’t it?”

Azazel’s words prompted a rebuttal from Sirzechs and Michael.

“We already promised to provide the Fallen Angels with adequate compensation after the fact, didn’t we?”

Michael smiled gently as he pointed this out.

“Which means the cost of this deal is something all three factions will share, and the trade should also be conducted jointly.”

Sirzechs continued after Michael, using the opportunity to explain why so many of them had shown up.

Their lack of trust in Azazel was one thing. Their curiosity about how Kaiser would handle the valuable artificial Sacred Gear data was another. But above all, it was the first-hand intel on the Khaos Brigade that made this matter too important to ignore.

In fact, if it weren’t for the private nature of this transaction, even more people would’ve attended.

With Azazel, Sirzechs, and Michael all present—the leaders of their respective factions—their gathering could easily be described as a summit. At the beginning, someone had even strongly suggested bringing in full security in case something went wrong.

And Azazel wasn’t the only top-level figure currently in Kuoh Town. Maou Leviathan, and another Seraph, Gabriel, had also visited previously. If this had been a formal public meeting, the two of them would no doubt have attended as well.

However, due to the transaction’s private nature, those two didn’t attend, and large forces weren’t dispatched either. That Azazel and the others only brought a select few guards already showed considerable restraint.

Fortunately, Kaiser had brought Kuroka and Asia with him. Otherwise, he would have been facing all the grandeur of the three factions alone.

Even so, the simultaneous presence of the three factions created a subtly tense atmosphere.

Because the relationships between them were complicated.

Take Yuuto Kiba, for example—he clearly held a grudge against the Church. He kept glaring at the two Holy Sword wielders, and if not for the setting, he likely would’ve drawn his Demonic Sword and attacked.

Akeno Himejima, much like when she first met Raynare, showed obvious disdain toward the Fallen Angels. Her eyes toward Azazel were filled with disgust and hostility.

Rias watched Kaiser with a complicated gaze. The silver-haired boy stared at him with burning intensity. Koneko was still in shock at her wanted older sister appearing in this setting—especially since she was standing beside Kaiser.

Sirzechs and Michael, meanwhile, were both watching the visibly nervous Asia, their eyes tinged with a hint of guilt.

Everyone in the room was watching someone else. Some were focused on those they were concerned about. Only Kaiser, Azazel, the maid beside Sirzechs, and the two Holy Sword wielders remained entirely composed, creating a stark contrast and a subtly strained atmosphere.

“If we weren’t here, I get the feeling something really interesting might’ve happened…”

The Governor-General of the Fallen Angels rubbed his chin with an impish grin, drawing a few covert glares.

“Mind if I say a few words, Azazel?”

Just then, the silver-haired boy behind Azazel spoke, and several people in the room visibly tensed.

It was clear that they had all been paying attention to him—he wasn’t someone to be underestimated.

“Hold on, Vali.”

Azazel remained casual, legs still crossed as he calmly replied.

“I can probably guess what you’re thinking. But if you act now, this trade might fall through. So let’s wait until it’s over, okay?”

Hearing that, the boy seemed to consider it for a moment, then nodded, apparently persuaded. He said nothing further, and the fighting intent in his eyes faded slightly.

Only slightly, though. Kaiser could still feel the blazing intensity—as if a dragon had locked its sights on him, its presence growing more and more overpowering.

“Interesting…”

Kaiser didn’t flinch—on the contrary, he seemed intrigued by what the other intended to do.

He could more or less guess what it was.

“If things go smoothly, maybe I can make my move first…”

A plan was already forming in Kaiser’s mind. Once he obtained the artificial Sacred Gear data from Azazel, he could begin executing it.

If the other party truly wanted to fight him, then all the better. He could use it as an opportunity to acquire what he wanted without unnecessary complications.

With that thought, Kaiser took out a stack of white paper.

“This is the information I’ve compiled over the past two days—everything I currently know about the Khaos Brigade.”

It didn’t include any future developments, only intel relevant to the current stage. Kaiser had organized all the information he knew into this collection.

“While I can’t guarantee this represents the entirety of the Khaos Brigade, for you all, it should still be extremely valuable.”

He tossed the stack—something all three factions had desperately sought—onto the coffee table, as if it were just a pile of worthless paper.

“This much, huh?”

Azazel looked at the stack, a bit surprised, then smiled with satisfaction.

“Looks like you’re quite sincere. In that case, I won’t keep hiding things either.”

With that, Azazel took out a sheet of parchment.

Unlike the plain paper Kaiser had used, Azazel’s was an ancient piece of parchment etched with mysterious patterns. It wasn’t thick—just one sheet, rolled up like a scroll.

“This is a little something I put together. Don’t underestimate it just because it’s small—it can store a lot more than you’d think.”

Azazel casually tossed the parchment to Kaiser and said with a grin:

“This contains the culmination of all the research done by me and the Sacred Gear Researchers over the years. You’d better make good use of it.”

Kaiser caught the scroll and, right in front of everyone, unrolled it.

To his surprise, the ancient parchment displayed streams of text flowing like data.

Just a single glance, and an overwhelming amount of information poured into his mind, instantly absorbed and understood.

Chapter 135: The Strongest White Dragon Emperor

As streams of data flowed into his mind, Kaiser skimmed through a portion and found the content not only vast but also obscure and difficult to understand.

Unlike Azazel, who had spent years conducting specialized research in this field, Kaiser had never studied it—he hadn’t even gained a basic understanding.

Though the information was extremely detailed, to someone like Kaiser, an outsider, it was completely incomprehensible—like trying to read a book in an alien language.

Perhaps even those who specialized in Sacred Gear research would need a considerable amount of time to fully comprehend this material.

Under such circumstances, the data would be of little use to Kaiser, at least until he found someone capable of deciphering it.

Azazel had likely handed it over to him with the same thought—that even if he gave it to Kaiser, there was no way he could achieve anything meaningful with it in the short term.

But... that would only be true under normal conditions.

Kaiser, however, could not be judged by conventional standards.

Because he possessed the Ultimate Authority over armaments—an ability that allowed him to fully control any object that fell under the concept of “armament,” including weapons, armor, and tools.

As long as something was classified as an “armament,” not only could he instantly claim ownership upon contact, but he could also completely assimilate it into himself, instinctively comprehend, wield, and master it.

Not all Sacred Gears created by God exist in the form of armaments; some manifest as abilities.

For example, Siegfried’s sub-species twice critical is a third arm that grows from his body, essentially a part of his flesh, and not an external-type gear. Heracles' Variant Detonation works similarly—its explosive attacks are ability-based.

Even Yuuto Kiba’s Sword Birth and Jeanne’s Blade Blacksmith give the impression of being armament-type Sacred Gears, since they wield demonic and holy swords. However, their Sacred Gears are actually abilities—the power to create those swords.

Georg’s Dimension Lost is also an ability-type Sacred Gear. Only Kaiser’s True Longinus and Asia’s Twilight Healing exist in external forms—respectively a spear and a ring—placing them in the category of armaments.

Azazel’s artificial Sacred Gears, on the other hand, are almost all external-type.

The reason is simple: he still hasn’t found a way to create ability-type Gears that are inherently part of their user.

Creating artificial Sacred Gears is incredibly difficult—starting from scratch to develop a unique ability is akin to playing god, bestowing blessings in various forms.

Conversely, external-type Gears, because they possess physical forms, can be forged using various materials and weapon-smithing techniques, making their creation comparatively more feasible.

Thus, when Kaiser came into contact with this data on artificial Sacred Gears, although it seemed utterly incomprehensible, his instincts—his Authority—told him...

As long as the materials were sufficient, and if he could work on it personally, he could successfully create it!

He didn’t need to understand it or grasp the underlying principles. His body would naturally know the manufacturing process, just as he only needed to hold a weapon to know how to use it and bring out its full potential!

“As I thought, my Unique Authority still has many uses yet to be discovered…”

Kaiser smiled in delight.

He had long anticipated this. After all, his Authority was an ultimate power that could surpass even divine rights. In the realm of “armament,” no power could stand above it.

Granted, the extent to which this ability could be utilized depended entirely on the quantity and quality of the armaments Kaiser possessed. That was why, back in the World of Asterisk Wars, he hadn’t been able to showcase much capability.

But ever since obtaining the True Longinus—the most powerful Longinus—his strength had undergone a tremendous transformation. One could imagine the potential.

If, in the future, Kaiser were to obtain even stronger weapons, his power would again leap forward dramatically.

Only if no stronger armaments appeared could his growth possibly be curbed.

However, in the countless fantasy worlds out there, was Kaiser really worried he couldn’t find powerful armaments?

Impossible.

At worst, as long as his life experiences in those worlds were exciting enough, he could still receive rewards from the Fantasy Library and become even stronger.

The artificial Sacred Gear data Azazel handed over would definitely be of great help to him.

In any case, Kaiser already had a plan for how to use it.

At the same time that Kaiser received the artificial Sacred Gear data, Azazel and the others began reviewing the intelligence on the Khaos Brigade that Kaiser had prepared.

“Azazel.”

A boy standing behind Azazel, seeing the exchange complete, couldn’t help but call out to him.

Azazel didn’t seem to care at all, waving his hand dismissively.

The boy smiled, stepped away from the wall he had been leaning against, and walked up to Kaiser.

“My name is Vali—Vali Lucifer.”

Ignoring everyone else present, he introduced himself in an astonishing manner.

“………!”

Immediately, everyone on the Devils’ side reacted strongly.

“Vali Lucifer…”

As the current Lucifer, Sirzechs turned to Vali at once, his eyes filled with both shock and gravity.

“Could it be…?!”

Rias also stopped looking at Kaiser and stared at Vali, her face full of disbelief.

The other Devils had similar reactions, even the Angels were visibly shaken.

Everyone looked at Vali in astonishment, clearly aware of what it meant for someone not officially recognized as a Maou to bear the name of the strongest Maou—and even use it as a surname.

“Azazel…”

Michael turned to Azazel, seemingly seeking an explanation.

“That’s right. It’s exactly what you’re thinking.” Azazel appeared to be enjoying the shocked and stunned expressions on everyone’s faces. With a mischievous grin, he said, “He’s a blood descendant of the former Lucifer—a great-grandson of the deceased Old Satan Lucifer.”

The Old Satan—Lucifer—one of the true Maou who had perished…

During the long war, all Four Great Satans, including him, died due to grievous injuries.

The current Maou are Devils from pure-blooded noble families who inherited only the title of Maou, without any direct ties to the original Satans.

The remaining bloodlines of the Old Satans had long been exiled beyond Devil territory, becoming rootless vagabonds.

Vali Lucifer was one of those rootless descendants.

“A descendant of the Old Satan…”

Rias and the others looked at Vali with expressions that changed several times.

But Vali didn’t care at all—he simply looked at Kaiser with a battle-hungry smile.

“I’m a hybrid, born from the grandson of the Old Maou and a human woman, so I’m half Devil and half Human.”

“Maybe because of that, the human side of me was recognized by a Sacred Gear, and I was born with one.”

“You can think of me as a Sacred Gear wielder who also possesses the power of a Maou’s bloodline.”

This statement carried tremendous weight—so much so that many people present showed expressions of disbelief.

“Maou’s bloodline… and a Sacred Gear wielder?!”

Even Kuroka was stunned. One could imagine how shocking such a combination was.

Ordinary humans could become heroes or legends after acquiring powerful Sacred Gears, wielding powers comparable to Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels.

Now, a half-blood born with a Maou’s lineage, possessing such immense potential, had also received a Sacred Gear. Just imagining the implications was enough to leave one speechless.

“I see... so that’s why he’s with you?”

Sirzechs seemed to understand and looked at Azazel.

The Grigori’s Sacred Gear research division was devoted to studying, recruiting, and, if necessary, eliminating Sacred Gear users. For them, a hybrid of Maou lineage who possessed a Sacred Gear was an unmissable target—for both recruitment and cultivation.

And if that were all, it would already be astonishing.

But what came next was even more shocking…

“Whoosh!”

Suddenly, from behind Vali, radiant light wings unfolded.

The wing membranes were a translucent blue, while the wing bones had an inorganic white appearance. A faint dragon aura emanated from them, making it immediately clear—this was a Dragon-type Sacred Gear.

Upon seeing these wings, everyone present widened their eyes.

“T-That’s…?!”

Rias and the others showed visible signs of agitation.

Only Azazel spoke in a calm tone.

“Divine Dividing—the Light Wings of the White Dragon Emperor. One of the thirteen Longinus. A Sacred Gear that seals one of the Two Heavenly Dragons—Albion, the White Dragon Emperor. One of the strongest Dragon-type Sacred Gears in existence.”

The Two Heavenly Dragons—second only to the Dragon God, even surpassing the Dragon Kings—were immensely powerful dragons.

They were dragons whose power could rival that of gods. One was the Red Dragon, known as the Red Dragon Emperor; the other, the White Dragon, known as the White Dragon Emperor.

They were eternal rivals, ceaselessly fighting throughout the ages. No matter the place or era, whenever they met, they would clash in ferocious battles—conflicts seemingly without end.

These two rampaging dragons had brought immense chaos to the world.

Eventually, they were defeated through the combined efforts of the Three Great Factions. Their bodies were completely torn apart, and their souls were sealed within Sacred Gears, becoming two of the thirteen Longinus.

Divine Dividing is the Sacred Gear that sealed Albion, the White Dragon Emperor.

“A descendant of the Old Satan…”

“And he actually obtained a Longinus… and became the White Dragon Emperor…?”

Many people began to tremble.

Vali, however, continued smiling as he looked at Kaiser and said:

“I heard from Azazel that you’re the wielder of the True Longinus, and even he couldn’t defeat you.”

“So, I’m here to challenge you.”

“The most powerful Longinus versus the strongest Dragon-type Sacred Gear—which one is stronger?”

“Let’s find out in a duel!”

(End of Chapter)