Nia

Chapter 116-120: Balance Breaker

Added 2025-03-27 11:50:57 +0000 UTC

Chapter 116: Three Chances to Ask Questions

At this moment, the sun was setting in the west, painting the sky with a glow of evening clouds.

The evening sunlight shone on the path in front of the old school building, spreading over the open space and casting a golden hue throughout the forest.

"Yo, members of the Gremory Peerage, we meet again."

Kaiser greeted Rias and her group with a raised hand, like a visiting guest.

However, Rias and her group did not seem welcoming at all, even showing a hint of hostility towards him.

"What are you doing here?"

Rias directly questioned, her attitude far from friendly.

Clearly, she still held a grudge from the last encounter.

Kaiser, however, seemed oblivious, speaking nonchalantly.

"I have something I need to discuss with you."

This statement instantly increased the hostility emanating from Rias and her group, along with a subtle rise in vigilance and alertness.

After all, the last person Kaiser said this to was the female Fallen Angel he had captured.

Back then, Kaiser claimed he had business with her, only to end up blowing up her base and wiping out her subordinates.

Now, with Kaiser suddenly appearing here and saying such words, how could Rias and her group not be on guard?

"So, are we your target this time?"

Rias asked, her crimson aura slowly igniting around her.

"You could say that." Kaiser replied casually, and just as Rias and her group were about to enter battle mode, ready to explode at any moment, he changed his tone, "Relax, I'm not here to fight you. I just need your help with something."

Help?

Help with what?

Akeno Himejima, Yuuto Kiba, and Koneko Toujou exchanged glances, while Rias looked completely unconvinced.

Seeing this, Kaiser didn't waste any more words. He waved the Gravisheath he had been holding, causing several figures to descend from the air.

"What are those...?"

Rias and her group were stunned.

"These are the Peerage Devils of a certain trash Devil," Kaiser said to Rias. "I hope you can help settle them so they won't be persecuted."

Upon hearing Kaiser's words, not only Rias but the entire Gremory Peerage looked puzzled.

"You say they are Peerage Devils?" Rias furrowed her beautiful brows and asked, "Where is their master?"

Kaiser's response was straightforward.

"Dead."

The blunt and cold reply made Rias and her group all change their expressions.

"You killed their master? An Upper-Class Devil?"

Rias's delicate face turned somewhat grim.

"That's right."

Kaiser nodded.

"Do you know what you're doing right now?" Rias trembled with anger, her crimson aura growing thicker, her voice icy as she said, "You're admitting to killing an Upper-Class Devil, one of my kind, right in front of me!"

Admitting it was one thing, but Kaiser also asked Rias to help settle the Peerage of the Upper-Class Devil he killed, saying they shouldn't be persecuted. How could he have the face to say such things and do such things?

"If you knew what that trash Devil did, you wouldn't find what I'm doing now so strange." Kaiser glanced at Rias and said, "I can't be bothered to explain the details. As long as you investigate the identities of these Peerage Devils, you'll know who I killed and why I want you to help settle them."

"I'm not asking you to do it for free. As I said earlier, I'll tell you what's been happening lately."

"So, this is a transaction."

Kaiser held up three fingers to Rias.

"Three."

"You have three chances to ask me questions."

"I will answer your three questions truthfully and guarantee that the answers will be genuine, without any falsehood."

Kaiser smirked.

"So, do you agree?"

Upon hearing this, Rias clenched her fists and fell silent.

Though she was furious, she realized this was a good opportunity.

If she could make good use of these three questions, most of the issues that had arisen recently might be resolved.

Under normal circumstances, Rias would never compromise like this; her pride wouldn't allow it.

But Kuoh Town was indeed in a precarious state, like a vortex, drawing in people from various factions.

If the truth behind the recent events wasn't uncovered soon, and if a severe and irreparable conflict occurred during the investigations, it would be too late for regrets.

"President..."

Akeno Himejima and the others seemed to understand Rias's feelings and focused their gazes on her.

Rias took a deep breath to calm herself.

The crimson aura gradually disappeared from her body.

Rias returned to her usual demeanor, coldly looking at Kaiser and saying:

"Are you sure you'll answer my questions truthfully?"

"Of course," Kaiser replied indifferently. "You may not trust me, but even if my answers are false, it won't harm you, right?"

If Kaiser's answers were false, Rias could simply renege on her promise and abandon the Peerage Devils Kaiser brought.

Of course, knowing Rias's nature, once she learned about these people's pasts, she wouldn't abandon them.

Kaiser was confident in this, so he didn't intend to deceive Rias.

As long as Rias was willing to keep her promise, he wouldn't mix any lies into these three questions.

"Buzz..."

At that moment, Kaiser waved the Gravisheath again, causing its blade to vibrate slightly, controlling gravity to send the floating women in the air over to Rias.

Akeno Himejima, Yuuto Kiba, and Koneko Toujou checked these individuals while remaining vigilant. After confirming there were no obvious issues, they temporarily sent them to the old school building.

Akeno Himejima also took the opportunity to deploy a magic circle, secretly investigating the identities of these Peerage Devils.

Soon after, Akeno Himejima's expression changed noticeably.

"President..."

Akeno Himejima immediately approached Rias and whispered something in her ear.

Upon hearing those words, Rias visibly lost her composure.

"The Upper-Class Devil you killed is the successor of the Astaroth family?"

Rias looked at Kaiser in utter shock.

In response, Kaiser only said:

"Is that your first question?" Kaiser said expressionlessly. "If that's your first question, I'll answer you truthfully."

Rias really wanted to say yes.

That was the successor of the Astaroth family, a blood relative of the Satan Beelzebub! Such a person died in Kuoh Town; this was a big deal!

Even without the recent chaos, Kuoh Town would have become just as lively, with an even stronger sense of tension.

Currently, the mysterious incidents have only drawn the attention of various factions, leading to conflicts and friction. If the news of Diodora's death reached the Underworld, it would lead to a grand-scale demon hunt for the perpetrator.

If that happened, even if Kuoh Town wasn't destroyed, it would suffer collateral damage.

Thinking of this troubled future, Rias even felt like killing Kaiser.

But Rias suppressed her impulse and didn't consider this her first question.

Because Kaiser had already said he killed a trash Devil, and as long as she investigated the identities of those Peerage Devils, the situation would become clear.

In that case, this rare opportunity to ask questions shouldn't be wasted.

"...Why did you attack those Fallen Angels last time?"

Rias suppressed all her impulses and asked this question.

"Didn't I already tell you? I had some business with the Fallen Angels there!" Kaiser raised an eyebrow and said, "I didn't intend to attack them directly; they attacked me first. I was just defending myself, right?"

As if self-defense would go to such an extent.

"Don't brush me off!" Rias glared at Kaiser and said bluntly, "I need to know the detailed cause and effect, or it doesn't count as answering the question!"

"Alright." Kaiser didn't intend to brush Rias off, so he shrugged and said, "It's not as complicated as you think. I just wanted that Fallen Angel to bring someone to me."

"That person isn't particularly special, just someone with a rare Sacred Gear, so there's nothing particularly important involved, nor any conspiracy."

"I just wanted to recruit a talent, but that Fallen Angel also had their eyes on that talent, which led to the conflict and the situation."

"Does that answer satisfy you?"

This explanation not only failed to reassure Rias but made her even more concerned.

If what he said was true, then what kind of person could be considered a talent by both him and the Fallen Angels? What was special about their Sacred Gear? Was there really no conspiracy involved?

Rias had these doubts but didn't voice them.

"Second question." Rias looked directly at Kaiser and asked, "Remember when we first met, you told me the instigator of the large-scale destruction in Kuoh Town was someone named Siegfried, right?"

"You also mentioned he was trying to recruit you."

"But according to my investigation, the person who inherited the name Siegfried seems to no longer be with the Church."

"So, where is he now?"

"And what faction is he representing to recruit you?"

Rias finally asked the most crucial question.

Chapter 117: Find the Answer Yourself

Rias's question was undeniably sharp and crucial, directly touching upon the central theme of this world’s ongoing events.

Kaiser cast a meaningful glance at her, uncertain whether to call her intuition keen or her intellect sharp. To think that her second question had already struck the core issue.

He had assumed Rias would only reach this key point by her third question, but her performance exceeded his expectations. As expected of the heroine of the original work.

Unfortunately...

"Your current strength is too weak. Are you sure you want to hear this from me?" Kaiser stated bluntly. "One wrong step, and you might end up dead."

Himejima Akeno, Kiba Yuuto, and Toujou Koneko all felt a chill run through their hearts, their expressions shifting drastically.

Rias’s face also darkened. She was just about to say something when Kaiser interrupted her.

"I already know what you want to say. You want to tell me that this won’t scare Rias Gremory, right?" Kaiser said unreservedly. "That makes sense. You are the heir of the Gremory Clan, one of the Seventy-Two Pillars. Your brother is the current Lucifer, the strongest of the Four Great Satans."

"With a brother like that backing you up, what’s the big deal about Siegfried? Even if a god-level existence appeared, so what?"

"You believe your brother could never lose to a god, don’t you?"

Kaiser’s tone was calm, yet his words shook Rias and the others to their core.

"But let me tell you this—even if a true god were to get involved alone in this matter, they would be doomed without a chance of survival."

"Don’t assume I’m just spouting nonsense. The force behind Siegfried holds such power. Forget a single Devil King—even if the entire Underworld stood together, without external help, they would still be defeated."

"If that being does not intervene, the Devils might still have a chance to resist."

"But if that being does make a move..."

Kaiser shook his head at this point and chose not to continue.

Even so, the information he had already revealed was enough to leave Rias and the others deeply shaken.

To think that behind this matter lay such a terrifying force?

Even true gods would be doomed if caught in this?

Not even the entire Underworld combined could stand against them?

That being... Who could it be?

The mere thought sent an uncontrollable unease through Rias and the others.

Especially Rias—she stared intently at Kaiser, trying to read his expression to determine whether he was telling the truth.

She didn't want to believe his words.

An existence so powerful that the entire Underworld could not defeat it? She couldn’t even comprehend something like that.

But her intuition told her that while the man before her might be infuriating in some ways, he wasn’t someone who would lie about something like this.

So, what he said was most likely true.

"...Tell me."

Rias spoke in a solemn tone.

"What is the force behind Siegfried? And who exactly is this ‘being’ you’re referring to?"

That’s right—Rias had decided to ask.

It might be dangerous, but knowing that such a terrifying individual and faction existed behind the scenes, she couldn’t just pretend she hadn’t heard.

She had to gather as much information as possible and deliver it back to the Underworld, ensuring that the Devil Kings were made aware of this matter.

Otherwise, even if she personally remained safe in the future, she would never be able to rest easy.

As for Rias's decision, Kaiser was not surprised in the slightest.

He never expected her to back down just because of what he had said.

Thus...

"The faction Siegfried belongs to is an organization known as the Hero Faction."

Kaiser revealed the truth.

"It is a group composed entirely of humans, gathering those with the bloodline, power, or lineage of various heroes, warriors, and great figures throughout history."

"This faction operates under an organization called the Khaos Brigade, a terrorist group."

"The Hero Faction is merely one branch of the Khaos Brigade. This terrorist group includes problematic individuals from various mythological factions, including but not limited to Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels."

Kaiser's revelation left Rias and the others visibly stunned.

"Khaos Brigade?"

"A terrorist organization composed of problematic figures from different mythologies?"

"This..."

Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko all displayed expressions of disbelief.

"Such a faction actually exists?" Rias murmured. "How have we not noticed at all?"

"Because they are still lying in wait," Kaiser shrugged. "That said, some of the more capable factions have already begun to take notice of them."

"For example—the Fallen Angels."

"The Governor-General of the Fallen Angels is quite the capable figure. He may not be the strongest, but his intellect and intuition are among the sharpest."

"The Fallen Angels under his command have already detected the existence of the Khaos Brigade and are secretly investigating."

"As for the Angels and Devils, they remain completely unaware and uninformed about the faction."

Hearing this, Rias felt a sense of shame.

Despite being part of the same biblical mythology, the Fallen Angels had already noticed the Khaos Brigade, while the Devils and Angels remained utterly in the dark.

"Siegfried of the Hero Faction, huh?"

Rias continued speaking.

"So, he came representing the Khaos Brigade and the Hero Faction to invite you to join them?"

"You refused, which led to that massive destruction on the outskirts initially?"

"The incident at the abandoned church was your own action, unrelated to the Khaos Brigade?"

"And the event in the streets today—you caused that to eliminate Diodora Astaroth?"

Piecing together the answers from her questions, Rias finally unraveled the chain of events that had disrupted Kuoh Town’s peace recently.

Even the motives behind these incidents—she had deduced most of them. She could nearly reconstruct the entire sequence of events.

"That’s exactly how it is."

Kaiser confirmed Rias’s deductions.

"So it was like this..."

Akeno and the others displayed looks of realization, though their expressions remained heavy.

Even though the truth had been revealed, the fact that it concealed such an enormous secret left them uneasy.

"You still haven’t answered my question."

Rias, now clearly impatient, pressed forward.

"The ‘being’ you mentioned earlier... Who is it?"

At her words, Kaiser cast her a glance.

"That was your third question."

He reminded her first, then, without waiting for her response, dropped the biggest revelation yet.

"That being is the leader of the Khaos Brigade, a presence even gods and satans fear."

"She is the Ouroboros Dragon, born from the void—the Dragon of Dragons, the God among Gods."

"She is the Infinite Dragon God—Ophis."

—"Ophis."

As Kaiser's words echoed in their ears, Rias and the others felt a deafening roar inside their minds.

"Ophis!"

Rias cried out involuntarily.

"How could it be her...?!"

As the heir of the Gremory Clan, even though Rias was still a newcomer in the supernatural world, she had heard of the name Infinite Dragon God.

The strongest Dragon, the strongest God, the world’s most powerful being—an existence said to possess infinite power, before whom countless gods and devils had bowed.

How could she not know of such an existence?

Just one individual, yet capable of standing against all mythologies—such a terrifying force!

And now, this being had become the leader of a terrorist organization?

That had to be a joke, right?

"The Fallen Angel Governor-General has likely already discovered this as well."

Kaiser spoke sarcastically, as if to crush any last traces of Rias’s hopes.

"Compared to him, the leaders of the Angels and Devils are far too slow."

"Whether in the research and development of Sacred Gears or the investigation into the Khaos Brigade, the Angels and Devils lag far behind the Fallen Angels."

"If not for that individual, perhaps by the time the Khaos Brigade finally makes its move against the Three Factions, you wouldn’t even be able to react."

With that, Kaiser glanced at the sky.

"I’ve answered all your questions. I won’t be staying any longer."

His words snapped Rias and the others out of their shock.

"Wait!" Rias quickly called out. "Have you already joined the Khaos Brigade?"

"That’s your fourth question—beyond what I need to answer." Kaiser shook his head. "Find the answer yourself."

Leaving those words behind, Kaiser turned to leave.

Suddenly—

"Lightning, strike!"

With a solemn invocation, a massive magic circle abruptly unfolded above the old school building.

"Boom!"

A thick bolt of lightning, like a pillar of descending light, erupted from the magic circle and struck down upon Kaiser, accompanied by a deafening thunderclap.

However, the relentless barrage of lightning was halted by an invisible gravitational barrier that had appeared at some unknown moment.

A purple glow enveloped Kaiser like a protective shield, forming a Gravity Field that deflected the falling lightning. The electrical energy veered off course, skirting around the barrier’s edge rather than striking Kaiser, who stood unharmed in its center.

Kaiser held Gravisheath in his grip, briefly glancing at the lightning cascading above him before shifting his gaze to the figure behind Rias.

There, Akeno Himejima had donned a shrine maiden’s attire, her slender hands raised, crackling with arcs of electricity.

"Rias!"

Akeno spoke with a resolute expression.

"We can’t let him leave so easily!"

Rias understood Akeno’s intentions perfectly.

At this moment, Kaiser’s stance was clearly that of an enemy, not an ally.

Moreover, he possessed critical information concerning the Underworld.

Not to mention—he was the direct cause of multiple recent incidents and the murderer of Diodora Astaroth, heir to the House of Astaroth.

Both emotionally and logically, they could not let him walk away.

With these thoughts weighing on her mind, Rias cast a conflicted look at Kaiser.

But soon, her gaze sharpened with firm resolve.

Chapter 118: Your Future Brother-in-Law

"Kaiser!"

Rias shouted loudly toward the area ahead, where lightning and thunder clashed.

"Come with me to the Underworld!"

This was a matter of great importance. Rias had to consider the entire Devil society. She needed to bring Kaiser back so that her brother and the other Maou could handle the situation.

Regardless of the fact that he had killed the successor of the Astaroth family, the matters concerning the Khaos Brigade and Ophis also had to be decided by the Maou.

Kaiser was a crucial witness and a source of intelligence. There was no way they could simply let such an important person escape.

She had to bring Kaiser back to the Underworld.

"You’re quite decisive."

Kaiser, maintaining his Gravity Field, was a bit surprised but not shocked.

He understood how significant the Khaos Brigade's affairs were. He also knew how earth-shattering Ophis’ existence was. Adding to that, he had just killed the heir of the Astaroth family. There was no way Rias and the others would let him go so easily.

However…

"Do you really think you can take me to the Underworld?"

Kaiser looked at Rias and her group of four as if they were just a bunch of children, then suddenly smiled.

"Well then, let’s finish the fight we didn’t complete last time."

As he spoke, Kaiser swung Gravisheath, activating its ability.

"Boom!"

A surge of purple light spread outward, causing the atmosphere to roar. The terrifying gravity pressed down like an invisible mountain.

"Turn to dust!"

Scarlet Aura ignited around Rias. Raising both hands, she gathered a massive sphere of Demonic Power imbued with the Power of Destruction and unleashed it forward.

"Boom—!"

The crimson Demonic Power clashed with the purple gravitational waves, creating a deafening explosion yet reaching a deadlock.

The immense gravity sought to crush the crimson Demonic Power, suppressing it to the ground. However, the Power of Destruction within Rias’ attack erased the gravity itself, causing both forces to counteract each other.

"Thunder of Heaven! Resound across the skies!"

Akeno Himejima seized the opportunity, extending her fingers. Sparks of electricity flickered at her fingertips before she launched them into the rotating magic formation in midair.

The next moment, the lightning that entered the formation seemed to amplify dozens of times, transforming into thick pillars of thunder that rained down toward Kaiser.

Under the immense power of the descending thunder, even the gravitational barrier above Kaiser's head trembled violently.

"Buzz..."

The blade of Gravisheath vibrated slightly, seemingly displeased and irritated.

"Not bad."

Kaiser looked at Akeno with slight surprise.

He knew Akeno was strong, almost on par with Rias and not far behind a High-Class Devil. But now, judging purely by offensive power, she could indeed rival a High-Class Devil.

Setting aside Rias, who wielded the Power of Destruction, if compared to Diodora, Akeno wasn’t lacking in any way.

"But it's just lightning. If you added Light Power to form Thunder-Light, perhaps you might actually surprise me."

Kaiser’s words made Akeno’s face change, her usual gentle expression turning sour.

However, Kaiser’s attention had already shifted away from her.

"Swish!"

A figure suddenly dashed toward him like an afterimage, moving at extreme speed.

"Ha!"

Yuuto Kiba wielded a sword exuding an ominous aura, his entire being seemingly fused with the blade as he lunged at Kaiser, thrusting forward.

"Clang!"

The blood-tinged blade of Gravisheath flashed, clashing against Kiba’s sword and deflecting it.

"Haah!"

Failing the first strike, Kiba didn’t falter. He let out a shout and continued his assault, his sword turning into streaks of slashes as he repeatedly struck out.

"Clang—Clang—Clang—Clang—Clang—"

The ominous sword and the blood-glowing scythe clashed repeatedly, sending sparks flying with each impact, dazzling yet dangerous.

Faced with Kiba’s rapid and relentless attacks, Kaiser didn’t move at all. He simply stood in place, casually swinging Gravisheath, effortlessly deflecting every strike.

"Not bad." Kaiser looked at Kiba through the sparks and commented, "Your swordsmanship may be slightly inferior to Kirin and Amagiri, but in terms of speed, you surpass them. Overall, your strength is about the same."

"If it were the old me, I wouldn’t have been able to handle your attacks so easily."

"But the current me is different."

As he spoke, Kaiser’s Gravisheath swung out in rapid succession—three consecutive strikes in less than half a second.

First, he swung downward from above.

Then, he slashed upward from below.

Finally, he executed a diagonal cut toward the front.

The speed was so fast that Kiba couldn’t react.

The first strike knocked Kiba’s sword away.

The second strike shattered his sword completely.

The third strike slashed across Kiba’s chest, leaving a deep wound.

"Ugh…!"

Kiba winced in pain, his body retreating rapidly, leaving a trail of blood.

"Kiba!"

Both Rias and Akeno cried out in alarm.

They wanted to step forward and help, but Kaiser had already activated Gravisheath’s abilities—two of them at once.

One was the Gravity Field clashing with Rias’ Power of Destruction.

The other was the Gravity Barrier blocking the lightning attacks.

If the first was removed, the Gravity Field would spread across the battlefield, pinning everyone down.

If the second was withdrawn, the redirected lightning would strike back at its caster.

This left Rias and Akeno unable to stop their attacks. They could only continue pouring Demonic Power into their offensive spells, struggling against Gravisheath’s gravity.

As for Koneko Toujou…

She was completely out of the fight.

The reason was simple.

Before her stood a figure that haunted her nightmares.

"You can’t go any further, Shirone."

A sultry black cat girl had appeared out of nowhere, blocking Koneko’s path with a seductive smile.

Seeing this person, Koneko, who always had an emotionless expression, showed a severe and visible reaction for the first time.

"Kuroka… Nee-sama…?"

Her voice trembled. Her body quivered. She staggered backward, her inner turmoil evident.

"Why…"

Koneko looked at Kuroka in fear, her lips trembling.

"Why are you here?"

Kuroka, seemingly understanding Koneko’s confusion, gazed at her quivering little sister with an intensified seductive smile.

"Of course, because of that man—Nyaa~."

Upon hearing this, Koneko’s eyes widened.

"Could it be… Nee-sama, you also…?!"

The girl had clearly misunderstood, assuming that Kuroka had joined the Khaos Brigade, becoming one of Kaiser’s allies.

Kuroka, having observed the situation from the shadows, naturally knew about the Khaos Brigade and thus understood her sister’s thoughts.

She didn’t bother explaining.

"Well? The man your sister has her eyes on is quite strong, right?" Kuroka’s voice was sticky and sultry, her charming eyes half-lidded. "Even though he’s just a human, he’s so powerful and unique. If I could get his genetic material, I could probably give birth to many excellent kittens, don’t you think?"

"By coincidence, after witnessing him ruthlessly kill that trash Devil, I fell for him at first sight—Nyaa~."

"So, I won’t let you go, Shirone."

"If you were to be killed by your future brother-in-law, even I would be sad—Nyaa~."

Kuroka chuckled as she spoke, and if Kaiser had heard her, he would definitely have twitched at the corner of his mouth.

Others would likely feel the same—stunned by this black cat’s words.

Except Koneko…

She wasn’t surprised at all.

After all, reproduction and passing on their lineage was something deeply ingrained in the genetics of the Nekomata.

The stronger and more exceptional an individual was, the more they would attract the interest of the Nekomata.

They longed for powerful genes, desiring to give birth to healthy, strong, and exceptional offspring, which was why they often went into heat.

As Kuroka’s younger sister, Koneko was also a Nekomata—a Nekoshou—and was well aware of the instincts of her kind.

For that very reason, she did not doubt Kuroka’s words.

However, in the next moment, the world around her spun wildly, and she suddenly collapsed to the ground.

"Poison…?!"

It was only now that Koneko realized it.

She… seemed to have been poisoned.

"You've gotten weaker, Shirone."

Kuroka sighed in disappointment as she gazed down at Koneko.

"You were always weak—without my protection, you wouldn’t have survived—but as the strongest Nekoshou, you should at least be capable of using Youjutsu and Senjutsu, right?"

"If you had used Senjutsu and sensed the flow of Ki in the environment, you would have noticed the poison I released in secret."

"The way you are now… you’re a disappointment to your big sister."

Upon hearing this, Koneko struggled to breathe, her voice trembling in pain.

"I… won’t be like you… I won’t… be a slave… to power…"

For a fleeting moment, Kuroka’s eyes flickered with a complex emotion.

Then, she sneered coldly.

"How foolish. Power is power. Without it, you’ll only become someone else’s plaything. After everything you’ve been through, you still don’t understand?"

Whether Koneko could still hear her or not, Kuroka didn’t seem to care.

She turned away, her voice drifting lightly through the air.

"Forget it. Talking to you in this state is a waste of time."

"Just stay here and watch with me."

"Your big sister doesn’t want to see you get skewered by that spear, nya~…"

Koneko never heard the rest of her words.

She lost consciousness, her body collapsing to the ground, unable to rise again.

Chapter 119: One-Sided Defeat

“Huff… Huff…”

On the battlefield, Kiba Yuuto knelt on one knee, panting heavily, his entire body drenched in blood.

His body was already covered in wounds, and his Kuoh Academy uniform had become tattered and torn. Visible cuts crisscrossed his body, continuously seeping blood, making him appear utterly miserable.

“Kiba!”

Rias Gremory and Himejima Akeno watched helplessly, unable to break free to assist him, their expressions filled with pain.

In contrast, standing before Kiba Yuuto was Kaiser, who had not moved from his position. His body remained unscathed, forming a stark contrast to Kiba's battered state.

“Buzzz…!”

In Kaiser’s hand, Gravisheath's crimson scythe blade vibrated once more, but this time, it was not out of frustration or restlessness; rather, it exuded an unmistakable sense of excitement.

Upon closer inspection, the tip of Gravisheath’s blade was touching the ground—or more precisely, it was in contact with the blood Kiba Yuuto had shed, absorbing it.

After consuming Kiba’s blood, Gravisheath visibly became more excited. Its blade grew redder, its Urm-Manadyte darkened to an even deeper purple, and the gravity it emitted intensified. As a result, Rias’s Power of Destruction, which had previously been resisting the Gravity Field, was slightly pushed back. The gravity barrier, which had been on the verge of collapse under the assault of lightning, once again stabilized.

“It seems Gravisheath really likes your blood.”

Kaiser's unhurried voice reached Kiba Yuuto’s ears.

“It almost feels like it’s saying that your blood contains an exceptionally high level of demonic nature—just the type it favors.”

Hearing this, Kiba Yuuto adjusted his breathing and glanced at Gravisheath.

“…Is that your Sacred Gear?” Kiba Yuuto spoke with difficulty. “I heard that you possess an extremely dangerous Sacred Gear with a holy attribute, but this doesn’t seem like it at all.”

The implication was clear—if anything, Gravisheath seemed just as sinister.

This eerie scythe not only manipulated gravity but also absorbed the blood of others. It wasn’t just demonic—it was downright ominous.

This kind of Sacred Gear was vastly different from the rumored holy attribute Sacred Gear Kaiser supposedly possessed.

“For now, this is enough.” Kaiser chuckled and said, “Honestly, I don’t even need to use it. After all, you guys haven’t fully matured yet; you’re not capable of posing any real threat to me.”

Among the four members of the Gremory Peerage, the strongest was undoubtedly Rias, a pure-blooded High-Class Devil.

Yet even without wielding any of his specialized weapons, Kaiser could fight on par with an Ultimate-Class Devil using only his Touki.

If he wielded Ser-Veresta or Gravisheath, his combat strength would be at the pinnacle among Ultimate-Class Devils. And if he used True Longinus, he could even contend with a Maou.

With such overwhelming strength, a few Devils who hadn’t even reached the Ultimate-Class level had no chance of defeating him.

“By the way, just how long do you plan to keep hiding?” Kaiser looked at the wounded Kiba Yuuto and suddenly spoke. “You’re a Sacred Gear wielder too, aren’t you?”

“Why haven’t you used your Sacred Gear yet?”

“Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

The moment these words were spoken, Kiba Yuuto’s pupils contracted sharply.

“…I’ve been exposed?”

He had indeed assumed that Kaiser was unaware, which was why he had deliberately kept it hidden, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

“You’re much more rational than your President and Vice President.” Kaiser seemed to see through his thoughts and chuckled. “You realized from the beginning that my strength is far above yours, and even if you all worked together, you might still lose. So, you deliberately hid your trump card, planning to strike me when I let my guard down, right?”

“Well, it’s a nice idea, but I’ve known from the start that you’re a Sacred Gear user.”

“Hiding it is meaningless—it’ll only make you lose faster.”

“If you don’t use it soon, the match will be decided.”

As he spoke, Kaiser swung Gravisheath, forming spheres of gravity.

“Tenfold Ruin.”

Ten gravity spheres, each about the size of a soccer ball, appeared before Kaiser. With a flick of Gravisheath, they shot toward Kiba Yuuto.

“…!”

Kiba reacted instantly, ignoring the searing pain from his wounds and swiftly retreating, attempting to evade the gravity spheres.

However, the spheres seemed to have a mind of their own, relentlessly pursuing him. Though they weren’t particularly fast, they couldn’t be shaken off and remained locked onto him.

“I have no choice…”

Kiba Yuuto’s expression darkened. To avoid immediate defeat, he had no choice but to activate his Sacred Gear.

“Sword Birth!”

As his Sacred Gear activated, a sword materialized in Kiba Yuuto’s hand.

It was a demonic sword, exuding the same ominous aura as the ones he had wielded earlier.

The difference was that the sword he had just created now emanated a chilling frost.

“Haaah…!”

Kiba Yuuto swung his ice-element demonic sword, slashing downward. Instantly, a wall of ice formed, blocking the path of the gravity spheres.

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom…!”

The gravity spheres crashed into the ice wall one after another, riddling it with cracks before finally shattering it.

Kiba Yuuto continuously conjured ice walls, intercepting the gravity spheres again and again, until he finally nullified them.

“Flame Blaze Sword!”

At that moment, Kiba Yuuto forged another demonic sword in his hand. This one burned with fierce flames. Now wielding both the ice and fire swords, he gripped one in each hand.

Two different elemental demonic swords, both created from nothing—this fully revealed the true nature of his Sacred Gear.

“Sword Birth—the Sacred Gear that allows its wielder to create demonic swords of any attribute.”

Kaiser observed the scene and let out another chuckle.

“It’s the same type of Sacred Gear as Blade Blacksmith—one creates holy swords, the other creates demonic swords. Quite interesting.”

Jeanne’s Blade Blacksmith and Kiba Yuuto’s Sword Birth were essentially identical Sacred Gears, differing only in attribute.

One belonged to a descendant of a saint, the other to a reincarnated Devil—perhaps this was fate.

Siegfried was also a demonic sword user, but he wielded legendary demonic swords, each possessing tremendous power and dreadful curses.

Kiba Yuuto’s swords were created by his Sacred Gear—would they also carry curses upon him?

“Haaah…!”

Unaware of Kaiser’s thoughts, Kiba Yuuto charged at him, wielding both his flame and ice swords.

His dual swords slashed with extreme speed, turning into a flurry of fiery and icy strikes that continuously rained down upon Kaiser.

“Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang…!”

Kaiser remained completely still, effortlessly parrying every strike with Gravisheath, showing no signs of difficulty despite Kiba's rapid attacks.

Flames and ice erupted, but Gravisheath's crimson blade cut through them with overwhelming force, breaking Kiba's attacks apart.

“Boom!”

Before long, Gravisheath violently struck Kiba’s swords, shattering them just as before.

“Thud!”

Kaiser then delivered a powerful kick to Kiba Yuuto’s abdomen, sending him flying.

“Gah…!”

Kiba failed to dodge the kick, tumbling across the ground and coughing up blood.

“As expected, just like Blade Blacksmith, your Sword Birth may allow you to create various demonic swords, but compared to real demonic swords, they fall short in both power and quality—they’re far too fragile.”

Kaiser rested Gravisheath on his shoulder and remarked,

“If you could achieve Balance Breaker, things might be different. But judging by your current state, you haven’t reached that level yet, have you?”

Compared to Jeanne, Kiba Yuuto was undoubtedly weaker.

Jeanne, even if not as strong as Siegfried, was still superior to most High-Class Devils.

In Balance Breaker, she could even fight an Ultimate-Class Devil.

When she and Heracles worked together, they could even briefly contend with Kaiser wielding True Longinus.

Compared to her, Kiba Yuuto was still too inexperienced. Even with Sword Birth, he was likely only stronger than Raynare but weaker than Diodora.

“Boom—”

At the moment of Kiba’s defeat, Kaiser’s Gravity Field finally overwhelmed Rias’s Power of Destruction, expanding to encompass the entire area.

“Ugh…!”

“Ah…!”

Rias and Akeno were caught off guard and were forced to their knees, unable to stand.

“President!”

Seeing this, Kiba Yuuto tried to struggle to his feet.

But the weight of Gravisheath’s gravity pressed down on him, causing his wounds to reopen and fresh blood to spill.

Kaiser had remained in place the entire time, never moving a step, yet he had single-handedly defeated the Gremory Peerage.

“You’re still too weak.”

Kaiser shook his head, not disappointed, merely stating a fact.

“With your current strength, you can’t stop me.”

Kaiser dismissed Gravisheath, and the gravity dissipated.

“W-Wait…!”

Rias reached out toward him, struggling to stand.

But Kaiser had already turned away.

“The next time we meet, I hope you’ll be stronger.” Kaiser glanced at Rias, his expression unreadable. “Otherwise, I’ll lose interest in you very quickly.”

With those words, Kaiser stepped forward, walking out of the forest and leaving the battlefield behind.

Rias’s outstretched hand fell to the ground, clutching a handful of dirt.

At this moment, she had never hated her own weakness more…

Chapter 120: Legend Becomes Reality

Unknowingly, the sky had turned dark.

By the time Kaiser left Kuoh Academy and returned to the shopping mall, the entire place was brightly lit.

Raynare and Asia were waiting right at the entrance, surrounded by numerous shopping bags, a clear sign that they had bought quite a lot.

However, the moment Kaiser appeared, Raynare, the Fallen Angel, became furious.

"Where the hell did you go?!" Raynare, looking absolutely livid, shouted at Kaiser. "Do you have any idea how long we've been waiting for you here?!"

Heaven have mercy, they had been waiting here for an entire afternoon.

After lunch, they had come to the shopping mall to buy necessities. Although it took some time to get everything they needed, waiting until nightfall meant they had been here for several hours.

Leaving two stunning beauties stranded on the street for hours—could you believe it?

And yet, Kaiser had done just that!

So, with her already short temper, bad personality, and questionable morality, Raynare completely forgot about the threat of the small Ser-Veresta in her arms, as well as Kaiser's own threats, and lashed out at him.

"Isn't it just a little wait?" Kaiser, completely unbothered, calmly responded, "If I hadn't left, then I would have been the one waiting here for hours, right?"

Everyone knows that shopping with girls is a time-consuming ordeal.

They need to browse, compare, and pick what suits their tastes. Especially when it comes to clothing and accessories, the level of scrutiny is beyond excessive.

If Kaiser had stayed, he would have had to follow them around the entire shopping mall, walking until his legs gave out. Even if he didn't follow them directly, he would have been stuck waiting outside for hours.

So, he left without a hint of guilt, even though he did have legitimate business to attend to.

Raynare clearly couldn't accept this.

"I didn’t even want to come! Wasn't it you who told me to take her shopping?!"

Raynare pointed at Asia, loudly accusing him.

"I'm… I'm sorry!"

Asia quickly apologized, her delicate face filled with guilt, as if she truly believed this was all her fault.

"You don't need to apologize. This is exactly what she should be doing." Kaiser's tone towards Asia was noticeably different, causing Raynare’s expression to twist as he spoke with complete indifference, "This woman wanted your life. It's only fair that she does whatever you ask of her."

"Not just accompanying you for a few hours or waiting here—if you told her to be your slave for the rest of her life, that would be justified too."

Raynare nearly exploded on the spot.

Unfortunately for her, Kaiser completely ignored her, treating her as if she were a servant meant to be used. Instead, he turned to Asia and spoke.

"How did it go? Did you get everything?"

"Y-Yes, we bought everything."

"Do you need anything else? If you do, just say so."

"N-No, this is more than enough. In fact, it's too much…"

Under Kaiser's questioning, Asia remained uneasy, looking like she had received far too much kindness and didn’t know how to handle it.

As a nun, despite being called a saint, her life in the Church had undoubtedly been one of poverty.

Her actual needs were minimal, far lower than most people's, so she had never gone on such an extravagant shopping spree. However, Kaiser had simply waved his hand and left everything to Raynare.

Raynare, of course, had no desire to help Asia, but under Kaiser's threat, she had no choice but to make sure Asia was well taken care of, buying as much as possible.

Now, after all that effort, not only did she have to figure out how to pay for everything, but she also had to stand here waiting for hours. It was no wonder she was furious.

"Don't hold back. Buy whatever you need." As if he hadn’t tormented Raynare enough, Kaiser added, "Someone else is footing the bill anyway. We're just taking advantage of it, so don’t think too much."

Raynare: "……"

She suddenly felt her survival instincts were too strong—how had she endured all of this without snapping and trying to kill this bastard?

If only she had the courage to go all out…

At least then she wouldn't be in this situation, seething with rage and forcing herself to stay calm.

"Really, I don’t need anything else." Asia hurriedly shook her head, waving her hands. "I've received so much already. This is all God's blessing. Amen."

As she spoke, Asia clasped her hands together in prayer, looking devout.

Raynare: "……"

That was my money!

Those were my things!

If anything, you should be thanking me!

And yet, you're thanking the God we betrayed, calling this His blessing?

This woman must be insane!

Raynare started regretting not acting faster back then—if only she had properly prepared the ritual and sacrificed this girl.

That way, she could have obtained the Sacred Gear she had dreamed of, and escaped before this bastard came after her. It would have been the perfect plan.

Now, she was utterly frustrated.

"Since you say so, let’s leave it at that for now." Kaiser, completely oblivious to Raynare's frustration, spoke casually. "Alright, let's go home."

Hearing this, Raynare suddenly remembered—

The place this bastard was living in… was also something she had prepared.

---

It was a small villa located near the center of Kuoh Town.

The villa was a standalone property, not particularly large, covering only a few hundred square meters. The courtyard took up just a small portion of the land, so it didn’t feel overly luxurious or extravagant.

Raynare had arranged for this residence, apparently a gift from some wealthy businessman she had seduced.

Of course, she had no interest in living in such a place. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate luxury—it was that she believed she deserved something even better.

Perhaps out of spite, she handed over this villa, which she found unimpressive, for Kaiser to live in.

Now, with Asia being taken in as a prospective team member by Kaiser, she had also moved in, becoming one of the villa's residents.

Her room was right next to Kaiser's.

Neither Kaiser nor Raynare had chosen it for her—she had picked it herself.

Perhaps without realizing it, after arriving in a completely unfamiliar place, the girl instinctively sought someone to rely on, which led her to choose a room close to Kaiser's.

As for Raynare… she had no room here.

Not because the "slave master" Kaiser denied her one, but because she refused to live here.

"I brought the girl to you, handled everything, and even cooked for you. Surely, you’ll let me go now?"

Late at night, as Asia settled into her new home with lingering unease, Raynare sought out Kaiser on the open-air balcony.

The moment she arrived, she immediately demanded her release, her face visibly exhausted.

She had no choice—Kaiser was truly treating her like a slave. Not only did she have to take care of Asia’s needs, but she also had to prepare dinner and even a late-night snack. The entire ordeal had drained her to the point where even her usual bad temper was fading.

She had never cooked before, and to fulfill Kaiser's demands, she had struggled immensely.

Now, she felt like she was at her limit. She didn’t want to stay here another second.

She wanted to leave.

Or rather, she wanted to escape.

If not for Ser-Veresta placed on her by Kaiser, she would have already devised several escape plans—or perhaps even a plan to kill him.

Thinking about this, Raynare's gaze darkened as she looked at Kaiser, her beautiful face twisting into something almost demonic.

But the moment she saw what Kaiser was holding, she froze completely.

"…………"

In the silence of the night, Kaiser stood at the center of the open-air balcony, dressed in simple loungewear, his eyes tightly shut.

He extended one hand forward, holding a long spear taller than himself, radiating an intense yet tranquil presence.

Even as Raynare approached and stood before him, Kaiser did not open his eyes. The spear in his hand, despite being so prominent, seemed to fade into the surroundings, making it easy to overlook.

Now, as Raynare finally took in the full view of the spear and felt the sacred power gently pulsing from it, her heart trembled with shock.

"True Longinus…"

She recognized this spear.

"He possesses the Holy Spear…"

"His Sacred Gear is a Longinus…"

"The strongest Longinus, the first Longinus, the relic that pierced God…"

As if witnessing an existence beyond comprehension, as if facing the faith she had abandoned, Raynare trembled.

At that moment, she finally realized what kind of being this despicable human—who had destroyed her base and treated her as a slave—truly was.

And just as Raynare shuddered in realization, Kaiser opened his eyes.

He looked at Raynare—not as if he were looking at a person, but at a mere test subject.

Meeting that gaze, Raynare seemed to understand something, and her face turned deathly pale.

"Spare..."