Capítulo 102: Chapter 102: It's My Fault
-Azazel POV-
Watching the young man pace with a frown, I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He had been at it for twenty minutes after I told him I didn't know anything about this "Blood River" he was asking about. 'Odd, I know most places in the world.' But this didn't ring a bell. Even after digging through my memory I came up empty.
"Do you know about Trihexa? Or the Dimensional Gap?" he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
My face darkened as I replied. "Don't believe everything you read, kid. Trihexa's a myth, and anything about the Dimensional Gap is best to be forgotten about." My eyes drifted down to the snake tattoo on his arm, which even without radiating magic, gave off a sense of discomfort. Then they fell to the silver katana loosely grasped in his hand. 'The infamous cursed Muramasa itself.' I looked back at him, noticing he seemed impatient. He took a few steps closer, then stopped while unsummoning the sword.
"I need you to make a magic contract with me." he said.
"Why?" I tilted my head, studying him carefully.
He sighed sitting down next to me, which seemed unusual he didn't strike me as someone who'd be so casual. 'Still, he spoke as if we'd known each other for years.' Pulling a magic contract from my pocket, I shrugged. "Never know when you'll need one." I noticed his glance at the paper as I handed him a side.
"I, Azazel, wish for Ryou Sasaki to speak the truth, and in return, I'll offer equal payment for the information given." I recited. 'I'm giving you leeway, kid. Don't misuse it.'
He looked at me thoughtfully, then spoke. "I, Ryou Sasaki, agree, provided Azazel will never reveal any information about me or those close to me." He shrugged when I raised an eyebrow, then we both channeled magic into the paper to seal it.
"So, what's so important we had to do this?" I asked, tucking the paper away. He opened his mouth and began.
-Ryou POV-
"Trihexa appeared and destroyed everything." I concluded after telling Azazel everything, from what happened at the start after arriving to Kuoh to what happened with Trihexa. I watched as his face froze, then slowly shifted into a frown. We sat in silence atop Mount Fuji for a few minutes, the wind biting through the chill. Finally, he broke the quiet.
"That sword of yours seems to have driven you insane and messed up your memories." he muttered, turning his gaze downward.
I looked out at the view, appreciating the breathtaking scenery despite the cold. "I saw your old man's perspective when he sealed Trihexa."
Azazel blinked. "What?"
I nodded, summoning Muramasa in my hand. "I did something I probably shouldn't have while trying to reclaim Muramasa... and ended up experiencing what felt like memories, Gods memories."
Azazel sighed, seemingly visibly aging as he processed this. "Kid... Ryou, I never went back into Heaven to my old workshop."
I frowned, watching him closely. "Back then during the time you said I did, I wouldn't have been able to. I might now with a few inventions and for a small while but I wouldn't get very far even then."
He looked up at the sky, deep in thought. "There's only one person I could think of who might get into Heaven and past my siblings defenses with malicious intent. And that's, Loki the Norse God of Mischief."
My eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed. "Loki? Isn't it well known he hates Christian mythology?"
Azazel snorted. "He was more than likely paid by someone. But that brings me to something else." He held up two fingers. "One, I need you to return to the Blood River while I run a scan on you." He pulled a small, palm-sized device from his jacket.
I raised an eyebrow. "A scan for what?"
He smiled faintly. "This will detect any unusual magic signals." He handed it to me, and I placed it against my shirt, hearing a faint hum. "You see, I think there are two signals, one is your soul, and the other is the Blood River. When you 'enter' the Blood River, these signals interact and create a kind of tether, allowing you to return to your body."
Seeing my confused expression, he chuckled and held his arms out, palms facing each other.
"Let's say your soul is my right hand." he said, wiggling his right hand. "And the Blood River is my left." He waved his left hand, then slowly brought his hands together until they clapped. "When you go to the Blood River in what I'll call 'soul form.'" he continued, connecting his palms with a faint blue line of magic, "You create a tether that lets you return to your body." His hands began to glow faintly. "During this, the two signals activate, forming a kind of beacon. Does that make sense?"
I nodded, though a bit uncertainly. "Okay, but what does this have to do with Trihexa?"
His face turned grim. "Because I believe the 'Azazel' you encountered at the Blood River wasn't me, but someone impersonating me."
I tilted my head, considering this. "Could it have been some form of hypnosis?"
Azazel shook his head firmly. "Unlikely. Those around me would have noticed, and I have safeguards in place."
"Then... who do you think it could have been?" I asked, watching him intently.
Azazel paused, locking eyes with me, his voice dropping. "Rizevim Livan Lucifer. The son of the Original Lucifer."
~Scene Change~
After the shock of learning that Lucifer's son, Rizevim was after Trihexa and by extension me, Azazel and I began preparing for my trip to the Blood River. Settling into meditation, I focused on the connection with Muramasa and the Blood River. 'Can't believe I was in the presence of Lucifer's son.' I sighed, feeling the pull of the Blood River, and surrendered to it. When I opened my eyes, the familiar sight greeted me, an endless expanse of blood and countless swords jutting from its depths, no land in sight.
I walked to the spot where Muramasa had once been and sat down. Gazing at my reflection in the blood, I leaned forward and drank from the river. 'Still can't believe that monster lies beneath all this.' While drinking didn't seem to have any further effects on me, it had become a ritual of sorts whenever I was here. 'Better than smoking and drinking, I guess.' With a sigh, I closed my eyes and prepared to return.
When I opened my eyes again, I was met with Azazel's complicated expression. Standing and stretching, I removed the device he'd given me. "So, what's the verdict?" I asked, handing it back to him. He sighed pocketing it.
"I was right."
I hummed thoughtfully and moved to sit on a nearby rock, gesturing for him to explain. He joined me. "The device managed to create a tracker." he said, taking it out again and pressing a button. A small map appeared on its screen. "It marked where your soul went by infusing the tiniest bit of mana into it." He paused, then crushed the device in his hand.
I raised an eyebrow. "You were going to keep it?"
He nodded grimly. "But I shouldn't. If Rizevim is after Trihexa, it can't be for anything good."
I nodded in agreement, then asked. "What I don't understand is how he could get past the seals God made. From what I saw in the memories, those seals were incredibly powerful. And why he wants Trihexa in the first place."
Azazel looked down, sighing. "My theory? Either he made a large enough sacrifice to strengthen Trihexa, or he sacrificed himself. And as for why he would do this? He believes in that devil's are to be evil, to create chaos. That they shouldn't be anything less."
I nodded, then frowned as a thought surfaced. "But what about Trihexa overpowering Great Red, Ophis, and even Shiva? It overwhelmed them like it was nothing."
Azazel rubbed his eyes with one hand before responding. "What is the Blood River?"
I tilted my head, recalling what I'd learned from Muramasa. "It's a place where the blood of countless beings... Oh." The realization hit. "Trihexa must have absorbed part of the Blood River."
Azazel nodded. "Most likely. Considering even gods have fallen to the blade, it would have been enough to overpower those three. And that's without factoring in how much stronger it becomes the more it devours while out of the seal."
I turned to look at the vast expanse, burying my face in my hands. 'If I hadn't existed in this world, Rizevim wouldn't have found Trihexa's cage. This is my fault. If I hadn't existed, Eri wouldn't have met me, and she'd have had a better life.' A deep, raw defeat settled over me. I was responsible for this world's destruction. And while I didn't care much for most people, a few meant something to me, and countless innocent lives had been wiped out because I hadn't been better.
'Wasn't better? Fuck...'
"There isn't much we can do right now other than start preparing." Azazel said after we'd sat in silence for a while. Turning to him, I nodded and stood up, stretching my limbs.
"I'll start working on speeding up the treaty between the Devils, Fallen Angels, and Angels." Azazel continued. "What about you, Ryou?"
I cracked my neck as he rose to his feet. A magic circle appeared beneath him, and he pulled out a phone, tossing it to me. I caught it with ease as I spoke.
"I've got two more assignments to wrap up. After that, I'll focus on strengthening myself."
He gave a nod, then waved goodbye before teleporting away, leaving me alone. As I gazed at my surroundings atop Mount Fuji, I sighed inwardly.
'This day has been a mess.'
Shaking my head, I started blitzing down the mountain to head towards a gambling den.
'I'll gamble a little while I wait for the next assignment, hopefully it'll get my mind off this shit for now.'
~Scene Change~
Walking out of my third casino of the night, I made my way to an alleyway, having sensed a youkai waiting for me. 'I love gambling.' I sighed as I entered the dimly lit alley and found Nurarihyon sitting in a clean chair.
"About time you arrived, brat." he said, his tone dripping with annoyance.
Snorting, I climbed onto some wooden crates and caught the stack of papers he tossed my way.
"This is your next target." he said, his eyes gleaming with an odd mix of amusement and seriousness.
I lifted the top sheet, revealing the face of a teenager, probably around seventeen or eighteen.
"Who's the kid?" I asked, flipping through the stack. Most of the photos showed him at his house and at his school.
"Tobio Ikuse. Seventeen." Nurarihyon replied.
I paused, scanning the information, then froze, turning to the calm, old youkai.
"He's not part of the supernatural. Why do you want him dead?"
He sighed deeply, shaking his head in disappointment. That irked me slightly.
"It's best for you not to know, brat. Just understand this, it benefits everyone except the target."
I stared at the smiling face of the boy in the photo, frustration building inside me.
"Brat, you only have one more mission left after this. Then your debt is completed, and you can go back to your kid and that woman who isn't your 'lover'." Nurarihyon continued, his tone dismissive.
I gripped the paper tightly and let out a heavy sigh. "Fine. It's not the first time I've had to kill a minor."
Nurarihyon responded casually. "And it most likely won't be the last. Now, about a few issues you've probably noticed…"
I raised an eyebrow. "The Utsusemi Agency?" I spoke to which he nodded. "Didn't think they were still active, considering what I did to them."
He frowned, and I got off the crates. "Well, they are. And they're after students attending Ryoukou High School."
I stiffened. "Are you aware of why?"
Nurarihyon shook his head, his expression grim. "Unfortunately, my informants haven't found out yet. The members are being tight lipped about it. But it doesn't matter. Just kill the boy before they do, and it'll be counted a success."
I sighed in resignation and nodded. Cracking my neck, I turned to leave the alley.
Just as I was about to step out, I heard the old youkai's voice behind me.
"Just one more, and then you're free of your debt, Ryou Sasaki. The faster you kill him, the faster your next mission will come."
I raised my hand and gave him the middle finger.
{Pic}
{Author Note/Not important}
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