Bab 9: Chapter 9 : Breaking Free
Disclaimer : I own nothing.
Chapter 9 : Breaking Free.
- Damien –
I woke up the next morning upon hearing Gretel's voice in my mind through our connection.
Aria's letter was too much for me and inside the barriers I let all my emotions out crying all of last night.
"Master, are you alright? Please answer." Gretel's voice sounded once more.
"I am fine, Gretel. You can return back. It is safe now. I need you and Vienna beside me."
"Yes Master." The reply was instant and within a minute I felt the barriers in the place being pierced by a teleportation. Observation Haki confirmed the identity of the arrivals.
I got up and left the room to go back to my room.
I hadn't realized it but I had fallen asleep in the meeting room after Razevan hand left last night.
Gretel's emotions were on her face and Vienna looked like she would shrink into a ball all of a sudden….and that hurt.
I can just imagine how much it would have hurt Aria when she saw Vienna being this scared or crying over her. Lying to her children and then even dying for them.
How much would it have hurt for Razevan who would have been known and remembered as a villain by the person he loved and valued the most in the entire world even after his death?
I don't know how much this world is similar to what I know but what I do know is….that it has changed since I came here.
Razevan and Aria were barely mentioned in the story I read. An abusive father who killed his wife. I clenched my fingers tightly.
I went through many emotions last night. I wouldn't say that I was not angry. Someone played me. There was anger. I was angry even with Aria….but after objectively thinking things through though, I realized that their actions were perfectly reasonable. Hell, I would have done something similar in their situation.
Their ultimate goal was for Vienna to live safely and from what I know they would have succeeded even without me.
If anything it was my arrival that might have made things worse. It did give Aria three more years with Vienna than was supposed to happen but still.
And the worst part is that I need to keep this burden to myself. Looking at Vi's face, her small hands clutching at Gretel's skirt I couldn't stop myself and went ahead and hugged her. She returned the hug and her tiny hands gripped me with so much force as if she was afraid of letting me go, as if I would disappear if she did.
I brought Gretel into our hug as well.
This right now is my family.
"Don't worry. It's fine now. I am here." I reassured the young girl who was holding me for dear life as I repeatedly caressed her hair.
It took me a couple of hours to coax them.
- Scene Change -
Razevan's ability was experienced by me and I used Archmage to make a copy of it. It was much faster because the experience was direct instead of just looking or learning the said power.
It was both a blessing and a curse. I could see why Razevan who was born with this power was so reluctant in trusting someone.
There is almost nothing that can hide under this ability. Obviously Vienna is still young and Gretel is connected to me and won't even try to hide from me but still if I don't turn this ability off, there is a high chance that I would lose my trust in the world.
The servants, the people around me in general all say one thing and have something else entirely in their hearts. It is honestly disgusting.
This ability is much more precise than Observation Haki.
Two weeks left till the attack. I am looking for the people who are here to protect this place and the people who are here to plot against me.
The main person here is the one who is sent to assassinate Vi.
We don't allow anyone to come near her at any time, so the chances of them being a mid or low class devil is near to none. The only way they could harm her is by poisoning and even if the Mad Doctor Essence I have shared with her is nerfed, it is strong enough to take care of such poisons.
That leaves High Class and Ultimate Class ones. The High Class ones wouldn't be able to touch her normally if they don't gang up on her and with Gretel being beside her all the time, even that is somehow doubtable.
That leaves the Ultimate Class devils by the method of elimination. The two who are sent with me. Paimon and Bune.
A slight conversation with Paimon revealed that he was a bootlicker of Rizevim of the highest order. He is the kind of selfish person who would sell anything of his just to rise up higher in the social ladder.
Ophelia, despite being looked at like the Old Satan Faction remnant, still brought her house to be one of the strongest ones economically speaking in the entire Underworld, all on her own…. and this bastard is ready to waste all of that just to stand on the top.
I can see why Ophelia hates him so much.
"My Lord, we have found a person matching the description of the one you asked for." My thoughts were interrupted by Ophelia's message.
"Oh!"
"In the Forneus Territory, there is a hospital where a girl named Ingvild, no last name, was found with Devil's Sleeping sickness. She has been there for the last one hundred years. I did not dig deeper so as to avoid detection but the one who found the information said that she was being guarded by a pair of High Class Devils at all times while the Hospital itself had an Ultimate Class Devil in-charge of the whole place."
Finally,
Someone I had been looking for a long time.
"Good job. Make sure not to lose sight of her. I will be arriving there soon."
"Yes My Lord."
"Ophelia…. I have received information that someone here is planning to assassinate Vienna. The major suspects are Gregory Bune and…."
"My Father."
"Yes."
"I assume they will try to throw that on the heads of the attacking forces or the current Government to get you against them?" She got it in one go too.
"Yes."
"I will leave whatever you do to him to you, My Lord. There is a high chance that he will be killed no matter whether he completes or fails this mission, to cover up the loose ends. I suggest taking away his powers before killing him." Her voice was completely emotionless and I couldn't see her directly to know what she was feeling through Observation Haki either.
"Ophelia."
"I am fine My Lord. I had truly hoped that he would change. He didn't, not in the last four hundred years. There is no chance for him to change now.
Even if there was, it's too late now. I have a family to protect. I don't want him to ruin everything we have here."
"Okay. Would you like me to pass his powers to you or your brother?"
"I leave it to you, My Lord."
"In that case I will send the contract after taking his power away. However in the off-chance that he is not the one behind the assassination…."
"There is a high chance that he will still be killed one way or the other. If possible, I would like to meet him in the last moments."
"Alright…."
With that said, she cut off the communication.
I looked towards the training room. Vienna was training with Gretel.
I had already told both of them about the assassination order for Vienna and Gretel hasn't left her side since then.
I would pity anyone trying to fight Gretel when she is in this mood.
She starts off with her space attacks instead of the usual ice ones.
I need to find an opportunity for them to leave this place without being noticed. If Vienna suddenly disappears then the one targeting her would easily know and inform this back.
A Shadow Clone transformed into someone else with Illusion Magic can help me out with this. I don't want any unnecessary risks.
I just need to find a suitable opportunity to sneak Vienna out. She can't be put in any danger.
She is barely High Mid Class Devil strength right now, without her Sacred Gear. Gretel is a solid Mid Ultimate Class Devil and with her insane control in space magic, she can easily fight a High Ultimate Class equally.
I wouldn't have called them back at all but their absence would have raised questions and even if I diverted everyone with transformed Shadow Clones, Vienna and Gretel would have been worried sick and would have done something stupid in their anxiety. Thus I can only delay.
The last encounter with Razevan has been making me quite iffy about any hidden dangers. Honestly if it wasn't because of the random Lucifer Trait coming out, I don't think I would have been caught. Occlumency that I use simply makes my mind blank for others to see or feel nothing. It doesn't show any emotion at all.
A normal empath might not succeed but Razevan is someone who is born with a gift to break through such defenses. That said his theory was also correct.
If I make my mind blank, that means I am trying to hide something. A mind is almost never blank in a normal situation. The trick of false memories can be used but I don't know the exact method. It is all theoretical and I would need to spend a lot of time to grind it into something more….solid.
Anyways I thought about the Sacred Gears that I received from Razevan.
Innovate Clear. I wonder what I can do with this and Telos Karma.
Razevan's Trait however did easily provide me with something that I had been missing for a while.
The way to hide my energy.
The last step to my illusion spell.
I am starting to incorporate that into my illusion but it will need a lot of work. I am not as proficient as Razevan in using the Trait. I can only train in earnest after getting out of here.
"Is there something wrong, Master?" I heard Gretel's voice from beside me.
"Hmm….nothing for now. I am wondering when we should evacuate. I still need to do something. You stay with Vienna and retreat when I tell you to. I will be fine. Just don't come back until I tell you to."
"Master!"
"Please take care of Vienna, Gretel. I can only trust you with her. I still have something to do here."
I looked into her eyes and said once more.
"As long as you are by Vienna's side, I will be able to concentrate on the work here….please."
She looked extremely reluctant. Her emotions were practically screaming at her but her loyalty towards me drove her.
Sensing her emotion I brought her into a hug and soon we were jumped by the small gremlin in the room.
- Scene Change –
I used an illusion on myself to look different from my normal self.
Ophelia had already arranged for someone to pick me up and take me to Ingvild's room. This time however the wielder of Dimension Lost followed me.
"The Forneus Territories' hospitals are quite prosperous. I have heard that they are linked with the Sitri as both have similar House Traits." My guide, Desmond Valentine spoke. He is Cleria's Knight piece. A knight of the Medieval Age who was resurrected by Cleria after he was stabbed by his companions. Politics was a bitch even back then.
Cleria had warned him beforehand, which was highly unusual but at the same time a very smart move on Cleria's part, but he had refused to believe in the words of a 'devil'. Well he did pay for it. Cleria was summoned by him at the verge of death when he had used his own blood to draw the circle and summon her.
The condition had been to avenge himself of the traitor and he would serve her forever loyally.
She took it. Desmond slaughtered everyone.
He has been following Cleria since then. His wife had died in the plot back then and he never took another lover or wife. A model knight from the stories.
"I have heard that but on the other hand, the rumors about the current members of the Forneus are also quite prevalent. They are quite a….well bully."
"It is mainly the younger ones and the branch members. The actual Lord Forneus is actually a very principled man. I have had the opportunity to accompany Lady Cleria and Lord Diehauser to some events and talked to the person. He is a man with a knightly spirit."
"A knightly spirit eh. So he is still loyal to the original Satan Houses because of his knightly spirit?"
"That is the case. Arnack Forneus has been one of the commanders in the Great War and was especially promoted to the rank by Satan Leviathan. He was chosen over many of the original seventy two pillar devils for this position and that was a very high class honour during the Great War. He has been loyal to the House of Leviathan since then. The house however does not share his views. They are all in the Old Satan Faction for power."
This world was so much bigger and everyone had a connection with each other. While the three factions were at each other's necks all the time, if a foreign power tried to attack, they fend off the force together.
The Old Satan faction are people who don't give a fuck about this balance and that is why there is a high chance of the Angels and the Fallen attacking them together with the current government. The current government while poaching others from different factions, try to maintain a semblance of peace.
As we were talking, the person with the Dimension Lost took the lead and covered us in the Fog.
This place is a whole other dimension, kinda like Obito's but much more versatile. We walked in towards the hospital room Ingvild was kept in.
I don't have another Binder's slot right now so I choose to take her with me instead. She was simply replaced by a disguised clone which will dispel after a while. By then she will be far away. The equipment has already been prepared by Ophelia. Everything is ready and is only waiting for Ingivid to reach there.
I put an Illusion on the two guards outside which were almost half step Ultimate Class. The security was also settled. Ingvild's value can be seen just from this. She has High Satan Class Demonic power despite being inactive for the last hundred years. If she had trained, who knows what level she would have attained?
This was also considering that she has the 'Sea Serpent of the End' and 'Nereid Kyrie' subspecies. Her potential is no less than Vienna and I am not going to let it go to waste at all.
"My Lord, shall I?"
"Hmm, the guards have been neutralized.
Desmond signaled to the other member and he let the fog wrap around her. I picked her up in my arms and left a shadow clone in place. We were gone before anyone could find anything.
The fog opened up in a place far away from the swampy Forneus territory. This place was a small town not unlike a town from the west. The buildings were wooden and the place was full of people going about their day to day lives. The only difference was that these people had different appearances from a human. Some had reddish skin while some had blue horns, some had scales in their arms while some had blackish cornea. These were all devils.
To see the normal devils from a close distance was a relatively new experience for me. I haven't been allowed out in the underworld and the people around me were at the very minimum, High Class devils in general.
We have to remember that the Seventy Two Pillar devils are actually a minority. Even if all of them are collected together, they won't even form a thousand in total. It is on the lower side to be precise, a few hundreds.
When it was said that the devils had lost a large part of their population and that High Class devils were endangered, it was not a joke at all.
These devils are what Nobles would be to normal humans. So it is reasonable that if there are nobles, there will be peasants. That much is obvious.
A Noble only takes care of the administration and security of the territory. The whole territory is still mostly consisting of these common low and mid class devils.
It kinda makes me wonder just how Lucifer and Lilith did this. They created an entire fucking race. That is absolutely a Chief God level power.
Anything lower than that is impossible. It is completely a mystery how Lucifer who was as strong as a Low Class God at best could do something like this. Even if we attribute his fighting against his father to his power of 'Denial of the Divine', it is still absolutely confusing how just these two could do it.
I do have some theories though. The most sound one is that it was due to the Fruits of Eden. It is always women and fruits. *Kaguya*
Lilith eating them might have changed something in her. She would have eaten some considering she knew and even hid some of them, so it is not unreasonable to think that she didn't eat even one. The fruits of the Garden of Eden have a lot of power. I haven't heard the slightest news about them and neither about Lilith.
I am not even trying to find her using other people because I know that she is probably hidden away somewhere by Rizevim. If I try to find her directly, there is a high chance that Rizevim will catch on and I don't want to leave any kind of trail that may point to me.
After I am free, it is all fair game though.
Anyways, these low class devils still have ten thousand years of lifespan on average. The ability to train themselves to the highest degree and reach Satan Class. Yes, each one of the Low Class Devils has that potential. The only difference is that while the ones from High Class Devil Households become stronger even if they do practically nothing, and still reach a level of peak High Class Devil while the Satan Clans reach Satan Class just by lazing around, these people have to bust their muscles for every bit of power gain. The rate is also slower than any of the people with High Class families.
These people will take around a hundred years of hard work normally to become a Satan Class and it's Sairaorg level hard work. Not to mention the expensive food and resources to go with it too.
These people can't afford it at all. This is also a reason why these people have so few strong devils coming from within their ranks.
Lucifer and the Original Satans carried out dealings in souls which would have easily increased the powers of these devils at a fast pace but that was no longer allowed. A normal soul would pay around the same as 10,000 deals. This was also considering that the deals are of decent value too.
This made the speed of growth of Devils very slow.
This combined with the innate laziness and sense of superiority of devils, especially those who are especially gifted with stronger bloodlines, like the Old Satan Faction, they stagnated their growth even more while the few like Serafall and the others who trained became much stronger than the Original Satan's Descendants. Sirzechs and Ajuka are an exception to this rule as even without training they would have been at least twice as strong as a Peak Satan if not ten times by my estimate.
This however doesn't discount the potential of these low class devils who were never mentioned in the books.
Anyways, redirecting my thoughts back to what I came here for. This place is also a base made by Ophelia.
We walked to a rundown shop in town and Desmond talked softly to the shopkeeper who then directed us to the back of the shop.
The back of the shop had a room with a trapdoor under the carpet hidden with magic.
Normally opening such a door would show someone a wine cellar but if the right code and a certain magic circle is used, the door becomes a passage, or to be more precise, a lift.
"This is pretty cool. If I remember correctly, such a thing is also used in the stations which brings travellers from the human world, right?"
"Yes Master. This one however has codes instead of pass cards. These codes are directly passed by Milady when she wants someone here. The reinforcements of the wards are done by Lady Helena using the Dantalion wards and thus no one can teleport here except the ones registered by her. Even I haven't been allowed this privilege and only your direct subordinates will have this power. I have been instructed to lead you to Lady Helena who will register your magic here so that you can teleport here directly. You can then allow anyone inside. This was also the reason why we had to take this meandering route instead of directly teleporting."
I nodded my head while the lift brought us hundreds of meters underground until I felt a shift in space.
"A new dimension?"
"Yes Master."
Wow. Ophelia really went all out. I guess this was also the place that Helena worked the most to make. It is understandable that space magic was used so blatantly with the Dantalion's powers over space. I haven't seen Ophelia's ability but even when she is not as strong as Gretel, her control and understanding of her Clan Trait is phenomenal. It is easily deserving of her title of 'The Smartest Woman in the Underworld'.
The new dimension is like a town itself. The size is not too big but it is enough for a middle sized town to easily exist here. The place has a construction team working even now as they rapidly make buildings everywhere.
The main area has already been constructed. It consists of the main residential area, hospital, labs, training areas as well as prisons.
The other areas will be for the people who will work here.
We walk towards the Hospital while Desmond explains everything to me.
The Dimension Lost user carrying Ingvild behind us.
The ones at the gate of the hospital were Ophelia and Helena.
"Master" the two greeted.
I nodded back to them. "Is the room ready?"
"Yes Master. Please follow us." Ophelia led the way and Helena walked beside me while Desmond and the last devil followed carrying Ingvild.
"Would you like me to register your magic in the barrier Master?"
"Please do. I will send Gretel and Vienna to this place later, make sure that they are received and registered as well. The time is near."
"Yes Master."
"By the way, has everyone else been registered?"
"Yes Master. There are four bases of this capacity in the Underworld at different places. It is being managed by Lady Ophelia, Miss Victoria, Lady Cleria and Lady Alicia. I am unable to leave my home for long periods of time and thus cannot manage the base. I apologize for that."
"Don't. You have already done more than I could ask for. Even teaching Gretel over the connection. This is already beyond anything I was hoping for at this point. I have seen the barriers and you have done a remarkable job here. After the attack is over, the barriers will be reinforced using the Dimension Lost. You should spend more time with your family. Being absent for long periods might make someone notice your absence. That would be more problematic."
"It won't really matter, Master. I have always taken long time alone during important research. My family is used to it and my elder brother Lord Dantalion is someone who supports me in my pursuits. He won't be angry with it." she assured me with a smile and her feelings clearly showed her love for her family.
It seems that the Dantalion House is quite close to each other. At least the main house is.
"In that case I won't insist but do take care of yourself."
"Thank you Master. To answer your previous question. Everyone directly marked by you has been registered to the barrier. The only ones allowed inside here are the ones who have signed the contracts so there are no chances of them disclosing anything. As for the raw materials, they have been obtained by the various business ventures of Lady Alicia and Lady Ophelia throughout the world under different names. The collection of materials can never be tracked back to our group at all. We even made sure to take materials from the stocks of the construction companies under us throughout the world just in case. The data was erased after the transfer."
"Very well. What is the status of the experiments and subject collection I had asked for?"
"The collection of criminals of different races has progressed quite well. The research on the Sleeping Disease however is not something positive. We haven't been able to find anything about it. We already have 32 subjects but there has been no progress."
"Ingvild here is also suffering from the same disease. She however will wake up in around eight to ten years due to her Sacred Gear's awakening. It might also be due to her Demonic Power growing. You are allowed to observe her but do not do any experiments on her. Only observing. If that can help your research further, it's good, if not, then no problem either. I will be taking the matter in my own hands after I arrive. As for Ingvild, she will be cured by me when I mark her in a year."
"A Sacred Gear's Awakening can cure the Sleeping Sickness? No, that can't be the reason. Maybe the amount of energy released gives the body a kick-start of sorts."
"It might also be something connected with souls. The Sacred Gears are attached to the soul. Their awakening can affect the soul of the people as well. That might have some effect on the disease as well. On second thought, this idea is much more probable. All this time, all the research that I have heard about was general medicines and no one focused on the spiritual level at all. This side of the theory was never explored and might just have the answer."
Helena thought for a while and then answered. "It's not that it was not proposed but the souls of Devils hold many secrets of the House they belong to and permission to study that aspect never passed. The major dissenters of this approach were the Great King Faction and the Satans couldn't take any steps and earn their ire for a bunch of sick people. It was never carried out and the idea was dropped soon after."
The Great King Faction, as expected.
"Yes. I remember the argument. Ajuka Beelzebub wanted to continue the research but was heavily opposed. Even Zekram himself appeared and stated his opinion against the bill. It caused quite a lot of ruckus but ultimately not many of the stronger Houses had sick members and thus no one really cared leading to the bill to be dropped." Ophelia explained from the side.
"Continue the research on the soul. Also try to recreate the drug itself. I want to see how the Great King dances when his own behind is on fire."
"Master….you…."
"I am just preparing for eventualities. Even if we want to live in peace, the greatest hurdle will be the Great King faction and Zekram. The Satans can be managed. I have more than one way of handling that. I just want a way to curb the arrogance of the Great King faction without any kind of threat to ourselves."
"Will you be researching the disease yourself Master?" Helena asked intrigued.
I had given her the nerfed Mad Doctor and she knew that I had a stronger version of the power. She had progressed extremely fast since gaining the skill.
"I will. Medicine and Drug research will be a major source of our future development. There are only so many Stray Devils for us to steal powers from. A Super Devil has two hundred and fifty times the Demonic Power of that of a Low Ultimate Class Devil. Where do you think we will find so many Ultimate Class or High Class Devils to make a Super Devil? The only way is training and research. Training will still be a slower method. I know for sure that within a decade, Gretel, Vienna and I can reach the level of a Super Devil even without any extra power from others. The same cannot be said for my other direct subordinates."
I saw the stunned looks on the other people who were staring at me completely gobsmacked.
"What? Surprised? I did remove all your limits after all. As long as you continue training, you will continue to grow. No limits at the Peak Satan Class. Not even ten times Satan Class will be a limit. That said, this accumulation can take a lot of time. I don't want my subordinates to die for me….I want them to live for me and that….takes strength. All this is only preparation for that."
The stunned girls slowly gained their bearings back and Helena asked almost stammering, "Master….you….our limits are removed? How? I mean we haven't felt anything different since."
"I have my ways. Anyways, back to the topic. The research will focus on Enhancement Drugs and various other medicines to both heal and increase the power of our people."
The group didn't question any further.
"Heal? Is it like the healing of the Phenex Tears maybe?"
"It can be similar, it can be different. I won't say no to that either. I want medicine that can be prepared without relying on any one house so that it cannot be used as the political capital of a single house and freely used for our people. I do have some ideas. We will continue the research further when I am here. The next part will be the research on poisons and disease causing viruses which can affect other species as well as the devils."
"Diseases? Biological Weapons?"
"Yes."
The atmosphere quieted down a lot after this reveal.
"It is the most secure way to carry out assassinations. I don't want anyone to spread a pandemic. Just something that can target someone and achieve a result. It will only be used when we have an antidote too. Normal poisons can lead to suspicion of murders but diseases are generally considered as accidents. The Great King Faction has been using the Devil's Sleeping sickness for quite a while. It's about time they got a taste of their own medicine."
Ingvild was laid on the bed and all the instruments were connected to her.
The doctors soon arrived when called by Ophelia. Our conversation was however shielded by Ophelia and thus no one could hear anything except those inside the barrier.
While the doctors checked her, Helena took me to the place that controlled the barriers and registered my energy signature in it.
With a few more discussions and further instructions on what to do regarding the attack on the Russia base in a week, I left.
It is almost time.
- Scene Change –
I looked towards the empty room and counted inside my head.
Today is finally the day.
The day of the attack on the Russia base and the day of my first show.
Gretel has already sent Vienna to Ophelia and she will be staying there. The tracker on Gretel and my marks had been transferred over to a couple of butlers who were sent to spy on us.
And that's when it happened. I sensed the shift in dimension. Dimension Lost was at work. Gretel sensed it too. She was more sensitive than even me to the changes in space.
"Master!"
"I know."
I made a shadow clone and put an illusion on it making it look like Vienna.
"You will stay here Gretel. In case someone asks, you will say that you are trying to break the barrier to call for reinforcements. Just in case, put a barrier around the base. Keep Vienna by your side. As for the rest, you already know it."
"Yes Master."
Sure enough, the other devils sensed the change and sirens and alarms went off at the same moment throughout the entire base. A knock was heard on my door.
"Young Lord. We have been attacked." The maid's voice cried out.
I gave a slight hug to Gretel and went ahead.
The maid outside was pale white from the fear.
I simply walked towards the main gathering area while instructing the people. "Call for Lord Bune and Lord Paimon as well as the rest of the staff in the gathering area. Be there in ten minutes. I will put a barrier up till then."
The servants ran as soon as the command was finished.
"My Lord, when do we attack?" I heard Cleria's voice on the other end.
"Hold it for a while. I am putting a barrier up. Make a show but do not break it."
"Very well my Lord."
I reached the main gathering area and in front of me there were around two thousand devils of Ultimate class and below, all gathered there in lines.
The High Class Devils occupying the front and the Mid Class the back with both Gregory Bune and Lord Paimon taking the lead.
"Young Lord, there is an enemy attack." Gregory rushed up to me as soon as I arrived.
"I know. Did you get the numbers?"
He nodded back and began the report, "There are around eight Ultimate Class Devils and over two hundred High Class Devils and around a thousand Mid Class. The main problem however are the Sacred Gear users. There are monsters occupying the front lines. These monsters according to some of the researchers are the products of the Longinus, Annihilation Maker. In addition to it, we are also locked inside this alternate space by what we presume to be another one of the top class Longinus Dimension Lost. We have no idea if the enemy has any more Sacred Gear users or Longinus but these two alone put us at a backfoot. Until we can find and take out the user of the Annihilation Maker, we will be facing an endless attack of monsters and this task in itself is near impossible with the arrival of Dimension Lost." He was sweating buckets of sweat. I guess the last minute plan to use Annihilation Maker really got the ball rolling and made the entire situation worse for the defending party.
"I have asked Gretel to put up a barrier and I myself have put one up to hold them back for the time being. I will be facing the enemy Ultimate Class directly while Gretel will take care of the Barrier. You will follow me while Lord Paimon will try to manage the base and take out any rebels that may emerge within?"
"Rebels, Young Lord?"
I looked back at the man with a deadpan, "We are being attacked by devils and I can recognize some of them as former Old Satan Faction people. Do you really think there is a chance of there being no spies among our ranks? They even prepared enough Ultimate Class Devils to fight us and even two Longinus to hold us back and keep us locked in. It is already evident that they have a mole among us. Can you guarantee that they won't attack or start a rebellion inside when we are out there fighting?"
With each word I spoke, he began sweating more and more but I felt a twinge of happiness within as well.
So he is the assassin.
"Pay attention. Let me talk to the people." He nodded and went back.
I walked up to the stage and looked at the gathered crowd. The crowd looked a mess and were extremely agitated, not paying attention to me.
Well, time to grab their attention.
A burst of Conqueror's Haki ran through the entire place.
It was strong enough for people to go weak in their knees but not to lose consciousness. It however was good enough to grab the attention of the crowd.
The crowd quieted down in an instant. Gregory took this opportunity to rush forward and shout, "The Young Lord will speak to everyone. Be quiet and pay attention." Turning back towards me, he continued, "Young Lord please."
I walked to the front and the crowd clapped and bowed.
I hope this speech works as well as it did for the one I am copying. Taking a deep breath I started.
"My brothers, my sisters….my friends." The crowd quieted down as the 'Bewitching Voice' trait worked in tandem with the Charisma of the Essence of the King. "The gift of your applause is not for me….No. It is for yourselves."
The audience listened quietly and I continued, "We are here today because we are craving….because the old ways serve us no longer. We came here today because we want something new….something different.
At these words a wave of murmurs spread out in the audience. Even Gregory and Lord Paimon looked at me incredulously.
"It is said that we hate humans, reincarnated devils, the fallen, angels and the youkai."
A wave of agreement was the reply.
"But I do not hate them." The agreement stopped. "No….I do not. For I do not fight out of hatred. I see them as not lesser….but other. Not worthless….but of other value. Not disposable, but of a different disposition." Seeing the stunned and even some hostile looks on the faces of the crowd, I smiled, "What confused?"
Gregory nodded back, "Young Lord, what do you mean?"
"Let me explain. But first….everyone here. Do answer a question for me. Who was the first Reincarnated Devil?"
The crowd fell into silence and different replies came.
Some said human, some said the servants of the fake Satans.
"It might be one of Ajuka Astaroth's servants maybe?" Lord Paimon replied unsure.
"Is it? It seems that your history is quite weak, Lord Paimon. Teacher, would you like to give it a try?" I looked towards Gregory.
Lord Paimon's expression bristled with anger but reigned in very quickly while Bune looked contemplative but replied after thinking for a while. "It might be some test subjects of the Evil Pieces."
I shook my head. "The truth here is so obvious and yet people have forgotten it so quickly. The answer to the question is….Lilith."
Eyes widened.
"Lilith, a human created by the Father of the Angels made into Devils by Lucifer. Yes, my friends, The Mother of All Devils was a human and is and always will be a Reincarnated Devil."
The shocked expressions are obvious but even with all these emotions, none of them could quite refute this statement.
"The Leviathan were made into a Devil from a Sea Serpent. The Asmodeus from a Demon and the same was the case with Beelzebub while Lucifer himself was an Angel before becoming a Devil. While all of them were strong, it is a fact that none of them were born Devils."
The crowd went up in a panic and I let them stew in the tension of the situation. "I am not comparing the reincarnated humans or beasts to the Satans or Lilith. They have done too much for the Underworld, for our entire race for there to be any comparison. I have the blood of two of them flowing through my very being. No. What I am doing is trying to tell all of you that reincarnated devils are not abominations, not untouchables. They have their values. It is just that their value is different. And haven't we all seen this value already?"
Now even the two Ultimate Class Devils looked confused.
"What exactly are you trying to say, Young Lord."
"Isn't it obvious teacher? I am talking about the numbers. The current government relied on these increased numbers to completely make us run into hiding for hundreds of years. The Reincarnated Devils with Sacred Gears are always as strong as Mid Class Devils and many of them easily become High Class Devils. Even the two devils outside having the Longinus….do you think they are all unworthy, of no value?"
The murmurs spread again.
I looked at them and smiled, "is it not proof enough that the army outside has us cornered inside our own base with numbers lower than ourselves and yet….and yet we stand in this place….worrying about the battle….worrying about our very lives. Tell me, are they still unworthy, are they still of no value?"
There were no answers and my words continued.
"They were at the forefront of the rebel armies in the Civil War and now are the private troops of each High Class Devil and above. Each one of them have fifteen pieces worth of potential in front of them as a shield while we all….while we all lie bare. Ask yourselves in your hearts that if all the Reincarnated Devils under the current government attacked us today, will we be able to win? Will we be able to survive? The answer my friends is ….no."
The morale went all low and their voices died down, while I smiled inwardly.
"But does that mean we will give up?"
Some people looked up. Anger, pride, all the emotions and sins of the devils bursting up in a smoldering flame just for me to fan with my words.
"NO."
"IF THEY THINK THAT THEY CAN CRUSH US SO EASILY, IF THEY THINK THEY CAN FORCE ME TO BOW, THEN I WILL SHOW THEM JUST HOW WRONG THEY ARE. I DAMIEN LUCIFER, REFUSE TO BOW. WILL YOU?"
The anger burst out and shouts of denials filled the place.
"TODAY I WILL FIGHT….AND I WILL FIGHT TILL THE END." I sent out a burst of the Asmodeus' Blue Flames until it surrounded the barrier cast by Gretel, completely making a firewall around the base. "I CANNOT PROMISE THAT EVERYONE WHO FIGHTS WITH ME WILL SURVIVE….BUT I DO PROMISE THAT THOSE WHO SIDE WITH ME….WILL WIN. I MAKE THIS DEAL WITH YOU, JOIN ME, GIVE ME ALL YOUR LOYALTY, HAVE FAITH IN ME AND FOLLOW ME WITH YOUR MIND, BODY, HEART AND SOUL….AND I PROMISE YOU THAT TODAY WE WILL WIN…. And when we do so, we will see a new tomorrow, the future of the Devil Race rewritten by us. Will you join me in this? And will you, my brothers….my sisters….my friends….make this Deal with the Devil?"
The crowd erupted.
The charisma from The King's Essence and 'Bewitching Voice' driving their shame, helplessness and anger against their so-called enemy and
ultimately to side with me.
The cries of yes and the number of deals I made kept on increasing while with my Observation Haki I observed the feelings of the people. The ones who accepted the deal instantly became completely subservient to me.
Soon enough almost everyone in the crowd had done so. The only ones I didn't sense accepting the deal are Gregory and Paimon. I turned towards them and smiled, "So Lord Paimon, Teacher, will you be accepting my deal?"
The Conqueror's fluctuating around me. They had sweat covering their foreheads.
"Yes….yes Young Lord….I accept." Lord Paimon hurriedly replied.
"I will protect you with my life, Young Lord." Gregory didn't exactly accept.
Too bad.
I already have more than what I expected.
Now I just have to catch the attacker and then the final part of the show.
The Death of Damien Lucifer.
- Cleria Belial –
Cleria stood among the crowd of people cheering for the Young Lord. Everyone was singing praises and all falling deeply into the web of words spun by the one twelve year old kid whom they were all looking down on a few minutes ago.
She was brought in by the Young Lord along with her entire peerage to assist inside and take down the enemies that were left over. They had to show a scene of a fight after all.
Someone was trying to attack Vienna Lucifer.
Cleria had already seen the retribution that Damien had brought over the entire Old Satan Faction after Aria's death. More than three thousand devils died in the attacks till now and the number of forces under Cleria had only been bolstered after every raid.
It was nothing like what happened today. This base would probably be the easiest capture yet.
She didn't know if the one who was going to attack Vienna accepted the deal or not.
Now, that would be funny.
She walked towards the place she was told to while her peerage occupied their predetermined places as well.
Vienna was already in Ophelia's care and today she was here to take care of two matters. First would be to disable anyone attacking the Vienna decoy and second to capture Lord Paimon.
She took a last look at the crowd who now had a completely different feel from before and a deep fear formed inside her as she thanked her luck that the Young Lord had taken a much….easier path when binding her.
Damien Lucifer had changed. She had always known that he was capable of great cruelty as well as great love but Aria's death had changed something fundamental.
There are some incidents in life that shape a person's entire personality. For Damien, Aria Lucifer's death was one such incident.
He has since then become much more decisive in his way of dealing with people. Before this he had dealt with Katerea in the same way but he left her mind alone and that too was just for her to know and regret her decision of trying to tame the Devil.
These people however were all Old Satan Faction and no mercy was shown to them. All had only two paths, either submit or perish.
At such times she desperately wanted Damien to leave that place and live with her. Such a mentality is not good for a child. The only ones he keeps close to himself and really opens up to are Gretel and Vienna and even the directly bound subordinates while close still cannot get Damien to truly open up. And even those two children needed help.
Gretel would happily kill an entire country with a smile on her face if Damien ordered her to do so and Vienna….she was clinging to the one light she had in the world left for her.
While understandable that after such a loss, he would avoid getting close to other people easily, it is still not good for his mentality. She believed that the childish innocence of Lavinia and Shirone or the mischievous Kuroka might get through his defenses and make him open up a bit more.
She took her position in the room as she watched the clone of the Young Lord reading a book.
In her heart she wondered who the attacker would be and what end he would meet.
But one thing was for sure….the end won't be good for the attackers.
____________________________________________
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