High School DxD-Volume 21 Chapter 2

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Life.Ba'al Lion of the Great King —Great King—

Part 1

Since when did this start—.

I felt pain at the sight of this Bael castle—.

The second son of the current head of the House of Bael — Magdaran Bael and his guards were currently moving through the passageway of the castle which was in uproar. Approximately twenty minutes earlier, this Bael castle was attacked by rebels. As a countermeasure against Trihexa, all of the Great King side were in the middle of discussions with the local politicians. Under any circumstances, the castle of the Bael city was second to none amongst the various other territories, the reason for that was because it had more than fifty layers of barriers cast over it. Let alone saying that it wouldn't be compromised, this robust castle boasted about the fact that it had never been compromised before, even during the battle against the old government. —However, this castle was now facing a crisis. The castle had received attacks which passed through the barriers. Looking out from the windows of the passageways, it was possible to see the guards engaging in combat with the insurgents. The guards were slaughtered one after the other by the techniques which were released by the masked insurgents. The elite guards of Bael were powerless, and that clearly demonstrated how deadly these rebels were. Magdaran also saw how the bright flowers which were planted in the courtyard had withered.

…What was their reason for targeting Bael? …Simply by thinking about it, the reasons became quite clear. But, if he had to speak of a recent case of resentment, it should be about the criticism of the [King] piece, and the complaints of misconduct in the Rating Games. Magdaran left aside the former for the time being, as he had more or less realised the latter. However, he himself did not participate in the Games, so even if there was misconduct in the Games, he could carry on without any issues, which is why he didn't see it as a problem. It had also been concealed quite well from the citizens, which is why he didn't think that such behaviour would result in any disadvantages. —But he had never imagined that it would actually be the Champion himself who would denounce this truth. At the corner of the corridor ahead of him appeared someone who released a strange aura, and was wearing jet-black armour. Magdaran Bael's guards all gathered together from the surrounding area to protect him…Magdaran seemed to recognise the person who was clad in armour, and gestured for the guards to stop.

"…It's one of Sona-dono's peerage."

That was correct, Magdaran received such information. Within Sona Sitri's peerage was a former-human [Pawn] who was clad in jet-black armour. Sona Sitri's [Pawn] — Saji Genshirou, released his helmet and exposed his face.

"So you're Master Sairaorg's …the next head of the family's ototo ^[1], right? I'm a [Pawn] of Sona Sitri's peerage. I came to help out."

From the looks of it, it was for ani ^[2] — one of the members of [DxD] who fought together with Sairaorg; he had rushed over to the city of Bael to help with supressing the rebellion.

"…[DxD] huh. I never imagined that I would receive help from them."

From his own standpoint, he couldn't help feeling a sense of irony. Hearing such a reply, Saji tilted his head, and a question mark floated up above his head…. Magdaran said

"It is indeed a great help."

They then planned to leave Bael city, with Saji in the lead. In order to pacify the civilians and supress the rebellion across the whole territory, Magdaran's own peerage had gone out, and the Bael castle was left with just his [Queen]. And now, that [Queen] had also gone out to ensure that they had a safe escape route. In order to discuss the countermeasures against Trihexa, chichi ^[3] had left to meet the first generation's Zekram Bael, who lived in seclusion. Haha ^[4] had left here early two days ago to seek refuge. The next Head of the House — ani Sairaorg had left the territory as a member of the anti-terrorist team. In other words, this Bael castle didn't have its Lord, or the next heir, all that was here was the second son. The Great King side that was respected by the current Maous, even the Lord's castle was now empty…. Magdaran made a sarcastic smile.

Indeed, that's how chichi was. Whenever a decision had to be made, he would rush over to the place where the previous generation and first generation had secluded themselves, and then ask for their advice. Regardless of whether it was a political affair or family affair, he had never made a single decision on his own. Hence, as long as he protected his pride and appearance, even his wife and children could be discarded without hesitation. Because he had not inherited the power of destruction, his half-brother had once been abandoned in the outskirts of the Bael territory. The second son Magdaran had been born with the power of destruction, hence Sairaorg was banished and he was selected as the next heir early on. Magdaran, who was brought up with the identity of being the next family head, had been strictly educated ever since he was young. Magdaran's combat strength couldn't be said to very high, but since he had inherited the power of destruction, he didn't have to train too hard. There were actually people with an even stronger power of destruction who were born in a family outside of the House of Bael, thus Magdaran was always compared to the Gremory siblings. Having always lived under a strict educational environment, Magdaran despised Sirzechs and Rias. It was not long afterwards that he found out what the Heads of the House were thinking.

Then, one day, his world changed. His half-brother Sairaorg returned from the outskirts, and declared that he desired the position of being the next Head of the House. The current head, chichi, and the first generation head laughed at Sairaorg. A Bael who didn't possess the power of destruction trying to say that was nonsense. The current head originally wanted to cast aside ani's words as a joke, but he decided to use this as an opportunity to truly sever their parent-child relationship, and he ordered Magdaran to be his opponent. A few minutes after the beginning of the contest to become the next Head of the House — it was ani's overwhelming victory. Lying on the ground was Magdaran, who had inherited the power of destruction. Magdaran was powerless, the speed and power of his ani who had trained his body exceeded all expectations, and completely disregarded Magdaran's power of destruction. Chichi, the current Head of the House also looked at Magdaran who was lying on the ground, but with a gaze that seemed as though he was looking at a pile of rubbish. Ever since then, a strange life began in the Bael castle—.

The Bael family members who lived within the castle only consisted of four people: chichi as the current Head of the House, his second wife who was Magdaran's haha, his ani Sairaorg who was the next Head of the House, and the second son who had the position of the next Head of the House taken away from him, Magdaran. Regardless of whether it was during meals, or other things, there were only these four people. As the current head, his chihci was reluctant to acknowledge the eldest son, and constantly asked the previous generation and first generation for advice on the decision; the haha, whose son had the position of the next Head of the House taken away from him held a bitter grudge, and did not conceal her dissatisfaction of living together with the eldest son. Magdaran had received the education for becoming the next head, so he had to assist his ani who had taken away his position. Every time they sat down for a meal, there was no conversation as they ate in silence. Haha withdrew early each time. Haha felt despair at her husband and child, and hatred towards Sairaorg, but still did not let go of her position as the Bael wife. Naturally, aside from government affairs, only Magdaran's peerage would talk with him. His chichi and haha would not talk to him at home. No, thinking back about it, ever since he began to be brought up as the next Head of the House, he had never received the love that a child should have. At best he was seen as the 'Next Great King of Bael', and sensibly continued. …He attended the meetings between the children of other nobles, and one of their sons said to Magdaran

—It was really comfortable when my mother cleaned out my ears.

Ear cleaning—. Magdaran had never received anything other than a maid since his brith. There were some children who had gone with their families to have fun at the beaches of the human world. Aside from inspecting the Bael territory, Magdaran had never gone on a trip outside of Bael territory. Let alone having a holiday together with his family—. Family…in the end, what were family for? This castle was the residence of those who had the blood of Bael flowing through them…this family. And the Bael who lived here…should also be called 'family' members. In the end, what was he himself? He was born as the second son, and also raised as the next Head of the House. That was then taken away, and he was left alone to be treated as someone who didn't exist… It felt more and more painful. He no longer understood the meaning of his own life — he didn't know his own fate, and hated this Bael castle. At some point unknown to him, there was only one blood relative who would talk with him, and that was his half-brother Sairaorg.

"How have you been recently?"

"Speaking of which, this has become quite popular within our territory—"

"There's a man called Hyoudou Issei in Team [DxD], he's very interesting—"

Towards all of these things that brother said, Magdaran could only reply stiffly with 'I see', 'Yes', 'oh'. Magdaran acknowledged that his brother was strong, so ridiculously strong that he didn't even think about trying to regain the position of next head. As he was educated as a Bael, he didn't know anything outside of the Bael lifestyle—. The only area where he stood out more than others was his detailed knowledge and understanding of plants. Since he was young, Magdaran was particularly fond of plants and flowers. Beautiful purple flowers bloomed throughout the Bael city. Those flowers were also planted in the courtyard. They had become extinct once before during the war between the Three Factions. Through an investigation, Magdaran discovered seeds which were preserved in good condition, and used modern techniques to revive them. Everyone in the Bael family had purple eyes. Hence, purple was also regarded as their family colour. Magdaran didn't think that there was anything more suitable than to include this flower in the Bael emblem. In addition to that, he cultivated a rare type of apple. Magdaran continued with his research on plants. It wouldn't be surprising if many of Magdaran's investigations received commendation, however, what he received was a warning to mind his own deeds from the current head of the Great King House. The Great King House was symbolised by destruction, so the proposal of plant research was simply shameful. Haha had also never praised him. She had never once tried the apples which he had grown. The only one who was willing to listen was — his ani Sairaorg. Sairaorg sent the flowers and fruits that Magdaran had grown to places within Bael territory to sell. While cheerily eating the apples which his ototo had grown, ani said

"Apples are a specialty within the Bael territory. The apples that you've grown could even become the best in the Underworld. I think you can definitely do it. If you need to ask why, this apple truly is delicious."

Magdaran shook his head and cleared away the memories of his conversations with his ani, and continued to move through the passageways. …Until today, whether it was ani or family, whether it was flowers or the power of destruction, he didn't need bother himself with those things. If Trihexa destroyed the Underworld, he could do nothing but obediently accept that fate. It had already been a few minutes since he began moving through the castle, and Saji Genshirou saw the rear gate that he had come in through. Beyond that rear gate was a vast open space; the ceiling was very high, it should be a place for civilians who sought temporary refuge. The rear gate was in front of them, but Saji Genshirou who was at the front released his aura and took up a stance in front of the doorway. —There was an ominous atmosphere ahead. Looking carefully, there was already someone standing on the other side of the rear gate—. In front of him, lay someone that Magdaran was familiar with. A gray-haired man wearing a cloak and light armour was lying in a pool of blood. It was Magdaran's [Queen], Sectaas Barbatos ^[5]. He originated from the House of Barbatos which belonged to the Seventy Two Pillars, and was also Magdaran's servant. Having been born from a High-Class Devil and at the same time as Magdaran's [Queen], he had actually collapsed in a pool of blood….

"Sectaas! Are you okay!?"

Hearing Magdaran's voice, his [Queen] coughed up fresh blood from his mouth, yet he still prioritised his master's life as he said

"…Please hurry and get away."

Saji extended out one of the tentacles from his armour towards Sectaas. He then used the tentacle to wrap around Sectaas, and carried him back over immediately. Magdaran and the guards checked on the [Queen]'s injuries. His entire upper and lower body had been pierced by shots of demonic energy, and if this continued, he would die of blood loss. Despite it being utterly inadequate, Magdaran tore his clothing, and bandaged Sectaas' body with it. A person beyond the gate applauded upon seeing that.

"Truly praiseworthy. It's hard to imagine that the Great King would display such behaviour."

The sound of thudding footsteps approached from the side beyond the rear gate as they entered. It was a blonde-haired gentlemen who had a nobleman's attire. From his facial features, he appeared to be around thirty years old…but Devils were able to change their appearance, so the age that their appearance gave off wasn't always accurate. —Indeed, everyone who was present clearly knew who this man was. Naturally, that was because this man had appeared on television—. The gentleman wearing a noble's attire bowed politely, and said a greeting.

"—Good day."

Magdaran said that man's name.

"…Ranked third in the Rating Games…Bedeze Abaddon-dono."

That's right, this man — a professional Rating Game player, and ranked third, Bedeze Abaddon. He was an Extra Demon from the House of Abaddon. He was also the mastermind behind the attack on this Bael castle. The ominous aura and killing intent that seeped out of his body could clearly be felt. Bedeze laughed pleasantly.

"This wouldn't be the current head's…second son-dono, would it? I would like to see the current head and previous generations, could you introduce them to me?"

"Unfortunately, chichiue ^[6] and the previous generations are not here. And there's also no reason for a traitor to meet with the Bael Great King."

Bedeze made an amused smile in reponse to Magdaran's words.

Honestly speaking, even with the [Pawn] of Sona Sitri's peerage here, it would be impossible to defeat the Rating Game's third-ranked [King] in front of us. All of the [Kings] in the Top Ten are Ultimate-Class Devils, and the top three are considered to be Maou-Class in terms of strength.

In other words, it would be like Magdaran, Saji and the guards fighting against a Maou. It was simply exasperating. Magdaran asked Bedeze

"Could you tell me your purpose in coming here?"

"I have had a number of exchanges with Great King in the past. Diehauser has exposed everything, and I want to show the darkness of that in front of all of the citizens."

Magdaran couldn't help but sigh at what was said. Magdaran quietly asked Saji beside him

("The other peerage members, and the members of the team, where are they?")

("We of the Sitri peerage were all fighting against those masked people outside…each of them were strong as well, so I think they're members of the third-ranker's peerage.")

So that's how it was, loud roaring sounds had been heard from the outside since before, and that was probably the sounds of the battle between the Sitri peerage and the Abaddon peerage members. Saji continued

("Sairaorg and his peerage will also arrive here soon…")

It seems that ani Sairaorg had also been contacted. But, would he make it…? Nevertheless, even if he was able to get here in time, no matter how strong ani was, fighting against a Maou-Class opponent was too….

Bedeze paid no mind to any of that, and asked Saji

"The one on that side is from Sona Sitri's peerage, right? Your black aura, I remember it from the video recording of that match between the youths. As Serafall's imouto-kun ^[7], that Sona really wants to…build a school that anyone can attend in the Underworld, and even struggled for it, right? Bael's next head also cooperated with it. Hmm…can I ask a question, will she compete in the Games in the future?"

"Yes, because that is my master's dream. In order to establish a Rating Game school, she needs to obtain merit in her Rating Game performance to some extent, otherwise she would lack credibility. We'll definitely take the top spot."

Bedeze placed his hand on his chin as he nodded, and then said

"I see, that makes sense, strategy and tactics are important to some extent. But, wanting to reach the position of Champion is impossible. More accurately, it would be impossible to even reach the Top Five. So it would be best not to get one's hopes up too high."

"…Why do you say that?"

Bedeze answered Saji's question

"Because…I have first-hand experience with it. Listen well, you definitely need to remember what I say. Regardless of the era, the person who becomes Champion is someone possesses an extremely abnormal and absolute power. If I had to speak of your generation…I think, Rias Gremory who has the Sekiryuutei would be the closest. But, regardless of who it is among the Rookies Four, they're all far inferior to that monster. —Diehauser Belial is a monster of that degree. Ordinary people absolutely cannot touch him. But, that is something which can't be helped. Regardless of the era, one or two people as strong as that will appear. It's like Sirzechs-sama, or perhaps Ajuka-sama. Thus, in order to approach those people who could be described as an embodiment of talent, a certain means is necessary."

"…So, that's why you used the [King] piece?"

Magdaran asked.

A few days ago, Diehauser Belial exposed the users of the [King] piece — one of them was Bedeze Abaddon. Moreover, even the second rank Roygun Belphegor used it. Bedeze had no remorse towards any of it, and his lips even curled upwards.

"That's right, it's exactly as you've said. I have status and power, all that I lacked was the talent to become an Ultimate-Class Devil. For that reason, I obtained it. I then became third-ranked in the Rating Games. I finally gained honour. By using an illegitimate means? But, the matches between top rankers was carried out with a balance. Aside from Diehauser, the wins and losses of other people was a balance. Of course, there were also many matches that weren't supervised officially. …However, I also don't deny that I knew those players had certain agreements on the matches."

Saji Gensjirou had an expression of disbelief etched onto his face. His master's dream was to build a Rating Game school that anyone could attend as equals. However, he had personally found out about the inside dealings of the Games; the third ranked player also nonchalantly competed in false matches, so it was a serious blow to him. Unlike the misconduct of the Games, things such as 'Compromising on the outcome of matches for the relationship between Houses' also existed. Such things had taken place — Riser Phoenix, who was connected to Team [DxD] had done it in the past. And they also knew that. The nature of these exchanges which happened between nobles was completely different to what Bedeze had said, and the ordinary citizens of the Underworld also knew. Even when Low-Class and Middle-Class Devils criticised it, they still continued in order to retain an aristocratic society. Riser had also intentionally lost matches for the sake of his family twice. In human terms, it was similar to the so-called 'business golf' ^[8]. For Magdaran, who was completely uninterested in the Games and had absolutely no intention of participating, regardless of whether it was one of the secret 'agreements' that Bedeze spoke of or one of the 'entertainments' between nobles that even the general public knew of, honestly speaking, all of them were tinged with darkness and sin. Even if Saji Genshirou or the citizens continued to lament about it, the Games themselves were originally intended to be international activities which were free from political constraints, but as long as the committee comprised of members of an aristocratic society, it would be completely impossible. That was why the current Rating Games had such darkness. The old Devils took action for their own benefit; they believed that it had value which could be of use to them, hence they snatched the rights for it away from the Maou Ajuka Beelzebub. Magdaran asked Bedeze

"The public has already accepted the [King] piece, so why does it not protect the safety of Great King?"

Bedeze sneered.

"Because my fans also came to ask me. Under the present circumstances, since it's difficult to conceal the truth of the misconduct, I just have to overturn the source of the misconduct. —So, by removing the heads of Great King, I'll assert to the civilians that I disposed of the culprit behind this incident."

Bedeze's eyes seemed to give off the feeling of someone who was drowned in greed. Bedeze shook his head, and spoke with a sorrowful expression

"Civilians are stupid. As long as I sob and tell them I was being exploited by the Great King side, and that I take down the heads of the House of Bael in order to rid myself of those troubles, they'll certainly feel surprised, and I'll then get their support. They absolutely hate scandals involving those in the upper-class, so they'll be happier than anything to hear about the disgrace of nobles. Especially if the Great King faction which is politically opposed to the Maou side has a scandal like this, some politicians will appear to be apologetic on the surface, so the audience will simply compliment my actions."

As long as he could protect his own honour, he was willing to fabricate this so-called 'justice' to manipulate public opinion and project himself as an ally of justice. With his hands stained by misconduct, the method that this man came up with was extremely simple — Magdaran was greatly surprised by the sinister and sinful nature of the third ranker. Magdaran said

"…I see, the politicians have been set up."

Even politicians were drawn into his plans…. There were many politicians who were opposed to the Great King faction or the Great King's politicians. Although they didn't belong to the Maou side, there did exist politicians who had ideas even more radical than the Maou. To them, this scandal was an excellent pretext for them to act. Even if this attack didn't occur, they would be subject to impeachment during parliament sessions. Bedeze then turned towards Saji Genshirou and asked a question

"Youth of Sona Sitri's peerage, won't you cooperate with me? Could you also convey this to your friends?"

Bedeze's intentions were to have him assist him in taking down the heads of Great King. The ones who opposed the Rating Game school that anyone could attend most strongly…were the Great King faction. Even if the next head Sairaorg appeared to be working together with Sona Sitri for now…the current head and all of the politicians were constantly hunting for opportunities, and would exploit them to destroy that with all their effort as soon as they could. But, Saji Genshirou declined.

"…This is unacceptable. This way of doing things…is unacceptable! You're ranked third in the Rating Games? If you really do that, there will definitely be fans who would be saddened!"

It was an immediate reply that lacked any falsity. He didn't think about the thoughts of the politicians, nor the situation of the higher-ups, he simply asserted his own thoughts. Bedeze paid no mind to it.

"The Champion Diehauser brought to light the truth about the misconduct, and as the one ranked third, I was pointed out as a culprit. …Don't you think that this is a good thing?"

Saji Genshirou's face was filled with bitterness, chagrin and anguish—.

"…Your thoughts are too simplistic. This kind of thing…is too ridiculous…! If you really did that, you'd just be inviting more hatred from us!"

"For the civilians though, that is enough. The civilians would accept something plain, simple and direct like this. After this matter has concluded, I will take responsibility for the misconduct and retire from the Games. That's right, in order to eradicate all misconduct, the third ranker will resign on his own."

That's what Bedeze's plan was. He would retain his honour, turn over the higher-ups of Great King, and use that as an excuse for his resignation. Bedeze continued

"You are…a nakama ^[9] of the Sekiryuutei. He…what does he have? As the Oppai Dragon supported by the public, he's been used by the Maou side as a pawn to raise public opinion in their favour. To me…it's rather funny. It's simply foolish to the extreme. That kid would actually have interest in the Rating Games because of those kinds of things…. It was originally a competition that only chosen people could compete in. Only people who possessed talent or something special that was different from ordinary people, or people who had special privileges could participate. The Top Ten is exactly like that. So what if you can motivate those fools into participating in the Rating Games? Most people are disillusioned from having their dreams shattered, and simply wait for their future deaths."

Bedeze sighed and then continued

"—Effort is nothing more than a dream given to fools by the stupid government. Moreover, this dream is the ultimate goal for those weaklings who don't have talent, money nor status. I was different. Precisely because I had wealth, and status, it made up for my lack of talent. I truly am thankful that I'm a noble."

The words of the person ranked third caused Saji Genshirou's expression to change.

"…You hold him in contempt? He's worked harder than anyone else, yet you you're looking down on my nakama!?"

Tears leaked out of Saji Genshirou's eyes as he cried out.

"He's constantly been risking his life for the sake of the Underworld and for his nakama! He's been a step away from death several times, that's how hard he's worked! And what about you!? Not only did you not put your life on the line to fight against Trihexa and the army of Evil Dragons, you instead came here to do something like this…! Please go and fight…! Fight for the Underworld, and for the fans who admire you!"

"Of course, I will fight. But first, I need to take down the heads of Great King."

Bedeze's indifferent reply drove Saji Genshirou's anger to the breaking point.

A ferocious aura cloaked in black flames burst forth.

"YOU BAASSTAAAAAAAARRDDD!"

While equipping his helmet again, Saji Genshirou extended tentacles from his armour towards Bedeze, yet Bedeze remained calm. In a place where nothing existed within this space, a hole suddenly appeared. The tear in space was the special ability of the Abaddon House — it was [Hole]. All of the tentacles that Saji Genshirou had extended were sucked in by a [Hole]. At the same time that the [Hole] was closed, the tentacles were cut off. Abaddon was able to create a hole in any empty space, and then absorb or discharge anything from it. This special demonic power had been inherited by each generation of his bloodline.

"Damn it!"

Saji Genshirou directed the black flames which covered his own body towards Bedeze. Those black flames possessed a strong curse. They were normally supressed, but as soon as he began fighting, his surroundings would be enveloped with a dense, cursed inferno. If the opponent was to be bathed in these black flames, their entire body would definitely suffer from a fierce curse and would be doomed. However, the black flames that Saji Genshirou released were all absorbed by the multitude of [Holes] which appeared within the space. That's right, Magdaran had seen it before on television so he knew about it clearly; Bedeze had maintained his rank as third by controlling many [Holes]. Even if he had misconduct, and he obtained the power that he had now through the [King] piece, his inherent strength wasn't something to be underestimated. Bedeze was also able to infiltrate this Bael castle because of his [Hole] ability. A [Hole] appeared beside Saji Genshirou, and the black flames which had just been absorbed were released back towards him. However, he returned the black flames to his own body, and then charged forwards for a direct attack. With speed that could not be perceived by the eyes, he shrunk the distance between Bedeze and himself…but Bedeze leapt into the [Hole] which had manifested behind him. Saji Genshirou's fist struck the air. —But from behind, Saji Genshirou was dealt a kick which propelled him into the wall. Bedeze had actually used a [Hole] to appear behind him. Indeed, Bedeze was able to use a [Hole] to evade attacks, but he was also very good at close-range combat. Despite that, Saji Genshirou showed no signs of giving up, and focused his tentacles, black flames, kicks and punches towards Bedeze, yet all of that was evaded, or blocked by [Hole], and it was essentially impossible for him to reach Bedeze. On the contrary, Bedeze extended a single hand into a [Hole], while a [Hole] appeared near Saji Genshirou, from which Bedeze's hand emerged and then dealt a direct hit. Bedeze also used demonic energy, and without any sense of the correct distance, Saji Genshirou wouldn't know what would fly out of the [Holes] nor where they would appear.

Saji Genshirou was completely within the palm of his opponent's hand. He was unable to predict where the [Holes] would appear; even if he was able to dodge the kicks, a [Hole] would suddenly appear and he would tumble over Bedeze's outstretched foot. Bedeze was able to skilfully open a countless number of [Holes], and freely control them. He was able to absorb all of his opponents' attacks, and all of his own attacks were able to land a strike on his opponent—. Bedeze released a single pulse of demonic energy into a [Hole], and after disappearing into the [Hole], it reappeared from another [Hole]. Coupling his original attack with a feint, he released several demonic energy attacks into a [Hole] in front of him again. After repeating this several times, the demonic energy that he had released had been absorbed by a [Hole] several times. He then targeted the space near Saji Genshirou to launch his attack. If it was just from one, he would be able to deal with it, but if it was increased to three, five, ten or even more places at once, he would not be able to know what type of demonic energy would come out of which [Hole]. Aside from the blasts of demonic energy, there were also Bedeze's punches and kicks, and each one of Bedeze's attacks easily shattered parts of Saji Genshirou's armour. Saji Genshirou's armour regenerated after it was broken, after which it would be broken and restored again, and that cycle repeated itself. However, regeneration was not infinite, and gradually, the regeneration rate of the armour slowed down, while the areas where his armour had broken and his bare flesh was exposed were attacked. His entire body had injuries, and he spat fresh blood out of his mouth several times. As a defensive measure, Saji Genshirou quickly formed a wall of flames, but because the impact of wide-ranged attacks were able to send him flying, regardless of whether the distance between them was reduced or increased, he would still sustain injuries.

Magdaran watched the battle as his facial expression visually tightened. He clearly knew about Abaddon's [Hole] ability. Not only had he seen Bedeze's matches on television, his ani Sairarorg's [Queen], Kuisha Abaddon was a relative of Bedeze. She herself was able to manipulate [Holes], and was someone with considerable strength within her generation. —However, Bedeze was a monster in a completely different dimension. Even Magdaran, who was not good at fighting, knew well that Saji Genshirou possessed power on par with a Dragon King. But, he was still no match for Bedeze; although one reason was due to their poor compatibility, more importantly, it was because Bedeze distinctly understood his own ability and was very proficient with using it. This was the so-called talent that he had obtained after using the [King] piece…. Magdaran once again felt awed by the 'abnormality' of the [King] piece.

"…Shit."

Kneeling down, Saji Genshirou was breathing heavily, and his armour was already in a dreadful state. Even if it became a battle of attrition, his stamina would also be exhausted first—. As for his opponent, Bedeze hadn't even expended one percent of his total demonic energy, so he had plenty of headroom. Filling the air with killing intent, Bedeze slowly walked towards Saji Genshirou who was kneeling on the ground—. All of a sudden, someone with tremendous touki ^[10] rushed into the Bael castle through the rear gate. Bedeze easily evaded it — but the aftermath brought by the person who rushed in destroyed a part of the castle. A Devil who could wreak destruction simply from the shockwaves of their fist—. There were only a handful of Devils like that. If it was limited to someone within Bael—. The person who suddenly stood between Bedeze Abaddon and Saji Genshirou was a man wearing the golden armour of the lion—. The man — smiled slightly at Saji Genshirou.

"What is it, Saji Genshirou? Your feelings don't just reach to this degree, right?"

Upon seeing Sairaorg's appearance, Saji Genshirou cried out joyfully.

"…Master!"

Ani Sairaorg stood in front of Bedeze. Bedeze laughed fearlessly.

"Well, if it isn't Sairaorg Bael. The one known as the strongest [King] amongst all of the youths…"

Sairaorg said to Bedeze

"Bedeze-dono, it's not too late for you to turn back now. Please don't let the reputation of the third rank that you're proud of be dirtied."

"Your tone makes it sound like you think you can win against me. Hoho, you're really underestimating me too much, next Head of Great King-dono."

Towards Bedeze, whose attitude didn't change, Sairaorg also prepared his resolve to fight and clenched both his fists.

"Since you've said that, I'll just have to fulfil the responsibility of my role as a member of the anti-terrorist team [DxD]."

"Having the number one youth as my opponent huh, how interesting!"

Bedeze relentlessly manifested many [Holes] around Sairaorg.

He also released a wave of demonic energy into some of them. Sairaorg twisted his body to evade them, or used his fist which was covered in touki to deflect them. Actually choosing to take down his opponent's demonic energy attacks directly, this man and the Sekiryuutei who was also of [DxD] were the same. Sairaorg instantly shortened their distance; each of his fists were very well trained as there were no wasteful movements, and he threw his fastest punch at his opponent. But, Bedeze faced the punch that was coming directly at him, turned his head, and then dodged it. —The unexpected thing was that a wound had been left on Bedeze's face from the aftermath of Sairaorg's fist, which was covered in touki. In reponse to this, Bedeze laughed happily. It seemed like the punch that came directly at him was faster than he had anticipated, and that made him even more excited. Not giving his opponent time to catch their breath, Sairaorg sent out a kick, and then a punch, followed by another punch and another as he continued his rapid assault. However, Bedeze's rank as third in the Rating Games wasn't just for show. He was facing the strongest moves of a newcomer. Sairaorg's sharp kicks were easily evaded by light steps to the side, after which he performed a surprise counterattack as he threw a punch towards Sairaorg's face. Sairaorg didn't mind these surprise attacks and continued his attack.

Bedeze had been strengthened with the [King] piece, but his physical combat skill was actually accumulated from combat experience. He had constantly built up his experience in top ranking matches. Bedeze suddenly raised his fighting level. This time, he added the use of [Holes] into his attacks. A [Hole] appeared behind Sairaorg, and blasts of demonic energy flew out from it. Sairaorg also detected it, and shifted sideways to dodge. But, as if following Bedeze's expectations, another [Hole] appeared by Sairaorg's foot. Bedeze's hand extended out of it. He grabbed onto Sairaorg's foot through the [Hole]. With his leg held down, Sairaorg was unable to evade, and the demonic energy that flew out of the [Hole] behind him closed in. The armour protecting his back crumbled, and blood trickled out. Bedeze's onslaught with the use of [Holes] then began. The same as when he fought with Saji Genshirou just earlier, Sairaorg was unable to defend, let alone attack due to the existence of the [Holes], whereas Bedeze's attacks were able to hit the young Great King. There was however, one thing that was different to Saji Genshirou. Not all of the demonic energy shots that came out of the [Holes] in his blind spot were able to hit Sairaorg. Whether it was the intuition of a beast or the accumulated experience that he had, Sairaorg was able to evade to some degree. —But, that was it. Bedeze's attacks became more intense. Sairaorg intended to counterattack and thrust out his fist, but it was absorbed by a [Hole] which appeared in front of him, after which a [Hole] appeared beside his face; the fist which had been absorbed emerged out of another [Hole] and struck him squarely in the face.

"…It's the first time that I've been hit with and endured a strike with my own fist. …I see now, it's very effective just as Hyoudou Issei said."

The unsteady Sairaorg laughed at the strength of his own fist. He had taken a blow that he had never foreseen, and its strength exceeded even his own expectations. After all, it was the fist of the youth who never stopped training, so it couldn't be helped if his body was unable to withstand it. Wiping off the blood at the corner of his mouth, Sairaorg adjusted his breathing, and then readied his fighting stance again. Nevertheless, Sairaorg's attacks had no effect on Bedeze. Compared to Saji Genshirou before, his compatibility with Bedeze was even worse. No, it would be best to rethink that. Almost all of the people with Bedeze as an opponent would be at a disadvantage. This just went to show how otherworldly Bedeze Abaddon's manipulation of the [Hole] ability was. No matter what kind of opponent he faced, he was able to maintain his own rhythm…he was simply an embodiment of the technique-type—. Eventually, Sairaorg accumulated too much damage, and knelt with one knee on the ground. Although Magdaran had not seen Sairaorg's fight against Grendel…he recognised that this fight was even more difficult.

"Guh…"

His attacks had failed, he had suffered many injuries, and so Sairaorg wore a bitter expression in the current situation.

"…H-How can this be, even Master Sairaorg is…!"

Even Saji Genshirou felt stricken by Sairaorg's current condition. But, Bedeze shook his head.

"You guys are wrong, you shouldn't be so optimistic. To be honest, I'm surprised as well. I'm often described as someone with Maou-class strength. If I had the intention, I could make a massive [Hole], and then release demonic energy into it, which could blow away this entire castle. If I did that, the winner would be determined too early, which is why things are the way they are now. —However, simply letting my demonic energy pass through a [Hole] of normal size without compressing it won't be able to harm the Vritra on that side, nor the next head-dono. That is to say, people like you, the Devils of [DxD] already have significant strength."

Bedeze held his chin as he nodded.

"I've experienced many life or death battles. Needless to say, that is the greatest method of becoming stronger. …I am once again in reverence of the current situation of people like you."

That was the sincere praise of a high ranked Rating Game player. He then continued

"Precisely because of this. Sairaorg, you're also someone who's worried about your own talent and bloodline. Isn't that right? You also want to use it right? —Use that [King] piece."

Bedeze extended his hand out, as he let out flattering words from his mouth. Sairaorg frowned.

"…Could I ask what you mean by that?"

Facing Sairaorg's question, Bedeze answered

"I've heard news that those old Devils have [King] pieces. After removing the heads of Great King, I'll work together with my collaborators, and give one of those pieces to you. You can use it, and become a true Great King. If it's a Devil like you who has the support of the public, you'll definitely be able to build a more brilliant family business. A brand new Great King will begin with you."

While Bedeze looked at Sairaorg, Magdaran and Saji Genshirou, he said

"Listen up, young rookies, you should remember what I say. —The Rating Games are a noble's thing. It's a form of entertainment only for the upper class. Low-class Reincarnated Devils who do not have talent, wealth, or status delude themselves with enjoying the Rating Games, it's really such a joke."

Those blunt words really only belonged to someone who came from an upper class background. To some extent, that was the truth. If things continued as they were without any major changes or reforms, getting a promotion through Rating Games was quite difficult. Sairarog — only said one thing towards that.

"…I refuse."

Bedeze seemed to doubt his own ears and asked Sairaorg again

"…What did you say?"

Sairaorg endured against his trembling legs and stood up to explain the meaning of his words.

"I will never deny the way that I've lived my life up until now! The path that I've walked until now is my pride! You want me to throw away all of the pain, regret, laughter, joy, victory and defeat that I've had until now!? I absolutely reject this! These two fists, this body, this soul, and my peerage, are all the treasures which I've obtained through fighting! Discarding that for false talent is something I will never do!"

Sairaorg edged closer to Bedeze, with each step full of vigour.

"Not only me, Saji Genshirou here, and the Sekiryuutei Hyoudou Issei are the same. —The value that strength obtained through great pains has…! You want to let them discard all of the harsh things that they've experienced in the past year and have them pursue something like that!? Well, regardless of whether you're an experienced competitor or a puppet of the old Devils, I will defeat you right here without a shred of hesitation!"

Sairaorg's fierce roar caused Saji Genshirou to cry.

"…Master…master!"

Sairaorg's gaze — suddenly turned towards here.

"Don't worry Magdaran. —I'll definitely protect you."

A smile emerged on Sairaorg's face. …He understood it himself. This man, he had been fighting while constantly keeping watch out for this side—. In order to prevent Bedeze's attacks from spreading to this side, he didn't allow him to direct attacks towards this side, and was always carefully watching. Magdaran realised this. If not for that, the battle should be more even. Nonetheless…that guy still chose to 'protect'.

—I vowed that I wouldn't call him.

Ani, aniue ^[11], I had already decided not to call him that. Magdaran still hadn't forgotten about the time when the position of next Head of the House was taken away from him. But, what surfaced in Magdaran's mind was a childhood memory. Although it was only for a few years, he had followed behind Sairarog, the time when he would play with his ani every day. Together in the Bael castle, they ran within the courtyard, they played together every day in the secret base that they had created in the Bael castle—.

—I can't afford to call him.

One day, in order to find a rare flower, Magdaran went to a mountain near the Bael castle and was attacked by demonic beasts. He had come out on his own without any guards. For the young Magdaran, it was an easy task for that demonic beast to take Magdaran's life. At that time — his ani Sairaorg rushed over to save Magdaran. In order to protect him, he bravely stood in front of the demonic beast, while he himself watched ani's back—.

—I can't possibly call him.

The words of his ani back then lingered in his mind.

"Get away from my precious ototo! I'll be your opponent!"

Protecting his own brother's body — it was worth boasting about more than anything else, and he was cooler than anyone else was.

"—You're my precious ototo. I'll definitely protect you, and defeat the opponent in front of you!"

The figure of Sairaorg who didn't retreat a single step against a Maou-class opponent was carved into his eyes. Ani…he was once again in front of himself, in order to help his ototo. The figure of ani from before and the ani in front of him now overlapped with each other; tears began to stream down Magdaran's face as he cried.

"……Ani…ue…! I was wrong…! I've done something unforgiveable to you. I genuinely felt contempt at the you who could not inherit the power of destruction. I truly hated the you who took away the position of next head from me! I genuinely hated you! I hated you so much that I wanted to kill you!"

All of that was true. He really hated him. He really wanted to kill him. His ani's victory denied his entire life, so how could he possibly accept it? Magdaran continued

"I am…a despicable person. I secretly scorned you, and tried to sabotage you several times. You should also have noticed. Yet you didn't do anything to me when I was like that! You never even said any words of hatred!"

Yes, in order to defeat his ani, in order to have his ani face trouble, a personal grudge was always held against him in politics. I tried to stop him several times, and also sabotaged him many times. There were actually several times that ani had to face a tough situation. —Even so, ani didn't blame me. He simply said that his own strength was inadequate, he wasn't respected enough, and continuously reflected on himself. He did not blame his ototo at all. Sairaorg…turned his head back and said

"I took away the position of being the next head from you. I did it to prove my strength to the people who had forsaken me, so it was all for the sake of my selfishness. That's why I decided. As long as there is dissatisfaction towards me, I will accept all of it. Regardless of whether it's gibo, or you, no matter how deep your resentment is, I will gladly accept all of it."

Sairaorg looked back at his ototo. His face was filled with warm emotions towards his ototo, it was the expression of one's ani. Sairaorg then continued to apologise about the same thing—.

"Magdaran, my ototo. I also need to apologise to you. I've caused you a lot of pain. For being such a useless ani, please forgive me."

…I knew. Ani always recognised it as his own—. I liked flowers, and plants. Compared to when I was the next head, I wanted to be a botanist even more. But, having been born with the power of destruction, I had no choice but to become the next head. Allowing the purple flowers to regrow, nurturing rare apples, not a single Bael praised me, only ani recognised me.

His ototo's achievements should be spread throughout the Underworld. —Only his ani accepted him as a family member. He said those things as a family member. Regardless of whether it was himself, or brother, the Bael House had ruined their lives—. So…the him who hated ani…was really too stupid. It would have been much better if they resisted against the Bael House together as brothers. Magdaran called out

"Aniue! Please win! You are, aniue is my ani, the next head of the House of Bael! Please let me see it! The 'destruction' of the House of Bael!"

Hearing his ototo call out to his ani — Sairaorg revealed a valiant smile.

"Yeah, I understand."

Facing Bedeze Abaddon front on, Sairaorg clenched his fist.

"My ototo Magdaran — his mind is better than mine, and he always does things carefully. He's always aware of the subtleties of other people, so he's more suitable than I am for politics. —He's a man who will one day succeed the House of Bael. I'm proud of my ototo, he'll definitely be able to illuminate Great King. After all, he's like me, he's stubborn — he'll put in everything he has to reach his goal!"

Sairaorg extended his fist out and declared to Bedeze

"—Bedeze Abaddon-dono. Come and experience the blow that I've spent my life on."

After saying that, Sairaorg increased his own touki.

"Let's go! As my avatar, the Lion Regulus!"

[Yes! If your body wills, destroy them with this divine body!]

Responding to its master's call, the eyes of the lion on his chest unleashed a dazzling light. His touki increased again, and it filled the entire space. Sairaorg recited the chant of power—.

"This body, this soul, even if it falls into an endless ravine!"

The lion then said

[My Lord and I, we will exhaust this body and this soul to rise up the endless royal road!]

"Raze, triumph, play, and shine!"

[—This is the body of a Demonic Beast!]

"—Lodged on top of my fist, is the glorious imperial authority!"

His touki whipped up an intense cyclone, and at the rear gate, that gust — blow up a countless number of purple flower petals. The purple flowers that were found all over the Bael castle, the purple flowers which proudly bloomed, followed the wind and danced around Sairaorg.

"—Dance!"

[—Dance!]

"[—Bloom!!!]"

Magdaran suddenly recalled the time when they were young and he was attacked by a demonic beast; ani came to rescue him, and the two of them ran desperately through that mountain. The final place that they ran to — was a sea of flowers in full bloom. There, a gust of wind blew past, and the colourful petals which were blown up danced in the air.

—Yes, it was beautiful. At that time, it really was beautiful.

While enveloped in touki, Sairaorg's body inflated even further.

"[ —Breakdown The Beast, Climb Over!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^[12] ]"

With that final breath, it burst open! Standing there was — a majestic being, the armour of a highly aggressive lion. It was a new armour with a dual-toned gold and purple appearance—. The gold armour was accompanied by a purple touki that enveloped Sairaorg. The magnitude of its density was immense, even Magdaran who was far away from it felt a cold chill. Even Saji Genshirou's cursed flames were temporarily supressed. Seeing this result, Bedeze was shocked.

"……How can that be! Could this be the so-called awakening of supremacy…!"

—Breakdown The Beast.

Yes, ani temporarily released the power that was sealed within the Longinus. It was a form that only a Sacred Gear with a sealed legendary demonic beast could have…but it was also accompanied by a great risk. Like the liberation of the Sacred Gears which the Two Heavenly Dragons were sealed in — Juggernaut Drive ^[13], the user's life would be consumed after activating it. Moreover, the effects had already arisen as Sairaorg spat out blood from his mouth. Gritting his teeth tightly, Sairaorg shouted

"—Regulus Rey Leather Rex Imperial Purpure ^[14] Beast of Supremacy. This is the incarnation of my destruction which has been pushed to the limits. With my life force as a source, it provides a temporary outburst of power…well, although this is a fist which doesn't possess the power of 'destruction', I will gift you the power of the Bael's 'destruction'!"

Sairaorg disappeared from sight, and even Saji Genshirou was unable to grasp ani's first movements, but Bedeze was able to perceive it and created a defensive magic circle in front of himself. It wasn't just any ordinary magic circle. Although it appeared rather thin, it was a powerful barrier which was compressed layer upon layer. Without the slightest sound, Sairaorg appeared in front of Bedeze, and then thrust out a sudden punch. His fist was covered in a dense golden and purple touki. The defensive magic circle — was smashed through with ease by a single punch, yet Bedeze didn't seem to care and instantly made a [Hole]. That [Hole] was going to absorb the punch, and then counter in the same way as before by allowing him to be hit by his own attack. However—. Crack! —A crisp sound was generated. That [Hole] was simply shattered, and that fist struck Bedeze's abdomen directly! Doon! That single blow caused Bedeze to rapidly cough and throw up blood. That single punch caused the entire Bael castle to tremble. The overwhelming force of that fist went through Bedeze's body, and destroyed the walls behind him, while the shockwave from that blow continued much further. It flew towards a place that couldn't even be seen—. Even the ground in front of him had been gouged out. While clutching his abdomen, Bedeze pulled back to increase their distance, while his face was filled with dismay.

"My [Hole] — it was smashed to pieces just from a punch!?"

Just as he said, his [Hole] — it had been shattered by a single punch. Until now, the [Hole] was able to absorb all sorts of attacks. It was completely unimaginable that it could be fully destroyed by a physical phenomenon. Yet, Sairaorg's single blow completely demolished this idea.

"My fist is only for destruction. Regardless of anything, it will only destroy! Use your body to have a good taste of this single hit that I've attained through training!"

Sairaorg flew out at high speed once again. Facing him under the current circumstances, Bedeze was a monster who was still able to keep up with his speed—. But, he simply evaded the attacks now. The fists which exceeded his physical reaction speeds, kicks which dug straight into his body, his demonic energy and the [Hole] which was his special ability were all destroyed. The Bael castle was shaken again. Parts of the ceiling slowly crumbled. Aside from that, regardless of whether Bedeze was hit by the flurry of punches and kicks or evaded, the shockwaves that were generated still possessed a tremendous amount of power that even affected the area outside the city. It was an absolute offensive power—! It was a physical attack that simply continued and continued to increase in power. There were no feints; it was simply a front-on, face-to-face punch, or face-to-face kick—. What was different from before was that his power had been enhanced to such a point that even a Maou-class opponent was unable to handle it. A simple strengthening was cornering the third ranker of the Rating Games. The embodiment of a technique-type was crushed by pure power! After a few seconds, the one who was kneeling down on the ground with one knee was — Bedeze Abaddon. His expression was that of disbelief, confusion and consternation.

"…How is this possible…what is this, what the hell is this…? It's just an ordinary punch, and an ordinary kick, isn't it…so why is my [Hole] being destroyed? Why is all of my demonic energy destroyed!?"

However, Sairaorg wasn't entirely fine either, in the process of the battle, he was also shaving off his life. His body also cried out in pain, as fresh blood oozed out of the gaps of the armour. Blood was also flowing out from the edge of his mouth. Even so, Sairaorg enveloped himself with touki and didn't weaken it at all as he moved towards Bedeze. Sairaorg stood in front of Bedeze and said

"—You used money to buy an insufficient talent. I used practice and the glory of my life to make up for my lack of talent. That is it."

These words which were full of vigour caused Bedeze to — feel danger all over his body, and want to escape with a transportation magic circle. —But, unbeknownst to him, his arm had been ensnared by a black tentacle! It was a tentacle of Vritra. Saji Genshirou transmitted black flames over through the tentacle.

"—Don't try to escape."

Saji Genshirou stood up and then hobbled towards Bedeze, step by step.

"—Hm! T-This is Vritra's tentacle!? When was this!?"

Seeing Bedeze in surprise, Saji Genshirou smiled. In order to prevent him from escaping, he tightened the tentacle even more.

"—I eliminated its form so that you couldn't see it. After all, there'll be at least one you can't see that latches on. …Master…you could also count me as one. Regardless of whether he's the third of the Top Ranks, I really can't let him get away without a single punch."

Saji Genshirou gradually moved closer while he clenched his fist. With the tentacle still tightly wrapped around him, he wanted to escape, but in an instant, the speed of Saji who was burning with anger exceeded Bedeze's! While directly in front, he made a stance to throw a punch.

"You actually want to treat Hyoudou Issei like an idiot…you dare to look down on my most important friend who risks his life in order to protect everyone! I will never forgive this!"

With a single DON sound, Saji Genshirou's fist solidly struck Bedeze's face. Then, the jet-black flames from Saji Genshirou spread to Bedeze's body.

"…So hot, what is this, these black flames…arh!"

They were the cursed flames of Vritra that lingered no matter how they were eliminated. Bedeze was immediately startled, and Sairarog also approached him.

"This is a flame that constantly burns, it's an attack that obsessively clings onto the living."

Because he had suffered from Saji Genshirou's attack, Bedeze no longer had the strength to escape from here. Both of his legs were trembling, and he was staggering about. Without a trace of pity or mercy, Sairaorg raised his fist.

"Bedeze Abaddon-dono, your ambition will be crushed by this fist."

"Isn't that just an ordinary fist, what can it possibly do!?"

While screaming that out loud, Bedeze made several layers of defensive magic circles and [Holes] in front of himself — but Sairaorg's life-consuming blow easily pulverised them. That fist was driven into Bedeze's chest directly! Accompanied by a momentary noise, the shockwave of that impact reverberated around everywhere. Regardless of whether it was the floor, the ceiling or the walls, all of them were destroyed, and Bedeze received a fatal blow.

"……I-I…am ranked third…known as a Maou…class person……"

After saying that final line, Bedeze fell onto the ground. Sairaorg said to Bedeze who was on the ground

"—That's what a fist is. Whether it's me, Hyoudou Issei, Saji Genshirou, or a man belonging to [DxD]. This is how a man protects what's most precious to them."

It was a battle that risked their lives—. The difference between ani and Bedeze was like 'a fight of beliefs', and simply that. For a person who treated the Games as only a game, and someone who treated the Games as a battlefield, their opinions were different. And this was where victory and defeat was decided—.

(Part 1 of 2) (27/4)

Part 2

The battle between ani + Saji Genshirou and Bedeze Abaddon concluded. Because both ani and Saji Genshirou were fatigued from the fighting, they released their armour. At that time, the outside seemed to have calmed down. Could it be that ani's and Sona Sitri's peerage had successfully quelled Abaddon's peerage? Just when I had that thought, from the looks of it, another person came to assist in supressing the rebels. From the rear gate, someone emerged as a helper. It was a woman with two horns on her head, and long, wavy, cherry coloured hair. Wearing a seductive dress with high slits, she appeared to be around twenty years old. Everyone present was able to recognise her. The woman looked at Bedeze, and then sighed.

"I heard that Bedeze was attacking the Bael castle, so I rushed over to stop him…but it looks like it's already over."

—Roygun Belphegor. Ranked second in the Rating Games, and one of the top competitors. That was the true identity of this woman with horns. She was the current head of the House of Belphegor. Along with Serafall Leviathan and Grayfia Lucifuge, she was revered as one of few strong beauties of the Underworld. Seeing Bedeze lying on the ground, Roygun narrowed her eyes.

"Like him, I also used the [King] piece, and am also a case of that so-called misconduct. However, Lion King-kun, I don't have any regrets about that power or status. I also won't be like Bedeze and try to spread lies throughout the Underworld to pin the blame on someone…I just want the strength to compete on that stage, and that alone. Aside from the forced matches of the higher ups, I seriously enjoyed it."

Yes, Roygun was also someone who had been exposed by Diehauser Belial as a competitor who used the [King] piece. But, she wasn't like Bedeze who had a rebellious heart.

"Right now, at an urgent time when even the military and police have been mobilised, I will assist you in fighting those rebels."

—She said that she would be assisting us.

Roygun then asked Sairaorg

"Lion King-kun, do you like the Rating Games?"

Faced with the sudden question, Sairaorg didn't know how to respond. Roygun smiled lightly and continued

"—I like the Rating Games. Diehauser is also the same. That man loves the Games more than anything. But, I'm really sorry, from the first rank through to the third rank, all of us are so stupid…"

After saying that, Roygun lifted Bedeze up, and handed him over to the guards who were on standby at the rear gate. A feeling of loneliness could be felt from Roygun Belphegor's body language.

"Sairaorg-sama! Magdaran-sama!"

However, they didn't have the freedom to worry about the future of the Rating Games right now, as the guards inside the castle ran over, their faces pale and shivering.

"What happened? Calm down and report to us."

Sairaorg's words caused the panicking guards to readjust their breathing.

"Y-Yes. I-It's that…Trihexa appeared in the human world! Europe — and off the coast of Japan!"

Trihexa actually appeared in the human world—. The most worrisome thing was that it had made its appearance at last—.

[1] Ototo: Younger brother.

[2] Ani: Elder brother.

[3] Chichi: Father.

[4] Haha: Mother.

[5] The name Barbatos seems to be a reference to the ASW-G-08 Gundam Barbatos as well a demon mentioned in The Lesser Key of Solomon.

[6] Chichiue: More respectful form of father.

[7] Imouto-kun: Little sister.

[8] Business Golf: When businessmen play so-so or poorly in golf so that a business transaction goes smoothly.

[9] Nakama: Comrade, friend.

[10] Touki: Fighting Spirit.

[11] Anieue: More respectful form of elder brother.

[12] Kanji was: Beast of Supremacy, Release!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[13] Kanji was: Dragon of Supremacy.

[14] Kanji was: The Invincible Purple Skin of the Lion King.

(Part 2 of 2) (27/4)

Continues on to