Reading | Chapter 54: Parallels - Part 7

"Let me take it," Irina declared with conviction.

Gabriel stared at her, reluctant to put down the book, before sighing and smiling.

"Here, please read this," she offered, still worried.

And how could she not be?

The entire world was being destroyed by the clash of two forces that could not begin to understand each other.

Irina nervously picked up the book

It was time to see what Shirou had planned

And pray that it would be enough.

The world could not bear it. Not for much longer. Dimensional cracks and fissures formed in the air, voids in space that led to the white emptiness of dimensional space where the eyes of a great dragon lay languidly open with curiosity.

The terror of the void, the Dragon of the End and the Beginning, representing an absolute power capable of rivaling Infinity. The Great Red.

"Oh, please tell me that guy isn't going to join the fight," Azazel pleaded, paling at the thought.

If the clash of just two of those monsters was tearing reality apart, what would happen if a third one joined in!?

"This will truly be the end of our world," Sirzech said solemnly.

And there was nothing they could do to prevent it.

Xenovia shuddered as she fought alongside Irina in the streets of Kyoto. Everyone could see the Dragon watching from the other side of the border. Humans, angels, demons, gods, dragons... the Great Red seemed like an existence simply observing the contents of a fragile glass globe.

"He’s just watching, Small miracles." Serafall breathed a brief sigh of relief at that small act of mercy.

"For now," Michael warned.

They still couldn't let their guard down.

It horrified everyone, and humanity in general even more so. It was only in a war between factions that humanity finally realized the fragility of its existence.

"A war between factions? No, this is the war of THE factions against the Apocalypse incarnate," Sona corrected.

And from the way things looked, they were losing.

The roar of bullets and the pungent smell of gunpowder wafted through the area.

"Police teams continue firing!"

Near Xenovia and Irina, officers from the Kyoto police department and the armed forces were hastily rounding up the remaining civilians after the attack on the city. They had formed a barricade of police patrols at the end of the street and were riddling the wyverns wounded in the aerial battle with a hail of bullets. The bullets pierced the flesh and bone of the enormous bastard reptiles, too depleted of magical energy to form any kind of barrier.

"The planes shoot them down while the ground forces make sure they stay down; it's not a bad strategy," Azazel noted, along with several other maneuvers he had already planned.

He would really prefer that it all ended before it came to that and that all his plans were stored away in some file gathering dust, but it was better to have them and not use them than not have them and need them in case everything fell apart.

After all, finding and defeating Rizevim was going to be extremely complicated, even though Shirou had seen it as something easy, and doing it without killing him in case he had already placed the mechanism to release Trihexa in his body was going to be even more difficult.

For the first time since the start of the battle, the armed forces advanced towards the enemy; the wyverns' large size and current vulnerability made them nothing more than bags of meat placed as targets to be slaughtered.

“We're doing it! We're pushing them back!”

"That would be better if we didn't know those things are just insignificant little minions," Rias sighed worriedly.

She had hoped that by now the evil dragons would at least have been defeated and the pantheons could focus on helping the seven deadly sins bring down the heads of Trihexa.

Cheers from the police and armed forces echoed through the crowd. However, despite their excitement, their enthusiasm was even greater. It was all repeated in the same voices from Israel, through Italy and the Vatican, to the farthest reaches of the world.

"The Lord has returned!"

"There must be more than one priest in the Vatican shitting bricks when he realizes that it's all real," Azazel snorted, amused by the thought.

The Vatican, the religious center with the most atheists in the world.

Well, at least he thought they were atheists, or else he couldn't explain some of the things they did or covered up.

The Book of Genesis, the Bible, the Quran, they all spoke of the coming and return of the Lord and his angels to bring salvation. In the skies of Kyoto and around the world, the white or black wings of angels were visible to all. White feathers adorned knightly helmets, Romanesque-scale metal plates, and chainmail armor.

"And yet I have no doubt that there are still people at this very moment arguing about which of their versions of the Bible is the real one," Akeno snorted, amused by the idea that a Christian and a Muslim would still be pulling each other's hair even in the midst of the apocalypse.

The feathers danced in the wind, drifting toward the earth, where their light illuminated the darkest shadows and filled the weary with strength. Fatigue and fear dissipated as the words of the Seraphim Gabriel, of the Left Hand of God, traveled the world. Regardless of language, culture, religion, or belief, all felt warmth and encouragement.

"Sister, you seem to be using a lot of your light right now," Michael said, concerned.

And the battle had only just begun.

"They need us, I can't ignore them anymore." Gabriel shook her head resolutely.

Anymore.

They, without wings, created in the likeness of the Lord and His Angels.

Those whose gift of light lay dormant within them, burning brightly and always within them.

Grant yourself the protection of the Kingdom within the clouds.

The Lord and His Angels are by your side.

"Speaking of the gentleman, where are you?" Irina asked, looking at Shirou.

"Gathering the troops, I think," Shirou replied with a shrug that puzzled those present.

What troops?

Brothers and sisters in the Lord.

Guardian Angels. It is said that every human being on the face of the earth possesses one. That truth resides in the light of their hearts and is revealed through the strength of their faith.

"No, believe me, there weren't enough left for that, and there were barely any when they were only a few hundred million, not when they decided to multiply like rabbits and become billions." Azazel quickly denied it.

"That's good," Issei murmured with relief.

He had no doubt that if he had had one, he would have already fled in terror after seeing his computer.

Shining brightly above the distant clouds and the Wings of Steel, that faith blazed forth. The fighter jets battling the flying wyverns seemed like lances of judgment piercing the evil of the oppressors.

Xenovia and Irina no longer felt anymore heartened as members of the church and followers of the One God. Of course, the same could be said of Buddhists, Hindus, and other believers of the world's religions. After all, their gods were fighting for them too.

"Yep, a massive increase in faith." Irina nodded wisely.

All the faiths.

It was a result that one individual detested.

Near Xenovia and Irina, Cao Cao, who was gathering his fallen comrades and doing his best to tend to their wounds, grimaced in annoyance. This wasn't what he had wanted or expected, but there was nothing he could do about it. Worse still, his wounded pride was still impeding him. He would never admit that he was grateful to have been saved by someone he considered his greatest enemy.

"Tsundere?" Koneko asked, tilting her head.

"I'm not sure I can call that Tsundere," Rias chuckled slightly at her tower's comment.

"You two!" Cao Cao shouted at Irina and Xenovia, who glared back at him. "Reinforce the flank." Cao Cao didn't care and simply gave them orders, much to their frustration. However, they didn't complain.

"And why do we have to listen to it?" Xenovia grumbled in annoyance.

"Because unfortunately he has proven to be a good leader and strategist," Azazel replied.

His only flaw so far in that respect had been his excessive ego.

Despite all his flaws, Cao Cao was undoubtedly a better leader than anyone else in the area, since if Xenovia got her way, any plan would result in a frontal assault. Irina was slightly better, but even she wouldn't change the outcome of a frontal attack. Unlike Shirou, who could pull off such a maneuver thanks to his overwhelming power, Xenovia and Irina were not like that.

"Actually, I'm usually more like Irina in those situations." Shirou shook his head.

He was unfortunately very used to being much weaker than his opponents almost all the time.

"It's hard to imagine," Irina said, bewildered.

She had become so accustomed to seeing Shirou as an unstoppable force of nature that the mere idea of ​​imagining him battling to defeat someone was ridiculous.

They needed to think and organize themselves to better handle any situation. Unfortunately, Xenovia fervently preferred to solve problems with her sword, and Irina didn't have enough charisma to convince everyone to follow her example.

Cao Cao was the best option, and thanks to him and his comrades, casualties in the area were minimized even before Xenovia and Irina arrived with Shirou. Although it came at a price.

"A price you didn't pay," Issei growled, still annoyed that Cao Cao had done it.

"At least Yasaka is safe now, even if she won't be of much help in the battle," Serafall consoled herself with that.

She would have to figure out how to warn her about the heroes' faction's plans when she had my meeting with her without seeming suspicious.

That, or she could just take those guys out before they could do anything. Honestly, the only real threat was Cao Cao, but nothing a quick call to Sirzech or Ajuka could’t fix.

Cao Cao ignored the murderous intent he sensed behind him. It didn't matter right now, and if they truly dared to attack him, he would treat them as what they were: enemies.

"Enemies that you created for yourself through your own unjustified actions," Issei pointed out with annoyance.

First of all, what had been his plan? Why had he tried to control the Kyuubi?

It was obvious that all of that happened before the invasion of evil dragons, so they must have had something planned.

For the moment, he had to focus on stabilizing the situation.

"You, Valkyrie!" Cao Cao shouted, pointing at Rossweisse, who was wearing Nordic steel armor, greaves, and winged pauldrons. "Use your Nordic magic and create a barrier in the air. If the buildings collapse, many humans will die!"

"I hadn't thought of that," Azazel murmured.

In times like these, a spell like "reinforcement" would be very useful.

"Uhm, right," Rossweisse didn't argue with Cao Cao's instructions because she saw the truth in them. Kyoto was a metropolis. It had many skyscrapers everywhere, packed with people. If they collapsed, there wouldn't just be hundreds of victims, but thousands in a single building.

Focusing her mind, Rossweisse formed Norse runes in the air that quickly expanded into a large magic circle covering the entire city. Just as Cao Cao had commanded, she created a magical barrier that would prevent the buildings from collapsing and, at the same time, keep the wyverns from attacking the humans below.

"She's good," Noted Grayfia.

"She's Odin's personal assistant for a reason," Azazel confirmed.

She was the strongest young valkyrie of her generation, a true prodigy.

"But will it hold?" Grayfia asked.

That barrier was enormous; would he have the reserves to maintain it for more than a couple of minutes?

"That will have to be found out," Azazel agreed with Grayfia's assessment.

Rossweisse wouldn't last long on her own.

Creating a barrier the size of Kyoto was a testament to her strength and capability, but the strain on her reserves was crippling. She couldn't maintain the barrier alone, but in the end, she didn't have to.

A Norse Gate formed near her, and from the portal to the realms of Norse mythology, Odin's Valkyries arrived one by one. Unlike angels, the Valkyries resembled winged, armored sentinels, much like those deployed at the Vatican, where Shirou had donated them from the Trials of the Holy Sword.

"Those things would be useful now that I think about it," Akeno remarked, having forgotten about the sentinels Shirou had brought from the sacred sword trial.

"Without Shirou there to command them, they'll be useless." Azazel shook his head.

At this moment they were nothing more than expensive statues.

Rossweisse's eyes opened in disbelief as her fellow Valkyries helped her supply energy to the barrier that had formed.

Hildegard, Valkyrie of Asgard, stood at the front with an unreadable expression on her face as she looked at Rossweisse and recalled the orders she had been given.

"You'd think the Valkyries would go to Norway, Sweden, or wherever the Nordic heartland is," Kiba commented.

"Most of them must be in those areas," Sirzech confirmed. "But they can't abandon their juniors either, you know?"

Kiba nodded in understanding.

In centuries past, Odin had been absent from his throne; only traces of him remained in the mortal world, where he occasionally visited his human followers scattered across the globe. It was during this time that Odin visited the oldest Valkyries who had laid down their spears to live mortal lives, Lady Göndul being one of the most prominent examples. Lady Göndul was one of Odin's most trusted Valkyries, along with Skögul.

When Lady Göndul finally decided to seek love in the mortal realm of Earth, it was a pity she couldn't easily find a man worthy of her. Not when the warriors she had once admired centuries past had long since vanished, replaced by a generation of bureaucrats. It's true that, with her long life, thanks to her divinity as a High Valkyrie, she wasn't in much of a hurry and instead made a name for herself as a Great Magician. It was only recently, in the last sixty years, that she married and had a son, who married young and gave Göndul a granddaughter, Rossweisse.

"For a second I thought we'd have more competition," Xenovia commented.

When she said she had been looking for a man who was her equal, she couldn't think of anyone but Shirou.

Luckily, she had already found it.

"Are you seriously worried about that now?" Irina asked incredulously.

The world was ending, it wasn't the time for love affairs!

"You're right, either way my place next to Shirou is already secured." Xenovia nodded

"I didn't mean...you know what, whatever you say," Irina sighed resignedly.

‘I really needed a drink right now.’

Looking at Rossweisse, Hildegard couldn't help but frown with a combination of contempt and envy.

As one of Odin's most loyal valkyries, Odin had occasionally visited Göndul during his long absence from the Nine Realms. However, whenever Göndul was questioned about the Allfather's whereabouts, she remained completely silent, leaving no room for discussion. Eventually, it was discovered that Odin had not only visited Göndul occasionally, but had even brought his granddaughter, Rossweisse, with him as a personal guard.

"Wait, Odin was missing?" Sirzech asked, puzzled.

"One of the greatest secrets of the Norse," Azazel confirmed. "Although the old man didn't really disappear, he was just hiding. He thought it best that they learn to fend for themselves, but with him there they never would, so he left," he explained.

Sirzech nodded; that was interesting information, not something he was going to use, but interesting nonetheless.

A position like this was, of course, envied by almost all the valkyries of the Norse pantheon, whose image of Odin remained the same throughout the millennia: the wise and just ruler of Asgard, father of Thor, one of the ten strongest beings in the world.

The fact that Rossweisse, an upstart valkyrie, had been able to attain such a coveted position became a source of animosity among the valkyries, and most called Rossweisse Odin's "handmaid" rather than his personal guard.

"Ha! I'd love for those stuck-up women to see what the 'wise and just ruler' does in his spare time," Azazel scoffed.

Hildegard, however, was rambling, for she had always been a woman of principle and, despite feeling envy, had never joined in the criticism against Rossweisse. For Odin to have chosen her, there must have been a reason, and this was not the time to delve into it.

"Rossweisse," Hildegard greeted cordially before gathering the long, spiraling strands of golden hair that framed her face. "By order of Odin and Freya, you are granted command of the Valkyries while the Gods fight the Evil Dragons."

"So they're not done with those things yet?" Sirzech frowned, worried.

They were being attacked from all sides and did not have the power to break the stalemate

They needed something to change, they needed Shirou to come back.

And if he did it with Saber, well, King Arthur's help would be very welcome.

Rossweisse was speechless as the other valkyries behind Hildegard nodded reluctantly.

Meanwhile, Cao Cao, who was down on the street, overheard the conversation upstairs.

"Perfect," he murmured to himself. With the Valkyries' strength, the barrier could be maintained and extended to protect a larger area. Without a word, everything was going according to plan. The Norse Valkyries were now occupied.

"Even so, nothing will work if the evil dragons and Trihexa keep spawning their minions," Michael said worriedly.

They had to eliminate the evil dragons first, then they could concentrate their forces against Trihexa.

The longer this goes on, the more worn out they'll be and the less chance of victory they'll have.

He placed a hand under his chin as he reflected to himself.

It was time to begin.

Cao Cao turned to face Kunou and the Kyoto Yokai Group forces, who were already glaring at him from afar. He sneered, but deep down, he knew the only reason they weren't trying to kill him was the gravity of the situation. Besides, it must have something to do with someone as powerful as Marbas having decided to save him from Rizevim moments before.

"Are you seriously going to try to command the forces of the woman you almost killed?" Serafall asked indignantly.

How shameless could that man be!?

"Unfortunately, without that woman awake, it's the best option," Azazel replied with a sour taste in his mouth.

They really needed to deal with that guy as soon as possible.

Yasaka had not yet woken up, leaving the child in the care of the Kyoto Yokai group.

Part of him was relieved that Yasaka had survived, but he buried that feeling deep inside. Business calls.

"No thanks to you," Issei grumbled.

"I suggest evacuating the locals to nearby shelters," Cao Cao told them politely, unconcerned by his condescending tone, for he knew the power of words. They would comply not out of respect, but out of necessity. "You won't have much left to rule if Kyoto and its subjects die, will you?"

"At least he's not trying to order you to fight," Sona sighed.

That was something.

"And they have no choice but to obey him." Rias frowned.

She seriously hated that guy.

Cao Cao didn't bother waiting for a reply and started walking toward where he had left George, Heracles, Jeanne, and Siegfried. They had already woken up and were observing the events as Xenovia and Irina moved beside him. They no longer needed to reinforce the flank after the Valkyries appeared and placed a barrier around Kyoto.

"I wonder if he's aware that his friend is already dead," Gabriel said sadly.

"Rizevim took him; he must already be prepared to see that he may never see him again," Azazel replied, without a trace of sympathy for them.

Cao Cao's lips curled upward. Despite several setbacks, he had formulated a new plan of action. One he didn't intend to put into action before being forced to revise everything again.

"And why now?" Issei asked impatiently.

After all, a portal to the Underworld had suddenly manifested near Xenovia and Irina, and a certain Ultimate Class Demon appeared.

"Ah, that's why," he said, surprised.

"If Adelina is here, it means things must be stable in the underworld by now." Sona breathed a sigh of relief.

At least her home was now safe.

Or well, as safe as she could be with Trihexa on the loose.

Clad in crimson armor from head to toe, Adelina Swiftblade appeared through the open visor of her helmet. She glanced around before focusing her attention on Xenovia and Irina. She had been searching for them at the request of Serafall, who was heading to Kuoh after learning of her younger sister's plight. Adelina hadn't wanted to accept the request, but she relented when Serafall argued that it would negatively impact Lord Marbas.

"Are you heading to where two dragons are fighting?" Shirou asked Serafall disapprovingly.

"I can't stand idly by with my little sister in danger."

"Yes, you can and you should," Sona rebuked him.

"Which side are you on?!" Serafall asked her little sister, feeling betrayed.

"The one who refuses to take a pregnant woman to the battlefield," Sona replied mercilessly.

"Yes, it's too dangerous." Shirou nodded.

"Traitors! Traitors, both of you!" Serafall protested

She wanted them to get along, but not like this!

Grayfia looked at Serafall suspiciously.

How could she let her go?

Lord Marbas cared too much for others and his loved ones. Instead of letting his lord blame himself for letting his loved ones die, he would do as Serafall asked and take them all to the same place. This would increase their chances of survival, Serafall had said.

Adelina disagreed. After all, Kuoh was a far more dangerous place than Kyoto. In any case, it was pointless to question Serafall.

"Kuoh, where two of the most powerful and dangerous dragons of today are apparently having a battle." Sona looked at her sister with narrowed eyes.

"And how was I supposed to know that?!" Serafall exclaimed, embarrassed.

How would she know that of all the places, those two would choose Kuoh as their battlefield!?

Her eyes open up in awe while looking towards the sky and the grand battle unfolding in the heavens.

The demons were recovering.

The great Satans had returned, and she would do her part not to shame her Lord.

With a neutral expression, she approached Xenovia and Irina, but hesitated when the point of a spear blocked her path. Her crimson armor clanged as the spearhead grazed the riveted pieces of her arm guard.

"Bad idea," Issei said with a vengeful smile.

"I don't think this is the time to fight," Rias scolded Issei slightly.

Even if Cao Cao did cross the line and Adelina had to teach him a lesson... Well, there would be nothing they could do.

"Rias, try not to smile while you say that." Sona massaged her brow wearily.

Those two were a perfect match.

"Wait a moment," Cao Cao said irritably as he pulled Adelina's arm away. "Could you explain your intentions?"

Cao Cao had no doubt that Adelina would have snatched Xenovia and Irina away without a word if he hadn't intervened. He could see it in Adelina's neutral face; the flicker of impatience as her lips curled into a sneer of contempt.

"Unfortunately, Cao Cao is right, those two are still necessary." Azazel hated agreeing with that imbecile, but he couldn't deny the pair's contribution to protecting Kyoto.

"I won't leave, there are still people to save." Xenovia shook her head.

"We're supposed to be the protectors, not the ones being protected," Irina added confidently.

If they didn't step up now that the world was in danger, when would they?

Instead of answering, Adelina's hand went to the hilt of her sword, which she wore slung across her back because of its length, as long as a fishing rod. Her hair, tied in a ponytail, began to billow upward as magical energy began to permeate her body in the form of a torch.

"Move," her gaze promised confrontation. Every moment she spent idle was time wasted without honoring her Lord. She bent her knees as she leaned forward into a coiled stance.

"You know, this isn't a fight you're going to win," Azazel pointed out.

Cao Cao could be strong.

But to take down someone like Vali with a strong mundane sword?

He doubted it.

Noticing Adelina's aggressive stance, George, Heracles, Jeanne, and Siegfried prepared for battle in Cao Cao's name. Xenovia and Irina were very similar, but they sided with Adelina.

Before any violence could erupt, Cao Cao gestured with his arm for George and the others to relax while giving Adelina a critical look.

"That's good, it wouldn't do us any good if Adelina killed them here." Sirzech sighed with relief.

And he had no doubt that Adelina could do it.

“Do you really want to start a fight over a simple question?”

From the look Adelina gave him. Yes. Yes, she would.

"That stubbornness came from you," Rin pointed out.

"Yes, it seems so." Shirou didn't even bother trying to deny it.

Bull-headed woman.

Cao Cao frowned before unleashing his own magical energy to counter Adelina's. "You don't want to start this fight," he warned, slowly pointing his spear forward. His body remained upright, showing his reluctance to engage in a physical altercation for the time being.

"No, she definitely wants to do it," Azazel corrected.

The only thing holding her back, he bet, was that she didn't want to waste her time with a fry.

It had no effect on Adelina, who returned his gaze coldly. He tried another strategy before she did something stupid.

"Your Lord would be disappointed," said Cao Cao, instantly striking a chord with Adelina, if the surge of magical energy around her was any indication. "Did he teach you to be impulsive enough to attack an ally?"

"And there's the magic word," Serafall chuckled softly.

"If you want Adelina to pay attention to you, just mention Shirou. Honestly, it's so funny it's starting to get sad." Azazel shook his head, amused.

‘Ally?’ Adelina didn't believe the explanation for a second, but seeing the reluctance on Xenovia and Irina's faces, she was convinced. Besides, the humans still in the street were looking at her apprehensively as she drew her sword against Cao Cao, as if she were the villain.

"It's all a matter of perspective," Saber said sympathetically for the girl.

If Adelina were to move and kill Cao Cao right now, from the humans' perspective she would be a 'villain' who killed the 'hero' who protected them.

But on the other hand, for the yokai, she would be the 'heroine' who ended the 'monster' that almost killed their beloved leader

One person's hero will always be another's villain; it was just a matter of which side you were on.

"Are you ready now to calm down and talk civilly?"

Adelina sheathed her sword and glared at him. Cao Cao wanted to know her intentions, so fine. She would agree this time out of decorum and the urgency of the situation.

"Something interesting we don't know?" Azazel asked, curious to see if anything had changed on any of the fronts they hadn't yet seen.

The world was crumbling. The clash with Trihexa and Goetia was shattering the very fabric of reality. The battles raging across the planet were only accelerating the process, among them one battle that had to be resolved as quickly as possible.

The Ouroboros Dragon, Ophis, versus the Dragon of Destruction, Crom Cruach.

"You know those two are fighting, and yet you're heading to their battlefield?" Shirou asked Serafall, worried.

"My little sister is in danger!" Serafall replied, embarrassed.

"That's no excuse to put your daughter in danger, too!" Sona retorted furiously.

They were talking about her niece!

"Uuuh~, sorry," Serafall apologized obediently when her sister started yelling at her.

At this point, she had no argument to defend himself.

"Let's hope she's okay," Sirzech said, worried about his friend.

Hopefully, he'll just manage to get the children out of there and leave.

Yes, with a lot of luck.

"The Greater Dragons must be stopped," Adelina said curtly, her displeasure and aversion toward Cao Cao evident in her features. After all, Cao Cao had been a member of the Chaos Brigade, whose objectives, as she had learned from Azazel, included the murder of her Lord.

"I'm surprised she didn't kill him on sight knowing that," Azazel said, slightly disappointed.

"I might plan to do that once things calm down," Sirzech replied.

"I see," Cao Cao said thoughtfully. "The world can't endure this clashing any longer, can it?" It was a rhetorical question, but Adelina answered anyway.

"Goetia and Trihexia on one side of the world and Ophis and Croam Cruach on the other, I'm surprised the world is still in one piece at this point," Azazel remarked sternly.

"But if their fights continue much longer, I have no doubt that will change soon," Michael said solemnly.

‘Father, Shirou.’

‘Where are they?’

She nodded stiffly before placing a hand on Xenovia and Irina's shoulders. "Follow me. We must go to Kuoh Academy, where the Great Dragons clash," Adelina said before dragging the two girls toward the open magic portal.

"Um, I hate to admit it, but can we really do anything?" Irina asked bitterly. "That battlefield isn't way beyond us?"

"Irina's right, even with my increased power, two dragons like those aren't something I can even think about facing." Xenovia agreed.

They were talking about two of the most powerful dragons in history.

How could they help?

"That's true, I wonder if they have a plan." Azazel agreed with both.

That was a battlefield that even Sirzech could not tread lightly.

What was Adelina trying to achieve?

To Adelina's dismay, Cao Cao interrupted her again. "Can I recommend a better arrangement?" he asked.

Cao Cao remained impassive as Adelina's gaze locked onto his, as if telling him to end his tirade so she could dismiss it in an instant. Very well. He would agree to that arrangement, but he would have to disagree with the part about the dismissal.

“Before we go to Kuoh, we must gather the members of my Hero Faction. Your portal magic will be useful for this.”

"And why do you think she'll help you with that?" Serafall asked indignantly.

"Perhaps to bolster the numbers they'll lose when those two leave," Sona theorized.

Adelina's expression hardened with vengeance. "Don't assume you have the authority or the means to give me orders. Dismiss-"

Cao Cao raised a hand. "I'm not naive." Suddenly, he grinned. "I don't intend to give you orders or command you, but I do consider myself capable of influencing you."

"You're going to use the magic word, right?" Sirzech asked, amused.

"Apparently so," Serafall nodded exasperatedly.

She had to fix that defect!

"Then you're wrong." Adelina took a step forward to push Cao Cao, but Cao Cao recovered to block her. "You're wasting my time." His eyebrows furrowed in a withering glare.

"Really?" Cao Cao shrugged. "Well, I don't care if your stubbornness has become a problem for a request that would only benefit Lord Marbas."

"We knew it," Serafall sighed again.

"You can make her do whatever you want if you just say it's for Marbas's benefit." Sona frowned, worried about Adelina.

It wasn't too easy to manipulate her; it was honestly a bit too easy at this point.

"So if I tell her that sleeping with me will help her when she finally sleeps with her master-"

Any ideas Azazel might have had were cut short when both a sword and an ice stalagmite severed his hair and beard, respectively.

"Noooooo!!!" Azazel fell to his knees, screaming in despair as he gazed at his beautiful hair lying before him.

Naturally, everyone ignored that.

Even Issei knew that saying that out loud was going to end terribly wrong.

Adelina froze, her lips pressed tightly together after clicking her tongue. Vile serpent. "Continue," she spat.

Cao Cao remained unperturbed. "As I said before, we must first gather the members of the Hero Faction I left at the Hokkaido base."

"And now she will ask, 'What good is that to my lord?'" Serafall quoted.

"How does that help my Lord?" Adelina asked.

"Dio!" Issei exclaimed to Serafall in annoyance.

"Jojo!" Serafall returned the exclamation with an arrogant look.

"He's my pawn, not anyone else's," Rías complained.

She wanted to do that too!

"Directly? Not at all." Cao Cao shrugged, a twinkle in his eye. "Indirectly, everything."

Adelina let go of Xenovia and Irina before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Explain yourself."

"Heroes save people; more heroes mean more people saved," Koneko explained tersely.

"As if that group of idiots can be called heroes," Issei sneered angrily.

"Unfortunately, at this moment they are," Akeno said irritably.

It could not be denied that they were helping and that hundreds, perhaps thousands, of lives had been saved thanks to them.

Issei looked away, annoyed.

He would never recognize that guy as a hero.

Never.

It was the opportunity Cao Cao had been waiting for.

"I've investigated you, Adeline Swiftblade," he said firmly and confidently. "At the beginning of your rise to power, you were nothing more than a lower-class devil."

"You investigated her and still got in her way?" Serafall asked, surprised.

She didn't know if that guy was very smart or very stupid.

If his words affected her, Adelina didn't show it with her expression. "Your point?"

"Your Lord cares about the lives of others, whether they are Devil or not," Cao Cao explained. "This attack is clearly directed against Earth and endangers the safety of mankind. I intend to borrow your teleportation circle to transport members of my Hero Faction and save as many people as possible around the world."

"It's not a bad plan," Sirzech admitted.

"The problem is they lack the numbers to do anything meaningful," Michael pointed out.

"If the problem is the numbers, I think I can help with that," Irina remarked with a mischievous smile.

Cao Cao approached Adelina and stared at her intently. He was taller than Adelina, so he seemed to loom over her.

"Nothing a cut above the knees can't fix," Saber said menacingly.

She had never done it personally, of course...

But she was very tempted more than once, but she did say not personally, though.

"If you really deny me such a request, what would your Lord think of you?"

"I need to talk to her," Shirou murmured worriedly.

He would prefer everyone to be safe, but the idea of ​​being able to save even more people was...tempting.

It was the final nail in the coffin, simply because it was exactly what Lord Marbas, in Adelina's mind, would have done. The Selfless Lord, who would stoop to helping even low-class Devils, would never abandon those in need as long as he had the ability to help.

Cao Cao's motivations were his own, and frankly, Adelina didn't care. However, as soon as her Lord's interests were called into question, she stopped doubting. On the one hand, she knew it made her easy to manipulate, but on the other, Cao Cao wasn't wrong in what he said.

"At least she's aware of that flaw," Serafall would console herself with that.

"And yet she doesn't seem to be making any effort to correct it," Sona noted.

She hoped that wouldn't be a problem in the future.

"Fine," Adelina conceded, her voice clipped.

Cao Cao clapped his hands at the done deal.

Annoyed, Adelina examined George and the others Cao Cao had brought with him before sneering at their minor injuries. "You intend to be of help, but you don't have enough manpower," she quipped.

"Yes, that's no longer a problem," Irina boasted.

How could five people in the whole world be of much use?

"There isn't even enough to cover every continent," Sirzech agreed.

Although he assumed that Antarctica wouldn't really need help.

Cao Cao grunted. "Quality is just as important; though I'll grant you that. I only have a couple hundred more at the Faction Base Camp. Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

"Hundreds are still not enough," Kiba said, worried.

Even thousands or millions might not be enough for this.

It was a problem that Cao Cao had already decided to solve personally, only he didn't expect that, of all people, it would be Irina who would speak on his behalf.

"Yes, about that, we know the location of several more people who could be of help," Irina interjected.

"Several hundred more." Irina smiled smugly.

"Oh?" Cao Cao raised an eyebrow skeptically.

Irina laughed nervously before pulling out a mask that looked familiar and putting it on. It instantly provoked a reaction, but not from Cao Cao.

"You still have that?" Shirou asked, surprised.

"Well, it's a souvenir?" Irina replied, embarrassed.

"It was you!" Siegfried and Heracles pointed out. "One of the two from before!"

"Haha! You thought I was just an exorcist, but it was me! Dio!" Serafall exclaimed, pointing at herself with her thumb.

"No, my name is Irina," Irina said, confused.

Who was Dio?

"We're going to have to put on a JoJo's marathon for you when we get back," Issei said, disappointed.

"Oh! We can have a sleepover at my house! I have all the seasons on Blu-ray, including the '93 OVA. Then we can move on to the manga; I have three copies of each volume." Serafall raised her hand, jumping in her seat.

"Is this really the time to plan a sleepover?" Sona said, embarrassed.

"It's always a good time to plan a sleepover!" Serafall retorted indignantly. "You're invited too!" she exclaimed, glaring at Saber and Rin.

"Uh, thanks?" Rin blinked, surprised by the sudden invitation.

She...had never had a sleepover.

Did sleeping at Shirou's house count?

From before? Cao Cao pondered what Siegfried and Heracles were talking about before a lightning bolt struck him in the form of a revelation.

The weaklings? There were plenty, as far as he remembered. Oh well, it didn't matter. Even though they were weak, they were still human and could be useful.

"They are not weak," Shirou said with absolute conviction.

"Let's hope so," Azazel commented with a sad sigh as he rose from his kneeling position.

His only crime was being too handsome.

"With everything settled, what are we waiting for?" asked Cao Cao.

Adelina said nothing more before leading them all to another magical portal she had opened at the location Cao Cao and Irina had indicated. In a short time, they gathered about a thousand members, both current and former, of the Heroes Faction.

"Where do you want me to send them?" Adelina asked professionally.

"We need to distribute them well, figure out where the worst of the destruction is, and see which abilities will be most useful," Azazel commented, looking at the members of the Heroes faction as if he were dissecting them with his gaze.

There were only a thousand of them, but depending on how they were used they could save millions.

It was an easy question to answer.

Joan went to France, Heracles to Greece, and the descendants of each hero returned to their homelands. Naturally, Cao Cao would be no exception.

"Or they could just do that," Azazel said gruffly.

"I suppose they'll be more motivated if it's their own home they're saving," Saber commented, equally disappointed by the distribution.

For a supposed military genius, that was too crude.

"Send me to China," he said with a confident smile. For him, it would be human effort that would save humanity. Humanity didn't need supernatural help. They weren't meant to be eternally weak. "We will show the world that its Heroes have not yet peris-"

"Do I have to point out the two monsters who are still tearing reality apart with their battle?" Koneko said, looking at Cao Cao as if he were an idiot.

"Perhaps I should send him there so he can prove his worth," Issei mocked.

He could already imagine him ending up fighting Trihexa

Only to die burned alive by a stray lightning bolt from Goetia

It was okay to dream, wasn't it?

Yeah right. Whatever. Adelina didn't care at all about Cao Cao's words and, vindictively, pushed him into the doorway before he could finish speaking.

"Hey! You should have yelled 'This is Sparta!' before you kicked him!" Serafall scolded her.

"But that's Tokyo, and she sent him to China," Shirou said, confused.

What did Sparta have to do with all that?

Now then, where was she?

Taking Xenovia and Irina in her arms, she returned to the original portal through which she had come, heading straight to Kuoh, where Serafall, Euclid, Grayfia, and several high-class demons awaited her. However, by the time Adelina arrived with Xenovia and Irina, the situation had quickly changed.

"Can we really do something?" Irina asked nervously.

"We'll find out," Xenovia replied with determination.

Up in the sky.

What was that?

"Is that Trihexa and Goetia's fault?" Serafall asked, stunned.

It looked like a freaking black hole!

"Something tells me no," Sirzech replied, turning his gaze towards Shirou.

Everyone, everywhere, noticed the formation of a black hole that distorted the space around it. Wind and rain swirled in a vortex that emanated dimensional energy. The gods, the Great Satans, the bodies of Trihexa itself, felt a powerful wave of supernatural energy. For Goetia, it was all too familiar.

One bread. One Body. One Lord of hosts.

"Father! Shirou!" Gabriel exclaimed with shining eyes

She knew they would be back soon!

"And what's their plan? To swallow Trihexa with that thing?" Azazel asked, staring at the black hole while absentmindedly stroking his bald head.

His beautiful hair~

A grand magical seal extended outward with the black hole at its center. The Seven Heavens above began to glow, gravitate, and rotate at focal points located at key positions on the seal.

The Kingdom Comes on Earth as it is in Heaven.

The Lord's Prayer echoed across the horizon as the cherubim at the gates of Heaven took flight, their trumpets blaring. Ivory doves took to the skies, activating the system of the One God created eons ago.

"Dad, he's going to fight for real now," Michael said earnestly as he watched his father take control of the system.

"Let's hope it's enough," Azazel murmured with a hint of fear.

A castle in the sky. White buildings and streets of ephemeral grandeur proclaim the glory of the Most High Lord.

The song of the Lord and the choir of angels and heavenly hosts.

The Seven Heavens united into one, and everything returned to the beginning as the power of Faith propelled the great formation and transformed it into what it truly was: the System of the One God.

"Dramatic," Azazel snorted.

He would say it again and again.

His father was a drama queen.

He was the one who Forgives All.

The Order of Heaven.

The power of Faith that Michael had been using redirected its source of power to Heaven and multiplied several times over. Trihexa, despite all its brutality, still knew trepidation.

"Oh~, so you recognize him?" Azazel asked with an unusual gleam in his eyes.

The only one who had ever been able to defeat him

He wondered if that beast understood what it felt.

That it understood what fear was.

At one point in Trihexa's life, it encountered an enemy who not only managed to seal it, but subdued it single-handedly before the sealing magic could even begin.

He was a being whose power and resources were equal to or greater than those of Trihexa’s own; only lacked the power to kill it.

"But now it's different!" Serafall smiled fiercely

If God couldn't kill Trihexa.

Perhaps Marbas is the right person for this task.

The Order of Heaven manifested itself in all its splendor when a figure was spat out from the black hole.

"Pfff, spit." Issei couldn't help but laugh, imagining Shirou being spat out of that hole like some kind of chewed gum.

"Issei, it's not funny," Rias scolded him, even as her lips trembled upwards repeatedly.

"Shirou!"

"Lord Marbas!"

The screams varied from person to person, but they didn't change what was happening. One split into a Trinity of Three.

"You could always do that!?" Azazel exclaimed in shock.

"No, I don't think so?" Shirou replied, confused.

If he could have done it earlier, he wouldn't have gone into debt putting Marbas on the statue...right?

To Heaven, the Lord of all. A figure donned in pure white took the mantle and wore upon his head, a crown of thorns.

To Earth, a Demon of Hell. A figure marred by darkness and covered in tribal tattoos sank into the ground in front of Kuoh Academy.

"So you'll be facing Croam Cruach?" Shirou murmured.

They already took away the cowardly bat; at least leave me this one!

"Okay, it's all yours."

Yes!

Even though he couldn't see it, Shirou was absolutely certain that there was a predatory smile on Marbas's face right now.

And to the main body of Trihexa and Goetia, a Hero.

An Ally of Justice.

"Shouldn't it be God who faces that thing?" Rin remarked, worried.

"No, not when I'm by his side." Saber declare

She knew what she had to do even without being asked.

Why was her sword and all that it represents forged by the world precisely for moments like this?

The One God watched as Shirou and all the World’s Evil moved to fulfill their respective roles. He, in turn, knew that he too had to fulfill his purpose in the grand scheme of things. In all his life, it was only now, during these final, twilight years, that he understood with all his wisdom that no plan had to be perfect.

"And what will you be doing up there, old man? Eating popcorn?" Azazel asked sarcastically.

"Brother!" Gabriel scolded. "I'm sure Father is about to do something very important and great!" she asserted without a doubt.

"Let's hope this 'important and great' thing is enough," Azazel sighed.

He was really looking forward to it.

He was omniscient. An existence that knew and understood all, which meant that the notion of ​​a gamble was unheard of, since he could always predict any outcome. In this case, he was going blind.

"And if he was omniscient, how could he not have known about the corruption in Ayakoji?" Issei asked, confused.

Shouldn't he have seen it easily?

"Father...was still weak at that time?" Michael replied, although he too was a little confused at that point.

No amount of foresight could allow him the ability to determine the future events regarding the Trihexa. For if he was an existence that could comprehend everything, then the Trihexa was an existence that was his antithesis. A Destroyer of Worlds.

Every single divination result related to Trihexa always came back utterly blank due to Trihexa's influence on the world.

"Someone who can see everything suddenly goes blind; it must be terrifying," Sona murmured.

"And yet, Father stood up to it for the good of all," Gabriel said with complete respect for her father.

And she would do it again, one more time.

But that didn't mean resistance was futile or that the world was doomed. He wouldn't know the outcome unless he tried. So, what if his power had diminished after he severed a bridge across dimensions?

"Yes, that's still a problem," Irina said nervously.

How did he plan to compensate for that?

He was the One God.

He, who brings about Salvation, could hear them: the voices of his people crying out in anguish and despair. They were dying, unable to protect themselves from a power beyond their comprehension.

He would not forsake them,

Michael lowered his head in shame.

A principle so simple and yet so profound that he had ignored all this time for fear of losing more than he had already lost.

Wouldn't his father be disappointed if he knew what he'd turned heaven into?

What was the point of saving his strength if the entire Human race was at risk at that moment?

The burden of saving others was not something Shirou had to bear alone. The Sacred Gears had not been enough. Now was the time to right past mistakes.

"If the Sacred Gears aren't enough, then what will be?" Issei questioned, clenching his arm.

Bearer of the Cross. INRI. The King of the Jews.

Your God has come.

It was about time. Call down the Heavens and reveal the gates of the Kingdom in the Skies.

"Is it possible that Father will create more angels?" Michael wondered.

"I don't think any more angels would be useful at this time." Azazel shook his head.

Not against Trihexa at least.

Inside the ephemeral throne, a fragment that shone with golden light was offered as a sacrifice.

"Isn't that the charred metal they collected in the other world?" Kiba wondered.

What were they going to do with him?

Now and forever.

It was a part of him. Something that he'd given in order to give strength to his creations, his people.

"Chalice of my blood."

"Does he plan to use the powers of the Holy Grail to revive those who died because of Trihexa?" Gabriel asked hopefully.

"But now? Shouldn't he do that when it's all over?" Michael wasn't entirely convinced by that idea. "Perhaps, perhaps he'll use it to revive Metatron and the rest of the dead archangels?" he suggested.

"They are definitely a force to be reckoned with," Azazel agreed.

After all, those who opposed the pillars and destroyed them one by one were not ordinary angels or virtues. 

They were the archangels.

The fragment began to tremble, the light condensed and took shape to transform what was broken and made it whole.

"That which the holy spirit carries within man."

A golden cup filled with the divine energy of faith.

"No matter how sacred it may seem, it still brings back bad memories," Rin murmured, feeling a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Yes, unpleasant memories." Saber frowned at the thought.

Now she understood why Kiritsugu had ordered her to destroy the Grail so many years ago.

But that didn't mean she was going to forgive him for betraying her trust so coldly.

"My Holy Grail."

He gave it his all. He gave it his all. Every last vestige of his power and the Faith accumulated through his system, he actualised the function of the Holy Grail.

"Father, if you do that, you'll be defenceless!" Gabriel exclaimed worriedly.

Not again. She didn't want him to ever be vulnerable again

"Gabriel, Father knows what he's doing," Michael tried to calm his sister even as he himself felt a lump in his throat.

"I really hope you do, old man," Azazel murmured, more worried than he wanted to admit.

Reach the throne. Reach the limits of Mankind’s history and spread them across the world like embers of change.

The Grail, once formed, quickly disintegrated into motes of light that fell upon the distant horizons. To the North, to the East, to the West, to the South, let the light of humanity spread, powerfully invoking the strength that resides in the inner force of conviction.

"Did it...disintegrate?" Irina asked, astonished.

"That's new," Rin murmured with interest.

What had that God done to the Grail?

To that end, the One God would stake everything on a single concept of Hope.

Fly free.

Humanity's dreams in a world that now needs you more than anyone else.

"What does the world need most right now?" Rias wondered.

The answer was obvious.

_‘It doesn't matter if you're not human.’

In the distant city of Kyoto, descending from an ephemeral mountain, a nocturnal procession of a thousand demons appeared, much to the surprise of the Kyoto Yokai group. At the head, a small, horned lady with questionable fashion sense sipped from a tray of aromatic wine while she look at the wyverns before her.

"Oh, what a nuisance, why don't I just melt you all at once?"

The Oni of Mount Ōuou

"The Oni of Mount Ōuou?" Issei asked, confused.

"If we're talking about Mount Ōuou, there's only one oni to think of," Azazel said with a frown.

The problem is that he was...dead.

"What the hell did you do, old man?" Azazel asked, astonished.

"Wasn't Shuten Doji a man?" Serafall asked, confused.

"At this point, that's no longer surprising," Rin snorted, looking at Saber.

_'Nor tragic heroes,'

Across the fields and rolling hills of Greece, the battle cries of Agamemnon's noblest warrior echoed through the skies. The son of Thetis, spear in hand, rode upon an ancient chariot drawn by flying pegasi, accompanied by a raging warrior maiden who unleashed chaos.

"AAACHIIIIIIIILEEEEEEEES!!!"

"Achilles," Michael murmured in amazement.

But he was-!

His gaze quickly shifted to Saber

Oh, so this was your gamble, Dad.

"Who is chasing him, and why does it seem like they'll cut off the family jewels as soon as they catch him?" Rias asked, confused.

"It could be anyone," Azazel shrugged.

Literally almost any lady who crossed his path.

In the Aegean Sea, a comet struck the water before a voice never heard before in centuries made Poseidon and the gods of Olympus tremble upon recognizing them.

A Son of the Sea and his crew of Demigods.

"Argonauts, assemble!"

"Jason and the Argonauts!" Issei exclaimed in amazement

I loved that old movie!

_'Nor Prideful, Pompous fools,'

There, standing in the streets of Italy, were the emperors of Rome. Clad in red and white robes and with laurel wreaths on their heads, they, it was said, possessed the blood of Venus, and they shouted in unison.

"Rome!" (Nero!)

"Okay, the fat one with the laurel wreath has to be Caesar, and the other two could be Romulus, Caligula, or Nero Claudius, but who is the one who looks like Saber's sister?" Serafall asked curiously.

"And why is she showing her backside like that?" Grayfia added, raising an eyebrow at that...aesthetic choice.

"Perhaps she's a wife or concubine of one of them," Rin replied, also doubtful.

And seriously, why did she look so much like Saber?

Shiro, while remaining silent.

Hmmm...

Maybe later.

Meanwhile, in the city of Egypt, the Suns of Egypt themselves awaited the command of a single pharaoh who attentively observed the world around them.

"Egypt has had many famous pharaohs like Ramses II, Khufu, Thutmose III, and even Cleopatra. I wonder which one it will be," Sirzech said with great interest.

And who is that woman with Anubis-like ears?

_'Bloody warriors of honour.'

The winds howled within the hills of Ireland hailing the return of an order of Knights and Ireland's greatest shield standing beside a Rune Witch.

"Runic Bruna, there was definitely only one." Azazel shuddered at the memory.

It was the closest thinking with his head down had ever come to death.

Damn, centuries later, that wound in his right thigh still throbs from time to time.

_'Corrupt or Ignorant,'

A monster of a man whose face could no longer be seen from his towering frame released a belated laugh while donning a mantle resembling the tusks of an elephant. The terror of Russia had returned. Near him was a frigid woman of white and blue whose very presence brought on winter's cold. A forgotten princess.

"Is that thing supposed to be Ivan the Terrible?" Rias asked, astonished.

Wasn't he supposed to have been human?!

"A forgotten princess of Russia," Sona murmured.

Russia had had many noblewomen in its history, but something like a forgotten princess... nothing came to mind.

Perhaps an illegitimate daughter of some Tsar?

"Isn't that Anastasia?" Issei asked, to everyone's surprise.

"Anastasia Romanov? The daughter of the last Tsar? Why do you think that?" Sona asked, confused.

Anastacia was anything but forgotten; in fact, the myths of her supposed survival had made her quite famous.

"Well, last week Mom decided we'd watch the Anastasia movie on movie night," Issei replied, slightly embarrassed.

"No, it simply wouldn't make sense," Sona quickly dismissed.

How could they call someone so famous a 'forgotten princess'?

_'Pure and selfless.'

The banner of the Hundred Years War stood erect once more upon the verdant hills and plains of France. One woman waving the standard in hopes of saving the innocent. The Saint's War Banner creating a dome of light that healed and protected all

"Jeanne," Gabriel murmured regretfully.

She should have gone down.

She should have intervened regardless of what her brothers said; she deserved better than that.

_‘Or even those that have given up on themselves’

A Red Archer scoffed while he stood on the roof of a skyscraper near Kuoh, pale silver hair dancing in the wind before his figure disappeared.

"You!" Rin suddenly exclaimed furiously.

‘Give her that command seal’

"I had already planned it before you said anything."

_'I bid thee all to fight not for anything but the ties that you all have to humanity.'

A stunned silence swept across the continents.

In the British Isles, a chivalric order stood at the ready. Camelot and the Knights of the Round. The promised King had returned.

"Everyone," Saber murmured breathlessly.

Was she going to see them again?

Around the world, legendary figures who were thought to be dead were re-emerging once again.

'Show them the Light that Shines at the World's End..'

The uncountable stars of Man.

Irina closed the book breathlessly.

"So this is God's wager, huh?" she murmured excitedly.

What other heroes would appear?

What other big names would help them?

"It's a risky bet, and so far none of those that have emerged seem strong enough to help us against Trihexa," Azazel said doubtfully.

‘Pharaohs? Emperors? Saints? Yokai? Was that the best he could bring?’

Honestly, for something like this, he would have been better off giving him my power. What were they supposed to do to help besides kill some Wyverns?

Or crush them with his belly in the case of Caesar.

The only ones that seemed worthwhile so far were the witch and the round table, but they weren't really shown apart from their silhouettes.

What are you planning, old man?

And most importantly, would that be enough?

"You have to believe in your father; he wouldn't do something like this if he didn't believe it would work," Gabriel said with absolute conviction.

She would believe.

He would always do that.

10.000 Words