Reading | Chapter 53: Parallels - Part 6

"I-I'll take it," Gabriel, still trembling, decided.

"Are you sure?" Michael asked, worried.

"Yes, we need to find out everything we can; we mustn't get stuck," Gabriel replied with a determined look.

"Okay, go ahead," Michael urged her with equal determination.

Without anyone objecting, Gabriel took the book, his hands still trembling.

Two beasts were about to face each other.

And the world was going to pay the price.

From the wind came hurricanes. From the rain, storms. All kinds of natural disasters seemed to strike the world at once in an endless clash of the supernatural.

“Stay home! We repeat, DO NOT GO OUT!”

Various media outlets around the world broadcast the same message to ordinary people in their homes. Parallel lines ran across the screen with bold text warning everyone about an unprecedented crisis rapidly spreading across continents.

"Is there really any difference?" Azazel asked indifferently.

What would a few centimetres of wood and concrete do against that?

"Brother!" Michael scolded him.

"What? Am I wrong?" Azazel returned his mocking gaze.

Michael was unable to reply.

At this point, there really wasn't much difference between inside and outside, as much as I hated to admit it.

Panic was mounting and the death toll was approaching six digits as wave after wave of unsuspecting civilians were caught up in a conflict beyond their comprehension.

"Honestly, I had hoped there would be more," Rias sighed with relief.

Something like seven digits or higher.

"So many," Shirou said, clenching his fists helplessly.

Every life lost mattered.

"Combat teams have already been deployed! The army is on the move!" All the news anchors had tense expressions, furrowed brows, and pale complexions. "We advise everyone to remain calm!"

"At least I can say he has the guts to stay and keep everyone informed even in that situation," Azazel admitted.

It took a huge pair to do that.

Calm? How could anyone stay calm?

Houses were destroyed, entire cities and metropolitan areas were invaded by monsters from myths and legends. People were dying. Nowhere was safe.

"True, the evil dragons are still out there." Sirzech clenched his jaw in frustration.

And now they had to add Trihexa to the equation.

Luckily, at least they had Goetia to face him.

The problem was that it would destroy the world.

“Don't panic! Panic will only bring more losses! Trust your government!” Military leaders suddenly replaced the news anchors, who were appearing too agitated to viewers at home. However, the military leaders' appearance only worsened the situation.

Nothing was going well.

"The world will be destroyed if we don't fight, and it will be destroyed even if we do. Is there any hope left?" Azazel wondered.

"Of course there is!" Gabriel declared without hesitation. "Shirou and Father are still there, they'll know what to do!"

"Let's hope so." Azazel looked away, not entirely convinced.

He was really looking forward to it.

"Stay calm! Don't leave your homes!" Messages across all communication networks shouted the same warning in every language.

Elsewhere, in unofficial media, bloggers and video creators were broadcasting in real time the battles taking place on land, sea and air.

"Hey, I follow that guy!" Issei exclaimed, seeing a YouTuber he'd been following for years.

He was caught and devoured by a Wyvern while trying to approach a fallen angel with his back turned.

"You were still..." Koneko corrected as Issei's face froze in shock.

I was just a thousand subscribers away from reaching ten million!!!

"As you can see, it looks like there are groups of people fighting the monsters," they continued filming, camera after camera, despite the deafening explosions that kicked up a hail of dust and debris. "Look over there, they're escorting civilians to safety!"

The camera focused on a group of magicians levitating the rubble of buried people and families before panning across the horizon, where armored vehicle units stormed into the streets. "Land Rovers and army tanks!"

"Wizards?" Rin wondered curiously.

Now that I think about it, they hadn't seen any proper wizards from that world, had they?

Well, apart from those involved in the attack on the academy, but they didn't get much screen time at that point.

"They're possibly mine," Azazel admitted.

He had an entire magic department at Grigori dedicated solely to the research of Sacred Gears and several contracts with thousands of mages around the world

The camera lens moved towards the sky.

"Dragons, those are dragons!"

Towards the Skies, hundreds of flying reptilian beasts floated in the air, led by groups of Evil Dragons.

"Wyverns, indeed, but I understand the confusion," Azazel corrected.

The roar of the planes soon echoed through the air, breaking the sound barrier as teams of A4 fighter jets soared through a smoke-filled horizon.

"It's the air force!" shouted a reporter.

Fighter jets left trails of smoke in their wake as they flew through the clouds. The pilots flew in arrowhead formation, with groups of several dozen forming an armored armada. It was a global crisis, and in response, hundreds of aircraft and military personnel were deployed to every region of the world.

"They won't be of much help," Azazel said, frowning.

"Perhaps they can be, with a little support," Michael corrected him.

A fighter pilot grimaced as he surveyed the enemy aircraft through the wide oval window of his plane. Upon landing, he had no idea what to expect. All he and his comrades had been told was to eliminate the enemy in the sky. Frankly, he and many others were skeptical of the reports they had read.

Reports of angels on pinioned wings of black and white.

Devils with their mysterious black magic.

Beasts. Monsters. And even the Gods of all things.

"What the hell is going on here?" The pilot clenched his jaw and teeth as his eyes scanned the area around him. Soon, he spotted a news helicopter hovering over a ruined cityscape.

"I understand the feeling," Issei nodded sympathetically.

He was stabbed on his first date because of that!

That damn helicopter crew. What were they doing reporting in such a dangerous situation?

"Journalists will always be journalists." Serafall didn't know whether to admire them or yell at them for being stupid.

He was distracted for a moment and his attention wandered.

"Fighter 1, evasive maneuvers! A giant lizard is approaching!" He snapped to attention, his hands gripping the controls of his aircraft. "I repeat, a giant lizard is approaching!" The radio kept screaming.

The correct term was wyvern, but nobody cared because of the urgency of the situation.

"Hey! Terms are important!" Azazel complained.

"How?" Issei asked curiously.

"For example, while dragons are said to have their heart on the right side of their body, wyverns have it on the left," Azazel replied.

And knowing that could be the difference between stabbing the dragon in the heart and killing it, and hitting it in a non-lethal spot and doing nothing to it.

The Big Fucking Lizard was right in front of him, its jaws wide open to tear apart the wing of his plane. It was so close that the pilot could see the interlocking pattern of its dark scales.

"Shit," he cursed as he immediately thrust his handle forward and dodged to avoid it.

"Good reflexes," Sirzech praised.

Many middle and upper-class demons would not have been able to dodge that

Behind him, he heard the telltale signals of missiles firing toward his last position. He looked up from the reinforced window of his fighter and saw several dozen pilots targeting the wyvern.

"Fire!" he heard over the intercoms.

A column of fire and dust erupted where the wyvern had stood as its body plummeted to the ground, forming an arc of charred flesh and black smoke. It crashed into a low building, bringing it to its knees. Shards of glass and debris were flung out by the impact and scattered across the streets, where stunned civilians realized they were far from safe. However, before any large rocks or steel structures could crush anyone, what appeared to be a magic circle manifested and stopped all the falling debris.

"I thought they wouldn't be useful," Issei said, confused.

"It took about eight missiles to shoot down a single wyvern," Azazel pointed out. "And normally those kinds of fighters can only carry between eight and ten missiles."

"Oh," Issei nodded in understanding.

Even if they got everything right, they could only eliminate fewer than a dozen wyverns before having to retreat, and considering there are hundreds of them, that wouldn't really make much of a difference.

"And besides," he added, "I don't think that will keep him down for long."

The pilot blinked before looking. He'd seen too many strange things lately to be able to react properly.

"Is it dead?" he radioed his companions. Defeating the wyvern mattered far more to him than anything else. After all, the Great Lizard was just one of many.

A deafening roar was its only response. From the rubble of the building, the wyvern growled in rage before flapping its wings and returning to the sky. Despite being blackened by ash and dirt, the wyvern appeared virtually unharmed from the attack.

"They didn't do anything to it." Rias frowned.

She knew human weapons wouldn't be very useful here, but she had hoped they could at least take down the henchmen.

"It barely stunned him for a minute." Sirzech shook his head.

It seems the army's help wouldn't be of much use.

"It's alive." The voices of his comrades filtering through the radio were discouraging.

The fighter pilot didn't care. He changed the channel on his radio frequency.

"Headquarters, Fighter 1 reporting. Missiles and fire are ineffective against the enemy!" He paused to let the information sink in before continuing. "Requesting orders!"

"The best thing would be to withdraw; there's no point in staying if your weapons aren't doing anything," Sona suggested.

"It's easier said than done," Serafall said with concern.

How could someone see what was happening in their home and just leave?

"..." The other end of the line remained silent. Faced with such a sudden disaster, no one knew how to react.

"Fighter 1, enemies approaching!"

The pilot looked up and saw several dozen wyverns flying at full speed in his direction. He swerved sharply, banking his plane sharply to the right. His comrades weren't so lucky. They couldn't react in time, and in an explosion of metal and fire, three fighters crashed, completely torn apart by the impact of the wyverns.

"Father, please give us the strength to protect them," Gabriel prayed worriedly.

Those men had families to return to.

Let them escape safely.

A chill ran down the pilot's spine. At training camp, his instructor always said that the best pilots always kept their cool to handle any situation in the air. Like it or not, the only things that could save a pilot's life in the sky were himself or someone else.

"Damn it!" the pilot didn't know what to do. Headquarters had no solutions, his friends and comrades-in-arms were dying, and worst of all, his fighter's weapons were ineffective.

"For humanity, it really seems like the end of the world," Gabriel said sadly.

"For us too, if this guy doesn't exaggerate," Azazel frowned, pointing at Shiro.

And honestly, I expected him to exaggerate.

The situation was impossible. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He could feel it seeping through the fabric of the helmet connected to his oxygen supply.

There was no victory in the current battle. Only death. Only ruin.

"Father, please," Gabriel pleaded.

"Be not afraid," a gentle voice suddenly echoed in her mind. In everyone's mind.

"It's about time." Azazel smiled fiercely.

"Fighter 1, did you hear that?" Communications were restored when his fellow pilots from the other planes contacted him by radio.

"Affirmative," the pilot replied. He scanned the area, searching for the source, but found nothing. "I have no visuals," he reported.

"Up you go, my friend," Sirzech pointed out.

"Look up- no look ahead!"

Spears of light struck the wyverns in the chest, killing them instantly as they collapsed to the ground. From the clouds emerged the White Army, their wings white and black. They were draped in flowing ivory robes beneath bronze armor adorned with simple laurel wreaths. Light was their weapon, their guiding force.

"For any Christian, seeing angels and fallen angels working side by side must be so confusing," Xenovia murmured.

"A-Angels." Someone stuttered over the intercom.

At the head of the army, a woman rose into the air, holding a scepter. Simple garments adorned her figure, and golden epaulettes held a red mantle over her shoulders.

"It's been a long time since I last saw you wear those clothes," Michael said wistfully.

"Yes, it's been too long." Gabriel nodded.

Thank you, Father, for allowing me to come and help.

"I won't tell you not to get involved, because you already are," the woman said in a solemn but kind tone. "Instead, I will commend your efforts and your determination."

She was an angel whose beauty was indescribable. Her long blonde hair curled in loose waves on either side of her face; her figure was incomparable. Despite the simple clothing she wore, her allure was undeniable. She possessed an innocent beauty.

"Please, do you know how many have fallen because of that 'innocent beauty'?" Azazel snorted.

I was sure that if you asked ten fallen angels why they fell, at least three would answer without hesitation, 'Gabriel'.

"W-who are you?" a pilot stammered.

"I am the Angel of the Lord, Gabriel of the Left Hand of God the Almighty Father." The woman smiled sweetly. "I will give you strength. A hope found in prayer."

She raised her scepter, and iridescent golden rays illuminated everything around him with a warm mantle of sacred energy. A guiding light in the darkness.

"They, without wings, cannot fly on their own. They, the sinners, expelled from the eternal Garden, but who forever enjoyed the Father's love."

"If that man wasn't a Christian, I have no doubt he'll rush to get baptized as soon as it's all over," Irina commented, laughing slightly.

Yes, everything was fine, the wyverns were being defeated and the evil dragons wouldn't live much longer now that all the pantheons had allied to stop them.

Yes...that would be good, that would be good.

Faint traces of golden light shone on the silhouettes of the fighter jets, enveloping them in the energy of faith. The pilots looked at their hands from the cockpits. They, too, were beginning to glow.

"Grant thee protection of the Kingdom within the clouds."

What was once a faint layer of energy suddenly became radiant. Stars shining in the sky.

"You're taking this very seriously, aren't you?" Azazel asked, concerned.

Did she have the energy to do that and keep fighting afterwards?

"Of course, I can't let Father and Shirou return to a world in ruins," Gabriel declared enthusiastically, without a moment's doubt that they would return.

"On wings of steel made by the achievements of man, let the Lord give you light to become the doves that fly high towards your own future."

The pilots remained silent. Inside, they felt warmth. Love above all else. It was the power of faith, the energy of belief.

"Definitely converted," Xenovia agreed.

If they didn't become Christians after that, then I didn't know what else would work.

"Brothers and sisters of God, stand tall and fight for what you believe in."

The pilots fired on the approaching wyverns, watching in amazement as, instead of missiles or bullets, their planes fired beams of divine light that incinerated the enemies in front of them.

"Divine Armaments." Issei had seen videos of priests blessing rifles and other weapons, but this was on another level!

"The Lord and his angels stand at your side."

"What's happening in the world?" a pilot suddenly asked. "When will all this end?"

Gabriel shook his head. Not even she knew yet. "Even so, we must fight to save as many innocents as we can. Heaven will not lose. Heaven will never lose. Keep the faith!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Issei declared.

"Issei, you're a demon," Rias pointed at him.

"Can't I be a Christian demon?" Issei asked excitedly.

"No."

"Yes."

Rias and Gabriel answered at the same time before looking at each other.

"Umh, so can I?" Asia asked shyly, looking at Rias with her puppy-dog eyes.

"Yes, of course you can," Rias sighed in defeat.

How could you win against that?

Well, she was sure Issei would abandon that once the excitement of the moment passed.

Asia was a special case.

Her eyes hardened.

"Go and help save as many as you can!"

The pilots needed no further signals; their superiors, who seemed to hear Gabriel's voice, had already urged them to advance. They took off at full speed to fight and save as many lives as possible under the protection of the all-encompassing light that surrounded them.

"And please, be careful," Gabriel prayed for the safety of those men.

Gabriel struck the tip of his scepter on a point in the air, a hollow echo reverberating towards all the forces of Heaven and humans themselves.

“We will walk through a valley of the shadow of death, haunted by the specters of death and corruption, but we will fear no Evil, for the Lord is with us. Amen.”

"That really is your favorite prayer, isn't it?" Azazel asked with a slight chuckle.

"Because it's the truth," Gabriel replied with an innocent giggle.

A prayer. To give faith even to those who cowered in the darkness, unable to fight.

The Angels and the forces of the other pantheons had deployed across the globe to aid all countries in need. The situation was growing increasingly dire. All forces and factions were working together for the first time to suppress the enemy before them.

However, the question had always been: would it ever be enough?

Despite the hopeful atmosphere, no one could forget the truth.

The beast that was about to be unleashed.

And the one who confronted it.

Gabriel resisted as she felt an enormous surge of energy suddenly manifesting on Earth. She remembered God's words, felt the overwhelming malevolent energy, and pursed her lips. She had experienced a similar presence before in the space God had revealed to her and the other leaders of the pantheon. It was the aura of the world's greatest adversary.

Gabriel's eyes widened.

Trihexa, the Beast of the Apocalypse. Somehow, it was unleashed.

"So it's time." The atmosphere suddenly became tense at Saber's words.

"Goetia, please, we trust in you," Serafall pleaded.

Until Shirou returned, he was their only hope.

The pressure was crushing and extended across the entire planet. Worse still, it was several magnitudes greater than anything she had ever felt before. The ground shook, and the seas themselves produced huge tsunami waves that swept rapidly inland, submerging several cities and coastal islands.

"Definitely seven digits," Sona murmured ruefully.

"It can't be," she murmured as he watched the ball of dark crimson energy forming in the air. It twisted and undulated, like a monster writhing beneath the surface. "Father, where are you? "

"He will return soon, don't lose faith," Gabriel told her counterpart.

He would come back and fix everything.

She knew it!

A hurricane-force wind exploded violently outward, threatening to destroy all trees, buildings, and infrastructure.

Gabriel raised his scepter in response and formed a barrier of light to contain the fierce zephyrs, but to no effect. She could block part of them, but it was impossible to contain them completely.

"Just hold on a little longer," Michael urged her.

He would stop him.

The beast from the other world was going to do it.

Something had to be done. Trihexa had not yet emerged, but its presence already heralded the end of times. The Norse called it Ragnarök, others, Judgment Day and Armageddon.

"Loki must be ecstatic right now," Azazel said irritably.

His beloved Ragnarök had finally begun.

No. She couldn't let that happen, not without resistance. She wasn't the only one with that mentality.

In the far north, a mighty spear and hammer pierced the fabric of the nine realms of the World Tree to rise through the cloudless skies illuminated by twisting tendrils of twinkling lightning.

"Finally, that Netflix addict is moving!" Azazel celebrated with relief.

"Netflix addict?" Rin asked before stopping.

You know what? She'd rather not know.

An Anvil of Dawn and a Swaying Spear.

They violently collided with the mass of energy that Trihexa was unleashing as the figures of an elusive pantheon that had hidden in seclusion manifested.

"Well, in the end, Loki was useful for something." Xenovia nodded, satisfied.

"Yes, because honestly, I don't know if there would have been time to talk to the Nords before this happened." Azazel nodded seriously.

On the other hand, treaty or no, those guys should have left no matter what when they saw what was unleashed in the world.

Thor, God of thunder, dressed in battle armour and enveloped in lightning.

Odin, the All-Father. Ravens soared through the air amidst the storm.

Next came Baldur the Invincible, followed by Heimdall, guardian god of Asgard.

The Norse had risen up to take their stand. Regardless of any agreements that may or may not have been reached, no Pantheon could remain inactive when the safety of humanity was at stake.

"At this point, the safety of the entire universe is at risk." Azazel shook his head.

Odin and Thor were powers in their own right, but to defeat Trihexa they would need more.

Much, much more.

The spears were raised, the swords were drawn, the magic was ready. It was a final battle, and the Norsemen were not alone.

Spinning rings, like erratic wisps of charged lightning, advanced in a storm of energy. They were called chakrams, a form of divine weapon belonging to Hinduism, one of the most powerful religions still present in the world.

"Xena!?" Issei exclaimed excitedly.

"Unfortunately not," Azazel said with a disappointed sigh. "By the way, aren't you a little young and Asian to be meeting her?"

"She was a beauty who wore bikini armor while traveling with her girlfriend all over Greece, how could I miss that!?" Issei exclaimed indignantly.

Although it was mainly due to Motohama bringing a bunch of DVDs from the United States, and it seemed to get mixed up with his...educational material

"A bikini-clad beauty traveling through Greece with her girlfriend?" Rias asked.

It sounded interesting.

The gods of India and Hinduism had taken to the stage.

Shiva, the God of Destruction, was the first to appear. Despite his appearance as a handsome high school student with green and black hair, the divine power he emanated was suffocating.

"Didn't that one have four arms and be purple?" Issei asked, confused.

"Too much manga, my young apprentice, too much manga." Azazel shook his head, amused.

Not far from there, in a thunderous flash of lightning, the King of Olympus descended with his master lightning bolt in his hand.

The strongest gods of each faction began to appear one after another.

Ra, Egyptian god of the sun.

Nuwa, the Creator and Mother Earth.

Lugh, Celtic god of light.

Even Sirzechs and Ajuka appeared after settling matters in the Underworld.

"That means the monsters did disappear with Rizevim's death." Sirzech grimaced.

On one hand, it was good that the underworld was no longer under attack.

But the alternative...

Then came Michael and the other Archangels and Fallen Angels.

"Is this enough power now?" Michael asked, looking anxiously at Azazel.

"No, I honestly don't know." Azazel frowned, worried.

He lacked information; he didn't like working in such darkness.

But something told him that it still wasn't enough.

Gabriel gritted his teeth at the sight. He couldn't stay where he was. She, too, was a seraph of God's left seat. The Lord's left hand.

Brothers and sisters, Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels alike, I bid thee to heed the call. The celestial forces stood still in every corner of the globe as Gabriel spoke and acclaimed.

"Rally to the Angel of War!"

"Gabriel, if the worst happens, we'll still need someone to lead the-"

"No! Don't think I'll leave you and Father alone, not again!" Gabriel interrupted aggressively and desperately.

She didn't want to be alone, not again.

Michael looked at her conflictedly before sighing in defeat.

"Okay, let's fight together," he said gently.

From the four cardinal points of the world, east, west, south and north, let everyone know its name.

"Here it comes," Saber murmured tensely.

The power expanded in a swift red torrent that swirled around a central point on the horizon and coalesced into the form of a seven-headed beast. It had features of a lion, a bear, a leopard, a wolf, and even a dragon, with horns protruding from each head. Seven tails uncoiled and extended from its primate-like body, covered in black fur.

It was Trihexa, the Beast of the Apocalypse.

"So, this is what the end of the world looks like." Kiba swallowed, intimidated.

Its four robust limbs generated winds with every movement; its two hind legs were even thicker than its enormous arms.

The beast had awakened from its slumber and confinement. Seven pairs of squinting eyes opened before a roar resounded, reaching all ears. Endowed with absurd magical power, it directly confronted the resistance that the gods of the various pantheons were mounting.

"Father was fighting this alone?" Gabriel wondered helplessly.

"And somehow the old man won," Azazel said, impressed.

However, despite the combined might of the Pantheons, they could only delay the inevitable. A god's Divine Source was not inexhaustible. It was finite. For the time being, the gods were preventing Trihexa's energy from affecting the world's countries and cities, thus protecting the humans who lived within them.

"It is finite and is dying with every passing second." Azazel clicked his tongue.

Would they hold out until Shirou returned?

Humans were fragile creatures. It didn't take much to kill them, and were it not for their ingenuity, they would never have reached the top of the natural food chain.

Trihexa was a monster larger than anything the One God could ever have described. Its power was overwhelming. Only the Infinity Dragon or Great Red could hope to challenge it, but even then, it was unlikely Trihexa would be killed. More likely, the clash would shatter the world. It was not an option.

"So even with Ophis, things are against us," Serafall said, tightening her grip.

So what were they supposed to do?

They couldn't fight that thing, and those who could would end up destroying the world if they tried.

Was there really nothing to do?

However, unbeknownst to everyone, there was an alternative power that could fight against the Beast of the Apocalypse.

"The alternative isn't any better either." Issei swallowed.

He didn't want the world to explode while they were trying to protect it.

The vibrant bands of light that encircled the Earth like a ring suddenly began to spin and glow. They contained within them heat levels capable of incinerating all of humanity in a single blow, greater even than several thousand Noble Phantasms combined.

If the gods, demons, and pantheons fighting against Trihexa didn't notice the bands of light before, now they had no choice because the energy was growing exponentially.

"It's hard not to notice those things," Sona noted.

It seemed as if the earth had become a second Saturn

It pulsed and expanded, repeating the process again and again until, suddenly, all the energy contracted into a single point. A dimensional rupture that originated from a forced passageway from the Underworld, where the figure of a Great Demon suddenly emerged in all its fullness.

Goetia Beast of Man.

"The beast of man against the beast of the Apocalypse, let's see who is superior." Azazel, despite everything, could not prevent his eyes from shining at the idea.

"If you remember why those two can't face each other, right?" Sirzech pointed out.

"I don't think an exchange or two will make much difference," Azazel dismissed easily.

If he could study the power of Trihexa, perhaps he could devise a new seal to contain it once it was released.

After all, he couldn't forget that with or without Rizevim, it was only a matter of time before that thing was free.

‘The time of birth has arrived. He is the one who masters all.’

Ars Almadel Salomonis.

Goetia's arms opened wide, revealing numerous pairs of glowing eyes that unleashed a concentrated burst of potent magical energy toward Trihexa. Unlike the combined might of the world's pantheons, the energy beam directly pushed back the Trihexa and captured its full attention.

"And this is where we left off last time." Rias nervously bit her nail.

How apocalyptic would this fight be?

Would they survive it?

It was the first greeting from one Beast of the World’s End to another.

Zeus and the other pantheons of gods gazed at Goetia with awe and disbelief. Regardless of whether Goetia was helping or not, his presence and the aura he naturally emanated were eerily similar to those of Trihexa.

"I wonder how," Azazel murmured.

If only they could feel what was happening in there...

To the Devils who had just emerged from the Underworld felt a different sensation. Reverence. Goetia was the fusion of their Seventy-Two Guardian Pillars of the Underworld.

The Trihexa howled, its seven heads turning to look Goetia in the face.

“That's right, Beast of the End. Your foe stands before you.”

From Trihexa's body, thousands of what appeared to be armored gears suddenly spread. Trihexa didn't even seem to be consciously producing them; they simply emerged as a byproduct of its very existence.

"Hey! What happens if someone stabs me because they mistake me for one of those things?" Issei complained.

"Great, first the Wyverns and now this." Rias sighed wearily.

And the worst part is, each of those things was probably much more powerful than a simple Wyvern

Suddenly, masses of red armor descended all over the world, and for the most part, Goetia paid them no attention and left them to the forces of the various pantheons.

"At least we have something to do," Azazel murmured.

He honestly felt very outmatched on that battlefield

The Trihexa was Goetia's only priority.

Perhaps Trihexa sensed Goetia's gaze and intentions, for it roared directly in confrontation. Whereas before its energy had been directed randomly, now it focused entirely on countering Goetia's attack.

The energies collided in mid-air, creating a flurry of explosions that left only glowing embers in their wake. Despite all the power emanating from Trihexa, the strength of Ars Almadel Salomonis never wavered.

"He really can match him," Michael said in amazement.

It was one thing to hear it from the samurai, but to see it...

It was shocking.

It was clear that he wasn't getting anywhere, but at some point in his mind, he made a decision.

Destruction was the sole purpose of Trihexa's existence. Just as humans and all animals born on Earth are compelled to breathe oxygen, Trihexa's natural inclination was to create chaos on the planet. The clash of power with Goetia only hindered its objective. Therefore, enough was enough.

"Will he run away?" Sona wondered.

If that thing ran, its mere step would cause havoc.

Tremors coursed through Trihexa's enormous body, raising the black fur on its back. Its seven heads took random directions and separated, tearing and breaking apart as new skin and bone grew to replace the lost parts.

Each head was developing its own body.

"What the hell!?" Issei exclaimed in horror.

"That's disgusting," Koneko complained.

He literally tore herself apart, and then the broken pieces regenerated their own bodies.

Wasn't there a better way to do that?

"Only seven? Ha! Our Goetia can be divided into seventy-two!" Serafall mockingly pointed at Trihexa

It planned to split into seven entities? Goetia hummed softly, his expression unchanged. Trihexa wasn't the only Beast of the Apocalypse capable of replicating itself. He possessed the same capabilities.

He clenched his fists and his body filled with demonic energy. He possessed not just the strength of one, but the power of the Seventy-Two Demon God Pillars.

Seven? Was that all that Trihexa could be divided into?

It doesn't matter, seven, it shall be.

"See?" Serafall said proudly

"The problem is that the more they separate, the less power each body will have," Azazel noted with concern.

And they couldn't forget that, apart from Trihexa, the evil dragons were still out there.

Unless, of course, they were defeated off-screen and weren't told.

From Goetia's body, a contaminated, mud-like substance seeped from her shoulders and coalesced into seven spheres at his feet. Each one pulsed with energy before taking shape. They were no longer mere Demonic Pillars. They were much more. Since their arrival in this new world, the knowledge and appearance of long-dead beings had rapidly merged with the memories of a parallel existence.

"I wonder, whom will he summon?" Sirzech said.

Well, four of them were obvious, but who would the other three be?

Everyone stared at Sirzech for a moment as if he were an idiot.

What? Did he say something bad?

"She will summon seven demons," Grayfia said slowly.

Sirzech still didn't understand.

Resplendent crimson armor soon manifested, adorned with riveted steel armaments, sharpened into laurel wreaths—imitations of the Crown of Thorns, crafted with spite and disgust. The seals of the Noblest of the Demon Pillars glowed above the rapidly growing magic circles surrounding each of the seven emerging figures.

For the other pantheons, it was a chilling sight, for they could not determine whether Goetia was truly friend or foe. However, the Demons were different, especially those with a brilliant education and a deep knowledge of the Underworld's history. The figures that formed before their eyes were the most prominent figures of the Underworld's past.

"Please, nobody do anything stupid like attack him, and if I see you, you fat Netflix addict," Azazel pleaded.

"Oh come on, who are they?" Sirzech complained

Once again, the screen was at an angle that prevented them from seeing it!

And why was everyone looking at him with exasperation again?

What was he missing out on?

The Demons froze, regardless of their location on Earth or in the Underworld, communicating the situation through magic. Meanwhile, Michael and the Angels suddenly felt their breath catch in their throats.

"Yes, it must be very shocking," Michael said empathetically.

After all.

Not every day did beings you had killed with your own hands rise from their graves to help you.

Those seven in particular had received their titles for atrocities that had made even Father recoil.

Metaphorically speaking, of course, because his father never backed down.

It was them. The Seven Demons of the Underworld.

The first sphere formed, revealing the features of a cold, stern woman, clad in pale armor covered in frost. Elegant shoulder guards and gauntlets revealed slender arms and legs, equipped with shin-high silver war boots. The temperature dropped sharply. A white land. A snowy land. The harbinger of a blizzard.

It was the Great Leviathan of Envy.

"You have to come on my show sometime if you're still here when all this is over!" Serafall exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea," Michael advised.

Leviathan wasn't exactly the type to enjoy being in front of the cameras.

And honestly, I'd prefer that when it's all over, they all go back to their graves.

They were allies for now, but I could never forget their true nature and the atrocities they had committed.

And then something clicked in Sirzech's head before a loud 'PAM' echoed throughout the room

"I'm an idiot," Sirzech muttered, embarrassed.

He had become so focused on the Maous that he had forgotten there was another group just as, or even more, renowned than them.

The seven worst and most vicious demons that had ever existed.

Beside her, the horror that had single-handedly annihilated all the enemies on the far left of the Underworld manifested itself. Dark whispers of empty promises and vain oaths began to resonate like radio static.

The Lord of the Flies, Beelzebub of Gluttony.

"Again, Ajuka would kill to be here." Sirzech felt increasingly sorry for his friend.

Now that he thought about it, what exactly were the selection criteria for coming here?

He and Serafall made sense as they were Maous and directly involved in everything; Azazel was the leader of the Fallen, and no one doubted why Michael and Gabriel were there.

But what about her little sister and her nobility? And why did Sona come alone?

Were they chosen at random, or was there something more behind it?

"Don't overthink it, most likely that idiot just picked the ones he liked, period," Shiro said suddenly as if she could read his thoughts.

Could he really-?

"Again, I can't read minds," Shiro said, interrupting his thoughts.

Did he seriously expect me to believe him?

"To think I'd ever work with you fools again," Beelzebub snarled disdainfully, his aged features twisting into a grimace.

Leviathan looked coldly at Beelzebub and said nothing else. It wasn’t like Beelzebub was referring to her.

"At least I'd like to be able to hear their voices," Serafall complained.

How unfair!

Soon five more emerged at once from the mud generated by Goetia.

"Quite spiteful as always, aren't you, old man?"

A playful voice echoed as a beauty clad only in strings chuckled, amused. Her hair, silky as silk, was black; her skin, pale gray; her figure, voluptuous and exuberant. Dark shadows swirled around her like snakes whose bite would only hurt once. A smile graced her luscious red lips.

"OOOOOooooh!" Issei exclaimed with a bleeding nose.

"Issei!"

"Shirou, don't look," Rin said, covering Shirou's eyes and noticing that Saber's hand was already there.

"She's dangerous," Saber said gravely.

She reminded her a little of her teacher, and that, in her eyes, made her worse than anyone else.

The Demon of Love and Lust, Asmodeus.

"I truly mourned your loss," Azazel sighed mournfully, recalling the death of such a beauty.

"She couldn't be trusted," Gabriel complained.

Because of her, thousands of her brothers had fallen, and it had to be her who put an end to it.

"Shut up. Time is effort."

A young man in a simple tailored black suit appeared with an annoyed expression. He wore dress pants and old-fashioned shoes with buckles.

Belphegor of Sloth.

"Somehow I feel like pyjamas, and an eye mask would suit him better," Koneko couldn't help but comment.

"No, you silly boy. Time is money."

A middle-aged gentleman with a gold monocle spoke in a reprimanding tone in response to Belphegor's words. A large top hat contrasted sharply with his waxed mustache.

He was Mammon of Greed.

"He's the Monopoly lord!" Issei exclaimed, confused.

"I knew that game was from the devil," Irina nodded, vindicated.

The last two to form were the least talkative. Instead of speaking, the sheer power they radiated made nearby life tremble and wither in their wake.

Satan of Wrath. A pure magical energy surrounded the figure with such intensity that its appearance was similar to a roaring flame and nothing more.

"Satan, thinking about it, why isn't there a Maou Satan?" Issei asked

Wasn't he one of the most famous?

"Satan is famous, that's true, but he wasn't so much a leader as a warrior," Sirzech replied.

According to the stories, Satan hated bureaucracy and everything related to it; he much preferred to be out massacring angels rather than listen to strategies and logistics.

In the end, that was one of the reasons why he was recognized as one of the strongest in the underworld, but not as one of its leaders.

Beside Satan stood Lucifer of Pride. Blue flames enveloped the man in mystery. Behind the blue flame, only a hooded figure could be seen, as if he were too proud to even deign to reveal his appearance.

"Oooh~, should I start wearing a hood like that too?" Sirzech asked his wife, his eyes sparkling.

The look of disgust she gave him was answer enough.

The Seven Demons lined up, causing all hell to break loose among the demons in the Underworld.

They were the Seven Demons of the Seven Cardinal Sins.

"It's the equivalent of BTS suddenly showing up at one of their fan clubs," Rias sighed.

Except that no one will throw their underwear at the sins.

Why was that demon taking off her bra?

The Uncontested Strongest Demons of the Underworld during the Great Faction War.

Go. Goetia ordered internally.

Each Deadly Sin rose to confront one of Trihexa's main bodies, while Goetia focused all her attention on sustaining Ars Almadel Salomonis. It was the only attack that could stem the tide of Trihexa's very existence.

"So Goetia is paralyzed by that," Azazel murmured worriedly.

This was bad.

"I wouldn't exactly say paralyzed," Shiro corrected.

No matter how many tricks Trihexa had up his sleeve, Goetia vowed to meet them with equal force.

Propagate in seven? Then he would do the same.

Create an infinite amount of Boosted Gear Armour? Then he'd destroy them all.

“Excuse me?!” Issei yelled, very alarmed.

"Let us handle that, you focus on making sure that thing doesn't destroy the world," Sirzech suggested.

And if possible, he shouldn't either.

It was a stalemate, an endless battle between one that creates infinitely and another that destroys infinitely.

"So, what will break this deadlock?" Michael wondered.

Would it be the arrival of Shirou and his father, or perhaps the support of the evil dragons?

There were too many factors that could tip the balance one way or the other at any moment

Spatial tears began to form rapidly in the air for the same reason a confrontation between Ophis and the Great Red was dreaded. The world could not contain the force of the warring powers.

"Damn, Little Flame wasn't exaggerating," Azazel said, beginning to pale.

"Little Flame?" Shiro asked, blinking in confusion.

"They are literally destroying reality." Serafall covered her mouth with both hands.

How were they going to survive that?

"Perhaps if there were a way to push him into the dimensional rift..." Sona bit her nail worriedly.

But how?

A turning point would soon be reached, and the one who was to end the battle was nowhere in sight.

In another universe, his own, Shirou gazed in awe at the landscape that stretched before him. It was almost like a dream from which he had finally awakened. The trees, the stone steps leading to the Ryoudo Shrine, the red bridge he could see in the distance, everything pointed to the same place.

Fuyuki.

He found himself back at the exact moment he had first left his world. After spending so much time in the other world, everything seemed surreal. Especially since he hadn't expected to find his way back that way.

"I wonder if I'll still be there," Saber murmured worriedly.

The only reason he had remained in this world was because of the constant...Mana transfers from Rin and Shirou.

With Shirou missing for so long, Rin wouldn't be able to support herself alone.

It wouldn't be surprising if he left as soon as the battle was over if he believed Shirou was dead.

Ayakoji, no, whatever had been affecting Ayakoji had sent him back to his own world.

"It was the stain on the Holy Grail," God explained wearily.

"I have nothing to do with it though." Another voice echoed in his mind. It was the voice of the All the World’s Evil.

Really? This time it's not my fault, which in retrospect is a little offensive.

"Offensive?"

If I couldn't destroy the world in two attempts, no shitstain will!

The power that affected Ayakoji was identical to the energy of the World's Evil. However, they were not controlled by the same person.

“Over time, densely concentrated, powerful energy centers could develop their own consciousness,” God explained. “Furthermore, the distance from the main body also plays a role. If the true consciousness of All the World’s Evil existed in this world, then the distance between the two worlds creates a gap that separates the energy.”

"Good explanation, but we still don't know how it got there in the first place," Azazel complained.

The concept was similar to that of a remote-controlled object. Within a certain range, the object followed the remote control's instructions. However, if the remote control was too far away, it wouldn't follow its instructions.

"Yeah, what he said."

Shirou pondered the matter. If Ayakoji hadn't shown any signs of being affected by the World Evil's energy before, perhaps the symptoms only began to appear as Trihexa neared its release?

"That thing somehow landed somewhere within the seals of Trihexa, and of course, the more the seal was broken, the stronger its influence would be," Sirzech sighed.

How bad of luck did they have to have to land in the worst place of all, out of all the kingdoms?

It was like a big cosmic joke that wasn't funny at all.

It seemed like a logical hypothesis, but not one that mattered whether it was correct or not.

The question now was how he was going to get back. Moreover, should he even go back? At this point, he didn't even need to consider anything else. There were people who still depended on him and whom he had to save, so he didn't have many options.

"At least think about it for more than a second," Rin grumbled.

Of course she knew her idiot would return; if he decided not to, she'd declare him an imposter and wonder where the real one was, but she wanted him to at least doubt a little longer.

"I'm sorry, there are many people in danger, I don't have time to hesitate," Shirou apologized shyly.

"We know you don't really regret it, Shirou," Saber said with exasperation and affection.

Given that Rizevim had said something about parallel worlds, what would prevent Trihexa from destroying the world of the One God before moving on to another?

"...That's an excellent point, why didn't we think of that before!?" Rin exclaimed, speechless.

"We were too busy wondering which deity we offended for everything to go so wrong," Azazel replied.

Their world was going to be destroyed first, what did they care about those who came next?

"Alright, Shirou, kill that thing quickly and come back," Rin ordered.

"Excuse me? Come back? You do remember who's pregnant with his child, don't you?" Serafall asked, offended.

"You're a Maou, you have a lot of money, you'll be fine," Rin dismissed her irritably.

"I don't think this is the time to discuss this." Shirou quickly calmed what seemed like the start of an argument before Serafall could open her mouth.

They both fell silent, realizing they were about to shout at each other in front of everyone.

They'd fix it later.

The answer was nothing.

He clenched his fists. Lives were at stake. He needed to get back as soon as possible.

"Now what?" she wondered to herself. The answer took longer to arrive.

"It's possible to return, but the energy consumption is high," God admitted. "Multiple parallel universes may exist simultaneously, and finding the exact world to travel to is as difficult as it seems. Fortunately, I've established links with each world, so I can roughly intuit which one is the right one. Again, the problem is the energy consumption. If we return as we are, I'll deplete more than half of the Divinity I've recovered. It will be like starting from scratch, which means it will be difficult to compete against Trihexa for very long. Perhaps this was the enemy's plan from the beginning."

"Father," Gabriel murmured worriedly.

"So they weren't trying to tempt Shirou to stay at their home, they just wanted to wear him down." Azazel clicked his tongue in annoyance.

It was a clever but irritating plan.

"So, there's nothing we can do?" Asia asked, frightened.

Even if I went back, what could I do?

Wouldn't his fight with Trihexa turn out the same as what was happening with Goetia at that moment?

Is there any hope?

"Anyway, we still have to try." Shirou's tone was firm.

"We agree on that, but do you truly wish to return?" God's voice turned solemn. "You have finally returned, and now I have the power to return to my home world on my own."

"Or in other words, where would you prefer to spend your last moments? Fighting or at home?" Sirzech sighed in defeat.

"No, all is not lost yet," Shirou said without a doubt.

They could still fight.

And if the destruction of the world was the problem, well, he had his own world that they could use as a substitute for the battle.

God was right. This was his chance to return to his life, but at what cost? Now he knew his life had meaning. He couldn't abandon those who depended on him. He could imagine the faces of those who would weep with grief if he ever died or disappeared. "Even so, I've made a decision," he insisted.

"It wasn't a choice from the beginning," Rin sulked.

For Shirou, saving others was all that mattered; any other option wasn't even considered.

In fact, the fact that he actually took a moment to think about it showed how much he had changed.

God made no further attempt to dissuade him. Instead, He focused on channeling his energy.

Meanwhile, Shirou clearly noticed a problem. Two, in fact, came into focus with blue and red blurs as he stared into the distance.

Rin and Saber.

"I'm still there." Saber breathed a sigh of relief.

"What am I doing here?" Rin wondered, intrigued.

After so much time, he should have already left for the clock tower.

What was he doing in Fuyuki?

The two of them were practically bullets, given how quickly they had looked at him. They caught up to him in seconds, but balked when they got closer.

"Why are my clothes so wrecked?" Rin wondered. "No, wait, why am I still wearing these clothes?" she questioned again.

She hadn't worn such short skirts since she moved into the tower!

Something here was strange, very strange.

And looking closely at his own face.

Didn't she look too young?

"Pigtails?" Serafall asked with sparkling eyes.

That's right, and she was wearing her pigtails; it had been a while since she'd done that.

"Sister with pigtails!" Serafall exclaimed excitedly, much to Rin's irritation, who decided to ignore her.

I already had an idea of ​​what happened, but it was still embarrassing to look so young.

"I think you didn't just travel back to your world," Michael reported.

"A Servant?" Saber was the first to voice her doubts. She could sense it in the air, the aura and presence emanating from Shirou. "No, his magic is even greater."

"Shirou, is that you?" Saber asked timidly, her hand resting on the pommel of her sword. She was prepared for anything. The way he scratched the back of his neck and smiled ironically dispelled much of her caution.

It really was him.

"Yes, he's our fool," Rin couldn't help but smile despite everything.

It was good to see that the other world hadn't changed that part of him

Saber had no further reservations and moved directly to close the gap between them.

Rin's reaction was somewhat different from Saber's. She froze, her expression bordering on disbelief rather than mere shock. She had always been an expert. The energy emanating from Shirou was both too powerful and unnatural, considering his former reserves of magical energy. It was almost as if he were Blue Blood, but not. His magical energy was practically colossal, to the point that she could see it if she squinted. It was almost as if he were some kind of Divine Spirit, or, dare she even imagine it a God?

"He's much worse than a blue blood," Rin said with pity for her counterpart.

The blue bloods would gladly sacrifice their children and parents in the most painful way possible if they could obtain even one percent of the power that Shirou now possessed.

A very wild story awaited her.

"Emiya, what on earth have you gotten yourself into this time?" He didn't approach her immediately, but instead gave her the most scathing and weary look she had ever given him.

"How sweet~" Serafall cooed. "You were a real cutie!"

"Yes, I was cute, now I'm sexy," Rin declared shamelessly. "Saber is the one who remains adorable no matter how much time passes."

"Rin!" Saber exclaimed, her cheeks flushed.

"Yes, you're right." Serafall nodded seriously.

She was adorable!

Shirou simply smiled in response. It was strange how Rin's concern was reflected on her face despite her words and actions. Honestly, he missed this kind of interaction.

"It's a long story," he said openly. "One that would probably take a long time to digest."

"Yes, about fifty-two chapters or so." Serafall nodded several times.

"Try me," Rin said, not sounding amused.

"What if I say it's been almost two years since I last saw them?"

"Two years." Azazel honestly believed it had been at least three.

"All that, in just two years?" Sona shook her head in disbelief.

More had happened in two years with Shirou than in decades before him.

"Bullshit." Rin's response was automatic. "We just destroyed the Holy Grail while you were distracting Goldie."

"I already suspected as much, but this is still absurd," Rin muttered, putting a hand to her face.

First travel between parallel worlds, then time travel, and now travel between parallel worlds WITH time travel.

What was next?

Shirou remained puzzled. "What if I said that 'perhaps' I've become some kind of Divine Being?"

"..." Rin didn't speak. She didn't have to. The sacred energy emanating from Shirou seemed to give Rin and Saber the impression that nothing he did would be wrong. It lent credibility to everything he had just said. Besides, Rin already knew how badly he lied.

"Really?" Rin asked curiously.

Something like that even affected Saber.

"Father always managed to make everyone feel comfortable around him," Gabriel smiled wistfully.

Rin stammered while Saber was torn what to think.

"I'll explain later, right now I need to ask you a favor," she said. Suddenly, an idea came to her when Rin mentioned the Holy Grail. "Rin, Saber, please take me to the place where the Grail was destroyed."

"Do you want to try using the remaining energy of the Grail to make travel between worlds easier and less expensive?" Rin asked Shirou, confused.

There really shouldn't be much left after the blow Saber gave her, so it would barely make a difference.

"Perhaps," Shirou replied, equally confused by his actions.

Rin and Saber looked at each other before accepting his request.

The two of them led him to a quiet meadow where signs of a battle could still be seen on the dirt and the toppled trees.

"Looks like there was quite a fight there," Azazel noted.

"Something like that," Rin grimaced at the memory.

Instead of observing the landscape with his eyes, he sensed outward with the Divine Sense that God had bestowed upon him. He searched for any remnant. A single piece would suffice. Soon he found what he sought and walked to the meadow bed, where he knelt and picked up a small piece of metal.

It was a fragmented piece of the Holy Grail.

"Is that the Holy Grail?" Gabriel wondered curiously.

Honestly, it didn't look any different than a charred piece of junk.

This might work.

"...Shirou, what on earth do you plan to do with that?" Rin asked her boyfriend cautiously.

No, that couldn't be it, could it?

Even Shirou wasn't that stupid, was he?

"I...don't know." Shirou actually strongly suspected what his counterpart was planning; he just didn't want to die before confirming it.

But was it possible?

Saber looked at Shirou suspiciously

And for some reason, a slight trace of jealousy

He straightened up, meeting Rin and Saber's puzzled gaze. "I know you have a lot of questions, but I need your help. Will you help me?" He asked timidly.

"Why not? From our perspective, we just stopped the end of the world, but we're sure we have enough energy left to do it a second time," Rin replied with a tired sigh.

"Wherever you go, I'll go, Shirou," Saber declared without hesitation.

Shirou smiled, a genuine and rare smile at their answers. 

He couldn't help but wonder how the whole story would have unfolded if they had been with him in that world.

Rin and Saber didn't even think before answering. Whatever he was involved in now, he understood that Rin and Saber didn't seem to care. Perhaps they would cry too if he died. It was one more reason not to simply abandon them.

"Maybe?" Rin asked with a blank stare

"At least this time he didn't leave us behind." Saber sighed at Shirou's words.

Of course she would cry.

She loved him so much that she rejected eternity in Avalon to stay with him for the years of her life.

Who said he'd come back alone?

It could have been the enemy's plan to send him back to exhaust God's energy, but what if he had made a maneuver that the enemy would never have expected?

"What kind of maneuver?" Sirzech asked, completely confused.

He clutched the fragment of the Holy Grail in his hand and nodded inwardly, asking God to initiate the return process. At the same time, he shared his improvised plan.

"Very well. Then, for once, I will put everything into a gamble." God agreed.

"For the second time," Azazel corrected him. "And what exactly are you risking this time?" he asked, as confused as Sirzech.

What were they seriously planning to do with that?

It was a gamble. A bet on the potential of humanity.

"Humanity? Do you plan to do to them what you did to me?" Xenovia theorized.

However, I doubted that Saber would need it.

"I really wouldn't complain if I got something like that," Rin said with interest.

Caster may have been a bitch, but she was a bitch with very powerful and tempting magic.

"But unfortunately, it's not our potential she's talking about, at least not mine," Rin replied, glancing sideways at Saber.

Shirou spoke of the potential of humans who lived long ago.

From the legends of old.

Of true, heroic spirits.