One-Punch DxD: NEO
Chapter 69: Diodora's Final Stand (Bullsit)

I am grateful for the warm reception towards Reversal. If you are eager for chapter 2, it's available on my (P)atr*on page. :)

From afar, Diodora cackled as he rode a giant chimeric fly, a fly gifted to him by the Devils from perdition for releasing them.

It was the shade of a former Beelzebub that turned into a giant monster fly after taking in the power of Scarmaglione, and Diodora bound it to his will.

Small vats filled with blood and minced fluids attached to his body, liquid pumped through the tubes and injected into his veins.

It should give him the time needed to do what must be done.

"Raze this place to the ground! The wretched human will come if we kill everything here!" Diodora laughed as he sent the spirits of Hell as they wailed, the chimeric shade shooting spectral poison that could poison the soul at the school while leaving ethereal poison gas.

It was not easy setting up a system that could warp the students to a safe location during the time of crisis like the safety system of the Rating Games. It was hard on the resources to prepare for thirty two individuals per rating game at max.

Those who could cast magic fired a barraging rain of fire spells, Diodora cackling as it exploded.

"Ahahahahahaha!" Diodora planned to make the human despair first and then take everything he owned. He didn't have time to plan it properly this time.

However, his maniacal laughter died when he saw the school undeterred.

"Did they reinforce the building with magic...?" Diodora was astounded. There was broken glass and some cracks in the building, but the damage was still minor.

"No matter! Kill everything in this school! I want their souls!"

To use to coerce the wretched human into giving up his body.

He was not sure how strong the human was now, but he did not want a fight, just a means to live and to savor the despair in Asia once he took her lover's form before he violated her.

However, from the school emerged the defenders, Devil wings spread, the Student Council on the move.

"Holy shit, you?!" Saji shouted at the sight of Diodora.

Diodora sneered at the sand-blonde teenager.

"You! I will have your soul first! KILL HIM!" Diodora commanded the horde to fire all of their magics at Saji.

Searing fire spells, arcane lights flew and converged at the sole Devil.

Saji honestly did not want to resort to his trump card so early into the fight - but looking at the circumstances, he had no other option.

"Vritra Promotion!"

Saji unleashed his current full power - Dragon King Transformation, The Enveloper Promotion.

Black flames consumed Saji. From the flames birthed the avatar of the source of Saji's power, a large eastern dragon made of cimmerian fire rising.

"Every single one of you with accursed dragon power…!" Diodora growled. "Kill them all! No, capture the females! I want to kill them before his eyes and savor his despair!"

The black dragon roared, as if he was displeased with Diodora's declaration of intent

"Defend the school!"

Upon Sona's order - the Student Council summoned their weapons, their artificial Sacred Gears, and their magic.

Emerging from the direction of the old school building, Rias Gremory joined in with her Peerage as they unleashed their magic in return. Millicas was there, roaring with a childish warcry as he flew towards the horde.

Xenovia, Irina, and Asia joined - Irina firing exploding holy sun arrows at the horde in the exchange of spellfire and stampeding evil spirits.

Saji's black fire dragon form spewed out cursed flames in large sweeps, destroying many of the undead while Diodora and his fly chimera shade remained safe behind a barrier.

Many of the evil spirits died in the explosions of holy sunfire while Asia summoned another barrier to fortify the school's interior.

Saji as the black fire dragon engaged with Diodora, but the creature he rode was fast and unpredictable in movement, showing the slower dragon with ethereal poison.

Saji could barely keep visual track of Diodora. He wanted to complain, but he could not speak in this form, and the fly spirit chimera started ramming him from his blind spots in all directions while releasing dark-green ethereal matter.

The foreign substance started to infect the air as the other spirits of the damned moved away from the chimera fly's residue.

Saji heard coughing, looking around to see the girls falling ill and weak.

"Poison mist!" Xenovia shouted.

"Spirit poison!" Diodora shouted. "This chimera wreaked havoc in the Devil Civil War! It took Sirzechs his full power to even kill it!"

Irina fired another exploding sun arrow at Diodora, but the fly flew away from the blast radius with ridiculous speed.

She was staving off the poison with her angelic powers, like Xenovia and Asia.

"Asia! We need assistance!" Rias shouted, covering her mouth.

"Holy Purification!" Asia raised her rod to the sky and poured out her spell.

Diodora winced when he saw the spirit poison dispelled.

"Tsk!" He clicked his tongue. "What is this, I heard that it's incurable back then!"

"It's a Devil spirit, Diodora." Sona glared at him while she regained her vigor. "It is even more volatile against holy attacks since it is still a mutilated, cursed soul."

Diodora clicked his tongue - Of course Devil spirits that were pure evil would be more vulnerable to Holy power.

"But you are still outnumbered! I have an army!"

"We have something better" Asia shouted back with confidence as Rassei curled around the golden Rod of Asclepius.

"Like what?"

"Friends!" Asia shouted.

Diodora felt like ridiculing the naive pure girl he swore to defile.

"Yo."

But his dark thoughts froze at the accursed voice of the human that ruined his perfect life.

Then Issei's red fist slammed into Diodora's cheek, knuckles breaking jaw, caving cheekbone, and misplacing teeth, and launched him off the fly.

[Explosive Thunder Step]

Issei's form crackled with godly thunder as he exploded with speed, the dragonfire jets propelling him towards the bastard.

The others were faring well against the evil spirits.

Mutilated forms of ethereal Devils and Chimeras were mixed. There were a few notable abominations, made of Trihexa flesh possessed, the ones Diodora still have in his disposal.

Issei continued pummeling Diodora into the ground, with absolute murderous intent. However, despite wanting to explode Diodora into a gory pulp Saitama-style, Diodora's face remained intact, but a bloody mess.

"RAAAAGH!"

Then Diodora transformed into something else.

Diodora became a naga-like creature, an ugly thing with the lower half that of a snake, the tail forking into three dragon-like snake heads.

Diodora's upper half was humanoid, yet monstrous, six scaled wings spreading from his back and two gnarled scaled arms of black-green.

"This time, I will-?!"

But even that was not enough to deter Issei as he struck his gut.

[Explosive Heart Release Fist.]

His fist exploded with power, sending shockwaves through Diodora's system as the devil coughed blood and flew, crashing through a row of trees.

"Why?!" Diodora roared, lying in wooden splinters with blood leaking through his monstrous teeth. "Why am I always beneath you?!"

Then Issei appeared before him and struck his jaw, shutting his monstrous mouth.

"Try and think why you're even above me in the first place, you sack of shit."

Issei jumped and raised his hand, hundreds of meters above the air.

A bolt of lightning struck his hand, Garou's ultimate world-splitting karate chop and Modi's lightning inspiring this technique.

[Thunder Dragon God's Judgment!]

Issei descended like a bolt of lightning, almost literally, lightning crackled as his aura and blue dragonfire struck Diodora with his hand right down in the middle.

Electricity crackled down the line in the middle, from Diodora's head to below.

Then Diodora… slowly fell into two, split in two perfectly, wounds cauterized so his guts would not spill.

Issei would have bisected him from head to tail, but the tail part was quite long and he did not want to incite mass property damage.

"Y-You did it!" Rias shouted as she erased another evil spirit. She unleashed a barrage of crimson-black erasure, erasing more than ten evil spirits to Oblivion.

Issei stared at the corpse of Diodora. This should have been enough to kill him, though just in case, he aimed a palm at the corpse and launched an orb of dragonfire, setting the monsterized body aflame.

"I'll be with you!" Issei said as he flew into the distance.

However, he stopped upon hearing something squishing behind him.

He turned around, seeing something moving from half-bisected remains of Diodora.

Something emerged from Diodora, crawling out and screaming in pain.

Issei gawped when he saw a naked Diodora, in humanoid form, scrambling out of the fire on his hands and feet.

He literally crawled out of his monster body as if it was his personal meatsuit like a lizard cutting off its tail to save itself, but worse, what the hell? He was worse than a cockroach at this point.

"Why won't you just die, you fucker?!" Issei shouted as lightning and fire shrouded his fists.

However, he was pelted by magic missiles from the side, hundreds of lesser evil spirits wasting their power and covering him in explosions while the Chimera Fly swooped down and picked up Diodora.

Issei unleashed a wave of dragonfire at the cluster, burning them all into Oblivion as they shrieked as he looked around, seeing Diodora riding on his Chimera fly away from him.

"Get back here!" Issei followed the revived devil.

Meanwhile, for the others, the tide changed.

One particular spirit stood out amongst the rest. It shot down Saji's Vritra form with powerful magic, too powerful as Saji exploded inside the arcane barrage.

It forced Saji out of his Vritra form, the Pawn of Sona tumbling away in agony as the spells shot down Asia's barrier.

This spirit did not look as mutilated as the rest of evil hordes, still bearing his skin and sanity, yet his face looked aged and tired, a sad face that looked as if it was pleading the children to stop him.

His aura stood out, a powerful spirit unlike no other.

"President!"

Tsubaki flew before the president and summoned Mirror Alice, reflecting the powerful spells back at the spirit to his surprise.

They caught a window of respite as Sona took a look at the spirit in question.

Sona widened her eyes at the sight.

"...Impossible."

She recognized him from the history books. How did Diodora get him?

The former Lord Lucifuge from the Devil Civil War.

The spirit was a war veteran that fought alongside Lucifer since the Great War, someone with more experience and power than them, an Ultimate-Class Devil on par with a Satan.

Before she could think of a way to deal with him other than sending Issei against him, Diodora shrieked an unholy wail of terror.

Everyone turned to the noise, seeing Diodora fleeing from Issei on his giant fly monster spirit.

Once he joined Lord Lucifuge, Diodora took out a lantern and shrieked.

"Stay back!" Diodora presented the lantern to Issei.

Issei stopped at the sight of the lantern. It was dark blue, and the lights in there were ethereal and swirled.

"...What is this? Some kind of last ditch bluff?" Issei snarked.

Diodora heaved heavily to catch his breath. Then his panic disappeared once he composed himself as he started cackling.

"Ahahaha… ahahahahahahahahaha! I prefer to call this my trump card!" Diodora's lips curled into a confident smile.

"Well, one of my three trump cards. The one beside me is meant to corner the current Lucifer. Don't tell me none of you Devils recognize the once-great Lord Lucifuge. The most loyal reagent of Lucifer!" Diodora cackled as the sad spirit of Lord Lucifuge looked even more dispirited.

"Did you know that Lucifer and the others tortured him because he failed? All of that loyalty and devotion, look at where that got them. You can taste the regret coming from poor Lord Lucifuge~ Oh, and I just remembered. Isn't he the father-in-law of Sirzechs? His wife's father?"

Rias gasped at the trivia, seeing her sister-in-law's father in such a despicable state.

Yuuto was also with her, yet heavily weakened due to Muramasa's absence, yet still valiant with the power he still has.

Gasper, Koneko, and Akeno grimaced.

Millicas wore a face of shock to hear that the spirit of his grandfather was there.

"L-Let my grandpa go, you bully!" Millicas shouted.

Diodora turned to Millicas.

"...No way. Sirzech's brat? Here?"

The spirit of Lord Lucifuge widened his eyes at the sight.

"To think I would have such great hostage material this soon. Heh! The things I can do with you! But I'm not into little boys. And I don't have time. Listen up!" Diodora snarled.

"By now, my slaves are already in your school and capturing your human pets. Here is my offer. Surrender yourselves as my property, kill the adult males amongst you, and submit or my slaves will eat their souls." Diodora demanded.

Everyone widened their eyes and turned to the school.

They did not have enough time to start the emergency protocols. They could only hope that Silver and the Blacks there could stave them off.

Vali clicked his tongue for failing to take into account that ghosts could phase through the underground and infiltrate the school that way.

"How about a counter-offer, you piece of shit? You surrender and I promise to send you to Hell painlessly?" Issei proposed.

"...You have no idea how long I waited for this moment." Diodora grinned maniacally with growing confidence.

"Now, here's my condition. I have the souls of those girls you failed to save right here." Diodora grinned as he held up the lantern by the chain.

Issei stared at the shimmering wisps within the glass.

"...Are they…"

"My former Peerage. Oh, lo and behold, they want you to save their souls~" He said with a false, mocking tone of sorrow.

"You bastard…!" Issei grit his teeth behind his helmet.

Today is the day he will end his life and send him to Hell. This he swore.

"I wanted to destroy the school to draw you out and see your despair, but this works. I am dying." Diodora's smile fell. "Rizevim did something to my body. I cannot hold out for much longer. So I decided on a solution. You. Give me your body or else I will send these souls to Hell."

Everyone widened their eyes at Diodora's ridiculous demand.

"...Are you shitting me?" Issei grit his teeth with increasing rage.

"Do I look like I'm joking? Originally, I was planning to have them fight you as zombies to watch them suffer, but things have changed. I'm a dead man either way, so either take my offer right now or else I die watching you despair with a last laugh!" Diodora grinned.

A tense silence dawned between them as Issei clenched his fists.

Diodora and the others could feel his righteous rage, his aura growing more furious and wrathful like a fire going out of control.

Then suddenly, it died.

Diodora blinked, confused by the sudden calmness of Issei's aura.

"...Are you sure you can do it?" Issei asked.

Diodora was not sure if Issei was talking to him.

"What are you up to?" Diodora asked, ready to send the souls to Hell at a drop of a hat.

Issei remained silent.

"...Deal."

"Whatever you're planning, know that-?!"

Suddenly, the lantern was ripped from his hand by an invisible force the moment Issei stretched his hand out, the lantern containing the souls resting in Issei's hand.

"...Issei. Was that…?" Irina asked, knowing the power responsible.

"You…!" Diodora snarled at the human. "How did you…?! The Red Dragon's power shouldn't…!"

"...Or maybe it's more than what you think." Issei countered with a shit-eating grin in his voice.

"No matter!" Diodora outstretched his hand. "Their souls are still bound to me! I can still kill them even if you're holding-"

Issei held the lantern between his hands and crushed the lantern between his palms.

A flash of shock and despair was brief in Diodora's eyes when Issei… absorbed the souls of the girls.

"...What?" Diodora was too confused.

He absorbed the souls?

"...How did you…"

His perfect plan was immediately disassembled so easily in front of him. He was sure that the human had no way to manipulate, or have the slightest knowledge or skill in the art of soul manipulation.

Yet everything he planned was shattered, ruined, made anticlimactic.

XoX

Within the realm of the Sacred Gear, Morgaeus smiled at the girls as they looked around.

[Welcome to the realm of the Boosted Gear, poor victims.]

The fifteen girls had so many questions on what was happening right now. They were trapped, suffering, yet suddenly they were out of Diodora's reach.

Morgaeus snapped his fingers.

The sigils on the bodies of the girls that bound them to Diodora shattered like glass.

[There. I freed them from the mad one. If you like… I can show you how to grant the wretch even greater despair.]

Issei listened to Morgaeus.

He let the demon take some control over Boosted Gear in exchange for the freedom of the girls. The Demon kept his word for now, and all he could see was righteous red as he drank in Diodora's dumbfounded despair with growing ecstasy.

What do you have in mind?

Issei now wanted nothing more than to beat the living shit out of Diodora now. Anything that he could use would do.

[I can show you how to put those… loiterers in Boosted Gear to use.] The demon whispered in his mind.

Issei started to feel a dark side intent in his voice.

…Explain.

[There is much lingering resentment in Boosted Gear, in the form of lingering ghosts. If you give me the word, I can grind those mindless soul fragments of the past users into something more useful. They are the only reason why you go berserk when using Juggernaut Drive, no? But I will spare the two that can talk if you wish.]

His voice was laced with temptation.

Within the soul realm, Ddraig watched as the demon somehow summoned all of the shades of the past users around them.

It was disturbing, seeing their emotionless faces broken by sudden panic, confusion, fear, and terror.

Lack of intelligence, but gaining awareness of the danger before them.

The demon released a haunting cackle as he fired a chaining web or crimson lightning, tendril Sparks webbing all of the past users in a chaotic lattice.

Elsha and Belzard had no relations with the past users, but they were horrified by the mass torture.

It was the first time Ddraig saw so many of the past users in pain. They were the ones usually trying to bring the current user to despair, such is karma.

[How are you doing this? Not even I have this much power over them.]

Not even the leaders of the three factions could do this.

[Ahahahahahaha! You are a battery, a powerless thing meant to serve in a prison. Remember your function, dragon.]

Morgaeus answered as the souls started… conflagorating as their screams echoed within the soul realm of Boosted Gear.

Elsha and Belzard watched with growing terror as Morgaeus started smiling sinisterly. The girls were starting to grow terrified as the sight reminded them of their torment under Diodora, but worse.

Ddraig was too stunned by the brutality to feel anger.

[They will try drive you into a frenzy and murder all those you love if allowed! It is wiser that I make use of them, no, to kill them before they betray you at your weakest!]

For the first time… Issei felt conflicted as he slowly unclenched his hand, the red fading from his eyes.

The Demon was correct. He knew about the purpose of the shades after a talk with Ddraig, Elsha, and Belzard.

They were the obstacle that hindered him from mastering Juggernaut Drive. On that note - Issei still could not recall how he survived the last time he used the thing. Ddraig suspected it had something to do with Saitama's blood, but there might be something else behind it.

Morgaeus shining the light on Issei being free from God's curses might explain why he survived. It might have something to do with that…

As for the soul fragments, yes, they were not intelligent and were miserable things with nothing to do but willingly try to force their misery onto him… but he heard their tortured screams in his mind.

He could almost feel their pain and desperate pleas with their screams.

…What will you do with them?

Issei was afraid to ask the demon.

[I can enslave them and bind them to your will. Or I can break them down and reforge their souls into something more useful. A weapon, a new evolution, more freedom to tap into the dragon's power unlike anything before. I can recycle them into the perfect warrior, a thing made only to serve you in combat, a more useful thing. I can bring out the two past users you like and have them fight by your side after feeding them the others, and allow them to draw power from the dragon. It seems that you made a pact with the dragon to allow him to bestow his power to any of the past users you wish. Tell me your decision, and I will do as you will.]

The demon was starting to sound like a true Sith Lord.

The thing fit the biblical representation of the Devil more than any of the actual Devils could.

The temptation was strong, and he could see that there was nothing wrong with sacrificing the fragments of the past users.

Though the screams were putting him at unease.

[Partner, while I am not one against such flawless logic and they do deserve this, there is something wrong with this scenario. This demon is doing something I am pretty sure not even those of the Top Ten Strongest can do this easily. Whatever you choose, I suggest you think hard on your choice.]

Issei agreed with Ddraig.

Soul manipulation sounded complex, but to hear it from Ddraig's side shed light on the dangers of the Demon.

{Boy.}

Elsha spoke.

{I have no power over your decisions and I have some contempt for the others for leading me to my death, but I feel like you'll do something terrible if you get rid of the others. While I cannot defend the other past users, there is a wrongness here I cannot describe.}

[It is called wrath and vengeance. There is no wrong here considering what the others are.]

Morgaeus differed as Issei inhaled.

Yeah, the other soul fragments were useless, an obstacle…

Spare them.

But his soul is against the dark choice. He could not do it.

Not like this.

If he did, he would end up as the person Xenovia once feared that he might become, a vengeful man with nothing but spite for those that wronged him, all traces of good burned away by hate.

There was silence in him.

[...Are you sure? Do you not want to enslave them?]

No.

Issei shook his head as the screams slowly stopped.

Ddraig watched as the past users were on their knees, reeling from the pain and agony.

Their eyes were flowing with tears, some of them sobbing pitifully.

He was not sure if the past users knew how to be grateful for the current user's mercy but time would tell.

I get your point, and you are correct in everything about the past users. There's nothing that can defend them, everything you said about them is justified.

[Then why?]

…I do not want to become a man that only acts in anger. Or kill on cold logic. A hero does not willingly commit mass slaughter on others. Not like this.

Morgaeus remained silent for a moment.

[...So this is the path you chose.]

Morgaeus hummed.

…If you want to be useful, show me how to summon Elsha and Belzard.

[...Very well.]

Morgaeus turned to the two past users. With a flick of his hand, he banished the other past users back to their places.

In an instant, he appeared before them faster than their eyes could register and grabbed both of their heads.

[Watch, Dragon.]

Morgaeus looked up at Ddraig with a condescending smile.

[Watch as I free those from the prison you cannot break out.]

A flash of light, and the next second, small motes of light gathered and formed into a pair of masses. A few seconds later, the masses began to take more humanoid forms.

Everyone watched as two new faces appeared from the light, a man and a woman.

"...What?" Diodora was confused.

Elsha and Belzard blinked as they looked around.

"...Impossible." Elsha muttered under her breath as she looked at her hands. Free from the confines of Boosted Gear since… centuries. "...That conniving Demon wasn't lying."

Issei looked at the two with an equal mix of shock and wonder.

"Holy shit… It can actually be done." Issei did not believe that this was possible.

[You're telling me. I thought he was swindling us for a moment there.]

Even Ddraig admitted his surprise.

Makes one wonder if it was possible to release Ddraig this way, Issei thought.

Belzard stared at Diodora with a scowl.

"...Issei." Belzard called out. "What am I looking at?"

"The rapist bastard I want to kill. You want to help me with that?"

Belzard and Elsha looked at Diodora and smirked.

They donned their special armor, a red valkyrie type armor for Elsha and a red dragon lancer paladin for Belzard.

"...! Damn you! Lucifuge, destroy him! Destroy everything!"

Lucifuge and the rest of the evil spirits summoned their spells and fired all of their magics at the Peerages, at Issei and his two summons.

"Quite an army we are facing here." Elsha mused around, "...Want to make this a contest?"

"A contest of the best Red Dragon Emperor between us three? I don't see why not." Belzard replied - his grin mirroring Elsha's.

"Hah, then you two already lost! Let's do this!" Issei barked as he had already charged at the enemy forces.

The three Red Dragon Emperors flew towards the army and unleashed their dragonfire, all of them boosting themselves in combat.

Lucifuge summoned many arcane circles and fired a barrage of spells, but Belzard summoned a shieldwall of fire, blocking the spells as the vanguard as they approached.

"No! Why won't you die?!" Diodora shrieked as the chimera fly flew back and avoided Issei, running away from the current red dragon emperor.

Issei was faster, but the fly was annoying, moving in unpredictable trajectories with greater freedom of movement, something Issei decided to take note of.

The others were busy defending the school.

Vali, who had just blasted a large number of evil spirits off the sky, paused on his own battle for a moment to see two additional Red Dragon Emperors wreaking havoc among the enemy ranks.

"Two more Red Dragon Emperors…?" Vali mused in confusion and curiosity.

[How nostalgic…]

Albion spoke from Divine Dividing.

[I don't know what happened and what the Red One did, but those two are the most powerful, past Red Dragon Emperors that bested your predecessors.]

"The past arch-rivals, huh? Interesting, I want to fight them." Vali grinned from beneath his face-plate.

"Vali!" Rias called out to Vali, snapping him out of his musing.

"What is it?!"

"I need you to help check on the school with Irina and Xenovia! The enemy might've bypassed the school's defenses!"

"And let my rival have all the fun?!" Vali shouted as he shot down more Evil Spirits and used Divide to weaken a very large number of them.

"This isn't the time for your contest!" Rias shouted.

Vali sighed and clicked his tongue. He decided to oblige as he, Irina, and Xenovia dove down to the school to pick off the stragglers.

XoX

Morgaeus hummed within the realm of Boosted Gear, watching the cockroach desperately fending Issei off. The monster fly was stronger than he expected, even more agile than the current Red Dragon Emperor.

Even with the Thunderstep and high speed flame jets, the current Dragon Emperor's control over his trajectory was terrible, too linear.

[I have a suggestion.]

Morgaeus spoke.

[I explored your soul realm, and found interesting items stashed in your storage. I request access to the… chess pieces you have.]

Issei was distracted enough as he was with the monstrous fly, he had no time to contemplate whatever the Demon within was suggesting.

"Fine, I'll bite! Just make sure that this will actually help us!"

[Oh?]

Morgaeus sounded surprised.

Ddraig was suspicious.

[...What are you planning?]

Morgaeus chuckled.

[Well, the material used for the Evil Pieces,I can convert their function into anything I wish.]

Morgaeus summoned all sixteen chess pieces made of Agreas Crystal, the Gifts of Gaia. The chess pieces were levitating before the demon.

[Originally, the material is sacred to us. Gifts of Gaia… boons of the planet for our flawless symbiosis, harmony with the world.]

Morgaeus cackled as… Ddraig watched the demon unmaking the chess pieces, shapes melting into liquid undergoing freefall.

[I lied when I said my name is Morgaeus.]

The demon admitted as Ddraig watched the demon slit his ethereal wrist as the pieces started to fuse, then dripping his blood-like matter into the fusion of the substance.

Ddraig watched Morgaeus - or not, forming a unique sigil out of the Evil Pieces.

[My real name is Ersi.]

'Morgaeus' admitted.

[I am the Demon Lord of Souls, the Ruler of the Mastema Tribe.]

Ddraig widened his eyes as he sensed something was wrong. He roared and lashed out, but then struck something invisible, a boundary blocking him between him and Morgaeus.

[Partner, be careful! He is doing something!]

Ddraig shouted.

[He can't hear you anymore.]

Ersi shook his head.

[The me you're seeing is but a fragment of the gestalt that is my soul, yet it is more than enough to play with something like you. My skill in soul manipulation is beyond your ken and reach, my knowledge over Sacred Gears beyond yours. I already have more than enough control of this artifact to cage you like an animal while I finally finish what I came here to do.]

Ersi grinned as he turned to Ddraig.

[I want to kill all of the Devils. Everyone of them. They have taken too much from my people to earn my forgiveness. However, I acknowledge that times have changed. And the strongest man that sided with them. I am here to scout the strongest man and his family, to determine how to cross the obstacle that is Saitama. My solution is to bring the Strongest Man to our side.]

Ddraig growled as he continued clawing at the invisible barrier to no avail.

[You see, blood has a long reach in politics. Marriages, bloodlines, everything. Imagine, the Strongest Man powerless in the field of politics, watching helplessly as I turned his son into a Demon, and through him, have him see things from our point of view.]

Ddraig widened his eyes.

[...What?]

He could not believe what he was hearing.

[You heard me. We cannot defeat Saitama nor do we want to fight him. But the man has chosen the role as protector, a Hero. It is best that we lock him out of the conflict instead by using his son.]

[...And you think, turning my host into a Demon… I didn't even know you could do that. How do you plan to-]

[Originally, I was planning to sacrifice this fragment you are seeing when the time is right. But behold, there are sixteen transmutation pieces for me to use instead. The one I made is much more powerful and advanced than anything The Devils could hope to make. He will be one of the most powerful transformed demons to date. Oh, the things we can teach him as one of us.]

Ersi grinned as he… dropped the sigil onto the floor.

Ddraig watched as it seeped into Boosted Gear, a surge of demonic power, pure demonic power, started to infest the soul realm, a sinister black power infecting the Boosted Gear.

[I will grant you the honor of witnessing your host's rebirth as a Demon.]

XoX

"Hngh!?" Issei grunted when a foreign sensation suddenly pulsed through his body.

He stopped in midair as he felt a pulse, something else coursing into him. He could sense the flow of energy coming from Boosted Gear, invading him through his connection with the Longinus.

Elsha and Belzard did not notice as they were busy with their own battles.

Only Diodora noticed as he saw Issei struggling in the air, in pain.

He did not know what was happening, but he fled from the human.

He managed to escape death when the human split him in half miraculously. He didn't even know he could do that, honestly, but it took so much out of him that he couldn't fight properly.

"Spirits!" Diodora decided to resort to his other trump card.

"Come to me and become my strength!"

Diodora did not want to do this if he could help it. It was a forbidden technique he discovered when experimenting with the souls.

It was possible to try and forcefully fuse the souls into a stronger being, but the souls would naturally fight for dominance over the combined form. However, all of the experimental test subjects went insane, more half of them self destructed.

However, Diodora had command over these souls with his power.

But Diodora had yet to discover how many souls he could cram into his body. He was going to die anyway, so now was better than ever.

The evil spirits stopped engaging the others as they wailed, many of the Evil Spirits flying into Diodora, even the giant chimera fly spirit was consumed and absorbed into him.

"What is he doing?" Saji groaned, Ruruko helping him up while Asia finished healing him.

"He's… he's absorbing his army." Sona concluded.

It was a spiral vortex of spirits sucked into Diodora as the epicenter.

However, Diodora stopped, leaving less than half of his current army alive. Lucifuge was still in the air, seeming to have survived.

"NNNNNNNNNNNNGH!"

Diodora started contorting, blood bursting from his veins as he struggled to contain the power of the spirits inside him.

Four massive fly wings sprouted from Diodora, five tails with vicious snakeheads sprouted from his back, Diodora was encased in scaled armor as he howled to the heavens.

His body exploded with muscle, his size increased as he became more brutish, his power matching his current hulk-like appearance.

Elsha and Belzard looked at the current Diodora with a mix of confoundment and disgust.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Even his voice became barbaric, Diodora now roided with the power of the dead in his veins.

The now hulked out, literally hulked out, Diodora heaved heavy breaths as he turned to Issei who was struggling and in pain.

"A BODY! GIVE ME YOUR BODY!" Diodora shouted as he flapped his new fly wings, from his Chimera mount, towards Issei.

This Diodora was much, much faster as he grabbed the struggling Issei.

Rias shouted to everyone in action, "Everyone! Take down Diodora! Protect Ise!"

"O' Thunder, Lightning!" Akeno was the first to spring into action as she called upon the power - combination of demonic thunder and holy lightning, "...Divine Smite!"

A compressed two bolts of lightning descended upon Diodora's massive body - electricity surged through him, frying him dry from inside out.

"GRRHHH!"

Diodora growled as he weathered through the searing pain. But his obsession and desperation granted him the strength to continue his trek towards the vulnerable Red Dragon Emperor.

"Defend me!" Diodora commanded the remaining spirits to fight for him.

Diodora's army had dwindled significantly to the thousands, having consumed most of the chaff.

Akeno grimaced as she called upon the lightning from the heavens while the others fought the remaining chaff.

Saji recovered enough to return to his Vritra Promotion, turning back in his black flame dragon form.

Ruruko flew fast through the sky like an arrow and kicked Diodora with her cybernetic leg, right in his temple.

It was a strong impact, reverberating through the air like an explosion, thanks to the power of Azazel's Artificial Sacred Gears that had been implanted on them.

Procellarum Phantom - The Moon and The Rabbit

Diodora would have lost consciousness from that kick if the violent wiggling presence of so many souls brought him back. The hulking mutated Diodora grabbed Ruruko's leg and threw her into the school, Ruruko crashing through the building wall, the foundation of that side collapsing.

"Ruruko!" Reya shouted.

"She'll be fine! Focus on Diodora!" Sona shouted as she used her water to defend herself from more of enemy's fire spells.

Diodora unleashed a breath attack, a stream of miasma at them while still holding Issei down on the ground.

"Poison!" Rias shouted as she clapped her hands together.

She wouldn't let herself be the same useless girl that had to rely on a man to save her. She unleashed a spray of crimson-black erasure, a very widespread attack that spread in a wide cone.

Its destructive power could barely erode even dirt and stone, but it was more than enough to nullify the poison miasma sent their way, erasing it before it covered the area in poison.

"GRAAAAAAAH!" Diodora roared with frustration as Lucifuge joined the fight.

Sona clicked her tongue at the sight of the old war veteran.

"Rassei! Lend me your strength!"

Kyuuuu!

From behind, Asia inhaled as she aimed the Rod of Asclepius, the imoogi wrapped around the golden caduceus, as she fired a beam of purifying light wrapped with Rassei's dragonic lightning.

Lucifuge widened his eyes as he summoned an arcane barrier, but the light curved around the barrier and struck his side.

He looked like he was in pain despite the fact that he was a war veteran. Rassei poured in more of his power to support his family, squeaking heroically as Rassei called upon the lightning from the heavens to strike Lucifuge from above

The bolt hammered Lucifuge to the ground, Lucifuge's face a mask of surprise that he was pushed back by the girl.

Before he could move, however, many tentacles then wrapped around Lucifuge as the spirit was confused until he traced the tentacles back to Saji, the black flame dragon.

Lucifuge tried to call upon his power, but something was wrong. He felt something blocking his ability to call upon his power.

Diodora's savage face twisted with further ire, so much that his head could explode at the sight of the impure Devil immobilizing his trump card.

Either way, Diodora had what he came for as he poured his spirit into the human, trying to rip his soul out.

Read the flow of energy and become one with the flow.

Garou's wisdom continued to echo within Issei's mind as he struggled to fight off against this invasion.

What's happening?! What did you do?!

Issei clenched his hands, he could see Diodora's own spirit within his soul realm.

[I took advantage of your window of consent.]

Morgaeus voice echoed.

[I remolded the devil's transmutation pieces into something better. I am surprised that you are resisting the power so fluidly, however.]

Are you trying to turn me into a Devil?!

[No, I want to turn you into a Demon.]

Issei's eyes widened as he could feel the demonic power, true demonic power, invading his skin and seeping into his arms, already half-consuming him.

On the other hand, Diodora manifested within the realm and he looked ecstatic upon seeing him in this state.

"Look at you. So weak, so vulnerable." Diodora was still in his hulk-like state, bearing the wings of the chimera fly.

Issei glared at Diodora as his eyes turned red with rage at the sight.

"You're uglier than I remember."

Diodora's smile faded.

"Silence!" Diodora threw his oversized fist down at Issei.

However, a snap of a finger echoing in the soul realm snapped Diodora back into the physical realm.

Diodora blinked rapidly.

What just happened? Why was he back in his body?

Issei stared at the empty space in front of him.

Now you banished Diodora from my body?

[The parasite is a nuisance.]

Morgaeus shook his head.

[Now you are alone. Not even the Welsh Dragon can help you here as I've severed you from all connections. If you don't give in to the power, it will destroy you.]

Issei heaved heavy breaths, feeling the demonic power seeping further into his soul.

So this is your endgame. Well-played, Morgaeus.

[Morgaeus was the name of my father. My true name is Ersi. I am a fragment of the Demon Lord of the Mastema Tribe.]

…A demon lord… So you're the strongest and most skilled of your tribe?

[More than you can imagine.]

Heh. That explains why you're so good at tampering with Boosted Gear.

[Yes. Not just anyone can do what I did. Besides, I did state my intention to slaughter the Devils for their crimes. Your father is an obstacle I do not want to face on the battlefield. But he is weak in politics. I would be overjoyed if you joined us and see things from our perspective.]

For a moment, there was only silence, with the noise of power echoing throughout the realm with Diodora's desperate and resentful growl being heard outside, trying to invade his soul realm once more.

…Why not just take me hostage or something? Wouldn't that be easier?

Issei asked the demon.

The demon lord remained silent for a moment.

[I… that would betray everything that I stand for. You do not deserve such treatment.]

Issei paused at the demon's words.

[Truth to be told, I - no, we hold you and your father in the highest respect. You have my word as one of the great Demon Lords - should you become one of us, we swear that those close to you will be spared from our crusade, including the devils.]

Issei inhaled and exhaled as the demonic power slowly covered him. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the ɴovᴇlꜰirᴇ.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

…In a way, you're just like me.

Issei closed his eyes as he exhaled.

Outside, Diodora shrieked with frustration, unable to even grip Issei's soul.

[Yes.]

…You won't stop it even if we beg, would you?

[Apologies, that is not within your right to stop this.]

There was a strange sense of… camaraderie and kinship Issei could not describe. The demon did betray him… but in the end, he was not his enemy.

Just someone that wanted to right the wrongs done to him. He could understand Ersi so well, more than Vali, more than anyone else in less than a day.

I see.

Issei inhaled once more as he closed his eyes.

As much as he wanted to, he could not fight against this power. He could not stave it off forever. The Demon Lord played his cards too well here, struck at the right moment.

He tried to think of something he could use, a way to fight against this. He did not want to lose his humanity. He wanted to expel it…

Read the flow of power and become one with the flow.

Issei recalled a memory from the time he trained under Garou. To receive the flow of power and make it his own.

Issei did not want this power to turn him into a demon… and fighting against it was impossible for him. It was like trying to remove his own heart at this point.

…Then there is only one option.

Using the power of others without becoming them…

The only thing closest to that was the Sacred Gears. Issei inhaled and stopped fighting against the power.

He poured all of his strength into dominating the flow of this power into his favor.

[!?]

Issei had no idea how this would work, but he had to try.

Issei reached out within himself, reached out to all of the power he could grab, from within himself to the power that was consuming him.

[What are you doing?]

He even called upon the power of Boosted Gear if he could.

Mary Sapphire, Zama, Catherine, Amanda, and the rest of the girls saw a pulse of power, a wave of aura they knew was Issei Hyoudou washing over the realm of Boosted Gear.

Ddraig recognized this sensation.

[Partner!]

He could sense a faint connection to Issei, his host trying to draw upon strength from anywhere he can.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" With a furious roar, his voice warped by the demonic power, Issei raised his fist and slammed it into the ground as hard as he could.

[What?!]

Ersi shouted at Issei, who shattered the black world prison he made to isolate him.

The Demon was shocked that the boy freed himself. The realm may be made from his soul, but to wrench back control of his spirit to this extent required a force of will and concentration not most beings could muster.

The girls were confused as to what was happening.

[Everyone!]

Ddraig shouted to the girls as they turned to Issei.

[My partner is fighting against the transformation! I cannot remove the power at this point, but we might have a chance if we lend him our strength!]

Mary was the first to speak out, "W-What should we do?"

She was confused, yet she wanted to help.

[Help him with whatever he's trying to do! Pour out your power and reach out to him! If we don't do something, he will be reincarnated into a Demon!]

Mary nodded, understanding what was going on.

She gazed at Amanda, Zama, Catherine, her friends and comrades.

They understood Mary's intent immediately, words need not be said. They had suffered under Diodora for so long, rescued by the same red knight twice, they refused to not repay him for all he had done.

Ddraig and each and every girl reached out to Issei, pouring all of their strength, their magic, their hope into Issei with Ddraig's assistance, giving him the strength they needed to fight back.

The girls could feel a connection to the Demonic power, they recognized what was infecting Issei. They knew that it was from the Evil Pieces, they knew because of the void they felt when the pieces were torn from their bodies, their souls upon death.

They could still feel the connection the pieces even postmortem as they reached out to the demonic power, fighting back against the corruption, Issei feeling fifteen hands giving him strength.

All of the corruption seeping into his body slowly converged in a single point, right on the opposite side of his heart as Issei inhaled and exhaled, becoming one with the power on his own terms.

Issei felt another pulse.

Something other than the demonic power trying to override his humanity, something deeper, spreading.

He remembered this feeling. He could see it, way back when the Juggernaut Drive consumed him.

XoX

Back in the real world - Diodora stopped trying to invade Issei's soul realm when he saw something crimson glowing behind Issei's visor.

The green visor of Issei's helmet was glaring at him.

Then demonic power surged forth, spilling from Issei's frame like a broken dam failing to hold back a massive flood.

Everyone looked at Issei, every evil spirit stopped and turned to Issei.

Issei plunged his fist into Diodora's hulking chest and ripped out Diodora's heart, holding the still beating heart of the heavily mutated Devil.

The pain was there, but the shock was greater as Diodora stared at the beating heart, torn out of him so fast without warning.

Issei suddenly bellowed to the sky an inhuman, demonic roar as he smacked Diodora to the ground as he convulsed in the air, his armor starting to mutate from the demonic power.

"...What's happening to Issei?" Sona asked as they watched dumbfounded.

They could sense a strange alien variant of the Devil's demonic power, something similar yet so foreign it took a moment to make a comparison.

Issei's armor started to form sharp spines, his red gauntlets mutating in organic patterns, not unlike Kiyome's chitinous armor, his heroic helmet turning… demonic as his Balance Breaker transformed from a heroic knight into a demon exemplifying the aspect of rage.

Two horns curled forth from his helmet as Issei roared, the face of his helmet now sporting a vicious fanged face that screamed demonic, great wings sprang forth from behind as a bladed tail sprouted forth.

[...Incredible.]

Ersi muttered as he witnessed the changes from within.

[You overcame the transmutation yet kept the demonic power I bestowed.]

Issei's form bulked a little as his mutations finished, his armor now more imbricated and organic as his demonification finished.

Diodora rasped as he looked up, both awestruck and terrified by this new demonic form of the human's Balance Breaker.

Ddraig was shocked that his host transformed, but Ersi knew better.

Elsha and Belzard stared at the current red dragon emperor, breathing gouts of fire.

In the center of his forehead, there was an emerald jewel. His eyes were sharp, glowing demonic red, the red color of his armor darker than before as his demonic tail swished back and forth.

"...He looks a bit like Garou." Koneko commented on Issei's form, while reminiscing about the monster that nearly destroyed the Underworld before. Only Issei's form is slimmer and more compact and red.

Then Issei, in his demonic splendor, roared at the blue sky so loud that everyone held their ears to block the noise.

Diodora wheezed as he struggled to regenerate his heart, but his power was leaking from his frame.

However, the moment Issei finished roaring… his Balance Breaker disappeared, his armor vanished, then Issei, in his human form, fell from the sky unconscious.

Before his vision completely went dark, however, Issei saw the visage of the former holy maidens hovering above him.

Mary, Amanda, Catherine, Zama, and the others who he failed to save from Diodora's madness - all of them smiled warmly at him before they curtseyed at him, as if thanking him, and vanished in motes of light.

"Ise!"

Being the closest, Asia quickly flew towards the boy and caught him mid-air. However, due to the difference in their sizes, Asia ended up descending under the weight of Issei's frame. Thankfully, her wings were strong enough to slow and stabilize their fall.

"Ise! Ise?!" Asia tried to wake him up while cradling him in her arms.

She checked over him, and much to her relief, there were no visible injuries. However, his breathing indicated that the boy was exhausted.

"Asia! How is Ise?!" Rias shouted from the air, as she and the others began to set up a defensive perimeter against the remaining hostile.

"He's fine, but he's unconscious!" Asia quickly replied.

"Alright! Then-?!" Rias flew, dodging a beam of arcane magic from one of the mutilated devil spirits.

"The Spirits are attacking again!" Sona shouted as everyone reengaged the horde.

However, while everyone was still busy with the stragglers that still outnumbered them, they could not properly intercept Diodora, who was nearly recovering and was only within 10 meters away from Asia and Issei.

"Hehehehe…" Diodora chortled, then coughed blood due to some stuck in his lungs, "What is this? Two of my greatest prizes lied helplessly in front of me? Today must be my lucky day."

Asia instinctively hugged Issei closer towards her chest at the sight of Diodora's leaking malice. Rassei was also hovering above her, growling at the mutant devil.

"Your savior has been dispensed, my love… I suggest you surrender. Fear not, I will try to be gentle." Diodora sneered while his tongue ran across his lips.

Asia then hardened herself - gently settling Issei on the ground, she then stepped forward and stood protectively in front of the boy.

"Oh, stubborn 'til the end, I see? Well, can't say I hate this new side of yours." Diodora cackled. "But it's futile, my dear! I know you more than anyone! You may have grown, but I know you are too kind, too weak to act as a frontline combatant!"

"Perhaps you are right, I am probably the weakest here." Asia replied with a surprisingly calm tone, "But that is not an excuse for me to run away."

Her holy aura radiated brighter, synchronizing with Asia's resolve, "I will not let you do as you please any longer! I am no longer a prisoner within your shadow of fear!"

Asia then brandished the Rod of Asclepius and stomped the staff vertically on the ground, as her radiance intensified.

"I am Asia Argento, the Jack of Archangel Michael!"

Diodora stared at the once timid girl who used to be caged behind the walls of the Vatican. Seeing her radiating strength and resolve, he found himself wanting to step back.

Wait.

Diodora suddenly paused and looked over himself. Him? Feeling afraid of the little girl who could only heal?

Inconceivable.

Ignoring the fact that his regenerating heart had yet to recover, Diodora unleashed a screeching roar as he charged at the angel with the little dragon companion by her side.

"Rassei!"

Kyuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

Rassei answered as he synergized with his family as he flew and coiled around Asclepius.

Two layers of bounded field coated in shining golden color were erected; one golden dome to prevent Diodora from escaping, while the last one as the defense to keep Diodora at bay.

Rassei helped his mother as best as he could, his power amplifying the purification as Diodora roared in pain as a heavenly cloud of lightning smothered him, lightning shocking him within the cloud.

For some reason, the attack hurt more than the last time he engaged with her.

No, it must be because of the Evil Spirits inside him reacting like oil to the fire that was holy power, and his decomposing body!

"JUST SUBMIT TO ME!" The hulking Diodora banged on the barrier, cracking the golden dome in his frenzied desperation to live, his insanity-riddled face glaring at Asia with all of his rage.

"YOU ARE NOTHING! YOU ARE JUST A WEAK SHELTERED GIRL THAT ONLY DESERVES TO BE VIOLATED!"

Asia had spent quite a lot of power when she was dealing with Diodora's army. She might had experienced a power boost from her morale, but morale alone could only empower her so far. Between defending herself, Issei, and purifying Diodora who was relentlessly trying to break through her defense, Asia was not sure how long she would last. Even Rassei's attack could only help so much due to his lack of power as a young dragon.

Diodora was also severely weakened from his battle with Issei, but he was desperate and tenacious. Diodora's lips grew into a grin when his tenacity seemed to pay off. A crack appeared on the barrier encasing her and the Red Dragon Emperor. Each of his hits made more cracks, as Asia's expression contorted from the strain, her legs collapsed to her knees.

Asia refused to back down as she channeled more of her power. More, and more, to her very limits and beyond.

But Diodora's arms managed to break through the barrier - Asia was quick to maintain and repair the barrier no matter how small. While Diodora could not completely step past her defense, his arms had reached inside enough to enclose around her neck.

Diodora began to laugh despite the searing pain of purification. Rassei had begun to intensify his lightning attack when he saw the monster's hands begin to squeeze his mother's neck.

Asia gasped as her breathing was suddenly disrupted, her barriers shimmering for a second. Her one hand futilely held on Diodora's hulk hand, while her other hand kept clutching on the Rod of Asclepius.

Their battle had turned into the battle of will-power; as Asia met the madness in Diodora's eyes without fear.

On the other hand, while being weakened and feeling that his lifespan was being chipped away even further, Diodora himself refused to back down as he still wanted to savor the suffering in Asia's expression, as he did not relent his hold on her windpipe.

Despite the increasing difficulty in breathing and concentrating, Asia refused to let everyone down as she brought out all of the power within her, everything she had into this purification.

If she were to fall here - not only Issei, but the souls of the other holy maidens that took refuge within him would be in danger as well.

Her wings started to burn as she winced from the strain, fire conflagorating the symbol of her angelhood.

"HAHAHAHA! YOU SHOULD LOOK AT YOURSELF, ASIA!" Diodora's deranged laugh echoed as he saw flames devouring Asia's wings. "YOU ARE ONLY PROLONGING YOUR DEATH AND SUFFERING! JUST SUBMIT ALREADY!"

Weathering through the excruciating, searing pain across her back, as well as around her windpipe being slowly crushed, Asia remained strong as Rassei squeaked out of worry.

Her face was twisted in agony but she persevered.

She prayed to Michael for strength, she prayed to herself that she could save the boy she loved - her very first friend, powering through the pain as her holy radiance grew brighter.

Diodora's smile froze when Asia's holy power suddenly grew more powerful and potent.

"Wait, what is happening? What are you doing?!" Diodora saw her radiance growing brighter the moment her wings burned away.

The next second, Diodora then watched Asia open her emerald orbs that radiated with power, and the area where they were struggling suddenly exploded in an invisible force that knocked him away.

Stumbling on the ground, Diodora coughed and shook the vertigo off his head, and witnessed an impossible.

New wings, fairy-like translucent rainbow wings sprouted wide from Asia's back, lifting her up to the air - as Asclepius and her form shone, her spirit unlocking her Balance Breaker as she achieved true Ascension.

Transformed in holy light, Asia wore a saintess robes, her Rod of Asclepius wearing the ring of Twilight Healing, the mark of the holy cross on the gem of the ring.

Twilight Saint Affection - Herald of Fairy Queen

Asia bears an aura of confidence and power unlike her previous iteration, her holy power so potent that Diodora could feel the evil spirits inside him shrieking in her presence as it permeates through his mutated body.

XoX

At various parts of the school ground, everyone else who was defending the students from the infiltrating enemy forces suddenly felt a gush of warm, holy power enveloping the entire building.

The evil spirits that were wailing in agony suddenly halted their rampage, before their tormented expressions mellowed out in peace as they slowly vanished in motes of golden light.

"Those spirits… They're being purified." Xenovia remarked.

"It's so… Warm. This level of power… Are we having a Seraph coming as a back-up?" Irina muttered.

On the other hand, Vali Lucifer was stunned speechless at the warm light surrounding him, despite his Scale Mail encasing his body. All of sudden, the face of his mother came to mind.

Vali then made a mental note to check on his mother later. Last time he heard, his mother was happy and has started a new family with a human male.

I wonder how she is faring…

XoX

Others like Rias, and Asia's friends were frozen in awe at the new form. Unlike the unadulterated fear that ran through Diodora's veins - they felt as if they were gazing at their mother's face. Asia's radiating aura felt like gentle, warm, loving arms unconditionally embracing them.

Akeno, Yuuto, and Koneko in particular - shed tears at the sheer warmth enveloping them.

Diodora raised his hands up in reflex to block the light, feeling his skin burning in her presence.

"W-What is this light?! It burns!" Diodora shouted, shrieking like a vampire to extreme sunlight. He was smoking like an actual vampire in extreme sunlight.

Additionally, a loud roar was heard above Asia's Ascended Form.

In the place of the young Imoogi, Rassei roared in his newly majestic form. His length and size now rivaled Saji's Vritra form, with a pair of deer-like horns sat on its head like a crown.

Asia then addressed her familiar, "Rassei, please ensure the safety of the school and the students."

Rassei softly growled in worry for a second, descending from the sky until his head was right next to his mother. Asia simply smiled softly and caressed his snouts, placing a soft kiss on his scale.

"I will be fine. Go."

With that line delivered, the dragon then soared back to the sky with an enthusiastic roar, intending to follow his mother's orders to the letter.

Asia then directed her attention to Diodora, who shrieked a pathetic scream as he backed away from her, falling on his rear.

"Stay away!" Diodora fired an arcane missile at Asia, but she nullified it with a holy barrier easily.

The light she radiated was… different. It was not the same angelic light he was faced with! Diodora's power was extremely weakened under this light, a light he had never encountered, holier than even archangel light.

"...Diodora." Asia's mien was a gentle calm, kindness radiating from her form. "...I pray that you find redemption in the next life." She aimed her staff at Diodora.

"N-No! Stay back!" Diodora's instincts screamed at him to run away.

But Asia's light had already enveloped him and all of the surrounding area. Diodora attempted to move, but his strength somehow left him, his power waning each second in Asia's presence to his despair, allowing Asia to close the distance in a second.

Diodora could only watch in fear at the Ascended angel floating before him. Moreover, he had no idea what would happen to him next, and that notion terrified him.

However, of all things he could have anticipated, Diodora absolutely did not expect for Asia Argento to hug him - or to be precise, since his body is way larger than hers, she was embracing his head close to her bosom.

"You have been suffering for too long…" Asia whispered with the tone of a mother comforting her child, "Everything is going to be alright; you don't need to curse anyone, even yourself, anymore."

Diodora winced, memories of his past flashed in his mind. For as long as he could remember - he had been destined for greatness, or so everyone in his house said.

His parents sympathized with the ideal of the old government, but they knew better than to openly rebel against their eldest, who was one of the heroes of the Civil War - Ajuka Astaroth, who had become Ajuka Beelzebub.

You are the heir of the Noble House of Astaroth. You are destined to surpass your brother, my son. Become the King you are meant to be.

Those were the words he heard when he could hear his mother. It was the words he lived by, the words he followed fanatically…

Those who were not of Noble Blood should be stepped on. Commoners should remain commoners.

An Heir should not follow the ways of his inferiors.

That is what you should do with property.

Good, you broke their will. Do with them as you will.

Then Diodora recalled the times he was constantly compared to his brother.

His brother should be able to solve this formula in a second, not good enough, his brother is much better than him at everything.

He remembered how he lived under his brother's shadow for years… He recalled how he started suppressing the fear that he would never reach Ajuka no matter with his parents' support. They kept telling him that he would surpass his brother… then it devolved into a mantra he was surpassing his brother… by doing nothing but indulge in his delusion.

The stress it created led him to breaking the pure maidens his parents introduced, which he now sought with fanatical, diabolical lust, without him being aware of it.

"Ah...Was… Was I wrong to live like this?" Diodora asked as tears fell from his eyes. "My parents… They promised me that I am destined… to be the next Devil King… I did everything they wanted of me… yet… why? Were they wrong?"

Diodora compared himself to his ideal goal.

He looked at his hands, his mutated, ugly barbaric hands inflated with muscle and unholy power.

"...The answer is already there." Asia gently reminded.

"...I just… wanted to live how they want me to live… so I can make them proud…" Diodora understood now. He just did not know why he did not realize it for so long, but he still could not understand how his parents could lead him so astray, to his death.

"...I don't want to die…" Diodora's foot was past Death's door.

His hands… they were crumbling into dust, which vanished into motes of light. The disintegration was slowly reaching up his shoulders.

Asia gently ran her hand on the back of Diodora's head, soothing him like a mother to her child. "Do not fear… It will be fine." She said reassuringly, whilst praying that Diodora would find peace.

Asia then started to hum a lullaby, one she used to hear back in the Church. Her melodic voice actually calmed Diodora, as he slowly closed his eyes, accepting his fate, as the disintegration came to his neck.

"...I'm sorry."

For the first time in his life… Diodora found the heart to regret his actions.

No. He will not escape.

Asia opened her eyes, as well as Diodora at the ethereal voice that suddenly echoed in their heads.

Moreover, Diodora's disintegration suddenly took a different turn; his remaining body - mainly his head, that was supposed to be purified, along with his soul, suddenly burst into flames, forcing Asia to relinquish her arms off Diodora, who screamed in agony.

"N-NO, NOOO! HELP MEEEE!"

"D-Diodora!" Asia quickly held up her Rod of Asclepius to diffuse the otherworldly blaze, only for her to witness a giant, ethereal hand wrapping its fingers around the burning Diodora.

He is mine.

Diodora's scream was the sound he made before the flames took him, consuming his entire being.

Asia was distraught, so much so that she broke her role as an angel of peace.

"No…"

Within the event horizon, the light of existence above and the darkness of true nothingness below, Diodora looked at the thing.

The thing he sold his soul to since he was locked up in his own home in the Underworld.

The faceless outer god had two bleeding injuries the last time he saw, constantly bleeding wounds that could not coagulate, a massive hole in his chest and a slash wound down the middle from his head to his crotch, the line of perfect symmetry.

GOD was no longer bleeding. The gaping chest wound shrunk, the wound now a scar, the same for the dividing line. The line shrunk into a vertical scar on his face.

Before, he looked at the eldritch thing as a tool to bring him out of his misery, to use for his own goals.

For the first time in his life, he hated himself. He hated and cursed himself for taking the deal as he hyperventilated.

The souls Diodora tried to fuse with left him, all of them wailing as they were torn from him as a stream of spirits flowing into GOD, right into his scar.

"N-No! Please!" Diodora understood at that moment.

This was GOD's plan all along.

To use all of the souls he liberated and made pacts with as fuel to heal himself, to restore him to full power.

His was nothing more than GOD's healing salve. He just left him to his own devices so he could fatten himself before the slaughter, and fatten himself he did with the Trihexa Cells and the Mask of Evolution.

The debt is due. Your life is now forfeit,

Diodora screamed as the fires consumed him, tearing his existence apart.

As he disappeared, he wondered if this was what would happen to him if he were to die and enter Malebolge as one of its prisoners, to be flayed and tortured for eternity.

You should be thankful. At least I spared you the torment of Malebolge.

It was still not the mercy he wanted.

Peace was within his reach and GOD ripped it from him. After all he had done, this fate was what he deserved… but still.

Someone… please…

Diodora prayed to God… no, he is dead. The dead cannot do what the living could.

He prayed to Asia….

In his last moments, he prayed to the one human that surpassed all expectations.

Please… destroy this thing… before it…

His thoughts died as GOD finished consuming his soul.

To be Continued…..

Omake: A Quirky Date - Episode 2: Koneko Toujou

It was supposed to be a big day for one Koneko Toujou.

After deciding by lot, the Rook of Rias Gremory got the next turn to spend the day with Issei Hyoudou alone, after Asia Argento.

They were currently at the cafe from the internet's recommendation; enjoying themselves over lunch. Unfortunately, Koneko could not bring herself to fully devote on the date.

Why, of all days… It has to be this day?!

Koneko Toujou - one of the remaining Nekoshou, has entered the mating season. She found out in the morning after having a wet dream out of nowhere, which involved her and the boy who was sitting in front of her, across the small table.

Her rational side compelled her to control herself; it was supposed to be a simple, yet a nice date - she could not afford to embarrass herself by surrendering to her instinct. The last thing she needed was for the boy to think of her as some kind of sexual predator.

On the other hand…

Her hazel eyes were focused on the table which separated her and her date. The thing she wanted the most at the moment, happened to rest just beneath the rectangular table, covered in a couple layers of pants.

"Koneko?"

The girl blinked and noticed that Issei was looking at her with a small concern on his face, "...You okay? You haven't touched your sweets for some time."

Issei asked while chewing on a slice of chocolate mousse.

"I… I am alright." Koneko replied as she returned her focus to her large Sundae Parfait.

She took a few small scoops into her mouth - trying to distract herself with the sweet treat. As she was chewing and swishing some ice cream in her mouth, her mind wandered.

I wonder if Ise-senpai tasted like this…

She stopped herself from imagining her tongue licking a different kind of white filling from a rod of meat.

No, no, no! Focus, Koneko, focus!

The girl shook her head to banish the indecent thoughts, and chose to look for something else that could distract herself. That's right, she should start a conversation.

"Say, Ise-senpai…"

Her words died in her mouth when she saw Issei accidentally took a bit bigger than he could chew - the chocolate sauce staining his lips as his tongue licked them clean.

Koneko ended up licking her own lips at the sight.

Then her horny mind tempted her to do the deed to get a leg up against the other girls, especially the fried chicken girl.

When wiping his mouth, Issei blinked, "Um… Koneko?"

"...Hm?" Koneko hummed absent-mindedly.

"...Why is your foot brushing around my thighs?"

Koneko blinked and realized that her legs were feeling him up without her noticing. "S-s-sorry."

"Seriously, Koneko; you okay?" Issei scrunched his eyebrows slightly, "You've been kind of out of it now."

Koneko blushed.

Her body was slowly betraying her. No, it was already betraying her the moment she was in proximity with Issei.

"I-I'm… um…" Her cat ears poked out, wiggling.

Her tail was swishing back and forth.

Issei watched Koneko's tail moving as if it had a mind of its own. He looked around briefly, worried other people noticed a girl suddenly grew a tail out of her skirt.

Her tail pointed at him… no, it was pointing at the spot between his legs and then coiled up, moving up and down in a way that implied something adult themed.

Something that started with a hand and ended with a job. Issei wondered if he should stop the date, but he knew better.

"...Do you want to sit next to me?" Issei asked.

The tail sprang up in a straight line and then swished with frenzied excitement.

However, Koneko fought her desire with logic, "Um… No, I don't want to impose."

Seeing her face was beet red, Issei became more suspicious that something was wrong with his date.

"...Let's call it a day and go back home, okay?" Issei said with an apologetic smile.

"No!" Koneko quickly stopped herself from causing a scene after replying a tad too loudly. Clearing her throat, she stood up from her seat.

"I-I mean… I am fine. I'll go use the restroom for a bit."

Issei did not stop Koneko from walking away. However, once she was out of sight, Issei flipped out his phone and dialed a number.

"Err, hey, Vali. Is Kuroka with you? I need to talk to her. It's about Koneko."

XoX

Koneko never thought she would do this in a public restroom.

The corruption of the perverted duo must have tainted her.

If this was what it was like for the two perverts that constantly peeked into the girls' locker room, she almost sympathized with them.

ALMOST being a weak word since they had no excuse to be horny all the time.

Koneko shuddered a breathy moan, swished her tail as she dropped her pants.

Her tail was playing with her very moist maidenhood, rubbing her most sensitive nub as she covered her mouth, trying to suppress her voice.

She never thought she would fall into depravity like this, even though she did become a devil in all of its irony.

With her tail kept playing with her vagina, she took a deep breath as she slid one hand under her shirt, and slowly but surely began to pleasure herself, while imagining that Issei - who was still waiting on their table, was doing it to her.

"Ise-senpai…" Koneko muttered while keeping her voice low, biting her knuckle when her tail pressed on her clit.

At the same time, she was reminded that Issei was still waiting for her. She had to finish this quickly. She took a fistful amount of toilet paper and bit on it, allowing both of her hands to be free of stimulating herself. Her mind simply focused on feeling good for the time being.

She willed her tail push through the opening of her Vagina, allowing her now-free hand to play with her clit. Soon, the edge of her tail began to go back and forth in earnest, with her fingers stimulating her nipple and her clit at the same time.

Thanks to her heat, it did not take long for her pleasure to reach its peak, as she bit and chewed the toilet paper between her teeth harder, as drool was leaking from the corners of her lips. Her movement had become more frantic - and when she finally achieved her orgasm, she threw her head back with a muffled cry, and her shoes were scraping against the tiled floor as her legs and body flexed from the pleasure.

She breathed heavily for some time - her body was still convulsing from the pleasure of her orgasm.

Her body finally relaxed, the wet and stained toilet paper fell off her mouth. Now she had to get out and tidy herself.

Koneko looked up and froze when a familiar pair of hazel eyes were looking at her, with the owner of the said eyes grinning from ear to ear from the gap between the stall's door and the ceiling.

"Nyaaaaa~ My sister has grown up~" Kuroka commented at Koneko's first orgasm.

"B-B-Big Sister Kuroka?! W-W-W-What are you doing here?!" Koneko felt like she wanted to flush herself down the toilet.

"Your boyfriend called me, you see~ He said you're not looking too hot, nya." Kuroka explained, "Lo and behold, first date and you are ready and eager to make baby kittens with him~"

"Y-You're wrong!" Koneko shook her head so fast she left afterimages.

"No, no, it is natural. I know what it's like to be in heat. Do you want me to show you how to control it for your date?"

Koneko was about to reply, when a thought crossed her mind, "...Big Sister Kuroka, how long have you been here?"

Kuroka's eyes gleamed before she replied with a hum, "Hmm…. Probably around the time you're just getting into it~"

"And you couldn't have interfered sooner?!" Koneko replied with a mortified tone.

"And what, interrupt your little fun time? What kind of big sister would I be?"

"A responsible one!"

"I am responsible. I am letting you experience the joy of orgasm without interruption and embrace adulthood." She smiled with sophistry.

"...You are the worst." Koneko glared away cutely while her face was still red like mad.

"Mhmm, I love you too, Shirone~" Kuroka replied without missing a beat. "Now come on, let's get you nice and clean so you can return to your date."

...THOUGHTS?! XD

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