Chapter 85 — The Old Maou Faction

Yuuto

Buchou and Issei vanished in a flash of light.

Rias-Buchou had looked shocked at being ushered into the magic circle by Grayfia-san.

Issei looked flustered by the rapid events but determined. 

They were going to save Gasper-kun.

I believed that they would be able to do it.

Now Xenovia-san, Kusari-san, and I had orders from our [King] to follow. 

I glanced at Kusari-san.

She was still watching the place Bucho and Ise-kun had been.

Her tails shifted behind her as she moved her attention to the magic circle on the conference table.

She looked better and felt more powerful.

Both were good things for the upcoming fight.

She also looked prettier like she did after the last deal was removed, which meant Ise-kun would stare at her more than he did before.

That was less important at the moment.

The Fox of Ill Omen, Shirimine Yuki.

Her past was thrown in front of us without her being prepared for it.

Azazel-san and Serafall-sama had both said some worrying things, and combined with what we had been told before by Grayfia-san, it did not paint her in a good light.

But I knew Kusari-san.

I trusted her and I would wait to pass any judgment until after she explained it to us.

After all, I understood doing things for revenge that I had come to regret.

Xenovia-san stood next to me.

Her attention was fully focused on the enemy’s magic circle that had formed in the room.

She held Durandal in a way that would make it easy to launch a large swing towards the magic circle.

The leaders of each faction watched the magic circle.

Azazel-san chuckled seeing it.

Sirzechs-sama looked annoyed rather than shocked at the enemy Devil’s magic circle appearing.

“The magic circle of the Leviathan.”

I looked to Serafall-sama with confusion.

This wasn’t her magic circle as far as I was aware.

Xenovia-san noticed my confusion and spoke quietly.

“I’ve seen this magic circle before in one of the books in the Vatican. That’s the magic circle of the original Maou Leviathan.”

So, it was a member of the house of Leviathan.

A single person appeared from the magic circle.

It was a tall, beautiful, tanned skinned woman with brown hair, glasses, and purple-grey eyes.

She was wearing a revealing dress that showed her voluptuous figure.

It went low into her cleavage and revealed much of her legs.

She carried herself as if she was above every person in the room.

She looked around the room with arrogant, cold eyes and spoke with a mocking edge in her voice.

“So, how do you do, current Maou Sirzechs-dono? I hope my interruption is acceptable.”

The woman greeted Sirzechs-sama while staring down at him.

“Katerea Leviathan, a descendant of the Leviathan. What is the meaning of your intrusion here?”

Sirzechs-sama said this.

So, Xenovia-san was right and this is related to the old Maou.

After the death of the four original Maou the current Maou were chosen from among all of the remaining Pillar houses. 

The houses of the original Maou resisted this decision heavily as they wanted the position of Maou to stay in their families.

After the Great War the Devil side was already exhausted, and with the tension between the Old Maou Faction and the New Maou Faction a civil war broke out.

The Old Maou Faction was defeated.

However, the disagreement continued in the new government as there were still some with beliefs aligning with the Old Maou Faction. 

Katerea Leviathan gave a defiant smile and spoke.

“I came here as a representative of the true Devil line. Or perhaps it would be more correct to say I came as a representative of the Old Maou Faction.” Her smile widened. “And as a member of Khaos Brigade.”

“So the feud between the Devil factions has come to a head again. You Devils sure are difficult.” Azazel-san said.

He grinned at her like it had nothing to do with him.

Sirzechs-sama frowned.

“Katerea, are your words true? The Old Maou Faction has decided to betray us?”

“It is not a betrayal! We are going to take back the power that is rightfully ours! We have taken charge of this attack by the Khaos Brigade and will dispose of the false Maou.”

“So it’s a coup d’état then, huh?”

Azazel-san said still grinning

To strike at a time like this, when the Three Factions were so close to finally having peace, as well as aligning themselves with terrorists, the Old Maou Faction had fallen low.

“Katerea, why?”

“Because, Sirzechs, we stand on opposite sides regarding this meeting today. With God and the original Maou gone, we believe that the world should be changed to what we desire. This world was damaged the moment we accepted compromise. The old blood was diluted. Our purpose abandoned. We merely intend to rebuild what should have remained.”

“Was Ophis able to predict how this meeting would unfold? Was she able to Predict our peace talks? No, I’m not certain that is the case.” Azazel-san said to himself.

Katerea looked to Azazel-san and sighed at his question. 

“Ophis is a symbol for the Kahos Brigade of power, and that power draws others to them. We have asked her for help in destroying the world so what we could reform it again. But we will be the ones to manage the new world we create.”

Katerea spoke with a fanatical belief as if this was something destined to be true.

Th Old Maou Faction had always believed that their families were chosen to rule above others.

And with a Dragon God as their leader it makes sense that the Kahos Brigade was able to gather so many malcontents under them.

They gathered the Old Maou faction, the Magicians outside, humans with Sacred Gear and Longinus, and rebels from both the Fallen Angel and Angel sides.

It is a formidable group that opposes our peace.

Sirzechs-sama smiled harshly at Katerea.

“So, you have gathered those who are dissatisfied o with the current world and wish to rule it for themselves. Those who believe themselves to be above others without actually having the power or support to be. And you are using the Ouroboros Ophis as the center to rally around.”

“The Oruoboros is said to have infinite power and was similar or greater in strength to God. But He was defeated already, so would the Dragon representing Infinity be able to be defeated as well?” I heard Kusari-san mutter to herself.

Then Serafall-sama shouted to Katerea. 

“Katerea-chan! Why are you doing such a thing!?”

Katerea’s expression turned dark with rage at her shout.

“You! How dare you act so shameless, Serafall! You’re the one who stole the position of Leviathan from me! The position as Maou should have gone to a descendant of the house of Leviathan, not you!” 

Serafall-sama looked taken aback at her anger. 

“Katerea-chan...I-”

Katerea cut her off

You won’t have to worry much longer Serafall. You along with Michael, Azazel-san, and Sorzhecs will die today. I’ll personally enjoy ending the false Leviathan. Once you’ve all been dealt with Ophis will be placed as the new god of the world and we will create the new world as we please.”

The leaders of the Three Factions glared at Katerea’s threat against their lives.

Only Azazel-san looked as if he didn’t care.

He began to chuckle darkly.

Katerea looked confused at first before her confusion turned to anger.

“Oh, so you find your end amusing Azazel? Or is it something else?”

“No, no it’s just…. You think that you people will be able to work together to form a new world, right?”

“Yes. After we destroy the current order we will reform the world in our own design. The current world is-”

Azazel-san slammed his hand down on the table cutting her off.

“The current world is prospering. Whatever view you have of it is misconstrued or you’re simply using that as an excuse for your desire for power.” Azazel-san sighed before continuing. “Just as well, do you really think that after you win that every faction on your side would work together nicely to form your new world? Or would you simply tear each other apart for the scraps?”

Katerea glared at him.

Azazel-san stared at her for a moment before chuckling.

“Katerea, your goal is too cliché. You and the Old Maou Faction aren’t powerful enough to try and chase such a desire. All this will end up being a footnote in history of a poorly thought out rebellion. You’ll be remembered as a low level villain.” Azazel-san said. 

“Azazel, I’ll make sure that in the world I will help create that no one will even remember your name!”

Katerea released her demonic power across the room.

Her demonic power pushed forward with such force that the conference table groaned and began to buckle under the pressure.

Her hair and bits of debris blew back with the shockwave of power.

I had to brace myself against it as I summoned a holy-demonic sword.

Xenovia-san tightened her grip on Durandal next to me.

Kusari-san took a step back before settling her stance.

It made me understand why the old bloodline Devils viewed themselves as superior if they were born with this kind of strength.

Her arrogance didn’t seem as baseless as it did moments ago.

Sirzechs-sama stood at last.

The room seemed to steady around the motion.

He did not unleash his power like Katerea had but everyone stopped and looked at him all the same.

“If you intend to use this meeting as a battlefield,” he said, “then I will ask once more. Withdraw.”

Katerea sneered at him coldly.

“No.”

The answer came with enough certainty that nothing more needed to be said.

Azazel pushed himself away from thysblr and rolled one shoulder as though preparing for exercise rather than combat with a descendant of the old Leviathan line.

“Sirzechs, Serafall, Michael, you won’t object if I take this one, right?” he said.

Serafall-sama didn’t deny him.

Michael-sama gave the smallest nod.

Sirzechs-sama looked at him once, then back to Katerea.

“I’m assuming that asking you to surrender would be pointless?”

She scoffed.

“I would be. You were a decent Maou Sirzechs, but not good enough. And I won’t be asking for a surrender, this only ends with all of you dead.

Sirzechs-sama was silent for a beat.

“… I see. What a waste. Go ahead Azazel.”

Azazel-san grinned wider.

“That settles it.”

He pointed at one of the windows and a section of wall was blown away.

He then pointed at Katerea as he spread his twelve wings.

“So, descendant of the original Leviathan, are you ready to face me? Facing one of the [Monsters of the End] will be interesting” he said.

Katerea spread her own wings at his challenge.

“Then you’ll be the first to die, Governor or the Fallen Angels. It’s fitting for your mocking attitude you have shown.”

Then he moved.

He did not leap so much as blur.

One moment he stood in the conference room, the next he was outside through the hole in the wall he had made.

His black wings opened into the air with such force that broken glass and loose papers spiraled after him.

Katerea followed in a burst of demonic power, her own dark wings beating behind her as she shot out into the night sky after him.

The impact of their first clash shook the room.

The barrier flashed brighter outside, the sky over the school grounds erupting into violent light as Azazel-san’s holy lances and Katerea’s immense demonic force smashed against one another above the campus.

I felt Xenovia-san tense beside me with obvious frustration at not being the one sent to fight.

Then Sirzechs-sama’s attention shifted to us.

“Kiba Yuuto.”

I straightened instantly.

“Yes.”

“There are still magicians all over the school grounds. They must be driven back before they can reinforce the old school building or damage the outer lines any further. Follow Rias’s orders to clear them out.”

My answer came before he finished the thought.

“I understand.”

“Xenovia Quarta,” he said next.

Xenovia-san stepped forward at once. “Yes.”

“You will assist her.”

“Gladly.”

That left one obvious presence beside us.

Sirzechs-sama’s eyes moved to Kusari-san.

He watched her with more intensity that they had with Xenovia-san or I.

She bowed her head a fraction the instant his attention fully settled on her.

I disliked what Sirzechs-sama’s attention did to her more now than I had when I first noticed it.

Before Sirzechs-sama could speak, Kusari-san said, very evenly, “My [King] has already ordered me to assist with the Magicians. I will not disobey her orders.”

His mouth curved by just enough to count as amusement.

“Then do so.”

I watched the two of them.

It seemed like their interaction was deeper than it appeared to be. 

Kusari-san’s answer was immediate.

“Yes.”

Serafall-sama, who had remained seated through all of this with one leg crossed and her smile just barely holding back a much sharper mood, gave us a cheerful little wave that would have been comforting if it had not come from a Maou in the middle of an attack.

“Do your best☆! You’ll have to give me some tips on my Levi-tan transformation sequence Omen-chan☆!

Kusari-san looked visibly confused.

She glanced at Xenovia-san and I.

I had to stop myself from chuckling at how off guard Serafall-sama caught her.

“I…. yes? I will assist you however I can, Serafall-sama.” She finally said.

Michael-san lifted one hand slightly and said, “We will maintain the barrier here now that Katerea Leviathan and Azazel are fighting. Do not allow the attackers to regroup.”

“Of course,” I said.

Sirzechs-sama’s gaze rested on me again.

Then he said, “Go.”

That was all.

No further orders or declarations.

We moved immediately.

Xenovia-san was first to the broken window, of course.

She barely needed the order before she jumped out into the open air, Durandal already gleaming in her hand ready to tear apart the night.

I was half a breath behind her, my Sacred Gear already active, forming another blade in my hands as I launched myself after.

I looked at Kusari-san as she followed behind me.

She looked once back into the room before leaping from the window.

It was a short glance back. 

Possibly looking to where Ise-kun and Rias-Buchou had been before, or toward Sirzechs-sama.

She flew through the air behind us, her four tails trailing behind her as she cut down into the night with a silent grace.

As we dropped into the schoolyard below we found it was already a battlefield.

Magic circles pulsed between broken patches of earth and rooftop lines.

Black-robed Magicians moved through the grounds in coordinated groups

In the distance explosions and attacks from Vali could be heard.

Above all of it, Azazel-san and Katerea’s battle lit the sky in waves of white and black so violent it looked as if heaven and the Underworld had started tearing at each other directly over Kuoh Academy.

I tightened my grip on my swords as the ground rushed up to meet us.

I am Rias Gremory’s [Kight].

I will follow her orders and defeat the enemy before me while Buchou and Ise-kun were saving Gasper-kun.

I looked at Xenovia-san and Kusari-san.

They nodded to me quietly and we began to move.

Xenovia-san was on my left and Kusari-san followed two steps behind us.

We would defeat the Terrorists that threatened our chance at peace.