Chapter 283: The Apocalypse

[Azazel POV]

It had been about two days since I had my “discussion” (fistfight) with that idiot Ikki.

Right now, I was in the capital of the underworld, Lilith, meeting with Sirzechs. There were things I needed to talk about directly—and someone else I was supposed to meet here as well.

Honestly… this whole thing feels like a joke now.

“Aaah… I feel drained,” I muttered. “We all braced ourselves for the worst, mentally preparing for some apocalyptic scenario… and then Ikki’s plan just goes and crushes Trihexa head-on…”

Even if he hadn’t fully killed it, he still managed to deal massive damage. That alone would’ve shortened our “hide and survive” phase by a huge margin.

“…Feels like all our careful preparations were for nothing.”

Sirzechs gave a wry smile. “Hahaha… I only heard the outline from Azazel, but if I had to propose the same plan as Ikki-kun…”

He paused.

“…Yes. I think courage would be required. Or rather, I’m not sure what else is needed besides the will to die.”

Yeah. That’s about right.

If this guy tried it, he’d probably explode in the first five seconds.

“Let me ask you this,” I said. “Can we, as the Devil faction, even prepare that?”

“Difficult,” Sirzechs admitted. “We cannot place everything on Ikki-kun alone. Not when there are alternatives.”

“Tch… figures.”

I sighed.

“If I had to give advice from the Fallen Angel side… I can hand over Baraqiel, Benemune, Sahariel, the usual higher-ups. They’ll manage.”

“…That doesn’t sound like what Ikki-kun is asking for,” Sirzechs replied.

“Yeah? Then he should’ve asked someone else.”

Why am I even thinking seriously about this?

Still… I’d already told my people not to hold back. The Grigori’s accumulated wisdom would be “properly” passed on.

Heh… let’s just see how far Ikki’s mind bends after this.

At that moment—

“…They’re here,” I said.

A knock echoed at the door.

“Excuse me. Lord Lucifer, former Governor Azazel.”

“Come in.”

The door opened.

A woman stepped inside.

“Welcome, Elmenhilde.”

Elmenhilde Karnstein—vampire envoy, once sent to Kuoh Town as a representative.

Yeah… been a while.

She looked the same as before—golden hair, crimson eyes, porcelain-white skin, noble dress, but something about her had changed.

Less arrogance. More fragility. Like she could vanish at any moment.

Well… makes sense. Their entire country got wrecked by that idiot’s scheme.

She placed a memory stick on the table.

“As you suspected, former Governor… we found the hidden data of the Holy Grail left behind by Marius Tepes.”

I nodded slowly.

As expected.

Even if that fool Marius was incompetent, he was still royalty and a researcher. It made sense he’d hide the important data somewhere else.

Apparently, they searched the entire castle to find it, digging through everything, even personnel records.

I picked up the memory stick.

“Good work.”

“No need. It is my duty.”

Cold answer.

Then again, that changed the moment I mentioned Ikki.

“If you’re free, you could come to Kuoh. You might even see Ikki.”

“W-Wh—!? W-W-WHY is the Red Dragon Emperor’s name being mentioned here!? I have absolutely nothing to do with him!”

She panicked instantly.

…Yeah, there it is.

That idiot really has a talent for creating flags everywhere he goes.

I sighed internally.

At this rate, his seventh girl might end up being her…

Well, whatever.

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[Third Person POV]

Five days after the Agreas reclamation operation succeeded—

The territory ruled by House Bael, said to rival even the Great Satans in influence, was in chaos.

The reason was the revelation broadcast across the Underworld by Diehauser Belial: the exposure of widespread fraud in Rating Games.

And worse—the Bael family itself had been implicated.

As a result, riots erupted across the land.

Right now, inside the Bael castle, a young man walked through the corridor surrounded by guards.

Magdaran Bael, the younger brother of Sairaorg Bael, once the designated heir.

The guards around him were tense.

Not because of his presence—

But because explosions had been echoing outside the castle walls for some time now.

BOOM!!

The Bael castle—long considered impregnable—was under attack.

However, the attackers were not ordinary civilians.

Even if enraged by the scandal, no mob could breach these defenses. This was not a riot.

It was an invasion.

Masked figures were storming the castle.

Magdaran exhaled quietly.

…So this is what comes after corruption is exposed.

At that moment, he turned a corner—

And saw a figure approaching.

Clad in black armor.

Guards immediately raised their weapons.

“Stand down,” Magdaran said.

“I recognize that armor… you are a retainer of Lady Sona Sitri, are you not?”

The armored figure removed its helmet and bowed lightly.

“Yes. I am a Pawn of Sona Sitri’s peerage. I have come to assist.”