Chapter 57: Ambush

Chapter 57: Ambush

This might sounds repetitive, but One-Punch Man 167 was INSANE.

The Twelve watched with rapt attention.

At first it was curiosity, but it turned into awe when they learned about the life this man led. A warrior that once strived to obtain the power of evil in the pursuit of good, to force a change at the cost of his life, a great self-sacrifice no one asked for, but one that deserved respect.

His struggles continued in his crusade, fighting against the protectors of man, the destroyers of man, and eventually confronted the avatars of both sides.

He tasted the power of one, not by his own will.

Even with that power, he lost against the other, the embodiment of unfairness as he called it.

Wizened by defeat in body and wisdom, the man rebuilt himself. Eventually, when the faceless eldritch entity acted once more, about to take the world he called home once the strongest man was no longer there, he acted.

He became more than the one that would have taken the power of the creature known as GOD and sundered him, wounding him, almost taking his life.

In that moment, they tried to reach out for him, all twelve hands attempting to call out for him at the most subconscious level to draw them out.

Only to stop when his gaze lashed out at them in his rage.

The Malebranche opened their eyes.

In a hidden base of the Hero Faction, in an undisclosed building in America, protected by George's wards to deter any detection while containing the energies and presences of the Malebranche and him, Cao Cao watched as the living weapons stirred.

"They're still going at it?" Hercules asked.

Cao Cao was sitting on a stool, watching them with rapt interest. There was a pile of chip bags on the floor beside him. Hercules offered Cao Cao a sandwich which Cao Cao accepted.

"Yeah. They just woke up from whatever they're doing. It's kind of weird seeing things that actually want to be wielded by someone else's power up close." Cao Cao said as he bit into the sandwich.

They were all sitting equidistantly around Garou.

Malacoda was the creature that was a fusion of an undead nonhuman skeleton and a demon. His presence bore a whisper that spoke of how easily he could take their lives faster than they could think. His head was nothing more than a goat skull with twelve horns, six identical pairs, curling behind him. His body was more bone-plated armor than skin and flesh, a canine-like skull on his left shoulder, acting as his pauldron.

His eyeless sockets glow with a disturbing orange light.

"...Think you can wield one of them?" Hercules asked as he took out an ice cream cone.

"I want to see if I can. But I'm gonna have to take Indra's advice a little. It's annoying, but I think I need to reach his level if I'm going to be capable of wielding one of them"

"...Huh." Hercules scoffed.

"You want to try it?" Cao Cao asked back. "To see if you're 'worthy'?" He snarked with a teasing grin as Hercules licked his ice cream.

"Kind of want to try, though, but then again When I can flip Olympus like a pancake, then I'll do it."

"Hah! Well, I don't blame you Well, how is it?" Cao Cao called out to Malacoda.

"He is too aware of us after that eldritch entity reached out to him." Malacoda almost hissed. "It is ironic, the one that became our obstacle is also the drive for our host to become what he is now."

Cao Cao was curious about his relationship with GOD. He asked before, but they would not divulge his secrets to him out of respect.

"You have a message for us. Speak." Barbariccia, the demonic knight, beckoned.

"...The son of Morningstar is making his move. He wants us to head out to the Underworld. You demons are looking forward to it?" Cao Cao asked as Hercules started biting into his ice cream cone.

"To lay waste to the species that not only created us, but also tried to enslave us?" Libicocco, the fiery elemental in the shape of a buxom woman pondered aloud.

"Hehehehehe, how exciting~ Oh, I have a few forms I wish to try out from our host's memoriessss" Alichino giggled maniacally. He fit the trope of a jester-like demon, with an enigmatic mask, the only inhuman features were his large disproportionate forearms ending in massive demonic claws.

"I have an unending hatred for the Devils, but times have changed drastically that I'm not sure. They don't even know about us." Draghignazzo, the Demonic Black Dragon, huffed the smoke from his nostrils. This dragon was around the size of an ogre, but the power compacted into his form surpassed even the biggest dragon.

"We should remind them of their sins. They've forgotten too much to deserve mercy." Farfarello was the smallest of them all, a fusion of a goblin and an imp, light blue in color. He giggled as he hopped, landing atop of Calcabrina, a demon that is a fusion of a horse and a gorilla covered in crystal armor, the largest of the group.

"...Do you plan to go along with the violence? Or do you have something to exploit from this chaos?" Malacoda inquired.

Cao Cao smirked.

"Of course I do. I'm gonna need some help though What do you think about trying to steal the Corpse of the Beast and the research behind it?" Cao Cao inquired.

The demons turned to Cao Cao.

"A grand treachery this early? And from the same man that thought butchering innocent children would lead to heroic glory?" Rubicante's voice gurgled.

This one had four horn-like spikes growing from his back, crimson color dying the flesh from his head until his shoulders and stomach, red cancer-like meat covered within a armor-like shell with two arms ending in massive spikes for his hands while his legs were digitigrade ending in clawed toes.

Cao Cao's mien soured a little at the demon's jab.

"...Yeah, rub my stupid past self into my face. I gave it some thought after a chat with a relative of a friend. And what you told me about this guy. I got my ideals sorted at least from that." Cao Cao responded, gesturing to the man they had served their will.

"And what do you plan to do with the corpse once you succeed? From what I know, the beast is massive." Barbariccia asked.

"I have connections. There's a God that's willing to help me at least. We can do this. I have a plan for what's coming next"

"Why not send our host to battle and reclaim the body? He is unstoppable." Libicocco asked.

"The eldritch thing that is running the show will know that he's here if we do send him. We will ruin our element of surprise if we send him in just to disarm just one of its plans. This thing has a history of waiting in untouchable places where we cannot find him for centuries. The man we have is the weapon we need to take it down when he cannot escape. However, I can take a few of you with me. I don't think the Son of Morningstar knows your faces, so they cannot determine whether you're the weapons we stole or not."

The Malebranche exchanged glances with each other as they ruminated on the plan.

"This era has many surprises. So be it. Lead us then, o' ambitious one." Malacoda gestured.

Shaalba watched as his comrade stepped into the room.

Creuserey Asmodeous died a horrible death, a shameful one, lost instantly against an outsider. However, the same man returned from the dead when the walls separating the world from Hell were torn, Creuserey amongst the spirits that were freed.

He did not come out of the afterlife unscathed, however.

His time in Hell left him a few traumatic scars, tortured in mind and spirit by the other dead that laid there. It took him months there to plead his case to the ruling factions in Malebolge, earning some reprieve.

Rizevim had to spent a little of his time repairing Creusery's tortured spirit before shoving it into the new body he made for him.

Creusery Asmodeus stepped in. His face was no different, but his body was another story, taller, broader, more toned. His eyes were reptilian and his irises blood-red. His body was more Trihexa than Devil at this point, but the Son of Morningstar implanted a Devil heart into Creusery to appeal to their sense of purity to some extent.

Even so the feeling was pleasant, to see someone coming back from death stronger than before.

Shaalba managed a small smile, "...Welcome back, Creuserey."

"It is good to see you again, Shaalba." The revived devil returned the gesture before the two firmly shook hands.

"Have you fully recovered from your time in Malebolge?" Shaalba asked.

"I think so it is not something I like to talk about." Creusery shuddered.

"What is it like there? Hell?" Shaalba asked with a bit of morbid curiosity.

Creusery remained silent as he tried to find the words to reflect the world of the damned.

"...It is worse than what the Bible depicted." Creusery said. "It is a hellish world where only the strongest can retain their sanity. There is no outside force or omnipotent being governing the torments. New souls are always captured, imprisoned tortured. Your status, what you are in life means nothing there. To them, you're only fresh meat to butcher. No one can perish in Malebolge, Shaalba. I lost count of how many times I wished to embrace oblivion when I was tortured the first month. I was passed around like a commodity, Shaalba I managed to convince the founding devils of our plan when it was their turn."

Shaalba remained silent, cold sweat trickled down his skin. He could not imagine what his friend suffered, but he could feel the pain in his voice.

"...How is Cattleya?" Creusery asked.

"We don't know." Shaalba grimaced, deciding to change the topic. "We have no idea what is done to her. Our connections to the Nobles could not find anything either. The torture is under Grigori's jurisdiction."

Creusery scowled in return.

"...But I did manage to find out the wretch that had her. The one that took your life."

Creuserey widened his eyes when flashing images of the Silver Demigod appeared. He ground his teeth with rage before he swiftly quelled it.

"Is it finally time?" Creusery asked with barely-concealed anticipation.

"It is. Mordax Bael and the others we managed to sway via words or blackmail have prepared the invasion. We are going to unleash literal Hell into the Underworld. How are the original founders of our species?"

"They are a bit furious that we lost the Devil Arms. Enraged and scared." Creusery answered. "...Albeit appeased by the new bodies Rizevim prepared for them and their most trusted generals."

"Good. We can worry about living weapons later. The time for waiting is now over. The world shall tremble before our might. This time, no one can stop us from achieving our destiny."

XoX

Japan today was too alien compared to what she knew before.

Once upon a time, most of the land was conquered by nature, so much so that the touch of nature dominated the lands touched by humans.

Seeing the humans conquering the Land of Rising Sun was another story, however.

Within the streets of Tokyo, a pale woman in an ancient black kimono stood out from the people in modern-day clothes as she walked with the crowd. Her skin was so pale, deathly pale, yet her beauty was haunting, almost otherworldly, beyond the touch of man yet also out of touch with the present at the same time.

She was eyeing the clouds in the air, her hair tied in a bun, held together by a pin though upon closer inspection, it was extravagantly bedecked in tiny jewels, and there was a fine blade at the end of it.

This land was her home yet it became something else.

"Um excuse me, ma'am?"

She turned to the voice. A man in modern clothes. She took a note of his blue dress-shirt, the badge with a cherry-blossom carved on it, and several foreign contraptions on his person, along with a hat on his head.

"...Are you perhaps lost?" He asked.

She stared at him.

The man was nothing more than average. He was kind, yet weak. He was so easily enchanted, yet he noticed the anomaly that was her.

She slowly shook her head at him with a small smile on her face. When the light turned green, she faced forward, heading towards the main road, observing and imitating the other people who had resumed their walk around her.

She kept walking past more people - ignoring a couple of elderly who fell down to their knees, the wife was having breathing difficulty while being helped by her equally suffocated husband. A child was looking pale and weak in his mother's arms, who was also looking breathless herself.

More people showed symptoms of exhaustion and sickness wherever the woman went. When she walked past a florist shop, the flowers and plants on the display suddenly withered away. Stray cats hissed at her before they ran away for their lives, and dogs barked at her before they chose to flee as well.

Slowly behind her, a mist was forming as she walked. The mist slowly covered the streets of Tokyo behind her. The woman continued walking as more and more started to fall ill.

By the time she exited the borders of Tokyo, the illness left the city, but the mist remained. The ominous mist trailed behind her, marking her path as she walked. She continued walking past the patty farms of the outskirt villages, into the mountains of nature, through the suburban houses.

Along the way, strange creatures followed her. A parade of a hundred shadows danced in the mist, following the woman.

Massive skeletons followed her, giant creatures of bone rattled, moving by pulling themselves forward with their hands. Serpentine figures with the upper torsos that of humans' slithered within the mist. Demonic figures cackled behind her, holding clubs and large jugs behind them alongside other trinkets.

It was like the parade of a hundred demons marching beside her, only they do not follow the mythical Nurahiyon.

There was a large house, a mansion. The design it was foreign.

The make of outsiders.

She smiled as she approached the door.

"...Wow, sounds like you guys have been through a lot."

Kiyome remarked as she and Asia were sitting together in the living room of the former's house over a cup of tea.

It had been a couple of days since the combined forces of Kuoh Academy's Occult Research Club, Student Council, Irina, Xenovia and Asia herself, had quelled the recent uprising of the damned souls infesting the ground of what used to be St. Adonai.

Asia was taking a break at Kiyome's residence while the others prepared to set up protections around Kuoh. She was teleported inside the Abe residence at the very least with a magical contingency item that would alarm the others to teleport to Kiyome's house at any time when called.

Kiyome's parents were away to visit some supernatural research centers to uncover the origins of Stjarna, or at least discern Stjarna's potential, some clue at least.

"Mhm." Asia nodded as she sipped her tea. "It was a bit scary, though. I mean It's my first time fighting ghosts."

"What do they look like? I heard a lot about the damned souls from hell but I think I prefer to hear an eyewitness account." Kiyome asked.

"Mmmm Well, it is hard to explain what they look like. Scary, but hurt it's a bit sad." Asia smiled sadly. "I don't know if I can say that they deserve it. I don't think anyone deserves to be punished that much."

Kiyome stared at the pure girl.

"...Asia. You're way too pure for your own good sometimes. Are you going to say the same to the guy that tried to kidnap you when you first came here?" Kiyome asked.

Asia remained silent in thought, her eyes on her reflection from the surface of her tea.

"...Sorry." Kiyome apologized. "You don't have to say it."

"It's okay." Asia smiled. "...Is Stjarna doing alright?"

"He's too healthy for his own good if you ask me." Kiyome rasped as she crossed her arms, reclined into her couch, and blew her forelocks up.

"...How do you do it?" Kiyome asked.

"Hm?" Asia blinked.

"How do you connect to creatures the way you do? Do you just love them unconditionally and they just love you back or something?"

"I. I'm not sure?" Asia tilted her head, "I mean, I just want to make new friends whenever I can"

Kiyome stared at Asia before she nodded slowly, "Okay, let's start with this - how did you bond with Rover? More like, what did you think about him when you met him for the first time?"

"...Well I think he's cute. He just wants someone to love him." Asia smiled.

"...Just like that? You don't want him for the sheer awesomeness of a nuke-breathing dog?" Kiyome asked.

"I don't think it's right to love someone just because of something like it. It doesn't feel genuine. Love shouldn't be bought or it isn't love at all, I think."

Kiyome blinked as she gave her words some thought. She tapped her fingers on the couch cushion as she compared herself to Asia

"I"

She was interrupted when Peter started squawking. Kiyome blinked when the creatures that were with her, those small enough to fit inside her home, started clamoring, roaring, hissing, screeching, every single one of them on universal alert like animals reacting to an incoming natural disaster.

The harpies hanging from their posts above them were screeching at the door.

There was a gentle knock from the front door. Kiyome and Asia stared at the entrance and then at the creatures screeching at whatever was behind it.

"...Asia. Can Rassei fight?" Kiyome asked.

Asia furiously nodded as Rassei was squeaking frantically in her hair, trying to warn her of the danger.

"...If anything happens to me, run to Stjarna." Kiyome advised, not sure what was standing at their door.

She gingerly tread towards the door, gulping a lump of air as she slowly reached for the doorknob. She slowly opened the mansion door forward, Peter already behind her and growling at the ready.

What she did not expect to see was a woman of bewitching beauty.

The woman was clad in a traditional black kimono - something that she saw when people were attending a funeral. Her hair was lustrous black, framing her face and styled like a traditional Japanese woman. Her skin was paler than any normal person, more than any ghost she saw in the movies.

However, what truly unnerved Kiyome was the woman's eyes. They were beautiful at first, like sparkling gems. But when she blinked, they became pitch black; like the chilling bottomless abyss.

Kiyome swallowed and steeled her nerves, forcing a polite smile on her face, "Um Can I help you?"

"...I am afraid yond thee might not." She smiled. Her voice was there was a serenade yet a haunting danger hidden behind it. A poisonous blade hidden within the gentle words.

"I am looking for a certain animal if it could be called that. On behalf of my patron, I wilt asketh did doth thee encounter 't? 'Tis beyond mortal and supernatural description, or so I have heard. "

Kiyome tensed, as only one creature that fit that description.

"...I'm afraid I don't follow. May I ask who I am speaking to?" Kiyome gulped as Asia whispered to Rassei, Peter growling behind Kiyome.

The woman chortled, yet Kiyome did not feel any better about the encounter so far.

"...Of course, whither art mine manners? Forgive me, the time I have spent inside Yomi hath gotten the better of me. How doth thee doth, mine name is Izanami." She answered.

Kiyome and Asia stared at the woman. The latter never heard of the name, while the former had her eyes widened in trepidation.

There was only one kind of woman with that name, and Kiyome couldn't picture the woman that was supposedly trapped behind a rock blocking the cave to Yomi.

"...I-I-Izanami no Mikoto?" Kiyome asked as she looked back at Peter. Peter was very afraid of her she looked back at the woman.

"Oh, dear so ye art familiar with yond title of mine." Izanami smiled wider.

"...I Yes I"

"Did doth mine husband telleth thee aught about me? I just did get out. I am afraid I am behind the times."

Kiyome was not sure how to respond. The husband locked her away in that cave himself and she could not imagine the woman to be anything but violently spiteful at the mention of him.

"...I don't know much about your husband other than hearsay." Kiyome spoke first.

"Oh, don't beest afraid. I shalt not bite What did he say about me?" She insisted with growing fervor.

Kiyome shuddered, feeling the piercing malice behind her warped voice.

"...The basic tale is that he locked you in Yomi because you were changed. He looked at your face by accident, and you lashed out at him for seeing umm"

Kiyome looked back as Asia was already holding Asclepius, Rassei flying around her ready for conflict.

"...Is that so?" Izanami whispered.

"...Is there anything you like to say about that?" Kiyome frigidly asked.

"Oh I hath't much to sayeth. For example, did doth thee knoweth yond at which hour he did see mine visage at the time, his first words wast, 'You can't be my wife, you are too hideous?' or yond at which hour I pleaded to look past my curse, he sayeth, 'No, no we can't. I refuse to let this ghoul stand with me'? Thy husband's most scathing phrase still haunts my memories, 'Stay back! Don't come near me! You are no longer my wife!' Hence he locked me in Yomi like I am his greatest shame Needeth I sayeth moo?" Izanami asked, her anger already leaking out.

Kiyome stared at the very passive-aggressive woman unable to word a response against that accusation. Honestly, thinking about it, her statement made more sense than the myth version much more human and realistic given what she knew about the nature of the gods.

"I'm sorry." That was all she could say at the time.

"Oh, 't is valorous anon to beest overwhelmed. How couldst thee not beest?" Izanami turned her head. Her pitch-black eyes turned to the griffin glaring at her. "I can see yond thou art a collector of peculiar creatures. Telleth me, is the creature thou art harboring so valuable to hold as a trophy for thee to obstruct me?"

Kiyome did not answer, and it was enough for Izanami.

"Wait, thou encountered the creature? And lived? Thou believed it ravenous and bloodthirsty, with a hint of devilish intelligence." the Ruler of Yomi continued reading Kiyome like a book as if her face said it all.

"It seemed thou interacted with the Spawn of the Trihexa more than once. Thou hath not a clue what thine kept in thine yard."

Kiyome flinched.

"...You know what Stjarna is?" Kiyome couldn't help but ask. The Goddess already seemed to know through some overpowered divination magic.

"Stjarna? It lets thou name it? Peculiar." Izanami hummed. "The creature is an infant. Born by accident through the mingling of two dead bloods, one that gives power and the other miracles. Thou hath not met the corpse mother but thou art aware of the corpse father. Thou holds the child of the creature of the apocalypse and of the holiest mortal. The trihexa, the 666 though thou art confused."

Kiyome was. All she gathered was that Stjarna was an infant that was accidentally made through some grand experiment that was related to an apocalyptic creature with three sixes along with the mention of a holy man for some reason.

"...Pardon my intrusion. I must go see and confirm the creature and inform my cohorts." Izanami moved her feet.

"U-Uh-" Kiyome stuttered, unable to form an excuse to deny her.

"Thou be wise not to deny the Founding Goddess of this land." Izanami warned politely as she calmly walked past Kiyome, the girl shuddering in fear as Peter squawked at Izanami defensively.

However, Asia blocked her way with her arms spread apart. Rassei squeaked defensively and blocked Izanami between her and Asia.

Izanami stared at the two, Goddess of Death and New Generation Angel in a virtual deadlock.

"...Interesting. Thou admires thine courage." Izanami continued walking.

"P-please stop!" Asia demanded with all of her heart as she prepared Asclepius.

However, in her paralysis, Izanami intangibly walked through Asia like a phantom, completely ignoring her as she continued walking unobstructed, leaving Asia in a bewildered daze.

Kiyome could not even move or speak - A large part of her heart was screaming at her for her cowardice, for being unable to even lift a finger against the first sign of danger to her house, to her family.

Her eyes caught the shadowy figures outside the doors. The Goddess was not alone as they walked in alongside her. She was frozen stiff when she caught sight of a giant skeleton crawling past the walls, through her, phasing through her.

Then the others walked past her. She recognized them, Onis, several undead youkai, spirits of the dead, they all walked past her and Asia while following Izanami.

Kiyome started hyperventilating as something fell from above. She turned to it, seeing the Harpies perched above falling into catatonic shock. She looked back, seeing Peter falling to the side, foaming by the mouth. She wanted to come to Peter's aid, but the sight of so many yokai phasing through her, the unpleasant feeling that her spirit was violated each time, and the fear of it all held her muscles in place.

She could not do anything. She looked at Asia, Asia also trembling at the overwhelming numbers and powers.

Yet the girl held her breath and steadied herself, already running after Izanami.

Asia knew that she could not take on a Goddess on her own, but she still could not let the woman do whatever she wanted like this.

As Asia ran towards the yard, she took flight and headed towards the beach until she saw Izanami standing still, her mist-shrouded army behind her.

Stjarna was nowhere to be seen. Yet Izanami was staring at the corruption, the thick flesh-like substance that covered half of the beach, ending at the cave Stjarna made in the mountain wall.

"...I know you're there. Stjarna, was it? It is rude of me to consider thee as a mindless beast," Izanami called out.

There was a small moment of silence.

From the cave, a beam of light shot out faster than Asia could track.

Izanami swatted the beam away with her hand towards the ocean, the energy attack splitting the waves until it disappeared into the horizon.

Izanimi watched as Stjarna slithered from the cave. The Goddess took in the creature's majestic, alien form as it somehow scaled up the plateau's rocky walls, larger than she imagined as it looked down on her while clinging to the wall.

She stared back at the creature's eighteen eyes.

"My, thou hath grown much since thou escaped."

Kiyome somehow managed to catch up to Izanami, running through the spectral youkai following the Goddess of Yomi, panting and catching her breath.

"...Oh, god." Magnus never saw a deity in action other than watching the video of Issei Hyoudou against the Thunder Gods. This Goddess was far above even the thunder brothers if he had to give his judgment.

"Yield, Stjarna. I do not like to inflict suffering on the innocent." Izanami beckoned.

Stjarna, however, shrieked as it spun itself back to proper posture, his bladed tail passing through the goddess while sweeping the sand, corpses and bodies away.

"Thou cannot harm me." Izanami said. "I bring Yomi with me. I am a phantom of phantoms, a true extension of the realm of the dead."

Stjarna's wounds were already closed. He growled with palpable frustration, then calm as if it silenced it to steel its mind.

"Oh, thine instincts are superb." She could see it, the creature's warrior instincts to steady his mind.

Immediately, something perspired from the creature's shell. It was glistening in the sunlight, an oily substance covering the creature.

"What is this?" She muttered as Stjarna opened his split-jaw and unleashed a stream of plasma at her. It didn't affect the woman as she faded and reappeared next to Stjarna and swung.

However, her jade spear did not cut through its armor.

"Did thine hide turn to ice?" Izanami's spear didn't properly dig into Stjarna's armor, it slipped before the force gained traction.

The creature slithered around, turning its head at Izanami as it screeched its monstrous wail at point blank.

Izanami winced as she stumbled back.

"Ohhhh! He finally got her!" Magnus shouted when he saw blood leaking out of her ears. Gods or not, even they would fall prey to the overloading of the senses, even if one could not be harmed conventionally.

Asia and Kiyome started cheering for Stjarna.

"Go, Stjarna!"

"You can do it!"

Izanami creased her maiden features.

"...Very well." Izanami looked up at Stjarna as he took flight. "I shall treat thee as a proper foe."

Stjarna answered by inflating his throat.

The moment he unleashed his sonic roar, he flew.

No, the upper half of Stjarna's body flew as the energy of his sonic attack escaped through the cross-section below his severed mid-torso, gouts of crimson blood gushing from both openings.

Kiyome and Asia covered their mouths when they saw Stjarna's upper half drop to the floor, flailing like a fish on dry land.

More blood flowed as Izanami then dragged her spear across Stjarna's prone upper half from neck to jaw, staining her form in crimson.

Stjarna's vigorous roar became a pained wail as its blood continued spilling to the sands. Izanami twirled her spear and propped it onto the blood-soaked sand.

"Thou art hath great potential, unholy child." Izanami said as she watched the creature's wounds close up, his regeneration being put to work.

However she raised a hand at him as magical circles of pale gray surrounded Stjarna.

"S-Stop!" Kiyome could not take it anymore and ran towards Izanami.

"No, Ms. Kiyome! Come back!" Asia attempted to stop the beast-tamer, but she herself was still one step too short.

Izanami continued her sealing ritual despite Kiyome tackling her. Izanami did not bother to look at Kiyome's way even as the girl continued hammering her sides with tears running down her cheeks.

"My apologies..." Izanami said as Stjarna was bound in the mist of Yomi. The spell bound Stjarna's weakened soul to inaction. Even so, he had more vitality and vigor than any dragon she encountered.

Izanami shrank her spear as she tied it around her hair, raising it and holding it in place with the needle-sized weapon.

A large magical circle appeared under Stjarna just when Magnus caught up and threw something at the creature, something metallic as it fell inside Stjarna's wound.

The magic circle absconded Stjarna from the beach, forcing Kiyome to cry out as she continued hitting the goddess.

Izanami did nothing as she stood still, letting the girl vent out all of her anger at her before she turned around and blinked, her gem-like eyes replacing her pitch-black gaze.

Kiyome's fists slowed as she exhausted her energy, falling to her knees out of helplessness.

"...If it is any consolation, should my liberation be different, I would not have even bothered to cometh here. Alas, debts must be repaid in due time. Even mine." Izanami said as Kiyome slowly looked up at her as Magnus and Asia stood wary of the powerful goddess.

Asia already tried using the item prepared by Genos to alert them to her position so they could teleport to her side, but for some reason, they were not arriving.

"...W-Where did you"

"In a den of sinners far beyond thine reach or power to conquer." She said. "...I am with the Khaos Brigade, young tamer. I tracked Stjarna through the weapon I brought with my former husband. The spear can locate anything on any land it touches."

Magnus and Asia tensed at the mention of the organization.

Magnus was prepared to resort to his Balance Breaker and escape with the girls since he could not think of a way of dealing with the woman's absurd power and abilities to phase through almost all attacks.

"...What are you planning to do?" Magnus asked warily.

"For now? Consider this a grace period. I have no quarrel with what's to come." Izanami said. "The chaos this world will soon face, has already arrived. Soon, everything we know will be challenged."

"AUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!"

The monsterized Diodora cried out as he rolled left and right on his back, holding his crotch which was bleeding profusely.

Standing before him were two clones of Issei, each holding one of Diodora's two snake genitals they ripped out from his crotch.

"Thank you for the information." Mitsuya already got the information from Diodora after having him thoroughly beaten into submission by the clones, tortured extensively with threat of death which Diodora feared above all, the coward, and had him confess the location and conditions of the girls he abducted, or at least a potential location.

Mitsuya even got information on the Khaos Brigade as well, information to barter with the Three Factions.

He decided to tear off Diodora's genitals for an extra bonus, already recording everything he needed.

Diodora huffed as tears and snot leaked through his serpent eyes and snout. His monster form receded, now too weak to sustain it as his humanoid form returned.

Why was this happening to him? He was supposed to stand above everyone, to be the future king

He was a noble of illustrious blood he was meant to take over his household and show everyone that he is better than everyone, even his accursed brother.

Where did this all go wrong?

As his negative emotions gathered, one image came to mind. It was that one human that started it all yes, that one human.

The fear in him was swiftly replaced by newfound rage as his sick mind warped his thoughts once more, blaming everything he endured to that one human. He would make him pay and suffer even if it was the last thing he would do.

He was already stripped of most of his clothes. Diodora hissed as he roared to his feet and glared at Mitsuya, summoning the one thing that could protect him.

The Mask of Evolution.

When Diodora held the mask, Mitsuya felt an unusual, ominous reaction. The human felt disturbed by the sight and presence of the wicked mask. It left a sense of unease that he could not describe, above every other experience he encountered during his years dealing with the supernatural.

He had to finish this devil before things got out of hand again.

Mitsuya flicked his hand, commanding the clones he created to charge at Diodora, who just placed the mask on his face.

Like a living organism, it latched onto Diodora as the mask's face crooked a wicked, vile smile as if it was experiencing euphoric joy just as Diodora howled.

The clones stopped when the mask continued growing over Diodora until he was covered in a second layer of leathery skin, his screams muffled through the membrane.

Mitsuya flinched when the shadow of Diodora's skeleton flashed with each outburst of eldritch energy that felt much different than magic, slideshows of Diodora's various poses showcasing him suffering in different positions.

What he sensed with the help of his personal universe was strange.

One, Diodora's vitals were dropping, death fast approaching.

Two, Diodora's aura was so erratic and unstable that Mitsuya assumed that the mask was trying to do something to Diodora, most likely a means to increase his power considering Diodora's track record, but with much greater risk.

He could summon a creature that could analyze and relay the information of the mask, but he first had to address Diodora.

He activated Telos Karma on Diodora.

The Ultimate Karma, the Longinus that governed causality and fate. If there was an apt description, it was like God tried to create something to govern the destinies of man, or found something that could and remade it into this Sacred Gear.

It was a versatile power, giving Mitsuya the power to manipulate the probabilities of any event or will any event to supersede the natural outcome to his favor.

However, while powerful, it was not omnipotent and can be resisted by those of great power. Nearly useless against those that broke off the chains of destiny, those that stand outside the karmic wheel of fate.

At that moment, he wanted Diodora alive in a state that favored him at least. He tried to do something about the mask, but for some reason, his power was useless against it. The mask was either immune to the power of Telos Karma or too strong for Telos Karma to affect it, which unnerved him.

Questions for later as he focused on Diodora instead, trying to get him through this on his own terms.

He had absolutely no idea what Diodora was doing, but for now, he willed Telos Karma to set conditions for Diodora.

One, that he lived through the mask's unknown function. There were still questions, and he needed to be sure that Diodora wasn't lying to him.

Two, that he did not get what he wanted from the mask if that was possible, or throw in some defects in Diodora's way at least.

Telos Karma could be fickle on the conditions if they are too vague as destiny is prone to chaos. As Telos Karma glew, he watched as the skinvelope slowly receded, as if finishing whatever it did to Diodora.

The mask receded the membrane, falling off Diodora's face and thudding the grass as the devil fell onto his knees.

His hair was completely white now.

He looked as if he was in complete agony, as bulging black veins visible on his pale skin.

Mitsuya gestured to two of the clones to get close to Diodora and apprehend him. Maybe break his arms and legs for good measure he should tear out the wings as well.

The two Issei clones approached Diodora.

"...Hungry"

Diodora rasped.

Mitsuya suspected something, so the clone punched Diodora's gut.

Diodora coughed as the two started kicking him while he was down.

Diodora's senses were not numb from the experience, however. He could feel the strikes yet they did not hurt as much as before.

Immediately, one of Diodora's hands grabbed a clone's fist, the devil tired of being abused as he rose to his feet. The other clone threw a high kick, yet Diodora grabbed that as well.

Mitsuya curled a brow. They were not as strong as the original - though if Mitsuya had to make an estimation, he would say that each clone was almost as strong as the Issei from during the Kokabiel incident. However, Diodora held them at bay, struggling a little and with his knees shaking, but still holding strong.

It was a large leap compared to the Diodora that could barely handle one of the clones in combat.

Out of curiosity, he summoned a copy of an apex magician he knew, crawling from the dirt was Ajuka Beelzebub, and had the clone perform analysis magic on Diodora's condition, a magic circle appearing under Diodora's feet. Just in case, he had a third Issei clone run towards the mask and swipe it, an item he might keep for study and see if he could use it as well as it looked very useful.

As the third clone returned to his side with the mask, Ajuka's analysis finished and transmitted mentally to him as they were telepathically linked.

"...The hell?" Mitsuya, however, could not believe it.

It was not just a standard boost in power. If he had to describe it, it was not a transformation, but a complete and utter leveling of an individual - everyone single one of his base specs now permanently at a higher level.

If what he learned was correct, the Diodora now underwent an extreme, critically life-threatening process that stressed his body past its limits.

It was like he underwent a Hyperbolic Time Chamber if there was a comparison, only he endured many life-threatening training sessions that would've killed him each time at once in a single second with no mental preparation along with some unidentified augmentations.

Diodora would have died if it was not for Telos Karma barely pulling him from the brink of death.

His cells, however, were a different story.

The Trihexa Cell a cell of the creature of the apocalypse which took everything out of the Biblical God to subdue and seal Which also led to His fall in the Great War.

He had no idea what Diodora's biology was like currently, but Diodora just crushed the knuckle and ankle of the clones. The clones were more like drones or robots within Innovate Clear, but they still displayed a similar behavior of a normal person when they were exposed to physical trauma - flinching and stumbling away.

Mitsuya quickly put up his guard just in time when Diodora roared, unleashing a shockwave of unadulterated power which blew the clones back.

Mitsuya was now curious.

He sent in five clones to run towards Diodora, sprinting like Olympic athletes towards him.

Diodora's nails elongated into razor sharp claws as he swiped left and right. He cut down all of them one by one, impaling the last one.

He sent in five more, each of them using the fighting style he memorized from Diodora's humiliating video when he lost against Issei.

Diodora had a harder time taking care of the clones that knew hand to hand combat, each and every one landing hits on him before they died.

His augmentation did not include the experience befitting his current power.

"Enough of this"

Diodora tore off an arm from a clone and started eating it in front of Mitsuya, teeth biting and tearing out flesh as he chewed.

"I am tired and I am starving. I don't know what is wrong with me but I'll find out later. Now, you die!"

Diodora roared as he transformed once again.

Mitsuya widened his eyes at the current transformation.

If the previous snake form was a juvenile, this one might be an adult.

Mitsuya always thought it was strange as the transformations of the fallen ten-winged angels could not compare to Kokabiel's ascended form as their monster forms did not have the same impact.

Diodora's new monster form was like that of a ravenous naga-like chimera.

The upper body was humanoid in shape, but monstrous, scales dark putrid green in color with black overtones. His face was no longer serpentine, it was monstrous, vicious demonic eyes with dilated slits for its pupils glared at Mitsuya with a ravenous hunger. His torso was rippling with power, his arms bulk with muscles as he clenched his fists.

A pair of wings covered in dirty, jagged feathers sprouted from his back, making him like something akin to a fallen-angel hybrid. To top it off - the serpentine lower half of his body had become an actual body of a serpent, with a cobra head serving as its end of the tail.

It seemed that the monster form was but a juvenile initial state that must be harnessed with training, effort, and time for the power to truly bear fruit.

That or the Mask did that for Diodora. Something he could use to his benefit Mitsuya was now considering taking a Trihexa cell for himself since it was safe for consumption.

Diodora howled, his roar much deeper and more menacing than prior, as he flew towards Mitsuya.

The clones attempted to intercept, but they were smacked away by Diodora, some he picked up and ate with his upper body while his serpent half snacked on some strays.

"...Alright, then." Mitsuya simply shrugged in a half-resigned manner as he prepared to intercept the incoming beast.

More clones were created to the point of a swarm attempting to overwhelm Diodora by sheer numbers - only for the beast to growl as he crossed his arms, conjuring some kind of invisible energy around him.

Mitsuya hummed as he sent Ajuka to stand between him and the monster as he pondered what other creations he could create.

Diodora then spread his arms wide, unleashing the similar shockwave from earlier - no, this time, the shockwave was powerful enough to be visible, but also controlled enough for Mitsuya to make out some sort of spiraling tunnel that mowed down his creations.

It was amusing to see him struggle, even more when he tried to eat the clones every time he used his powers.

Mitsuya had an idea as he summoned archangel Uriel as he burst through the ground towards the sky, throwing burning spears of light at Diodora.

Diodora growled as he summoned a barrier, but the spears broke through and impaled him.

Ajuka started casting spells, arcane magic at the apex of Devil knowledge fired at the creature, bombarding him in arcane explosions. Mitsuya made sure to have him eradicate the bodies around Diodora as the Uriel continued raining light spears at him.

Diodora snarled, piercing magic gouging his flesh and holy hardlight smoking his muscles, yet his wounds were closing at a very fast rate despite that, though the monster was repelled, backing off. Mitsuya noted the upgrade in his regeneration. Mitsuya wondered why holy magic couldn't deter the regeneration like how holy magic shuts down the Phenex Clan's ability.

It must be because the origins of said regeneration was not Devil in origin, something to note.

"Stop hiding behind my brother, you coward!"

Diodora shouted, his voice even more monstrous and deeper in tone.

"A real coward has no right to criticize my tactics. This is just me showing the difference between us. They're not even trying." Mitsuya mocked.

"Damn you..!"

Diodora roared as he mustered the vestiges of his strength to power through Ajuka's magic and Uriel's Light Spears.

However, Diodora suddenly collapsed. Mitsuya widened his eyes as he raised his hand, stopping the clones from attacking as Diodora floundered.

"AAAaaaaaahhh! M-My body!"

A large growl came from Diodora's stomach as Diodora writhed and convulsed into spasms. What was more interesting was how Diodora's skin was starting to melt.

"P-Pain! Burning! W-what's happening to me?!"

The defects must have finally shown themselves.

The hunger growled even louder as Diodora groaned and winced, already reverting to his original form, now the pathetic weakling of a man.

"You did not come out of that mask unscathed." Mitsuya explained. "It seems that your body will break down the more you overuse your new powers. And you need a lot more nutrition to sustain your strength or your existence.

It's what you get for always continuing to trade your soul for power, assuming you still have enough to scrape together to spare."

Mitsuya took out a collar and handed it to an Issei clone, who proceeded to put the collar around Diodora's neck. The collar soon glowed and the devil felt his own body grow heavier.

"Grrh.! What the fuck is this?!"

Diodora roared, futilely struggling against gravity.

"It's made by your brother. Meant to seal your power and keep you in check. Now get up and cooperate. The collar has a shock function that will electrocute you with your own power." Mitsuya demanded as Diodora thrust his palm forward at him, only to receive a dose of agonizing shock to his nerves.

"AGHHH!"

Diodora shouted as Mitsuya walked over to him and took out handcuffs. He grabbed Diodora's wrists and slapped them on his hands, linking them together just in case.

After that, Mitsuya willed himself and Diodora to return to Earth. He appeared just in time to see his partner and the civilians having a standoff with Izanami while holding Diodora's by the hands.

The creature was no longer there, and the faces of everyone except the Goddess were pensive.

On the other side of the globe - somewhere within the borders of Rome...

Eyes slowly fluttered open as she wondered how long she had been asleep.

The first thing she registered was the sight of an unfamiliar ceiling, accompanied with a sense of warm comfort enveloping her body. She felt tired, sluggish, but her now-conscious mind forced her not to fall back to sleep.

A soft grunt escaped her throat as she mustered her strength to wake up into a sitting position. She was on a bed, a very comfortable one compared to the ones she used to sleep on before. The room around her was clean, tidy, and judging from the furniture and the cross by the wall, she safely assumed that she was inside one of the church's facilities.

While rubbing the sleepiness out of her eyes, she tried to remember what happened before falling asleep.

Two seconds later, memories immediately flooded into her mind, causing her eyes to widen and look around.

How did she get in where she was? What happened in the gas-chamber in the end? What happened and where are her friends?

Jonah?

Thomas?

Hannah?

Ruth?

.Isaiah?

Her body still felt rather weak, but concerns and fear gave her strength to get off the bed and walk towards the door.

She felt a small relief when she found that the door was unlocked and the corridor was empty. It was late in the morning, and the building was much less complicated than her previous quarters and she could immediately see the outside world through the nearby window.

However, when she was only a few steps away from the door, the corner of her eyes caught a movement from the end of the hallway.

A middle-aged man clad in a clerical garment, and she quickly turned around and ran. Too bad the priest had already seen her.

"Ah, wait! Stop!"

Fear clouded her mind as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She could not afford to be captured again, not when her friends might be dying out there.

It did not take long for her to arrive at another door. However, she found the door was locked and did not budge no matter how much she shook the knob. Her ears then picked up the sound of foot-steps closing towards her.

She looked around; she spotted a small lamp post on a nearby cupboard and proceeded to grab it and hold it like a club. She might be weak at the moment, but with the harsh training from the Holy Sword project, she would make sure that she would not go down without a fight.

The piece of furniture felt heavy, but she remained stead-fast and ready to strike at any moment, as she glared at the first person that came into view.

Turns out the man who spotted her had brought others. However, her eyes blinked in confusion when she recognized a woman and a big elderly man among the small group.

Other than the priest she saw earlier - why is she looking at Griselda Quarta and Vasco Strada?

Regardless, she tightened the grip on her improvised weapon and affirmed her stance when the first priest took a step forward.

"Ms. Tosca? Could you please calm down and put down what you are holding?" The priest spoke while holding his hand up.

His posture was firm, yet disarming. The girl - Tosca, did not feel hostility but she chose not to lower her guard.

"...My name is Touji Shidou. I understand that you went through a harrowing experience, but I - we promise you that you are in a safe place. Can you please stand down?"

Tosca's eyes darted around the adults before her, her body relaxed slightly, but she still held up the lamp post.

Seeing the young girl was still cautious, Vasco decided to step in as he placed his strong hand on Touji's shoulder - the younger priest immediately understood the cue and stepped aside.

"A pleasure to meet you, young Tosca. My name is Vasco Strada." The Cardinal introduced himself with a warm smile. "...Would you be so kind as to stand down and follow us? There are many things to discuss."

To be Continued.

Thoughts? :)