Sairaorg Bael, the next head of the House of Bael and the top young Devil of his generation.
Born the eldest son of the current Bael lord, he was branded a "failure" for his lack of magical power. Not only did he lack the Bael family's signature "Power of Destruction," but his magical ability was weaker than even a mediocre Low-Class Devil. In the magic-supremacist Devil nobility, he was seen as nothing but defective. For the Bael bloodline, which prized reputation and their destructive power, Sairaorg was a shameful blemish. The label of "failure" was inevitable.
Yet, Sairaorg refused to be defined as "incompetent." If he lacked magic, he would forge his body instead. With relentless determination, he trained his physique to the extreme. As a result, despite his weak magic, he defeated his half-brother, who was born with the Power of Destruction, claimed the position of heir, and earned the title of the strongest among his Devil peers.
Sairaorg's dream is to become a Satan, to create a Devil society where strength determines rank, ensuring no one is oppressed for their lack of magical power. He aims to prove that dreams can come true if one never gives up.
Then, intriguing information reached him.
Details about a supposed Longinus wielder.
From the perspective of the Biblical factions, the Church and Fallen Angels possess Longinus, but Devils do not. Strictly speaking, the wielder of the "Boosted Gear" became a reincarnated Devil, but at this point, Sairaorg—and most others—were unaware of this. Thus, the information was too significant to ignore for strengthening their faction.
Hoping to recruit the wielder as a servant, Sairaorg and his retinue visited the human world, only to be met with traces of a massacre.
"What is this…?"
The scene was awash in flesh and blood. A heap of mangled meat and bones, unrecognizable from their original forms. The air was thick with the choking stench of blood.
There was no doubt this was the work of the Longinus wielder Sairaorg was meant to meet. The mysterious pile of corpses seemed to be the attackers, only to be utterly crushed in retaliation.
"If so, what happened to the wielder?"
The attackers' strength was impossible to gauge from the shredded remains. The sheer volume of blood staining the surroundings suggested a large group, but their exact numbers remained unclear.
While the identity of the attackers was concerning, the wielder's fate was equally pressing. Did they act alone, or with allies? Was it an overwhelming victory, or a desperate escape? No, the thoroughness of the slaughter implied they had the leeway to annihilate. They were likely alive, Sairaorg concluded.
A battle this flashy meant the wielder was probably long gone. Of course, there was a chance they were injured and immobile. If they were a wounded tiger, they might mistake Sairaorg's group for allies of the attackers. Alternatively, lingering here risked encountering the attackers' comrades.
If no clues to the Longinus wielder's whereabouts were found, they needed to leave quickly. Sairaorg made the call, and his servants agreed.
They remained vigilant, as the drying blood indicated the battle was recent. Though hailed as the top young Devil, Sairaorg knew he lacked real combat experience.
Yet, their caution and planning were utterly meaningless. The two pairs of eyes watching them had no intent to fight. They had no interest in such pointless effort.
"—Master, it seems we should return as is."
"Understood/Dead. Devil aiming for Satan→Hubris, namely arrogance. Prey/Foolishness/Perception gap. Longinus wielder's whereabouts unknown. Let's see how they utilize this."
Watching Sairaorg's group from afar as they cautiously surveyed the area, the two conversed.
One was a figure with a menacing white headpiece, the other a bronze-skinned youth wielding a large red bow.
The Demon God Phenex and his summoned Servant, "Archer of the Holy Land."
Phenex chose "him" as the antithesis to his own purpose. While viable for Heroic Spirit summoning, the Archer's Noble Phantasm was considered a complete mismatch for a Holy Grail War, a defining trait of his.
"Really…"
It was a lion. A golden lion.
The Longinus Regulus Nemea.
Ordinarily, the Regulus Nemea is simply an axe-shaped Sacred Gear. While independent Sacred Gears exist, the battle-axe isn't typically one of them.
Yet, for some reason, during the prior battle, as its original wielder neared death, the axe took the form of a lion. Was it a glitch? A Balance Breaker of the modern axe? Or an ability no one had noticed before?
"Can you truly save my master?"
The five Envoys of the Demon Gods were tasked with investigating Longinus. That was why Phenex and Archer came to this place.
When they arrived, the wielder was on the brink of death, attacked by a mysterious group. Though disposable soldiers, they were destroyed so thoroughly to conceal information. The incomplete cover-up was deliberate, knowing Sairaorg would soon arrive.
It wasn't a coincidence that they missed Sairaorg's group. They simply preempted the information route Sairaorg had followed.
The Demon Gods wouldn't make the mistake of leaving tracks. For future plans, they needed the Devils to take back only the Longinus information.
"Leave it to me. Though, I don't have any healing Noble Phantasms, so we'll head back to the Temple… maybe ask that girl Flauros picked up?"
"That's wise. Though, Assassin's taken an odd liking to her. Hopefully, she's free."
Due to True Name concerns, details were sparse, but Assassin—or the figure he was based on—had experience as a "mentor," with a particular passion for music.
"I, too, have a say in poetry and song. I wouldn't mind lending a hand if asked."
"Haha, even Master's cracking jokes now."
"Incomprehensible/Misunderstood. Archer, why the wry smile?"
"Well…"
Archer glanced at the boy lying nearby, the Longinus's original wielder, gravely injured from the mysterious group's attack. The attackers had some skill, but the boy's inability to fully wield the axe played a part. Phenex and Archer arrived in time, but perhaps a bit too late.
In another history, this boy died without leaving a name. This wasn't the best outcome, but it was the next best.
Perhaps aware of his blood-soaked reality, the boy's eyes burned with resolve.
"…Don't… want…"
Despite the pain—or perhaps yielding to it—he voiced his wish.
"I don't want to die…!"
"True."
When it comes to views on humans, the current Demon Gods are split into two camps. One acknowledges their defeat at the Temple of Time, seeing humans as equals or near-equals. The other maintains humans are inferior.
Phenex falls into the latter, bluntly looking down on humans. Yet, he is earnest about that wish alone. Few understand the agony of death as well as Phenex.
"That wish is true. Our wish is true."
Demon God Phenex, bound by the torment of infinite life. His purpose: complete self-annihilation.
Merely dying isn't enough. As a being governing life and death, living yet dead, Phenex's life cannot end easily. Thus, he cannot vanish unless that cycle is disrupted.
"For one with the power to live to bear countless deaths is wrong."
This time, we must transform this planet.
This planet—is wrong.
"—Report and request from Phenex. The 'Regulus Nemea' wielder has been secured but was injured in combat with a third party before contact. Severe condition. Requesting treatment from the Life Institute."
"Acknowledged from Haagenti. Dispatching Asia Argento to your location."
"Report from Gremory. The location of the 'Boosted Gear' has been confirmed. It belongs to Issei Hyoudou, a 'Pawn' of Rias Gremory, sister of Satan Sirzechs Lucifer. He resides in Rias Gremory's human world territory. Data on Issei Hyoudou is currently under investigation."
"Report from Bune. Regarding Vali, the 'Divine Dividing' wielder aligned with the Fallen Angels, there's a possibility he's not pure human. His background prior to joining Grigori is under investigation."
"Addendum from Ronove. Investigation on the 'Canis Lykaon' wielder, also with Grigori, is nearly complete. Relevant Demon Gods, please review the data."
"Report from Zagan. The same applies to the 'Incinerate Anthem' wielder affiliated with the Gray Wizards."
"Report from Baal. Among the top-tier Longinus, the 'True Longinus,' 'Dimension Lost,' and 'Annihilation Maker' wielders appear to be with the Khaos Brigade. Should we recruit them?"
"Directive from Goetia. The Khaos Brigade, including its leader Dragon God Ophis, has too many uncertain factors. Avoid reckless contact, but their utility is undeniable. Once sufficient information is gathered, consider recruitment. Timing is at the discretion of the assigned Demon Gods."
"Confirmation from Flauros. Should we apply the same approach to Dulio Gesualdo, wielder of the top-tier Longinus 'Zenith Tempest'?"
"Follow-up from Glasya-Labolas. What about the witch Walburga, wielder of 'Incinerate Anthem'?"
"Response from Goetia. Proceed similarly. You may disclose information unrelated to the Temple of Time or Demon Gods as negotiation leverage."
"Report from Andras. No information on the 'Sephiroth Graal' within the Church. Suggest investigating organizations with weak Church ties. Any recommended regions?"
"Proposal from Vassago. Should we include races hostile to Christianity, like vampires or werewolves?"
"Reportf rom Raum. Insufficient data on 'Innovate Clear' and 'Telos Karma.' Reorganizing for further investigation."
"Report from Andrealphus. Confirmed a powerful Sacred Gear wielder among CIA agents, possibly equivalent to a Longinus. Detailed investigation underway."
"Report from Kimaris. A powerful Sacred Gear wielder exists within the British royal family. Strict information concealment requires cautious investigation. Requesting three Pillars' reassignment."
"Acknowledged from Gusion. However, we lack the resources to assign three Pillars to uncertain data. Permitting only Purson's reassignment."
"Acknowledged from Saleos. Requesting information sharing with Kimaris."
"Request from Zepar. Regarding the Leviathan Satan's kin—"
In the human world, Kuoh Town, in a decades-old apartment room, they conversed.
"So, Rias Gremory and her servants lost to Riser Phenex."
Romani's expression complicated as he processed the information from "him." Even if they were Devils, it was a match tied to a young girl's life, and it sounded brutal.
"Yeah. Though, they lost the game but reclaimed Rias Gremory in the 'afterparty.'"
"From a noble's perspective, that's a messy situation. …No, it's less about fate and more about favoritism from a Satan's kin, but that's part of their victory, right?"
"The game's outcome probably won't affect future events much."
"Really? I thought you told me because it was relevant. Wait, was this just sentimentality?"
It almost felt like a waste of time.
"No Demon God intervention should make that clear, Romani Archaman. They were your familiars. Don't you share their mindset?"
"Uh, yeah, actually. More like using the commotion to do something in the shadows."
"Specifically?"
"To defeat the God of the Bible, we need to understand its nature. With the Three Great Powers in a cold war, drawing out the God of the Bible, who hasn't appeared since the great war, requires significant bait. To efficiently and discreetly read its intentions, gathering the non-public 'Longinus' is the surest way
"Ideally, you'd confront them directly."
Romani gave a resigned smile. "Tough call. They hate me too much. Meeting now, they'd probably ignore me out of spite. Even if they listened, it might not work."
"The God of the Bible is serious. If they sensed something off in their own actions, it'd be quicker, but… outsiders' words have little effect. It's that kind of curse."
"That's why it's the 'God of the Bible.' Or rather, the 'One True God,' so it's only natural."
"…You noticed?"
"I didn't just watch magical girl anime or play games here. I had plenty of time to think. Assembling the truth was easy. No need for grand wisdom—just noticing the inconsistency."
"I heard from Mephisto. Our Merlin used to say, like a catchphrase, 'The gods of this planet are indolent'."
"Wow. Knowing that, our Merlin's a real piece of work!"
"The gods of this planet are indolent."
Not literal, but ironic. The truth lies behind the words, contradicting reality.
Any god or buddha outside the Biblical faction would be outraged, not because it's true, but because no god could be pinned by such a statement.
"Why could the God of the Bible create the 'System'? That's the wrong question. Why could only the God of the Bible create it?"
"If it's about power, Mesopotamia or Egypt, which built the four great civilizations, should've done it. If it's sheer strength, Indian mythology surpasses. Why could the Bible, with less history, faith, and military might, become the world's largest religion and slay countless mythologies?"
It's framed as a question, but it's closer to a confirmation—an undeniable, utterly worthless truth verified by accomplices.
"Non-god and buddhas can't fathom the God of the Bible's death. That's the foundation that let Solomon create the 'Truth,'"
All gods and buddhas fell for Solomon's rhetoric for an unavoidable reason. They desperately needed human faith and their own transformation.
Once the first god acknowledged the "Truth," it was inevitable all would be ensnared. They knew Solomon's new world was a fantasy but had to hope in it. No, until they learned the "Truth's" nature, they likely believed:
—This way, we can claim this planet.
—We can become this planet's life.
***
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