It feels like it was about fifteen hundred years ago.
An irritating half-breed came before me.
All I recall about that half-breed is how utterly aggravating they were.
I can't remember if they were male or female, young or old, wise or foolish, saint or sinner, beautiful or hideous. No, even back then, I'm not sure I perceived them correctly.
"Haha, amazing, amazing! Bigger than I expected."
Truly, they were nothing but an infuriating presence.
"To think I'd actually find the Beast of Revelation. What would Uther have said? Fifteen hundred years for this… though, in terms of completion, it's only half done, huh? Wonder what it'll be like in the future."
Annoying. My memories are filled with irritation, but this half-breed was exceptionally vexing. The last time I was this enraged was with that Savior.
When I let out a growl laced with frustration, the half-breed responded with a curious tone.
"Huh? I didn't expect you to have reason. I thought you were just the embodiment of bestial malice in biological form. My apologies, my apologies."
"Who are you?"
"Oh, asking for my name? It's been a while since someone took that tone with me, considering I'm not hiding my identity."
"No helping it, Merlin. For him, knowledge is tragedy.".
Next to the half-breed stood another irritating presence. A Devil. A creature only slightly less contemptible than humans. I had no specific knowledge of this one. I might recall details of accursed humans, but I don't bother with other creatures.
"I, me, myself, the great mage Merlin Ambrosius, representing this planet. This is my accomplice, Mephistopheles. It'll be a short acquaintance, but let's get along, Beast of Revelation. No, Solomon's spawn, Trihexa-kun."
I couldn't settle. Their mere words grated on me. Was it their manner of speaking?
"Unify my tone? That's an impossible request. You see, I no longer know who 'I' am."
Not knowing oneself?
"A born hybrid, mixed through experiments until I lost track of who I am. Your eyes can see it, right? How warped this form is. Eventually, even my recognition and memories will blur. The awareness of not knowing myself, the memory of mixing myself with others—all will grow vague. That's the curse I bear. Karmic retribution, you know."
…So, why are you here? Like that Savior, did you come to spin empty tales?
"Over the next—thousand, two thousand years—humanity must sever ties with Devils."
"For that, I'll borrow a bit of your power, Trihexa. I feel slightly guilty, but it's necessary."
I see. You'd use me—the "Truth"—just to break ties with Devils? How utterly human. It makes me sick.
It reminds me of the foolish king who created me.
"In exchange, let me pray. May you and humanity find fortune."
I've heard those words before. Three times. Once directly, twice indirectly.
What are you? What are you all?
What joy do you find in tormenting me?
What happiness is there in racing through such a painful existence?
Excalibur.
The sword of Arthur Pendragon, the central figure of Britain's "Arthurian Legend." Said to be forged by the Lady of the Lake or born from the planet itself. Alongside Paladin Roland's Durandal, it's a quintessential holy sword, considered one of the strongest legendary weapons.
In this world, Excalibur was shattered during the great war. Upon restoration, it was divided into seven fragments, with the Catholic Church, Protestant Church, and Orthodox Church each holding two, while one remains missing.
Wielding Excalibur requires a specific talent—or factor. It's not exclusive to Arthur's descendants, but compatible users are rare. Yet, as a holy sword, it inherently destroys Devils. There's no reason to leave it unused. With the Three Great Powers in a cold war, its power was needed now more than ever.
Thus, the Holy Sword Project was launched—a blasphemous experiment, in every sense, to artificially create Excalibur-compatible wielders. The subjects were orphaned children bearing swords or similar Sacred Gears.
The project's outcome is evident from the "disposal" of its subjects. …Though, the research data increased Excalibur wielders within the Church, so it wasn't entirely a failure.
No, perhaps including the disposal, it was a success.
Then, Excalibur was stolen. One fragment each from the three factions—a total of three. This was no mere blunder; it was a historic scandal, though it wouldn't surface in the public world. The mastermind was a Fallen Angel named in the Bible, Kokabiel, a cadre of the "Watchers of the Children of God." A notorious battle maniac—war fanatic—among the Fallen Angels.
Kokabiel didn't take the swords to Fallen Angel territory but smuggled them into a human world location: Kuoh Town, managed by Rias Gremory, sister of Satan Sirzechs Lucifer. Sona Sitri, sister of Satan Serafall Leviathan, also resides there.
Surely, a Fallen Angel cadre wouldn't be ignorant of this. Stealing multiple Excaliburs simultaneously wasn't for a human world sightseeing trip. The purpose was clear.
War. The great war that embroiled various factions, was forcibly ended by the Two Heavenly Dragons' intervention, weakened the Three Great Powers, and left unhealed wounds. Kokabiel intends to resume it.
Winning would be meaningless. God and the Satans are dead. There's no clear path to victory. If God's death leaked to other factions, it would only bring disadvantages. Intervention by other powers would escalate beyond a conflict with Devils or angels, leading to the collapse of the Biblical mythology. As a Fallen Angel cadre, with most of their forces depleted, Kokabiel must know this.
A continuation of the great war? That war ended because it lost all meaning and value.
Resuming it benefits no one. Not even Kokabiel.
I, Yuuto Kiba, recall why I live. Amidst my life as a Devil, I'd tried to forget my purpose, but now I reaffirm it.
To destroy the holy sword, Excalibur.
Once, as Isaiah, I was a subject of the Holy Sword Project. I had comrades among the other subjects. We endured pain and hardship, believing one day the Lord would bless us, that we'd wield holy swords in battle, that our suffering would be rewarded.
But it didn't happen. The researchers deemed us "failures" and chose to dispose of us. We were supposed to die. My comrades did. I alone survived. Others wanted to live more than I did. Others prayed more earnestly. Yet, I survived.
Strictly speaking, I died once but was reborn as a Devil, a "Knight" of Rias Gremory-sama. Rias-sama—Prez—and the Gremory family treated me like family.
Perhaps because of that warmth, I forgot my vengeance against the holy sword. My mission to destroy Excalibur.
Then, it happened. Excalibur wielders from the Church arrived in this town.
"—Recently, the holy swords Excalibur, held by the Vatican of the Catholic Church, the Protestant side, and the Orthodox Church, were stolen."
They weren't here to destroy Prez.
Their goal was negotiation, not combat. Though I was forewarned, it was unbearable. Two of the hateful holy swords were right here.
According to Irina Shidou and Xenovia Quarta, one Excalibur fragment was stolen from each of the three Church factions.
The mastermind, Fallen Angel Kokabiel, was reportedly hiding in this town.
The Church's demand wasn't cooperation but a warning to stay out. Excalibur was their issue. Even in a town managed by a Satan's sister, Devils interfering was unthinkable. Since holy swords are Devils' weakness, and Kokabiel might be colluding with Devils, their stance wasn't unreasonable.
"The higher-ups don't trust Devils or Fallen Angels. If you could steal a holy sword from God's side, Devils would be thrilled, right? Same as the Fallen Angels—mutual benefit. So, they'd likely team up. Thus, a warning shot: 'If you ally with Fallen Angel Kokabiel, we'll eradicate you, even if you're a Satan's sister.'"
"…They know I'm a Satan's sister, so you must be connected to some high-ups. Fine, I'll say it. I'll never ally with Fallen Angels. Absolutely not. On the Gremory name, I won't disgrace the Satans!"
Her prideful words were true to her character.
Seemingly satisfied, the holy sword wielders prepared to leave quickly, but Xenovia paused, as if recalling something.
"My superiors told me to confirm one thing, Rias Gremory. Do you know anything about a mysterious group claiming to be sword-wielding Heroic Spirits?"
"Kengou Eirei?"
I searched my memory, but the term was unfamiliar.
"From your reaction, you don't know? The Church has suffered significant damage from this group. Since you seem unaware, I recommend staying vigilant. Their leader is supposedly—Lucifero, the Satan."
"Lucifero, the Satan? That's from Dante's 'Divine Comedy,' isn't it? You don't seriously think we're connected just because of that, do you?" Prez retorted, her voice sharp from the earlier negotiation.
"Of course not. Neither I nor my superiors think that far. But we were told to probe. Also, one of them called themselves 'Saber—Avici Hell' or 'Musashi Miyamoto.'"
"I, Ophis. You… you all? Strong. Let's defeat Great Red together."
"Report from Sabnock. Negotiations with Kingu in Kyoto. Result: a non-interference pact with the condition of no actions in Kyoto. All comrades, acknowledge this."
"I want silence."
"Understood from Eligo. Notifying all Demon God Pillars."
"But Great Red is in the way."
"Report from Vepar. While recruiting unaffiliated Sacred Gear wielders, we were contacted by the mage organization 'Witches' Night.'"
"Shalba and Cao Cao said they'd help me."
"Addendum from Marbas. Since it was contact with a disguised organization, our true identity is unlikely compromised. However, heightened caution is necessary."
"But Shalba and Cao Cao are weak."
"Recollection from Marbas. A cadre of 'Witches' Night' should possess a Longinus, 'Incinerate Anthem,' wielded by Walburga."
"Proposal from Glasya-Labolas. A Longinus—and a holy relic. It's a key clue to the God of the Bible's true nature. Shouldn't we secure it now?"
"You? You all? Strong. With you and me, we can defeat Great Red."
"Agreement from Orobas. We have only one Longinus, and it's not fully operational. …Phenex, what's the status of 'Regulus Nemea'?"
"Response from Phenex. The wielder's life was saved but remains comatose. They won't wake soon. The Longinus itself is autonomous and can participate in operations."
"Let's defeat Great Red together."
"Uh, everyone?"
"What is it, comrade Asia? Is Assassin being noisy again?"
"Sorry. Tell Baal your complaints."
"No, it's not about Assassin-sensei. Who's that over there?"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Huh?"
"Report from Andras. While searching for the 'Sephiroth Graal,' we encountered a drifter from our world—'F.'"
"Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu…! Sorry, let's try that again! Musashi Shinmen, reporting for duty! For now, could I get something to eat? I'm starving!"
***
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