Each Path

I, Hyoudou Issei, am currently wandering the town dressed as a priest. It's not just me; Kiba, Koneko-chan, and even Saji, who is a servant of another master, are with me.

...As a devil, I think I'm quite gray, but I'm doing this for the sake of my comrade Kiba.

I negotiated with Xenovia and Irina and obtained permission to destroy Excalibur. I thought the negotiation would be difficult, but thanks to Xenovia's reasoning of borrowing the power of a dragon rather than demonic power, the negotiation went smoothly. ...I haven't told the Club President or Student Council President. If this were to be mishandled, it could upset the balance between devils and the Church, so we have to make sure it doesn't get revealed.

Since there were rumors of attacks on priests, I thought if I disguised myself as a priest, the enemy would come to me. However, for the past few days, I've had no results. I was so bored that I talked about it with Saji and Kiba, the thing that has been causing a stir in the Underworld, the flesh columns.

"The flesh columns that killed the original pillars. What exactly are they? According to the Club President, they are creatures that don't exist in the history of the Underworld."

"Who knows? Even President doesn't know. The Satan don't know either. That's why they apparently decided to form an alliance with God and fallen angels, who should be their archenemies. The incident at that church might be related to that too. It seems that fallen angel bases in the human world have been attacked in the past few months, including in this town."

Ah, I know about that. It must be referring to the gas explosion that happened at the church where Asia was supposed to be dispatched. I heard about it from the President, but it wasn't actually a gas explosion. ...Asia, I want to see you again.

I see. Similar incidents have been happening all over the place. If it were only fallen angels who were affected, I would think it serves them right, but if it's causing harm to devils as well, it's a different story. I wonder what happened to Yuma... no, to Raynare.

"However, it's not all bad."

"Huh?"

"It's about the power balance between the Satan Faction and the Great King Faction, right?"

Saji nods in response to Kiba's question. He explains to me, who is not quite catching on.

"Issei-kun, the current devil government is divided into two major factions: the Satan Faction and the Great King Faction."

"The Satan Faction is led by the Four Great Satan, including Sirzechs Lucifer-sama, who is the brother of the President. They are a progressive group causing waves in the new era, creating 'Evil Pieces' and such. On the other hand, the Great King Faction is a faction that upholds the tradition of the Seventy-Two Pillars that has been handed down since ancient times. There seems to be a disagreement between the two factions due to ideological differences. Of course, both the Satan Faction and the Great King Faction are not completely united and are composed of multiple small factions."

"It can be said that the conservative Great King Faction was essentially managed by the first Great King, Lord Zekram Bael. However, the first Great King suddenly passed away. Therefore, the Great King Faction is without a leader. The current and previous Great Kings, including the current Great King, don't have the same charisma as the first Great King. No, precisely because the first Great King is no longer here, there is a dispute within the Great King Faction over who will become the next de facto leader."

"I-Isn't the Underworld going through a difficult time?"

"Because the Underworld is going through a difficult time, it's easier to target and be targeted from behind. Like I mentioned earlier, the Great King Faction is a major faction that plays a significant role in the devil's political landscape. Many government officials belong to that faction. The thing is, the members of the Great King Faction can't make a move. Their faction's policies are not aligned, and if they act independently, they might be expelled from the faction when a leader is eventually decided. Since the Great King Faction adheres to the policies of the first Great King, there are not many members who act voluntarily. And when the Great King Faction is unable to move, it becomes easier for the opinions of the Satan Faction to prevail."

"Even though the Satan Faction is cooperative, there were some of the first generation members who kept giving their opinions on everything. The president's was being evasive, but undoubtedly, this incident was a plus for the Satan-sama."

That's what I meant by the "not all bad" things I mentioned earlier. Certainly, when watching the parliamentary broadcasts, there are many moments where you think, "Why are they wasting time on this?" If there are fewer conflicts, political decisions can be made more quickly. That's why the negotiations to form an alliance with gods and fallen angels went smoothly. And as I'm convinced of that, a chill runs down my spine.

"Look up!"

Upon Saji's shout, we all look up and see a white-haired boy descending while wielding a longsword.

"May the blessings of the priest be with you all!"

Kiba blocks the attack from the white-haired priest with his sacred sword. Kiba's sacred sword is an incredible weapon that can create any demonic sword.

And I already knew about this white-haired boy priest in advance.

"Freed Sellzen!"

"Huh? You know about me? Being famous is tough!"

I received information about this rogue exorcist from Xenovia and Irina. Freed Sellzen. Despite his joking tone and attitude, he seems to be incredibly powerful. He was a genius but also a madman who would even harm his comrades.

Actually, Kiba had fought against him a few days ago. I should report it to the President, but I kept quiet because Freed had Excalibur. He wanted to defeat him himself. To destroy Excalibur with his own hands.

"I will destroy Excalibur!"

"Don't spout nonsense, you damn devil! It won't be that easy!"

Kiba creates a new sword with his sacred weapon and attacks with dual blades, but Freed easily parries his attacks.

After a few clashes, Kiba and Freed create some distance between them. Freed seems calm, while Kiba is sweating.

"Damn it! Destroying Excalibur is not as easy as I thought."

"Well, the sword is one thing, but I'm really strong, you know! I'm a super genius! By the way... so, these are the peerage of 'Gremory.'"

Huh? It seems like his tone has changed. It's no longer the crazed vulgar way of speaking but rather a more mechanical and logical tone.

"I really hate you guys! I'll kill you! Just die!"

No, it seems like it was just my imagination. Anyway, I have to defeat him and sever the connection between Kiba and Excalibur!

***

The Khaos Brigade, a group of individuals affiliated with various factions, is a terrorist organization in human terms. Their internal relationships are complex, with members exploiting and using each other. Currently, talents from various places are gathering in secret, accumulating power beneath the surface of the world's geopolitical situation.

While it exists only in name, the leader is referred to as the "Infinite Dragon God," Ophis. However, the leader has been frequently absent on their own accord lately, going somewhere unknown. Since they serve as the banner for amassing power, it is desirable for them to refrain from acting recklessly, but they cannot be controlled. Many see lending themselves to Ophis as an opportunity to obtain the "Snake," so not many people view it as a problem. Considering the absence of major disturbances, it is likely that they are not making contact with any particular gods, deities, or devils.

Within this group, there is a faction called the Hero Faction. It is the second largest faction after the Old Satan Faction, consisting of the descendants of the true Satan and their subordinates. The members are all humans. Their main purpose is to demonstrate what humans can do against otherworldly beings, and they have formed an alliance. The faction includes renowned heroes' descendants, reincarnations, and even the owners of the holy spear capable of slaying gods, Longinus.

The leader, Cao Cao, is a descendant of the Cao Cao from the Three Kingdoms period. The sacred gear he possesses is the Holy Spear, True Longinus, considered to be the strongest Longinus capable of annihilating gods. As the spear that pierced the Son of God, it paradoxically holds the power to kill gods. Being referred to as the "Holy Spear," it possesses holy power effective against impure beings like demons. Additionally, Cao Cao has awakened the Balance Breaker, a subspecies, making him versatile in combat. Cao Cao is a man worthy of leading the Hero Faction.

The strategist, Georg, is also a Longinus owner. He possesses the ultimate sealing-type sacred gear, Dimension Lost, known as the strongest barrier-type sacred gear. Naturally, he has also awakened the Balance Breaker.

Now, these men are collapsed and exhausted at an airport in a certain country. They wear expressions of immense defeat. In truth, they have just experienced a failed recruitment attempt. However, it was not that they couldn't secure personnel. Something much larger had been destroyed.

It all started with a rumor they wanted to confirm. The contents of the rumor were that there was a nurse capable of extracting "Evil Pieces" If it were true, it would be a matter that the Hero Faction couldn't ignore. No one could hear that story and remain silent, knowing about the existence of "Evil Pieces" Since Cao Cao is the only one making significant moves, the credibility is still low. Their advantage lies in their light-footedness, which is characteristic of terrorists operating beneath the surface.

Finding the "nurse" mentioned in the eyewitness accounts was not an easy task. The information had clearly been erased by someone. It would be difficult to find traces of information manipulation unless it was a well-staffed organization. Nonetheless, relying on scant information, they managed to locate the nurse they were looking for. It was a hospital in a conflict zone.

However, the place they finally arrived at... was hell.

Simultaneously, it was a scene that anyone who had ever lived on a battlefield, regardless of time or place, would have witnessed.

With hoarse voices, the injured pleaded, "Kill me." Many had lost limbs, and there were numerous unconscious individuals. The visible bandages were all stained with blood. The smell of death permeated to an unbearable extent. Amidst the ceaseless screams of agony, it felt as though the footsteps of death could be heard. Grown adults cried and begged for forgiveness from the gods.

Cao Cao and Georg had fought before. They had taken lives. They had seen grotesque corpses. They had even conducted human experiments as part of their organization's research. However, seeing the scene that should have been familiar to past heroes, they felt nothing but pain in the air, which made them feel nauseated.

What they sought was the complete opposite of what they found. There was no honor bestowed upon the warriors who should have been on the battlefield. There was only blood, pain, suffering, and death.

Ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly. Painful, painful, painful, painful. Filthy, filthy, filthy, filthy. Miserable, miserable, miserable, miserable. Hateful, hateful, hateful, hateful. Terrifying, terrifying, terrifying, terrifying.

While denying in their minds that their fight was like this, that they wouldn't become like this, Cao Cao and his group averted their gazes. They turned away from the hell before them and from their own future.

Amidst such hell, the nurse was fighting. Despite her battered appearance, there was no sign of her spirit wearing thin. The women assisting her showed signs of fatigue, but they never stopped. They didn't flinch at the verbal abuse hurled by the wounded; instead, they used force to silence them. They ensured hygiene, executed treatments, and swiftly moved on. Each time they acted, the negative atmosphere that filled the space seemed to dissipate.

Heroes.

They were different from the heroes they aspired to become. However, no other words could describe them. Unlike their desire to become heroes, she was already a hero. She was an exceptionally complete human being. Her radiance was dazzling, even stirring up feelings of jealousy. Their presence resembled that of beautiful angels.

Initially, it was speculated that the hospital was a cover for extracting "Evil Pieces" However, in reality, it was just an ordinary hospital, and she was just an ordinary nurse. The procedures being performed here were neither special nor cutting-edge—just slightly rough "ordinary medical treatments." For her, extracting "Evil Pieces" was merely one of the treatments she provided.

After the treatment had settled, Cao Cao and his group were able to converse with her. They explained the existence and purpose of the Hero Faction and requested cooperation. As soon as they finished speaking, she said:

"You are all sick."

Subsequently, Cao Cao and his group were shattered by her words, to put it mildly. They had received counseling that truly hit the mark, broadening the meaning of "treatment" itself. What was said and how it affected them was something only they should know.

When a new patient was brought into the hospital, Cao Cao and his group took the opportunity to escape discreetly, utilizing the full power of Dimension Lost.

And that brings us to the present. Cao Cao expressed his determination:

"Georg, let's forget about that nurse."

"Yes. I never want to see her again... Let's return to the hideout quickly."

"Fou!"

"Hm?"

When Cao Cao looked down at his feet, there was a small, white creature resembling a cat or a rabbit. Wondering when it had appeared, he heard a girl's voice from behind.

"Where do you think you're going? The doctor's treatment isn't finished yet."

***

"Vali, we've located that idiot Kokabiel. Of all places, it turns out to be Sirzechs and Serafall's sister's territory in Japan. Hurry and go retrieve him."

"Understood, Azazel. If I recall correctly, it's a regional city in Japan."

"Yeah, the exact coordinates are here... By the way, speaking of Japan, there have been rumors about an incredibly powerful Yokai appearing in Kyoto recently."

"That sounds interesting. Can you investigate it while I go to retrieve Kokabiel?"

"Sure thing. I'll have someone who's free check it out. I also like Japan, so I wouldn't tolerate Kyoto being destroyed easily."

"I hope they prove to be a strong opponent who can satisfy me."

"Is that so? How did you become such a battle maniac? Oh, right. There's a rumor that the Red Dragon Emperor is one of Rias Gremory's peerage, but don't fight him. We need to establish an agreement from now on. Additionally, thanks to Kokabiel's idiocy, our position is not favorable. We can't afford to make it worse."

"If it comes down to it, can't we fight?"

"Absolutely not. If you want to fight, you'll have the opportunity to battle that infamous Pillar of Flesh. So be patient and wait for that. Once the agreement is successful, we'll inevitably have to fight."

"Hehe. It can defeat the First Generations of the 72 Pillars. That Pillar of Flesh will surely entertain me."