44 The King Piece

Sitting in my office in the Pentagram I played Candy Crush on my tablet, as my self-writing quill signed documents.

It's been five years since the new century began and its now the year 1706.

Though honestly nothing really big has happened at all.

However I know that will all change in another five to six decades.

The moment the 1760's hit in the human realm the industrial Revolution will kick off.

Following that will be the American Civil War, and both world wars, along with a bunch of other shit. Like some of the worst human beings in history being born and coming into.

Adolf Hitler, Josef Mengele, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, etc.

The list goes on and on.

I may be a devil, but what these guys will do makes me sick to my fucking stomach.

That's why I may interfere with history just a bit.

But not a lot.

Since I really don't want to know what will happen if I change history too much.

A time god could show up if I do that, and I do not need a time god on my ass.

If that happens I will never get any time to myself.

And yes, that was a pun.

Thank you, I will be here probably forever.

Moving on, I continued playing Candy Crush until I heard a knock on my officer door.

The moment I did I paused the game on my tablet and set it down on my desk. "Come in." I said.

When I did the door opened and Reynard entered.

He is still my attaché after all.

And he does a mighty fine job at being it.

By the way he and Echidna are dating.

They actually were before I caught them in their risque position that night after I turned Scathach into my queen all those decades ago.

But they wanted to keep it to themselves, because back then they weren't sure they would stay together and didn't want me caught up in their drama if that was the case.

I respected their decision and didn't press the matter.

However I have teased them both mercilessly about their relationship over the decades.

Feels good when I do so.

I looked at Reynard after he entered my office. "Yes Reynard, what is it?" I asked him.

Since he never comes into my office unless I have something scheduled or it is an urgent matter.

And since I don't have anything regarding the former to deal with today, it can only mean he is coming to discuss the latter with me.

Realizing that I put a serious expression on my face.

"Sir I just received an urgent communication from the Technology Department, courtesy of Almira Astaroth." He told me. "Your presence is requested immediately at the personal lab of Maou Beelzebub. And before you ask, no the message did not say anything else. Just that." Reynard explained to me.

I nodded at his words.

"Understood, thank you for telling me." I told him. "Hold any other matters that may come up for the day unless they are life or death. You are dismissed." I said.

Reynard slightly bowed.

He then left my office and closed the door behind him.

Once he did so I moved from behind my desk and conjured a teleportation circle.

Making my way to Ajuka's personal lab to see what this urgent matter is all about.

But I will say this.

I am getting a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach concerning it.

---------------------------------

The light of the teleportation circle dying down I found myself in front of a six-story building within Ajuka's personal Beelzebub territory.

Also known as his personal lab.

Going up to the door I knocked.

Then a moment later it opened, courtesy of Almiria.

Over these past centuries she's become even more brilliant.

Today she holds the position of one of the deputy directors within the Technology Department itself, and she didn't get there by nepotism. No, she earned her position all on her own.

"Uncle Asterius, please come in, and thank you for coming so urgently." Almiria told me.

"Think nothing of it Almiria." I told her.

I then stepped inside, Almiria closing the door behind me.

After she did so she started walking in front of me, and I followed right behind her.

The two of us walked for some time until we reached a door.

Once we did Almiria went through without hesitation and I followed her.

Getting onto the other side I found myself in a smaller more personalized lab. I also noticed Almiria and I were not the only ones in the room.

Sirzechs, Ajuka, and Zekram Bael are here as well.

All three of them standing around a table, with 12 evil pieces that I immediately recognized the moment my eyes landed on them.

They are the King Pieces.

'So, the time is finally here.' I thought.

Those accursed King Pieces have finally made their appearance.

Excellent.

Now I can make sure they never see the light of day.

Because of these accursed King Pieces Cleria died in canon since the Old Devils wanted to keep their dirty laundry covered up. These fucking things also led to my little brother becoming a terrorist in canon, and gave those old devil fucks the ability to turn the Rating Games into their personal bitch.

They also turned my wife into a criminal during canon.

Well that was then and this is now.

And there is no way in hell I am going to let that happen.

Never.

I walked over to the three other leaders of the underworld. Looking at the King Pieces the entire time as I did so

"Hello everyone." I told them. Keeping my voice as even as possible.

Since right now all I want to do is use my [Worthless] power to negate the abilities of the King Pieces on the table and smash them into tiny little pieces.

"So then, I take it these evil pieces that resemble the king piece of chess is why you urgently summoned me here?" I asked.

"Yes, that is exactly right." Zekram said.

"He speaks the truth Asterius." Ajuka spoke up. "Now then allow me to explain. During my research and development into evil pieces over these last few decades I decided to try and create the last piece of the set. A way to give kings a boost in power as well. And the future of that research and labor is right in front of you. I give you the King Piece." He told us.

"Ok." I said. "So if you succeeded in your research why are there only twelve of these King Pieces before me? Is there something wrong with them?" I asked.

Even though I already know the answer.

"Yes and no." Ajuka said. "You see during my creation and trials involving the King Piece I discovered something grave. That the invention I made it too powerful. Through trials and simulations I learned that if a devil uses the King Piece their power will sky-rocket by an incredible amount. These King Pieces can turn a high-class devil into an ultimate-class just like that. And they can turn an ultimate-class into a Satan-class without even trying." He told us.

Again I already knew this from my previous life's memories.

But hearing Ajuka actually say this about the King Piece, along with the worried expression he is currently wearing on his face makes it hit home even more.

These things need to go, and pronto.

"Ajuka, have you made any more of these King Pieces?" Sirzechs asked.

When he did Ajuka shook his head.

"No, thankfully I only made twelve of them. So the King Pieces you see in front of you are the only ones in existence, and the only ones that will ever be made by my hands." He spoke with conviction.

I nodded at that. "Good on you Ajuka." I said. "Now then let you ask you, why did you call us all here? If the King Pieces are so dangerous why not just destroy them the moment you found out and never tell another soul about them?" I asked him.

"Because I need some people to know about them. That way they can stop me if I ever try to create something like these King Pieces ever again." He admitted.

'Oh, so he wants us to be his buffer and his conscience.' I thought.

Good on you Ajuka.

But that doesn't explain why he invited Zekram here.

No, wait it does.

If the Great King faction learned of these King Pieces after the fact they could accuse the New Maou faction of hiding things from them, which would result in a terrible strife within the underworld.

Hence why Ajuka invited Zekram to this meeting.

Speaking of him, he hasn't taken his eyes off the King Pieces since I arrived.

I can practically see his thoughts, even though he is keeping his face expressionless.

Too bad you old bastard, things are not going to go the way you want.

"We will do as you ask Ajuka." I told him. "Now then, are we going to inform Serafall of this?" I asked them.

Since right now she is on a diplomatic mission to the Hindu Pantheon.

Sirzechs, Zekram, and even Ajuka nodded at my question.

"We will inform her of this. But only after she returns." Sirzechs told me. "She is a leader of the underworld too after all." He said.

I nodded. "Just checking." I turned my gaze back to the King Pieces. "So then, now that we all know what these King Pieces can do let's destroy them. If an enemy of the government like the Old Maou Faction where to learn about these King Pieces and even get their hands on one of them it would put the entire underworld and devil race in extreme danger. The longer they exist the more our people are put in danger, so let's handle them right here and right now."

"I agree with what you are saying Maou Asterius, but should we really be so hasty?" Zekram questioned.

Just as I knew he would.

"After all as Maou Beelzebub just explained to us, these King Pieces can vastly increase the power of a single devil astronomically. If we were to give them to devils we trusted, then we could significantly boost our races power as a whole." Zekram proposed.

"Yes we could, but what happens if that individual we bestow with the King Piece decides they don't want to follow our orders anymore?" I questioned him. "If they were to revolt, would you fight them personally and retrieve the King Piece?" I asked him.

"If I had to." Zekram shakily said.

"So that's a no then." I said. "Lord Zekram I understand where you are coming from but the danger of the King Piece far outweighs the risk the benefits of keeping them around.

"I agree with Lord Asterius." Sirzechs said.

"Me as well." Ajuka agreed. "Especially since there something else I have learned about the King Piece. If they are used by someone who is too strong, or has a special ability, then the King Piece will malfunction causing untold damage to the body of the person who tried to use it, or in the worst case scenario, instant death." He revealed.

"Yet another reason we need to take care of the actual King Pieces here and now." I said.

Zekram sighed.

Arguing with Super Devils will do that to you. Especially when they are all standing together.

"Ok, we will destroy the King Pieces." Zekram agreed.

"Excellent." I said. I then looked at Sirzechs. "Zechs, I will use [Worthless] to negate the powers of the King Pieces and then you use P.O.D. to destroy them. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good." Sirzechs told me.

Once he did I turned to face the King Pieces and negated all their powers using [Worthless].

After I did so Sirzechs conjured 12 small spheres of P.O.D. and used them to erase the King Pieces completely from existence in the seconds after he formed the orbs.

Putting an end to the King Pieces before they even got started.

I saw the slight anger on Zekram's face but I ignored it.

Instead I inwardly smiled.

Glad that I just avoided a huge threat.

But just to make sure I will put the Order of the Black Knights on the case to make sure a King Piece or anything like it ever surfaces in the underworld of in the Rating Games.

It is my duty as a Maou and as member of the Belial household to make sure this happens after all.