But Brother Met Him Before

Luca was trying to contact his sisters, but Isla didn't respond at all. He was degraded into hiding while Noah and the hellhounds had tried to stall it even for a few seconds. Then again, what was a level five against a level nine whose power was estimated to be sixteen times than his?

The hunter, a level three, was even in a worse situation.

Luca continued to message Theresa for whatever backup she could give, but all he got was that the White Magi was inbound. However, they would still need to buy a few more seconds to contain the level nine. It's just that… Luca knew that his sisters might not be enough for a level nine.

"Stay there." A seemingly familiar voice spoke to Luca. When he looked up, he saw a black man in a black coat. By the way his skin almost fused with his clothes, only his white eyes were prominent enough to recognize a face. However, Luca had a feeling that he had talked with this man before.

"Count to 100, Luca. Then, go fetch him." The black man started speaking to Luca when he appeared from the lower floor and finished when he disappeared on the corner leading to the higher floor. Even if his words were very clear, Luca couldn't understand what he really meant.

"Count to 100…" Luca only murmured and started nonetheless. Even if he heard another explosion and smoke had flooded even the landing, he kept counting down to 100. It was as if he was hoping for a miracle when he was done.

However, the smartwatch stopped working by then. Luca rapidly tapped, but he couldn't get it to work. "It can't be—"

When he thought they were already stuck between a rock and hard place, the aura of the level nine oozed all over the building. Luca felt a jolt that sent him nauseous, but he only covered his mouth to keep his puke in. 'The level nine's aura… did the… did the black man challenge it?'

After that, Luca tried to get up and see what was happening. As soon as he got to his feet, he fell over as a stronger aura pressed upon his body. However, he wasn't terrified.

Actually, he was glad that this familiar aura was here now. Mephisto seemed to save Noah again and again… while he… continued to be useless.

In the battlefront, Mephisto wasn't really thinking about anyone else but that level nine and Noah. Caliga and the others were sent to the ground while the black man in a black coat only snorted softly. This didn't seem to faze him at all.

The level ten extended his hand, and pressure held onto the level nine like it wasn't even a general in a demon army. The level nine's eyes quivered, and it started to beg for forgiveness.

"M-Mephistopheles! We're not supposed to fight! You and I belong to the same race! Humans are the enemy! If you release me, I will help appease my lord master to take it easy on you—"

However, Mephisto didn't really let it off, moving his hand slowly to crush the creature that had been resisting his hold. The level nine then resorted to threats.

"Mephistopheles! If you don��t let me go, the entire army of gluttony will shroud this realm and kill each and every human in sight! Release me!"

"What a very talkative creature." The man in a black coat also extended his hand, and black flames surrounded the level nine. The latter then gasped in indescribable terror, its eyes then landing at the man in a black coat.

The black man only snorted as if nonchalant about the challenge. "The gluttony demons would want to cause chaos and get killed in the process? Then, why don't we just 'help' you guys out in Hell?"

Bang! The two males clenched their fists like grabbing air violently, and the level nine exploded as soon as the pressure and black flames converged on its body. Its flesh would splatter all over if not for the black flames that turned it into ash instantly.

Mephisto then laughed out afterward.

"Be early next time." The man in a black coat moved his hand to draw the black smoke coming from the dead level nine, leaving behind the crystal. He then gazed in Noah's direction, revealing his white eyes and black skin. The black man soon walked into the shadows and faded out of sight.

"Yes, yes…" Mephisto sighed. "Those dogs are terrifying…"

Mephisto then walked towards Noah and squatted down, a hand caressing the witch's head. "You… are always getting in trouble. Belphegor must know that you'd always need your babysitter."

Noah then shot his arms out and wrapped them around Mephisto's waist like a scared child that wouldn't cry. The demon only laughed and brought a knee down to stabilize his position. He then turned to the hellhounds who were still on the ground, ears folded as if terrified.

"No worries, you won't be punished. It's not your fault that your master is a magnet for disaster."

"Noah?" Luca's voice echoed as he walked onto the floor. He saw the black dogs circling a far-off wall, with Mephisto down on one knee. When he tried to get closer, he ended up kicking a big crystal on the ground. He picked it up and felt the power stored in it… "The level nine…?"

"Ah, you're back." Mephisto looked over his shoulder and saw Luca holding onto the crystal. "You shouldn't even hold onto that. Come here, the baby is scared."

Luca still brought the crystal while he jogged to the circle. Caseus got up and rubbed his head against Luca, the hunter petting the hound he passed by. He walked up to Mephisto who collected the crystal before noticing Noah plastering himself against the demon's chest.

"I'm sorry I wasn't even worth any help." Luca clenched his fist.

"You can't really expect much from yourself after what your father did to you."

Mephisto said something in passing, but Luca caught it very clearly. What did this demon mean by that? His father did something to him? What did his father do?

Mephisto knew that he said something he shouldn't have, but he could feel like it was not in his best interest for Luca to lose interest in sticking with Noah on the premise of being a burden instead. In the end, he could only break his promise and sprinkle a little doubt in Luca's heart.

However, Luca was a member of the Order. If he believed everything a demon said, he would have to reevaluate himself. Perhaps, if it was about Noah, Luca would believe Mephisto without question. If it was about him, Luca really exercised caution… but he wouldn't forget it.

After a few more seconds, Noah released Mephisto and only sat on the ground. The demon gave some goodbye pats to the witch's head before fading out of existence. The hellhounds had also regained their composure and entered the immaterial state. Only Caliga remained to place his chin on Noah's thigh.

Footsteps echoed from downstairs, and it was evident that there were a lot of people coming. The SCC in-charge arrived with Rebecca… along with the three White Magi. Alessa looked at the place and seemed like the battle was quick and decisive.

"The level nine's aura vanished… and we felt a level ten." Alessa laid down the facts, but it felt like she was trying to justify their speed. It was as if she knew that by the time they came, it was all over.

"T-Two…" Luca looked at his sister. "Two level tens were here."

Alessa's eyes quivered. So it was true… another level ten was watching over Noah Rocco, the witch of Belphegor. Was it a demon of sloth? However, they never had any readings of sloth demons going around, and those things were very easy to spot.

For now, Alessa decided to drop the matter. As long as Luca was safe along with Noah, she was relieved and would not hunt these level tens down. She only glanced at Noah before taking a visual check of her brother. "Are you alright, Luca? You don't seem to be involved in the fight."

Luca only lowered his head. He wished he could participate and help.

"That was a level ten?" Noah then lifted his face to take a look at Luca. The man didn't even ooze any aura and felt like he didn't even exist. Even Mephisto had to unleash his aura to grip the level nine, but that man didn't even flinch when Mephisto and the level nine had their auras clashing.

"How did you know it was a level ten?"

Luca stared at Noah, and the former hated his terrified gaze. Even if Noah was used to bloodshed and deaths, certain powers like this would still hit him so hard. Only Mephisto could help, and Luca was reduced to someone who would only wait for Mephisto to come help.

Luca then sighed. "I don't really know… I just felt like I know he was. He was a hellhound in a human form after all; he should be strong."

Alessa twitched, but she didn't let anyone notice. She could only clench her fist. Was it the same hellhound that came that day?

Noah lifted his brows. If the level nine didn't call the black man a hellhound or that Noah hadn't seen lady Dione yet, he wouldn't know that was a hellhound in a human form. Luca… figured it was a hellhound? The witch with hellhounds couldn't even pinpoint a hellhound in a human form on his own.

"Regardless, let's get you two out of here." Rebecca cleared her throat and looked around. "The watches are fried, as well as the broadcast cameras. We should go to the station for now to help the detectives make sense of this. Besides, you should know our police contacts for future cooperation."

The group then started walking down, but Noah walked next to Caliga who entered his material form. He ignored the shocked gasps of Rebecca and the SCC in-charge. Alessa, Tabitha, and Winona only watched the witch and his familiar pass by, walking ahead of everyone else.

Luca was the last one to walk. For some reason, he felt like he was so lost in what he knew and what he was supposed to know. While at the back of the group, Luca then felt Caseus materialize and walk next to him. He reached out to pet the hellhound.

"How did I recognize that person? Do you know?" Luca spoke as if the black dog would answer him. It's just that a mix of a howl and a low grumble sounded in his ear.

"But Brother met him before…"