Chapter 39: Beelzebub & Lucifer

Chapter 39: 

"___" - Speech

(___) - Thoughts

(___) - Internal Voice(s)

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"You know, I could probably hold him for up to a day in the seal I made for him. Are you sure it's best for us to handle Loki instead of giving the kids a chance to shine? I'm sure both Sona's and your sister's peerages combined would be sufficient. Even more so if Azazel's boys decide to join." 

People like Ajuka and Sirzechs shared an especially important role when it came to their management of the younger generation. To decide when they should handle matters on their own, and when they as adults should step in. 

Obviously they were more inclined towards allowing those younger than them to garner as much experience as possible, but at the same time they were running a big risk each time depending on the magnitude of the situation. 

One step too far and bam! The Underworld's future would be put in jeopardy. 

On that note, did Ajuka see reason in Sirzechs decision to get involved? Of course, this was a God they were talking about. 

However, the Beelzebub was confident that the forces of the younglings combined were capable of handling someone of Loki's caliber, especially if they had Mjölnir at their disposal. 

"I'm aware." The Lucifer calmly replied. 

"I see." Although, there was another reason behind his decision beyond just not wanting to risk the children's safety. 

The fact that the Khaos Brigade had the gall to barge into a gathering with six powerhouses present made one thing abundantly clear. 

They were being looked down on. 

Their titles were being viewed as empty.

If they were willing to be this brazen against the adults, then just what would they pull against the kids? The sheer thought of it infuriated Sirzechs, though he didn't make it evident on his face. 

"In that case, I suppose we should get going." The Satan duo neared one another as Ajuka placed a teleportation circle beneath their feet. 

"Good luck." Serafall said right as they were about to leave. 

"Thanks, but we probably won't need it." 

.

.

The land was barren, occupied only by an endless sea of charcoal-colored rock and infertile soils. The sky above hummend a dark hue as the wind howled tirelessly. 

In the middle of all this nothingness, stood an enormous light-blue luminescent prism. This was the seal created by none other than Ajuka himself to keep Loki imprisoned, but it seemed like he would be removing it far sooner than he had planned. 

"Ready?" Sirzechs questioned. 

"Of course, this shouldn't take long." 

"Good to see that you're confident as ever." Sirzechs chuckled. 

"Don't pretend like you aren't thinking the exact same thing." Ajuka chided, slowly waving his hand as the prism quickly started to lose its radiance. 

"Reading your own friend's mind? How cold of you." 

"I don't need to read your mind to figure that much out." 

SHATTER! 

The prism burst into thousands of faded strands of Demonic Power, revealing the cross-legged figure of Loki within with his chin resting on his palm. 

"Oh?" The Asgardian raised his brow as he narrowed his eyes in the direction of the two Satans. "I didn't think you'd be so eager to see me again? At least this shows you know better than to use such a petty trick against me, Beelzebub." 

"Sure, I guess." Ajuka half-heartedly replied, uninterested in engaging in conversation with Loki.

The Norse God scoffed as he shifted his gaze towards Sirzechs. 

"You're here as well Lucifer? I suppose the two of you will suffice for the opening act of Ragnarok." He slowly hauled himself to his feet, snapping his fingers as four bursts of energy shot from his figure, completely shattering the rock around him. 

SNARL! 

Fenrir had returned, beyond eager to redeem himself for his blunder earlier. The aggression on his face was made crystal clear by his bloodshot eyes and the chunks of saliva dripping out of the sides of his mouth. 

"What a happy family you have here, Loki." 

But that wasn't all, by his sides were two significantly smaller versions of Fenrir. One with a lighter shade of fur and the other a darker one. 

Sköll and Hati, Fenrir's children. 

And one more, a serpent like creature with moss green scales and an enormous body that seemed like it could span endlessly. 

It had a forked tongue alongside a set of snake-like pupils, and fins on the side of its head like some sort of sea creature. 

The Midgard Serpent, Midgardsormr. 

Or at least an imitation of it, the real thing of course made even this version of it appear like nothing but an ant. Not to mention that he spent most of his lifetime sleeping, even Loki wouldn't be able to wake him up easily despite being his creator. 

"That Fallen Angel proved that there is some merit to your positions, so I thought it only proper to up the stakes accordingly. I don't imagine you have any objects?" Loki grinned as the confidence in his assembly of behemoths surged. 

"Hm." Ajuka scratched his chin as he carefully observed each of the beasts, as a fellow inventor he couldn't help but satiate his curiosity. "I'll keep his pets at bay, you should be able to handle him right?" He turned to Sirzechs. 

"Knock yourself out." 

"You too." The Beelzebub flickered in front of the four beings of legend, his hands still at his sides as he donned a smile in front of their hate-fueled expressions. 

"How silly of me, I've yet to introduce myself." Ajuka held his open palm out towards the quartet, focusing in on his Demonic Power with impossible concentration. 

In a split second, Fenrir's right leg, Sköll's tail, Hati's horns, and Midgardsormr's ears were surrounded by a cubicle construct of deep emerald Demonic Power. 

Their eyes widened in shock as they scurried to try to dispel it, their instincts warning them to get rid of it at any cost. 

They scratched, clawed, bit and howled with all their might. But it was to no avail, it just wouldn't budge no matter what they did. 

Every attempt was just as futile as the last. 

"Interesting, you probably have no clue what I'm about to do but your instincts are capable of informing you of the fact that you are indeed in danger." Ajuka couldn't help but hum inquisitively as he even began to consider the prospect of him creating a few beasts of his own. 

What would they look like? 

What powers would they hold? 

What would their flaws be?

What could he do to perfect them? 

"Oh, I almost forgot I was in the middle of something. How clumsy of me." 

HOWL!

All it took was a simple gesture, and a tsunami of screeches followed. 

Loki's creations writhed in torment and anguish as they had their limbs painfully torn from them by a pulling force rivaling that of a black hole. 

All of them were capable of regrowing the lost flesh, but it didn't make it any less of an excruciating experience. 

"Their pain receptors are still intact. I suppose removing them would dull their instincts to an extent and instill a sense of complacency, but I can't help but feel as if there's some sort of compromise to be made here." 

His words didn't reach Loki in the slightest, but that wasn't his intention regardless. 

The scientist in him simply couldn't help but monologue as he "fought" the creature's, to him they at most qualified for an object of study. Not an opponent. 

"Let's try something a tad bit unorthodox shall we?" Ajuka's mind continued to spin at full force as each of the beasts seemed to be put under some sort of spell, the color vanishing from their pupils as they looked to be half-asleep in a span of mere seconds. 

"Huh, that was easier than I thought. Looks like you aren't that good at mental reinforcement, Loki." This time, the Beelzebub had Loki's full attention. 

A vein bulged out of his forehead and he shot daggers towards the Underworld's top scientist, seething with rage as he watched his creations be played with like puppets on a string. 

"What have you done? Beelzebub." The worst part of it was, he still didn't know what Ajuka had just done, but it was clear as day that whatever was about to happen was not going to be in his favor. 

The moss-haired Devil was eclipsing everything he thought possible from a "lesser" species, right in front of his eyes. 

If only Loki knew this was but a fraction of what he was capable of. 

"Me? Just another little experiment, nothing major." 

Ajuka snapped his fingers once more, and all hell broke loose. 

ROOOAAARR! 

HISSS! 

Loki couldn't fathom what he was witnessing. 

His heart sank to the bottom of his gut as he was left agape, this had to be a dream! 

His children, his creations — were attacking each other! 

"...Impossible." He whispered, his voice quivering as his fingers twitched. 

They began to maul each other with such intensity that it seemed like they had been mortal enemies for millenia! 

"Hm, maybe I should even it out a little more." 

Ajuka waved his hand as the manner of the fight instantly altered. 

"Much better." He nodded to himself. 

Instead of it being an all out free for all, he had purposefully pinned Sköll and Hati against each other, and Fenrir and Midgardsormr just the same. 

Perfectly balanced, as all things should be. 

"BEELZEBUB!" Loki let out a thunderous roar, thousands of blue rods of light appearing above him as they whirred with the overflowing intent to reduce Ajuka to smithereens. 

WHOOSH! 

Only needing a single thought from Loki, they all moved with breakneck speed directly towards him. However, Ajuka himself didn't seem to make any attempt to block, let alone evade the attack. 

After all, there simply wasn't any need to. 

CRUMBLE! 

Like dust in the wind, the rods of light each withered away as they were surrounded by an ominous crimson energy, not even managing to get within ten meters of the scientist. 

"I'll take it from here." 

It was time for the Lucifer to get involved.