The Seraphic System
Chapter: 105
Disclaimer: I don't own High School DxD or any other universe used in this story. However, all original characters, plotlines, and world-building elements created in this story are my own.
Pa/ t reon details below the chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance.
(The Heavenly Divorce)
I entered the designated meeting chamber to find all eyes immediately turning towards me. The room fell into respectful silence as I took in the assembled gathering.
This meeting had been long overdue. While I spoke with my Seraphim regularly, coordinating information individually had become increasingly inefficient. To truly understand the scope of our current situation, a comprehensive briefing was necessary.
Everyone was already present despite my early arrival.
I shook my head slightly, my lips quivering.
It seems everyone had decided to arrive even earlier. The room itself had been arranged with hierarchy in mind. Which is to say, Raphael and Michael were probably responsible for it.
At the centre of the room sat an oversized throne, ornate beyond necessity, its golden details catching the light from overhead, nearly prompting a roll of my eyes at my Arch-Seraphim's excessive behaviour.
The seating arrangement formed a perfect semicircle facing me, with five larger chairs closest to the throne occupied by the Archangels: Azrael, Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and the last vacant one for Uriel, who was temporarily missing.
Further down from them were nine slightly smaller seats that accommodated my newly elevated God-class Seraphim: Seraphiel, Jophiel, Aziraphel, Metatron, Sandalphon, Raguel, Remiel, Sariel, and Raziel. And in a position of honour near the inner circle sat Aphrodite, her presence drawing subtle glances from the others.
Of course, all of them were filled with innocence and curiosity. I smiled at how my Angels were unable to be swayed by her beauty, even if it was muted.
"Let's begin," I said simply.
There would have been a time not so long ago when having the eyes of so many ageless beings would have made me shrink, but now I found myself unbothered.
The room fell into attentive silence. I noticed the way eyes still kept drifting toward Aphrodite with a bit of newfound wariness in their expressions.
"I suppose I should start with the largest announcement," I announced, addressing their unspoken questions. "I've decided that Aphrodite will be joining Heaven permanently."
The surprise was immediate and visible. Several angels straightened in their seats but as no one interrupted, I continued.
"The Greeks have treated her poorly for millennia," I continued, my tone matter-of-fact. "When Heaven faced a large attack, she stood with us despite the potential backlash from her own pantheon. That loyalty deserves recognition and trust."
There was only a moment's pause before warm smiles and nods of acceptance followed my words, spreading through the assembled Angels. That was, of course, expected. I could announce we are hugging devils today, and they would ask me if they had to do so with or without gloves.
Michael looked at Aphrodite with an approving gaze, while Raphael looked at me as if I were some sort of grand genius. While Gabriel looked at me with a strange expression.
The rest of my Seraphs all reacted positively.
Only Azrael maintained her cold, calculating stare fixed on the Goddess.
"And where'll her loyalty lie when Olympus calls for retaliation? I hear love can be fickle." Azrael commented with a hint of challenge.
I squinted my eyes.
Aphrodite stared back with a frown.
"You need only look at my reasoning. The treatment I have had at the hands of the Olympians should be enough. I simply don't belong there and they are certainly not my allies."
She was greeted with warm smiles from my Angels and Azrael merely looked away.
Michael cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself with the eager energy of a student ready to present. "Father, if I may begin the meeting and address our first major development?"
I gestured for him to proceed.
"I wanted to start this meeting with the most recent and important change," Michael began, straightening in his chair. "Father has regained some of his powers, as I am sure you may have noticed due to the empowerment you felt."
I leaned forward slightly, my attention sharpening.
He didn't even need to read the numbers. We could all feel it.
I let my soul sight unfurl, peering through the layers of Heaven itself and using the lessons I had with Azrael. The Silver City sprawled beneath us. And a weave of stars showed the angels within it...
They had been scattered.
I felt it.
The past.
A hundred thousand souls drifting through the motions of existence, their light dimmed by grief and purposelessness. Even with Michael leading the Host, they had been an army in name only.
Led by an Archangel who treasured each life too dearly to spend them.
Now?
The souls of Heaven had transformed.
Where once it flickered like a candle fighting against the dark, it now roared like a furnace. The Silver City practically vibrated, over a hundred thousand souls.
I could see the threads connecting them, golden filaments of shared faith and renewed conviction weaving through every street, every tower, every heart.
It took over my sight and I found myself staring as my Angels continued.
"This angelic empowerment has naturally proven itself to be a big boon for Heaven," he began, consulting notes with barely contained pride. "Previously, our forces numbered: Low-class Angels at 147,223, Mid-class Angels at 20,087, High-class Angels at 1,973. Total active personnel: 169,283, not counting Ultimate-class forces."
Michael paused for effect, his eyes bright with satisfaction.
"Current assessments show massive advancement. The majority of our Low-class forces have ascended to Mid-class status with previous Middle-class Angels ascending into the high-class. Our overall combat effectiveness has increased exponentially." Michael said, excitement in his tone.
The assembled Seraphim preened visibly at the acknowledgement. And I suddenly realised just how much of a cheat I had gotten. I had admittedly overlooked my general forces in favour of the new God-class Seraphim.
Having gone through being a High-class I knew just how much weight that level of power held.
"Additionally," Michael continued, "every Seraph at the table has once more risen to the God-class. Which means we've firmly leapfrogged Azazel's Grigori."
I took a moment to watch the sheer power radiating in the room.
It was almost impossible to breathe.
The air was filled with a heavy pressure that pressed against everything. With multiple Seraphim, Arch-Seraphim and a God sat around this table. It was safe to say the passive effect of such beings was showing itself.
I studied each of them with approval, the nine newly ascended God-class beings. They occupied the lower tier of that classification, below my own power level, but their transformation was exactly what Heaven had needed.
My fists clenched noticeably.
This was good.
"It's certainly nice to be within our old realm of power." Aziraphel chimed. "Becoming so weak was rather jarring for a couple of centuries. Being forced to hide behind big sister Azrael, even as charming as she is, is a little embarrassing."
Jophiel sighed.
Metatron spoke. "I agree, well, with the weakening part, I must admit it's rather nice not to feel so weak. Even if it's still not what it used to be, we are still back to being Minor Gods. The Fallens boasting about their strength being in the same realm as ours was rather unpleasant."
Michael grimaced as if remembering a particularly vile joke Azazel might have poked at him but his smile defeated that grimace quite quickly. "I'd have to say the renewed bond with Father is the primary benefit. I imagine our siblings' morale is at an all-time high."
"Considering I've had thousands of requests every hour, I'd say so," Gabriel replied with a bright smile.
At that, as if sensing my sudden question the Heavenly System appeared. The feature that allowed Angels to request an audience had risen in notifications… by quite a lot.
I was going to have to get around to that eventually…
"I don't believe only we have gone through a major change," Aziraphel said once more. "Michael has risen to his old realm of power. Must be nice having a fancy new set of wings."
Sariel smiled. "Indeed. You're practically overflowing with power Michael, it must be nice for the General of Heaven to be back."
Michael blushed slightly at her teasing, but it was imperceptible to anyone but me and Azrael. "I am honoured to receive our Father's blessing."
They all looked at me as if expecting me to speak.
"It's a good step forward. While I am not quite back to where I once stood, I can feel that I'm… hmm. Perhaps nearing 30% of gaining my original powers back. While the recent events were unwanted, they have pushed Heaven forward massively." I said slowly.
The bright smiles and subtle determined looks I got showed me I had said the right thing.
Gabriel smoothly took over the discussion. "Then moving on, I'd like to bring the meeting to the external relations,"
"Specifically the Devils, who have recently been a lot more… blunt in their approach towards us. They all but demanded a small meeting to question our matters." Gabriel said, gaining everyone's attention.
I frowned at that. "How did that go?"
"I've mostly tried to allow Heaven to remain silent. In an ideal world you would have a couple of thousand years to recuperate unheeded and in the safety of Heaven…" Gabriel said, as if that was normal in any sense of the word.
I sweat dropped at the round of wise nods shared around the table.
"But in my recent meeting with Serafall Leviathan," Gabriel admitted. "She pushed for information rather harshly and we are at the point where a response is needed. Unless you wish otherwise, Father. Though, in that case, I would be risking our relations with the Devils."
I paused mid-nod. "When?"
Gabriel paused.
"Recently," Gabriel replied, then became slightly more bashful. "I... apologise. I was too busy managing diplomatic relations, I forgot to inform you beforehand."
"I'd prefer you didn't risk it," I replied seriously. "Perhaps bring some protection with you next time. With all your talk about how dangerous the supernatural world is, I'd rather you not meet someone who was formerly our biggest enemy."
I trusted all my Arch-Seraphim and Seraphim to act independently outside of Heaven, after all they had been doing it well before I had arrived and with the new increase in power, I felt even more at ease.
But there was a difference in that and meeting with the Devils. Maybe I had a bad image of them due to how their members have been quite insistent at harassing Heavens, but I'd rather not take the chance. Especially with any of my Angels.
Gabriel nodded and looked away, though the flush on her cheeks confirmed that she wasn't annoyed.
"That goes for all of you," I added. "You wouldn't want to set a bad example for me. Since you enjoy telling me how dangerous the outside world is, I expect you all to show me how I should go out of Heaven. It's not as if we are lacking forces now."
Some of the faces genuinely paled at my statement much to my amusement. I turned towards Gabriel, and she seemed even more embarrassed now.
"So, how did it go?" I questioned, moving on.
I was curious to see how the Devils were treating Heaven. They were after all, essentially Heaven's main enemy. Besides the Khaos Brigade which had come in and stolen the first position.
Gabriel perked up, her demeanour becoming slightly more subdued and serious.
"The meeting was… revealing and I suspect I caught Serafall Leviathan off-guard by subtly denying what she had been building up to. They're seeking some form of alliance." Gabriel informed me.
Everyone in the room watched my reaction carefully.
Azrael had a heavy frown on her face.
Of course, I wasn't surprised in the slightest.
"Interesting. I'm guessing they came with some unreasonable demands?" I asked casually.
Gabriel nodded. "Yes, and it was clear they were definitely trying to maximise what they gain without outright insulting us at least. Serafall even suggested a 'tour' of our treasury, which is to say they'd like to look at the things that they could later request."
My eyes narrowed. An arrow of annoyance shot through me, though I kept my expression neutral. The audacity was almost impressive. Almost.
Then again, I guess it was the so-called right of the powerful worming its head. It really looked ugly when it wasn't wiggling for me.
"I see. I'll come up with an appropriate response." was my simple reply.
They all gave me positively curious looks but refrained from speaking about it further.
They have warmed up to the idea of slavery for a while now, right? Maybe I should remind them that I have a whip and I am quite liberal with its use against those with Pride. If they keep this up, maybe another Lucifer-worthy example is required?
We shall see.
"What of the Fallen?" I questioned intently, driving the topic to something else, not wanting to let my anger erupt now.
"From what me and Metatron have observed. The Fallen have remained silent for the most part, seemingly gauging us. I think they suspect or even know Father is back." Raziel replied seriously.
I listened intently.
"It's to be expected. I imagine the only thing which is confusing them is the lack of action on Heaven's part." Metatron added.
"They definitely have felt your presence," Remiel said with a frown.
"Perhaps they chalked it up to a new artefact being discovered?" Sandalpon questioned. "It has happened before."
"No, the energy released has never been to that degree. The Fallen's Cadres and Azazel would certainly know." Metatron responded carefully.
"I imagine they're dealing with quite the chaos." Azrael chimed in, a slight smirk adorning her features.
"I suppose we will have to wait and see what stance they take in regards to us. Though I don't feel that positively about them." I replied thoughtfully. "I imagine Kokabiel brought a lot of the Fallen who truly didn't wish to fall."
And I wasn't feeling very forgiving of the rest of them.
"Is there anything else regarding foreign relations?" I asked, moving on from that.
Gabriel nodded. "It seems like the Norse are once again open to trade with us."
That could be worthwhile…
Heaven had once been a trading hub with all the major factions. Reigniting them would open us up to new resources and once more make Heaven a powerhouse in the supernatural world. Well, more of a powerhouse than it already was.
It seems that no one else managed to steal the "Most Connected" role from us, what with the Hindu Pantheon being so reclusive.
"If I may say, my Lord. I think it would be prudent to resume such trades and once again establish Heaven as open to treaties." Raphael suggested. "There are various benefits and while I have only just begun using the true resources in Heaven's vault due to your orders, I would need more resources for making powerful items for Heaven."
Michael nodded. "It would indeed be a good stance for Heaven to open up connections again."
I considered it and felt it had to be thought over more.
"If they approach and are willing to initiate the talks, welcome them and show that we are open once more," I decided. "There's no point staying idle."
There was a noticeable wave of excitement at my proclamation.
"A wise decision," Michael said. "It's been a long desire to reopen that avenue but it just wasn't possible without you."
"This would also help Heaven regain its previous image," Gabriel said with a smile.
"I guess with that out of the way, we can move on to the most important subject of this meeting," I said, my tone becoming more focused. "As you all know, our most recent attack was orchestrated by a Demigod Lich."
The room grew still. The wave of excitement and happiness was brought to a halt. So much so that I almost felt bad. Even Aphrodite leaned forward slightly, her expression sharpening.
They all suddenly seemed a lot more murder-happy than before.
"While the Architect has been sealed, and some of the gods captured with many of them even killed, I don't believe the threat ends there." I calmly continued, getting to the main point of this meeting.
The Khaos Brigade.
If they had multiple members who wanted us destroyed, it wasn't that hard to imagine Heaven was a major target.
This gave me good reason to go on the offensive.
While they were a threat, I had been threatened constantly since being reborn. With Heaven's power exploding, I didn't feel like shying away.
"Michael," I said, prompting him.
Michael nodded seriously, his face becoming more passive. "The main concern with this is the amount of support shown during the attack. Without Father's presence, it would have at the very best started Heaven's downfall even if repelled."
"Which is a valid concern. Even a single Pantheon's gods acting against Heaven is a major problem. It seems like we have multiple gods out for us." Raphael sighed, though she didn't look very intimidated by the prospect. More like it was an annoying situation.
Well, we did just get ten new God-class Angels in our Faction.
"It doesn't help that they can revive if they quickly depower from their divine forms," Metatron commented.
"What makes this particularly concerning is their network's scope. Under normal circumstances, I'd favour a defensive posture." I started. "But given our recent gains and what we've learned, this organisation operates as an alliance, multiple powerful entities working toward shared goals, with perhaps an ultimate goal that we know nothing about. Several members have already made it clear they want Heaven destroyed."
We had quality and quantity but was I wrong to be wary? Especially considering that I didn't want any of my Angels to lose. I wasn't intimidated by them but I'd be stupid to underestimate beings much older than me.
Michael straightened in his seat. "I agree. While it saddens me that this is happening so shortly since we've had Father return, with Heaven's rapid ascent once more I believe it'd be prudent to strike a damaging blow to those who could harm us."
Jophiel raised his hand like a child. "How do we plan on doing that? From what I heard, even Ares didn't know much. Unless you've interrogated the other gods?"
"While I haven't gotten around to it yet, there's another god that is to be questioned. One I suspect would give me a location that could be used to further learn how they operate. Ishtar," I said. "She was doing something with Primordial energy and I suspect that someone was probably expecting those batteries."
"Ah yes," Michael said. "I forgot about her."
I sent him a flat look.
How did he forget about a powerful Goddess wielding a dangerous artefact that bent reality?
"I believe she will have something of worth, though Ares provided considerable intelligence during his interrogation," I stated matter-of-factly. "They have confirmed links to Greek, Egyptian, and Aztec pantheons. Additionally, I suspect that Norse, or at least one of their bad apples, is also involved, and we've identified connections to Angra Mainyu as well."
"The God of Evil from the Zoroastrian Pantheon?" Raziel questioned.
Basically the Devil of the Zoroastrians.
"Yes," I confirmed.
"Does that mean the Zoroastrians are also part of this group?" Sariel questioned with a frown.
"I don't believe so," Azrael spoke up once more. "After all, we currently have his brother, Spenta Mainyu, within our confines. He was found and captured and used as a battery."
"Both of them are Chief Gods even if the Faith they've gained has diminished, not allowing them to fuel the power they once had," Raphael said thoughtfully.
"Did you speak with Spenta?" I questioned Azrael.
She nodded.
"What was his explanation?"
I had known Spenta was being held captive as well. As essentially a chief deity I had decided to allow him some slack in our care. He was being watched and confined but in a subtle way that he didn't seem to mind.
"Apparently Angra Mainyu escaped with help from the Khaos Brigade or at least that's what we largely suspect, and Spenta reported." Azrael began.
A common enemy then.
"According to his testimony, he was caught alone and outnumbered. Then subsequently captured after a long time of not hearing about his brother." Azrael relayed.
"And no one's come looking for him?" I asked.
"The Pantheon is rather particular and small for lack of better terms. That is in the terms of gods and not the thousands of underlings under them. It's just the ruling council Ahmesha Spentas including Spenta Mainyu and opposing Angra Mainyu with the so-called Primordial Ahura Mazda, father of all of those. Spenta is the Zoroastrian's Holy Spirit while Angra is the Evil incarnate." Azrael began to explain
Interesting…
Does that mean Spenta can use Holy Power?
Also… the similarities between them and Heaven couldn't be denied… Was it a coincidence?
"How can they have their own Holy Spirit?" I questioned.
Raphael's expression grew more analytical as she considered the question.
But it was Metatron who responded first, and his voice carried an edge I rarely heard from him.
"They cannot."
The words fell like a gavel. Sandalphon shifted beside him, his jaw tight.
"The Holy Spirit is not a title to be claimed," Metatron continued, his tone measured but firm. "It is not a domain one simply possesses. It is the breath of the Almighty. The presence of the One True God moving through creation. For another being to claim such a mantle..."
He didn't finish the sentence.
Sandalphon picked up where his brother left off, less restrained. "It's blasphemy. Plain and simple. There is one God. One Holy Spirit. Everything else is imitation at best, mockery at worst."
I looked around.
Why was everyone nodding?
"I doubt it's quite that serious," I replied with amusement.
Raphael smiled. "The official answer is that domains aren't exclusive possessions. Multiple gods can share connections to the same Domain, they simply fight for control and influence within that space." Raphael simplified what was probably something supremely complex.
I had wondered about that…
"In Spenta's case," Azrael continued, "he somehow managed to connect to the rather rare domain of the Holy Spirit. Based on our conversations, I suspect he had something akin to hero worship for the former you."
That was unexpected.
"I thought the Zoroastrians were older?" I questioned curiously. I hadn't had enough time to study them.
Michael decided to answer this time.
"While Humans think that Zoroastrianism predated us," Michael explained, "that's actually incorrect. It was merely a period of reduced activity on Heaven's part. Spenta had been aware of Heaven and likely sought to emulate it."
The explanation clarified much about the theological connections I'd been wondering about.
"But still… hero worship?"
Michael nodded as if it made sense.
"Uncommon among gods but you're someone to be admired," Gabriel commented with a bright smile.
Azrael sent her an annoyed glance.
"What do you intend to do with him, my Lord?" Remiel questioned.
Everyone focused on me once more.
I frowned, considering the best manner to handle this. It was technically my first interaction with another Pantheon since arriving in Heaven. I have certainly become quite the recluse…
"Azrael," I called, gaining her devoted attention immediately. "What do you think of him?"
She seemed to understand my thought process immediately.
"Spenta Mainyu is one of the few truly good gods that exist, though that could have changed in the time I've known of him. With his Pantheon having thousands of middle-class and high-class beings under them, he can be a worthy ally to Heaven." Azrael advised.
I nodded slowly, retreating into my thoughts.
I didn't want to be a hypocrite and push him like the Devils pushed Heaven, but getting concessions along with a potential alliance would prove to be the right move.
Heaven had saved him and Angra Mainyu was a part of his Pantheon. From what I knew, they had been in charge of imprisoning him, and their failure resulted in a loss for Heaven.
"I'd need to talk with Spenta first and probably get in contact to see if the Zoroastrians were still standing. Especially if they had been targeted by the Khaos Brigade." I finally decided. "A potential alliance could work, along with gaining some reparations."
I'd entertained going a darker path in regards to Spenta, but decided I apparently had enough evil gods on the menu for that,
I sneakily gauged everyone's reactions. I found numerous nods following my decision.
"A good choice Father, hopefully they won't need cleansing," Michael said, as if he were talking about cleaning the floor.
I sent him a shrewd glance.
"Back on the subject of what we know of the Khaos Brigade, we do have more information in the form of the Devil, whom I questioned personally," I added, watching for reactions. "His knowledge was limited, but it confirms Devil's involvement in this network. Another issue."
At that, the mood changed subtly.
Raphael spoke up immediately. "Which depends entirely on which faction within the Devils. They're hardly unified."
"True," I acknowledged.
"Diodora Astaroth is the younger brother of Ajuka Beelzebub." Metatron quickly spoke up. "That relationship can't go unnoticed even if logically the new Devil Faction has shown no connection."
"I wouldn't be surprised if he did this without his family's knowledge. Considering we haven't got any sort of request from them." Sandalphon interjected.
"Wouldn't sending a request reveal themselves though?" I asked with a hint of confusion.
"The boldness and pride a Devil Family has would surprise you," Sandalphon said bitterly.
"But involvement is involvement. We can't ignore the implications." Azrael replied coldly.
I could now see this was quite the sensitive topic.
We spoke on it further and my Seraphim were a lot more vocal about the subject. The Devils were the main enemy after all. Even if they had made things easier by having a civil war and dividing themselves so much.
"So," I said, scanning the room. "We need to be prepared for the reality that conflict with this organisation is inevitable."
Azrael's cold voice cut through the discussion. "Then we go hunting."
"Agreed," Michael said, his eagerness barely contained. "We can't wait for them to strike again."
I held up a hand. "With some preparation first. We will be taking the offensive."
The Seraphim nodded in unison, their expressions hardening with resolve.
Azrael frowned.
"There was something that caught my attention that I'd like to discuss further," Azrael said, her tone slightly tense. "It's regarding my last concern about the Khaos Brigade, I'd been meaning to speak of it."
I prompted her to continue with interest.
"When I first arrived at the Vatican after hearing about the attack, I witnessed the new Saint fighting against what appeared to be the 'Dark God Baalberith," Azrael revealed.
Several angels shifted in their seats at the mention of the name.
"The supposed Canaanite Deity?" Raphael asked curiously.
"Yes… It was after I quickly dispatched of him that I noticed something, I realised quickly that this entity was not a god at all," Azrael continued. "It was a demon masquerading as one."
There was a serious shift in demeanour. As every Angel tensed and I felt a genuine moment of shock pass through me.
Demons were supposed to be sealed within Hell, and even then, most believed them to be on the brink of extinction. I had learnt that quickly after multiple chats with my Arch-Seraphim regarding the Demon I had encountered.
Gabriel leaned forward, a completely serious expression on her face and her normally gentle eyes completely cold. "It seems the Demons aren't quite as extinct as we thought, especially considering the attack on you would seem to support this theory. Another demon involvement."
"But if demons are truly active again..." Michael's serious voice trailed off as he considered the implications. "The threat level of the Khaos Brigade becomes even higher if the Demons have somehow managed to come back from near extinction."
"Are they truly such a threat? I mean considering we have so many Evil Gods after us already." I asked, understanding I probably didn't have the full picture.
Michael frowned. "Fighting Gods are normally a lot easier disregarding their ability to reform. Demons don't abide by nature and their powers are mysterious at the best of times. They are cunning and don't care for fairness in the slightest."
That sounded about right.
"So we think the Demons are somehow back?" I questioned.
"It's only one demon," Raphael interjected thoughtfully. "If there were more, surely they would have attempted to aid their ally in attempting to destroy Heaven. They wouldn't forgo a chance to partake. This Baalberith had likely been operating independently for some time, posing as a deity to accumulate power. It's a typical demon strategy."
Azrael nodded after a moment. "The masquerade was well-established. It had clearly been at this deception for hundreds of years, if not longer. So it's one of the rare ones that hid."
I absorbed this information, weighing the implications. Multiple demons working in coordination with the Khaos Brigade would represent a threat of entirely different magnitude.
"We'll need to remain vigilant for any other demonic infiltrations," I concluded. "But for now, we treat this as an isolated incident until proven otherwise."
The room settled as the immediate concern was addressed.
"That brings us to our final major topic," I announced, shifting the meeting's focus. "The Church, Gabriel?"
Gabriel leaned forward immediately, her eyes coming to meet mine. "For the Church's recent progress report. There's been a massive increase in faith across all regions. The ripple effect throughout the exorcist orders has been... substantial."
She paused, allowing everyone to digest the information. "The forces within the exorcist division have actually surpassed the number of angels currently in Heaven."
I blinked.
Seriously?
That was a lot…
"Additionally, the number of Church members informed about the supernatural has risen rapidly," Gabriel continued. "Previously, roughly eighty per cent of the Church hierarchy remained unaware of our world's true nature. That percentage has dropped dramatically."
Michael straightened in his seat, his military bearing becoming more pronounced. "With the corruption purged-" Several angels smirked at the phrasing. "-there's been a concerning increase in reports that weren't previously surfacing."
His expression darkened. "Human trafficking. Enslaved believers. Holy maidens like Asia are being dismissed or worse. Events that were systematically covered up are now coming to light."
I kept my face passive, as did all of the Seraphim, only their eyes icy cold with an alien emotion beginning to take place in them.
"The Pope?" I questioned.
"Overwhelmed," Michael replied bluntly. "More than a little upset at the revelations. He's discovering that much of what he believed was righteous work was actually..." He searched for the right words. "Allowing for corruption and suffering."
"What are we doing about it?" I asked seriously.
"It's being taken care of now that it's come to the light, with many devoted followers willing to plunge into the enemies of Heaven with renewed Faith," Michael replied with a small smile.
"Good, I'm assuming Dulio must be doing a good job with the new Holy Order? Considering most of them stay in Heaven." I questioned.
"Dulio has become a living embodiment of your presence and it's been rather amusing to see the Vatican become so alive again," Gabriel said, with an admiring gaze.
I was pretty sure all my Angels had learnt to tone the worship down, but they could never quite hide the expression within their gaze.
Still, I nodded. "It's good the new Holy Order has such a close connection to Heaven."
Raphael nodded thoughtfully. "From what I've seen, the Church has been an uprising akin to Heaven's. While the Heavenly System has maintained the wider belief, recent events don't make the church's current clamour and worship so unimaginable. Humans have always been special in that capacity."
The last part was said carefully.
"Which brings us to our response," I said, drawing their attention. "With this uprising in the church, I have no doubt the other factions are noticing as said with Gabriel's meeting with Serafall. Especially with the violent response to threats that have been poisoning the church. We've discussed the need for a force that can work in the shadows. I'd like to speak on it further."
When I had first spoken about it with them there had been shock, since to them I was still God. But it was clear I made the difference I intended for my Heaven clear.
Darkness was needed to allow light to thrive.
Why control light when you can control the opposite side as well?
I wasn't going to make the same mistakes in my ascension.
After the brief surprise, there was a glee at my words from all my Seraphim.
Metatron spoke up excitedly. "The division is being structured as we speak. We have the framework in place. The only Division like it was the intelligence division set up by me before."
"Leadership?" I asked.
"The two former assassins, formerly Mr One and Mr Two, have agreed to head the operational side," Michael reported. "Their experience with covert activities makes them ideal candidates."
"What does the Pope think of it?" I questioned after a moment.
The Pope was influential. Even as devoted as he was I felt the need to be careful.
"He thinks it's a wonderful idea. Normally Exorcists are incredibly easy to spot and that makes it hard to act. Having a division like this was largely supported by him, especially when he learnt it was your will." Gabriel replied.
"Good." I allowed a grin to form. "It's time the Church was given more support. Now that Heaven is in a position to do so, it would be prudent to maximise their usage."
Especially since Falling was a very real thing, I suspect it was my orders that allowed flexibility on certain matters.
"What will be the directive of this division if I may ask?" Jophiel commented.
"Gathering powerful members without the blessing of the Holy Order, individuals that can work in secret as all the other Factions seem happy to do. Allowing not all our actions to be known and in the light." I replied immediately.
The words settled over the room.
For a moment, no one spoke. I could feel the sheer consideration and mixed feelings that came with my words.
Heaven had always operated in the light.
The blinding purity of intention lay bare for all to witness. So much so that it had helped me out a lot of times in the past.
What I was suggesting was something else entirely.
And for a moment I almost felt nervous.
Which was why I said my next words.
"Sometimes darkness is needed to allow light to thrive," I said, letting the words hang in the air. "And while we would never stoop to needless harm,
Michael's eyes flickered and a small smile formed. Raphael's hands stilled on the table. Gabriel met my eyes and all I saw was support.
While Azrael nodded.
I'm sure maybe a few hundred years ago, this conversation might have gone differently. They would accept what I say, but they probably would have tried to question more.
Now?
They leaned in, interest plain in their eyes.
The near-extinction of our race would do that, and I didn't need to they had been taught a harsh lesson.
The world wasn't fair.
The recent attack was fresh on our minds. The bodies of their brothers and sisters.
"We have watched our enemies operate from the shadows since the dawn of our interactions with the supernatural world," Michael said slowly, his voice supportive. "Perhaps it is time we learned from their example."
Jophiel nodded eagerly.
"What will be the name of this division?" He asked next.
"Mm, will it be like Metatron's ninja division? He has always been obsessed with their culture." Aziraphel spoke up.
Metatron blushed and turned his head away.
My lips twitched before I settled on a name.
"The Night Scripture."
I felt that was a fitting name.
More talks regarding smaller subjects ensued for a good number of hours.
-{Kai}-
Slowly, I found myself walking towards the throne room. Not teleporting so as to get some time to think.
The meeting had gone on for many hours, productive but exhausting nonetheless. We had gone over various smaller subjects in more detail. Leaving multiple new things that needed to be done.
Currently, my mind has turned to a more pressing matter.
Uriel.
By now I had a few options, which was a weird thought in and of itself.
First was my True Resurrection skill, which would be the most straightforward approach, but it required using my semi-divine form, a luxury I couldn't afford with the constant expenditure needed for reviving Angels in the crypts and maintaining other divine functions.
My angelic magic was perpetually in demand as of late. While good for increasing my angelic magic and power, it meant charging my Semi-Divine form was a lot harder.
Though it still was over three-quarters of the way to charging up. Having God-class reserves allowed me some leeway there.
Anyway, my second option was the Rinnegan.
It could definitely be used to revive Uriel but it came with a steep price in terms of life force. The stronger the being, the greater the cost. For a God-class entity like Uriel, the drain would be substantial. How much exactly? I didn't know.
The Holy Grail presented another possibility,
I was confident that if I could find out how to use that power at some point, the potential was there but without proper guidance or instruction, the process would take considerably more time.
Which meant I couldn't do it now…
I sighed and pushed that thought to the back of my mind for now. As I focused on walking towards the throne room.
The attack had changed things. Changed how I looked at everything. The casual approach I'd taken before felt naive now. Dangerous even.
Soon, I rounded the corner and I found Jeanne standing near one of the training areas. She looked at me with an uncertain expression that immediately caught my attention.
Getting the impression that she wanted to speak alone with me, I walked up to her.
"Jeanne." I greeted her.
She bowed. "My Lord."
I observed her, feeling my earlier coldness melt away.
"Is everything okay?" I asked, looking at her critically.
She hesitated. "I am not sure, I've been waiting to speak about something that I've noticed for some time. Mayhaps we could talk, if that's okay with you my Lord?"
I frowned lightly.
"Of course. What's on your mind?" I replied easily.
Jeanne took a breath. "Something's been wrong with me. I didn't notice it until the battle with Ares, but..." She paused, searching for the right words. "It's strange and I hadn't focused on it too much, but now I feel like it's restricting my ability to serve you in earnest…"
I paused.
In truth, I'd wondered about that. During the recent fight she had with Ares, her power output had seemed limited compared to what I'd expected. I'd assumed it was because her abilities leaned defensive rather than offensive.
"So you feel there's something wrong?" I concluded.
She nodded slowly, a tense expression on her face.
"It's like..." She paused, struggling to find words.
Her hands came up to her arms, fingers digging into her own skin. "There's something inside me. Feeding. I can feel it latched onto my core, drinking from my mana every moment of every day."
Her voice cracked.
"I thought it was normal at first. Part of being me. But after you blessed me, after I felt what my power should be..." She shuddered. "It's not normal. It's never been normal. Something has been acting like a parasite within me for so long that I've almost forgotten what it felt like to be whole."
"Something is draining your magic?" I asked with a deep frown and a small amount of alarm.
"Yes." Her voice was quiet but certain. "I can feel it now that I know what to look for. Something's taking my energy. It's only evident when I try to focus on it."
"Has this been happening since you were summoned?" I asked idly.
"I believe so." She whispered, her eyes downcast.
I activated my soul sight and focused on her.
It took me a while of searching to find anything… but I did find something and when I did I felt my eyes widen in genuine surprise and a wave of shock passed through me.
There, embedded in her soul, draining her magic greedily was a cup of energy that sparked with a muddy golden power.
What..?
I had never used my chakra eyes around her so I never saw the drain of energy. No wonder she had fared so badly. Her potential was being stolen.
It wasn't hard to figure out what it was, but why did she have it?
It didn't feel like holy power.
Jeanne looked at my expression with worry.
"I-I am sorry, is it bad?" She questioned.
"No." I said, giving her a smile. "It seems something is attached to your soul. It's draining your magic and storing it away."
Jeanne pursed her lips seriously, her eyes shining with worry. "Is there anything that could be done? I understand if there is not. I just do not wish to be defective for you."
Her defeated tone immediately made me act, hugging her comfortingly.
"Firstly, you don't need to worry about being defective. You've already done enough to rest in Heaven for the rest of your existence. Secondly, this is Heaven and I am God's successor, I doubt there's much that can not be done."
She smiled at me and I patted her head.
"Azrael." The call was soft and in a burst the Angel Of Death was already waiting beside me.
"My Lord?" She questioned.
"Take a look at her soul." Was all I had to say.
Her eyes glowed almost unnoticeably and she blinked in confusion.
"Well, isn't that interesting? It's the Grail but also not the Grail. More of a magical-spiritual storage, a large one at that." Azrael muttered, looking deeply. "It's also corrupted. How curious."
"Corrupted?" I asked with concern.
"Yes, but not in the proper sense of the word or we would be dealing with a creature much like a Demon by now. It won't hurt her soul for now. Though if removed without a way to purify it, it may be explosive in nature. I can't imagine the amount it has stored." Azrael said.
I frowned deeply and sent her a flat stare.
Telling Jeanne she could become a Demon wasn't exactly comforting.
Jeanne looked at us both in worry, which only began building up.
"P-please remove it." Her voice cracked and even Azrael flinched minutely.
"Can you remove it and secure it?" I questioned immediately.
Azrael hummed, her dark eyes narrowing.
"I'll take her to Raphael and call Gabriel over, with her new ring she has enjoyed prancing around with. She ought to be able to do something." Azrael said coldly.
I blinked then nodded. "Please do, I'm sure you three can come up with something. I'll join you later."
Jeanne looked at me nervously.
"Don't worry, they'll find a way and I'll be over soon to help."
She nodded and Azrael sent me a look before gently taking Jeanne's arm, teleporting away in an angelic circle.
There was a moment of silence.
With them gone, I head back to doing what I had planned. I ascended the steps to the Heavenly Throne.
I took a brief moment to stare down before I took my seat. The conversation with Gabriel about the Devils still echoed in my mind.
My fingers drummed against the throne's armrest and for a while I found myself aimlessly staring at the Heavenly System.
I had genuinely tried to avoid antagonizing the Devils and had hoped for something resembling civil relations. They weren't inherently evil like their predecessors. But their greed, their entitled demands for "tours" of our treasury...
At the end of the day, they were still the enemy and while I was willing to play nice. I was also more than willing to make my displeasure known.
Only Heaven mattered.
The Sacred Gear System materialized before me at a thought, its interface spreading across my vision. Something dark and cold unfurled in my chest as I stared at the screen.
The Heavenly System began filtering in prayers that seemed targeted against Devils. Some proving themselves hundreds of years old while others were more recent.
I let them flow through me.
I needed more than just annoyance.
The first was a whisper, fragile and broken. A young woman's voice, trembling with exhaustion.
"Please... I didn't choose this. I was dying and he said he could save me. I didn't know what it meant. I didn't know. Please, if the devils are real then you must be real right?"
The prayer was forty-three years old. She had stopped praying after the first decade.
The thought of my name still causing her pain but her still persisting brought my mind to Asia.
Another filtered through. A man's voice, hoarse with rage and despair.
"They killed my family to get to me. Said my Sacred Gear was too valuable to let die with me. I watched them burn my wife. Then they 'saved' me. They called it mercy. God, if you're real, if you ever were real... make them pay. Make them all pay."
This one was older and I noticed in recent years it had become less brutal, but the pressuring and forced nature of it was still there.
Not all of them were bad… and they had grown a lot better in recent years. But still, many had suffered and continued to suffer…
Some apologised for going against me, others taunted me.
So it wasn't all forced and the new devils had made a change… but there just still so much bad and so many that continued to be bad. It hadn't stopped.
The Devils were powerful. Even divided they were powerful. And there was a reason for that.
A race born as weapons against my predecessor, creatures who survived by leeching off the faith and contracts of others.
The fact Gabriel had to put up with this.
The Heavenly System responded to me and as if almost knowing what I needed, it gave me prayers from Michael for guidance even though he knew no one was listening and began appearing and I sent an annoyed look to the Heavenly System.
The prayers dispersed a moment later.
They claimed Sacred Gears as their own, by enslaving humans.
While some were willingly and tempted by what the Devils could offer. And they weren't completely evil, they had improved… it was still happening and a blind eye was shone on it happening.
Sure they were better, but that was comparing them to perhaps one of the most evil races in the supernatural world. The Church had found multiple enslaved and sold off, some of those participants being Devils.
Those that were saved were never in good condition and Diodora wasn't a rarity amongst his kind.
So while I could admit they weren't all bad, that didn't matter when even one Devil could cause so much harm. Disregarding the hundreds or potentially thousands eaten by stray Devils every year. Solely due to a lack of care.
The reason I had been so lenient in regards to them thus far beyond wanting to avoid a war, was because the four Satans' did seem like they were trying…
Still. At the end of the day Heaven came first and they were still against us. They still attempted to pressure Heaven.
One hand held my head up as my eyes narrowed at the Heavenly System's panel. My hand moved through the interface, coming across the complex Sacred Gear System.
As I had found myself doing recently, my soul sight expanded, piercing through the walls of the throne room, through the layers of Heaven itself. Further still, into the depths of the Underworld.
And I saw them.
I couldn't pinpoint their location, my sight wasn't that powerful but I could feel it… a thousand threads stretched out from Heaven. The sheer power this connection held stunned me.
Each one led to a soul somewhere on Earth or beyond. God's creations. God's gifts. Sacred Gears bound to mortal hosts across every corner of existence.
Devils flaunting my gifts like trophies.
They wore God's blessings like cheap jewelry, parading them around in Rating Games and using them for political reasons while spitting on the name of the one who forged them.
Some threads were bright, connected to humans who had been reincarnated willingly.
Others were dimmer, tainted.
Slaves.
I attempted feeling these souls, only able to sense the feelings of the varying hosts and nothing more.
My fingers twitched.
All of this hit me quickly and I had to take a few seconds.
The devils weren't the only ones. But they were the beings I took most attention to.
A tour of my treasury?
Sure. I'll give them a close up view on what treasures of Heaven look like when they go back into our treasury.
"Fine," I whispered.
"Father?"
As if sensing something Michael had appeared, freezing as the pressure in the room brought him to a halt.
Names formed and my eyes picked out the race I was looking for.
Devils.
It happened quickly.
One Sacred Gear. Retrieved. Now locked in status within the Sacred Gear System. Another. Retrieved. Then another.
I could feel the ripples spreading across the world. Devils who had grown comfortable with their borrowed might, suddenly collapsing due to weakness.
A spiral of Holy Power had formed from my actions, the systems power arcing around me.
When I finally stopped, half the Sacred Gears were gone. Dozens of them vanished at my whim.
There.
It wasn't all of them… it was possible they became future allies despite everything, but they needed to learn that we were back.
"You did it? You removed more Sacred Gears from the devils…" Michael asked, looking at me in surprise.
"I guess they got my message." I replied with a small smile.
Removing Half does send a message.
Enough for future leverage and enough to remind them that the Sacred Gears were currently being borrowed.
Not owned.
-{Serafall Leviathan}-
Serafall paused, her smile dimming and her eyes becoming icy serious. A massive surge of power echoed throughout all of the underworld.
The emergency circle materialised in front of Serafall, its crimson glow cutting through the lights.
She didn't need to know that she was already getting a report on what was happening. This wasn't Demonic Power and that meant it wasn't being done by a Devil.
A big problem if it's affecting Devil Cities.
She could feel it around her, even in some of the special devils guarding the very manor she was in to have their Sacred Gears taken from them. It wasn't just them.
It was happening everywhere.
"Thirty-six confirmed." The communications officer was shouting. "They're just vanishing!"
Serafall gripped the table, the ice cracking beneath her fingers.
"Serafall-sama," the voice crackled through, urgent and strained. "Massive power surge detected across all sectors. We are having mass reports that Sacred Gears wilders are falling unconscious and their Sacred Gears are vanishing with further scanning from their wielders almost simultaneously through various territories."
Serafall paused, the words incomprehensible to her for a few seconds. Her brain genuinely failed to register what had just been spoken to her.
Naturally, her next response reflected that.
"What?!"
"It's as you heard, Serafall-Sama. Sacred Gear users are finding themselves unconscious and without their Sacred Gear. This seems to be some mass-attack on Sacred Gear users. Lord Lucifer and Lord Belzebub have been informed."
She was already moving before the message finished, her magical girl costume dissolving into her formal Satan regalia as she teleported to the Underworld's command center.
The monitoring screens displayed something unprecedented. No attackers. No invaders. Just Sacred Gear wielders across the Underworld collapsing as golden light erupted from their bodies.
At the very least they weren't dying… but they may as well have.
Her eyes took a moment to sharply take in what was happening, her mind running to the point she was watching mere moments of time as a second was stretched into oblivion.
Some sort of attack? How were the barriers not preventing this? What was causing this? It was multi-location so was it some sort of group with a new type of magic?
This wasn't good and Serafall felt her teeth clench as she couldn't pinpoint what was happening.
Even with the Devils reacting immediately it seemed it did them no good.
Devils began being contacted quickly, telling them to relocate their Sacred Gear users to a safe place for testing. The Devils who were working as high-tiered guards were falling in rapid numbers. The many Sacred Gear users of smaller gears find themselves targeted.
"How many?" she asked, her voice stripped of its usual cheerful tone.
"Thirty six confirmed removals in the past few minutes, Serafall-sama," the communications officer reported, his face pale. "The pattern is spreading exponentially. Every Sacred Gear in the Underworld is being recalled simultaneously."
Serafall felt dizzy.
It was known that hundreds, maybe even a thousand Sacred Gears existed. And the Devils had worked so hard to find these users. Even having minor Sacred Gears gave a being the ability to rise in strength.
To have what had become rightfully the Devils' property to be stolen…
Someone was going to pay.
This was a massive attack the Devils had seen in so long. She knew a meeting would be called within the next hour.
Sirzech and Ajuka were probably already investigating it. Moreso Ajuka as Sirzech probably tried to find a culprit.
When it finally seemed to be over, they counted the numbers.
Fifty percent…
Devils ran around her, busy at work with urgency in their movements.
Exactly half of the Devils' Sacred Gear users…
This was planned, perhaps even some sort of message.
But the question was who?
She had an idea… but almost didn't want to entertain it.
-END-
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