The Underworld, also known as the Netherworld, or simply Hell.
In Indian, Egyptian, Greek, and many other mythologies, the Underworld was depicted as the realm of the dead—a place where the souls of the deceased found rest.
Demons and fallen angels had dwelled there since ancient times, constantly warring against each other. Beyond these conflicts, various mythological factions often fought to claim territories within the Underworld, making such disputes common occurrences.
Despite being known as the land of the dead, the Underworld was not as bleak or lifeless as humans often imagined.
Its sky was perpetually violet, devoid of sun or moon, and there were no oceans—only vast lakes scattered across the landscape.
The Underworld had roughly the same landmass as Earth, though its population was far smaller. Without oceans, the land available was significantly more expansive.
This realm was divided into many regions, only one of which handled the souls of the deceased. Other regions were suitable for agriculture, inhabited by elemental spirits and magical beasts, and some areas even belonged to dragons.
Without a sun or moon, the Underworld naturally had neither day nor night—but this didn't mean it lacked a concept of time. For convenience, its temporal rhythm matched that of the human world, facilitating interactions between the two realms.
This time, Rias returned to the Underworld not just to introduce her peerage to her family or to have Sirzechs examine Koneko's condition. She also had to attend a gathering of the young generation of devils.
Devils who had not yet formally participated in a Rating Game were considered the young generation. Riser had already participated in several such matches, but since his devastating defeat at Jeanne Alter's hands, his confidence had been shattered, and he had never competed again.
Before their official debut in the Rating Games, Rias and her peers were invited to a social gathering. Its purpose was for young devils to get acquainted and showcase themselves in front of the Maous and pure-blooded devil nobles.
The gathering itself was uneventful and had taken place several days earlier. Today was Rias's first official Rating Game. Her opponent was Diodora Astaroth, another young devil like herself, heir to the Astaroth family, and a relative of the current Maou Beelzebub.
Unfortunately for Rias, Koneko couldn't participate in this match.
Azazel had mentioned that if Koneko temporarily distanced herself from Jeanne, she could gradually recover on her own—but such self-recovery required time.
Although Sirzechs had called in an expert capable of using Senjutsu, they still couldn't get Koneko ready in time. Thus, Koneko sadly missed Rias's first official Rating Game.
In one of the vast, luxurious rooms of the Gremory estate—far larger than the hall of any mansion—Koneko lay quietly curled up on an enormous bed, spacious enough for five or six people to comfortably sleep.
She slept deeply, her delicate brows knitted as if plagued by nightmares, evoking a gentle sympathy from any onlooker.
Given how unpredictable Koneko could be in her current state, and since deep sleep would help her recover faster, the Gremory household had placed her into a sleep-induced state.
She was supposed to be undisturbed, with the Gremory servants mindful not to disrupt her recovery.
However, in a shadowy corner of the room, darkness suddenly stirred, writhing as though alive and slowly shaping itself into a human form.
A sultry figure silently emerged, her footsteps graceful and cat-like, making no sound and alerting no one outside. Her amber eyes gleamed sharply in the darkness as she approached Koneko's bedside, carefully observing the sleeping girl.
Her gaze eventually settled on the white cat ears atop Koneko's head.
"I've finally come to take you home, Shirone."
If a third person were present, they would have noticed that this alluring woman had feline features strikingly similar to Koneko's. However, whereas Koneko's ears and tail were pure white, this woman's were pitch black.
Koneko was spirited away, unnoticed by any of the Gremory household.
The seductive woman excelled in both Youjutsu and Senjutsu, capable of manipulating and suppressing the flow of Qi, concealing her presence effortlessly. With Koneko in her arms, she melted into the shadows, quickly darting through a dense forest. The thick branches and foliage posed no obstacle as she moved with agile, cat-like speed.
Carrying the unconscious Koneko, she reached the deepest part of the forest, an area steeped so heavily in darkness it seemed like stepping abruptly from day into night.
As if having reached her destination, she slowed her pace. Standing before her was another figure, seemingly waiting to meet her.
It was Bikou, the monkey youkai who had previously rescued Vali right under Jeanne Alter's nose. He cast a casual glance at her and the girl in her arms.
"So this is the girl you kept going on about, insisting you had to bring her back no matter what?"
"That's right, nya! She's my adorable little sister, Shirone. This is to make up for my mistake of not taking her with me before, nya. How could I leave my cute, sweet little sister with those disgusting devils?"
"Well, it doesn't matter much to me," Bikou shrugged. "But are you sure about this, Kuroka? Acting on your own and bringing her along... Vali might get annoyed."
"Knowing she shares the same power as me, Vali should accept her, nya?"
"Maybe... " Bikou looked impatient. "Let's hurry. Our job here is already finished. We need to rendezvous with Vali. Coming here with you to fetch your sister was never part of the plan."
"What's got you so anxious, Bikou?"
Kuroka paused in the act of gently stroking Koneko's hair, looking up with curiosity. "You're not worried about those devils, are you, nya? They're too busy and overwhelmed right now. That's exactly why we picked this moment, nya."
"True. The distraction over there won't cause them much damage, but it should buy enough time."
As if recalling something disturbing, Bikou's expression turned grim, his voice growing wary. "But I'm worried about someone else... "
"Someone else?" Kuroka tilted her head in confusion. "You don't mean that witch Jeanne, do you? She didn't even come to the Underworld."
"You haven't faced that explosive flame witch personally, so you don't know how terrifying she is," Bikou's eyes flickered. "Enough talk. Let's hurry and meet Vali—I've got a bad feeling about this... "
Kuroka couldn't understand Bikou's tension. As he'd said, she'd never met Jeanne Alter face-to-face, nor witnessed her instantly shattering Bikou's teleportation magic circle.
Surrounded by oppressive shadows, with cold winds whispering through the trees, the sudden appearance of crimson sparks stood out vividly.
Both Kuroka and Bikou immediately widened their eyes, especially Kuroka—because those sparks had ignited right from within her own arms.
Though still unconscious, Koneko was suddenly enveloped in flames. The fire didn't harm Koneko, yet it seared Kuroka painfully, scorching her very soul and mind with an intense curse-born flame of rage and anguish. Instinctively driven by fear and pain, Kuroka released Koneko from her grasp.
As Koneko fell, the flames surrounding her coalesced into a humanoid figure, gently catching her in a warm embrace.
The moment she entered those familiar arms, Koneko's tightly knitted brows relaxed, her tense expression melting into peaceful contentment, as though drifting into a marshmallow-soft dream.
Gazing at Koneko's serene sleeping face, Jeanne Alter's fierce expression softened momentarily with tenderness. But when she raised her gaze, meeting Bikou and Kuroka's eyes, her burning golden irises brimmed with bone-chilling fury and blazing murderous intent.
Idle talk? Ask questions?
No need!
Without a second word, she invoked her Noble Phantasm.
"This is the howl of a soul filled with hatred."
"The sinner's karma flays fiercely as they rush headlong into the scorching fires of hell."
"[La Grondement Du Haine]!!"
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T/N: ultimate move straight off the bat