In the command room of the First Heaven, we of D×D and the reincarnated angels known as the "Brave Saints" had gathered. All of us were watching the live feeds from each layer of Heaven as we worked to assess the situation.
Right now, mass-produced Evil Dragons were clashing with angelic forces across the Second, Third, and Fourth Heavens.
"They've infiltrated through the Third Heaven, the destination of faithful souls," a report came in.
On the largest display, the Third Heaven was shown. The floating city of Agreas was under siege, swarmed by countless Evil Dragons, along with the likes of Ladon and Crom Cruach.
Apophis and Walburga were nowhere to be seen, and Crom Cruach didn't seem interested in fighting seriously against mid-tier angelic forces. He was merely deflecting attacks.
Which meant… Ladon was doing most of the work.
That was, ironically, fortunate.
When the discussion turned to how Kriemhild had managed to infiltrate Heaven, a communication arrived from Azazel-sensei.
He concluded that the enemy had entered through the Underworld.
"The afterlife of believers isn't just Heaven or Underworld. There are intermediary realms called Limbo and Purgatory, where troubled souls are purified before ascending. Both have routes leading to Heaven. All routes from the human world have been sealed, so that leaves only those two. How they used them, I don't know. If Hades, who governs the Underworld, were still fully functional, I'd suspect him… but thanks to a certain someone, that possibility is gone."
"Wow… that 'certain someone' really eliminated one option in advance," I muttered.
What a capable person. (deadpan)
"Senior Ikki, please don't joke around. We're still under attack," Xenovia snapped.
"Can I at least joke in my head?!"
After all the sweetness lately, this sharp tone felt strangely nostalgic.
An angel rushed into the command room.
"Report! The gate connecting Limbo to the Third Heaven has been destroyed!"
"So the route is confirmed…" Azazel muttered. "But what's their goal?"
"The highest layer… 'the System'?" Xenovia suggested.
"That's unlikely," Azazel immediately denied.
"The Seventh Heaven is not something you reach easily. You saw the Sixth Heaven's defenses. Even Kriemhild would suffer a great loss trying to break through there. And even if they did, only God and the Seraphs can enter the Seventh Heaven. Anyone else gets forcibly teleported away."
He even casually admitted, "I once tried to peek at it and got swallowed by it."
You're saying that so calmly… and you didn't even fall as an angel afterward?!
Griselda then spoke.
"The First Heaven is unlikely to hold anything critical. The Second Heaven contains prisoners from Babel-related incidents, but they are irrelevant to Trihexa's revival. The Third and Fourth Heavens are inactive in fruit production since God's disappearance."
Then she suddenly froze while checking a monitor.
"The Fifth Heaven…!"
On screen, Yaegaki wielding the Ame-no-Murakumo no Tsurugi—was visible.
"That's bad! Shidou is currently there for the final stage of detoxification!" she shouted.
"Papa!!" Irina cried.
Rias stood abruptly.
"We move. The enemy's objective comes second. We are D×D—an anti-terror organization. We'll assist the angels, eliminate the Evil Dragons, and push upward. Our first target is the Fifth Heaven!"
"We're breaking through no matter what."
"Understood!" we all responded.
We rushed through the Second Heaven, then onward.
The Second Heaven was both a prison for fallen angels and a vast observatory styled like a planetarium.
A beautiful place… if you ignored the cages.
Fighting was already erupting between Evil Dragons and angels near the path upward.
The Brave Saint took formation immediately.
"Formation"
Light exploded from their ranks as they charged forward, annihilating enemy forces.
Griselda took to the sky.
"I'll coordinate the Second Heaven defenses. You all proceed!"
And so we pressed on.
Until finally—
We reached the gate leading to the Third Heaven.
And standing there… was Ladon.
A dragon-like entity with tree-like traits, blocking the path like a living fortress.
"What a coincidence, D×D. We meet again since Auros," Ladon greeted calmly.
"Ladon! Get out of our way!!"
"I cannot. I exist only to stall you."
He smiled.
"Of course… I'll be revived by the Holy Grail afterward."
…So even sealing him wouldn't work.
And then—
Another presence arrived.
"I see. Ladon, the legendary Evil Dragon. Not a bad warm-up."
A man appeared, tapping a spear over his shoulder.
Cao Cao.
"Cao Cao!? Why are you here?!"
"I came to hunt dragons. With assistance from Hades, I ascended from the Underworld."
He raised his spear.
"True Longinus."
"I'll show you a miracle."
His power erupted.
A massive light burst forth, illuminating the battlefield like daylight.
And then—
PaaAAAAAA!!
Rias's chest began glowing.
"…What."
A voice echoed.
"Greetings. I am the God of Breasts."
"…Excuse me WHAT?!" I shouted.
"Wait—there's a Breast Goddess in this world too?!"
The battlefield fell into complete chaos.
And thus—
The battle for Heaven descended into even greater confusion than anyone could have imagined.