Dean walked into the summit with Ophis at his side. The moment he entered the chamber, every supernatural being present felt his power. It was overwhelming, undeniable, impossible to ignore.
"Dean Hyoudou," Azazel, the leader of the fallen angels, said with a mixture of respect and caution. "You've certainly made an impression on our world."
"I'm not here to negotiate," Dean said. His voice carried power now, each word resonating through the chamber. "I'm here to make a declaration. The Unbound are a legitimate faction. We will not be eliminated, we will not be controlled, and we will not be bound by your rules."
"That's not your decision to make," one of the devil lords said, standing up. "We are the ones who decide what is permitted in this world."
"Not anymore," Dean replied. He raised his hand, and the entire chamber shook. The power radiating from him was so intense that several of the lesser beings present fainted from the pressure.
"You've made your point," Rias said, stepping forward. "But what do you want? What's your endgame?"
"Coexistence," Dean said. "The three factions exist because of the balance of power. I'm proposing a fourth faction, one that operates independently but respects the balance you've maintained. We won't interfere in your politics. In exchange, you don't interfere in ours."
"And if we refuse?" Azazel asked.
"Then I destroy you," Dean said simply. "Not because I want to, but because I have to. I've come too far to go back. I've sacrificed too much to become weak again."
The chamber was silent. Every supernatural being present understood that Dean was telling the truth. He had the power to back up his words. The question was whether the established factions were willing to accept his terms.
It was Sairaorg who spoke first. "I vote to accept the Unbound as a legitimate faction."
"As do I," Rias said.
One by one, the faction leaders agreed. Not because they wanted to, but because the alternative was war with someone they couldn't defeat.
"Then it's settled," Dean said. He pulled out a document that Takeshi had prepared, a formal charter establishing the Unbound as an independent faction. "Sign this, and we have peace. Refuse, and we have war."
Every faction leader signed.
As Dean watched them put their names to the document, he realized something. He'd won. Not through raw power alone, but through understanding, preparation, and the refusal to accept limitations. He'd become strong not because he was chosen by fate, but because he'd chosen to become strong.
_______________________________________________