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The following morning, the crimson sun of the Underworld cast a warm, golden light over the city of Aethelgard. In the heart of the capital, Algernon sat on his obsidian throne in the grand hall of his newly built castle.
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He was alone, his crimson eyes scanning a holographic map that shimmered with tactical projections and strategic plans. The defeat of Riser Phenex was not just a victory; it was a political earthquake, and the aftershocks were still being felt.
Algernon, however, was already a step ahead. He had won the battle, but the war for control of the Underworld had just begun. His mind was a whirlwind of calculations. The Old Devil Council would be in an uproar, the Phenex family would be humiliated, and the other Pillar families would be watching, their intentions unknown.
He wore a set of black silk robes with crimson accents, a casual yet regal attire befitting his status. The throne room was simple but powerful, with obsidian walls and a single, large window that overlooked the city he had built from the ashes of a forgotten clan.
A soft knock echoed through the vast, silent throne room. A young maid, dressed in the Azeroth Clan's black and crimson uniform, entered. She walked with a quiet, respectful grace that was not born of fear, but of genuine loyalty. She bowed her head, a show of respect to her King.
"My Lord," she said, her voice a hushed whisper, "Lord Sirzechs Lucifer has arrived."
Algernon's crimson eyes remained fixed on the holographic map, a subtle smirk on his lips. This was the moment his plan truly began.
"Take them to the meeting room," he commanded, his voice a low, firm rumble that filled the silent hall.
The maid bowed her head. "As you command, My Lord." With that, she turned and exited the room, leaving Algernon alone once more.
He leaned back in his throne, his mind already running through the conversation to come.
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Algernon arrived at the meeting room to find Sirzechs Lucifer already waiting. The room was a stark contrast to the grandeur of the throne room. It was a space designed for strategy, with a long obsidian table, a single holographic display, and no other adornments. The air felt heavy, not with the weight of ancient power, but with the focused intent of two powerful leaders.
Sirzechs stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the shimmering city of Aethelgard below. He was alone, his presence filling the room with a sense of immense, unyielding authority. As Algernon entered, Sirzechs turned, his kind eyes now holding a keen, analytical gaze that saw far beyond the surface.
"I must admit, I was curious," Sirzechs began, his voice a low, friendly rumble. "For you to invite me to your home as demon king instead as brother-in-law... that's another situation entirely."
Algernon walked to the table and sat down, his movements fluid and confident. "We are not here as family, Lord Lucifer. We are here as Kings. I am a King in my own right, and I am here to speak with you as one."
Sirzechs's smile vanished. His blue eyes, which held such kindness, were now cold and analytical as he processed Algernon's words. He walked to the table and took a seat opposite him. "Very well, then. Let's talk. You have my attention, Algernon. What could possibly be so important that you felt the need to summon me to your home?"
Algernon leaned forward, his crimson eyes burning with a fierce intensity. "The Underworld is stagnant," he stated, his voice firm and resolute. "The old ways and the old families are not enough to protect us from what's coming. I have a vision of a new, united demon race, but I cannot achieve it alone. I need your influence, your power, and your trust."
Sirzechs simply nodded, his expression unreadable.
"I've been monitoring the movements of certain organizations from the shadows, Lord Lucifer," Algernon continued, his voice a low, chilling whisper. "Have you heard of the Khaos Brigade?"
The change in Sirzechs's expression was immediate and profound. His kind demeanor vanished, replaced by the grim, hardened look of a seasoned leader. His eyes, which had been so full of curiosity, now narrowed in a wary, dangerous gaze. He had heard of the Khaos Brigade; they were a group of renegade devils, fallen angels, and various supernatural beings, who sought to disrupt the world's balance.
"I am aware of them," Sirzechs said, his voice now devoid of its usual warmth. "A few renegade devils and a handful of rogue Fallen Angels. They are a nuisance, but hardly a threat to the Three Factions."
Algernon's smirk was subtle. "You are mistaken, Lord Lucifer. They are not a few. Their numbers are growing, and so is their power. Your intelligence is outdated because you are focused on the past."
Sirzechs's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What do you know that I don't?"
"You don't know their leadership," Algernon stated, his voice a low, chilling whisper. "You don't know that they have the remnants of the Old Demon Kings, powerful beings who have joined them in a bid to reclaim their lost power. And you don't know that their leader, their true leader, is the Dragon God of Infinity, Ophis."
The name itself sent a shiver down Sirzechs's spine. The Dragon God of Infinity, a being of unimaginable power, a force of nature whose very existence was a paradox. To have such a being leading ... it was a threat that made the Great War seem like a minor skirmish.
Algernon watched Sirzechs's reaction with a calm, predatory gaze. The mention of Ophis had struck its intended target, but Algernon wasn't finished. He needed to show Sirzechs that the Khaos Brigade was not just a powerful force, but a threat that was deeply personal to the leadership of the Underworld.
"That's not all," Algernon stated, his voice a low, chilling whisper. "There is a reason the Old Devil Kings have joined them. There is a reason this rebellion is so deeply motivated to reclaim their lost power. They have a new leader, a new figurehead to rally behind, a decendant of origional lucifer." He paused, letting the tension build.
"You're referring to Rizevim Livan Lucifer," Sirzechs said, his voice now a low growl, filled with a cold, terrifying fury. "The son of the original Lucifer, a coward who fled before the Great War. What does he have to do with this?"
"He is more than just a cowardly remnant," Algernon revealed, his voice laced with a subtle hint of triumph. "He is their shadowy leader. He has gathered powerful Sacred Gear holders, and he is a master manipulator. He is the one who brought the remnants of the Old Demon Kings together. He is the one who has convinced them that they can reclaim their power and overthrow the current leadership."
Sirzechs's eyes widened in utter disbelief. His kind demeanor vanished, replaced by the grim, hardened look of a seasoned leader. The name Rizevim was a word of immense power, a threat that was deeply personal to him. He was the son of the original Lucifer, and his very existence was a constant reminder of the civil war that had nearly destroyed the demon race. To have such a being leading a rebellion....
After his initial shock, Sirzechs took a moment to compose himself. He ran a hand through his crimson hair, his eyes, once so kind, now held a deep, troubled fury.
He leaned forward, his hands clasped on the table. He looked at Algernon, not as a political upstart, but as a prophet, a visionary who saw the future in a way no one else could.
"You're right," Sirzechs said, his voice a low, chilling whisper. "I need your help. This is a matter of survival." He paused, his mind reeling. "But you have a plan, don't you? You wouldn't have come to me with this information unless you had a solution."
Algernon's expression was calm, unwavering. He reached into the inner pocket of his robes and pulled out a single, elegantly rolled scroll, sealed with a crest Algernon knew Sirzechs would recognize. He placed it on the table between them and slid it toward the Demon King.
Sirzechs's brow furrowed in confusion. He took the scroll, broke the seal with a quick movement, and unrolled it. His kind eyes scanned the formal script, and his expression shifted from confusion to disbelief. It was a formal challenge. A Rating Game. The challenger was Diodora Astaroth, and the prize was Asia Argento, the Bishop of his sister, Rias Gremory.
Sirzechs looked up, his voice a low rumble. "I don't understand, Algernon. Why would you bring me this? What does this have to do with the Khaos Brigade?"
Algernon simply watched him, a subtle smirk playing on his lips, waiting for Sirzechs to connect the pieces. It didn't take long. A flash of recognition, followed by cold, terrifying fury, crossed the Demon King's face.
Sirzechs's voice was now a low growl, filled with a cold, terrifying fury. "Diodora is one of them, isn't he?" he said, his voice still low, dangerous growl. "He's aligned with the Khaos Brigade. Are you telling me that a devil from the Three Factions, a member of the 72 Pillars, is betraying us?"
Algernon nodded. "Not just a betrayer," he stated, his voice calm and firm. "He is an important piece in their game. He is the heir to the Astaroth family, and they have been watching him closely. The demon faction of the Khaos Brigade will use this as a pretext to launch a full-scale attack on the Underworld. They will not miss a chance to exploit our focus on this Rating Game. While we're busy with the spectacle, they will attack. The Rating Game is a trap, Lord Lucifer."
Sirzechs's anger was replaced by a profound, unwavering seriousness. "Continue where we left, you should have planned everything".
Algernon nodded. "The Rating Game will be held a week from now. I will accept Diodora's challenge. We will use the game as our own trap. We will feign a public spectacle, a display of arrogance, to draw their full force into a single location. you will prepare the Underworld for a full-scale attack. Your forces will be waiting for them, and when they make their move, we will crush them."
Sirzechs's eyes widened. "That's a bold plan. It's a risk. If they don't fall for the trap, we could be in a lot of trouble."
"They will fall for it," Algernon stated, his voice firm and resolute. "They are too confident in their power, and they will see this as the perfect opportunity. They will see a foolish young king who is too arrogant to see the danger. They will see a trap, but they will not know that they are the ones who are walking into it."
Sirzechs was silent for a long moment, processing the details. The sheer audacity of the plan was breathtaking, but it was the only way to get a jump on the Khaos Brigade. He stood up, his posture now radiating the full power of a Demon King preparing for war.
"I will prepare the Underworld for war," he said, his voice a low, serious rumble. "My forces will be ready. And you... you will at forefront of this war."
Algernon simply nodded, his eyes holding a fierce, unyielding resolve. "I am never going to lose, Lord Lucifer."
With that, Sirzechs nodded and vanished in a flash of light, leaving Algernon alone once more in his meeting room. He looked out the window at his city, a subtle smirk on his face.
Algernon remained in his chair, the silence of the room a testament to the weight of the conversation that had just concluded. He wasn't thinking about Sirzechs's reaction or the military preparations; those were a foregone conclusion. He was thinking about the first, critical domino he had pushed.
He had orchestrated every moment, every encounter, with a single purpose: to provoke a response from Diodora Astaroth. Algernon knew from his foreknowledge that Diodora was more than just a scheming devil. He was a deeply disturbed individual with a specific, perverted obsession with "fallen saints"—saints who had been exiled and broken by the church.
Diodora would then "save" them, adding them to his personal collection of broken souls. His greatest prize, his ultimate desire, was Asia Argento, the former saint who had been exiled by the church in which Diodora played a huge role by letting Asia heal him.
Algernon's entire public campaign was a calculated risk, a masterful play to get Diodora to make a move. He had challenged a formidable opponent in the arena to gain fame, then used that fame to approach the Gremory family.
He knew that Diodora would not be able to tolerate the idea of Asia, a woman he had groomed for his sick game, being in someone else's possession. The news of Algernon's engagement with Rias, with her Bishop, Asia, by her side, would be the final piece of the puzzle. It would be an irresistible bait.
He smiled, a cold, ruthless smirk that held no warmth. He had not just challenged Riser to a Rating Game; he had sent a message directly to Diodora. He had declared to the Diodora that Asia, the prize he had worked so hard to acquire, was now his. It was a direct, public challenge that Diodora, in his arrogant and twisted pride, could not ignore.
It was a trap. A trap designed to lure Diodora and, by extension, his Khaos Brigade allies out into the open. The fool would believe he was making a brilliant strategic move by challenging him to a Rating Game. But he was walking directly into his hands.
Algernon's mind was already a step ahead. He had used the political chaos of the Underworld and the perverted desires of a single devil to gain an audience with a Demon King and set the stage for a coming war. A stage on which he would shine brilliantly making him close to his goal of conquering demon race.