Underworld, Capital Lilith
Lilith is the capital of the Devils, ruled by the strongest Maou, Sirzechs Lucifer.
Sirzechs is a handsome man who appears to be in his early twenties. He has shoulder-length crimson hair and blue-green eyes inherited from his father, Zeoticus, similar to Rias.
Sirzechs sat at his desk, reviewing the dossiers of other faction emissaries. Although he had seen nothing significant regarding the representatives of the Church or the Fallen Angels, he was extremely intrigued by the Shinigami faction.
"Kurosaki…" — Sirzechs murmured in a deep voice, his eyes scanning Ren's file with evident focus — "could it be…"
He didn't finish his sentence; his thoughts remained his alone. Yet, from his expression, it was clear that the matter was extremely serious.
"I hope it's not as I suspect…" — Sirzechs added, massaging his temple slightly, troubled by the frequent headaches that had plagued him lately, unwilling to invite more pain.
"I must focus on Rias's engagement for now…" — when speaking of his younger sister, Sirzechs's expression turned cold and indifferent, a stark contrast to the warmth he displayed toward the person he truly cared about — "Initially, I arranged her engagement with Riser Phenex. An alliance with House Phenex would increase my influence, especially over the Old Satan Faction, and it would allow me to benefit from the Phoenix Tears trade."
"But the emergence of the Red Dragon Emperor and his joining the Devils' side was completely unexpected." — At the mention of the Red Dragon Emperor, Sirzechs's eyes showed a hint of caution and a calculating coldness — "especially since he became part of Rias's Peerage. Clearly, he has feelings for her, which can be used to bind him and place him under my control."
Sirzechs closed his eyes for a moment, lost in complex thoughts. His mind worked as swiftly as his magical power.
"Rias…" — he murmured her name softly, as if the name alone could evoke a mixture of responsibility and tactical coldness.
"You've gained a valuable chess piece without realizing it, and now I must decide how to use it in the greater game."
Rising from his lavish chair, he walked slowly toward the massive glass window overlooking the black city, shimmering under a purple sky. Towers of black stone, infernal lights, and demonic beings lived under his rule.
Although Sirzechs was known as a kind, peace-loving man throughout the Devil Race, those truly close to him knew he was far from that description. He was cold, nearly emotionless, viewing everyone as servants or tools to be used—even his family.
"I regret missing the opportunity to take control of House Phenex's business from within, but the Red Dragon Emperor…" — Though Sirzechs had decided to end the engagement between Rias and Riser and give Rias to Issei to have a foothold to control him, he never intended to relinquish influence over House Phenex's affairs.
Sirzechs returned to his desk and picked up another file. It contained plans to create cloned Devils from House Phenex and use them to produce an exact replica of Phoenix Tears. His partner in this endeavor was the Khaos Brigade.
He had to admit that having the Khaos Brigade was advantageous in many ways. He could use them as a threat to unite the factions under him, strike shady deals with them while shifting the blame, and enjoy both the benefits and the glory.
Sirzechs flipped through the pages calmly. Each sheet carried implicit signatures of veiled betrayal and political cunning. In every line, there was a delicate balance of demonic ambition and the cold pragmatism of a man who knew power was gained not through principles but through opportunity.
Red energy flowed from the tips of his fingers into the papers, reducing them to nothingness. It was clearly the Power of Destruction, and it was evident that he had mastered it impressively, controlling it with precision so as to destroy only the paper without affecting anything around it.
"But the presence of the Shinigami faction, which agreed to a peace treaty, must be considered. Any wrong move could ruin all my plans." — Sirzechs murmured, his caution toward the Shinigami etched deeply into his bones, a hard-learned lesson. He knew well how terrifying the Shinigami could be in war, even a thousand years ago.
Sirzechs was one of the few who had witnessed the First Great War between the three powers—Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels—but what history did not mention, and what was hidden from the public, was that the appearance of the Shinigami at the war's end was enough to completely overturn the balance of power.
"They were merely observers at first… then they intervened… and everything stopped." — He murmured the words as if recalling an ancient curse that never left his memory.
Sirzechs sat quietly at his desk, his mind working at an extraordinary speed, mentally recalculating his plans while factoring in the Shinigami's presence. His caution was not unfounded; he knew better than anyone the terror the Shinigami could inspire—particularly the old man who wielded part of Amaterasu's authority and the insane woman who smiled while standing atop millions of corpses of the three factions.
Two images appeared in Sirzechs's mind: one of an old man standing on a barren, scorched land before millions of dried corpses, and another of a beautiful woman with long black hair and a red sword, as if blood flowed from it, standing atop a mountain of bodies above a river of blood capable of flooding entire cities.
The moment these images surfaced, Sirzechs trembled briefly before returning to his composed expression, wearing that fake gentle smile once more. He returned to the papers on his desk. With the proposal of a peace conference, there was much work to be done, especially in eliminating his enemies who opposed his rule—they were obstacles to his ultimate goal.
...
To get more chapters please visit my p@treon :
[email protected]/Akasaki_Ryujin
For support :
https://ko-fi.com/akasaki_ryujin
_
There's a 20% discount on Patreon membership, valid until the 7th of the month. Discount code: F82B2