A/N: RIP My Laptop š»
Hey everyone š
I wanted to share a quick update and explain my recent inactivity.
Unfortunately, my old laptop finally took its last breath š It completely gave out, which caught me off guard and slowed things down more than I expected. That's the main reason I've been quiet for a bit.
For now, I've managed to get an Android phone so I can stay connected and slowly get back on track. While it's not a full replacement for my laptop, it does mean I can start being active again, posting updates, and continuing to workājust at a slightly different pace.
With your continued support, I'm hopeful that we'll be able to raise enough funds to get a new laptop and fully return to regular content again. Every bit of support truly helps more than you know.
Thank you so much for your patience and for sticking with me through this. I'm incredibly grateful for all of you, and more updates are coming soon šāØ
ā Zevion Asgorath
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Time didn't simply pass after that.
It dragged.
Thick.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Like the air itself had been weighed down by the stress, grief, shock, and leftover terror lingering beneath everyone's skin.
There was no schedule, no plan, no structure.
Just a scattered group of devils, humans, and one utterly bewildered civilian girl sitting in my living room as if we'd all survived the end of the world.
And honestly?
We kind of did.
People took seats wherever they found them ā couches, chairs, the floor, the edge of beds pushed together.
It wasn't a meeting.
It was a collective collapse of mentally exhausted individuals trying to piece their sanity back together.
No one looked stable.
No one could be stable after watching friends die, witnessing miracles, and realizing their entire worldview might be wrong.
Rias kept rubbing her thumb against her palm ā a grounding habit I'd never seen before.
Akeno wore a weak smile, but her shoulders were tense with hidden worry.
Koneko sat curled up, knees drawn close.
Asia clasped her hands tightly, praying under her breath with trembling lips.
Xenovia stared at the floor, jaw locked, her faith shaken.
Irina bit her lip so hard it left faint marks.
Ravel hovered nervously beside me, eyes darting between everyone.
Tsubaki stood next to Sona, ready for any of her commands.
Serafall clung to Sona even now, as if letting go for even a second might break the fragile miracle that revived her.
Mashiroā¦ sat on the couch like she'd wandered into the wrong anime entirely.
Her red eyes unfocused.
Her posture is stiff.
Her entire aura screaming: Why am I here, and what is happening.
Though it is so minute that even with all that, mostly you can see is just looking pretty and bored.
And then there was me.
Trying to look calm.
Trying to breathe.
Trying not to immediately sneak out to murder Kokabiel in ways that violate several moral standards and probably international law.
But after watching Rias emotionally annihilate Kiba and Koneko physically finish the job, my conscience (which still existed, somehow) wouldn't let me follow his example.
Especially since I hadn't yet robbed a bank for Arceus money.
One thing at a time.
I leaned forward, clearing my throat.
"Alright. Let's talk about our next move. Personallyā¦ I think we should obliterate their headquarters. Or their capital city. Whatever they have."
What?
Only sneak attacks are a no-go.
Silence fell so hard the room might as well have shattered.
Rias's soul left her body.
Akeno blinked.
Koneko stared blankly.
Asia gasped.
Xenovia choked.
Irina muttered a panicked prayer.
Ravel froze mid-breath.
Mashiro tilted her head in confusion.
And Serafallā
Her eyes lit up like fireworks exploding behind her pupils.
She shot upright with both hands raised above her head.
"Yes! YES!! DESTROY EVERYTHING!!! I SUPPORT THIS 10,000%!!"
She even clapped.
Rapidly.
Joyfully.
Like I just suggested, we go get ice cream.
Great.
Just great.
One overly supportive Sataness.
Meanwhile, Rias shot me a betrayed look.
"Zevionā¦ you can't be serious."
Sona adjusted her glasses, trying to maintain dignity despite still being emotionally wobbly from resurrection.
"Zevion," she said firmly, "you're talking about attacking an entire faction's leadership. That's not reckless ā that's suicidal."
I shrugged innocently.
"Aw. So you are worried about me."
Sona flushed, pushing her glasses up in irritation.
"That is not the point!"
I smirkedāuntil a very different idea struck me.
I turned toward Mashiro.
Mashiro, who had been silently processing supernatural insanity for hours like someone watching a slow-motion train crash.
I walked toward her and placed my hand gently on her shoulder.
She blinked up at me, very slowly.
"ā¦Zevion?"
Rias asked, confused.
"What are you doing?"
I ignored her and asked loudly:
"Why do you think the supernatural world is hidden from normal humans?"
Mashiro tilted her head like a confused kitten.
"Hmm?"
The others also looked puzzled.
Serafall raised her hand like a student.
"To protect humans and maintain balance!"
A few others nodded.
I nodded too.
"Yes. That's what everyone is taught. What everyone is supposed to believe."
Then I smiled.
A slow, dark, meaningful smile.
"But that's not the whole truth."
Sona froze.
Her eyes sharpened immediately, gears turning.
"ā¦Zevion. You meanā¦ the secrecy isn't to protect humans. Is it to protect supernatural beings from humans?"
The rest of the room gasped.
I snapped my fingers at her.
"Exactly."
Rias frowned deeply.
"Zevionā¦ humans can't possibly threatenā"
I cut her off.
"Rias. Think."
I lifted a hand and began counting.
"Devils have demonic power. Angels have holy power. Ghosts and Spirits have spiritual powers. Vampires have blood skills. Dragons have dragon traits. Gods have divinity."
I pointed toward Asia, Irina, and Xenovia.
"Humans? Humans have limitless potential."
Asia blinked.
"Umā¦ limitless?"
"Yes. Limitless. Humans can be exorcists, mages, inventors, scientists, martial artists, hybrids, artifact wielders, saintsā¦ or even legendary heroes. They can learn any discipline. Combine multiple. Create new ones."
Xenovia frowned.
"But if humans are so powerful, why aren't they considered a high-class race?"
I spread my arms.
"Because only a microscopic fraction of humanity knows the truth."
Irina scratched her cheek.
"Umā¦ there are hundreds of thousands of us or maybe millions of us in the Church or mages."
"And more than seven billion humans total," I said.
"If all seven billion suddenly learned the truth? You cannot say that only a few people would rise. Someone, somewhere, would awaken something terrifying. Many someones."
Everyone went quiet.
The implications struck them like thunder.
Serafall muttered:
"ā¦if humans awakened en masseā¦ every faction would fall. Every pantheon would be threatened."
I nodded.
"Exactly. Humans don't need power handed to them. They don't need divine artifacts. They just need knowledge. And time."
I tapped Mashiro lightly on her head.
She blinked again.
"So here's the point," I continued.
"I'm forming a faction."
Dead silence.
Even my house creaked in confusion.
I continued:
"A mixed faction. Every race is welcome. But humansāpeople like Mashiroāwill be our banner."
Ravel gasped.
Asia's eyes sparkled with innocence and excitement.
Irina sat up straighter.
Xenovia's eye twitched.
Sona paled slightly.
Rias rubbed her forehead.
Mashiro blinked.
Slowly.
"ā¦Eh?"
I ignored her shock.
"If a devil faction destroys an enemy? Normal. If a dragon faction destroys someone? Expected. But if a human faction topples a supernatural threatā¦ every major pantheon will panic."
I turned toward the three Church girls.
"And for thatā¦ I want Asia, Irina, and Xenovia in my faction."
Xenovia recoiled.
"What?! W-we can't just join because some idiot says so!"
Irina raised her hand.
"I join Zevion's faction."
Asia shyly raised her hand.
"I-I would like to join tooā¦"
Xenovia exploded.
"WHAT?! WHY ARE YOU TWO LIKE THIS?! Asia being excommunicated is one thing, but YOU, IRINA?!"
Irina crossed her arms.
"I serve God, not the Church. And after everything? They'll excommunicate us anyway. They basically threw us into a suicide mission. I quit before they fire me!"
I stared at her.
"ā¦Irina. When did you become smart? That's terrifying."
Her eyes widened with rage.
She lunged.
I ran.
Around the room.
While she chased me like a righteous angel of death.
"OKAY OKAY TRUCE TRUCE!!"
I dove behind the couch.
Irina glared like she wanted to castrate me.
Once the chaos had settled, I turned to Mashiro.
"Mashiroā¦ do you want to go home now? I can teleport you. You've seen too much tonight. Also, next time, don't sit alone on a bench at night."
Giratina's shadow rose behind me.
Mashiro, however, lifted her hand.
And quietly, softlyā
She grabbed mine.
Her fingers were small, warm, but steady.
I blinked at her.
"Huh? Mashiro?"
She looked up, her red eyes clear for the first time since meeting her.
"ā¦I want to join too."
Everyone's breath caught.
The room went silent.
Mashiro Shiina ā the emotionless, mysterious, prodigy artist who had wandered into supernatural chaos ā now stood with unexpected resolve.
Mashiro Shiina.
A human.
A genius.
An artist.
And nowā
My newest faction member.
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Patreon link: patreon.com/zevionasgorath