The truth hit like a thunderclap. To the women of Diodora's peerage, he'd always been the picture of kindness and gentility. Now, with his mask torn away, all they saw was a coward and a traitor.
Shuo reached into Diodora's pocket and drew out a small, writhing serpent—the unmistakable mark of Ophis. He held it up for all to see, his voice calm, almost bored.
"Ophis's snake. So, you're with the Khaos Brigade too."
The reaction was instantaneous.
"What?! He's joined the Khaos Brigade?"
"Is that really the Infinite Dragon God's snake?"
"Diodora Astaroth, heir to the Astaroth family—colluding with terrorists?"
"Traitor! You'd betray your own kind?"
Fury swept the hall. Rias, Sairaorg, and every Devil present looked at Diodora as if he were already dead.
They'd thought he was just a twisted pervert. Now they realized he was something far worse—a traitor, a would-be saboteur.
Shuo didn't bother with ceremony. He seized Diodora by the throat, black fire erupting across the traitor's body.
Diodora howled, desperate and defiant even as the flames consumed him.
"I'm Beelzebub's kin! I'm the next head of Astaroth! You can't kill me!"
But nobody moved to help. Rias, Sairaorg, and the rest watched in silence, their eyes cold.
Bloodline or no, betrayal demanded only one punishment.
The black flames did their work. Diodora's screams faded, his body crumbling to ash—erased from the world.
Shuo glanced down at the remains, unimpressed. Not even a system mission for this trash.
He turned to the crowd, voice casual.
"I know this is Devil business, but the grudge was mine to settle. Sorry for the mess."
He brushed off his hands and strolled back toward Rias and Sairaorg, a half-smile on his lips.
"Honestly, as an inside man for the Khaos Brigade, he'd probably have marked this place for an attack. I'd say I did you all a favor."
Rias and the others exchanged looks, their expressions twitching somewhere between exasperation and grudging admiration.
Even with his back turned, Shuo could feel every eye in the hall fixed on him.
Whispers rippled through the crowd:
"Is he really human? That's insane!"
"He took out Zephyrdor and Diodora in seconds!"
"I heard he's Rias's fiancé!"
"Wait—wasn't he the one who beat the Red Dragon Emperor and White Dragon Emperor?"
"Is this guy even mortal?"
Respect, awe, and a little fear colored every glance.
Shuo's own thoughts remained tranquil.
This was the Underworld—strength was everything. Devils respected power above all else.
What he'd just done only solidified his place in their eyes.
The Devil high command wasted no time. Sirzechs's Queen soon arrived, announced the official start of the Underworld conference, and led Shuo and the younger generation to the grand hall.
At the highest tier sat the four Maou: Sirzechs, Serafall, Ajuka Beelzebub, and Falbium Asmodeus.
Below them, the elders, noble heads, and influential Devils took their places.
Evelyn approached Shuo with formal deference.
"Lord Nangong, your seat is above. Please follow me."
Shuo shrugged and followed, pausing only when he saw the throne reserved for him.
He hesitated, then took his place beside the Maou, glancing at Sirzechs.
"Is this really okay? I'm just a guest here."
Sirzechs grinned. "Your status is higher than you think, Shuo-kun. And you've done us all a huge favor tonight."
Ajuka Beelzebub nodded, gratitude clear in his tone.
"You saved us from a disaster. Thank you for eliminating Diodora."
Falbium Asmodeus offered a cheerful greeting.
"Shuo Nangong, pleasure to meet you."
Serafall, meanwhile, couldn't meet Shuo's gaze. She kept her eyes averted, cheeks flushed—clearly remembering the last time he'd teased her.
Shuo replied to each Maou in turn, then shot Serafall a mischievous smirk.
She immediately turned away, flustered.
He chuckled, shaking his head. Maybe he'd gone too far last time.
Sairaorg's eyes nearly popped from his skull as he watched Shuo seated among the Maou.
"What… what is happening?!"
Rias, Sona, and the others covered their mouths, giggling at his shock.
Not just the young Devils—many high-ranking nobles stared at Shuo in disbelief.
He'd just beaten Zephyrdor, killed Diodora, and now sat laughing with the four Maou.
Was his status equal to the Maou themselves? Maybe even higher?
Awe and curiosity swept the hall. Who was this man, really?
The proceedings unfolded much as Shuo remembered from the original story.
The elders delivered their speeches, praising the new generation as the future of Devilkind.
Finally, Sirzechs and the other Maou asked each of them to share their dreams.
Sairaorg declared his ambition to become Maou, drawing laughter from many—but he didn't care.
Sona spoke of founding a school free of class distinctions.
This time, the nobles kept their mouths shut, wary of her connection to Shuo.
Rias, as always, dreamed of becoming a worthy head of the Gremory clan.
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