DXD SI : Chapter 77 : The Ongoings Pt.2 (Patreon)

Disclaimer - I don't own any of the characters appearing in High School DXD or the Anime or the manga whatsoever.

Underworld

–Serafall Sitri–

While she waited for confirmation from Behemoth about the successful transportation of the Milk, done strictly without the use of any teleportation magic, as they could not risk the spatial magic somehow contaminating the product or some inbuilt defense against Demonic Energy powered magic activating, she browsed through some of the many reports that spontaneously appeared on her desk for her to deal with.

Even as she went through some of them half heartedly, her mind was occupied by the Pharmacists’ products. Behemoth was aided by some of Sirzech’s peerage as well, so she wasn’t really worried for their safety, but the fact that Ajuka considered it not worth the risk to actually go ahead himself and collect the product because of his still recovering condition meant she could not really bring herself to focus on anything else.

Which is why, the moment someone pinged her on the reserve line she kept open only for emergencies and was accessible only to a select few people, she pounced on the accept button, but instead of receiving information from Behemoth, it was one of her agents.

More specifically, the one she had tasked with Magdaran’s case to scour the entire world to find any traces of either Magdaran or his Garden, as she could bet her Original Magical Levi-Tan Panties that Magdaran would never be too far from his Garden.

She snickered at the naughty thought that came to her mind, as there were no Panties in the Magical Girl Levi-Tan outfit, before she realised what was happening and refocused back on what her operative was telling her.

“Yes, I am listening. Tell me what happened.”

“Romania!” She had to take the phone away a bit as her agent on the other end screamed in anger or exhaustion, she could not tell.

“Carmialla. Tepes. Both of them were wiped out. Energy signatures consistent with the Power of Destruction. The scale suggests that…”

She stood up, her power barely restrained as she realised what a disaster and an opportunity this had become, all rolled in one. 

The Vampires were inconsequential, especially as long as the age old story about Dracula and his prophesied awakening when the Vampire race was at its weakest was not true. If that were true, then it might create some problems, but even then, if it truly was Magdaran and if Magdaran was the Pharmacist, then even that risk was worth it.

After all, in Ajuka’s words, even though it might be a theory, anyone who can improve a being’s power after centuries of stagnation can perhaps improve the fertility of a being after decades of stagnation as well.

That single possibility, even though it might be a theory, was more than enough for them to move heaven and Earth to bring Magdaran back into the fold or, failing that, get him to work on that one thing that is basically the Ambrosia for Devils. Plus, when it came to Ajuka, he did not say things out of nowhere. He always had something to base his theories on.

A solution to the fertility issue that plagues most of the higher powered Devils would not just solve their population issue, but it would also resolve most of their political issues, all in one single stroke.

She could scarcely imagine what they could do if they controlled the solution to Devil infertility. Hell, it would have an even bigger impact than any Super Devil by himself could make. 

“I will be there.” She instructed her agent to stay put and called Behemoth and, after informing him of the new development, went on ahead, with Behemoth and a few others to follow suit soon after.

After all, even at the height of their power, the Vampires didn’t have anyone who could match her, let alone the Super Devils, so she had no qualms about just waltzing into their territory.

—xxx—

–Lord Vapula–

Leaning on the doorway that housed a reinvigorated form of his dear sister, he couldn’t help but smile, even with tears in his eyes, at the sight in front of him. Of Sairaorg just bawling while hugging his mother. Sai had been inconsolable ever since he was contacted by Satan Leviathan herself to secure transport for Misla.

Had the message come from anyone other than one of the Satans, he would never have believed it and would have instead set out on a war path to hunt down the vile being who dared joke about his sister’s condition.

Even with that, he was still disbelieving of the fact that his sister was finally healed, finally healthy again, for quite a while before he finally felt the reality set in. After that, it was only a matter of time before he got Misla back home, and after only a little hesitation, got Sairaorg back here as well.

While Sai often visited them and he made sure that he was trained, fed, and well taken care of, in the end, Sai was still a Bael. Even if he was not the heir, he was not removed from the House of Bael and, as such, remained a Bael by blood. To take a member of House Bael, no matter the relation, without consulting the Head of the House was tantamount to an attack on the House.

But it only took one look at his sister’s eyes to just take the chance and bring Sai back as well, and it only took him one look at Sai’s bawling form to decide that even if it cost him everything, he would make sure that both of them remained together, just as they were now, healthy and happy.

Even as his mind took in the happy scene in front of him, his thoughts went to the mysterious healing that took place. It could not have been a coincidence that the butler, the one person he trusted to guard Misla with his life, was abruptly called away by Satan Leviathan for some phony reason, only for Misla to be healed in that same timeframe.

Even after that, Satan Leviathan was the one who facilitated the whole thing, assuring him that the powerwork would be handled fully and even making sure that Sai’s current stay was approved under the Children of Pillar House Protection Act, something that allowed Allied Pillar Houses to take in members of other Houses for safeguarding, entirely at the discretion of the Satans, to be challenged later by the House Heads.

A conveniently little loophole that Zekram could not use right now because House Bael, for the first time in centuries, was without a Head. The Senate Seat was empty, and he knew for a fact that many within their faction were running around like headless chickens as Zekram had gone underground.

This entire thing smelled like a scheme to him, from the Satans to get rid of Zekram or his influence in the Underworld, but that was fine. Even if he was being used, at least he could make sure that Misla and Sai were fine, along with whoever the Satans saw fit to send this way to safeguard the children from whatever politics was afoot here.

__xx__

–Marius Tepes–

He gasped as he ran, his entire body trembling with fear and exhaustion, not daring to even look back as the Monster might just be right behind him.

He never could have expected things to go like this. When he was approached by the Bael to facilitate a meeting with his father, he had expected to be rewarded, to be told that he had done a good job, to be given more budget, more people, more authority, but he had received none of that.

Instead, he was backhanded to the ground as his father looked at him, not with anger but out of fear.

After that, things had moved pretty quickly, as the Bael was scheduled to arrive within a few hours. The reason for the little notice was something related to a weapon inside the Underworld that had to be smuggled outside, and the Bael had decided that the Tepes Clan was more worthy for that. More importantly, Zekram Bael had decided that he was the more worthy candidate for the task, more so than his father.

Of course, he knew that Zekram was just talking to his ego, but it was also an undeniable fact that one simply did not just say no to Zekram Bael’s face, which is why he had agreed and run directly to his father to see what his father would do, as the King Tepes.

But instead of them making countermeasures in case the Devil went back on his word, which was very probable, his father had looked at him with a pained gaze before ordering him to run. 

Run as far as he could, for as long as he could, but not alone.

No, he had to carry them with him as well. Hatred and Anger coursed through him at the unfairness of the situation, but knowing what he was carrying, the slight whimpers of pain just served to fuel him further.

The longer he could run, the more distance he could gain from the Devil, and the more time he would have to become the Strongest Vampire in existence.

After all, with the Sephiroth Graal in his hands, he could become someone like Dracula himself, or even better. Just imagining no weakness to sunlight, no silver weakness, enhanced strength, the ability to drink any blood, and more, all while he did not have to pay the price for the Graal to be used sounded like a dream.

Yes, he decided. He could do that. 

The Tepes were likely lost by now. He could not see any possibility of his father somehow winning against that Devil, which meant that the Vampires needed a new leader now. Even with Carmilla and her Witchy magic, his father had been more than enough of a match for her.

Once he was done, he would have the haughty Queen Carmilla bent over and—

A flash of yellow interrupted his run as he tried to come to a halt, only for the bags holding onto the two barts to slip from his grasp. He did not care about the impact, they would be fine.

As long as both of them were alive, he would have no issues. Valerie would listen to every word of his, as long as Gasper was in his grasp, and vice versa as well. With both of them being Sacred Gear users, he could foresee himself building a nice little faction even before he went back to conquer and unify the entire Vampire race.

Before he could do any of that, though, he had to deal with…

“O-Odin!” His eyes flew wide at the sight in front of him, as the legendary Norse God floated in front of him, looking down at him with apathy written all over her face.

He immediately fell to his knees, prostrating in front of the God, as Odin was an existence who could single-handedly wipe out their entire race in an afternoon.

No! He could not afford to fall here. Not just for his future glory, but also for the good of the entire Vampire race. He had to be the one to lead the Vampires into a future of glory, where they would not have to scurry around like rats, where they did not have to rely on expensive magic to keep their lands shrouded in perpetual darkness, where they did not have to suffer the regular humiliation of being culled, all because of the fear of Dracula himself rising up.

How long were they going to suffer?

He could offer Gasper up for sacrifice. Yes! That should work. Even though it would make things a bit harder to control Valerie, once the Graal did its work, she would be an empty mental shell anyway, but he had to live for that!

Yes. Even someone on Odin’s level must want a Sacred Gear. He cleared his throat, getting ready to speak, only to…..

He didn’t even get the chance to scream as a snap of Odin’s fingers created a concentrated ray of light that disintegrated Marius Tepes, the delusional Vampire King.