The Light Born In The Darkness (CH 48)

A/N: This story is rated M for mature content not suitable for children.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Chapter 48: Battles On All Fronts

Bael Mansion

Fists collided in an intense clash of power and agility, generating shockwaves and havoc throughout the Bael Mansion.

Sairaorg Bael let out a sound of agony and exasperation as he gradually found himself being forced backward, even with Regulus activated and Kuisha providing support from afar.

Naruto observed Sairaorg with a slight curiosity, as it's not often that one encounters a devil who can wield a sacred gear, particularly a Longinus. The Bael devil now appeared encased in golden armor, which was a result of his sacred gear's balance break.

Kuisha Abaddon was putting forth her utmost effort to aid her king and friend by utilizing her clan's unique ability, the power of the 'Hole.' This allowed her to absorb and redirect all of Naruto's magical attacks, enabling him to rely solely on his physical prowess in battle.

"I must say, for someone your age, you possess a remarkable power, and your ability to work with others makes it challenging for most to confront you. If I had to make an assumption, I'd say you currently rank as an Ultimate class being," Naruto remarked, complimenting the heir of the Bael clan. "However, if this is the extent of your strength, then you are not worth my time."

Naruto caught Sairaorg off guard by disappearing into his shadow and reappearing behind Kuisha, where he landed a powerful punch to her side, propelling her across the Bael Mansion.

"Kuisha!" Bael yelled in a mix of concern and anger, ready to rush over to his peerage member to check if she was still alive when Naruto suddenly appeared in front of him, and they exchanged punches.

"Move aside!" Sairaorg shouted, his concern for his Queen overshadowing everything else. He recognized the immense strength of Naruto's attack, which could seriously harm him if it connected. As the strongest member of his peerage, he knew Kuisha wasn't as resilient as he was, and there was a good chance she was barely clinging to life.

"No, I asked you to move aside when I arrived, but you decided to block my path. Now, I'm going to teach you a lesson you'll always remember," Naruto said in a composed tone. Internally, he resolved to finish this fight quickly so he could pursue Lord Bael without delay.

BAM BOOM BAM BOOM

The Bael Territory trembled with every strike exchanged between Naruto and Sairaorg. They had ceased evading each other's attacks, opting instead to engage in a fierce exchange of powerful hits. The section of the Bael Mansion where they had been fighting had been completely obliterated, and now they found themselves outside, battling like two ferocious bulls.

"There's something off, Sairaorg," Regulus said in his balance break armor form. He had watched as Sairaorg unleashed strong Touki-infused strikes against Naruto, but they barely affected him. Meanwhile, Naruto, who hadn’t relied on any magic, was becoming increasingly stronger with his physical attacks. This was evident when he delivered a powerful punch to Sairaorg's stomach, causing some of his armored flesh to crack. "We need to pull back.

Regulus's words went unnoticed as Sairaorg was consumed by the thoughts of his dying Queen. He knew he had to defeat Naruto to reach her, but that blonde bastard just wouldn't go down.

"It’s time to bring this to a close," Naruto declared, a white aura enveloping his body, leaving his opponent astonished since this was Touki. "You possess great strength, but it was unfortunate for you to cross paths with me."

Naruto genuinely believed that Sairaorg possessed great strength and the ability to become even stronger. He recognized that if it weren't for Sairaorg's inversion magic, which converts damage into power, he might have sustained injuries from the Bael heir's Touki-infused attacks. Although Naruto was confident he wouldn't be defeated, he acknowledged that he could have ended up with some cuts and bruises without the protection of his magic.

"Quit pretending you’ve already come out on top, you worthless piece of trash!" Sairaorg shouted furiously, completely out of character. Regulus realized in that instant that they had been defeated; his master had let his emotions get the better of him, and Naruto was exploiting that weakness. "I swear, I’m going to end you!"

"It is over," the extra demon announced. Sairaorg was caught off guard by the incoming strikes; Naruto had disappeared from view. In an instant, the Bael heir was airborne, a tremendous hit sending him soaring from the ground and shattering the armor protecting his face. Blood streamed from Sairaorg's broken nose and mouth, which now lacked several teeth.

Sairaorg was uncertain if he had been struck with such force that he was hallucinating, but he perceived seven versions of Naruto converging on him from every direction. As his vision faded to black, he succumbed to defeat, lying unconscious alongside the equally vanquished Regulus.

Naruto, surrounded by his shadow clones, gazed at Sairaorg with a sense of sympathy. He had a keen understanding of the younger devil and recognized him as a genuinely good person who had faced numerous challenges and earned his strength through sheer determination and effort.

"Tsk, it feels a bit wrong to do this," Naruto told his clones as he saw a bit of his former self in Sairaorg; he also reminded him of his old friend Rock Lee from his past life. "Do your best to heal him and his Peerage, then disperse."

Naruto didn't wait for the clones to respond; instead, he leaped back into the Bael Mansion, determined to confront Lord Bael, the one he believed was behind everything.

Gremory Mansion

"What," Lady Gremory asked, puzzled. Were the dragons here to abduct her? She could sense the strength radiating from the female dragon, who was in human form, and realized that in a confrontation, she would surely be defeated. Only her son and his friends might have a chance. "What is it that you want from me?"

"You've been marked as one of the devils we were instructed to apprehend if we can," Tiamat said, tilting her head slightly. "The others are to be eliminated."

In disbelief, Zeotious shouted, "My son will prevent you from doing that!" as he assumed a fighting position, magic circles appearing around him. "I won't allow you to take us."

"You should know, my dear, that Sirzechs won't be arriving here," Tiamat announced, sending a chill down the spines of the Gremory couple. "And I never claimed I would take you, Lord Gremory; it's only your wife who is targeted. You, however, will be dealt with."

Lord Gremory's face drained of color upon hearing those words, and he stepped back, suddenly aware of how outclassed he was now that he understood they were here to kill him. Lady Gremory was bewildered, questioning what they wanted with her.

"Why were you instructed to bring me back alive?" Lady Gremory inquired, not expecting a response. To her surprise, Tiamat replied as she approached and touched down within the Gremory Mansion.

"I might not fully understand Lord Satanchia's thoughts, but if I were to speculate, I'd say he chose to spare you so that you could assist Rias with her pregnancy," Tiamat said, observing the stunned expressions on both Gremorys, while Zeotious's face also showed signs of anger.

"It's that little whore's fault again. First, she violated our pact with the Phenex clan, and now this," Lord Gremory spat, his face twisted in anger. "I should have just sold her off to any devil willing to take her instead of allowing her to go to the human world. Perhaps then she would have understood her role."

Both Lady Gremory and Tiamat exchanged glances of disdain towards Zeotious after his remark. Venelana directed a glare filled with animosity at her husband; she had endured enough, and this was the breaking point. His actions, from physically asserting dominance to forming a harem to prove her worthlessness, had pushed her to her limits. However, she was determined not to allow him to harm her daughter again.

Venelana tightened her jaw and balled her fist, but then a realization struck her. "You mentioned that you were instructed to take me, correct?" Lady Gremory inquired, receiving a nod from Tiamat. "You also suggested that I was targeted to assist my daughter during her pregnancy. Does that imply that Rias has aligned herself with your faction?"

"Indeed, Rias and her group are under our care," Tiamat responded, observing as Zeotious's expression shifted from red to a deep purple in response to his anger over his daughter's alliance with the opposing faction. If their faction managed to survive the day, their reputation would be shattered.

"What the hell," Lord Gremory shouted, fury boiling over at Tiamat's words. "Did that wretched harlot actually join the enemy? I swear, the next time I lay eyes on her, I’ll wipe her off the face of the earth! She has tarnished the Gremory name!"

Venelana's gaze turned steely as her husband continued to hurl threats at their daughter. She glanced at Tiamat before shifting her attention back to Zeotious, a smirk playing on her lips.

Venelana inquired with a hint of innocence as she observed her husband appearing on the verge of a breakdown, "What steps do I need to take to become part of your faction? And would you be okay with me assisting you in getting rid of this worthless thing?"

"Venelana, what are you talking about?" Lord Gremory snapped at his wife, his face twisted in anger. "This isn't the moment for jokes, especially not with the enemy. Get over here so we can take down that dragon."

Tiamat ignored Zeotious entirely, keeping her focus on Lady Gremory, whose eyes were icy and unyielding. The dragon sought any sign of deceit in her stare, but found none—just the weight of burdens that Lady Gremory had borne for years. Today, however, she would finally be liberated from them.

"Delivering your husband's head would certainly demonstrate that you’ve severed ties with your faction," Tiamat remarked, observing how Venelana's expression shifted into a malevolent grin, as if she had anticipated this moment for years.

"Consider it accomplished," Venelana declared, her destructive energy enveloping her as she faced her husband, who regarded her with disdain. Surrounding him were magical circles representing every element, from fire to ice.

"You treacherous witch, you will pay for this!" Zeotious bellowed as he lunged at his wife, who retaliated with equal ferocity. Tiamat observed the fierce battle, determined not to let Lady Gremory perish, as she had been tasked with bringing her back. However, judging by how effortlessly Lady Gremory hurled Lord Gremory through his mansion like a toy, it seemed she was more than capable of holding her own.

"I’ve been waiting forever for this," Venelana exclaimed in a crazed manner, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "You’ve treated me like a dog, just something to flaunt at your gatherings. At first, I put up with it for the sake of my children, and then I stayed because, despite how awful you are, being here is still better than being part of the Bael clan."

In the Bael clan, power was of utmost importance. While men with power earned the clan's respect, women were often seen merely as vessels for breeding. Unfortunately for her, she possessed desirable genes, which led to her being married off to produce powerful offspring. It could have been worse; she might have been forced to mate with all the males in the Bael clan to ensure her genes were propagated within the family.

"Come here and give me a hug, my dear," Lady Gremory called out, surrounded by an aura of destruction. She lunged toward Zeotious, who fought with all his might to hold her back, but she continued to advance until she eventually fell against his magical shield.

"Stay away from me, you insane woman!" Zeotious shouted, feeling his defenses starting to crumble. He frantically searched for assistance, but found none. Trying to pacify his wife, he pleaded, "Please, let's just talk this through. You don’t really want to hurt me; we have two kids together. Think about what you’d tell them if you went through with this."

"I'll just say that Daddy went out to buy some milk," Venelana quipped, recalling how human men often told their wives that in the human realm and never came back. "Now perish, you jerk."

"Stop right there!" Lord Gremory exclaimed as his wife's strength surged, causing her to shatter the barrier and collide with him.

A few moments later, Lady Gremory returned to Tiamat's side, a joyful expression on her face as she held her husband's severed head in her right hand. His features were frozen in a grimace of agony and terror, fitting for the brutal way she had taken his life with her bare hands.

Phenex Mansion

Stella looked at the blazing turkeys in front of her, convinced they were powerful because of their flames of resurrection. In truth, they were just simple targets. At this moment, the Lady of the house entered the fray, attempting to offer some resistance, but it was ultimately in vain.

Lady Phenex, along with Ruval, Riser, and Ravel, who are part of the Phenex clan and their peerage, found themselves locked in battle against an army of Extra Demons. Ruval and Riser fought bravely and valiantly; however, the situation became increasingly dire with the emergence of the demon spiders summoned by Stella, causing them to feel overwhelmed.

With a smile on her face, Stella reflected, "I made the right choice in becoming familiar with Naruto." As she observed her children, who were essentially clones of herself infused with some of Naruto's blood, she felt a sense of pride in her ability to control them as their queen. "They're far superior to my previous creations."

For her kind, having children isn't considered a remarkable event; instead, they view children merely as new minions who serve an additional function.

"Mother, you need to get Ravel to safety," Ruval commanded while evading holy bullets that were unique in their ability to explode, releasing stored holy energy that contaminated the air around them. He was still healing from the last one that struck him, managing to shield himself with a barrier. The additional demons were certainly well-equipped to eliminate his family.

"I can't abandon you," Lady Phenex insisted firmly, aware that if she walked away, their side's strength would diminish, and her son would be in danger as well. "If I go, you'll be lost."

"It makes no difference whether you choose to stay or leave; we are already losing. They will kill me and Riser, and you and Ravel will be taken prisoner. You understand all too well the implications of that," Ruval said, causing Lady Phenex to tremble. She was painfully aware of what being captured by an opposing faction entailed—a fate of torment, violation, and cruel experimentation.

With a wicked smile, Stella remarked, "Oh, you really believe we’d allow any of you to slip away without consequences? If that's the case, you're even more foolish than you appear." She had been listening in on their discussion.

"Be quiet, you beast!" Riser shouted furiously, engulfed in flames as he resolved to fight until the very end. He looked at his peerage, feeling a pang of sorrow knowing they would likely perish alongside him. However, he clung to the hope that he could create an opportunity for his mother and sister to flee, ensuring the survival of the Phenex clan.

"Stop, Riser!" Ruval shouted, but I was already out of time. Riser lunged at Stella, his power surging to the level of an Ultimate class devil driven by his intense emotions. Unfortunately for him, Stella was as powerful as a Satan, comparable to Serafall. "No."

Ruval screamed in desperation, attempting to prevent his brother from carrying out his suicide attack, but he was too late. Stella's spider-like appendages shot out from her back, piercing Riser in both the neck and heart. Normally, this wouldn't be alarming due to their regenerative abilities, but the formidable curse that Stella possessed rendered their healing flames ineffective.

"Die, you monster," Riser's peerage charged at Stella, only to meet the same end as their master—not at Stella's hands, but at the mercy of her spider minions. The creatures overwhelmed the reincarnated devil, injecting them with their potent venomous curse, which caused their swift demise.

"That was quite underwhelming," Stella remarked, brushing off some nonexistent dust from her shoulders. "Is this really all the Phenex clan has to offer? Are your tears the only valuable thing about you?"

Stella's words appeared to jolt the remaining members of the Phenex clan out of their stunned state after witnessing Riser's death. Even now, his lifeless body lay discarded, covered in blood and surrounded by a purple aura emanating from him.

In a coordinated effort, Lady Phenex, Ruval, and Ravel launched an assault on Stella. Meanwhile, Ruval's peerage worked to fend off the extra demons and Stella's spiders, so they had their hands full and couldn't help their master and his family.

"Quite remarkable," Stella remarked as she had to evade and defend against the attack from the Phenex clan. Ruval's flames darkened with his fury, while Ravel's burned blue and Lady Phenex's were white. Each flame emitted a distinct aura, likely connected to their individual powers on a personal level.

Ruval's black flames seemed to crave destruction, fueled by his anger and a desire to incinerate everything until nothing was left but ash. In contrast, Lady Phenex's flames carried a sense of purity, as if she wished to erase all traces of existence, leaving not even ash behind. Meanwhile, Ravel was consumed by sorrow and a strong desire for justice following her brother's death.

Stella was so captivated that she became deep in thought, which Ruval noticed. He gestured to his mother and sister to divert Stella’s attention. In response, Lady Phenex unleashed a bright light while Ravel approached Stella to attack in close combat, a move that seemed rather unwise given the circumstances.

"Die!" Ruval bellowed from above as he descended upon Stella, Ravel, pinning her hand to her side. Without hesitation, Ruval unleashed an onslaught against his sister and Stella, both was caught by a powerful surge of black flames that engulfed both her and Ravel. Their screams of agony echoed together in the chaos.

"Please, Ruval, you must stop! You're going to kill Ravel," Lady Phenex pleaded, but Ruval remained resolute. He understood that halting now would mean forfeiting their sole opportunity for triumph. Ravel would pull through; she was a Phenex, a creature of flames. Yet, despite this knowledge, Ruval's heart ached at the thought of what he had to do.

When Ruval finally halted, Stella's body resembled a charred, unrecognizable mass of blackened coal. Ravel was in a similarly poor condition, but his body was gradually healing as Lady Phenex rushed toward her in alarm, clutching a vial of Phenex tears.

"Ruval, what the hell were you thinking?!" Lady Phenex screamed at her oldest son, seething with rage at his reckless actions for the sake of a win. "Do you even realize you could have killed your own sister?"

Ruval was just getting ready to respond when a voice they recognized sent a little chill of surprise through the air. "Well, color me impressed once more!" chirped Stella, her voice echoing from one of her spiders. Before they knew it, the spider transformed, and there stood Stella, looking fabulous and confident, crafting a stylish outfit from her magical webs with a playful flick of her wrist. "I honestly didn’t think you had it in you to make such a bold move for the sake of victory!"

“What on earth?” Ruval exclaimed in disbelief and anguish. “How are you still alive? I burned you! I’m sure it was really you that I attacked.”

Stella cheerfully chimed in, "Oh, it was indeed, but I believe you're mistaken if you think you're the only one with a shot at immortality! Just check out my fabulous new form!" She flexed her muscles playfully. "You see, I can hop into one of my children's bodies whenever my own takes a little break. And guess what? Their bodies are way more awesome than the one you just toasted!"

Ruval realized they were in a dire situation. Although he and his mother could still put up a fight, every victory they achieved was quickly undermined when Stella possessed one of her children’s bodies. It was impossible to tell how many were present on the battlefield—he could see thousands. Despite the odds, he refused to surrender. With a fierce battle cry, the heir of the Phenex clan charged into the fray.

Lady Phenex wished to assist her son, but doing so would leave her daughter—who was suffering and barely aware—exposed to danger. With dread, she observed her son being brutally beaten until he was nearly lifeless, and then Stella seized him by the throat as he struggled for air. Meanwhile, the entire Ruvel peerage was also defeated, falling prey to Stella's spiders, and the Phenex clan's guards were likewise devoured.

"I surrender," Lady Phenex announced, resigned to her fate. She realized they were now at the mercy of their adversaries, but she felt compelled to take action. "Please, just let my children go. You can have me—do whatever you wish, whether it's to use me, torment me, or keep me as your pet. Just spare my children's lives."

"Haha, it looks like you don't realize that you have no say in what happens to you or your children now that you've lost," Stella remarked, setting Ruval down beside Lady Phenex, who was bowing. "However, since you're all curious, I'll let you keep your lives, but I can't promise what your futures hold—that's up to my master."

Astaroth Mansion

Lady Astaroth glanced at her son Diodora, who was attempting to shrink away in an effort to escape her anger. Unfortunately for him, it was too late for that, especially after Lord Astaroth foolishly chose to strike at his wife, thinking he could subdue her before she focused her attention on him.

"You just couldn't hold off for your turn, could you?" Lady Astaroth remarked, turning to confront her husband, who had shot a magical bullet at her from behind, aiming to catch her off guard. However, he was the one taken aback as the projectile froze midair, the word 'stop' hovering in front of it. "Looks like you’re eager to meet your end first."

Lord Astaroth gazed at his wife in disbelief and dread, recognizing that the power she wielded resembled Ajuka Kankara's Formula. However, upon further examination, he noticed some distinctions: she held a fountain pen instead of using mathematical equations, and the word 'stop' was visible, indicating that she was employing language rather than formulas to halt his assault.

"What is this?" Lord Astaroth inquired, bewildered as he gazed at his wife's magic. It bore a resemblance to Ajuka's, yet there was something distinctly different about it. "What kind of magic is this?"

“Haha, you should see the expression on your face—it's absolutely priceless,” Lady Astaroth teased her husband while chuckling. “But if you're curious, this is my spell script magic.”

"Since when do you have this magical ability mother?" Diodora inquired, but he swallowed hard as his mother shot him a fierce look, as if she were staring at an insect.

"How many times do I have to remind you not to call me mother?" Lady Astaroth scoffed. Even though she gave birth to Diodora, she would never view him as her son. He was as disgusting as his father, and his use of the term 'mother' was merely an attempt to evoke some feelings in her so that she wouldn't end his life, but that tactic wouldn’t succeed. "I've possessed this magic since birth. Where do you think Ajuka got his abilities? He inherited his unique type of magic from me, albeit with some variations, and his magical strength from his father."

"From his father," Diodora remarked, blinking as he glanced at Lord Astaroth, whose face turned red at the reference to Ajuka's true father. Lady Astaroth laughed even more at the scene before her, clearly amused by Diodora's confusion, especially since Lord Astaroth was far from being strong.

"Are you kidding me? I’m not talking about that useless excuse for a husband! Ajuka's father is Naruto Satanchia, and he gets his strength from him!" Lady Astaroth snapped, her cheeks flushed and her expression glowing with irritation. "And don't forget, my daughter belongs to him too!"

"Does that imply that I'm also the son of Naruto Satanchia?" Diodora inquired, causing Lady Astaroth to chuckle at his question.

"Absolutely not, you are the result of this wretched union," Lady Astaroth declared, pointing at Lord Astaroth, whose face flushed with embarrassment over the humiliation he was enduring. "Now, do as I say and join your father in death for my sake."

Diodora lifted an eyebrow at his mother's comments; one might assume he would be crushed to hear such things from her, but he felt indifferent. To him, she was merely an obstacle that needed to be removed.

"I don't think so, mother," Diodora stated calmly as he reached into his pocket and pulled out what seemed to be a black snake. "I will have you die here so that father and I can escape."

Lady Astaroth observed Diodora as he took in the snake, feeling his strength surge to a level that made him seem like a completely transformed individual. She nearly felt a sense of pride for him, were it not for the fact that his power was merely borrowed.

"It looks like I may need to discipline you, Diodora, before you come to terms with your destiny," Lady Astaroth remarked as she teleported her daughter to the extra devil territory, particularly to the Satanchia clan house. They would recognize her as a clan member due to the mark Naruto had given her with the clan crest. The situation had become perilous, and she wanted to keep her dear girl out of harm's way. "You should prepare yourself to be sent to the void, my husband."

The discussion ceased as Lady Astaroth conjured words into existence with her pen, while Diodora, empowered by his new abilities, surrounded himself with a snake-like aura. Meanwhile, Lord Astaroth, the least powerful among them, appeared utterly frightened, almost as if he was about to lose control of his bowels. This was the moment when the conflict within the Astaroth Clan began.

Chapter End

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

A/N: In the next chapter, Naruto faces off against who he believes orchestrated the attack on his home, Lord Bael. But is he truly the mastermind, or is there another force lurking in the background, pulling the strings to create chaos in the underworld? Stay tuned for the upcoming chapters to uncover the truth. Thank you all for your continued support, and see you next time!