The Light Born In The Darkness (CH 42)

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

All Characters in this chapter or 18 years or older. 

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Chapter 42: Extra Demon Faction

Underworld [Extra Demon Faction Territory]

The members of the Phenex and Sitri clans made their way into the capital of the Extra demon Faction without facing any opposition; in fact, they encountered no one at all since their arrival.

"There's definitely something very off," Lord Sitri remarked as he surveyed the area, attempting to perceive any presence, yet he discovered no one, not even a single animal it felt as if they were in an abandoned town.

"What do you mean by that, Lord Sitri?" Lord Phenex inquired, raising an eyebrow. He didn't perceive any issue at hand; rather, he thought the extra demons were simply too afraid to confront him. Yet, he recognized that their fear stemmed from his strength as a member of the Phenex clan, and a smirk spread across his face.

"Isn't it odd that we haven't encountered anyone since we got here?" Lord Sitri inquired of his fellow member of the devil pillar. "I have a feeling we're walking right into a trap set by the enemy."

"You tend to overanalyze things, Lord Sitri. Those Extra demons are simply cowards; they likely fled when they noticed us approaching," Lord Phenex responded casually, showing no concern that anything might be amiss.

Lord Sitri could only sigh at Lord Phenex's arrogance and foolishness; he genuinely believed that the Phenex clan was unbeatable due to their immortal bodies, but that notion couldn't be more mistaken.

The Phenex's immortality can be negated through the use of holy magic and artifacts, can be overwhelmed by a more powerful adversary until their magical energy is depleted, or can be diminished by consistently inflicting suffering that breaks their desire to continue living.

Additionally, its worth noting that there are no members of the Phenex clan among the most powerful devils in the underworld. Lord Sitri is uncertain if any Satan-class Phenex exists, unlike his own clan. His daughter, Serafall, possesses the ability to defeat the entire Phenex clan with ease, yet Lord Phenex continues to present himself as invincible.

Lord Sitri chose to continue moving forward, while Lord Phenex continued to boast about how the enemies were impressed by his power. Lord Sitri had to disregard him and suppress the temptation to mention that his son Riser had been betrayed by his fiancee Rias, who was involved with the leader of the faction they were attacking.

"I believe that Lord Gremory and Lord Lucifer have dispatched some individuals to bring Rias back from the human realm," Lord Sitri remarked, his mind drifting to the Gremory heiress and his daughter Sona's close friend.

"Tsk, they ought to just leave that woman in her human world and let the Extra demons deal with her, Lord Phenex commented with a resentful tone. But then again, death would be too kind for that disgrace; she humiliated my son and tarnished our entire familys reputation.

As Lord Sitri and Lord Phenex ventured deeper into enemy lands, Lord Sitri couldn't help but roll his eyes at his companion. He recalled that Sirzechs had dispatched two members from his peerage, Souji Okita and Surtr Second, to retrieve Rias and ensure her safety in the Underworld. They had been selected for this task due to their capability to take down Retsu Unohana.

With Okita's exceptional swordsmanship and Surtr's immense power, they are optimistic that once they overcome Unohana, they will be able to return to the battlefield.

Kuoh Town

The silhouettes of Okita and Surtr appeared from a magical circle outside Kuoh Academy, their objective evident: to take down Unohana and ensure Rias's safe return to the Gremory Mansion.

"I can feel Rias at the school," Okita told his companions. "It looks like she has her peerage with her, along with that woman."

Okita was talking about Unohana, with whom he had fought numerous times before, yet he had never managed to overcome her, even when he utilized his ultimate technique, the night parade of one hundred demons.

"Let's evacuate Lady Rias and her team before we engage the Extra demon," Surtr said, and Okita agreed, recognizing that the fire giant had to hold back his power to protect Rias from the potential consequences of its release.

The two made their way to the location where they felt Rias's presence, but to their astonishment, Unohana was already waiting for them outside what they recognized as Rias's clubhouse, a place they had previously visited.

"Declare your purpose," Unohana ordered, her katana drawn and prepared for combat, while Rias and her Peerage stood behind her, visibly anxious.

"Wait a moment, Ms. Unohana. Those two are part of my brothers' Peerage, and they don't intend to cause any trouble," Rias said, attempting to calm the tense situation.

"Is that really the case?" Unohana said with a hint of doubt, observing the two members of Sirzechs' Peerage. "If that's true, then why do I feel such a strong aura of hostility from them? It appears they have intentions beyond just conversation."

Rias felt a surge of tension at the woman's remarks and glanced over at her brother's Peerage, noticing their grave expressions. Okita had his hand poised on his sword, while Surtr emanated an intense heat.

"Why have you both come here?" Rias inquired, now on high alert. Although she trusted their loyalty to her brother, she wasn't willing to jeopardize her unborn child's safety to confirm it. "Did my brother send you?"

"Lady Rias, you are to head back to the underworld immediately as instructed by Lord Lucifer and Lord Gremory," Okita declared, observing the astonished expressions of Rias and her team. "This decision is final and not open for debate; you need to depart at once."

Rias recoiled at the man's statement, her hand resting on her abdomen. Had her father somehow persuaded her brother to terminate her pregnancy against her will? She refused to allow that to happen; she would fight with every ounce of strength she had to prevent it.

Noticing their master's distress, the members of her peerage formed a protective stance around him. Even Issei, the usual perverted fool, wore a serious expression as the light from his sacred gear glimmered on his arm.

"Well, it seems Lord Satanchia's insights about you all were accurate," Unohana remarked, capturing everyone's focus as a fierce expression crossed her face. "He understood that the harmony between our factions could never endure, so I take it this means your faction is preparing for war against mine."

Okita and Surtr began to feel uneasy, realizing that Unohana seemed to have anticipated this situation all along. Had they unknowingly fallen into the trap set by the Extra Demon Faction? Did they possess a strategy to overcome the Anti-Satan Faction? Was the information regarding Lord Satanchia and the other formidable fighters of the Extra Demon Faction being absent actually misleading?

"Lady Rias, you need to leave immediately," Surtr commanded, sensing that something was amiss. He wanted to return to his master to report his concerns, but he couldn't abandon Okita to face Unohana alone, as he would surely be overwhelmed.

Ria was overwhelmed with confusion; she couldn't fathom the news she had just received. Had her brother truly initiated a war? What troubled her most was the uncertainty of which side she should support.

Despite being the Heiress of the Gremory family, she had a strained relationship with her father. She questioned whether she and her child would be safe returning to her faction. She feared for her child's safety and worried that, upon birth, the child would be despised and exploited by her unscrupulous father.

If she sided with the extra demon, she would be a traitor, and her status would be stripped from her. Then there is the fact she didn't know how Naruto truly viewed her. Did he see her as a lover and potentially wife, even though he had several, or as a young piece of pussy he happened to knock up?

Underworld [New Lilith]

Lord Sitri and Phenex, along with their forces, arrived at the center of the extra demon faction's territory Capital without encountering any opposition or even spotting a single soul.

"Something isn't right," Lord Sitri stated nervously, his instincts heightened. There is no way we could have come this far without encountering an attack unless it's a setup.

"As I mentioned earlier, you're overanalyzing everything," Lord Phenex replied with a dismissive tone again, which only served to infuriate Lord Sitri due to his foolishness.

"Quit being ridiculous; we need to retreat before it's too late," Lord Sitri said, exasperated by Lord Phenex's nonsense.

Lord Phenex flushed with anger due to Lord Sitri's insult and was ready to respond, but suddenly an explosion erupted from behind their forces, instantly claiming the lives of hundreds of devils in a surge of demonic energy.

Before they had a chance to respond, another explosion sent a significant portion of their army and themselves plummeting from the sky. Once they regained their composure, they looked up to find the heavens crowded with demons from the Extra Demon Faction.

"Oh no," Lord Sitri exclaimed, his expression filled with dread. They were outnumbered by at least three to one, with around 150,000 devils soaring towards them, ready to strike.

"Do not hesitate, Lord Sitri! These cowards can't overpower us!" Lord Phenex shouted as he soared into the enemy ranks, engulfed in flames.

At that moment, Lord Sitri developed a slight admiration for the Phenex. While he could be foolishly arrogant at times, he displayed courage, and Sitri hoped that would be sufficient to ensure his survival until the rest of the forces arrived.

BOOM

Lord Sitri observed in shock as an enormous devil struck Lord Phenex, decapitating him. Fortunately, his head would regenerate. However, the impact of the blow created a shockwave that obliterated the devils who had rushed to support Lord Phenex, reducing them to mere fragments.

Asura, the son of Maria, along with his sister Holika, who looked almost identical to Maria except she is in the form of a twenty-year-old with some features from her father.

They were tasked with launching an assault on the Phenex and Sitri clan along with their forces, while the others managed the remaining invaders.

"Which one do you wish to confront, brother?" Holika inquired of Asura, her gaze fixed on Lord Phenex and Sitri, with a barely contained fury in her eyes. "I have my sights set on Phenex; I want to erase that smug expression of his. However, I'd also take pleasure in shattering every bone of Sitri."

"I'll take on the Phenex; you just need to stay calm and not lose control," Asura stated resolutely, causing Holika to sulk, but her brother paid her no mind as he jumped toward Lord Phenex.

"Alright, the Sitri belongs to me," Holika declared, her gaze fixed on him. The man trembled at the intense bloodlust radiating from her, envisioning his demise in countless horrifying scenarios within moments.

Underworld [Broader of Extra Demon Faction]

"I just received an urgent message from Lord Sitri," announced a devil from the Sitri clan to the four Satans. "He mentioned that they have fallen into a trap, and the enemy outnumbers them by at least three to one."

"Oh no, Sirzechs, we need to assist my father," Serafall exclaimed anxiously, knowing he was in peril. "We have to act quickly before it's too late."

"I don't believe that's a wise course of action; the enemy might already be aware of our presence and could be anticipating our next steps," Falbium said in a frosty tone, aware that Serafall would not appreciate his forthcoming statement. "While Lord Phenex and Sitri are dispensable, we can utilize them to gain further insights into the enemy."

"What! How could you possibly say that?" Serafall shouted in disbelief and anger at her friend's comment. She recognized that he could be harsh at times, but this was beyond the pale. "You're calling my father expendable take that back!"

"Enough, you two," Sirzechs declared, channeling some of his power to emphasize his message as Serafall appeared ready to confront Falbium. "I believe we can reach a middle ground. Serafall, you can take a portion of the troops to support your father, while the rest of us will stay put for the time being."

Serafall was on the verge of asking if none of her friends would support her, but upon seeing their expressions, she chose to remain silent. For the first time in a long while, she felt genuinely isolated.

At times, she overlooks the fact that even though she views her fellow Satans as friends, their roles require them to make tough decisions. If it came down to it, she believes they would not hesitate to eliminate her if necessary. This is why Serafall holds on tightly to her little sister; she is the only genuine bond she has in her life.

Ajuka stayed silent through this as he was conflicted; his father was Lord Satanchia and his mother was potentially a spy for him, so there was no way he and his faction didn't know they planned to invade them.

Before Serafall could leave with some troops, several portals opened to the dimension gap, sucking thousands of devils inside, cutting their army in half in an instant before they could act.

Then a barrier opened up in the sky and to the horror of the anti-Satan faction, the sky was filled with extra demons as far as their eyes could see, and from what Sirzechs and the others could sense, there were several powerful enemies among them.

Chapter End

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A/N: Next time, there will be the battle in Kuoh Academy and more.