DxD: Chapter 189/191

Chapter 189: Leading The Way
"Ophis' Snake!!"

Inside Shuchiin, Katerea Leviathan let out a hysterical scream.

In an instant, a terrifying aura surged violently from her body, chilling the air around her.

Crack!!

Black lightning coiled and crackled wildly around her like fierce serpents.

The air itself began to tremble, a buzzing vibration spreading throughout the space.

Katerea braced both hands against the ground, and an overwhelming surge of power burst out from her body like a dam breaking apart.

"Ughhh—!"

Her face twisted, expression ferocious and distorted.

The body that had been pinned firmly beneath Lynn's foot began to slowly lift off the ground.

Boom!!

The earth shook violently, as if being gripped and shaken by some colossal invisible hand.

Natsuki Minamiya's eyes widened in shock as she stared at Katerea, unable to hide her alarm.

What was happening?

Why had she suddenly unleashed such terrifying power?!

Natsuki instinctively grabbed hold of Lynn's clothes, her voice low and tense. "Be careful. She's using some kind of secret technique!"

Natsuki had no idea what "ophis' snake" meant.

But Lynn simply looked on with calm interest at the power welling up inside Katerea.

The power of the Snake, linked to the Infinite Dragon God?

Still…

Lynn's expression remained relaxed.

That level of power alone was not enough to change the outcome here.

"Hehehe!"

Katerea grinned, her eyes flashing violently.

"See? This is infinite power! With this, there is nothing I cannot achieve!"

She gripped the ground tightly, pushing upward with both arms, trying to stand against the crushing pressure Lynn exerted on her.

However, the moment she tried, her hands began to tremble violently.

No matter how hard she pushed, her body could not rise any higher.

She was stunned, then gritted her teeth and poured in more strength, refusing to believe it.

But the next second, an even heavier pressure descended upon her.

Bang!!

The tiny gap between her body and the ground vanished instantly.

She was slammed back down, her face pressed tightly against the cold floor, her features once again contorted under the weight.

At that moment, Lynn's calm voice echoed from above.

"How about you get up first before you talk?"

"Damn it!!"

Katerea's eyes were filled with shock and disbelief.

Why?!

Even after using the power of the ophis' snake, why couldn't she break free?!

Natsuki blinked in confusion.

Wasn't Katerea terrifyingly powerful just a moment ago?

So why… was she still being pinned down by Lynn so easily?

"Big Sis!"

Bedeze Abaddon, seeing Katerea's miserable state, roared in anger as his Maou-level aura erupted. He charged straight toward Lynn.

Lynn didn't even glance at him. He simply raised one hand.

Buzz—

A dazzling spear of light instantly condensed in his palm.

Boom!

Without pause, Lynn launched the spear of light in the blink of an eye.

The moment it flew toward him, Bedeze instinctively halted. A wave of dread washed over him as every instinct screamed at him.

He would die if he took it head-on!

Fully aware of his limits, Bedeze chose not to confront it directly. Instead, he dodged, shifting quickly to evade the attack.

But Lynn merely hooked his finger lightly.

The spear of light immediately curved mid-flight and accelerated toward Bedeze once again.

Feeling the intense heat closing in, Bedeze's pupils shrank.

"Damn it!!"

He roared, raising his hand and conjuring a series of green defensive magic circles to intercept the spear.

Crack—

The green shields shattered like glass the moment the spear touched them.

Bedeze's eyes widened in horror as the spear pierced through him at lightning speed.

"Gahhhhh!!"

A miserable scream echoed out.

The spear of light exploded in dazzling brilliance, swallowing Bedeze whole.

Katerea's eyes narrowed, gritting out his name.

"Bedeze…"

Her heart sank.

Though Bedeze was not as strong as she was, he was still a Maou.

Yet he was defeated in an instant.

A terrible sense of foreboding settled in her chest.

It felt like…

She was going to die here today.

After dealing with Bedeze, Lynn casually waved his hand again.

Four spears of light immediately shot down, pinning Katerea's limbs firmly to the ground.

"Ahhhhh!!"

Katerea's head jerked back, eyes rolling white, her body spasming violently.

It was as if waves of venom were coursing through her body, paralyzing her with pain.

She gasped for breath, blood trickling from between clenched teeth.

"You bastard…!"

She summoned all her strength, struggling desperately to break free from the spears restraining her.

But the result was the same.

The spears held firm. She couldn't move at all.

Powerlessness gripped her heart.

She was a descendant of Leviathan. She had inherited the power of the Snake. She was a Maou.

When had she ever suffered such humiliation?

She had thought this mission would be simple, just a bit of fun.

Instead, she had run into this monster.

Damn it!!

It was Shalba's fault!

Why hadn't he given her accurate intel on Valefor's strength?!

If she had known how dangerous Valefor was, she would never have accepted this mission!

Resentment surged in Katerea's chest.

Regret and fear slowly took root.

The ophis' snake was not invincible.

It was only now, facing Lynn, that Katerea fully understood that painful reality.

But by the time she realized it… it was far too late.

This guy…

He was stronger than Shalba.

There was no chance of resistance.

Her heart sank. She no longer had the strength to fight back.

Lynn squatted down, grabbed a handful of her hair, and tilted her head upward.

"You should know where the Old Maou Faction's base is, right?"

Katerea's eyes widened slightly.

He… was planning to take down the entire Old Maou Faction?

Her heart skipped a beat.

What a bold move.

But…

A strange flicker of emotion crossed her face.

Her expression calmed, and she replied smoothly, "I know."

"If you're going, I can lead you there."

She didn't hesitate to betray the Old Maou Faction outright.

Better to live than die here needlessly.

Besides…

Shalba had lied to her. Why should she stay loyal?

If Shalba had the strength to handle Valefor, wouldn't she be rescued by now?

Katerea's thoughts spun quickly.

Natsuki, on the side, looked at Lynn in surprise. "Are you really planning to head straight to their headquarters?"

As humanity's top magic user, Natsuki had some understanding of the power structure in the Underworld.

This time, just two Maou-level devils had attacked Tokyo.

If Lynn really went to their base…

There could be even more Maou there.

Plus, with the mysterious power Katerea had just shown—

She couldn't help but feel worried.

Lynn smiled softly, his wine-red eyes focused on Natsuki. "Are you worried about me, Natsuki-chan?"

Natsuki averted her gaze, grumbling, "I'm just afraid you'll die there and I'll be the one stuck cleaning up the mess."

Lynn stood up and casually ruffled her hair with one hand. "Don't worry. I'm stronger than I look."

Natsuki: "?"

What was with this head-patting nonsense?

Smack!

Natsuki slapped his arm away with her folding fan, frowning. "Don't get careless. You could still get yourself killed."

Though she spoke harshly, she didn't argue further.

She could tell from Lynn's eyes that he wouldn't back down.

Besides…

Natsuki let out a sigh, rubbing her forehead as she glanced at Katerea pinned to the ground and the other dead devils nearby.

At this point, there was no way to end things peacefully.

Even if Lynn let it go, the Old Maou Faction would never stop.

But still…

It was a bit concerning that Lynn was planning to go alone.

Yet Natsuki knew full well that if she followed, she would only slow him down.

Against Maou-level threats, her strength wouldn't be enough to make a difference.

If anything, she'd become a liability.

Tch…

The thought made her feel frustrated.

She hadn't felt this helpless in a long time.


---

On the other side, Lynn lifted Katerea effortlessly as a teleportation circle formed beneath his feet.

"Then, Natsuki-chan, have a cup of black tea ready for me when I get back."

Natsuki: "?"

Before she could respond, Lynn vanished with Katerea.

She stood silently for a while, staring at the spot where he disappeared.

Then she turned to the students of Shuchiin, still frozen in fear, confusion, and awe.

She rubbed her temples.

This was going to be a headache to explain.

But…

"Well, for now… I guess I'll go make that tea."


---

On the rooftop of the teaching building.

A girl with twin pigtails and round-framed glasses quietly stared at where Lynn had disappeared.

"…Lynn."

She softly repeated his name, committing it to memory.

"I didn't expect…"

"…that such a powerful person was hiding here at Shuchiin."

She adjusted her glasses, her gaze complicated.

A Maou, or perhaps even more than a Maou.

What was someone like that doing here in human society?

Still…

Thanks to him, Tokyo had avoided disaster.

As for how to handle him…

That would require discussion with Shirona and the others.

Regardless…

He was not someone they could afford to offend.


---

Underworld.

Katerea, pointing ahead, led the way while Lynn carried her effortlessly through the air.

It wasn't long before they arrived at a sprawling fortress complex.

At the gate, Lynn casually hoisted Katerea up like a javelin.

Preparing to throw.

Katerea: "?!"

(To be continued.).

Chapter 190: Let's Make It Quick

"Wait!!"

Katerea's expression shifted as she hurriedly opened her mouth to speak.

But the next second, a gust of wind blew directly into her face.

Boom!!

Katerea's body, thrown like a javelin, smashed straight through the gate of the Old Maou Faction's base.

"Enemy attack!!"

The Old Maou Faction's response was swift. The moment the gate was breached, alarms sounded across the compound.

However…

When they saw the figure who had been thrown through the gate, the devils froze where they stood.

"Lady Leviathan?!"

Katerea scrambled to her feet, spitting out dirt and dust with a few angry "Puh!" sounds. She glared fiercely at the surrounding devils.

"What the hell are you staring at?!"

They immediately fell silent.

"Katerea?"

Creuserey Asmodeus rushed over after hearing the commotion. His expression darkened as he saw Katerea's disheveled appearance.

"What kind of mess have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Katerea snorted and crossed her arms, saying nothing.

The next moment, the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed through the air.

Creuserey's frown deepened as he turned toward the source of the sound.

Suddenly, a tall figure with black hair and red eyes stepped into view.

But what made Creuserey freeze was the aura radiating from the newcomer.

At the very least… Maou-class.

Creuserey narrowed his eyes, judging the situation carefully.

But…

Was this person brought here by Katerea?

Creuserey's gaze shifted toward her.

Katerea shrugged. "Valefor. I brought him back."

Creuserey: "?"

Why didn't she just kill him?

But…

Looking at Katerea's current state—hair a mess, face streaked with dust, glasses gone, and the wounds on her limbs still bleeding under the eroding light energy—he understood.

It was obvious. She had been beaten down before arriving.

"What a disgrace."

Creuserey, who had always disliked Katerea, didn't hold back his insults.

"Hmph!"

Katerea snorted coldly. "Weren't you the one who said I wouldn't need to step in?"

Creuserey ignored her and turned his full attention to Lynn.

Despite his disdain for Katerea, he fully acknowledged her strength.

Not to mention… she had the power of the ophis' snake.

For someone to put her in this state, even Creuserey did not dare underestimate him.

"Shalba!"

Choosing caution, Creuserey immediately called for backup.

Whoosh—

A gust of wind blew through as Shalba Beelzebub, with brown shoulder-length hair, appeared beside Creuserey.

"Creuserey, can't you handle this yourself?" Shalba frowned impatiently.

He had sensed the commotion when the headquarters was breached but had assumed it wasn't serious.

If Creuserey called him, though…

Could the enemy really be that dangerous?

Creuserey's tone was calm but serious. "I don't think I could put Katerea, with her ophis' snake power, into this condition."

Shalba turned his eyes to Katerea.

Seeing her miserable state, his brow twitched.

Katerea waved weakly, forcing a smile. "Hey, Shalba. I'm back."

"Oh, and I brought a guest~"

Shalba's expression darkened. He turned his gaze toward Lynn.

The moment he saw Lynn's face, Shalba's eyes narrowed sharply.

"Valefor."

Unlike Katerea and Creuserey, Shalba had read the intel thoroughly. He recognized Lynn at a glance.

What he hadn't expected…

Was the overwhelming aura Lynn exuded.

It matched his record of killing Kokabiel instantly.

But even so…

Had Katerea really been beaten down by him that easily?

Either way…

This Valefor was far bolder than expected.

Coming here alone to the Old Maou Faction's headquarters.

Was he that confident in his power?

Or just arrogant beyond belief?

Lynn's gaze swept across the gathered devils. His expression was calm, even bored.

"Let's keep this quick."

Shalba's face twisted.

Was this brat looking down on them?

Oh…

It had been a long time since anyone dared to show such contempt to his face.

"Boy—"

Shalba began to speak, but in the next instant, Lynn's figure vanished.

Crackle!

Sparks flashed through the air.

In the blink of an eye, Lynn appeared directly in front of Shalba.

Shalba's pupils contracted sharply.

But before he could react, a spark-coated sole slammed straight into his face.

Boom!!

Shalba was knocked down before he could say another word.

Crack—

The sound of skull bones fracturing echoed clearly through the hall.

Creuserey's eyes went wide in shock.

He hadn't even processed what had happened when, the next moment—

Bang!

A heavy force struck Creuserey's shoulder, sending him flying backward like a rag doll.

So fast!!

Creuserey's body trembled as his mind struggled to catch up.

As a Maou, he hadn't even had time to react.

Nearby, Katerea stood frozen, blinking in confusion.

Then, after a brief pause, she let out a sigh of relief.

Honestly…

When she'd returned to headquarters and seen Creuserey and Shalba, she'd briefly considered whether they could turn the situation around.

But now?

Seeing them crushed instantly, she was just glad she hadn't tried anything reckless.

Katerea glanced over at the two with some sympathy.

This Valefor…

He hadn't even used his full strength when fighting her.


---

Elsewhere.

Shalba lay sprawled deep in the ruins where he had crashed.

Blood dripped from his lips as he struggled to keep his eyes half-open.

His body was a mess.

Bones shattered, internal organs pulverized.

Worst of all, the crushing blow to his head left his mind dazed and on the verge of blackout.

And that searing heat—

The flames burning on his face felt like the starry sky itself.

Damn it!!

Shalba's heart shook.

How could this be?

He had been taken down in a single strike?

No. Impossible!

Absolutely impossible!!

Such damage… only a transcendent should be able to inflict!

But…

Lynn wasn't at the transcendent level.

It didn't make sense!

Even if he were fighting a Super-Class Devil, he shouldn't have been defeated so easily!

Madness boiled in Shalba's mind as he struggled to hold on.

Valefor…

A monster!

The scene stirred an unpleasant memory.

The instant death of his grandfather five hundred years ago.

Was this history repeating itself?

No. No!!

Shalba violently shook the thought away.

He was not like his grandfather!

He possessed the power of the Infinite Dragon God!

As he clung to that belief, his aura erupted violently.

Boom!!

His power surged, connecting with the sky itself as thick bolts of lightning rained down.

Crash—

Shalba shoved aside the debris and forced himself up from the pit.

His body began to heal, wounds closing slowly.

But the flames on his face continued to burn stubbornly.

Damn it…

Why hadn't the fire gone out yet?!

The pain was maddening, but he had no time to worry about it now.

Boom!!

His magic exploded upward, shooting straight into the sky as he stood facing Lynn once again.

He cast a glance toward Creuserey, who was still catching his breath after being tossed aside.

"Creuserey!"

"I know…" Creuserey's voice was weak, but he responded.

The next moment, his ophis' snake power erupted as well.

Boom!!

Another burst of violent magic filled the air.

Panting heavily, Creuserey steadied himself, eyes locked on Lynn.

Fear.

Now he understood why Katerea had been so utterly defeated.

This was no ordinary opponent.

Creuserey was glad he had called Shalba earlier.

But…

Would even that be enough?

Suddenly, Lynn raised a hand.

A powerful suction force enveloped Creuserey.

"What?!"

Before he could resist, Creuserey's body was pulled uncontrollably toward Lynn.

"!"

Panic flashed through Creuserey's eyes as he frantically unleashed magic to resist.

But—

Bang!

Lynn's hand closed firmly around Creuserey's head.

Lynn's lips curled into a smile. "Goodbye."

Creuserey's eyes shot wide in horror.

In the next instant—

Boom!!

Flames of every color, mixed with beams of light and countless attributes, exploded outward.

The blast engulfed Creuserey completely.

"Ahhhhhhhh!!"

His agonized screams echoed throughout the entire Old Maou Faction base.

Shalba's expression twisted in horror. "Creuserey!!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 191: Ingvild
Shalba Beelzebub did not stand there frozen.

He immediately raised his hand and cast a killing curse at Lynn.

Lynn raised an eyebrow.

Sensing the powerful curse energy contained within the attack, he didn't bother to dodge. Instead, he allowed it to hit him directly.

Shalba's eyes lit up with excitement.

Success!

But…

One second, two seconds, three seconds passed.

Shalba's expression stiffened.

Why… why is it not working?!

Lynn calmly brushed the dust off his clothes, completely unfazed.

Curse immunity was not something to be underestimated.

Shalba quickly realized he had fallen into a trap.

Meanwhile, Creuserey Asmodeus was growing weaker by the second.

Even with the power of the ophis' snake released, he still looked like a helpless child in front of Lynn.

There was simply no room to fight back.

"Damn it!!"

Unwilling to give up, Shalba roared and waved his hand again.

Buzz—

A swarm of insects filled the air, flapping their wings as they surged toward Lynn.

"Swallow him whole!!" Shalba bellowed, his face contorted with rage as he directed the swarm.

Lynn cast a casual glance toward the incoming insects.

Fwoosh—

In the next moment, flames erupted, engulfing the sky.

A rainbow-colored blaze, mixed with sparks, demonic fire, karmic fire, and other energies, swept toward the swarm.

Hiss—!!

The swarm let out a series of pitiful screeches as they were consumed by the fire.

Shalba clenched his fists tightly.

Damn it!

Nothing was working!

Lynn remained expressionless as he withdrew the flames with a flick of his wrist.

At the same time, Creuserey Asmodeus, still held firmly in Lynn's grasp, completely vanished.

Shalba's heart sank.

With Creuserey gone, their already dire situation became even worse.

Even Creuserey, empowered by the ophis' snake, couldn't put up a fight.

"Katerea!!"

Shalba called out sharply, his voice grim. "Are you just going to stand there and watch?!"

"?"

Katerea blinked, then immediately raised her bloodied hand and smiled awkwardly.

"Sorry, there's really nothing I can do~"

Shalba's eyelids twitched violently.

It was obvious Katerea was stalling, completely unwilling to get involved.

Was she… scared stiff?

But with the situation falling apart, it was clear that everything now rested on him alone.

Shalba felt increasingly uneasy.

The way Creuserey had gone down made it hard for him to maintain confidence, even with the Snake's power.

His gaze swept over the remaining Old Maou Faction members, then he quietly sighed.

Useless. Completely hopeless.

He had already begun considering retreat.

Subtly, Shalba moved his fingers, preparing to cast space magic.

Lynn, watching him, vanished in a flash.

Shalba's pupils shrank in horror.

He couldn't see him!

How is this the speed of a Maou?!

No longer hesitating, Shalba hastily activated his teleportation magic.

But.

His speed could not match Lynn's.

Bang!!

A punch infused with flames and anti-devil properties slammed straight into Shalba's body.

In that moment, his eyes widened in terror, as if overlapping with the memory of his grandfather's death from five hundred years ago.

Boom!!

In an instant, an entire section of the Old Maou Faction's stronghold, along with Shalba himself, was obliterated.

Gulp!

Katerea, witnessing the scene before her, couldn't stop herself from swallowing hard.

Terrifying.

Absolutely terrifying!!

Neither Creuserey Asmodeus nor Shalba Beelzebub could last even a few moves against Lynn.

So then…

Whose brilliant idea was it to make Valefor their target?

Katerea's body trembled.

She began to seriously worry about her own fate.

After all, she was the one who brought Lynn here.

Would she… still be able to live?

Katerea's mind raced.

Her instincts screaming at her to think of a way to survive.

Suddenly.

An idea sparked.

She quickly spoke up, her tone respectful. "Lord Lynn."

Lynn turned toward her with a slight smile.

Calling him "Lord" now? Quite the quick change of attitude.

Katerea smiled nervously, then said, "Lord Lynn, there's someone in the Old Maou Faction I wonder if you might be interested in."

"Oh?"

Lynn raised an eyebrow.

Katerea didn't dare keep anything hidden. She immediately revealed the name.

"Ingvild Leviathan."

The moment she said it, Lynn's eyes narrowed.

That name…

He remembered it.

The wielder of the Longinus-class Sacred Gear, Nereid Kyriea.

"Take me to her."

"Yes, right away!"

Katerea's heart finally settled a little.

Good.

At least he's interested.

Quickly, she led Lynn deeper into the Old Maou Faction's headquarters, toward a more secluded area.

Before long.

"Lady Leviathan!"

The stationed guards saluted Katerea as they passed but stared warily at Lynn.

Katerea waved dismissively. "This is Lord Lynn. Show some respect."

The guards exchanged glances but didn't dare say more. They lowered their heads obediently.

A short while later, Katerea guided Lynn into the depths of the stronghold.

There, in an ice coffin, lay a sleeping girl with long, flowing purple hair.

Even lying down, her figure was eye-catching—tall and elegant.

Lynn narrowed his eyes.

As expected of the Leviathan bloodline.

Katerea gestured, putting on a smile like a hostess showing off her best product.

"Lord Lynn, this is Ingvild Leviathan."

"She has been asleep for over a hundred years due to demonic sleeping sickness."

Katerea watched carefully, hoping Lynn would show interest.

If he wanted Ingvild, maybe… just maybe… she would be spared as a fellow Leviathan.

Lynn stroked his chin, his gaze fixed on the sleeping girl.

"How long until she wakes?"

Katerea froze, then replied with uncertainty, "…It should be soon, right?"

Though in truth, she wasn't sure at all.

Lynn gave her a glance, easily seeing through the lie.

But he had no intention of waiting.

"Open the coffin."

"Yes!"

Katerea wiped the sweat from her brow and carefully opened the ice coffin.

Lynn stepped forward.

He reached out and gently traced his slender fingers along Ingvild's delicate body.

Then—

Rip—

The fabric of her clothing tore apart in an instant.

Katerea's lips twitched.

Is he…?

But Lynn said nothing.

Instead, he gathered magic energy into his palm.

A large Evil Piece slowly condensed in his hand.

(To be continued.)