--- Chapter 107 ---
"First of all."
"God is Dead."
Huo Yuhao shared the news of Biblical God's death like it was Saturday morning. He saw everyone have different expressions, from sadness, grief, denial, and disbelief.
For some people in the area, this news isn't new and doesn't matter to them. However, devotees such as Xenovia and Irina have their reality crumble instantly.
"No, there is no way!" Xenovia shouted with all her might.
"God is almighty... There is no something like this happening!"
"I prayed every day..."
"Sorry to break this up for you, but Biblical God passed away years ago, and Micheal has been governing heaven in his stead." Huo Yuhao replied with a dull tone.
"You can ask the person himself if you don't believe me."
"Micheal-sama, please tell me he's lying to me-! No to us..." Xenovia clutched her hands nervously because one answer would determine everything and looked at Micheal with a hopeful look.
Irina grabbed Xenovia's arm tightly because she didn't want to hear Micheal's answer. She is afraid of the possibility, and being ignorant is a blessing.
Still, Micheal sighed in defeat because the day this was announced faster than he expected. He looked at the young believer of Biblical Teachings and answered, "Unfortunately. What Huo Yuhao said was true, God had passed away years ago."
"And I'm the one who listens to your prayers every time."
"You can blame me for concealing the truth, and I'll pay everything back, but chaos would unfold before everyone when knowing this truth."
Xenovia and Irina dropped to the ground with pale complexion, hoping Micheal would say he was joking next. Sadly for them, Micheal never lied, even for good, because of his nature as an Archangel.
"N-No way..." Xenovia couldn't believe her ears for a moment.
Even Irina couldn't utter a word, and her soul gradually died down from spirit to life because the God who paved and led the way for her had passed away.
She cried and muttered, "What should I do now?"
"God is dead..."
"Who would lead us to greatness?"
"How weak." Huo Yuhao suddenly commented with a yawn.
"God is dead, so what? You're still alive and healthy enough to stand on your own."
"Why are you waiting for him to lead you, make your path, and walk forward whether it was unknown or not?" He continued, which left everyone quiet.
"Wake up to reality, little girls. Nothing ever goes as planned in this accursed world. Your only choice is to survive or become other stepping stones for their survival."
Irina raised her head and saw a giant with azure sky-like eyes looking down at her. Those eyes stared at her as if she was a pitiful ant and nothing more than that. She trembled in fear and was about to ask help from God, but remembered her lord had passed away.
Xenovia experienced the same things as Irina, her hand and leg trembling when witnessing the dark valley between her and Huo Yuhao. Is this her limit?
They couldn't ask for help, not help themselves before Huo Yuhao.
No, they can do it.
They "simply." don't believe in themselves.
Well, even the will to survive is useless without power. Still, it's worth trying, no?
Huo Yuhao sighed because they possessed weaker will than he had assumed, "Don't give up so easily, and think about people who care for you."
"W-Why are you saying something like this? What's your reasoning? It doesn't benefit you. Xenovia asked with a stutter.
"What did you see from us?!"
"The answer for that is simple, Xenovia-chan." Huo Yuhao chuckled a little at her ranting. "Because I'll be your new ruler, I can't let my people suffer, don't I?"
Micheal suddenly kneeled before Huo Yuhao and declared, "Heaven will be under Huo Yuhao's control from now on. It's the last will left behind by our father."
"May the new ruler, Huo Yuhao, bless us with his generosity."
Gabriel followed shortly after her brother and added, "May father bless us with his benevolence."
Everyone was surprised, especially the leader of fallen angels and devil kings on the spot. They are still thinking about accepting Huo Yuhao's offer and are given one month to decide, but Heaven is actually the first faction that falls into his hands.
Who would have thought the most orthodox-minded faction would surrender first?
Azazel's expression is solemn when hearing that the Biblical God left a will so that Huo Yuhao could inherit Heaven. Doesn't that mean he also could control God's System left behind by the father? It makes the governor-general of Grigori curious about something.
'Something, there is something special in this interaction.' Azazel thought to himself. 'After all, someone needed a similar energy like the father to manage God's System-.'
"Wait..."
Realization kicked in a little late for the fallen angel's leader, making Azazel facepalm and laugh at his stupidity for a moment.
"Baraqiel, follow me. We will surrender Grigori to Huo Yuhao." He said with a goofy smile.
Baraqiel frowned and questioned, "Are you serious? We haven't asked Shemhazai about this, you know?"
Baraqiel sighed inside and followed his friend. Even though Azazel always acts like a fool, he's smart enough to know what's a good decision for the future of all fallen angels.
"He would be pissed, but don't worry. He'll also thank me later." Azazel replied while strolling to Huo Yuhao, bending his knee.
"I, Azazel, as the representatives of Grigori, surrendered our faction to Huo Yuhao."
"May the new ruler bless us with his sympathy and glory," Baraqiel immediately added, which made Huo Yuhao chuckle.
"Take you long enough to figure it out, Azazel." Huo Yuhao heard a notification from Dragon Nest's Management System.
"Yeah." Azazel nodded his head.
The only remaining faction was quiet, looking at Heaven and Grigori's representatives with a complicated gaze. That's because the devil faction hasn't agreed with each other, with Old Satan and Great King Factions fighting them back for even thinking about surrender.
Ajuka Beelzebub, Serafall Leviathan, and Falbium Asmodeus have decided that arguing with the Great King Faction is useless because those old fools wouldn't listen to them. They probably listen if Huo Yuhao comes to the Underworld directly and makes them remember the dread of his existence.
Sirzechs Lucifer is the only Devil King who wants to argue with those people. It has something to do with his mother being someone from Bael Clan, which is understandable.
"You better move now," Grayfia commented while gazing at them with a flat-looking expression. "The sooner you surrender to Yuhao-sama, the better benefit you get later on."
"I don't say this because I surrendered to him first."
"I say this as the former Silver Guardian of Guardian Faction."
They were stunned for a moment, staring at each other awkwardly. Ajuka stepped forward first because he knew devils couldn't win against Dragon Nest in any shape or form.
Serafall followed after Ajuka and wryly said, "We don't have a choice, Sirzcehs."
"Sirzechs, My grandfather still remembers the day he fought Blue-Eyed Dragon God. He shivered and cried in agony because of how terrifying Huo Yuhao was in the past." Falbium grabbed Sirzechs's shoulder tightly.
"Yes, his title alone is enough to make one tremble in fear. That kind of person is befitting to be a ruler of our current society."
Falbium looked into Sirzechs's eyes and continued, "the Great King Factions needed someone to trample them down. And I'm all for it."
Because of Huo Yuhao's existence, the devil's race has more survivors than in the original story. All the original devil clans still have quite a member and crowd the Underworld without any problem for the past hundred years.
Of course, marriage between nobles is still a culture under there to keep the bloodline pure. And no one prevents marriage between the lower noble clan and high noble anymore because someone like Sirzechs Lucifer from Gremory Clan was born that way. His father is lucky to capture the heart of a lady from the Bael Clan.
Looking at his fellow devil kings, Sirzechs rubbed his temple slightly because he also left in a tight spot.
"Onii-sama, A-Are we going to surrender too?" Rias asked with a worried expression.
Sirzechs forced a gentle smile before his adorable younger sister and asked back instead, "Well... What do you think, Rias?"
"I think it's the right choice." Sona suddenly entered the conversation between the siblings. "This is necessary for the future of our peaceful generation."
Lucia also butts into the conversation, "Yeah. I don't want to imagine my clan getting wiped from existence, so I'll be on Sona's side."
"B-But..." Rias wanted to dispute, but there was nothing to argue with in the first place. She looked down and felt a pat on her head.
"Rias, leave everything to your brother." Sirzechs hugged her and walked away to Huo Yuhao.
The other devil kings waited for Sirzechs, knowing Rias would be his soft spot on his final decision to save the Devil Race. Ajuka figured this out and stared at Huo Yuhao, wondering if he knew about this matter beforehand.
'Huo Yuhao summoned us here by using Grayfia Lucifuge's call and used Kokabiel's attack as an excuse to hasten our decision. What a terrifying person I had to serve from now on.' Ajuka chuckled in amusement.
They reached Huo Yuhao with a grave expression, causing him to narrow his eyes. "What do you want to do, Devil Kings? Are you going to accept or reject my offer?" He asked calmly. It sounded so casual like he was offering candy to them.
"We, the Four Devil Kings, and the representatives of the Devil Race submitted to our new sovereign, Huo Yuhao." They said simultaneously.
"Welcome to the Dragon Nest." Huo Yuhao accepted their pledge of loyalty.
[Ding! Dragon Nest's Management System has reached level 2]
[You now could use potential scan and extra buff for member]