Underworld, Satan Territory, Capital City, Lilith.
After the [Rating Game] concluded, the crowd in the arena was excited. Everyone was impressed by the display of power James showed at the end of the [Game]. On top of that, the way Team Alaverus dominated their opponents made the spectators look forward to what was to come for this new [rating Game] team and how they would change the [rating Game] landscape.
While the arena's spectator seats were filled with excitement, the infirmary where the members of Team Astaroth were sent after they were retired from the [Rating Game] was surrounded by the soldiers of the Underworld's armed forces. Inside the infirmary, Diodora was raging hysterically while confined to an infirmary bed.
"Damn it!" Diodora shouted. "How could someone like me lose to a filthy half-breed? How could he be more powerful than me? With the power I was given, I should have been able to dominate everyone in the younger generation."
"That's quite interesting." Said a calm voice as the door to the infirmary was opened.
When Diodora looked toward the door with anger, his expression froze when he saw who walked inside.
"Big Brother, why are you here?" Diodora asked as he reigned in his expression.
Diodora's elder brother, Ajuka Beelzebub, formerly Ajuka Astaroth, was standing in the doorway. Then, before he continued to speak, he walked toward Diodora slowly.
"If you wouldn't mind, I would like to hear about this power you were given." Ajuka said calmly as he approached Diodora's sick bed.
"What do you mean?" Diodora said in a nervous tone.
"Don't play dumb with me, little brother." Ajuka said in the same calm tone. "If you tell me the truth I can plead for leniency on your behalf. But if you intend to play games, there's nothing I can do for you. Even if I am one of the Four Great Satans."
Diodora only hung his head after he heard what his brother had to say. And with his hair covering his face, Ajuka was unable to see his expression.
"Not to mention that James Alaverus was present at the peace negotiations between the three factions when Katerea Leviathan used Ophis power." Ajuka said. "So, he is familiar with the energy that Ophis snake produces."
Diodora remained silent instead of defending himself. On top of not knowing what to say, he was burning with anger because of James.
"On top of that, we received a report from Rias Gremory's [Pawn], Asia Argento." Ajuka said after not receiving a response to his question. "She identified you as the devil she saved before she was excommunicated."
Hearing that, Diodora raised his head with an elated expression on his face.
"Asia remembers me?" Diodora asked happily. "I knew we were fated to be together."
"I wouldn't get too excited if I were you." Ajuka replied to Diodora's excitement calmly. "Asia is already aware that your appearance on Vatican grounds was a conspiracy."
Hearing that, Diodora paled instantly. Then his expression turned into one full of anger.
"Diodora, I won't fault you for what you did." Ajuka said calmly. "It was natural to oppose the church. We were enemies after all. But why would you join the Khaos Brigade?"
"Because I can never have what I want if this peace continues!" Diodora shouted angrily. "There's nothing I enjoy more than corrupting Holy Maidens. But with this peace, how will I do that from now on?"
Hearing that, Ajuka's expression did not change. Although, he was surprised inwardly. Then, Ajuka thought to investigate the identities of the women in Diodora's peerage. But before that.
"*Sigh* This is really unfortunate." Ajuka said after sighing. "Unfortunately, I'm going to have to take you into custody."
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Diodora laughed hysterically. "Do you really think you can do anything?"
"*Sigh* Where did everything go wrong with you?" Ajuka asked while shaking his head.
A moment later, Ajuka raised his left hand. Above his palm, a magic circle carrying out many calculations appeared. Then, a barrier appeared around Diodora.
*Boom!*
A moment later, a ray of light fell from the ceiling aimed directly at Diodora. At the same time, because of the attack, there was mass panic in the arena. The attack that was aimed at Diodora fell from high up in the sky of the Underworld. After that attack was fired, many hostile forces descended on the arena.
At the same time, in the infirmary, or what used to be the infirmary, everything was destroyed. The only things left intact were the chair Ajuka was sitting on and the bed Diodora was laying in.
"what's happening?" Diodora asked. "Why was I attacked?"
"*Sigh* Because you were no longer useful to them." Ajuka replied. "I'm guessing the only reason they decided to work with you is because I am your brother. They probably thought they could use you to get to me. Right, Creuserey?"
As Ajuka finished speaking, he looked up to the hole in the ceiling. When he did, he saw a good-looking man with pointy ears, pale skin, violet eyes, and black hair tied into a small ponytail. This man was Creuserey Asmodeus, descendant of the original Asmodeus.
"False Satan, Ajuka Astaroth." Creuserey said as he floated down through the hole in the ceiling. "Your title as the most intelligent devil in the Underworld clearly is not just for show."
"Creuserey, save me!" Diodora pleaded frantically.
"Were you not paying attention?" Creuserey said disdainfully. "Now that your connection to the True Satan Faction has been revealed, you are no longer of use to us. However, allowing you to live could jeopardize our plans. So, I'll need you to die."
With that, Creuserey fired a large blast of demonic energy at Diodora. However, before it could make contact, it was once again stopped by a barrier. Seeing that his killing blow was stopped once again, Creuserey turned his attention toward Ajuka.
"Do you really believe I would allow you to kill my younger brother right in front of me?" Ajuka asked calmly.
"Why would you protect a traitor like him?' Creuserey asked curiously.
"Because I'm sure he has information." Ajuka replied. "No matter how little, it's still information on our enemies."
"And that's precisely why he needs to die." Creuserey said as he fired another blast of demonic energy.
However, instead of attacking Diodora, Creuserey fired at Ajuka. Unfortunately for him, the outcome was the same. Ajuka was able to nullify Creuserey's attack with a barrier.
"Annoying." Creuserey grumbled as he spread his wings and floated into the air.
Deciding that dealing with Creuserey now was a better option than leaving him to wreak havoc on the battlefield above, Ajuka wanted to follow Creuserey into the sky. Before he did, though, Ajuka looked at his brother.
"I can't leave you unattended." ajuka said while looking at his younger brother with his ever-unchanging calm expression. Unfortunately, if I leave to do battle with Creuserey, there's a good chance you'll be killed. Perhaps I should put you out of your misery myself."
Hearing his brother's ruthless words, Diodora was terrified. And just as Ajuka raised his hand to end Diodora's life, James and Scathach appeared next to him.
"Yo, Ajuka." James said with a smile.
"James, how is the situation outside?" Ajuka asked without lowering his hand that was ready to attack.
"Under control for the most part." James replied with a shrug. "My peerage, Rias and her peerage, and Sona and her peerage have joined the battle. On top of that, there's no one up there strong enough to force Master or myself to join the battle."
"that's good to know." Ajuka replied with a nod.
"So, why don't you let either me or Master watch over the little traitor." Then, you can go and take care of that old Asmodeus guy."
"I think I'll take you up on that offer." Ajuka replied.
Then, without hesitation, Ajuka propelled himself into the sky to do battle with Creuserey Asmodeus. Then, James turned his attention toward Diodora, who was looking at him as if he had just killed his family.
"I don't know why you hate me so much." James said with a shrug. "But you're not strong enough to do anything to me so it's' not worth staring at me like that."
"It's because I know you ruined my plans for Asia." Diodora said with a growl.
"Yeah, yeah." James said nonchalantly. "I'm sure the reason is riveting. But to be honest, I don't' really care."
Then, James spread his arms to either side. A moment later, he clapped his palms together with his fingers interlocked.
"[Bakudo Number 99: Kin]!"
With that, fabrics created from James demonic energy wrapped themselves around Diodora's arms and bound his arms behind his back. Then, the fabrics proceeded to wrap themselves around Diodora's entire body. After that, the ends of the fabric spread around him and were nailed into the ground in the shape of an "X" by stakes, also created from James' demonic energy.
"Phew!" James exclaimed after his [Kido Spell] was completed. "That still takes more energy to perform that I would like."
"If you knew it would use up so much energy, why even use it when on a battlefield?" Scathach asked with an eyebrow raised.
"That's actually quite simple." James replied. "Of all my binding [Kido] or [bakudo], this is the only one that will keep him from committing suicide by biting his tongue."
"Do you really think a coward like that would commit suicide?" Scathach asked curiously.
"With how much he seems to hate me, I wouldn't put it past him." James replied with a shrug.
Then, before Scathach could ask another question, James drew Mangetsu no Shita de and split an incoming blast of demonic energy aimed at Diodora.
"Damn. That guy is really persistent." James complained as he sheathed his sword. "I'm surprised you didn't offer to fight that Asmodeus guy, Master."
"He had already been marked for death by another." Scathach replied with a shrug. "This Scathach has no need to steal another's prey. Or to 'Kill Steal' as you young ones would say."
James could only blink his eyes in confusion after hearing Scathach's use of video game slang.
"Master, you haven't already been corrupted by online gaming, right?" James said with worry in his eyes.
Seeing the worry in her disciple's eyes, Scathach found it cute. Because of that, she smiled. Then she gently stroked James' cheek.
"No. Though I have read anything I could lay my eyes on." Scathach said with a smile on her face. "And I would have to admit, asserting my dominance over a new field of battle does sound appealing."
Although gaming could be a good outlet for Scathach, James found the thought of Scathach playing any kind of online games terrifying.
'Even with Master's bodily control and analytical ability, there's no guarantee that she won't run into a hacker.' James thought to himself. 'And if she did, what kind of devastation would her rage quitting bring to her surroundings?'
On the other hand, Scathach found the changes in James' facial expressions interesting to watch.
'To think the topic of online gaming could bring so much color to my disciple's face.' Scathach thought as she watched James agonize internally over the prospect of her playing games online. 'The marvels of the modern world are truly something.'
Like that, James and Scathach waited for the battle in the sky to end or to get to a point where their assistance was necessary. Fortunately, the latter never came to pass. Approximately ten minutes after Ajuka rose to the sky, he returned, with Creuserey no longer on the battlefield.
"Is he dead?" James asked curiously. "I didn't sense him running, after all."
"Yes, he's dead." Ajuka replied as he landed in the ruins of the infirmary.
After landing, he looked at the struggling mass of fabric. Realizing that Diodora was wrapped up in these fabrics, Ajuka could not help but find the spell interesting.
"This is quite the binding spell." ajuka commented after a few moments of observation. "The formula is so complicated that even I would be unable to undo this binding without at least three seconds."
'I know that's high praise when you factor in your Kankara Formula.' James thought as he pouted. 'But would it kill you to embellish a little bit?'
Seeing James' new facial expression, Scathach smiled. And as James noticed her smile, he turned his head away. Then, he spread his wings and began to rise toward the sky.
"This is taking too long." James said without looking at Scathach. "I'll go finish this battle."
And just like James said, using [Senbonzakura] and his own personal power, James brought the battle to an end quickly.