Third person POV
Cain was sitting and reading the report written by Grayfia in his study and the things that happened were seriously concerning. The movements of Satans descendants have grown more turbulent. When he was not in the underworld Rizevim had shown no interest in the position of the Lucifer so the other 3 had declared themselves as the next satans.
They also made an announcement about how they will restart the great war and win this time. Although they didn't gain much momentum due the efforts of Zekram and the other lords who care for the devil race as a whole, managed to stop them by putting political pressure.
But this was not a permanent measure, sooner or later the satans will get hellbent on doing a war. Although that may take a few decades but for devils that was not much time.
'The population is still recovering from the war and the devils always provoke the other factions lowering our slow growing population even more.'
The fertility of the devils was very low as the couple's had a single children over the span of multiple centuries. The current devil population is about 3 billion compared to the 10 billion before the great war.
Looking at the result of the great war the faction which was in the most beneficial situations are the Fallens. They have their original leader, didn't lose too many of their kin and managed to win one of the dragon emperor corpses.
Thankfully Azazel is not a warmonger or else the situation would be very problematic.
These things aside Cain also noticed the four houses of Zagan, Paimon, Valak, Haagenti were moving very suspiciously. Almost like they wanted a civil war, two of them on the anti satan side and two on the satan side.
'Good for me if the war starts I can annihilate them without any reason while showing of my strength and establishing my position as the next Lucifer.'
Cain was kind of getting excited for the civil war. All things aside looks like he needs to get his super devil form under control if he needs to make sure the civil war goes as he plans.
Over the past months too many lords have been invited in parties and balls. In fact for devils time is not a fast thing so them being this active means something big is going to happen.
Cain had already planned on what to do in the civil war. The only variable factor was his nihilistic brother. Surprisingly he also goes out to the human world for a few months sometimes. But if he decides to support the satans due to some chance, things would be troublesome.
As that would show the underworld that the house of Lucifer is divided. Well for now he is not interested in this stuff so Cain can relax but having a backup plan never hurts.
On the other hand Zekram Bael was trying his hardest to get the Gremory, Astaroth, Glasya-Labolas and Sitri house on the anti satan faction.
Although they didn't side with the satans and also didn't listen to them they still weren't on board with a coup.
So Zekram Bael was in a bind as on how to prevent complete extinction of the devils due its foolish leaders.
Zekram could have solved this problem by asking Cain but he thought that Cain was also disinterested in the devil politics like his brother Rizevim.
Too bad Cain was very much interested in leading the underworld.
...
Again in a darkly lit room four persons sat with satisfied expressions on their face.
This time Valak spoke and said
"How close how you gotten to executing the plan?"
Hana answered "The Valefor was easy to sway with his admiration for women. I can affect his descion quite a bit so i am ready."
Hearing that Valak looked towards Zagan
"I also have gotten close enough to that pompous bastard Ronove."
"I may need a little bit more time the old coot Barbatos is hard to trick."
Paimon answered after Zagan
"Try to to do it quickly. I have gotten close enough to the leviathan my my flattery and fearlessness. Try to urge them to flame the civil war. "
"We are lucky that the Lucifer's are dumb children or else we may have had some problems."
With that the true perpetrators of the devil civil war have neared their plans preparation.
...
On the other hand the satans in their brains have been making plans of conquering and dominating the world. In their delusion have forgotten about the other factions on the planet they need a real reality check.
...
The house of Lucifuge has been left out on a very Imortant discussion by the other five houses of lucifer.
Satanchia, Agaliarept, Fleurety, Sargatanas, Nebiros were unsatisfied with the way the current Lucifer's were acting and Gerhard was supporting them.
"We need to teach the world why are we called the six houses of Lucifer." Satanchia said with a booming voice
"Indeed we must. From the ways things are going a civil war will break out we will use that choas to eliminate the fools." Fleurety said with a smirk.
"But how according to Gerhard both the lucifer heirs are strong enough to be praised by Gerhard and it almost impossible to get him to praise someone." Agaliarept said concerned over the power showed by Cain and Rizevim.
"Easy we just need to awaken one of the malebranche, that will do the trick." Nebiros said with a horse voice sounding eerie.
"But those things were sealed by the satans as they are too strong. We may unleash them on us to." Reasoned Sargantas.
Nebiros answered "We will only partially awaken one of the weaker ones and have him give a little bit of his power to one of the younger satans and have them kill the Lucifer's."
"But what about Lucifuge he will not help nor agree instead he will slaughter us if he knew about this."
At this query of Sargantas, Satanichia said "Stop being a pussy. Whose gonna tell him and by the time he knows it will be too late."
With that another devious plan has been put in motion for the devil civil war
...
All while Cain was unaware that this timeline has altered in many ways from the normal civil war. This one will be far more vicious than the real one. Although the main battles will be still the same.
Back to Cain he had finished reading the report given by Grayfia and was very impressed by the details.
'The lucifuges really do have very nice information gathering in the underworld.'
Cain was sure that in a few decades the devil race will be engulfed within the fire of the civil war.
'It is a neccesry evil. I need to establish my place at the top of the underworld.'
Cain has made plans for his ascension. But before that some clans need purging which he will do gladly during the civil war.
'Well for now I need to act normally and keep on increasing my strength while keeping an eye on my brother and the underworld.'
'I will be the one to have the throne of hell all to myself.'
...
Timeskip
The Satan-descendants Bidleid Beelzebub, Tsufaame Leviathan and Damaidosu Asmodeus had made it known that they would claim their parents throne as Satans and restart the Great War, Shocking the other pillars.
They did this on the initial argument made by Tsufaame who was in turn given this idea by Valak. In a way the true perpetrators was Valak along with his other three accomplaints.
Bael and Agares after hearing that started to build a coalition to counter the strength of the satans. Zekram Bael did his best to bring the Houses Sitri, Astaroth, Glasya-Labolas and Gremory to their side because of the immense power that the clan heirs possessed, which was said to be equal if not superior to the Original Satans.
The radical and fast response was due to Hana and Paimon already making some other house lords aware about this, making this spiral out of control even faster.
But the heirs of the houses except Sitri refused to fight due their own reasons. Zeaira didn't like wars and death. Ajuka was too busy creating his trump card alongwith his experiments and Falbium was too lazy. Only Serafall willingly participated due to her seeing the suffering of the common devils in her hospitals.
The prelude to the war had begun, only the spark was required for all chaos to descend.
...
Cain was sitting and enjoying some of the exotic fruits from the Norse pantheon he had brought. Alongwith that he was drinking some really old sake from the shinto pantheon.
"This combination is really good."
He was truly understanding the woes of the poor, how can they enjoy something like that?
But his refreshment came to an abrupt end as Grayfia came inside and looked troubled.
Cain asked "What happened Grayfia you don't look good?"
Grayfia replied "I bring bad news my lord."
Cain simply motioned her to continue
"The soldiers have committed an indiscriminate massacre in Lucifaad."
Hearing that Cain's smile was replaced with a frown. He again asked Grayfia to continue
"As per the remaing devils it was under the order of Melan Beezelebub."
Cain asked "He had guts to do that in my territory."
Grayfia replied "No my lord the massacre happened in Lord Rizevim's territory, and after learning about he simply ignored it."
Cain hearing that got up and ready to go and asked Grayfia "Where will they be now?"
"My lord it is not my place to say, but it is not your territory."
"Yes but it is Lucifer territory regardless if Rizevim will not do anything I will. The Lucifer clan is not something any one can mess with easily."
Saying so Cain teleported at the place of the massacre and from there started flying at breakneck speed to catch up to the soldiers of the Beezelebub.
'Hmm this might be the trigger to the civil war after all Zeaira hates innocents being harmed. If she participates then Ajuka would too. Falbium would follow them after some persuasion.'
Cain soon reached and saw the soldiers flying back to the Beelzebub territory.
Cain increased his speed and reached infront of the soldiers and created a dome of darklight covering the battalion and himself alongwith a part of the forest above which they were flying.
The soldiers panicked when they got trapped but when they saw Cain they understood what was about to happen.
But still the leader stepped forward and asked Cain "Why has Lord Lucifer blocked us?"
Cain looked as if he was seeing a donkey and replied "Do I even need to tell you that?"
Hearing that the leader got alert feeling that Cain had come for the stunt they had pulled.
Cain without any warning swung his hand releasing volley of darklight and killed all of the soldiers except one.
The last soldier was shivering with fear and was thinking he got lucky.
But Cain came near him and said "Tell your Lord that he can do as please anywhere else. If he fucks around in Lucifer territory then he will find out what happens when a lucifer is angry"
After that the soldier ran like his life depended on it.
Cain returned after doing this knowing well the reprucssions of what he did.
'Well I can't join the satan faction now, not that I wanted to in the first place. Now I just need to get in the coup faction somehow.'
When he reached back he ordered Grayfia to tell him when the coup leaders assemble for planning he is planning on giving them a visit.
After all they are planning a rebellion in the underworld it will be wrong if a Lucifer isn't a part of a rebellion.
After that Cain went back to enjoying his life till this fickle peace lasts.
AN:- I am back! Give me those power stones. With this chapter the devil civil war starts. This is also the last arc of volume one.
150 PS - 1st bonus chapter
300PS - 2nd bonus chapter
500PS - 3rd bonus chapter