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...
"Well, it seems our worries were unfounded," Akeno Himejima remarked with a sigh of relief. Badr's growth was truly astonishing.
"What did President Sona discuss with you? Do they know about the Holy Sword users as well?"
Badr inquired about Rias recent trip.
"To be precise, the Holy Sword users approached Sona Sitri first, and then through her, they contacted us. We're scheduled to meet them tomorrow in the clubroom. They said they have something to discuss."
Rias didn't know the specifics, but the appearance of two Holy Sword users didn't bode well, no matter how you looked at it.
Badr nodded. "Then let's meet with them tomorrow."
The next day, after classes ended, Badr and the others gathered in the Occult Research Club room.
They were greeted by the two Holy Sword users, Xenovia and Irina Shidou.
The two girls were taken aback when they saw Badr and Asia.
"So you're Rias peerage."
"Please, have a seat," Badr said calmly. "We've already met, haven't we?"
He invited them to sit down. Akeno Himejima had already prepared tea. Badr, along with Asia and Koneko Toujou, sat beside them, quietly listening to Rias conversation with the two Holy Sword users.
Rias couldn't help but smile, remembering how Badr had reprimanded these two Church members the day before. She sat there with her legs crossed, her smooth legs swinging gently, revealing her pleasant mood.
"So, why would followers of God request a meeting with Devils?"
"Well, I won't beat around the bush. There were once seven Holy Swords held by the three factions of the Church. Excluding the one that was lost long ago, the remaining six were divided among the three factions. However, three of them were recently stolen by Fallen Angels."
Xenovia explained the situation concisely, causing everyone's eyes to widen in surprise.
Badr immediately recalled the boy named Freed Sellzen who had appeared. He had wielded a Holy Sword.
Rias eyes flickered, realizing she had already encountered this matter. She smiled faintly.
"So, what's the reason for you seeking me out?"
"This is a matter between the Church and the Fallen Angels. It would become quite troublesome if the Devils here were to get involved."
Xenovia was very straightforward.
Or rather, she was incredibly blunt, not even considering whether she might offend anyone.
Badr smirked. Xenovia, the idiot, really didn't know how to speak properly. She had already offended Asia before, and now it seemed she was about to provoke Rias...
...
Despite Xenovia's rude remarks, Rias, as a high-ranking Devil with a certain status, managed to restrain herself from showing any signs of anger.
"Your words are bold. Are you trying to threaten us? Do you suspect that we might be colluding with the Fallen Angels and planning to dispose of your Holy Swords together?"
"We can't rule out that possibility, can we?"
Xenovia stubbornly admitted it, causing a glint of coldness to flash in Rias eyes.
It was important to remember that the Holy Sword users belonged to the Church, which was backed by the Angels and God's faction. Even with the peace treaty in place, countless years of resentment couldn't be easily erased.
In the eyes of the three factions, the peace treaty was a necessary compromise, but they remained hostile towards each other, far from reconciliation.
From Rias perspective, Xenovia's current behavior was akin to an enemy barging into her territory and arrogantly ordering her not to interfere in the Church's affairs!
And she even forbade Rias from joining forces with another enemy, threatening consequences if she did...
Yet, Xenovia remained completely oblivious, continuing on her own tangent.
"Our superiors don't trust Devils or Fallen Angels. Eliminating the threat of the Holy Swords from the Fallen Angels would be beneficial to both Devils and Fallen Angels, wouldn't it? So, it's entirely possible that you might join forces.
Therefore, we're stating our position upfront: if you collaborate with Kokabiel in this matter, we will completely annihilate you, even if you are the Satan's sister. Those are the exact words from our superiors."
Badr calmly interjected, "Stop boasting. First of all, we would never join forces with Fallen Angels. And in your current situation, you're in no position to wage any kind of war. So stop pretending to be strong. What's the point of empty threats?"
His blunt words caused Xenovia and Irina Shidou's faces to darken.
"Are you looking down on the Church?"
"This concerns God's dignity. We can't just ignore it."
"Tch, I'm just stating facts."
Badr remained unfazed, his gaze fixed calmly on the two girls.
"Are you willing to defend your God's dignity with your lives? Go ahead, try me. I wouldn't mind giving you two another beating."
Xenovia: "..."
Irina Shidou: "..."
The two girls were speechless, caught in a dilemma.
They were angry, but they knew they couldn't win against him...
Even if they were willing to defend their faith with their lives, what would happen to the Church's mission to retrieve the Holy Swords?
Badr looked at the two foolish girls, wondering what to say to them.
He truly didn't understand how the Church managed to brainwash its followers to such an extent. It was quite impressive...
Akeno Himejima and Rias exchanged glances, then smiled approvingly at Badr.
They both marveled at the fact that since Badr had joined them, they had never lost an argument.
"Ahem, alright."
Seeing that Badr had gained the upper hand, Rias decided to intervene.
"Since you know I'm the Satan's sister, it means your status isn't low either. You must be connected to the higher-ups. In that case, I'll make my stance clear: I will absolutely not join forces with the Fallen Angels. Absolutely not. I swear on the name of Gremory."
Xenovia glanced at Badr, then nodded slightly. "Very well. I can tell you that Kokabiel has infiltrated this city with three Holy Swords. You will likely be affected as well. Consider this a warning."
"Thank you for the warning."
Rias frowned slightly upon hearing Xenovia's words.
After the two Holy Sword users left, Badr asked softly, "What's Kokabiel's strength?"
"I've never met him, but he's definitely a cadre-level Fallen Angel. It's highly likely that his strength surpasses that of a High-Class Devil."
Rias furrowed her brow, clearly worried.
Badr couldn't help but recall the final spear of light attack in the dimensional gap. Was that Kokabiel's attack?
"The Angels only sent those two Holy Sword users? Isn't that suicide?"
Badr continued, "Even if those two Holy Sword users have hidden abilities, they're probably no match for a Fallen Angel of that level."
"They're obviously aware of that, but they still came. Perhaps that's their faith," Rias shrugged.
Sitting on the sofa, Badr pondered the situation.
On the surface, this was a conflict between the Angels and the Fallen Angels, unrelated to them. However, Badr felt a sense of unease for some reason.
Carefully replaying Xenovia's words in his mind, Badr suddenly realized something.
Something wasn't right... Xenovia had said that the Fallen Angels had brought three Holy Swords here...
What were they doing here?
With the abilities of Fallen Angels, they could go anywhere in the world, even with Holy Swords. Why bring them here specifically?
Unless there was something here that the Fallen Angels desired!
Or perhaps, someone they were targeting?
Badr tilted his head, still feeling puzzled.
Rias looked at him. "What's wrong?"
"I'm worried about the Fallen Angels' intentions," Badr admitted honestly.
"They're definitely up to something, but that's not unusual for Fallen Angels," Rias said. "Don't worry, if anything happens, I'll inform my brother immediately."
It was nice to have a Maou brother who doted on you.
Badr couldn't help but chuckle.
Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Wait a minute."
Everyone looked at him, noticing the serious expression on his face. After a few seconds of contemplation, he spoke.
"What if... what if the enemy's target is the Maou?"
"...What do you mean?"
Rias was confused. Badr continued slowly, "Why would the Fallen Angels bring three Holy Swords here? Think about it, is there anything here worth targeting for the Fallen Angels? And why wouldn't they act themselves? Why bother stealing the Holy Swords?"
"I don't understand," Koneko Toujou shook her head. "Just explain it clearly."
Rias and Akeno Himejima's expressions grew increasingly serious.
Badr spoke softly, "In this town, there are two sisters of Maous. If they were suddenly eliminated by Holy Swords..."
"Rias, could the enemy's target be you and President Sona Sitri? Perhaps they plan to eliminate you and then lure out the Maou."
Badr's calm words sent a chill down everyone's spines.
...
Everyone was covered in cold sweat, their faces filled with apprehension.
They realized that Badr's speculation wasn't entirely unfounded. There was a real possibility that it might happen!
The Holy Swords belonged to the Angels and God's faction. If they were used to attack Devils by Fallen Angels, the Angels and God's faction wouldn't be able to escape blame, even if it was just a simple frame-up.
If something were to happen to their beloved sisters, Sirzechs Lucifer and Serafall Leviathan, the two Maous, would definitely intervene. And that was likely the scenario that the mastermind behind this was hoping for...
It was unknown what the enemy's intentions were in luring out the two Maous, but since the matter involved beings of that level, it undoubtedly concerned the entire Three Factions.
"Could they really be that crazy?" Koneko Toujou muttered softly.
If that were the case, even with the combined strength of Rias and Sona Sitri, they wouldn't be able to control the situation.
Badr pursed his lips slightly. "This is just my speculation. Don't be too nervous."
He said this, but Rias couldn't help but take it seriously.
"Your speculation makes sense. It seems I need to contact Sona."
After a moment of contemplation, Rias turned to Koneko Toujou.
"Koneko, I have a task for you. Track those two Holy Sword users and keep an eye on their movements."
"Understood."
The silver-haired beauty accepted the order. Badr nodded at Koneko. "Be careful. If anything happens, contact us immediately."
"I will." Koneko smiled rarely at Badr, seemingly appreciating his concern.
Koneko Toujou immediately set off. She was quite skilled in tracking and reconnaissance, making her the perfect choice for this mission.
Seeing Rias depart as well, Badr turned to Akeno Himejima.
"Could I ask you a favor?"
"Ara ara? If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time you've asked for my help."
Akeno Himejima smiled in surprise.
"Is that so? I don't like asking for help, but you seem to be the best person for this task," Badr said with a smile.
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