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Having witnessed the depravity and brutality of Stray Devils and Stray priests, Badr couldn't leave Mai Sakurajima and his other loved ones unprotected.
Should Mai encounter danger, Badr, bound to her by a soul contract, would instantly sense it. With a single thought, Mai could activate a summoning spell, instantly transporting Badr to her side.
As a failsafe, Badr had also arranged a backup. If his summoning were somehow interrupted, the spell would automatically redirect to Rias and her peerage.
This interconnected summoning system facilitated mutual assistance among the members of Rias peerage.
These precautions would, at the very least, minimize the risk of Stray Devils or Stray priests harming those connected to devils through contracts, preventing a recurrence of past tragedies.
Mai Sakurajima's understanding and lack of concern brought Badr comfort. Intelligent girls were certainly easier to deal with.
He put aside his gentle expression towards Mai and her sister, turning a cold gaze towards the sky.
A man now hovered there, a playful smirk on his face as he observed Badr from above.
"To be able to detect me... it seems the new prodigy of the Underworld has some strength."
The man spoke with an air of conceit, his words dismissive of Badr.
"Did no one told you that spying on people in the human world is rude?" Badr responded coldly. Despite the man's smile, his mental aura radiated malice.
"Heh… I've heard that a remarkable genius has emerged in the Underworld, one so impressive that even the legendary Maou sings his praises. I hear he was even granted the Holy Sword gifted to the devils by the angels. I was curious to see what kind of genius he was."
The man descended from the sky, stopping half a meter above the ground, as if disdainful of touching the dust below.
"My name is Brynn, and I serve the great God Loki. I heard of your impressive strength and came to test it. If you pass, I'll permit you to become my subordinate, joining me in serving Loki and achieving great things."
Badr's gaze fixed on the man.
God Loki…
That was the name of a chief god in Norse mythology.
So, this man was a member of the Norse pantheon?
And he wanted Badr as his underling?
Badr was momentarily speechless.
He stared impassively at the man and replied calmly, "Even if Loki himself were here, he would address me as an equal. You, on the other hand, insignificant, your conceit knows no bounds."
"What? You're just a lowly High-Class Devil!"
Brynn seemed taken aback, completely surprised by Badr's response.
To claim that even the God Loki would speak to him as an equal...
Was this guy insane?
"Are you a genius? Or just mentally deficient…?"
Brynn's expression turned to one of displeasure.
"I wasted my time descending to this realm for this? Well, I suppose associating with those lowly human females would hinder anyone's potential..."
Badr was at a loss for words.
Encountering such an idiot left him speechless.
He was currently classified as a High-Class Devil, though his title remained the lowliest of [Low-Class Devil] since the blasted Mid-Class promotion test hadn't been scheduled.
However, after his previous battles, even Sirzechs Lucifer wouldn't treat him as an normal High-Class Devil…
It was a joke to classify someone as abnormal as Badr by standard power levels.
Others might fight above their rank, but Badr could fight two ranks above his!
Even powerhouses like Sirzechs and Michael didn't display such outrageous cross-rank combat abilities…
Brynn's power was indeed considerable, likely on par with a top-tier High-Class Devil…
But Badr could have easily crushed opponents of this caliber even back when he was a Mid-Class Devil…
Where did this guy crawl out from?
Was his village still using dial-up?
Did he not know that Badr had beaten Kokabiel, a Fallen Angel Cadre comparable to an Ultimate-Class Devil?
What gave him the nerve to come here and try to recruit Badr as his subordinate?
…Well, perhaps the Norse pantheon was too far removed to have heard of his exploits.
The fact that this guy was invoking Loki's name made Badr wonder if he was intentionally trying to provoke the Norse God.
Honestly, Badr couldn't quite grasp the man's purpose.
In that case, he'd just have to beat him down and find out.
Forget the complexities; capture him and interrogate him!
…
Still unsure of the man's intentions, Badr decided against using lethal force.
With a thought, he activated [Promotion]!
Instantly transforming into the most powerful [Queen] piece, Badr's overall power surged once again.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of his [Absolute Mastery] was its effect on Promotion.
Badr now had complete control over his Evil Pieces' power, eliminating the usual requirement of specific locations for Promotion!
This meant he could Promote anytime, anywhere.
In fact, news of Badr's ability to freely Promote had placed immense pressure on many young devils…
Among the Evil Pieces used in Rating Games, [Pawns] were crucial.
While the weakest in their usual state, a successful Promotion turned them into [Queen]-level powerhouses!
There was only one [Queen] piece, but eight [Pawns]!
Even a single successful Promotion, adding another [Queen] to the board, provided an overwhelming advantage.
Therefore, humans who required multiple [Pawn] pieces for reincarnation were considered highly valuable, genius-level servants. A single Promotion from such an individual could effectively multiply the team's [Queen]-level combat strength.
The fact that Badr alone possessed eight [Pawn] pieces was no secret. He even held dual roles during Rating Games, creating a clone that shared his combat power…
Such an abnormal genius was enough to inspire fear and apprehension among the most talented devils.
Unfortunately, the Brynn before him seemed completely oblivious to what he was facing…
Sensing Badr's rising power, Brynn's eyes lit up.
"Oh? The threat you pose has increased. You've become much stronger in an instant! Is this the legendary [Promotion] of the devils? How strange, isn't there supposed to be a location restriction?"
He appeared delighted, as if Badr had finally become worthy of his attention.
However, he was utterly clueless about Badr's true strength.
Due to Badr's [Absolute Mastery], not a single drop of demonic power was wasted or leaked, making it impossible for Brynn to accurately gauge the extent of his power increase.
The only thing he could sense was a significant surge in the threat Badr posed!
Badr's expression remained indifferent. He didn't bother answering Brynn's question. With a single step, he vanished.
Whoosh!
Moving with incredible speed, he teleported before Brynn, unleashing a simple, unadorned punch.
Brynn, not underestimating his opponent, erected a Sacred barrier. But Badr's seemingly effortless punch sent him flying!
A white ring formed behind him as he was propelled backward by the force of the blow - a sonic boom.
The air vibrated with the force of the impact as Brynn was sent hurtling over a thousand meters away.
"So strong!?"
Brynn was astonished. His own power was considerable, and yet he emerged from Badr's punch relatively unscathed, though both his arms were completely broken.
Even he could now see that things were going south. This devil's combat power was outrageous!
Brynn possessed the power of a peak High-Class Devil, capable of battling Ultimate-Class Devils. He had assumed subduing a newcomer like Badr would be a simple task. Little did he know he'd encountered a monster.
Badr wasn't surprised by this reaction.
Even the White Dragon Emperor had made a similar misjudgment…
Compared to Vali, an unknown, small-fry god like Brynn was nothing more than a minor character.
Badr exploded with speed, appearing before Brynn in the blink of an eye. He stomped on Brynn's chest, driving him from the air and into the ground.
The seemingly weightless stomp carried the force of a mountain, slamming Brynn into the earth without a chance to resist.
A massive crater erupted in the ground. Brynn was buried in the twenty-meter-deep hole, half his body submerged in the dirt.
He gagged, a mixture of frustration and terror washing over him.
He finally understood the extent of Badr's power.
They weren't even on the same level!
The battle ended as abruptly as it began, a simple, one-sided annihilation.
"Now, I ask, you answer. Understand?"
Badr stood over Brynn, casually nudging his chin with his foot.
The man's previous conceit was replaced with abject humiliation.
Brynn felt like a complete fool. Under Badr's calm gaze, he could only nod fearfully.
"What is Loki planning?"
"L-Loki's goals… we don't know. But he promised us a reward based on our contributions…"
"You're acting on Loki's orders without knowing his intentions?"
"Loki told us himself! Of course, we'll obey…"
Badr carefully observed Brynn's demeanor.
Using his will to both intimidate and sense deception, he confirmed that the man was telling the truth…
…What an idiot.
Badr frowned. He'd hoped for someone with valuable information, but this guy was just a brainless fool.
He blindly followed Loki's orders after just a few words?
Did they not know that Loki was known as the God of Trickery?
Badr almost laughed in disbelief.
And what was the Norse God Loki up to?
...
Once he was done, Badr pulled out his phone and dialed Rias.
She answered quickly.
"Badr?"
"Rias, I just encountered a member of the Norse pantheon who tried to pick a fight with me."
...
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