When I mentioned the name "Kokabiel", everything in the room changed.
Xenovia and Irina looked at each other briefly, and the impact of the relevance of the name I had just uttered was undeniable. They both knew exactly who Kokabiel was and what he stood for.
"Kokabiel... one of the leaders of the Fallen Angels. He shouldn't be here. What is he planning?" Xenovia asked.
"He plans to get what he's always wanted. Kokabiel is a veteran warrior, a born strategist, so he is also a being deeply obsessed with the war that never ended. To him, peace between the races is a farce, a pause that serves no purpose other than to allow his enemies to regroup. And he is determined to finish what he started."
Irina shifted uneasily, clearly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. "And how do you know this? What makes you think he's behind all this?" She asked me.
"All you need to know is that I'm not just guessing," I replied, moving a little closer to her with my hands raised. "Kokabiel has a... strange vision, so to speak. He wants to provoke a new holy war, not just between angels and devils, but between all factions. To him, peace is a betrayal of the true purpose of existence, and the Excaliburs, with all their symbolism, are the key to rekindling the flames of war."
"And where do you fit into all this? A demon trying to stop the war? It doesn't make sense."
I smiled slightly, sensing the slight hint of irony in her words. "Why not? A war doesn't help anyone right now, especially not us demons. And, let's face it, the only one who could stand up to Kokabiel right now and come out victorious would be Vali Lucifer."
Vali Lucifer, someone whose ambition was as great as the power he possessed, was a figure shrouded in mystery, and the mention of his name alongside Kokabiel's only added to the gravity of the situation.
"And what makes you think Vali Lucifer would be involved in this? He's not exactly the type to help without a clear motive." Irina asked.
I took a moment to lean slightly against the wall, crossing my arms as I considered the answer. "Vali Luficer is an unpredictable variable most of the time, but as soon as the main leader of the Fallen Angels, Azazel, requests a favor from Vali Luficer, the White Dragon will act. Azazel doesn't know what Kokabiel is doing, but he won't act directly, either."
"And that's not all, is it? There are things you're not telling us." Xenovia asked with a hint of hesitation, as if she was testing the ground to see if I had anything more to say. "Why are you giving us all this information? What is your real goal?"
I felt a small smile appear on my lips. That was it. She was starting to understand. In fact, most devils wouldn't offer valuable information without expecting something in return. Well, most. It was different with me. All I wanted was to stop Kokabiel's imminent appearance and get back to my school life of trying to form a harem. So that Xenovia and Irina wouldn't even suspect my reasons for revealing so much to them, I took a high risk that they would refuse.
"I knew you'd notice..." I replied calmly, crossing my arms and walking towards Xenovia. "You are both intelligent. Powerful exorcists of the Church. You know that no one shares such dangerous secrets without wanting something in return."
"And what do you want?" Irina asked.
"The Excaliburs," I replied.
The reactions were immediate. The shock on Xenovia's face was obvious, while Irina's irritation exploded into an expression of pure disbelief. Her eyes widened, and she took a step back, as if my words had physically hit her.
"The Excaliburs? You want the Excaliburs?" Irina practically shouted in an angry tone.
"All of them."
"I knew it! I knew you had evil intentions! How could a devil want something so holy? You won't be able to use it for evil!"
I raised a hand in a gesture of patience, trying to calm the maelstrom of emotions that were about to explode. Irina's anger was understandable, of course. For someone who had dedicated her life to the Church and the divine purpose of the Excaliburs, the idea of a devil like me even touching these sacred weapons was simply abhorrent.
"Let's take it easy, Irina. I'm not interested in using the Excaliburs for evil. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Think about it: why would I, a devil, want so many weapons capable of killing devils out there, on the loose? Do you really think it's in the interest of someone like me to let those weapons, with all the destructive power they carry, fall into the wrong hands?"
The truth was that my request made sense from a purely logical perspective. But Church morality complicated things, especially for two Church warriors who saw the world in terms of light and darkness, good and evil.
"You also wouldn't want weapons that can easily harm angels to be in the possession of devils like me."
"You want us to believe that you are acting out of self-preservation? That by obtaining the Excaliburs, you are somehow protecting both angels and devils? That sounds... too convenient."
"Just because it's convenient doesn't mean it's not true. You know, I'm not the only one interested in Excaliburs. There are others, many others, who would do anything to get their hands on them, and not all of them have the same principles as I do. If those weapons fall into the wrong hands, we're all in danger. So let's make a deal. As long as Kokabiel is alive and in possession of the Excaliburs, we'll work together. In the end, we'll decide whether to give you the Excaliburs."
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NEXT CHAPTERS:
Chapter 87 - Demon of Lust (R-18)
Chapter 86 - Taking the Virginity of Rias Gremory (R-18)
Chapter 85 - The Depraved Innocence (R-18)
Chapter 84 - Jealousy
Chapter 83 - It's not that hard
Chapter 82 - Learning about Teleportation Circles
Chapter 81 - Sea Waves (R-18)
Chapter 80 - Hidden in the Rocks (R-18)
Chapter 79 - Bronzing Oil
Chapter 78 - Beach Volleyball
Chapter 77 - Juggernaut Drive
Chapter 76 - Against Kokabiel (Final Part)
Chapter 75 - Against Kokabiel (Part 2)
Chapter 74 - Against Kokabiel (Part 1)
Chapter 73 - Consequence of Evil Nature
Chapter 72 - My Battle against Raynare
Chapter 71 - Spear of Light
Chapter 70 - The Return of Yumma