100 – Now the Only Answer is Descension

The word “desolate” could not adequately describe the current atmosphere.

Belphegor, Satan, and Leviathan stared blankly down at the human realm, their faces devoid of expression.

Satan was the first to react.

[Why?]

Amael had never once asked Asmodeus for help.

She hadn’t learned how to handle him, and they had never even spoken directly.

He should, in fact, be consumed by hatred for Asmodeus within his soul, a result of the evil god’s machinations, and be trying to eliminate him.

So why?

Why could Amael command Asmodeus?

That single action had shattered all the three Demon Lords’ existing plans.

Now, Asmodeus would act to protect Kanya as well.

The moment they tried to forcibly take her, she would undoubtedly descend again.

[Lucifer, couldn’t you have stopped it?]

At Belphegor’s words, Lucifer, who had been sitting quietly a short distance away, turned his gaze to Belphegor.

[I didn’t have enough wings to spare to make it happen.]

[But how! Amael fears Asmodeus! How could she give him an order? She couldn’t have properly learned to use him!]

Lucifer did not answer.

A crackling sound emanated from his fist.

The pride of the Lord of Arrogance had fractured.

He strained against the chains with all his might, but Asmodeus moved on, heedless.

[He wouldn’t be doing it intentionally. If he could move with intention, he’d have summoned Asmodeus to begin with and bombarded him with questions. The Saint is utterly unaware of how things are unfolding.]

[Asmodeus has decided to protect Velia. If this goes wrong, we’ll have another empty seat in the Pantheon!]

Belphegor cried out.

She knew the value of her possessions all too well.

Velia was a powerful divinity.

Even after decades of torture, she had never broken.

From the time of the Celestial War.

Of all the Pantheon’s divinities who fell to Earth, if she were to return to the Pantheon, she was one of those who could make Pandemonium suffer terribly.

Any other divinity, perhaps.

But Velia… that was a problem.

Lucifer, hearing Belphegor’s words, leaned forward slightly.

[No. Perhaps it’s better this way.]

[What do you mean?]

[Asmodeus can no longer devour Velia. The instant he devours her, that wench, Kania, won’t survive either. Her soul is too deeply intertwined with Velia. The moment Velia perishes, she too will be destroyed.]

[Even so, the odds are fifty-fifty. Even with the three of us bearing down on him, we don’t have a high chance of beating Asmodeus.]

Lucifer shrugged at Leviathan’s words.

[What if the three of you manifested physical forms and descended to the human realm to fight?]

[You want us to descend?]

Leviathan looked incredulous.

[Did you forget what happened to Mammon when he tried that?]

[Unlike Mammon, there are three of you. If you fight in the human realm, Asmodeus will be severely restricted. He can never exert his power to the point of harming the Saint’s body. He only has one channel through which to unleash his power. You, on the other hand, are different.]

They were beings who could grind down dozens of devoted followers to create a physical form if needed. That was what the Demon Lords were.

Though Asmodeus’ absolute power was stronger, if they fought in the human realm, Asmodeus could never unleash the full extent of his power.

[Two of you bind the descended Asmodeus to the Saint’s body. While that’s happening, one of you enters the Saint’s soul and proceeds with the corruption. It would be that simple.]

It was a reasonable tactic.

And in truth, it was a tactic they could have used even before Asmodeus decided to protect Velia.

Whether Asmodeus devoured Velia or not, the moment they manifested in the human realm to fight, Asmodeus would never be able to unleash his full power.

But despite this, there was a reason why the Demon Lords hesitated to resort to manifestation.

[That sounds good. But conversely, it also means that descending makes one more vulnerable than ever to being devoured.]

[Unlike the Spirit Realm, only one corporeal body stands between one and complete exposure. That’s how Mammon was devoured. Don’t you remember?]

In the Spirit Realm, one could flee.

One could hide, and even if things turned dire, there were ways to diffuse the situation.

But the situation was different when manifested in the human realm.

There was nowhere to escape in a body so cramped.

One had to forcibly extract their divinity from the body and return to the Spirit Realm, becoming completely defenseless in the process.

The risk of complete annihilation through descent was simply too great.

But…

[Then what means do we have to corrupt the Saint?]

Lucifer’s words silenced the three Archdemons.

Attacking the Saint after isolating Kanya?

Asmodeus now protected Kanya as well, making it impossible.

The chances of victory in the spirit realm were still fifty-fifty.

Lucifer’s commands through Asmodeus’ left wing were limited.

No matter the command, it couldn’t possibly override preventing the destruction of the Origin itself.

Only one who could fully control all of Asmodeus’ wings could issue such a command.

Conclusion.

There was no way to corrupt the Saint other than descending in person.

[If the three of us descend, the devotees of the Pantheon will not stand idly by! Some among them must already have noticed!]

[If something were to befall us while descended, our followers would instantly lose their power!]

[Our followers could be massacred! The risk is too great!]

The three Archdemons voiced their disapproval, showing their anxiety, but Lucifer unleashed his wrath upon them.

[For 300 years, I alone have held back the Celestial Realm!! 300 years! If Velia ascends unscathed like this, and that Saint continues to do good deeds for the Pantheon, the balance could collapse at any moment! You know what happens when the balance collapses, don’t you? Now is the time to take risks!]

Despite Lucifer’s outburst, the three Archdemons hesitated.

Descending to the human realm was already fraught with danger.

The moment their divine essence entered a mortal body, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t end up like Velia.

Lucifer considered smashing their skulls in frustration, but two of the seven thrones were already vacant.

He couldn’t afford to create any more vacancies.

[I will watch over you. If the situation deteriorates, I swear on my name that I will extract you. So trust me and descend. If we cannot turn the Saint to our side, Pandemonium has no future. Will you quietly sit back and watch Velia ascend? Will you simply watch as the balance slowly tips toward the Pantheon?]

Lucifer’s desperate plea left the three Archdemons with no choice but to nod.

[Preparing a vessel will take time.]

[At least three days, Lucifer.]

Lucifer nodded.

[I will control Asmodeus to prevent the Saint from using time stop or body modification. I will prevent them from reaching the rocky mountains of Tallahaim within three days. The rest is up to you.]

It was a declaration that he would hold back the entire Pantheon while simultaneously controlling Asmodeus.

An impossible feat for anyone but Lucifer.

The three Archdemons nodded.

There was no turning back now.

*

“So you admit to withholding wages?”

“No, I’m not saying I’m withholding… it’s just that everyone around here pays like this.”

“You have committed an illegal act according to labor law. Pay this man the fair wages he has earned. We will investigate and announce the specific amount later.”

“No!! Where is such a law?!”

The labor inspectors were powerless.

They had abandoned force and violence.

It was partly a reflection of the Saint’s warning against the corruption of labor theorists, but also because they didn’t need to bother throwing guns, swords, and bombs themselves.

“Factory owner, are you now acknowledging the wage theft?”

The White Order paladin stepped forward.

“Is this some ploy to breed misery and swell the ranks of demon worshippers? Forget not that Codex Prolilius grants us leave to judge you a heretic.”

“Ah, no! No! I, I am no heretic! Not a heretic! Just because I shorted the wages a bit doesn’t mean you can push it this far!…”

“You haven’t forgotten the Scrapyard Incident, have you? Mamon’s followers teeming within. Demons feed on resentment. If your greed brings about the ruin of humanity, that burden shall be yours. Ensure the bare minimum wage as the labor laws dictate.”

The factory owner, cowed by the White Order’s pressure, lowered his head in defeat.

“…I shall remit the requested dues, pending the outcome of the investigation.”

“Good.”

The Investigator and the paladin withdrew from the factory.

The atmosphere between the two as they boarded the car and headed back to their lodgings was surprisingly convivial.

“Following me around must be tiresome. It’s late; would you care for a beer?”

“Make no mistake. Labor theorist. I only trail you to remain vigilant of the corruption the Saint warned us about. I do not drink whilst on duty.”

“Our duty here is concluded. Surely a single beer won’t hurt; don’t be so stiff-necked. You’ll be seeing my face for a good while yet, after all.”

The paladin offered a faint smile at the Investigator’s smooth words.

“As long as you maintain your compassion for the weak, I’ve no reason to oppose you. Well… a single glass sounds tolerable.”

“My treat, then. Though I doubt there’s a proper establishment to be found in this backwater.”

The labor theorist, behind the wheel, gave a wry smile.

The paladin returned a slight smile.

The amicable mood, however.

Froze abruptly as a man darted in front of the car.

“Are you mad? Jumping in front of a car!…”

As the Investigator, irate, lowered the window and leaned out, the man who’d blocked their path rushed forward, yelling.

“Demon worshippers! Investigator!”

The Investigator, momentarily stunned by the words “demon worshippers,” quickly pointed to the back door.

“Get in. You know the location, yes?”

“Of course!”

The three traveled for some time by car.

Though it was a backwater, the wide-open prairies were home to many who practiced animal husbandry.

The man, who introduced himself as the scion of a long line of shepherds, related his story in breathless, rapid-fire bursts.

“I was driving the goats and sheep as usual, but my dog wasn’t herding the flock. It’s never happened before, so I went to where he was, and would you believe it! …The stench of blood, and weapons scattered all over the ground! My dog wouldn’t come because of the scent of blood, barking furiously.”

“Weapons?”

“Guns, knives… there were even suits of armor, and staves like mages wield. Not a single corpse, just all that equipment strewn about. And every piece of it bore the same strange sigil… the mark of demon worshippers.”

“Are you certain?”

“Good heavens! Like everyone in this town, I’m a follower of the Pantheon! I’ve been taught to recognize demon symbols since I was a boy. You folks were the closest, so I hurried right over. It’s there!! Right there!”

At the man’s words, the labor theorist quickly pulled the car over.

The White Order paladin rushed toward the weapons littering the ground.

After carefully examining the scent and form of the armaments, he returned to the car with haste.

“Can you get me a secure line to the Labor Bureau?”

“A secure line? Are they really… demon worshippers?”

“Not just worshippers. Key members of a demon cult! We must hurry! This is no ordinary matter!”

The Investigator swiftly drew a magical communication device for emergency calls from within his robes.

The report traveled instantly to the Labor Bureau.

The Pantheon and the Magic Tower.

And it took no more than ten minutes for the Imperial Family to be made aware of this fact.