Chapter 95
[This... damn it!!]
Leviathan was finally unable to maintain interference and was thrown back.
The authority to freely handle Time Stop returned once again from her to Amael.
It was just an extremely small portion of Asmodeus' power, only the level of power a mere mortal could handle with their body.
Yet even that power became difficult to maintain interference with any further.
It was a moment when Asmodeus' enormously grown divinity of a different dimension could be felt.
Leviathan slowly looked at Satan and Belphegor.
Belphegor was expressionless, and most of Satan's body made of steel was glowing red hot.
[What did you do? You should have succeeded while I was interfering! What did you do!?]
At Leviathan's angry words, Satan finally couldn't hold back and began to let out a huge roar.
It was an enormous shout that resounded throughout the entire spiritual realm, but from Leviathan's perspective, it just looked foolish.
[The followers of the Demon King of Wrath are past their prime now. To think they were all swept away without even being able to deal with one chosen one of Lust.]
[Watch your mouth, Envy. Before I tear your mouth apart.]
As Satan growled, Envy rather giggled.
[Why don't you go unleash that nice anger on Asmodeus? You can't even deal with that bitch but come here to make a fuss at me.]
[You damn bitch!!]
Finally, Satan drew his huge greatsword that was like an extension of himself.
The sword of swords made by gathering all kinds of resentment and anger offered by Satan's followers.
Baltaruc.
But Envy rather snorted at that sight and drew her whip.
[You think you're the only one with a weapon? Fine. Let's go all the way this time. You empty-headed idiot bastard!!]
At this rate, they were about to self-destruct from internal strife.
Finally unable to watch any longer, Sloth stopped the two Demon Kings with a tired face.
[Stop it!! Are you going to self-destruct from internal strife while Asmodeus is still fine?]
[Don't stop me, Sloth. I'm going to…]
[The entire human realm will be devoured by Asmodeus!! Are you going to let her eat up everything you've invested in for over 300 years? Lucifer was right!! Seeing it directly made that even clearer!! If we don't stop her now, we won't be able to stop her in the future! Why don't you understand that!!]
At Belphegor's shout, the Demon Kings of Wrath and Envy finally cooled their anger.
More precisely.
[I can't let that damn bastard devour everything of mine.]
Satan came to his senses due to anger greater than his anger towards the Demon King of Envy.
[I can't let that whore bitch swallow what I've invested in.]
Leviathan came to her senses with the single thought that she couldn't watch the target she had envied for a long time succeed, rather than anger towards Satan.
[It's clearly confirmed from this incident that the saint bastard is excessively strong. And Kanya. It's clear that bitch isn't an opponent to be taken lightly either. What will you do now? We need to come up with countermeasures first.]
At Belphegor's words, Satan panted.
[Let's deploy more followers. If 100 didn't work, we can send 1000. No, let's deploy 10,000. If we deploy all my followers, we can win.]
[There's not enough space for that, you idiot bastard. The space I can interfere with and expand is limited. There's no space for 10,000 to enter.]
Belphegor took over Leviathan's words.
[Moreover, if we deploy large numbers, there's a possibility our divinities will be weakened that much. It's been confirmed from this incident that the saint bastard is capable of area attacks with his abilities, right? We could fight, but we don't know how many followers we'd lose. Even if we get Bellia back in our hands again, the result might be that our chances of winning against Asmodeus rather decrease.]
At Belphegor's words, Satan's glowing armor finally burned to the point of emitting an intense light.
[Then can't I manifest directly? Like Mammon!! Then there's no worry about losing followers, and no matter how strong the saint bastard is, there's no way he can win!!]
Leviathan let out a hollow laugh at those words.
[Don't you know Mammon did that and had his main body devoured by Asmodeus? Our main bodies are much safer in the spiritual realm.]
[Then what the hell are we supposed to do!?]
At Satan's shout, silence suddenly fell.
What should they do?
Fighting in the spiritual realm was difficult to guarantee victory.
In the worst case, Asmodeus could devour all three divinities and become enormously large to an unapproachable level.
It would be safest if only followers fought in the human realm, but the problem was the monstrous combat abilities of the saint and Kanya.
This also made it difficult to guarantee victory, and if they made a mistake, they could lose followers en masse, leading to the conclusion that the three Demon Kings' divinities would rather weaken.
This wouldn't work. That wouldn't work.
It was frustratingly maddening.
Finally.
[It's impossible with just the three of us.]
A cold assessment of reality came from Leviathan's mouth.
[We need to request help from Lucifer. If not that, there are no more variables. We either fight Asmodeus believing in a 50-50 win rate at best, or we keep losing followers.]
There was no opposition.
After experiencing it directly, it wasn't the time to be stubborn due to pride.
Asmodeus had grown terrifyingly large since devouring Mammon, and at this rate, she really could swallow the entire human realm.
The three Demon Kings returned to hell.
And went to Lucifer.
[So... you need my help?]
[Yes, Lucifer.]
At Belphegor's words, Lucifer let out a hollow laugh.
[Damn it. Nothing ever goes smoothly.]
Another iron chain was grasped in Lucifer's hand.
And he immediately pulled the black chain tightly.
[I've given one more order to Asmodeus. Now the saint bastard won't be able to use the power of Time Stop. I've forbidden the most powerful ability. Is this enough?]
At those words, the expressions of the three Demon Kings brightened.
But Lucifer's expression was not bright.
His hand holding the iron chain was twitching slightly.
It was a symptom from having to expend unexpected power.
[I can't hold it for long. The Pantheon's resistance is getting stronger by the day. Even for me, it's difficult to control Asmodeus in this state. 7 days is all the time I can give you.]
[That's enough.]
Leviathan bursts into laughter at those words.
[My followers haven't lost any manpower at all. If I mobilize them, I can sufficiently separate those two.]
[I'll trust you. If you fail even after I've done this much... know you'll pay the price.]
Lucifer's voice was quiet as usual, but the resonance contained in it was not quiet at all.
Feeling a terrible chill, the three Demon Kings hurriedly returned to the spiritual realm.
Now the center of the operation was neither Satan nor Belphegor, but Leviathan.
Because she hadn't lost any followers.
[I'll move my followers. But that alone isn't enough. I need help from you two.]
[Speak.]
[What do you need?]
Leviathan looked at Belphegor.
[You have one you cherish second most after Bellia among your collection pieces, right? Give that one to me.]
Belphegor's expression crumpled sharply. An expression saying she absolutely didn’t want to give it.
But an answer completely different from her expression came back.
[...You must succeed.]
[Of course. And Satan. I need your sword. Baltaruc.]
[Baltaruc?]
[I'll give that sword to Belphegor's collection piece. That one will handle the saint, and my followers will handle Kanya.]
Satan's face crumpled too.
But he also had no choice but to hand over his sword with trembling hands.
[It will be too strong a sword for one mortal to handle. So you'll have to reduce its power somewhat before giving it.]
[I know, so don't worry.]
Leviathan received Belphegor's collection piece she cherished second most after Bellia and Satan's magic sword with a gleeful smiling face.
She slowly looked down at the saint on the ground.
A twisted smile formed on Envy's lips.
[It's going to be very very interesting. Amael. Look forward to it.]
***
The bodies of Satan and Sloth's followers who met death soon began to melt.
Thanks to them turning into a pool of blood without leaving even bones, there was no need to dig and bury them.
Meanwhile.
Kanya was in the process of looting and arming herself with the followers' firearms.
"Since my limbs are like this, it was difficult to properly handle cold weapons, but firearms solve that problem."
Revolver.
Bolt-action rifle.
And ammunition belts holding bullets for each gun were wrapped around her chest and waist.
I burst into laughter watching Kanya skillfully checking the condition of the firearms.
"I didn't know you could handle guns so well."
"It's my goddess' power. It allows me to skillfully handle any weapon. I can't just be a burden forever, right?"
"That's reassuring. Shall we go again then?"
I knelt down and offered my back to Kanya.
Kanya climbed onto my back.
"When do you think we'll arrive?"
"It won't take long."
At my words, Kanya hugged my back tightly.
"...Thank you."
"I'm doing this for my own sake. No need to thank me. Are you ready? Shall we move?"
"Yes."
After confirming Kanya was properly pressed against my back, I was about to immediately run off.
[Warning!!]
[Ability use is restricted!]
[Time Stop unavailable!]
If red warning windows hadn't suddenly appeared before my eyes, I probably would have run off at high speed.
Suddenly I start hearing the sound of wind in my ears.
I felt cold too.
The stopped time of the world suddenly began flowing again.
[What? What's going on? Time Stop suddenly disappeared?]
I was as bewildered as Corn's confused voice.
[Skill use unavailable!]
[Skill use unavailable!]
No matter how many times I tried to use it again, the answer was the same.
I could no longer use it.
"W-what is this? Why did Time Stop suddenly..."
"I don't know either. This is troublesome."
The all-purpose armor and weapon disappeared.
[...This feels like it was targeted somehow?]
I agreed.
It was an inexplicable situation unless it was something deliberately done by the three Demon Kings.
[If the three Demon Kings aren't fools, I don't think they'll miss this timing. Amael. Let's move quickly. If we don't hurry...]
Just as Corn was speaking urgently.
As if on cue, the space in front of us tore open vertically.
And one person slowly begins to walk out from inside.
My eyes widened.
Kanya began to tremble.
Corn...
[Fuck we seem to be screwed? What is that?]
Gave a vulgar but extremely accurate one-line review.
My fists clenched.
This didn't look like an easy opponent.
Of course not.
"...Legiones Ketratus?"
Because the being who stood guard by Iomene's side walked out through the rift.
The difference was.
Unlike the Ketratus members who wore pure white armor, the being before us was wearing jet-black dyed armor.
Instead of Dullaneer's emblem, the Demon King of Sloth's emblem was engraved on the armor.
They were holding an extremely dangerous-looking flaming sword.
Ominous red light was pouring out through the helmet of the armor.
And.
They were aiming a cannon-like pistol from their waist at me.