A few days had passed since the battle between Riasâ team and Valiâs team, as well as the battle against Thanatosâ groupâ. All members of our [Sekiryuutei of Blazing Truth] team gathered in the VIP room of the Hyoudou residence prior to our game against the [Leisure of the Kings] team. It was because we were receiving an important guest. âIt was the current governor of the Grigori, Shemhazai-san. Azazel-sensei had handed over certain items to Shemhazai-san before he went into the Isolation Barrier Field, and Shemhazai-san had brought those items over to us this today! Shemhazai-san created a Fallen Angelsâ transportation magic circle on the table, and then took out several briefcases from it.
âIt took a lot of time to collect these things, and these are the results of Sirzechs Lucifer-sama, Michael-sama and Azazelâs back and forth travels between the various factions.â
Shemhazai-san opened the first briefcase. âA single longsword was kept inside it. It was a holy sword that quietly released a holy aura. However, it didnât have the chill of a normal holy sword that only Devils would usually feel. Rather, that auraâŠit felt very familiar to me! When I moved my eyes to my left arm, Shemhazai-san smiled.
âYes, this sword is the newest holy sword that has been crafted through various techniques by the Three Factions after peace was achieved â Ascalon II.â
âAscalon II!? The second generation of Ascalon! To think that something like this had been preparedâŠ. The holy sword that His Eminence Strada wielded was Durandal II, and I couldnât help but feel that the alchemists of the Church had somehow greatly improved their skills after learning various techniques from the other factions! It must have set off quite a technological revolutionâŠ. Shemhazai-san gave an explanation to me as he took Ascalon II out
âItâs not so much a holy sword, rather, itâs more like a sword that is perfectly matched to the aura of a dragonâŠit could be described as a sword designed just for you, Hyoudou Issei-kun. This sword is even more suited to your aura than the original Ascalon.â
I received Ascalon IIâŠ. Hmm, it somehow does feel really familiar in my hand! It feels even more natural than the first-generation Ascalon thatâs been assimilated into my left hand. It had almost instantly synchronised with my aura. Ddraig said
[Partner, letâs keep it in your empty right arm.]
After all, my left arm already had one. But even so, to give me a sword even when Iâve got absolutely no talent for swordsâŠ. I guess itâs best if I keep it in my gauntlet like the first-generation one, and use it in a close-quarters melee battle when the time is right. The armoured gauntlet of the Boosted Gear Scale Mail appeared on my right hand, and I held Ascalon II with it. With Ddraigâs assistance, I focused â and a red flash was emitted. After the light faded, Ascalon II disappeared from my hand. I clenched my fist â and just like the first-generation Ascalon, the holy blade extended out from my gauntlet. Whilst practicing the action a few times, I said to Shemhazai-san
âI donât feel like I can become proficient in dual-wielding swords like Kiba, Xenovia and the others.â
Even though I now had a holy sword in both my left and right gauntlets, and I could use both of them at the same time, I didnât feel that I would be able to wield two holy swords dexterously. Shemhazai-san replied
âBut, if you have a holy sword stored in each arm, you may be able to respond well to an unexpected situation. For example, if your left hand is somehow constricted.â
That made sense. As the saying goes, you can never be too prepared. Shemhazai-san then opened up the next briefcase. There was an old-looking wand inside it. Going only by the appearance, it looked rather powerfulâŠ. Upon seeing the wand, Rossweisse-san let out a breath of disbelief. She ran up the briefcase and stared at the wand. Shemhazai-san took the wand out and handed it over to Rossweisse-san.
âThis is a Mistilteinn wand.â
âI-It really is that one! Iâve seen it back in my hometown!â
Seeing my apparent puzzlement, Ravel explained
âThe Mistilteinn wand is a magical weapon which possesses powerful magic in Asgard.â
A magic weapon of Asgard! It also possesses immense magic, so it could be described as a weapon that has been tailor-made for Rossweisse-san. Shemhazai-san said
âDuring the Evil Dragon War, it was said that a new Mistilteinn wand would be created for [DxD], and it was finally completed after the war. Although it couldnât be made in time for that battleâŠit will be able to assist with Rossweisse-sanâs magic output now.â
As for the person in question, Rossweisse-san was holding the Mistilteinn wand rather timidly.
ââŠIf itâs just a matter of assistance, isnât this more than enough? âŠIsnât this a weapon that only god-class beings possessâŠ?â
I-Itâs actually such an awesome weapon!? A god-class beingâs weaponâŠ. It is certainly true that a lot of incredible things occurred in succession during the Evil Dragon War, so the Norse mythology couldnât help but produce such a weapon in order to deal with the situation at hand. Shemhazai-san then opened the third briefcaseâŠa scabbard lay inside it. âŠI could feel a holy aura emanating from it. Could this be the scabbard of a holy sword? Although it was my first time seeing it, it somehow felt familiar, and the way that it was decoratedâŠ. Wait, this aura, Iâve felt this before! Everyone looked carefully at the scabbard, and aside from meâ
ââŠEh? Really?â
ââŠNo way, it shouldnât be possibleâŠâ
ââŠBut, judging by the aura, it can only beâŠâ
Irina, Xenovia and Rossweisse-san all showed expressions of surprise, and they seemed to be doubting their own eyes. Shemhazai-san quietly laughed after watching everyoneâs reactions.
âFufufu, weâve constantly had our eyes on it. Correct, this is an item for Xenovia Quarta-san. âExcaliburâs scabbard.â
[It really is! Amazing!]
Everyone aside from me exclaimed in surprise after hearing what Shemhazai-san said.
ââŠIs Excaliburâs scabbard supposed to be amazing?â
Upon hearing my innocuous question, Ravel brought her face closer as she answered me with a tone of excitement
âI-Ise-sama! When people talk about Excaliburâs scabbard, this is the scabbard of Excalibur that they refer to!â
Even Irinaâs voice and entire body trembled as she said
âIse-kun! This scabbard is an unbelievable item! Itâs amazing! I never imagined that it would be found at a time like thisâŠ!â
âItâd be no exaggeration to say that this is the main component of Excalibur.â
âThe legendary scabbard has been lost for a long timeâŠbut itâs actually been found nowâŠ!â
Shemhazai-san answered to Ravelâs words
âIn order to recover the scabbard, we searched in many places, and we finally found out that the scabbard had been sealed away in an underground ruin where different religions once fought against each other. If we werenât in our present era where the gods of each mythology have made peace with each other, then it wouldnât have been possible for us to send investigation teams to that place.â
âŠIt seemed like the process to retrieve the scabbard was rather complicated. If the various factions hadnât achieved peace, this might never have seen the light of day againâŠ. Through the culmination of many factors, it was a treasure that had finally been brought to us. Xenovia took a deep breath as she picked up the scabbard.
ââŠWith this scabbard, Iâll even be able to go up against god-class beings.â
Upon hearing Xenovia say this, Irina giggled.
âThis isnât the kind of thing that a devout believer should be saying.â
Xenovia shrugged.
âThe gods that weâll be fighting against and the god that we believe in are not the same.â
Her explanation was akin to saying that there existed another stomach just for desserts! W-Well, itâs fine I guess. Xenovia and Irina have always been like that. Theyâre strange in that way. Itâs true that the gods participating in the Tournament are different from the god that they believe in, so Iâll let that slide. Because so many pieces of equipment had been prepared for us, I couldnât help but ask
âIs it really okay for you to prepare all of these items for us? There are obviously still a lot of other teams participating in the Tournament.â
It was a bit late for us to say this after having come so far with a Longinus and legendary holy swords, but it felt a bit unfair to have all of these legendary items given to us. Shemhazai-san answered with a smile
âThey all have their own organisations and mythologies to support them, and weâve already achieved peace anyway. However, our side also has the [DxD] team for anti-terrorism measures, and weâve already been focusing on strengthening our combat force since before the Tournament. These tools are for you to use, but theyâre also part of the fighting force of the anti-terrorist team. As a result, it also has serves the purpose of preventing terrorism from occurring when the outside world sees it. Although some factions may have criticisms about thisâŠthere are gods everywhere who donât wish for a large-scale war like the Evil Dragon War again.â
So it also has significance in that way huhâŠ. Well, Cao Cao also receives protection from Ćakra, while Dulio and the others have the backing of Heaven. If everyone thought too much about these things, then it would be difficult to actually participate. Ravel expressed her thanks to Shemhazai-san
âGovernor Shemhazai, thank you very much for bringing us all of these items. Weâll make good use of them, regardless if itâs as [DxD], or for our team in the Tournament.â
[Thank you.]
All of us expressed our gratitude to Shemhazai-san once again. Shemhazai-san answered us with
âYouâre welcome.â
At that moment, someone knocked on the door.
âExcuse me.â
The person who came in was â Kiba. He had a serious expression. When Kiba asked us
âAre you finished?â
I responded with
âAlmost.â
Kiba then bluntly said
âThings arenât going well. âOne of the top candidates, the god-class Mahabali team is at a disadvantage.â
After listening to this news, we all looked at each other.
The place that we arrived at via a transportation magic circle was [Azazel Stadium] in the Fallen Angelsâ territory â the prince of the Asura gods, Mahabali-sanâs team was currently competing. I had previously fought here against Barakiel-san. Everyone who lived at the Hyoudou residence had come here, and we walked towards the spectator area. We spotted Vali in the corridor of the entrance. Vali stood by the entrance, and he watched the aerial projection of the live broadcast that was in the centre of the stadium. We also looked over at it. The situation on the field was currently being displayed. The field appeared to be the site of a ruinâŠand in the centre of the destroyed remnants, the Prince of the Asuras, Mahabali-san was kneeling on the ground. His body was covered in wounds, and he was gasping for his breath.
<<This is difficult to believe! As one of the candidates tipped to win, Mahabali-senshu is actually kneeling on the ground right now! The ones who have forced him into such a state â are the mysterious players who have suddenly joined an ordinary team!>>
The announcer also seemed to have become excited by the scene before his eyes as he said that. Mahabali-san was looking at â two people. One of them was a woman. To be more precise, she seemed to be a girl who was of similar age to us judging by her appearance. She had long jade-coloured hair, and she seemed to have a cheerful air about her. The other one was a man. He had copper-red hair that was swept all the way back. Not only did he have a tall stature, he also had a very strong physical build. There was no trace of emotion on his face, and he appeared rather cold. Based on his appearance, perhaps he was the same age as us, or maybe a bit older. Unlike the injured Mahabali-san, they were completely unharmed! Mahabali-sanâs team had many Asura gods. Even among the god-class beings who were participating, they were considered to be a top-class line-up. As I looked at the venueâs scoreboard, I could see that all of the members of Mahabali-sanâs team had retired! The copper-haired youth picked up the flag that was beside Mahabali-san.
[Flag taken.]
It was a capture-the-flag style of game. Before we came here, I had confirmed that the game type this time was called Scramble Flag. The instant that the copper-haired youth picked up the flag, an announcement of victory was broadcast.
<<The winner â is the [Black Satan of Darkness Dragon King] team.>>
The victory of the mysterious girl and youth had been declaredâ. This was the first defeat that Mahabali-san had suffered in the Tournament to date.
After seeing this unexpected result, and after the match concluded, we didnât leave the venue. In order to understand the details of the situation, we walked towards the match officialâs area. Rias said to me
âI didnât plan on watching this game to begin with. I thought that it was certain to be Mahabaliâs victory. After all, his opponent was a team that had been on a losing streak up until now. But ten minutes into the game, Yuuto told me to watch the game.â
Rias had immediately understood that an anomaly had occurred in the game, and she called us over as well. It was possible that there would be people acquainted with Rias in the VIP spectator room, and so began to make our way over there. It was just when we found a staff member and were about to ask about which VIPs had come to this stadium. âHmm! A sudden wave of inexplicable pressure hit us! I felt a heavy pressure within my chest for a moment! There was an eerie aura that I had never sensed before. All of us turned around to look across. âAppearing there was the young lady with jade-coloured hair and the young man with copper hair who had appeared just then in the game. From those two peopleâŠI could feel an aura that seemed abnormal and bottomless. Cold beads of sweat began to form on my experienced comradesâ skin as they gulped in the face of this immediate pressure alongside me. They approached us. The girl with jade-coloured hair stepped lightly as she moved towards us, and she revealed an innocent smile.
âItâs nice to meet you, [Welsh Dragon]-san, [Vanishing Dragon]-san, and all of you other strong people. âMy name is Verrine24.â
The girl who identified herself as Verrine pointed to the young man behind her.
âThe one over there â heâs called Balberith25.â
âŠThe youth directed his gaze towards us, and a fear that invaded both our minds and our bodies crept alongâŠ! Whatâs going on with that guyâs auraâŠ! H-How is it possible to have such an endlessly deep, strong, and inexplicable auraâŠ!? I thought that I was the only one who felt like this, so I glanced at Vali who stood beside me â beads of sweat could be seen on his forehead as well! That Vali is actually feeling pressure from this man named Balberith! The battle maniac who would normally show a fearless smile and fight with joy no matter how strong his opponent was, was actuallyâŠ! Upon seeing us like this, Verrine seemed to find it amusing, and she couldnât help but let out a laugh as she said rather naturally
âUfufu âȘ Balberith and Iâ. We seem to be what youâd call [Super Devils].â
[â!?!?]
Everyone was shocked! This was a natural response! They suddenly called themselves Super Devils! However, combining the outcome of the game just then and the pressure that we could feel in front of ourselves, all of that emphasised the authenticity of her words! I had seen Rizevim and Sirzechs-sama when he got serious in the past. My comrades beside me had also witnessed Rizevim, and during the Demonic Beast Riot, they had also seen Ajuka Beelzebub-sama in battle. No one had any doubts about her declaration. Verrine said
âDo you find the name of our team strange? Itâs a name that came about after we gathered together, though the name is nothing but a decoration anyway.â
She laughed innocently. The aura exuded by this relaxed and cheerful young girl also felt as though it was bottomless. The youth called Balberith emotionlessly said
âI fought against a godâŠit wasnât very much.â
After getting halfway through his sentence, his piercing glare shifted to me and Vali!
ââWill the Two Heavenly Dragons considered to be the strongest in history be worthy of battle?â
It felt as though I was beginning to freeze from deep within. Even though I felt such fear, on the other hand, a strong person was seeking me out, and as a man, I couldnât help but feel both happy and honouredâŠ! In response, Vali finally revealed that fearless smile of his. Balberith walked past between the two of us.
âI look forward to meeting you in a match.â
Verrine quickly chased after the youth, and she waved goodbye to us as she left.
âSee ya âȘâ
After waiting until the two of them left, we finally exhaled and took a deep breath! Rias took a deep breath, and then she said
ââŠTheyâre truly monsters. Itâs been a long time since Iâve felt as though I couldnât breatheâŠ!â
I asked Vali
âVali, what do you think?â
Even though the two of them had already left, Vali still kept staring in the direction from which they had both left.
ââŠThere is no doubt that they are Devils. ButâŠitâs scary just how strong they areâŠ!â
Albion and Ddraig also expressed their own thoughts.
[Those twoâŠ. What exactly is going onâŠ?]
[So, such things have remained hidden up until now huhâŠ]
This was the debut of the formidable people who had caused even the fearless Two Heavenly Dragons to say such things. Seriously, it doesnât look like itâll be that easy to advance in the Tournament. In the near future, weâll also have to compete against Vidar-san and the others! Faced with the extraordinary existences which were different to god-class beings, I was once again able to profoundly feel the true difficulty of this Tournamentâ.
Part 2
After encountering new enemies during our visit to Azazel Stadium, we began to collect information on the team of Balberith and Verrine. Rias and Ravel received some information from Tournament officials and other contestants. All of a sudden, Rossweisse-san received a message via a communications magic circle. After reading the contents, Rossweisse-san immediately shrieked, and she instantly sat down on the floor as the strength in her legs disappeared.
ââŠâŠEeeeeeeeeehhhâŠâ
Her voice was filled with confusion.
âW-Whatâs wrong, Rossweisse-san?â
I approached her, and after she jolted in surprise, she averted her eyes from me.
ââŠâŠU-UmmâŠi-itâs a bit difficult to sayâŠâ
After taking a deep breath, Rossweisse-san spoke with a determined expression.
ââŠMy hometown sent a request to me, saying that a marriage interview has been arranged. My grandmother is strongly persuadingâŠor more likely, forcing me to go to a marriage interviewâŠâ
A marriage interview!? Rossweisse-san is!? At the request of the Norse mythology!? I couldnât help but feel taken aback. Irina continued to ask in my stead
âT-This marriage interview that youâre talking about, who is the other partyâŠ?â
It was at this time that Akeno-san spoke
âAh, Rias. Weâve also been contacted by the Norse mythology. You can take a look.â
Akeno-san showed the communications magic circle to Rias, and she also understood after seeing it.
ââŠI-It looks like the situation has become troublesome!â
Riasâ expression seemed to show that she was uncertain of what to do as well. At last, Rossweisse-san said to me
ââŠT-The other party is Vidar-samaâŠ!â
After a slow pause, all of us cried out loud!
[With the chief god!? A m-marriage interview!?]
From the looks of things, it seems like the final episode of the first trimester of our third year is yet another outrageous event!
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