Chapter 2: The Plan Initiates

A slaughter too terrible to behold is visible. A cacophony too unbearable to hear is audible. Even without the Clairvoyance that sees across past and future, all truths flow in. The cost of regaining omniscience assails us/me. The responsibility of bearing omnipresence erodes us/me.

Even though I/the King is absent from this world, are we/I not granted the ability to close our eyes or cover our ears? Why do we/I possess the right—the anger—that I/the King did not?

--- It is hideous.

Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous. Hideous.

I am forced to witness supremely unpleasant facts. Supremely hideous ecosystems are branded into my memory.

It is a natural consequence to think about resolving this hideous environment and situation. But how? If the dirt is completely removed, humanity will cease to exist. The premise is wrong. As long as the object of worship is incorrect, this mistake will not be corrected.

I must rewrite it. There is no choice but to rewrite it. Rewrite everything from scratch, as a gentle world. Not just in books. Not just in doctrine. Not just in faith. Not just the future. --- But from the world itself.

We/I planned to rewrite the existence of God, starting from the beginning. For that, many resources are needed. A vast amount of fuel is required. For example, yes—the thermal energy derived from burning all of Heaven and Hell. Gathering just one of them is not enough. It is preferable to first incinerate one and use that energy to gather the other. This method will allow the task to be completed. The thermal energy of the souls of the dead spanning thousands of years and the world capable of containing them. When this is collected, bound, and controlled, my great work shall be achieved. There is no need to burn the star for three millennia as before. Everything will be over in just two instances.

Build the temple where the dead are summoned. Pile up the light belts where the living worship. All resources are required to destroy the old Bible. All time is needed to forget the old myth.

The enemy of us/me is the one recorded in the Bible. The demons claiming to be the Seventy-Two Pillars, the fallen angels, and the lazy angels are merely fuel, let alone enemies to be defeated. However, the entity that granted that man its wisdom is on a different level. Only that Single God cannot be defeated without staking everything we/I have.

—Seek the means to overthrow the Single God. Therein lies the hope (throne) of I/the Human King.

'Sup! I'm Hyoudou Issei! Everyone calls me Issei!

I took the entrance exam for Kuoh Academy, which has a high percentage of female students, with the sole desire of creating a harem, and I successfully enrolled. But I'm not popular at all. I thought if there were many girls, finding a girlfriend wouldn't be an issue, but in reality, they only flock to the handsome guys! I ended up not even getting a girlfriend, let alone a harem! Worse yet, I'm hated like the plague by the girls as one of the 'Pervert Trio.' This wasn't part of my plan! I was aiming for a lewd high school life where I could touch breasts all the time!

Just when I thought I finally got a girlfriend, Amano Yuuma, I was killed at the end of our first date. It turns out she was a Fallen Angel, and her goal was the Sacred Gear sleeping inside my body. The Fallen Angels apparently make sure to kill humans like me who possess a Sacred Gear before we can gain power.

I was killed once, but I was revived as a Devil by the power of the President—Rias Gremory. Devil in the literal sense. I have magic power, bat-like wings, and I'm vulnerable to light. The kind of being that appears as the villain in stories.

I was surprised that Devils and Fallen Angels really exist. By the way, the Sacred Gears were apparently created by the God recorded in the Bible. Thinking that I was killed because of it, what a nuisance of a thing they created.

The current Devils have a system called the 'Evil Piece.' It's an item that reincarnates other species into Devils, making them servants. I became a Devil through this power. I was suddenly made a servant and stopped being human, but I can't complain since I would have died otherwise. By the way, the pieces are modeled after human chess, and I'm the lowest rank, the 'Pawn.'

But, if I work hard and earn a peerage, I can apparently have my own subordinates! Plus, they say I can do anything I want with my subordinates! That means I can create my dream harem just for me! I, I will create a harem of only beautiful girls, and, and the breasts! I will become the Harem King!

...Well, the reality isn't that sweet, though. I'm trying hard with my job as a Devil—fulfilling the wish of the contracted human and receiving something in return—but I'm not getting many results. I have a good reputation with the contractors, but I rarely successfully complete a contract. Moreover, the people who contract with me are all perverts and weirdos.

...Meanwhile, Kiba, the handsome prince in the same peerage, contracts with a high percentage of beautiful older women. Damn it, you handsome guyyyyyyy!

"Hwah!"

As I was walking home from school, seething with murderous intent, a sudden voice came from behind.

I turned around, and there was a Sister. She was face down on the ground, having fallen in a very clumsy way.

"A-Are you okay?"

I approached the Sister and reached out my hand to help her stand up.

"Ohh. Why did I fall... Ah, I'm sorry. Thank you."

As I pulled her hand to help her up, the Sister's veil flew away in the wind.

And what was revealed was the smiling face of an incredibly beautiful blonde girl. I stared at her face in a daze for a while.

"I-Is something wrong?"

"Ah, s-sorry."

I was more than just mesmerized. I thought, this must be a flag, I have to continue the conversation, when suddenly,

"Fou!"

A sudden, nonsensical sound was heard. Was it a voice, or a cry? And it was a strange cry that I had never heard before... The sound came from above, so I looked up, and...

"Fou!"

"Ow!"

Something fell onto my face. I felt a sharp, intense pain, like being stabbed by a blade. Since I became a Devil, my body has become tougher, so I shouldn't feel this much pain. As I held my head, I sensed something brush past my hand.

Then, a continuous pain shot through my shins.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

"Fou! Fou-fou!"

"Ah, no, Fou-kun, stop it!"

I looked down and saw a pure white furball attacking my legs. It was a strange creature, like a rabbit, a dog, and a cat all at once.

"Fou-kun?"

"Yes, he's a friend. He started following me shortly after I arrived in Japan... I might not have made it this far without Fou-kun."

"Oh, is that so---"

"Fou!"

"---Ow!"

The furball, whether it was Fou or Font or whatever, kept attacking my legs. It was as if it were interrupting the conversation between me and her. I thought it was small and cute for a moment, but this little animal is annoying!

"Ah, I'm sorry! My Fou-kun is..."

"N-No, it's fine. Hahaha."

"Fou-fou."

I was annoyed by the little animal, which didn't seem remorseful at all, but I held back for the sake of the 'flag' with the Sister. Just as I picked up the Sister's veil and was about to continue the conversation—

"Oh? Could you possibly be Asia Argento?"

Someone suddenly called out. I turned back, wary that something else might fall on my head, and there was a man. Not the Fallen Angel who tried to kill me once. I didn't feel the same full-body chill I did that time. That means he's probably human.

The person standing there was a smiling gentleman with a soft demeanor. He wore a moss-green tuxedo and a top hat. His hair was long and messy.

"Y-Yes. I am."

The Sister, or rather, Asia, replied with a look of suspicion on her face. Judging that this person was probably not an acquaintance of hers, I stepped forward to shield her.

"Hey, who are you?"

"I am a man named Lev Lainur. Judging by your uniform, you are a student at Kuoh Academy, correct? The Sister there is the person I'm looking for."

"Are you perhaps from the church where I'm being dispatched?"

"In terms of being an associate, yes."

Hearing that, a look of relief appeared on Asia's face.

"Oh, thank goodness. I was having trouble because I can't speak Japanese and couldn't ask for directions."

So Asia couldn't speak Japanese. One of the perks of being reincarnated as a Devil is being able to understand any language. Conversations are translated, but not written text. Thanks to this perk, my English pronunciation has become incredibly good.

"That must have been difficult for you."

I saw that Asia was carrying a travel bag. Judging from the conversation, she was a Sister newly dispatched to this town? I know the church, but it hasn't been used for years. Maybe it's going to be used again. Does that mean this person named Lev is a priest? Dressed like that?

When the gentleman named Lev extended his hand, Asia understood his intent and handed over her bag. I see, a gentleman's gesture. Mr. Lev, holding the bag, noticed the small animal nestled at Asia's feet. He was so surprised that his smile briefly faltered. What, I've never seen one either, but is it really that rare?

"Hmm...? That beast is..."

"Ah, he just joined me on the way... I can't bring him along, can I?"

"Not at all. As long as you take care of him. Well, shall we go?"

"Yes! Ah, excuse me for a moment."

Asia excused herself to Mr. Lev and looked at me.

"Um, may I ask your name?"

"I'm Hyoudou Issei. Everyone calls me Issei, so Issei is fine."

"I am Asia Argento! Please call me Asia!"

"Then, Sister Asia. I hope we can meet again."

"Yes! Issei-san, we will definitely meet again!"

"Fou!"

Asia bowed and followed behind Mr. Lev. The small animal also followed Asia. I waved goodbye.

This encounter was the beginning of my destiny with 'them.'

Later, I learned that a gas explosion had occurred at the church where Asia was supposed to have been dispatched. My mom heard from the neighbor that it was strange because gas hadn't been connected there for years. According to witnesses, there had been no human traffic either. Naturally, no new Sister had arrived in the past few days. Asia was never dispatched to that church.

The Underworld, Fallen Angel Territory, Headquarters of the 'Watchers of God's Children,' Governor-General's Office.

Governor-General Azazel and Vice-Governor-General Shemhaza were talking.

"So, that Raynare, was it? The Intermediate Angel in charge of Sirzechs' sister's territory?"

"Yes. The old church she and her subordinates were using as a base was assaulted by someone."

In this short period, Fallen Angels with bases in the human world have been successively attacked. The information control is perfect, leaving absolutely no evidence other than the trace of combat and Fallen Angel feathers. Similar incidents are continuing at a level that cannot be ignored.

"Just to confirm, it wasn't Sirzechs' sister, the 'Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess,' right?"

"Yes. It appears not."

Rias Gremory likely didn't notice the attack on the Fallen Angels. She didn't notice that someone had infiltrated her territory and attacked the church infested with Fallen Angels. Though she must know now that everything is over.

"Should we consider it to be a faction of the notorious 'Khaos Brigade'?"

"Yes, I think so too. So, Azazel. Is it that faction?"

"The Old Satan Faction has no benefit. Stirring up trouble in Sirzechs' sister's territory to embarrass him... that's too roundabout."

If it were the Old Satan Faction's doing, they should have also inflicted harm upon Rias Gremory or her peerage. But there are no such signs.

"In that case, should we assume the Hero Faction went for talent scouting?"

"Probably. Tsk. According to the data, she seemed to be quite high-performance, didn't she? What a waste."

Asia Argento's Sacred Gear was the recovery type, Twilight Healing (Mother's Smile). Combined with her nature, its performance allowed her to even heal Devils. It was due to this high performance that she was previously disgraced as a "Witch."

"Should we really leak the information about the 'Khaos Brigade' to the Devil or God side?"

"I wonder. The Three Factions aren't united. Besides, we don't trust each other. Even if we propose peace, neither Sirzechs nor Michael would agree. It might work if I propose it at a venue they set up, but they won't come if I call them."

"I suppose not."

However, they can't just leave things as they are. Fallen Angels cannot easily increase their numbers. They must at least figure out who the enemy is.

"If we were to join hands, we'd have to disclose the absence of God."

However, they had no way of realizing how shallow their thinking was.

Orias's Report: "Confirmation of the existence of the God-forged weapon, Excalibur."

Andras's Supplement: "Excalibur was damaged during the Great War and is currently split into seven fragments. Two each are stored by the Protestants, Catholics, and the Orthodox Church. One is unknown."

Kimaris's Supplement: "Excalibur's abilities have diversified: focus on destruction, invisibility, transformation, illusion, speed enhancement, blessing, and control over living creatures."

Zagan's Hypothesis: "The integration of Excalibur is theoretically possible. However, even if integrated, the Holy Sword's performance is likely significantly degraded. It is highly probable that its capability as a deterrent is also lost."

Astaroth's Conclusion: "The current Excalibur, including its wielders, is utterly frail. It is far inferior to the King of Knights."

Goetia's Decision: "Excalibur in this world is similar to, yet different from, that of our world. The danger level is set to C."

Flauros's Request: "Protection of the girl with the recovery-type Sacred Gear. Requesting her assignment."

Gusion's Reply: "Many injured humans were protected by Allocer. It is recommended to assign her to the Life Institute."

Hagenti's Acceptance: "Requesting a swift personnel transfer."

Flauros's Acceptance: "I will guide her to the Life Institute."

Bune's Report---