The skies above Kuoh Academy burned crimson.
The air itself quivered, thick with magic, straining under the weight of countless enchantments layered upon the land and those magical beings within.
A vast bounded field enveloped the entire academy, its walls humming with suppressed power.
Detection spells. Protective barriers. Anti-teleportation wards. Anti-divination arrays. Every conceivable defense had been woven into the field, creating a fortress of sorcery that denied intrusion from without and escape from within.
And within that sealed domain—beneath the blood-red sky—three armies lingered in tense suspension, wings and weapons poised for battle.
Angels. Devils. Fallen.
Though they had been summoned as guardians of peace, they stood ready not only to repel intruders, but to guard themselves against one another.
The tri-faction summit within Kuoh Academy had been declared a step toward reconciliation, an end to the endless war that spanned centuries. Yet until the ink of an alliance dried, vigilance sharpened every gaze, and unease weighed upon every heart.
Inside the academy's teachers' meeting room—now transformed into a hall worthy of history—the summit convened. A grand circular table commanded the center, and around it, the leaders of Heaven, the Underworld, and the Grigori took their seats.
From the heavens came Archangel Michael, his presence serene yet commanding. At his side stood Shidou Irina, the familiar girl who had once fought alongside Rias and her companions.
From the Fallen Angels, Governor General Azazel lounged in his chair with casual confidence, though his eyes betrayed nothing of his thoughts. Behind him stood the White Dragon Emperor, Vali, silent but watchful.
From the Underworld arrived the Demon King of Destruction, Sirzechs Lucifer, his calm smile betraying the weight of his aura, and beside him, the ever-vivacious Demon King Leviathan, Serafall. Accompanying them were Grayfia, Sirzech's Queen and wife, Rias, and Sona, with their peerages present to report on matters tied to the day's agenda.
They came on friendly terms, yet there was an air of tense silence and pressure from the sheer presence of the three factions' leaders.
Still, above all, despite the legendary figures assembled, countless glances drifted again and again toward the fourth group.
They did not sit at the table, but stood quietly by the wall, removed from the center of discourse. No magic radiated from their bodies. No presence could be felt. Aside from Xenovia, they seemed—on the surface—nothing more than ordinary humans.
But none of the great leaders were deceived. Their very presence here proved otherwise.
Sirzechs, Serafall, and Michael exchanged silent looks as their gazes fell upon the group. They recognized Yuuji, Aika, and Xenovia, but the sight of the others—Lelouch, Tatsuya, C.C., and Erika—stirred surprise. They've only heard of their names in reports.
Azazel and Vali, who had never seen them before, regarded the mysterious figures with narrowed eyes, as though dissecting a puzzle too dangerous to ignore.
The summit had begun—but the presence of the fourth faction cast an unspoken tension across the chamber.
"Well then, shall we begin?"
Sirzechs said, his tone calm yet carrying the authority befitting Lucifer himself. His lips curved into a diplomatic smile as his crimson eyes swept across the room.
"While this may be an official summit to solidify the alliance between our three factions, I believe it would serve us well to ease the air. After all, we are already well acquainted, and we all share the same desire—the end of this endless madness, the war that has scarred our homes for centuries."
Michael, ever radiant with a serene smile, inclined his head in agreement. The Archangel's golden aura seemed to soften the tension in the room, although his vigilance never wavered.
Azazel leaned back in his chair, his signature smirk tugging at his lips. He appeared casual, even playful, but his sharp eyes betrayed his true focus. He had been sneaking glances at Yuuji and his companions ever since the meeting began, as though trying to unravel a puzzle only he could see.
With the opening remarks concluded, introductions began.
Sirzechs gestured to his younger sister and her retainers.
"First, allow me to introduce my sister, Rias Gremory, and her peerage. They were instrumental in resolving the incident with Kokabiel."
Rias stepped forward gracefully, her crimson hair flowing behind her, while her peerage gave respectful bows.
Next, Serafall bubbled with her usual cheer, though her eyes held the sharpness of a seasoned leader.
"And this is my dear sister, Sona Shitori, and her peerage. They lent their strength to Rias and her household during the same incident."
Michael smiled warmly at the young devils, his words carrying genuine praise.
"Truly admirable. Your courage has not gone unnoticed." He then gestured beside him.
"Accompanying me today is one of my most trusted warriors, Shidou Irina, a truly talented exorcist."
Irina beamed, giving a confident wave to the devils she once fought beside.
Finally, Azazel leaned forward, his smirk widening as he decided to speak.
"Well, I suppose it's my turn." His voice carried an amused edge.
"First of all, I'd like to apologize for the trouble one of my subordinates caused. Kokabiel's recklessness was… inconvenient, even for me." He shrugged, as though brushing off the weight of the disaster.
"Still, I must extend my thanks to all of you for cleaning up the mess."
His gaze lingered on Rias and Sona briefly.
"And, of course, I have with me the current White Dragon Emperor, Vali. I'm sure he needs no introduction."
Vali crossed his arms, standing tall with a cool confidence that radiated dominance. His piercing gaze swept across the room, lingering momentarily on Issei before moving on before finally landing on Yuuji once again.
Azazel tapped a finger against the table, his grin turning sharper.
"But before we move on to the main agenda… there's something I'm dying to know."
His eyes slid toward the corner where Yuuji and his companions stood, quiet and watchful.
"Care to introduce the guests you've brought with you? They seem… more than a little interesting."
Yuuji simply smiled as he stepped forward, his calm demeanor immediately drawing the attention of the room.
"It is a pleasure and an honor to stand in the presence of the great leaders of the Heavens, the Underworld, and the Fallen," he said, his voice carrying steady confidence without arrogance.
"My name is Tsubakihara Yuuji. And these are Kiryuu Aika, Chiba Erika, Shiba Tatsuya, C.C, and Xenovia Quarta. We have been invited as a neutral fourth party—to observe these proceedings and to safeguard the success of this summit."
He spoke with measured courtesy, his tone deliberate, every word chosen with care. His hand briefly gestured toward his companions, who stood silently but radiated quiet strength.
Azazel's brows rose slightly, his eyes narrowing with faint curiosity.
The Archangel had expected Yuuji to participate in this summit, but even he did not expect Yuuji's words.
Sirzechs remained outwardly composed, but his crimson gaze sharpened, studying every detail of the young man before him. Azazel, ever the one to mask tension with casualness, let out a low chuckle, though the faint glimmer in his eyes betrayed his intrigue.
The room had grown subtly heavier. Yuuji's declaration of a "neutral fourth party" was not a simple introduction—it was a statement.
One that all three leaders silently acknowledged, though none voiced it aloud.
Still, beneath those words, there was a gravity that no one aside from the group chat members were aware of.
His presence here—and that of his allies—was tied to a mission that extended far beyond peace talks.
The completion of their group chat mission.
Their preparations reflected the seriousness of that mission. High above Kuoh Academy, hidden from sight and cloaked from all forms of detection, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon floated silently in the crimson-streaked skies.
Concealed by layers of powerful illusion, concealment barriers, and magic from level 100 supreme beings, it was more fortress than sanctuary, brimming with magical defenses and resources prepared for any contingency.
Within its halls, three figures monitored the summit through a myriad of divination spells that bypassed undetected even the anti-divination wards set by the three factions with unwavering focus.
Albedo, ever the vigilant overseer, watched with cold calculation. Satoru, his demeanor relaxed but his presence radiating quiet power, remained on alert. And Semiramis, the sovereign mistress of the gardens themselves, had spread her influence across the field: countless invisible magical alarms had already been placed throughout the bounded field encasing Kuoh Academy.
The moment the Khaos Brigade attempted to force their way in—be it through teleportation, concealment, or brute force—the alarms would flare, and their trap would be sprung.
The only reason why they didn't use Albedo's [Dreams of Reality] was so they could actually beat up the intruders and obtain extra group chat points by killing high ranked devils, defeating a sacred gear user (Vali), and killing a leader of the Old Satan faction.
Azazel and Vali both froze at Yuuji's declaration. To supervise them?
It was not something said lightly.
For him to be here at this summit, for him to claim the role of an observer and guarantor of peace—it implied a terrifying possibility. If one, two, or even all three factions chose to betray this fragile negotiation, to strike down the leaders before them and claim "victory" in the centuries-old war…
This young man and his companions had the power to stop them all.
"...Who are you, really?"
The ever-present smirk on the gruff face of the Governor General faltered, hardening into a solemn frown. Azazel's golden eyes narrowed, suspicion and unease threading his voice.
Yuuji's gaze shifted to him—calm, unflinching, impossibly steady.
And at that moment, the Fallen Angel leader felt a chill run down his spine. No aura, no magic, no holy or demonic pressure radiated from Yuuji. Yet something about that gaze stirred something primal, as though a truth older and deeper than words was staring back at him.
Then, before the silence could stretch further—
With a faint shimmer, Yuuji's attire shifted. Light bent, and in the blink of an eye his figure was clad in the iconic battle suit. His visage sharpened into the armored form of the mysterious figure the three factions all knew by name.
The atmosphere in the chamber instantly tightened.
"You're… Mordred?!"
Gasps rippled through the hall.
Yuuji simply smiled, tilting his head ever so slightly, his calmness almost mocking the weight of his reveal.
"Is this enough?"
Vali's lips parted in shock—then curled into a grin, eyes gleaming with unrestrained excitement. His blood boiled at the thought. To fight Mordred once more, here of all places… the idea alone thrilled him.
Azazel, however, stared as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. The legendary knight, the rumored guardian of balance that stalked the shadows of all three factions… was in truth a young man.
And then, against all expectation—he laughed.
"Pff—Hahahaha! Of course! Of course it's you!"
Azazel leaned back, laughter booming through the tense air, though there was no mockery in it—only realization.
"That explains everything. You being here, playing neutral, acting as an observer… It all makes sense now. If it's you, then who else could fit the role better?"
Inwardly, though, his thoughts were far less lighthearted.
'With his power alone… he could stop us all. Even if Michael, Sirzechs, and I went all out, even if this turned into a bloodbath between the strongest beings of the three factions—he could subdue us before the world itself shattered.'
He experienced his power first hand.
The helplessness he—the governor general of the Fallen Angels and one of the most powerful Archangel by God's side in the past—felt, relegated to the side, unable to move or do anything, while Vali, the strongest white dragon emperor in history, were being toyed with before him… It was the first time he had ever felt so useless in his entire existence.
Not to mention, the realm-altering magic he used to conceal their existence without him nor Vali realizing…
A power beyond his imagination.
His gaze flickered briefly toward Yuuji's companions—Aika, Erika, Tatsuya, and C.C. They stood calm, their composure unshaken by the revelation.
'And if his allies are anything like him… then this "neutral faction" may be far more dangerous than we've ever realized.'
Such power in such a tumultuous time could be a bane or a boon.
However, given how they seemed to come on friendly terms, it'd be much better to treat them as allies, and if possible, make them one.
Their presence would be of immense help for them to fight against those trouble makers lurking in the dark.
"This summit got even more interesting than we expected, huh? Sirzechs, Serafall, Michael?"
"Indeed."
The Lucifer, Leviathan, and Archangel nodded, their eyes gazing towards the mysterious, yet reassuring, figures.
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AN: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter~! Please comment your thoughts~! I would love to hear what you think about it~!!!!
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