"He briefly forged a Demon God that should not have existed in this era— A source of all evil, and the embodiment of tyrants through the ages."
"As much as I hate to admit it, in the realm of spiritual descent, his technique is unsurpassed. A forerunner worthy of our study!"
— Kenneth El-Melloi Archibald, First-Class Lecturer, Department of Spiritual Evocation
...
At the start of 1917, during the final days of the Tsarist Empire, a grand illusion appeared— Tens of millions of people witnessed the arrival of a "demon." They saw an ancient beast descend from the sky, wreaking havoc.
This remains one of history's unsolved mysteries. Some experts believe it was mass hallucination brought on by poisoning, or a mirage. But theologians say it was the work of the most feared and reviled man of that time: Lucan Luvist.
"He cast a shadow over all things." "He sought to drag the world into hell." — Unsolved Mysteries of the World
...
It was like the arrival of a Demon God.
A looming shadow appeared over the Kremlin, its roar scattering wind and dust. It was a prehistoric giant with ashen-blue skin. It was also the crowned monarch in imperial robes— The embodiment of fear left by every Tsar in history.
It rose from the palace grounds behind Lucan, standing tall and imposing— As if resonating with him from afar.
The cold streets remained silent.
And in the blink of an eye, the snow vanished!
The colossal pressure of this mysterious force surged toward the Demonic Bodhisattva, Sesshōin Kiara— And she laughed.
She couldn't help but praise him, nor hide her astonishment.
"Are you really just a common magus? A 'priest' from a monastery?"
Floating lightly, the oppressive force seemed not to affect her. She was calm—excited, even.
What exquisite entertainment!
She thought to herself.
"You're now remotely controlling the Phantom Spirit of a provisional Tsar, indirectly unifying the mysteries of this entire land— Among the magi of the world, how many could achieve this? So few."
"I was right about you. You do bring me joy. But unfortunately, for me, that alone means nothing."
As her words fell, that low hum returned.
And with it—mystic pulses.
The same transformation from before.
Lucan's gaze darkened.
This woman... had an even stronger power?
He realized it.
But reacting in time? Impossible.
The seductive, barely-dressed woman lifted her head— Her fingers moved like ripples over water— Dark, flowing matter appeared in the void, surging outward from her.
It rose. It stretched.
It spread across the sky.
Then it fell— Like black sludge on a painter's canvas.
In an instant, it swallowed the sky. Blotted out all sight.
No more heavens. No more streets. No more earth.
Lucan, who had just escaped the previous seal— Was once again trapped within a new world.
But this time—
It was not magecraft. Nor a miracle.
"I spent years in ascetic training," Sesshōin Kiara said.
In the pitch-black void, she floated slightly above the ground.
Her garments fluttered.
Her body swayed with mesmerizing grace.
She said:
"I endured countless tribulations, and finally achieved the Eye of Observation that surveys all things."
"Through that eye, I witnessed the world."
"And finally stepped beyond this world, into the Throne of Demon Heaven— The Sixth Heaven of the Realm of Desire— Where I beheld humanity's joys and sorrows."
It was a chant.
But not a baptismal hymn—
"A Reality Marble!?" Lucan muttered darkly.
He could feel the severance from the outer world.
This was a miracle feared even among the magi— A Reality Marble— A personalized world made real.
Something only spirits of nature were thought capable of.
Only the most gifted among humans could ever wield it— And only after years of refining the inner world.
His mind raced— Now it made sense— Why she had let the miracle barrier collapse without intervening.
It was to allow this world to be born without interference.
Once the Reality Marble covered the real world— Everything would be swallowed up.
The fewer obstacles in the way, the faster it would manifest.
And the previous battlefield— Purged once by miracle— Was already a conceptual void.
Thus her Reality Marble emerged with lightning speed.
So fast, he realized— He had already been swallowed up before he could react.
"Reality Marble: Throne of the Demon Heaven."
"Welcome— To my world."
Just as Lucan had a hidden trump card— So did she.
This was always a contest of who could hide more cards— That was the nature of magi.
The Burial Agency was no exception.
"And now..."
"Let us enjoy it— Together."
Within the black tide of her Reality Marble, the Demonic Bodhisattva swayed alluringly— Her golden eyes glowing.
In that moment, Lucan met her gaze.
His eyes passed over her bewitching features, her slender neck, the white skin revealed at Her chest, barely veiled, radiated both sanctity and seduction.Her bare shoulders caught the light like ivory blades. Beneath raised arms, her deep cleavage curved like an open scripture of temptation.
Her full curves flared outward, voluptuous thighs reaching down.
She stood amid darkness— A living embodiment of desire— Eliciting primal, biological hunger.
This was the Realm of Desire. The Sixth Heaven.
Even the strongest minds would burn in lust— And be reduced to ash.
But before that—
They would taste rapture beyond imagining.
"Since you're the first to enter after I mastered my Reality Marble— You'll ascend with me."
She reached toward Lucan, who seemed dazed— Eyes clouded by passion.
Her fingers touched—
Nothing.
They passed through his image—
"An illusion?"
The simplest of magecraft. Scorned by many.
Even a normal person might use it under the right conditions.
Sesshōin Kiara's eyes widened.
She realized— Lucan had never entered the Reality Marble at all!
She had been fooled— By his illusion.
When had it started? She couldn't tell.
Her eyes narrowed.
The Reality Marble began to collapse.
Its boundaries withdrew— Revealing the real world.
Since Lucan had never been inside— She had to go find him— Drag him in by force if need be.
She remained confident.
The possessor of a Reality Marble should be confident.
She returned to the real world.
The streets were cold and empty. Lucan was gone.
He'd fled?
Of course.
How could he face a Reality Marble head-on?
But it didn't matter. She would find him.
"You won't get away—"
"Who said I ran?"
A sudden voice— Exploded behind her!
She froze—
Because with the voice— Came a hand—
Gripping her shoulder.
Lucan's palm touched her waist.
His warm hand pressed against her skin— His fingers slid down to her lower curve.
The gesture— Ambiguous.
But brimming with killing intent!
"You..."
For the first time— Fear crossed her face.
For the first time— Her voice shook.
"Surprised?" Lucan grinned. "I never escaped your Reality Marble." "I simply used illusion to make you think I wasn't pulled in."
"Your arrogance was your downfall, Demonic Bodhisattva— I was behind you all along— Waiting for you to open it."
But Sesshōin Kiara hadn't underestimated Lucan. She had only dismissed— The simplest illusion.
A trick even commoners could learn.
But simplicity didn't mean weakness.
Lucan's illusion was instant-cast— No ritual, no signs— Born of his mental magecraft.
"Instant illusions...?" she whispered.
Despite the warmth spreading across her shoulder and waist— Despite being touched so intimately for the first time— She remained calm.
As a Burial Agency operative, she analyzed the situation.
The Reality Marble had not fully closed— Now it was under attack.
Lucan was invading it— Using it as a bridge to reconnect with the Phantom Spirit— With Nicholas II.
"You having a Reality Marble surprised me," Lucan said. "But the mystery that fuels it didn't."
"You're 'Evil of Humanity'—right?"
He released her.
She stepped forward, turned around.
Her nearly bare form flushed with pink.
She licked her lips.
"Yes. So what?"
"Love, hate, resentment— All negative emotions— Are humanity's evil."
Her lips curled with confidence.
She knew what Lucan was doing— Trying to corrupt her Reality Marble— To take her power.
She let him.
She wanted him to.
She wanted him to face the Evil of Humanity head-on.
He would lose himself.
He would die.
The Evil of Humanity was not to be trifled with.
But she didn't know—
This was part of his plan.
He knew.
Even as a counterpart from another world— Her nature mirrored the original Sesshōin Kiara's.
The black mud that wove her Reality Marble— Was the Evil of Humanity.
She smiled, assured.
The shadows of her Reality Marble remained— Faint outlines of 1917 Moscow visible.
Lucan reached out.
He whispered:
"Are you ready?"
Not to Kiara—
But to the beast— Nicholas II.
The giant's scarlet eyes flared like suns.
Kiara froze.
Lucan was not consumed by madness— Because he hadn't kept the power.
He released it.
The black mud scattered—
Not vanished—
But fused with air, soaked into the earth.
Carried by wind. By clouds.
And with Lucan's will—
He summoned more Evil.
He used Evil— To draw forth more Evil.
The guilt and sin festering in the Tsarist Empire—
All now gathered.
"I will bear the sins of this age."
Lucan spoke quietly—
And began the ritual.
Kiara understood—
And thought he was mad.
He meant to bear all of the era's evil—
To usher in a new world.
The Burial Agency had no shortage of madmen—
But none like him.
No—
Nicholas II was the same.
Kiara's mind spiraled.
Lucan didn't even glance at her.
He looked only to the sky— Where dark clouds gathered.
Not just clouds— But black mud— Manifested Evil.
He never saw the Church— Never saw Sesshōin Kiara— As his enemy.
He hadn't come to fight... He had come to create.
To birth a new age... To manifest Mystery.
The Church was just a tool.
He need not kill it— Nor hate it.
Lucan walked away.
That day, Moscow's sky was black as the abyss.
That day, the Tsarist Empire was drenched in evil.
That day, that moment—
The beast that was Nicholas II roared at the heavens.
Its shadow loomed in every eye.
And others appeared.
Lucan chanted his ritual— Marching into view.
They would bear the era's evil.
Just as planned— Before all to see—
Lucan Luvist's second display of mystery!
...
The sky like a black sea—
A sign of hell's descent—
And the darkest hour—
Before the dawn.
— Russian Folk Song