Silence permeated the room as Gilgamesh stared at Nyx.
Crimson met black, the serious expressions of the two divine beings locked without wavering.
Gilgamesh still remembered when he had first met the Primordial Goddess.
It was a few years ago, when Gilgamesh was still working for the Church under his title of "Strongest Exorcist."
It was a simple mission to exterminate some creatures in Greece, though it was concerning that Gilgamesh was operating in the territory of the Greek Pantheon.
Even so, the King of Heroes had gone to carry out his mission, which was quite simple for him, but in the midst of it, he ended up meeting Nyx.
The Primordial Goddess of Night had a great interest in Longinus-class Sacred Gears, though it was more of a concern due to Longinus being anomalies that greatly interfered with the world.
And so, the fact that Gilgamesh possessed two of them at the time drew the Goddess's attention significantly.
Gilgamesh had met Nyx, and after a conversation, a fight inevitably occurred.
Nyx was strong; she deserved her title as "Primordial Goddess of Night" for a reason. Her mastery over [Darkness Manipulation] was something Gilgamesh had never seen the likes of.
However, even so, she didn't come close to defeating Gilgamesh, who, using [Enkidu: Chains of Heaven], bound her. Being a divinity, Nyx could do nothing to defend herself and was ultimately defeated.
After that, Gilgamesh had talked and become friends with Nyx, and from then on, Nyx would occasionally appear for them to chat.
Gilgamesh wasn't blind to the fact that Nyx had a crush on him. Although he liked the Greek Goddess, his feelings weren't romantic; he merely enjoyed teasing her.
However, the fun and cheerful Goddess of Night that Gilgamesh knew didn't seem to be the one standing before him now.
Looking at Nyx, the King of Heroes could see that her usual cheerful gaze had been replaced by a vacant and distant look.
And honestly, Gilgamesh didn't like that.
"What's wrong?" Gilgamesh asked, turning to the Primordial Goddess.
For Gilgamesh, who was accustomed to Nyx's cheerful demeanor and zest for life, seeing her like this made him feel worried.
However, instead of answering, Nyx closed the distance between herself and Gilgamesh and did something that surprised the King of Heroes.
She hugged him.
Gilgamesh's crimson eyes widened in surprise when he saw Nyx throw herself at him and embrace him, but even though he found it strange, he returned the hug.
"What happened?" Gilgamesh asked while hugging the Goddess, who had tears forming in her eyes.
"They're coming after you," Nyx's sad voice came out in a low whisper.
"Who?" Gilgamesh asked curiously.
Who would be foolish enough to come after him? Especially after the power he demonstrated in his fight against Sirzechs.
"Hades," Nyx replied.
Gilgamesh's eyes widened at the mention of the Greek God of the Dead. Few beings didn't know of Hades.
Hades was a member of the Supreme Trinity of Greek Gods, yet his power far surpassed that of Poseidon and Zeus. He was considered one of the "Top 10 Strongest Beings in the World."
Gilgamesh knew that Hades had a deep hatred for beings from other mythologies, deeming them unnecessary, and aimed to eliminate them, along with his clear hatred for Longinus possessors.
"Why is Hades after me?" Gilgamesh asked.
Though he had an idea, he wanted to be certain of what was happening.
"Some time ago, Hades formed a group and invited other Dark Gods to join. His goal is to destroy the leaders of each mythology, the Super Devils Sirzechs Lucifer and Ajuka Beelzebub, and the Longinus users," Nyx replied while hugging Gilgamesh tighter.
"And how does he plan to do that?" Gilgamesh asked, narrowing his eyes.
No matter how he thought about it, what Hades was planning was pure suicide. Regardless of how strong he or his allies were, he was doomed to fail, especially with such grandiose goals.
He planned to eliminate the leaders of every mythology, including beings like Ra, Indra, Shiva, Odin, Amaterasu, and other gods and beings with absurd powers, not to mention Sirzechs and Ajuka, who were in the Top 10.
And then there was Gilgamesh himself.
"Hades has an army. A long time ago, he obtained the body of Lilith, the mother of all demons, and has been conducting experiments to create his own army of over a hundred thousand artificial demons, four of which are exceptionally powerful," Nyx explained calmly.
Gilgamesh listened quietly. He remembered that Hades had an army, but he hadn't imagined something like this was happening right under the Underworld's nose.
But something bothered him…
"And how do you know all this, Nyx?" Gilgamesh asked curiously.
Gilgamesh felt Nyx stiffen in his embrace.
"One of the Dark Gods Hades recruited was my brother Erebus, and I ended up joining to find out what Hades was planning," Nyx said as she relaxed.
Gilgamesh only sighed; it was just like Nyx to do something so dangerous.
"Alright, just be careful. What you did was very reckless," Gilgamesh said, shaking his head in disapproval.
"Okay," Nyx murmured with a smile on her face.
"But how does Hades plan to deal with the Longinus possessors?" Gilgamesh asked curiously.
After all, if a Longinus possessor died, the Sacred Gear would find another host.
"It's not Hades, but the Primordial God of the Abyss, Tartarus, who has a way. He can control the abyss, a vast void filled with pure darkness. Tartarus can seal his enemies within this abyss and keep them alive, preventing the Longinus from transferring to another host if the current one dies," Nyx explained calmly.
Gilgamesh nodded in understanding. If Tartarus sealed a Longinus possessor, there was no way to escape, and thus, the Longinus-class Sacred Gears would no longer be a problem.
"And after your battle against Sirzechs, Hades is furious and has accelerated his plans to come after you," Nyx said in a whisper.
"I see. But you don't need to worry. Hades and his group are not a problem for me," Gilgamesh said.
Even before his transformation into a [True Hero], Gilgamesh was confident that his power would be enough to handle Hades and his followers.
But now, with his transformation into a [True Hero] and his [Ultimate Skills], the King of Heroes was absolutely certain that not even someone on Shiva's level could defeat him, so Hades and his group wouldn't be an issue.
"It's not just Hades I'm worried about," Nyx replied as her body trembled slightly.
Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed at that.
"Who?"
"The master of the witch Walburga, the same man who attacked you and manipulated the wielder of the Holy Sword Caliburn," Nyx replied, making the King of Heroes' eyes widen.
Gilgamesh was genuinely interested in who this being was, who had the audacity to challenge him and was still after Valerie.
"His name is Ahriman," Nyx said as her body trembled slightly, reflecting her fear.
However, Gilgamesh focused on the name she mentioned.
Ahriman. He had heard it somewhere before. A Middle Eastern God, but that was all he could recall.
"But you might know him by another name: Angra Mainyu."
Gilgamesh's eyes widened at what he heard.
"The Zoroastrian God of Darkness and Evil…! The one who claims to represent all the evil in the world…!" the King of Heroes' voice came out in a surprised whisper.
After all, the Biblical God was considered the representation of all that was good in the world. Though not from the same pantheon, the God of Darkness was his opposite.
"But his pantheon disappeared long ago. Even if Angra Mainyu were alive, his power wouldn't be greater than that of a normal human," Gilgamesh said seriously.
The fact that the God of Darkness's pantheon had vanished, along with many of its gods, already made his existence rare.
And due to the lack of followers, it would have weakened him immensely, as gods drew much of their power from human faith.
However, the being he had faced was very powerful, certainly God-class, though Gilgamesh was certain he was holding back much of his power.
Nyx nodded in agreement.
"True, that would be the case for most gods. However, Gilgamesh, have you ever wondered why, even though their pantheons have disappeared, some gods continue to persist in their existence? Why is it that some gods, who live off the faith of human worshippers through their prayers and actions, can survive even when they are no longer actively worshipped? The answer is quite simple. It's because of their domains," Nyx replied calmly.
"Their domains?" Gilgamesh asked.
"What do you think happens with a God of Evil? Humans don't even need to actively pray to him or act in his name. Simply their thoughts of condemning another for their perceived crimes are enough to fuel his power. Imagine, the collective thoughts, or faith, of 7 billion humans, all going to Angra Mainyu?"
Gilgamesh's eyes widened as he listened to what Nyx was saying.
"If that's true…" Gilgamesh began.
"I saw him and felt his power," Nyx said as her body trembled with fear at the memory of that being. "And I believe his power wouldn't lose even to the legendary Hindu God of Destruction."
Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed at that. He certainly hadn't expected such a high level of power.
"But something bothers me," Nyx said, catching Gilgamesh's attention.
"Even if Angra Mainyu were the representation of 'All the Evil in the World,' receiving this power so suddenly, overnight, is strange," Nyx said calmly.
"That's very odd," Gilgamesh said, narrowing his eyes.
Angra Mainyu's power should increase gradually, not appear out of nowhere.
"When I met him, I asked what happened, and he told me strange things, like a force beyond this world helped him, and mentioned some odd names," Nyx said, seeming confused.
"What did he say specifically?" Gilgamesh asked, narrowing his eyes.
He had a suspicion about what was happening, but it was still too early to jump to conclusions.
"He said the beings who helped him were the Goddesses Laima, Kārta, and Dēkla. But I've never heard of such Goddesses," Nyx said, puzzled.
However, to Nyx's surprise, she was suddenly pulled out of Gilgamesh's arms by the man himself.
Looking at the King of Heroes, the Primordial Goddess widened her eyes.
Gilgamesh's crimson eyes glowed with fury as a golden aura enveloped his body powerfully.
"Those damned Goddesses," Gilgamesh growled with barely contained rage in his voice.
He should have known those Goddesses had something to do with this. The last thing they said to him should have been a warning.
"Oh, before we forget! We made some… changes to things we think you'll enjoy. Have fun~!"
It was obvious that those three were behind this.
Those who sought fun were probably laughing at Gilgamesh right now.
They must have used their power to gather human faith in Angra Mainyu and boosted his power even further to reach this level.
"Gil…" Nyx's voice came out worried as she saw her beloved's expression.
Sighing, Gilgamesh regained his composure as his power calmed.
"It's alright. Is there anything else?" Gilgamesh asked, turning his attention back to the Goddess.
"Well, Angra Mainyu has a strong army, besides those monsters," Nyx said fearfully.
"What do you mean?" Gilgamesh asked, not understanding.
"Even among his servants, there are some with exceptional power, so strong they could rival members of the Top 10," Nyx said, her body trembling with fear as she recalled the power of those beings.
"What were their names?" Gilgamesh asked curiously.
Given how things were unfolding, it would be wise to gather as much information as possible.
"I don't know, but they had nicknames like Alter, Saber, and Berserker, things like that," Nyx said nonchalantly.
Unbeknownst to her, Nyx failed to see the pure shock on Gilgamesh's face at what he heard.
If what Nyx said was true, it meant Angra Mainyu had the power to summon Servants to fight by his side.
"Those damned Goddesses even granted him that power," Gilgamesh thought in disbelief.
He truly couldn't believe the Goddesses were going so far for their own amusement.
"And also…" Nyx began, catching Gilgamesh's attention.
"There's also Angra Mainyu's right-hand man, Alester Baltazar. His power is almost as great as Angra Mainyu's. But he's far more terrifying," Nyx said, trembling slightly.
Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes at what he heard. There was no being in *DxD* with that name.
"What are the Goddesses up to?" Gilgamesh thought, puzzled.
Gilgamesh turned his gaze to Nyx and saw that the Goddess was trembling slightly. He put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a warm embrace.
Nyx blushed as her head was pressed against Gilgamesh's chest in a comforting hug.
"You don't need to worry, Nyx. Nothing will happen," Gilgamesh said in a soothing tone.
Gilgamesh gently touched Nyx's head, and a deep exhaustion overcame the Goddess, causing her to fall asleep.
Gently, Gilgamesh laid Nyx's body on the bed, smiling softly.
"Thank you for risking so much for me," Gilgamesh said in an affectionate tone.
Gilgamesh sighed as he processed everything that was happening. Everything he had heard from Nyx filled his mind.
Just when he thought he had resolved his problems, others arose.
"You can come in, you know," Gilgamesh said, looking at the door.
The door to the room slowly opened, revealing Sebas standing calmly.
The King of Heroes knew Sebas had been there the whole time since Nyx arrived.
"Did you know about Angra Mainyu and all this?" Gilgamesh asked, turning to the butler.
The old man shook his head in denial.
"No, I didn't know about this. It was a big surprise to me as well," Sebas said calmly.
Even so, Gilgamesh could see that the butler's mind was racing, trying to come up with hypotheses or solutions for what was happening.
"I see," Gilgamesh said, sighing. "There's no point thinking about it now. Let's focus on the present."
"Understood," Sebas said, nodding in agreement.
Sighing, Gilgamesh turned to Sebas, standing beside the butler.
"Then let's deal with this Zekram matter quickly," Gilgamesh said with a smile.
Activating his Ultimate Skill [King of Covenant Uriel], Gilgamesh used [Spatial Domination], and he and Sebas vanished in a flash of light.
**Bael Clan Castle, Underworld.**
The Bael Clan is one of the 32 remaining Devil clans of the 72 Pillars. It is the highest-ranking clan among the 72 Pillars and holds the rank of Great King.
As the highest-ranking clan of the 72 Pillars, the Bael Clan is well-known and famous for its [Power of Destruction]. They are also extremely proud, looking down on other demons and preferring to follow the old tradition where demonic power determines everything, to the point of discriminating against their own family members who lack any demonic powers.
The Bael Clan was founded by Zekram Bael, its progenitor, one of the original Demons created by the mother of Demons, Lilith. It was one of the 72 Pillar clans that participated in the Great War. At some point after the Great War, Lord Bael became the head of the clan. The Bael Clan rallied the other 72 Pillars in a rebellion against the Satan clans, as the Bael founded the Anti-Satan Faction that participated in the Devil Civil War against the Satan clans and their Satan Faction, with the Anti-Satan Faction emerging victorious. After the Devil Civil War, the Bael Clan established the Great King Faction to exert its influence, becoming politically on par with the new Four Great Satans and their supporters.
In the main castle of the most powerful clan in the Underworld, a luxurious grand hall housed a man sitting at a desk, reviewing his papers.
He was a middle-aged man with black hair and calm violet eyes, dressed in noble attire.
He was Zekram Bael, the first Head of the House of Bael, said to have greater influence than the current Four Great Satans. He was the de facto leader of the Demons after the death of the original Four Great Satans.
Zekram sighed as he leaned back in his chair. It had been a few days since the battle between Gilgamesh and Sirzechs, and Zekram hadn't achieved what he wanted.
Zekram's goal with that battle was simple: for Sirzechs to kill Gilgamesh so the human hero wouldn't become a nuisance in the future.
Or for Gilgamesh to kill Sirzechs Lucifer, making him an official enemy of the Underworld.
And with Sirzechs' death, Zekram would finally achieve what he had desired most since the death of the original Four Great Satans.
The Seat of Lucifer.
The symbol of true authority and power.
And a reminder that he was no longer a mere servant.
But nothing was going according to his plans.
"You seem tired."
The old Great King's eyes widened as he realized he was no longer alone.
"Who's there?" Zekram shouted, standing up as his power manifested.
As a Demon, Zekram had no trouble seeing in the dark, and so he could clearly see who was in his office.
Emerging from the darkness, Zekram saw golden hair as if made of gold and two crimson eyes like rubies.
And Zekram realized that the one before him was someone he really didn't want to meet.
"What are you doing here, King of Heroes?" Zekram questioned firmly.
Stepping out of the shadows was Gilgamesh, walking calmly as his crimson eyes gleamed with his power.
All Gilgamesh did was give a sarcastic smile.
"Oh, you really think that after challenging me, I'd let you act freely, Zekram Bael?" Gilgamesh asked, laughing.
Zekram's eyes narrowed at the words of the man before him.
"Guards!" Zekram shouted, trying to call his elite guards, who had Maou-class strength.
But all he received was silence.
"What…?" Zekram stammered, not understanding the lack of response.
"If you're referring to your guards, they're taking a nap right now," Gilgamesh said indifferently as he approached the Great King Bael.
"You really think you can invade my palace and threaten me, you human worm?" Zekram cursed as his violet eyes glowed. "The entire Underworld will become your enemy."
Gilgamesh's soft laughter filled the room.
"I don't care about having the Underworld or even all the beings in the world as my enemies. The worst that can happen is that blood will flow like rivers and corpses will pile up like mountains," Gilgamesh said casually.
Zekram's eyes narrowed as he prepared to speak.
But before he could say anything, Zekram lost his balance and fell to the ground.
Looking down, Zekram saw that the reason for his fall was that his left leg had been completely crushed, its bones shattered.
Suppressing his scream of pain, Zekram looked back and saw the one responsible for the blow that had brought him down.
An old man dressed in a butler's outfit, his black eyes glowing red.
Gilgamesh's loyal butler, the human-dragon hybrid Sebas, stood calmly behind Zekram.
"D-Damn you," Zekram grunted in pain.
Sebas's eyes narrowed as he placed his right foot on the demon's head.
With a push, Sebas forced Zekram's head against the ground, pressing it into the floor.
"Watch your tongue, you bat. You're in the presence of Lord Gilgamesh. Bow your head," Sebas said, increasing his strength and causing the floor to crack as he forced Zekram's head down.
The Demon knew that if he weren't a demonic being, his skull would have already been crushed by the force the dragonoid was using.
Gilgamesh looked at Sebas and gave a gentle nod, signaling the butler to step back.
Feeling the pressure on his head lift, Zekram raised it and turned his gaze to Gilgamesh.
"You know, Zekram, I've always been a very peaceful person, even with demons like you challenging me, even with beings from various Pantheons coming to try to subdue me. But you know what? I'm tired," Gilgamesh said with a sigh as he sat in Zekram's chair.
"All I wanted was to live in peace with my friends, to have fun with them, to live quietly in this world. But whether it's the Greek Gods, Hades, Indra, or even you, all of you have stepped on what you shouldn't have without a shred of hesitation," Gilgamesh said coldly.
"And I'm done with it all. If you all really want to see what I'm capable of, I'll show you. Even if I have to wipe out entire Factions and Pantheons to make that clear. My patience has reached its limit, Zekram, and if I have to exterminate this entire world and recreate it from scratch to have peace with my friends, so be it," Gilgamesh said as his body unconsciously radiated his power.
Seeing the determination in the words of the being before him, Zekram turned to him, narrowing his eyes.
"And why are you telling me this? Do you think I'll help you?" Zekram asked sarcastically.
But the smile on Gilgamesh's face made the demon hesitate.
"Yes," Gilgamesh said calmly, with a smile.
Looking into Gilgamesh's eyes, the oldest Demon in the Underworld froze.
Replacing Gilgamesh's crimson eyes were glowing red eyes with distinct black patterns.
It was Gilgamesh's [Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan].
"[Kotoamatsukami]"
With a whisper, Gilgamesh's eyes met Zekram's, whose eyes lost their color as he was affected by the supreme Genjutsu.
When Zekram's eyes regained their color, they no longer gleamed with malice but with pure adoration toward Gilgamesh.
"My Lord Gilgamesh, what can I do for you?" Zekram asked in pure devotion.
Using the power of [Kotoamatsukami], Gilgamesh had made Zekram completely loyal to him, with the demon now desiring only to serve him.
"I want you to continue what you were doing, but report everything that's happening to me," Gilgamesh said seriously.
"Yes, my lord," Zekram said, bowing.
Gilgamesh nodded as he noticed Zekram's injured leg.
"Well, I suppose I can't leave my subordinate injured," Gilgamesh said, sighing.
Snapping his fingers, Gilgamesh activated his Ultimate Skill [King of Space-Time Yog-Sothoth] on Zekram.
In an instant, the demon's injured leg vanished and was completely healed, leaving no trace of the wound.
In truth, it wasn't healing. The true nature of the Ultimate Skill [King of Space-Time Yog-Sothoth] wasn't recovery or healing. Its true power was rewinding, or going back in time.
It rewound Zekram's time to ensure the injury never happened.
Without altering the surrounding time, it was possible to use the ability to affect a limited number of individuals.
This ability was the supreme power.
It wasn't limited to erasing damage but also abnormal states, meaning fatigue or even death became nonexistent.
"Very well, I expect you to fulfill your duties, Zekram," Gilgamesh said calmly.
"Yes, sir," the Demon said, bowing.
Approaching Sebas and once again using the power of [King of Covenant Uriel], Gilgamesh and his butler vanished in a flash of light.
Leaving the Demon alone.