Tenra staggered back, gasping for breath. He'd only been a witness to Grayfia's memories, but the seething hatred and rage within them felt suffocating—like standing at the edge of a storm, desperate to scream and tear the world apart just to let the pain out.
Venelana's voice cut through the silence, thick with tears. "You understand now, don't you, Tenra? You know the truth."
Tenra's fists clenched. He did know. The truth was monstrous, darker than anything he'd imagined. "Who is he?"
Grayfia's eyes were glacial. "You already know. Why ask?"
He did know. He just didn't want to believe it.
The one who had stolen Sirzechs's body called himself God—the one true God of this world. Every other pantheon had many gods, but only one fit that title in the Bible. The God of the Bible.
Tenra's voice was barely a whisper. "But… didn't he die?"
Everyone knew the story. In the ancient war, the God of the Bible and the Four Great Maou had perished together. Angels, fallen angels, devils—everyone accepted it as fact.
Venelana's jaw tightened, her eyes burning with a hatred that could shatter mountains. "He did die. But he came back—using my son Sirzechs's body."
Her grief was bottomless. Her husband murdered, her child possessed. The God who despised devils had taken a devil's body, become a beloved Maou, and ruled the Underworld with wisdom and mercy. It was the cruelest irony imaginable.
But beneath the irony, there was something colder. Something that made Tenra's skin crawl.
What did the God of the Bible want?
Venelana wiped her tears, forcing herself to look Tenra in the eye. "Tenra, can you help us take revenge?"
Tenra's heart sank. Of course. This was the real reason they'd told him everything.
His voice was heavy. "Aunt Venelana, this is why you brought me into all of this, isn't it?"
He'd been curious about the truth at first. Now, he almost wished he'd never learned it. The moment he did, he was swept into a conspiracy bigger than he could ever have imagined.
Venelana nodded, remorse etched into every line of her face. "I'm sorry, Tenra. We had no choice. Both Grayfia and I have those cursed Sacred Gears inside us—we can't resist him. He's our mortal enemy, but we're forced to serve him like slaves."
Her tears spilled freely. "Do you understand our pain? Our helplessness?"
Tenra nodded. He understood all too well—the regret, the humiliation, the agony. It was a fate worse than death.
He sighed. "Why me?"
Venelana's voice was soft. "When we learned you could seize any Sacred Gear, we saw hope. You might be our only chance to break free. But back then, you were too weak. Even Grayfia could have beaten you easily. We had to wait—wait until you were strong enough."
She hesitated, then continued. "He noticed you, too. Maybe he was curious about your power, maybe there was another reason. He didn't try to kill you. Instead, he arranged your engagement to Rias. That gave you time to grow."
Venelana's eyes shone with a bittersweet pride. "None of us expected you'd grow so fast. Kokabiel, Vali Lucifer, Loki, Cao Cao… you defeated every enemy, growing stronger with each battle. In less than a year, you rose from a High-Class Devil to where you are now."
"When Grayfia told me you were finally strong enough to stand against him, I was so happy. For the first time, we had hope—hope for freedom, hope for revenge…"
Her tears streamed down as she cupped Tenra's face, as if he were a priceless treasure.
No—not a treasure. He was their hope.
Tenra pieced together everything Venelana had said, all the strange encounters with Grayfia, all the hints and warnings. Suddenly, it all made sense.
But—
He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Aunt Venelana. I might not be the hope you've been waiting for."
Venelana's face went pale. "Why, Tenra? You're Rias's fiancé. Her brother and father were both destroyed by that monster. Won't you help us?"
Tenra's voice was gentle, but firm. "Rias is my fiancée. I love her. If this were any ordinary enemy, I'd fight without hesitation. But this is different."
"You know better than anyone how powerful the God of the Bible is. Even now, I have no chance against him. At best, I could protect myself. But I'm not alone—I have my family, my friends, people I have to protect."
"If I go to war against him, what happens to House Phoenix? What about everyone I care about? Against an enemy like that, I can't promise their safety. I won't risk their lives for revenge."
Venelana nearly collapsed, her face ghostly white. She'd been blinded by hatred, never considering the cost. She'd been selfish.
Tenra sighed. "Aunt Venelana, I can't help you take revenge. But I can shelter you, protect you. Uncle is gone, Sirzechs is lost—you and Grayfia are Rias's last family. For her sake, I'll never abandon you."
Venelana sobbed, clinging to Tenra as if he were her last lifeline. He comforted her gently, thinking the matter was settled—until Grayfia's voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Tenra Kamiyo, do you really think that just because you don't fight him, he won't make you his enemy? How naive."
Grayfia's eyes burned with cold contempt.
Tenra frowned, turning to face her. "What do you mean, Miss Grayfia?"
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