Grayfia looked completely bewildered, which was honestly kind of entertaining. Here was this legendary figure who could probably level city blocks, and she was just standing there trying to process why everyone looked like they'd experienced some kind of divine revelation.
*Must be weird walking into a room expecting formal devil politics and finding everyone looking like they just discovered the meaning of life,* I thought, watching her struggle to maintain that perfect composure.
"What... exactly happened here?" she asked, her perfectly controlled voice carrying just a hint of confusion.
"Grayfia-san!" Rias managed to perk up despite still being slouched in her chair like she'd melted into it. "This is Akira, the one I told you about. He just cooked for us and—"
"It was..." Venelana interrupted with this dreamy expression that made me wonder if I'd accidentally put something in the food.
*It was just fried rice.* I rubbed the back of my neck, more amused than embarrassed by all the dramatic reactions.
Those sharp silver eyes locked onto me with laser focus, and I could feel her trying to read me like a bacteria under a microscope *I Wonder if she actually thinks she can figure me out just by staring.* The scrutiny didn't bother me—I'd been analyzed by scarier things than maids, even legendary ones.
"You're Akira? The one who defeated Cao Cao and neutralized Samael?"
"That's me," I said casually, meeting her gaze without flinching. *Might as well own it.* "Though I had some backup." I glanced at Yoruichi, who was sitting on the table cleaning her paw like she had the best time of her life *And she's probably going to remind me of that for weeks.*
"I see." Her expression was completely unreadable as she studied me. *Professional poker face. I can respect that kind of discipline, at this point, I would probably shake hands with the other person* "I am Grayfia Lucifuge, head maid of the Gremory household and Queen of Maou Sirzechs."
"Nice to meet you," I said. "I've heard good things about you" *Understatement of the century. This woman could probably give Azazel a run for his money in a straight fight.*
Something flickered in her eyes—might have been amusement, but it was hard to tell with someone that composed. "I wasn't expecting to find everyone in this... condition when I arrived."
*Yeah, my cooking tends to have that effect. Should probably warn people about that.*
"That's what happens when Akira cooks," Valerie said with this blissful smile. "It's incredible."
Grayfia shifted into business mode, which was probably for the best "Speaking of which, I'm here to escort you to the conference room. The faction leaders and Lord Odin are ready to begin the meeting."
The atmosphere changed instantly. Everyone straightened up, reality crashing back in. *Right. Time for the main issue. Wonder how this is going to go—they either listen to reason or I get to find out that I was just being a pawn in their hands*
"Already?" I stood up, feeling that familiar focus settling over me like a comfortable jacket. I'm not a big fan of having philosophical discussions with consequences, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
"Politics doesn't wait for anyone," Grayfia replied firmly, as she summoned a magic circle beneath her "Shall we?"
I looked down at Yoruichi, who was watching me with those knowing golden eyes. *She probably wants to come watch me potentially put my foot in my mouth.*
"You staying here?"
"I'll catch up later," she said, settling into a more comfortable position. "Try not to declare war, you have enough enemies to be worried about"
"Can't make any promises on that" I said with a slight grin, following Grayfia to her circle. My mind was already shifting gears, running through potential arguments and the best ways to present them.
. . .
I am now sure that this conference room was designed to intimidate—massive circular table, high ceilings, faction leaders positioned like they were about to decide the fate of the world. Which, considering what we were discussing, they probably were.
*Impressive setup. Wonder if they actually designed this for psychological impact or if devils just naturally gravitate toward dramatic architecture.*
Sirzechs gave me an encouraging nod as I entered, which was reassuring. At least one person here wasn't expecting me to screw this up. Ajuka looked genuinely curious about something—probably wondering what I was going to say. Falbium seemed half-asleep as usual, which was actually comforting in its consistency. Serafall waved at me with that bright smile, and Azazel was grinning like he was expecting some entertainment.
Then there was Odin, studying me while stroking his beard like a chinese master that had seen the rise and fall of civilizations.
*At least he's already on my side for this. Having the All-Father backing your play makes things significantly easier.*
"Akira," Sirzechs said as I took my seat. "Thank you for joining us. We wanted to discuss the recent incident with the Hero Faction and its implications."
*Here we go. Time to see if they're actually willing to do something or if this is just going to be an hour of bureaucratic hand-wringing*
"Sure thing," I replied, settling back in my chair and getting comfortable. This was going to be interesting one way or another. Having a political experience was on my bucket list but thanks to my kind heart, I never stepped into this mess.
"Before we begin," Ajuka interjected, "I want to thank you again for your assistance with our medical crisis. Your contributions have been invaluable."
*Good. Keeping it vague like I asked. At least someone remembers confidentiality agreements.* "Glad I could help," I said. Always nice to know my contributions were appreciated.
"Indeed," Sirzechs nodded with a smile as his expression turned into a serious one "Which brings us to our current problem. The matter of Hades."
*And here it is. The moment that I've been waiting for, it's good that they didn't move the subject in circles. I like it when things are done straightforward*
The mood in the room shifted immediately. Everyone got that careful, guarded expression people get when they're about to discuss something unpleasant but necessary. I could practically feel the political calculations starting up around the table.
"His former involvement with the Hero Faction is deeply concerning," Sirzechs said, choosing his words with obvious care, as he presented the issue "However, direct action against a god of his standing could create significant complications."
*There's the problem. They're already thinking about backing down before we've even discussed options.* I leaned forward slightly, keeping my tone conversational but letting a hint of disagreement in my voice.
"So what's the plan? We just let it slide?"
*Might as well cut right to the heart of it. No point dancing around it.*
"The political implications among pantheons will—" Falbium started, but I wasn't in the mood for bureaucratic doublespeak.
"I understand the politics are complicated," I interrupted, keeping my voice calm but firm "But here's what I'm seeing. Hades didn't just interfere in our affairs. He actively armed someone who wanted to kill one of alliance members"
The room went quiet, everyone's attention focused on me.
At least they're taking me seriously. I expected some rebuttal from them but I could see they understood what point I was making here. Anyone going from such an experience would definitely not let this go, it's like letting someone you hate to spit on your face.
"Look, I get that nobody wants to poke the god of death. The consequences of going against a God are tough to handle" I continued "But if we do nothing here, what's the message that will spread around the other factions? That anyone can interfere with our alliance members as long as they're powerful enough to avoid consequences?"
I let that settle for a moment, watching their faces. Some looked uncomfortable, which was exactly what I was going for, while some agreed what I was claiming here.
"And it's not just about me" I continued, settling into my argument "If word gets out that Hades faced no repercussions for directly attacking an alliance member after being warned to stay out of it... Then we would have any god or faction with a grudge to start testing our resolve. What's the point of our alliance if we are going to ignore anyone threatening one of us?"
"What would you suggest, Akira-tan?" Serafall asked, her usual cheerfulness replaced by genuine strategic interest.
"Direct retaliation," I said simply. "He attacked an alliance member after being explicitly warned not to. That demands a response...We are going to make it clear that there are consequences for ignoring our warnings and targeting our members"
*Gods might be powerful, but they're not immortal as far as I know*
"Backing down without any response just invites everyone else to try their luck." *And honestly? I'm kind of hoping he does try something. Would give me some time to get stronger while other Faction leaders deal with his bullshit*
The silence that followed was thoughtful rather than uncomfortable. I could see them actually weighing options instead of just looking for excuses to avoid action.
Ajuka leaned back, his analytical mind clearly working through possibilities with that calm, methodical approach he was known for. "Actually, I have an idea that might work better than direct confrontation."
We turned to him, as he laid out his thoughts to us.
"We don't need to attack Hades directly" he continued, as I listened Instead of straight up denying, because he is one of the smartest dudes in DxD afterall "Instead, we target his reputation and credibility. We publicize what he did—how he armed a terrorist organization and attacked an alliance member despite explicit warnings. Let his pantheon and other factions draw their own conclusions about his reliability, Unlike him, the other Gods of Greek Pantheon believe in their word and honor*
*That's actually brilliant. This might even loosen his support from the Gods of his pantheon, if what Ajuka said is true then this might cause some spark or rift in his own group of fellow Gods. More importantly, it would buy me some time for preparing a divine weapon to counter his bug to my Fundamental forces*
"Gods rely on worship, fear, and respect from lesser beings," Ajuka explained. "If word spreads that Hades can't be trusted to honor even basic diplomatic warnings, others will become reluctant to deal with him. His influence diminishes without us having to fire a single shot."
Odin stroked his beard thoughtfully "The boy speaks truth about consequences, but Ajuka's approach has merit as well. Sometimes the most effective warfare is fought with words and reputation rather than weapons."
"I like that" I said, genuinely impressed.
*Ajuka's approach is smarter than just going in swinging. Attack his reputation and influence instead of starting a direct war.*
Ajuka nodded "But if he still further presses on this matter, We would make it clear that attacking our alliance members has consequences. We won't back down from starting a war we'd prefer to avoid."
"A..war?" Falbium shifted slightly in his chair—which was probably the most energetic response I'd seen from him all meeting "...Sounds like a lot of work," he mumbled, though he didn't actually object to the plan. He's probably thinking about his next nap already.
*They're actually considering a real action to it. Great. They do have some spine after all.*
"The approach has merit," Odin declared, his support lending weight to the plan. "Perhaps certain parties need reminding that actions against our allies carry lasting consequences."
*And that's probably the deciding factor right there. Hard to argue against the All-Father when he's backing your position.*
"Very well," Sirzechs decided after a long moment of consideration, his voice carrying that gentle finality that somehow managed to be both polite and absolutely decisive. "We'll implement Ajuka's plan—public exposure of Hades' actions and their consequences. But Akira-kun," his expression became more serious, though still warm, "if this escalates into direct confrontation, are you prepared for what might follow?"
*Am I ready to potentially face off with a god of death? Honestly, I've been taking every kind of situation seriously ever since I got this gacha system power*
"I've handled worse situations," I said simply, letting my certainty show. "What's one more challenge?"
*Besides, if Hades wants to escalate this into a personal conflict, he's going to discover that I'm not someone with whom he could mess with and walk away without any consequences*
. . .
After the meeting wrapped up with the usual political talks about "appropriate responses and consequences" , Azazel caught up with me in the hallway outside.
*He looks pleased. Looks like he enjoyed it way more than he expected.*
"Smooth work in there," he said with his usual grin "You actually got them to take action instead of just talking in circles for three hours."
"Yeah, Even I'm surprised to pull that off" I replied, feeling satisfied with how that had gone "By the way, you remember I mentioned needing materials for crafting?"
"Ah, right!" His eyes lit up with that familiar spark of curiosity "A smithing ability you picked up. Gotta say, I'm fascinated by how these skills just... integrate into your existing knowledge base"
*Time for the dramatic reveal.* Instead of explaining, I pulled Hades' spear from storage. The moment it materialized, the hallway felt like someone had cranked up the gravity and filled the air with the scent of old graveyards and forgotten nightmares.
"Well, shit," Azazel whistled, but instead of stepping back like most people would, he leaned closer with obvious fascination. "That's a genuine death god artifact. Look at those curse patterns woven into the metal... absolutely beautiful work. Twisted as hell, but beautiful." He glanced up at me with growing excitement. "You want to reforge this? Kid, that's either brilliant or completely insane. Probably both."
*His reaction tells me everything I need to know about how dangerous this is going to be.*
I nodded, watching his expression carefully "But I can't exactly do this kind of work in my home or near Carmilla Territory. The materials alone are going to be highly specialized, so it might affect the area and individuals around me"
"Yeah, no kidding. A weapon reforging like that isn't exactly something to be taken lightly." He looked thoughtful, which was encouraging. *At least he's not telling me I'm insane. Well, not yet anyway.*
"What kind of materials are we talking about here?"
I'd been thinking about this since I'd gotten the skill, running through different approaches and requirements, that now resides in my mind's library.
"Divine metal with light or life properties to balance out all that death energy. Sacred flames hot enough to actually work divine materials—regular fire won't even tickle this thing. And some kind of purification medium to cleanse the curses before I start working with it"
*The theory is sound, but getting the materials is going to be the real challenge.*
"Hmm, interesting approach." He stroked his goatee thoughtfully, that analytical look taking over "Yeah, I can work with that. Orichalcum infused with Gabriel's blessing should do the trick for your base material—that stuff is practically enveloped with divine light. For the flames..." He grinned. "I know how to get my hands on phoenix fire. Fair warning though, convincing a phoenix to cooperate usually involves either a lot of money or a really good favour."
His expression became more serious. "And your Holy Water of Life should handle the purification perfectly. Hell, might even add some interesting properties to the final product."
*Wait, he can actually get all of that? I was expecting this to be a months-long scavenger hunt.*
"You can actually acquire all that?" The pieces were falling into place better than I'd hoped.
"Kid, I've been collecting impossible shit for centuries. It's basically my favorite hobby after Sacred Gear research." He shrugged casually. "The real headache is gonna be a workspace. You can't exactly do such a weapon reforging in your home without, y'know, accidentally creating a new crater where your neighborhood used to be."
*Yeah, I figured that would be the problem. Can't exactly rent a workshop for 'divine weapon reforging as well*
"Any ideas on that front?"
"Actually, I've got the perfect solution." He looked pleased with himself, which was either very good or very bad. "You remember Lavinia, right?"
"Of course I do. She was rather proud of me beating shit out of Vali despite claiming herself as his big sister"
"That's her" Azazel chuckled "She's got that workshop up in the mountains—completely isolated, heavily warded against magical interference, and her ice techniques can contain and suppress any mishaps that might occur."
*Mishaps. That's a delightfully vague way to phrase 'catastrophic destructions.'*
"Mishaps?" I asked, though I had a feeling I knew what he meant.
"Divine weapon reforging has a tendency to go wrong when it fails," Azazel said with the casual tone of someone discussing the forging of a wooden sword "Last attempt I personally witnessed took out half a mountain range. It made quite the light show, though the cleanup was a nightmare."
I considered that information. Explosive failure was always a risk with experimental magical crafting, but the potential payoff made it worth the danger.
"And Lavinia would be okay with me potentially turning her workshop into a smoking crater?"
"Are you kidding? She'll be thrilled." His grin widened with genuine amusement. "You know how she gets about 'interesting magical phenomena.' Last time I mentioned your Holy Water of Life to her, she spent hours theorizing about magical patterns and temperature differential applications with ingredients but she found none. She got a deep fascination with creations"
"Plus," he added with a more serious tone, "she's been asking about you since the last time you met her. Something about wanting to test a few theories she's been working on."
*A bored genius ice mage who thinks dangerous magical experiments sound fun. This is either going to go really well or really, really badly.*
"When can we start?" *No point in delaying. The sooner I have a proper weapon, the better prepared I'll be for whatever Hades decides to throw at me in response.*
"How about tomorrow?" Looks like he is more excited than me to see that happen. Well, Can't blame someone like him who has fascinating over experimental type shit.
"Perfect." The anticipation was already building in me *Time to see if I can turn a divine spear into something even more dangerous.*
"Just a heads up though," Azazel added with that trademark smirk, "Lavinia's gonna want to document everything. Hope you don't mind having your divine weapon forging process turned into a research paper"
I doubt anyone will be able to recreate that as they would need Sage's eye as an ingredient to create something like that.
He paused, looking almost nostalgic "Haven't seen divine weapon crafting attempted in... oh, a couple centuries at least. This is gonna be exciting for my research. Just, both of you don't get vaporized in the process."
As we parted ways, I felt that familiar mix of excitement and anticipation building in my chest.
*Hades, I'm gonna show you what the true god of death looks like*
. . .
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