Location: Kuoh Academy Courtyard
Event: The Climax of the Kokabiel Incident
Issei and the Gremory peerage were holding their own against Kokabiel, mostly because the Fallen Angel leader was distracted. He kept glancing at Raiden, terrified that the man in the trench coat would open his mouth again.
Then, the sky shattered.
The barrier Raiden had criticized earlier didn't just break; it was dissolved by a massive pulse of blue and white light.
CRASH.
A figure descended from the heavens, landing between Issei and Kokabiel. Dust shockwaves blew the Gremory peerage back. Even Kokabiel flinched.
Standing in the crater was a young man with silver hair and armor that pulsed with a demonic light. Four wings of energy extended from his back.
Vali Lucifer, the White Dragon Emperor.
"Kokabiel," Vali said, his voice bored. "Azazel is annoyed. You're making a mess."
Kokabiel stepped back, sweating. "Vali! I am doing this for us! For the Grigori! With God and the Satans dead, we can—"
"Boring," Vali interrupted.
He turned his gaze away from the Fallen Angel. He ignored Issei (the Red Dragon Emperor) entirely. His eyes locked onto Raiden.
"You," Vali pointed a gauntleted hand at Raiden. "My instincts are screaming at me. You aren't a Devil. You aren't a Dragon. What are you?"
Raiden finished chewing a piece of beef jerky he had pulled from his inventory.
"I'm the janitor," Raiden deadpanned. "And you're littering on my campus."
Vali grinned. It was a battle-junkie's grin.
"Let's see what you've got."
[VANISHING DRAGON BALANCE BREAKER]
Flash.
Vali was instantly clad in full white armor. He blurred, appearing right in front of Raiden, throwing a punch.
Raiden caught the fist. The ground beneath them pulverized into sand.
"DIVIDE!" The mechanical voice of Albion roared from Vali's wings.
Raiden felt his physical strength suddenly halved. His grip weakened, and Vali kicked him in the chest, sending him skidding back ten meters.
"My power... it divides everything it touches," Vali boasted, floating in the air. "I will halve your strength until you are nothing but an ant."
Raiden dusted off his coat. He didn't look worried. He looked... hungry.
"Divides power, huh?" Raiden muttered. "That means you're taking my energy and adding it to your own."
Raiden opened his hand. A dark, swirling maw appeared on his palm.
[Gluttony Technique: Energy Reversal]
"If you try to suck my power through a straw," Raiden smiled darkly, "I'll just pull you through the straw."
Raiden grabbed the empty air.
"DEVOUR."
Vali suddenly lurched forward.
"WARNING! WARNING!" Albion shouted. "ENERGY DRAIN CRITICAL! HE IS EATING THE DIVIDE COMMAND!"
"What?!" Vali gasped.
Instead of Vali draining Raiden, Raiden's Gluttony latched onto the link Vali had established. He began to drain the White Dragon's stamina through the dividing link.
Vali's armor flickered. He severed the connection immediately, backing off to a safe distance.
"You..." Vali breathed heavily. "You can eat concepts? You ate the concept of 'Division'?"
"I was hungry," Raiden shrugged. "Tasted like math. I hate math."
Vali stared at him for a long moment, then threw his head back and laughed.
"Hahaha! Interesting! Finally! Issei Hyoudou is a disappointment, but you... you are a worthy rival!"
While Vali and Raiden measured each other up, Kokabiel saw his chance. He was ignored, humiliated, and desperate.
"LISTEN TO ME!" Kokabiel shrieked. "YOU BRATS KNOW NOTHING! THE WAR IS POINTLESS BECAUSE THE LEADERS ARE GONE!"
He pointed a trembling finger at the church duo, Xenovia and Irina.
"Michael is lying to you! God is dead! He died in the Great War along with the original Satans!"
Silence fell over the battlefield.
Xenovia dropped her Excalibur. Her eyes went dull.
Irina, who was leaning against a wall for support, slid down to the ground.
"N-No..." Irina whispered, clutching her head. "Lord... dead? Then... what have I been praying to? My faith... my life..."
She began to hyperventilate. For an Angel-aligned human, this revelation was enough to shatter their mind.
Vali scoffed. "Oh, right. That secret. Who cares?"
Raiden stopped looking at Vali. He walked past the White Dragon, ignoring him completely.
He walked over to Irina. She was trembling, her eyes losing focus, bordering on a mental breakdown.
Raiden knelt down.
"Irina."
"He's dead..." Irina sobbed, looking through Raiden. "God is dead, Raiden. There's no Heaven. There's no love. It's all empty."
Slap.
It wasn't hard, but it was sharp. Raiden flicked her forehead.
"Ouch?" Irina blinked, snapping back to reality for a second.
"Stop being dramatic," Raiden said firmly.
"But God—"
"God is dead. So what?" Raiden grabbed her shoulders. "Does that mean the food you ate yesterday didn't taste good? Does that mean the sun doesn't feel warm? Does that mean I didn't save your life?"
Irina stared at him, tears stopping in her tracks.
"I..."
"Faith isn't about a guy on a throne," Raiden lectured, channeling his inner philosopher (stolen from a book he ate). "Faith is about what you hold on to. If the big guy is gone, find a new anchor."
He stood up, offering her a hand.
"If you need someone to worship, I'm right here. I'm real, I'm strong, and I buy you snacks. Better deal than the invisible guy, right?"
Irina looked at Raiden's hand. The hand of a "monster." A glutton. A man who ate light spears.
But it was warm.
She grabbed it.
"You're... really arrogant, Raiden-kun," Irina sniffled, but a small, broken smile appeared. "You want me to worship you?"
"I'm applying for the position of 'God'," Raiden smirked. "Benefits include dental and free protection from Fallen Angels."
[System Alert]
[Target: Irina Shidou]
[Mental State: Stabilized]
[Status Update: Faith Reassigned -> Raiden]
"How touching," Vali interrupted, crossing his arms. "But I'm still taking Kokabiel. Azazel wants him."
"Take him," Raiden waved his hand. "He tastes bad anyway."
Vali grabbed the unconscious Kokabiel. He looked at Raiden one last time.
"What is your name?"
"Raiden."
"Raiden. I will train. And next time, I will Divide you until you vanish."
"Bring snacks next time," Raiden replied.
Vali flew off, vanishing into the night sky.
The barrier completely dissolved. As soon as it did, a magical circle appeared. But it wasn't Sirzechs. It wasn't the sloppy circle of a regular devil.
It was the Primordial Gremory Crest.
Runeas Gremory stepped out. The pressure in the area suddenly spiked. She wasn't wearing her casual clothes; she was dressed in royal crimson robes.
Behind her, Serafall Leviathan popped out, wearing a "Magical Girl Mil-tan" costume.
"Raiden-chaaaan!" Serafall tackled him. "I saw everything on the drone camera! You were so cool! You ate the spear! Nom nom!"
"Get off, glitter-bomb," Raiden grunted, though he didn't push her away too hard.
Runeas walked past her sister Rias (who was shocked to see Runeas outside the mansion) and approached Raiden. She looked at the destruction, then at Irina clinging to Raiden's arm.
Runeas raised an eyebrow. "Another one? You collect strays fast."
"She's not a stray," Raiden said. "She's a convert."
Runeas smiled, sensing the shift in Irina's soul. "I see. You broke an Angel's faith and made yourself her idol. That is... extremely Devil-like of you, my dear."
Runeas placed a hand on Raiden's chest.
"The leaders are convening. Because of Kokabiel, a Summit will be held. Sirzechs, Michael, and Azazel."
She leaned in close.
"I will be attending as the representative of the 'Old Power'. And you, my Dragon Lord, will be my escort. We are going to shake up the establishment."
Rias Gremory approached hesitantly. "Sister? Runeas? What is going on? Why are you..."
Runeas looked at Rias with cold, ancient eyes, then softened slightly.
"Rias. You played well today. But the game is changing. Go home. Rest. Raiden and I have grown-up business to discuss."
Location: Raiden's Apartment
Time: 2:00 AM
Raiden returned home, exhausted.
He opened the door and smelled vanilla.
Ravel Phenex was asleep on his couch. She was wearing an oversized apron. On the table was a freshly baked tray of macaroons and a dossier labeled "White Dragon Emperor Weaknesses (Hypothetical)."
Raiden walked over. He picked up a macaroon and ate it.
Crunch.
"Sweet. Perfect texture."
He grabbed a blanket and draped it over Ravel.
She mumbled in her sleep. "Stupid brother... Raiden-sama is cooler..."
Raiden chuckled, sitting in his armchair to review his stats.
"Peace Summit next," Raiden closed his eyes. "A room full of Gods and Satans."
He grinned in the dark.
"Imagine the buffet."