When I tried to take a step forward, I was immediately stopped by Issei and the others.
"Wait, wait, wait, Ikki. Why are you casually trying to run off alongside Cao Cao? That guy's a terrorist and an enemy. Yeah, I heard he's currently under Indra's command, but that doesn't mean we can just fight together like it's normal."
When I looked around, everyone else had similarly complicated expressions.
"Well, yeah… but then what are we supposed to do?" I replied. "Cao Cao being here means he's acting under Indra's orders, right? We can't exactly restrain someone like that, and he's strong. Realistically, the only option is to keep him close and monitor him."
Honestly, there was no way we could just assign him to some ordinary angels. He was too dangerous.
"Ugh… yeah. I guess you're right. For now, moving forward is the priority," Issei finally conceded.
It seemed he had reluctantly accepted Cao Cao joining us. though I could tell he wasn't fully comfortable with it.
He's learning to switch gears… not bad, Issei.
Rias sighed. "Honestly… even when Ophis visited, Ikki just accepted it way too easily. I wonder where that level-headedness comes from. Fine then, Cao Cao. If you do anything suspicious, I'll erase you on the spot."
"Heh. I have no intention of turning hostile—for now," Cao Cao replied calmly. "Though I serve under Indra, my concept of 'heroism' has been denied. I am currently… searching for myself. In my current hollow state, challenging you would only lead to my defeat. But fighting Kriophot is something I believe is not wrong for a hero… or for a human. That is my answer. Are you dIsseitisfied?"
"…I still hate the way you talk," Rias muttered. "It's so roundabout."
Still, with that, everyone more or less accepted his presence.
More allies meant more strength. That alone was valuable.
And honestly… our opponent was no ordinary enemy.
Even if Lilith wasn't going to participate directly, having Cao Cao here as insurance was reassuring.
In the original timeline, things were far worse… I thought bitterly.
Asia would've been attacked. Riser's people would've interfered. Everything would've spiraled differently.
But I wasn't going to rely on "what-ifs."
That kind of luck didn't exist in reality.
"…! A strange chill just ran down my spine," Asia said suddenly, trembling.
"Issei! Is someone targeting Asia again?!" Issei immediately panicked.
"N-no, I'm fine! I was just a little nervous. Let's hurry and save Irina's father!"
Yeah… definitely not my fault, I thought.
We pushed forward—passing through the gate toward the Third Heaven.
As we crossed deeper into the Third Heaven, something felt wrong.
"There are fewer enemy dragons than expected…" Yuuto muttered, cutting down a few scattered mass-produced evil dragons.
"We assumed this was the main invasion point," he added.
"Maybe they already moved elsewhere," Ravel suggested.
Kuroka narrowed her eyes. "Nya… something's off. I can't feel Agreas anymore."
"…What?" Issei blinked. "You mean it escaped?"
Before anyone could respond further—
A figure stepped into our path.
Black and gold hair.
A pressure that made the air itself feel heavier.
"…Crom Cruach!" Rias called out sharply.
"Long time no see, 'D×D'," the dragon said with a grin. "Kukuku… I've been waiting for this."
And then—
Another presence arrived.
"Yo~ looks like I arrived at a good time?"
Crom Cruach smiled even wider.
"The Joker of Heaven, huh. I wanted to fight you as well."
"Wow, you really are like Vali, huh?" the newcomer Dulio— uttered awkwardly.
"I've never seen this so-called Joker before," Cao Cao said. "So that's Zenith Tempest… the Longinus with the widest destruction range. No wonder Agreas retreated."
"They don't care where they came from," Dulio replied. "They're just disposable weapons."
"This is Heaven," he added quietly. "We can't let it be destroyed."
Crom Cruach shrugged. "No option to back down, huh?"
"Correct," Cao Cao said, raising his spear. "I will enjoy this."
"…Then I'll stay," I said suddenly.
"Wait, Ikki?" Dulio blinked.
"Crom Cruach is a close-combat dragon. You'll need someone up front."
Silence fell.
"…Fine," Kuroka sighed. "We'll leave this to you and the Joker."
Rias nodded. "We'll move ahead."
No one argued.
Not even Cao Cao.
"Then it's settled," I said, stepping forward.
Crom Cruach smiled. "So you intend to face me directly?"
"Something like that."
Humanity's tricks… its so-called "Karma"… let's see if it works on monsters like you.
========[Third Person POV]Fourth Heaven (Garden of Eden)
Meanwhile, Issei's group reached the Fourth Heaven—commonly called Garden of Eden.
Kuroka suddenly stopped.
"There's Irina's father's aura… and Yamata no Orochi's too," she said.
"Dad is here?!" Irina's voice trembled.
"It looks like they came down from the Fifth Heaven," Rias said. "We're still on time. Hurry!"
They rushed forward through the lush paradise-like world.
And there—
They found them.
Irina's father.
And the corrupted wielder of Ame-no-Murakumo.
"…If I'm going to kill you, I wanted it to be here," the man said quietly. "A flower offering in Eden… isn't that fitting?"
"Dad… please," he muttered weakly.
"IRINA!" she cried.
And then—
The battle exploded.
BOOM!
Blades clashed.
Dragon heads surged.
Magic and divine power collided.
"Kuroka, heal him!" Ravel shouted.
Kuroka nodded. "Got it. This'll take a bit longer than last time…"
"We'll protect her!" Rias declared.
Cao Cao stepped back slightly. "I'll handle defense this time."
And then—
The man screamed.
"CLÉLIAAAAAAAAA!!"
Grief twisted into madness.
Divine corruption surged through him.
Irina, Xenovia, and Yuuto intercepted his strike.
Issei, Cao Cao, and the others held off Yamata no Orochi's heads.
And at the center—
Healing began.
"Begin purification," Irina said firmly.
"Let's end this," Xenovia whispered.
"Durandal… let's save him," she said.
"Excalibur Mimic… show me your power!" Irina shouted.
Yuuto raised his blade. "Let's do this."
Issei gripped Ascalon. "We're ending this together!"
Koneko burned white purification flames.
And then—
A single unified strike descended.
BOOOOOOM!!
White light swallowed everything.
A soul burdened by hatred… and the beast bound to it…
Were washed away.
In the fading light, Irina and Xenovia stood side by side.
And the man… wept.
"…Clélia… if things were different… could we have been like them?"
And then—
A white serpent with eight heads remained quietly beside him.
Smaller.
Calmer.
No longer a monster.
"…So Yamata no Orochi turned into that?" Issei muttered.
"Most likely," Ddraig said calmly. "Its unstable soul was purified by that overwhelming holy strike… and forcibly stabilized into a smaller form."
The battlefield fell silent.
As even dragons… were rewritten by human emotion.