Dimitrie Vatler looked up. "Space it's been locked down"
A glint of shock flickered in his eyes.
Someone like her actually used that kind of technique?
He was stunned.
Are young humans this terrifying now? Or was he just getting old?
Or maybe the talent pool over here was just too insane?
Dammit! Why hadn't the Warlord's Empire produced anyone like this?
As Dimitrie Vatler questioned whether his homeland was cursed or just plain unlucky
The giant phantom of the Snowdrift Wolf mercilessly tore through the twin-headed serpent's massive body!!
Crack
Spiderweb-like fractures spread across the monster's body.
BOOM!
The twin-headed serpent shattered on the spot, breaking down into a glow of purple and yellow particles before fading into the air.
"Hah hah"
Yukina panted heavily, collapsing onto the ground as her Devilization faded.
That last attack had completely drained her.
Now, she couldn't muster even an ounce of strength.
Vatler stood there in silence.
The connection was gone again.
It was obviousThose two familiar beasts were also completely destroyed.
Just one visit to Japan, and in such a short time, he'd already lost three of his rarest familiars back-to-back.
Thinking about it made Vatler's face darken.
He came here expecting a relaxing, maybe even enjoyable trip, but now It was just getting frustrating.
Of courseBeing pushed to this extent, in a way, it was fun.
But still, Vatler had no intention of accepting this outcome and slinking back to the Warlord's Empire in defeat.
HSSSSSSSSS~~~~~~~~~
A wave of hissing erupted from behind him.
Countless glowing green eyes opened in the darkness!
Yukina, who had been keeping a close eye on Vatler, froze.
One two three ten !!!
She couldn't even count them all! A cold sweat slid down her forehead.
Vatler curled his fingers toward her, a twisted smile on his face.
"Go on, my dear pets devour her for me~"
Fwoooosh
As soon as the words left his mouth, an endless wave of snakes poured out from a rift in space!
The night sky was swallowed by the sea of serpents. Even the moon vanished behind them.
Yukina pushed herself up with trembling arms, trying to stand. But her body, weak and spent, swayed unsteadilyshe had no strength left to run.
And even if she could...
She looked up at the countless snakes filling the sky.
Where would she even run to?
She was just a mid-class Devil. Fighting someone like him yeah, it was way out of her league.
She bit her lip, full of frustration.
If only.
If only she'd met Lynn earlier.
If only she'd joined his Familia sooner.
If only she'd gotten the Blessing System in time.
Maybe things would've turned out differently today?
Her mind wandered.
If she just had a bit more time, with the Blessing System's help, she could have become a high-class Devil already.
"Yukina!"
Endou instinctively moved to help her and activated a barrier.
—
Meanwhile, back in the conference room
"Hiina!"
Startled by the sudden development, Shirona called out the real name of Koyomi Shizuka without thinking.
"Understood."
Koyomi responded calmly and unleashed her ability, Paper Noise.
(A/N: Paper Noise allows her to strike her target at any moment in time. She doesn't slow down or speed up timeinstead, she creates time that shouldn't exist. On top of that, she can read her opponents' minds to a certain extent. Combined with Paper Noise, this ability places her among the most powerful individuals in the STB world.) {From Wiki}
But just before Koyomi can make her move
At the heart of the battlefield
The Snowdrift Wolf beneath Yukina trembled slightly, then stood upright on its own.
Yukina blinked in confusion.
Wait she didn't do anything to it, did she?
What's going on?
Just as her mind filled with doubt, a voice echoed in her earsfamiliar, yet distant.
"You've just joined the Familia and already mastered Devilization."
"Not bad at all."
Hearing that voice, Yukina's eyes flew wide open.
"L-Lord Lynn?!"
The next momentThe Devil's Piece on her back lit up.
Then, Lynn's phantom form slowly began to materialize.
"Huh?"
Yukina was clearly caught off guard.
The Snowdrift Wolf, on the other hand, practically lit up with joy, circling Lynn's phantom excitedly.
Then dove straight into Lynn's outstretched hand like a puppy begging to be cuddled.
Watching that, Yukina's mouth twitched.
This useless mutt.
Why was it always so aloof and cold with her?
Not once had it shown her this kind of energy or affection.
She was its master now, wasn't she?
Lynn gently closed his hand around the Snowdrift Wof, then pointed the spear tip toward the sea of snakes. His voice was calm:
"Your potential's decent, but"
"This is how you really use the Snowdrift Wolf."
As soon as he finished speakingBzzz!
A flash of cold light flickered at the spear's tip. A silver arc spread outward from Lynn's position like a shockwave!
Zeng
A crisp, ringing tone echoed in everyone's ears.
Wherever the arc passed, the sea of snakes vanishedjust like that.
No pain. No screams.
They just silently disappeared from existence.
And not just the snakes.
Endou's barrier and Koyomi's prepped Paper Noise were both rendered completely ineffective in an instant.
For a moment, it was as if the whole world had gone still.
"What is this?"
Yukina stared blankly at Lynn.
Her thoughts drifted to the ability he'd demonstrated earlier through the Snowdrift Wolf: Return the world to Zero.
Back then, he'd only used it casually with Mahiru's light blast, so Yukina hadn't paid it much attention.
But now she understood just how terrifying it really was.
That seemingly endless sea of snakes Erased with a single touch.
Yukina's expression turned dazed.
Compared to her earlier flashy moves like "Divine Core Vibration" and "Core Resonance: Critical Breakthrough," not to mention her full-blown Devilization.
Lynn's Return to Zero felt simple. Unimpressive, even.
But it was stronger than any over-the-top power she had ever seen.
It's just... she couldn't use it.
She was supposed to be the Snowdrift Wolf's master, yet she couldn't even tap into its core ability.
That thought frustrated her to no end.
Meanwhile
Endou and Koyomi were also frozen in shock.
Especially Koyomi. She'd already activated Paper Noise, and yet.
It failed.
Just like that.
Not just her unique ability either. The entire battlefield had gone eerily... muted?
"What the hell happened?"
Her usually blank expression began to crack.
Since gaining the ability Paper Noise, this was the first time it had ever failed her.
Shirona's eyes shimmered, fixed tightly on the figure behind Yukina. She spoke softly:
"Yukina's new master has arrived."
Koyomi turned to look instinctively and saw him.
Black hair, red eyes.
That face, they'd studied it plenty over the past few days. So they recognized him instantly.
The conference room went completely silent.
Shirona finally stood up and took the lead.
"Let's go. Time to greet that terrifying Devil King."
With those words, she began walking toward Lynn.
Koyomi didn't say a word.
She simply followed.
Dimitrie Vatler and his kind might be annoying, but they were manageable.
This guy, though?
Even if he was just a phantom He was someone they definitely couldn't ignore.
.
.
.
The Three Saints
"..."
Dimitrie Vatler stood frozen in stunned silence.
Where where the hell did his sea of serpents go?
All those beastsgone?
Vatler silently tried to re-establish a connection with his familiars.
But... Nothing.
Not a single one left.
He was completely alone.
He stood there, dumbfounded, struggling to accept what just happened.
What the hell?
Everything was going so well. He had the upper hand. Victory was basically guaranteed.
So how the hell?
How did he end up all alone like this?
Vatler's gaze shifted to Yukina.
Just then, a blurry image of Lynn appeared in his sight.
What caught his attention most was the weapon in Lynn's hand.
It was the same weapon that Yukina used, but something was different.
Very different.
His eyes were glued to the rainbow-hued aura radiating from the Snowdrift Wolf.
For some reason, it made his heart tighten with unease.
His gut told him that this manthis random guy who just popped upand the now-transformed spear were definitely tied to the disappearance of his entire serpent army.
Not to mention, that man looked vaguely familiar.
Had he seen him somewhere before?
With suspicion growing, Vatler narrowed his eyes at Lynn and said in a low voice, "You did something, didn't you?"
Lynn didn't respond.
He just gently patted the barrel of the Snowdrift Wolf.
That was all the signal it needed.
With a sharp whistle, the spear instantly shot forward, heading straight for Vatler.
"??!"
No time to thinkVatler's body shifted on instinct.
Crack!
His white suit split apart as his body morphed into a massive serpent, wrapping and weaving to engage the Snowdrift Wolf head-on!
—
At the same time
Shirona Kuraki and Koyomi Shizuka, who had just rushed over from the conference room, arrived just in time to witness the scene unfold.
They both had strange looks in their eyes.
Snowdrift Wolf! Can it even be used like that?
Wait a second.. Wasn't Snowdrift Wolf supposed to be a weapon exclusive to the Lion King Organization? How the hell did a devil manage to use it so flawlessly?
Their feelings were complicated, but they didn't let it show. They quickly hurried toward Yukina.
"Senpais?"
Yukina blinked in surprise when she saw them.
Even though Shirona's face was hidden behind a veil, her distinct hair and eyes gave her away instantly.
What the...?
Why are my old classmates suddenly showing up as high-ranking members of the Lion King Organization?
Endou gave them a deadpan look. "So you two finally decided to show yourselves, huh?"
Crossing her arms with an annoyed tone, she snapped, "You, 'Saints'just sitting back while my disciple and I had to fight off a powerful enemy by ourselves."
Shameless!
She mocked them but kept that part to herself.
It's not like she was scared of that sly scheming woman, Shirona, holding a grudge or anything. Nope. Not at all.
"Eh?"
Hearing her teacher refer to the two as "Saints," Yukina completely froze up.
Then she stammered, "T-T-Three Saints?!"
"Yep~" Endou answered on their behalf. "These two are the legendary 'Three Saints' of the Lion King Organization."
At this point, since Shirona and Koyomi had already shown their faces, there wasn't any point hiding it from Yukina.
Besides, with Lynn around, there was no way to keep it under wraps anyway.
After her teacher confirmed it, Yukina's brain went blank.
The Three Saintsthe elusive, near-mythical figures from the Lion King Organizationwere actually her elementary school seniors?!
She felt like her head was spinning.
She tried to put on a serious, respectful face.
But the moment she remembered they used to be upperclassmen from her childhood, her expression got weird.
She just couldn't keep the respectful facade going. Her face twisted slightly as her thoughts spiraled.
Shirona noticed her look.
Yeah... this was awkward.
Yukina accidentally seeing through their identities wasn't ideal. But what could she do now?
Shirona pretended not to notice Yukina and turned to face Lynn instead. She lowered her head slightly and said in a respectful, polite tone:
"Lord Lynn, I truly apologize for not welcoming you properly. I am deeply ashamed and regretful."
"Regretful?" Lynn raised an eyebrow with a faint smirk. "You sent people to infiltrate my territory, and then planted Himeragi Yukina into my Familiaand you call that regret?"
Shirona froze.
She wasn't surprised. She'd already figured Lynn would bring those two things up.
But she was prepared.
Lifting her eyes, she spoke sincerely, "The issue with Sayaka was indeed our mistake. We didn't know that facility belonged to you, Lord Lynn."
Though even if we did... we wouldn't have guessed you're someone far beyond even a Devil King.
Still, Shirona didn't lie or twist the truthshe simply stated the Lion King Organization's internal logic and motives.
After all, there was no way she could fool someone like Lynn. It was better to be honest and admit fault.
She continued, "When we realized our mistake, I immediately sought to fix it. That's why"
She glanced toward Yukina.
Lynn narrowed his eyes. "So you decided to offer Yukina as compensation?"
Shirona nodded. "We heard that Lord Lynn's Familia is full of exceptionally talented people. Himeragi Yukina is the top talent of our current generation."
"I believed she was worthy of your attention."
Yukina: "???"
She blinked in confusion, then hurriedly said, "Wait, wasn't I supposed to be sent to rescue Sayaka?!"
Shirona gave her an apologetic smilenot that Yukina could see it behind the veil.
Yukina turned to her teacher, hoping for some claritybut all she saw was Endou gazing up at the sky, mumbling with a sigh, "The moon's really big and round tonight..."
Yukina: "..."
"Teacher, the moon is a crescent tonight. ()"
"Ah?" Endou waved it off with a laugh. "R-Right, right"
Seeing that fake reaction, Yukina immediately understood.
So even her teacher was in on this!
Which meantShe hadn't been sent to rescue Sayaka at all.
She'd been planned from the start to be offered to Lynn as one of his Familia?!
"Ugh..."
Yukina puffed up her cheeks, clearly upset.
Sure, joining Lynn's Familia had brought a lot of benefits but being tricked into it still left a bad taste in her mouth.
Endou scratched her head awkwardly. "Sorry, Yukina"
On the other side
Shirona went on. "As for Kirasaka Sayaka..."
"If Lord Lynn wishes, she can also be given to you."
Lynn's voice was calm. "You're really willing to give them up that easily, huh?"
If he remembered correctly, Yukina and Sayaka were the most promising trainees in the whole Lion King Organization.
Not that he cared all that much.
Even if Shirona wanted to take them back, it wasn't like Lynn would let them go.
More importantly, Lynn's interest wasn't on Yukina or Sayaka right now.
