— — — — — — —
"Rejected? Hehehe~"
Watching Grayfia walk away, Senhime popped out from hiding, a teasing tone in her voice.
Lynn glanced down and saw her two twitching puppy-like ears. His lips curled slightly, and without thinking, his hand reached out, gently rubbing them.
"W-Wha—?!"
Senhime shuddered, her eyes widening unevenly in shock.
She—the mighty princess of the Western Lands—
Was being…Petted like some cat?!
Her first instinct was to bare her sharp fangs and sink them into his hand, letting him know exactly what kind of mistake he was making.
"Think of it as your rent," Lynn suddenly said.
Rent…?
Her expression froze as she glanced at her current situation.
Right… she was stuck in the Underworld, relying on Lynn for a place to stay.
…Fine. Whatever.
Just for now, she'd tolerate it.
She consoled herself and allowed Lynn to continue his playful rubbing.
If you couldn't fight it, enjoy it.
And, well… His technique wasn't bad at all.
She closed her eyes in satisfaction.
Lynn chuckled softly, shifting his focus back to more important matters. Grayfia had turned him down, but he wasn't particularly upset about it.
After all, recruiting his Familia had never been an easy process.
Like Natsuki, the first person he had met, wasn't officially part of his Familia yet.
"Has the war ended?"
The ongoing civil war in the Underworld didn't interest him much.
Lynn's figure blurred as he suddenly reappeared in front of Grayfia again.
Her pupils shrank sharply.
Fast.
So fast that she hadn't even registered his movement.
Internally, she was startled. But outwardly, she remained calm, her expression unchanged except for a slight furrow in her brows. "What do you want now?"
Was he planning to kidnap her and force her into marriage?
She couldn't help but wonder, though she wasn't particularly worried.
From what she could sense, he was powerful.
But she wasn't weak either.
Lynn's expression remained calm. "Do you know where Valifer's territory is?"
Valifer?
Grayfia blinked before pointing westward.
"Thanks."
The moment her words fell, Lynn vanished, leaving behind a faint shimmer of sparks in the air.
Just to ask for directions…?
Grayfia was speechless.
Who was this man?
As a key figure in the Old Satan Faction, she knew all the powerful devils in the Underworld.
Lynn was a complete unknown.
With such strength, he should have made a name for himself long ago.
Was he someone who could actually end this war?
The thought unsettled her.
She was tired of all this fighting.
If someone could put an end to it… she would welcome it.
---
Meanwhile, after following Grayfia's directions, Lynn arrived at Valifer's territory in the blink of an eye.
Coming to the Underworld, he had his own goal—to awaken his magic's true nature.
As a descendant of the seventy-two pillars of the Devil Nobility, his magic should have possessed a unique trait.
Yet, up until now, it had remained dormant.
Now that he had a chance to explore the past Underworld, he was determined to figure it out.
Even though he already wielded the power of a Maou-level being…
Certain magic traits could be terrifying game-changers.
Like Sirzechs' Power of Destruction.
His rise beyond the Maou level and into the level of Super Devils(Transcendental Beings) owed much to the unique nature of his magic.
If Lynn could unlock his own, it would be a major boost.
Surveying Valifer's land, he noted the tense and oppressive atmosphere. The rigid formations of soldiers standing at the ready indicated that the war was still raging.
"Valifer… is part of the Old Satan Faction?"
Lynn raised an eyebrow.
How the hell did a family from the Old Satan Faction end up betrothed to the Sitri Clan, a Reformist faction?
Shaking off the thought, he casually strolled toward Valifer's manor.
His completely unbothered demeanor immediately attracted attention.
"Who goes there?!"
A high-class devil in the army glared at him, gripping the hilt of his massive sword, his aura exuding vigilance.
Anyone bold enough to walk straight into the midst of a Maou's army was either an absolute fool…
Or completely confident in their power.
The commander's eyes were full of caution as he studied Lynn.
The other devils in the camp also took notice, their bloodshot eyes reflecting their deep-rooted bloodlust and killing intent.
The prolonged war had twisted their emotions, driving them to extremes.
Especially the Old Satan Faction.
They thrived on cruelty and slaughter.
But Lynn? He didn't even acknowledge them.
Didn't speak.
Didn't look at them.
Just kept walking forward.
To him, they were nothing more than background noise.
For him, the so-called Old Satan army only had four Ultimate-Class Devils.
The rest? Just fodder.
"Bastard!"
The commander's face twisted in fury at Lynn's blatant disregard.
This guy was way too arrogant!
Lord Beelzebub was inside discussing important matters. If this idiot disturbed him—
Just thinking about Beelzebub's violent nature sent a shiver down the commander's spine, his back instantly drenched in cold sweat.
"Take this bastard down!!"
The devils, who had been itching for action, let out excited howls the moment they received the order.
whoosh—
Like a swarm of bats, their wings spread out simultaneously, filling the sky and blotting out the sun.
Both the ground and the sky were crawling with devils!
They had completely surrounded Lynn, leaving no gaps.
"You dare act so arrogant in front of the Devil King's army?!"
"Hah! I'm gonna rip his head off and kick it around like a ball!"
In an instant, the entire atmosphere of the Valifer territory turned bloodthirsty.
— — —
Inside the Valifer Manor - Conference Room
The head of the Valifer clan furrowed his brows and whispered to his butler, "What's going on outside?"
The butler cautiously responded in a hushed tone, fearing he might disturb their esteemed guest. "Master, it seems some fool is trying to enter with force."
The Valifer clan leader cast a wary glance at the man sitting before him, eyes closed, seemingly resting. Seeing no reaction from Beelzebub, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
In the next instant, Beelzebub's eyes snapped open.
A sinister light flickered within them, his grin twisting into something feral and cruel. In a hoarse voice, he muttered, "Oh? Looks like a fun new toy just walked in…"
The Valifer clan leader tensed up immediately, cold sweat pooling in his palms. A sense of unease gripped him.
"A little appetizer…"
Beelzebub stood up, looking toward the window before his body burst with magic. Like a cannonball, he shot out of the building.
---
Meanwhile—
Held in Lynn's arms, Senhime clung tightly to him.
The speed had been too much for her. Even now, she was still feeling dizzy.
After regaining her senses, she realized something— They were completely surrounded.
"…??!"
For a moment, her body stiffened.
Just from her senses alone, she could tell that there were at least four Great Yokai (Daiyōkai) present.
Seriously, this underworld is crawling with these guys!
But…she quickly relaxed.
After all, she was technically Lynn's temporary pet right now.
With that in mind, her sharp golden eyes swept over the gathered army. Cold indifference and disdain gleamed in her gaze.
"???"
The devils felt a strange sense of humiliation.
Did a mere dog demon just lookdown on them?
Rage immediately exploded among them!
"Skin that mutt alive!!"
In the next moment, waves of devils lunged toward Lynn.
Lynn remained calm, as if he wasn't the one being surrounded.
He raised a hand and lightly clenched his fingers.
A burst of light erupted from his palm!
Light magic—Holy magic—every ability effective against devils activated at once!
A blinding radiance spread in an instant—Like the descent of the sun itself!
The Devils' eyes widened in shock, as if they had just witnessed the gates of Heaven opening!
The moment the magic swept through them, their bodies reacted as if drenched in acid. Corrosion spread rapidly across their flesh.
Their agonized screams echoed through the Underworld!
The army was annihilated in an instant!
Even their commander, a high-class devil, collapsed to his knees, drenched in cold sweat, body trembling uncontrollably.
"D-Did… Heaven just invade the Underworld…?"
He couldn't help but think that.
Lynn's magic... everything about it screamed 'Angel.'
A sense of pure terror washed over him.
In mere moments, the battle had ended!
Low-class and mid-class Devils were instantly annihilated by Lynn's magic.
High-class Devils were either dead or severely crippled.
Even the top-ranked Devils could barely stand, but Lynn's magic gnawed at their bodies like a relentless poison.
If this continued, they would all die!
Lynn's expression remained indifferent, showing no emotional waves.
"How interesting! So interesting!!"
Beelzebub finally arrived at the scene, his eyes filled with burning excitement.
"A devil… with the power of an angel?!"
"Hah! What a ridiculous joke!!"
He looked utterly crazed, his gaze fixed on Lynn like a hunter eyeing prey.
If he could seize that power for himself, then—He would be the absolute ruler of all devils!
With this power, who could ever challenge him again?!
He must figure out the secret behind this power!
Capture him. Then dissect him.
Beelzebub's thoughts raced wildly.
Then, as if unable to contain himself any longer, he lunged at Lynn.
Like a starving beast, desperate for its next meal.
Lynn's eyes flashed with a cold light.
Four-Soul Devil—Activate!
Purifying Devil—Activate!
Fallen Angel Devil—Activate!
Aries Crown, Unleashed!
One enhancement after another stacked upon his body, making him feel as if an entire universe was surging inside him.
Even his breath made the air around him crackle with sparks.
The sheer rush of power—It was thrilling.
Right now—
He felt unstoppable!
.
.
.