Kaiser finally understood who had been secretly covering for him, reducing the surveillance around him.
It was none other than the organization backing the man standing before him—Siegfried.
An organization that belonged neither to Devils, Angels, nor Fallen Angels. In fact, it did not belong to any mythological faction in this world.
Kaiser had never expected to catch the attention of such a group, let alone receive an invitation from them.
"I didn't expect you to recognize me, let alone know about the Khaos Brigade and the Hero Faction. That's honestly quite surprising."
Siegfried seemed genuinely astonished, his gaze toward Kaiser carrying an odd glint.
Khaos Brigade was not an organization that could be exposed so easily.
It was a true underground group—more than that, a terrorist organization. It gathered dangerous individuals from various mythological factions, forming a collective of ambitious schemers and outcasts.
Among them were factions led by Devils, as well as those dominated by Humans. Though their ultimate goals varied, they all shared one common stance—opposition to the world's major mythological forces.
For that reason, they had banded together, forming a singular organization that remained dormant, not yet emerging into the public eye.
The Hero Faction was a division within the Khaos Brigade led by Humans. It was composed not only of Sacred Gear wielders but also of descendants of legendary figures throughout history—those who carried the bloodlines of heroes. That was why they called themselves the Hero Faction.
Siegfried—originally named Sieg—was a warrior cultivated by the Church using the genetic material of Siegfried, the dragon-slaying hero from The Nibelungenlied. Once among the Church's most elite exorcists, he later defected and joined the Khaos Brigade, becoming a key figure in the Hero Faction.
His covert assistance in dealing with the surveillance around Kaiser had been for one reason—recruitment.
"I'm curious—how exactly did you learn of our existence?" Siegfried locked eyes with Kaiser and said, "At this stage, those who know about the Khaos Brigade can be counted on one hand. Even among those who suspect our presence, they must belong to one of the world's most powerful forces."
"And yet… you don't seem to meet that criteria, do you?"
Since they intended to recruit Kaiser, the Hero Faction had, of course, conducted a thorough investigation on him.
According to Siegfried's knowledge, the man before him had been wandering the world alone ever since escaping from the Church. He had never joined any faction nor been affiliated with any major organization. His background was astonishingly clean.
For someone with no ties or connections, discovering the existence of the Khaos Brigade should have been impossible—let alone knowing its internal structure and the existence of its Hero Faction.
And yet, here he was, speaking as if he had peered directly into the organization's secrets.
Something didn't add up.
Unfortunately for Siegfried, Kaiser had no intention of explaining.
"If I recall correctly, the core members of the Hero Faction are people like you—those who have inherited the bloodline and powers of historical heroes and warriors. But as far as I know, I don't possess the lineage of any great figures. So why invite me?"
Kaiser, mirroring Siegfried's earlier tactic, responded with a question rather than an answer, making it difficult for Siegfried to gauge his thoughts.
Nonetheless, Siegfried chose to answer.
"It's simple—because you're human." Siegfried stated bluntly. "We aim to prove that humans can triumph over the powerful non-human races. We seek to challenge the very limits of humanity and restore the glory of our ancestors. We want those who look down on humanity to witness how our so-called 'frail' species has continued to survive."
"That's why we welcome anyone who shares this ambition, even if they aren't the descendants of heroes."
"In fact, the Hero Faction includes many individuals who do not carry the blood of heroes or warriors. Instead, they rely on their Sacred Gears, their relentless training, and their unwavering effort."
"These are the people we seek to recruit. That is why I'm here."
They had been watching Kaiser for a long time, monitoring him from the shadows, waiting for the right moment.
Although Kaiser had not inherited the bloodline of a hero, according to intelligence reports, his body harbored an abnormally powerful Sacred Gear—one with a Holy Attribute.
This Sacred Gear had only recently awakened, yet in its initial outburst, it had already annihilated an entire church, reducing everyone inside to ashes. If honed properly, such a power could make him one of the Hero Faction's strongest assets.
Holy-attribute Sacred Gears were incredibly rare and inherently lethal to Devils and other demonic beings. To many supernatural creatures, they were mortal threats.
Because of this, the Hero Faction had designated Kaiser as a high-priority target long ago. The moment he resurfaced, they sent someone to make contact.
To ensure a smooth recruitment process, they had even eliminated the spies monitoring him. The major factions within Kuoh Town were still completely unaware that such a powerful Sacred Gear wielder was right under their noses.
This was also a cover-up. After all, the Khaos Brigade had yet to fully reveal itself. If they made direct contact with Kaiser too openly, they risked drawing unwanted attention, increasing their chances of exposure.
After securing these precautions, they sent Siegfried to approach Kaiser.
"You are even more exceptional than our intel suggested. I don't know if you've fully mastered your Sacred Gear yet, but even if you haven't, I can already see from your Touki that my trip here was worthwhile."
Siegfried regarded Kaiser with approval.
"This proves you refuse to stagnate. Ever since you escaped the Church, you've been tirelessly training yourself, haven't you?"
One did not develop Touki of that caliber without undergoing hellish self-discipline.
It was proof of how much effort Kaiser had put in—how much he refused to remain weak.
The members of the Hero Faction were the same. They refused to accept humanity's weakness and sought to prove they were just as powerful as Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels.
A man like Kaiser was precisely the kind of talent they longed for.
"So? Will you join us?" Siegfried stretched out his hand, his tone almost hypnotic. "We possess the means to make weak humans strong."
"Whether you want to further develop your Sacred Gear's power or push it to a higher state, we have ways to help."
"We have access to technology beyond other factions."
"And we have near-invincible leaders."
"Trust me—joining us will not disappoint you."
In a way, Siegfried's words were true.
At least, Kaiser—who knew the original story—understood that.
Khaos Brigade was a terrifying organization, a collective of terrorists, yes, but undeniably powerful. It was not inferior to any mythological faction.
Throughout the DxD storyline, whether in the early, mid, or late stages, Khaos Brigade had always remained an active antagonist. The world's mythological factions even had to unite to oppose them.
If not for their gradual downfall—being struck down one by one and ultimately crushed by the protagonist's group—this terrorist organization had the potential to overturn the entire world's order.
They were the ultimate villainous group—at least for now.
"Sounds tempting," Kaiser admitted calmly, his expression unchanging. "But if I refuse… are you planning to eliminate me as a threat?"
"…Of course not." Siegfried narrowed his eyes. "I wouldn't go that far. Well… at least, not yet."
Even as he spoke, Siegfried drew a weapon from beneath his cloak.
A sword.
A cursed blade radiating an ominous, murderous aura, its black-and-gold surface exuding an overwhelming sense of destruction.
Unlike the Four-Colored Magic Swords of the Asterisk world, this was a true Demonic Sword—a blade so malevolent that merely holding it felt like inviting death.
Pulling out such a weapon, Siegfried spoke.
"It seems you're not interested in joining us right now."
"That's fine. We'll give you time to reconsider."
"But to make a stronger impression on you, allow me to show you my power."
The moment Siegfried's words fell, a surge of destructive Aura erupted from the Demonic Sword in his hand.
"———"
Kaiser reacted instantly, his entire body surging with Touki.
At that very instant, Siegfried swung his Demonic Sword.
"Boom——!"
A storm of raw, destructive energy tore through the air, roaring toward Kaiser like an unstoppable force.
Everything in its path—walls, floors, ceilings—was obliterated in an instant, reduced to nothing more than brittle debris, crumbling like a house of cards before the sheer might of the attack.
"Boom——!"
In the remote outskirts, the abandoned factory suddenly erupted, sending shockwaves rippling through the surroundings. Thick clouds of smoke and dust billowed into the sky, while the unleashed energy flared upward, illuminating the dark night like a beacon of ruin.
It was an unforeseen disaster.
A moment of absolute destruction.
By the time everything settled, there was no longer any sign of the abandoned factory. In its place, only a massive crater remained, with loose rubble still shifting within its depths.
"...…"
At some point, Kaiser had already moved, now standing at the edge of the crater, his gaze flickering slightly.
"Khaos Brigade…"
"Hero Faction…"
Murmuring the names under his breath, Kaiser cast one last deep look at the abyss before him. Then, without another word, he turned and disappeared into the darkness of the night.
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