That was why sensei’s ability was a very important existence to both us, and the VIPs of the various factions. …That was why he would become a target for people. Please sensei; don’t let anything happen to you in the future. If you fall, the future will become uncertain…well, sensei isn’t someone who’d die easily though. But Beelzebub-sama’s advice was terrifying enough. Conversely, Azazel-sensei asked Beelzebub-sama
“I heard that you also plunged into some strange things? —You know the whereabouts of [Innovate Clear] and [Telos Karma] right? You did that with your own [Team]…it has something to do with this space, doesn’t it?”
All of a sudden, Azazel-sensei listed the names of two Longinus…. What was it? Although I knew that Beelzebub-sama operated his own [Team] somewhere in Japan…what do two of the Longinus have to do with this space? Beelzebub-sama shook his head. “I’m very sorry, but this is my field. Even if it’s you who’s familiar with Sacred Gears, you may not be able to understand. If you want to know why, it’s because it exists outside of the world.”
Sensei regretfully sighed as he said ‘I see’. At this time, a small magic circle for communication appeared beside Beelzebub-sama’s ear. Beelzebub-sama listened to the voice. “…A hotline, huh.”
Beelzebub-sama eloquently narrowed his eyes. “…Ho, to some extent it’s an unexpected move from them, but it’s also a bad move.”
He turned around and said to us
“You should return immediately.”
“What happened?”
Rias asked about the sudden occurrence, and a shocking piece of news came from the Maou-sama’s mouth. “—Ophis was attacked by an Evil Dragon.”
[“—WHAT! ?”]
I and everyone else were speechless— The malice of those guys was in action once again. Upstairs in the Hyoudou household—. Gathered in Ophis’s room were the members from before, and also Dulio who rushed over afterwards. Having been brought back, Ravel returned to her own room to rest. Koneko-chan also accompanied her. However, Ophis was lying on her bed…with her clothes ripped and tattered. Asia was currently healing her. The external injuries gradually faded until they disappeared. …When we hurriedly returned over from Beelzebub-sama’s side, Ophis had already been brutally injured. Her limbs had all been shattered, and her face was very heavily injured as well. Her entire body was covered with wounds caused by claws, and she had lost consciousness. Even after receiving treatment, she had not regained consciousness. …If she was still infinite, these kinds of injuries wouldn’t matter at all. But, she was currently finite. Even if she was stronger than any one person in this room, she could still be injured. …But, who was it? I couldn’t think of anyone that could defeat Ophis. And where was she attacked? As these doubts filled my mind, Dulio said
“…It looks like she was attacked in that underground space. At the time, I had a sense of anxiety, and quickly rushed over there. At that time, the Evil Dragon had already escaped. The one who arrived there before me was Crom Cruach.”
“……”
In the direction that Dulio pointed towards, Crom Cruach stood there as he leaned against the wall. Dulio then said
“Ophis, she…in order to protect the [Spectre Dragon] egg, she was beaten.”
……. …In other words, Ophis was hurt like this so that she could protect the egg… …Ah, those bastards, they must have deliberately been aiming for that egg. Since it was Ophis, she definitely would have sacrificed her life to protect that egg. If the aim of those bastards was to defeat Ophis, then they certainly would have aimed for the egg to attack her. Supposing that Ophis was protecting the egg, even Evil Dragons would be able to defeat her. But she didn’t do anything, or perhaps they used a technique that Ophis was defenceless against…? In any case, they injured Ophis to such an extent while she was defenceless. They really were a group of evil bastards…damn it! “…Uhh. …Ophis.”
I was so angry that my entire body was pulsating. …She was clearly living a peaceful life. She was living together with us peacefully every day. She was really interested in the [Spectre Dragon] egg, and wanted to guard it. She just wanted to live an ordinary life! An aura of rage seeped out of my body. Beside me, Rias and Asia tried to comfort me. “…Ise-san.”
“Ise, calm down. You’ll just be doing what they want if you don’t maintain your composure. All of us can also understand your anger. I, as well as everyone else am undeniably angry.”
“…I know, everything is because of that guy…it’s all part of that bastard’s plan…damn it!”
—Rizevim, Qlippoth! Indeed, it’s only that guy that I have to…! I restrained the anger in my body, and calmed my mind. At that time, a small communication magic circle appeared beside sensei’s ear. “What is it, what happened?”
Turning my attention towards sensei, I saw that he was unable to utter a word, and he had a mortified expression. “—Shit! …How did it come to that? Those bastards, they actually went and did something like that…!”
After thumping his chest a few times, sensei adjusted his breathing and said to me
“Ise, listen to me calmly. Do you understand? You absolutely have to listen to me calmly.”
“What actually happened, sensei? What is it?”
“—Your parents, they were just kidnapped by Qlippoth.”
The instant I heard that, I felt something erupt within me. The members of [DxD] were gathered in the VIP room on the top floor of the Hyoudou household. Having moved from Ophis’s room to this room, I — Kiba Yuuto, and my nakama were looking at the multiple monitors which were inside the VIP room, checking a certain video recording. —It was the video recording of what happened in that space. Because it was the precious egg that the former Dragon King Tannin entrusted us with, it was always monitored in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances. It was also a rare breed, so there was also a desire to record the moment that it hatched. That was the reason why there were surveillance cameras set up in the underground space. The footage that had been recorded by these numerous cameras was currently being watched by us. …What the recording showed, was a single Evil Dragon that had suddenly appeared in the underground space with Ophis, who then confronted it. After that…she was subjected to unimaginably brutal violence. …It was a scene of extreme cruelty. People couldn’t help looking away from it. The Evil Dragon’s tyrannical actions were excessively brutal. …With black scales and a khaki coloured belly, it was a slender snake-like Evil Dragon. Based on the image in the video, it had a large body which was around twenty metres long. Although it was snake-like in appearance, it had four limbs, and also four wings. It was uncertain whether the fluid which eerily drooled out of its giant mouth was saliva or venom. Together with its petrifying smile, it was a horribly ugly sight.