— — — — — —
"So that's it… she's been preparing that ritual all this time?"
After finishing the letter, Ryo flicked his wrist and set it ablaze.
With the authority of searing heat in his possession, igniting paper was effortless. And since he also held the authority of destruction, the flames burned unusually clean. Once reduced to ash, the contents couldn't be restored unless someone used a higher authority.
Through the letter, Ryo understood Algol's plan.
Over the years, she had quietly influenced the Creator God's system from the shadows, spreading the Cleansing ritual across the world.
Aside from that, she had barely interfered in anything else. Most of her time was spent in her Underworld palace, consolidating the authority she'd gained in the previous world and constructing her own cosmology.
As she wrote, a world could only have one observer. If her influence became too large, it would interfere with Ryo's observation of the High School DxD world.
So she deliberately restrained herself, nudging history only at the edges. Even when she tampered with the system, she kept it shallow, leaving Ryo a channel to infiltrate the Creator God's framework.
Her goals had always been clear: deploy the ritual, and stabilize her spirit rank.
Both were nearing completion. In a few months, she would likely succeed.
By comparison, Ryo's side might actually end up slowing things down.
"No wonder Yasaka and Nurarihyon didn't show any traces of the Little Garden system. I thought she'd spent centuries just minding her own business. Good thing she actually did something."
Ryo let out a faint, thoughtful sigh.
When he first arrived in this world, he had tested the strength of its great yokai. The result matched his expectations.
No traces of the Little Garden system.
That meant Algol hadn't provided the devil faction with any assistance. Otherwise, after hundreds of years, figures like Yasaka and Nurarihyon, already close to Super-class power and considered top-tier in this world, wouldn't have seemed so weak.
Changes in power systems usually benefit the strong first. If they hadn't improved, it meant the world's trajectory still closely resembled the original storyline.
Of course, Ryo wasn't treating the original plot like gospel. At best, it was just a reference.
So his next step was to coordinate with Algol's plan while pulling this world's observation into Little Garden's sphere of rule.
Thinking that far, Ryo clicked his tongue.
"So after all that, she dumped the troublesome part on me."
He had every reason to suspect Algol spent more time on beauty treatments than sabotaging the Creator God's system. That was absolutely possible.
Nania lowered her head, pretending she hadn't heard anything.
Before she came, Grayfia had instructed her: treat this man as the long-missing First Lucifer.
With that in mind, Nania behaved impeccably. Even as a member of the Devil Council and one of the rare pure-blood devils, she could only act as a servant before him.
Ryo didn't care what she thought. He simply said, "Follow procedure. Stay hidden near me and act as a messenger when needed."
"Yes."
Nania nodded. Her figure dissolved into the air.
Ryo could still clearly sense her nearby. She was even quietly contacting the Underworld. He ignored it, shaking his head.
"Looks like I picked the right path after all."
Unite all races and pantheons under a single ruler, then resist the coming invasion from another world.
In Ryo's estimation, that was the fastest way to clear this world.
And that had been his plan from the start.
The yokai faction was step one. Next came absorbing the Five Families. After that, extend influence into the Fallen Angels, then integrate the three factions. With that foundation, swallow the rest of the world.
The route was set. Now it was time to decide how to walk it.
Just then, hurried footsteps echoed.
The familiar errand-runner, the crow tengu, rushed into the courtyard.
"Bad news, Leader! Scouts report the Five Great Families are marching on us!"
"Why panic?" Ryo shot him a glare. The crow tengu instantly shrank back and lowered his head.
"Tell Shuten, Yasaka, and Nurarihyon to assemble in the front hall. Bring all mid-level and above fighters. We're going to clash head-on with those exorcists. Let's show them the might of Yokai."
Kuroka, still in his arms, twitched at that.
You really think you're a yokai now?
"Yes, Leader!" The crow tengu shouted excitedly, then dashed off to spread the word.
For yokai, these past few days were practically a festival. Normally they had to endure the Five Families' pressure and couldn't fight back. Today, they could finally go all out.
Those families, proud of their "noble bloodlines," had bullied minor yokai for years.
Now things were different. With Ryo leading them and both sides at comparable strength, what was there to fear?
Just fight.
"Let's go."
Ryo stroked Kuroka's smooth back once and stepped forward with a smile.
---
Morning. Sunrise at the Himejima estate.
Suzaku Himejima sat in the noisy room, her expression cold as the elders argued loudly around her.
"Retaliation. We must retaliate! If we don't crush those filthy yokai now, they'll be walking all over us next!"
"I agree with the Second Elder. It's bad enough they swept our Kyoto base, but they even launched a night raid on the family head. That's trampling the Himejima family's honor!"
"I've already contacted the other four families. They're willing to dispatch forces and form an alliance to subdue Kyoto's yokai."
"Everyone, the time for revenge has come!"
"Family Head, give the order!"
"Family Head, we await your decision!"
As the exorcists spoke, their gazes turned toward the man at the head of the room.
His body was wrapped in bandages. The few patches of exposed skin were burned and charred, leaving him barely recognizable.
Suou Himejima, head of the Himejima family.
The ambush last night had left him gravely wounded. If not for the Phoenix Tears the family had purchased to keep him alive, he would already be dead.
Even those couldn't heal his injuries. That alone confirmed the attacker possessed strength on the level of a "Great Yokai." Otherwise, someone like Suou, not far below that level, wouldn't have been crippled so badly.
Enduring the pain, Suou gritted his teeth and opened bloodshot eyes.
"Suzaku."
He called her name, then asked in a low voice, "You lead the team. Activate the sacred beast. You can handle those Kyoto yokai, right?"
Suzaku wanted to refuse.
But the many eyes fixed on her made the words stick in her throat.
In the end, she lacked strength. With the family head decided and most elders eager for war, her voice as heir simply didn't carry enough weight.
Her hands clenched beneath her kimono. After a long silence, she let out a quiet sigh.
"…No problem."
She was still too weak.
.
.
.