While everyone was getting noisy, the current Maou, Sirzechs, remained seated behind his desk, watching quietly. He didn't say a word. Not only did he show no intention of scolding them, he even wore a gentle smile.
"Youth really is nice..."
The murmur slipped out before he could stop himself, and that was what finally made everyone remember where they were, standing before the Maou's seat.
"Sorry, big brother. We got carried away."
Rias was the first to apologize, taking responsibility for everyone.
"Don't say that. Compared to an atmosphere that's too stiff, I much prefer seeing you full of energy like this."
Sirzechs had always been that tolerant. Forget blaming them, he genuinely enjoyed seeing the younger generation of devils getting along like this.
It made him feel that the future of the devil world wasn't something that only people like him had to shoulder forever.
Of course, the Maou didn't mind holding up the sky for the younger devils. But more than that, they wanted to see their successors gradually replace them and become the true pillars of the devil world.
This wasn't just Sirzechs' personal belief. It was the shared outlook of all the current Maou.
You could say that none of the four reigning Maou were hungry for power. Every one of them was more than willing to be replaced, and even happier to see the devil world grow stronger and better.
That was something the Old Maou Faction could never achieve. All they ever cared about was their own status, glory, and power. Never anyone else.
"What I needed to say is basically done," Sirzechs continued, getting straight to the point. "The three-way talks are unavoidable. As the main parties involved in this incident, you'll all need to attend when the time comes."
"The specific agenda and location still need to be discussed with the other two sides. On top of that, there are security concerns and external policies to consider. Realistically, it will still be a while before the talks actually begin."
This wasn't a small matter.
A three-way meeting like this was unprecedented. There were far too many issues to consider, and without extensive coordination and complicated procedures, nothing could be finalized.
That was why Sirzechs had only come to give them a rough heads-up, so they could start preparing.
Once the time, location, and process were confirmed, someone would naturally be sent to notify them.
"During this period, you need to act cautiously," Sirzechs said seriously. "While the three factions are focused on confirming the talks, they likely won't have the bandwidth to watch over the human world. You must be extremely careful and make sure no one with ulterior motives finds another opportunity."
At that, everyone frowned.
"Are you referring to the Old Maou Faction and the Hero Faction?" Sona Sitri asked in a low voice.
"Not just them." Sirzechs' expression grew even more serious. "At this point, we can more or less confirm that the Old Maou Faction and the so-called Hero Faction actually belong to different branches of the same organization."
"In other words, whether it's the Old Maou Faction or the Hero Faction, they're both just parts of a powerful underground organization."
"As for what that organization truly is, or who founded it, we still... don't know."
His tone paused almost imperceptibly at the end.
No one else noticed it. Except Leo.
Because he knew Sirzechs was lying on that point.
After all, he had already given Sirzechs a hint.
The symbol of Ouroboros was far too obvious, too striking, too important. Leo had already spelled it out. If Sirzechs still hadn't realized who the leader of that underground organization was, then he would have been far too slow.
Besides, who else in this world could make those arrogant Old Maou Faction members and the ambitious figures of the Hero Faction willingly bow their heads?
Sirzechs and the other Maou had most likely already reached that conclusion. But without concrete evidence, and without seeing them in person, they weren't eager to announce it publicly.
Still, Sirzechs' meaning was clear enough. He was warning them that, aside from angels and fallen angels, devils might have already encountered a new enemy.
And a terrifying one at that.
"Other mythological factions may also notice the changes on our side and decide to take action," Sirzechs added.
This world wasn't ruled solely by devils, angels, and fallen angels. Many other mythological systems were active in other countries.
Greek mythology, Norse mythology, Indian mythology, Egyptian mythology, Celtic mythology, Mount Sumeru... all of them truly existed in this world. They simply didn't operate in this region.
Devils, angels, and fallen angels all belonged to the Biblical system. Strictly speaking, they were part of the same mythological framework, just divided into different factions.
Now that the three factions within the Biblical system were preparing to sit down and talk, such a development, one that could reshape the future balance, was bound to draw attention from other mythological forces.
If any of them believed it was more beneficial for the Biblical factions to keep fighting internally, it wouldn't be impossible for them to interfere.
That meant the group they needed to guard against wasn't limited to the mysterious organization alone. It also included other mythological factions.
Of course, the chances of those factions getting involved weren't particularly high. After all, their gods were still alive, and more than one of them.
Unlike the Biblical system, where the Biblical God had been the sole god. Once he died, and if he couldn't be revived, the entire system lost its god-level combat power. If not for the emergence of two Super Devil-level existences, and the fact that the Biblical God had seemingly foreseen his own death and created the Sacred Gear system, leaving behind numerous Longinus and powerful Sacred Gears capable of rivaling gods and Maou, the entire system might have already been wiped out.
And even if other mythological factions did target the Biblical system, they usually aimed at the three major factions themselves. They weren't like the Old Maou Faction, the Hero Faction, or Kokabiel, who all set their sights on young devils like Leo, Rias, and Sona.
Bullying the younger generation was something only ruthless terrorist organizations would do. Those famous mythological factions likely wouldn't stoop that low.
But better safe than sorry.
What if they really did take an interest in Leo and the others?
Just among the people present, there were already four Longinus. That alone was unbelievable.
Even the Grigori, an organization dedicated to researching and cultivating Sacred Gear users, only had two Longinus holders internally. Yet in this tiny Occult Research Club room, there were four. If that information got out, there was no guarantee some faction wouldn't suddenly become interested and come looking for trouble.
Because of that, Sirzechs wasn't just here to warn them. He also had arrangements to make.
"I, Serafall, and Ajuka will each send a portion of our servants to the human world to support you," Sirzechs announced.
"Additionally, we'll create a special pocket dimension. Only the three of you and your servants will be able to enter it. This space will directly connect to the magic circles you've set up, eliminating all interference. No matter when or where you are, you'll be able to teleport into it freely and support each other."
This pocket dimension would serve not only as a shelter, but also as a transit hub.
If they encountered an enemy they couldn't overcome, Leo and the others could retreat there at any time.
If someone else was attacked, those who weren't involved could also use the space to quickly reach the battlefield. No more situations like this time, where certain circumstances prevented direct magic circle jumps into Kuoh Town or Kuoh Academy.
Sirzechs had even prepared communication tools for them.
"These are specially made devices. Once activated, they'll immediately send out an alarm. You won't run into situations where you can't contact each other."
He handed several oddly shaped devices to Leo, Rias, and Sona.
"If a device is destroyed, the alarm will be transmitted directly to the Underworld. In an emergency, you can destroy it yourselves, and the Underworld will immediately dispatch troops to support you."
Sirzechs had thought of everything. Clearly, the string of unexpected attacks over the past few months had made him wary.
Lafei Trix, Cao Cao, Kokabiel... In just over a month, Leo and the others had faced three different factions and powerful enemies. If anything else went wrong, there would be no point in holding the three-way talks at all.
After making all these preparations, Sirzechs added one final remark.
"This is also a good opportunity. The three of you can train together. That pocket dimension was prepared specifically as a training ground for you."
At that, Rias and Sona both perked up.
"Training?" Rias glanced at Leo. "That sounds perfect to me."
"We really do need to organize group training," Sona agreed. "Otherwise, the next time danger comes, we might not be lucky enough to survive it."
They didn't yet know how effective the special training of Leo's servants truly was, but Leo's growth was something they had witnessed firsthand.
In just a month, he had become this much stronger, strong enough to easily deal with fallen angel executives. To say that hadn't stimulated them at all would be a lie.
Leo's servants had also grown increasingly powerful. Not only had Yukinoshita Yukino and the others undergone a clear change in presence and aura, three new combatants had joined them as well.
Rias and Sona had a good grasp of how strong those three were.
Take Ravel, for example. She was a genuine pureblood devil, the young lady of the Phoenix family, a bona fide High-Class Devil with Immortal Body. With that kind of strength, she would easily contend for a top-three spot within the Gremory or Sitri servants.
As for Ram and Rem, as descendants of the naturally powerful Oni race, no matter how weak they were, they couldn't possibly be weak in absolute terms.
As Leo's servants continued to undergo a complete transformation and grow stronger, Rias and Sona couldn't afford to lag too far behind.
Even setting aside comparisons with Leo's group, neither of them wanted to be as helpless as before when danger struck.
When Lafei Trix attacked, it was only because Leo fought with everything he had that they managed to survive. Otherwise, even if Rias and Sona had teamed up, they would have had no chance of winning.
As for Kokabiel's assault, it went without saying. Without Leo's timely rescue in the depths of despair, they would have been reduced to ashes along with Kuoh Town itself.
Back then, Leo and Yukinoshita Yukino's group had already sensed the danger of being targeted by various ill-intentioned forces, which was why they decided to undergo special training to strengthen themselves for the crises ahead.
Now, Rias and Sona felt the same way.
They, too, believed that with their current strength, they could no longer protect themselves against the dangers yet to come.
If that was the case, there was only one option.
They had to become stronger.
"It's good that you've realized this," Sirzechs said with a satisfied nod. Then he turned to his sister. "Rias, you can also try releasing that sealed Bishop piece of yours."
The room went quiet for a moment.
"Is that really okay, big brother?" Rias asked in surprise.
"Yes. Permission has already been granted," Sirzechs replied with a smile. "Its ability is still extremely dangerous, but at this point, it may not be impossible to try and control it."
As he spoke, he glanced at Leo.
With him here, even if the power of Rias' Bishop went out of control, there should be a way to handle it.
Leo wasn't who he used to be. Defeating Kokabiel and the White Dragon Emperor without using Balance Breaker meant his strength had already reached Maou-Class.
Rias' Bishop was powerful, but it was still far from enough to truly affect a Maou-Class existence.
On top of that, with the current tense situation, Rias and the others needed to improve their strength as quickly as possible. Continuing to keep such a powerful weapon sealed away would be a waste.
It would be better to take this opportunity and let Rias fully master the potential of her Bishop.
With Leo around, nothing too serious should happen.
It also aligned perfectly with Sirzechs' earlier plans: to let Leo and Rias spend more time together, deepen their interactions, and prepare for the future.
After all, Sirzechs' desire for an outstanding brother-in-law had never truly faded...