Pandemonium
I
Jiraiya
28 hours before Great Red’s imprisonment
12 hours before the Academy’s lockdown
“Lord Jiraiya, we have recovered the bodies of the Old Satan faction leaders.”
“Are all accounted for?”
Kuroka paused for a second before shaking her head, “Shalba Beelzebub is still missing.”
“Increase the search parameter by another 25 kilometers and sweep the area again, if his body is not found then we have to assume that he escaped,” Jiraiya sighed when he recalled the data he had gathered on Shalba, “Possibility of that is high since he is a slippery one.”
Kuroka bowed before taking a few steps back and passing his command to their force through her earpiece.
They were on a manmade island near Iceland. Jiraiya scanned the ruins in front of him again, “A floating fortress would be a more fitting term.”
The ruins and the few initial scans he had performed were enough for Jiraiya to recreate the structure of the fortress in his head, along with most of the vital details.
An enormous castle that was heavily fortified as well as had all the luxurious needs of the Old Satans. The size, the defensive mechanisms, and the location, “This was one of their primary bases.”
And just like their other ones, this was also felled by Cao Cao’s team, leaving no survivors.
Based on the residue energy signatures, Jiraiya could guess what happened here.
‘Dimension Lost’ was used to break the barriers of the fortress, followed by some sort of long-range attacks from ‘True Longinus’. Most of the devils did not stand a chance against the holy element of ‘True Longinus’. This caused the leaders of the Old Satan faction to emerge but Cao Cao’s team was already inside the island. The following battle was intense but short. After the leaders were taken out, Cao Cao’s team retreated.
“They bombarded the place after they retreated,” Jiraiya focused on the small craters all around him. At first glance, others might think that they were caused by magical spells. But Jiraiya saw through the illusion. Manmade weapons were used first and then their tracks were covered through magic.
“Probably that is why they didn’t remove the traces of the battle, to conceal certain weapons that the Hero faction used.”
Cao Cao’s team, the Hero faction, inside the Khaos Brigade was a watered-down version of Akatsuki. They had power but lacked experience, they had knowledge but lacked wisdom… and most importantly, their leader was strong but a delusional idiot. He wanted to defeat various Gods to show the might of humans to the supernatural world, completely disregarding the fact that this would plunge the supernatural world into chaos which ultimately would affect… no, destroy the human world as well.
But these kinds of idiots could be considered quite dangerous… and easier to manipulate.
And it seemed that the Greek Faction knew it as well.
So how did Jiraiya learn so much about the Hero Faction so quickly?
It was because they tried to infiltrate the Elemental Academy just like quite a few other groups. But they really underestimated Khaoss’ capabilities. So, instead of uncovering the academy’s secrets, they unknowingly gave away most of theirs to Khaoss, who later passed it to Jiraiya.
“The Greek and the Heroes, sounds like a trouble that we should nip in the bud.”
“Lord Jiraiya.”
Jiraiya turned his head to face Kuroka.
“Permission to speak freely.”
He gave a nod of acknowledgment.
“Doesn’t this look quite bad, nya~”
This made him chuckle.
Unlike her civilian attire, Kuroka was wearing the traditional Anbu uniform, of course, adjusted to match the Kingdom and its forces. Black clothing, metal arm guards and gloves, and a modified flak jacket and ninja sandals. She was not wearing any masks and her hair was loose. And since she was a Daiyōkai, she had a stylized white haori on her.
“It is. But look at the bright side,” Jiraiya pointed at the ruins in front of them, “We don’t have to worry about the Old Satan faction anymore.”
“That’s,” Kuroka nervously glanced at the ruins, “One way to look at it, nya~”
Jiraiya knew he sounded harsh, ruthless even. They were standing on top of a place where numerous devils were killed in cold blood. And he was calculating how this event would benefit them. Yes, many of these devils deserved no sympathy but there were quite a few who were forced to follow their masters without giving any choices.
Maybe, they also had prisoners who perished in the midst of the battle.
But that’s who he was, a Shinobi and a General loyal to his kingdom, through and through. And he had work to do, “Kuroka.”
The tone in his voice made Kuroka straighten her posture and sharpen her gaze, “Lord Jiraiya.”
One of his astral clones appeared beside Kuroka with a scroll. While Jiraiya was scanning the area and giving out commands, on the side he was guiding this particular astral clone to create a coded message.
“Deliver this scroll to August.”
Kuroka gave a light bow before taking the scroll. While her expression did not give anything away, her tails failed to do so. Seeing how her tails were twitching, Jiraiya could tell she was nervous. She had every right to be since this was her first big mission outside of the kingdom.
“You are right, you know,” Jiraiya smiled as he dismissed his clone. The surprised look on Kuroka’s face made him chuckle again, “This looks quite bad, considering what is happening in the Elemental Academy right about now.”
The twitching of her tail got worse, “Do you think the enemies will attack the academy?”
Jiraiya snorted unintentionally, “Almost half of the Top Ten strongest beings are going to be there. I don’t think they have enough firepower to even knock on the door without getting flattened,” Seeing Kuroka calming down, he continued, “But if they are idiots, they might try to pull off something.”
Kuroka blinked a few times before asking, “Should this not be concerning, nya~”
Jiraiya shook his head, “We should not be looking for these children running around causing trouble. No,” Jiraiya looked at the craters again, “We need to find the puppeteers, those who scheme and wage wars from the shadow. They should be our concern.”
Kuroka nodded her head, much slower this time. Jiraiya could see the gears in her head turning. As a Daiyōkai, she needed to see beyond her vision. And as a senior, it was his job to guide her.
A minute later, after Kuroka left through a teleportation circle, Jiraiya started moving. While he had the utmost belief in the scouts of his group, they weren’t nearly as experienced as him. It was time for him to personally look for clues that they might have missed.
“It seems we will have some long nights ahead of us.”
.
18 hours before Great Red’s imprisonment
2 hours before the Academy’s lockdown
.
“When did this happen?”
The reply from the screen came immediately, “30 minutes ago, we lost all signals from the cracks that lead to the Underworld.”
“This is the case for all the cracks that we are monitoring?”
“Yes.”
Jiraiya released a long breath. And within that one breath, he already came up with the next course of action, “This is a Code Orange alert. Follow the protocol and update the HQ about your status every 10 minutes.”
“As you command, Lord Jiraiya,” The figure on the screen bowed and a second later, the screen went dark.
Jiraiya closed his eyes and started to gather his thoughts.
Travel to the Underworld was not as easy as many thought it would be. The unique magic crest of the pillar clans allowed the direct family members of that clan to travel to and from the Underworld, as long as the territories belonged to their clan. As for the Grigori, the higher-up fallens could create small portals to travel between the human world and the Underworld.
What these two factions utilized the most, for travelling, were the cracks in the human world that were directly connected to the underworld. The locations of these cracks were hidden from the humans and most were closely monitored by certain factions.
After the Nekoshou massacre, all the cracks in Japan, Korea, and most ones in China were destroyed. The remaining ones in China and all the existing ones in Russia were now monitored by the Avalon Kingdom.
And he just received a call that the direct communication with the other end of the cracks stopped. To make matters worse, it was not an isolated case. All the cracks under their command were having the same problem.
And they all started at the same time.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
“You think the Greeks are involved in this?”
Jiraiya opened his eyes and moved his gaze, not toward August who asked the question, but at his table. He pointed at one set of scrolls, “The Hero faction has taken over the Khaos Brigade by absorbing all the smaller groups and destroying the Old Satan faction,” Then he pointed at the large magical globe beside his table, “In Europe, riots are breaking out in many human countries. Some are escalating too fast,” Lastly, the black screen, “And now, all communication has been cut off from the Underworld.”
August frowned, “Smokescreens to redirect everyone’s attention?”
Jiraiya didn’t answer immediately. He took out a small decorated wooden box and opened it. Inside, there was a card that had the crest of the Belial clan. A gift that he had received after he helped Diehauser with catching the masterminds behind the King piece scandal. Of course, he had his own reasons to help the Belial heir. It allowed him to have access to some sensitive information about the Devil Faction.
He bit his thumb to draw blood and allowed one drop to fall on the Belial crest. When it glowed, Jiraiya took a scroll and put it on top of the card. A second later, the scroll disappeared and the crest lost its vibrance.
Completing his task, Jiraiya finally looked at August while pointing at the black screen, “Just a gut feeling, but I don’t think the issue with the Underworld is a smokescreen.”
“Jiraiya, the Greeks are arrogant but they are not stupid,” August touched the magical globe, changing the map to the Underworld, “Clashing with any part of the Biblical faction is not something they can handle.”
“I never said anything about a direct clash,” Jiraiya clicked his tongue, “Besides, even though they had a hand in the World Wars, which by the way considerably affected all the factions in the supernatural world… nothing happened to them.”
August shook his head, “There is no evidence suggesting that the Greek faction started the World Wars.”
Jiraiya snorted when he heard August’s comment, “In the last ranking of the Top Ten, Hades took the 10th spot. In the following century, two Great Wars occurred in the human world which took millions of human lives. The supernatural world also suffered significantly. And then, in the following Top Ten ranking, Ares took the 9th spot,” Jiraiya then leaned forward, “Remind me, what was Ares’ domain?”
August let out a defeated smile, “I never said I am against your theory. But without any solid evidence, we can’t confront them.”
“There is no evidence because other supernatural factions did a piss poor job at it,” Jiraiya took a few deep breaths to calm himself, “Regardless, it matters not. We have to be prepared. And if required, we need to take out certain elements to hamper their movement.”
“How will you do that?”
Before Jiraiya could answer, the screen behind him came to life catching his attention. When he was done scanning the information shown on the screen, his focus went back to August, who also finished reading it.
“August, please ask Sesshomaru to be on standby.”
August understood his intention. But it seemed he did not agree with it. He looked at all the scattered scrolls around Jiraiya’s desk, “Do you really want to prioritize him over everything else?”
“You know what I hate most other than being blueballed?” Jiraiya smiled back, “Leaving loose ends that I know will come back later to bite us.”
.
16 hours before Great Red’s imprisonment
0 hour before the Academy’s lockdown
.
Astoria. It was a city that radiated wealth and prosperity at every turn. Skyscrapers reached for the clouds, reflecting the sunlight off their sleek glass exteriors. The streets below were lined with prestigious businesses, luxury boutiques, and high-end restaurants. Upscale shops, exclusive clubs, gourmet dining establishments, vibrant nightlife… this city catered to all the desires of the rich and the elite.
And in the heart of this vibrant city, this luxurious 5-star hotel stood. The moment one stepped into the lavish lobby, they would be greeted by the harmonious mixture of timeless beauty and modern luxury.
And this is where Shalba Beelzebub and a handful of the survivors of the Old Satan faction were hiding.
How did Jiraiya know about this?
When the mission to capture Rizevim failed, Avalon Kingdom took its hands off the matter. That was the official statement. But Jiraiya went back into it and dug deeper. His goal was not only to find out Rizevim’s assassin but also Rizevim’s motives and his acquaintances. He also looked into how Rizevim was able to stay under the radar for so long.
That’s how he was able to find out the hideouts in the human world that the Old Satan faction would use once in a while. It would have been extremely difficult to find hideouts in the human world if only they didn’t go for the most luxurious ones. Heck, they could have bought some unknown warehouses in poorer areas and could have refurbished them to their need – just like how a proper hideout ought to be.
But he wouldn’t criticize his enemies' incompetence. No, on the contrary, he would applaud them.
Of course, the moment he found the locations, he immediately started monitoring all of them personally.
As usual, he was in the right since he was able to locate Shalba the moment he entered this hideout.
Now, why was he here?
It was to completely end the Old Satan faction.
Jiraiya knew about Shalba’s personality from the report. He was a cruel, arrogant, and manipulative individual. He was the type who would never change his view, had no qualms about committing atrocious acts to others, and would always look for an opportunity to strike.
He was too much of a shrewd and a liability to be left alone.
Many, in his place, would charge in after a last-minute-made-up plan while throwing some hastily put-up spells to deter the humans from entering the location. The outcome of this method was clear – A small skirmish would occur and it would soon turn into a devastating battle, one which would undoubtedly spill into the streets taking many innocent lives. And in the midst of that battle, Shalba would flee the moment he would notice that the battle was tipping toward his enemy's side.
Another option was to wipe out the entire area in one single attack. The attack had to be fast enough for Shalba and his gang to be unable to react and had to be powerful enough to kill a few Ultimate Class devils. This was a coldhearted decision, ruthless even, since the casualty would be much higher than the previous method. But he knew quite a few individuals who would have no qualms choosing this.
And he was one such person.
If the target opposite of him was more dangerous, if he was under a time constraint, or if the kingdom was in a perilous position because of the target ahead of him, he wouldn’t have thought twice about the matter. Yes, it would put a foul taste in his mouth but he wasn’t going to fail his home again, not this time.
But such actions would only be taken if it was absolutely necessity, not because it was the easier option… never.
“Clone 2, reporting, the team is ready.”
His earrings, the standard communication device of Avalon Kingdom, came to life.
Jiraiya hummed as he focused his gaze downward. Just outside of the hotel, amongst the crowd, one of his astral clones along with ten youkai was hiding and waiting for the next move.
The youkai were not exceptionally powerful in terms of magic or energy capacity, but all of them were veterans when it came to stealth and battles.
A perfect combination for assassination. After all, because of their low magical energy, it was hard for the devils to sense them.
“Noted,” Jiraiya moved his focus once more, “Clone 3, Clone 4?”
His other two astral clones, who changed their appearances to that of a teenage boy, were mingling with multiple crowds of the same age.
These children, baited by his clones, were having parties around the streets, making noises and creating distractions.
“Reporting, we are awaiting your command.”
“Do it.”
Not a second later, the children started setting off loud fireworks.
And the reactions of the devils as well as the actions they took after were exactly what Jiraiya predicted.
Shelba, who was unsurprising residing at the penthouse of the hotel, came out angry and scared before relaying some commands to Euclid Lucifuge. For a brief moment, Jiraiya was worried that Shelba or Euclid would lash out at the children below using his devil powers.
Even if they did, Jiraiya had two astral clones amidst the teenage kids and one hiding nearby to protect them.
Luckily, Euclid also didn’t bother with the noises and asked a devil under him to take care of the nuisances.
The devil in question went out of the hotel and started walking toward the crowd. From the rising of magical energy, Jiraiya guessed that he would be putting them under some illusion and would make them disperse.
A harmless approach not befitting of the Old Satan faction. But Jiraiya knew why, they were still scared and shaken by the battle before with the Hero faction. Hence, they were trying to lay low and not draw attention to them in any way possible.
Something that Jiraiya was exploiting to the fullest.
The moment the devil was a few steps away from the crowd, he was jumped by his two astral clones and was immediately killed. No blood, no scream. From the perspective of outsiders, it looked like the devil was being hugged and greeted by his best friends.
The clones slowly moved his body toward the alley and a second later, one of his clones came out, wearing the same appearance as the devil.
“Clone 4, reporting, I got the key.”
Jiraiya hummed, “Good, get inside and create a passage for Clone 2 and his team.”
When the communication device died down, he focused on the hotel in front of him again.
The sixteen-storied floor was covered with numerous layers of barrier spells, hastily put together. These barriers had no concrete core, no connections between the layers, and no assigned individuals as overseers. They were just stacked on top of one another.
Barriers like these were some of the hardest to break without alerting the people inside.
Maybe for others, but Jiraiya knew a shortcut. Since these barriers were hard to manage, keys made using the blood of the casters were used to go in and out of the barriers.
And they got their hand on one.
Jiraiya saw that his Clone 2 and all the standby youkai were moving inside the hotel. A minute later, he extended his senses. As expected, his group had blended in with the crowd inside without the devils noticing.
He tapped on his earpiece, “All team, proceed to the next phase.”
It was simple really. The astral clones inside the hotel would start replacing the barrier spells with his custom sealing spells. While it was not an arduous task, they needed to be extra cautious. Of course, he was personally monitoring their work from his location, which was a rooftop a few buildings away from the hotel.
In the meantime, the youkai started to take out low-ranking devils one by one.
Surprisingly, it didn’t take long to replace three-fourths of the barrier spells, which was his aim from the beginning.
Taking a deep breath, he gave the command, “Start.”
From the teens’ parties down below, a trail of fire started ascending.
“5.”
He sensed all the astral clones taking their positions as the gears of the sealing spells started moving.
“4.”
He took his own stance. His hands were up, palms facing toward the direction of his targets. He felt the energy inside of him twisting, but he didn’t let go of his control.
“3.”
The youkai all raised their weapons, positioning themselves at the vital areas of the hotel, on the lower levels. Their targets were the devils on the floors above them.
“2.”
The trail of light started to dim.
“1.”
And then a loud firework went off, lighting the entire area and catching the devils off-guard once again.
Since they knew where the sound came from, unlike before, they were merely startled for a second.
And a second that Jiraiya and his team utilized.
His astral clones activated the seal which broke the barrier and at the same time immensely restricted the devils’ movements.
Not wasting a single moment, the youkai started moving, killing all the devils on their path with swift and clean strikes.
As for Jiraiya, his targets were Shalba and Euclid.
He stopped holding his power back and the first thing he did was to create a small portal right a meter away from them, all the way from where he was standing, a few buildings away from their location.
So how would one react when their movements were restricted and in their vulnerable moment, a spell was being formed in front of them?
They would panic.
And if they didn’t calm down, their first action would be to try their damnest to break free of the chain and create a shield in front of them.
Shalba and Euclid did exactly what Jiraiya expected them to do.
They panicked.
Because their concentration and magic were fully focused on freeing themselves and shielding them from the spell in front of them, they didn’t notice what was happening just behind their head.
A colorless kunai was formed.
A kunai made from ‘Space Manipulation’ and ‘Senjutsu’.
A kunai, that a fraction of a second later, started drilling into Shalba and Euclid’s skulls from the back of their head.
First came confusion and then agony, and a second later the life left their eyes as blood started to trickle down from their eyes, nose, ears, and mouth.
Then they dropped onto the floor, dead.
Jiraiya wiped the blood pooling in his eyes, “Nameless Art 05: Tears of Blood.”
He assassinated two high-profile devils without stepping inside the building they were residing in.
“Another point to add to my already bloody resume,” Jiraiya snorted before tapping his earpiece, “Clean up the rest of the devils and tend to the humans.”
Jiraiya felt a vibration in his pocket which made him turn off the earpiece. He frowned when he took out the azure-colored rune. It was also a communication device but meant for long-distance ones.
He was expecting a message from Diehauser since it had been a few hours and still, he didn’t receive any response.
“August?”
“Jiraiya. I have some bad news.”
This ruined all of his good moods, “What it is?”
“It would be easier to show you.”
The rune glowed more vibrantly which made Jiraiya hold it before him. A moment later, a video started playing.
Hundreds of dragons, all having the skin color of various shades of black, filled up the sky. And above them, inside the clouds, Jiraiya could make of something lurking.
Something dangerous.
“Can you contact Tiamat?”
“We lost contact with her… and most other Dragon kings.”
“Fuck!” Jiraiya swore inwardly before smoothing his expression, “You said ‘some’.”
There was a pause from August which was unnerving.
And then the news came.
“We lost contact with our king and queen.”