16 hours later – Human World – Kuoh City – Hyoudou Souji's room.

--Kaicho, are you really sure about this?

--To be honest... No, but I don't know what to do anymore... I give up~

Sona Sitri shrugged her shoulders and renounced having Souji or Jhoam under her control, she would seek to be his friend, earn his trust and affection or at least not become his enemy, a few hours ago the young man woke up just a few minutes after the departure of the Maous and what she saw terrified her.

A thick and cloudy reddish-black Aura, the illusion of hundreds of tortured faces could be seen, countless tentacles sprouted from all the nearby shadows, a black gold necklace hung around the young man's neck with a strange pendant hanging from it, Hyoudou Souji had awakened his Sacred Gear and it was terrifying, he could feel how every part of his body was licked or pinked by those sick and crawling limbs, he could swear that he heard the cries of mercy to come from the faces marked in his aura, Souji no Jhoam, from whom "Madness" had warned him, he woke up and now he could only pray.

Luckily for Sona, the young man only woke up for an instant before going back to sleep peacefully.

--Tsubaki, put false memories on Souji's parents and talk to Rias... May his idiot pawn stay away from my tower, for his safety and the safety of others.

--Hai!

The bespectacled beauty with long black hair Shinra Tsubaki nodded and proceeded to quickly and hastily descend the stairs to do her teacher's orders.

--Souji/Jhoam...Why do you always have to make me suffer, are you everything I ever wanted ? Why does it always have to slip through my fingers...? Your lover is my sister's replica, your brother is my rival's servant, your power is compared to that of a Maou, you are a mythical being beyond Heavenly Dragon Emperors, and the Five Dragon Kings, you are unique in your class, you're mine but... Why is fate always against me? Is Rias the only one who has the right to be blessed, she's the only one who can get lucky, get everything on a silver platter, while I have to sweat and bleed for every little step I take...

Sona let a lone tear roll down her cheek.

--Since you arrived I have not been able to control my emotions, I cannot keep calm, whether it is your black eyes like bottomless pits or the blue ones as empty and scary as the sky, you turned me into an emotional and nervous girl... Souji -kun.

Sona lay back on the young man's bed and looked at his sleeping face.

--You know, sometimes I imagine a world where I met you first, where I am that "you" Natasha, where you love me madly, where I am your everything...

Sona spoke with pain and regret, closing her eyes to lose herself in that idyll in his voice before she opened her eyes upon hearing the young man's mocking voice.

--I'm sorry but that... won't work~ Sitri-sama~

--Souji!

--Yes and no~ I'm currently a bit of both and neither at the same time~

The boy whose eyes were blue-black answered with a mocking and sarcastic smile on his face as well as a mature air around him.

--You can call me whatever you want, be it Souji or Jhoam, our deal still stands if that's what bothers you, I'll still be part of your peerage, I'll keep hunting down those street misfits and whatever you ask of me, I'll keep fulfilling more obligations as a devil, and I will give him victory in every Rating Game I participate in however I will have my own priorities~ like this~

A black slime jumped out of the shadow of the chair and fell right into the young man's arms.

--A Black Ooze?

--This little one is my cute Suru, Sururume Surumila~ say hello~

The young black-haired man caressed the gelatinous creature and it trembled with joy before a childish voice was heard.

--*Suru* Hello~ short hair glasses~ I am~ Suru~*Suru*

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

The childish and feminine voice unconsciously brought a smile to the young woman's face.

--As?

--I made it~ with the knowledge of the abyss...

--Why are you showing me this now?

--To warn you~ take it as advice~

The pleasant air around the young man disappeared and soon the air became thick and stale, filled with the smell of blood and rot.

--You lost the little co-financing I had put into you~ the piece on my chest I can return it at any time~ Sitri Sona... Souji might care about you, Jhoam might not care, but things change, I'm not Souji but neither is Jhoam, I'm less understanding and more cynical than them~ so~ Handle me with care My Little Lady~

The uncomfortable oppression disappeared and the young man went back to playing with a smiling Slime in his arms.

--I understand, for now I will retire... I will notify you if there is a contract for you.

--See you, Sitri-sama~

The demon left the room, leaving the young man and his pet.

--Ha hahaha~ It seems I hurt her feelings~

--*Suru* Glasses Short Hair~ Funny~ cries~ cries~ Funny~

--Yes it's funny but I don't like to make women cry~ at least not like that...

--Suru caught many church types~ Suru has them~ has them~

--Church types? The exorcists?

--*Suru* Shi~ Suru and wardos we caught a lot of church guys~ *Suru*

--Hmmm~ that's efficiency~ well let's harvest some shadows~

Both the young man and his pet dove into the shadows. In another place hundreds of voices screamed in terror and pain all night.

A beast was enjoying the pain of its food.

***

Occult Research Club – Kuoh Academy.

In the dim light of the room, a crimson magic circle showed the image of a man with reddish hair and blue eyes, the man spoke to the girl in front of him with seriousness and a half smile.

--So Hyoudou Souji is off limits, Onii-sama?

--Rias for your safety and that of your nobility, stay out of the way regarding your pawn's brother. Please...

--Okay but could you tell me why?

--I shouldn't tell you but you'll end up knowing anyway, HP Lovecraf everything embodied in his works is real and is locked inside Hyoudou Souji, stay away and out of his sight...

The blue-eyed, red-haired beauty's face paled at the mention of the freakish horror writer and the seriousness on her brother's face.

--Rias, the worst case scenario is off the table thanks to Akjuka but please stay away, I have enough problems with my position to fight an Incarnation of an Ancient God and don't worry about Sona, her and Serafall they have to clean up the mess they made.

--I understand Onii-sama.

--I hope so...

The Maou's image disappeared as soon as the call ended, leaving Rias and her Queen Himejima Akeno in the room.

-- Akeno... what do you think ?

the exuberant redhead asked her confidante and friend.

-- Sirzesht-sama has given his order, we should stay away from Hyoudou Souji for now.

Aren't you curious? I don't doubt Sona's ability but I feel like it could be my chance to get the pieces I'm missing...

The redhead replied as she flirtatiously tucked her hair behind her ear.

--Buncho...I don't think it's prudent, although we did obtain the intelligence and the terms of the contract between Sitri Sona-Setokaicho and Hyoudou Souji...it would be unethical to instigate an "Exchange" at this time...not counting that we have our hands full with Iseei-kun and that renegade nun.

I calmly comment on the traditional big-breasted beauty, before taking the teapot from the tea table and pouring a couple of cups and taking a drink.

--Besides, Buncho... Souji-kun seems to be somewhat suspicious of us... or rather, he really dislikes you, rivals Yuuto-kun, makes fun of Koneko-chan, and indifferences me... he's a twisted person Buncho...

--*Glup*So you reject my idea of testing the waters?

The redhead asked again after taking a sip of her tea.

--I only refer to the facts, that and that Sirzesht-sama made it clear, we must not mess with him...

--But I can still mess with Ise without any problem~

Himejima Akeno could only smile at the logic (illogical and ridiculous) of her best friend and teacher.

--I would suggest not but Iseei-kun needs constant...supervision.

-- I'm sure Ise will go with that nun... and I'm interested in her ability...

-- The ability to heal regardless of the species... Buncho?

--Sounds perfect for a Bishop, don't you think so Akeno?

--Looks like we'll have to help Isei-kun a bit on this~

The dark-haired beauty laughed as she licked her lips curved in a sadistic and seductive smile.

***

An abandoned building on the outskirts of the city.

--*Piu* Disgusting and they are supposed to be a man of God, my firm and muscular ass~ you know what a devil~ *Piu*

The black-haired man spat out a mouthful of a black substance, the remains of the soul and the shadow of an exorcist who was slowly bleeding to death on the ground along with many others.

A macabre and Dantesque sight, as well as disturbing since the young man lay peacefully seated on a black throne composed of shadows and convulsing and crawling appendages of some kind of living being.

--Suru and the wardos did a good job, that Fallen Angel Reinare must be in hysterics since more than half of her cannon fodder is already in my stomach~ there's also all that church intelligence isn't bad at all.. .for the love of Yu Ilhan and Leylin Farlier, the church is rotten to its foundations. Gabriel can barely keep up with keeping the system running, Rafael-chan is a busty blonde straight out of an American roster, which makes her incompatible with politics... at least Serafall is much more proficient with underworld foreign relations , damn even Azazel is more competent than Gabriel, that oxygenated blonde can only govern the Angels by work and remaining grace of the Biblical God...

The young man shook his head and with his hand ripped the shadow off another poor wretch before throwing it into his mouth.

--Yeah...*Munch* knows...*Munch* Awful...*Munch*

The young man continued devouring and enjoying the pain of his enemies, until dawn.