The Seraphic System
Chapter: 65
Disclaimer: I don't own High School Dxd or any other universe used in this story.
Mid class: 1800 - 3000
High class: 3060 - 6000
Ultimate class: 6060 - 18,000
Satan Class/God Class: 18,060 - 60,000
Super class/Heavenly class: 60,060 - ?
Primordial class: ? - ?
Ascendant/unknown: ? - ?
For anyone interested in the power classes.
Pa/ t reon details below the chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance. I'll keep posting regardless. If you have any suggestions you would like to see added, I will try to incorporate what I can :)
(An Ineffable Plan)
-{Heaven (First Realm)}-
The massive silver city of Heaven was abuzz with activity. The streets were alive with motion, as countless angels, clad in resplendent robes and shining armour, rushed about in a state of joyous uproar.
The news had spread like wildfire.
The first Heaven's Saint Bell had rung for the first time in a thousand years.
A new Saint had been chosen.
A young angel flew around, his two white wings twitching with excitement as he hovered near a grand plaza. "A Saint! Right after our Father's return!"
"It's Father's first public move since he returned!" A female Angel cried in joy.
Everywhere, angels were laughing, singing, and exchanging embraces.
Others hurried toward the Cathedral of Light.
The streets were lined with flowing streams of Angels who were filled with energy. The Silver City was in an uproar once more as the active Seraphs could only smile tiredly.
Requests for an audience came in the thousands as every Angel within the Silver City desperately tried to get in touch with their Father. Despite the fact, he had only returned a day ago.
-{Kai}-
"So that's why gods were so obsessed with human faith," I muttered to myself. "I'd been wondering why they even bothered with worship."
I flipped the page of the book I had managed to sneakily obtain from the Heavenly Library. It was one of the only ones I had found in the very small section about Faith.
It turns out Faith wasn't just about boosting the egos of Gods or gaining human assets.
No, faith held a unique energy of its own, one that couldn't be replicated by other means.
The best way to explain it was that by comparing it to Nature energy, it couldn't be generated by anything but nature itself. Though it could be wielded. The same concept was with Faith, but it required beings to worship you.
Which would generate a small amount of Faith.
Thinking about it, I found it made sense. Humans were optimal for this since they could generate more awe and reverence towards Gods and God-like beings.
That led to the question, what could this Faith energy be used for?
Miracles.
It was a rare form of magic that held some insane amount of power. While I still didn't know much about Domains, I was learning about Miracles. I had just performed one by creating a Saint.
Those skills had been created by Faith Energy.
Those incredibly powerful skills…
I'm sure the cost for bestowing such skills was probably astronomical in Faith energy terms. This gave me a clue as to the sheer value of the Faith that was stored up within the system.
Naturally, I wanted to learn how to control this. As of now, I have no idea how to achieve this.
The Heavenly system had the function too but that was created by a very powerful and ancient God.
The Heavenly System had even been given a design that allowed it to quantify the usable Faith energy that had been stored up over a thousand years, with billions of Human believers and no usage.
With the population rising and the creation of Islam along with other different interpretations of the Abrahamic religion. It was safe to say that the amount that was stored up was titanic.
That did present the worry of other beings trying to steal the massive treasure trove I had stumbled upon in the Heavenly System.
I wasn't sure if that was how it worked but I imagine that since it was stored I assumed it could be stolen from.
I sighed, clearing my thoughts.
The doors to the throne room took that moment to open rather abruptly. Gabriel and a person I identified to be Metatron quickly walked in.
"Kaiel!" Gabriel explained.
Metatron looked at me with sparkling eyes.
"My Lord."
He almost looked dazed as he stared at me.
"Ah. Metatron, Gabriel." I greeted them, shooting them a smile.
Metatron had been one of the Angels sleeping by my side this morning.
"You remember!" He replied, grinning.
Not quite.
He regained his bearings. "My Lord, you created a Saint."
"Without consulting us!" Gabriel exclaimed next.
It had been almost twenty minutes since I had made Dulio my Saint.
I had honestly forgotten about it in favour of looking into Faith energy.
"Oh, right," I replied blankly.
Gabriel pouted and looked a little putout, while Metatron looked like a kicked puppy.
"You normally consult the both of us before making a Saint, My Lord," Metatron explained. "Well, at least you used to." He corrected himself.
I didn't bother to try correcting him.
"Ah, apologies. I didn't know you wished to get involved. As you know things are a bit strange right now. I've only just started exploring the system, and thought having a powerful figure within the church would be good to get them back on track." I replied calmly.
They both nodded.
"If you wish, my Lord. I can go down and help Michael cleanse the church." Metatron offered.
"I would rather have you within Heaven for now, since things are a bit chaotic," I replied.
Instead of getting upset at my rejection, he grinned boyishly.
Gabriel sighed in amusement. "Can you tell us who you decided to choose?"
Metatron nodded seriously, "I would like to know who had received this honour too."
"Yes, I've chosen a man named Dulio Gesualdo," I responded easily. "He's the wielder of the Zenith Tempest Longinus Sacred Gear."
Gabriel's eyes lit up. "An amazing choice, in all honesty, I probably would have made the same choice."
Metatron looked thoughtful.
"I've looked into that boy, he's definitely one of the best choices. With his pre-existing strength, the blessings from the Saint empowerment will take him to another level. He had already been considered to be one of the strongest in the church's history. If he was an Angel he would easily qualify to be a Seraph. Now, he may well be Arch-Seraph level. He will make a powerful Saint and Avatar." His voice turned logical and analytical.
That had been my thought process too, though that tad bit of information had been interesting to know.
"Still…" Gabriel said, her face turning slightly downcast before it lit back up. "I would have liked to help with the first election of the Saint since your return."
I frowned slightly.
"Why don't you help me choose the Seven Holy Knights? I must admit, I'm a bit new to all of this and the Heavenly System's operation so why don't you both find some time to select candidates." I offered. "I don't plan to select as of right now, so you have plenty of time."
They both shot me a dazzling smile.
"Right." Metatron agreed eagerly.
I finally took the time to register the notification I had received.
[Divine Link] (Passive)
[A bond has been formed between the god and their chosen Saint, enabling communication and granting the God the ability to send their will through the connection.
The god can also speak and send his intention directly to the Saint, offering guidance, commands, or warnings in moments of need.
Additionally, the god may temporarily assume full control of the Saint's body, manifesting their divine presence.]
Limit: Duration (Control): 10 minutes.
Limit: Cooldown: Usable only once per month.
The notification lingered in my vision and I couldn't help but think about the sheer potential of this Divine Link.
Dulio wasn't just a Saint anymore, with this knowledge he had effectively become an extension of me.
He was a vessel through which my power and will could manifest directly. I would also be able to make use of his power, which with the Saint blessings boosting him should have risen into the God-class.
I had an Avatar. Even though I wasn't a full-fledged God in the truest sense. Not yet, that did remind me that I needed to find out what my race was at some point.
Perhaps a visit to the Tree of Knowledge was in order? The Tree helped me out a lot, I wasn't sure how but it had given me two very useful quests. I wasn't against abusing the hell out of it.
All of this brought a smirk to my lips.
It was safe to say that the implications were staggering.
I imagine the faith generated from having a Saint as the living proof that I exist would alone likely skyrocket, creating a cycle of power that fed into itself.
I realised with my new status that I was going to have to act a certain way, part of being a God from the perspective of a past Human was the mystery surrounding them. So I would have to keep that up.
That didn't mean I would restrict myself to Heaven but I would simply be careful with my interactions.
Seriously, I was going to need to check out how the Heavenly System even worked someday.
I glanced up at Metatron and Gabriel, who were still watching me expectantly.
"I've been thinking," I began. "Would it be possible to call for a meeting of all the Seraphs and Arch-Seraphs within the next two days? There are matters I wish to discuss and learn about."
Gabriel's face lit up with excitement. "Of course! That's an excellent idea. It's been far too long since we've had a proper gathering. I can imagine they will probably love to meet with you."
Metatron nodded eagerly, his eyes practically shining. "I will personally ensure everyone is informed and present, my Lord. We will be delighted to convene under your guidance."
I smiled.
"Good," I replied with a nod, their enthusiasm infectious. "There's much to prepare, but for now, I think I need a break. I'll be heading to the Garden to train for a while. If anything urgent comes up, you know where to find me."
"Of course," Gabriel said, bowing slightly. "Do you wish for anyone to accompany you?"
I chuckled. "I think I'll be fine, I have been for the past month after all. If anyone breaches Heaven you would know about it."
She nodded, seeming slightly more relaxed at the prospect but I could see she still wanted to join me.
Metatron looked as though he wanted to offer to accompany me but stopped himself at the last moment, instead settling for a reverent smile.
"Where would you like to host this meeting, My Lord?" Metatron asked.
I thought about it.
"Didn't you say something about a meeting room, Gabriel?" I questioned, recalling a conversation a while back.
She smiled prettily. "I did."
"Then that should suffice," I replied after a moment of thought.
Gabriel nodded, her face lighting up. "I'll ensure it's prepared to your standards. It'll be a beautiful sight for the gathering."
Metatron added, "I'll personally see to the arrangements for security and logistics, My Lord. It's imperative that nothing interrupts this momentous occasion."
I'm pretty sure we weren't going to get ambushed in the middle of Heaven but whatever made him happy I suppose.
I gave them a small smile. I appreciated the effort. "Thank you. I trust you both to handle it. Now, I'll take my leave."
They both bowed deeply as I rose from my throne.
I couldn't let my new duties distract me from growing stronger. My download should be done soon and I wanted to test out my newly unlocked transmutation skill.
Peeking my head out and down the massive elevator, I was greeted with thousands of Angels hovering around the barrier that separated them from the upper layers of Heaven.
I think I'll just teleport to avoid causing drama.
What that, a forcefield appeared around me as I activated zapping light to teleport me.
I took a breath.
The Garden had always been a place of solace and focus, a perfect retreat to gather my thoughts.
A zero for now. That wouldn't do.
My gaze swept the Garden, falling on a large stone nearby.
That would be a good starting point.
Approaching the large stone, I picked it up. It was able to fit in my hand.
I instinctively knew how to use this power and that showed as a blue glow spread through the normal rock. Slowly, it dissolved in the next few seconds. Blue flakes of energy being created and floating into my chest.
A warm current surged through me as the tree's energy flowed into my body.
I checked the energy counter.
[Energy: 15]
So that's how it worked…
I had known that instinctively but seeing it for myself was… something.
It wouldn't be able to be used in battle, was something I concluded. I was assuming it would take longer to absorb depending on the material. Meaning anything of worth that I would need to resort to absorbing would take too long.
Though, I could see many uses for it beyond that. If I was ever trapped or somehow sealed, this would come in handy for a slow escape.
My eyes landed on the energy counter.
Fifteen wasn't much, but it was a start.
I flexed my fingers, testing the flow of this newly acquired energy within me. Now came the interesting part: creation. Images of materials I'd encountered before flickered through my mind: iron, gold, silver, and even more exotic elements like celestial bronze and orichalcum.
I didn't think I had nearly enough energy for that.
I opted to make a small ball of tin. My palm was stretched out and I watched as the blue energy gathered. It was only a few moments before a perfectly oval marble pebble remained in my hand.
A quick glance showed that it had absorbed all of the energy.
A rather steep cost.
A grin tugged at my lips. This was only the beginning.
I tossed the marble lightly in my hand, marveling at its weight and texture.
With enough energy, I could theoretically create materials that didn't exist in this world. I could absorb lower, useless materials and create them into something truly powerful.
I could possibly even fabricate entire structures or weapons that defied conventional limits. But for now, I'd need to find a steady energy source. The fifteen I'd gathered from the large stone was barely enough for one small creation.
I glanced back at my surroundings. Using the Garden's resources indiscriminately wasn't a sustainable strategy and most of all I didn't want to start destroying such a place in any such capacity.
I'd need to figure out how to harvest energy on a larger scale.
For now, I was sure doing this on a smaller scale wouldn't harm anything. I refused to try it on any of the unique and rare tree's around. I did wonder if I could use Mokuton to generate wood and absorb that?
I turned toward a patch of smaller stones scattered nearby. They'd serve as excellent practice.
Placing my palm over the first stone, I focused. The blue glow returned, flickering faintly before stabilizing. The stone dissolved, flakes of light surging into me.
[Energy: 3]
Another stone, then another. Each one yielded a similar result. The numbers climbed slowly but steadily.
[Energy: 9]
[Energy: 12]
I straightened, rolling my shoulders.
This was going to take far too long if I kept relying on small stones. I scanned the Garden for something larger. A boulder sat nestled near a cluster of radiant flowers. Perfect.
Approaching it, I placed both hands against the rough surface. The glow flared brighter than before, spreading across the boulder's surface as it dissolved into blue particles.
[Energy: 40]
Much better. I stretched my hand outward, channeling the accumulated energy.
This time, I envisioned something more intricate—a shard made of basic steel.
The energy coalesced, sparking and twisting as it shaped itself into the shimmering metal. The shard dropped into my palm, cool and heavy.
[Energy: 0]
I nodded, satisfied.
Creating basic metals was within reach, though the cost was steep. I didn't know if I could improve that considering it was a passive skill.
Let's see the limits of this shall we?
Pulling on my considerably large chakra pool, wood sprung up from the ground.
A large tree formed in front of me.
My hand pressed against it and surprisingly enough blue energy swallowed the tree, slowly dissolving the wood into the familiar blue orbs of energy.
It took around thirty seconds to completely absorb the Tree.
My smile was promptly wiped out by the energy counter.
[Energy: 20]
I was going to assume this was because it had been created by my chakra.
That wasn't effective, when I could absorb small pebbles or boulders for more. Then again, I didn't want to all Alien Lord and start terraforming places to absorb energy.
An idea came to mind, I called upon my chakra again. This time, I poured a massive amount of chakra and a large Tree that was noticeably of better quality.
Its leaves shimmered and the bark looked as tough as steel.
My hand pressed against it and I began absorbing it. This time, I was left absorbing it for an entire five minutes. The results, though, were enough to leave a massive devious smirk on my face.
[Energy: 432]
Much better.
Though, it was a bit annoying. That had taken over 25% of my total chakra. I wouldn't be able to do this more than three times a day. I guess it was fair, I was kind of cheating.
Then again, even though this was a passive skill I felt it could grow. Not at an insane level, but absorbing the energy felt… inefficient. It could be improved.
I let out a breath. That was enough for now.
Next, teleportation.
A force field appeared around me as I summoned zapping light. Arcs of strangely coloured electricity travelled through its surface and I focused on a point across the Garden, visualizing myself standing there.
The sparks flared around me.
Zap.
I appeared exactly where I'd intended, the sensation smooth and instantaneous.
The forcefield fluctuated around me.
I turned my attention to another spot, intending to try to make it happen faster.
Zap.
Again, I landed perfectly.
I pushed myself, teleporting to increasingly distant points around the Garden, sometimes aiming for blind spots or places obscured by trees. Each jump sharpened my control.
Eventually, I ended up teleporting rapidly around the garden.
As I worked on my speed and distance.
It wasn't exactly hard in any way, but the speed was proving difficult to increase.
Mid-teleport, I added a twist.
I reappeared midair, then teleported again before touching the ground. Finally, I stood in the center of the Garden. Zaps of electricity zapped around me from the gathered energy. I had just performed that over a few hundred times after all.
I decided that was enough for now.
The speed left much to be desired but I could see myself using it in battle, not for the force field since that wasn't exactly strong but for the movement aspect.
My gaze drifted toward the distant horizon, where the Tree of Knowledge resided.
My last stop. It didn't take me longer to walk there to be greeted with Raviel.
Raviel was already standing in front of the entrance to the clearing that the tree of knowledge was located in.
Her eyes narrowed as she scanned me.
"You shouldn't be here," she said sharply, her spear lowering slightly as she blocked the path.
I smiled.
She really was cut off from the rest of Heaven.
"Really? If I recall correctly I've been here a few times." I teased.
She blushed. As per usual she was to retort before pausing. I imagined the fact I had long since stop concealing my allure since entering Heaven helped with my charm.
I stepped forward. "Raviel?"
Her expression faltered. She stared at me for a long moment, her gaze flickering between uncertainty and recognition.
"Father…?" she whispered, her voice trembling. Her spear dropped from her hands, clattering to the ground.
I blinked. "How?"
I checked my aura and realised, sure enough. The shard had transformed a lot of it. Naturally, this sounded like a bad thing but the thing was. My aura looked denser and more potent?
Which meant my angelic mana was becoming more potent.
She was a sensor?
Her knees gave out, and she collapsed to the ground, her hands gripping the dirt as though the world was slipping out from under her.
"Why…?" she choked out, staring up at me with wide, tear-filled eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"
I wasn't even going to deny it.
I sighed. "In my defence, I didn't know. It's a long story." I walked up to her and kneeled down. "To summarise it, I'm both your Father and not. I am just me."
"You're still him, I can sense it" she choked out, her voice laced with the hurt of centuries. If this was a lighter situation I may have rolled my eyes but instead I grimaced.
It took a while of hanging out with Raviel to finally calm her down. A full explanation later and she seemed mildly satisfied.
This encounter had made the daunting task of somehow attending to all my Angels seem even harder.
I'd have to do it soon, is what I concluded from this encounter.
I approached the Tree of Knowledge, Raviel watching me with a contented grin from her perch on a nearby rock.
This time, I didn't need to touch it. The connection was stronger now, as if the Tree itself recognized me. The thought of what else it might hold crossed my mind.
I'd have to dig into its history and creation at some point.
Then, a notification appeared.
-{Jeanne D'Arc}-
Jeanneslid back, deflecting another blow from the Arch-Angel.
She swiped her sword and a crescent arc of light formed
Uriel easily dodged.
"You're going to need to be better than that-" Uri started, avoiding another spear thrust. "If you want to protect our Lord."
He sent another punch that she could barely perceive, a barrier of light formed and the incredibly powerful attack bounced off the barrier.
A shockwave erupted from the impact.
Jeanne was pushed back but recovered in the next moment. She lunged forward, slashing upward in a spiraling arc to which Uriel sidestepped.
She spun, thrusting her spear toward his chest which he quickly batted it aside with a flick of his wrist. His wrist was covered in a thick layer of holy power. Uriel countered, his fist glowing with holy light energy as he struck.
Jeanne erected a barrier just in time, the impact shaking the ground beneath them.
"Such incredible defence, yet your attack is weak. How did Father find someone like you?" Uriel mused. "You don't just go and find God-class beings anywhere. Your name should be known."
They were both atop the Mountain that served as Uriel's private training ground. Uriel had naturally offered to spar with her after she revealed that she had wanted to train.
She panted and charged again, slashing downward with all her might.
The runes and countless enchantments Uriel had woven into the mountain over his eternal existence flared brilliantly, straining to contain the immense power of the two God-class beings clashing atop its peak.
Uriel caught the blade between both of his hands, though the action looked casual. He had made sure to be especially careful. The weapons the mysterious woman carried weren't to be messed around with.
He sent her flying back.
She landed, coming to a stop.
"As I said, incredible defensive power and abnormally weak attack power." He paused. "Of course by weak, I mean below the level someone at your level should be at. Being at the lower stage of the God-class and having the attack power of a peak ultimate-class being."
Jeanne tried to catch her breath, they had been going at this for a while. It had become clear that the Arch-Angel was just as impressive as she had thought he would be.
It was both a moment that made her want to squeal like some sort of fangirl while also pout like a child.
"I wonder why you don't use your limited light bending more?" He wondered. "You've barely used it to the point I didn't realise you had it for the first thirty minutes we spared."
"It's hard to use in battle." She admitted sheepishly.
He sent her a flat stare. "Obviously, if you haven't trained."
She blushed and wanted to cover her face. Instead, Jeanne settled on exploding forward in a burst of speed. Jeanne charged forward, her sword becoming a blur as she unleashed a flurry of rapid strikes. Uriel deflected each one, his movements fluid and incredibly fast.
He waited for an opening with a patience honed by war and when it came, he struck with a powerful palm strike aimed directly at her chest.
Jeanne was barely able to block by hastily erecting a holy barrier.
She stumbled back, her grip tightening on her weapons. She hurled her spear at Uriel, the weapon glowing with a golden light as it streaked toward him.
Uriel caught the spear mid-flight, the sheer force pushing him back a step. A massive current of air making his clothing billow.
"Not bad," he admitted, tossing the weapon aside before charging forward with blinding speed. "What is your intention with Father?"
The sudden question caught her off-guard.
It didn't take her long to answer though.
"I wish to serve Him in the best way I can, with all the strength I possess," Jeanne confessed, her voice was tinged with regret. "I wasn't strong enough… not when the Demon sought to exploit His focus, even after He entrusted me with defending His holy form. He even had to save me at the end."
Uriel's eyes raised at that. "The Demon was strong enough to break through your defence? How did Father save you in his current form?"
Jeanne looked confused. "He sent a massive attack and saved me in time."
"The Demon must have been in the God-class if he forced you to that length, how would an attack from Father's current weakened form harm him?" He further probed.
"Well, he was a lot stronger than he is now. I believe he may have been in some sort of different form. He had a massive aura surrounding him." She explained.
Uriel smiled joyfully. "It seems he's getting his power back. Good, this is good. I must tell Gabriel. She will be overjoyed." He paused.
"We were worried that his rebirth may have had some negative side-effects." He explained.
"Ah, so you didn't know!" She covered her mouth. "Was I meant to say that?"
He chuckled. "You've done nothing wrong."
Uriel became thoughtful. "Say, how would you feel about becoming my apprentice?"
Jeanne was caught off-guard once more. "A-apprentice?"
"Yes, you have the same desire as the rest of my siblings and your unique talents excel in defence. You can become a weapon for our Lord." He spoke calmly, his eyes observing her.
She shuffled nervously. "Am I worthy?"
He blinked, before letting out a laugh.
Jeanne blushed.
"You are worthy. Father Himself chose you. With time, you can grow far stronger," he said earnestly. His face darkened. "How much do you know of the supernatural?"
Jeanne frowned, naturally she knew basically nothing. "Not a lot I'm afraid."
He nodded.
"Then you need to hear this." He took a breath. "This world is filled with threats that would make you fear even stepping outside of Heaven. Dragons, Primordials, ancient beings. Even beings above that. The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know."
Jeanne listened seriously.
"With all that, if you wish to get strong then I shall assist you." Uriel finished.
She didn't hesitate.
Jeanne nodded. "Then I shall humbly accept."
Uriel smiled.
-{Michael}-
Valper's frantic footsteps echoed easily down the cold stone hallways of the base as he tried to run his fastest, his breaths coming in frantic, shallow gasps.
He clutched a leather-bound journal to his chest, the only thing he had managed to grab before the chaos erupted. It had been so sudden to him, there was no warning or big entrance. Only death.
Around him, the bodies of stray exorcists were strewn like broken dolls, blood pooling beneath them. The only mercy that could be found was the quick deaths they had seemingly received.
The air reeked of death and holy energy, a smell that shouldn't go together. Especially considering how comforting holy energy normally felt to the senses.
Such an energy didn't mix with death.
He stumbled over a severed arm, nearly losing his footing. Somewhere in the distance, a muffled scream cut short. A flash of light made him flinch as it travelled through the corridor.
He kept running.
Valper's mind raced, searching for an escape plan.
The experimental subjects were all dead and the files had been destroyed. He still had his research, but what good would it do him if he didn't survive the night?
'How could this happen!' He mentally shouted.
A sudden crash from behind made him flinch.
It was only a moment later until the sound of relaxed, slow footsteps followed behind him.
Only one being would be this relaxed.
His mind raced.
'Angels shouldn't be like this, they were meant to be kind and easy to manipulate. So why, why, WHY!'
"No," he muttered, gripping the journal tighter.
A suffocating pressure that made his knees buckle.
He wasn't attuned to magical energy but he imagined that was a blessing in disguise or he would probably be weeping in despair at this very moment.
"Why do you insist on running?" A calm, unbothered voice called out.
He turned around slowly.
Michael.
The Arch-Angel had a completely passive-look on his face, which scared him more than anything he had seen in his life. Rage, happiness, anything would be better.
He couldn't get a read on the Angel's mood. Valper didn't know what to do.
This entire situation was bizarre in the first place.
He had grown up in the church.
His high-ranking position had allowed him to learn of God's death. Truthfully, he had been relieved. That's the exact moment he had stopped being kind and worked on whatever needs suited him best.
No one knew any better with the pope being a hopeless fool and the incompetent kind to a fault. Angels would simply smile obliviously as they gave him orders he outright ignored.
No one knew of his experiments.
That was until that fateful day.
God's return.
How was he supposed to know that God would decide to be fucking reborn? He had searched extensively on it, the fear of this exact situation making him make sure.
Gods didn't get reborn.
Sure, some got supposedly reborn but that was mostly cases of Evil Gods being sealed and then unsealed. Which most interpreted as the God coming back from the dead.
'Damn it, Damn it. That damned Khaos brigade promised me that I wouldn't be found.' He thought.
Still, even with God back. He had never expected an Angel to find him and much less act like this freak.
He had read through the Old Testament, he had written it off as a load of rubbish. Considering that version had been created by humans thousands of years ago.
The sweet, kind, naive and loving Angels he had witnessed on the rare occasions they descended couldn't hurt a fly.
Now though…
The Archangel's presence was overwhelming, his golden armor gleaming even in the darkness. The holy sigils etched onto them glowing with no doubt numerous enchantments.
His twelve golden wings spread wide behind him, each feather a blade of light.
His gaze, cool as ice, still managed to burn Valper with righteous fury.
"Valper Galilei," Michael said, his voice calm yet to Valper he may have well been shouting. "You have made a mockery of Father's legacy."
At those words a hint of emotion seemed to enter his emotionless tone.
Valper would admit, if he knew Angels had this capability to be so… Apathetic. He would have never strayed from the light.
He berated himself in his mind, the admittedly intelligent brain shouting 'Of course they are like this, they fought in the Great War. They beat back both Devils and Fallen alike.'
Valper staggered back, his knees trembling. "I… I didn't mean too-"
"I shall ask," Michael interrupted, stepping forward a single step that made Valper fall down. "You will answer."
He nodded rapidly.
"This holy sword project, tell me everything." He calmly asked."
Valper dropped to his knees, clutching the journal as if it could shield him from the Archangel's calm stare. "I… I was forced! They… they needed me to continue the Holy Sword Project. The church had been growing too weak! I sacrificed myself to do what the church couldn't!"
Michael's expression didn't change. "And what of the lives you sacrificed? The children you mutilated in the name of your ambition?"
Valper flinched as if struck. "I— It wasn't ambition! It was necessity! The Church needed results. They wanted warriors, soldiers capable of wielding Excalibur!" His voice cracked, desperation creeping in.
"I don't remember asking for any such thing." He replied slowly.
"The church-"
"Is under the rule of Heaven." He finished, his tone slow and unbothered.
The ageless being had all the time in the world.
"Who gave you these resources, while the church gave you a lot. They did not give you this much." Michael asked.
"It was an organisation called the Khaos Brigade, they simply wanted to fund me and help Heaven out!" He replied shakily.
"You sold your soul to the very enemies of Heaven," Michael concluded, his tone colder now. He raised a hand and the air around Valper shimmered with holy energy. "What did they ask of you in return?"
Valper shook his head frantically, his words spilling out in a panicked rush. "They wanted my research! The secrets of the Excalibur shards, the genetic data from the experiments… I gave them nothing though! I swear it! I only used their resources to continue my work."
"Lie."
The single word echoed through the hallway.
It wasn't an accusation, more of a statement. One made with slight disdain.
Valper froze, his breath hitching.
Michael stepped closer, the glow around him intensifying. "You will give me the knowledge you traded so many lives to obtain."
Valper's hands trembled as he held out the journal. "Here! It's all here! Every note, every experiment, every failure… it's all in this book. Please, take it! Just spare me."
Michael gently took the journal from Valper's hands, flipping through it with inhuman speed.
His expression remained unreadable as he scanned the pages, absorbing the twisted genius of Valper's work.
Finally, he closed the book and tucked it under his arm. "Your knowledge has been recorded. Your sins have been judged."
Valper's eyes widened in terror. "No! Wait! You don't need to do this. My Lord Michael. I'll repent to your Father. I'll spend every day praying and working solely for him!"
Michael titled his head, looking up.
"Pray." He said, his tone perfectly calm.
"W-what?"
"Pray for forgiveness." He said, "Let's see if you are worthy of it."
Valper paused for only a moment, before he did what most people would do. He got on his knees and prayed with all his might. Begging the Lord to forgive him.
He shook as nothing happened for several minutes.
"I-I'm sure there's some mistake."
"No, Father simply wouldn't listen to someone like you." He stepped forward. "For he knows you not."
Michael raised his hand and a blade of pure light materialized in his grasp. The heat made the skin of Valper Galilei blister from the sheer heat its presence merely gave off.
He screamed.
"You have defiled the holy with your greed and selfishness. There is no redemption for you, Valper Galilei."
"Please!" Valper screamed, scrambling backward.
A hint of sadness spread across Michael's naturally kind-looking face. Before it vanished in the next moment. The world moved around Valper. The blade sliced through the air. Only a flash of light coming several moments later signalled the usage of holy light.
Valper's head fell to the floor with a dull thud, his body crumpling lifelessly beside it.
A quick death.
Something Valper did not deserve. He didn't enjoy killing. Even with scum like Valper who had destroyed and tortured children.
The Archangel stood over the corpse.
The light around him dimmed slightly as he turned, leaving the broken remnants of the base behind.
The journal remained clutched under his arm, giving him full-detailed reports of the horrors and torture Valper had put others through as simply experiments. Without a word, Michael spread his wings and vanished into the light, leaving the base in silence.
There was more work to be done, this had only been a part of the corruption within the church. As ashamed as he was to admit it. He was surprised at how much corruption there was, he had never checked out of fear.
For surely, if he had known the extent of it.
The church would have felt his judgement.
-END-
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