Chapter 104: Dawn, after the night

They couldn't do it.

Yes, their battle ended with a failure.

In the beginning, it was a great success.

Facing Freed, who had received a combination of four Excaliburs made by Valper, while it was hard at first, Rias, Issei, and everyone, including Xenovia, who had come to help, could defeat him.

Kiba also gained the power of his dying friends and was able to move on as he gained the power of the Balance Breaker of his Sacred Gear, Sword Birth.

The Balance Breaker, also known as the Forbidden Move, is the evolved form of Sacred Gears in which their full powers can be released.

It was the strongest state of the Sacred Gear, and only a few or even almost none of the Sacred Gear holders were able to achieve this state.

However, Kiba was able to achieve it, giving him the power of a holy demonic sword and destroying the Excalibur sword that had brought him terror and hatred.

Naturally, Kiba wasn't alone as his power was enhanced by Issei's "Boosted Gear" and Xenovia, who had held a holy sword, Durandal.

Yes, Durandal.

Even though Xenovia was the holder of the Excalibur Destruction, she was also the holder of the holy sword Durandal.

Unlike the Excalibur Destruction, the power of the Durandal was on a different level as it was a complete single sword instead of a broken piece crafted into a different sword.

In other words, a Durandal was a perfect sword.

So, in front of Kiba, who had gained the power of his dear deceased friends, giving him the power of Balance Breaker of his Sacred Gear, the Sword of Betrayer, and Xenovia, who held the power of Durandal along with Issei, who had doubled their power with the Boosted Gear, even if Freed held the combination of four Excaliburs, there was no way that Freed was able to defeat them.

Then, with the destruction of Excalibur, Kiba gained peace and salvation.

Moreover, they also defeated Cerberus, the legendary dog owned by Kokabiel, giving them greater confidence to win this battle.

Yet—

"Guwah!"

"Kuwah!"

Kiba and Issei, who had thought of their victory, had their guts suddenly pierced by a spear of light.

"Kiba-san! Issei-san!"

Everyone was panicked, and Asia quickly tried to heal them with her Twilight Healing.

Koneko also moved fast by their sides and forced them to drink the "Phenex Tears" as soon as possible.

As soon as the two were healed, Kiba and Issei sighed in relief, but the pain in their guts still remained as it felt like they were burnt.

As a devil, a light was their weakness.

Especially the light of an angel and fallen angel.

"Trash."

Kokabiel looked at the two with disdain as if he were looking at the trash.

"Hahaha... did you see that? You are not our opponent!"

Valper, who was depressed due to his sword being broken into pieces, felt happy when they were all defeated by Kokabiel. It was like a baby facing an adult. There was no way for them to be Kokabiel's opponent.

"You, too, are trash."

Valper widened his eyes as he looked at his bloody body and realized that he had been killed by Kokabiel. However, before he even asked a question, his body had already fallen to the ground and died.

"What trash. I thought the Excalibur would be a strong weapon, but it could be destroyed by a group of trash. What is the use of such a sword?"

Kokabiel thought the Excalibur created by Valper could bring him a surprise and a secret weapon to fight the devil and the angel, but if it was so weak that it could be destroyed by Kiba, Xenovia, and Issei, what was the use of it?

Nevertheless, the sudden show of power by Kokabiel made everyone tense. They realized the difference in power between them, and it made them understand why Kokabiel was one of the cadres on the Grigori.

"Phenex Tears, huh? The little sister of Sirzech Lucifer is sure lucky to have a rich family."

When Kokabiel saw them drinking the Phenex Tears, he couldn't help but sigh at how extravagant Rias was that she could even let her servants drink it, but he didn't stop them as he had never thought of them as his enemies.

Still, after all of them recovered, it was impossible for them to give up, and they quickly fought once again. Unfortunately, facing a being that had overwhelming power over them, even if Rias showed the might of the power of Destruction and Akeno also showed her thunder power that she inherited from her father, all of those attacks could do nothing.

Their strength couldn't even put a single scratch on Kokabiel!

A despair started to surround them as they realized that they weren't even his opponents.

Moreover, the "Phenex Tears" given by Sona were almost gone due to their extreme consumption during this fight.

Kokabiel also wasn't in a hurry to kill them as he wanted to wait for Serafall and Sirzech to come. Moreover, it wouldn't be too late to kill all of them when they came, since that way, wouldn't everything become what he wished for?

So before that, he was going to cruelly tell them about the truth of this world.

"But. Seeing that even after losing the masters you serve, you devils and followers of God can still fight, huh?"

"...what do you mean?" Rias asked with a doubt.

Kokabiel started to laugh aloud as if he found it extremely amusing.

"Fuhahaha, fuhahahahaha! That's right! I totally forgot! The truth wasn't revealed to you lower guys! I will let you know. In the war between the three sides, not only the Yondai-Maou but also God died."

Wh-What...?!

Everyone was shocked and looked at Kokabiel in disbelief.

"It's normal for you guys to not know about it. Who can say that God has died? Humans are an incomplete bunch. Without God, they cannot control their hearts and obey the laws, you know? Even we, the fallen angels and devils, couldn't tell this to those below us. You won't know where the information about God will be leaked from. Even among the three powers, only the people at the top and certain people know about it. Though it seems Velpar noticed it earlier."

Watching the shock, despair, and various emotions on their faces, Kokabiel continued to talk as if he had fun with their reactions.

"After the War, what was left were the angels who had lost their God, the devils that lost their Maou and the majority of high-class devils, and the fallen angels who lost most of the fallen angels apart from the leaders. So, it wasn't merely an exhausted state. All of the factions fell so low that they had to rely on humans to continue their generations. Especially the angels and fallen angels that could only continue their generation by mating with humans. Fallen angels can increase their number if the angel falls. But pure angels can't increase their numbers after losing God. Even pure devils are rare, right?"

"...lies... It's a lie..."

Xenovia felt like her entire world was crumbling and the world was spinning.

"The truth is that another big war wouldn't happen unless you do it on purpose. It means that all three sides went through hell in the past war. Everyone decided that it was meaningless to continue having a war if the start of it all, God and the Maou, were dead. Even that bastard Azazel declared that "there is no second war" after losing the majority of his men in the war! It's hard to bear! It truly is hard to bear! To lower your gun once you already shot it!? Don't fuck around. Don't fuck around! If we had continued on from there, we could have won! Even so, he...!" Is there any value in fallen angels who can only live by inviting humans who possess Sacred Gears!?"

"God doesn't exist? God... is dead? Then the love was given by him is..."

Asia was still unable to believe Kokabiel's words.

"That's right. It's normal that there is no love from God and no divine protection from him. God is gone already. Michael is certainly doing well. He's taking the place of God and is taking care of the angels and humans. Well, if the "system" caused by God is operating, then the prayer to God, the blessing of God, and exorcism would function. But if you compare it to the time God was present, the number of believers decreased. That holy-demonic sword brat over there was able to create the holy demonic sword because the balance between God and the Maou broke. In reality, holy and demonic power can't merge. If the ones who rule the power of holy and demonic powers, God and the Maou, disappear, then lots of unique phenomenons occur."

Kokabiel's expression then became fierce as he was filled with crazy obsession.

"From here on out, I will start a war! I will take your heads as a gift! Even if it's only me, I will continue from where we left off! I'm going to show Sirzech and Michael that we, the fallen angels, are the ultimate beings!"

With those words, it brought despair to everyone.

Especially Rias.

Rias couldn't help but wish to slap her past self.

Why was she so arrogant?

Why did she not call Riser at that time?

If Riser came, then would this happen?

Even worse, she couldn't protect her life or the others by her side.

She knew that even if Sirzech and Serafall came, their chance to live would be hard!

Yet, her despair was low compared to Xenovia.

As the servant of God who gave her everything in the service, Xenovia realized that she had been deceived. Everything was nothing but a deception. She was being played like a blind, loyal dog so she would still follow the religion like the most loyal servant.

Yet... yet.. the truth?

What was this truth?!

At this moment, she was completely in despair, especially when she knew she might die.

Yet, after knowing how God had died, how could she let herself die in this place?!

There was no way that she was going to die in this place!

Yet, facing Kokabiel, what could she do?

In that moment of utter hopelessness, a certain figure emerged within her mind.

His words suddenly sounded in her mind.

'I just want to help those who are deceived.'

Then, at that moment, suddenly, a blazing flame emerged in the middle of the field.

A familiar crest appeared before everyone.

Then, Xenovia widened her eyes as she looked at the figure which she thought was within her mind.

It was like dawn after the night.

All of their nightmares were like a dream when he appeared.

Xenovia saw hope.

"Did you call me?"

---

Finally, the battle!