DxD: The Heir of Asura

{A Day Later, Highest Peak Near Carmilla Faction}

—Crom Cruach—

Crom was far more complex than most believed. He seemed to only seek a good challenge, usually staying silent and making his moves to satisfy his thirst for a bloody battle.

And most never looked past that.

Crom, for all that he was called an evil dragon, wasn't evil in the sense of wanting to harm the world, destroy innocents, or bring chaos for the sake of it. He preferred honor in battle and despised dirty tricks.

But did that make him good?

Certainly not. He would scoff at anyone who tried to describe him as 'good' in any sense. Sure, he didn't want innocents to suffer and hated dishonorable fights. But if a true challenge required it? That never mattered to him.

If the price of a worthy battle was the death of innocents, Crom would not hesitate to erase an entire city. He was not evil because he craved harm for others—he was evil because he didn't care if others were harmed in his pursuit of battle.

He carried the pride of a dragon and even took pride in his handsome face. Yet, unlike most dragons, he wasn't protective of dragonkind. He enjoyed the benefits of being a dragon, and nothing more.

The Dragon Kings, especially Tannin—who Crom owed a great deal to—would be furious if they knew what he had been doing. Especially the deal with Rizevim.

But if that deal gave him the chance to face stronger opponents? If it even drew the dragons to fight him? Then to Crom, it was more than worth it. There was no other reason for him to join Rizevim.

The devil had sworn to fight him with all his might after their plans, and Crom knew Rizevim was a force of nature. Even with all his strength, he wasn't sure he could win against him.

And that… that was thrilling.

What wasn't thrilling were the people of the Carmilla faction.

"They are…" His frown twisted across his sharp features. "So weak."

They weren't truly weak, but to him, they were. Ultimate Class was the highest power he sensed, maybe close to Satan Class. But raw strength alone wasn't enough, and the faction had a long way to go.

With a sigh, Crom perched on a peak, staring at the city with his magically enhanced vision.

"They won't survive the Tepes faction and the three revived dragons, much less me or Rizevim."

Not that he expected Rizevim to step in. The devil would never enter a battlefield without reason, just as Crom himself wouldn't move unless the three evil dragons failed—which was unlikely.

"If not Rizevim," Crom thought, "then it will be someone from the Old Devil Faction."

That thought brought a grin. The Carmilla faction would lose, no doubt, but if another devil led instead of Rizevim, then perhaps the war would be worth watching. It might not end in a single blow.

Excited for the spectacle to come, Crom unfurled his wings. Still in his human form, with his presence completely concealed, he shot into the sky and vanished—long before anyone could sense him.

After all, any Satan Class being could suppress their presence at will. Otherwise, anyone weaker would faint on the spot from the sheer weight of it.

* * *

{Hours Earlier, Fallen Angel Twenty-Fifth Base}

—Vali Lucifer—

"Did you hear about the vampire situation?"

Vali hated being called in for lectures or pointless talks, even when it was from his mentor. Yet this time, he came on his own—curious enough to want answers.

"Oh? I didn't expect you to already be aware of it." His mentor, an ancient being, shuffled through a pile of files without even looking at him.

"So, what is the situation?" Vali asked directly. He never bothered with small talk or pretenses.

The man, sitting comfortably with a table between them, finally raised his head and shook it.

"Isn't it common courtesy to answer the elder first, Vali?" he said with a wry smile. "And it's not like you to suddenly worry about others."

Vali frowned. He hated when the man acted like some wise adult while constantly avoiding real responsibilities.

"I asked first," he replied flatly.

That made the man chuckle. "You have a point, I suppose." He leaned back in his chair. "So, what is it you want to know?"

Vali hesitated for a moment. He hadn't expected him to answer so easily. Still, since the chance was there, he wasn't about to waste it.

"What's the current stance of the Fallen and the Devils?"

Vali already had more information than most, but he was lacking in details about the Fallen's position.

"We are neutral," the man said immediately. "There's no reason for us to take part. This is between the vampires and the devils, and it will be resolved by them. As for the devils, they have a treaty and can't intervene directly. The only devils involved are the terrorists from the Old Satan Faction and a devil pillar who resurfaced recently. Since that pillar wasn't part of the original treaty, they're free to take part in the war." He paused, scratching his cheek. "Though I haven't looked into why that pillar, in particular, chose to get involved."

Vali raised a brow, surprised at how the man explained so much in a single breath.

"However," the man continued, "there's a high chance the entire devil side will join this war. I've heard a certain evil dragon has allied with the Old Satan Faction, and they're also dealing with more evil dragons."

"Why is that considered more dangerous than the Old Satan Faction itself?" Vali asked. The thought of dragons—especially ones who weren't even the Heavenly Dragons—being treated as a bigger threat than terrorists puzzled him.

"Because evil dragons have never honored any promise or treaty," the man explained. "With their involvement—especially alongside terrorists—the treaty becomes meaningless. If this particular evil dragon truly joins, the devils will have more than enough reason to enter the war in full."

'Crom Cruach.' Vali wanted to say the name, but he bit it back. No need to reveal how much he already knew.

"Thankfully," the man said with a sigh, "this doesn't concern the Fallen at all. We have no reason to involve ourselves." His eyes settled on Vali. "I hope you feel the same."

Vali's case was different, especially with his complicated connection to Rizevim.

"Yes," Vali nodded. "It doesn't concern me. There may be dragons involved, but it's not the Red Dragon Emperor."

It was a lie. He wanted to fight Crom just as much as he wanted to face the Red Dragon Emperor. But with his grandfather in the picture, things were far more complicated.

'You are not strong enough to face Crom Cruach.' The familiar voice of a dragon echoed in his mind. 'Do not even think of it—not yet. Not until you reach the next stage of my power.'

Vali didn't answer. He kept his focus on the man before him.

"I see." He pushed his hands into his pockets. "That's all I needed. I'm leaving."

He never spoke more than necessary, and there was no reason to continue. He turned and started walking away.

"Vali," the man called after him, "I know this isn't easy for you. But remember your true affiliation. You are part of this group, and you'll remain so—even if you're not a Fallen. Don't forget that."

Vali didn't understand why he said it, but he gave a nod.

"I'll remember that, Azazel."

Azazel watched the boy's back as he left. Vali didn't hear it, but the Fallen Governor General sighed.

"You've involved yourself with a troublesome group, Vali." His tone carried disappointment. "I understand your pain, but you've already made a mistake."

Leaning forward, Azazel rested his head on his hands. "And you're about to make another."

His eyes dropped to a file on his desk—details about the devils and the vampires.

"I may have to call for backup… just to make sure you don't end up dead."

The question was whether that support would arrive in time or not?

* * *

{Present, Carmilla Faction's Central Grounds}

The crowd before us was massive—far larger than what I'd seen even at the grand party gathering.

Back then, many had avoided coming after losing friends. But now, as soldiers, they had no choice. They all stood here.

Hundreds of thousands. Maybe even over a million. And that was after all the deaths.

"Everyone," Carmilla stood at the front, addressing them. "Thank you for gathering here despite the heavy losses from our last battle."

Many had lost friends, family. Some even stood here missing limbs. They were the unfortunate soldiers—considered disposable, not worth the expensive elixirs and healing potions.

Still, even knowing their lives were treated as less valuable, they stood ready to fight for the faction.

In my legions' case, numbers were already low. I couldn't afford casualties. That's why I had several devils train as healers—to make sure injuries and deaths stayed to a minimum.

"You've all worked hard," Carmilla continued. "You fought a battle that was stacked heavily against us, and still—despite it all—you managed to win."

I appreciated that she didn't try to claim the credit for their victory.

"But our war isn't over yet," she declared. "We've detected movements to the east and south. Energy signatures confirm that many enemies are teleporting toward the west and north."

I would have preferred my peerage to fight alongside me. But this war didn't allow for that. With four fronts to defend, we had no choice but to separate.

"There is a high chance the Tepes leaders will finally enter this battle, and with them will come many stronger forces." She paused before continuing. "The terrorists of the devil world, the Old Satan Faction, will most likely get involved as well. And so, we must place our trust in our allies."

She pointed toward me. "Despite having no true reason to support us," she hid my connection to Rizevim, "Lord Faiser of the Valefar and Barbatos devil pillars has chosen to stand with us. Even when this war is not in our favor, he still offered his support. For that, we are grateful. I hope you will work with him and his peerage to the best of your abilities."

The reason she said this was clear.

"The captains of each sector will be from our side, but for three of the four fronts, his peerage will take command—just as they did in the last battle."

A low murmur spread through the crowd. I remembered how Bova had struggled with command before. It wasn't until he agreed to take the blame for failures that he was allowed to lead.

Ingvild hadn't led back then—she had supported the commanders. Elmenhilde had helped a great deal as well. As for me, I had joined Carmilla's side directly.

"The east gate will be handled by Lord Faiser," she continued. It was the same gate where I had fought alongside her before. "I will take the south."

The south was the most important gate, and she clearly wanted the public to see she wasn't avoiding responsibility.

"The west will be handled by Bova the Destroyer." Bova seemed far more comfortable with his humanoid form now. "And the north will be led by Ingvild Leviathan, alongside Elmenhilde Karnstein."

Ingvild and Elmenhilde had grown close, which was good for me. It meant Ingvild wouldn't have to shoulder everything alone.

"Finally," Carmilla's voice rose, "understand this is not a simple defense. This is an aggressive move. We have the terrain advantage, the home ground advantage, and we will use it. We will move forward while defending, and the moment they show an opening, we strike. We will not only defend anymore—we will make them pay!"

That was all it took to ignite the crowd. Cheers erupted like thunder across the grounds.

"Glory to the Carmilla Faction!"

"Glory to the True Ancestor!"

But despite their excitement, things weren't as simple or optimistic as they sounded.

[Quest Alert!]

[Quest: The Dragon Slayer!

Objective: Kill At least one dragon!]

[Rewards: Vial of Samael's Curse, Vial of Divinity Eater]

…What do you mean by at least one dragon?

Just how many dragons are going to appear?!

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{A/N: Got a pat reon named RedLamp01 with 30+ chapters. }

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