End of the second year: Back to you

"Ma-Kun!" Akeno called out while the girls were currently doing body exercises as planned.

"Yeah?" Masaru was leading the exercising as he could not just stand and watch the girls do one routine correctly so he might as well do it as well.

"Is the weights really necessary?" The weights Akeno was referring to was the lightweights around their wrists and slightly heavier ones around the legs, since Masaru did not want to turn them into muscle woman he made sure to select the right amount of weight to simply aid them in building their stamina and the increase in physical strength will be minimal, this was the set up he created for Ingvild, Akeno, Stephani, Yui and Ichika.

It was a different case for Everest, Jeanne, Sakura, Shirone and Angelica since these girls will be the vanguards and most likely to confront people upfront. Being a vanguard has a strict requirement on stamina, speed and strength.

"Yes, Just simply doing the training alone will not work since our bodies are much stronger compared to average humans and low-class devils we need to increase the intensity of our training to actually make any progress on increasing our physical bodies specs overall... Mages need strong and fast legs to escape or evade when your energy is depleted and have at least a decent amount of strength to defend yourself while you're at it" Masaru explained to the girls

"Isn't that why we have Everest and them?" Ichika asked, she could understand Masaru's point but she did not honestly like physical training all that much.

Masaru affirmed with a nod but smiled broadly, "Correct if we are in a game that allows us to stay together that is. But if we ever end up in a game like where you have to destroy targets in the field to acquire points will force us to split up, so it will be best we eliminate each of our individual weakness even if it is by a little. Not to mention for our real battles this is also necessary, your enemies will not hold back just cause your physically weak"

Masaru continued to guide the girls since it was now his responsibility to train them, his father and his peerage along with their peerages will no longer train them easily. Although it was his own request to his father to prohibit training of his peerage, unless the individual themselves can give a convincing answer.

"I would be pumped if Master could sing us a song instead," Stephani said with a sulky face, hearing this suggestion the girls began to agree one after the other overwhelming Masaru who was surprised at this request but he did not refuse them.

He only had a wry smile, with a snap of his finger he cast illusionary magic over himself and the girls creating the surroundings into a dance floor room along with a band that was ready to play their song.

"This song represents everything up un till now, thank you for being with me all this time," Masaru said with a tender look at the girls who accompanied him all these years faithfully. He once wondered if he deserved this, and instead, he chose to work hard to make them proud for choosing him.

Masaru picked up the guitar, pulling a few strings to get the feel for it before the band began to follow his rhythm.

"I've been down, I've been beat" Masaru began to recall the time his previous self felt despair from being experimented on, yet he had Shirone and Kuroka who stuck with him then.

"I've been so tired, that I could not speak" Masaru sang from his heart, the scenes of him meeting his father for the first time he did not know how to act towards him. He only thought of surviving and never truly accepted him as his father back then. But now it was different, he was Diehauser's son!

"I've been so lost, that I could not see" Mother, Father, Julia, Julie, Elizabeth, Edward and the rest of father's peerage, Grandfather, Great grandfather, grandmother, everyone who stood at my side. 'Thank you for everything you did for me'

"I wanted things that where out of reach" Masaru stretched out his hands, he wanted a peaceful life, yet even now he had to fight for it, even if it was impossible he will move forward till the day he can live peacefully with everyone he loves and cares about.

"Then I found you, and you helped me through" Masaru glanced at each girl, Shirone, Akeno, Stephani, Everest, Angelica, Jeanne, Ingvild, Yui, Ichika, Sakura and he thought of Ulrika who was not here.

"Yeah you showed me what to do" Masaru's voice touched the hearts of the girls, some of them could not help but tear up while all of them felt the warmth, love and gratefulness Masaru was conveying to them through the song.

"That's why, I'm coming back to you, yeah" Masaru smiled wryly, he knew there were many times he acted on his own. He knew the girls wanted to be at his side all the times, yet he had to move alone because he could not allow them to get hurt. That was his own selfishness, yet he did not regret it.

"Like a star guides a ship across the ocean"

"That's how your love, can take me home"

"Back to you" Masaru sang with all his heart, his emotions were becoming unstable as he began to recall his experiences. And the fact, he needed to spend even more time with the girls. His future wives, future mothers of his children whom he would live till they cease to exist.

"And if I wish upon a star"

"Someday I'll be where you are"

"And I know that day is coming soon"

"Yeah, I'm coming back to you"

Masaru kept singing, the girls felt incredibly touched. This moment was secretly recorded, and it was preserved for thousands of years where the wives of Masaru would brag of their husband who sang a beautiful song for them.

Luckily for Masaru, the song he sang was not to corny so he could endure it. Unlike his real black history.

>\/<

"I see, so you managed to get in contact with him?" Azazel was currently in his laboratory staring at an artificial sacred gear he just completed, it had a tint of gold which Azazel kept saying the name "Fafnir" towards it.

From the magic circle at his ears, Azazel could hear the man respond, "Yes, I have given his details to Shalba Beelzebub, they were quite surprised that this famous figure was interested to join them. The funny thing was when I mentioned the boy was not happy with the current Four Satan Devil Kings they threw their vigilance out of the window... Sometimes I wonder how they are operating so perfectly having such... leaders"

Azazel laughed heartily thinking his subordinate had that kind of personality for hating idiot leaders, like the old coots in the devil world. "Good Work, be sure to let the boy knows so he can meet them early while they are still but a weak faction"

"Yes, however it appears they are trying to make contact with Ophis, they wish to have her as their leader" the subordinate reported.

Azazel who heard this was visibly shaken, "They want to have Ophis become their leader?"

"Yes, not only her but from the rumours it appears Vali is involved in this as well. The other strange thing is that there are other groups from various races and factions slowly coming as well... From the looks of things, they will become active later this year" The subordinate said,

"Make sure to keep me updated!"

"Yes sir"

Azazel stopped whatever he was working with started to think of countermeasures, "I will have to get Shemhazai and Baraqiel to start bringing Sacred Gear holders in earnest... It's a race against time..."

Azazel cursed these people who kept hindering his joyous time creating and researching sacred gears, before leaving his office in a hurry.

>\/<

"And that is why I need you to head towards the Astaroth territory towards their town Choilig, it's in the northeastern section of the territory. You will be meeting three of the old satan Descendants over there, their information is in the folder I just send to you. Good Luck boy, because you will have idiot Superiors for a while" The Magic circle vanished after the message was sent.

Masaru just came back home from training the girls and was now sitting in his office which his family arranged for him while he was still back at school in the human world.

In his hands were three folders with names on them, Katerea Leviathan, Shalba Beelzebub and Creuserey Asmodeus. His eyes were more focused on this Katerea since she shared the same family name as Ingvild, Masaru was quite conflicted if he should tell Ingvild the news some family member was still alive although as a terrorist.

'I will have to keep this to myself, at least until I can meet her. I will have to determine for myself if she is redeemable or not. If not, then I will not tell Ingvild because she already suffered enough. I will not let my girls suffer anymore, even if I have to bear the burdens alone.' Masaru thought as he closed the folders before placing them in a secured cabinet only he could open.

"Masaru! Dinner is ready!" Calfa called out but Masaru was no longer in his office as he was already gone when Calfa entered his room she saw a note

{Sorry Grandmother, it is sudden but I will be back in two days, don't look for me. Love you, Masaru}

Calfa took the note and went to Diehauser, Diehauser looked at the note and reassured her that he is safe.

'So you have been contacted huh? Be careful my son' He thought

>\/<

Masaru left his home in order to pay a visit to Ajuka when he just formulated a plan in order to ensure the old satan faction will not be suspicious of him, and that required Ajuka's head.

"Now then, you want me to fake my death?" Ajuka spoke with quite the surprised face.

Masaru nodded with a serious expression. "You hate appearing in public more than you need to, plus you enjoy researching and working behind the scenes which suit your personality better"

Masaru pointed two fingers upwards to indicate his number of reasons, Ajuka smiled nodding thinking it was the case he would prefer to avoid those useless meetings that held no importance. "With your death faked, you can work from the shadows meaning you will be able to see more than what the other Devil Kings do, plus if someone attacks the devil race, you can surprise them"

"I see, so you want my head to present it to the Old Satan Faction?" Ajuka asked with an amused look.

Masaru nodded with a wry smile, "Yes, although my story can convince them I need to present an undeniable truth that I am a 'traitor' to them. With your head, the rest of their questions will be out since they will then be dying to use me to attack the other three"

Ajuka nodded thinking this plan was quite good and ruthless, "Very well let's go make it... My head that is, as for the rest of the arrangements, I will handle that you do your job"

The scientist and the Disciple were working together to create a fake body for Masaru's evidence.

>\/<

"I wonder what this little Wonder child can even present to us!" a handsome young man dressed in black armour with a cape was seated in the middle between a beautiful woman on his left and another handsome young man on his right. He had long brown hair that goes to his hips with many bangs covering his right eye. His name was Shalba Beelzebub.

"Well, I am quite suspicious about this boy, after all, he is the son of the current Emperor of Rating Games Dieahauser..." This was the man next to Shalba He had black hair tied up in a small ponytail with pointy ears like an elf, violet eyes and pale skin. Otaku's would go mad thinking Elves has descended upon mankind, his clothes were black with dark red belts and motifs. This was Creuserey Asmodeus.

"Now that you mention it, it really is strange that he would come to join us if he had such status and prestige..." Shalba rubbed his chin trying to figure out the reasons.

Shortly after him, the beautiful woman spoke this time. She was a tall bespectacled woman with a voluptuous figure, wearing an extremely low-cut dress and it had a high slit which exposed a large portion of her breasts. She had tan skin with long brown hair tied into a bun with a headset and she had purple eyes. "But then again he might be tired from living in the shadows of his father, he must be similar to Diodora whom we recruited before... So he will be easy to control" This lady was Katerea Leviathan.

Hearing this even Creuserey who was not convinced at first became convinced, "If that is the case then I can naturally understand why he is joining... Not to mention that Wonder Child title really is embarrassing" Creuserey nodded thinking he already figured the boy out.

Shalba began laughing when he understood what Katerea meant, he already formulated a few plans he could use to manipulate Masaru Belial at his whims. "Yes, we can use this boy... His position, and the fact the Devil Kings are close to him... Yes we can use him to drag them out one by one and kill them"

"Lord Shalba, Lord Creuserey and Milady Katerea. Masaru Belial has arrived" One of the attendants responsible for reporting to the three of them came to announce their subject of interest has arrived, it was quite faster than they have expected but then again it would confirm their speculations about Masaru Belial was indeed correct. This boy wants recognition! He wants to usurp his father's title and become the best!

"Let him in!" Shalba spoke happily, in front of them a young boy with the appearance of 15 years old.

Wearing a joker mask over his face so they could not see how handsome he became, from his body stature they could see he trained it to the extreme with no excess fat and only strong, resilient lean muscles appearing like they were sculpted. He was wearing a white open cloak jacket with no shirt, white pants and black leather boots along with finger-less gloves.

Masaru looked at the three, there were no discussions but everyone's interest was at the bag Masaru was holding that was dropping blood little by little. Without warning, Masaru throws the bag onto the table shocking everyone at his brazen actions but Shalba and they were quiet, very quiet.

The pulse of Demonic energy they felt was familiar which meant it was a real head when Shalba opened the bag his face went a little pale before it became flushed with excitement, he was happy but he was more shocked than ever... The boy in front of him had killed Ajuka Beelzebub! The man who took his satan title was dead in front of him, "YES!!!!"

The sudden cheer of Shalba shocked everyone in the room, it was only when he took out the head of Ajuka Beelzebub that everyone felt awe and respect towards Masaru who came with a gift to join them, with this they all knew he was indeed on their side.

Masaru bowed politely "I'm Masaru Belial, and I have come to join the Old Satan Faction. For the sake of overthrowing the fake Devil Kings"