Chapter 18: You’re Lucifer? You’re the One I’m Gonna Beat!

Underworld.

Staring at the now-ended call, Sirzechs let out a sigh of relief.

"Didn't think Rias would be so sharp—she noticed my injury right away..."

As he spoke, it was as if he were recalling what had happened earlier. A heavy feeling settled in Sirzechs's heart.

Yes, he had been injured—and not lightly. If the opponent hadn't held back, he would have been down for good.

As for who had done it—

"Yo~ Lucifer~ Devil~ King, done talking with your sister?"

The tone was full of arrogance. Despite radiating a terrifying holy light, this angel wandered freely in his domain as if it were her own.

The moment Sirzechs saw her, he recalled the earlier encounter.

---

A while back—

A terrifying aura had suddenly appeared in the human world and spilled into the Underworld. Sirzechs immediately began making preparations.

After all, the location was Kuoh Town, where his sister was in charge. He couldn't sit back and do nothing.

But just then, the brilliance blanketing the sky above the Underworld sent the entire realm into chaos.

Without hesitation, as the Lucifer of the Underworld, Sirzechs led the charge.

It wasn't recklessness—her action was clearly a provocation. By stepping in now, he could act as a stabilizing force for the others.

At the same time, he had Ajuka and the others maintain order across the Underworld.

Before him appeared a graceful figure with golden hair and a face more feminine than masculine. Her warm smile was disarming, almost springlike. If she hadn't released her power, no one would think this angelic person was an enemy.

But behind the seemingly thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl, six pure white wings spread wide. Purple markings patterned her body. Four golden rings bound her wrists and ankles. She radiated the purest light.

[Note: Raw stated Lucemon is a little girl]

What astonished Sirzechs was that her power far surpassed the Michael he knew.

This presence seemed like...

"A god? Could it be the Biblical God left behind a contingency before death...? A reincarnation? A successor? But then..."

As he muttered, Sirzechs was overcome by a strange sensation.

As the Devil King Lucifer, he felt that she shared the same essence as him—almost identically so.

That eerie feeling was quickly buried by the overwhelming light she exuded.

Whether she heard his murmurs or not, Lucemon simply looked at him with interest. Her smile remained gentle—adorably so.

"So you're the Lucifer, Devil King of the Underworld?"

"That's right... And you are?"

"Just call me Lucemon!"

Lucemon giggled. Her radiant smile didn't falter.

Sirzechs wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but after he admitted to being Lucifer, her gaze grew much more dangerous.

A tense atmosphere spread rapidly—then—

Peals of laughter burst from Lucemon's lips. Her previously serene demeanor shattered completely, revealing pure arrogance and pride unbefitting of an angel.

"Perfect—just the one I was looking for! Lucifer vs. Lucifer! This'll be fun, right? Don't disappoint me... Once I'm done with you, I'll go visit Heaven next!"

Like a blazing aurora, pure light engulfed Lucemon. Her fist, the size of a boulder, swung straight at Sirzechs's face. Just one punch was enough to trigger an intense sense of danger.

In an instant, Sirzechs's magic power surged like a storm, shaking the atmosphere violently.

Booming echoes rumbled across the Underworld like a quake.

With a deafening crash, their clashing figures flew high into the clouds.

Unstoppable... unbeatable... he couldn't even fend her off temporarily...

After several exchanges, Sirzechs realized just how hopeless this fight was.

Yet the opponent looked relaxed, as if just testing her strength.

At one point, apparently finding something amusing, she smashed a punch into Sirzechs's face again.

Flexing her fingers, Lucemon gave a small nod.

"Mm... Feels pretty good."

Sirzechs: "..."

He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt like his face had shifted sideways.

After another violent clash, they both leapt back.

Unlike the tense Sirzechs, Lucemon remained casual. She even seemed in the mood to evaluate the "feel" of her punches.

"I think I've had enough fun. This next move'll be the end, alright? I promised not to go too far before I left, so I'll hold back... a little. Try to catch this."

She spread her hands wide. A pitch-black void tore open space. To Sirzechs's horror, a searing orb of light formed inside it—enough to purify the world itself. If he wasn't mistaken, there were nine planets and a star in there.

Sirzechs nearly cursed out loud. Hold back?! You call this holding back?

If that thing dropped, the Underworld would be annihilated!

Realizing this, Sirzechs erupted with even greater destructive power.

The magic he unleashed howled with strain, warping the very air.

Watching this, Lucemon simply smiled sweetly and said:

"Relax. I said I wouldn't make a big mess, so—"

"How about I pick just one to smash over your head? That counts as holding back, right?"

Despite her cute expression, Sirzechs really wanted to slam a human-world dictionary into her face and show her what "holding back" actually meant.

As soon as she finished speaking, the black void compressed violently.

What remained was a single superheated sphere of light.

"Grand Cross (Small)!"

Without another word, she hurled the blazing ball at his forehead.

Seeing the light ball hurtling toward the ground, Sirzechs rocketed up to meet it, unleashing a force like a meteor crashing into Earth.

When his body slammed into it, shockwaves erupted like hurricanes.

After the winds settled, the fireball had vanished.

All that remained was Sirzechs's battered, barely-standing figure.