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The next day, after a hasty breakfast, Mika fled from his apartment.
It wasn't because he was particularly eager to meet with Michael, but because the atmosphere at home had become tense.
After hearing about Xenovia's request, Rias had spent the night contemplating how to—"guide" her. And that morning, she had sensed the unmistakable aura of romantic interest directed at Mika from Xenovia.
This had displeased her...
Therefore, she and Akeno had been giving Mika pointed looks throughout breakfast.
"...." Mika, sensing their displeasure, finished his meal quickly and escaped.
———
"That was a close call—" He breathed a sigh of relief, then headed towards his meeting place with Akeno.
"Good morning, Mika."
"Morning, Akeno." They exchanged greetings.
"Ready to go?"
"Lead the way."
"I'll get you there safely," Akeno replied with a smile, then turned and began walking, leading him through the city streets.
"So... what happened between you and Xenovia?" Akeno asked suddenly, turning to face him as she walked backward, her hands clasped behind her back.
As a High-Class Devil, she wasn't concerned about tripping or bumping into anything.
"What do you mean?" Mika asked, feigning ignorance.
"Don't play dumb. I sensed a change in her aura after she left your lab yesterday—and you two seemed different when you returned. If the others hadn't been so distracted by their new Magic and Skills, they would have noticed as well," Akeno said, her smile widening.
"I figured as much." Mika sighed.
He had been hoping to avoid this conversation, knowing that someone as perceptive as Akeno would likely see through his attempts at concealment. He decided honesty was the best policy—after all, the others would eventually find out anyway.
There was no point in prolonging the inevitable.
"So you weren't distracted by your new powers—you were focused on me?" He tried to change the subject, teasing her.
"Of course. You're always on my mind. Besides, we just shared a rather... intimate moment, didn't we?"
"Intimate?! Don't say such things out loud!" Mika's attempt at deflecting her teasing had failed; Akeno wasn't easily flustered.
He sighed and recounted the events of the previous day, explaining Xenovia's request. He couldn't hide anything from her anyway.
"She asked you to have a child with her?" Akeno's eyes widened in surprise. "That's unexpectedly bold of her."
"Tell me about it. I never would have imagined..." Mika was still trying to process it himself.
He felt as if he were trapped in some kind of romantic comedy, constantly dealing with—unconventional requests and confessions.
"Indeed..." Akeno murmured, her voice thoughtful.
"We're here."
They had reached their destination—a Shinto shrine at the base of a mountain.
"A shrine? I thought Devils were repelled by holy places like churches and shrines." Mika was puzzled. While his Devil Piece had been absorbed by his Cosmo, eliminating his vulnerability to holy ground—that was his unique situation.
"I have an arrangement with the guardian here. It's safe for Devils," Akeno explained.
"I see," Mika nodded and followed her up the mountain path leading to the shrine.
As they approached, he could sense a pure, powerful aura of light emanating from within.
"Such a powerful light... As expected of Archangel Michael."
"You can sense him?" Akeno asked, surprised.
"Of course. Besides, he's not even trying to conceal his presence," Mika replied with a smile, his gaze fixed on the shrine's entrance.
Akeno followed his gaze and saw a handsome young man—clad in white robes, a halo above his head, with six pairs of pure white wings—standing before them.
It was Michael, the Archangel, Leader of the Angels.
"Greetings. You must be Mika," Michael said, a warm smile on his face.
"Indeed, I am. I imagine an Archangel wouldn't come all this way just to deliver a gift. Is there something else you wish to discuss?"
"You're right. There is," Michael confirmed, his honesty surprising Mika.
"I understand," Mika nodded; he had been right. Michael's visit was likely related to Yahweh.
He turned to Akeno. "Akeno, I need to have a...private conversation with the Archangel. Please wait outside and make sure we're not interrupted."
"Of course." She nodded, trusting him implicitly. She had faith in Mika and his ability to handle any situation. She would simply follow his instructions.
Mika led Michael to the shrine's main hall, and they sat facing each other. After a moment of silence, Michael spoke, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
"It seems... my counterpart in another world has surpassed me."
——
"Counterpart?" Mika chuckled; he and Michael, despite their similar names, were quite different.
However, there was a connection. In Orario, the Gods often chose Familia members with corresponding roles in Mika's previous world's mythologies.
For instance, Riveria Ljos Alf in the Loki Familia corresponded to Hel, the Norse Goddess of the Underworld—And Bete Loga corresponded to Fenrir, the monstrous wolf. Such parallels were common among the various Familias.
It was a form of destiny.
And as Yahweh's champion, Mika might indeed be her world's equivalent of Michael, the Archangel.
He couldn't deny the familiarity he felt in Michael's presence.
However, it was ultimately irrelevant.
He was Mika—not a copy, not a counterpart, but his own unique individual. While he might once have been Michael's equivalent in another world—with his ability to travel between dimensions, he had long since transcended such limitations. He would forge his own path.
"That's irrelevant. I'm more interested in the reason for your visit. Were you sent by Yahweh?"
"That's right." Michael nodded and held out a crystal, its surface shimmering with an inner light.
"She asked me to deliver this to you."
"A message?" Mika immediately recognized the crystal as an information storage device—a method Yahweh had chosen for communicating with him. He hadn't been able to contact her since she left for Heaven.
This crystal reestablished their connection.
Mika took the crystal, channeled his Cosmo into it—and instantly, a stream of information flooded his mind—Yahweh's message.
——
She had arrived in Heaven and, without any attempt at concealment, unleashed her Divine Aura—drawing the attention of Michael and the other Angels.
She had then revealed her true identity:
Yahweh, a Goddess from another world.
They had initially been skeptical. But after a series of demonstrations—they had accepted the truth and pledged their loyalty to her.
'They surrendered just like that?' Mika was surprised by the ease of her conquest. While it seemed rather abrupt, he quickly understood their reasoning.
Angels created by the God of the Bible, were inherently loyal to him—and even after his death, they had continued to uphold his will, maintaining his system.
They longed for his return—and now, he had returned, though in a different form.
They recognized her instantly.
In their eyes, she was the rightful successor to the God of the Bible.
Besides, the Three Factions were no longer at their peak.
The system the God of the Bible had left behind to manage the world was failing—its power waning.
With his death, The creation of new Angels had ceased—while the risk of their falling and the constant battles between the Three Factions continued to deplete their ranks.
Yahweh's arrival, therefore, was a blessing, an opportunity to restore their strength, to reunite under a new leader.
Of course, her overwhelming power was also a factor. After all, she was comparable in strength to the God of the Bible.
——
Mika smiled.
Yahweh's plan had proceeded smoothly.
He focused on the rest of her message, learning of her current activities:
Absorbing the knowledge left behind by the previous God of the Bible, her understanding of the Laws deepening. She had become engrossed in her studies—so much so that she had forgotten to contact him. It was only when Michael had asked her about the upcoming Three Factions meeting that she had remembered and entrusted him with this message.
The crystal wasn't just a simple message; it contained a wealth of other information.
'That's so like her.' Mika smiled, savoring the warmth of her words, then, remembering Michael, he emerged from his reverie.
——
"Apologies for the delay," Mika said, turning to Michael, who had been patiently waiting.
"Don't mention it." Michael replied with a smile.
"I understand." Mika nodded.
"I've received Yahweh's message. Is there anything else?"
"While I would enjoy a longer conversation. I do have another matter to attend to." Michael placed a sword on the table before them.
"You're aware of the current state of affairs between the Angels, Devils, and Fallen Angels, aren't you?"
"Indeed, I am. The exchange of gifts..." Mika nodded.
"So, you've come to deliver mine. This sword, is it for me?"
"That's right." Michael nodded.
"This is Ascalon, the Holy Sword wielded by Saint George, the legendary Dragonslayer. It possesses unique properties, making it incredibly effective against Dragons. Of course, that's the original Ascalon. This one has been enhanced by Yahweh. It's arguably the strongest Holy Sword in existence. Even Ophis, the Infinite Dragon God, would be vulnerable to its power."
"A Dragonslayer, huh...?" Mika, picking up the sword, instantly understood Yahweh's intentions.
"I understand. I will treasure it—"
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