24 Denial and Forcing

Sorry that I haven't been updating this.

It's only a few weeks until the end of school, and I've been focused on not failing because I'm already so close to that.

I've also been playing Honkai Star Rail, which has taken up most of my attention.

After summer begins, I'll start posting more. Also, I'll likely be in Vietnam, so there will probably be more chapters.

Anyways, enjoy the shitty chapter.

...

The creation of the Soul Orb wasn't a part of my plan initially, but I added it to the list after using the Sephiroth Grail. The original plan that involved the Sephiroth Grail was to create a cover for the newly evolved Nephilims.

Using the Sephiroth Grail, I would have copied a part of their souls using the Sacred Gear's versatile capabilities and then essentially created a fake mask of their souls to hide the fact that they were a Human-Devil-Angel hybrid.

After creating the Soul Chimera Orb, I disguised Asia's soul back to a Devil's, but now I would need to repeat the action with Kiba and make him a Nephilim.

The sole purpose behind creating the Nephilims was that I wanted loyal and strong followers to do my every bidding.

I didn't need to do everything independently; that's just illogical and inefficient.

Well, it depends on the situation and everything, though I understand why some villains would be against having henchmen.

I quickly entered Kiba's room through a window to make a cool entrance and all that jazz.

The blonde knight was reading a… cookbook?

"Hmph, Kiba."

"Teacher," His eyes lifted from his cookbook. He placed it to the side and bowed down to me.

I was technically his teacher since I was teaching him how to use Sword Birth more efficiently and how not to suck at fighting. Though, that title should belong to Okita Souji.

Not wasting any time, I pulled out the tear-shaped sword and cut my palm. The blood soaked into the sword and was absorbed, activating its effect to create Nephilims when merged with devils.

"Do you wish for more power? A power that can help you achieve your dream of saving the only other survivor of the Holy Sword Project?"

I could see the desire for the crystal tear-shaped swords in his eyes but also the hesitation. I knew his bond with Rias was stronger than I had first anticipated.

He almost became a Stray Devil when he learned Valper was inside Kuoh, but he returned to the good side with the power of bullshit and friendship.

Too bad there aren't any friends to bring him back from the abyss.

Rias and Akeno didn't know about the transaction between us. Koneko and Asia were already a part of my grand scheme, and Issei? The fuck is that guy going to do?

"Take it, Kiba. For revenge, no, no, no, this couldn't be called revenge. You would be avenging your friends. After all, Valper Galilei is a shitty human being far surpassing me in that term."

His hand reached out, though his hesitation still dominated his mind. His hand and breath were shaky and paused the moment his hand hovered above the crystal.

Maybe guilt caused him to hesitate at the last moment or the last-second realization that "giving my complete loyalty to somebody that I barely know is a bad idea!"

"No."

Kiba took his hand back, placing them to his sides and shaking his head. He had come to a decision that I hadn't expected.

I thought he would completely accept my power and give in to his desire for revenge, but it seems his "knightly chivalry" overpowered it.

He was unlike Asia, who barely spent time with Rias and was more manipulatable with her innocent and fragile mentality. Alphecca Tyrant instilled the greed for revenge, but with anime logic and bullshit, Kiba apparently overcame it.

I was sure this was some debuff I got as a villain.

[You'll learn when you complete this world]

Huh, great.

It seems like Corruption does not entirely sway them to my side but only changes their mindset.

They become more accepting of my ideals and beliefs, orders and commands, but when faced with a demand that involves deep emotional and mental ties, that corruption becomes nothing but a number.

Creating the sword crystals was an excellent backup idea in case they disobeyed my orders. It does take control of their mind, soul, and body.

"Do you know what this means, Kiba?" I stared him down, making him only glare back up at me in defiance.

"I do."

"Good."

Kiba raised his arm quickly, manifesting a sword in his hands. It was a simple longsword that emitted black smoke from its edges.

With my increased stats and abilities from Embodiment of Adam, I could easily take out most people in DxD, let alone Kiba.

The Longnius Sacred Gears were stated to be able to kill gods, and the high-tier ones, such as the True Longnius, Dimension Lost, Annihilation Maker, and Zenith Tempest, can destroy the world.

Now that I think of it, I want to try and use Annihilation Maker. Bob, remind me in the future to make something.

[Okay. Don't go overboard, though.]

You damm well know I'm going to make something crazy.

[...]

I ignored Bob's sigh as I remembered that I was fighting with Kiba. Well, "fighting" was an over-exaggeration.

I created a sword in the air that blocked his sword, causing fumes of black smoke to engulf the room for a split second. The smoke was more of a decoy as Kiba used it to try and get a sneak attack in.

A small blade almost reached my chest, but I summoned another sword to block his attack.

"What happened to all that knightly chivalry you showed me earlier?"

Kiba smirked, "I'm only putting what you taught me to use."

I told him to be more resourceful with Sword Birth, and being chivalrous does restrict that. Though, I'm not quite sure what his plan is.

Kiba's not that stupid to think that a direct attack would wound me after what I've shown him. An even sneakier attack than the one he did earlier, maybe?

I can't kill him so I can convert him. But, then again, I don't know if I even need him alive for it to work.

Oh well, I'll just incapacitate him first.

Still, I shouldn't be too arrogant. After all, this is a fictional world. Random bullshit is prone to happen, and villains are usually the ones who are affected by it.

I released a purple mist from my hands, bringing Kiba into an alternate space created by Dimension Lost.

"C'mon, Kiba. We don't have to do this."

He only stared at me with a serious expression, making me laugh.

I controlled the mist to enclose, making the space smaller and smaller. Finally, it had collapsed into a small marble that I held in my hand, "I'll give you one last chance, Mr. Chivalrous."

Kiba stayed quiet, not speaking a single word to me.

"Well, it doesn't matter if you agree or not."

I crushed the marble in my hand, causing the alternate dimension to shatter into thousands of pieces. As expected, Kiba was caught in the crossfire of this move and severely injured.

He was now lying on the ground, covered in thousands of cuts and a pool of his blood. His eyes weakly looked up at me as I stood above him with a disappointed expression.

"You lost, Kiba, and in seven seconds! Wow, you lost in record time."

"Not… yet…" His hoarse voice said, "I… haven't lost… yet."

He pointed his finger at me, "I-"

I kicked him in the face, "Yeah, I'm not waiting that long."

I crouched down to make sure he was unconscious before I felt something stab through my chest. It was extremely tiny, like a needle, but thousands more came.

Surprisingly I couldn't detect what it was, but my intuition told me it was a small sword. It kept trying to pierce through my body, but it could only make shallow cuts.

"Is this what you had planned, Kiba?"

It felt like getting a syringe shot.

"I've never been a fan of syringes."

Dimension Lost spread out from my body, encasing me in a barrier.

The sword couldn't pierce through the barrier, but it made me highly interested in Kiba's final move. But unfortunately, I couldn't detect what it was or perceive it physically, magically, or mentally.

I looked down at Kiba, "If you trained a bit more, I'm sure you could have hurt me."

I dropped the sword crystals down Kiba's throat as his body spasmed.

His body was covered in a dark black flame in contrast to Asia's golden flame. He unconsciously denied the power of the sword crystal, but it was futile.

I could see the faint outline of Kiba's body as it began to move.

The sound of bones being cracked sounded throughout the room as Kiba stood up like a zombie. His movements became rigid, and his blue eyes lost all color.

His body contorted in eerie positions before it elongated to a taller stature.

He grew from 172 centimeters to 190 centimeters.

Black armor wrapped around his body, resembling Gut's Berserker Armor without the wolf head helmet. Actually, his armor resembled the Skull Knight's version more.

Kiba's hand shot up towards his head.

With a swift movement, he ripped his head off from his neck. No blood spurted out from his neck or head, only a black mist that remained.

The now removed head levitated into the air, staring at me with emotionless eyes.

"Hey man, I didn't know this would happen."

Kiba's body gestured for something as a skeletal horse appeared under him, lifting him onto its back.

He had summoned the sword that he created when I had trained him. What did I call it again? Damn, it was something edgy.

Oh yeah, Malice's Revenge.

"Yeah, you're more like the Skull Knight. You've got the horse, except you're not a skeleton. You're more like a dullahan."

Kiba's Corruption which had dropped to zero, had skyrocketed back up. It was a given since I had taken complete control over him.

[Yuuto Kiba has reached 100% Corruption]

[Yuuto Kiba]

[Role: Nephilim, Former Side Character, Betrayer]

[Corruption: 0% → 100%]

[Relationship: Loyal Servant]

[Current Actions: Awaiting orders]

[Current Thoughts: Nothing]

[Current Location: Gremory Villa]

[Generates: 2000 VP per Day](100% Bonus for 100% Corruption)

Huh, it says servant instead of a follower.

I used Sephiroth Graal and the Mask of Arsene Lupin to disguise him as his old self, though his old emotions and personality couldn't be returned.

"Master," His voice sounded the same but colder and emotionless.

"Try and replicate how you used to act."

I held the Sephiroth Graal in my hand as I used it to reverse back a fragment of Kiba's current soul. It allowed me to control him and let him retain his old personality.

It wasn't fun if my henchmen were completely soulless after all.

Anywho, the final piece in the Rias's peerage had been set. So now all I have to do is deal with the Rating Game plan.