Eternal Saṃsāra: The Wanderer of Worlds

Chapter 246: The Underworld's Situation

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The sky above the burning town was a swirl of crimson and ash, but high up, where Serafall floated with her wings spread wide, the chaos below felt distant. Her wings shimmered with icy blue energy, cutting through the smoke as she surveyed the battlefield. 

At least two dozen Titanic Sphinxes roared beneath her, their massive forms wrecking what remained of the burning city.

They lunged, claws outstretched, but she wasn't worried. She was scared the first time it happened when she didn't yet have the Icons, but now it was different. Do these mindless fools truly think they stand a chance? Serafall's lips curled into a grin. 

The power coursing through her veins was impeccable. The overwhelming pressure of the [Winter Icon], the [Leviathan Icon], and the [Demon Icon] had transformed her into a nuke. She was no longer the same Serafall from months ago—no longer the weakest Satan. Now, she felt invincible.

As if to prove that, she raised a hand. She summoned a massive wave from the river beyond the town. It was a small river, but the water that poured was as deep as an ocean. By her command, the magical water surged forward, crashing down on the flaming city with a deafening roar. 

She didn't even blink as she breathed out, freezing the massive wave in mid-air. The entire scene shifted as the fire was snuffed out by the ocean's icy breath. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she called forth demons from the frozen sea. 

Massive creatures made of ice and shadow clawed their way out of the ocean, growling as they rushed toward the Sphinxes.

The Sphinxes charged at her, but Serafall simply smiled. The first few lunged at her with their claws, only for her to counter with a sharp wave of ice that sliced through their limbs like butter. It was as easy as waving a finger upward.

One by one, they fell, their roars of fury turning into screams of pain as her ice pierced through them, freezing them from the inside out.

Her summoned demons swarmed over the wounded titans, devouring them, tearing them apart. The ground shook as massive bodies crashed down, limbs severed, heads rolling. Serafall didn't even break a sweat.

"How beautiful," she murmured, her eyes gleaming with a cold light as she watched her demons devour the Sphinxes. Her own power impressed her. The scene was something out of a nightmare, but to her, it was a masterpiece. 

She almost admired the destruction, how easily she turned this burning town into an icy graveyard. Was this what true power felt like? Was this what Aqua felt when he summoned those Icons and dealt with Vedas' Gods as if they were flies? 

In less than ten minutes, the chaos was over. The burning town had calmed, the flames were extinguished, and the roaring Sphinxes had been silenced. All that remained was the icy stillness of Serafall's creation. She had frozen what remained of the ocean, the ice glittering under the fading embers, and repaired some of the broken buildings, shaping them into houses made entirely of crystal-like ice.

The water she'd summoned receded, and the city now stood eerily quiet, frozen in time, like a memory etched into ice.

But as the adrenaline receded, she let out a sigh. Another battle, another victory… but damn, I'm tired. She had been fighting for days now. Endless battles, one after the other, and even though she wasn't in danger this time, the constant action was beginning to weigh on her. 

Even with all her newfound power, her shoulders felt heavy, her body craving just a moment of rest. She wanted someone she could relax with…

With a flick of her wings, she ascended toward the nearby hills, where her people waited. There, she noticed her assistant waiting for her. He was a devil with sharp features and an ever-calm demeanor, already waiting for her when she landed.

"Lady Leviathan," the devil greeted, bowing low. "A message from your sister."

Serafall's heart skipped. Sona? She hadn't heard from her sister in a few days. A wave of concern washed over her—had something gone wrong?

"What is it, Velkan?" she asked, worried. "Is Sona okay?"

Velkan gave a small smile and nodded. "Your sister is fine. In fact, she relayed some pleasant news, I think. She said that Aquamarine Hoshino has expressed a desire to visit the underworld."

Serafall blinked, the words sinking in slowly. But when they did, her face lit up with a grin. "Aqua wants to come here?" she repeated, the fatigue on her shoulders instantly lifting. "Yes! Tell her he can come anytime~!"

The assistant smiled and nodded. He sent the confirmation message, and before Serafall could even catch her breath, a portal shimmered into existence beside her.

That was fast. Serafall's heart skipped a beat. The portal flickered open, revealing Aqua stepping through, his tall figure illuminated by the pale light. 

Behind him followed Sona, Gasper Vladi, and Mai Sakurajima. The moment Serafall saw him, her heart leapt in her chest, and a bright grin spread across her face. Without a second thought, she launched herself at him, her wings folding as she flew straight into his arms.

"Aquaaa!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pressed her lips to his in a kiss, not caring in the slightest that her sister and his girlfriend were standing right there.

Aqua laughed as he caught her, holding her petite figure high as she clung to him, canceling the kiss. "I've been great. How have you been, Sera?" he asked, his eyes filled with care and amusement as he spun her around slightly in his arms. "You look cuter now."

Serafall's grin widened as she pulled back just enough to meet his gaze. "Better now that you're here!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, bubbling with excitement. Her easy excitement made him smile gently. "It's been hell lately, but this is definitely the best thing to happen all week. I've missed you… so much."

Little Gasper, standing beside them, turned beet red at the sight as she kissed him again, filling the area with sloppy sounds. He nervously fidgeted as he glanced away, not sure where to look. He was confused as to why Aqua had brought him along.

Sona, on the other hand, was less than amused. Her face was bright red, her hands covering her face as she groaned in embarrassment. "You two, seriously?!"

Serafall just giggled after canceling the kiss, completely unbothered by her sister's reaction. "What? Can't I be happy to see your favorite high school junior?" she teased, hugging Aqua tightly once more.

Mai stood a bit to the side, simply shrugging and looking away. This wasn't the first time she'd seen something like this, and as much as she had hoped otherwise, she was used to it.

Aqua chuckled and set Serafall down gently. He kept a hand on her shoulder as he spoke. "I'm glad you're doing well," he said. "I can guess that it's been a rough couple of months. I did tell you in a call that you can ask for my help any time."

Serafall nodded, her expression turning more serious for a moment. "Yeah... but we managed. So I didn't bother you. But your love for me finally rose enough to come to visit me regardless!" She joked, and he cleared his throat.

Sona sighed on the side as Serafall hugged him again, rubbing her cheeks with him.

****

The platform of ice floated effortlessly in the sky, cutting through the clouds as the wind rushed past them. Aqua stood on the icy surface, his gaze fixed on the horizon while Mai leaned close, whispering in his ear.

"You and Serafall seem... cozy. Greatly so," she said, her voice light but with a hint of curiosity. Even if she was used to it, she was curious about things her boyfriend went around doing. Aqua hummed, trying to maintain composure. "Well, I am just curious. It's not like it's a surprise or anything," she added, her tone dry.

He frowned, feigning offense. "What do you mean? It's as if you're insulting me, my dear," he said with mock hurt.

"No way, how could I insult my manwhore of a boyfriend?" she clicked her tongue, crossing her arms and looking away while holding back a playful smirk.

Aqua couldn't help but chuckle a little, standing straight again as he glanced over at Serafall. What can I say? She's not entirely wrong. 

Serafall, who had been busy speaking seriously to her subordinates on the other side of the platform while the landmass moved fast below them. She finished giving orders and turned toward him. Her expression shifted instantly as she looked at him. Gone was the stern Satan Leviathan, replaced by the bright, cheerful Sera who always seemed to be glowing when she was around him.

"Alright, let's go," she said, grinning at him. "My people will fly to my territory now, but we'll take a detour. I'll give you a brief about the situation while we head over to meet the other Satans. I've already notified them."

The Satans wanted to meet him. If it wasn't for his strength, the Satans might have focused on the war during these crucial times. But with his personal power—and his status as the leader of the Nexus of Eternity—they valued his presence enough to cancel their current duties and call forth a meeting. 

He wouldn't have bothered, but when Serafall invited, how could he say no?

Aqua nodded, following her gesture as he stepped next to her. Serafall raised her hand, forming another ice platform beneath them, the frosty air swirling as it grew. The other girls and Gasper stepped up on the platform too. "Hold on tight," she said playfully as she glanced back at Sona and Mai.

Sona sighed, adjusting her glasses. "You always have to be so dramatic, onee-sama," she muttered, gripping the edge of the platform. Then she yelped when the platform left the larger platform and shot forward, rocketing into the sky.

As they soared through the air, letting the cool night breeze rustle their hair, Serafall giggled at Sona's reaction. Before the younger girl could reply, Sera's tone shifted to something more serious. "Sorry, we don't have much time. I'll get you up to speed."

"Go on," Aqua said.

"It all started with the Egyptian Ogdoad Pantheon. Those fools who are all about chaos, darkness, and primordial waters."

Aqua nodded, listening as she began to explain. He had heard bits and pieces about the conflict between the Devils and Ogdoad, but never in much detail.

"They've been clashing with the Devils for control over the southern part of the underworld. For centuries, actually," Serafall said, her voice steady. "It had always been a sort of cold war, but things changed about three months ago. They started to grow more aggressive after a member of the Astaroth Clan clashed with an old Egyptian necromancer over a dead soul. Things grew worse after that. Not enough for a war to begin, but still tense. But then… two months ago, the rush of Icons came."

She added, "In the beginning, it was just a power struggle. But when the Icons rained, things escalated. Ogdoad first started summoning titanic Sphinxes—beings of chaos older than most of the gods we know. Sometimes a few of their Gods would join the battles too. Only us Satans can manage to stand our ground when one of those Gods picks a fight. The other devils are left to their luck. Earlier, you remember the frozen town? It was burning ten minutes before that. Many devils died today."

Aqua listened in silence, and Mai did the same. "So, what's their endgame?" Aqua asked. "Are they just trying to take territory or is there more to it?"

"More than that," Sona interjected, her voice calm as always. "Now they're trying to destabilize the balance in the underworld, to make it easier for them to spread chaos and claim everything. This is what happens when suddenly limitless power comes out of nowhere. If they manage to tip the scales enough, they could own everything."

Mai frowned, "But then doesn't that concern the other pantheons too? Yama, Hades, and other prominent Gods of Death, I mean. Why are they sitting still?"

"Because they want the Devils to perish, as much as anybody. In fact, they've been reaching out to other pantheons, trying to form alliances. But the Egyptian gods are unpredictable. Some groups are hesitant to work with them, while others are taking the opportunity to push their own agendas. I… feel pity for our kind. Our children," she sighed. "You're lucky you're a Yokai. Unlike the yokai's name, the devil's name bears a lot of bad stigma."

Aqua frowned. She didn't like hearing her talk like that. She added, "Given our history, I can understand why, but we're not like that anymore. And yet these Gods wouldn't accept us," she sighed. "That's why we've been fighting so hard to keep them in check," Serafall glanced at Aqua. "It's not just about power anymore. It's about survival."

"So basically," Aqua said, crossing his arms, "we're in the middle of a power grab. The Ogdoad want chaos, and everyone else is either waiting for the devils to perish before even wanting to stop them or join them and help them make the devils perish."

Serafall smiled with a sad mark on her lips. "Exactly. Ajuka fears that… in a few more months, a lot of other pantheons would jump us. Bad times are coming. Even with the Icons we've gained, there's only so much we can handle at once. We're still a minor group in the grand scheme of things."

Aqua frowned. This is bigger than I thought. This silly girl should have called me from the get-go.

Silence lingered in the air for the next couple of minutes. Before the conversation could ever continue, the platform began to slow as they approached a massive flying island. Floating in the air like a fortress, the island was grand, with intricate buildings and spires reaching toward the sky. 

At the center of it all was the mansion of Ajuka Beelzebub, one of the four great Devil Kings.

Serafall landed the platform gently on the island, and as they got off, Aqua's eyes caught sight of Sirzechs Lucifer and Falbium Asmodeus standing in the courtyard with Ajuka himself. They were talking in low voices, their expressions tense. Grayfia also stood nearby, her silver hair glinting under the artificial moonlight as she noticed him looking.

When they landed, the Satans turned to them. "Aqua," Sirzechs greeted him, walking over with a hand out-stretched. "We're glad you could make it."

Aqua took his hand, shaking it. "I couldn't say no when Sera asked," he said. "I have a solid idea about what's going on now, Sera explained." 

Ajuka stepped forward, his analytical gaze sweeping over the group. "I'm glad to hear that, and thank you for coming on such short notice, but we should head inside before continuing further. We've got a lot to discuss."

"Let's not waste time, then," Aqua easily agreed, "I too came here with important information. The sooner we handle this, the better."

Slowly the four Satans walked toward the entrance of the mansion. Grayfia bowed to them and led Aqua and his group inside, a heavy weight in the air.

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Author Note: Here's a new story announcement. I've just started uploading this Game of Thrones fanfiction titled Game of Thrones: Reign of the Dragonking. I quite like writing it, and currently 4 chapters have been uploaded (23 in Pat). For those who like GOT and ASOIAF, I hope you'll jump to this to check it out, you'll love it for sure. 

Title: Game of Thrones: Reign of the Dragonking

Synopsis: Viserys Targaryen was born with the blood of dragons and yet lived his life in exile. He was a prince with a lost kingdom and a fading legacy, an immature bastard who died a pitiful death. Unfortunately, that same death was coming for me now… as I found myself in his body right before molten gold fried my brain.

Yes. Fuck Khal Drogo, and fuck the molten crown.

With the memories from another life, in this world of betrayal and broken oaths, I had the chance to forge a new destiny for myself. Armed with the knowledge of the future, my own cunning, and [The Dragon System], I made the choice to flee from the Dothraki barbarians and take back what was rightfully mine.

Cover: Image Here