DXD - The Presence Chapter 48 46 - When Gods Pretend to Be Diplomats!

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[POV - Rito] [Neutral Dinsion - Kuou]

Whoooosh.

The celestial portal closed behind like a theater curtain, leaving only the echo of angelic harmonies in the air. Damn, how strange it was to be here — in Kuou, Gremory territory, a place I knew by reputation but had never officially visited as a student.

Step-step-step.

My footsteps echoed through the alternate dinsion with weight they shouldn't have. Each step created ripples in reality itself, like stones thrown into a cosmic lake. The purple sky around pulsed with energy that recognized my presence.

Sigh.

I sighed, adjusting the white mantle that Gabriel had insisted I wear. "To impress," she said. As if I needed to impress anyone. Honestly, I preferred my student clothes — at least in those I could pretend to be normal.

Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh.

Behind , hundreds of angels positioned themselves in perfect formation. My children. Both old and new, all flying in synchrony like celestial ballet. Gabriel to my right, Michael to my left, and the others spreading in harmonious arcs.

Thud-thud-thud.

I could feel everyone's heartbeats in the dinsion. Nervousness, fear, curiosity, admiration — an emotional cocktail that vibrated in the air like discordant music.

There she is.

And there she was. Rias. In the middle of the small demonic delegation, beside that siscon Sirzechs and Sona. I felt that warm familiarity that always ca when I saw her — not exactly love, but genuine affection for soone who had beco important to .

Pain.

I saw when the pain hit her. That sharp pang that all demons felt when trying to process divinity directly. Shit. I didn't like seeing anyone suffer unnecessarily, especially soone I considered a friend.

Snap.

With a thought, I removed the restriction from her mind. Small miracle, imperceptible to others, but that would allow her to think about without her head exploding. It was a matter of basic courtesy — you don't let your friends suffer because of you.

Relief.

I saw when relief passed over her face, followed by that inevitable understanding. Now she knew. Really knew who I was.

Whoosh.

Azazel ca flying, that casual arrogance masking obvious nervousness. I could feel the conflict in him — part wanting to maintain the pose of defiant rebel, part knowing exactly who he was facing.

— So — he said, landing with studied elegance — the famous Yuuki Rito in person.

Amused.

I almost smiled. Even knowing the truth, he still tried to maintain the facade.

— Azazel — I greeted calmly. — Thank you for coming.

— As if I had a choice — he murmured, but there was grudging respect in his voice.

Clench.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Sirzechs clench his fists. His demonic power leaking like toxic vapor, a mixture of fear and... was that protection? He was afraid of , but still positioned defensively in front of his sister.

Loyal.

I had to admit — I respected that.

Rumble.

The dinsion's floor trembled slightly, reacting to the growing tension between the three factions. Hundreds of supernatural beings all in the sa space, all charged with power, all nervous. It was like wet gunpowder waiting for a spark.

Ti to work.

— Well — I said, my voice naturally carrying through the entire dinsion without needing to shout — I think everyone knows why we're here.

Silence.

The silence that followed was thick as molasses. I could hear flies buzzing, if there were flies in alternate dinsions.

— Actually — Azazel broke the silence with that crooked smile — I'm not sure we do know. So of us — he looked significantly at — are more mysterious about their... credentials... than others.

Ha.

I laughed softly, the sound echoing like a distant bell.

— Credentials — I repeated, finding the word funny. — Is that what we're calling it?

Michael stepped forward, that formal posture he used in diplomatic situations.

— Perhaps — he said carefully — we should begin with proper introductions.

Oh boy.

Here ca the part I was dreading.

— Michael — I murmured — are you sure you want to do this?

— Father — he replied, the word carrying weight that made half those present choke — I think it's ti to end the misunderstandings.

Gasp.

The collective sound of everyone holding their breath was almost comical. Almost.

— Father? — Sirzechs repeated, his voice coming out strange. — Michael, did you just call a human...

— He's not human — Azazel interrupted, his voice loaded with resignation. — Never was. The question is... — he looked directly at — WHO are you really?

Decision ti.

I sighed. There was no escaping this now.

— My na — I said clearly, letting each word echo through the dinsion — is Yuuki Rito. Second-year student at Sainan Academy. Born and raised in Sainan. Fiancé of Princess Lala Satalin Deviluke.

Dramatic pause.

— And — I continued, feeling the cosmic weight of the words — the current incarnation of the one you knew as Yahweh.

BOOM.

If the previous silence was dense, this one was absolutely suffocating. As if reality itself had stopped to process what I had just said.

Thud-thud-thud.

Heartbeats accelerated in unison. Fear, reverence, confusion, denial — an emotional symphony playing in frequencies that transcended the audible.

— Impossible — Sirzechs murmured, but there was growing certainty in his voice. As if pieces of a puzzle were finally fitting together.

— The original Yahweh died in the Great War — Azazel said, but it was more statent than denial. — We all know that.

— He did die, yes — I confird calmly. — But the essence... the essence found a new ho. New form. New perspective.

Understanding.

I saw when understanding finally hit all of them. The anomalous energies around . New angels appearing from nowhere. Astaroth's disappearance. It all made sense now.

— That's why — Michael said, his voice loaded with relief and reverence — that's why you returned. Not as the sa, but as continuation.

— Sothing like that — I agreed. — Though "returning" isn't exactly the right word. It's more like... awakening.

Poor Rias.

I looked in her direction and felt that friendly concern that always ca when I saw soone I cared about in trouble. The girl was clearly in shock, trying to process that the guy she knew was literally the supre divinity of the universe.

— Rias — I called softly, my voice carrying the sa gentleness I would use with any friend in distress.

She looked at , those blue eyes shining with unshed tears.

— You... — she began, her voice coming out hoarse — you are...

— Still the sa guy who shared taiyaki with you — I said gently. — That hasn't changed.

Tears.

The tears finally fell, and I felt that pang of guilt that always ca when I inadvertently caused pain to soone I cared about.

— But you are... — she tried to speak again.

— Soone who cares about you — I completed honestly. — As a friend. That hasn't changed either.

Protective.

Sirzechs moved instinctively, placing himself between and his sister, even knowing it would be completely useless if I wanted to hurt her.

— Sirzechs — I said calmly — I have no intention of hurting your sister. Or any of you, actually.

— So — Azazel said, finding his voice again — why did you bring us here? What's the purpose of this eting?

Good question.

— Because — I replied, letting my presence expand slightly, reminding everyone exactly who they were dealing with — you three have spent the last millennia fighting like children. And I'm tired of it.

The power in my voice made the entire dinsion vibrate like a violin string.

— It's ti to grow up — I continued. — It's ti to work together. It's ti to stop wasting energy on stupid wars and start focusing on what really matters.

— And what would that be? — asked Sirzechs cautiously.

I smiled, and for the first ti since I arrived, it was a genuinely cheerful smile.

— Family — I said simply. — Taking care of each other. Protecting those we love. Building sothing better.

Hope.

I saw when hope began to shine in so of their eyes. The possibility of real peace, true cooperation, a better future.

— So — I said, adjusting my mantle and assuming a more formal posture — let's begin. We have much to discuss.

After all, reorganizing the world's supernatural balance wasn't going to be easy.

But hey, I had all eternity.

Let's do this.