Fated to Be Loved by Villains

This was my second time coming to the Astral Realm.

Actually, last time I just met one beast from the Astral Realm and ran away, so I didn’t know if I could count that as a ‘visit’, but it was a bit different now.

If I was an ant-level existence back then, now I was in the middle of ascending as a Devil to meet the angels.

Hence why my entrance itself was completely different from before. Just look the way I entered this building; the Dominion had to escort me.

“-It’s pretty, I’ll give it that.”

I said while looking at the building that reminded me of the Greek Pantheon.

A palace built on clouds—almost a figurative expression, but it was beautiful enough to warrant such a description.

In fact, compared to how beautifully it was built, the things inside are ugly to their core.

“I-I’m at my limit here.”

The Dominion who guided me this far with staggering steps stuttered those words out.

Just looking at his pale face, cold sweat streaming down, it was obvious he was pushing himself. Normally he shouldn’t be here, but I forced him to come along.

“If I go any further, I can’t guarantee my own safety. The hierarchy among angels is absolute.”

“Yeah, I get it. Thanks for the hard work.”

“...”

The Dominion blinked stupidly at my response.

“What?”

“...Truth be told, I didn’t expect you to let me go easily.”

“...”

Maybe it was because he had a long history of suffering at my hands, he didn’t seem to be able to accept my words easily.

But when I really shooed him away with a ‘go on, get out,’ he hesitated before opening his mouth. As if he had developed some twisted affection despite our relationship, he...

“...Be careful.”

“Huh?”

“Among the Seraphim, there are decent ones for sure, but there are definitely those who look down on and despise the Material World. If you show a bad attitude, who knows what they might do to you.”

“Is that so?”

“...”

Seeing my nonchalant response, the Dominion clutched his head as if having a migraine.

“...I’m not joking. They’re the highest authority of the Astral Realm. Even for a Devil, they aren’t something you could easily—”

“You know, I told you to go first because I know you’d react like this.”

“What?”

“If you stay, you’ll get caught up in this.”

Having said that, I approached the door of the palace.

I rummaged through the knowledge of the original in my head and examined the area near the main entrance.

Unlike the Magic Tower, the Astral Realm was an explorable area in the DLC, so I had decent knowledge about the area.

The knowledge I was looking for specifically was—

“Wait, don’t touch tha—!”

Before the Dominion could shout in panic, I boldly kicked the white ‘line’ that was visible near the main entrance.

This was probably equivalent to a ‘security system’ that was made to intercept intruders.

-!

-!!!

The moment it turned red and Divine Power begins to surge in all directions, vitality filled my body.

< System Message >

[ A crisis situation is detected. ]

[ It is judged to be a level that poses a direct threat to life. ]

[ Skill: Desperation is applied at EX rank. ]

There we go.

Grinning at the familiar message, I lifted my foot.

It feels like a natural booster. This is what makes me feel alive.

And.

-!!

-!!!!!

With a kick that shattered the palace door into pieces in one blow, I shouted loudly.

“COME AT ME—!”

“...”

Leaving behind the Dominion whose face had turned blue as if witnessing a terrible disaster about to ensue, I walked inside with steady steps.

It seemed they had already received news of my arrival beforehand, as the large conference room-like interior was already filled with occupied seats.

“...”

As I glanced around at those motherfuckers.

I could sense the pressure emanating from them; I could give them that at least.

Angels with halos on their heads. Every single one of them had a presence that made my nerves tingle.

They numbered at least several dozen.

While their individual presence might be inferior to Devils, these shitheads combined power was enough for them to wage an all-out war with Pandemonium. That was why they were on par in the hierarchy, after all.

This atmosphere...

Wasn’t much different from what the Dominion told me.

Most looked surprised when they saw me, but among those gazes, there was a clear divide between those who ‘despise’ me and those who just show ‘surprise’.

The former seems to be more numerous. I guess that was why they decided it was okay to invade the ground in the first place.

“-How utterly vulgar.”

And the one who seems to be the leader of the group giving me contemptuous looks opened his mouth.

“I knew the underworld creatures were ignorant ruffians with no manners, but isn’t this a bit too much?”

I stared blankly at the one saying this.

He was a young man with wings and a halo. I believed his name was...

...Does it matter?

Let’s just call him Smartass.

Anyway, I’m not that interested in these punks.

[...Why?]

‘Huh?’

[Aren’t the Seraphims the biggest obstacle from your current position?]

‘Not really.’

[...]

Just because they’re on par with Devils in the hierarchy doesn’t mean they’re the biggest threat to me.

If anything, the Magic Tower was more annoying than these guys. I was just dragged along by their game because I had no information at all.

But here, it was different.

The Magic Tower was a place full of things I didn’t know, but here, I roughly know these guys’ information and tendencies.

That was why I could blurt out words like this:

“So what can you do?”

“...”

“I’m asking what you can do besides just running your mouth because I’m acting like a bit of an asshole.”

“-”

As soon as they heard my words, everyone’s faces twisted horribly.

“HOW DARE YOU—”

“-Of course I dare.”

I answer nonchalantly as I look around.

“Let me set this straight. I have no time to spare on the likes of you fuckers.”

“...”

The faces around me all contorted at once.

They clearly didn’t expect to hear such words from a human from the Material World who suddenly popped up.

But, I was just telling the truth.

After all, my priority was the ‘trap’ that the Prophet and that pope bastard had set up.

Wasting energy on these extras felt like a waste in itself.

“You seem to be misunderstanding something.”

So, regardless of their reaction, I continued.

“I don’t know what you had in mind when I said I was coming up here, but I’m not here to talk with you. I’m here to say my demands and make an agreement with you.”

“...An agreement?”

As Smartass sneered and asked back, I shrugged and responded.

“You guys are trying to clean up the Material World and mold it to your liking. It’s obvious that you’re trying to do it because the Devils have been unusually active. Am I wrong?”

“...”

Smartass’s expression sank slightly at my words.

Which meant, I hit the nails on the head.

According to the setting, Pandemonium and the Astral Realm were always in a relationship of keeping each other in check with the Material World as a ‘breakwater’.

But as the Devils’ activities in the material world keep intensifying around me, this side must be stimulated by it, so they decided to do this kind of thing.

So, I just needed to drop the solution.

“The Devils, including me, have no intention of ‘dominating’ the Material World.”

I continued calmly.

“I can prove that, so don’t you dare touch it.”

“-Ridiculous.”

Smartass said that and glared at me.

“I was going to at least listen to what nonsense you were spouting after seeing your overflowing arrogance, but know your place. This isn’t a place lenient enough for you to expect to survive after causing such a ruckus.”

“Oh, really?”

“-That’s as far as we’ll tolerate your rudeness!”

“Then try it.”

“...What?”

I crossed my arms and met each of their gazes one by one. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Well, I wasn’t some kind of high-class martial artist who could use fancy shit like materializing my killing intent or something of the sorts, but I could more than convey my ‘sincerity’.

“As you said. If you’re determined to kill me, you could probably do it anytime.”

After saying that, I added one more sentence with a slightly twisted smile.

“-But I’ll take down as many of you as I can with me.”

“...”

“If I grit my teeth and fight, I think I can take down about a quarter of the few dozen here. What do you think?”

“...What are you—”

“Stop yapping. If you’re prepared, then come at me. You know I’m capable of that, don’t ya?”

Immediately afterwards, silence fell.

Mhm. This is why these guys are no good.

Sure, they have more than enough power to kill me and then some, but none of them have the ‘resolve’ to bell the cat.

It’s not just that I can really do such a thing, but they also know that if I really die here, they’ll have to wage all-out war with the Devils, betting the fate of the entire Astral Realm.

They probably don’t want that level of bloodshed either.

That’s the decisive difference.

Unlike these guys.

For the Devils...

I’m prepared to charge in with everything on the line to protect them, to protect my women.

“I have no time, so I’ll assume that you’ve roughly understood the gist of it for now.”

“...”

“I’ll take your silence as agreement for now. We can talk about the details later, just stop meddling in the Material World.”

I looked around with gleaming eyes.

“...If you don’t, I’m going to start something for real. Got it?”

Again, silent.

Silence that suggested they never expected such a reckless move from me. I nodded my head.

This much is enough for now. Whatever tricks they might pull later, if I have to dig into these guys in the current situation, it’ll really give me a headache.

Thinking that, I turned my body, when suddenly a voice came from behind.

“-Let me ask you one thing.”

As I was about to turn and leave, the Smartass from earlier opened his mouth with a deep frown.

“-Earlier, didn’t you say you’d prove that the Devils won’t reveal their ambitions?”

“Uh huh.”

“How exactly do you plan to prove that?”

Ah, that?

It’s simple really.

“When you’re busy having and raising kids, you don’t have time for such things.”

“...What?”

“I’m going to start a family with all of them.”

“...”

In the first place, if I don’t do that, I’ll die.

From the moment I was hooked to one side, such a future was already certain.

[...I can’t tell if you’re a real man or just batshit insane.]

A real man must be batshit insane. That’s the rule.