DxD: The Plunder System Chapter 71

Chapter 71: The Lock and The Key

"Fi-Finally we are out!!!" Jay jumped at the sight of nature.


Being stuck inside a dark labyrinth for so long had taken a toll on them. The two girls were teary eyed as they hugged each other, happy to be finally out and free.


"Thank you, Kento," Anita smiled, her initial suspicion and worry about him vanished the moment they walked out of the labyrinth, "We might not have been able to make it out of there without your help."


Kento didn't want to make them feel like they owed him anything, specifically because he had somewhere that he had to be and he could not be bothered wasting any more time than he already was.


"Where will you be going now?" Jay asked, "Estes or the western countries?"


"I have to travel to the west," Kento lied, "If not for the teleportation incident, I would have already been there."


The three were aware that it was their luck that they ran into Kento and they were grateful. However, they were also aware that making him say would be unethical and quite selfish of them.


Kento meanwhile was busy looking at something else, staring right behind Jay.


'Do they not notice it?'


"We will be leaving for Estes, but I hope if you ever visit Estes you will inform us. We will be more than happy to show you around." Anita was far more open with Kento than she was before.


"I'll keep that in mind," Kento assured but his focus was still on a certain thing.


'Is the portal invisible to them?'


Right behind Jay was a portal, one that was similar to the ones that Kento had been hopping through for every stage of the trials, with the exception that this portal was green.


'It's the exit.' He deduced.


Till now, the portals have been getting darker and darker as he moved from one trial to another, but this green one was far lighter and softer –indicating that it was the portal that was to serve as the exit.


"Do not forget to inform us if you ever visit Estes," Anita repeated with Riley nodding heavily from the back.


"I promise I will," Kento assured, "I would have preferred spending some time wishing you all, but sadly I have a job to complete."


"Oh, no worries. Whenever you want, we will be there."


Kento smiled hearing this, "Thank you."


With expressing their gratitude, the trio decided to move towards Estes, the city that they were originally from. As for Kento, he acted as if he was to walk towards the west, but once the trio was out of sight, he casually stood next to a tree to keep himself hidden.


After being certain that he was out of sight and there was no one around him, he decided to check something.


<<Host is able to combine the Lock and Key to form a one time doorway to Marcellus' library.>>


<<Will the Host use it?>>


What he checked for was the presence of a time limit or any condition or restriction on the usage of the items.


But there weren't.


And that gave him options.


'I can use it now or…' He bit his lips, contemplating, 'I can use them after I let Kami know about my success.'


After all…


'Once I walk out of this portal, I will officially be the Champion and will obtain the rewards.'


He was excited as he was saving the points to allocate them together with the three thousand points he was supposed to get from Amaterasu's test.


But he was also curious.


So very curious.


'Who is Marcellus?' He had never heard the  name before, 'And why does the Lock and Key not have a rank?'


Additionally, there were no warnings that entering into the library might be dangerous and above all else, there were no restrictions.


As he was walking towards the portal, he abruptly stopped, just inches away from entering it.


"Ahh! Fuck it!"


He threw hands, "System use the Lock and Key!"


He was too affected by his curiosity that he wanted the answers right then and there.


<<Combining the Lock and Key>>


The Lock and the Key flew up and started glowing blue.


<<A doorway will open in thirty seconds>>


Kento gave in to his curiosity as he looked at the Key going inside the Lock, clicking it open.


A bluish fog emerged the moment the Lock opened and gathered around it forming an archway. 


The archway soon started to solidify, forming something like a door, before finally materializing entirely into a blue door with the key stuck to its keyhole.


<<One time doorway to Marcellus' Library has been constructed.>>


<<Host may enter the library>>


The answer was right in front of him, he just had to open the door.


But there was something that told him, warned him that whatever he was going to see or witness –he was not ready for it.


But he had made up his mind.


"Let's see what you have to offer, Marcellus."


Trying his best to remain calm, he decided to open the door.


Only to be shocked by the display.


…

…


Standing next to his study was the worried king of the underworld, the strongest devil and the protector of the realm, Lucifer.


Sirzechs Lucifer.


However, even the strongest of the devils had his worries. And in the case of Sirzechs, that worry came in the form of his sister's safety.


"It's alright, Sirzechs," with the calmest of expressions, a green haired man assured, "They are capable of handling a few fallens and church followers on their own."


Ajuka was a genius, an impeccable strategist and a master of predictions, however he knew that what he told his friend was only partly the truth.


Which his friend picked easily.


"As the owner of the Kankara formula, you are able to predict the outcome of any match or even war before it starts, but even without the formula I know that you are not being truthful, Ajuka," Sirzechs said, leaning on the beige-tinted wall, "There are variables… Variables that she is incapable of handling. No not just her, her entire peerage and even the church duo that are with them will fail if those variables show up."


Ajuka didn't reply and looked at his friend.


"And it would have been great if those things would have remained like that, variables. But now we are certain that they are indeed part of this grand scheme." Sirzechs frowned, "And we are to do nothing about it?"


Ajuka shook his head, "Tragically, we cannot. If we do, there will be no peace talks."


Sirzechs clenched his fists, "Then what am I supposed to do? Let my sister walk into that death trap?"


"They have a chance, if the Red Dragon Emperor is able to awaken more of his abilities or if Kento Yamazaki decides to help them, they will have a chance."


At Ajuka's statement, Sirzechs felt defeated, "I haven't been able to contact Kento for a while now. As for Issei, we cannot be certain if he will be able to awaken his power on time or not."


Hearing this, Ajuka sighed, "Very well. If nothing works, I won't stop you. You are free to do what you want and as your friend, you know that I will always back you up."


Yet his face became stern, "However, I believe you will be ready for the consequences if we decide to join."


Sirzechs closed his eyes and showed a soft smile, "I know, Ajuka. For now, let's hope that some miracle happens."


After all, that was the best choice that they had at the moment.


…

…


Unaware of the situation in the underworld or in Kuoh, Kento had a worry of his own.


'What… In the world is this?'


<<Host has interacted with the True Space!>>


<<Conditions have been met!>>


<<Wisdom stat unlocked!>>


<<Wisdom stat can be increased from now on by obtaining information about the universe and its concepts!>>


It was possibly one of the best system messages that Kento had gotten in a really long time, however, he wasn't able to focus on it.


Not even for a second.


As what he was witnessing was beyond what could be logically explained.


"What even is this shape?"


It felt like a cube, one that was filled with books on every side, be it the top or the bottom, the left or the right.


It was crafted entirely of shelves and filled to the brim with books.


With him floating at its center.


The cube didn't stay still, instead, it was rotating around him in a fashion that gave the cube more dimensions than a cube.


Thankfully Kento could make out that it was a perfectly symmetrical square shaped library, but just not a cube.


If he tried to float towards one side, the side would extend. If he tried to move to the other side, that other side would extend.


Each side, each face of the library extended indefinitely and no matter how much he tried to squirm to that side, he could never make it to the end.


But above all else, he saw things in the library.


Things called books with titles that had him gasping.


`Gremory`


`Sitri`


`The Heavenly Dragons`


`God of Christianity`


`The Pantheons`


`Lucifer`


`Lilith`


`Diabolos Dragon`


`ExE`


Titles of books that had him shocked and confused.


"You mean… these books hold knowledge about the devils, the dragons and even the gods?"


He was baffled, but as he tried to reach the books, they went further away from him.


He could not get to them.


"This damned shape!"


And as he was cursing the library's shape; he heard.


"This shape is what you call a tesseract, a fourth dimensional shape that a normal human cannot comprehend," He heard a deep yet soothing voice, "But you are anything but normal, aren't you, Kento Yamazaki?"


And that was the first time that Kento had seen the man that exceeded the realms of gods, became stronger than the celestials and far more wise than the One Above All.


{Inspect}


<<Warning! The being in front exists at a higher plane of existence.>>


<<Status cannot be measured!>>


The man that Kento was standing in front of was none other than the Conqueror, Marcellus Hanely.


The being that stood above all beings.

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[[A/N: MC entry during Kokabiel will be quite interesting after all these things.

Kekekkeke]]