Extravaganza 17.5 (Edited)

Extravaganza Interlude #4

A/N: This is an interlude that shows people fucking around.

# # #

(Khaos Brigade)

Undisclosed location
1 week after Iori created Yamato

Light illuminated the room where a large and solid-looking oak table was located. A tall figure in a black hooded cloak teleported in and sat on the golden chair at the head of the table. In turn, the first magical hologram manifested on the other seats, wearing similar hooded cloaks.

The only difference that could be seen between each person was the shape of their bodies; some were taller in height or more muscular. The man at the head of the table with a white beard and his devil wings out started the meeting with, “I see that everyone is here.”

A figure with a skeletal hand on the armchair of his seat replied with a shake of his head, “Not all of us.”

The white bearded man shrugged. “Those who matter anyway.”

The skeleton man hissed, “Let’s get to the point. The Infinity Dragon has discarded us and killed 80% of our members. There's no way that we can recover from this, and word has already spread about what happened.”

“This isn't… ideal.” The youngest members spoke with a tone full of frustration.

The obvious Devil leading this meeting insisted, “We need to readjust, that's for sure.”

The skeleton, an obvious god of death, mocked, “Your plan to take the world by storm has ended in it's infancy without accomplishing anything of worth.”

The Devil huffed petulantly. “This is just a setback. Already, I have taken steps to replenish our losses in personnel and resources. I also found it prudent to decentralize our operations by adopting some human-centered tactics. We will act as cells within each of our factions.” 

Humans may be weak, but they possess a keen understanding of tactics and know how to wage wars. They were lucky that most of the human population was ignorant of the supernatural for now. They all knew that it wouldn't last if they succeeded in sowing chaos.

“We will reorganize, and I have the best recruit in mind. I heard that the Angel of the Stars had a huge fallout with Azazel recently.”

The man who smelled like the storm responded, “I have Georg-Kun, who is determined to get revenge for his friend.”

The bearded devil gave a mocking grin as he heard that. “Ah, the hero faction. We shouldn't have sent them to Japan. They were not ready for this type of work. Cao Cao had only just activated his balance breaker after all.”

The hooded god’s tone became defensive. “The kid was stubborn.”

The devil smirked and replied, “And now he’s a stubborn dead kid.”

“Why you!” The hooded god stood up, his hood slipping behind his back, revealing the appearance of a man with a buzz-cut hairstyle, greenish brown hair color, and lavender eyes. He wears circular sunglasses, an aloha shirt, and has a jewel around his neck.

Powerful energy unleashed from totally not Indra and the bearded devil who totally was not Rizevim Livan Lucifer.

The meeting devolved into a fight as evil deities and a Devil started fighting among themselves.

# # #

(Susanoo-no-Mikoto)

At the same time…
Takamagahara
The Highest Plain of Heaven

Susanoo wasn’t one predisposed to feeling fear. Having the Infinite Dragon God on his land's shore was terrifying; at any moment, he expected to find that part of Japan has been annihilated. Feeling how this girl became as powerful as one of his lesser siblings so suddenly was quite worrisome. But for now, nothing was happening, beyond the new faction of Japan slowly taking form as many supernatural beings were arriving in Japan. 

The Dwarves of Switzerland, the Oni tribe of China and the cultivators association of Kun'Lun sent representatives to interact with Yamato.

In the opinion of the God of Storms, they couldn’t have an organization gain so much influence on their own soil, unless they bent the knee to the Shinto. How were they going to bring Yamato to heel? Susanoo can only intervene through his sister, Amaterasu-no-Mikoto, and through her yokai Priestess, who is allied with the girl Queen. The god of Storms teleported before his sister’s cave and entered and seeing the illusionary sky illuminated by a small sun recreating the skies over Japan upon the caves ceiling.

Sitting under the sacred sakura tree, a beautiful young woman with long black hair and large breasts, wearing Japanese priestess garments, was playing with a handheld console. The god of Storms noticed the case of the game; it had Monster Hunter written on it.

His sister satisfied her bloodlust through violent video games as she reminisced about the times when she could kill monsters or champions from other pantheons two centuries ago. Since Japan lost in World War 2 and the bridge between deities and Japanese inhabitants was shattered, it had become hard to intervene on their own lands.

Susanoo floated toward his divine sister, taking care not to step on the flowers surrounding the sacred sakura tree. When Susanoo arrived before her, looming over her he said, “Sister.”

The chief goddess stood up with a squeak. “B-Brother! What a surprise!”

She looked behind him to see if he had come alone; Susanoo shook his head in bewilderment. “Calm down Ammy, I didn’t come here to give you work.”

Takamagahara only knew how everyone wanted her to go to work; there had been paperwork piling up in her office for 80 years already.

“Really?” the slacker stared at him with a hopeful gaze. 

Susanoo smiled and said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes, “I’ve come because two deities have staked claim to our land.”

The handheld console fell from Amaterasu's hands as she jumped up. “WHAT?!”

He really liked her reactions, especially when they stemmed from her inaction. “If you had come out of your cave earlier two weeks ago, you'd have sensed the presence of the Infinite and a Deity who has come to our shore before. I think he has taken a liking to the women of our land, as his new champion is a girl barely in her womanhood.”

She pointed a finger at her brother and exclaimed, “The strange gauntlet deity! He has come back?!”

“Yes, and his champion is building a faction inside our land. I’ve come to tell you because she is allied with your Priestess from the Western Yokai Faction.”

The wind blew inside the cave, and tempestuous clouds suddenly covered the sun. “Yasaka is involved with them? How? She never said anything?! She only told me that she took back Kuoh Town from the devils after they kidnapped one of her friends!”

Susanoo smirked. “Ah, that Kitsune is a real trickster, she told you, but in a way that wouldn’t worry you.”

Yasaka was one of the intermediaries that Susanoo's sister used to rule over Japan. The nine-tailed kitsune was playing games with Amaterasu.

“So that friend who was kidnapped was the gauntlet god’s champion! I need to descend and speak with Yasaka!” His sister said before disappearing in a flash of gold light toward Kyoto.

At least he got his sister to move and to take care of the situation. He didn't want to fight that gauntlet god again…

# # #

(Amaterasu-Omikami)

She appeared in Yasaka's study with a blinding sunbeam and threw herself in the fluffy embrace of her nine-tailed foxy Priestess. “Yasaka-chan!”

The kitsune froze as she let herself be hugged, as she was used to the antics of the Shinto chief goddess. “Your Majesty, what a surprise.”

Amaterasu squirmed in her embrace, pulled her face out of Yasaka's blossom, and took a breath. “Tell me all about the gauntlet god! I heard he came back?”

The kitsune looked down at her and asked, “My apologies, but what are you talking about?”

Amaterasu blinked and realized her mistake. “Oh, true, you weren't born when he bonded with that noble girl seven hundred years ago. Let me tell you how this started!”

Amaterasu started the tale of Shiori-Hime,  a royal lady whose husband was murdered by an invading force that occupied their city. As she fled into a mountain, she discovered a god enshrined in a small temple; it was in the form of a silver gauntlet and taught her how to fight to kill her pursuers. Then she proceeded to hire a clan of Vampire Ninja and took back her lands from the invading army, founded the Usagiyama family, and reigned over her lands for fifty years before dying surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

Yasaka made a throaty laugh. “Iori-san is descended from a noble family, then?”

Amaterasu let go of the Kitsune and stood up before her while adjusting her priestess outfit. “Who is Iori?”

The chief goddess had a bad feeling, as if everything she knew was about to be unraveled and disappear. Her instincts were correct as Yasaka replied, “My ally, and a friend of the Western Yokai Faction, Usagiyama Iori.”

The Usagiyama family still lived?! They were a family who had abandoned their titles but not their lands and riches; World War 2 had not been good to them, every one of their sons died in that war, leaving only  women in both branches of their families. They were no longer a family of warriors, as the remnant members shifted their family to mercantilism. The last Usagiyama were supposed to have died earlier this year and with them the relationship with the gauntlet god.

“I thought that they all died!?” Amaterasu found herself shouting.

“They did not. Iori is the last member of her family.” Yasaka reiterated.

“How? I’m sure that we have the last two members back in Yomi!” This was not good, she didn’t wish ill of the girl Yasaka seemed to like, but nothing good has ever come from that family. They had stayed neutral in most conflicts until the Emperor forced them to go do their duty in World War 2; does the girl hold a grudge?

Yasaka tilted her head at her Goddess. “You mean her parents? They died in an automotive accident.”

Amaterasu sucked in a breath; Yasaka didn’t know! So that means the girl didn’t as well… this affair might be more manageable. “No, they were murdered by the elders of the five principal clans…”

In particular, the Nakiri family elders, who wanted their political connection and fortune, attempted to take advantage of the Usagiyama family because the head married an exiled member of their family. The Usagiyama refused, and it was supposed to be the end of that; however, the Nakiri felt slighted and assassinated the entire Usagiyama family, supposedly. They indeed stole some of the businesses of the Usagiyama family…

Yasaka’s reaction wasn’t what Amaterasu had expected as she simply said, “Oh. Well at least they won't be able to harass Yokai anymore after Iori is done with them.”

That was all that mattered to her: the five principal clans had stopped their encroachment on the lands of her faction. What bothered Amaterasu as well was how Yasaka seemed not to worry about her friend's safety, which meant only one thing: Usagiyama Iori was strong, but how much?

“She’s that strong?” Amaterasu finally asked.

Yasaka’s fox ears flattened on her head as she replied, “She can fight two Satans at the same time, my Lady.”

The Shinto chief goddess started chuckling until a crazy laugh escaped her mouth; as she thought, they were all in deep trouble. No wonder Susanoo had come to look for her and pass the hot potato to her. There must be a way to prevent the complete destruction of the five principal clans. “Yasaka-chan, please tell me everything that has happened since you met that girl, I feel like I’ve missed a lot.”

Yasaka gave a fox-like grin. “Certainly. I met Iori the first day of Golden Week…”

Amaterasu must meet that girl and explain to her the truth about her family's demise; this is the best way to prevent destruction from happening in her land.

# # #

(Grizelda Quarta)

Italy
Rome
Vatican

Grizelda wanted a drink. For the last two months, the nun has investigated a conspiracy that threatened her faith. Priests of the church consorting with devils and Selling Holy Maidens into slavery to devils. It has been happening for the last year. She was able to gather proof of the situation but she doesn't know who to trust, of how far the rot has spread.

Which is why Grizelda had to look for people in the church that she could trust. Father Vasco Strada, a former Exorcist and wielder of Durandal, had heard her out about what she discovered when she met him and was now helping Grizelda. The Father swiftly entered into contact with Lady Gabriel, the Messenger of God, and the Archangel came to learn about the happenings of the church. 

The ball was sent rolling once the archangel was on Grizelda and Vasco's side. They began to investigate discreetly and uncovered a vast web of connections between cardinals and bishops who had contracted with Devils for favors. In particular, with devils part of the Great King Faction. However, the string of excommunication of Holy Maidens seemed to stem from an individual near the top of the power structure of the Devils’ main Faction. From the Astaroth clan in particular.

An interrogation there, a prosecution here, and they found the priesthood and exorcists under contracts. Some were left in place to feed information to the Devils. It was also a way to gather intelligence about Devil Society; they learned that the New Satans were not entirely in control of their government. Many executions were carried out in secret, keeping things quiet so as not to alert the corrupt members of the Church.

However, when Grizelda told everything to her adoptive daughter, Xenovia, the girl grabbed the nearest holy maiden, Asia Argento, from her church. She decided to become her official bodyguard with her best friend, Irina Shidou. It didn't stop here, Asia was a famous and well-respected Holy Maiden by the exorcist she helped save since she awakened her Twilight Healing sacred gear; a large group of exorcists joined the bodyguard squad, and Irina Shidou made it official when she got ahold of an angel in the Vatican.

Grizelda was sitting on a pew of the basilica of Santa Maria. Father Strada patted her back in commiseration. “Why is my little girl so hard-headed and impulsive, Father Strada?”

The old man gave her a toothy smile. “I think you dropped her too many times on her head in her formative years.”

The nun turned her face toward him, who was smiling. “But it only happened 5 times!”

The father's laugh boomed inside the basilica. “Five too many.”

“At least thanks to your daughter, we learned who was after little Asia.” Grizelda clenched her hands into fists. 

“Diodora Astaroth, the cousin of Ajuka Beelzebub.” She now knew the reputation of that monster, and she would be damned if she would let that Devil near the innocent girl. 

At least her daughter and Irina Shidou did something good by taking Asia out of the equation and to a neutral church in Japan.

Father Strada nodded. “Heaven is going to push for reparation and punishment against him.”

Grizelda didn’t care about reparations, what mattered to her were the girls who have been suckered into becoming devils. “It would be better if they could give us back the holy maiden he turned into devils…”

This wasn’t going to happen, she knew it. Father Strada blew her mind by saying, “True… you know, I heard that someone found a way to free someone from devilhood, but it's just a rumor…”

“Please, tell me more! If someone really can do that, they must be contacted right away!” Grizelda put a hand on the giant old man’s arm with an insistent expression on her face.