Aevum Interval: Clockdown of the Heavens (Multi-Fic SI Cycle)

[Multiverse Learner 101]

Author's Notes: This fic is admittedly inspired by two fics that are a favorite of mine.

* Sleeping wih the Girls by AdmiralTigercla

* Forgetting the Time by Mizuki Stone

---

...The first thing he noticed was that he was somewhere else.

A simple town square where automobiles passed by. His eyes looked at all of the people who passed by. They spoke in Japanese. Fortunately for him in this case, he's a Japanese American, so he can understand the language.

The last thing he remembered was simply taking a morning walk. Then he ended up here. The first thing he did was quietly draw out his phone. At least it was still there. He pressed a few buttons before placing it to his ear.

No signal. Though he could at least leave a message.

"Doctor-sensei, it's me," the young man in his 19s would say quietly. "I don't really know where I am right now. I'm somewhere in..." He looked around and saw a passerby. He asked what town this is. The civilian, an old man somewhere in his 50s, looked confused, simply said that this was Kuoh Town.

The young man blinked a little. He slowly nodded carefully and thanked the old man politely before carefully placing his phone back in his ear. "I'm... in Kuoh Town apparently..." He muttered grimly.

Like, the name was familiar. It belonged to a franchise named High School DxD. The young man didn't want to jump to quick conclusions just yet. He needed more info. For all he knew, it was probably a pure coincidence. And yet, he was not blind to Providence.

"Just thought you should know, Doctor-sensei, in case you heard my message. If you can, please trace my call," he said last, before quietly hanging up.

He gulped a little. He was alone this time. But this was not the first strangest experience he had ever been through. There was nothing much to do here except wait for a while. Quietly, he drew his hand towards his pocket, where a simple black rosary was kept. He quietly clutched it like a lifeline. His thoughts were not known, except for the action of touching his rosary.

He waited. It seemed like a good idea. Because trying to move to a place where he has no idea where may not be the best idea. Not to mention, he's probably in a Japan, so trying to approach the locals, like asking for the history of this place, would get him looked at funny. He may be a Japanese American, but he looked a little foreign, from his mother's side of things. Hence, he's got that handsome foreigner look with an Asian perfect figure. He doesn't boast about it, but he is grateful at least for how he is and what he has.

"...Umm," there was someone who tugged the left side of his shirt.

The man glanced to the left and saw... a very beautiful Italian blonde. Her eyes were green. She wore a kind of nun's habit, which was a dark teal color with light blue accents. A white veil with light blue accents covered her hair. A brown satchel was slung over her right hip. A silver cross necklace was around her neck.

He narrowed his eyes carefully, as the woman shyly explained, with that familiar voice that the man had heard when watching one anime. "Umm... I think I'm lost. Can you tell me where the church of this town happens to be?"

His heart quietly dropped.

...Oh my God.

Asia Argento.

 

[Multiverse Learner 101]

...The young nineteen-year-old Japanese American would look at the blonde grimly.

High School DxD.

He was in High School DxD.

For starters, that franchise was about a perverted young man named Issei Hyoudou whose traits boil down to an appreciation of the woman's body. The young man never really judged him for that, when thinking about the fact that, in the Renaissance era, plenty of writers appreciated such a figure, but back then, that was truthfully an appreciation and not mere lust. Nowadays, when people think of naked figures, they'd think of pornography, which is a personal shame in his opinion. There's a lot that can be learned about the peoples of the past eras, and the idea of modernity being the central evolutionary development felt like it was the height of spiritual arrogance.

Then, in that same franchise, there was one Asia Argento. She was one of those characters who had caught his eye when reading about the light novel. He had often wondered what Christianity was actually like in the world of High School DxD. Probably one of the strangest thoughts that he ever had, but it was true, he had been curious, in the speculative sense, just what kind of Christianity do worlds like High School DxD even espouse. It's obviously different from his own world and others.

He's a Catholic. No, not Roman Catholic. Just Catholic. Roman Catholic is a bit inaccurate, considering the Church historically consisted of the West, that is, the Latin Church (often called the Roman Church), and the East, which is the Eastern Churches like Greek Byzantine, Melkite Greek, Coptic, Syriac, and others.

Just by that very naming sequence, he did wondered if worlds like High School DxD were actually called Roman Catholic Church, not Catholic Church, and if that is so, what kind of implications would that be. The young man knew at least that High School DxD's history was radically different from his Earth. There was this Great War, but he and anybody else who had read High School DxD barely knew anything about it other than it's some kind of ancient conflict between Three Factions. Angels, Devils, and Fallen Angels.

Not to mention, the Church in High School DxD, by implication, operates differently in a sense. He'd conjecture that, based on the evidence that he saw when reading or on online discussion forums, on the surface, the Church in High School DxD may resemble his world's Church before things were much clearer, that this cannot be his Catholic Church at all, such as the fact that some members of the Church can clearly use some kind of magic system. The actual Catholic Church as a whole would never have done something like use legitimate magic systems, for it implies not just the power to control, but to act as some kind of government, which is proper only to the state.

Granted, the church and the state back then were almost inseparable, but one cannot fault the entire collective by just specific individual members alone, for the Church is both divine and human. Yes, there were Vicars of Christ that were clearly unworthy, as history dictated, but he would never judge them personally. He'd leave that up to GOD, who gave them that authority in the first place. Judging is a heavy burden that he'd rather not have to bear. It's a distraction even, a temptation to forget that there are other more beautiful things in life out there.

Not to mention, it's one thing for the church and the state to almost work together, it's another thing entirely for the church to use a literal magic system.

In the case of one Asia Argento, she was classified as some kind of Holy Maiden because she has a certain gift called a Sacred Gear. Essentially, there are specific humans, and he didn't know exactly how many of them there are, who have these special gifts which were crafted from the late God of the Bible, which is this world's version of the Judeo-Christian GOD. Well, calling him a version of the Judeo-Christian GOD personally for the young man would not be accurate to begin with. Because the Judeo-Christian GOD has no version, it would imply derivative multiplicity, which completely contradicts the Apostles Creed and the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.

Instead, what the young man thought was, rather than the God of the Bible being a derivative of the Judeo-Christian GOD, the more proper way of thinking about him would be him being a derivative of a specific class of Middle Order beings who essentially carry God's name, by implication. Case in point, there is the case of Bathala Maykapal.

He wasn't really the Judeo-Christian GOD, yet it can't be denied that people in the Philippines used his name back in the 16th Century, when referring to the actual Judeo-Christian GOD. Meaning, there is a specific class of Middle Order beings that bears the various names of GOD for the peoples of this or that culture. That's essentially their mission. To bring the seeds, that eventually when the harvesters come, it has already been taken care of.

The God of the Bible of High School DxD in this case, while he doesn't have much information about him, mainly because the light novels barely talk about his character other than things related to the plot, such as Sacred Gears and some history about the Great War, the young man would think that at the very least, this world was not deprived of the knowledge of the actual Judeo-Christian GOD, it's just that everyone completely mistook the being from Being Itself. Not to mention, there are already powerful beings here, such as Great Red and Ophis, who clearly outrank the God of the Bible, so by definition, he can't be the actual Judeo-Christian GOD.

As to whether or not the God of the Bible of High School DxD knew the actual Being Itself, he doesn't actually know. Again, High School DxD never really provided much about him. Maybe he missed some side material, who knows, but it's what he currently has knowledge about. Not to mention, he has more than enough common sense to at least figure that not literally everything is listed in fiction. It's the same with the Gospels. It's why there are post-biblical prophetic revelations given to saints like Saint Catherine of Siena, Saint Bridget of Sweden, and other saints with lessons to tell. The Gospels form the foundation, and the explication of it is developed throughout the centuries.

"...Umm," says one shy Asia Argento, who was putting two of her index fingers into a twirl, looking contrite as she noticed how long he had been staring at her. "I'm sorry... I... If I'm bothering you..."

"No, it's alright," says the young man, kindly, while shaking his other hand in reassurance.

Now... about Asia's situation. A church? Why would Asia even ask about where the church in Kuoh was? Unless... this was long before Asia even met Issei. So, this meant... the young man would now have to assume canon is off the rails. It's too big of a divergence. Asia was supposed to ask Issei for directions, not him.

And of course, there were the fallen angels under Raynare's garrison.

Raynare was... interesting. Well, she embodied that first villain trope that you would love to hate.

Raynare was the kind of villain you couldn't hate, only sigh at. Her infamy was almost mechanical: kill the hero, start the plot, vanish.

That's just it. That's all her character was. Some villain who started Issei's path to devilhood, and mayhaps was the main cause of the trauma for why Issei couldn't just blurt out his feelings to women like before. Not that he could blame Issei personally, because the man did die on his first date, that would be realistically traumatizing for anyone.

His main concern right now would be this. He can't simply leave Asia be, because he knows what would happen if he did. She'd be in the clutches of fallen angel opportunists who would want to take advantage of her Sacred Gear, aka Twilight Healing. That meant pulling that Sacred Gear out of her, which would of course, inevitably kill her, and Rias would have no choice but to revive her with a Piece. That was practically it.

What should he do in this situation?

He can't really protect Asia from the fallen angels. For one, he's a Homo Sapien, not a Super Homo Sapien. He doesn't have legitimate superpowers. If Raynare or any of her goons spotted him, he'd die on the spot. Why would they waste time with a mere no-named human when their target is right there? Like, with Issei at least, Raynare would know, and thus she'd toy with him for her psychologically malicious preferences. But him? He's a nobody. He'd die instantly, and he wouldn't see it coming.

So that left him with one option. He's gonna have to go to Kuoh Academy. That's the only refuge that he could think of that could offer some sanctuary.

The only other problem is... how would you break this to Asia, who would not know what would hit her?

Would he have to lie to her to get her to come with him?

No, that can't be an option. Lying is just as bad as not even doing anything about Asia's situation and letting canon be. Either situation would just make him complicit to an evil. So what should he even do?

Quietly, the young man could only pray in quiet thought without opening his mouth: Come Holy Spirit, come Father of the widows and of the orphans, heavenly spouse of Mama Mary. I need your help. I am nothing without you. Send your true heavenly angels, from all nine choirs, so that I may do your will.

And...

His heart quietly steadied itself. He received no vision. He received no magic. He received no power-up. He could only look at Asia, while thinking of the first thing that came to his mind.

"...Umm, actually, I was kind of wondering if we could talk? Would you perhaps be a Christian by any chance?" he asked gently and respectfully.

Asia blinked a bit, before she eventually sported an excited and relieved look. "Why yes! Yes, I am! Why?! Do you want to talk about something of the faith?!"

"In a sense, yes, but first things first, do you mind if we take a walk somewhere while you share things with me, starting with who you are?" He asked.

"Yes, of course, I'd love to," Asia smiled cheerfully. "I am Asia Argento. What's your name?"

The young man would quietly think of a name. When it comes to this situation, he can't really use his real name, that would be dangerous, not only to himself but to the people around him. So... he quietly thought of a name that Saint Raphael the Archangel once used in the Book of Tobit.

"Azariah... my name is Azariah," the young answered with a smile.

"Azariah?" Asia looked curious, while smiling. "That's a name from the Bible. So your parents are religious, then."

"Oh yes, they are," Azariah nodded. That wasn't a lie. He really did come from a practicing Catholic family. His father was a humble working engineer, while his mother was a nurse. His family... He missed them already... "They were my first teachers."

And so... both of them quietly took a walk on the side, while a gentle wind suddenly brushed quietly, like Someone was gently smiling from both near and afar.

 

[Multiverse Learner 101]

...It was one long walk on the sidewalk.

The young man listened to Asia, who explained to her about her origins, about where she comes from, what she's doing here, and everything else. A lot of them were something the young man already knew based on his canon knowledge, but some others were new at least, as far as he knew. Before she came here, she lived around Italy, around somewhere near the Vatican, specifically a little closer to the Borgio district that's known for its shops and restaurants. The Italians loved their art of making food.

"...Hold on, Asia Argento isn't your real name?" The young man asked, genuinely curious.

"No," Asia shook her head with a sad smile. "When I was abandoned and taken in by the kind monks of the Roman Catholic Church, they gave me the name Asia Argento. Asia was in reference to how Francis Xavier once crossed towards the Asian Continent, which included, of course, China and Japan."

The young man thought quietly. So there are some familiar things here. There was a Francis Xavier on this Earth. Well, he's probably not the same as Saint Francis Xavier of his Earth, mainly because already, the God of the Bible of this Earth is deceased, which meant one thing. Did any of the saints on Earth know that their God was dead? Because from what he remembered in High School DxD lore, the highest positions of the Roman Catholic Church, in conjunction with those from the Angels, kept the long secret that God is dead.

Naturally, that made him think. How come the Fallen Angels and the Devils, those who at least were around during the Great War's end, never took advantage of God being dead? It was already a very potent weapon in High School DxD's politics. If anyone actually found out that the God of the Bible is dead, then there would be a massive decrease of people who pray to that God, which would mean Heaven losing the power of prayer over much of the human population, which may cause a crisis of sorts.

Essentially, the young man couldn't blame this world's Heaven partly because, without their God, it's basically trying to fan much of the fumes without the maker of those fumes even keeping things active within the established system that he left behind, and thus, it falls unto this world's Archangel Michael to carry out the duties of the God of the Bible as his successor.

He'd also assume in part that the Fallen Angels and the Devils never took advantage of such a notion because all sides were completely exhausted. If any of them moved, it was a mutual extermination that may, in fact, leave more than half of this planet completely vaporized from the fallout, and thus if that happened, the canon events wouldn't even occur, because most people may be dead, and the ones who could possibly survive may be on their last legs.

Contemplating such a possibility was uncomfortable for him, nevertheless, he had to contemplate these, in light of the True Cross of Christ Crucified. Every derivative potentiality, no matter how terrible they were, was still under Him.

"Can I ask a question?" the young man asked. "What's the Roman Catholic Church to you, Asia?"

"Oh? Well, the Roman Catholic Church is an institution that was established by the God of the Bible around 33 AD and founded by the Twelve Apostles," Asia explained with a kind, perfect smile.

God of the Bible? The young man was quiet before muttering carefully. "Do you know someone named Jesus Christ?"

Asia became thoughtful as she explained. "Hmm... that was the name of a Man who, under the authority of the God of the Bible, used to establish his Church, that's how we got the name Christians."

Wait. Pause. Something about that phrase didn't sit right. A Man? Not a Man-God, which would be the old European's way of saying, or God-Man, which is the modern American way of saying, both of which express the common belief that Christ was both God and man, a Divine Person with two natures and a human soul. But what Asia is suggesting here is something else.

"So.. would Christ, in your opinion, be a Son of God?" the young man asked carefully.

"Yes," Asia nodded, as she explained. "He came from God and from a woman named Mary."

"...But he's not the God of the Bible?" the young man asked.

"No," Asia answered. "He was clearly born like everyone else, but he is divine, no doubt about it, otherwise he would not have needed to be crucified and die for our sins, before being resurrected and taken up into heaven."

The young man was quiet and thoughtful. He was unfortunately right. This world didn't have Christianity. It's just Christianity in name only. If it were any person in his world, of course, people would think that Christ was the God of the Bible aka he's the Living God of the Scriptures, but... what Asia is effectively saying, Christ is the Son of God, but was never truly Divine in the sense of Being Itself but rather some divine human that's more of a Buddha passing enlightenment, which... meant that this version of Christianity is following an Arian offshoot.

Well, this changes things. So what about Sacred Gears like the True Longinus? It made more sense when it was powered by the death of a divine human. It's more on the lines of the death of Baldur than the actual Passion.

"Umm..." Asia would ask, with that kind smile, unaware of the young man's thoughts. "You seem to be quite good at speaking English. It was a relief to be honest. I don't really know much Japanese, so I couldn't exactly tell where I should go or whom I should talk to without bothering anyone."

"That makes sense," the young man said with a quiet nod. "Don't worry, I understand what that can be like. I'm a Japanese American, so I don't exactly fit in with my fellow Japanese."

Asia nodded with a smile, but her smile was sad. The young man at least had a clear idea why. If canon was accurate, this meant that she was essentially exiled and excommunicated. A very touchy subject. What exactly can a person like him do to make Asia give a good cheering up?

"Can I ask something?" the young man asked. "Who authorized you to head towards this church you're supposed to be heading to?"

"Hmm?" Asia paid attention before explaining. "Umm, it was a cardinal by the name of Filippo Galilei. He was the one who ensured that I would be taken care of when sending me here to Japan."

Galilei? Would this Filippo Galilei be a relation to that infamous character from High School DxD, Valper Galilei, the one who ruined Yuuto Kiba's entire life and caused the death of most of his comrades, and was excommunicated by the Church because of his actions? He can't be sure. Just because they share the same surname doesn't mean they're related.

Then again, it made more sense. Because one has to question where on earth excommunicated people like the deranged Freed Sellzen even came from? It would make sense at least that there may be some corruption going on in this world's Church's hierarchy. It made too much sense. There's no way some officials would not be keeping an eye on excommunicated members, precisely because they are excommunicated. Asia is one of those, but she was one of those who did not deserve such excommunication just for the sake of assisting an injured devil, when in point of fact, even that incident was used by an opportunist devil named Diodora Astaroth.

Asia was pretty much used by all sides. She had no escape. Just like Saint Joan of Arc.

"He never said anything more to you than just head into a church located around Kuoh?" the young man asked grimly.

"Yes, that's what he said," Asia nodded kindly. "I managed to at least get here by train from Tokyo. All I need now is to head over there and rendezvous with the church administration assigned there."

Translation, she got baited into a trap. The young man thought grimly. The only thing that awaits Asia there is the outer edge of Kuoh where excommunicated rogue exorcists and fallen angels under Raynare were lurking. He can't let them near her, but how would he break the news to Asia? That she was used once again? It would break her heart. But there was no other alternative; she had to know the truth, which was partly why they both needed to head to Kuoh Academy, which is the territory of both Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri.

If they head there, then he can fully reveal the right circumstances to Asia while also preventing any factors that could lead to Asia running away due to her heart breaking under the pressure, not because he wanted to manipulate her, because he will never do that, but because he needed to make sure nothing actually happens to Asia and prevent her from committing a mistake that would still lead to her canonical death.

He, Azariah, refused to bow before canon, for like everything else, it is a false god.

"Have you never actually questioned why you were the only one sent without any kind of security or someone to accompany you?" the young man asked grimly, yet gently.

"I..." Asia looked hesitant to answer before answering. "I actually did wonder why I was the only one being sent here without anybody else to accompany me. I asked this, and the cardinal said that it was of the utmost importance that I came to Kuoh alone."

"With all due respect, that may probably be unwise. Doesn't the Gospel teach that there should be two men being side by side together as they journey to places for missionary quest?" the young man asked, drawing out from the actual Scriptures, specifically about the seventy-two disciples.

"Umm... no, actually, if you're referring to Luke, which states that one by one is to be sent to towns and villages," Asia slightly corrected, curious while maintaining her sad smile.

The young man groaned inwardly. Even that minor detail was changed.

He remembered the line clearly: 'He sent them two by two.' It was there. It had always been there. Yet in this world, it had been edited out like a rib removed from the body.

What else in the Scriptures of this world contradicts the actual Scriptures? It's almost like the DxD's version of the Bible is promoting individualism, which was essentially the common error of those who separated from the Catholic Church. No doubt, that very minor verse would have some impact in this world's Protestant Reformation, if that still happened here.

Quietly, the young man led Asia towards another street corner where he could spot the familiar, larger Western enclosed architecture just up ahead. Kuoh Academy. One of the main settings of High School DxD.

"...Listen," the young man looked at Asia, who looked at him. "Before we head to wherever you're going, I was thinking we should stop here and go over to that school over there, Kuoh Academy."

"Hmm? Okay, but why if I may ask?" Asia asked, curious while smiling.

"Well, truthfully, I'm not actually a local around here; I just got here myself. As to how I got here... It's complicated to explain. The only thing I can say is, to actually ascertain the kind of church building you're going to go to, it's best if we ask the actual people who, well, own this territory."

"Owned?" Asia asked, before wondering. "So this town is under the jurisdiction of a faction?"

"You could say that, hence why I think it's best if we go over there, if that's not troubling you," the young man explained.

"Alright, that would indeed be more than helpful. Lead the way," Asia nodded without much effort.

The young man nodded softly before he breathed a quiet sigh. Just a few more steps... and they were on safer ground.

...Wait.

Actually, now that he thought about it, he wouldn't put it past Raynare to send someone to scout ahead and watch every intersection and alleyway of Kuoh. Which meant that Raynare may possibly be aware of him. If so, why hasn't she moved? If not so, then the clock may be ticking.

He gently grabbed Asia by the hand before speaking with a grim tone. "Let's hurry it up a little, if you don't mind," he spoke gently yet grimly. Before Asia could speak up, she and him were already walking fast and entering the gate.

 

[trashtaker]

Oh dang. Is he here to actually correct the scriptures?

Imagine that. The actual YahWeh sending him there to correct the blasphemy of the scriptures there

 

[Multiverse Learner 101]

With Asia just beside him, the young man began asking around the corridors of Kuoh Academy, seeking tips and directions from the students nearby. Can they show them where the Occult Research Club is located? The students were more than helpful, at least.

...Well, maybe it kinda helped that most of the students here are female, apparently, and they instantly found the young man quite dashingly handsome. He may be a Japanese American, but that very trait is what made him quite attractive somehow. He doesn't really boast about it and is, in fact, thankful to the LORD that he has this trait. Without Him, he'd never really be handsome. Whatever handsome trait he has, it came from Him. Call him a bit old-fashioned, but that's what his parents raised him to be. Always be grateful for everything you have, because you never know what could happen later, which is why it is always important to focus on the present moment.

Now, they were heading towards the one iconic room everyone in High School DxD is familiar with. The room of the Occult Research Club. He started knocking on the door, though he was also aware that he wouldn't put it past Rias or Sona to have noticed his movements already. He was, in fact, asking around the corridors, so somebody from either the student council or the Occult Research Club must have noticed him somehow. Not to mention, it's hard not to notice Asia's current clothing, which was more on the lines of a veiled nun from the Church.

And of course, the young man knew that the relations between the Church and the Devils are quite tenous at best. Just by being associated with Asia, he may be mistaken for being associated with this world's Roman Catholic Church, which isn't the case, and he's more of a non-local who got transported out of his planet and into a completely different paradigm.

Still no word from the Doctor.

And still no response from the ones inside the room, which meant that there was no one in the room yet. Or maybe the Devils in there were testing him, who knows. He doesn't have super senses to actually notice them.

He took out his phone to check his contact list. He's quietly scrolling through who he'd have to call. He could try...

...His best friend, Richard.

He's been friends with him since forever. He glanced at Asia and quietly pondered in worry. He can't just leave her in this corridor, though. He thought about how to keep her occupied, before a thought came into his mind. He quietly lifted something out from his left pocket. It was the New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, which was a revision of the Challoner-Rheims version. There were two things that he essentially carried in his pockets whenever he traveled. A Saint Benedict Rosary and a Bible. Not an impressive toolkit from an isekai point of view, but for someone like the young man, it meant everything.

"Hey, Asia," the young man would look at her, giving her this Pocket Bible. "Take this. I'm gonna be trying to contact a friend of mine. I'll just be over there," he said, pointing towards a spot nearby. "In case you need me."

"Hmm, okay," Asia nodded, before grabbing her hands on the Bible, while the young man walked towards the spot.

Asia looked at the Bible in her hands and... she looked at the title. "...Huh?"

The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

That's... not a name of any Bible that she ever saw before. She looked at the red bookmark, and she lifted the pages, her eyes landing on the first chapter of the Gospel of Saint John. Her eyes looked at the verses which made her... look.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God..." She slowly muttered the words. And little by little, her heart shook as her eyes widened.

...What? That can't be right. That's not how the Gospel of John was written.

She looked at the words again and continued slowly. "He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was made nothing that has been made."

That... But... that's...

"In him was life... and the life was the light of men... And the light shines in the darkness... and the darkness grasped it not..." She muttered these slowly as she could.

Why...?

Her eyes, for whatever reason, flowed tears, which rained down on her cheeks.

What... What was she looking at?

May bukas pa sa iyong buhay
(There is still a tomorrow in your life)

Her breath suddenly hitched. She heard... the sudden, gentle lullaby of primordial morning stars. Only she can hear it. No one else. Yet their voice filled the corridors.

Tutulungan ka ng Diyos na may lalang
(The Creator God will help you)

Her eyes rained down more tears, her lips quivering, her knees threatening to kneel. As a gentle wind passed through and enveloped her entire soul.

Ang iyong pagdaramdam
(Your sorrow)
Idalangin mo sa Maykapal
(Offer it in prayer to the Almighty)
Na sa puso mo ay mawala nang lubusan
(That it may vanish fully from your heart)

Nothing outside was apparent, for everything looked normal.

But for Asia... she witnessed something too Ancient of Days... for the page itself from the Scriptures seemed to bounce, as her eyes beheld a vision unlike any other. Showing her a brief glimpse of something that had happened and redefined all.

The Harrowing of Hell itself.

A bright, luminous Man-God descended down across what she could only describe as spherical shapes without end, containing an infinitude of worlds. Accompanying this Man-God were plenitudes of diversified morning stars, around nine orders of governance, each its own species. They did not have wings like the angels she knew, but they were the primordial messengers before the first dawn, and their voices sang, not in war cries like the heavenly hosts of her world, but with the gentlest wrath.

May bukas pa sa iyong buhay
(There is still a tomorrow in your life)

She bore witness to the countless infinitude of souls without end. Hominids and other strange non-hominid creatures within these spherical shapes, who were crying in tears as they beheld a Savior they had waited for since time immemorial. Their hands were lifted up as their Salvation drew nearer.

Tutulungan ka ng Diyos na may lalang
(The Creator God will help you)

She bore witness to the opposite of the morning stars, other morning stars that held a darker color, whose forms were more terrible than any fallen angel or devil of her world. They were darker spheres within darker spheres, the opposite of the bright morning stars who were the beautiful spheres that gave a prismic rainbow pattern, as they descended down in numberless myriads and were engaging these darker spheres, that were powerless and bounded, forced to submit before the authority of this Man-God who continues to descend down to all levels, up even to damnation itself.

Ang iyong pagdaramdam
(Your sorrow)
Idalangin mo sa Maykapal
(Offer it in prayer to the Almighty)
Na sa puso mo ay mawala nang lubusan
(That it may vanish fully from your heart)

Asia was crying so thoroughly that she kneeled completely before such Omnipotent Divine Mercy. But what was even more profound? That Mercy noticed her, looked right at her, as if He knew that she was there, separated from another aevum, watching this very moment. And He smiled.

The image of Jesus Christ in her mind... shattered... and gave way to the True and Living Son of GOD that she beheld, whose wounds shone like the brightest suns. Christ was no mere messiah that has come to establish an institution. Christ was first and foremost, Father-Forever, and the Church he built... was a family.

"...Pa...Papa," Asia muttered, in her crying hiccup.

And that same Papa... smiled so brightly, clasping her heart to His while He continues to descend down, for nowhere was beyond His reach, not even in Hell.

---

"Yo, my man, what's up?"

Azariah held the phone to his ear as a familiar, friendly voice echoed from the phone. Richard Daley. Your typical average millennial. In many ways, he's kind of the opposite of Azariah, not in a bad sense; it's more that he's more secular than Azariah. Well, that was before Richard met the Doctor and started to travel with him, along with Azariah.

It was actually Richard who introduced him to the wider world of anime when they were around middle school. The first anime that Azariah watched, from what he recalls, was Detective Conan. Since then, Azariah started looking into anime and, in the weirdest way one can think of at that age, compared every anime to his Catholic faith.

Richard often said that Azariah was a little too serious with anime, even for Richard, who was an avid anime fan. Fair. But Azariah wasn't really the type to turn his brain off whenever he started watching anime, and even started delving into the primary sources. There were the primary sources, secondary sources, and so forth. As much as possible, Richard would grab the primary sources first, before looking at the secondary sources and such and compare what was actually there.

Anime does have a lot of beautiful things to offer. There's a variety of hints that showcase the human imagination in drawing. Through that drawing, the viewer can experience a glimpse of strange worlds and more strange worlds. Azariah always had that inkling for speculations. What kind of worlds do these anime portray? What defines the term fiction? Is it simply a make-believe or a truth glimpsed with different levels?

"Hey, Richard. Listen, for the time being, call me Azariah," Azariah would ask, relieved that he could hear his friend's voice. He couldn't make contact with the Doctor, so he'd assume the possibility that he couldn't contact anyone else. Thank GOD he was wrong. Good thing the Doctor installed that interdimensional network into his phone in case something happens.

"Huh?" Richard asked, blinking from the other side in confusion.

"It's... a long story, so bear with me here."

And so, Azariah explained the general gist of his entire situation. About he ended up here after a morning walk. About how he met the famous Asia Argento. About how he's currently in Kuoh Academy to essentially talk with Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri about the current situation.

"...So let me get this straight, you're in High School DxD," Richard muttered in a deadpanned tone from the phone, but it covered a sense of worry.

"Well, it's a little insane to believe, but..." Azariah sported a contrite look.

"Buddy, let's be real, we're past insane a long time ago," Richard reminded. "Like, we're travelling with an interdimensional time-travelling alien for crying out loud. You getting isekai'ed is the least weird of our lives." He sighed into the phone. "So, what? Have you ever encountered Raynare yet?"

"Thankfully not yet," Azariah sighed heavily. "But I wouldn't hold my breath. That's why I even came to Kuoh Academy in the first place."

"Still though... Asia?" Richard couldn't help but have a sense of humor. Azariah could almost picture him raising an eyebrow with that amused smirk. "Like, for real, man, what's it like? How does she look in real life?"

"She's very beautiful," Azariah explained solemnly. "The art doesn't really do any justice."

Richard sighed heavily while smiling thoughtfully. "...Ahh, of course. Leave it to the Catholic to be such a gentleman without the temptations of lust getting in the way, and my name is Captain America."

"You joke, but I'd rather not tempt the temptation itself," Azariah would provide his own cultured humor before speaking seriously. "But yeah, I'm gonna need your help from now on, Richard. So, if my folks realize that I've been gone for a while, tell them that I got... you know..."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll tell them," Richard rolled his eyes. "They won't be happy though."

"I know," Azariah muttered. "It's a miracle even that I can actually talk to you right now. I don't even know if I can still call you in the future, so I wanna make this count. So, since I'm in an isekai pickle, and I clearly still have no idea how this isekai system that I got caught up in actually works, let's assume the worst and try to contact GAIAM before things get out of hand. I would have tried to contact them myself, but..."

"Yeah, I get it," Richard nodded. "Something may be interfering with your signal, like it's a bad plot-driven narrative or something, so I'll call GAIAM immediately after you hang up."

"Thanks, man... and... yeah, it's good to hear you," Azariah spoke with a quiet grateful sigh.

"Good to hear you as well. And be safe out there, man," Richard said with a concerned tone, before adding some lighthearted humor. "Also, you better not tell me next time that you ended up with a harem."

"Again, I'd rather not tempt the temptation by answering yes or no, narrative's quite the parasite the maxim," Azariah spoke with his own humor.

"Oohh, I see what you did there, good one," Richard smirked a little before speaking in concern. "But yeah, be safe out there, and don't die on me."

"We'll do," Azariah nodded. "And another thing. Since we're possibly gonna be talking if I get the chance, you should probably think of a codename of your own."

"Hmm, a codename. How about... Spectre," Richard spoke thoughtfully.

"Spectre?" Azariah raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Like the evil James Bond organization?"

"Actually, no, I was kind of going for the light novel In/Spectre, hence Spectre," Richard clarified, rolling his eyes.

"Ah, that's why..." Azariah slowly nodded sagely.

"Buddy... what are you thinking right now?" Richard narrowed his eyes while on the phone.

"Well, not that important, other than what's related to this convo. But yeah, see you later man, if ever," Azariah said, before hanging up the phone.

He sighed before glancing at his phone. Well, it's a little late in the afternoon, around 1:00.

Eventually, he would glance back towards Asia, who...

"...!"

...Was kneeling and crying on the floor while clutching his pocket Bible. He ran over towards her and kneeled at her level.

"Hey, hey, are you alright? What's wrong?" the young man asked, gently placing his hand on his shoulder.

"...Hmm...Hmm...Pa...Papa..." Asia muttered, her tears splashing over her cheeks, while clutching Azariah's pocket Bible with her trembling hands.

Azariah had no idea what was going on. But he could tell from Asia's eyes that something had happened while he wasn't looking. He glanced at his pocket Bible, which she was clutching for dear life. His expression turns quiet and solemn. His eyes looked back and forth between that Bible and Asia.

...He didn't dare ask. At least, not right now. Somehow, he has a feeling that something special happened.

"...So, I heard you've been looking for us. Azariah-san, is it?"

That soothing, dangerously subtle yet seductive voice made the young man pay attention, as he slowly glanced to find a few people in the corridor. Both the Occult Research Club and the Student Council of this Academy. And amongst them... the crimson-haired buxom beauty Rias Gremory who had that calm yet elegant smile of a noble lady and the beautiful bob-cut, bespectacled Sona Sitri, who pushed her glasses quietly in caution.

...Okay. Anime art really did not do justice to these characters from High School DxD. No wonder Issei Hyoudou felt like he was living the dream. Speaking of that breast-loving dragon emperor, he doesn't seem to be present. He would conjecture that he's probably out doing errands as a devil. Devils do employ contracts as if they were some business deal. It was a far cry better than those older days where, as Azariah could recall, devils were actual cannibals. He could only recall the gruesome cultures of South America back home and how something darker had lurked in those cultures long before the Europeans came along.

"...Umm, ahem, yes, I was looking for you all..." Azariah paused a little before continuing as he made a little test, such as revealing this detail. "...Lady Gremory and Lady Sitri."

Both ladies of the house of noble devils narrowed their eyes and were now cautious. So were the rest of the peerages behind her. Not that surprising. When he mentioned the names Gremory and Sitri, he was essentially making known that, yes, he knows who they actually are. Humans in High School DxD, the civilian populations at least, have no actual idea that there is something that lurks over them. Angels, Fallen Angels, Devils, Gods and Buddhas, Dragons, and lots more.

Though, compared to what Azariah knew, the real Great Chain of Being...

...It's far more stranger.

"Hoh? So you really do know about us?" Rias maintained her smile, yet kept her gaze fixed. She did eventually notice the silently crying Asia, who tried, and failed, to keep her tears at bay.

"...Not literally everything, but more than enough, my lady," Azariah spoke with genuine humility. He was, after all, in the presence of nobility. And Romans 13 did come to mind. Respect authority, because every legitimate authority comes from the LORD. Rias and Sona were devils of this world, ergo, they were of the ignorant yet well-meaning Middle Orders. Respect is given to what is due. Whether young or old has nothing to do with such cases.

"...Hmm, I quite like this one, Rias," says one familiar Akeno Himejima, with her ponytail black hair swaying from her back, while her hand was raised to her chin. "Quite cute as well." She muttered with a smile, that hid layers of hidden meaning.

Rias ignored Akeno and looked at the crying Asia, and frowned in concern and caution. "What's wrong with her, if I may ask?"

Azariah grew quiet as he glanced at Asia, whom he supported as he gently raised her while they were both standing. He glanced at the Bible she was holding, and he muttered while facing. "...I'm...not sure myself, my lady."

...But he did have a suspicion that something had happened. And his heart quietly bowed before the GOD who never stopped giving miracles to His children, especially when they needed Him most at the proper hour.

 

[trashtaker]

TAGALOG JUMPSCARE!?!??

 

[Multiverse Learner 101]

TAGALOG JUMPSCARE!?!??

Click to shrink...

I suppose in fairness, it's not like this song that isn't sung in Latin, Greek, or Hebrew came out of nowhere:

Isaiah 28:11-13

11 ​Nay, but by men of strange lips
and with an alien tongue
the Lord will speak to this people,
12 ​ to whom he has said,
"This is rest;
give rest to the weary;
and this is repose";
yet they would not hear.
13 ​Therefore the word of the Lord will be to them
precept upon precept, precept upon precept,
line upon line, line upon line,
here a little, there a little;
that they may go, and fall backward,
and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Instead, a song was sung in a language of a very poor third-world country and suffering downtrodden nation that had more typhoons and problems in its belt.

 

[Multiverse Learner 101]

...Inside the old, Gothic architecture of the Occult Research Club's room, on one side, there were Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri seated on the sofa, with their tea sets on the table. Both of their peerages were flanked near them. In fact, the young man would very much notice Genshirou Saji, who is a little similar to Issei in a way, to the point where both of them tend to get along pretty well once they really get to know each other. There is also the fact that Genshirou has something of a thing with Sona, though it's because of that that Azariah actually felt bad for Saji.

Saji is as loyal as you can get, no doubt about that, but Sona really didn't personally see Saji as an optional romantic interest, as far as the young man recalled. He genuinely wished he could do something about that situation, though, considering the circumstances, he may have to build some earned trust first before he does anything.

On the other side, was the young man and Asia, who had been given a handkerchief to wipe her tearful face. She still held that pocket Bible that he gave her. Azariah couldn't help but feel the weight of his own actions. All he did was give her his Bible. A simple, ordinary action that anybody could do. He only gave his Bible to Asia because he figured that Asia needed something to preoccupy herself.

Never would he have dared to imagine that something of that action was used by the Most High. It had to be the Most High. Asia wouldn't just cry like that and clutch the real Scriptures like she was hanging on an anchor. She never actually stopped crying, even now. Azariah had seen many things in his life, but having someone actually getting a close encounter with the Most High... this is the first actual time he's ever experienced something like this. It's one thing to have read and learn about such experiences from the lives of the Saints... It's another thing entirely to be in close proximity to such an event.

...He felt too unworthy for even being within such proximity of a gift that was rare.

By a miracle, Azariah managed to keep himself steady and explained the general gist of the situation, using terms like: "All my knowledge that I'm going to share comes from anonymous yet unorthodox sources.", and it was true, in the sense that everything that he knows about High School DxD comes from a light novel author, which is the primary source, and the secondary and such sources he found here and there, either on the internet or some hearsay. He also said the term, anonymous, just to make sure that, in case something happens, he'd rather not have some High School DxD character use his information to target Ishibumi like he's the be-all, end-all of how the world of High School DxD and its timeline is gonna go.

That's actually not how it works, if we're talking in general. The line between author and creation is very subtle yet thin, all subject to the Author, with a Capital A. That meant that there is not one systematic take on it; there are multiple layers of it. Even if you use Ishibumi as a legitimate author, he's but one author making a variant of High School DxD. For all they knew, there was another radically different take of High School DxD from somewhere, that's completely different in some legitimate ways from the canon one that Azariah is familiar with.

The possibilities are both endless and multiplicity. It's the same, apparently, with the Scriptures. No need to merely bring up fiction, even back in his world, just one simple change of a Scripture verse is enough to break entire churches, that's how specifically important the Word of GOD needed to be translated in its faithful context. There's also the problem with languages in the Scriptures. For instance, let's take the terms "world" and "earth". People in the modern day simply think that it means planet Earth.

...No, it didn't.

Otherwise, Genesis 1:1 wouldn't make sense. If you take that literally, God created the heavens and the earth, and if you take that from an entirely different direction and think it's just either the physical universe or the planet Earth, then you've missed the entire point of that explosive dynamite of a passage. It really meant the entirety of the collective plurality and infinitude of orders of both spiritual (heavens) and material (earth). The Apostles Creed and the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed literally stated this.

So, learning the actual original languages, and learning about the mentalities of the ancients is far more serious when it comes to the Scriptures. English and other common languages around the world don't simply cut it anymore, and neither does browsing fiction as if that was gospel truth is also sorely not enough because the metaphysics behind it all is gone and is replaced with costume props. You'd also have to view Scripture, not from your vantage point in time, but in aevum and in the eyes and mentality of the writers of that time, otherwise, you'd be lost, and genuinely think the Judeo-Christian GOD was some tribal skyfather with egoistic and genocidal issues. And that's genuinely what some people think about Him, unfortunately.

Azariah would explain to Rias and Sona about the situation, starting with Asia first and foremost, on how she was essentially being sent to a church in the outer skirts of Kuoh.

"Hold on..." Rias narrowed her eyes a little while holding her teacup and plate. "...A church? I'm sorry to say that there hasn't been a church in Kuoh for many years now, because that church that you may be referring to has been abandoned and hasn't been used ever since."

"Yes... which leads me to inform you both that there is a rogue cadre of fallen angels and rogue excommunicated church exorcists stationed in an abandoned church somewhere on the outer skirts of Kuoh," Azariah informed them, before glancing at Asia, who... strangely never looked surprised. She was still crying.

"Fallen angels?" Sona narrowed her eyes while her one hand was raised to her chin in quiet intrigue and guarded suspicion. "And you say that you know all of this through some anonymous yet unorthodox sources. If that's the case, what makes you think we'd just accept this information at face value?"

"I said that, my lady, not for my personal sake, but to protect the ones connected to that terminology, because not even they would know I'm using their knowledge, and thus all responsibility must fall to me, since I'm the one who informs all of this in the first place," Azariah explained humbly.

"Hmm, that's quite noble of you," Rias smiled, but there was a quiet caution within her posture. "So, why exactly are you informing us of these matters? What benefits would you see from this?"

Benefits that he would see. A very careful wording that did not really seem to be about him, but in reality looks back to him. As expected from the crimson-haired heiress, and younger sister of Sirzechs Lucifer.

Azariah would humbly admit to not being an expert in politics of any sort, but that didn't mean he wanted to be ignorant about it altogether. The Kingdom of GOD is to be shared on all levels, including politics. It's because of the Kingdom of GOD that politics has a certain level of grounded stability. If one removes Christendom, one is going to end up with nations that dictate, not the moral and natural laws, but rather the laws of the state, which only see the betterment of one's own country instead of charitably thinking about both its citizens and the other nations.

That was the major trap of ignoring politics completely. The other trap is to use politics for seemingly good intentions. But good intentions can only get you so far. They say that power corrupts, and it is true. But, here's the caveat. Without Christ, power would corrupt, because every power ultimately comes from Christ, and people trying to be independent of Christ altogether would inevitably be corrupted by such power. King Henry VIII was one such unfortunate. Once a Catholic in good standing, but fell too far.

"Firstly, I would humbly request sanctuary, for Asia Argento's sake," Azariah spoke with careful yet genuine humility. "She is an excommunicated person; thus, it can be said that she is no longer associated with the Church."

"Is that true?" Rias looked at the sniffing Asia, who was still wiping her tears.

Asia quietly nodded. She couldn't speak yet, but she was aware of the conversation. Before, her being excommunicated was a sour spot. Her heart always longed to be devoted to the God of the Bible and to his Church. Being excommunicated from that church felt like she was cut off from the blessings of the Lord altogether.

...Until she realized that the Church she followed was never the real Church. And the God of the Bible was never the Trinity. And that Trinity descended down in His gentle wrath, to save all, and even went down into the depths of a state far more terrifying than any Underworld, where dark spheres within spheres that were likened to lions that wanted to devour all like beasts were coldly present.

They were the real fallen. The real devils. They did not have wings. They did not have anything that could be recognizable. Even their mere presence felt like every word of human or god fell short to describe their darker beauty and majestic terror.

In truth, the world that Asia lived through... it was a shadow of a shadow, where chains had already been set, where metaphysics itself had forgotten the Creator who loved too much.

"Secondly, since this deals with the fallen angels, I would also state that these specific fallen angels, under someone named Raynare, are completely rogue in their movements. So whatever they do does not in fact reflect the entire intent and modus operandi of all of the leaders of the Fallen Angel faction. I'm informing you both of this, so that the relationship between the Three Factions doesn't escalate from the tensions that were already present for a very long time, and by extension, I don't want humanity to get caught in the crossfire of a reignited Great War."

Every one of Rias' and Sona's peerages were looking at him intently, with their own varied reactions of quiet amazement and analytical looks.

"Ara, ara, he really is quite noble, Rias," Akeno couldn't help but chuckle, while standing just right near Rias. "Not once has he ever mentioned anything about himself."

"Maybe..." Rias muttered carefully, while maintaining her smile as she looked at Azariah intently, and he could feel that gaze bearing down on him. Rias may be young, but she was still a devil of the Gremory house, her power is as ancient, and with one flick, she could annihilate him. That's why he felt quietly intimidated, yet steady in truth. "But that still doesn't explain why you're here. You said that you aren't from around here, so where did you come from exactly?"

Azariah explained humbly. "Before I explain that, my lady, can I at least try something?"

"Try?" Rias asked, curious about what he meant.

Azariah breathes quietly with a sigh. He prayed quietly: Come, Holy Spirit, beloved spouse of Mama Mary. I invoke you now, that you may speak through my tongue, so that there will be no confusion between you, who is the True GOD, and the deceased God of the Bible of this world, who is never you.

He prayed this because he knew, going by High School DxD canon, devils have a certain trait common to them all. The name of the God of the Bible hurts them, to varying degrees. A lot of mid and high devils can shrug it off as merely a simple irritation. The lower ones, however, experience a migraine. That was why he prayed to the True LORD, so that no false prayer channels can interfere, and only the True GOD reigns. He drew this experience out of looking at every non-Christian culture. It's not that praying to other gods was bad, for praying simply meant talking to someone, and did not automatically mean worship in the modern sense. The problem, however, was that the prayer channels to these gods were tainted because of Original Sin, thus, no matter how hard people try, their gods cannot truthfully answer, for these gods were cut off from their own children, whom the Almighty tasked to shepherd.

All things were powerless before the Prince of the World, the First and Last Dark Lord, the God-King of the Ever-Descending Lightning, when, through Original Sin, he gained a certain dominion over mankind, and that included the communication channels with the varied Middle Orders.

"...I am a Catholic Christian, an adopted son of the LORD Jesus Christ who is Love Itself. I am a servant of the One True GOD who is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, to whom I am baptized and confirmed," Azariah spoke with conviction, his heart placed to his chest.

And...

Every one of the devils in the room widened their eyes. And...

...Nothing happened. After a few moments, nothing happened. No pain. No sound. No migraine. No irritation. No nothing.

"...Wait, what's happening?" says one Tsubaki Shinra, the long, black-haired, bespectacled beauty, muttered as she grew quiet and disturbed.

"...Nothing's happened," says one Koneko Toujou, as her cat ears weren't even twitching. That made her quietly take a step back as her heart felt troubled.

"I don't... feel any pain at all," says one Genshirou Saji, blinking in confusion.

And as for Asia, she covered her mouth and couldn't help but cry once again. Her mind flashed back to that grand vision where she saw endless things that she could not put into mere words. Of course, nothing happened. Of course, it didn't hurt these devils. Because the Name of the LORD was never supposed to hurt anyone.

"...Amm...Agmm...Ahmm..." She cried, as her hands covered her face, in shame for everything she had thought.

...For there was always only One who would never truly hurt His creatures. It is the creatures instead who flee from Him and break His heart.

The devils all looked at Asia, with a quiet gaze, while remaining conflicted. Azariah looked at Asia, gulping with recognition. His head bowed a little, letting his hand go down from his chest, and he maintained silence, as he still remembered...

...Asia had seen the LORD that he invoked. Of course, she would cry.

And his mind flashed to Philippians 2:9-11. The Name wasn't about any kind of power. It was about Love itself. It was Love instead who subdued all powers, so that no one will ever be hurt again.

"...What did you just invoke? Whose God did you invoke?" Rias spoke carefully, her eyes dilating in concern that rose to an extremity, making her feel twitchy.

Azariah looked back at her and simply answered with a solemn expression. "...I invoke the GOD who is not the God of the Bible, but your GOD, and the GOD of all factions, pantheons, and dragons, the GOD who never once took part in your Great War."

Rias twitched when she heard that answer. Every single one of the devils couldn't believe their ears when he just said. Sona tried to mutter a word, but as her mouth opened, she closed it. Her rational mind was completely failing her.

"...That can't be," Yuuto Kiba, who was nearby, spoke slowly, as he looked genuinely conflicted and disturbed. He, too, never felt the pain or irritation that would come when he heard Azariah invoke the True Christ and the One Triune Judeo-Christian GOD.

A silence now replaced the air. Nothing was actually happening. But that in and of itself made the entire room tense with thick air.

"...Now that I have tried what I set out to do, can I now explain the specific circumstances of where I come from?" Azariah asked humbly.

No one answered. Rias and Sona glanced at each other, for the first time, uncertain. This was not within their calculations. Azariah clearly invoked the God of the Christians... but nothing happened. It's like every meaning of what they knew about God was stripped completely, and an entire redefinition of language took place. Nothing actually happened. No special effect. No holy lights. No singing echoes. Everything was just too silent.

That can't be right. When someone invokes something, something will happen. It just depends on what is happening and who is being affected. Prayer and invocation were not mere rituals, but they were protocols—a kind of interdimensional network handshake. Every pantheon operates through energy exchange: contracts, blessings, sacrifices, worship, oaths, mana, and "faith points." Prayer, then, isn't symbolic—it's infrastructure.

When Azariah invoked GOD, he should have been plugging into that very system—a system that the devils, fallen angels, angels, and gods and buddhas all tacitly depend on. But nothing was happening. No connection. No signal. No buffer. It's like he connected to an entirely different server that was never part of any factional network.

Hence, the line was clear, silent, and infinite.

Who was that GOD that Azariah invoked?

The devils, for the first time, now felt a kind of fear that they had never experienced before, precisely because it was far too quiet.

"...You...You may," Rias muttered, a little hesitant.

And Azariah quietly nodded before continuing his testimony.

 

[Thread Necromancer]

Well this is pretty neat. Don't think I've ever seen anything like this before and I'll be watching with great interest.

 

[trashtaker]

We fixing the church and the false heaven!!!!!!

 

[Akuma-Heika]

such as Great Red and Ophis, who clearly outrank the God of the Bible, so by definition, he can't be the actual Judeo-Christian GOD.

Click to shrink...

Two counterpoints, His hatred was enough to transform Samael into an entity capable of at least killing Ophis (in his OG draft, he planned on Ophis dying from his poison after affixing Ise's soul to his new body, at least according to his AN at the end of the volume; even without that. a small amount was still enough to cripple Ophis). He was also able to seal Trihexa, and entity stronger than Great Red and still having the strength to fight a war including the Nitenryuu. IMO, DxD YHWH was still in the same ballpark as the True Top Three of DxD (Great Red officially is #0, and Trihexa is unknown to the world as a whole).

Edit:
This is a complaint about Ishibumi's writing because he at least implies YHWH is weaker than Ophis, but as I stated, gives facts that run very contrary to that.

 

[Multiverse Learner 101]

Two counterpoints, His hatred was enough to transform Samael into an entity capable of at least killing Ophis (in his OG draft, he planned on Ophis dying from his poison after affixing Ise's soul to his new body, at least according to his AN at the end of the volume; even without that. a small amount was still enough to cripple Ophis). He was also able to seal Trihexa, and entity stronger than Great Red and still having the strength to fight a war including the Nitenryuu. IMO, DxD YHWH was still in the same ballpark as the True Top Three of DxD (Great Red officially is #0, and Trihexa is unknown to the world as a whole).

Edit:
This is a complaint about Ishibumi's writing because he at least implies YHWH is weaker than Ophis, but as I stated, gives facts that run very contrary to that.

Click to shrink...

1.) Actually, that's a fair point. In this sense, I'd probably, in-universe within the story, chalk it up to the MC not having too perfect knowledge of DxD, in the same way as some people who, while familiar with DxD, may have missed something, thus while true DxD God of the Bible can't be the actual Judeo-Christian GOD, the argument of DxD God being below Great Red and Ophis is sort of not right in a nuance sense.

 

[Multiverse Learner 101]

...Somewhere.

There is a race of Random Omnipotent Beings. ROBs for short. They were beings of power that predated countless multiverses, having manipulated individuals into crossing entire worlds as thoughtful experiments. These beings looked like women of beautiful figures, of form that could make mortal men fall to their knees in praises of vain haughtiness.

Amongst them, there was one whose name was Aqua Devida. Her eyes glowed in aqua. Her dress was pure white with bluish accents. It was she who had drawn out a young man from an Earth that looked too normal and down-to-earth. Unimpressive in the grand scheme of things. She merely left that young man in a loop cycle of worlds that numbered around twelve. She had the first thought to make the twelfth world a random instability, but she recalled that the last ROB who did that made a complete mess that led to the Panangelicum Council of ROBs imposing a discipline to limit such intricacies for the time being.

Twelve worlds it is. These worlds were specifics that she chose, tailored to the young man who curiously took the name of Azariah. She did not know what to truthfully think, for he is not like the rest that she and her fellow sisterhood of ROBs had dealt with. Usually, she would see panic, denial, rationalistic, meta-commenting on fiction, and more.

But this Azariah did not do so. She had only left him for a bit to perform specific administrative duties across other loop cycles, but when she came back, this Azariah had already diverged from every knowable pattern of isekai protocols.

She frowned. She remained hidden, while she quietly listened to the conversation between this Azariah and these devil princesses of Kuoh. Hold on. She noticed one Asia Argento who had been crying non-stop for some odd reason, holding some kind of pocket Bible. She narrowed a little.

The New Testament of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Oh, one of those. She was not ignorant of Christianity. She simply thought of it as interesting, seeing variations of it across loop cycles, with interesting yet relative and different configurations. Nothing too special.

But then, there was Azariah, who tried something.

"...I am a Catholic Christian, an adopted son of the LORD Jesus Christ who is Love Itself. I am a servant of the One True GOD who is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, to whom I am baptized and confirmed." The young man spoke with steady conviction, his heart placed to his chest.

...Nothing happened. Aqua Devida blinked a little, as she noticed the devils widen their eyes... before noticing that nothing was happening. No Holy Name Hurts Trope. That cannot be.

Moments passed. Nothing still happened. She saw Asia crying all the more for some reason, clutching that Bible. No, this is not possible. Azariah clearly invoked the Christian God, so something must happen; it should, at the very least, affect the devils. But nothing happened. The network of prayer and invocation was completely silent. Not even a sign of radio chatter.

"...I don't understand," she muttered, slowly disturbed and quietly shaken.

Nothing was happening. No tropes were activated. It felt too quiet.

She waited. For something. For anything to happen. But none came. No apparition. No vision. No sound. Just one eternal silence.

"...Impossible. Nothing can be silent like this," she muttered, eyes widening as she looked at Azariah. Nothing. There is no trick. She cannot detect even a tiny piece of tinkering in anything. He was too normal. But that was the problem.

Too silent. It felt like entire hours in eternity stretched for far too long. Why was there no answer? Even silence can answer. Why is this not answering? She doesn't like it. Where? When? Why?

She looked around frantically, but all she ever saw was nothing. Nothing happened. That just does not work. Something must happen. It must. What was she missing? She bit her lips, quietly shaken, wondering what... no... Azariah. He invoked the Christian God... but nothing happened. Impossible. She could detect all things, even things related to the Christian God. So... So why is nothing happening?

...Unless.

Unless the Christian God that Azariah invoked is not what she thought or had ever seen before. That very thought... terrified her completely.