The dawn light washed over Jin's front yard, illuminating a gathering.
Sirzechs Lucifer stood on the wooden porch, his crimson hair catching the morning sun. A few paces away, standing on the mundane concrete of the driveway, were two of the highest-ranking deities of the Shinto Pantheon. Amaterasu radiated a literal, blinding warmth, her traditional robes pristine and glowing. Beside her, Tsukuyomi slouched slightly, hands tucked into his sleeves, exuding a cool, laid-back aura that perfectly countered his sister's brilliance.
Sirzechs offered a polite, diplomatic smile. "Well, your visit is slightly unexpected, I must say. The Shinto Pantheon rarely graces Kuoh so openly. What's the occasion?"
Tsukuyomi yawned, gesturing lazily toward the exhausted, half-dressed teenager standing by the door. "For that, Lucifer, you have to ask the host here."
Jin rubbed his temples. The sheer density of magical pressure in his front yard was enough to give a normal human an aneurysm. "I knew I would have a eting with Sirzechs eventually, though I didn't schedule this exact mont. But I specifically sent a ssage for Goddess Amaterasu and Lord Tsukuyomi." Jin looked at the Gods. "Thanks for coming here."
Amaterasu tilted her head, a cheerful, teasing smile on her lips. "So, who will you host first, young human? A Devil King or the Sun Goddess?"
"It's fine," Jin said, his voice flat, completely devoid of the awe or terror mortals usually displayed. "The topics are intertwined. I think it would be best if we all just gather inside."
Tsukuyomi's dark eyes narrowed. He observed Jin carefully. He offered no bows. There was no trembling, no reverence, and absolutely no fear toward the Crimson Satan standing inches away.
"Interesting," Tsukuyomi murmured to himself.
"Please," Jin said, opening his front door wider and stepping aside. "Welco to my house."
The three mythological being filed into Jin's small, painfully normal living room. Sirzechs and Amaterasu took seats on the worn fabric sofa, looking comically out of place in their elegant attire, while Tsukuyomi leaned against an armchair.
Jin disappeared into the kitchen. He could hear Sirzechs and Amaterasu exchanging pleasantries—small talk born of centuries of occasional diplomatic encounters.
A mont later, Jin returned carrying a plastic tray holding four glass tumblers filled with dark, fizzing liquid and ice. He set the tray down on the cheap coffee table.
"Sorry for the abysmal welco," Jin said, taking his own glass. "This is a human drink. It's a soda called Pepsi."
Tsukuyomi picked up a glass, took a slow sip, and smacked his lips. "Sweet. Very sweet. Not bad, though. It's okay to taste other things from ti to ti."
Sirzechs took his glass with a polite nod. "Well, I am more of a Cola man myself, but this is perfectly fine. Thank you, Jin."
Amaterasu peered into her glass, a slight pout on her radiant face. "I prefer Fanta."
Jin sat down on the armchair across from them, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Thanks for coming here," Jin said, his tone shifting . "Not to waste your ti, I would like to tell you why we are all gathered in this living room."
Instantly, the casual atmosphere vanished. The three supre beings focused entirely on the teenager.
"Straight to business," Tsukuyomi noted, swirling the ice in his glass.
"I sent Goddess Amaterasu a ssage regarding my mother," Jin began, his eyes locking onto the Sun Goddess. "Her death was orchestrated."
Sirzechs blinked, looking between Jin and Amaterasu, suddenly realizing there was a hidden connection he hadn't uncovered.
Amaterasu's cheerful deanor lted away, replaced by a quiet, protective warmth. "Jun was a forr Shrine Maiden of mine. I was very fond of her. But when she got pregnant, she decided she wanted to live a normal life. She gave up her power and chose to raise her children far away from the Shinto faction to protect them from our politics." She looked around the small house. "That is why she ca to reside in Kuoh."
Amaterasu's golden eyes snapped to Jin, her voice dropping into a register that made the temperature in the room spike. "So, Jin. Tell who killed my Shrine Maiden."
Jin didn't answer imdiately. He simply shifted his gaze, staring dead at Sirzechs Lucifer.
Amaterasu followed his gaze. Her aura flared, the divine heat singing the edges of the coffee table. "Is soone involved from your side, Sirzechs?! You Devils assured that normal people residing in Kuoh would be kept safe!"
"Hold on," Sirzechs said quickly, raising his hands trying to calm her down. "Even I only ca to know about this recently. More importantly, I have been actively trying to find out the truth behind it. She wasn't killed directly by Devils. It was humans."
"Try to calm yourself for now, Amaterasu," Tsukuyomi intervened, his voice a cool breeze cutting through the heat. "Sirzechs said he didn't know, and it's normal to gather evidence before speaking. Let the boy finish."
"The topic is much more complex than just a simple murder," Jin continued. He began his retelling. "I got a clue about her death being staged. Following it, I reached the Manji Clan, were the one who did the deed."
"The Manji?" Amaterasu hissed. "I am going to burn those bastards to ash."
"They are already dead," Jin stated flatly. "I killed them all. Only the won, the elderly, and the children were left alive."
Tsukuyomi raised an eyebrow, a spark of realization hitting him. "Ah. So you are the one we've been hearing about."
"That was when Lucifer also ca to know about my existence," Jin explained. "From there, I received a tip about the Tepes vampire clan conenction and how they might have more information. I knew if I could get my hands on their financial ledger, I would know exactly where the money that funded the Manji started."
"Those Tampons are never going to share their ledger," Tsukuyomi pointed out. "Did you steal it?"
Jin reached into his jacket, pulled out the heavy, magical book and Put it onto the coffee table with a heavy clack. "Well, there was a civil war in Ro. Sohow I got it."
Amaterasu leaned forward, her eyes glowing slightly as she look at the ledger. "It's real."
Sirzechs let out a long, slow sigh. "I really think you Shinto deities should take more of an interest in things happening outside ."
"So," Amaterasu asked, looking at Jin. "What did you find inside it?"
"A joint operation," Jin said coldly. "Sohow, both the Church and the Devils were involved. If you look at the past records, the events surrounding my mother's death perfectly line up with the deaths of Cleria Belial and a human exorcist nad Masaomi Yaegaki. And the money that funded the hit on my mother was moved through the Tepes bank by Marquis Naberius."
Silence fell over the living room. Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi exchanged a dark look. Sirzechs picked up book, his blue eyes narrowing dangerously as he processed the political nightmare Jin had just handed him.
"So," Tsukuyomi said, breaking the silence. He looked at Jin with renewed respect. "Why did you call us? It seems you already have things going with Sirzechs, and you are highly capable of taking your revenge yourself."
Amaterasu and Sirzechs also looked at Jin, waiting for his answer.
Jin leaned back in his chair. "Because Sirzechs is a politician. I know he would definitely take so kind of action. But I don't know when. I don't know to what severity. And I don't know if he would use this information to strike a backroom deal and let the actual culprit go."
Amaterasu smiled, a fierce, feral expression. "So, you brought us here to balance the scales. You used the Shinto Pantheon to make yourself too heavy for him to sweep under the rug."
"Yes," Jin said, not looking the least bit apologetic.
Tsukuyomi chuckled. "What if we decided not to do anything?"
"Then I don't think either of you would be sitting on my sofa drinking Pepsi right now," Jin replied smoothly.
Amaterasu made up her mind. She turned her blazing eyes on the Crimson Satan. "Sirzechs. I want you to investigate things on your end regarding this noble. And you will tell everything you find. If a Devil murdered my Shrine Maiden, there will be a reckoning."
"That is what I planned to do from the start," Sirzechs replied gracefully, completely unfazed by the threat. He set the ledger down. Then, a calculating gleam entered his eye.
"Well," Sirzechs said smoothly. "Since you have already co all this way to Kuoh, why don't you join and the others in our eting tonight? It would be excellent to have so powerful, neutral parties present."
Tsukuyomi frowned. "What do you an?"
"The Three Factions—Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels—will be holding a peace summit at Kuoh Academy this evening," Sirzechs revealed.
Tsukuyomi groaned, sinking deeper into his chair. "So, when things inevitably go wrong, Japan becos the primary battlefield? No thanks."
"Believe ," Sirzechs assured him, offering his most charming smile. "Nothing is going to happen. We are simply going to talk."
"Of course we will be there," Amaterasu declared, her protective instincts flared. She pointed a finger at Jin. "And Jin will also join."
Sirzechs nodded. "Well, the more the rrier."
With the business concluded, the deities stood up. Amaterasu announced they would be doing so sightseeing around Kuoh, as it had been a long ti since they had walked among humans, and she wanted to see the modern changes.
Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu exited the front door, leaving Jin and Sirzechs alone in the living room for a fleeting mont.
Sirzechs looked at Jin, a mild, almost amused expression on his face. "I thought we had a deal, Jin. You operate quietly, and I look the other way."
Jin stood up, picking up the empty glasses. He t the Devil King's gaze head-on.
"You are a Devil King, Sirzechs," Jin said bluntly. "By definition, you cannot be trusted fully. I felt cornered. It's better to have so backing."
Sirzechs chuckled, a genuine, rich sound, and walked toward the door. "Well. That is a very good thought, Jin. I'll see you tonight."
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