The calm after Zagred's fall was fleeting. Beneath the festive surface of the Clover Kingdom, gears of a darker fate turned slowly yet unrelentingly.
For Avi Caesar, it was another thread in his grand tapestry of control.
---
Inside Akatsuki's War Chamber — Akatsuki Base
Inside the massive war chamber within the dimensional fortress, magical projections floated mid-air — streams of information, real-time surveillance feeds, and constantly updating reports gathered by Avi's network of clones, artificial scouts, and his system's unseen hand.
Avi (thought):
"The Dark Triad has begun consolidating its control. The Heart Kingdom's intelligence remains insufficient. Clover's captains are strong, but they're blind to the full scale of the danger."
Before him stood Asta and Yuno, both growing stronger with each passing day. The scars from their battle with Zagred had not faded, but their resolve had only hardened.
Asta (pumping his fist):
"Let's head straight into Spade Kingdom, old man! If the enemy is preparing something bad, we should strike first."
Yuno (cold and sharp):
"Recklessness won't help. This time we face more than a single devil. The Spade Kingdom's citizens are suffering. Attacking without preparation could turn us into invaders, not saviors."
Avi smiled faintly, pleased at their developing leadership instincts.
Avi:
"Both of you are correct, in part. But there is one absolute rule in war: Knowledge is power. The Spade Kingdom is not only guarded by devils, but also deeply rooted nobility, cultist factions, and their terrifying new weapons: artificially empowered Devil Hosts."
He waved his hand, and a new layer appeared on the projection — detailed maps of Spade Kingdom's inner structure.
Avi:
"I've been observing their internal political structure for months. Behind their frontlines, hundreds of civilians have been forcibly bound into devil experiments. They're harvesting power while destabilizing their own nation's core."
Yuno's eyes sharpened as he saw a familiar district appear on the map.
Yuno (low voice):
"That's… my birthplace."
Avi gave a knowing nod.
Avi:
"Indeed. The Spade Kingdom exiled your royal lineage, but their bloodlines remain critical to their dark plans. Your very existence is a threat to their rule."
Yuno clenched his fists but stayed composed. Asta placed a supportive hand on his shoulder.
Asta:
"We'll fix this together, Yuno. Just say the word."
Avi:
"And you will. But first, we gather more threads."
---
Elsewhere — Spade Kingdom: Zogratis Castle
Deep within the Spade Kingdom's capital, the Dark Triad stood before the cursed Tree of Qliphoth structure under construction. Thick devil mana pulsated from the growing roots reaching toward the underworld's gates.
Dante (grinning):
"The preparations are nearly complete. Our devils grow impatient."
Vanica (giggling):
"I can't wait to test the Heart Kingdom again. And the Clover Kingdom too! So many delicious battles waiting for us."
Zenon (cold):
"There are new unknown variables. Akatsuki Squad. This Asta... Yuno. And especially that elusive third member—"
His words trailed off as his devil's host awareness twitched.
Zenon (thought):
"Even my devil cannot pierce his concealment."
Dante laughed.
Dante:
"No matter. In the end, we hold absolute power. Everything flows toward our king's vision."
---
Meanwhile — Within Lucius Zogratis' Hidden Chamber
Lucius stood before his time-spun crystal, once again attempting to pierce into the Akatsuki dimension. But static, chaotic ripples disrupted every attempt.
Lucius (thought):
"Whoever controls this Akatsuki squad… is beyond even my vision. His dimension doesn't merely block time magic — it folds space itself into a new reality."
Lucius (soft whisper):
"But I will see you soon enough."
---
Akatsuki's New Mission — The Silent Rescue
Days later, inside Akatsuki's conference hall, Avi briefed Asta and Yuno.
Avi:
"New intelligence confirms that the Dark Triad is moving key prisoners for their next experiment. Among these prisoners are several surviving descendants of Spade's old royal families — including former rebels, potential resistance leaders, and rare magic users who could tip the balance."
Asta's expression turned serious.
Asta:
"Let's save them! This is our chance to weaken the enemy and help the people."
Yuno nodded sharply.
Yuno:
"And perhaps gather allies who still remain loyal to Spade's original monarchy."
Avi:
"Correct. But we act from the shadows. This rescue must appear like an accident or internal rebellion. We draw no attention to Akatsuki."
Avi's wood clones had already infiltrated the transfer routes disguised as traders, mapping every guard rotation, every cursed seal embedded in the prisoners' chains, and every hidden devil familiar set to patrol the path.
Avi (thought):
"Every move must be surgical. If Lucius catches even the scent of my hand in this, he may accelerate his plans."
---
The Rescue Operation Begins
Under the cover of darkness, Avi, Asta, and Yuno silently teleported near the convoy's route using system-assisted spatial cracks — undetectable even to spatial mages.
Avi's clone projected the positions of the four large armored carriages, guarded by dozens of Spade soldiers, devil-possessed beasts, and minor devil hosts.
Avi (quietly):
"Remember: silent and clean. We're not here for battle, but extraction."
With perfect coordination, Yuno used his Spirit of Zephyr to disable long-range scouts, while Asta used Black Form to slip through the shadows, cutting through cursed seals that imprisoned the key captives. Avi's system-controlled barrier ensured no magical fluctuations escaped their bubble.
One by one, prisoners were extracted and teleported directly into the Akatsuki's hidden dimensional base without leaving a trace behind.
---
Spade Kingdom Capital — Following Day
Panic spread among the Spade elites when it was discovered that their precious devil host candidates had vanished without any signs of attack.
Vanica (laughing wildly):
"Oooh! This is fun! Who's playing hide and seek with us?!"
Zenon (coldly):
"Something far more organized than rebels. Someone... meticulous."
Dante:
"Perfect. Let them struggle. They'll only delay the inevitable."
---
Inside Akatsuki Base — The New Sanctuary
The rescued prisoners stared in awe at the surreal dimension where they found themselves. Avi had already prepared housing, medical care, and protective wards for them. For many, it felt like a literal paradise after years of suffering.
One young girl, barely twelve, with soft green hair and healing magic, bowed deeply.
Young Girl:
"Are… are you our saviors?"
Asta waved his hands awkwardly.
Asta:
"N-No! We're just doing the right thing!"
Yuno nodded, serious as always.
Yuno:
"You are safe here. That's what matters."
Avi stood silently behind them, observing.
Avi (thought):
"This small act will echo across history. These people will become seeds of a future resistance. A controlled opposition to the Triad that Lucius will never foresee."
---
Private Chamber — Avi's Personal Reflection
Alone, Avi accessed his system interface once more.
System Notification:
[Host successfully intervened without major timeline deviation.]
[Mission Sub-Thread Created: 'Spade Internal Resistance.']
[New Passive Reward Acquired: Enhanced Dimensional Concealment (Level 3).]
Avi (smirking):
"It's like playing chess with a blind opponent who believes he controls the board. The deeper I hide, the harder it will be when I finally strike."
His gaze shifted toward Lucius' growing empire.
Avi (thought):
"When Lucius moves… I will already be three moves ahead."
---
Far Beyond — Unknown Dimension
Even deeper within the underworld, ancient devils beyond Zagred stirred — sensing disruptions on the mortal plane. Whispers of a new interfering force reached even their realm.
Unknown Devil Voice:
"An outsider… powerful… untouched by fate's design…"
Another voice hissed.
Second Devil:
"Perhaps even we underestimated this world's new puppeteer."
---
[TO BE CONTINUED...]