Kuoh Town, Kuoh Academy.
Stepping out of the magic circle, Kaiser looked at the familiar school buildings before him, once again filled with a sense of emotion.
"It seems I share a certain fate with this academy."
Though not a student here, he had come to this school time and again, each with increasingly legitimate reasons—more than anyone else, perhaps.
"Nothing seems to have changed here, nya."
Kuroka followed closely behind Kaiser. Despite several months of wandering, there was no trace of hardship or weariness on her. The black cat still exuded that same seductive charm, that playful demeanor, that alluring and enchanting presence.
"But there don't seem to be any students around."
Asia, also following Kaiser, looked around curiously. She was still dressed in her nun's habit, and though she had undergone a turbulent journey over the past few months, there were no visible signs of hardship. On the contrary, her overall spirit seemed to have improved, and the vitality she radiated was obvious.
"A barrier has been set up around here, and there seem to be quite a few people secretly guarding the area."
Kaiser glanced around and immediately noticed the differences from the Kuoh Academy he had previously known.
Now, the place resembled a heavily guarded fortress. The presence of guards could be sensed everywhere—some pure, some dark, and others somewhere in between.
It was clear that the security detail here was not from a single faction. Rather, it was a joint deployment from the angels, devils, and fallen angels.
The level of the barrier was also far superior to the one Azazel had set up alone previously. Within such a barrier, even a divine-level battle would take time before affecting the outside world.
"Quite a thorough setup."
Kaiser commented as he led Kuroka and Asia toward the school building.
The location for this trilateral summit was no longer the Occult Research Club's room but the large conference room on the top floor of the main school building.
The trio encountered no resistance as they moved, and when they reached the door, it opened automatically as if welcoming them inside.
———
At once, a solemn and heavy atmosphere filled the air.
It felt like entering a divine realm. The sacred tension was palpable. Asia visibly tensed, and Kuroka's usual teasing expression vanished as she held her breath.
Kaiser, however, remained completely unaffected. He stepped into the meeting room and swept his gaze across the space.
The spacious and somewhat luxurious conference room had a round table placed in the center.
Around the round table were seven seats.
Apart from the head seat, which stood alone, the remaining six were arranged in pairs, grouped into three distinct areas, clearly representing the three different factions.
At this moment, all six of those seats were occupied.
To the left sat two men—one with twelve black wings and the other with ten.
They were none other than Azazel and a ten-winged fallen angel officer.
To the right sat a man and a woman—one with striking red hair, the other with long black hair tied into twin tails.
They were Sirzechs and a female devil whose status appeared to be on par with his.
At the bottom sat another male and female pair—one with twelve golden wings, the other with white wings. The divine aura they emitted was equally powerful.
These were Michael and a top-ranking Seraph-level female angel.
The three factions sat in their respective positions, each with their guards standing behind them.
Behind Azazel and the fallen angel officer stood two familiar faces: Vali and Issei Hyoudou.
"The Two Heavenly Dragons are actually serving as guards for the fallen angels?"
Not only was Kaiser surprised, but others too wore expressions of shock or solemnity upon witnessing this.
Behind Sirzechs and the female devil were also familiar faces—two high-class devils and their respective peerages.
Behind Sirzechs stood the Gremory peerage, while the other high-class devil, seemingly a pure-blood devil student of Kuoh Academy like Rias, stood behind the female devil, clearly sharing a close relationship.
As for Michael and the stunningly divine female angel beside him, the guards behind them were also familiar.
Though the two wore cloaks, the sacred aura radiating from their swords could not be concealed—they were unmistakably Holy Swords.
These two were the frequently mentioned Holy Sword wielders, once again serving as top-tier guards for Heaven's summit.
"Quite the turnout."
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Kaiser's lips.
His arrival immediately drew the attention of everyone in the room, each reacting differently.
Some were excited, some nostalgic, some surprised, some tense, some solemn… and some eyed him with burning gazes—some filled with fighting spirit, others with intense passion. All sorts of emotions were on display.
Even the six seated at the table stood up one after another upon seeing Kaiser enter.
"Our witness has finally arrived—not too early, not too late."
Azazel was the first to speak, his hearty laughter breaking through the heavy atmosphere and lightening the mood of the room.
"Long time no see."
Sirzechs greeted Kaiser with a smile.
"Indeed, long time no see, Kaiser."
Michael, too, smiled warmly, his eyes gentle—his good mood apparent.
Others also silently greeted Kaiser. Rias gave a graceful smile, Issei Hyoudou exaggeratedly raised his brows, and even the two Holy Sword users looked at Kaiser with eyes full of admiration and respect.
Naturally, Vali also looked toward Kaiser, his eyes brimming with battle intent—just like the first time they met, with no trace of the confusion he had shown after being defeated by Kaiser.
"It hasn't actually been that long."
With Kuroka and Asia in tow, Kaiser approached the group, calmly smiling under the varied gazes.
"Only a few months have passed. For beings like you, destined to live very long lives, that must be a very short time, right?"
The one who responded to Kaiser's remark was none other than Azazel.
"Perhaps it's because so much has happened recently—more than in decades past—that it feels like a long time has passed."
Azazel shrugged, looking helpless.
"Right, let me introduce someone." Azazel placed a hand on the shoulder of the fallen angel beside him. "This is Baraqiel, one of our top officers. He's here to attend the summit with me."
"I'm Baraqiel." The man nodded solemnly at Kaiser. "Pleased to meet you."
Not a man of many words—he seemed quite serious.
Baraqiel?
Could he be…
Kaiser glanced over at the Gremory peerage and, as expected, saw Akeno Himejima looking at Baraqiel with a complicated expression.
"Let me introduce someone as well."
Sirzechs spoke up, introducing the female devil beside him.
"This is Serafall Leviathan, the current Leviathan and head of diplomacy for the Underworld."
As he finished, the female devil beamed at Kaiser.
"I'm Serafall! You can just call me Sera-chan!"
Her energetic demeanor was nothing like that of a devil, much less a Demon King. Instead, she looked like a vibrant teenage girl, sparkling with energy—she could've debuted as an idol.
"Then allow me to introduce my companion."
Michael was the last to speak, pointing to the female angel beside him, his voice gentle.
"This is Gabriel, one of the Four Great Seraphs of Heaven and the highest representative of female angels."
At Michael's words, Kaiser instinctively looked toward her.
But before he could, she had already stepped forward.
"H-Hello, Mr. Kaiser, I'm Gabriel!"
The most beautiful woman in Heaven, the most renowned and stunning angel in the Three Realms, now appeared slightly flustered and excited.
"I've always wanted to meet you. At last, my wish has come true. Ahh, praise be to the Lord for granting me such a beautiful encounter!"
Gabriel clasped her hands together, visibly thrilled and nervous. The light in her eyes sparkled as she looked at Kaiser, her wings spread to their fullest, emitting a pure and refreshing fragrance that soothed the soul.
"Hello."
Kaiser, overwhelmed by her enthusiasm, gave a sheepish smile.
The others were also visibly startled by Gabriel's excitement—no one had expected Heaven's top beauty to act this way.
"Haha, I told you so."
Azazel chuckled gleefully, clearly enjoying the scene.
"Calm down, Gabriel. The summit is still in session."
Michael gently advised her, causing Gabriel to blush in embarrassment.
"Sorry, I got a little too excited…"
Gabriel's cheeks flushed pink, her bashful expression beautiful enough to make one wonder if they were dreaming.
Gulp…
Kaiser heard several gulps, the loudest coming from Issei Hyoudou.
The current Red Dragon Emperor had been staring at Gabriel the whole time. Just from her shy expression, he'd already suffered a nosebleed.
"Good grief…"
Kaiser sighed inwardly and coughed lightly, restoring the solemnity of the scene.
"Has the summit officially started?"
With Kaiser bringing the focus back to business, the others also returned to a more serious demeanor.
"Now that you're here, we can begin." Azazel gestured to the empty single seat at the head of the table. "Please, take your seat—that's your place."
At his invitation, Kaiser didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and sat down.
Kuroka and Asia stood behind him, looking every bit like personal bodyguards.
The others also returned to their seats, filling the room completely.
Thus, the trilateral summit of the three great factions officially began.