A living sacrifice?
I decided on this after many years of research.
The highest point of the True Cross Academy, which Mephisto himself created,
has the most optimal conditions required to connect Gehenna and Assiah.
The setup is complete,
but the quality of the blood we gathered was just too poor.
It would be impossible to open a Gehenna Gate with such low-quality blood.
However, that can all be remedied if we use some of Rin's blood.
Five liters of it would vastly improve the quality levels we require.
Opening a Gehenna Gate would finally become a reality then.
That's madness! You can't get that much out of a single body!
That applies to humans only.
Considering how powerful a demon's regenerative factor is,
we can push him to his limits without any worries.
He will be regarded as a savior by the next generation.
The hero who protected Assiah.
Let my brother go right now!
It's pointless to threaten me.
The bomber carrying the Messiah has already taken off from Dragoon Lab.
It'll be flying over the True Cross Academy in no time.
It'll initiate the bombing unless I tell it not to.
If I don't open up a Gehenna Gate in time,
this place will get annihilated instead.
What did you say?
There's no going back now.
In that case, let me replace him.
What?
I'll open a Gehenna Gate for you.
So please, let my brother go.
Very well.
Could you actually have seen this coming all along, brother?
Those brothers are like mirrors reflecting each other.
Their fates would have been different, had he not pulled out that demon sword that day.
What will be left at the end of all this chaos? Hope, or even more despair?
As for me, I'm just simply enjoying this fascinating show!
Truth
The 23rd Story
Nii-san.
This is good.
It's a lot faster if use both their blood, after all.
This is...
What is this?!
What the hell happened here?!
Isn't that the young teacher?
It can't be. Yuki-chan told me he doesn't have demon blood.
How do you explain those blue flames then?
Yuki-chan!
Stay back!
What the...
What the hell?!
Come, Messiah!
Now is the time to burn Gehenna to ashes!
"The fifth angel blew his horn."
"When he did..."
"I saw a single star fall from the heavens to the ground below."
Crap! It's a bomb!
"It was as if someone was given a key to open a bottomless pit in the ground."
"When it was opened, a large amount of smoke came out of it, as if it were a furnace."
"Both the sun and the skies were stained black from all the heavy smoke."
What's this light?
Observe! This is the true light of human knowledge!
This brilliance will become the mark of our victory!
Jacob's Ladder!
What happened?
What is this?!
"Strange locust-like things came out from the smoke afterwards."
"Each of these creatures possessed power comparable to that of a scorpion's or a snake's."
"The king of these creatures ruled the place from which they came from."
"His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Appolion."
Bugs!
Crap, we have to go!
What's going on?
Didn't the Messiah work?
Seems like that plan went down the crapper pretty fast.
This voice is...
There's no way Gehenna would've been destroyed by some pathetic firework.
Could it be...
Father?
That's right. It's me, Satan, your daddy.
Damn you, demon!
Do you intend to make my heart waver by using my father's voice?!
I'm not trying to be like him.
My voice ended up this way because his body was the last one I possessed.
Shut up!
If you'd have stayed out of Assiah, then Father would've been still alive,
and Mother wouldn't have been murdered!
Aren't you misunderstanding something here, kid?
I'm not the one who killed Yuri.
It's that fellow over there.
Save me, Yukio!
Your face tells me you don't know what the hell I'm talking about.
I'll make you see what I really witnessed with my own two eyes, then.
I've been looking for you, Yuri!
You've caused me a lot of trouble by hiding yourself in this forest!
Pack your things.
We're returning to the Vatican.
Just like always, a hobogoblin's belly smells like the sun.
Listen to me when I talk!
I'm not going back to the Vatican.
I belong here.
Do you know what you're known as around here?
The "Witch of the Forest", a woman who befriends demons.
If you're really an Exorcist, then stop associating with demons already.
You only find this weird because you don't think humans and demons can get along!
These guys are my precious friends!
Hey! Wait, Yuri!
The Egin family name would be tarnished if the Vatican caught wind
of my daughter associating with demons.
Use any means necessary to prevent that, understood?
Yes, Sir.
What are you doing?!
Stop that!
Those are all my friends—
Don't make me laugh!
You're being tricked by these demons!
We have to wipe them all out!
That's our job as Exorcists!
Please... stop.
I said stop, damn you!
Blue flames...
Don't tell me you're...
Lord Satan?
You up already?
I'm sorry.
Since when?
Since when has that monster been set loose on Assiah?
It was about a year ago.
I was sent to this area to investigate a case where the victim was incinerated.
Frail...
They're all too frail.
It seemed that I was the only one who could endure those blue flames.
The True Cross Order called for a retreat from the area.
I stayed behind, however.
I wanted to talk to those blue flames once more.
Do you even know who I am?
Get lost already!
I'll break you in half if you don't!
Go ahead then, if you want to.
Don't give me that!
I heard what your voice was saying back then.
Everything I touch in Assiah burns up in an instant.
You must feel lonely.
No matter how precious something is to you, it only ends up burning once you hold it.
That must make you sad.
Shut up! Shut up!
If those feelings of yours are really true...
Then please, use my body.
You accepted Satan inside you?!
Yes.
He was really happy.
It fell from the tree.
Poor thing. It's already dead.
Dead?
It means it doesn't have life anymore.
What is life?
Birds, flowers, and even humans... everything dies.
Life is a unique phenomenon that cannot be emulated elsewhere.
It is very precious.
I want a life as well.
You can't just take life, nor can it be given to you.
You can, however, start one.
Don't tell me you...
Yes.
I have his children inside me.
What did you say?!
It's a shame, Fujimoto-kun.
You have desires just like anyone else, but to lay your hands on one of the Church's daughters...
I didn't do anything!
She's being possessed by a demon!
And not just any demon, but Lord Satan himself!
You were the only one who had access to that forest.
If you have anything else to say, save it for the court.
Wait!
This is a big problem! We have to fix it now!
A demon's children?!
Madness! Have them aborted right away!
The Vatican strictly forbids that practice, though.
You'll let them live?!
I will.
Yuri!
These are my children.
I'm going to keep them.
You witch...
Is it true that you, Yuri Egin, are currently bearing a demon's children?
Yes. That's true.
Demons are usually known for either tricking humans, or striking fear into them.
This, however, shows they are merely curious about us.
We should be able to learn to love and teach each other!
You talk like demons are capable of love!
Witch!
Burn her!
Right!
I will deliver your sentence now.
In light of all this, you, Yuri Egin, shall be put to death!
I looked around for a human I could possess so that I could save her.
However, my powers proved to be too much for anyone.
No one was able to contain me.
Please stand back.
Don't be foolish!
If we backed down, who would protect Assiah?!
Cursed demon!
This body will not last much longer.
Satan?! It's you, isn't it?!
Run, Yuri.
It's been a while, Fujimoto-san.
Mephisto!
What happened?
Satan attacked us.
He came to take his wife and children back.
Almost all of the Exorcists around the world were killed in his search for a vessel.
You're the only Exorcist the Vatican can deploy right now.
Cardinal!
Yuri Egin has escaped with Satan's help.
Kill Yuri and the children she bears.
What's this?
It's the Fallen Demon sword, a demon sword imbued with holy properties.
It'll come in handy for killing Satan's spawn.
Shiro.
You gave birth already.
These are my children.
Aren't they cute?
The one with the blue flames is Rin.
The pale-skinned one is Yukio.
Live, and grow strong.
Become the proof that humans and demons can get along.
Hang in there, Yuri!
Yuri!
What shall we do?
The Vatican ordered us to kill both the mother and her children.
The woman died without us having to do anything, though.
They have to suffer the consequences of bearing demonic power.
What's wrong?
Weren't you about to end this already?
This one smiled.
Even though I was about to kill him.
You only find this weird because you don't think humans and demons can get along!
Mephisto.
Yes?
I'm going to raise them.
I'm going to raise them well as normal human children.
You, the most cold-hearted Exorcist I know, raising a demon's children?
That's just impossible!
We won't know until I try!
Well then, want to have a bet?
If you successfully raise them as humans, then you win.
However, if they awaken as demons, I win.
I get custody of them after that.
Very well.
In that case, here's something special for you.
What did you do?
I sealed his demonic powers in that sword.
It wouldn't be a fair bet if he's forced to live draped in blue flames.
Thanks.
I don't need your thanks.
For now, let's report back to the Vatican and tell them we've done the deed.
See you around.
No way...
Who's really telling the truth?
Who should I believe?
Everything I've shown you is the truth.
If you still think I'm lying, then go ask that drowning Church fellow over there yourself.
Save me, Yukio!
Please, tell me the truth.
Were you really the one who ordered the burning of Yuri Egin?
How do you know that?
Just answer me!
Quickly!
It's true.
She said she'd bear a demon's children.
I would have looked the other way if they were human children or something else,
but demon children?!
Didn't you love my mother?!
She died a long time ago in my mind!
She was already dead to me when she said she was carrying you accursed demonic children!
I will never accept you two,
who have sullied the Egin family name beyond redemption.
No way...
Damn it!
It can't be!
I finally have it, my ideal vessel.
And it shares half of my blood as well.
I can firmly control it, even up to its fingertips.
It's time to throw a feast for Satan's descendants!
Rin!
You okay?
Yukio... Is that Yukio?
What are you doing, Yukio?!
A place which isn't Gehenna nor Assiah, where humans and demons can live together.
Next Episode
Now, close your eyes.
Try imagining it.
I'm sure it's not that hard.
Satan's Children