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Chapter 24: Back Together

(Que Seven Deadly Sins Ost "Sky Peace")

As the pulse of magical power washed throughout the grounds, most of the occupants in the room came under its effects. Those such as Akeno, Seras, Erza, Irina, Sona's peerage except Saji, WBY, and Gelda were suddenly deathly still from their own individual time being frozen. Only the most powerful of the gathering shrugged off the effects of the time disruption such as the leading dragons including Igneel, Sirzechs, Aurora, Serafall, Rias, Issei from his Boosted Gear, Vali with Divine Dividing, Alucard, Integra with Joyuese, Xenovia with Durandal, the Seraphs, Ruby with her inherent godly connection, the top Cadres of the Grigori, Escanor and Raynare with their Power of Shine, Meliodas, and Zeldris. The vampire servant of Alucard was only saved due to her connection to the former king of vampires, and Albedo and Rinmuru were safe by their status as Ultimate-class beings.

The second son of Satan snapped his neck towards his vampiric wife frozen in time and his face etched in a snarl of an angry Maou. His power skyrocketed violently, coating him in an aura of pitch-black shadows that made Ruby cringe in fear.

"Who fucking dares!?" Zeldris growled.

Among many things, Zeldris was very protective of his wife. His thoughts were already on the forefront of finding the bastard that did this and ripping him a bloody mess of gore. He would have gone on a mad rampage by having the room explode with his power if it weren't a firm hold on his shoulder. Pitch black eyes with hints of dark purple looked to his older brother Meliodas, his emerald eyes projecting a hardened, yet compassionate look. The look alone calmed down Zeldris to rein his power before he unleashed it, but cold rage was all the more evident in his eyes and posture.

"What the hell is going out there?!" Saji exclaimed, rushing to the windows when he heard sounds of explosions. "What the hell is this!?"

Rinmaru joined Saji at the window and her golden eyes narrowed. "By the wise Shenron, how did this happen?"

Her exclamation drew the attention of both Azazel and Sirzechs to rush to the window. The sky had turned a shade of red mixed with purple to create a dark sky. The many guards they had posted in the skies were gone, and now the entrance was being flooded with unknown forces that were firing magic at any direction. Most of them floated on magic circles, but Sirzechs could spot a few notable individuals.

"Magicians!?" Sirzechs exclaimed.

"How did they get past the guards!?" Azazel exclaimed. He even had some stationed around the ORC.

"...Oh shit, those were ours." Muttered Alucard, flipping to his feet. "I mean, oh my God, how did they get past the guards!?"

Integra and Seras gave the vampire pointed looks, making Alucard sigh in exasperation. They knew he was calling complete bullshit on that; it wasn't the first time he got to the guards. But now was not the time for scolding. Instead, the head of Hellsing stood to her feet and brandished Joyuese as it glowed a spectrum of colors of its holy light.

"It would seem we are about to have a fight on our hands." Integra announced, drawing forth the holy blade and feeling its power boost her own body. "Now I want to know who these hellish cock bites are to come after all of us."

"Let's not rush this, or we might fall into a potential ambush." Azazel said, glancing to Vali. "Vali, may you give us a barrier to work with?"

"Fine, old man." Vali said.

"I will go as well." King offered, floating into the air. "I suppose I need to teach a lesson to these amateurs."

"Me too." Saji announced, summoning the full form of his Sacred Gear, Binder Vendetta.

Vali and King soared out the window and into the open battlefield. The White Dragon Emperor entered his Balance Breaker state, and the amount of power he released surpassed Issei himself in his Balance Breaker. He began to summon magic circles to defend the school from the barrage while King countered their magical blasts with his own magic that sent soaring bolts of yellow light slicing through them. The magicians responded to the counterattack by using defensive barriers, effectively making it a stalemate until Vali soared into the fray, tanking their magical blasts with [DIVIDE] before unleashing it in a tremendous shockwave. This gave the group within the meeting room some time to think.

Saji, on the other hand, went on the full assault. His arm braces leeched tens of Absorption Lines swatting magical blasts and lashing at the magicians with lethal effect. For every strike, the Absorption Lines transferred more power to Saji to reinvigorate him. Vali was slightly surprised to see someone here so capable and with such a powerful Sacred Gear.

[That kid right there.] Albion informed. [He is the host of Vritra, the Black Dragon Emperor of India. Never thought I'd see him whole again, but here I am surprised.]

'What a surprise indeed.' Vali thought, his wings trailing a blue streak as he charged at the growing army of magicians.

"First of all, let's think what's happened here?" Merlin spoke over the slightly panicked group. "Azazel, was that not the effects of Forbidden Balor View?"

Azazel nodded. "Yes, and in a Balance Breaker state, too. However, it would seem those with a Longinus or holy swords are not safe. For Ruby, well it really does not have to be said that she is technically a godling, and most of us still moving are too powerful to be put under its effects."

"How did this power come about here of all places?" Wondered Michael, glancing to his brother.

"It comes from the dhamphir boy that is under the peerage of the Gremory heiress." Azazel informed. "And it also means they forced him to go into Balance Breaker. If we can't stop this in time, I think that the dhamphir won't survive."

"No, I can't let that happen." Rias exclaimed. "I don't want Gasper to die."

"That won't happen, but that is not the last of our problems." Sirzechs said, snarling at the sight of his men being slaughtered while they could do nothing in their frozen state. "That teleportation magic that they are using can only work if they have someone behind the barrier with us."

"So we've been betrayed." Albedo growled, a menacing aura clouding her body. "How dare they! I am going to find the culprit and tear them to pieces."

"You'll have your chance, but we need to save the dhamphir first." Igneel said. "They must be forcing the user of the Sacred Gear with more power to use it to this extent. Is there a way we can get to the unfortunate boy unless you want us to simply crush through these forces."

"I could switch myself with a spare piece at the ORC." Rias said.

"And I am coming with you." Issei proposed, standing beside his former King. "I can't exactly leave you alone with the same magicians that got to Koneko and Gasper."

"Issei..." Rias muttered, a blush growing on her cheeks. "Thank you."

The Gremory magic crest glowed to life at the pair's feet, and their form sunk into it. It disappeared in a flash of red light that dropped an unused Rook piece. Sirzechs pocketed his sister's remaining Evil Piece, but his senses alerted to a familiar flare of magic. All in the room either aimed guns, drew blade, or summoned their magic toward a golden light that dimmed to reveal a voluptuous woman with brown tied in a bun and a... cat person wearing a shorts and brown coat with the Nazi symbol engraved on it. In the latter's hands was a portable television. If Blake wasn't frozen in time, she would've freaked that a 'Faunas' was here in another world.

"The fuck!?" Ban swore, taken aback by the appearance by the cat girl... boy... thing.

"Nazis!" Alucard sang, grinning at an irate Integra. "Fucking called it, bitches!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Shouted Integra, glaring at the new duo that appeared with a drawn pistol. "And you two have made a grave mistake coming to us. You really think you take us all on and still survive? Think again, shit-for-brains!"

"You think you can challenge I, Katerea Leviathan, human!?" Snarled the brunette, revealing her eight devil wings.

"Hold, hold." Exclaimed the cat girl(?) - trap -, holding up hands to hold fire despite Katerea's displeasure. "Warten Sie! How do you say... 'Do not shoot the messenger'. At least not yet."

"Ah, the return of the 'why' boner." Alucard mused, studying the would-be-or-not girl or boy. "With a vengeance!"

"What are you here for?" Ruby questioned, her silver eyes glowing a piercing glow to them.

"My commanding officer, Ze Major," The trap announced, setting the television on the table, "would like to personally introduce himself with our wonderful organization of Millennium, and representing the beautiful club that we are a part of. The Khaos Brigade."

The cat trap pressed a button above the frame and the screen came on while German music played. A live video played of an stout, obese man in a white suit with blonde hair masking yellow eyes. Ruby was unnerved by the unnaturally bloodthirsty grin on his face.

"Hello~." Greeted the Major in a manner contrasting to his wicked smile.

Alucard recognized the man... and immediately started laughing at the Major's obesity. "He-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Aha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! He's still so fucking fat! He's like a Nazi Louis C.K., ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Wait, wait! No, no; Jim Gaffigan! Jim Gaffigan...!"

"Bwha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Laughed Ban. "He - he literally looks like a literal man-sized baby if I kept feeding him mayo for life!"

"Ah, if it isn't ze memorable Alucard!" Said the Major. "Ze provider, Sir Integra. Ooh, even her little niece, Irina Shidou. Isn't she a precious zing? And zat is not counting ze supernatural zwonder before my eyes! Sirzechs Lucifer, the Master of Destruction. Heard your work in ze Great War was fabulous! Ze dragons, what lovely sport. Azazel, vonderful to see your face. Ze sons of Satan. Ooh~, zuch a big fan of your father. Love your work in war. Und of course, Michael und ze heiress to Heaven. Tell me, how does it feel to vork with your svorn enemies, Michael?"

"Nothing is more painful than to hear your obnoxious voice." Michael replied, seeing Ruby's nervousness to the Major.

"Ah, don't be so rude!" The Major said in fake hurt. "Ve we used to be friends with ze Vatican! Especially how they helped us Nazis escape from ze vonderful World War!"

'So that's how Maxwell knew of Millenium's location.' Thought Integra. 'But I didn't think that the shit was this deep to be a part of whatever the fuck this is to attack the whole Biblical Faction.'

Ruby gasped in shock and snapped her head to Michael. His green eyes were wide in just as much shock. Not in a way that a secret was revealed, but more in shock of being betrayed. The Major caught onto this reaction.

"Oh, did you not know?" The Major wondered. "For shame, Michael. You need to have a better why on zese zings. Next zing you know, the Pope iz a pedophile... Actually, zat's a terrible example. Everybody knows zat."

"I thought it was good, sir." Spoke a voice from the background feed.

"Thank you, Hans." The Major replied to his own with exasperation. "Vhere vas I? Ah yes. I am betting you are chomping at your britches at vhat ve have in store for you, nein?"

"Nazi army." Stated Integra.

"...Wow, just kill at ze fun." The Major said. "Put ze fun in camps vhy don't you."

"Yeah, you fun Nazi." Alucard whined.

"Guilty of seventy acts of fun murder!" Ban said.

Ludociel glanced to Integra. "You have an idea what this maniac is on about?"

"It's not an idea; it's fact." Integra stated. "Some time ago, my organization ran into a strange uprising in vampire activity all over London. However, these vampires are not the typical kind usually in the Mediterranean. The vampires in question had a special chip embedded in their necks that created the vampirism, and they lacked the magical capacity natural ones do. They even launched an attack at the Hellsing HQ."

"But, vat is only a proportion of vhat ve have in store for all of you." The Major cried ecstatically. "Zanks to ze vwonderful lady and our other unmentioned cohorts, zis has gone beyond a zimple incursion. Not only zwall ve see Hellsing und ze Vatican in rubble, ve zall come for all of you! Ze blood of devil, human, dragon, angel, und gods shall flood both Earth, Heaven, und ze Underworld, und ve zall open ze gates of ze true Hell..."

No one noticed how Zeldris and Meliodas stiffened at how the Major mentioning opening the gates of Hell. As in the true Hell where the souls of the foul sinners go to be tortured for eternity by the true demons born for cruelty. Meanwhile, Schrodinger eyed the frozen Blake, perking at the sight of the turned nekoshous own cat ears. Too bad that Blake was unable to speak, but Seras was also eye-catching, and the weapon of Millennium inched to the busty vampire. That is until his (her?) head exploded in a mess of gore by Alucard.

"...Und like zat, ze vwar begins." Cackled the Major before Alucard destroyed the portable screen.

"Oops, did I accidentally a war?" Alucard said with a chilling smile. "Police Girl, put the 'bitches love cannons' on this bitch right here."

"Yes sir!" Seras obeyed Alucard quickly without question.

Automatically, Seras dropped her long case to the ground and gave a mighty stomp that popped the lid off. The force in her leg strength made the contents of the opened case to jump out, revealing to the shock of Kiba, Irina, and Xenovia of a gigantic rifle longer than Seras' own height. Ruby, however, revealed her inner weapon nut, her eyes sparkling at the magnificent at the Anti-Midian Cannon Harkonnen. The barrel itself was thicker than her arm to show the sheer size of the payload the rifle fired.

"Bitches love cannons!" Proclaimed Seras, her eyes flashing red at Katerea with barely contained bloodlust.

Seras hefted the cannon with the ease of holding a feather and instantly took aim at the Leviathan. With each pull of a trigger, a great bang rang through the room and everyone could feel the power in the rounds as well as their holy attribute into them. In response, Katerea formed a magic circle from her right palm and blocked the incoming anti-tank missiles like a shield. However, she underestimated the payload as the unleashed shells exploded upon impact, releasing bits of shrapnel fused with holy energy. Katerea hissed in pain with cuts sporting on her body that audibly sizzled from the holy properties.

"You little bitch!" Katerea hissed, her staff producing an orange light. "Vampire or not, I'll reduce you to atoms!"

"I think you are forgetting something." Aurora spoke up, catching Katerea's attention.

The sounds of clicking guns and raised magics came to her ears as she took in the view of the occupants. Aurora held a golden revolver with a long barrel and a chamber for six bullets created through a simple burst of her magic into the weapon. Integra simply held precise aim with her pistol with her remaining hand going to Joyuese. Ruby created a solid white copy of the cannon Seras held. Michael, Sirzechs, Serafall, Azazel, Ludociel, Merlin, Irene, Albedo, Grayfia, Rinmuru, and Raynare summoned their magic via magic circles aimed at the Levithan descendant, and some even surrounding the poor villain. The rest such as Meliodas, Escanor, and Alucard spectated with coy smirks on their faces.

"I have to wonder," Aurora said smugly, "just where in this 'great' scheme of yours did you think you were making it out of this?"

In that moment, Katerea realized the mistake she made brazenly appearing right in the middle of the gathering of some of the world's most powerful supernatural entities. At first, her plan went in the idea of taking out the usurpers in a battle of bloody glory, but she never planned for the sheer amount of powerhouses in the room. Then again, her plan was never much thought out of anyway considering fighting a Super Devil at her level was amount to suicide.

"... That's not fair at all." Katerea lightly whined.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Integra drawled. "We don't give a fuck!"

Gunshots of magical bullets and streams of blasted sorcery from all walks of life littered on the foolish (read: retarded) Leviathan. She tried to defend herself as best as she could with a spherical barrier, but her defenses were literally shattered in seconds under the constant onslaught. Bullet wounds appeared on her shoulders and arms, and a particularly strong blast from Sirzechs sent Katerea flying out of the already shattered windows and landing onto the battlefield below.

"I'm not complaining," Raynare commented, "but either that was too easy, or she was really dumb thinking she could take any of us on."

"Best finish her off still." Zeldris spat.

"Hey, uh, captain?" Diane called, peeking out the window. "You might want to see this."

Meliodas came beside the heavy hitter of the Seven Deadly Sins and followed Diane's wary gaze. At the very gates of the academy where the magicians came out from portals, a group in red robes stood in a circular formation. A blood red sign with pointed stars and demonic sigils of deepest black. The son of Satan's eyes widened when the six individuals surrounding the circle pulled out a dagger and stabbed themselves with it. That was when they all felt the potent and dense demonic energies suffusing the air. Ruby whimpered under the sheer wrongness she felt to it from her very soul, and the angels felt as though a winter's chill went down their backs.

"What kind of demonic energy is this!?" Raynare exclaimed. "Even a devil's does not have so much malice."

It wasn't as if the magic was more potent than that of a devil, but it was more accurate to say that a devil's magical signature was watered down in comparison. This magic felt more like the real deal, and that in her very soul Raynare had the obligation to either run or purge this darkness away. No, even darkness was not this worse.

"This presence." Sirzechs said. "Meliodas, the only thing I've felt something like this was from you, Zeldris, and demons from Hell."

Sirzechs' input made something connect in Meliodas' brain and come to a realization. His head snapped up, and there was no longer that cheer and brightness he showed. It was set in a serious stoicism mixed with a noticeable sign of alarm. He only had it for less than second before he and Zeldris disappeared in pure speed towards the ritual the magicians were performing. They knew exactly what they were trying to do, and it had to be stopped at all costs.

"Meliodas!" Sirzechs cried, ready to go follow his friend if it was something that even alarmed someone like Meliodas.

"Hold on there, replacement Lucy." Alucard said, stopping Sirzechs with a firm hold on his shoulder. "They know what they're doing, and if that magic is what I think it is then they may be the only ones to deal with it."

"What do you mean?" Asked Ruby.

"If I'm correct," Alucard said, no sort of mischief in his tone, "we are dealing with demons, and considering Zeldris and Meliodas are half-demons themselves they are the best suited for whatever's to come."

Sirzechs widened his eyes. "This is really bad. Demons haven't been around since the end of the Great War, but I still remember how vicious they are. What are those magicians even planning sacrificing themselves like that?"

As if on cue, the magic circle released a shockwave as the blood of the sacrificed magicians poured through the drawings. Meliodas and Zeldris had to brace themselves from the impact till they found themselves back at the school building underneath the meeting room. Once all the blood from the sacrificed magicians made it to the center, the space on the ground tore apart in a portal rimmed in purple. From within was a tainted crimson red and unholy screeches that shook at the hearts of every holy being present.

"Brother, you feel that, don't you?" Meliodas stated.

Zeldris scowled at the mystical phenomenon flooding with demonic power. "How could I not? My blood is basically singing with it. That's a Hell's Gate ritual. How did those mages find out how to open one?"

"That doesn't matter." Meliodas said, drawing out Lostvaynne. "What we have to do is close it, but they don't seem to want us to go interfere."

To prove Zeldris' word, the magicians began to focus their fire on the sons of Satan after seeing their recent attempt on the Hell's Gate. It was child's play for them to deflect the hail of magic with their blades, but their advance was too slow. Meliodas locked his eyes ahead at the gate entrance, seeing the distortion to the eldritch dimension flare right before a roar made the whole area silent.

A massive arm with skin of sickly purple rose from the portal and clawed on the concrete. The hand alone was being enough to hold several people in a single grasp, and veins bulged in black. Shadows only seemed to grow in the new presence that entered the world, and made the light dim in turn. Another arm swung up to cling to the ground with foot long claws, allowing the main body to finally lift to the surface.

The body was flamboyant with a big belly... if that belly came in the form of a giant maw of gnashing teeth and hellfire. On broad shoulders was a small head in comparison to the enormous body featuring two pairs of blood red reptilian eyes and a pair of scimitar-shaped horns. Upon fatty, lizard-like feet, the demon stood three stories high.

"Ah, it's been too long since I've returned to the mortal world." The demon said, his voice like gravel. "And look at the humans around me. Seems you little insects are even more numerous since last time. That's good. Means we will have a feast."

The demon gave a great howl that cracked apart the stone ground, calling forth more beings from Hell Gate. With flimsy arms and three-digit hands crawled demons standing 5'6" with pale skin and white eyes, and mandibles built to tear apart flesh replaced a normal mouth. They came like a swarm from the portal under the command of the bigger demon, but seem to lack the use of speech. Instincts were their only direction and a mental command from their big boss aimed that ravenous nature to the soon-to-be allies and the academy building in general.

They were not the last. Coming with this growing swarm were two more demons the size of trucks. Their bodies were built for raw power and the darkest of magics oozed off their bodies. Eyes filled with golden yellow held only bloodlust and drool dripped from a mouth prepped with sharp teeth, and their skin was a bright red with the same black veins noticeably bulging from the muscle underneath.

"Sheesh, not those things." Ban commented, hopping down to stand beside his captain. "I really don't like those guys."

"Is it because they always tear a whole into you?" Meliodas said.

"That, and I keep forgetting they have seven hearts like every demon despite how fucking fat they are." Ban replied. "I mean, look at those fatasses."

Zeldris sighed. "Why do you keep this drunkard around still?"

"I honestly don't know." Meliodas answered.

The screeching of the white demons attracted the attention of King, Saji, and Vali were battling in the air. Seeing the growing swarm closing on the academy, King summoned his favored spear and Sacred Treasure, Chastiefol, in a flash of light. The spear floating nonchalantly at King's side, and twirled slowly by the twitches of the fairy's fingers. He looked down at the charging demons with a narrowed, yet bored look.

"Form Five: Increase."

King snapped his fingers and Chastiefol gave a brilliant glow. When it dimmed down, the air around King was filled with swords all emitting a holy aura. A lazy wave of his hand and the swords came down in a rain of steel impaling the charging demons to the ground. Yet no matter how many swords cut down, they were always more crawling from the Hell Gate. One the bigger red demons noticed the fairy king and spat out a ball of purple fire. Harlequinn gave a slight widening of his eyes as he mentally commanded Chastiefol to shield him.

That was unnecessary as a net made out of Absorption Lines holding the fireball back at the last second. On impact, it exploded in a mess of black fire, but King descended down from the smoke unharmed right beside Meliodas. Meanwhile, Saji was reeling back from the unholy power of the hellfire he had absorbed, allowing a white demon to get the drop on him. He fell to the floor and held back the mandibles that were inches from chomping into his neck.

"Shit, you are ugly." Saji cursed.

With pure strength, Saji managed to snap the demon's neck and throw it off of him. He redeployed his Absorption Lines, and used them to lash out at the white demons trying to swarm only to met with a painful death in dark flames of Blaze Black Flare. Another leaped over aiming for his back only for a bullet to blast its head apart. Saji turned his head to the direction of the gunshot to find blood red eyes shaking him to his soul.

"Be careful, boy." Alucard said, a wide grin stretched across his face. "Don't want to have your head rolling around the ground or we'd be playing my favorite version of football."

"H-How are you even smiling?!" Exclaimed Saji, frightened by the casual malice the vampire radiated. "They are demons everywhere."

"Then it must be my fucking birthday!" Cackled Alucard. "Demons are running amok, my guns are ready to blast their heads off, and my dick is harder diamond here."

"Don't mind him." Seras said in an apologetic manner, making Saji yelp that the blonde somehow got behind him without noticing. "He's just well... a total ass."

"A total badass." Alucard shouted, jumping into the fray of frenzy demons.

"Word of advice." Seras said as she and Saji stood back to back against the enemy surrounding them. "Try not to die."

"Don't need to tell me." Saji replied as the two jumped back into battle.

At the frontline, the mages battling the brother duo and King launched a combined attack, layering multiple mystical circles upon one another before unleashing it. Meliodas casually answered the attack with a Full Counter, blasting apart two lines of the magicians with their own attack. That allowed for the demons, especially the swarm of white demons to focus on. Multiple eyes landed on Meliodas and Zeldris, and there just a second before the whole area was flooded with literal hellish rage.

The white demons' eyes became bloodshot on sight of Meliodas and Zeldris while the bigger demons glared upon them. The tallest of them marched forward through the crowd of mages, uncaring of those he stomped on the way.

"That smell." The demon hissed. "I know that smell anywhere. We all know it. Too long have I waited to gut you, traitorous princes!"

"Can I get the name of the demon that is soon to be dead?" Zeldris said.

"It's Bilgore." The demon roared, ripping a chunk of concrete from the ground. "Remember that name when you burn within my gullet."

The now named Bilgore piled the chunk of concrete into the great maw that made up his gut. That giant mouth crunched down on the torn up ground while mixing in the flames. Together, the maw rolled all that concrete into a ball of fiery destruction that Bilgore spat out with the velocity of a cannon, and powerful enough to level the entire front of the academy, including the room they were residing in. It was also unfortunate that at that moment, Rias and Issei had to make their untimely return.

"Hey guys I'm back - HOLY SHIT!" Issei yelped at the flaming destruction.

"Perfect Cube."

The attack made a direct hit on the school, reducing the whole front back to rubble. In the settling dust of the rubble, the occupants of the meeting room were unharmed due to Sirzechs' use of a quick barrier aided by Irene also protecting their frozen compatriots. However, those like Escanor, Raynare, Issei, Merlin, Ban, King, Meliodas, and Diane did not stand among them. Just apart from the main group was a transparent cube created through advanced Space Magic hiding the occupants in the cloud of dust.

(Cue "Perfect Time")

'This... This is a dream come true.' Raynare thought now in the presence of the whole Seven Deadly Sins that she was a part of.

"My, oh my, it's been dreadfully long, hasn't it?" Merlin said with mirth.

"Aye it has." Escanor answered. "I do believe it has been about 1500 years since we've come together like this."

"Fighting and kicking demon ass." Ban cackled, spinning his Courechouse around him. "Hah, just like the good old days."

"I hope our dynamic hasn't gone too rusty." King spoke, levitating Chastiefol in front of himself.

"It better not." Diane exclaimed, readying her prized hammer, Gideon. "When we counterattack, I want to see how many I can still crush with my hammer."

"So we're back together, even when some of us are sort of new here." Issei spoke up, summoning Herritt. "I would like to say it's an honor to fight alongside you. So, Captain, what are our orders?"

"Your orders?" Meliodas said, taking a moment to think. "Show them our strength. Show them our unity. Show them what we are."

On cue, Merlin dropped the barrier as the army of magicians and demons closed on them. The eight warriors jumped in the fray with Issei firing the first shot with Herritt through the heads of multiple demons. Escanor slammed down Rhitta upon the ground, creating an explosion of great heat that obliterated the devils on the right flank while Diane smashed down Gideon to kick spires of earth that demolished the magicians on the left. King launched a hail of swords towards the enemy and breaking their charge while Raynare threw out a spear that exploded in light that disintegrated the demons to nothingness. As for Meliodas, he charged at the head of the group with a smirk on his face shared by everyone for one reason: the Seven Deadly Sins have returned.

I had to stay up late to finish this chapter so I can start on a different chapter for another story later today without writer's block. The ending was a little rushed, and there will be multiple parts to this segment of the story.

Up next is Chapter 25: Burning Inside with Violent Anger

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