Family heirloom, then turned into a demon girl

Chapter 431 Mission: 01-1 The World-Devouring Beast
“Uoo ...

Above the shattered theater, a figure plummeted from the chaotic light, slamming heavily onto the shattered ground. Another figure followed, crashing down with a thud onto the back of the person above.

"Hiss...it hurts."

Nero stood up holding the empty Holy Grail, frowned and rubbed the lower back where he had been hit by the attack.

"Isn't it me who should be yelling?" Mr. Nero, who had been nearly killed by her blow, let out a sigh tinged with complaint and stood up. He then immediately looked around anxiously, searching for the others: "Dante? Virgil? Are you guys there?"

"It's noisy."

A weak scolding came from the shadows in the corner of the theater, but it was not the deep, magnetic and handsome male voice that Mr. Nero expected, but the sharper and more childish voice of a child.

"Child?" He looked at the corner in surprise.

"...How rude! Even if you're a heroic spirit summoned to take my life, shouldn't you at least show due respect to the Emperor?"

Under the blood-red moonlight, the figure leaning weakly against the window was a scantily clad blonde girl who looked no older than ten. She finally turned her gaze towards him, her crimson eyes gleaming slightly. "Oh? You even returned the Holy Grail for me. That's quite thoughtful... Too bad I don't need that kind of thing anymore."

"Emperor?" Mr. Nero subconsciously wondered if this was some strange play-house, but Nero was different - she quietly and secretly changed her hair color back to gold, then looked at the little girl wearing a crown that was several times bigger than her head and a tattered red dress, and called out her name.

"Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus?"

"Who?" Mr. Nero asked. "You?"

"Ah, it's Yu. Really just as rude as before... that's all."

The girl who claimed to be an ancient Roman emperor coughed twice and leaned against the wall weakly. "Come on, kill Yu."

"What the hell? Why would I kill you? And how do you know her name?"

Mr. Nero looked at Nero frantically with a bunch of questions.

But I'll leave the explanation for later. Nero looked at the blonde girl and said, "I'm not here to kill you. Quite the opposite, Sixth Beast."

Yes, she had already guessed this when she learned the origin of the Holy Grail in her hand.

The sixth beast, the beast of 666, the beast of the apocalypse. While in the little garden, Nero had already learned from various clues that the name "Beast of Six Hundred and Sixty-Six" was a metaphor for the "Demon King of Dystopia." Therefore, when Virgil claimed that the Holy Grail's previous owner was also a candidate for the Demon King of Dystopia, Nero had already determined its former owner.

Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus, Roman Emperor, is considered by scholars to be one of the most likely prototypes of the beast 666 in the Book of Revelation.

In this world, she is probably the only one who is qualified to be a candidate for the Demon King of Dystopia.

"Oh?"

Those animalistic ruby ​​eyes looked at her.

Nero looked her straight in the eye and declared, "In order to defeat another enemy, I must keep you alive."

In another world, Dante and Vergil are likely still battling the Mondesian fusion. Their only hope is the Holy Grail, stolen from Nero. Without it, Mondes might be weakened. But Nero still senses the Grail stirring for its former owner, so to completely resolve the problem, she must find a new master. Either return the Grail to the one before her, or take control of it herself. In either case, she needs the former owner's help.

"...Ah, really." The beast replied calmly.

"you are not willing?"

"I've already been defeated." The beast raised its head and said, "The stage has been destroyed, the drama has ceased. If I continue to struggle, it would be too ugly."

"...That's it."

That was the only way. Nero Claudius didn't want to live, but that didn't matter. The Sixth Beast itself didn't want to die, and that was enough.

Nero raised his head and gazed at the chaotic crimson sky. This was Limbo, a bitterly cold place at the end of endless time and space, a field of destruction about to be swallowed by nothingness, and also the cradle and execution ground prepared for the Sixth Beast.

"Then, it's as you wish."

"Oh, how generous of you—Puha!"

"Hey?!" Mr. Nero looked on in shock as Nero plunged the Yama Blade into the beast's tiny body. But Nero remained unmoved, controlling the blade in his hand and whispering, "Quiet."

There was no blood, but instead seven streams of light, each of varying colors, gushed from the Sixth Beast's body. Nero silently drew his blade, reaching out to press against the wound that pierced the tiny body, and watched as the seven tangled streams of light soared towards the sky.

"What... do you mean?" The Sixth Beast—no, Nero Claudius—raised her head and glared at Nero's profile—then her pupils began to tremble.

"I told you, in order to defeat my enemies, I need the help of the Sixth Beast." Nero chuckled and looked at the departing lights. "As for who the Sixth Beast is, to be honest, it doesn't matter."

Indeed, Nero Claudius, the consciousness of the Sixth Beast, did not want to live, nor did he want to offer his assistance. However, the Sixth Beast itself might not agree to her wishes. Nero's previous strike severed the seven heads of the Seven Beasts, the Ten-Horned Beast—the seven "Demon Beasts" that formed the complete Sixth Beast. Unwilling to die, these seven heads separated from their original bodies and fled, scattering across this shattered spacetime.

When they reunite, a new Beast of Apocalypse will be born. Nero will use their power to become the new master of the Holy Grail.

She believes she is qualified.

"Who... are you?!" Nero Claudius asked with his eyes wide open.

"Me? My name... is Nero."

As he spoke, Nero spread his wings behind him and flew into the sky, chasing after the escaping lights.

“How… is this possible?!!!” Nero Claudius widened his eyes and fell into a coma.

Stunned and with his mind in a state of confusion, Mr. Nero watched her fly away in shock, frozen in place for a moment.

Then he looked at the unconscious self-proclaimed Roman emperor, holding his head and shouting helplessly: "No, what's going on?!"

(End of this chapter)