High School DxD: The Fallen Red Eyed King

Chapter 23: The Yankee of the Student Council

Hajime's Subconscious
Hajime POV
Ugh...man...Things haven't been feeling right lately.

Alastor: Oi. Hajime.

I took a look around, and Alastor was there. He was facing me with that serious look on his face.

Hajime: Huh...? Alastor?

Alastor: Listen close boy. We need to talk.

At first I was literally just asleep. Then I'm just now pulled into my own subconscious. Guess this was Alastor's doing.

But here we are now just sitting down and chatting with one another.

Hajime: So what exactly do we need to talk about?

Alastor: There's something major I need to speak to you about. A group of devils that were feared by the Original Devil Kings themselves. Malebranche.

Hajime: Huh...? Malebranche...? I think I recalled something about you saying something about them.

Alastor: Then how about I do that now?

Hajime: Oh shit.

Alastor: Yeah 'oh shit'. So put your big boy pants on. Now.

So eventually, Alastor began talking to me about this organization, Malebranche, where he is the chief, the Grand Master.

Alastor: Malebranche is a group of demons that have been personally handpicked and elevated to power by Satan himself, and chosen by me. Jobs we had at the time was to locate damned souls that were once corrupt politicians in the world of the living. Then, the Four Great Devil Kings used crystals excavated from Agreas. They became modeled living weapons. We were referred as Satanic Arms. A demonic rival to the Sacred Gears.

Hajime: Is that so?

Alastor: Together, they have abilities to enhance power and turn into Combat Gear. The Four Great Devil Kings used them, but they later sealed them all because of fearing their absolutely devastating power. As such, none of the Malebranche was used in the Great War, because even if the Devils won, they believed the Malebranche would later kill them in their sleep, describing them as extremely crazed combatants. I never felt more proud of them.

Hajime: It's cause they made them know fear. Right?

Alastor snapped his fingers with a smile.

Alastor: Exactly. It's because Malebranche showed them one thing for sure. They don't care for the other Devil Kings, they never have. We follow one ruler: Satan.

Hajime: So, how many are there exactly.

It seemed that Alastor was silent for a bit. But he did speak up.

Alastor: There's twelve of them. Each of them are extremely strong. Not in their own way. They are strong.

Alastor began to list each of the Twelve Members of Malebranche.

"Farfarello, the Lord of the Forgotten: Excels in Memory and Thought Altercation, as well as Mass Slaughter. He has seen his conquest delayed by death, but not denied."

"Alichino, the Jester Prince of the Cage: Dressed as a harlequin and excels at Deception and Trickery. A master of disguise that can befriend anyone by using a dozen voices and a hundred different faces."

"Graffiacane, the Swarm Lord: Elusive and very Corruptive. He is said to be able to turn friends into foes with his kiss. Also seems to have an affect on vermin."

"Draghignazzo, the Devil-Dragon of Devastation: Exactly as described, a fucking dragon that cause catastrophic damage and devastation. Very patient thanks to his brother, Scarmiglione."