"H-How much is it?!"
"SO MANY ZEROOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"THE DEVIL IS SO GENEROUS!"
As the bounty on the Hero Faction went live, an absolute shockwave ripped through the supernatural underground. The figures attached to the names of Cao Cao, his lieutenants, and every single person tangentially related to the ambush were astronomical. Finn Balam hadn't just put a price on their heads; he had weaponized his entire corporate empire.
However, when the bounty hunters read the combat data attached to Cao Cao's file—specifically noting that he wielded the True Longinus, the legendary lance that had pierced Jesus Christ—many of them froze in a daze.
How were they supposed to react to that?
"Let's do it!" a rogue magician yelled, slamming his hand on the table of a dingy supernatural tavern.
"...Are you sure?" a scarred mercenary asked hesitantly.
"Look at the payout! They're just a bunch of arrogant human kids! What are you so afraid of?! Do you have any idea who is funding this bounty? There's no need to hesitate! If we bring their heads to the young Lord Balam, we're set for life!"
"He's right! Money is more important than fear!"
Everyone needed money, especially those rotting in the dark corners of the supernatural world. It was a brutal reality. Just like the human world, where the vast majority struggled on the border of poverty, the supernatural world was no different. Unless you were born into a Great Pillar or a deeply entrenched magical dynasty like the Himejima Clan, life was a miserable, daily grind for survival. Rogues, stray Devils, and independent mercenaries couldn't plan for the future; they only thought about surviving until tomorrow.
But Finn's bounty offered them a future.
More importantly, Finn didn't just offer liquid cash. He held massive shares in global financial institutions. If a hunter simply provided verified intelligence on the Hero Faction's movements, Finn promised them a highly lucrative, entirely legal, cushy job within one of his front companies.
If a hunter actually managed to kill a high-ranking member?
They would never have to work another day in their lives. Finn publicly promised to appoint them to the Board of Directors of his holding companies. They would receive a permanent, passive income for the rest of their lives, functioning like wealthy shareholders in the human world.
Even if they knew they might die fighting the True Longinus, it didn't matter! Dying while fighting for a chance at a real future was infinitely better than slowly starving in the gutters of the supernatural world.
"I DON'T CARE! I WILL HUNT THEM DOWN! DON'T GET IN MY WAY!"
"Wait, what if the Devil is lying!?" a younger mercenary panicked.
"Devils operate on absolute contracts, you idiot! They are infinitely fairer than humans. If a Devil promises a reward, the contract forces them to pay! They are far more reliable than the humans who pay us pennies!"
"....."
The argument was over. The hunt was on.
While Finn often claimed he wanted to remain 'low-key', his retaliation was a masterpiece of ruthless, overwhelming economic warfare.
The privileged heirs and heiresses of the Underworld, protected by their powerful parents, couldn't possibly comprehend the terrifying loyalty Finn had just bought. Those without privilege were willing to tear the world apart for the chance Finn was offering.
And their secondary target? The Himejima Clan.
In the vast mythology and legends of the supernatural world, the Himejima Clan was nothing more than a tiny, localized faction in Japan. Their numbers were low, and their traditional Shinto magic was nothing compared to the overwhelming violence of desperate Sacred Gear users, Rogue Devils, and heavily armed mercenaries flooding into Japan to claim the bounties.
As the Himejima Clan and the other Five Principal Clans suddenly found themselves under absolute siege, the news quickly reached the Underworld.
Sirzechs Lucifer, who frequently monitored Japan to ensure the safety of his little sister, Rias, naturally became aware of the massive crisis engulfing the Shinto factions.
"...What exactly is he doing?" Sirzechs sighed, rubbing his temples in his office.
Frankly, Sirzechs only truly cared about Rias. Beyond that, he cared about maintaining geopolitical peace. He absolutely did not want a diplomatic conflict with the Japanese Pantheons or the local Omnyoji. He just wanted his little sister to enjoy her school life.
"Don't blame him, Sirzechs-chan."
Serafall Leviathan, sitting across from him, surprisingly came to Finn's defense. "They put a hit on his head first. They literally tried to assassinate the heir of a pure-blood noble house. He has a right to retaliation, as he did nothing wrong. If we step in, force him to back down, and demand he apologize to the humans, Zekram Bael and the Great King Faction will tear us apart in the council. Every Devil in the Underworld will see the Four Satans as spineless cowards."
While Serafall frequently acted like a bubbly, magical-girl airhead, she was a terrifyingly sharp politician. Her cute persona was a calculated weapon used to make her enemies let their guard down.
"..."
Sirzechs remained silent, but he sighed heavily. He knew she was right. It would be a political disaster if the Great King Faction gained even more leverage in Devil society. He had spent centuries working tirelessly to foster peace; he couldn't afford a civil war over a minor human clan.
"More importantly, Sirzechs," Serafall continued, her pink eyes suddenly turning deadly serious. "Finn Balam was ambushed by the True Longinus... and he survived. You know exactly what that implies, right?"
Ultimate-Class.
Among the countless Devils in the Underworld, those who reached the true apex of power were incredibly rare. Many High-Class Nobles were actually pathetically weak, relying entirely on their lineage rather than raw combat strength. In fact, many low-born reincarnated Devils possessed far more combat prowess than their masters.
But for a young heir to take a direct hit from the ultimate God-killing weapon and walk away? It meant Finn Balam had quietly crossed the threshold into the Ultimate-Class.
If the Four Satans made a hostile move against a young, Ultimate-Class prodigy belonging to the Bael faction, Zekram Bael would absolutely declare war, and the delicate balance between the Four Satan Factions and the Great King Faction would be tilted over to their disadvantage.
"Then what should we do? Will Rias and Sona be safe in Kuoh amidst all these bounty hunters and the mess with the Shinto factions?" Sirzechs asked, his primary concern surfacing.
"Oh, they are perfectly safe," Serafall smiled calmly, leaning back in her chair. "Who in their right mind would dare attack the little sisters of Lucifer and Leviathan?"
"...Please don't tease me, Serafall," Sirzechs sighed again.
But she was right. Even the most desperate, money-hungry mercenary wouldn't dare touch Rias or Sona, nor the Shinto factions, either. That was a guaranteed death sentence.
"There's really no need for us to intervene. This is a private blood feud between Finn Balam, the Hero Faction, and the Himejima Clan. It won't spill over into our territories," Serafall concluded.
Truthfully, Serafall had never liked the arrogant Himejima Clan. Furthermore, she found Finn's ruthless, overwhelming retaliation to protect his Queen incredibly romantic. Despite his youth, his cold, calculating devotion made her giddy.
"Instead of worrying about the Himejima, Sirzechs, we need to focus entirely on the wielder of the True Longinus. If human extremists are actively targeting High-Class Devils..."
"You are absolutely right," Sirzechs nodded, his expression hardening.
Compared to the localized chaos in Japan, the emergence of a militant faction wielding the True Longinus was a global threat. Was this attack specifically aimed at Finn Balam due to a personal grudge, or was it a declaration of war against Devilkind as a whole?
Understanding the gravity of the situation, Sirzechs formally decided not to interfere with Finn's bounties.
"...But he sure does have an absurd amount of money," Sirzechs noted wryly.
"...Yeah. It's almost terrifying," Serafall agreed.
The two Satans sighed in unison, marveling at the sheer financial violence a single young Devil could unleash.
While Sirzechs and Serafall passively endorsed Finn's actions, a highly unexpected guest arrived at his mansion in Hong Kong.
Finn was currently enjoying a quiet, cozy afternoon on the terrace, his head resting comfortably in Akeno's lap while she gently fed him peeled grapes.
Suddenly, a golden, glowing cloud descended from the sky, hovering just past the balcony railing.
"Well now, young man. Could you perhaps find it in your heart to call off your hunt for Cao Cao?"
An elderly, monkey-like man in traditional martial arts garb stood on the cloud, scratching his cheek somewhat awkwardly.
Finn sighed, not even bothering to sit up. Everyone in this world was the exact same. Every single terrorist or arrogant clan always had a massive, mythological backing hiding behind them.
Naturally, the Himejima Clan also had their divine backers. Since the Shinto Gods couldn't openly intervene without starting a Pantheon War, a certain Omnyoji heroine—who had recently been thrust into the leadership of the collapsing Himejima Clan—had desperately gone begging for help.
And for Cao Cao?
He was standing face-to-face with the legendary Victorious Fighting Buddha. Sun Wukong.