❁❁❁❁
Single-handedly waving around a 100-ton castle gate—was that even human?
Probably for the first ti, Riser began to doubt his own understanding of the world.
After all, both the historical records and his own intelligence networks indicated that the human species was inherently fragile. Even if they diligently practiced so secret arts, they'd still just be glass cannons at best.
Oh, perhaps not even a "Cannon"—more like a "Glass pea-shooter."
Human bodies were too weak—so weak that, at the sa level, they couldn't beat devils or fallen angels. They could easily be killed by those two races. And so, humans' upper limit was far lower than that of devils or fallen angels.
But the scene before him—Bokue Keikain making a casual display of flinging around that humongous steel gate—totally defied this ironclad rule.
"You… you actually dared co to the Underworld?"
Setting down his wineglass on a nearby servant's tray, Riser forced his expression into a calm mask, parting the crowd in the banquet hall to confront the young man who was descending the steps, gate in hand.
"What's there not to dare?" Bokue's expression remained flat.
"Tch…"
Riser clenched his teeth.
Bokue's appearance instantly proved that so of the intel was wrong. But at this point, there was no going back—this entire banquet had been arranged by him and now represented the Phenex family's face.
Even so, never in his wildest dreams had he considered lowering his head before a re human!
Collecting himself, Riser tucked away the fury behind a forced smile: "Nothing. Just a bit surprised, that's all. Well—this actually suits . Right from the start, we said we'd settle things with a Rating Ga. If you people didn't show, that would've been a real headache for ."
As he spoke, his gaze slid past Bokue's shoulder, landing on the red-haired girl behind him.
"So before we officially begin, let confirm sothing: Rias—besides Lady Sona from the Sitri clan, I see your group. Are these your household mbers—?"
"No need to complicate it."
Without waiting for him to finish, Bokue interrupted curtly:
"Rias has so physical issues, so she won't be participating in battle. Your opponent is just ."
'Wow…'
Hearing this, Serafall—standing nearby with Sirzechs and Sairaorg—uttered a soft gasp, pressing both hands to her mouth, her cheeks faintly pink, purple eyes shimring with starry lights like an aunt doting on nieces and nephews.
After all, none of them were kids. Everyone basically knew how things worked. Considering Rias's unusual walk upon arrival—and if you connected that with Bokue's words—of course it made sense that her "physical issues" were from… yeah.
Serafall excitedly elbowed Sirzechs in the ribs: "Sirzechs-chaaaan! Does that an Rias is already—"
"Uh-huh, yep…" All the red-haired Satan could do was nod vaguely, hoping to brush off the subject.
At Serafall's side, the sparkle in her eyes grew even stronger.
In stark contrast, standing amid the banquet crowd, Riser's expression—just barely reigned back—once again twisted.
As the third son of the Phenex family, he'd been popular with won from an early age, and even after forming his household, he chose only young and beautiful female devils. He certainly understood the consequences for a woman after the first ti she…
Yes, seeing Rias walk in a bit oddly… plus Bokue's blatant claims… it wasn't hard to guess what "physical issues" entailed.
Of course, what stung Riser more was the hushed whispers in the crowd.
He'd launched this challenge to earn so face, wanting to beat that damned brat who stole his fiancée, humiliating him in front of Rias.
But now, they hadn't even started the fight, and he'd already lost a round.
"What, you don't get it?"
Seeing Riser stand there silently, Bokue shrugged.
"I an it exactly like I said—if you've got yourself plus fifteen servants, then I alone will take on all fifteen of you."
The word arrogant wasn't enough. In a split second, the entire hall roiled with commotion; Riser, too, looked montarily stunned.
Never had he imagined a re human could be so cocky.
But for many devils present, if Riser did bring out his entire peerage to swarm this single man, it would appear pathetically unsporting. So from a standpoint of pride, that was impossible.
"Relax. We don't need that."
Riser's smile curved into sothing savage: "Though I'd said we'd settle it with a Rating Ga against Rias, truth is, it was only a premise. The real target I want to defeat is you. Perfect—since you've got the nerve, let's just go one-on-one."
Bokue half-lidded his eyes scornfully: "Suit yourself. Just don't regret it when you find it's only you getting pumled."
"Regret? The only one regretting it will be you!"
With that, Riser turned on his heel and strode to the wide-open north side of the banquet hall—an enormous circular arena outside.
"All right, ti for the opening bout! I'll be referee!"
Before the onlookers could react, Serafall sprang from Sirzechs's side, bounding over to Bokue. She twirled around and grinned at him with bright eyes:
"No need to worry—I'll be totally fair as referee! Let's do our best, umm…?"
Mid-sentence, Serafall realized she didn't even know his na.
But Bokue had already walked on, wearing white robe flapping behind him, leaving just one line in the air:
"Bokue Keikain, acting head of the Keikain clan."
"Oh, oh! Then I'll count on you, Bokue-chaaaan!"
❁❁❁❁
Scene change: outside the banquet hall, beneath the Underworld's evening sky. A faint chill wafted over the fortress's stone-paved arena.
Facing each other about ten ters apart, Bokue on one side, Riser Phenex on the other.
From behind Riser rose scorching Phenex flas, forming wings of fiery brilliance. A gust of heat blasted the entire ring.
Serafall stood in the middle as referee. Casually flicking an icy spell around herself to offset the heat, she glanced at the hall behind them, seeing the throng of devils watching through the open archway. No further chatter—ti to start.
She raised her fairy wand high:
"Then… the match begins!"
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
Within 0.01 seconds of Serafall's declaration, Riser—wreathed in Phenex fire—launched forward like a bullet from a railgun, only to instantly get swatted away, catapulted backward through the banquet hall's open doorway, lodging face-first into the far wall.
His unstoppable montum left nothing but a crater.
~ 18 Advanced Chapters available on Patreon.
~ [email protected]/dragonnx
( Replace '@' with 'a' to access normally )
~ Keep the chapters coming—Support with Power Stones!
~ Every 200 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
User Comments
0 comments from readers