"You want to challenge me for Rias?" I asked, my voice carrying across the hall. "Then let's make it interesting."
As a result of my words, the surroundings began to hum with whispers. The nobles of the Underworld leaned toward each other, their expressions ranging from shock to scandalized delight at the unfolding drama. Nothing entertained high-class devils like conflict, especially when it disrupted centuries of tradition.
Rias turned toward her Pawn, her expression a complex mixture of hope, worry, and exasperation. "Issei!" she called out, her voice carrying both warning and encouragement.
The young man straightened his posture, his eyes burning with determination. The red gauntlet on his left arm pulsed with energy as he pointed dramatically in my direction.
"Buchou... No, Rias Gremory-sama's virginity belongs to me!"
The declaration hung in the air for one perfect moment of absolute silence. Then, like a wave crashing against shore, reactions rippled through the crowd, gasps of shock, scandalized murmurs, and a few poorly concealed snickers from the younger devils present.
Every eye in the hall turned to me, the one who had received this most unconventional of provocations. They waited with bated breath to see how the proud scion of House Phenex would respond to such a crude challenge. The original Riser would have erupted in rage, his pride wounded by the impudence of a lowly reincarnated devil.
But I was not the original Riser. And I would not miss out on a good show.
With deliberate slowness, I turned to Rias beside me. Her eyes widened slightly, sensing that something unexpected was about to happen. Before she could react, I took her hand in mine, pulled her closer, and kissed her passionately in front of the entire assembly.
It wasn't just for show, I put every ounce of technique I could muster into that kiss, knowing exactly what effect it would have on everyone watching. Rias stiffened in surprise for a moment before I felt her involuntarily respond.
"Mmmh..." A soft moan escaped her lips before she could stop it.
I released her just as the sound reached the front rows of the audience. Everyone, including her parents, stared at Rias in shock. Her face flushed crimson to match her hair as she quickly backed away from me, her eyes wide with confusion, embarrassment, and unmistakable anger. She glared at me with a fury that could have melted stone, but I turned my attention back to Issei.
"Oh, and her first kiss is mine," I announced with casual arrogance, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Issei stood frozen, mouth agape, as the implications of what had just happened sank in. His face traversed a fascinating journey through various emotions, shock, disbelief, hurt, and finally settling on pure rage.
"You bastard!" he roared, the Boosted Gear on his arm flaring brighter in response to his emotions. "How dare you kiss Buchou!"
With a cry of rage, he charged across the marble floor toward me, all thoughts of decorum forgotten in his fury. Guards moved to intercept him, but I waved them off with a casual gesture. This was exactly what I wanted.
Now was the perfect moment to test my new abilities. As Issei closed the distance, I focused on the power humming beneath my skin. The sensation of Shinra's abilities merging with Riser's natural phoenix powers was intoxicating, raw, primal energy waiting to be unleashed.
Just as Issei came within striking range, I focused my energy into my legs. Flames ignited around my ankles, not the golden-orange fire of a Phenex, but a deeper crimson. Utilizing Shinra's "Devil's Footprint," I delivered a perfect roundhouse kick, moving with such speed that to most observers, it appeared as though I had simply teleported into position.
My foot connected with Issei's chest with devastating precision. The impact sent him flying backward, crashing into several rows of empty chairs with a thunderous noise. A collective gasp rose from the audience.
"What is the meaning of this, Lady Gremory?!" exclaimed an elderly devil from one of the more conservative houses, his monocle practically vibrating with indignation. "Is this disgraceful display part of the ceremony?"
Rias stood speechless, clearly caught off guard by the rapidly escalating situation. "Umm..." she muttered, uncharacteristically lost for words.
"It was an event I organized," Sirzechs interjected smoothly, stepping forward with the casual confidence that came with being one of the four rulers of the Underworld. Despite his easy smile, I caught the calculating look in his eyes as he observed my display of power, especially the unusual flames around my feet that were already fading. "I wanted to see the power of a dragon, so I asked Grayfia to help me organize it."
I seized the opening, turning toward Sirzechs with an expression of dignified disapproval. "You can't do that at your sister's happiest moments, Maou-sama," I said, injecting the right amount of respectful reproach into my voice. "It is irresponsible of you to ruin her happiest moment."
The assembled devils turned to regard Sirzechs with disapproval, though no one but me dared to voice criticism of the Crimson Satan. My willingness to speak up seemed to surprise everyone, including Rias, who stared at me with newfound confusion. This was not the behavior she expected from her arrogant fiancé.
"Are you suggesting that the last Rating Game was unfair, even after the handicap I gave her beforehand?" I continued, referencing how the previous version of me had only used half his peerage, a decision made out of arrogance rather than fairness, designed to provoke and humiliate Rias further.
Before Sirzechs could respond, Issei's voice cut through the tension. He had extracted himself from the wreckage of chairs and was staggering back toward us, his uniform even more tattered than before.
"Hey, don't ignore me!" he shouted, the Boosted Gear pulsing with each word.
His persistence irritated me. Playing a role was one thing, but something about his single-minded obsession with Rias triggered genuine annoyance. I decided a demonstration was in order.
I turned toward him and unleashed a portion of my demonic power, not enough to cause permanent harm, but sufficient to make my point. The pressure hit Issei like a physical wave, driving him to his knees as the air around him grew heavy with malevolent energy.
"I'm going to die, I'm going to die!" he muttered repeatedly, his body trembling under the weight of my demonic power.
Before I could press my advantage, Sirzechs stepped in front of Issei, shielding him from my display of power. The message was clear: the game would continue according to his rules, not mine.
"What is the meaning of this, Lucifer-sama?" I asked, reining in my aura out of respect for his position.
"I just wanted to wait until you get in the ring," he replied with his perpetual pleasant smile, though I noticed him surreptitiously encouraging Issei telepathically. The young man's expression shifted from despair to renewed determination in seconds.
"Yes, let's have a one-on-one Rating Game, you grilled chicken!" Issei declared, finding his courage again with his master's brother's support.
I raised an eyebrow at the juvenile insult but addressed Sirzechs directly. "Do you truly wish to witness my battle against him, Lucifer-sama?"
"Yes," Sirzechs nodded, his eyes gleaming with something that wasn't entirely benevolent. "Let's make this event more extravagant to prove that you are worthy of Rias."
I understood the game he was playing, setting up a spectacle that would either end with his sister's freedom or with me sufficiently proving my worth. It was clever, but two could play at political maneuvering.
"Are you saying that if he wins, he will be able to marry Rias?" I asked, deliberately pushing the scenario to its logical conclusion.
"No," Sirzechs replied firmly.
Issei's face fell momentarily at this clarification, before Sirzechs continued.
"But since he is a devil, he will naturally get a prize. Now, what would you like, Issei-kun? Money, women, or a peerage?"
Without hesitation, Issei straightened his posture and declared, "I want you to return Rias Gremory-sama."
"Very well. If you win, you can have Rias back," Sirzechs conceded with a nod.
"Thank you," Issei said, bowing deeply.
I waited until their exchange concluded before raising the question the original Riser had been too arrogant to ask. "Then what about me?" I inquired calmly.
"What?" Sirzechs asked, genuinely caught off guard by my question.
"I asked, 'What do I get if I win?'" I repeated, maintaining eye contact with the Crimson Satan.
"You already have Rias Gremory-sama, you bastard," Issei interjected hotly.
I ignored him completely, my gaze fixed on Sirzechs as I waited for his response. The hall had gone silent again, everyone intrigued by this unexpected turn. How could the original Riser have been so blinded by pride that he never thought to ask for compensation in the off chance of victory? Pure arrogance, likely, the assumption that the outcome was so certain that additional rewards were unnecessary.
"What do you mean, Riser?" Sirzechs asked, his pleasant mask slipping just slightly to reveal genuine curiosity.
"I mean no offense, Lucifer-sama, but why would I fight him knowing I'm going to win for nothing?" I kept my tone respectful but firm.
"Bastard!" Issei yelled again, but his outburst was lost in the tension between me and the Maou.
"What do you want, Riser-kun?" Sirzechs finally asked, his expression unreadable.
I considered my options carefully. Asking for too much would appear greedy and potentially antagonize one of the most powerful beings in existence. But this was my chance to secure something valuable.
"I want a favor when I win," I said simply. "To be claimed at my discretion."
A blank check from a Maou, potentially priceless in the right circumstances.
Sirzechs regarded me thoughtfully for a long moment before nodding. "Alright, that sounds fair."
"Thank you, Maou-sama," I replied, bowing slightly to show appropriate deference.
Relief washed through me. Thank the Devil he had agreed. With a favor from Sirzechs Lucifer, I might have a way out of this arranged marriage without causing an inter-house incident. Though who was I kidding? He would certainly be furious when I inevitably used the favor to divorce his precious sister. That shitty sis-con would probably try to find some loophole.
As these thoughts crossed my mind, I heard a familiar notification sound that only I could perceive.
[DING!!!]
'Motherfucker,' I thought, wondering what the system wanted now, just as things were getting interesting. The timing couldn't be worse.
I maintained my composed exterior despite my internal aggravation, watching as Sirzechs turned to address the assembled guests.
"Distinguished devils of the Underworld," he announced, his voice carrying effortlessly across the hall. "It seems we will be witnessing an unprecedented contest today, a battle between Riser Phenex and the wielder of the Boosted Gear, for the freedom of my sister."
Excited murmurs spread through the crowd. Nothing entertained the nobility of the Underworld quite like unexpected bloodsport.
"The Rating Game will commence in one hour," Sirzechs continued. "I invite all of you to retire to the viewing chambers, where refreshments will be served while the arena is prepared."
As the guests began to file out, discussing the surprising turn of events with animated gestures, I caught sight of Rias watching me with an expression I couldn't quite decipher. Suspicion, certainly, but also curiosity, as if seeing me for the first time.
Little did she know how right she was.