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Chapter 61: Be Proud.
🕑 Added 2025-06-13 11:29:46 +0000 UTCCelestial Ascendancy
Chapter 61: Be Proud
Underworld, Rating game arena.
Gasper Vladi.
Watching the effects of the fights and hearing the few but important alerts from the earpiece weren’t helping my mood. At all.
I understood Rias, maybe even appreciated what she was trying to do, but I wasn’t the same Gasper as before.
Or at least, I hoped I wasn’t.
Ever since Rias and Elias visited me in my room, my life had changed completely, and I liked to think it was for the better. Whatever Elias did to me during our first meeting changed my perspective on life as a whole.
I still didn’t understand what I had seen that day, and honestly, I probably never would. Even Rias, who was much more knowledgeable than me, acted oblivious and tried to pretend it never happened.
I understood that feeling… When the two of them entered my room and told me Rias was going to fight, I panicked. I hated fighting.
No, that wasn’t right.
I feared violence. I was nothing but a cursed half-breed who had only brought ruin and pain to everyone around me since the day I was born.
My mother, a woman I never even met, thanks to that curse, died in childbirth. And my father feared me so much that making my life miserable became his new purpose.
The only good thing during my childhood was Valerie. And I left her behind. She helped me escape, and I ran. I left her... alone with that monster she called a father.
I haven’t heard anything about her in all these years. And it was my fault.
But Elias changed me. He showed me kindness. He showed me hope. And he showed me, even if without meaning to, that there were still good people in the world.
Not only that, he showed me that people still cared about me. That I had friends, no, family. And that they needed my help.
He was my admiration, and I wanted to be like him. That’s why I was growing increasingly twitchy at the sounds of spells slamming into the ground and the steady stream of alerts announcing more of Riser’s peerage getting ejected.
With every passing second, I was feeling more and more disgusted by my inaction, and in the midst of it, my ears twitched as I heard a weird sound.
Looking around in alarm, I felt my heart beating inside my chest. My vision narrowed, and I was gasping for breath even before I noticed anything was wrong.
“Who’s there?” I squeaked, then slapped my cheek hard enough to sting. The pain helped me focus, grounding me in the moment. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to concentrate on my senses.
There.
A small familiar was watching me from the open window. It was an ugly little thing, like the pixies from some fairy tales I’d read online, just… not as ethereal.
Which made sense. Most familiars came from the Familiar Forest in the Underworld, and lower-leveled ones were often warped by the demonic energy there.
My heart slowed a little.
Then I heard the sound of bigger wings flapping, and it kicked back into overdrive.
They knew I was here. I needed to hide.
“No!” I hissed. No. No. No. I wasn’t a scared boy anymore. I had trained. I was more than capable of dealing with the familiar before disappearing again. It wasn’t cowardice, I told myself hesitantly. No, it was playing to my strengths.
With a firm nod, I shifted into my bat form as a small magic circle shimmered to life around me, cloaking me the best I could. Trying to avoid controlling the shadows.
My control over them had improved, but I didn’t want to risk being seen before I was ready. Also… the shadows were temperamental, and I’d rather not test the fragile line between a Rating Game and a fight to the death.
I flew toward the familiar, snatched it with my clawed toes, and dragged it inside the fort. As soon as I landed, I returned to my normal form and stomped it under my foot.
I scowled at the dark, oozing blood on my shoe. Even the smell wasn’t appetizing... thankfully. I disliked my vampire side enough as it was.
I turned back into bat form and slipped into the shadows of the fort, waiting. I heard the thump of two devils landing just outside the door.
I held my breath, trying to be completely silent.
BAM.
The door burst open, and my small body tensed as two figures stepped inside.
Mihae and Isabela. If my memory serves me right.
Oh no. Was I done for?
I wasn’t sure if I could handle a Bishop and a Rook on my own.
Keeping completely still, I tried to quiet the sound of my own heartbeat... it was pounding like a war drum as I focused on the two of them.
“I don’t see anyone here, Mihae,” Isabela muttered, scowling as she scanned the room. “Where’s your familiar? Call him.”
“I’m trying, Isabela,” Mihae answered gently, frowning as she moved quickly toward the window, then gasped.
“No!” she cried, dropping to her knees beside the crushed familiar. It was still moving, barely. Its tiny chest rose and fell with difficulty.
That sound… I knew that sound.
Grief.
“Anna…” Mihae whispered as her hands lit with green magic, slowly beginning to mend the creature’s wounds. The healing was sluggish... painfully slow. So unlike Elias's.
I didn’t know how to feel. They were my enemies, but seeing her panic over her familiar made me feel… uncomfortable.
“Why are you wasting your time on trash, Mihae?” Isabela snapped. “A simple familiar isn’t as important as Lord Riser’s Rating Game.”
I found myself scowling, mirroring her expression. How could she say that to someone giving their all to save something they clearly saw as a friend?
I licked my lips as I saw Mihae ignore her, continuing the healing spell.
Isabela took a step forward, raising her arm as if to shove the Bishop aside.
I didn’t hesitate.
I activated my Sacred Gear, and the world shimmered as time froze around Isabela. She locked in place motionless. Mihae hadn’t even noticed.
I undid my transformation and dropped silently from the ceiling, trusting gravity to carry me. I could feel my shadows twitching with irritation, every second in this situation made them stir more violently.
My clawed fingers found the Rook’s neck and sliced fast, letting momentum guide my hand all the way down to her legs. The cut was clean. Blood poured as the frozen time shattered, and Isabela vanished in a burst of light.
I spun around and threw up a defensive spell, just in case.
But Mihae didn’t attack.
To my surprise, she just covered the pixie with her body, shielding it as she looked up at me, her eyes wide with fear.
The feeling in my gut got worse once I noticed that. It was pretty similar to the expressions directed at me while I lived in my father’s castle.
I dropped the shield and lifted my hands.
“I’m sorry for your familiar, Miss Mihae,” I said honestly. She must have noticed the sincerity because her expression softened just a little. She didn’t move... just kept working her healing magic, though it wasn’t doing much.
“It’s okay,” she replied softly before her expression twisted. “We’re enemies. What you did wasn’t wrong. I…”
Her voice cracked.
“I just want her to be fine. But I’m not that good with healing magic.”
“Can’t the Phenex family help you with that?” I frowned.
She shook her head gently. “I don’t know. I don’t know if Lord Riser will forgive me for this pathetic showing.”
My heart twisted. I felt even worse for what I’d done, until an idea came to me, and I smiled a little.
“Maybe you could ask Elias? He’s the human who’s been accompanying our peerage. He’s quite capable of healing, and I feel bad for hurting your familiar. I’ll ask him too, even if you don’t.” I sighed. “I don’t want to fight you. Can I ask you to surrender peacefully?”
“I can’t,” she said softly. Her familiar vanished into her magic circle. “I already failed Lord Riser. If I give up without trying, I won’t be able to face him later.”
I felt bad... but at the same time, my respect for her grew. We weren’t that different, really. We were both doing our best to support our King.
“Have it your way,” I said with a nod, summoning a magic circle.
She nodded back. A shield shimmered to life just in time to block my laser. I sidestepped her retaliation. An arcing fireball and I transformed back into my bat form, using the burst of speed to close the gap between us.
Just like we’d practiced in training, my shadow lashed out. Carefully. Doing my best to tame it.
It stretched across the room and linked with the shadow of a chair behind her, slipping through the blind spot she wasn’t guarding. I fired another weak lightning bolt to keep her focus forward. She took the bait, turned her body, and I struck from behind.
She fell, and as she vanished into light, the last thing I saw was a gentle smile on her face.
I didn’t know if she’d ask Elias for help in the end... but I wouldn’t forget to do it.
I didn’t want to make anyone wear that expression again. I wasn’t a monster. I was just Gasper.
I didn’t want to imagine a day when Elias, his girls, or even my family looked at me the way she had.
As that thought lingered, the weight of what I’d done finally crashed over me like a wave.
My chest clenched. Oh Lucifer, that had been so scary.
But what surprised me more was how easy it had been.
Were they just weak? Or had my worldview been twisted by Elias, by whatever he was?
The adrenaline left me in an instant. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor, trembling.
“I… I did it,” I whispered. A small, eager smile crept onto my lips. “The training worked. Maybe… I really can help Rias too.”
With that thought in mind, I felt my confidence soar, and I stood up with shaky steps. I could help Rias. I would. And I didn’t need to stay here.
“Lady Rias’s queen has given up,” the voice of Lady Grayfia brought my happy feelings to a halt.
Scene change.
Gasper Vladi
I was flying.
Not with my devil wings, no. That would be too obvious. Also, I liked being in my bat form. It felt nice.
The remnants of my adrenaline still hadn’t left my system, and my mind was racing, caught between horror and pride.
I did it.
I beat them.
I helped.
I wanted to scream it from the top of the fort to let everyone know I wasn’t useless. That I wasn’t just the trembling half-vampire hiding in a box. I was strong. I could protect them. I could protect the one that gave me a third chance at life.
My king, Rias.
I pushed forward through the air, as cloaked as I was capable with my magic, weaving between ledges and ruined chunks of the conjured scenery left behind by Lord Ajuka.
I didn’t know much. The earpiece had gone silent a while ago since Lady Grayfia announced Akeno’s ejection.
She was strong. Stronger than me. If she was out…
I shook the thought away, forcing my focus forward.
Then I heard something.
I slowed, hovering above the ground and letting my body blend into the shadow of a broken statue.
“…if I have to finish this myself, so be it,” the voice growled angrily.
Riser. My King’s enemy and husband to be, if we failed.
I crept closer, staying above him, high on the stone arches.
He was pacing across a ruined stretch of arena, and I saw the last few pieces of his peerage nearby. They looked in a bad mood. Scuffed. Even if they were healthy, they had confused expressions on their faces.
I pressed my earpiece. “I found them,” I whispered hurriedly. “Riser and his last three. South quadrant, near the broken tower.”
No one responded. Maybe they were busy. But I knew my message was transmitted.
Didn’t matter. I wasn’t here to fight by myself.
I wanted to help more. I would. And once Rias and the rest arrived, we would beat him to the ground.
Below me, Riser snarled.
“This is getting pathetic,” he spat, kicking a rock aside. “They think they can humiliate me like this? That spoiled brat playing friend with her servants?!”
He laughed sharply, “Rias should’ve accepted her place. She was mine. This whole tantrum is just her trying to prove something she never had in the first place. I’ll end it. I’ll tear down every last servant she has if I must.”
That tone… that disgust in his voice when he spoke about her. Like she was property. Like she didn’t matter.
He didn’t deserve her.
He didn’t deserve anything.
“Yes, Yes,” Riser nodded to himself, “She will learn her place, and I will force her to accept that She belongs to Riser. That’s all she’s ever been. Riser will shatter her pride, then rebuild her into something worthy.”
And I felt something snap.
Riser Phenex
Something was wrong.
The air had gone still around us, and even the hot-headed Karlamine noticed. We all stopped talking, feeling the wrongness in the atmosphere.
It felt like a dangerous beast was preying on us... like the world itself knew something that shouldn’t exist was here. Watching.
Riser glanced over his shoulder, but his limbs refused to move. Even his magic felt frozen, as if too afraid to act.
Then came the first scream.
Xuelan’s voice rang out suddenly, laced with such pure agony that Riser shivered, even though he couldn’t move a muscle. A heartbeat later, the sickening sound of tearing, wet flesh echoed through the empty arena.
He tried to move, tried to push his magic outward and break whatever was paralyzing him to no avail.
A second scream followed. This one wasn’t as long as Xuelan’s. It was shorter, desperate. Muffled, like something had blocked Siris’s airway before she could even begin to cry out.
Riser’s breath hitched as the shadows twisted unnaturally across the sand, jerking and lunging like living things. Tendrils of inky substance rose from them, moving erratically, violently.
The flash of Karlamine's sword brought a flicker of hope. At least one member of his peerage wasn’t a complete failure. Though, given this performance, Riser suspected he'd be loaning them out permanently. They had shamed him. They didn’t deserve to serve under Riser Phenex.
“No! NONONONONO—!” Karlamine's panicked voice burst through the air.
The clash of metal and the hiss of flame rang out for a second, then a loud, wet thud.
Silence followed.
And Riser could finally move.
He staggered back a step, boots squelching against the now blood-soaked sand.
The stench of iron flooded his nostrils, and he scowled.
There they were, the last of his peerage.
Xuelan hung in the air, impaled by dozens of inky spears, her body trembling. Each one drained more blood from her, inch by inch.
It felt like an eternity had passed before she finally vanished from the arena.
Riser turned his head and saw Siris. Her dress was torn, her skin caked in blood, covered in countless tiny cuts.
And then, finally, Riser saw the source of this humiliation.
A tiny boy crouched on top of Karlamine’s body. The sound of tearing flesh echoed again.
“YOU DARE?! YOU ABOMINATION!” Riser roared, gathering his magic in a single breath.
He hurled a barrage of fire at the boy.
The child turned slowly, now fully visible. His skin, once pale, was drenched in blood that clearly wasn’t his.
And yet, even through the carnage, the tear tracks streaking down his cheeks were visible. His red eyes glowed, not with hatred, but with something colder, deeper. Something like disgust. They looked through him.
Riser smirked when he heard the boy hiss in pain as the magic struck him, his form beginning to disappear from the arena.
Then, a thunderous voice shook the sky.
“GASPER!”
Yuuto Kiba
We dropped from the sky like in a hurry, only seeing the last moments of what had happened here.
But we were too late.
Gasper’s body was already disappearing from the arena, consumed by the light of a forced retreat. He didn’t even scream. He just vanished, blood still staining the ground. He was crying, and the fear of his expression was…
My stomach twisted.
Rias clenched her fists beside me. Akeno was gone. Gasper was gone. This was our last stand.
Across from us, Riser was standing alone, blood staining his expensive clothes, probably splatter by whatever Gasper had done to the last members of his peerage.
And still, so damn smug.
“Well, well,” he said, spreading his arms like a showman. “Finally here, are we? The remaining mutts of Rias Gremory.” His lip curled. “Let’s end this farce, shall we? Once this is over and she’s my wife, I’ll teach her how to treat disobedient pets, starting with that little abomination.”
He smirked, his eyes locking onto Rias like she was already shackled to his side.
“She’ll learn her place. Eventually. Maybe once she’s done choking on—”
He didn’t finish the sentence.
I was already walking.
The rage in my chest felt cold against my skin. I didn’t say a word. Just kept walking toward him.
It was a very similar feeling to when Elias took Excalibur transparency for the first time. But now? I welcomed it.
He tilted his head. “Oh? And what’s this? Another lapdog came to bark for his mistress? Will you fight for her too, like a good little disposable piece?”
I stopped and turned towards my King.
Then, slowly knelt before her.
Silence fell across the arena like a blanket.
She looked at me with wide, understanding eyes. There was pain in them. So much pain. For Gasper. For all of us. For the weight she’d been carrying alone.
But there was a difference now. She didn’t have to do everything herself. She had us, and we had her back. I was her Knight, and I was dutybound to protect her honor.
After a moment of hesitation, she nodded. Reached into her pouch and threw it in my direction.
I caught it midair.
The cloth singed my palm. My hand trembled from the contact. The contents inside pulsed with holy power. It hated me. I could feel it already eating my skin.
Riser could feel it, too. He took a step backward.
Didn’t matter.
I clenched it tighter and closed my eyes.
And let it consume me.
The golden light surged around me, swallowing the shadows as my armor snapped into place.
“Balance Breaker: Sword Birth, Light Devourer!”
Riser took a step back, his smirk faltering.
“You’re lucky that I’m your opponent, Riser,” I began neutrally. “Be thankful. I’m far more forgiving than Elias. I’d suggest you watch your mouth about Rias in his presence.”
In a flash, I appeared in front of him. My foot slammed into his chest, sending him flying. A sword grew from the sand where he landed, piercing straight through him.
He burst into flame, screaming as he struggled to break it, finally yanking the pommel from his stomach with a grunt.
“I’ll teach you to respect your betters too, boy,” he growled, wings of fire flaring to life behind him.
He spat a glob of blood onto the ground and shot into the air, raining spells like a firestorm.
With a thought, dozens of swords formed midair, draining the heat from the area. His fire flickered briefly before he flared with more magic, compensating for the loss.
“The sky is nulled,” I intoned, and a cage of swords materialized above him, sealed with gravity magic to restrict his movement.
I smiled as the cage dragged him down. More magic circles formed around it, and elemental swords began appearing, each one resonating with a different element.
First came fire and wind. The cage sealed, trapping the heated air, and an explosion burst inside. Then came water, flooding the interior and bubbling violently under Riser’s struggle. The water began freezing, but his fire refused to yield.
In a flash, an orange magic circle appeared beneath my feet, making my eyes widen. A pillar of fire tore through the sand and burned everything in its place. I grimaced, feeling my skin blister under the heat before I created another garden of swords that suctioned the attack.
That had been dangerous, and it told me that I should finish this fast. Riser wasn’t someone to give up without a fight. He was petty like that.
I allowed myself a small, tired smirk. The water sizzled... not from heat, but from something else. Holy power. It burned him from the inside out, scalding his skin, and I watched as the light flared through the cracks in the ice.
“I believe that’s enough,” I muttered, deactivating my Balance Breaker and Elias's armor.
Exhaustion hit instantly, and I dropped to one knee, panting. I wiped the sweat from my face and quickly shoved the shard back into the pouch, hissing at the fresh burns on my palm.
When I looked back, Rias was watching me with a proud smile. She wiped at her eyes a bit too quickly, and I just returned the look, then turned my gaze to Riser’s twitching body.
He was face-down in the sand, groaning faintly.
“You can give up, Riser. This Rating Game is over. Rias is the winner,” I said softly, just loud enough for him to hear.
He didn’t speak. His arms moved slightly, but all that came out was a rasping cough.
“So be it,” I sighed.
With the last of my magic, I conjured a simple sword. I chuckled bitterly, it was a short fight, but it had nearly drained me dry.
I approached him and raised the sword over his back, letting it drop as I whispered, “Don’t antagonize my King again, Lord Riser.”
Rias Gremory
I watched with pride swelling in my chest as Yuuto lowered his sword. He looked exhausted, nearly at his limit, but still composed. Calm.
He was going to end it. He had won for me.
I could see the blade begin to descend… but then I heard it.
Laughter. Insane, guttural laughter.
“Yuuto!” I screamed.
The explosion came instantly after.
A massive eruption of flame and pressure swallowed the area in front of us. A wall of fire tore through the ground, and I felt my feet leave the earth.
I hit something. Then everything went black for a second.
When I opened my eyes, I was on my back, ears ringing. My throat hurt like I had been screaming.
“Koneko?”
“I’m okay,” came the grunt beside me. She looked bruised, her uniform singed. But she was standing, and when she offered me a hand, I took it.
Then I saw it.
A massive and thick mushroom cloud. Fire and smoke rising from the far end of the arena.
It even felt hard to breathe at this distance.
“No…” I whispered, and I ran.
Koneko followed without needing to be told. We moved through the ruined terrain, feet slipping against scorched stone and uneven rubble, until I reached the edge of the blast zone.
There he was. Riser. The dishonorable bastard.
Standing at the center of the devastation. His coat was in tatters, skin torn open across his chest and arms. He was bleeding heavily but healing. Slowly. Painfully. But still healing. A small vial next to him was the only explanation.
But even the Phenex tears weren’t good enough for his poisoning.
And he was laughing. Laughing at the sight in front of him.
Yuuto’s body caught mid-disintegration. The light consumed him, taking him back to the castle where he would get treated.
Blisters covered his skin. His simple iron sword had melted on top of his hand, coating it with sludge, and I saw a few twisted sword hilts buried in the stone, burned beyond recognition.
If those swords hadn’t taken the brunt of the blast…He would’ve died.
My mind went blank. Something inside me snapped.
“Enough,” I said, voice trembling.
My hand rose. The magic in me surged, unrestrained, pouring out in waves.
I was done.
Riser turned to me, still laughing. “Finally, come to face me yourself, Rias? Or do you plan to send your little Rook before you finally face me? I think I can have some fun with her if you want.”
“Koneko, Leave. Go back to the viewing room. Ask Eli to heal my family if they need it. I will finish this myself.” I said neutrally.
My feelings are calm. I felt like I was drowning, something heavy enveloping my body.
It felt peaceful.
Koneko bit her lip before she nodded, and I finally let go.
Eli’s loan, the armor he mysteriously obtained and I’d avoided asking about covered my body. The tight bodysuit felt like a second skin, and I allowed my magic to flow through it.
The reddish hue of the Power of Destruction enveloped me, filling the armor as the tendrils began to form, wrapping my body in its warmth.
But it wasn’t enough. Not for this.
I hissed as I increased the potency of my magic, pushing harder than ever before. My skin stung, and I felt my eyes water as more and more tendrils came to life.
Hundreds upon hundreds of tendrils flew out of my back, each one as thin as a strand of hair.
Riser took a step back. I walked forward.
“What is that?!” Riser shouted. “What are you doing, Rias?!”
“It’s a gift,” I responded calmly, feeling like I was walking on air. The fog in my mind was heavier now... almost comforting. “A loan, to be exact. Just for today. From the best man in the whole world.”
“Do you really think your little human pet is anything special?!” Riser sneered. “Just wait until I get my hands on him for interfering with our families! I’ll make you watch how a pathetic human is incomparable to me! Riser Phenex!”
With that, his magic flared. Flames consumed him with intent, and his remaining injuries began healing faster.
“You really don’t get it.” I laughed softly, the fog easing slightly. “Elias Black is a million times more of a man than you’ll ever be. And you know what’s funny, Riser?”
I stepped forward once more. “That I have to thank you. Because this will probably be the only time in my hopefully long life that I get to protect him. Isn’t that cute?”
The magic around me twisted, darkening. No longer its usual shade, it coiled around my arms like a living muscle. I hissed in pain, pausing as the tendrils dug into my skin, vanishing with a wet hiss.
I breathed in. The pain was welcome.
It was nothing compared to the satisfaction of watching Riser’s expression shift from hate and disgust to pure panic.
“You thought I was weak because you don’t know better, Riser.” I smiled. “But I’m not the same Rias as before. None of my peerage is. We changed. We grew. We fought against everything... just for tonight.”
The armor twitched. Claws of pure Power of Destruction formed on my hands.
“And the best part? I’m his. And he’ll be mine. If you ever threaten him again…” My voice lowered. “You’ll learn that Sirzechs won't be the most dangerous member of my family in the future.”
With a single step, I closed the space between us. My clawed hand grasped his arm... and clenched.
Riser’s eyes widened as a scream of agony tore from his throat. I didn’t stop. My other hand swiped up, severing his legs, and I kicked him in the chest.
Riser launched like a cannonball into the distance, and I walked calmly after him.
Each step clanked against the ground, the sand disintegrating beneath my feet before reforming with each impact.
The tendrils on my back shifted into wings of pure destruction. With a mighty flap, I soared into the sky, watching Riser below, coughing and hacking, clutching the stumps of his legs.
His flames flickered as his limbs began regrowing. He took a breath and flew toward me with a flaming punch.
I blocked it with my arm. He hissed as his fist disintegrated on contact. He tried to retreat, throwing a fireball the size of a house at my face.
I just smiled.
My wings wrapped around my body, and I felt the impact before it vanished into nothingness.
Riser moved to flee, panic setting in. But I was done.
I grabbed him by the throat with my clawed hand. Tendrils surged out, burrowing into his neck and face.
A single slash from my other hand, and his arms and legs dropped from the sky like broken twigs.
“Give up, Riser Phenex. This farce is over,” I said calmly. “And I have a promise to fulfill.”
“Riser’s Phenex Lost. Winner, Rias Gremory!” The surprised voice of Grayfia greeted my ears, but I mostly ignored it. I was already thinking of what I wanted to do.
Elias Blake
Silence.
Absolute, crushing silence filled the room.
There had been tension since the beginning, but nothing like this. Not even close.
Every pair of eyes flicked between the large screen showing the final moment of the Rating Game and me.
Even the scary devils in the room, the most dangerous beings I had ever sensed, had gone quiet. No one spoke. Not a single breath dared interrupt the stillness.
I’d once thought I had some standing in this world. That my strength made me someone.
Meeting Sirzechs Lucifer, Serafall Leviathan, and Ajuka Beelzebub shattered that illusion immediately.
Serafall, at least, I could almost read. Maybe even run away if things went wrong. The other two?
No. Just no. I couldn’t feel their limits. Not even close.
Flashback start
It had all started the moment both peerages left the arena.
There was an awkward calm as we took our seats. Even Rias’s near-slap to Riser before the match wasn’t enough to break the unease. The food and drinks appeared, but most of us barely touched them.
Well, except Iris, who acted like nothing was wrong. Sometimes, I envied her ability to ignore tension like a pro.
Meanwhile, I was vibrating with unease. Something inside me felt like it was watching, waiting, hungry. The feeling only got worse the longer I stayed near the three Satans.
And Serafall was the least subtle of the trio.
“Sona’s adorable friend,” she said, eyeing me over her teacup. “You’re Elias-kun, right?”
I nodded with practiced calm. “Lady Leviathan. An honor. Sona spoke highly of you.”
A total lie. But I was good at keeping a straight face.
“Mou!” she pouted childishly, “What has So-tan been telling her friends?”
I chuckled lightly. “Did you need something?”
“Just wondering how you trained them so well,” she tilted her head with mock innocence.
Her eyes, however, were as sharp as my Durindana. She wasn’t asking out of curiosity. She was reading me.
Even Rias and Riser’s parents turned slightly at that.
I met Serafall’s stare to let her know silently that I didn’t appreciate the interrogation.
She just stuck out her tongue. Were all monsters weird in some way? Did my friends see me like I was seeing Serafall right now?
“It’s their own effort,” I replied with a shrug. “And talent, of course. But you haven’t seen anything yet.”
“Uhu~” Iris chimed in, flashing a smirk. “Rias and her peerage trained hard. They’ll surprise you.”
Serafall studied Iris for a beat, then looked back at me. Something must’ve shown in my expression because, this time, she looked away first.
“I guess we’ll see,” she nodded slightly. “So… how did you meet Rias-chan?”
That was when Venelana, Rias’s mother, joined in. “We never heard about you before,” she said gently. “Admittedly, there was some… distance. But still, I’m curious.”
“She told us about that,” I answered, meeting her eyes. “She was upset, but she realized she was in the wrong too. I expect that distance will close now.”
Venelana smiled politely, but there was weight behind it. She was waiting for more.
Flashback end.
That had been the turning point.
No one expected Gasper’s rampage, Kiba’s monstrosity against the world laws, or the absolute obliteration Rias delivered at the end. Not even me. Just how the fuck did my armor allow Rias to do something like that?
And now they all kept looking at me. Not because of what I did. But because of what I’d helped shape.
“Don’t look at me,” I shook my head vehemently. “That was news even to me.”
Serafall giggled, finally breaking the silence like a dropped plate.
Rias and Riser’s parents stood and moved toward the teleportation zone to check on their children. There was tension, especially after Riser’s final words, but not as much as I’d feared.
It was strange. They didn’t seem angry. Not exactly. More like… disappointed. Annoyed, sure. But not surprised.
That showed how different devils were compared to humans, I thought. They didn’t see Riser’s breakdown as unforgivable. Just… an embarrassing episode. Something that would pass, eventually.
Before I could reflect further, the door burst open.
Rias entered first.
Her armor was gone, her red hair loose around her shoulders. Behind her came her entire peerage, freshly healed. They looked tired but proud. Happy, all of them. But I knew that someone was hiding his true feelings. I could almost feel the darkness gathering around Gasper, even as he tried to act the same as the rest.
She didn’t slow down.
She walked straight up to me, grabbed the front of my jacket, and pulled me into a kiss.
When she finally pulled back, her eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that felt like it burned right through my soul.
“If you’ll still have me,” she whispered hoarsely, “I want this. I want you. Not because I need saving. Not because you’re strong. Just… because you’re my Elias.”
Fleur let out a whistle.
Iris whooped. “Finally!”
Mione just watched as if she knew this was coming, and knowing her, perhaps she did.
It felt… right.
At least until he entered.
The room dimmed slightly as the pressure shifted.
Riser Phenex stepped through the archway, his face pale and bandaged. His body was mostly healed, courtesy of an insane amount of Phenex tears, no doubt.
But his pride… that was another story.
He stopped cold when he saw Rias’s hands still resting on my chest.
Then he saw the smile on her face.
His eyes locked onto me. His pace picked up, slow but filled with rage.
“You,” he hissed. “You’re the reason this happened.”
I didn’t flinch and responded calmly, “I just did what Rias asked of me.”
“Liar!” he snapped angrily, “This whole thing! Her rebellion, the way she turned my peerage into a joke, the way she humiliated me! It’s all because of you! You poisoned her against me! You made her think she had a choice!”
“I didn’t poison her, Riser,” I replied, still calm. “I listened to her. I helped her. I cared about her, not what having her meant. That’s the difference between us.”
His expression twisted into something ugly.
“I’ll kill you.”
He lunged.
My magic surged instinctively. But answering. Like if I had set it free.
Behind me, light flared.
Golden light erupted in the shape of a cloak. It danced across my back in slow, graceful arcs. Not bright enough to blind, but impossible to ignore.
The room filled with divine pressure.
Every devil flinched. Even the ones I tried my best to ignore turned their heads slightly.
Serafall’s pupils shrank. Ajuka’s eyebrows lifted; Sirzechs frowned but said nothing.
Because this wasn’t like Kiba’s Balance Breaker.
This wasn’t even like my Durindana.
This… this was something else entirely. Something unadultered. Something that did not belong in the Underworld. I felt my energy pulse and change, the demonic power that flowed through the place being consumed.
Riser’s feet locked in place as he stumbled, trembling against the weight.
“W-What... What is that…?” he breathed, fear slicing through his voice for the first time, even worse than when he faced Rias.
I didn’t answer him.
I just stared.
And I didn’t move because I didn’t need to.
Riser fell to his knees.
And for once, he stayed there.
-Scene-
Things had eased after that. Riser’s parents entered the room, fuming, followed closely by Venelana and Zeoticus.
Apparently, Riser had lied to them. He had told them he was going to check on his peerage before returning home. Instead, he’d come straight here.
They apologized for their son’s poor showing and left soon after, supposedly with no hard feelings.
I wasn’t sure I believed that, but honestly? I didn’t care much.
Primarily because of the attention I was getting from everyone else in the room.
Especially the green-haired man.
“We just have a few questions, Elias,” Serafall said softly as the three Satans turned their eyes to me.
Rias was glaring fiercely at her brother, and Sirzechs offered a guilty smile.
“It’s nothing serious, Rias,” he said in his defense. “But after what happened, you can’t fault us for being curious.”
Rias glared harder and grabbed my arm, hugging it tightly between her... well, impressive bosom.
Serafall chuckled, and Sirzechs shook his head, clearly amused.
“Rias,” he said gently, “do you think so little of your big brother? We would like to ask a few questions. He can refuse to answer if he wants. This isn’t an interrogation. He helped you, and I appreciate that. We’re not here to make things hard for him.”
Rias sighed and pulled me a little closer. “Fine,” she muttered, pouting.
“Do you realize what you just did, Elias?” Ajuka asked sharply, his eyes distant, focused on the place where I’d stared Riser down moments ago.
“I felt something… disappear,” I replied with a light shrug, trying to hide how nervous I really was.
Rias had occasionally mentioned her brother. So had Sona.
They didn’t sound bad... but hearing about them was one thing. Being here was another.
I understood why they needed to ask.
They were leaders of a faction, and a complete unknown had just demonstrated a power that could... no, would, shake their foundations.
An unknown who wielded their greatest weakness.
“The demonic energy flowing through the Underworld was cleansed when you did that,” Ajuka murmured, locking eyes with me. “How interesting. May I ask how your magic works?”
Serafall giggled, and I stared at him with my mouth slightly open.
Whatever I expected… it wasn’t the look in his eyes.
Bright, curious, and completely confused. He wasn’t wary.
He was fascinated.
Sirzechs sighed, smiling softly. “Ajuka’s favorite thing is the unknown. Especially when it involves magic. He loves deciphering it.”
I gave a slight nod, then summoned a spear of light filled to the brim with Aetherium, and drove it into the ground like it was nothing but soft butter.
Ajuka stood up immediately.
He examined the spear in silence, then reached out, running a finger lightly along the tip.
It cut him. Easily. Which surprised me. But the lack of expression on his face surprised me even more.
“Interesting,” he muttered, staring at the bead of blood. “There’s a subtle difference between this and angelic magic… similar, but not the same.”
He glanced at me. “Would you be interested in a small study? I can pay well.”
My heart thumped against my ribs.
“Instead of money… could you do me a favor?” I asked hopefully. “I think Lord Lucifer already mentioned it.”
Ajuka’s eyes lit with understanding. He glanced briefly at Iris.
It was quick. I doubted anyone noticed except me and those who already knew.
He tapped the table with his fingers for a moment before nodding.
“Fine. I’ll take care of it. In return, I want to study this magic and see how it differs from the norm. Deal?”
“Deal!” I grinned, “When do we start?”
“Right now,” he said casually, “Let’s go. I'll take you to my lab. Bring your girls.”
Grimmauld Place, Britain.
Sirius Black.
The air in the drawing room was thick. Not with dust, for once, but with dread.
No one spoke.
The only sound was the rustling of the Daily Prophet as everyone read through their own copy, hands clenched white around the edges.
There he was.
Voldemort.
Frowning. A picture made from a pensieve, and Rita's cutting words.
It made my stomach twist.
I glanced toward Dumbledore, who hadn’t said a word in minutes. Just sat there, staring down at the paper with the weariness of a man already living the war before it began.
“Do you think this was the right call?” I finally asked, my voice tight.
His eyes lifted to meet mine, and I couldn't help but notice the exhaustion in there.
“We prepared the best we could,” he said. “Letting him lurk in the shadows would only diminish our chances. The longer we wait, the worse it becomes.”
Tonks leaned forward with a frown, her usual playfulness absent.
“You think he’ll stay quiet now that we’ve outed him like this?”
“No,” Dumbledore replied simply. “That’s why we’re ready. Everyone is in place. Amelia will coordinate with us if anything happens on her side.”
He took a slow breath.
“I will likely face him tonight.”
That silenced the room for a moment more.
Then, his gaze turned to me again. “Did you send the message to Elias?”
I frowned. “I did. But he hasn’t seen it yet.”
Dumbledore’s eyes closed briefly, and he exhaled through his nose.
“Let’s hope he does…” His voice was quiet. “Because I don’t know how much we’ll need someone of his caliber.”
Comments
InfinityReads99
Maybe endgame celestial ascendancy. I doubt that the angels will get 'that' Apocalyptic before then in this fic around the mid-story. Elias on the other hand? Probably a bit before.
LothWolf
Thanks for the chapter I always do look forward to updates on the story.
LothWolf
I hope that we get to see Gabriel play her Horn/Trumpet eventually in this story [ Clip of a movie call all dogs go to heaven and one of the protagonists playing Gabriel’s horn against what is basically Satan’s pet demon cat https://youtu.be/YUxpnCTGz7Q?si=0sgoKUp5cnhL8zmA ] , Archangel Gabriel is not explicitly associated with a horn. However, they are often depicted with a trumpet or other musical instruments, and in some traditions, they are the one who will blow the trumpet at the end times. The Bible does mention trumpets in the context of the end times, particularly in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:52, Biblical passages describe 7 trumpets sounds being used in the Last Judgment
Iori Daemona Angel
It was good, you passed the gauntlet for any DxD fic.
Tristan R Mitchell
https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Karlamine https://highschooldxd.fandom.com/wiki/Kalawarna
Tristan R Mitchell
Once again, Kalawarner, or perhaps Kalawarna, is the Fallen Angel that works for Raynare, the busty one. Karlamine is Riser's Knight.
InfinityReads99
Damn, finally done. It took so damn long, but I am genuinely proud how it ended. I think it's one of my best chapters up to date. Plase, Let me know what you all think. I'm curious. and I hope I did justice to each PoV for Rias's peerage!
