I stared at the screen in front of me, watching the match unfold.
To be honest, even I was surprised by how easily they defeated Riser. I'd expected them to win, sure. But this? This was a complete domination.
Especially Kiba.
I didn't expect him to actually comprehend the breathing styles.
He created his own breathing form.
That takes creativity. Willpower. Dedication.
I felt something warm in my chest. Pride.
Kiba had surpassed my expectations.
Speaking of which, I should probably work on that. Create something uniquely mine too.
Hell, if Kiba could create his own breathing style, why couldn't I?
I smiled to myself. Yeah. I'll do that.
On the screen, Riser was screaming. Limbless. Pathetic. Everything had happened exactly as I predicted. With his regeneration nullified, he was just a chicken waiting for slaughter.
An apt description, really. A chicken.
The announcer's voice echoed through the speakers. "Riser-sama has surrendered. Winner: Rias Gremory!"
I turned off the screen.
The Rating Game was over. Time to head to the clubroom.
I wanted to congratulate them personally. See Koneko, of course. My cute girlfriend.
Speaking of which, Koneko had come a long way. Her use of Senjutsu was amazing. Still miles apart from Kuroka, sure, but she'd only had a month to practice. A month. And she'd already mastered the basics.
She was really talented.
When I reached the clubroom, I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The familiar space greeted me. Couch. Desk. Windows overlooking the school grounds.
I waited.
A few minutes later, light filled the room. A teleportation circle appeared on the floor.
Rias, Akeno, Koneko, and Kiba materialized.
They looked exhausted. Battered. But they were smiling.
I opened my mouth to congratulate them.
Then Rias rushed toward me.
She slammed into me, wrapping her arms around my chest. Her face buried against my shoulder.
She was crying.
I blinked, caught off guard.
Then I smiled, wrapping my arms around her.
"You did it," I said softly.
After a few moments, Rias stayed in that position. Her arms still wrapped around me. Her face still buried against my shoulder.
I felt a tug at my shirt.
I looked down.
Koneko stood beside me, staring up with narrowed golden eyes. Her cheeks were puffed out. She looked like an angry cat.
She was jealous.
I almost laughed.
Rias must have felt the tension because she suddenly pulled back, her face bright red. She looked between me and Koneko, then quickly stepped away.
"I... sorry, I got carried away," Rias stammered, her hands fidgeting. "I was just so happy and—"
"It's fine," I said, smiling.
Then I looked down at Koneko. She was still staring at me, her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk.
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Come here," I said, reaching down.
I pulled Koneko into my arms, hugging her close. She immediately relaxed, her arms wrapping around my neck.
"You did amazing out there," I said softly. "Your Senjutsu was incredible. I'm proud of you."
Koneko's face turned slightly pink. "Really?"
"Really."
I leaned down and kissed her. She kissed back, her grip tightening around my neck.
When we pulled apart, she was smiling. Just a small one, but it was there.
"Better?" I asked.
"Mm," she nodded.
A box near the corner of the room suddenly shifted.
I glanced over.
Gasper's box.
The lid opened slightly, and a pair of eyes peeked out.
"Um... congratulations, everyone," Gasper said quietly. "I'm... I'm sorry I couldn't help. I wanted to, but I..."
He trailed off, looking down.
"It's okay, Gasper," Rias said gently. "You're still learning. There'll be other chances."
"Yeah," Akeno added with a warm smile. "Besides, we won. That's what matters."
Gasper nodded slowly, still looking guilty.
Kiba walked over to the couch and sat down, letting out a long breath. "I can't believe we actually did it."
Koneko was still in my arms, her head resting against my shoulder. She looked comfortable. Content.
Akeno stretched her wings slightly before dismissing them. "That felt good. Really good. I haven't cut loose like that in a while."
"Your lightning was terrifying," Kiba said. "Remind me never to make you angry."
"Ara ara, too late for that," Akeno teased.
Rias laughed, wiping the last of her tears away. "Thank you, everyone. Seriously. I—"
A magic circle appeared in the middle of the room.
Everyone went quiet.
The light flared, and two figures materialized.
Grayfia stepped out first, her silver hair perfect as always, her maid uniform immaculate. Her expression was calm, professional.
Behind her was a man with similar features as rias, especially that crimson hair.
I recognized him easily.
Sirzechs Lucifer.
Rias's older brother. One of the four Satans.
I narrowed my eyes.
This was the first time I was meeting him.
Sirzechs stepped forward, his face lighting up with pure brotherly affection.
"Rias!" he said warmly, arms already opening for a hug. "Congratulations! I'm so proud of you! You were absolutely magnificent out there. I knew you could do it. My adorable little sister is—"
Then he saw me.
His eyes locked onto mine.
The warm, doting older brother vanished.
What replaced him was something else.
His smile remained, but his eyes changed. Sharper. Colder. Calculating. The air around him shifted, pressure building in the room. Not enough to be threatening. Just enough to make a statement.
The Devil.
I smiled back.
Perfectly confident.
A mere Devil wasn't going to intimidate me.
If he wanted to test me, fine.
Sirzechs straightened, his posture shifting from doting brother to Satan. He walked toward me, each step deliberate.
Then he held out his hand.
"You must be Leon Mishima," he said, his voice pleasant but his eyes never leaving mine. "I've heard quite a bit about you."
I met his gaze, not backing down even slightly.
"Sirzechs Lucifer," I said, taking his hand. "The pleasure's mine."
We shook.
His grip was firm. Testing.
Mine was firmer.
Neither of us looked away.
Then I felt it.
His aura.
It crashed down like a tidal wave. Raw demonic power. The kind that could level cities and could make entire armies kneel. The pressure was immense, suffocating. The temperature in the room dropped.
So I released mine.
Draconic aura.
Energy erupted from my body, pushing back against his power. The air crackled. The room shook. Our auras collided in the space between us, neither giving an inch.
The walls cracked.
Windows rattled in their frames.
A desk splintered, collapsing under the pressure.
But neither of us looked away. Neither of us backed down.
His smile widened slightly. Impressed? Amused? I couldn't tell.
I matched it with my own.
"Enough."
Grayfia's voice cut through the tension like a blade.
We both glanced at her.
Then I saw them.
Rias. Akeno. Kiba. Koneko. Gasper's box had toppled over.
They were all on their knees, struggling to breathe under the weight of our combined auras. Rias's face was pale, her hand pressed against the floor. Akeno gritted her teeth. Kiba's hand shook. Even Koneko, looked like she could barely stay upright.
The clubroom was destroyed. Cracks spider-webbed across the walls. Furniture shattered. The couch split down the middle.
Grayfia stood between us, completely unaffected. Her expression was ice.
"That is enough," she repeated, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Both of you."
Sirzechs glanced at his sister, then at the damage. His aura vanished instantly.
I pulled mine back a second later.
The pressure lifted. The room fell silent.
Sirzechs immediately turned to Rias and her peerage, his expression shifting back to the warm, apologetic older brother.
"I'm so sorry," he said, helping Rias to her feet. "That was completely inappropriate of me. Are you all alright?"
Rias nodded, still catching her breath. "We're fine, Onii-sama."
"Good." He smiled, then looked at each of them in turn. "Congratulations. All of you. That was an incredible performance. You've all grown so much."
"Thank you, Lucifer-sama," Kiba said, standing up.
Akeno dusted herself off. "It was a team effort."
Koneko just nodded, still recovering.
Sirzechs turned back to Rias. "I wanted to let you know, the Phenex family is... not pleased about the outcome. As you can imagine."
Rias tensed.
"But," Sirzechs continued, raising a hand, "you don't need to worry about them. I've already made it clear that the Rating Game was legitimate. The engagement is null and void. They can complain all they want, but they won't bother you anymore. I'll make sure of it."
Rias's shoulders relaxed. "Thank you, Onii-sama."
"Of course." He smiled warmly. "You're my adorable little sister. I'll always protect you."
He chatted with them for a few more minutes, asking about their training, complimenting their techniques. The atmosphere gradually returned to normal.
Then he glanced at the time.
"I should go," Sirzechs said. "There's still a lot of political mess to clean up after this."
Grayfia nodded. "The teleportation circle is ready, Sirzechs-sama."
Sirzechs walked toward it, then paused. He turned to me.
"Leon," he said, his tone pleasant but his eyes sharp. "I can't wait for the upcoming peace talks. I'm sure we'll be seeing much more of each other."
He smiled.
"It was nice meeting you."
I nodded. "Likewise. I look forward to it."
The teleportation circle flared to life. Light engulfed Sirzechs and Grayfia.
Then they were gone.
The clubroom fell quiet.
I turned my attention back to the group. They were all still recovering, looking tired but relieved.
"Alright," I said, clapping my hands together. "I prepared a feast for you guys. My treat."
Rias blinked. "Leon, you didn't have to—"
"I wanted to," I interrupted. "You all worked hard. You deserve it."
They were technically my students, after all. I'd put them through hell in that virtual training. The least I could do was spoil them a little.
Besides, I was in a good mood.
"A feast?" Akeno's eyes lit up. "What kind of feast?"
"The good kind," I said. "Everything you could want. Trust me."
Kiba smiled. "I could eat."
"Me too," Koneko said quietly, still in my arms.
Gasper peeked out from his box. "C-can I come too?"
"Of course," I said. "Everyone's invited."
Rias looked at me, her expression softening. "Thank you, Leon."
I shrugged. "Don't mention it. Now come on. The food's getting cold."
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