Using methods similar to before, Takeyo successfully elevated his strength to the High-Class Devil tier.
Well... the kind of High-Class Devil who could face a Maou through sheer immortality and resentment. The kind who could demolish a low-tier Maou with physical techniques alone.
"Then, let me prepare the venue," Ajuka said with a smile.
Now that the matter was settled, he felt relieved.
"Will Takeyo-kun be alright against him?"
Watching Takeyo and Riser's peerage disappear into the dimensional space, Akeno couldn't help but worry.
She'd just witnessed Takeyo cough up several mouthfuls of blood.
"No problem," Koneko stated, her golden eyes fixed straight ahead at the broadcast screen without the slightest waver.
"Senpai's words... there's absolutely no problem." Her voice was soft but certain.
She could sense that although Takeyo appeared extremely weak, the vitality radiating from his immortal arts was incredibly powerful.
"Hmph! How could it be possible?" A different voice cut through their conversation.
Ravel's voice rang out as she recovered from her earlier embarrassed faint.
"My brother is the third son of the Phenex family, possessing the purest bloodline of our clan."
"As for this Takeyo you're talking about? He looks seriously injured. How could he possibly compare to my brother in this condition?"
Ravel proudly produced a small folding fan and waved it gently.
"Really? In my opinion, Takeyo-kun isn't that easy to defeat," Yuuto said with a smile.
Truth be told, he still carried a shadow of Takeyo in his heart. Strong... he was simply too strong. So overwhelmingly powerful that you wouldn't want to become his enemy.
Compared to Yuuto's diplomatic response, Koneko was much more direct.
"Shut up. Roasted chicken who doesn't know anything. Senpai will definitely win."
The kitten's eyes blazed with ferocity.
Perhaps it was a natural incompatibility between cats and birds. As a Nekomata, seeing Ravel, who possessed Phoenix blood and shared her petite attributes, triggered an instinctive urge to provoke her.
"R-roasted chicken?!" Ravel's eyes twitched violently.
This was the first time anyone had called her that since birth!
"What do you know, you smelly wild cat? I'm stating facts! How can someone with such severe injuries defeat my brother? That person is a fool! Even if he has strength, doesn't he know to challenge my brother later?!"
Ravel retorted uncomfortably.
"How could a roasted chicken like you understand Senpai's strength?" Koneko's expression dripped with disdain.
Provoked, Ravel exploded instantly.
"What did you say?!"
A cat and a bird naturally began bickering with each other.
"Ahaha, they seem to have a good relationship," Akeno said with a smile, covering her mouth with one hand.
"It certainly appears that way," Yuuto agreed, unable to suppress his own smile.
"However, can Takeyo-kun really win?" Akeno asked, refocusing her attention on the broadcast.
She didn't understand Takeyo's current condition at all.
"We can only pray for that outcome," Yuuto said, his gaze also returning to the game.
Meanwhile, in the alternate dimension provided by Ajuka.
"Cough cough..."
Another mouthful of golden blood. Takeyo gently retrieved a handkerchief, wiped the blood clean, and carefully stored it away.
Although it was all waste blood, since it originated from a human body, even this residual blood could potentially have significant effects on this world. Takeyo remained cautious about such matters.
He gazed at Riser in the distance with eyes like a predator eyeing prey, a hint of amusement dancing in their depths.
The moment he entered this space, he'd triggered a plot sign-in.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations to the host for triggering a plot sign-in! Sign-in level: Gold!]
[Sign-in Plot, The End of the Phoenix!]
[Plot Description: Someone interrupted the host while preparing to tear apart the Supreme God? This cannot be allowed!
Defeat Riser Phenex and show him that yellow hair isn't for everyone.]
[Sign-in Time Limit: 1 day]
[Remaining Time: 1 day]
Well, well... nice guys, these sign-in rewards. Always so thoughtful.
As Takeyo coughed up blood, Riser had already formulated his tactics.
"That's the plan. You'll harass him one by one, injuring him before he can even reach me!" Riser declared confidently.
He'd developed what he considered the perfect strategy for his situation.
Send his peerage members to attack Takeyo individually, maximizing the consumption of his enemy's strength. Defeat him before physical contact could even occur! Drain him until his reserves ran dry!
Even if they couldn't defeat him outright, by the time Takeyo confronted Riser directly, he would have already gained an enormous advantage!
That was the theory, at least.
However, things rarely proceed according to anyone's expectations.
"Everyone, follow the scheduled plan first! I'll prepare a special gift for him!"
Yubelluna, serving as Queen and bearing the nickname Bomb Queen, assumed command in Riser's place.
Riser had his own mission, to attack Takeyo with everything he had while his peerage members harassed their opponent one by one!
He didn't care if such tactics seemed dishonorable. The most important thing now was ensuring his victory and preventing the Phenex family from suffering humiliation!
"Then I'm going in!"
The first person to rush forward was a girl named Mira from Riser's peerage, wielding a staff as her weapon. With the strength of a Mid-Class Devil, she'd been defeated once in the original plot by Issei when he hadn't even activated his Sacred Gear.
Most of Riser's peerage members, excluding Bomb Queen Yubelluna, were essentially mediocre. Their quality couldn't begin to compare with Rias's peerage.
It could be said that if they reached their late-stage potential, Rias alone could destroy everyone on Riser's team except for Riser himself.
Watching the girl charge toward him, Takeyo shook his head.
How could he not anticipate something that even Riser's limited mind could conceive?
"My target is only one. Everyone else... begone!"
Takeyo's voice echoed across the battlefield.
Simultaneously, countless golden ripples manifested behind him!
One after another, divine implements radiating sacred auras flew forth from the portals!
Indra's Vajra, Vishnu's Discus, Indra's Net, Shiva's Trident... The Pestle of Ganesha, weapons of the Trimurti, and treasures of the Three-Phase Gods!
An overwhelming number! Overwhelming power!
Every single one of Riser's peerage members fell within the attack's radius!
[Three-Phase Blessing!]
Countless weapons carrying crackling thunder crossed through space, forming a 180-degree semicircle with Takeyo at its center!
"BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!"
Endless explosions erupted!
Ajuka's dimensional space trembled violently!
Everyone, including Riser himself, was engulfed in the massive detonation!
"Lord Riser! One Queen, two Rooks, two Knights, one Bishop, eight Pawns! Retired!"
Grayfia's cold voice announced what seemed impossible yet was undeniably true.
"What?! Lord Riser's entire peerage was defeated in an instant?!"
A High-Class Devil couldn't help but exclaim in shock.
Although Riser's peerage members weren't the most powerful, they were definitely above average!
"What were those magical artifacts that flew out from behind him?! I felt an extremely powerful threat from them!"
This came from a clan head-level figure. Even he felt deeply uncomfortable imagining being struck by those weapons!
"Takeyo-kun is said to be the heir bearing the blood of Mahatma Rama. So possessing weapons of gods and Buddhas makes sense. Even when thrown directly like that, they can cause tremendous damage," Ajuka explained with a smile.
Though he felt slightly apologetic toward Riser, he could only regard the young Phoenix's engagement ceremony as a stage where Takeyo would declare his existence to the world.
"A descendant of Mahatma Rama?! I remember news of Rama's descendants hasn't appeared for hundreds of years! How... how could one appear allied with Devils?!"
"Has he joined the Devils' side as Lord Ajuka's disciple? What terrifying power... he annihilated an entire peerage in an instant!"
The assembled demons erupted in discussion.
However, these matters had nothing to do with Takeyo now.
Any connections would only become relevant afterward.
"CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK!"
Just moving his body slightly, Takeyo realized his opponents were too fragile. He'd barely exerted any force, yet they'd already collapsed.
"Riser? Won't you come out for a one-on-one confrontation? Your peerage has been completely eliminated. You can only rely on your own strength to defeat me now."
"Cough cough..."
While speaking, Takeyo coughed up another mouthful of golden blood.
"Riser-san? I know you're behind that stone pillar. If you don't come out, I'll only have to drag you out myself."
After wiping his mouth clean with a handkerchief, Takeyo spoke in a tone one might use to coax a child.
Behind the stone pillar Takeyo indicated, Riser breathed deeply and desperately!
Monster! He's a complete monster! He annihilated my entire peerage in one instant?!
Thrilling! Truly thrilling! He'd just walked through that rain of divine weapons. If not for his resurrection ability, he felt certain he would have died!
He truly had died before resurrecting!
"Hah..."
After regulating his breathing somewhat, Riser slowly walked out from behind cover.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah... making me do it myself..."
It seemed that Takeyo coughing blood just moments ago had given him considerable confidence. At least his expression appeared relaxed as he emerged into the open square.
"Takeyo! I acknowledge your strength!"
After composing his disguise, he addressed Takeyo opposite him.
"But you made one mistake challenging a Phenex!"
As if to embolden himself, his voice echoed through the alternate dimension.
"No matter how strong you are, can you defeat a Phoenix with infinite resurrection?! Let me see... when will you finally run out of strength?!"
Riser spread his flaming wings and charged directly toward Takeyo!
Takeyo, facing the approaching Riser, merely smiled and extended his hand toward his opponent.
"CLANG!"
In an instant, the Chains of Heaven fixed Riser's body mid-air like a skewered piece of grilled chicken.
"This is! This is what you used before!"
Riser struggled desperately to break free from the heavenly chains, flames erupting across his entire body. He attempted to burn through the restraints completely!
Unfortunately, such efforts were impossible.
If his Chains of Heaven could be broken free by a mere High-Class Devil, wouldn't that be embarrassing?
"By the way, Riser, I want to ask you a question."
Having completely restrained his opponent, Takeyo approached the constantly burning Riser and shook his head.
The Chains of Heaven weren't something one could escape through willpower alone. Right now, Riser couldn't even achieve elemental transformation!
"What... what question..." Riser responded reluctantly.
Currently, he could only hope that Takeyo's injuries would worsen first!
As long as he could survive until that moment, victory would be his!
Actually, Takeyo's thoughts ran parallel to his. The only difference was Takeyo wondered how long Riser would last!
"Do you think... your mental breakdown will come first... or my strength will be exhausted first?"
Takeyo asked with a smile, then coughed up another mouthful of golden blood.
Afterward, Takeyo's smile became the greatest psychological shadow in Riser's life!
☆☆☆
-> 50 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.co-m/AshenMoon
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you