«Emeric," Roigun was quick to intervene in their budding conflict. - Perhaps we should... tone it down?
If you look at it from the outside, it would seem that it is Emeric who is behaving badly. Imagine, two famous players of the rating came to "show" to honor the memory of the past champion. And then comes some sucker who starts "bending his fingers" and attacking quite reputable demons. After such a thing can and sully his reputation ...
Except Emerick didn't care. He already had a rather "peculiar" fame. He never paid attention to such things, though he also wanted a piece of the limelight. In short, something like this was to be expected from him, but it was too impudent, even for him.
In general, this sort of thing wasn't the most rational approach, but....
Where is rationality, and where is Emeric?
He was just too pissed off at those two hypocritical pieces of shit.
He genuinely respected Dichauser for his contributions to his childhood and upbringing. Even when he wanted to kill himself and him, Emeric didn't hate him for it.
The manipulation of the Royal Figure only added a few clear details to this picture. It was a good thing that the Emperor had nothing to do with it! Despite the serious cheating of some of the top members, he still won all the time. Inspiring all the demons of Hell with his example.
Now imagine what would have happened if it was revealed that the Emperor had been using the Royal Figure all this time? That the entire foundation of his invincible image was built on deception?! Can you imagine how many hearts that would have broken?
But then again, the Emperor wouldn't disappoint his fans like that.
Unlike the demons standing across from him.....
«Do the 'strongest kings' not understand something, hmmm? - Emeric met his gaze with Roigun's. To be honest, Bedeze was easier to smear, because he was a cynical piece of shit, unlike Roigun.
Roigun and Bedeza looked at each other uneasily. His fatuous hint had hit the bull's-eye. Now they were likely to realize that Emeric knew all the details of their machinations. Not only that, but the Great King would have to notify them that Lucifer now had them by the balls.
«Kid... - Bedeze tried to intervene. - We don't quite know what you're talking about.....
«Ha ha ha ha... - Emeric laughed. - Bedeze, don't play dumb, you're a disgusting actor. You don't really need to act dumb! You're dumb in life! You fit right in! You just have to," Emeric made a spiritual pass with his hands in front of him. - Just be yourself!
«You little bitch!
«You're repeating yourself, Dyrkonaut! - Emeric shook his head. - Well, I wouldn't expect anything else from you. How much cast-iron armor do you have to have inside your skull to do the same thing year after year in battles with the Emperor and hope for a better result? You should thank Lucifer that you can basically speak in different sentences sometimes! Otherwise you, King of the Hole, would be walking from side to side like a robot, doing nothing but throwing take-aways to the Emperor, constantly repeating: "Actually, we are friends..."
«You little bitch! - Bedeze came to his senses and put his hand over his mouth. - BITCH!
«Are you stuck, King of the Shitter? Well, ask someone from your entourage to check your "hole", maybe it'll clear up something....
«A-A-A-A-A!
Typical Emeric. Drove the interlocutor white in just a couple minutes of intense conversation.
Roigun quickly intervened and stood in front of the infuriated Bedeza, directing a stare full of coldness at him.
«What are you trying to accomplish, Gremory?
«Isn't it obvious, Snap? Hmm, that actually works for you! Hole and Slit, just like Squirrel and Strelka! - Emeric grinned evilly.
It was a passageway to Roigun's signature ability. Namely "Crack" or "Tear", the ability to create rips on anything.
Emeric snapped toward the cameraman.
«Are you filming? Great! - Emeric turned toward the pair and pointed his finger at them. - ''I'll knock these scoundrels out of the entire ranking system! After the Young Demon Gathering, I'll start constantly challenging them and beating them senseless until they resign themselves! I, Emeric Gremory, will beat the hell out of them!
Emeric moved closer to them and continued whispering so no one but them could hear anything:
«I couldn't fucking believe you had the nerve to come in here with a cameraman and start telling some sob story about your so-called friendship! I thought I was hallucinating from idleness! You're not worth the Emperor's little finger--
Roigun was fed up with the constant provocation and rudeness on his part. She narrowed her eyes in anger and asked:
«You think you're the first upstart to challenge us? Many have tried and all have fallen at our hands...
Emeric grinned, not the least bit afraid.
«Didn't your "daddy" tell you? - Emeric looked into their eyes in turn, finding incomprehension. - It was I who defeated the Emperor! I, with my own hands, beat the crap out of him! And in a couple months I'm going to do something much, much worse to you ...
His statement just froze them to their seats. They didn't want to believe such a thing, but something from the depths of their subconscious just made them listen to this young demon. Emeric Gremory had indeed defeated the Emperor one-on-one....
«So I won't see your spirit here again, just go away in terror and wait until I come for your undeserved glory... - Emeric stepped aside for the camera and made a slight bow. - It was nice to see you, Hole and Snap!
Emeric wouldn't be Emeric if he didn't try one last jab. Those in response, said nothing and simply teleported out of the place.
He looked toward the confused cameraman, who was kind of supposed to be brought along.
«Where do you work? Oh, never mind, you're fired now. I didn't fire you, Zekram did. Holy shit! Demons have such fragile hearts now?! I had to pump you out for a heart attack. Don't worry about it. You'll be working for my family. You're about to have an interview, by the way. With Greifia Lucifuge. Why don't you take care of your heart? You need to take it easy. And yes, you can post the tape later. God, why are you having three heart attacks in a row?! How many more times do I have to pump you out?!
Emeric shook his head and walked back toward the clubhouse.
To be honest, he had nothing against the very fact that the Royal figure was being reinforced. There are different ways of reinforcement, but this particular one was used to seize influence over the entire Inferno. The hopes and dreams of many generations of his race.... Such cheating had no place in this sport.
But that doesn't negate the fact that Emeric has the same Royal Form. At any time not in Ranked Games, Emeric can use it on himself and potentially unlock the True Form...
This fact filled him with both fear and anticipation at the same time
How does it feel to become ten times stronger in the moment?
*****
The first guests, who had come especially to pay their respects to the Emperor, were really not a pleasant surprise. Emeric hadn't expected to see those insolent faces.
But the next demons that visited his city were a real thrill. He really missed Hell. He hadn't seen so many of his friends in months!
«Okay," Ichika tugged lightly on Akeno's elbow. - Remind me, sempai, why is the President so happy about our new visitor...?
«They're sort of," Akeno snickered, stifling her laughter. - Well, you could say friends... Well, Emeric-sama thinks so, but the other one... no.
They walked out onto the field with their entire entourage, revealing themselves to the new actors. Valerie on her right shoulder, Ichika and Akeno on her left.
Opposite them was a rather large group of the king and his retinue. In front of them stood the only man, a blond man, older than Emeric, dressed in an expensive red suit with an open collar. And around him were girls of almost every 'type'. The blond man, as if collecting Pokémon, had recruited an entourage of all different archetypes of girls. Catgirls, in sports uniforms... In short, another demonic freak, from which a kilometer smelled smugness and arrogance. A typical second-class villain, ala "young master".
And right now, the freak was saying something in a fierce whisper to a short blonde woman. Probably his little sister.
-... I told you! You shouldn't have come here! That lunatic.
«Shh! - The blonde hissed at him when she realized they had already approached their company.
An oppressive, tense silence formed between the two kings and their retinues.
Until Emeric broke it with a chuckle:
«Hey, Chick.
«Don't call me that, you bastard! - The blond man was naturally covered in angry flames.
Valerie echoed her king, eyeing the entire company across the room with predatory interest:
«Look, King, a chicken on the grill!
«Uh-oh," Emeric fully supported his queen. - Straight fried that Chick! Ha ha ha ha!....
«Ha ha ha!
The king and queen had never been so united in mocking someone. Somehow Ichika felt the whole picture seemed a little wrong.
«Shit! - The unknown demon called Chick exploded with humiliation once again. - Mira!
«Hai!
One rather aggressive-looking girl dressed in a short battle kimono and holding a staff emerged from the formation of girls.
«Hmm," Emeric grinned smugly in response and turned directly to her. - Ichika!...
Silence.
«Ichika, damn it!
The girl from Chick's entourage came close to Emeric at a fast pace and swung her stick, but at that moment Valerie, rolling her eyes, stepped forward and knocked the girl down with her shoulder. It was a great blow, because the so-called Mira didn't get up anymore, apparently knocked out.
«Oh, Ichika, my ass!
«What's the big deal? - She replied indignantly to Emeric.
«You were supposed to go out there and kick that girl's ass!
«Ah-ah-ah!" She understood the whole idea, and then stared with no less indignation. - But you didn't teach me that! You should have told me right away, not just the name! I would that one!.... Well, in short, you understand ...
«It's the laws of the genre, Ichika. You, as a Japanese, should have recognized them at once! - Emeric rubbed the bridge of his nose irritably.
«Enough of this clowning around, Emeric Gremory! - Chick stepped forward in an even angrier state and walked straight toward Emeric. - You will pay for all my humiliation over the years! Submit to Raiser Phoenix! AAH! What?
He abruptly interrupted his lunge because Emeric had his hands in his grasp in an instant. The flames, as if obeying Emeric, instantly extinguished all over Ryzer's body and were no longer summoned. Overwhelming control plus the power of destruction, that was the recipe for dominating Ryzer...
Emeric pointed the hand that Ryzer had kept in his grasp right at his face. It looked as if Raiser was hitting himself with it. All this he did not forget to accompany it with mocking phrases.
«Chick, don't beat yourself up!
Punch.
«Chick, don't beat yourself up!
Punch.
«Chick, don't beat yourself up!
Punch.
«Ha ha ha!....
Emeric was absolutely delighted to mock Ryzer, whose face was constantly swelling and healing like some sort of anatomical traffic light. The rest of the retinue could certainly help their king, except....
«Mmm, nice curls you have Ravel, where did you buy the dress...?
Valerie's usual questions, it seemed. Except that she was asking all of them with her "cargo" in her hand. Valerie naturally lifted Raiser's younger sister by the head with one hand and twisted her from side to side like a doll. The girl impotently endured and calmly answered the questions, apparently, experience had its effect.
And Akeno...
«Girls, would you like to try my new trick on yourself? Uh-huh-huh.
With a sadistic laugh, she intimidated the rest of her entourage by running lightning bolts between her hands.
Now Ichika realized what she thought was wrong.
Initially, she thought it was Reiser who was the villain.....
And in fact, they were the villains!
***
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