Chapter 7

I leaned back in my office chair and breathed in deeply, the member from the Naberius family had sent back a reply accepting the bet, my queen for his. If I managed to coordinate this just right, I could snatch Kuroka away from the Khaos brigade, and if I can keep her hidden for long enough, use her as my second bishop, and still have cannon would proceed as planned up until the confrontation that I was trying to ensure between myself, Rias, and Issei.

But that led up to a secondary issue. What I wanted to do, and my virtue of merely existing in this world as someone with even the limited meta-knowledge that I possessed was changing cannon into something completely unrecognizable. And by that same token, beyond my control. But I still had to try and least attempt to keep it somewhat on the rails at least at the beginning, since much to my now eternal regret, I haven't actually seen the entire series, which means I have no idea of how to ensure cannon goes better, and yet still have Issei as Rias' main… Squeeze? I wasn't totally sure how to put it, but it was still something that probably needed to happen, since I know, no matter how strong I personally get, to give credit where credit is due, Issei will always be able to outstrip me at the same basic level through his sacred gear, and those final few confrontations, a Maos' level of strength would mean nothing.

For now, wether or not I wanted to change cannon, it was meaningless, first I had to get Kuroka. After that I could make a final decision on wether or not it was time to insert myself. But for now, for now its time to wipe the floor with this newest opponent. Of course, now, I had to cement my place as someone to avoid fighting at all costs, in a world like this reputation is everything, the factions avoid fighting each other because of the sheer weight that the leaders of three factions possessed. And I needed to get to that level of recognition, and the inventions that I had been working on would be the perfect way to that.

Scene Break

Ventanin Naberius scowled, the challenge to a rating game that he had sent to Riser Phenix had been sent back with a condition, it would have to be Kuroka for one of his pieces.

Which was tempting offer to be sure, especially with the Phenix offering his Queen in that mix, but at the same time, in case he lost, which he doubted he would, but if he did, he would lose Kuroka, a skilled high class devil with Senjutsu abilities that made her worth any three members of the rest of his peerage.

But still… If he one, the queen piece was the one piece he still hadn't filled through his peerage, so If he could secure the newly minted 'Bomb Queen' of all people into his peerage, well, he would be delighted to say the least.

He had seen the last rating game that Riser had participated in, and it had quite frankly it had been horrifying the magics Riser had pulled down. But, it had also inspired something in him. Almost every one of the still functioning families of the 72 pillars had a speciality, the specialty of the Naberius family was Gravity magics.

And the sun, the sun that Riser had summoned, it had inspired him to create a spell that he felt was equal to it.

The Gravity Barrier. A technique that formed an sphere of heightened or lessened gravity around the caster, that could either ratchet up, or lessen gravity by up to twelve times. Ventanin had to smile, Riser might be really powerful, but its hard to stay that way when your being crushed into a gory pancake.

Scene Break

Sizrechs sat down in the stands as he prepared himself to watch another Rating Game with Riser as a competitor. The Phenix had accepted another challenge, but this time, he had placed a bet on his peerage, he would either win his opponents bishop, an impressively strong Nekoshou by the name of Kuroka, who apparently had a handle on Senjutsu, or he would loose his queen, Yubleluna, who had earned the title of 'strongest queen' and 'bomb queen'.

Sizrechs just shrugged mentally as he watched Riser and his peerage enter, but then his eyes widened a fraction in shock, Riser had walked out, garbed in tactical gear that he had seen on Swat officers. A bulky black bulletproof vest, black pants and boots, and a large black backpack slung over one shoulder, and a dark visored black helmet clutched in both hands. Sizrechs eyes widened even farther when he realized that the Phenix was alone, without his peerage.

Riser turned to the crowd and smiled, a blindingly bright smile.

"My lords and ladies, I am pleased to announce the formation of a new business! That of Phenix securities, arms, and armor. We are a business built around supplying the weapons and armor to any devil with the coin to buy them, and once purchased, we guarantee that a full set will increase the any low-level devil to the level of high class! This match will be only myself, using only items created by Phenix securities to beat my foes!"

Riser gave a long extravagant bow, and slipped the helmet on, before withdrawing something that looked like a paintball gun from the pack, and then shimmered briefly, and disappeared into the forest.

Sizrechs turned to the Lady Phenix who was sitting next to her sons peerage with a bemused, if surprised exspression.

"Did you know about this?"

She just shook her head, her eyes twinkling.

"Nope. But somehow I'm not surprised. He hasn't shown any interest in political power, and since he isn't the heir, and refuses to marry Rias, and if he's trying to get the power I think he is, then making it so he becomes one of the first, and premier arms-dealers of the underworld is the perfect way to do so."

Sizrechs scratched at his hair frantically with both hands.

"What the hell kind of power could he be attempting to gather that he would become an arms-dealer, and not marry the heir to the Gremory family!?"

The lady Phenix just smiled and motioned to the battlefield.

"I suggest you watch my son, as he crushes his opponents, I think you will be quite interested, both as Mao, and as the king of your own peerage."

Scene Break

Ventanin started as he heard a long drawn out scream echo over the battlefield, followed by the announcement.

'Ventanin Naberius' pawn, retired, Ventanin Naberius' pawn, retired, Ventanin Naberius' rook, retired.'

He glanced over at the next squad, made up of three pawns, and his remaining rook, and jerked his head towards the where scream had come from, his motion an unspoken command to investigate what had happened to the advance squad.

He then turned to his less valuable bishop, a reincarnated devil by the name of Abantham, a surly, grizzled, bearded devil who gave a quizzical look, asking an unspoken question.

Ventanin gave an evil smirk and nodded, Abantham gave a He had heard the announcement that Riser had been the only one on the other side, and was even limiting himself to the gear he had produced, those handicaps meant that he could actually play around with Riser, use tactics and and strategy to wear down Riser as much as possible, before blitzing the Phenix with his own gravity spells to crush him, along with whatever Kuroka could throw at the Phenix.

Ventanin could admit, he might hate that primping, pretty boy Phenix, but he could respect the sheer power the Phenix had shown in his first Rating Game, but if he wasn't going to use it in this match, Ventanin would do everything in his power to make him regret it.

Scene Break

Abantham motioned for the two pawns in his squad to circle around, just as he heard another scream from the second squad. He rushed forward just in time to see a black, oiled shadow fade away into the forest. Abantham caught a glimpse of some sort of high-tech gun that stunk of holy water and light magics.

He rushed forward towards the only member of the advance squad who was still conscious, despite the fact that half their face looked like it had been sprayed with acid, and as a consequence was dripping off win long, crimson and pink fleshy drops.

Abantham knelt next to the wounded pawn, just in time to hear them gasp.

"Be careful sir… Phenix… Uses… Holy bullets…""

And then the wounded pawn, and remaining bodies scattered around the clearing faded in a shimmer of blue sparks, followed by the announcement.

'Ventanin Naberius' Rook, retired, Ventanin Naberius' pawn, retired, Ventanin Naberius' pawn, retired.'

Abantham swallowed against his suddenly dry throat. The fact that a devil managed to figure out a way how to use holy ammo…. That, that was a game changer.

A shadow blitzed its way through the clearing, and a long cut opened in the throat of one of the pawns behind Abantham, sending the reincarnated demon to the floor, gargling in their own blood.

Abantham whirled, and rushed to the pawn, already calling up the few healing magics he knew in attempt to staunch the bleeding and keep the paw in the game, but there was a trio of small phut-phut sounds, sending three paintball spheres drilling into Abantham's legs and chest.

The burning sensation made the old demon let loose a scream as he crumpled, his right leg literally melting away from the rest of his body.

The rook flipped himself over, right as the black armored figure he had to assume was Phenix dropped itself on top of his downed body.

There was a brief pause, that was only broken as the last pawn in the clearing rushed forward before getting shot with the same holy water rounds in the head. The barrel was then delicately placed on his forehead.

Abantham stared up at the featureless glass helmet. He opened his mouth to curse, but was silenced by another round fired directly into his head that left a burnt hole in the middle of his forehead.

Scene Break

Ventanin stared somewhere off into the distance in shock.

Everyone of his peerage except for Kuroka who he had kept with him, were all dead and gone, the only sounds of fighting he had heard were a couple of screams. No metal clashing, sounds of explosions, or signs of elemental manipulation.

Ventanin turned to Kuroka, and was about to scream out a warning when the figure in the black tactical armor latched onto Kuroka, wrapping its legs around her waits, and its arms around her shoulder and neck, a knife in one hand placed on the Nekoshou's throat.

As quickly as he could, Ventanin lifted one hand, splayed open, a magical circle flashing into existence, but as fast a he was, it wasn't quick enough, in silence, the armored figure drew its knife over Kuroka's throat, strangling her scream into a raspy gargle, chocked by the same blood that spread in an arcing splatter of crimson.

Ventanin snarled as his spell finally activated.

"Gravity Sphere."

And the forced of a mountain fell upon Ventanin Naberius' surroundings.

End Chapter

Authors Note

Good lord. Y'all are acting like I just shot your puppy. Give me a few chapters. I believe that I said in the very first chapter that I hated cannon Issei. I'm just trying to portray a guy who hasn't seen most of the anime as accurately as I can. He knows he's powerful, and he recognizes that he cant keep cannon as exactly as he wants it, but he's worried that if he changes is too much, then Issei, who towards the end really is the only one who can face a lot of those opponents, wont be as powerful as he was in cannon. Add that to the fact my Riser is obsessed with getting stronger, but is terrified of changing cannon before he is strong enough, well, its the main quandary for the first dozen chapters.

Now, after my little rant there, to make sure its totally clear, Cannon is going off the rails for the most part. I'm keeping some things like the peace talk, and Issei going into Rias' peerage, but beyond that Im still deciding some things.

Again, I will not be sticking with cannon, Redone Riser just needs to grow out of his need for Meta-knowledge first.