Tales Of The Fearless Dragon

by streetlife34

Delinquent, Brother, Protector of the weak, Undefeated fighter, Kind, Ruthless. Add Devil to that list. There all kind's of strange beings in this new this world, but that doesn't matter, no matter who gets in my way I will be victorious. I'm the current Red Dragon Emperor, Shirou Tsukiharu and I never lose.

16. After Party And Epilogue

Hey everyone and get ready for this chapter. And this chapter will be the epilogue that wraps up everything in this Arc and sets up future Arcs, though to be honest, this chapter is longer than I was planning, way longer than most epilogues. Hope you all enjoy it.

Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit fan-based parody, Highschool DxD, Highschool DxD New, Highschool DxD Born, Highschool DxD EX, and Highschool DxD Hero are all owned by Funimation, Fushimi Shobo, TNK, Passione, and Ichiei Ishibumi. Please support the official release.

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"Shirou" Regular speech.

"Shirou" Thoughts.

DRAGON SHOT Attack names.

(Shirou) Words said previously.

"SHIROU!" Shouting speech.

[Ddraig] Dragon talking.

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After Party And Epilogue

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"Stop fidgeting."

"I can't help it. This shirt is so damn itchy." He scratched his neck. "Why do I gotta wear this stupid monkey suit and attend some boring after-party only a day after I've gotten out of the hospital?"

"Because people I know are here and you can't go around dressing like a thug in your torn-to-pieces combat suit."

"Oh, but going to a battlefield in a Student uniform is perfectly fine? Besides I was planning on getting my combat suit fixed."

"I gave you permission to lose the tie. I don't get-Look. This will be your first time at a gathering with other nobles."

"And how is that a good thing? I would've had a much better time going home."

"Just relax. My Mother and Father went to all the effort of throwing this party for us. You may as well take advantage. Eat some five-star cuisine, mingle a little, and maybe form some connections. It's important even for young, Lower-Ranked Devils, to schmooze a little with other nobles. It's a very high pay-off in the future if you leave a good impression."

"A good impression? For those stuck-up, self-entitled, upper-crusts? How could I ever "mingle" or "schmooze" with them? And as for cuisine, I'm 100% sure I could cook food way better than anything at this party and I know you're sure of it too."

"You know, you could TRY to have some fun."

""Fun"? That's like asking a Math-nerd to have fun at a fight-club. You and I come from completely different worlds, so what's fun to you obviously won't be for me. Like this for example."

"Then, just stay as long as necessary, meet my family, spend some time party, then you can leave whenever you want. Can you agree to that?"

"Sigh…Fine, I'll do that much at least."

"Good, now we're almost there."

The two people having this conversation kept walking a little bit longer down this long hallway until they stopped in front of a large double-door.

[Announcing the arrival of Lady Rias Gremory and Sir Shirou Tsukiharu!]

The colossal double-doors leading to the banquet hall opened at the behest of the two uniformed guards, the pair stepping aside to reveal a curvaceous woman with long, Crimson-red hair, and a lean, brutish-looking male with Silver hair. The woman was dressed in an elegant red dress with frills around the hem, while the male of the two wore a black tuxedo, minus a tie, with the top few buttons and bottom few buttons of his blazer and dress shirt undone. His entire right arm was wrapped in bandages up to the tips of his fingers.

Shirou paused and looked around the room from left to right, inspecting the kind of night he was about to have in this gathering. He could see richly dressed people in every corner of the room, all of them wearing attire he was sure costed more than a house. And all of them seemed to be absorbed in their own conversations or meetings with similar-looking nobles. Shirou groan. "Great, it's going to one of those nights."

Rias didn't respond, she simply smiled and took his hand, advancing the two of them inside the banquet hall.

"Rias!"

"Huh?" Rias turned her head, her eyes widening at the man approaching them. The man has the appearance of a middle-aged, handsome-looking man with long crimson red- hair that is tied in a loose ponytail with a black hairband. He has bright blue eyes just like Rias. He also has a short and red beard of stubble. He wore an almost blindingly white suit. Shirou could tell this man has aged VERY gracefully as if he had become a full-fledged man in the recent few years. "Father!"

A brief flash of panic came over Rias' face. However, it was quickly assuaged as the older man brought her into an affectionate embrace. Rias quickly overcame her awkwardness and returned his hug, the two remained this way for an adequate five seconds before letting one another go.

"It's good to see you are doing well, Rias." Lord Gremory said. Turning to Shirou causing the boy to raise a brow. "And this must be your Pawn, The Red Dragon Emperor who brought Raiser to his defeat."

Shirou rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Uh…Yeah. Shirou Tsukiharu. I'd introduce myself but, I'm sure Rias already told you guys about me." Shirou wasn't usually this awkward when meeting new people. The man's demeanor seemed friendly enough, but he was still a noble, and Shirou honestly had no idea what to say to start a conversation with one. The fact that this was technically also meeting Rias' Dad didn't make it less awkward.

This almost stagnant movement hardly went unnoticed by Rias' father, who laughed at the display. "Oh, don't be so tense!" He turned to the rest of the party-goers, all of their stares still directed intently in their direction. "This is a celebration is it not? To the first of what I hope to be many Rating Game victories my daughter and her servants achieve!"

There was a round of cheers and raised glasses in his direction. It was like an easing wave had washed over the room, removing any bitter or otherwise negative feelings from the room and restoring the festive atmosphere. There were a few dissenting expressions showing irritation or apathy, but overall the feeling in the air was pleasant.

For all intense and purposes, Lord Gremory's friendliness seemed to ease his stress. A kind father who was happy for his child's success…

With that thought in mind, Shirou extended his hand, shaking that of Rias' father. "So, Mr…?"

"Zeoticus, Zeoticus Gremory." Lord Gremory answered the question Shirou was clearly asking for.

"Mr. Zeoticus." Shirou was glad, the man's friendly nature made talking to him easier. "I'm going to be honest, I didn't expect you to be so laid-back and carefree about this whole thing. I mean, I figured the engagement was really important to you guys." He admitted. "Are you really happy that we wrecked both it and Raiser? Because that feels kinda random."

"Well, while it is quite a shame." Lord Gremory said, not losing his smile. "It isn't as though our relationship with the House of Phenex has been damaged and even if Rias doesn't produce an heir, it isn't as though it would be the end of our family line, both families still have our grandchildren after all."

"Wait for what?" Shirou asked, completely thrown for a loop. "Then what was the point of all this-Wait…" Shirou blinked, rewinding a bit. "You have grandchildren?"

Zeoticus nodded. "That's right, my son, Rias' older brother has a son of his own, he's a Pure-Blood Devil, his name is Millicas."

"No kidding. With how you look, I'd never believe you were a grandfather." Shirou replied.

Zeoticus laughed. "Hahahaha. Yes well, we Devils can use magic to control our appearance so we all look younger than we actually are."

Shirou laughed a bit himself. "Hahaha, how about that."

"Back to what you said before." Zeoticus said seriously. "I admit, it was a good engagement for Pure Devils, but in truth, both families had too much greed. After all, both of us already have Pure Devil grandchildren. Maybe it's the greed as Devils that made us crave for it. Or is it because we saw Hell in the last war." He then looked down, looking slightly regretful. "No, I also forced my greed onto my daughter.

Rias placed her hand on his hand. "Father please, I know you never had any wrong intentions."

Shirou himself was pretty surprised at what he was seeing, he was expecting himself to get really irritated at all this. The fact is he had to fight simply because others were being hasty to fix a problem that hadn't even started yet. Knowing that, he had things he wanted to say, but he could see it. The man in front of him truly understands that he made the wrong choice and isn't above admitting to it. He's even glad that it was prevented.

He really wasn't acting in the manner Shirou expected.

Though since he genuinely felt bad about it and is perfectly fine with letting it end here. Shirou decided he could do the same, it wouldn't be right to feel mad at him now. Besides, he became a lot stronger because of that Rating Game, so there's a Silver-lining.

"If anything, perhaps your victory was the positive outcome from a different perspective." Zeoticus turned to Shirou. "I've heard from Marquis Phenex. After your victory, it appears Raiser has secluded himself in the library, researching tactics and strategies for future games. His Father told me he wanted to thank you. In his own words—"

(What my son lacked was defeat. He overestimated the ability of our clan. This will also be a good lesson for my son. Phenex is not absolute. Just learning that was enough for this engagement, Lord Gremory.)

"—Those are the words he wanted you to hear."

Shirou blinked, his expression surprised. "Huh, I REALLY wasn't expecting that."

Zeoticus smiled. "In the end, he's still a Father after all." Shirou still seemed confused, not about what he said, but the fact that both he and Phenex act a lot more like normal parents rather than the parents of nobles that you usually see in fiction. "Still though, I think his loss to you really humbled him. You can bet he's going to start training from now on. Hahaha!"

"He's not the only one." Shirou clenched his fist. He had spent two days in the medical wings, recovering from his injuries, exhausting, and the after-effects of overusing his Sacred Gear, and when he was finally free to go about his business, Rias had informed him that he was free to watch a recording of their game against Phenex.

Shirou had immediately watched the game in full detail, at first he was searching for any mistake he might have made or wasted movements.

But while watching the end, he instead some something unexpected.

Something that concerned him.

It was something he couldn't even explain.

He saw it when he saw his final blow that finally ended Raiser, his eyes had suddenly been enveloped by an unknown golden glow and his body was emitting an even stranger black aura.

Shirou had remembered that exact moment himself, he felt his power suddenly increase at the last second. But during the fight he didn't know why, nor did he bother to think of the answer, he felt that all his focus should be on fighting the foe in front of him. But after watching that recording he couldn't ignore it. It was a strange power sleeping inside of him, and it awakened in that faceoff at the end of the match.

.

.

.

No. Awakened isn't the right word. Shirou knew this wasn't the first time this power had come to him. He remembered the feeling of having his power rise suddenly without explanation before. When he fought Raynare, and when he fought those three Fallen Angels. Every time he's in a fight where before he lands the killing blow, these traits seem to appear and grant him greater power.

And it couldn't be Devil or Dragon related because when it first came he was a human without a Sacred Gear. What really concerned him was the fact that when this power appeared, he could feel his instincts and emotions spike, as if a dark presence had come over him and he became more merciless than usual. That wasn't a good thing, because if he can't control that part, he might one day step past the point of no return.

Shirou made the decision shortly before today. He would find out what that black aura and golden glow was, and he would gain control over it. Darker presence aside, he knew the power it gave him was too great an asset to not desire, and he would never allow himself to fear or turn away from something that he believes is a power that belongs to him. No matter what, he will overcome this…

A gentle, reassuring hand fell on Shirou's shoulder.

It was the hand of Zeoticus, who smiled at him reassuringly. "I understand, even though you achieved victory, you still believe that you can grow even further than your current self and desire to reach new heights. That's not a wrong thought to have, it's perfectly natural especially after your first Rating Game."

Shirou blinked. The man was right, that was exactly what he was thinking.

"But, you shouldn't be in such a hurry. Right now we are enjoying a celebration, and you should enjoy it the most. After all, you are the first opponent in Raiser's match history who not only brought him to his knees but came out victorious. So why worry so much about things that have yet to happen? Or remain stuck on things that have already passed? Instead, you should take Pride in your earned victory and enjoy the feeling of what may be the first of many other victories to come."

Shirou stared, somewhat grateful. He could feel his negative emotions from before simply fade away. His normal confident smile returning to his face. "You know you're totally right, I can worry about those things later. And even if more fights come along the way, I can deal with them when they do instead of stressing out right now." Shirou turned to the Gremory head. "Thanks for the advice, Zeoticus."

It was more than just impressive.

In that moment, the man radiated a charming charisma that Shirou had found in no other person, human or Devil. His aura just exuded it with a far greater power. Shirou had not even noticed he had been swept up by it, he was so concerned about so many things he would need to do later and he couldn't relax at all, and yet right now, he was just smiling, completely at ease.

He could tell why this man held the title as head of his household.

"You performed admirably, Shirou." Rias said in agreement. "If it weren't for you, we would have undoubtedly lost that match." Rias turned to her Pawn, blushing as she gently grasped Shirou's hand in her own. "You saved me. Thank you."

Shirou had experienced the feeling of lust from other girls before. Their gazes sometimes grated on his nerves, but…This was different.

The adoration in Rias' eyes held no selfish intent. It belied the boundless amount of affection she felt in her heart.

It was something he hadn't expected.

At least not from her anyway. But he took it in stride.

"Heh, oh please, you flatter me." Shirou brushed off with a smile, he then turned to Rias without saying a word, and a short silence is what followed. "I didn't say stop!"

Rias blinked, a little surprised, but then laughed. "Hahahahaha!"

Shirou joined her. "Hehehehahaha!"

The two of them only laughed for a bit, but still enjoyed themselves, the tense atmosphere that was created a moment ago was now replaced by a more light-hearted one. After they were done, Shirou looked a lot more upbeat compared to how he was when he first entered the party hall, while Rias was a lot more at ease as well, though the blush on her face was still present. As well as the fact that her hand was still grasping Shirou's hand remained.

Zeoticus Gremory looked from his blushing daughter to the laid-back young man who seemed perfectly comfortable with Rias' hand over his own, an investigative look on his face. His mouth gradually curved upward into a smile that was both knowing and teasing.

"I see, I see~ You two are closer than I was led to believe."

It didn't seem possible but it seemed that at that moment Rias' face became a deeper shade of red than her hair, nor did it seem healthy, though it happened anyway (But while Rias was blushing, her Pawn didn't seem the least be fazed by her father's words).

"No! Please don't misunderstand!" Rias spoke out, completely flustered and letting go of Shirou's hand. "It's nothing like that, we're just two people who get along well, and I was just showing my gratitude!"

Shirou then looked at her, his eyes a little narrowed.

"Could you might not sound so defensive? I'm RIGHT here."

Rias then looked back at him, her expression still the same.

"N-No um, that isn't what I meant. I was just…"

Shirou then crossed his arms.

"You were just what? And why are you so high-strung all of a sudden? Seriously what is up with you?"

Rias placed a hand over her brow and then sighed.

"Do you really need me to explain it?"

Zeoticus laughed, feeling entertained by the unusual exchange he was witnessing between the two.

"A little inappropriate for a formal gathering, don't you think?" Asked another voice Shirou didn't recognize.

The one who that voice belonged to approached them.

When Shirou saw her, he could have sworn he was looking into a mirror, because the woman looked almost disturbingly similar to Rias, though her hair was a flaxen color and she bore violet eyes instead of blue ones…

…Not to mention her rack was even larger, something Shirou had thought impossible by natural means.

"I don't like the thought of praising our daughter for breaking off an engagement we had worked so hard to procure with the Phenex." The brunette scolded, causing the red-haired man to act more nervous. He showed clear caution as if this woman could destroy him at a moment's notice in the worst possible way and would have if she didn't also have a clear look of affection in her eyes when she looked at him…

His wife, Shirou realized.

This was Lord Gremory's wife. The Lady Gremory.

Rias could not help but notice and grow more nervous, maybe even afraid, or the fact that she was (perhaps unconsciously) reaching for his hand. But her fear didn't seem to be like the fear of seeing something hostile or the fear of a powerful enemy. It seemed almost unmistakably to be the fear of a girl who was faced with her no-nonsense parent.

It felt weird for Shirou to see Rias acting (ironically) like an ordinary teenage girl.

"W-Well, it's not every day that our youngest child wins her very first Rating Game." Zeoticus defended. "What's wrong with doting her just a little—?"

"Because it's that attitude that fuels our child's rebelliousness." Lady Venelana Gremory scolded. "After this, The fact that we just permitted this will end up being seen as "special treatment". It's going to take a lot of effort in order to take care of things with the other High-Class Devils?"

Shirou in his own way could see where she was coming from. True, it was wrong to just leave her with Raiser, and part of her might be glad that Rias' is happy at the very least, that much can be seen on her face (even if she's trying to hide it). But the fact remains that in the world of nobility, things like these happen more often than not. It's not every day that they get canceled at the last minute, and the problem of cleaning up the mess afterwards fall on to the parents, in this case, her. So to salvage things, she has to act professionally and work things out.

In other words, she was royally pissed.

Shirou then decided something. "Well, rebelliousness aside, you can't deny out of all the suitors you picked out for her, you clearly weren't thinking if you thought things would work out between her and Raiser." Shirou said, smiling while his eyes were narrowed. "Then again, that should have been obvious since you used stupid reasons for them to get married like "needing a Pure-Blood heir" when you clearly didn't."

Both Rias and her Father stared in shock at the Silver-haired boy who calmly talked back to the REAL holder of the house's power.

Though she had a sweet smile, Venelana Gremory could be terrifying when she wanted to be.

This situation was no exception.

"Oh, you must be the Red Dragon Emperor, I've heard about you, and you even derailed the engagement." Venelana greeted, a scary-smile on her face.

The fact was, Shirou Tsukiharu was also terrifying when he wanted to be.

Putting them together made this situation NIGHTMARISH.

"Yes, I am, glad you've heard of me." Shirou greeted back with his own, equally scary-smile. "Oh, and sorry to tell you this but I honestly haven't heard a word about you until now, but for some reason, I feel like we'll get along very well, as long as you don't set-up any more engagements for me to destroy that is."

"Well, how confident and your friendlier than I was expecting~" A malicious aura was radiating from her. "Yes, I do think we'll get along quite nicely."

"Think nothing of it, after all, friendliness is a trait we both share." Shirou agreed. A malicious aura was radiating from him. "Hehehehehehe!"

"Hmhmhmhmhmhm~"

Both of them were laughing pleasantly, but the patriarch and daughter of the Gremory family could see the malicious aura they were radiating towards one another.

They had visuals more akin to terrible beasts than people. Rias half-expected one to try to kill and eat the other.

"Father."

"Yes, daughter?"

"I'm scared."

"Me, too."

Eventually, Shirou heaved I tired sigh. "You know, you strike me as the straight-forward type of woman, so I'll be frank: lighten-up a bit, if only just for tonight." Shirou spoke to her in a completely casual tone, his malicious aura gone, something that made Venelana curious and his complete lack of fear brought Rias greater shock. "I understand the fact the things have turned into a huge mess for you, and you basically put in all that work on the engagement for nothing since it's now broken." Shirou then raised a finger. "But, you don't have to pretend a part of you isn't happy."

"What? You—" Venelana looked as if she was about to object, but Shirou was on a roll.

"Oh come on, you think I haven't noticed? Besides, what's wrong with that? You're her parents, even if you want Rias to act like the prim and proper noble in times like this, hence the engagement, you also want her to be happy and you knew she wouldn't be if she went through with it." Shirou pointed out. "I get it, this is something that every noble had to deal with and they can't always just back out if they don't like the guy. If you went through with it and ended up being happy then good for you. But it doesn't work for everyone, so why worry about other stuff? Instead, just act like how you really feel and enjoy yourself for tonight." After his words had finished leaving Venelana in such a frame where she needed time to respond, Shirou grabbed Rias' hand. "Come on, Rias."

"Huh…" Rias said, dazed. "Uh…sure, OK." She gave her final regards to her parents. "Mother, Father."

[Rias.]

And thus, Rias allowed herself to be led away, leaving her parents behinds near the entrance to the hall. They disappeared into the crowd, having left one second too soon to miss the other Crimson-haired man who was approaching Rias' Mother and Father, accompanied by a certain Silver-haired maid.

"He's certainly an interesting fellow, isn't he?" He said lightheartedly. "I just wish I had the opportunity to congratulate him and Rias in person."

"He's crass and straightforward." Venelana added, unable to help the small smile that appeared on her face. "And, that's what I like about him, besides, he wasn't wrong."

"Perhaps a bit too honest for his own good," Zeoticus added with a chuckle. "Still, he's rather good at seeing a person's nature."

"But that passion is something you rarely see in most Devils nowadays." The younger, Crimson-haired man praised. "It's a nice change. I admit I was surprised he was able to both match and overcome Raiser. That kind of resilience and willpower in someone so young is astonishing. I fully expected to have to rely on one of my back-up plans. Haha!"

Venelana narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me you were planning on interfering too?"

"Not…officially." The younger man said coyly. "Oh, don't be so upset Mother. Even if I'm a Devil King, I cannot help but lend my aid to my younger Sister every now and then."

Venelana sighed. "You inherited your Father's laid-back attitude, Sirzechs. Really now, you're making me feel silly for even worrying about this."

"Not at all. While I disagree with the decision, I know it wasn't as if you had ill intentions." The younger man said. "But, perhaps we could allow them to enjoy their youth for just a little while longer. If the Red Dragon Emperor has appeared, and if he has come to our side, then it's only a matter of time."

This man, Sirzechs Lucifer nee Gremory, the Crimson Satan, one of the Four Great Devil Kings, son of Zeoticus and Venelana Gremory, and older brother of Rias Gremory, did not show a trouble expression very often, but when he did, it usually meant it was no joking matter.

"Very true." Grayfia, his Queen, agreed. "It's only a matter of time, presuming it hasn't happened already."

"Yes." Zeoticus nodded grimly. "If the Red one has appeared, it's only a matter of time before he meets the White one."

"So." Sirzechs said, lightening the mood with a smile as he raised his glass. "For now, let them enjoy peace."

Zeoticus and Venelana conjured up their own glasses out of thin air, followed by a bottle of fine wine produced from a pocket dimension which then hovered above their glasses, opening and filling them up to the top.

They clicked their glasses against their son's.

"To Rias' first Rating Game victory!"

[To Rias!]

---

"Shirou! Chief!"

It was easy to find their fellow club members amidst the crowd.

A Miko, a loli, a blonde in a student uniform, and a handsome blonde with a smile you knew was for a woman were kind of hard to miss. They had been in the midst of speaking to some elegantly-dressed Devil noble with hair tied into a ponytail, munching down on some High-Class cuisine with the grace of a ravenous predator…Who looked oddly familiar. It was an energetic conversation and they were all smiling joyfully as they saw the pair approach.

Akeno was the first one to step forward and greet them.

"Hey you two, what took you so long?"

They were all dressed fancier than usual, Kiba was wearing a black tuxedo like Shirou, except with the tie and all the buttons, Koneko was wearing a little turquoise dress, and Akeno was wearing a traditional black kimono. Asia was wearing her student uniform as it was the fanciest thing she had.

Rias smiled, glad to see they were enjoying themselves. "We were just having a conversation with my parents. They wanted to congratulate me on my first victory and they were also looking forward to meeting Shirou as well."

"That was mostly your Father though." Shirou noted. "Your Mom was more pissed about getting stuck with damage control, and you froze up like a deer in the headlights when you saw her."

It was even harder for most of the others to miss how Rias' face redder when Shirou brought up her weakness at keeping her composure when it comes to her Mother. Three of the members of the group had knowing smiles on their faces, understanding full well for themselves how scary Venelana could be. Asia, on the other hand, looked simply unaware.

Still, Asia couldn't help but feel pleased with the fact that Shirou made his presence. "Shirou-san, I'm glad to see you're all better!"

"Yep." Shirou agreed, flexing his arm. "All I really needed was some rest, now I'm back to 100% and ready to blow doors down."

"Well, given our recent victory, let's hope that time comes after we've all had some real rest." Kiba said. "After the fight we all had, it would be nice to have a little peace."

"…I don't see that happening." Koneko said, munching on something small, blue, and crumbly like a cake or crack. Shirou had no idea what it was. "Things always seem to get chaotic on our turf. We'll probably end up in another fight sooner or later."

"But, next time we'll be prepared." Akeno said. "Our fight against Raiser has shown us that we have a long way to go before we make it to the big leagues, so we just have to get stronger than we were before."

"What? Speak for yourselves." Shirou retorted. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't mind trying the Official Rating Game next time." Shirou then closed his eyes and scratched the back of his neck. "Besides, why are you guys complaining when I did most of the work? I took out twelve of our fifteen opponents including the King, how many did you guys beat?"

Kiba and Koneko frowned at those words. "About that…" Kiba and Koneko looked a each other then turned to Shirou. "We're sorry."

"…Sorry."

Shirou blinked and stared blankly at them, not knowing what brought this on. "Sorry? For what?"

"Back in the Rating Game, we wanted to help bring victory for the Chief, but even though we used every bit of strength we had, we were so weak, we ended up being unable to accomplish a thing against Raiser, and in the end, we couldn't doing anything but rely on you and watch." Kiba had his head down in frustration. "Despite all our training, we contributed so little to the game, I'm sorry."

Koneko had the same expression, she clenched her fists upset.

Shirou shrugged. "Is that really what you think?"

Kiba looked at him seriously. "It is."

"You're worrying too much about all this." His response surprised them.

"What?"

Shirou sighed. "I mean, it's not like I was expecting much from you guys in the first place."

At that moment, Kiba and Koneko felt as though an arrow had just pierced both their self-esteem.

Rias placed a hand over her face, Akeno gave a nervous giggle and Asia gave Shirou a pouty expression.

"But." Shirou continued, getting their attention. "Saying you contributed little is something you're wrong about. After all, you two actually helped out a lot more than even I was expecting."

"What?" Kiba asked neither of them seemed to understand what he meant. "But all we did was defeat a Knight and Rook exclusively and we couldn't do anything against Raiser."

"True, there's no question about that, but even if you didn't stop Raiser, you did something more important. You shielded Rias." Shirou informed them, while surprised the others. "Think about it, if you two weren't there, Raiser would have roasted Rias before I even got there. But you two arrived before I did and defended her as hard as you could. And you bought enough time for me to finish the job."

The Knight and Rook knew he had a point, but they still didn't feel like it made them feel completely better. On a side note, they were a bit caught off-guard on the fact that it was Shirou trying to give them consolation.

"But doesn't that mean all we could do was buy some time?" Kiba pointed out. "As a Knight, I would've liked to do more."

"More?" Shirou asked raising a brow. "Kiba do you even know what a Knight is?"

Kiba's eyes widened in confusion. "What? Of course, I do."

"I don't think you do, otherwise you wouldn't be saying stuff like that."

"But, Shirou-kun—"

"Listen." Shirou cut him off. "I'm a Pawn, not just that, I'm eight Pawns, so it's my job to cover our entire front line, I accept that because it's what a Pawn does, so tell me what's you're job?" He didn't wait for either of them to answer. "It's obvious, the job of a Knight and Rook is to safeguard the King, no matter what. You two may not think they amount to the same thing but that means a lot when the King is in danger like that last game. So why would you want to do more when you did exactly what you were always trying to do? You protected the King."

Shirou was trying to talk with the same charisma he saw from Zeoticus, hoping it would help ease their negative thoughts, the same way it worked from him.

And fortunately, it was working, both Kiba and Koneko couldn't help but have a smile appear on their faces. It was as if Shirou had reminded them of something so obvious that they somehow forgot. They knew he was right, from the very start what they wanted was to fight for Rias, and they would gladly put themselves in the line of fire to defend her. Even if they couldn't stop Raiser, the fact that they could protect her, something that led them to victory, was a fact they could take Pride in.

It wasn't just the two of them, Rias, Asia, and Akeno were also impressed by how Shirou was able to help lift their spirits and how he was able to see things from a perspective that made them feel like they were all important factors playing in their victory. They half-expected someone as Prideful as him to just brush it off as no big deal. And yet, the fact that he actually gave praise to someone else was a welcoming change for them, since he didn't do it often, they knew it meant a lot.

"Shirou-kun." Kiba stepped forward, looking much happier than before. "Thank you, and I want you to know, I plan on becoming much stronger than my current-self so the next time we face a powerful obstacle, I promise my Sword will be there to help you fight."

Shirou smirked. "Don't get cocky, even if you get stronger, you're dreaming if you think I'll ever need your help."

There was the Prideful response they were waiting for.

But right now, it didn't bother them in the least.

Koneko then stepped closer and looked up at Shirou.

"…Sempai, you're almost cool." She said with a smile.

"Huh? What'd you mean almost?" Shirou asked, almost offended.

"Oh relax Big Bro," The familiar black-haired Devil "noble" chimed in. "She just means she sees you in a new and positive light but is too shy to say it straight out."

Koneko's eyes widened and a blush appeared on her face before she glared at the black-haired girl. "…Not true."

Shirou paused suddenly, rewinding the conversation a bit and looking back at the girl who was among the rest of the club. "Wait… Did you just say "Big Bro"?"

"I could call you Brotaku, or Bromo Arigato, or Bro-dere." The girl piped up.

Shirou stared intently for a second, comparing her well-groomed appearance and facial features to the mental image in his head. "Wait… Mika?" The first time, he said it with confusion. Then he said it again with surprise. "Mika!?" You're here!?"

"Yeah, of cour—" The unusually well-dressed girl paused. "You mean, you really didn't know it was me? I thought you were just messing with me!"

"How the Hell was I supposed to recognize it was you?" Shirou asked, genuinely shocked by what he was seeing. "You're clean and dressed like a normal person! Do you have any idea how unusual that is?"

"If that's your way of saying I look nice, then thank you."

"What are you even doing here? I would've thought you would have spent post-game curled up in your room, playing video games. You always said you hated "Gatherings for disgusting Normies"."

"They're Devils, not humans." Mika reasoned. "Totally different."

"How does that mean anything?"

"And they have yummy snacks! You were resting, so I had to find alternate sustenance besides hospital food."

"You actually ate hospital food? I can't stand that stuff."

"Well it was either that or good hungry, and I can't do that, Bro. I need food to power my brain, otherwise, I can't enjoy my anime."

"There are other reasons not to starve besides brain power and anime!"

"Yeeeaahhhh well, those aren't reasons that matter to as much as the first two."

"You know what you are? You are impossible!"

"And you never change."

Over the course of their exchange, the members of the Gremory Peerage just watched, unable to get a word in edgewise. They couldn't tell if the mood was good or bad, knowing these two they were pretty sure whatever they thought would turn out to be wrong anyway.

Shirou sighed. "Well, whatever. I'm going to get some air."

And with that, he walked off with his hands in his pockets, heading to the nearest balcony.

"Shirou, wait up." Rias called out, walking off to follow after him.

"Well." Akeno said with a smile. She placed a hand on her cheek. "That turned out a lot better than I was expecting, he really does have a charming side to him. It kind of makes me want to tease him."

"I was wondering how he would respond." Kiba stated, "But it seems I was worrying for nothing, I'm glad I got to talk to him."

"…He's still a thug." Koneko said before smiling. "But, I'm glad he's like that."

"That's Big Bro for ya." Mika said, picking up more food to eat. "He's rough around the edges and never lets just anybody get too close. But he's always good at making those who are close feel like they're worth something big. Personally, even if I'm being biased, I'd say once you get to know him, it can get pretty hard not to like him."

None of them replied to Mika's words, but they all knew, none of them would deny that claim.

---

Shirou walked through the doors to the balcony, taking a deep breath of the fresh outside air…

Well, fresh in relevance to the depths of Hell. With the convincing stars and Full Moon in the sky, it was almost impossible to tell everything was artificially-produced.

Shirou walked over to the railing, letting out a deep breath as he leaned his back against it.

He pulled a cardboard pack out of the lining of his blazer, flipping it open and pulling out a cigarette. Rias had been adamant about a search of his pockets. Little did she know that he had mastered magic to the extent that he could camouflage hidden pockets by melding the open end into the main part of the fabric.

The perfect compartment to store back-up cigarettes.

He then reached into his other pocket and pulled out his lighter, having lit up his cigarette he helped himself and inhaled some of that good nicotine.

He felt calm for the first time tonight.

"Heh." Shirou looked out at the sky. "What a wild few weeks."

"Mind if I join you?" A woman's voice asked, not waiting for his response she stood beside him by the railing.

"Do what you like." Shirou replied, feeling nonchalant, leaning forward and breathing in more of his cigarette in silence, inhaling, and blowing out a big ring of smoke in the air. He followed by inhaling a large amount of air. He turned his head to face the person who apparently decided to enjoy the silence of the night in favor of the party. "Besides, I don't own the place, so it's not like I could just tell you to leave."

"True, but I personally would rather you stay." Rias' smile felt foreboding.

"Rias?" Shirou blinked, took another puff of smoke, and exhaled before turning to face her again. "Why'd you come?"

Rias waved her hand. "Don't worry, I won't complain about the smoking, It's a night of festivity. I might as well not turn this into an argument." She stared at him with a knowing look. "Besides, even if I told you to stop, you'd still smoke regardless and tell me not to order you around."

"Yeah, you're right about that." Shirou agreed, turning back and leaning against the railing.

Rias lifted herself up and sat on the railing beside him. "Aren't you going back inside to enjoy the party?"

"Nah, I'm done with all that," Shirou answered. "Hate to tell you this, but big gatherings just aren't my style. Truth be told, the only reason I came was 'cause you kept telling me you wanted me to meet your parents, and I did. Now that that's done I'll just finish up over here, then I'll head back and take my leave."

"Alright." Rias responded, giving Shirou yet another pause.

"Really… You're just okay with it…?" Shirou wondered raising a brow. "I figured you would tell me to stay? You would tell the whole, "It's proper for a servant to stay by their master at these gatherings", or something along those lines."

"No." Rias answered just as nonchalantly as before. "I don't want to force you to do anything you don't really want to do. The fact that you came here at all is more than enough. Besides, you've already done what I asked and met my parents and helped lift the spirits of the others, so I don't really mind if you wish to leave at this point."

"Huh, that's new."

"And also." Rias said, turning to face Shirou with a positively glowing smile on her face. "I owe you one, after all, you saved me Mr. Hero."

Shirou looked down, "I'm no Hero."

"Well, you are to me." Rias insisted. "And also…I wanted to ask you." She spoke nervously. "…About what we talked about before."

Shirou looked at her confused. "Hmm? Before when?"

"It's just…Before when you said we weren't friends." Rias reminded him. "Do you still feel that way now?"

Play OST The Seven Deadly Sins - pf adlib - 13 Taizai

"…Oh." Shirou was silent for a moment. "Well back then, I said we weren't friends because we've never done things that would make us friends."

Rias had a sad smile. "Right, that's what you said."

"But."

Rias then stopped and turned to him.

"Back during the game, my opinion changed."

"It did?" Rias asked, unaware of the hopeful light that was in her eyes. "Why?"

"Because of what you did, back when I was trying to hold off Raiser's huge-ass fire attack that was going to incinerate everyone." Shirou reminded her. "While I was trying to push it back, you showed up and tried to help me."

"But, I hardly was able to help you at all." Rias pointed out, a little ashamed with herself. "And in the end, you didn't even need my help."

"True, you jumped in when you weren't needed, and you almost cost us the match, and you just made things harder for me." Shirou listed, each one felt like an arrow stabbing into Rias' self-esteem, making her more depressed. "But." That made her look up. "That doesn't change the fact that you were willing to jump straight into an attack like that to help me, it would just be crazy to not be grateful for that."

Rias felt her face lit up again. "Ah, well I…Just wanted to help you, in any way I could."

"It was more than just trying to help." Shirou argued. "That was something not many people if any at all would be willing to do for someone." Shirou then turned to her. "So right now, I don't mind being your friend."

Rias felt her smile return to her only much brighter than before, she couldn't hold back her happiness, after all this was something she had wanted since the training camp and now it had finally happened. Her Pawn had finally accepted her friendship. Before, she was starting to worry it was something that would always be out of reach, so you can imagine how relieved those simple words had made her.

"Thank you, I'm glad you feel that way." Rias spoke, although her face soon became that of an expression that was unsure. "So then, do you mind if I ask you something?"

Shirou puffed more smoke. "Might as well, what is it?"

"And, just so you know, you're free not to answer if you don't want to say." She noted.

Shirou raised a brow. "Okay, what is it?"

Rias looked somewhat hesitant, then sighed before asked. "I wanted to know, why do you dislike being called a Hero?"

Shirou's eyes widened as he was taken aback, he really wasn't expecting that question, but he knew he should have.

Shirou sighed. "I was wondering when someone would ask me that."

Rias had an upset expression, she felt she stepped on a landmine. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

Shirou brushed her off. "It's not that." He corrected her, "It's just, I was hoping I wouldn't have had to explain it." Shirou then dropped his cigarette and crushed it under his heel, he then looked at Rias seriously. "Rias, what do you think a Hero is?"

Now it was Rias' to be taken aback. "What?"

"For me, what made a Hero was something really simple." Shirou continued while looking out at the moon. "They turn despair into hope, they move forward with an unwavering conviction in their eyes, and no matter how bad things get, when they show up they make forget all about wanting to give up." He spoke in a gentle and warm voice as if he was remembering something personal to his heart.

Rias didn't say a word, she was too absorbed with Shirou's change in demeanor that was something she had never seen of him before. It was like the words he spoke were something he cherished.

But then his expression changed again, one where his eyes looked down and he was remembering something he regretted. "But I… I'm just someone who was drowning in despair and I couldn't to a thing to change that."

Rias noticed his hand moved in a manner that seemed automatic (It was as if it was moving unconsciously), and his hand gripped his torso, while he had a pained expression on his face.

Rias couldn't help but ask. "Does it have something to do with your scars?"

Though she asked, she fully expected him not to answer.

"Yeah."

That was why she was surprised when she heard that response.

"I have a bit of trouble remembering all the details, but I still remember every bit of pain I felt back then." It was as if just remembering brought him pain. "I lost everything back then, that's why I can't call myself a Hero and why I'll deny it if anyone says otherwise because if I were a Hero, I should've been able to do something… Anything."

Shirou stopped when he felt a slender pair of arms wrap around his neck, pulling him in and hugging his face against two plump, soft, marshmallowy-feeling objects.

Rias embraced him gently, smiling at Shirou, with an expression that radiated warmth like a beam of sunlight. "Shirou, you've gone through some much, it's more than any person should have to bear. But please understand, even if you don't believe it to be true, you are a Hero. To me and so many others. The Hero you described, in my opinion, describes you perfectly."

Shirou's expression slightly lifted, as if he didn't understand what she meant.

"Remember, you always followed the path you believed in, with a conviction that never wavered in the least, when we were facing insurmountable odds and felt we couldn't win, once you appeared we all were able to regain our faith that the battle would turn in our favor, and even in the darkest depths of despair when I believed we couldn't defeat Raiser, you showed me that it was still possible. You turned my despair into hope. Shirou, you are the Hero you described, and you may not believe that you are but I do. Shirou, you are a Hero."

Shirou just froze. He didn't know what to say, what could he say? No one had ever spoken to him in such a manner before, no one had ever said such things, And he didn't know why, but her words were having an effect on him. He could feel his emotions surfacing like a calming wave as if he was waiting so long for someone to say something like that to him, but now that they had he didn't know how he was supposed to react.

Though he hid these emotions behind a smile.

Shirou removed himself from her embrace. "You don't have to butter me up so much."

That smile.

It was gentle…Happy.

So pure…and corruptible.

Perhaps it was her baser Devil instincts driving her to give in to her desires, but when Rias saw that bright look of hope on her Pawn's face, she felt her heart skip several beats in rapid succession. She had seen less purity in ANGELS. For all his bluster, his temper, and his abrasive edges, Rias held no doubt in her heart that she was peering into Shirou's deepest character.

That smile…it was beautiful.

It even filled Rias with a sense of mourning that it was not a sight she could behold very often.

Still, it was something very precious. Something she wanted to protect-

No. Something she would protect with her very life.

She wanted to be the one to give this child, her Hero, many smiles, smiles even brighter than this one. To erase the pain of his scars.

That was the promise she made to herself.

Music Off

"Rias." Shirou got her attention. "Everything okay? You've been spacing out for a little while."

"Oh, I was just thinking," Rias blushed, trying to think of an excuse at the moment, then something came to her mind. "Thinking about what my Brother was planning in case we lost." She quickly changed the subject.

"Your Brother?" Shirou asked, tilting his head. "What'd he plan on doing?"

Rias' smiled turned into an amused one. "Grayfia told me about it yesterday, turns out if we lost, he would have made up an excuse as to why I would be late to the engagement party. Then was going to give me a Griffon and told me to make a run for it."

Shirou snorted, almost laughing. "What? Ha, I thought he was on board with the engagement?"

Rias shook her head. "Yes well, officially he was because as a Devil King he couldn't interfere. So he planned on interfering unofficially, and he planned on hiding his involvement too."

Shirou burst out laughing. "Hahahahahaha~! Classic! My opinion of this guy has gone way up! And I've never even seen him!"

Rias then had a somewhat annoyed expression. "He's always been like this, I appreciate the fact that he was willing to lend me his aid, but he needs to remember he's the Great Devil Lucifer, he can't keep acting in such a manner."

"I think you're missing to point." Shirou said, causing Rias to turn to him. "Even if he's Lucifer now, he was your Brother first, of course, he would be looking out for you." He then smiled again. "It'd be weird if he wasn't."

Rias knew he was talking from experience, considering he was also a Big Brother of a Little Sister. Still, it made her happy he was trying to cheer her up. "I suppose you have a point."

Shirou shrugged. "Come on, let's go back inside.

---

As Shirou and Rias walked back into the banquette hall. They approached the rest of the Occult Research Club.

"Hey, guys." Shirou greeted. "Anything happen while I was out?"

"Well, Mika just finished clearing the entire dessert table." Kiba answered.

And just like he said the entire dessert table was filled with empty plates and crumbs. Mika herself, however, didn't seem to gain a pound, if you can believe it.

"Rias, there you are!" A calm, almost authoritative voice called out as the owner approached them, the members of Rias' Peerage turned to see. "I was hoping I could see you."

It was the first time Shirou ever felt envy over another man's body.

Shirou was hardly a slouch when it came to training, and his body was almost always in peak condition. Toned, athletic, attractive, but never ripped like the young man standing before him. It was like comparing a nice car to a large tank.

He had the appearance of a handsome-looking young man with black hair that was well-brushed. Violet eyes that looked oddly familiar. And he dressed in a black and white nobleman attire that looked very High-Class, coupled with a large cape around his shoulders that was the same shade of white as Zeoticus' suit.

However, his aura was different from any other Pure-Blood Devil had encountered up till that point. They all radiated some form of overwhelming or oppressive presence as a result of their magical traits inherited due to their bloodlines, but this man was different. His power did not seem to have a magical source. Shirou felt his presence, but his power was more external than internal. In that form of his laid a mastery of one's own body could only be obtained through what must have years of intense training. His power was not a result of his authority rather, his authority was a result of his power. He gave off a presence that welcomed all opposition with the promise of crushing them entirely.

It was a hard feeling for Shirou to put into words, but when he looked upon the young man, he felt a hint of intimidation. He felt nervous or cautious about an enemy before, but this feeling was totally different.

Curiosity.

It wasn't that Shirou was afraid of him per-say. But rather curious of his power…Yet, at the same time, he felt as if there would be no greater thrill than attempting to challenge and surmounting it. The idea of battling someone so strong topped any satisfaction he would have obtained from fighting Raiser again or even Lord Gremory.

Rias smiled, happily returning his greeting. "It's good to see you again, Sairaorg."

The now named Sairaorg nodded, stopping in front of them. He then turned to the staring Silver-haired Devil. "And hello to you as well, Shirou Tsukiharu."

Shirou was about to respond, but the youth's words took him aback.

"You know who I am?"

"Many people watched your battle against Raiser. You, who have only been a Devil for a little more than a month, managed to bring a Pure-Blood, a Phenex at that to his knees in defeat. For beings of Pride like Devils, that was a special sight." He said. He laughed. "You wouldn't believe how much my Father was outraged by your victory! I bet his screams of fury could be heard from the next territory over!"

From the way it was worded, Shirou would have thought that this was a bad thing, but the young man in front of him seemed even more impressed by it. Shirou found him to be a welcome change compared to the rest of the uptight nobles here.

"Ah, I should probably introduce you two." Rias said, stepping forward. "Shirou, this is Sairaorg Bael, my cousin. Sairaorg, this is Shirou, my Pawn."

"You're related?" Shirou raised a brow. "But you don't look anything like each other, in fact, you couldn't be any more different." Shirou extended his hand. "Well, for what it's worth, it's really good to meet you Sairaorg."

"Likewise."

As the two men shook hands, Rias could only gawk. "Wait…"Good to meet you"?" He kept his distance from me when we first meet! He was never this friendly!"

"Did you try approaching him like a normal person?" Mika suggested, turning to her King.

Rias poked her fingers together, looking down. "…Nooooo."

Mika turned back to them. "Well look again 'cause there's more to it than that." Rias directed her sight to the two youths who were currently shaking hands. "Look carefully and you'll see it…Even though they're shaking hands, they're really analyzing each other."

Rias looked back at the two, and she had seen that which she had missed before.

How tightly their hands clasped one another as if they were trying to break the other's hand.

The piercing gazes, as if to test the other's mettle.

Their bodies tensed as if they were waiting for one to throw the first punch.

It wasn't hesitation or caution though.

It was anticipation.

Just looking at the two, Rias realized there was a reason they got along so well:

They were both battle-maniacs!

Shirou earnestly wanted to fight Sairaorg and Sairaorg wanted to test the reincarnated Devil upstart. It was a bond only two people with perfectly matching tastes could have ever formed. In any other scenario or setting, they probably would have already started exchanging blows.

But then…

CRASH!

"WHAT'D YOU SAY ABOUT MY BRO, YOU RAT BASTARD!? I'LL DESTROY YOU!"

"BRING IT ON, BITCH!"

Over to the side, Mika was seen at a stand-off with an unrecognized Devil who had lots of white magic-like tattoos on his face and on his upper body. He has green hair that stands on its end and matching eyes. He also has pointed ears. He is also wearing a yellow and black attire that seemed more rough compared to what everyone else at this gathering was wearing, along with ornaments on his pants that resembled chains. Both of them were radiating thick demonic power.

"What the actual Hell is going on!?" Shirou asked stepping up to the two of them. Mika immediately went over to him.

In a second, she was clinging to his waist.

"Big Bro, this guy was calling you names and so I started a fight with him."

Shirou raised a brow. "I think you left out some details."

"So." A rugged voice spoke with a hostile tone."I take it this little shit right here is your Brother."

"And who the Hell are you?" Shirou asked, not liking this guy's attitude. "Got something you want to say?"

The thug-looking noble sneered. "I was just saying how bitches like her could use a good drilling."

You could almost hear Shirou's knuckles crack in that instant. "What?"

"If she's not with you, why not hand her over to me? I know a few good ways to shut her trap." He reached out—

"Don't you dare lay your hands on my Sister." Shirou ordered in a tone that wasn't playing around, while he grabbed the other Devil's wrist, squeezing it tightly enough to leave behind marks.

The green-haired Devil glared and gather demonic power into his fist, and thus broke out of Shirou's grasp. "Don't you dare talk down to me, you Lowborn scum!" He growled indignantly. "I am Zephyrdor Glasya-Labolas! The younger Brother of the Devil King Asmodeus, and I demand your respect!"

"Are you kidding?" Shirou asked, not having this. "You must be stupider than you look if you think anybody would respect you after that."

This time, it looked like they were going to fight.

"Both of you cease your squabbling at once!" Rias barked. "This is a gathering of many noble Devils!" Rias turned to Zephyrdor. "Your attitude, as well as your actions, reflect poorly on your family, Zephyrdor."

"Oh, I'm getting a lecture from the disgrace of the Gremory family who had to rely on a Dragon to solve her problems?"

Rias narrowed her eyes. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"We've all watched the tapes, and I have to say, I'm not impressed." Zephyrdor said dismissively. "In the end, all you losers just sat back and watched, whining and crying like a bunch of bitches! The future of the Gremory family must really be in jeopardy if its heir weeps over pathetic trash like a lizard and a runt!"

[Huh!?]

It was odd…like synergy between the two siblings.

Simultaneously, they turned to Zephyrdor, both their fists clenched wanting to punch his face in the face.

"I'm grateful for the show we got of your bare skin, but it's pathetic when you show such a filthy appearance! And with the engagement to the Phenex up in flames, it looks like the Gremory are without a groom to fill that virgin hole of yours." Zephyrdor taunted, placing his hand beneath Rias' chin to force her to look at him. "If you want, the Glasya-Labolas family wouldn't mind setting us up, I'll rock your world—"

SMACK!

The sound echoed throughout the entire room, silencing what few were not already focused on the spectacle. They gawked at the nerve of the Crimson-haired girl, who had brought her hand across the face of the Glasya-Labolas problem child. The servants of both sides stood at attention, their hands reaching for their respective weapons as if a war would break out any second.

"Don't ever touch me with those vulgar hands of yours ever again!" Rias spat, her eyes beginning to glow with suppressed fury. "And don't ever call my servants "trash" again! Shirou and Mika are worth more than thousands of you! They are Proud members of my clan, as are Yuuto, Koneko, Asia, and Akeno! Insulting them is tantamount to insulting my Father, Lord Gremory himself! Anyone who hurts them is my enemy!"

Zephyrdor touched the red mark Rias had left on his face, his shock quickly dissolving into an unbridled rage.

"What makes you think a slut like you can lay your hands on a member of Glasya-Labolas and get away with it!?" Zephyrdor increased the amount of Demonic power surrounding his fist. "I'll kill you, bitch!"

Time seemed to slow down.

Rias raised her hands to conjure a barrier, the rest of her Peerage moved to begin the conflict.

"I think you're forgetting something." Were the words Rias heard, surprised as she was dragged back by her shoulders.

She saw Shirou rush forward—

CRACK!

—And swung his fist faster than Zephyrdor, punching him in the face and knocking him back a few feet.

It looked like Zephyrdor was going to hit Shirou, but he was able to swiftly dodged just before the moment of contact and shift to the side, though only those with a trained eye would have been able to see it. Shirou's fist moved in for a punch, the instant he saw an opening.

"First Raiser, then you…" Shirou spoke as he summoned his Boosted Gear over his left arm. "What is it with you noblemen assholes that can't wait to get your ass kicked by me?"

Zephyrdor grits his teeth, backing away in surprise before looking down at the droplets of blood that fell from his nose. Granted, it was a small amount of blood and he had worse before, but he was bruised and injured first nonetheless. This was not what caught his attention.

It was the look in the Silver-haired boy's eyes.

Defiant; burning more brightly than any raging tempest of fire and stronger than any steel.

"Bastard." Zephyrdor sneered. "You think you can take on a noble like me?"

Shirou scoffed. "Unlike you, I can actually back up my words."

Zephyrdor stood his ground in front of Shirou, a look of rage more violent than before on his face. "You think you can mess with ME lizard?!" He reached out grabbing Shirou by the collar, the high school delinquent did not so much as flinch as he met Zephyrdor's gaze. "I don't give a shit what cheap trick you used defeat Raiser! Odds are those sell-outs forsook their family honor to preserve good ties with the Gremory!"

"We won fair and square." Rias retorted. "Each and every one of us trained our hardest and bet all our Pride on the outcome! Our result was achieved by our own hands!"

"Or so you claim." Zephyrdor said before turning to the crowd gathering around them. "But do any of us really know what was going on behind the scenes? Doesn't the outcome seem a little too bizarre? A newcomer taking on a pro and winning? And the fact that he's already thrown a match or two in the past seems pretty suspicious!"

Shirou took a minute to process it. Then it hit him.

Zephyrdor was going beyond calling them weak. He was calling the "Frauds". Even if he couldn't prove it, he could muddy the waters enough to get people to start whispering. The whispers would turn into rumors, the rumors would turn into "common knowledge" that would spread throughout the Underworld, causing the Gremory family to be associated with tricksters and cheaters.

Shirou narrowed his eyes and pushed Zephyrdor off of him. "Why are we even debating about this? If you really don't believe it, then maybe I should give you a demonstration?"

Shirou raised his gauntlet.

[EXPLOSION!]

Play OST Shokugeki No Soma - Dictator Of The Kitchen

Unknown to most of them, Shirou was quietly Boosting his power from the moment he saw Zephyrdor in case a fight broke out, though the number of Boosts was less than the amount he used on Raiser. Thanks to the upgrade to Second Liberation, he actually had even greater power compared to then.

Zephyrdor let his Demonic power flare-up. "Fine, I'll just beat the shit outta—"

SSHHIILLCCCKKK!

Before Zephyrdor could finish, Shirou appeared right in front of him and punched his right arm out, connecting to Zephyrdor's outstretched arm as the was about to fire a spell. The result was Zephyrdor's arm was broken on impact, the sound of his bone-breaking echoed for everyone to hear and his arm right up to his elbow was bending in the wrong direction. His demonic power quickly went out and the pain hit him like a lightning bolt.

"AAAAAUUGGGHHHH—"

"Fast." Sairaorg thought while watching.

He didn't even get to finish screaming in pain though as Shirou didn't stop there. He spun his body and raised up his left leg above his head before bringing it down like a hammer on Zephyrdor's head with a mighty ax kick.

SLAM!

While it couldn't possibly be a good sign, Zephyrdor could almost feel his brain rattle after getting hit. He soon noticed himself losing control of his motor functions and his body falling to the ground. He hit the floor with a thud. Zephyrdor felt himself having trouble even moving his fingers and yet, fortunately (or some might argue, unfortunately) His nerve system still worked so he could still feel the pain.

SMASH!

Shirou finished things up by stepping his heel hard on Zephyrdor's head, he bent his knee and brought his arm down to his knee cap while resting his chin on it. He had a smirk on his face that carried the unsurpassable Pride only Shirou was capable of.

"Really, you were talking crap about us when that's all you got." Shirou taunted. "Guess our win was legit, or you're a loser who can't beat a sell-out."

Zephyrdor looked up at him from the floor, a burning hatred in his eyes.

"W-What the hell are you?" Zephyrdor asked with a cough.

Shirou's smirk grew. "I am what you dread. But people call me the Red Dragon Emperor." Shirou leaned in closer. "Call me lizard again and you lose the other arm."

In truth, Shirou knew Zephyrdor wasn't all talk, when he was hitting him he felt like he was hitting a wall of concrete and even he couldn't deny that he had a decent amount of Demonic power. If Shirou hadn't used Explosion this would've been a tough fight, however with the power of Explosion he was at a level where Zephyrdor was no match for him just as he wanted.

Those observing were also surprised.

Kiba was wide-eyed. "Shirou-kun's speed has somehow increased even greater than from the game."

Rias couldn't hide her shock. "Zephyrdor may be vulgar, but his stats in terms of power alone surpass Akeno, Diodora, Seekvaira, and even myself. And yet, Shirou…"

Another person was thinking about what she saw, she is a beautiful young woman in her late teens, with long blonde hair with a slight hint of light green and pink eyes. She wears glasses, has speckles, and has a cold, sharp gaze. She is wearing a blue robe that exposed very little skin. She wears clothes that are very fitting for female nobles that have a flashy design to them, with accessories that have the Agares seal on them which give off a posh vibe. Instead of a dress, she wears a miniskirt and high boots which are matched by her posh clothing.

She is Seekvaira Agares.

She watched, calculating what she saw. "He played that smart, he could tell at first glance Zephyrdor is a magic-user with overwhelming power so he moved in while his guard was down and neutralized one of his enemy's arms, both stopping the spell and giving him the opportunity for a consecutive strike. He felt Zephyrdor would be troublesome after feeling his fist connect and decided to end it immediately, thus his second blow aimed for the brain stem and rattled his motor functions placing Zephyrdor in a state where he is completely at his mercy." Seekvaira smiled. "Shirou Tsukiharu, you're smarter than you look."

Sairaorg didn't say anything, he just looked with an excited look on his face while clenching his fist.

Shirou continued standing on Zephyrdor's head. "Too bad, even if you're a Pure-Breed, barking dogs are no match for a Dragon."

The observing crowd breathed out a heavy gasp.

A servant of the Gremory family had struck down a High-Class Devil outside a Rating Game, an act that was generally forbidden among most circles.

Zephyrdor's Peerage was the first to break out of their funk and regain enough sense to realize their master need assistance. They were as equally shady looking as their master.

There were seven of them: Three Pawns, Two Rooks, A Knight, and A Bishop.

"Master Zephyrdor!"

"You Bastard!"

They charged forward preparing to attack Shirou with weapons that seemed reminiscent of the weapons used by the delinquents he usually fought at home.

Shirou who wasn't in the mood to deal with weaklings simply raised his Boosted Gear to summon and conjure a magic-circle as lightning gathered around his fingertips.

[TRANSFER!]

"CANNON FODDER SHOULD SHUT THE FUCK UP!" All of his power transferred to his Demonic power and thus it super-charged his spell to an incredible level of intensity.

DRAGON THUNDER STREAM!

Shirou unleashed his spell and a giant blast of yellow lightning with blue sparks around it shot out from the circle, it carried an overwhelming amount of magic and tore through anything that was in its path, like the roar of a thunderstorm. The spell hit the members of Zephyrdor's Peerage and resulted in a huge explosion of lightning that lit up the entire hall.

BOOOOOOOOM!

Music Off

Zephyrdor was strong. Shirou didn't say it outright, but Shirou knew that when compared to his own normal state Zephyrdor could hold his own if he had the chance.

The underlings, on the other hand, were basically featherweights by comparison. They clearly had far less training than what Raiser gave his own servants. They were doubtfully more than a cheer squad for their master or for shows of force. As the dust settled, they laid there on the floor, both unconscious and paralyzed by the lightning.

Everyone in attendance was now completely blown away by this new display of power shown to them by the Silver-haired Low-Class Devil.

No one could hide their shock and for some, fear.

Akeno was staring amazedly. "Even if I used all my magic, I couldn't produce a lightning spell of that magnitude. It's almost unbelievable."

Rias had her eyes glued to Shirou, not even sure how to react. "That power…Ultimate-Class? No, not yet. But it was at the highest level of a High-Class Devil. How can he have wielded such magic? Has the evolution of his Sacred Gear given him this power? Or…Is it Shirou himself?"

Sairaorg simply had his battle-maniac grin. "Not bad, he's almost as strong as me."

Mika grinned. "Heh, this must be one of those, "Make one move and you die" situations."

Shirou then put his arm down then turned his attention back to Zephyrdor. He removed his foot from his head and grabbed his neck, lifting him in the air like a rag doll.

"I believe I have your attention." Shirou spoke while all eyes were on him. "You think we didn't earn our win? I know it might be hard to understand, considering you Silver-spooned knaves never had to put effort into anything your whole lives, but this is how I fight, by putting 110% into every match I'm in. If you ever doubt my victory then I'll be more than happy to prove it to you. Just don't blame me when you get crushed under my foot like a bug."

Most of the High-Class nobles grit their teeth and glared at him. They were outraged by the nerve, disrespect, and audacity that Shirou was showing them. "How dare a Low-Class Devil speak down to us", is what they would've wanted to say. But while they were too ashamed to admit it, they couldn't deny the fact that most of them were intimidated by Shirou at this point.

Zephyrdor maybe a young Devil, but he was still the heir to a Devil King's family. And yet Shirou not only easily defeated him but vanquished his entire Peerage with ONE spell. That was enough to give them second thoughts.

Shirou could see it on their faces and was satisfied. "No volunteers? Too bad." Shirou turned back to Zephyrdor. "Oh and for the record, I don't give a shit who your Brother is, because you aren't your Brother. You just some Goblin-faced poser."

Zephyrdor grits his teeth. "You son of a bitch."

Shirou narrowed his eyes at that and strengthened his grip around Zephyrdor's neck.

"My Mother was a saint." Shirou spoke with venom.

"I think you've made your point." A familiar calm voice piped up as a firm hand placed itself on Shirou's shoulder.

Shirou turned and saw Sairaorg beside him.

He could see it in the eyes of the muscular youth, he was telling Shirou to end it. Truth be told Shirou was already planning to, he got what he wanted and shut everyone up. And knowing that Sairaorg had the same thought was just something that made him sure. He let Zephyrdor out of his grasp and into the pile of his fallen servants like a sack of flour.

"Yeah, I know." Shirou replied.

"Shirou!" Rias spoke up, walking up to him. "You didn't have to get involved like that, you don't have enough status to risk getting into fights with other High-Class Devils, you could get into a lot of trouble for that."

"Why? He started the fight, I just ended it." Shirou reasoned. "Besides, I told you before it's the Pawns job to be the first one to fight, if anyone tries something they have to go through me first."

Rias shook her head. "Yes but—"

"You." Rias was interrupted as they all looked, they saw Zephyrdor barely standing, with one arm clenching his other arm that was broken, and a look of rage that hadn't subsided. "We aren't done."

Shirou was about the raise his arm when Sairaorg stopped him, giving him a look that said "let me handle this", Shirou decided to give him a nod and stepped back.

"I think this joke has gone on long enough." Sairaorg said, his expression absolutely serious. "Don't you think Zephyrdor?"

Zephyrdor sneered at Sairaorg's appearance. "Like I'm going to be lectured by the Bael reject! Why are you getting in my way!?"

"Why?" Sairaorg repeated, unconcerned with Zephyrdor's insult. "Because this is a party to celebrate the victory earned by my cousin and her Peerage. And yet you not only tried to smear her name and accomplishment but you also go on to pick a fight with her Pawn. One in which you already lost. So back down already, before you make yourself look even worse."

"Screw you!" Zephyrdor screeched, not backing down. "I can still beat that punk!"

"With one arm?" Sairaorg asked.

Zephyrdor was taken aback.

"You have neither the use of your arm or your Peerage." The Great King pointed out. "If you're saying you can still beat him regardless…Then you're even stronger than I am."

Zephyrdor grits his teeth overwhelmed with rage. Yet still had enough control to know when he had been beaten.

He turned around and stood in front of his Peerage, then summoned a teleportation magic-circle to leave along with them. He turned around and gave Shirou one final death glare before dissolving into particles of light and vanishing.

The situation had ended.

Shirou turned to Sairaorg. "I didn't really need your help back there." He then had a small smile. "But I appreciate it anyway."

Sairaorg returned the smile. "It was my pleasure, and don't worry, nobody really likes that guy so you won't get in much trouble for starting trouble with him."

"Good to know."

Their conversation soon ceased when a started then impressed look crossed Sairaorg's face. He turned away from Shirou then knelt on the ground.

At first, Shirou thought he had dropped something. Then he realized that others were beginning to mimic that gesture. Shirou looked off to the side to see that Rias had also knelt.

That was what really sold it to Shirou. He turned, finding himself face-to-face with a handsome, Crimson-haired man who bore a striking resemblance to the only other two people he knew with Crimson hair. He was wearing a very long purple cape that went down to the floor with massive black and gold lined pauldrons and a black and white striped suit beneath. Shirou noticed that despite the tense atmosphere, this man had a lighthearted air around him.

Shirou decided to face this new development the same way he did with everything else in life.

With a smile and greeting.

"So, you must be Rias' Brother." Shirou guessed, walking up to him, eliciting a round of gasps from the crowd around him. "I've gotta say, you really do look just like her, expect more manly, obviously."

An even louder round of gasps sounded amidst the silence. None gawked more than Rias herself.

"That is the Maou Lucifer you are speaking to! So show respect!"

"Learn your place, commoner!"

Shirou was about to shut them up when someone beat him to it. Sirzechs raised his hand to silence the crowd while giving them a lot that promised pain if they spoke up again. And with that, the silence returned.

Shirou saw that and looked genuinely impressed. "Nice, so you can look intimidating too."

"You're quite strange. Most people standing where you are now would be kneeling on the ground. You do know the position I hold in the Devil society, right?"

"I know alright." Shirou confirmed. "You're one of the Four Satans, one of the people who replaced the original Kings of the Underworld when they died. And you're the strongest of the four."

"You know this, and yet you don't kneel?" He did not seem insulted, just curious. "It is common for those, regardless of Class, to provide a gesture of respect towards their leadership."

"That may be true for most people, but regardless of respect I don't kneel to anyone, even a King." Shirou explained, his words casual. "I find that kneeling to someone simply because of their position is a generalized way of thinking, and so no matter my status or position I'll stand up and look at them rather than kneel on the ground and bow to them, that's just who I am."

And yet, the Maou Lucifer's expression did not shift in the slightest. If anything, he just seemed more interested. "That's a perspective on things I haven't seen in quite a while. And yet I can't say I completely disagree with it."

No one gasped this time, not wanting to risk upsetting the Crimson Satan, but still, they were shocked. By all right, they assumed the Low-Class Devil in front of their King would have been reduced to a bloody pile of mush by now, yet inside they were having a conversation as casual as two men discussing the weather.

"You know, you're a lot easier to talk to than I was expecting." Shirou admitted. "I half-expected you would blast me with magic for not kneeling to you."

Sirzechs waved his hand with an amused smile. "Oh, I would never dream of doing that. You're my younger Sister's Pawn after all and the one who defeated Raiser. The truth is I wanted to congratulate you on your victory against Raiser. It wasn't just your power that I found impressive, your willpower and boundless tenacity against overwhelming odds is something you rarely see in young Devils nowadays, the fact is I was completely overwhelmed by your performance. You were incredible."

Now everyone was gawking wider than anything previously this night. The fact that someone like Sirzechs Lucifer was giving praise of that caliber was something none of them ever thought they'd hear. Even Rias herself was speechless.

"Still, I must ask you, the way you speak to me, would I be right to assume you hold no respect for me?"

"Honestly, right now." Shirou shrugged. "That's right I don't."

And cue the mind-blown looks on everyone's face.

One guy even fainted.

The two men speaking ignored that.

"May I ask why?"

"Because I don't know you."

Sirzechs raised a brow. "Is that the only reason?"

Shirou nodded. "It's reason enough for me. For me, the people I respect are the people I know and believe are deserving of it. But right now, you're a stranger to me that I literally meet a minute ago. I can't very well just give my respect to a stranger and the only thing I know about you is your title of Lucifer. And the way I see it, respecting someone based only on their titles or position is the sign of ignorance."

Sirzechs processed these words, a small smile appearing on his face. "You have a rather eloquent way of thinking."

Shirou smiled back. "First time anyone's ever told me that."

"But, regardless of how you feel about me, I want you to know I was actually glad I could meet you tonight."

Shirou shrugged. "You're pretty good at flattering people aren't you? Still, thanks."

Sirzechs then extended his hand towards Shirou. Shirou figured he was gesturing him to shake his hand. Seeing nothing wrong Shirou accepted his handshake.

That's when he felt it.

The moment Shirou had touched his hand he felt his magical aura hit him.

It hit Shirou harder than any blow he had ever felt. It was a weight that laid upon his body and soul.

He could feel himself inwardly tremble, his body threatening to crack and break apart under the immense pressure radiating from the man in front of him.

This was a show of power…This was a Devil King's aura. Not even Sairaorg's presence could compare. If Sairaorg's power was a mountain compared to an anthill, then this man's power was comparable to an entire planet.

Shirou knew that if this man wanted to, he could have turned him into a greasy puddle.

—No.

He could have done so much more. He could have erased any shred of evidence that the individual known as "Shirou Tsukiharu" ever existed.

This moment, this second which lasted an eternity was perhaps the closest taste of death Shirou had ever experienced.

And yet, despite all that, Shirou couldn't wipe away the look of complete and utter excitement on his face.

Never in his life had Shirou have felt such an impossibly powerful force, it was absolutely unbelievable. Even in his wildest dreams he never thought he would meet someone this strong. And yet all Shirou could think about was who excited he was at the thought of transcending this power.

It was like an experienced mountain climber who had found the world's highest and deadliest mountain.

Or a beast hunter who had come face-to-face with the world's largest monster.

It was in every fiber of his nature to challenge this insurmountable force in front of him and strive to surmount it.

On the outside though, they seemed like everything was normal. Their handshake soon ended.

"Well now, it's been a long time since someone's been able to send a chill down my spine." Shirou said, his smirk reappearing. "I think I might like you, tell me what was your name is, Maou?"

"Sirzechs Lucifer." He answered.

"Sirzechs Lucifer, I'll make an effort to remember that one."

"Then If you don't mind, could you tell me your name, Dragon user-kun?" Sirzechs requested.

Shirou placed a hand on his side. "The name's Shirou Tsukiharu, commit it to memory."

BEEP! BEEP!

Their conversation was soon interrupted by the sound of a timer going off.

Everyone looked around, wondering where it was coming from and who it belonged to. Though it completely killed the mood.

"Sorry, that mine." Shiro spoke up, reaching into his pocket and taking out his phone. After looking at it for a few minutes he put it away. "Sorry to tell you this, but I have to go."

Everyone, including Sirzechs, was surprised by this sudden decision that seemed to come out of nowhere. "You're leaving."

Shirou nodded. "Yeah, truth is I have a prior engagement tonight and I need to get to it."

"I see." Sirzechs seemed a bit disappointed. "It's rather a shame though, I had hoped we could've talked for a bit longer."

"You and me both." Shirou agreed. "I actually like talking to you, but it can't be helped. Maybe next time."

Shirou then walked past the Devil King and made his way towards the main exit which was the same gate he entered from. He ignored the dirty looks some nobles were giving him believing it to be no different from having a tree glare at you. He then stopped at the large doors about to walk out.

"Wait!" Sirzechs called out.

Shirou before his hand reached the door, he turned around to face the Crimson Lucifer.

"Before you go, I would like for you to know this." Sirzechs told him. "After your performance in the Rating Game, many people will have their attention on you, like me there were many who were impressed by your abilities and have high expectations for you. In the future there will be a great number of Devils hoping to see a great performance from you in the Games."

If it were someone else Shirou might have said "I don't fight for your entertainment", or something along those lines. But when facing the man in front of him he just smiled and said. "Then I hope you look forward to it, Mr. Sirzechs Lucifer."

And with those words, Shirou opened the entrance doors and walked out the banquette hall, the sounds of the doors closing echoed throughout the entire room.

And with that, almost everyone there breathed a sigh of relief, glad beyond words that the extremely tense situation was finally over. Some of them even felt their knees give out and kneeled on the floor. No one said a word, except for one person who just kept her eyes on the entrance doors that Shirou walked out of.

"Shame. He was my ride." Mika said.

---

Shirou was walking down the same hallway he walked past before coming to the banquette, though this time he was alone.

After decided he was far enough he stopped walking.

.

.

.

And at that moment, the excitement he was holding in since he felt Sirzechs aura finally came out. His face was a face that completely trumped any look he had before. It was a look that would put most battle-maniacs to shame. If others saw it they would even believe it was the look of a man who was getting ready to kill someone.

"So that was Lucifer, the Strongest Devil in the world, hahaha! He was even better than I imagined, too think he was THAT strong, it's insane." Shirou placed his hand over his chest, his heart was beating so fast it felt like it would leap out of his chest. "And yet, it's amazing. It's so soon, I never thought I would meet him here."

Shirou then slowly calmed down, his heart-rate relaxing, his facial expression changing into a look of determination. A fire burning in his eyes like a flame that was scorching at the top of a mountain, that could be seen through a blizzard. And more unbreakable than pure titanium. "And I can't wait to beat him."

Shirou knew it would take an astronomical amount of training, but he would do it, he knew he could.

He would surpass Lucifer.

He had been exposed to the harsh reality, the true difference in power between a servant and a Devil King, he had met people he could never even hope to beat at his current level. Many would have simply fallen into despair, their fragile reality shattered by a power infinitely greater than themselves.

But Shirou's eyes had no trance of despair whatsoever, only the resolve to face the hurricane.

The encounter with Sirzechs Lucifer had only pushed him to strive to even greater realms of power.

Shirou then took out his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, yeah it's over…Good, tell her I'll be there in a few minutes, I just need to get changed…Yeah, see you there."

After his conversation was over he hung up and drew a teleportation circle. "I take back what I said before, I'm glad I came."

And with that, Shirou had left the Underworld.

---

In a solitary (yet refined and very expensive) room, Sirzechs Lucifer was sitting down with Grayfia by his side.

"He truly is a fascinating young man, isn't he?" The Maou asked his maid.

"I suppose that would be one way of putting it." Grayfia replied.

"I must admit, he completely acted beyond my expectations." Sirzechs smiled brightly. "My sister really knows how to pick them."

"My Lord, are you sure it is wise to take things so lightly?" Grayfia asked, not sharing his lighthearted attitude. "You know as well as I do the danger he has put himself in."

"Yes, whether he intended to or not, he has placed himself in a rather difficult position. In his very short debut, he had defeated the said-to-be invincible Raiser Phenex, gained the open respect of the Bael family heir, gained the attention of the heir of the Agares family, and singlehanded overcame the heir to the Glasya-Labolas family and his Peerage. I fear that it won't just be other Factions, there will be many powers in the Underworld that will have their eyes on him, and not in a positive way."

"Both the fact that his power is growing at an incredible rate and the fact that he is completely unafraid to challenge those with a higher position in society has made him the target of many nobles who will no doubt be displeased with this new turn of events." Grayfia said grimly. "The current nobility hate Lower-Ranking Devils whose power they can't control and those who don't immediately bow before them, from what happened tonight it's obvious there is already a target on his back."

"He is…Unique. Unafraid to speak his mind, even to those of a higher class. He doesn't allow himself to conform to a standard and instead remains true to himself, which is something I haven't seen in many young Devils." Sirzechs elaborated. "Those of our kind who have clung to their grudges are consumed by their own greed and hatred while those from the newer generation have fallen into a state of stagnation. Even the few that escape either of these patterns, such as the heirs of the Bael, Agares and Sitri families show reservation. But that single boy now stands as a new factor in this current generation that has the potential to completely overturn the Underworld in a new direction, people are bound to take it seriously. Those with deep roots in Devil society would be at the top of that list."

"Do you mean…Will they come after him as well?"

"Not right now. The Red Dragon Emperor has potential, but still not someone Zekram would take as a serious threat to the purists' supremacy. But their descendants may consider retaliation for his insult. The way I see it, that boy created some gusts of wind, but those gusts will form winds of change that will create great changes beyond expectation."

"But what if he gets swallowed by the hurricane?"

"I admit, I was concerned about that myself." Sirzechs then smiled without worry. "So I tested him myself, when I shook his hand I had him feel my aura, I put him to the test to see if he could overcome it. And yet, his resolve didn't waver at all, in fact, I think it just motivated him to challenge the hurricane further. After seeing that look in his eyes I knew, when the time comes, he'll be more than ready."

"He will still earn enemies."

"Yes, but with it, he will also earn the admiration and respect of others, even some who otherwise disagree with his sentiments.

"…Do you think he will be able to survive?" Grayfia asked, still feeling concerned. "Greater men than he have been crushed by the darkness in our world. He isn't nearly as prepared either."

"You might be right, but I still have faith." Sirzechs answered. "After all, he is Rias' Pawn, he is the Red Dragon Emperor, and he is the son of that woman."

The boy was a catalyst for change.

Only time would tell if it was for the better or the worse.

---

Somewhere in the Human world. Inside an expensive hotel luxury suite sat a middle-aged-looking man who had the aura of someone who was completely at peace with the world.

He was sitting on a couch watching something on a large flat-screen TV.

It was a recording of the Rating Game between the Gremory and Phenex Peerages that took place the other day.

The Rating Game was a very popular sport, not only for Devils but many beings from other Factions, even outside the Trinity Factions watched and enjoyed them. And this one, in particular, gained a large number of viewers.

The person watching seemed to take great interest in the scenes involving Shirou and looked surprised and then serious when he saw the final blow.

Or rather the black aura and golden eyes Shirou had right before the final blow.

"I see, so he's finally awakened." The man spoke to no one. "Then it seems it's finally time for me to fulfill my promise." He sighed. "Right, Mikoto?"

---

Elsewhere in the human world. At the town of Kuoh in a common karaoke box were three friends who were having fun that night.

It was the trio of Shirou Tsukiharu, Ren Todo and Aika Kiryuu.

Shirou was now dressed in casual attire. He apparently planned a get-together with his two friends to enjoy a much smaller celebration, one that was far more to his liking.

He and Aika sat in their seats while Ren was singing his song.

~Don't stop believin'
Hold on to the feelin'
Streetlights, people ~

~Don't stop believin'
Hold on
Streetlights, people ~

~Don't stop believin'
Hold on to the feelin'
Streetlights, people~

"Yeah! Sing it, Ren!" Aika cheered.

"Wahoo!" Shirou cheered.

Ren sat down with them, taking a sip of one of the soft drinks on the table. "Hah, this is always fun."

Shirou shrugged. "Well, it's not booze, but it'll do."

"You don't have to drink every time you go out, you know." Aika pointed out.

"True, but it's more fun." Shirou argued.

"Still, I'm glad you're back." Aika smiled. "What kind of Occult Research Club goes on a two-week camping trip?"

Neither Shirou nor Ren told Aika where they went for obvious reasons and just told her the club went camping.

"It's Rias Gremory's club remember?" Ren noted. "Rich people do stuff like that all the time."

"True." Aika then had her perverted gaze towards Shirou. "So tell me, with you being under the same roof as all those ladies, did you happen to pop anyone's cheery on that trip?"

Shirou just took a sip of his drink. "I won't dignify that with a response."

"You just did." Ren pointed out.

They all laughed. Shirou felt this was a much better celebration gathering than that stuffy, uptight one in the Underworld.

As Ren got ready to do another song. He looked to see Shirou and Aika locked in a deep, lasting, kissing session. Ren raised a brow.

"Wait? I thought you two broke up?" Ren questioned.

They both stopped and looked at him.

"Oh we did, this is just an occasional relief." Shirou explained.

"Turns out, it's less trouble and more fun to be "friends with benefits", then being in a relationship." Aika explained.

"Ah." Ren nodded, now getting it. "Carry on."

And with that, they continued kissing.

They all enjoyed their night of celebration and all was right with the world.

It was just another day for the life of Shirou Tsukiharu.

---

End Credits - Death Note Musical - We All Need A Hero

{When I get afraid}

{And all hope is gone}

{I reach for your hand}

{And I go on}

{'Cause someone like you}

{Who's scared, but won't run}

{Is standing his ground for everyone}

{Because the best of us}

{Can come from anyplace}

{Helping the rest of us}

{To face what we must face}

{We all need a hero}

{Somebody to help us to be brave}

{We all need a hero}

{And someone he can save}

{We all need a hero}

{Believing that deep inside}

{We'll find there is}

{Some kind of hero, too}

{Like the one I found in you}

{And so, win or lose}

{You fight the good fight}

{As long as you try with all your might}

{A heart that is strong}

{A heart that is true}

{A heart that will risk it all to do}

{Whatever he can do}

{When something must be done}

{Showing us we can do}

{The same thing one by one}

{We all need a hero}

{To rush in and try to save the day}

{We all need a hero}

{For dragons yet to slay}

{We all need a hero}

{To show us that deep inside}

{We'll find there lives}

{A kind of hero, too}

{Like the one I found in you}

{A dreamer chasing dreams}

{A light that's always burning bright}

{Chasing the dark from the night}

{We all need a hero}

{Somebody to help us to be brave}

{We all need a hero}

{And causes lost to save}

{We all need a hero}

{Believing that deep inside}

{We'll find there is}

{Some kind of hero, too}

{Like the one I found in you}

{Like the one I found in you}

---

And that's the chapter, and finally, mercifully, I've finished this chapter. You would not believe how long this took me. And it's way longer than even I was expecting to be, I just had so much I needed to fit in like you wouldn't believe.

Now to start things off, I had Shirou meet both of Rias' parents and show how they both feel about the engagement being ruined. While her Dad is pretty cool about it, her Mom is annoyed because she has to clean things up, and she's the stricter one of the two so of course she wouldn't just let Rias think everything is okay, though not even she can hide the fact that she's at least happy Rias is better of.

And as always, Shirou won't take crap from anyone, not even her.

Then Rias finally asked the big question on Shirou and Hero's, Shirou explained the why, but he didn't explain the details on what happened to think that why, though it will be explained later. And Rias tells him straight out, he is a Hero, 'cause let's face it he is. I figured it was a good time for him to finally accept the fact that people will consider him one even if he doesn't. And he doesn't really hate that fact.

Next Shirou met the other young Devils, meeting Sairaorg went as good as you would expect. Meeting Zephyrdor went as bad as you would expect. And as for why Shirou beat him so easily at this point in time, well Zephyrdor may be strong but he's careless and arrogant. Someone like that couldn't possibly keep up with Shirou who is deadly when you let your guard down. Especially with his new strength, he got from Second Liberation.

By the way, the Boosted Gear is going to stay that way. I don't know why in the anime it only stayed like that twice for a short amount of time and then never appeared again, but In my story, the upgrade stays.

Finally, he meets Sirzechs. For me this was how it went, Shirou has only heard of him but never meet him, thus he would decide how he felt about him afterwards instead of passing judgment on someone he hardly knows. And Sirzechs wanted to see the kind of person Shirou was. As you saw, they both were impressed by what they had seen.

At the ending, who was that person watching the game? What promise was he talking about? How do he and Sirzechs know about Shirou's Mother? And who was she anyway?

All those questions will be answered in the near future.

And as a final scene, I showed Shirou and his friends partying because, why not? He deserves to really enjoy a party after all that.

Anyway, this marks the end of the Phenex Arc, and just so you all know, updates won't be once a week anymore, they won't be that much longer await. But I need to work on my other stories and look for a job so, I'm going to be a lot busier from now on. Hope you all understand.

Anyways thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed, if you want more then be sure to leave a review if you like the story click the follow/favorite, and as always have an awesome day.