Life 3. Rito vs. Silverage!

Part 1

"Now then, are you ready to see Silverage Lucifuge and Rito Yuma battling over the title of The Strongest Youth?"

Lucifer-sama says those words that only make me more nervous. I'm on the coliseum used for the rest of the early matches of the tournament, since today I have to face Silverage on a tie-breaker match, only the two of us.

Price's peerage, Baraqiel and Azazel-sama are also going to watch the match, so I'm extremely nervous of losing in front of them. By the way, Tenshi-kun and Tatsuya are going to watch the match too, not as VIPs, but as normal spectators.

The rest of the Phenex peerage gets close to me.

"I wish you good luck, Rito-san." (Xie)

"Break a leg!" (Jin)

"Oryu told me he hopes you win, so I want you must make his dream come true." (Rina)

"I'm not part of the peerage, but I wish you'll have fun with this battle." (Ellice)

"Silverage is a scary opponent…. try to not lose your composure." (María)

"I watched you sleeping tonight, so at least I know you have energy." (Haruka)

"I'm going to be honest, I think Silverage is going to win, but since everyone forced me to do this… try to not die." (Mint)

"Forgive Mint; you know he isn't good with this. Anyway, I hope you can win." (Ham)

These people… while they're being too cold to be my closet friends, knowing my opponent, they might be right. At last, my King, Ram Phenex, tells me some final words.

"I have known Silverage since I was a little child; he has always taken care of me. Always looking to be stronger, he has showed me over and over again the amazing power he has attained. Unlike most noble Devils, he wasn't born with this great power, he has worked hard to obtain it; he isn't the heir of his clan, neither a pure Devil, but because of that, he's renowned as the one he has worked to be, and not what people want him to be. I never saw him as interested on an opponent as he is with you, so I hope both you and him can have the match of your lives. It doesn't matter who wins, all that matters is to have fun."

Wow, those words… Silverage is someone I respect, so the fact an opponent of this calibre is looking to fight me is an honour. I hope I can live up to his expectations.

"By the way, now that we're all gathered here, I want to tell you something."

When Ram says that, we listen carefully to her news.

"Silverage and I finally decided a date for our wedding: it's going to be tomorrow on the afternoon."

" "WHAT?!" "

We're shocked after hearing that! So this couple, Silverage and Ram, are finally going to marry!

"Congratulations Ram!"

"Don't put such a show, Rito, our wedding was something that was decided when Silverage was just 12."

Wait, Silverage is 23. That means they have been engaged for over 10 years?!

"As you know Rina, you're going to be my bridesmaid."

"Thanks, Ram, it'll be a pleasure."

"And who's going to be the best man?"

Mint, who has been grim towards Silverage since he defeated him on a certain competition, asks that.

"It was decided that it was going to be Akai."

So Akai is going to be the best man, and he didn't tell me… well, the wedding date wasn't decided until recently, so I can ignore it.

"Let's start this battle! On the left side, Silverage Lucifuge!"

We hear Lucifer-sama saying that and the crowd cheering for Silverage. He has already entered the stage.

"Well Rito, good luck on your match."

Ram and the others go to their seats after that… I walk forwards to fight my strongest opponent yet.

Part 2

"And on the right side, Rito Yuma!"

When I enter the stage, Silverage is in front of me, wielding his huge Dragon Slayer sword and having the Dog God behind his back.

"I'm glad you came."

"I was unable to forfeit, so I'm here. By the way, congratulations on your wedding."

"Thank you, Ram and I are really happy about that."

{Hear me out, I'm Price Lucifer, and I'm here to see who's going to be my opponent on the final match of this tournament. I have high expectations about this battle, so I hope you can fulfil it.}

I summon my [Sacred Gear] and look closely at Silverage. The Dog God hides inside his shadow, clearly to keep with his particular style of using [Canis Lykaon].

{Ready, set, start!}

"Promotion, Queen! And then, [Balance Break]!"

I yell that right away, using [Numberless Card: The Fool] to "upgrade" my disk.

"Come on, Silverage. There can only be one winner."

"Get ready, because I'm not going to go easy on you."

After those words of intimidation, we charge towards the other!

I punch Silverage right away, clashing my punch with his. However, I'm sent flying by him. His strength is unbelievable.

"That was a nice start."

"Yeah, because now I can do this!"

[Divide]

Suddenly, Silverage's power decreases! This is the new technique I copied from Tatsuya, [Divide]!

"So the power of the White Dragon Emperor… well, I think this means the warm up ended really soon."

Many blades appear from my sides, but I block them with Beliaruin's barriers! However, while I was distracted by those blades, Silverage charges towards me and slashes me directly!

"Take this!"

Since he's close to me, I take the chance to create many explosions with Fairy magic! This attack should have been a direct hit!

"Sorry, but I said this wasn't going to be easy."

Silverage has a magical barrier covering him! I knew this guy could do that, but it is going to be more troublesome than I thought it would be.

[Divide]

"I think I have no choice but to fight you with my full power: [Number V: The Hierophant], [Number IV: The Emperor] and [Number XIX: The Sun]!"

[Number IX] [Number I] [Number XV]

I active those cards to boost my power; I have to fight with my all now!

I turn Silverage's shadows into blades and direct them towards him, but he blocks them with his sword while jumping.

On the air, Silverage creates 3 clones of himself: the first clone has a katana, the second one has a European long sword, and the third one has a short sword.

[Divide]

The Silverage with the short swords charges at me, but I blow him away with Fairy magic. The real Silverage slashes from above, but I block him with a magical barrier. The other two clones attack me from the sides, but I attack them with rays of demonic energy.

However, the four Silverage regroup, so I take the chance to attack them right away!

"Holy Lightning!"

My Holy Lightning strikes the four Silverage, destroying the clones right away! Somehow, I feel like I'm not winning even after doing all that.

"Cough!"

I feel something stabbing me from behind! When I look back, the Dog God is piercing my torso with its sword!

[Divide]

Despite I have taken part of Silverage's power away, I feel I cannot beat him yet!

I launch many rocks towards him, but he's able to cut them with his sword! The speed of his movements is amazing.

I create an explosion with Fairy magic to take some distance from the Dog God, and soon after I start launching many Fairy magic and demonic energy balls towards Silverage!

"No use!"

He counterattacks with a huge demonic energy wave, destroying all my balls!

[Divide]

Unlike Tatsuya, using [Divide] consumes a lot of my energy, so if I keep using it, I may end up unable to fight before being able to defeat him. On the other hand, I think I have some power advantage over him now, so I need to take this chance to deal critical damage!

"Now I'll use the technique I learned from Baraqiel, Holy Lightning – Armour!"

I charge my body with electricity, meaning I have been covered with holy energy and thunder!

"There I go!"

"This battle is so fun!"

Silverage charges towards me at the same time I charge towards him! We start exchanging punches, kicks and slashes, but I can see Silverage's damages are more severe than mine now that I'm covered on this armour!

We take some distance from the other, doing damage control. I'm extremely tired from using two Holy Lightnings and six [Divides]. Meanwhile, Silverage is panting and his body is pretty injured.

I could win easier if I use [Divide] again, but by this point, I think that technique has drained a lot of my energy, so to not use it is the most logical thing to do.

"You know Rito, I have liked this match."

Silverage says such thing all of sudden.

"I told you that I wanted to fight you, and there's a reason to it. I see a lot of potential within you, potential that wants to come out."

Silverage is praising me in the middle of the battle… it doesn't seem like something he would do.

"However, that's all there is to you, potential. Unlike me, you haven't been able to pull out all the potential within yourself. In fact, if I had to guess, you're using around a quarter of your hidden full power."

Only a quarter?! Just what kind of monster do you think I'm going to become into?!

"I would like you could use more of said power. To do that, I think you have to use the full power of that weird [Sacred Gear] of yours."

The full power of [Destiny Deck]. This is something Beliaruin mentioned too. He said this [Sacred Gear] makes me his new Gerard A. Garmen, or in other words, his new rival.

These two people, people with power I consider immense, are telling me that I'm also like them, that I have a power beyond my imagination, but that I haven't been able to pull it out.

However, are they right? Shall I believe the power inside me is way higher than I ever believed?

"Did you catch your breath already?"

Actually, I have indeed recovered some energy, so I think I can continue fighting.

"Yes, I think I did."

"Then, use your cards."

To use my cards. Originally, I had the limitation to use only 3 cards at the same time, but my [Balance Breaker] allows me to active up to 6 cards at the same time.

However, if I active other cards beyond those six while on this mode, it will disable my [Sacred Gear] for 3 hours each card I active.

If I follow Silverage's instruction, I won't be able to use my [Sacred Gear] for some time. However, if I don't do it, there's no way I can win this battle.

After thinking that, I made my decision.

"… Ok, I'll do it."

[Number VII] [Number VIII] [Number XVI]

I activated three more cards to increase my speed, strength and defence

"Come."

I charge towards Silverage and exchange punches with him once again! However, unlike last time, I don't feel like I'm barely making it; I feel like I'm actually winning!

We take some distance from the other and start launching demonic energy balls! Sure, I mix up some Fairy magic balls too, so I have the advantage on this exchange too!

Blades come out of the floor to attack me, but I avoid them with my super speed and launch rocks imbued with Senjutsu towards Silverage! Unlike last time, many of them are hitting!

Unlike before, I feel like I'm actually winning! I'm actually defeating Silverage! Now that I have the advantage, I must finish this now!

[Number XXI]

As I stop time, I launch all my attacks combined: demonic energy, Fairy magic, shadow blades and purification rocks!

After such attack, I lost my breath, so Silverage charges at me with his huge sword!

"It's time to end this battle!"

Just before he can slash towards me-

[Number XX]

The tentacles entangle him, impeding him from attacking! Now, this is my chance to use my new technique!

"Sorry Silverage, but this is as far as you go. After copying powers from both the Yellow Dragon of the Nakiri clan and the White Dragon Emperor, I can feel that ki on me: the ki of a Dragon. And now, I'll show you my ultimate technique, Holy Lightning – Dragon!"

What comes out of my fingers is an enormous Eastern Dragon made of Holy Lightning! The Dragon, that moves as if it has its own thoughts, charges towards Silverage!

"Well played, Rito…"

After he says those words, the Dragon envelops Silverage, exploding on a giant show-off of its power!

Once the light fades away, Silverage, who is extremely injured, is kneeling down.

"Thanks for this battle… I enjoyed it a lot… I think I have to make it formal now… I give up."

{It's decided, Rito Yuma has defeated Silverage Lucifuge; Ram Phenex's peerage wins the tournament!}

With those words from Price, everybody on the place starts cheering for me.

Finally, we won. Ram, I thank you for giving me this beautiful experience.

Secret Talks

Part 1

I, Akai Asagiri, am going to see the winners, Ram's peerage, to congratulate them for their victory. However, that wasn't all I wanted to talk about with them.

"Rina, as you should know, you're going to be Ram's bridesmaid, while I'll be Silverage's best boy."

"Yes, I hope we can make our friends spend the night of their lives."

The reason Rina was selected as the bridesmaid was obviously because she and Ram are really close to each other.

"By the way, why were you selected as Silverage's best man?"

The one who asks me that is Ham who is dressing shorts and a t-shirt with Rito's face printed on it… those clothes look totally out of place for Ham.

Before he lost his eye patch, he dressed the clothes of a noble man every day, but now, I cannot put into words what happened to his fashion sense.

"Despite we have only spent 2 months together, Silverage says I'm the one who is the closet to him."

I think this is because of all the training we have done together. Since I'm considered one of the strongest in our team, I usually train with Silverage. My swordsmanship skills were perfected thanks to him and Kurama's friend whose surname is Okita. I even learned to use my [Sacred Gear] in new ways thanks to Silverage.

"Besides, Nero and Tsubasa actually supported me to take that role, so I had no problem with taking it."

After I answered his question, Ham nods with his head. However, Mint gets close to me short after that.

"Won't you mind going with Tatsuya? I would like to talk with him."

"That's quite a weird request, but I wouldn't mind."

After hearing that request from Mint, I go outside the room to find Tatsuya. If I remember correctly, he should be close to the Cadres of Grigori, Azazel-sama and Baraqiel-sama.

Part 2

On the way towards Tatsuya, I pass the medical facility, and when I look inside the room, Silverage is talking with Rito and Ram. Despite I didn't enter the room, I can hear what they're saying.

"I just want to know one thing: Silverage, why did you let me win?"

Oh, Rito, don't be ridiculous, there's no way a battle maniac like Silverage would do such thing-

"Hahaha, it was that obvious that I did that?"

What?! Silverage, you actually let yourself lose?!

"You didn't use your [Balance Breaker], and it was clear to me you weren't using your full base power either."

"He's right, Silverage. Why did you let us win?"

Yeah, even I'm interested on why he did that.

"Ever since this tournament started, I didn't want to win. I planned to lose a match against either Tiffania or Seila so I could force a tie with you. Once I defeated you, I would pick Rito on the tie-breaker to test how much of his potential he has released. Once I did that, I just let myself lose, hahaha!"

What?! So it was planned since the beginning that we weren't going to win?

"But, why you didn't want to win?"

"Ram, as you should know, I have always been troubled for being The Strongest Youth. Especially because I'm both an [Extra Demon] and a hybrid, the conservative faction of the government hates me. It's only because of Lucifer-sama that I can live in peace. But now that people saw me losing against Rito, those troubles are going to fade away, so I can only thank you for that."

Actually, he's right. Those Devils who hold a conservative view on the world hate him. I heard that Zwei Agares, former heir of his clan, insulted him a lot; Zwei's best friend, Bartshift Glasya-Labolas, was like that too. At least the heirs of those clans, Lucius and Wanheim, aren't like that. The one who is the closest to them is Seila, since she's the heir of the Great King, the Bael clan, but she's pretty light compared to those monsters.

"At least now, the duo that insulted me directly is either dead or missing, and the government's hate won't be a problem anymore, so I can live peacefully from now on."

Well, maybe I wanted to win this tournament, but if loosing brings these many benefices to Silverage, I'm alright with it.

"Don't worry, Silverage. Once you join the Phenex clan by marrying me, those conservative won't put a finger on you."

Ram and Silverage hug, while Rito just looks at them. Maybe I should go to where Tatsuya is.

Part 3

Once I arrive to where Tatsuya and Azazel-sama are, even before I could see them, I can hear their talk.

"So Sachiel used his Jack in such a way, huh. That man is going to be become pretty famous if he continues like this."

"Sachiel has always been someone who deserves that respect. The fact he can gain it through me and him is a pleasure."

"You two are quite close to each other, huh."

"I met Sachiel quite a long time ago. That's the reason I was reincarnated as his Queen as soon as he got his [Brave Saint]: I was his closest human friend."

"That's a cute reason. And how's Leonardo?"

"He's fine, doing some works apart from us, but that was as expected given his power."

"Yeah, I would also do many things with that power if I have it… sorry if that offended you."

"No, it's okay."

Just who is this Leonardo they're talking about? The only Leonardo I know is the user of [Sephiroth Graal] mentioned on the list of known [Longinus] users, but it cannot be him… right?

After that, Tatsuya gets out of the seats, and finds me on the corridor.

"You're… Silverage's Pawn, are you?"

"Yes and my name is Akai Asagiri. Mint Borrow wants to talk a little with you."

"Sure, I have no problem with that idea."

His voice is so deep and manly that hearing him talking this casually is almost unreal.

We walk down the corridor towards Ram's peerage, and on the other end, Price and his Rook Magnus are walking towards the opposite direction.

Just when Tatsuya and Price walk side by side, they stop and start looking closely at the other. Tatsuya's [Divine Dividing] suddenly appeared from his back, while Price is hiding his left arm.

"…"

"…"

Actually, these two people are emanating an immense killing intent by just stare at each other.

"… Price, we should go already."

"Oh, yeah, sorry, I got distracted by something else."

Price and Magnus walk away, leaving us behind. As if nothing happened, Tatsuya keeps walking towards Ram's peerage's place where Mint is.

Part 4

Once we arrive to where Mint is, he asks something quite odd to Tatsuya.

"Do you have plans for this Sunday?"

"Actually, I don't. Why do you ask such thing, Fairy Prince Mint?"

"I'm glad you can recognize who I am. Well, get close."

Since Mint only reaches up to Tatsuya's chest, he has to kneel down to be able to hear Mint's murmurs.

After a short time, Tatsuya stands up again.

"That sounds like a good idea, see you then."

With just those words, the White Dragon Emperor, Tatsuya Shirogane left us alone.

"… What did you tell him?"

"I'll tell you, but you cannot tell the rest until Sunday arrives, ok?"

Sigh, this day surely has been filled with secret talks.