Fate: Bonds Beyond Humanity

by Apprentice of Life

In a world where all can be real, what does it mean to be human? What is the meaning of humanity? A meeting between a human and a devil will have them discovering the truth while chasing their dreams. My take on the combined worlds of Fate and DxD with characters from other franchises if they can be adapted to it. Harem.

32. Chapter 32

Fate/Bonds Beyond Humanity

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32- Destruction Vs Immortality: Born To Be Wild

…..

Her words were enough to stun Riser for a couple of seconds as he tried to understand what Rias meant to say. "What do you mean with 'ready to die'?" Finally he decided to ask directly to the source of his confusion.

"What else could it mean? I am ready to die." Rias kept her Stand's guns locked on Riser but she didn't attack just yet. 'Every second that passes is another second Asia can use. Besides, he is stronger than Ravel and if I can't take her out in one shot then logically I also can't easily beat him.'

"I don't understand." Riser confessed after a few more seconds thinking.

"I think you do." Rias replied with a smile only for Riser to frown.

"No, I don't. Do you think I am trying to kill you?" It was the only conclusion he could reach and no one would blame some anger on his part since he was holding his sister's still regenerating body. "Rias, you wanted this Rating Game. All that happened today was your fault." The fire around Riser burned brightly but Rias didn't react. "It doesn't matter you came here ready to die, I won't kill you either way. Once I win, we will marry. That is how things are going to go."

Smiling sweetly, Rias tilted her head before speaking "And you still say you aren't here to kill me? My, what a fool you are." Her eyes glared at him before he could say anything else. "I am saying that there is no other option for me other than victory for defeat means death."

"But I won't kill you." Riser sounded confused and Ravel managed to look at Rias with some apprehension now that she was fully aware once again.

With the same beautiful smile, Rias shook her head in amusement. "What is there to not understand? Marrying you wouldn't be different from death to me." Riser flinched but didn't look detained.

"Rias… the fool here is you." The blond male said with a little irritation. "Despite what you believe, I care for you and I shall treat you well. There is no reason for you to think that our relationship will mean death or something similar." Ravel managed to stand up as Riser rises to his full height. "You want to remain in the human world? Sure, I can accommodate that. You wish to still play school? Go ahead, I won't stop you. There is no reason why this marriage can't work."

"Except that you make it sound like there has to be a marriage anyway." Rias' response has Riser blinking in confusion. "Riser, I don't love you." He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. "I don't care about you. I don't know you. We don't know each other and yet, here we are; me having to fight to not marry a guy I don't know and learned to hate after everything said guy has done…"

"It was a contract your parents signed," The third son of the Phenex stated.

"Without my consent or opinion I might add."

Ignoring the interruption, Riser continues, "and is for the sake of all devils, for all the Underworld." The man said firmly. "Or do you not remember that we, purebloods, the strongest devils, are now so few that many of the Pillars are now extinct?" Rias doesn't react and he takes it as his cue. "You are the future Head of the Gremory, one of the 72 Pillars. Your duty, our duty, is the preservation of our race. With our union, we can guarantee the birth of more purebloods and a proper future ruler for the Gremory Clan." Rias remained silent, her smile gone as she was unamused.

Once she was sure Riser was finished, she gave him a smile once again, full of mischievousness. "Is that so? For the good of all devils you said?"

"Yes, that is right." Riser nodded, happy that Rias seemed to have understood his point. "There is no need for you to-"

"Then why isn' t dear Ravel married to my brother?" That not only shut up Riser while also silencing any spectator watching. "Or maybe just a lover would be enough. If you can call someone with the job of only having children 'lover'."

"What?" The younger Phenex looked pale and even took a step back at the suggestion.

"What is wrong, Ravel? Here is your brother speaking about 'the good of all devils'." Rias even made quotes with her hands while her smile became a little mean. "Then shouldn't you as a young woman ripe and ready for adulthood be with my brother, a Super Devil and one of the strongest, if not the strongest of our race?" Any amusement was gone from her tone as she glared at both children of Phenex. "Think about, if the goal is to combine Destruction and Immortality, shouldn't my brother, much stronger than any before him, be in charge of that. I am sure Millicas would appreciate a brother or sister to play with him."

"What- I don't- I mean-" Ravel was both embarrassed and confused by the turn of events.

"The Lucifer can't have a harem or more than one wife. That is very well known, Rias!" Riser pointed out with anger.

"Have you ever asked why?" Rias questioned. "Why is my brother, the strongest devil, restricted to having only one wife when his first child already proved to be extremely powerful?" The redhead dramatically shrugged when Riser didn't reply. "If we are so desperate for power and numbers, and it is for the sake of all devils as you put it, why is that the strongest is restricted?"

"That is because… because he…" Riser didn't really have an answer.

Exactly what Rias expected. "You don't know. Yet, the law exists. Now I love Grayfia and I couldn't see a better sister-in-law than her but if the deal is to give birth to a new devil with Destruction and combining with Immortality it is clear that my brother would be better for it and your sister is the strongest pureblood Phenex who remains single."

"She's too young!" Riser protested with some despair.

"So are we from a certain point of view. And yet here we are, about to get married." Rias liked to see how Riser was starting to lose his composure. Even Ravel was unable to say much. "If the problem is population, there is no excuse."

"It is the law-"

"We control the laws. Us, the nobles." Rias cut that argument immediately. She had no problem in letting Riser rant but she was just having too much fun. "The only way your argument for 'the sake of the devils' is valid is if you agree on letting my brother have your dear sister. Or else, you have to admit you are wrong and that this Rating Game, our engagement, is a farce."

Something that Riser would never admit or recognize. "It doesn't matter. This is not what is in question here, only our marriage is." So he ignored the argument.

"You know that it matters-"

"No, it does not! The laws are the laws! I didn't write them and they must exist for a good reason!" Riser now was the one stopping Rias from talking. "You have to marry me Rias and you shall!"

"Then I will die." Rias said with conviction.

"Cut the crap. Do you think anyone here believes that you are really going to die if we marry?" Riser replied, now more sure of himself. "I am a good match, Rias. A good pureblood devil. I won't kill you or make you so unhappy you will be dead."

"You don't understand. I said 'I will die' because Rias Gremory will disappear. Dead in every sense that matters." Silence covers the theater and the battlefield once again.

"You are bluffing." It was Ravel who said it. "You wouldn't do it. You won't kill yourself! That is-"

"Against everything we were raised to believe? Like the value of a pureblood or something like that?" Rias reminded the younger blonde that they both had the same type of education while playing with her hair. "I prefer death to marrying your brother. If he wins, Rias Gremory dies." She spoke with a severity that made clear she wasn't joking despite her nonchalant posture.

"You would say something like that in front of your parents?" Ravel tried to understand Rias, she just couldn't believe the older woman was serious.

"This isn't a joke." Rias' eyes had Ravel flinching from their intensity. "They made the contract and at this point I don't give a damn about their opinion." She looks to the skies and speaks out loud. "Unlike any of you, I have no intention to bow to the pressure my family tries to throw on me! I won't retreat! I won't surrender!" She looked back at the purebloods in front of her. "If I do so it wouldn't be any different than being dead! That is why I said I am ready to die! For you Riser, this is still a game! To me, I am betting my life!"

Nobody challenged her, no one could. The only way to do so would be to stop the Rating Game, something even her parents were already considering doing after such a declaration and yet they couldn't for that would mean her defeat by default.

For everyone could see that she wasn't playing around, everyone. "I don't believe you." Except Riser. "This is low Rias, really low! You are trying to have the game interrupted because you can't beat me! These words are just a bluff!" Even Ravel was looking at her brother in disbelief but now he was ignoring her. "I am going to win and we are going to marry! There is no stopping this!"

Releasing a sigh, Rias looked at the man with true hatred. "Riser… you and I would never work out. Even if we spend eternity together, you are just too selfish to make it work."

"Me? Selfish? You are the one trying to break out of our world's laws!" The fire around him starts to get hotter. "All that just because I already have a harem? Well, news flash Rias, probably every other devil you would want to marry already has one anyway!"

"No, the man I want to marry doesn't have one yet… or he does but he technically didn't sleep with any of the others…" Rias chose to comment, silencing Riser.

"What?" The Son of Phenex couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I have a man I care about and he cares about me." Rias announced to all who were hearing, making a particular redhead in the audience blush. "And he has other women after him too. Do I want to share? Not really, but he is more worthy than you at least."

"Is this all this is about? You have a guy you like?" Riser was more frustrated by the fact that it wasn't him. "Who is he? I will-"

"Do nothing!" Rias immediately raised her aura, getting ready for the fight. "We aren't marrying, this isn't your business." She then chuckled. "The fact that you reacted like that, just proves that we never would work out. You don't care about me."

"I care about you." Riser couldn't help his fist which was shaking in frustration.

"If you really cared, you would let me stay with who I love." Rias revealed, much to the blond's irritation. "You just can't see anyone else besides yourself by my side even when you didn't even bother to know me, to talk to me. To you, I am nothing more than an object. That is why you don't believe my words."

Rising her hands above her head, Rias makes her aura stronger, impressing everyone as it didn't diminish during her whole conversation. Her uniform and curves that were fully hidden are now revealed from beneath the cloak as it danced because of her power.

"To be free, to remain with the ones I love! That is why I, Rias, am fighting!" Her Stand also looked stronger and more alive as the power kept growing and her resolution was exposed to all to see. "I will defeat you, Riser. I will break apart from any law, any order, that tries to steal my happiness. That is why I am Born To Be Wild!"

Guns blaze as red bullets fly at the two Phenex siblings' direction. Ravel barely noticed them as her eyes were stuck in Rias'. She didn't know what it was but she couldn't help but blush at the Heiress of Gremory eyes, full of determination and a resolve she never saw before in anyone else.

All the animosity and fear left the Daughter of Phenex as she admired Rias, her power, her posture, her determination, her fierceness, her face, her eyes. As a noble woman and surrounded by her brother peerage she lived her life surrounded by women that many would call beautiful but for the first time in her life she felt something akin to jealousy at the appearance of another.

But there was also admiration, that was the main feeling in her heart at the moment, a feeling that was even beyond that and kept her stuck on the ground, admiring Rias in a way she never admired anything else in her life.

Ravel would have been hit by the attack if it wasn't for her brother. Riser grabbed his sister by the waist and took flight just in time to avoid the two shots aimed to each their heads. Not that Rias gave up just because they avoided the first bullets as Born To Be Wild's guns followed the flight path and shot again.

Riser could feel shivers on his spine just at seeing the bullets so he began to fly faster to avoid the shots. As Rias estimated, the opposing King was more of a threat than her opponents before, easily able to move while carrying his sister.

"Time to kick this up a notch." Rias declared as her Stand moved the barrels of his gun hands. "Destruction Bullets!"

Six shots are fired in rapid succession in Riser's direction. He moved to the side to avoid the attack and Rias quickly fired six more shots in a line to intercept him.

Despite his fast moviment, Riser noticed that the second set of bullets were faster than the first one and he really couldn't dodge them so he began to channel mana on his free hand to send a wave of fire in an attempt of a counter.

The bullets easily destroyed the flames and Riser felt their power on his skin for the first time. They hit him on his abdomen, easily piercing and passing by his organs, and his arm, breaking his concentration and extinguishing his fire.

"Onii-sama!" Ravel snapped herself out of her state of admiration in a panic.

"I am alright, Ravel." Riser replied as he flew higher to the limits of the battlefield until the barrier that separated it from the Dimensional Gap. "This was just a scratch."

"It was more than a scratch! I felt that power too, remember?" Ravel can't blame her brother for the pain he was feeling, it wasn't just the attack itself that hurted but the absence of whatever it destroyed. "You can let me go now, I can fly on my own." Riser did just that and both watched as Rias remained on the ground, waiting for them.

"What can you tell me about that… Stand, was it?" Ravel shakes her head at her brother's question.

"We barely saw it before, onii-sama. Isabela had managed to see it first in the forest but Rias was hiding herself then and we barely caught a glance before you began to move." The Daughter of Phenex looked down at Rias, finding it odd she wasn't attacking anymore. "From what I can gather, it can break any defense or magic spell used against its owner. Even my strongest fireball was easily destroyed by it."

"Annoying. So magic won't work." Riser recognized the problem for what it was. "Rias figured out a way to use the Power of Destruction in a more concentrated form. I just don't understand how she is doing it without magic circles."

"I believe that is a magic circle, onii-sama." Ravel deduction surprised her brother. "To be more precise, that Stand as she calls it is a magic circle given more form and shape. It may look like a spirit but in reality it is just a trick that lady Rias managed to employ." She then shakes her head with a little fear. "But it goes beyond that. The mana that thing is concentrating and the power it is exhibiting, it is clear that lady Rias figured out a way to make her spells more efficient and called it 'Stand' for a reason or another." Thinking back on previous events, she added. "There is still more that we don't know and she is more powerful than we expected. Maybe more powerful than the both of us."

"She is not that powerful." Riser shows his sister his healed arm. "She may have caught us off guard but that power has limits. She can't shoot constantly and once the spells are out, she can't control them." Despite never before facing something like that, Riser has enough experience to come with a plan of attack. "Ravel, I shall go into offense while you throw spells to distract her."

"Wait onii-sama! That was what Isabela and I were trying! Lady Rias countered us easily by just shooting her arm and forcing us to defend." At Ravel's concerns, Riser laughs.

"Hahahaha! Are you forgetting we are both Phenex?! We have no need for defense, our regeneration will give us victory!" Riser was sure that Rias wouldn't be able to take him out before he reached her.

"That is-"

"Let 's go, Ravel!" Riser charges at full speed, leaving behind his panicking sister.

'Is this still the right thing to do?' A little conflicted from what Rias said, Ravel steeled herself and began to fly down behind her brother. If she was too high she wouldn't be able to reach Rias so she moved to get into a better position.

Meanwhile the Phenex's siblings planned, Rias remained still, waiting for them. Every second that passed was advantageous for her as her Stand didn't consume energy unless she used a bullet and when the siblings were too far attacking was worthless because they could easily dodge.

'Finally came up with a plan?' Rias wondered as the two blondes began to descend at full speed, Ravel a little far behind. 'That is right, come closer.' Her guns were ready and she waited patiently until Riser was closer even if Ravel moved to the side and began to prepare a magic circle. 'Support again? Now that is going to be more annoying.' But her eyes remained mostly on her main target. "Born To Be Wild!"

Rias' call helped reinforce the image on her mind and give more power to her Stand as she commanded it to move one of her arms in Ravel's direction while the other remained trained on Riser. It took a lot of focus and a great deal of mental power to keep such an existence going but it was worth it for the power it could unleash.

Without delay, three more red bullets flew in Riser's direction and the man had no chance to fully avoid them anymore. Instead he moved enough to protect his head and let the shots pierce his shoulder, neck and one of his wings.

The result had Rias clenching her teeth in frustration as Riser began to heal immediately. 'As I feared. He isn't bothering with defense anymore.' Noticing a fireball from her other side, a single bullet easily destroys it and keeps going until it hits Ravel and forces her to stop attacking for the moment. 'She didn't defend either…'

More bullets flew in Riser's direction, easily piercing his flesh as he stopped Rias from hitting anything vital like his chest and head. His wounds are so minor and clean that Riser just kept patching them up since the Power of Destruction wasn't actively able to push him back in its most efficient form.

Fortunately Rias had an easy solution. "Mana Bullets!" The barrels spin again and another three shots are fired at Riser, clearly different in a more bright red color than before.

Riser didn't notice the change, his eyes were exclusively on Rias and his goal of having her as his wife. So he wasn't pleasantly surprised when the first bullet hit him and exploded followed by the others.

Realizing Rias' change of tactics, Riser covers himself with his arms and attempts to gather some mana for a counter attack only to fail as the explosions begin to push him back as Rias keeps shooting with a break of a few seconds after six bullets from a single gun.

Watching from a distance, Ravel was surprised that the bullets were different but quickly recovered. 'Of course she can use normal demonic energy as well.' Quickly making a magic circle taller than her, Ravel aimined for Rias who was still sending a constant barrage of bullets after her brother.

While her concentration was on Riser, Rias also was paying attention to Ravel and the attack she was preparing. She couldn't go back to using Destruction without letting Riser do as he pleases but Mana wasn't strong enough to disrupt Ravel's focus and so Rias can't stop the attack as easily.

From the beginning she knew that facing two members of the Phenex Clan was going to be problematic and Rias was running out of options. Not seeing much choice, she unleashed all six bullets from Born To Be Wild's hand at Ravel, despite knowing it wouldn't be enough once she saw the huge ball of flame going in her direction.

It easily consumed the bullets of mana and Rias had no choice but to stop shooting Riser and change her bullets once again. "Destruction Bullets." The command given, Born To Be Wild shot fast, six bullets easily broke the giant fireball and hit Ravel before the younger Phenex could react.

That still left the older sibling free to move as Riser realized what was happening and resumed his charge. On his hand a magic circle catched fire and took the form of a fireball the size of a bowling ball and he got ready to deliver a punch on Rias' head.

"Mana Bullets!" Changing the bullets back, Rias unleashed all twelve shots from her guns but the older pureblood didn't let that stop him as he finally reached her. Born To Be Wild placed itself between the devils and instinctively Riser punched it with all the power of his fire.

Her Stand wasn't able to stop the attack and its destruction did cost Rias some energy but she smiled and remade Born To Be Wild, surprising Riser who expected a quick victory. Instead the Stand just pointed its guns at him and began to shoot again.

The explosions of mana sended Riser flying back and had him hitting the ground a couple of times before coming to a halt. "Useless. Your attempt was useless, Riser!" Rias declared with confidence but she could feel the dip on her reserves. 'Fighting these two at the same time is too risky. I need to take one of them out fast!'

Looking back towards Ravel, Rias noticed that the young Phenex was starting to show signs of exhaustion; her magic circles were taking more time to form, her breathing was unstable and her wounds were much slower to heal.

With Riser getting up, his suit in ruins exposing his torso but nonetheless no worse for wear, Rias decided that taking Ravel out was her main priority if only just to make the fight easier. So Rias returns her Stand back to just her aura and begins to fly in Ravel's direction.

Riser watched that happening with a scowl on his face. 'What is Rias doing?' Then he noticed her going towards his sister and immediately panicked. "Shit!" Covering himself in fire, he initiated the pursuit. But Rias was flying too fast and his best effort wasn't going to be enough to reach her in time.

Noticing Rias' approach, Ravel began to make a magic circle to shoot some more fire at her only to stop herself. Once again she was stunned into admiring Rias' eyes and determination, it was clear that the redhead was giving everything she had to reach the younger Phenex.

There was no intention of surrendering there, no hesitation, everything Rias was doing was with a certainty that Ravel found majestic.

Unlike her brother, Ravel did believe that if Rias lost she was going to disappear and never be seen again in the Underworld. Ravel found herself not liking the thought and even her loyalty towards her clan wasn't enough to stop her from wishing to not fight Rias.

Biting her lips hard enough to bleed, Ravel controlled herself. 'Why am I acting like this?' She asked no one as finally she decided to attack only to see it was too late, Rias was already in front of her with a complete magic circle ready to go.

"Bye~" Destruction was unleashed and Ravel couldn't dodge or defend herself. Unlike the previous times, the blast that Rias unleashed covered Ravel's whole body and without defenses the girl only had her regeneration to help her.

It wasn't even close to enough. *Riser Phenex's Bishop has Retired*

With one threat eliminated, Rias turned back only for Riser to catch her by her neck and push her until they hit the barrier of the battlefield. "I should congratulate you, Rias. You managed to defeat most of my peerage with lesser numbers but the game ends here."

Riser's flames burn brighter and Rias can feel the skin of her neck heat up even as her aura, now more tame than when she was using Born To Be Wild, fought them off. "I haven't… lost yet." Rias raised her power in an attempt to push the male devil back but he was stronger and had his hands on her, making things more difficult.

"Yes, you did." Riser said with certainty as he refused to let go, his hand squeezing her neck. He wasn't taking any chances. "It takes a lot of focus for you to use that Stand of yours and you won't be able to hold me back forever."

Creating a magic circle between them, Rias began to unleash Destruction on Riser's chest but he refused to let her go. A part of him knew that what he was doing was cruel but the majority of Riser's mind was just on winning and having Rias as his wife.

That part was the one that found beauty in her struggle and that wanted to make her his, to tame her fierce temperament and have her all for his own. "You will see, Rias. I will make a great husband and you will love me." He saw the defiance in her eyes and remembered her words. "We will make it work, Rias. I will make it work!" It was clear that she didn't agree when her hands grabbed his arms and tried to force him to let her go. "Are you still thinking about this man you met?" His voice now carried anger but not towards her. "Then I will deal with him later. Kill him if I have to. I won't let anyone come between us!"

Hearing that, the threat to Shirou's life, made Rias snap in rage. Her power exploded from her body, pushing Riser back and quickly a magic circle was in front of her, glowing with sinister power. "Disappear!"

Rias commanded as a wave of Destruction hit Riser with its full strength, pushing him down until he hit the ground. Rias kept the Destruction going for a couple of seconds until her anger subsided.

Once Riser disappeared from her vision, Rias fully stopped attacking. He had fallen in the remains of the forest and she didn't dare to chase him with the fire around the place, it would be too easy for him to catch her as fire didn't bother him.

Taking a deep breath, Rias began to descend until she landed. 'Damned Immortality.' She cursed while making a small magic circle to retrieve the EM II. Rias could feel the wounds on her neck but a quick stab from the scalpel fixed it without problems. "I need to be more careful. I can't beat him with brute force."

It didn't take too long for Riser to show himself again, his flesh was still regenerating after the attack as the flames were covering most of his body. Despite the fire, Rias can see the look of rage on his face. "Rias… who is this man you seem to care so much about?"

"Not your business." Rias could admit she had already spoken too much about the subject before Riser and the rest of nobility. "Born To Be Wild!" Her Stand manifests itself once again, Riser barely giving it a glance.

"You think that will stop me? You can barely hurt me!" Riser bragged, certain of his victory. "Its attacks are too small and you need to fully concentrate to keep it going! That is why you remain mostly in one spot when using this 'Stand'; you are focusing completely on it!"

Rias clenched her fist as Riser realized one of the weaknesses of her power. She managed to develop it fast considering she only had a week to train with it but she hadn't mastered it yet, that was why she could only use one kind of bullet at a time and needed to always trade all her shots.

"You also can't attack with it constantly!" Riser deduced with a smile. He knew he was correct when he saw Rias flinching. "That is why you sometimes stop shooting or keep spacing your attacks, that Stand thing has a limit and you are bound to it."

'Let him think what he wants. I can go beyond six shots per arm but that would just cost too much and he would just regenerate.' It was another limitation, if Rias didn't focus on replacing the ammo she always ended up using too much of her power. To use Born To Be Wild efficiently, she needed to concentrate not only on her power but fully on the image of her heart. "And? Does this have a point?" The Heiress of Gremory asked with a smile. "You only have your regeneration and I know how to keep you at bay."

"But for how long?" Now that his skin was fully recovered and he wasn't feeling any pain, Riser looked even more confident. His naked upper body and damaged pants made him look like he was losing but to him that was far from the truth. "You may be able to use less energy with it, but I am still winning. You know that! I know that! Everybody watching knows that! I just have more energy than you!"

She can't exactly disagree with the statement. All the damage that Rias made during the whole fight was already healed and not every damage that she did was relevant. If she used Destruction but didn't hit anything vital, it actually cost Riser less to heal but if she tried to blow him up then his natural resistances also entered the equation but it did some actual damage he had to deal with.

'Maybe if I entered this fight more rested things would be different. Taking Ravel out also wasn't necessarily easy.' Despite that, Rias smiled. "So? That doesn't mean I am giving up." Riser frowned at her reply, much to her satisfaction. "There is also another thing. Don't think just because I am more tired that I can't defeat you. If you give me an opportunity, I will make you pay for underestimating me!"

Now it was Riser's turn to not disagree with her. 'She managed to take out half my peerage without losing a single member. I don't know if it is a bluff or not but Rias is still dangerous.' The blond licks his lips, feeling the excitement at the prospect of defeating her. "Doesn't matter. I will show you that I am the only man worthy of you!"

Rias shakes her head in disappointment. "Did I really expect a real conversation with this idiot?" For a long time now she understood that Riser was just blind to her needs and wouldn't hear her unless she spoke what he wanted to hear. Taking flight, Riser charged. "Mana Bullets!"

As their battle began once more all attention from the spectators was directed towards it as neither side accepted defeat.

…

On the other side of the main gym, another conflict was in progress.

A Pawn and a Knight's legendary weapons collide against each other. The red gauntlet tried to remain locked with the sword to throw it away but the Knight wasn't going to give up her last weapon. She growls before trying to move her sword only for a punch to come in her direction.

Crouching and jumping back, Karlamine glared at the gauntlet that was able to survive her Noble Phantasm with hate. Despite Bakuya's strength against monsters, she shouldn't be surprised that a dragon 'scales' were capable of taking hits without shattering. It was also clear that Issei was in full defense mode as he didn't pursue her as his goal was just to stop her from reaching Rias, not to win.

That detail just made Karlamine more upset. It was a clear contrast with his fights against Kiba and Koneko, both more experienced devils had tried to win or take her down with them, something she could respect.

Issei was just defending and that was just frustrating for Karlamine. He was basically just an obstacle, nothing else. Fighting him was giving her nothing.

'I have no time to waste on a weakling.' Karlamine decided before running to the side, planning to completely ignore Issei and rush towards Riser.

The maneuver surprised Issei, he wasn't used to being ignored like that. Usually whoever he was fighting just beats him up and this was legitimately the first time his opponent just wanted to leave him alone.

"Hey!" Issei realized that he couldn't let Karlamine escape. Her goal was to defeat Rias, not him and if she joined with Riser then their chances would grow exponentially. "Get back here you… coward!"

'Ignore him. He is useless and a weakling, ignore him.' There was nothing to gain from that fight and she wasn't getting any pleasure from it either. So Karlamine focused on disengaging and since she was faster than Issei, despite her wounds, there was little he could do,

[Boost!]

If he was a normal Pawn. Issei was the Red Dragon Emperor and he had no intention of being ignored. His hands quickly did in his pockets and he pulled out a couple of stones, four of them that barely fit in his hands.

Concentrating a little, Issei could already feel the power leaving him when he threw them in Karlamine's direction. "Gift!"

[Transfer!]

The minutes of rest before this fight recharged some of Issei's Boosts and he didn't have any troubles at creating giant rocks to fall on the Knight. With his own strength also Boosted, the Pawn saw no problems in aiming the rocks in front of Karlamine who managed to see the shadows and turned to look up to the falling boulders.

"Shit!" The Knight sweated before she jumped to the side to dodge the first one. The second and third missed her but Bakuya had to cut the fourth rock in half. "If he joins the fight as well… dammit this Pawn!"

Recognizing the problem but still enraged that it wasn't the fight she wanted, Karlamine began to run back towards Issei as the stones broke apart around her. The power of Boosting was now a real threat on her mind and she wasn't going to risk Issei becoming an obstacle for her King out of neglect.

Not liking the eyes Karlamine was giving him, Issei prepared himself once again. He raised his hands and waited for the attack as his enemy was just too fast for him to try and take any initiative.

Now the Knight was moving even faster than before, purpose and anger filling her action as she reached Issei and tried to cut him in half only for the Boosted Gear to block her. She didn't let it stop her and she pushed the blade from the side to also repel the Boosted Gear, not realizing that Issei was strong enough to keep his arm in place with his other hand and stop Bakuya fully.

Pulling back Karlamine accelerates her attacks as much as she could and Issei is forced to block every single one of them with the Boosted Gear. 'She is weaker than the Rook. I just need to stay away from that sword.' Issei recognized his advantage of using the Boosted Gear to block a singular weapon of attack as Karlamine just used her sword, nothing else.

The Knight was regretting having discarded her other weapons, her excitement and frustration with the Noble Phantasm blinded her to her own shortcomings and she was finding difficulty in connecting a proper attack on the Pawn before her.

With a snarl she tries to push her mana into the sword to make it catch fire but finds the weapon itself barely reacting to her energy. 'This stubborn piece of junk!' Changing her strategy, Karlamine surrounded her body with mana to generate an aura.

It was a technique she wasn't used to and clearly her aura was much weaker than other members of her peerage but she believed it would do for her purposes.

Issei didn't recognize what Karlamine was doing, most of his sparring partners never showed their full skills to him or only used brute force. All he knew for certain was that something was happening and he had to be careful.

His instincts were right as Karlamine shoved her shoulder in to break his and he had to try and hold the weapon with the Boosted Gear to avoid getting hurt. He left himself open for when the Knight punched him on the face with a free hand but his Boosted state was strong enough to ignore most of the attacks before he sent a headbutt her way, knocking Karlamine back a couple of steps.

Bakuya remained on the Pawn's armored hand as well as the Knight's who refused to let it go. The bandage on her head was starting to grow red as she was bleeding from Issei's last attack but her eyes were just angry at the stubbornness of the young man.

"Stupid Pawn!" Karlamine punched Issei on the chin but he didn't let go of the sword and tried to punch back only for her to dodge and punch him again. "You think you can beat a Knight's speed? You are a fool!" She punched him two more times while he failed to hit her once. "Let go of my sword already!"

The worst part for Issei was that holding Bakuya in his hands he could feel the blade managing to pass his armor and his fingers beginning to bleed but he knew for a fact that Karlamine's punches hurt way less than the sword itself so he kept his hold.

[Boost]

While the fight was going the Boosted Gear gathered more and more power. Issei had a couple of ideas how to use it but he was also afraid of the sword and didn't want to risk being cut by it.

However Karlamine, who didn't stop punching him, decided that she wanted her sword back now and placed a foot on Issei's chest. With her foot in its new position both her hands went to Bakuya's handle and she pulled with all her strength.

It wasn't a contest as Issei neither had the footing nor the grip to keep the sword in place as his hand was cut on the blade's exit. Karlamine noticed the bleeding on the Pawn's hand with some shock and then looked at Issei who just prepared himself to take her attacks again.

"Maybe I judged you too harshly." She admitted with some respect, much to Issei's surprise. "To keep holding on to a Noble Phantasm for so long, just to buy your King some time, that is a respectable attitude."

Feeling a little embarrassed, Issei scratched his nose before replying. "Heh, I told you that I wouldn't let you reach Buchou."

"That you did." Karlamine recognizes it with some respect and a smile. "I am Karlamine of the Phenex Clan, Knight of my lord Riser Phenex!" She declared with pride and her sword raised high, surprising Issei a little.

"Ah… Hyoudou Issei… Pawn?" Issei watched as the opponent Knight motions him to continue. "That is right. I'm the Pawn of Rias Gremory!" His lackluster introduction aside, Karlamine still nodded in respect.

"Very well! Let us fight properly, Hyoudou Issei!" With that declaration Karlamine charged and immediately Issei noted the difference in combat.

Her steps before she were driven by rage and frustration without care or control with the only goal of taking Issei out as fast as possible. Now they are collected, her breathing was calm and her face lost all her anger and gained a semblance of joy as she attacked.

Karlamine's movements were now fluid in a way that Issei couldn't stop Bakuya anymore, its movements elegant and while sparks left the Boosted Gear everytime they clashed Issei could feel it coming closer to cutting his skin below the sacred gear.

'It's like I'm fighting someone completely different.' Issei noted Karlamine's change as Bakuya collided with the Boosted Gear again and this time he couldn't lock it in place as it easily slashed the sacred gear.

It didn't have any visible damage but Issei was sure he was bleeding beneath the gauntlet, even if he couldn't see it and even if the attack was blocked for some reason he was still taking damage.

That was because the sacred gear was fixing itself after each encounter and Issei wasn't really strong enough to stop Bakuya who was strong against beings like him.

If the Boosted Gear wasn't as strong as it actually was, Issei would have already lost an arm.

Karlamine was excited for finally having a fight against a worthy opponent, she watched as Issei deflected her attack but she easily moved her sword to the side and hit Issei with Bakuya's handle right on his nose.

The Pawn falls back and covers his face with his hands, leaving him open for more attacks. However Karlamine has no intention of continuing until Issei recovered or at least standed up again. While her adversary was a worthy one, she knew he was new to combat and was still adjusting to the life of a devil.

Her honorable act wasn't unnoticed but was met with suspicion. "Why did you stop?"

"I am waiting for you to get up." Karlamine's small smile didn't hold any falsehood.

Issei did just that, getting ready to continue. "But why?" He couldn't stop himself from asking.

"Because you are possibly my last chance of a decent match." She acknowledged with the same smile, sword ready. "You are also teaching me to learn more about Bakuya, my Noble Phantasm."

Looking at the sword Issei thinks to himself. 'What the hell is a Noble Phantasm?' He was pretty sure nobody explained those to him. All he knew for certain was that the white sword was dangerous.

So when Karlamine attacked again, Issei was careful when blocking that sword. He didn't need to know what a Noble Phantasm was, just how to beat it. Since it was a sword then it clearly was meant to cut him so the Boosted Gear could stop that, in theory.

In practice the reality was that Issei could barely stop it with the gauntlet alone.

Things were getting worse for the Pawn as the skill with which Karlamine wielded the blade was getting better and better. 'This is a sword that needs a clear mind.' She recognized as she parried the Boosted gear to the side and cut Issei with Bakuya's edge, making the Pawn take a few steps back. 'Now that I am calm, I can feel the entirety of its weight, the truth of its power. It won't be long before I master it.'

That was the other reason for her to allow Issei to keep fighting, she was learning more about Bakuya in that whole conflict more than she did when training. During the preparation for the Rating Game she just practiced with two swords, never with the white one individually and now she realized that was a mistake.

Bakuya may be a weapon that works better with another but it needs to be its pair, not a random sword. The advice she received to train with two ended up holding her back and now that she was using Bakuya alone with a clear mind, Karlamine can fully understand what she was wielding.

It was a work of art, a sword that was raised to legend with its pair and wouldn't accept the company of none that wasn't its counterpart. Issei's presence helped calm her down, giving her a focus to fight while she discovered Bakuya's secrets.

All by being a good opponent that refused to back down. Karlamine was grateful to the Pawn even if that gratitude wouldn't be enough to stop her from finishing the fight and then defeating his King.

She was a Knight with a mission and she had every intention of accomplishing it.

But Issei also has his own mission. He won't allow Rias to be put into further disadvantage with that sword getting involved in her fight. His main problem was that he didn't know how to win against it.

'I need to take her down! To ignore the sword and defeat the user.' Issei side steps one attack and throws a punch that had Karlamine moving to the side faster than he could react and almost cutting him in half from the waist. Bakuya barely touched him but Issei felt like he almost lost his legs. 'Shit!'

At this point Issei already knew that he wouldn't beat the Knight in a fair fight. That was why he kicked some rocks in the Knight's direction while dodging to get some space, half expecting the woman to be mad at him.

Karlamine wasn't upset, if anything she was happy for his attempt. To her a true fight was one on one and any tricks the warrior used were just a demonstration of how far they were willing to go.

She still retreated a little and blocked the dust with a hand just as Issei got some distance and collected some rocks from the ground. 'She is not running anymore. I can do this!' He hypes himself up when his sacred gear glows. "Let 's go! Boosted Gear Gift!"

[Transfer!]

Issei threw the five rocks he managed to get and all of them quickly expanded in size, a veritable rock slide flew in Karlamine's direction. That didn't shake her and if anything her smile grew bigger.

Preparing Bakuya, the Knight began to cut the rocks with ease. Issei couldn't believe his eyes. 'I am sure I put all the Boosts into size and resistance! How is that sword just cutting them?'

Each of the rocks was now larger than a car but that didn't bother the Knight one bit. Karlamine wasn't just cutting the rocks out of her way, she was cutting them into pieces and having fun doing so. She was using Issei's attack as a chance to practice and truly master her Noble Phantasm now she understood she didn't tap its full potential yet.

"This sword… It is perfect." She said a little out of breath as the last rock broke apart under her assault. Karlamine eyes the edge of Bakuya and upon seeing it was still flawless she just got more excited. "Now I just need to figure out how to use magic on you… but I don't want to carve any magic circle or something like that. It would ruin the craftsmanship."

While Karlamine admired her weapon, Issei felt nervous as his plan failed completely. He was exhausted and had used most of his Boosts on the last maneuver which meant he was running out of resources with no solution in sight.

'Should I Transfer the rest of the Boosts to her?' It was a maneuver that he debated and considered during training more than once.

Usually when transferring power Issei would regulate how much was given to make sure that his allies weren't harmed and even when the transfer was perfect it usually didn't last long, it was all gone with either one attack or just a couple of seconds. It also cost stamina for both him and the person he was transferring power to and there were still diminishing results. As far as they understood, only he, the Red Dragon Emperor, could use the Boost at its full efficiency.

But his friends were uncertain of what would happen if he gave too much power to a person beyond the limits of what his sacred gear advised. Issei didn't even need to know how much the woman before him could take safely, he had fifty Boosts remaining and those would be too much for anyone to take.

[That won't work.] A voice spoke from Issei's heart and almost screamed in a panic. [Oi oi! You finally managed to hear me? Color me impressed. Anyway, you better stay silent while that girl is busy admiring her sword. It gives you more time to think.]

The deep voice was familiar to Issei and he calmed down remembering that all his enemies at the moment were women and that wasn't Riser's voice. "Who are you?" He whispered the question, looking around for the newcomer.

[If you want to find me, you should be looking closer. To your left hand, to be more precise.] Looking to his left hand, his gauntlet and sacred gear, Issei realized who was speaking to him. [I was surprised that you managed to wake me up considering how weak you are but I suppose sending Boosts directly into my residence would have such effects.] If Issei had not realized yet who he was talking to, that would have fully convinced him. [So I ask you, my partner chosen by fate; Who am I?]

A presence suddenly made itself known in Issei's mind and he found himself on a hellish landscape surrounded by fire. Standing in the middle of the inferno there was a giant dragon that looked at him with green eyes full of amusement.

'Huge!' The size of the beast couldn't be properly estimated by Issei but he was sure that the creature was at least taller than a building. The crest on the creature head looked like a crown made of scales and the presence filling the place was stronger than Rias, Medusa and anyone else Issei had ever met combined.

Red dominated the place and was the main color of the dragon. Despite the vivid green eyes, every centimeter of his huge body was various shades of red. The darkest red was on its head going all the way to its tail while below the neck there was a more softer tone but both versions of red were still darker than blood with a huge green gem on his chest.

[You should be focusing on the fight.] At these words Issei blinked and found himself back to reality. [Just think about what you want to say to me so that woman doesn't focus her attention back on you.]

'That was… you are…' Issei couldn't finish the thought which made the dragon laugh. 'Ddraig! The true Red Dragon Emperor!'

[I would say in the flesh but unfortunately I have been missing that for a few centuries now.] Issei finally recognized the voice as the one that always shouted when he used the Boosted Gear powers. [We can talk more later. For now I just wanted to say that your plan wouldn't work and that you should try something else.]

'Why not?' Issei was panicking because he didn't have anything else to try. 'If I Boost her more than she can take-'

[Boost is based on your power, not hers. Your fifty times power is not the same as anyone else's. That is why you can't just give anyone the true double of their power unless they are weaker than you.] Issei never had realized that, no one else did. He almost couldn't believe it but wasn't going to disagree with the original owner of the power. [The most you could do would give her a Boost and then if she has proper control of her power that would mostly recover her energy at the cost of some stamina since she doesn't need to use the power you give in the first place. If you want to win, then you must find another way.]

'Then what am I supposed to do? Nothing I tried worked and that sword is just insane!' Issei could practically feel the disappointment from the dragon.

[While a Noble Phantasm is a considerable obstacle, I prefer my hosts with some backbone instead of cowards.] Issei took offense to those words.

'I'm not afraid of her or her sword. I need to defeat her for Buchou!' The Pawn shouted on his mind to make sure the dragon would hear.

"So, do you have any tricks left?" Karlamine interrupted the conversation, her focus back to her opponent. "While this fight was fun I needed to go join my King. I hope we can enjoy a proper fight once you are more accustomed with our world."

[You want to know how to beat her?] Ddraig asked and before Issei could properly retort, the Knight was on him again. His Boosted speed was still enough to keep up with her but in a shift maneuver she pushed the gauntlet to the side and stabbed him with Bakuya before doing a jump kick when he tried to counter and he was pushed back. [There you go, defending again. You may not have heard but that isn't how you are supposed to fight.]

'She is faster than me, stronger than me! If I wasn't defending I would already be dead.' Issei knew he was exaggerating a little since the Rating Game system would act before that but his point was solid in his opinion.

This time Karlamine gave pursuit. She was enjoying his struggle and how Issei created a giant stone to stop her but she easily cut it in half. Lucky for him the Boosted stone then exploded in a shower of small rocks that made the Knight stop for a moment.

[Twenty or so left. If you keep going like this then you will have nothing to take her down with.] Ddraig informed Issei but that just made him mad.

'You still didn't tell me what I am supposed to do!' He was retreating before he knew it but then Ddraig next words made him stop.

[Stand and fight for starters!] Issei almost fell down at how close to a roar the words were and yet he could understand them perfectly. ]Why are you relying on tricks to win?! Why are you hesitating on fighting back?! You are my host! Grow a spine!]

"But I can't-"

[Yes you can!] Ddraig interrupted Issei, his voice even louder than before and completely filling his mind to the point he couldn't hear when Karlamine talked. [I am the Red Dragon Emperor! You as my host share my title! We are the Welsh Dragon! The representative of strength! We are not the White-One who relies on tricks and defending to get his way! We are not the Vanishing Dragon! We don't stay on the defensive! We attack and crush our prey with our claws!]

"But that sword- I can't beat it." Issei admitted but Ddraig didn't change his posture. "Even if I use all my Boosts-"

[Aren't you going to lose anyway if you retreat?] The question shook Issei to his very soul. [Then do not! Chase victory until the very end! Give you all for one more millimeter and then go for some more! That goddess that smelled like snakes may have taught you a little of how to be a dragon but she couldn't teach you how to be me!] The Welsh Dragon declared proudly. [Do not hesitate! Do not show fear! Even before the World itself let all who oppose you know that you are here! That you will triumph! And if you don't make sure they will always remember you! That is how the Red Dragon Emperor fights! If your flesh tears apart, attack with your bones! If your bones break, burn them with your spirit! If your spirit falters, make sure that the other guy hits the ground first! Attacking with everything you have is the true essence of the Red Dragon Emperor!]

All those words were making Issei feel ashamed for ever considering retreating and determination to keep fighting. "What do I have to do?"

Hearing the determination in his host's voice pleased Ddraig immensely. [If we have more time I would take an arm or a leg to help you fight but you have something just as good. Your remaining Boosts.] Ddraig reminded Issei who could feel their power pulsating and ready to go. [Use everything! It doesn't matter if your body will break, you can fix that later! Use all you have and make sure to show that Knight that it takes more than a Noble Phantasm to take down the Welsh Dragon!]

Clenching his fist tightly, Issei smiled a little which made Karlamine stop on her tracks. 'What is he up to?' She prepared to defend herself when a red aura began to leave Issei's body.

"Fine." The pervert said with conviction. "Fine! You want me to go give my all?! To fight with everything I have until my body breaks?! Then let 's do this!" Red mixed with green as the jewel of the Boosted Gear was shining more brightly than before. "Let 's go, Ddraig!"

[Overboost!]

Issei could feel the power filling his being, every single cell screaming as he broke past his previous limits. 'It hurts! But I can do this!' He thought with a smile. He looked to the Knight who was his opponent. 'Huh, I just noticed how pretty she is.' He managed to think. "Here I go! Karlamine!"

Impressed and excited, the Knight of the Phenex offered him a smile of her own. "That is right! Let's fight!" She charged at the Pawn with her full speed and instead of waiting this time the two found themselves in the middle as Noble Phantasm clashed against sacred gear.

Both fighters were thrown back by the resulting impact but Issei recovered first and immediately charged again. Impressed by her adversary's new aggressivity, Karlamine moved to the side and had her sword positioned for an attack, fully expecting Issei to deflect with his sacred gear.

The Boosted Gear was pulsing with power when Issei used it to deliver a punch on Karlamine's face while letting Bakuya cut his side with barely a glance. Even with an opening like that he was barely bleeding when he used his other fist to punch the Knight on her stomach, sending her flying backwards.

Despite the Noble Phantasm power, Issei was now so Boosted that his muscles were strong enough to resist Bakuya. He was still wounded by Karlamine's counter attack but compared to before the wound was minor and ignored it as he chased the Knight at full speed.

Before she hit the ground, Karlamine opened her wounded wings to help with her balance and once she landed she showed a bloody grin as she charged back at Issei. 'This is what I wanted!'

This time she was aware that Issei completely lost his fear of Bakuya so she used her Knight's speed to dodge his fist and cut him on the shoulder. He took the attack in full but kicked her on the leg before punching her again.

She rolled with the punch and soon Bakuya was hitting Issei's leg as Karlamine got up but the Pawn wasn't stopping and punched her face again. Once more taking the damage, Karlamine lifted her leg for a kick on his open chin, making Issei look up and barely react when she cut his midriff.

Even if his muscles were fully Boosted and his aura was defending him moderately Issei was still facing a Noble Phantasm and Bakuya was making him bleed with every strike. But he refused to stop and so he threw a punch that Karlamine dodged before she was hit by his knee on her chest.

'First time really touching a girl's breasts and it is like that?' Issei lamented with a smile that was similar to Karlamine who used her aura to strengthen her feet and change her position at full speed, cutting Issei on his back. "I won't let you get away!"

"Then move faster!" She taunted him as Issei tried to grab her only to fail and receive another cut on his leg. Bakuya practically flashed with how fast the blade was moving and the two weapons collided again.

Both combatants slid away from each other but soon they were trading blows. A cut on the ribs, a punch on an arm, a kick on a leg, a knee to the face, another punch delivered and then the weapons collided for the third time in that exchange.

'My body hurts so much.' Issei can feel himself that he was slowing down, that at every clash the Knight managed to hit him more and he was losing more and more ground. However, every thought of retreating, surrendering or losing had already been lost from his mind. 'I need to finish her now!'

His bones were broken and he was bleeding from all over but that didn't stop Issei from raising the Boosted Gear in front of his face and creating a small sphere of power. Karlamine even stopped herself upon seeing the mana gathered and examining Issei's condition.

Added to his previous wounds now his body was covered for new ones and even if she didn't know about how much his muscles were suffering under the extra Boosting it was clear that Issei was going for a final attack.

She found herself pleased with this. Unlike Kiba whose final attack lacked resolve, Issei was full of it. He has every intention of taking her down with him.

Much like her opponent her body was now full of wounds; her left arm was almost useless and she had bruises forming on her face with most of her armor broken apart revealing her skin. Her legs were also heavy under the strain of the fighting and she was sure that she couldn't outrun whatever Issei was preparing. But Bakuya remained pristine and she used both hands to prepare her defense.

Finally Issei let it all out. "DRAGON SHOOT!" Those that heard him were sure they heard a dragon unleashing its roar as a giant beam of red light covered the area in its light.

Karlamine was right that she couldn't dodge the attack, it was too fast and carried enough power that could potentially kill her regardless of the safety precautions. Bakuya was her only chance and either in determination or out of respect for her opponent she roared as well.

"Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!" It was the roar of a Knight or an Amazon that stood against the red tide. Bakuya managed to cut the beam of mana but it still kept going for a few seconds with Karlamine holding her sword for dear life while trying to push back the equivalent of a train hotter than any fire her clan ever showed her.

She was pushed back a few steps before hardening her resolve and standing straight, refusing to submit while her body was covered by the red light with Bakuya being her only hope of surviving.

Issei kept pouring the last of his energy on the attack and using everything he had. He was already feeling himself losing his consciousness when the attack was finally over after a few seconds that seemed to have lasted minutes or hours.

He fell to his knees, happy to have given his all. 'I never felt like this in my life.' Issei admitted to himself.

[Ha! Not bad, partner. In the end your struggle was at least respectable.] Ddraig complimented Issei and the devil smiled at the words. [Pity it wasn't enough.]

'It wasn't enough.' Those words hurt him a little but he accepted them. Lifting his head, Issei could see Karlamine's form, still standing.

Her armor had been mostly destroyed and now she stood with just a few pieces of it hanging around her right shoulder, chest, gauntlets, boots and its belt while everything else was either broken or falling apart. Her white small dress was also burned a little and if it wasn't for her armor Issei would be seeing her naked at the moment as it was mostly torn from their last struggle.

It wasn't just her armor that was damaged but now so was her body. Karlamine can surely say she feels every bit of damage that Issei did to her and that she was at her limits. Some of her bones were broken, she was bleeding from many wounds including some on her head and she was sure she lost a tooth.

But there were also burns. As a member of the Phenex Clan she was used to those, most of their group did train with fire magic for the most part. She took a step forward letting Issei see the extent of how much she was wounded.

All that damage was partially from their fight and partially from the final clash. Issei's last gambit failed but he could tell that Karlamine was avoiding to move her left arm even if her right hand was firmly holding her sword.

"I'm sorry… Buchou." Were the last words Issei could say before the events of the day finally caught up with him and passed out from exhaustion.

*Rias Gremory Pawn has Retired*

Karlamine looked where Issei was before with a small smile of satisfaction. "To the bitter end and still thinking about your King. You were a warrior of respect, Hyoudou Issei." She began to walk her own King's direction but stopped for a moment to hold her abdomen to try and control the pain. "You were a devil for barely a month and already could do as much damage. Give a year or so and you may- no, you will be a frightening opponent." She then looked towards Bakuya. "Not that I still don't have ways to go myself. This sword is truly magnificent."

It was it that saved her, any other weapon may have fallen against Issei's last attack but now Karlamine was sure that the Noble Phantasm would never disappoint her if she used it properly.

'The strongest sword, one half of the married blades.' Karlamine now remembered why she trained with two swords before. 'I shall find the other one too. For the sake of growing stronger. For the sake of my King.'

She began to steadily advance towards Riser's direction, running after a couple of seconds and leaving for the next battlefield. It wasn't far, from a certain perspective none of the battles were really that far from each other.

Turning around a corner from the gym Karlamine comes into view of Rias and Riser throwing spells against each other.

They were going like this for a while, Rias using Born To Be Wild to push Riser back and take down his flames everytime he tried to attack but mostly the man doesn't bother. Most of the older devil's focus was only on his Immortality, sure he was taking hits but he knew that if he didn't fall, Rias couldn't win.

When the announcement came that Issei was defeated, Rias stopped attacking for a moment. 'Ise too…' She lamented silently while Riser smiled.

"Looks like you lost another one. Our numbers are now equal. Such a pity that your opening gambit didn't pay off how you wanted." He pointed out and Rias couldn't disagree with him.

"True, in the best case scenario I would have won by now." But Rias did consider the worse case scenario more than once when planning for the game and this was close to it. 'I still have cards to play.'

Finally recognizing that Rias wasn't going to just surrender, Riser began his advance once again.

While Issei's defeat did worry her since he was to be guarding Asia, Rias couldn't deliberate much. Born To Be Wild pointed its guns towards Riser and unleashed ten shots without pause, two were held back to give Rias time to prepare more.

Riser wasn't fast enough to dodge the bullets and the explosions always succeeded in at least pushing him back a couple of steps. Despite the pain, he was smiling at every attempt Rias made to repel him because he knew he was winning, it was just a matter of time.

He still tried to accelerate the process when possible by using his fire and having Rias wasting her energy by having to intercept it. A wave of flames was his favorite method of attack even if it was easy to disturb, he didn't need to focus much on it.

Karlamine debated how to act in the present situation. None of the high class devils noticed her arrival just yet and a part of her felt rude interrupting her King's fight. There were also the wounds on her body that stopped her from moving at full speed or using all her strength.

In the end Rias took the decision away from Karlamine's hands by noticing her presence, or more precisely the presence of the sword she was holding. "You gotta be kidding me! A Noble Phantasm! Really?!" The redhead glares Riser with as much hatred as she could muster at this point. "You really had gone out of your way to acquire one of the most dangerous weapons on the planet just for a Rating Game?!"

Surprised by the vitriol on Rias' voice, Riser actually stopped his advance. "To be fair it was the Elder of my family."

"And yet you still accepted using such a dangerous thing against my peerage!" Rias said back with a small growl. "I can't believe this! No wait! I can! It makes complete sense that the guy who doesn't listen to my wishes would bring out everything he could use to win!" She looked at Karlamine, paying attention to her sword wounds and burns before shaking her head. "It was you who defeated Kiba, Koneko and Ise." Rias said with some amusement, noticing the Knight currently state. "Heh. Maybe you did need a Noble Phantasm to win."

"Truly lady Gremory, I must agree. If it wasn't for Bakuya, odds are that your Knight may have defeated me. Certainly Hyoudou Issei would." Rias noticed the respect coming from Karlamine when referring to her Pawn. "But I had the Noble Phantasm and as such I triumphed."

"Indeed she did, Rias." Riser crossed his arms now more confident than before with his Knight present. "Karlamine earned Bakuya through combat and trained with it in preparation for the match. While it is true that we only recently received the Noble Phantasm, just know that I didn't seek it for our game but I would be stupid for refusing more power."

Rias couldn't disagree with Riser in that point, if she also was offered a Noble Phantasm she wouldn't hesitate on using it. "That is just another thing to make me angry at you, regardless of when you got it." Because she was sure her situation would be much better if Bakuya wasn't present. However that wasn't her main problem in the present anyway. 'I need to distract them.' With a Noble Phantasm and Riser's Immortality, Rias felt she was truly stuck and having to go for her last resort. "You said the name of that sword was Bakuya, correct?"

She directed her question to Riser as she didn't know if Karlamine would have talked or not. It was good for her that he still wanted to impress the Heiress of Gremory. "Indeed it is. One of the Married Swords and a weapon excellent to face beings like us, devils."

Turning her eyes to Rias, she glared at the Knight with the same hatred she gave her King. "Know this; if a single member of my peerage is dead, I will make sure you don't live long enough to regret using it."

"I promise you lady Gremory, despite their many wounds none of them was fatally hit. I made sure of that." Karlamine said while keeping her posture open and ready to move. She knew nothing on how Rias fought or what was the spirit floating close to the redhead but she also felt that Rias deserved to know how her servants fared in combat. "You Knight was determined, your Rook was brave and your Pawn fought until he couldn't move anymore. I could only have a true battle with one of them but all deserve praise."

'Come on, Asia. Send me a signal, quick.' Rias needed to keep the conversation going. "And do you know how to properly use that Noble Phantasm?" The question surprised both Phenex Clan members.

"May I ask why you ask such a question?" Karlamine knew she shouldn't ask but the mysteries of Bakuya consumed her.

However the need of the Knight to know more was the answer Rias was looking for. "Ah. So you don't know how to use it properly."

"How can you say that, Rias? Karlamine trained a lot to master that sword." Riser felt offended for his Knight and while the woman loved her King she wasn't above not informing him of her flaws.

"No my King, lady Gremory is correct. I failed to account for many things about this sword." She tightened her grip on her sword, but otherwise Karlamine maintained her position, a spot where she could easily cut the closest escape route for Rias unless she wanted to go through the gym. "It is a mysterious weapon that was rejecting my other sword despite colliding with my adversary's. I had to discard my other weapons to use it properly despite the fact it was part of a set that is supposed to be used together with another."

Rias paused for a moment to process what the woman said, she blinked a couple of times before she began to laugh.

It wasn't an elegant laugh of a lady that covered her mouth and controlled her emotions, it was the legit laugh of a girl who found something extremely funny and couldn't control it. Most of the nobles watching were confused like Riser who didn't move at the unusual sight.

Once again surprised the members of the Phenex had no reaction as Rias covered her eyes and was even holding herself with an arm as she laughed merrily. Even Born To Be Wild lost some of its consistency as its creator lost her focus and almost fell to her knees before controlling herself.

After a couple of deep breaths but still chuckling a little, Rias managed to compose herself after cleaning some tears from her eyes. "What is the meaning of this?" Riser managed to ask, still in disbelief at Rias' reaction.

"Sorry just… found the whole situation very funny. Especially considering that Noble Phantasm is the one you managed to use against me." Rias managed to reply, finally controlling herself.

"Bakuya? What do you mean?" Karlamine asked with some trepidation.

"Do you know its legend?" Rias' amusement didn't subside and the Knight felt some dread at the question.

"Of course we did. It was how we knew it was a powerful weapon." Riser's reply just made Rias smile a little more. "What is your point?"

Still needing to buy time, Rias answered slowly. "Shiro told me something once; 'using a Noble Phantasm without understanding its legend can be more dangerous than facing one. Depending on the one you are using it is like fighting with your eyes closed and a hand tied behind your back. Or worse.'" She said word for word when she suggested Shirou lend Muramasa to Kiba only for him to reject the proposal because of how dangerous that sword was. "You may know about Bakuya but you do not understand what a Noble Phantasm is and how different they are from most weapons. Even sacred gears are far more simple than them." Rias pointed to the sword with a finger and Karlamine prepared to defend herself but the redhead wasn't attacking. "To properly use a Noble Phantasm, you need to know and understand its legend, its name and its function. Lack any of these understandings and you are destined to fail in using it."

"But I know its legend, its name and function." Karlamine said defensively, her eyes on Bakuya. "It was made with its twin, a blade supposedly to reach the gods and the heavens. Bakuya is the Japanese name of Mo Ye, wife of the blacksmith in charge of making the weapons and that gave her life to have them tempered with her soul." Rias' smile grew in that moment and the Knight felt that something was really wrong. Yet she couldn't stop now that she started talking so as to try and understand what had Rias so amused. "They were made at the request of a ruler that wanted invincible blades capable of even facing the gods and that was the only way Mo Ye could help her husband finish them for if he didn't deliver their lives would be in peril. It was a success and in return for the life of his wife, Gan Jiang managed to create weapons capable of reaching the heavens. That is why they are pereless, for the skill of their maker and the sacrifice made for without it even someone as skilled as Gan Jiang wouldn't have finished his masterpieces, not without the life of his dear Mo Ye."

Rias didn't even try to hide how much fun she was having and that was only making Karlamine more nervous. "You really didn't realize, did you? Maybe it is because Shiro helped me understand Noble Phantasms but I can already tell why you couldn't use it properly with your other weapons."

"Why?" Karlamine really wanted to know and Riser would admit he was curious himself.

But Rias was taking her time, even pausing a few seconds to 'build the suspense'. "What did you call Bakuya again? Not its true name, no. You called it something else. What was it?"

Flinching a little, Karlamine was still quick to answer. "'One of the Married Swords'…" Her eyes grew wide with the revelation. "No…"

"Oh, you finally noticed." Rias' comment had Riser upset.

"Notice what?" He demanded to know only for Karlamine to be shaking her head, blaming herself for her own incompetence. "Notice what, Rias?"

"Bakuya is one of the Married Swords. The keyword here is 'Married'." Rias spoke like she would to a child, giving Riser enough time to see if he would understand. When it was clear he was losing his patience, she made a show of shaking her head with disappointment. "Both swords were created by the sacrifice of a wife for her husband's work and the white sword was named after her, Bakuya or Mo Ye. It isn't a stretch to imagine that its counterpart must be named after the husband." Rias knew that she wouldn't be able to use that story to stall for long. "So husband and wife became blades, both swords that are connected. Like the originals, both are Married and even if the other half is not around, Bakuya can't just go around cheating."

"'Cheating'? A sword cheating? That makes no sense!" Riser denial was something Rias suspected many devils were charing at her story.

"But it does. After all, they are a Noble Phantasm born out of love, a love so strong that the wife didn't hesitate to trade her life for her husband's." Rias admired the sword more now that she understood its story. "That is why even if it is a sword made to work with a pair it never would allow itself to be used with another sword other than its counterpart, the husband to the wife. Any other sword is just an unwanted interloper trying to get in the way of their love."

"That is impossible. There is no way a sword can feel that." Riser protested but Rias just smiled.

"I wouldn't call it a 'feeling'. Noble Phantasms are not really alive per say, at least in their majority. Bakuya can't think, talk, or act by itself." Rias was happy when Riser turned his attention to her again. "If Bakuya could, it probably would have stopped your Knight from using it from the get go."

"What?" Karlamine took offense to the words, for the first time feeling anger towards Rias.

The Heiress of Gremory chuckled at the Knight's attitude. "But isn't that the truth, or didn't you figure out what I found funny in this whole situation?" Rias points to the sword again. "The Married Swords born out of love, a love so strong that one of them refuses to be used with any sword that isn't its half, are having one of its halves being used to try to force me on a loveless marriage. That is hilarious."

"I will- no! I love you, Rias!" Riser's voice had Rias slowly turn her head. "Why can't you see that? We were practically made for each other!"

Now Rias' eyes had an expression Riser didn't like, something she never looked at him with; pity. "Riser… do you even know what love is? Maybe you do, I doubt your peerage would follow you if there was no love between you all." She shook her head to try and dismiss the thought before she said something she would regret. "But you don't love me, Riser. You want me. You desire me. Why? Maybe it is just lust. Maybe entitlement. But I know you can't love me."

"And why not?" Riser felt a deep anger at Rias' dismissal, his fire was already spreading around to have him charge at her.

"Because you don't know me." She spoke softly and calmly, trying to not rile up Riser any more than he already was. "In all these years that this contract existed, we barely traded words with each other. I think we spoke more today than we did our whole lives." Rias found herself a little surprised with the realization. "How can you love something you don't know? How can you love something you don't understand? I said before and I will say it again; you don't know me."

"You are Rias Gremory! Heiress of the Gremory Clan, descendent of the Bael, inheritor of the Power of Destruction and one of the most beautiful women in all the land!" Riser declared full of passion. "You are powerful, willful and determined! What else do I need to know?"

"Congratulations, you just repeated facts that everyone knows about." Rias rolled her eyes, unimpressed. "I suppose that I can call that 'feeling without substance' if nothing else."

"Why? Why do you reject me?" Riser asked with irritation. "Aren't I good enough for you? Who is that person you spoke with so much affection before? Is he a powerful devil?" The flames around him grew more intense. "Tell me who he is! I will challenge him! I will prove that I am worthy of you!"

Rias lets out a sigh. "Love is not something you can just prove you are worthy of. My love is mine to give and I have no intention of giving it to you." She could see that Riser was just getting more and more furious but she believed that some things needed to be said. "I can't love you Riser for the same reason you can't love me; we are strangers."

"We aren't going to be strangers any longer once we are married!" Riser declared, his patience over.

'Okay, I may have made a mistake in being honest.' Rias admitted while looking at Karlamine. Despide the whole conversation and her wounds the woman looked determined to help her King win. 'I also earned no sympathy there. Truly honesty is not the best-'

*Buchou! I finished it!* Asia's voice rang in her ear and Rias smiled.

'Asia I could kiss you right now! Better; I am going to have Ise give you a massage! I know you will love it!' Rias felt her confidence return as she smiled. "Riser, you seem to have forgotten something when you were describing me."

"Oh, and what did I forget?" Riser believed his description of her was perfect.

"That I also have the Devil Luck, the Power of Luck from Gremory!" That actually made the man stop in surprise, exactly what Rias wanted. "Luck is a funny thing, sometimes it takes the shape of something random but good that can happen to you but other times is all about opportunity! It is about seeing a chance and taking it with all your might!" This time it wasn't about the distraction, Rias was proud of her Power of Luck and wanted it recognized. "That is why Luck is more than just waiting for good things to happen! It is about seizing the moment and grabbing any opportunities life offers!"

"Do you have a point?" Riser was angry at himself for forgetting about that power but most people saw it as irrelevant since it wasn't as pronounced as Immortality or Destruction.

"Yes, I do." Rias was glad he asked. "The reason why the Gremory Clan has been able to keep itself on top despite the changes of the system and civil wars was because we always knew how to use our opportunities. That is why I am warning you and all of the Phenex now; when I win, I will make you all pay for all the headache I had to deal with tenfold." Her smile was beautiful, her face was calm and yet her words carried a bite stronger than the jaws of tiger. "So you better prepare yourself because when I am done, the Phenex Clan will regret ever crossing my path."

"You aren't winning!" Riser declared when Rias pulled something out of her pocket.

"Want to bet?" It was a gold coin found in the Underworld. On one side there was Sirzechs face while on the other was written its value, a five. But all devils knew that the coin wasn't just a five, it was the highest valued coin and the five there represented way more. "Heads or tails?" Rias didn't wait for a reply, she flipped the coin high in the air.

Neither Riser or Karlamine could understand what Rias was doing but they feared for some kind of trick and their eyes didn't leave the coin until it landed. When nothing happened both members of the Phenex Clan looked back to Rias only to see the redhead devil wasn't there.

Indeed the Heiress of Gremory had already started running when she tossed the coin, just after making sure that Riser wasn't paying attention to her. It was an opportunity for her to attack Karlamine but Rias needed as much time as possible to get in the gym so she left the Knight alone, confident that once she reached the building it would be her victory.

She had used the coin as a distraction and began to fly as fast as she could and her cloak allowed. Rias knew that once her escape was noticed she would need all the ground she could cover.

"Come back here you coward!" Karlamine reacted first. She was offended by Rias' attitude, seeing it as a disrespect towards all her servants who fell in battle.

She may be unable to fly with her previous wounds but Karlamine was still a Knight so when she began to run after Rias the older woman was already faster than the pureblood was flying towards the gym.

Except that all her wounds came back to bite her, Karlamine was too hurt to actually reach Rias in anyway shape or form, her body was on her limits and she was barely able to keep up a descent pace.

Riser wasn't far behind either as his wings were already out and he quickly gave chase. He understood that Rias' goal with that explanation must have been to escape but he was confident in both his and Karlamine's abilities, they just needed to catch the other pureblood.

But Rias' goal wasn't just escaping, it was to get inside the gym which wasn't very far from her position. With a fast magic circle, the Power of Destruction opens a hole in one of the walls and Rias gets inside to see a perfect replica of her high school gym, exactly what she needed for her plan to work.

With a hand on her ear, Rias activated the communication spell for what she expected was the last time today. "Asia, everything ready?"

"Yes, Buchou!" She didn't even need the spell to hear the former nun's excited voice initially. *Issei-san helped in the preparations. It will work.*

Rias made sure to get closer to the wall on the other side of her makeshift entrance before stopping and turning around. When Karlamine crossed the entrance, Rias made a magic circle and shot a small blast of mana to force the Knight to dodge and when Riser entered the building she shouted. "Stop!" Both her opponents were so surprised they actually heed the command. "This is far enough."

"What is far enough?" Riser asking the question made Karlamine cease all aggressivity. She still moved a couple more steps to the side to surround Rias while her King talked. "Did you think you could escape here? At this point of the game, this position is worthless."

"I disagree." Rias replied with a smile before shooting a blast of mana in Riser's direction.

The Third son of Phenex was sure the attack was too weak to do anything but still made sure to fly to the side to avoid some kind of trap, getting away from the hole they used to enter. "What was that for?"

"If you don't surrender, you will see." Rias told the older pureblood with a smile as she began to fix her cloak to make sure her body was fully covered. "Riser, I offer you a last chance to surrender."

"You… are you insane? I'm winning!" Riser was sure that Rias had lost her mind by the way she was smiling. "You can't defeat me! Karlamine has a Noble Phantasm and you are alone! You are the one who should quit so you don't get hurt!"

Turning to Karlamine, Rias looked at the Knight's wounded body. "I suggest you retire or else you are going to end up worse than you are now."

Surprised by being singled out like that, Karlamine shakes her head before saying, "My King is right, lady Gremory. There is no way for you to find victory. If you wish to fall honorable then I shall respect your wishes but I have no intention of giving you any chances to harm lord Riser."

"Well, I tried." Rias said with a small shrug.

"I grow tired of your bluffs, Rias." Riser prepared a blast of fire and Karlamine was ready to run for an attack when needed. "This game is over."

Covering her head with the hood of her cloak. "Yes, it is. Asia now!" Rias' call had the Bishop, who was hiding close to a wall and just as cloaked as her King, pressed a red button; it was the fire alarm. "You really shouldn't have given me the battlefield advantage."

Immediately water began to fall from the sprinklers on the ceiling, surprising Riser. Usually he wouldn't be worried for a little water, his fire was enough to ignore it most of the time anyway and sprinkles weren't fast enough to really affect him.

"Aaaaahhh! It burns!" Karlamine felt it first, with most of her armor destroyed and no proper protection, she fell to the floor easily as the water began to hurt her.

"What?" Riser didn't have time to process for soon he was also feeling a sensation he never felt before in his life. It was his Knight's cries that helped him identify that he was burning. "AAAAAAAAA! What is this? It hurts! It hurts!"

"Holy water." Rias informed her opponent as her cloak stopped most of the water from touching her skin and her aura took care of any little droplets that did. "The Kuoh Academy is a top of the line high school with the best system for the preservation of its students' security, including its own water supply in case of fires. Excuse me for a moment, Born To Be Wild!"

The Stand manifested itself once again but its hands were no longer guns but normal hands with five fingers. It began to move towards the fallen Knight in a rush as smoke was leaving its body.

As a magic circle, extremely modified but a magic circle nonetheless, made of demonic energy it was clear that the holy water Asia prepared was also affecting it but its structure was so dense that it easily reached the Knight without losing substance before Karlamine was teleported out. Born to Be Wild grabbed the handle of the Noble Phantasm that the Knight had dropped and quickly retreated back to Rias who received it with a smile.

Sending her Stand away from her made things harder to focus and preserving energy became almost impossible but Rias had mana to spare. Adding the Holy Water around her did complicate things further but she was quick in dismissing Born To Be Wild for the moment as its job was done.

"Thank you." It wasn't alive and didn't have a consciousness but Rias felt happy in thanking her power for a job well done. "Now where was I?"

*Riser Phenex Knight has Retired*

The next scream could have been either from pain or rage, nobody knew. Riser could barely move as he was assaulted with pain from all sides even as he tried to crawl his way to the hole he entered only to fall and scream some more.

Rias hid Bakuya under her cloak before continuing. "Oh yeah, I remember now. Kuoh has an excellent security system, Sona was so proud of herself for improving it after an incident with a magus last year who tried to kill everyone. Neat right?" Riser couldn't respond to her as he was stuck screaming with his body going for a constant cycle of regeneration and destruction. The water weakened his flames while the Holy property in it hurt him more than anything else did in his life. "Considering how proud some of the guys who prepare battlefields for Rating Games are, it wasn't far-fetched to hope they got all the details right about the main structure, something I am intimately familiar with. The only thing missing was water since everyone expects us to come prepared for the game regardless of how long it may last." Rias pointed out happily, completely ignoring Riser's wails of pain. "'But Rias', you must want to ask, 'how did you get Holy Water'? You see, dear Asia here," who was making sure the water didn't touch her by making herself into a ball at the farthest wall, "was a nun and she knows how to make Holy Water from prayer. 'But devils can't pray', some must be wondering and they are mostly correct. Asia doesn't have access to the system of Faith from God since her reincarnation. However, nothing stops her from using her own faith to do small things. Sure she can't make Holy Barriers and miracles are far from her but Holy Water is easy enough." Rias was loving explaining everything since she knew many of the nobles who were watching were probably shocked at the turn of events. "Before when we were talking, all I was doing was distract you while Asia was preparing the water with magic, the only piece of magic that she can use besides her sacred gear because it is useful on some medical treatments, and then used her faith to make Holy Water. Easy as that."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Riser's screams were the only response he could give. The man was in so much pain that even his thoughts were being burned.

It wasn't really easy, sure Asia still had all her faith in God but the process of blessing water was still hard on her because she always ended up using His name or His words that would harm devils.

But Asia was good with magic, really good. It only took her a day to learn the basics to use water. When Rin suggested that she try to make Holy Water, Rias was astounded by the small miracle but knew they couldn't use it properly since it was against the rules to transport such an item to a Rating Game.

However there was no rule about making it during the game itself.

Once Rias saw that the game was to be in a replica of Kuoh, Rias wanted Asia moving first towards the main school building to catch Riser by surprise with it but then she realized it would take too long and with Issei opening their way to the much closer gym building, which had no guards since Ravel had to call for everyone to intercept the Gremory Peerage, she saw a chance to lay down a trap.

'It was a scuffed plan but it worked.' Rias was pleased that everything had gone well, after Akeno had fallen she was worried because the best hypotheses couldn't happen anymore but fortunately she learned how to make more than just one plan. 'Always look for options, isn't that right, Shiro?'

After a couple more minutes the water stopped. Asia did her best to fill the box of the gym but it was a fact that she wasn't that good with her spells just yet and Riser had managed to remain conscious despite all the suffering he had endured.

But the man suffered and his appearance showed it. Once Asia got up and looked at the sight, she had to cover her mouth with both her hands to stop herself from screaming.

The once proud Third Son of the Phenex now was in a sorry state; most of his skin was peeling off, he was bleeding all over and his once powerful fire was reduced to mostly embers that clung to his skin to try and heal him only that the damage was too much and his Immortality had reached its limits.

Rias looked at Riser's current state, unphased. She knew that Holy Water could do some serious damage to a devil and the fact that Riser's Immortality would stop him from losing would extend his suffering quite a bit.

Yet she felt nothing, no sympathy nor pity. She had given the man plenty of opportunities to surrender and she planned to make good on her promise; the Phenex Clan was going to pay for the problems they had caused.

'Not that some good things didn't come from this.' Rias would admit at least in the privacy of her mind. "Now this is the part you surrender? I don't like kicking a dead horse but I will do it if you insist."

"Ri- as…" Riser managed to speak as he managed to fully stand up. The small flames covering his body had healed some of his skin but the patches were small and some damage still remained. "Rias… Rias…"

"You are really stubborn aren't you?" The redhead recognized as it was clear the man wasn't going to quit. "Maybe cutting an arm or a leg with Bakuya will be enough to get you out of the game." She said that before her eyes began to shine with wonder. 'Wait a moment. This is a great opportunity! I always wanted to do a rush attack and Riser is practically offering himself to take one.' Riser took a step towards here, hand extended almost as if asking for help but Rias was deep in her thoughts. 'I mean, how many more chances I am going to have to do this successfully? My Stand isn't close range and most strong guys could easily block an attack…' She debated with herself, weighing the pros and cons for a while as Riser got closer.

"Buchou!" Asia called out for her King and Rias finally noticed that the blond pureblood was close to her.

"Good grief." She takes a couple of steps to the side that Riser had difficulty to follow, still whispering her name. "You are really obsessed."

"I am… the only one… worthy of you…" Riser declared with as much strength as he could muster. His fire had already taken care of the Holy Water in his body and the man wasn't willing to quit. "It is… for the good… of the devil race…"

With a roll of her eyes, Rias just replied, "We already had this talk. It is useless talking to you." A flash of inspiration came towards her and Rias was smiling at what she was about to do. She looked closely at Bakuya. "This would be easier." Her Stand appears behind her, once again with hands instead of guns. "This is more fun!" Her hand touched her cloak and an aura of Destruction quickly disintegrated it, leaving her in her school uniform. "Born To Be Wild!" At the command the red cowboy without legs delivered a hard punch on Riser's face. "Muda muda." Rias said softly as her Stand punched twice for every word. 'Let's get into the rhythm.' Like a child in a toy's store free to pick anything she wanted, her smile showed only happiness as she began. "Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda…"

Every time she said 'Muda' was another punch hitting some part of Riser's body. Rias wasn't used to doing it and sometimes she lost her rhythm but she was sure that the effect was impressive as a rain of punches so fast that was getting Riser's feet off the floor was delivered by her without ceremony.

She kept the attacks going for as long as she could, feeling the exhaustion of her reserves as keeping Born To Be Wild's hands intact during the process was harder than she expected and sometimes she had to pull Riser back down so she could keep hitting him as moving her Stand anymore than that was too hard.

But she was enjoying herself too much to care. "...Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda MUDA!" The last shout came out louder as an uppercut throwed Riser fully in the air, just shy of hitting the rooftop. Turning around and with a hand fixing her hair, Rias spoke to Riser for the last time. "Arrivederci!" She always wanted to do that while her opponent hit the ground, in this case head first.

*Riser Phenex has been defeated* The first part of the announcement filled her with cheer that she held back, waiting for the second part. *The winner of the match is Rias Gremory*

She felt as the teleportation magic began to take hold. Usually the winner of a Rating Game was teleported before their audience for applause and praise with whatever members of their peerage are still standing and able, in this case only her and Asia. Rias expected none of it.

During the Rating Game she challenged the views of the Underworld, pointed out its defects and openly rebelled against most of the concepts of the devil nobility. And Rias regrets none of it but it still wouldn't get her any favors with the nobility.

So she expected silence and was surprised when she landed on the theater of her Clan's castle and heard the sound of a single person clapping. Only when Rias looked up and saw who was clapping did she realize that she shouldn't be surprised.

Shirou had watched the match to the end and while he was nervous during some moments he refused to take his eyes from the fight or to even comment with the others that wanted to know what Rias was planning. He had no idea until her plan was executed and he was proud of what she accomplished.

So when Rias appeared on the stage with Asia, Shirou didn't hesitate to stand up and clap his hands. He didn't care about everyone else's opinion, in his eyes Rias did her best and won the match fairly.

Sirzechs chuckled a little and standed up as well and him joining Shirou into clapping got Millicas to do the same with a smile. Seeing Lucifer offering his sister praise had many of the devils of Gremory and Bael present joining in the applause despite some still hesitating.

Only those from the Phenex Clan didn't move, the words spoken during the game now haunting their family and the Elder already trying to come up with a plan to minimize the damage.

Rias then bowed like a ballet dancer while Asia offered a modest bow to the crowd. "Thank you! Thank you all for having come to watch my first Rating Game!" She said with respect, dodging any complicated themes and offering another bow of gratitude before calling for a servant and touching her Bishop who still had her cloak dripping with Holy Water. With a little of her Power of Destruction, Rias made sure the blonde girl was only in her customized nun uniform. "Asia, why don't you go check on the others. I am sure they will receive the best treatment but you can help if you want." The former nun was caught off guard by the offer. "I also still have some things to finish so I trust you to tell them all that we won."

With a smile, Asia accepts her mission. "Yes, Buchou."

The servant came and collected the innocent devil while Rias waved a little to the crowd, her eyes still on the VIP box, focused on Shirou and his smile of pride. 'Now I just need to finish this completely.' Opening her wings, she took flight up to where her lover, her family and the core of the Phenex Clan resided.

Upon landing, Shirou was the first to speak. "That was fantastic."

She wanted to give him a hug and a kiss but that was not the time, she still had a job to do and it was best to at least appear professional. "Thank you." Rias put her best smile to make sure he understood she had more to say but now was not safe.

"It was an excellent display of strategy, Rias." Sirzechs stated with pride. "You managed to control the pace of the match completely."

"Not really. A lot of things had gone wrong." Rias replied while turning her eyes to the silent members of the Phenex for a second before looking back to her brother. "But we managed to win in the end. All thanks to the effort of my peerage. They deserve all the praise."

"I would say you did a great job yourself." Sairaorg offered his cousin a smile which she reciprocated.

"Sairaorg. I am happy you are here. How long has it been since we last saw each other?" She really couldn't remember.

"Far too long." The Heir of the Bael admitted and it wasn't nobody's fault. As family they always got well enough along, Rias being one of the few who didn't judge Sairaorg by his inability to use demonic power, they just just had their own responsibilities and couldn't meet much. "It was quite clever what you did with the water. I will have to remember to look everywhere for traps when we eventually play a game ourselves."

"You won't need to worry too much about it. That kind of strategy only works on certain maps and with prior knowledge. At least in a way that doesn't break any of the already existent rules." Rias wouldn't use something like that against Sairaorg anyway.

She would admit that Holy Water against devils was a cheap trick and she actually likes her cousin and would try to fight fairly.

"Onee-chan. Congratulations on your win." Millicas tried to act like a respectable young noble only for the facade to crack and he rushed to hug her. "I am happy to see you again."

"And me you." Rias said back and the hug grew a little tighter.

"Are you going to stay a while?" Millicas really sounded his age at the question.

"I won't be long, I just have some business and then I have to go back to Fuyuki." The boy looked sad at that but Rias knew how to cheer him up. "But I will spend my vacation here this time."

Millicas looked at her with a smile "Really? You promise?"

With a glance to her parents, who were silent at the moment, Rias replied. "Yes, I promise that I will be in the Underworld this break and we will go out one of these days. Maybe watch the griffons' migration."

'Do I want to know all the animals that run around in the Underworld?' Shirou managed to hold the question back to not interrupt the moment but he was still thinking about it. 'Nope.'

"I would love that." Millicas beamed at the suggestion.

"While I love seeing family getting along, I would be a poor grandfather if I don't remind you all that there is business to be made." Zekram, who had clapped but not got up from his chair, made himself known with that sentence.

"Honorable Elder." Rias greeted with a nod, her eyes full of suspicion.

The ancient devil replied that with a grandfatherly smile that looked completely out of place to all who knew the man. "I was impressed with your cunning, dear granddaughter. You managed to defeat an opponent much more powerful and that is not a small feat. My most sincere congratulations to your victory."

'Rias just revolted against some of the base of the actual system, a system you are the main responsible for, and you are complimenting her?' Sirzechs face was set in stone as he tried to divine his ancestor's thoughts. 'What is your angle?'

Even Rias was confused by the compliment but she recovered quickly and offered a more respectful nod to the older devil. "I thank you for the kind words, Honorable Elder. It took a long time of study and preparation to seize that victory."

"And now you shall reap the spoils." Zekram glanced at the silent members of the Phenex Clan and all could see that Riser, the Elder, was fuming with rage while the actual Lord and Lady of the Clan remained silent.

"Indeed I shall." Rias turned to the Phenex Clan and pondered who she should address first before deciding that she had no patience for it. "I shall skip the formalities and ask; do you wish to have this meeting here or in a proper setting?" Waving her hand around, there were some devils of note that were eavesdropping the conversation, treating it like a sideshow. "I don't care about privacy on this but you do."

The Lord of Phenex cleared his throat. "A meeting room would be proper." It sounded like a suggestion to the Elder Phenex who looked ready to pick a fight.

"Of course." Rias accepted it easily, anything to get things going. "I believe that you should call some specific members of your Clan to join us, Rutal and his immediate family to be more precise." They could already guess where this was going and all the Lord Phenex could do was nod in agreement. "I also would like to invite Lord Lucifer to be part of this meeting as a mediator if he has the time…"

"Of course I have the time. I will just call Grayfia to collect our son and we can get going." Sirzechs saw an opportunity to help his sister and was all for it despite Millicas trying to hold back a pout. "Don't be like that young man. It is already close to your bedtime."

"I shall take care of him, Lord Sirzechs." Almost like if she was summoned by name, Grayfia came to collect her son. She still was acting as the maid and Queen of her King but she managed to spare Rias a congratulatory smile before departing with a happy Millicas who was waving his goodbyes to everyone.

"I hope you are at least planning to return that." The Elder of Phenex was talking about the sword still in Rias' hand but she just placed it on her shoulder with a smile before turning to Shirou.

Before his attention was fully on her but now Rias knew his eyes had finally landed in Bakuya. "Shiro, I will need you as well for this meeting." Her voice was enough to snap Shirou's focus back to her despite the Noble Phantasm practically demanding him to use his magic on it. "We need to settle some 'offenses' that the Phenex committed against you as well."

"Would you mind if I am also present at this meeting, my dear granddaughter?" Once again Zekram surprised everyone and now there wasn't a devil present that wasn't trying to figure out what was passing by the Oldest Devil's mind. "There are some details about the Phenex that we must discuss and that will help you gain some needed context about their actions. I would be happy to provide the information."

Shirou and Rias shared a glance and he just shrugged his shoulders. While hearing about Elder of the Bael, he still knew nothing of Politics and trusted Rias' judgment on that front. While Zekram was dangerous and she didn't know his real intentions, Rias couldn't help but notice that he was acting more like her ally than anything else.

'He wants something, but what?' She couldn't waste time thinking since that would weaken her position against the Phenex and she needed to strike while the iron was hot. 'I am confident he can't stop my plans even with his political acumen so it isn't a danger to have him on hand if our interests align.' Rias nodded after a second. "Of course I would be happy to have you, Honorable Elder. Your wisdom on such matters will always be appreciated."

"The honor is all mine." Zekram replied with enough respect to make clear he wasn't planning to cheat on Rias which many suspect he had something he wanted from the Phenex Clan.

The Elder of the Phenex already suspected what his peer wanted but chose to say nothing for the moment. 'If we play our cards right, the Phenex Clan can still use that as leverage. We must act carefully.'

While the oldest Phenex tried to think in some way to try and solve the situation, the Lord of the Clan looked to his best friend with a pleading look. He was also a proud devil but he knew that because of Rias' declarations during the game that she has no intention of being merciful.

So he resorted to asking, however silently, for his friend's help.

Zeoticus saw the look coming his way and let out a sigh. "Rias… what are you planning to do?" The actual Lord of Gremory questions his daughter, receiving barely a side glance before she replies.

"Didn't you hear me before, father? I plan to make the Phenex Clan pay for every offense, every slight." Rias didn't turn to look at her parents, instead directing her attention to her cousin. "Would you like to come as well, Sairaorg? I would love to have you as a witness."

He didn't know if Rias was trying to deflect her father or just show that she was ignoring him but Sairaorg smiled with amusement. "I am sorry Rias but I can not. I have a meeting tomorrow and I should be up earlier. But please, call me next time you come to the Underworld. Millicas isn't the only family member who would love to spend some time with you. Maybe we could introduce our peerages to each other.

"Of course. I would love that." Rias replied and Sairaorg turned to speak with Shirou and Sirzechs to talk a little before departing while Zeoticus decided to get his daugther attention.

"Rias, I understand that you are upset for everything that happened but I find… unfair that you place all the blame in the Phenex for all that happened." Her father stated calmly and clearly.

"Your father is right, Rias. We were the ones that approached them with the contract." Venelana spoke solemnly, her daughter not looking at them. "We wanted a good husband for you and we trusted that Riser could be that man. Maybe locking you in the contract was a bit excessive-"

"That is not why I will make the Phenex Clan bleed." Rias' tone was cold like the Poles of Earth and got everyone's attention, Zekram was impressed that she could speak like that about a family that was present. "Deals like that are common in our world, I can accept that, I can live with it and I am already free of it. That doesn't excuse everything else the Phenex did wrong." A red aura covered Rias and when she turned to her parents they could see that her face showed no emotion. "For all they have done, for every attempt that harmed someone I care about, I will make them pay in blood." Rias looked to Shirou, making sure her parents did the same before looking back at them. "Or as close to it I can get legally."

Rias then turned to the Phenex, they understood what exactly was going on. 'This is what that was about.' The Lord of the Clan and his Lady tradded nods as they got up. "We will need an escort to the closest meeting room."

Zeoticus and Venelana watched as their old friends accepted their circumstances without any more complaint and wondered what they didn't know about. "Zeo… we must be there as well."

She needed to say nothing else for her husband to understand her words. "As the actual Lord and Lady of our Family, we wish to be in this meeting, Rias."

It wasn't worded as an order but it may as well be for Rias. "Very well. But let me tell you something father and this goes to you as well mother." She fully turned to them, her aura of rage still present. "If any of you try to stop me, I will make sure you regret it."

"Rias, that won't-"

"What do you mean by that, daughter?" Venelana interrupted her husband, now with an aura similar to Rias surrounding her. "You are still a child in many ways. You may have the right to some justices, we won't get in the way of that, but don't think for a moment you know everything or that you can threaten us."

Rias actually smiled at her mother's words. "I will leave and neither of you will ever see me again." Venelana was clearly shocked at the declaration and her aura immediately vanished as her daughter's grew stronger. "I am not joking or bluffing. I will do what I was going to do if Riser won, on a lesser scale." The younger Gremory revealed to her parents and to all still present to hear. "I will never set foot on Gremory's lands ever again, I will never look at your faces ever again and will refuse to call myself Gremory until the day you die."

"Would you abandon your legacy and position?" Venelana was still shocked.

"Didn't you hear me before? Or were you not paying attention to the Rating Game?" Rias took a step closer to her mother and while the older woman didn't retreat she was clearly disturbed. "I won't let you or anyone else dictate my life. You try, I will make sure you regret it."

"You think living on your own would be that easy?" Venelana questioned but Rias didn't retreat.

"I wouldn't be alone. Now that I participated in a Rating Game, none of you could take my peerage either without changing at least half a dozen laws of the Underworld." That was one of the things that gave Rias' confidence since she knew her brother wouldn't allow that. "I would take all the profits I made for our Clan and just leave. 'Rias Gremory' would cease to exist and I would take a new name, maybe Emiya Rias?" She looked at Shirou with a playful smile but he knew she wasn't joking. "I would make my life away from you and this clan, which tried to keep me caged." She took another step closer to Venelana and identical faces were just centimeters from each other. "It wouldn't be easy but I would be free."

"'Born To Be Wild' indeed." Zekram recognized with a laugh as he stepped out of the VIP box even before the members of the Phenex.

Rias said nothing else, to her it was unnecessary and so she turned to leave. She picked Shirou's hand and joined his arm as they walked away, to the surprise of many but none could comment.

Venelana wanted to. She wanted to keep the discussion going, to hear Rias say she was kidding or something similar.

Only her husband's hand stopped her. "Let us just… hear what she has to say." It was clear by his voice that he had no fight on him.

"He is a human." Venelana connected the dots of who Rias was fighting for during the Rating Game.

"Yes… he is." Unsaid between them was that Riser was a proper pureblood but Rias showered a human with affection. "At least he is the Magus Killer's son." He tried to joke a little but he could see

"Her children…" Venelana looked at Rias with pity. "They may not live beyond a human life span."

"There are humans that manage to live beyond those." Zeoticus accepted that. "And there are ways to extend his own."

It wouldn't be easy but the parents just wanted their daughter's happiness, nothing else.

…

After getting to a closed room with a table for the meeting some things still needed to be taken care of before everything started properly. Beginning who would sit where, collecting Rutal and his direct kin, at least one of his parents before things began.

It was decided that the Gremory's would sit at one side, with Shirou besides Rias and her parents at the other, the Phenex Clan would sit opposite to them, Rutal had arrived with his father, joining their Lord and Lady to the sides of the Elder of the Clan who was sitting between his family.

Both Sirzechs and Zekram took opposite seats at the head of the table with the Elder Bael insisting on sitting closer to Rias to show his support as Sirzechs was supposed to be neutral on this instance.

Not that anyone would believe that, the actual Lucifer wasn't going to break any laws in favor of his family but he clearly was going to do anything in his power to see Rias getting whatever she wanted. The Phenex knew they were at a disadvantage entering the negotiations but they at least took solace that Rias was willing to settle things behind closed doors.

Shirou would admit that he didn't know what he was doing at this meeting. Rutal was glaring at him enough that there was little doubt the devil was wishing him dead and only everyone else around kept him grounded.

From time to time his eyes would wander to Bakuya sitting on Rias' lap. He could already have used Structural Analysis with his eyes to gain comprehension of it but he only offered it small glances before looking back to the devils to try and not be rude.

Contrary to her lover, Rias was amused by how nervous some of the people around her are. Her parents were being patient but they clearly had questions and only the Elder of the Phenex Clan dared to meet her eyes.

"Don't you believe it is time we start this small get together?" Zekram was another person clearly enjoying the events and that was the only thing stopping Sirzechs from relaxing.

"Indeed we should." Despite saying that, Rias just smiled and stayed silent.

'She is having fun with this.' Shirou was the first to notice but he wasn't the only one as soon the others present showed expressions of amusement, anger or frustration.

Finally someone couldn't take it anymore. "What do you want, Gremory?" Rutal was the first Phenex to crack, much to his father's irritation.

"Oh goody, a volunteer." Rias replied before anyone else could speak. "You see, I was trying to decide who to start with and you just offered yourself." With a snap of her fingers, a magic circle drops a piece of paper on the table. "Tell me Rutal, do you remember this?" She slides it to him and the younger Phenex unfolds the paper, flinching at recognizing it immediately.

It was the contract that Rias made him, or at least a copy of it since Rias wouldn't risk the original. "Yes, I do." The young man admitted it. "It was the contract you forced me to sign."

"Ah, so that is the excuse you are going to use." Rias wasn't denying the accusation but only Shirou and Rutal were surprised by it. "You do remember you still signed it?"

"Under the threat of death-"

"Rutal!" His father tried to stop him but it was too late.

"It doesn't matter, you had the choice." Zekram spoke with a chuckle as he motioned to the paper. "If you didn't want a deal you should have accepted death. That is how us devils do things. You should either trust your family to avenge you or accept the consequences of the deal."

"If you don't remember, that contract was both magically and legally binding." Rias reminded the man who flinched. "As our Elder said, you still signed it and you violated it. Now I shall demand compensation."

"You have no proof." Lord Phenex was the one who spoke. The situation may seem hopeless but he was ready to fight for his clan's honor to the bitter end.

Not bothering to respect the older devil, Rias asked nonchalantly. "Why did you decide to accelerate the wedding again?"

"For the interest of joining our houses." Lord Phenex replied with eloquence.

"Really? Wasn't it because you knew about EM and the danger it represented to your business?" Rias didn't lose her smile but the Lord just smiled back.

"We saw it during the Rating Game, truly a useful trinket." Lady Phenex moved to support her husband. "But it can not compete with the Phoenix Tears, it would be no threat."

"Hmmm~ Really~?" Rias debated what would be the best way to make the Phenex Clan pay for the lie. She decided on one which would show her magician's skill. "Shiro, could you please provide us with a Truthbearer?" The request sounded strange to most devils but Sirzechs just chuckled.

"You sure?" Shirou prepared his circuits and quickly summoned a version of the sword on the table.

"Thank you~" Rias picked up the sword and made it glow before pointing to lord Phenex. "This sword is capable of discerning truth from lies. Would you mind touching it and repeating what you just said, my lord?"

"That…" And so the Lord of The Phenex Clan was left without words.

"That is a lie." Challenged Rutal.

"Want to test it?" Rias pointed the sword at him. "I can sign a contract stating that this sword works exactly as I said if you want and then you can sign one confirming that you sent… were three assassins at a magician sponsored by one of the 72 Pillars?" The younger Phenex shut up but Rias wasn't done. "Come now, Rutal. I am curious. Put your hand in the sword and tell us how many exactly did you send." When she got no response she dropped the sword on the table and Shirou took it as his cue to undo it. "True or false? You knew about EM and tried to manipulate events to your favor out of fear."

"Do not forget that they managed to break the magical aspect of your contract, dear granddaughter." The Elder Bael spoke while brushing his beard. "Technically speaking, they already broke them both legally and magically despite getting rid of the magical aspect."

"It is true." The Elder of Phenex spoke before Zekram could make things worse for them, silencing the rest of his family who were trying to come up with a believable excuse. "We saw you as a threat to our way of life; you had plenty of reasons to pressure us because of the betrothal, you had already shown animosity towards our Clan and we needed to act before you ruined us."

"And here we are. With me having a good chance of ruining you anyway." Rias' reply was cold and any amusement vanished from her face.

No one doubts Rias' words, during the Rating Game she showed that she could back them up with mean tricks that any devil would hesitate to fight against. In fact, many are certain that the rule book on Rating Games will have a new rule added very soon about making Holy Water during a match.

"Say what you want, Rias Gremory, and let us be done with this." Riser the Elder knew that Rias wanted something but without knowing what it was then he wouldn't be able to mitigate the damages she could cause. 'Worse comes to worse, we must offer Zekram the Ruler Breaker. Whatever he wants it for, he may stop supporting the Gremory for it.' His thoughts were mirrored by some of his descendents who watched the Ancient Bael suspiciously.

The Phenex Clan may have been caught off guard by Riser's defeat but not a single one of them was ready to go down without a fight.

"Then let's talk about compensation and what the Phenex Clan will do for Rutal's acts." Rias declared her intentions but that was something that was expected even if she lost to Riser.

With a look of confidence, Rutal stands up and says, "I acted by my own interest and my Clan had nothing to do with my actions against the Magician of Gremory, Emiya Shirou." Even Zeoticus, who was friendly to the Phenex and wanted things to be solved smoothly, knew that the declaration was a bald faced lie. "I didn't have any of my Clan support and those were only my actions."

A curious Venelana couldn't hold her silence. "You are still a member of the Phenex Clan. They are responsible for any offense you may have done to our own."

"The boy didn't ask for permission nor looked for counsel. His actions are only his own." The Lord of Phenex expressed with fake regret that failed to convince anyone. "While I admit that we failed in keeping him in check, as a whole the Phenex Clan can't be considered responsible for his mistakes. It would be the same as punishing a family when a reincarnated devil turns stray."

"But this is not a stray. This is a member of your House, regardless if he is part of a branch family." Zeoticus points out, realizing that his friend was leaving one of his family members to hang dry.

"It was my mistake. I shouldn't have done what I did." Rutal spoke honestly and earnestly. Nobody knew if it was an act or the truth because of the circumstances but he wasn't lying. "I am ready to face the consequences for my mistakes."

"And you understand what that entails, boy?" Zekram asked with a chuckle. "Let's not fool ourselves here, you are separating yourself from your Clan so the Phenex as a whole doesn't need to suffer repercussions. An admirable act." The sarcasm was evident in the Ancient Devil's voice. "But there must be consequences either way or else our society will fall if anyone can dodge the law like that."

"I shall work hard to pay back my debt. I am ready to sign any contract and even work for lady Rias Gremory until it is paid in full." Rutal expected Riser present to help him like it was planned when they rehearsed that part.

His cousin was supposed to speak how the compensation should be monetary and avoid any time in prison or servitude. That was mostly what the Phenex Clan planned for but once again Riser's defeat threw a spanner on their plans.

"Of course we shall help one of our members to pay for such an offense." Lady Phenex spoke eloquently.

"As a third party since I shall not allow my Clan to suffer for the mistakes of one alone." And her husband followed up.

'They are trying to avoid the most harsh penalties by blaming one individual. Smart.' Rias could admit that much. 'But they are underestimating me.' Her smile was sweet when she asked. "So you are admitting that you contracted the assassins, Rutal?"

"Yes, I am." Rutal replied, already expecting the question.

"So your Clan truly hired someone to kill the Gremory's magician?" Zeoticus interrupted the proceedings, anger in his voice. "Rias, why didn't you tell us about this earlier?"

The Heiress of the Gremory was surprised by her father's sudden question and burst of anger but managed to reply. "Considering everything, I didn't expect you to believe me that your best friend's Clan was conspiring against us. It was also part of the contract that I would keep that quiet if he didn't speak about EM." Rias had to rush into making that contract and considering her father's expression that was a mistake but there was no changing what happened. "I didn't expect the Phenex Clan to find ways to get around it and thought I would have more time if he stayed silent."

"I must repeat that those were the actions of Rutal alone." Lord Phenex flinched when Zeoticus turned at him, clearly furious.

"We will be having words later." Zeoticus now didn't consider the Lord of Phenex his best friend anymore. "I will make sure anything my daughter demands is paid in full."

"Of course." The Lord of Phenex accepted with some regret at his friend's anger but his Clan came first, even above their old friendship.

"I don't believe that any deal can be made with Phenex is wise or even worthy of trust since they managed to already break a contract with the use of a certain Noble Phantasm." Zekram accused them for all to hear.

"A Noble Phantasm? I must ask which one, Honorable Elder, since the presence of something like this threatens all the Underworld." Sirzechs tone left no room for argument and the Riser the Elder started damage control.

"It was just something that reversed things to their natural state by nullifying magic. Nothing-"

"Ruler Breaker, the dagger which carries the sins of the witch Medea." Zekram cuts his younger counterpart with a chuckle. "It is a dangerous thing that needs to be confiscated for the sake of all devils."

Lady Phenex looked at the Elder of the Bael with indignation. "It was a resource we spent a vast fortune into acquiring and we can assure you that it is not dangerous to our society."

"But it can break contracts. That itself is a threat." Sirzechs, deducing that was the prize Zekram sought, presented himself as the Lucifer with a threat of danger in his voice. "You should not have hidden something so dangerous from us. The Phenex Clan stepped out of line."

"'Any Noble Phantasm belongs to the devil who acquires it'. We were just following the law." Riser the Elder was quick to speak despite Sirzechs powerful presence threatening to suffocate him. "We admit there is a fine by not telling our government about it and we are willing to pay it."

"I believe we strayed too much from the original topic." Rias surprised everyone by stopping her brother from preceding his interrogation.

The most powerful in the room and the law were on her side at that moment with the Phenex were struggling to not get cornered, if she stayed silent, they may have capitulated to any demand she made after Sirzechs and Zekram were done with them.

Yet she threw everything completely off the rhythm which was favoring her back on a topic that was considered unimportant and smaller in comparison to the existence and danger of Ruler Breaker. Those actions earned her plenty of confused and baffled looks but Rias just smiled.

Grateful to have anything that relieved them from the pressure of two of the Underworld's most dangerous devils, the Lord of Phenex nodded with a smile. "I completely agree."

"Good." Rias proceeds to ignore the eyes on her as she directs her attention towards Rutal. "So let me repeat the question to get us back on topic; you fully admit hiring assassins to kill Shiro?"

"Yes." Rutal swallows heavily. Every other member of the Phenex Clan was hopeful that Rias had already vented her anger on Riser but not him.

He never forgot how cruel Rias could be like when she kicked him out of Fuyuki under the threat of death.

"Great." Rias raises Bakuya to the table. "Present your neck if you please." That request and the Noble Phantasm presence made clear what she wanted.

"What?" Rutal himself was terrified by the implication, most of the present were but Rias' face remained a happy one as she waited for their reactions.

"What is the meaning of this?" Rataal, Rutal's father, was the first one to react. "Are you threatening my son's life?"

"Threatening?" Rias even retreated a little to appear offended but she was clearly amused. "Of course not. I am just demanding the proper compensation."

"That is not ' the proper compensation', that is insanity." Riser the Elder spoke with a glare towards the younger devil. "You just demanded the life of a pureblood devil, a member of the Phenex Clan of the 72 Pillars. Such brazen action cannot be called proper in any level."

"Why Honorable Elder? You all made clear that Rutal acted alone so only he needs to take the blame and compensate for his mistake. For a crime he has already admitted, I might add." Rias pauses for a moment, her finger sliding the back of Bakuya with fascination. "His attempt on Shiro's life wasn't something easily forgiven and I believed that exile from my town was enough of a punishment. However, he broke from the contract and so I need to set a proper exemple." She raises the Noble Phantasm again, just enough that the edge of the blade was shining. "Rutal tried to kill Shiro and so I shall take his life as the fairest compensation."

"But your magician is alive!" A panic Rutal pointed at a nervous Shirou who was avoiding to talk to not ruin whatever Rias was planning.

"A failed attempt is still an attempt." Rias replied calmly.

"It is still an unproportional punishment and completely out of line. Rutal is correct that your magician is alive and so you can't demand such a thing." Lady Phenex spoke with indignation and distaste.

"Not only that but Rutal is a pureblood while your magician is just human." Lord Phenex was in the same mood as his wife.

But that was the wrong thing to say. "He is my magician and I need to show you and all that I won't tolerate threats to his life." Rias' smile was cold again and everyone could see she was serious.

"It doesn't change the fact that you can't equate the life of a pureblood to a human's." The Elder of Phenex glanced at Zekram, half expecting the older devil to say something. The Ancient Devil remained silent and the Phenex looked back to Rias. "You can't compare the life of a pureblood devil like Rutal to a pathetic human who won't even see the turn of the next century."

Rias made an expression of fake confusion. "Really? Even if said human could save the lives of hundreds of devils? Or maybe that was why you tried to kill him in the first place?" Summoning EM II, Rias places it on the table. "Easier to make than Phoenix Tears and just as efficient even if it costs mana. This is the reason why you hired assassins, don't even bother to deny it."

"That has nothing to do with saving devils' lives." Rutal protested but it was Sirzechs who replied.

"Unlike your Clan, most devils have to survive with subpar healing at best. Many of us die in combat because we have no reliable way to heal ourselves." Lucifer spoke solemily. As the leader of his Faction he was responsible for sending many of his subordinates to their deaths.

"And that is in times of peace. Can you imagine how useful that could be in a war?" Zekram extends his hand and Rias passes the scalpel to him. "Such a thing really could save hundreds of devils' lives. Which means that my granddaughter has a point, your actions are more severe than you thought."

Lord Phenex didn't like what he was hearing. "Rutal is willing to pay for his mistake, we are not shying away from offering compensation."

"How can you compensate for a life that would save another thousand? Human or not." Zekram asked with a smile, still studying EM. "In this case, Rutal placed the lives of pureblood devils in the line, not only the Magus Killer's son."

Rias looked at Shirou at his father's title but he just shook his head. She accepted that it wasn't a secret anyway and took center stage once again. "So your actions, indirectly, endangered the lives of devils. Your argument is mute."

"But a proper compensation-"

"It is also fair to remind you that your nephew wasn't acting for your clan, lord Phenex." Zeoticus crossed his arms with a frown. "Therefore if my daughter doesn't want compensation from you and only from him, she can demand whatever she desires as he is a private citizen without the support of the 72 Pillars." It was clear that the father was completely on his daughter's side.

"Our laws wouldn't allow it. Ever since the end of the Civil War of the Underworld, the lives of our devils have taken priority over the interest of any Clan to protect the remaining Pillars." Lady Phenex reminded everyone.

"Once again we must remind you that he acted by himself, following his own testimony. He technically isn't a Phenex on this discussion." Sirzechs said with a sad expression. "I was the one who proposed those laws and we made clear that a devil couldn't escape proper punishment for individual action."

"But that is for criminals." Lady Phenex stated.

"And his actions are criminal." Venelana was the one who spoke, her eyes full of fury. "He threatened the life of someone that is part of the Gremory Clan, indirectly or not. He even sent assassins, which is a criminal act as Shirou is properly connected to the Pillars."

"This is insanity!" Riser the Elder slammed his fist on the table in rage, some escaping his hand. "You are truly going to kill a pureblood over a human's life?"

"Yes." Rias replied with certainty. For Shirou she was ready to kill without hesitation "But if you need a 'proper' reason; Shiro's invention, which wasn't fully developed at that moment, will certainly save purebloods' lives and he put that in jeopardy." She motions to Bakuya again. "So here is the compensation that I want; he presents me with his neck, his life."

"And you pretend to use Bakuya to do it? A weapon belonging to the Phenex Clan?" Riser The Elder was suddenly sounding confident. "That is not for you to use. Return it at once and let's discuss things more sensibly. Threatening one of us will accomplish nothing."

Rias didn't look impressed at the demand. "I was going to use Bakuya to at least make the experience less painful." As an aura of power appeared around her, Rias raised her hand in Rutal's direction. "Or maybe it will be less painful to use Destruction? I honestly can't tell with your Immortality."

"Rias, don't be childish. You must be tired after all the exercise you did today." Soon a similar aura promising death covered Venelana and with the same smile as her daughter the two truly looked like twins out for blood. "Let your mother take care of that for you."

If Rias already wasn't enough to terrify Rutal, Venelana almost made the devil piss himself. During the Civil War she was leading the Gremory forces in the front lines and while not as powerful as her oldest child she was still strong enough to earn a reputation.

Swallowing heavily, Rutal was shaking and his father noticed. "Don't joke about that, Brunette Madam of Extinction! I won't let you or your daughter kill my son."

Venelana looked at Rataal with a little amusement but her murderous aura didn't diminish. "Your son isn't here as your son, he is here as an independent devil who commited a crime against the Gremory Clan. As Lady of Gremory, I see nothing wrong in me passing the sentence in place of my daughter." She made a silly smile, clearly fake since her aura was still there. "What do you say, Rias? Want your mother to beat up the bad boy who tried to hurt your friend?"

Rias smiled, happy to be receiving her family's full support. She lays her head on Shirou's shoulder and her aura diminished. "Maybe you should, mother. I am a little tired after today and I really want to go to bed." That looked to be the incentive that Venelana needed as her aura grew as she looked extremely satisfied.

Rataal turned towards Zeoticus, hoping that the Patriarch of Gremory would actually do something about his wife. The older redhead just kept his arms crossed, his eyes not leaving his oldest friend on the Phenex side. His silence was telling of his instance on this matter; if his wife and daughter wanted to kill someone, pureblood devil or not, Phenex or not, Zeoticus wasn't going to lift a finger to stop them.

"Brother!" Rataal called for the Lord Phenex who turned to look towards his younger siblings, a dilemma clearly presenting itself.

To save Rutal, he needed to be recognized as a member of the Phenex Clan and if he does that, his action will be connected to it with all possible consequences. By doing this then whatever realistic price was demanded the Clan could pay.

The problem was what exactly were Rias' intentions. She clearly wanted some sort of revenge for their actions but what that entailed wasn't something he knew at the moment.

Lord Phenex needed to make a choice; his nephew, the son of his brother or risk his Clan as a whole by putting it at the mercy of someone that had already stated has full intentions of making the Phenex Clan suffer.

While the leader of his Clan was stuck in a moral dilemma, Rutal could feel his death approaching as Venelana raised her hand and a magic circle appeared. He knew that his Immortality wouldn't be enough to save him and his family couldn't act with two of the leaders, one of them the Strongest Devil, on the sidelines. His face clearly showed that he didn't want to die.

"RUVIL!" Rataal called for his older brother's name and the man snapped.

"STOP!" The Lord Phenex cracked, his words managing to stop the lady Gremory's advance towards his nephew. "Stop! He is a member of the Phenex Clan and we accept responsibility for his actions!"

"No, you idiot!" Riser the Elder was too late, the damage was already done.

As Venelana lowered her power and many of the present let out the breath they were holding as Rias spoke clearly. "Are you sure about that, lord Phenex?" She glanced towards the Elder of Phenex who was glaring at Ruvil.

"I am sure." His wife held his hand beneath the table. "He is a member of the Phenex Clan and we recognize his mistakes in this instance." That wasn't enough, he needed to make it official. "The Phenex Clan would like to apologize formally for any action that may have offended the Gremory Clan and seek out ways to repay any debts and amend our relationship."

"So the boy is no longer a criminal, just an idiot." Zekram commented off-handedly. "Very well, we shall leave that on the official record. I will have it sent to both parties after this meeting." Now the Clans were both officially on the table and there was no escape. With Zekram and Sizechs as witnesses the meeting took on a whole different meaning. The Ancient Devil then looked towards Rias with a smile. "And what are your demands, my dear?"

"For starters? He still tried to kill my precious magician. Shiro's life is invaluable to me. More priceless than the world itself." Rias confessed as Shirou blushed, making her chuckle a little as she fixed her posture and sitting down properly to show she was taking things seriously. "But since I can take my pound of flesh no longer, I will have to be content with something equally as valuable."

"And what is as valuable as 'invaluable '?" Riser the Elder asked with a bit of fear. He could no longer protect his Clan from Gremory's wrath now that the actual lord capitulated.

"Nothing really." Rias admitted with a shrug. "But fortunately you have things that may come surprisingly close." Once again she was studying Bakuya, her intent clear.

"You want the Noble Phantasm?" The Elder of Phenex expected more.

"All of them that you have." Rias dropped the bombshell, something that immensely pleased Zekram and infuriated the members of Phenex. "Don't try to say that you only have just one. Grandfather dearest here and your actions already confirmed you have at least another; Rule Breaker."

"And you want them both? Out of question!" Ruvil was now glaring at Rias for the first time. "Those are treasures of the Phenex Clan, both are worthy fortunes that take lifetimes to acquire. They are worth far more than a single human life."

"We already established how much Shiro's life is worth, he is invaluable to me." Rias pointed out.

"And his skills have the potential to save many devils." Sirzechs' mentioned as the leader of his Faction.

Riser the Elder shook his head. "Maybe if we already had seen some of these contributions that could be argued but so far he is only a single life working for the Gremory."

"And you dare to insult the honor of Gremory?" Zeoticus jumped on the conversation, his eyes leaving his former friend in favor of snarling at his ancestor. "You dare to attack my House, indirectly or not, and come here trying to set the price for your transgression."

Arguments start to go around as the Phenex Clan tried everything to deny Rias' request by claiming she was violating several laws attributed to the treasures of the Clans. The Gremory side of the discussion was firm on the fact that money never was going to be enough for reparations, regardless of the value offered.

"He is still alive, isn't he?" Lady Phenex breaks the stalemate by pointing out the obvious. "Here he is, a living and breathing human. He isn't dead so why are you all talking like he died and we were paying for his life."

Rias was expecting that question. "Considering the mercenaries Rutal hired and the damaged that they caused, it is a miracle Shiro is still alive." She could see the redhead in question flinch a little. "A werewolf that demolished dozens of cars in a parking lot, a former hunter of Artemis that almost killed one of the yokai princess of Japan, that was a whole mess later that I had to deal with by the way, and last but not least a pirate with a Noble Phantasm with the potential of leveling a city."

"How are you still alive?" Rutal couldn't help himself after the last bit. He remembered Edward, the cruel man with a rough attitude that was ready to kill for money and personal reasons. The devil didn't know that the pirate had a Noble Phantasm but that explained the damage.

He was glad that at the very least nobody was mentioning the Hassan that was supposed to be there and he had no intention of making things worse for himself.

Shirou chuckled at the question. "A lot of cover and a lot of help."

"So as everyone can see, Rutal didn't save expenses on trying to kill Shiro. He had gone above and beyond in his attempt." The Heiress of Gremory could see the unease in the faces of many of the Phenex Clan members. "Oh, let's not forget the damages to property, the risk to civilians, close exposure of the moonlit world, relationship with dangerous individuals and at least half another dozen crimes that I was willing to let go for his silence, per our contract." Rias added with a smile. "Still believe a couple of Noble Phantasms aren't worth everything he did?"

"They are still more valuable treasures…" Lady Phenex pointed out but she could tell that things were going from bad to worse.

"Then I suppose we should take that particular disagreement to the court? After all, this is a breach of contract with criminal activity involved. We can allow a commission to define the appropriate compensation." And Rias finally slammed the last nail on the metaphorical coffin of this discussion.

With Sirzechs and Zekram by her side, any kind of case the Phenex Clan could build would be torn apart at the entrance. Not only that but the actual Lucifer wasn't going to give them a chance to stall or use other resources in favor of his sister and considering the criminal elements involved he would be in the right for doing it.

"We only have two Noble Phantasms and both of them would be too much for such a private affair." Lord Phenex's words made clear that he was surrendering the fact that they would have to at least give up one of their prized possessions.

"The Gremory Clan would need a list of all treasures of the Phenex Clan to confirm the veracity of these words." Zeoticus wasn't going to believe just words from that Clan anymore, he wants concrete proof.

"Such a thing can be easily granted." Sirzechs already was planning to expedite the process if the Phenex Clan tried to fight it. Once again the core of the Phenex Clan was reminded that they are effectively fighting their own government.

"That… is fine." Lord Phenex knew there wasn't a victory there so he needed to choose his battles carefully.

"But even with all that, a Noble Phantasm is still too valuable, let alone two." Riser the Elder spoke suddenly but not unexpectable by anyone, even Shirou saw the statement coming from a mile away. "Both are 'invaluable' in any case, the same value you place your human in." Rias' eyebrow twitched but she said nothing as the Elder continued. "We can agree to surrender one of them but you must only pick one."

In that moment, the Elder of the Phenex believed that he knew what Rias would pick, it was obviously the more valuable of the two Noble Phantasm and the logical decision; Rule Breaker.

Both him and the actual lord realized this and It was a sacrifice that the Phenex had to make to survive. It was also the Noble Phantasm that Zekram was clearly after as the Elder Bael revealed when he divulged the information about it.

Such a weapon was something game breaking for the whole devil society and it was something that Sirzechs may allow Rias to keep. Regardless of how dangerous or powerful Rule Breaker was, the man just loved his sister that much.

"Shiro, what do you think of Bakuya?" Rias catches everyone off guard with the question as she offers the sword to her lover. "Is it a good enough sword? Does it have any defects? Would it make a good gift?"

Finding himself in the spotlight with the eyes of every devil present looking at Shirou looked to Rias with some apprehension. "I think that is a little better than a simple gift." He said evenly.

"I see, I see." Rias smiled as she held the blade with both hands towards him. "What can you say about it?"

Realizing what Rias wanted, Shirou grasped the sword from her gentle hands and held the white blade close to his eyes before his circuits flared-

A simple man working diligently on a forge, hammering the metal again and again before stopping to notice a failure. The man throws the metal back on the fire with anger and frustration, his desperation was felt in every strike as his creation was found lacking.

Soon the man pulls it out of the fire and begins the process again. It was clear that the blade wasn't even, the metal wasn't cooperating with him and every failure made the man more desperate.

His actions were not ones from someone working on his craft, they were from someone that was fighting to survive. Repetition managed to elevate his work but it is still flawed, still imperfect.

The man then stopped, he couldn't go on any longer for the flesh was weak and he was on the brink of falling from exhaustion.

Someone was watching his suffering, someone who loved him deeply. There was a discussion, harsh words were traded as the reality of the situation settled and the man knew he couldn't accomplish the order given.

Determination steeled the woman's heart, so strong and bright that it was carved in the blade itself as the smith watched in despair when his wife threw herself in his work. They were two blades completely identical in the smaller details but then they became different.

The wife's love for her husband finished his work, made them perfect and beyond his wildest dreams.

It gave Bakuya the form it would take for eternity as the man cried at the loss of his beloved.

-Shirou took a deep breath after a moment and had to scratch his eyes. He almost felt like crying after what he saw.

"Shiro?" Rias' voice was a relief to him, it helped bring him out of the memory and back to reality.

"She didn't even hesitate." Shirou said with barely a whisper as one of his hands moved to touch Rias' face gently.

Enjoying his touch despite the fact they were in a meeting and many of the devils present were looking at them with a variety of emotions ranging from surprise to scorn, Rias still leaned on his touch and asked. "Who?"

"Mo Ye. She didn't even hesitate to give her life for her husband. He was trying to save them both and she gave her life for his." Shirou stopped caresing Rias to motion to Bakuya with a sad sigh. "Even now, her love is still strong, so strong that the sword is still trying to find its other half." Mana covers the sword for a second before vanishing. "It can't. Wherever her husband is, Bakuya can't find it despite trying."

"Why?" Rias asked while looking at the Noble Phantasm with fascination and pity.

"I don't know. It just isn't able to bring its other half to it." Shirou keeps studying the blade.

"How can a sword find another? Is it because both are Noble Phantasms?" Lord Phenex didn't know much about the subject but he was curious not only about the sword that belonged to his family but also Shirou himself who shook his head a little before replying.

"It is in their legend and so they are bound to be together. Bakuya is always trying to call for its other half. It attracts it the same way that it repels any other sword. You can't feel it but holding it like this, I can." Shirou placed the sword on the table delicately. "But Bakuya isn't getting a response or pointing in any direction. Maybe it is because we are in the Underworld and it is in another dimension since I am sure that if it was around here then Bakuya would be able to show the way towards it."

"Then that means that the pair is never going to be together again." Sirzechs, who had some understanding about Noble Phantasms and sympathized with Bakuya's story, sincerely lamented. "With the number of different realms and how vast they are, odds are that we would never find it."

"No, Bakuya will one day be reunited with its other half." Shirou said with certainty. "It is also an aspect of the Married Swords, fate itself will bring them together, sooner or later."

"Then why were they separated?" Venelana, like some of the other devils, was also curious about all Shirou was cleming from the Noble Phantasm.

"Obviously for selling." Zeoticus pointed out with a grunt. "The Rating Game showed that Bakuya is powerful but is incomplete without its other half. If someone had both, greed may have gotten in the way and they were split for more profit."

"How cruel to separate them." Rias commented with a sigh. "Why is that even possible in the first place?."

Shirou already knew the answer. "From the very beginning they were two swords but only Bakuya was given to the King of Wu with the smith keeping the other. It is part of their legend."

The memory of the sword being given was a lonely one, the smith was full of regret but he wasn't going to let his wife's sacrifice be in vain. So Bakuya departed its creator's hands to never return.

Hearing the tone on Shirou's voice, Rias chuckles before asking, "Do you want it?"

"Rias." Zekram called her name with clear irritation but Rias waved him off in favor of Shirou who looked at her with surprise before replying.

"If I was to have this sword, it would be just to find its other half." Because both of them knew that Shirou didn't need the original.

"But do you want to try and find the other one?" Their eyes met and Rias already knew the answer. "You do."

"Having them separated like this is a sad thing." Shirou replied in lament. "Even how beautiful the sword looks now, it was like part of its luster is missing by the absence of its other half. Like Bakuya itself is suffering."

His tone and his eyes made Rias' mind. "We shall be taking Bakuya then."

"Rias." Zekram said in warning but the other Elder present wasn't wasting this chance.

"Is Bakuya really enough?" Ruvil needed her to confirm, needed her to show she was certain.

"Sure." Rias replied easily, most of her attention still on Shirou.

"The Phenex Clan accepts." Riser the Elder looked towards the actual lord of the Clan and Ruvil just nodded his approval. "Bakuya for the pardon for all of Rutal's slights against the Heiress of Gremory."

"Wait a minute!" Zeoticus stands up to protest. "While a Noble Phantasm can compensate for some of your mistakes, it isn't nearly enough."

"The Heiress already stated what she wanted." Lord Phenex spoke against his old friend, once again earning his disapproval but the blond didn't let that affect him. "And honestly, we had already agreed that a single Noble Phantasm is enough compensation for Rutal- for our mistakes."

Zeoticus was about to protest further when Rias spoke. "Father… it is fine." She had shared her moment with Shirou and now both of them looked to the Lord of Gremory. "Thank you for the support but Shiro agreed that it was enough so it was enough."

"I am disappointed. Allowing a human to dictate your actions like this." Zekram stated while in his head plans were already being made to neutralize Rule Breaker.

"So I suppose we need to seal everything in a contract?" Lord Phenex offered carefully and upon reciving some glares at the suggestion he raised a hand to calm down his opposition. "While you can suspect us of breaking the contract magically, the paper itself is already proof enough of successful negotiations."

Rule Breaker was a trump card that the Phenex Clan wanted to keep. Even if everyone became aware of it there was no denying that they can still use the Noble Phantasm or even loan it to another family for the right price. Things on the Underworld can quickly become messy if the actual government doesn't appease them and they can use that to keep Zekram at bay.

"What are you talking about? We are not done." Rias was smiling coldly once again and Ruvil felt a chill run down his spine, something that surprised him.

He wasn't the only one a little stunned by Rias' sudden declaration. Only Shirou remained impassive as one hand held Bakuya firmly while the other held Rias' gently.

"Having second thoughts, Heiress of Gremory? If you want to change the deal, we don't mind of course but you may not keep Bakuya if you try and press too much. I would prefer to sacrifice the fool than allow you to threaten the Phenex Clan for his mistakes." Riser the Elder started with a glare to most of his descendents, his posture clear.

'He really was ready to let Rutal be killed.' Sirzechs wasn't surprised and even expected something like this. While the younger Phenex present was afraid and his father was clearly ready to fight to protect him, the rest of the family wasn't exactly feeling the same.

The Lord and Lady of Phenex loved their nephew, that was why the Lord acted before. But now the man gained new resolve with his ancestor's words and was ready to sacrifice the young man if Rias tried to take back her word. If that were to happen then Shirou may not receive Bakuya which Rias wanted to give him and so she couldn't use Rutal's mistakes, his crimes, as a bargain chip anymore.

But Sirzechs noticed that Rias was smiling and he started to smile as well. 'My little sister had everything planned? I am so proud.'

On the opposite corner of the table, Zekram played with his beard and watched the events with intrigue. 'She has something else on her sleeve. But what?' Leaning forward a little, the Oldest Devil hoped to watch a good show.

"There is no need to worry about that particular deal, Honorable Elder of Phenex. As stated, Bakuya is enough to pay for Rutal's crimes." Rias crossed her legs and directed all her attention to the other side of the table. "That is all done, I won't take Rutal's head anymore and he can even leave if he wants."

"Then what do you want, lady Rias?" Lady Phenex was the only one on their side still able to be polite as even her husband looked like had lost all his patience. "You already took your compensation and are already free from our contract. Odds are that the Phenex and the Gremory are not going to do business with each other for the foreseeable future."

"I wouldn't use 'foreseeable' when speaking of our Clans' relationship. Your actions just about made us enemies and the Gremory won't forget that any time soon." A still upset Zeoticus told them straight, he also was impatient.

"On that we disagree. Afterall, the Phenex Clan still has unfinished business with us as a whole." Rias sounded too pleased with herself which bothered the members of the Phenex more than they dare to admit.

"Say what you have to say, Gremory and let us be done with it." Riser the Elder was the one most worried as he was sure that something was terribly wrong. But he maintained a strong front, not willing to give the much younger devil before him to get the upper hand. "We already settled all scores and you got the treasure you wanted. As far as the Phenex are concerned we would prefer to keep our distance from you if possible."

"It will be hard to do when you need to pay my bribes~" Rias was enjoying the faces the members of the Phenex Clan were making, full of confusion and surprise.

"'Bribes'? What are you talking about, girl?" Rataal wasn't planning to speak now that this son was out of danger but he was the first to express his surprise.

"Why, the bribes you need to pay me to not destroy the Phenex way of life, of course." Rias' reply just confused the devils but Shirou understood what she was talking about. "Afterall, you like to live in confort don't you? To be recognized as the Richest Family in the Underworld. I wonder how many times the Phenex use the title to throw their weight around."

"We are the richest family." Riser the Elder said with pride.

"But far from the most powerful." Rias reminded the older devil. "The only reason your Clan has any prestige in the first is because of the Phoenix Tears, the Shards of Immortality all devils can partake… for the right price."

"What is your point, Rias?" Rutal was afraid even if he didn't know why, this situation was familiar to him in some way even if the setting was different. He realized that it was the same sensation he felt on that rooftop in Fuyuki a year ago. "Wait, don't tell me-"

"Wouldn't it be really awful if the Phoenix Tears just, 'poof,' disappeared out of nowhere. Or worse; stop having value?" Those who didn't understand Rias' words were starting to catch on what she was implying. "That was what you all feared, wasn't it?"

A fist hits the table, flames surrounding it as rage fills the devil's eyes. "Are you threatening us, Gremory?" Riser the Elder repeated the early question, he was barely holding himself back from attacking the younger devil.

This time, Rias' reply was different. "Wasn't that clear?" She was delighted by his and the other members of Phenex reactions, anger and fear. "That was why Rutal tried to kill Shiro. That was why you accelerated the marriage. The fear that EM would enter the market and cripple your monopoly that made your family so rich. And that is all you have. All." She loved to see how some flinched to her statement, unable to deny the facts. "In that case, I wonder how long your family would be able to stay afloat if your only real income suddenly became irrelevant. One or two years? Let's say you all give up some of your lifestyle and decide to sell some of your things; a century or so? Give or take? That isn't not even mentioning the loss of prestige and position." Rias could see the fear actively setting in some of the blondes in the room. "All I have to do is to divulge and sell EM and then the Phenex Clan will be done."

"It is not that easy! Those kinds of things don't just happen out of nowhere!" Lord Phenex was the first to protest, panic clear on his expression.

Exactly what Rias wanted. "Once everyone sees that my product is better, it will sell like water in a desert."

"But it isn't superior, it costs mana to use, something vital in combat." Lady Phenex tried to remain calm but she was sweating.

"True. But EM can be used multiple times during and after combat." Rias said back and this time it was her father who spoke next.

"Some Bishops who act as supporters always have mana in a Rating Game. It would surely be an excellent boost for their teams if they all can heal." Zeoticus smiled at the possibilities of EM and how much it would actually sell.

"It still isn't as efficient." Ruvil protested to his former friend with a frown. "It takes too long to work compared with a Phoenix Tear and not everyone can use it in the middle of a fight." The lord was more confident with every point he managed to make. "Even if these EMs enter the market, there is no way they can surpass the healing of the Phoenix Tears."

Rias smiled smugly. "They will if I sell them for half of your price." In that moment, the moment when every member of the Phenex Clan present grew pale, was when everyone knew Rias won. "Maybe your method is faster in a fight but who is going to bother to buy it if the alternative is just much cheaper?" She waves at Ruvil, giving him a chance to reply. When she got none, Rias continued. "And once that happens, what does the Phenex have to earn their keep? To show their power to the other devils? Your lands perhaps? Where nothing grows because you wanted a place surrounded in flames for a demonstration of power?" The silence just made her more bolder. "Nothing! You will have nothing! Your only income is the Phoenix Tears, without it, you are nothing!" She could see some getting ready to respond but she decided to nip that in the bud. "What is any other great accomplishment the Phenex Clan managed in the last few centuries? What are your options once I take away your only source of income?"

"That is not going to happen." Lord Phenex protested weakly. "We have loyal clients-"

"They are going to jump at a better offer, no questions asked." Rias commented with a smile. "I will sell one EM for half the price of a Phoenix Tear, how many devils do you really think are going to stick with you with that price on the table?" She chuckled at the man's silence.

"Our children will prop the Phenex Clan up." Lady Phenex sounded determined. "In this new age, Rating Games are the true measure of a devil's value. Ruval is already in the Top 10 in the ranking and he is going to go further-"

"Is he?" Zekram raised an eyebrow. His interruption meant Rias had his support once again. "While he is being considered for a promotion to Ultimate Class, your son hasn't managed to make any progress for the last few years." He hummed for a second before continuing. "Even then, a single devil on the Top 10s is not the same as those on the Top 5, much less the Top 3. He may be able to keep your Clan afloat by himself for some time but my granddaughter has a point; without another source of income, the Phenex Clan will fall to ruin given enough time."

The older members of the Clan looked at each other nervously but Rutal just crossed his arms confidently. "But we won't have only one for long, we are going to have two. Riser…" He let his train of thought when he remembered everything that transpired in the last few hours.

"Riser what? Come on, finish that thought. I dare you." Rias teased the youngest Phenex present, making him swallow nervously.

But the Phenex are devils and have enough pride to not allow an insult pass unancered. "Riser may have lost to you but it was through trickery and cunning. He would never have been beaten in a fair fight." Lady Phenex stated proudly.

"You shouldn't count on that. Riser's team is not that strong by itself." Shirou garnered most of the devil's attention once again with that comment.

Feeling slighted by a human, Lord Phenex was compelled to reply. "My son was unbeatable until this last match. He is much like his older brother and in a few centuries he will reach the Top 10."

Wrapping his head in the notion that centuries weren't much for a devil, Shirou replied calmly. "The problem is not his power, it is his attitude and posture towards combat." That made the Lord of Phenex pause to think but Shirou continued. "He only allowed himself to move when his Queen fell, even when he lost half of his peerage to a trap minutes before. Not only that, most of his team lacked any sort of ability to adapt to new circumstances. They were all too set on their ways and fighting styles. When their opponents surprised them, they barely could react or change their strategies, especially when the fight began to turn against them. Maybe the Pawns are different but we never saw what they could do in, as you put it, a 'fair fight'."

"What does a human know about Rating Games? Or about fighting in general when compared to devils who lived for centuries." Riser the Elder was the most offended by Shirou's words but the magus didn't mind and decided to reply honestly.

"We humans may be weak, but we are really good at fighting. We had to be to survive beings hundreds of times stronger than us." Shirou's answer had Rias' smiling. "I read your books, I recognized your opening gambit, Rias did too. That is why she managed to set up that trap, because it was predictable."

'He may not know much about politics but his mind when it comes to fighting it is an armory full of weapons ready to destroy his enemies.' Rias felt herself shiver in excitement at the thought. "Let no one say that Shiro isn't a great fighter. He survived Rutal's assasins, unveiled a secret terrorist organization and faced Medusa by himself."

"Rias." Shirou chidded her but was barely heard by Rutal slamming his fist on the table.

"He did what?" He was the only one who voiced his incredulity as almost all devils with the exception of Sirzechs and Zekram couldn't believe her words.

"Is he a demigod?" Lord Phenex asked, voicing many of his family's own thoughts.

"No, he is a pure human." Rias announced proudly.

"I can't believe such- such lies." Riser the Elder couldn't see a human doing all that without some divine assistance at least.

"Oh, but you should. He has Medusa living in his home after all." Zekram announced and had Shirou facepalming while both Rias and Sirzechs looked at the Ancient Devil with surprise and panic. "Medusa was feral when they fought, no mind to be found, only power. And he still managed to defeat a being that was the equivalent to a dragon." There was real respect in the devil's voice. "After his triumph, the monster returned to be the goddess she originally was and now she resides with him. Apparently the goddess herself recognized his skills and asked him to guard her while she recovered her power. Take into consideration that she is a full fledged goddess and doesn't appear to be losing her mind any longer. That means that not only he faced and surpassed her, Emiya Shirou also made Medusa his ally in a sense."

Sirzechs felt he needed to add something or else Rias would look subordinate to Zekram. "My sister informed me of the goddess' arrival and we agreed to allow her to remain on Fuyuki, my sister's territory. Shirou swore to protect her and so far Medusa has contributed some knowledge in return for her peaceful stay." It was the best he could do as he tried to figure out who told his ancestor about the goddess. "That was also the quest he undertook with his father."

"'Quest'? That is what we are calling that now?" Rias managed to sound amused but she didn't want to reveal Medusa's presence on her territory. Shirou challenging her was one thing and anyone could figure that out with some investigation but the goddess' survival was another. 'Why did Zekram tell everyone about Medusa?'

Nobody could guess what was on the Oldest Devil's mind when he continued. "This man, chosen by the Heiress of Gremory, is now the Guardian of Medusa, her protector. You shouldn't underestimate his skills or advice."

Shirou took that as his cue to continue. Keeping his mind on the Rating Game was helping him cope with everything. "After the trap, Riser's side let itself be split without means to support each other directly. With their numbers neutralized, they allowed themselves to be dragged to mostly one on one matches, which was what Rias wanted. The best play would possibly be to turn completely to defense but from what we saw, Rias had a work-around too unless they considered the possibility of the Holy Water." He could tell how much seriously the devils were taking his words now, any protest or sneer at his presence was completely erased. 'Wonder how they would react if they knew how much power Medusa was really using.' He suspected Zekram the man did act like someone who wouldn't leave any stone unturned. "Either way, the only other factor that was unexpected and almost cost Rias the match was Bakuya-"

"Which they don't have anymore." Rias bragged a little but Shirou let that slide.

"-without it, I believe Kiba would be in a better state to help Koneko. On the other hand, your Knight didn't know how to use it. Then again, if she was more prepared maybe Kiba would have fallen faster." Shirou admitted the last part with a pensive face.

Every word that Shirou had spoken was taken extremely seriously, if there was one thing that devils respected was power and with Zekram's backing, Shirou was confirmed to have enough of it.

That was the realization that dawned upon Rias and Sirzechs; Zekram wanted Shirou's words to be taken seriously because they supported Rias' argument that without Phoenix Tears their Clan was indeed doomed. All the reveals were just irrelevant information that the main powers of the Underworld already knew and approved, the Phenex could do nothing with it.

Taking that into account, Rias recovered her composure enough to speak again. "But back to the point; you can't trust your son to reach his elder brother and help sustain you. Even if he manages that, it will take centuries, as one of yourselves admitted, time you all don't have." Rias took her EM once again and stabbed it into the table. "I am telling you here and now, either the Phenex Clan capitulates and gives me all I want or else I will flood the market with healing items, making your greatest asset mute."

"That… It can't be that simple." Lord Phenex recovered enough to speak again. "It won't be that simple! We will just reduce our prices as well to match yours!"

"Great. Then I will halve them again." Rias announced with a happy smile that had the man flinching. "How much does it cost to make a Phoenix Tear? The ritual needs some specific ingredients to make the magic circle, right? And you all need a considerable time to cry tears to no one as well, which many of you can't even do. How much does a bottle of the thing really cost?" Rias' question came with curious eyes, she really didn't know. "If I am not mistaken, you sell the Tears for 1 lucerte right?"

"'Lucerte'?" Shirou didn't want to speak at the moment but it just slipped.

"The currency of the Underworld." Zeoticus happily supplied as he made a magic circle and dropped a bag of coins on the table. "There are three types of coins here, each one named after one of the Maous. Lucertes are gold coins, asmodesetes are silver coins, levianetes are copper coins, Beelzebub never had a coin in the past and the actual one doesn't want to change that." He offered the bag to a surprised Shirou who opened it to see dozens of the gold variants. "They all have the image of the Maou on one side and their value going from one to ten on the other. If you want I can explain more later."

Shirou offered the bag back but Venelana shook her head. "You don't need to return it, dear. As Rias' magician, our money is your money."

Having used Structural Analysis on the coins, Shirou knew they weren't really made of gold but their appearance and weight still made him believe he was holding too much money before he gave it to Rias who knew him enough to just drop it in a magic circle without even saying a word.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter the value of the Phoenix Tears but the materials to make them. You need to prepare the circles and members of your Clan able to cry tears that have no one in mind. Something I believe many will be too distraught to do if they start to work because someone is pressuring your Clan." Rias had the smile of the cat that got the canary as the full implications started to sink on the Phenex's side. "How much can you lower the price before things get difficult? How much can you afford to lose before your Clan is destitute and on the ground?"

"How much can you?" Lord Phenex asked back, panic clearly visible.

"With the backing of the Gremory Clan? And other business? I can probably give EMs away for free." Rias said everything with a grin. "They are also not that expensive to make, with some time it is possible to have at least every other peerage in the Underworld with a EM easily."

'Possíble yes but not that fast.' Shirou was the only one who knew that Rias was bluffing but by the faces on the other side of the table there was no way for the Phenex to realize it.

In this case once again the boost on the magus' reputation helped as they believed that someone favored by a god would be capable of such things. Exactly as Zekram planned.

"No. That is impossible. They must cost something." Riser the Elder spouted in denial. "Nothing is for free! Nothing! The materials, the power! Something must have a cost somewhere!"

"True. The materials, regardless of how cheap, do cost something." Rias admitted and considering the EM II needed special metal they were a little more costly. "However, I will run this business on loss only to make sure that you can't prosper or at least until you aren't a problem anymore."

"Was this your planning from the beginning?" Lady Phenex managed to find her voice and even then she sounded fearful. "You were planning to break our Clan like that from the start? Why bother to negotiate Rutal's actions then?"

Rias frowned at the question mostly because she didn't want such implications in front of Shirou. Even if he didn't doubt her, she didn't like someone smearing her in his eyes.

"No, I wasn't. Frankly? I wanted EM to force you all to a meeting first and foremost. My only intention then was just to get rid of the engagement." Rias confessed, her frown disappearing as her face became neutral. "Things started to get complicated when Rutal tried to kill Shiro, I wanted to kill him then and there but I couldn't risk you using that as an excuse to get your way." Now she glared at her former schoolmate angrily, making him shrink in his seat. "So I forced him to silence and kicked him out of my town. Per the contract, I was willing to let his transgressions go with the condition that he didn't speak about EM." Then she smiled coldly. "But you all broke the contract legally and magically. Thank you very much for the opportunity to pay him back for daring to hurt Shiro. However, despite all that, I was willing to go easy on your Clan in general after I dealt with him. Why blame you guys for his stupidity? That wouldn't be fair." Her tone was gentle, her eyes weren't and they promised blood. "And then you decided to use a damn Noble Phantasm of all things during our Rating Game, risking my peerages' lives all for the sake of a stupid engagement. That was when this became personal."

"You are lying." The accusation sounded empty from the Elder of Phenex who looked like he had the life drained from him. "You were planning to destroy our Clan from the beginning. That is the only explanation for all this." He was shaking his head frantically as his mental state was clearly deteriorating.

"I just explained that I wasn't trying to destroy you. I just wanted a discussion where you couldn't ignore me nor give excuses to keep the engagement going." Rias remained calm but the Elder Phenex was clearly not believing her. "It is not my fault that you all refused to hear me until I finally got some leverage while doing away with yours."

Ruvil lets out a sigh of regret before asking something that was worrying him for a while now. "You are saying that you found the means to effectively neutralize our Clan and all you wanted was a meeting to just cancel the engagement?"

"Maybe if you had listened to me from the beginning I wouldn't be so aggressive or maybe I would do all this anyway because your son pissed me off and your nephew tried to kill someone important to me. However the case, it doesn't matter anymore because your actions just made sure we would reach this particular conclusion. Now you all are at my mercy and there is no escaping. " Rias declared and all the members of the Phenex Clan could only look at her in defeat. "That being said, besides Rule Breaker, what else can you offer to me so I don't destroy your way of life?"

…

While the devils and magus were having their meeting, a new phenomenon was happening in the Land of Blades. A new sword arrived just a few hours after the previous one, with the same kind of resplendor and power as the one that came before.

When it was fully formed, the white blade sent out some kind of pulse, a signal, trying to find its perfect half in the area. It was in vain for the Land of Blades didn't have its half.

Despite that, Bakuya kept trying to attract its other half, it was always looking for it and wouldn't stop until it was found, no matter how long it takes or how far it has to travel.

But such an event did catch the attention of something. The sole inhabitant of the strange land felt some kind of attraction towards the new arrival, something it never felt before from any of the other weapons around the realm.

Despite its legends and sacrifice for its completion, Bakuya didn't have a true conscience. All it existed to do was to be a pereless sword and to seek out its beloved for all eternity. Yet it hummed, not for its other half but to something else, something that managed to make a connection with it.

For a long time now the pegasus' hooves have avoided touching the land. It didn't need to eat or drink and the skies were its place of fun. It also loved to tease the owner of the land by remaining in the clouds but today this new connection managed to make the mythical mount touch the earth and approach the new sword that got its attention.

This connection wasn't one that Bakuya had with its half, it was too different. The pegasus felt the same thing, something similar to what it felt when Shirou was around; a sensation of belonging somewhere with someone.

Like pieces of a puzzle the sword never could understand and the pegasus never would bother to comprehend, both of them were connected to their relationship to the heavens; a creation to reach the gods and the mount to take humanity to the skies. They were the same in a way.

They were still missing something, Bakuya knew it was its other half but it couldn't say. It just could connect with the pegasus like it never did to anything before.

Under the eternal sun that never rested, a legendary sword found a legendary mount, all they were missing was the other half of the sword and someone to take them to the heavens.

…

The final details of the meeting didn't take more than a few minutes to be hashed down. There was little that the Phenex side could do or argue against any of Rias' demands.

When everything was over, Sirzechs and Zekram left with the Phenex Clan to collect Rule Breaker and stop them from trying to break the magical side of the deal while Shirou and Rias were both escorted by Zeoticus and Venelana deeper inside the castle.

It was agreed that Noble Phantasm in particular was too dangerous to be left alone and the Elder Bael himself demanded it to be turned over to the government. Rias agreed with some prompt from Shirou since she wanted him to study it but the magus understood that the Oldest Devil wouldn't budge on keeping Rule Breaker away from everyone.

So the Lord and Lady of the Gremory offered Shirou a room to stay for the night and he ended up agreeing at Rias' request since there was one last thing she wanted to do before finishing her night and she would like him there for it.

They were making their way where Rias wanted to go and the four stayed silent.

Zeoticus had many things that he wanted to say to his daughter. He carried feelings of guilt, pride and respect for her but mostly he was ashamed and he didn't know how to approach the subjects he wanted to talk about.

Venelana was in a similar situation with her husband but she also found herself pleased. She watched how Rias regarded Shirou and their interactions with great interest. While the magus was a human and she worried about his lifespan, plans were already forming in her head to try and fix that particular problem.

Rias was happy to be free of the Phenex Clan and any obligation, she was happy that her parents had decided to support her and happy that Shirou was there to watch her triumph. For the first time in what felt like forever, the Heiress of Gremory felt proud as she walked around her castle despite the concerns with her peerage being in the forefront of her mind as she feared any of them got too hurt.

Of all present, Shirou was the one most at ease with his guard finally down. To him everything was solved and they could finally really relax without the shadow of the Rating Game above their heads. He wasn't even worried anymore by the risks of Rias' parents discovering their relationship.

The group kept walking until they reached an open area and the devils opened their wings. The older ones turned to Shirou after a second with some concern. "Something wrong?" The magus asked and both of Rias' parents looked at each other before Zeoticus replied.

"The room we are going to is on the fifth floor." The man pointed up and Shirou could see that the place they were in was a huge hall with many openings to different floors. At the moment they were in the second one and they needed to go three more up. "Do you need me to carry you?"

"No need. Shiro can get up by himself just fine." Rias commented, making sure to give him a sassy grin, as she took flight to the floor they were going, reaching there easily. "What are you all waiting for?"

Shirou reacted first, mana Reinforcing his legs as he took a leap to the third and fourth floor before arriving on the fifth. Venelana followed next with her husband right behind, the two landing gently behind the younger duo.

With a small giggle, Venelana commented, "I suppose we shouldn't be surprised by that from the man who faced the Medusa."

"Please don't mention that. I don't really like to talk about it." Shirou replied with a glance to the side that had Rias giggling.

"If you bragged some more, people would know what you are capable of." Rias told Shirou between giggles.

"Bragging accomplishes nothing. When I fight, everyone will see what I can do anyway." Shirou said with a shrug that had Rias pouting.

"But people would know better than fight you if you advertise your accomplishments some more." When Shirou shook his head, Rias just continued. "And you can't say that bragging a little didn't help back there. Even if you weren't the one bragging."

"Your brother warned me about Zekram but how did he know about Medusa?" Shirou was frustrated because he was sure that it wasn't his fault unless the devil had tracked down members of the Heaven Faction he spared.

"He probably has spies everywhere in our son's office." Venelana was the one who supplied the information. "If the right people knew then he would find out, sooner or later."

Rias looked to her parents a little uncertain how to act before she began walking again. Turning her head to Shirou she asked, "Do you think I overreacted back there?"

Shirou raised an eyebrow looking back at Rias' parents before replying. "No, I don't think you did. They chose to pursue the engagement anyway after all they had done and paid the price." He told her honestly. "At any point, any moment, any of them could have pointed out that they should talk to you, to try and negotiate a compromise. They dig their own grave."

"If you want my opinion, I think you have gone too easy with them." Everyone stopped as Rias looked at her father. "70% of their earnings with Phoenix Tears was too little, Rule Breaker or not."

"Shush dear. I think that our daughter was pretty reasonable." Venelana said with a smile. "You can't just kill the indebted to you, you need them to recover and make money so they can give you money."

Everything fell silent after that as nobody knew exactly what to say. The parents and their daughter didn't really know how to act around each other after this.

It was Shirou who decided to break the silence. "I think Rias was nice by giving them ways of breaking off the deal if they are capable."

"Ha! That will be harder than you think!" Zeoticus told Shirou and most of their family was smiling.

Seeing the confusion on her lover's face, Rias decided to elaborate. "I may have tied their payments to the Phoenix Tears exclusively but the odds are that they aren't escaping it."

"Why? Most of them sound competent." Shirou asked back. "And they must also have allies to help them, right?"

"Not as much as they should, Shirou." Venelana smiled gently but Shirou instinctively felt a sense of danger coming from her. "Because of their greed in selling their Tears for high prices, the Phenex Clan was mostly isolated with only the Gremory as their ally. Not only that but most michelanous business outside of the Underworld fall to us, the Gremory Clan and most of the other business here already belong to the other Clans or their direct subordinates." The explanation made Shirou realize how destructive Rias' deal really was. "They may still be able to collect taxes from their lands but that won't be enough to preserve the lifestyle they had until now and they won't easily find new partners and business anywhere else."

"So our Clan is really separating from the Phenex fully?" It was the first time Rias asked the question and while she was still a little apprehensive, she learned over the last ten days to speak her mind more often.

Zeoticus listened to his daughter's question with a sad look. "Rias… I should apologize to you." Her father's words actually surprised her. "I must have been an awful father if you felt that you couldn't come to me when Shirou was attacked. If you had… maybe you wouldn't have to fight the Rating Game."

"Wouldn't I really?" Rias asked back with a small frown. "You would have insisted that Rutal be punished but that also would reveal EM… then things would have proceeded mostly the same anyway."

"Yes, maybe." Zeoticus admitted.

"Or maybe we would have a proper talk with you, like we should have done." Venelana steps closer to Rias to make sure their eyes are meeting. "We were so excited for you to marry a pureblood that we jumped over your wishes."

"In truth we just wanted more grandchildren to spoil." Zeoticus looked at Shirou before looking back to his daughter. "But we shouldn't have rushed and allowed you to choose who you wanted to love." He said with a sad smile. "We already have a pureblood grandson, if you grace us with another, great. But if you decide to just give us any kind of grandchild, I promise to love them fully."

"With all your hearts." Venelana added. "You can love whoever you want."

'That… was all I wanted to hear from them.' Yet Rias said nothing which her parents took that meant what they said was not enough.

"I won't accept any more deals with you anymore. Any request will be foward for you to take a look if you want or throw it away at your leisure." Zeoticus spoke quickly, almost biting his tongue.

"We will also support you in any kind of relationship you desire. You can count on us." Venelana was controlled but it was clear that neither parent wanted their daughter displeased.

Shirou and Rias look at each other with some fear that the parents had figured out about their relationship by how they were talking. Nodding his head, Shirou deferred to Rias if she wanted to tell them or not.

She was about to speak but Venelana interrupted her. "We are truly sorry for all the trouble you had to endure because of our greed. Even as your parents, we should have dealt with that better."

"The Phenex Clan isn't the only one responsible, both of us also took part in your misery." Zeoticus' already sad expression turned into full depression. "How could I do that as a father? I can understand if you don't want to forgive me-"

"Okay, okay. Enough, all is already forgiven." Rias didn't want to upset her parents that much, or not at all. She can understand their reason and already forgave them since they show real regret. "You already know what you did wrong and said sorry, that is enough."

"Are you sure?" Zeoticus asked with a little uncertainty and his wife's eyes showed that she was right behind him.

"Yes. I know you did that out of love, that is fine. Just don't do it again." Rias smiled at them which had her parents smile back.

"Don't worry about it, Rias. If you father has another stupid idea like that I will make sure he regrets even thinking about it." Venelana declared proudly.

"Hey, you also approved at that point. We are both at fault." Zeoticus replied to his wife in good humor.

"We should get going." Shirou didn't want to interrupt the moment but he could see that Rias was tired and the sooner she finished what she set out to do the earlier she could rest. "Unless you want to see them tomorrow?"

Rias almost jumped in panic. "No, no! We are going to see them today." She stepped forward before suddenly stopping and turning to Shirou with a small bow. "Allow me to show you the way, Guardian of Medusa."

"Please don't." Shirou's voice was dry as a desert but Rias just laughed.

"You should tell us how you managed to defeat such a creature and turn her back into a goddess." Venelana commented with a smile. "Must be quite the story."

"Did you use the same trick as Perseus or was some secret your father taught you?" Zeoticus crossed his arms and rubbed his chin in thought. "I never heard of the Magus Killer doing something similar in the past."

Rias noticed that her father was speaking about the Magus Killer with more respect than expected and when she got ready to ask she saw Shirou shaking his head to stop her. "Maybe that is a story better not told." Rias' mirth danced in her eyes. "After all, we don't want Shiro upsetting his charge by divulging the secrets to defeat her."

"A good point, Rias." Zeoticus admitted with a smile to his wife while Shirou and Rias began to walk again. "But Shirou, it is really impressive that a normal human managed to defeat a being like Medusa. She may not have been a goddess in that moment but even us devils, heard how many heroes and armies fell to her."

"It wasn't easy, I can tell you that much." Shirou looked at Rias and saw her shake her head. It was a sign that she didn't want him to divulge anything at all about his fighting capabilities. She may have forgiven her parents but was unwilling to share with them Shirou's ability to Trace Noble Phantasms. "But Rias is right, I shouldn't be telling everyone how to fight her. I am her guardian after all."

"He didn't even tell me the whole story yet." Rias told her parents with a pout. "That is why I wanted him to brag a little more. But I must respect his wishes and do my best to not upset our little tenant. I mean, can you imagine what she can do once she recovers her powers if she is upset." She shivered a little for good measure.

"Yes, a fully powered god is not someone that any devil can mess with." Venelana said with regret. "I believe only your brother and Ajuka can compete with them on an even battlefield."

"But our daughter may have a shot with her… Born To Be Wild was it? I don't think I ever saw such a way of using magic circles." Zeoticus stated with curiosity and pride. "It was almost like a powerful familiar bonded to you."

"It is more complicated than that." Rias was blushing a little as she felt a ball of nerves on her stomach before dismissing it. "It was something that I took out from my favorite manga."

"Those Japanese stories? They hold the secret to growing stronger?" Zeoticus didn't shame or doubt his daughter, fully believing her words.

Venelana however noticed something else. "They must be really good to be able to give you an image that is strong to be able to tame the Power of Destruction somewhat. Maybe it would be really enough to challenge a god." The last part was said as teasing.

Understanding that if there was someone else that would understand her predicament would be someone with the same Power, like her mother, Rias smiled before replying, "I don't think I would try that on Medusa. She may not have her powers at the moment but from the little Shiro told me about fighting her I don't think I would win."

"Can we not talk about fighting someone that lives under my roof?" Shirou complained with a sigh. "Besides, Medusa isn't that petty. She probably would just demand a rematch and that is something I would prefer to avoid."

"How powerful was she in her feral form? Compared to my son, I mean?" Zeoticus asked curiosily and Shirou rubbed his chin in thought.

"Hard to say. I never felt Sirzechs full power and Medusa was just throwing her power around with no thought behind it." There was also the fact that much of her power was converted in her mountruous form and size. "In a fight I think Sirzechs would win, even holding back he seems stronger than her when she was feral." Was Shirou's best estimate.

He wasn't so sure if they fought while Medusa was sane and being more careful. The Power of Destruction may be formidable but the goddess' control and the quality of her mana were enough to make Shirou pause and take it in account despite Medusa being much weaker now than she was in her monstrous form.

His reply still satisfied the older devils who were proud that it was confirmed that their son could match a god. They always knew he was capable but they were acting like any proud parent would; happy when vindicated in their beliefs when their children succeed.

Rias just shook her head and kept walking. She knows that Shirou wasn't telling everything, she also wasn't going to underestimate Medusa if the goddess ever recovered her powers. The quality of the goddess mana was insane to anyone that felt it when she was teaching Issei and that was just a small taste of a weak goddess power, not how much she could actually use if in danger.

As Medusa is now, Rias can agree that her brother would win. It wasn't just bias or preference, unlike Shirou she knows the true strength of the actual Lucifer. However she would never write Medusa off in an all out fight, she was a goddess after all.

But none of that was important for her at the moment. Rias had only one goal and objective and with firm steps she arrived at the room she was looking for, opening the double doors she was greeted with excitement.

"""Buchou!"""

There were other types of greetings from the servants and nurses as well, more formal greetings that showed her due respect as the Heiress of her Clan. But Rias didn't hear any of them, only the one that mattered said in three distinct voices that made it sound like music to her ears.

While doctors and nurses made sure they were recovering nicely, most of her peerage was laying on beds. Some were already fully healed but still looked exhausted with only Asia sitting on a chair while some of her household sat on their beds with the exception of Akeno and Kiba.

"How are they?" Rias asked the closest doctor, an inhabitant of the Gremory's lands and loyal subject that nodded his head with respect before reporting.

"All their wounds are fully healed thanks to your Bishop's sacred gear. Before she arrived we had the work cut out for us. The first here was your Knight; we closed his wounds and started transfusing blood immediately. With the number of cuts he had all around him I have to say that maybe even devils have miracles because it was a miracle he was still alive." He motioned to Kiba, the only one that looked to be fully unconscious. Rias offered him a sad glance before looking back to the doctor and he took his cue to continue. "Your Pawn tore most of his own muscles apart and destroyed most of his bones. Besides that and some cuts all around his, mostly his arms, some of his blood vessels almost exploded because of the pressure he was putting on them. I never was so glad to not have a sacred gear in my life if that is what I would have to deal with." Issei waved to Rias with a dumb smile as if to say that it was nothing. "Your Queen had a severe case of mana exhaustion but besides a few burns she only needs rest." She could see that Akeno was awake, her hair loose as she laid down offering Rias a small smile. "Your Rook had some burns and a deep cut on her shoulder that may have been fatal if the system hadn't taken her out. Why someone would charge against a Noble Phantasm is beyond me." Koneko's face was completely neutral despite the criticism. "And there is also yourself who looks perfectly healthy. Impressive."

"But they all are going to be fine, right?" Rias asked carefully. She knew she had little to worry about but she still worried.

"Thanks to your Bishop, your servants have nothing to worry about, lady Rias. However I would recommend that she rest a little between treatments, the poor thing looks ready to fall asleep." The doctor spoke gently and Asia couldn't help but smile a little. "Maybe having a sacred gear like that wouldn't be so bad. If we only had our usual healing methods it was possible half of your peerage would be unable to move for weeks. Thanks to your Bishop, they only need rest for the most part."

Rias was happy to hear it. "Is that a little jealous I hear, doctor?" Now that all the danger had passed, she felt much more comfortable.

"I admit that I am a little jealous of your Bishop capability." The man admitted while fixing his glasses.

'Is that a tick everyone who has glasses develops or it is just with devils?' Rias chuckled a little at the thought. "You don't need to worry too much about it. Soon you and others of your profession will receive tools similar to Twilight Healing to all in the Gremory territory. Negotiations will be pending to the professionals of Medicine in other territories."

That made the man blink in surprise before he smiled. "No more having to dress up wounds, just fix them? That sounds too good to be true."

"It needs some mana and stamina but as you are already a doctor you will find it much easier to heal with an EM since you already have the proper knowledge." Rias' announcement gained credibility when Zeoticus nodded his approval.

While many of the professionals in the room celebrated the good news, Shirou approached his friends. He ended up closer to a sitting Koneko and patted her head gently. "Good job. All of you. That was a great fight." He still looked a little sad for the state his friends were in. "How are you all?"

"Tired." Koneko replied as she laid down back into the bed. "Want to sleep."

"You can if you want. We are only leaving the Underworld tomorrow." Shirou could see Koneko's breathing relax after he spoke and even whistled a little, impressed. "That was fast. She is out like a light."

"She isn't used to fighting like that." Akeno said with a small smile as Shirou approached her bed.

"If you want to sleep too…"

"That depends. Will you give me a massage first?" Akeno tried to move but Shirou placed his hand on her forehead.

"Maybe later when you can sit down." Akeno pouted when she noticed that her teasing had failed as the redhead brushed her hair away from her eyes. "You all really did a great job, despite the odds and surprises in the middle of the fight."

"I still can't believe that they bring out a Noble Phantasm." Akeno sounded so weak but despite that her smile was a bright and satisfied one. "I wish I was the one who faced it. From what Issei-kun described, I could have dealt with it."

"Speaking of which." Shirou reveals Bakuya from behind him, surprising and even scaring some of the members of Rias' Peerage. "That was because Karlamine, the Knight, didn't really know what to do with Bakuya. She really really stumbled too much with it and wasn't prepared for a proper fight." He noticed Issei's terrified look before chuckling. "Why are you afraid of it, Issei? I don't think many people in our circle of friends would have managed to weaken the Knight as much as you did." He didn't mention the fact that both Kiba and Koneko had already dealt some damage themselves but at least the white haired girl didn't mind.

"Really?" Issei was surprised by the praise.

"There is no shame in losing to a Noble Phantasm." Zeoticus approached him, extending a hand in greeting. "We haven't met just yet but I am your King's father. Zeoticus Gremory, at your service."

"Ah, Zeoticus-sama." Asia was about to get up to greet the noble but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"You don't need to exert yourself. You also did a great job on that game, you all did." The former nun turns to see the brunette behind her with a face and a smile that were a mirror of Rias' own. "I am Rias' mother, Venelana. A pleasure to meet you all."

Seeing the shocked face from Asia and the perverted look that Issei was giving his wife, Zeoticus chuckled before returning to the previous subject. "It is a pity that young Kiba didn't manage to defeat her himself. He came so close."

"Zeoticus-sama… if you are here does it mean that there are no further problems from the Phenex?" Akeno asked seriously. Despite her exhaustion and inability to move, she still acted as the second in command of their group.

Zeoticus actually frowns a little before smiling. "You don't need to worry about the Phenex anymore. They can't bother any member of our Clan without self-destructing first and by their crimes against Gremory, we are no longer allies."

"So Buchou doesn't need to marry the fried chicken?" Issei asked curiously without an ounce of respect, something he eventually noticed. "I mean-" Instead of the reaction he expected of Zeoticus, the older devil just began to laugh.

"'Fried chicken'! That is a good one. An apt description of the Phenex. Hahahaha!" The leader of the Gremory Clan was fighting to control himself and so his wife took over the duty of replying.

"No, I suppose my daughter is not going to be having any 'fried chicken' anymore." Venalana just made her husband laugh harder with that comment. She then smiles towards Issei gently.

"That is good. That is great." Issei smiled as his head hit the pillow and he began to relax. "For a moment there I thought I butchered the whole thing by hearing that dragon."

"'Dragon'? What dragon?" Shirou wasn't the only one who heard the comment and all eyes turned to the Pawn with curiosity.

"The dragon that lives in my arm." Issei replied, almost not noticing that everyone else was now looking at him. Even Rias and the doctors had their eyes focused on the brown haired Pawn. "What?"

"So you finally can hear him? The Red Dragon Emperor, Ddraig." Shirou rubs his chin for a moment before smiling. "If we go by a certain someone's logic I suppose I should say this; congratulations on becoming truly the Red Dragon Emperor."

"Wasn't he already?" Akeno asked with a weak chuckle that had Shirou fixing her blanket.

"It isn't that simple." It was Issei who said as he managed to raise his left hand to his face. "Me-"

"Ahem!" Shirou quickly cleared his throat when Issei was about to say Medusa's name. Some doctors even looked at him to see if he was sick because of how loud he was.

"I was told that many people with sacred gears don't even awaken them during their whole lives." Issei recovered quickly, mostly because of how seriously he was taking the moment as realization dawned on him. "That is true even for Longinus Holders. She told me that 'when you are able to speak with the dragon, you will be worthy of sharing his title'."

For a moment everyone stayed silent until Rias spoke. "Red Dragon Emperor may be a heavy title but I am sure you will be the best one there ever was." Her words were encouraging and carried a gentle tone. More than anything else, it was clear she was proud of him. "With time, no one will be able to say 'Red Dragon Emperor' without remembering 'Hyoudou Issei'."

Excited by his King's words, Issei nodded with a smile. "Of course, Buchou."

"Maybe you can kick another 'fried chicken's' ass." Zeoticus suggested it as a joke.

"You bet I'll! No one marries Buchou without me punching them first!" Issei declared.

"Oh~ I didn't know my love life was so important to you, Issei~ It is almost like you don't trust me to choose my ideal mate~ " Rias' words made her Pawn pause.

"No- well- I mean…" Issei didn't know what to say but Rias just chuckled before stepping back to make sure all her peerage could see her before she bowed her head to below her waist with both her hands on her back, her long red hair almost touching the floor. "Buchou?"

"Thank you. Thank you all for your efforts and your help." Rias spoke clearly for all to hear. Many are confused by her actions but Shirou just smiled, understanding what his lover was doing. "I just want to say that if it wasn't for any of you, I would be forced to marry someone I hate, someone that doesn't love me." Her voice didn't tremble neither did she lift her head.

Her parents wanted to say something, to apologize again for their misdeeds but a hand and a glare from Shirou stopped them. This speech wasn't for them or even for him.

The doctors, nurses, the mother and father of Rias Gremory are now just witnesses and Shirou will make sure that no one interrupts.

"For that I thank you, for your sacrifices, resolve and all the pain you all had to endure. For staying by my side even when I doubted myself." Rias still didn't move from her position. Her head was so low that the posture itself shocked many devils that never thought they would see a pureblood devil like that even under the threat of death. "I don't know if I would ever have reached as far as I did without you all. If even a single one of you haven't given your all for that win, I know I, no, we would have lost. That is why I just want to say this; thank you."

Silence descended the room, the nurses made sure to find something to make themselves busy while the doctors retreated to somewhere else. All for the sake of giving Rias Gremory some privacy either out of respect, fear or just confusion.

Rias' direct family said nothing, Shirou's wasn't glaring at them any more but at that point her parents knew that this certainly wasn't for them, Venelana even felt like an intruder in the moment. However, they still didn't know how to react.

Both of the parents were born and raised in purebloods families of high class, Zeoticus was always important to his Clan, first as Heir than as Head, and he was taught to never diminish himself or to show weakness in front of the masses. Rias was contradicting many of the lessons he had and even imparted to her and for reasons he couldn't comprehend he saw no fault in her actions.

While her situation was a little different since she was born from a second mistress, Venelana was still the eldest daughter of her generation and her upbringing was one of true nobility. She was the daughter of a mistress, never supposed to inherit anything despite her power or intelligence but the Bael made sure to raise her properly as a noblewoman and so she also found herself confunded by her daughter's actions.

"My, my Rias~ What example of King you are by lowering your head that much?" Akeno broke the silence with her usual teasing tone but Rias didn't move despite the Queen using an arm to raise herself a little. "Come now, get up. Do you think any of us did all that for you to lower your head?"

"I just want to express my gratitude." Rias' reply was swifty and simple.

"And we know you are grateful. We are too, but there is no need for you to show gratitude like this." Despite still looking weak and almost ready to pass out, nobody would doubt Akeno was speaking like a true Queen. "You seem to forget that you saved us all at one point in time or another." Akeno reminds her with a chuckle. "If we didn't care about you, we wouldn't have fought for you. Obligation or duty were nothing compared with how much we want to see you happy."

Those words are enough for Rias to raise herself with a smile of her own. "Thank you." She was about to speak again, to tell her friend about her new relationship with Shirou before her Queen interrupted her with a tired sigh, her exhaustion in full display.

"I think this is the most 'thanks' you ever gave to us in our lives." Akeno said back with a smile before fully laying down on the bed. "Now go away, we need to rest." With one eye open with a teasing glint, she turns to the only magus present. "Shirou~ sing me a lullaby."

Smiling a little, Shirou scratches his head while embarrassed by the idea "That was a bit sudden, don't you think? And I am also not much of a singer."

"Hmm~ How should we know? You never tried." Akeno's eyes closed again and an unknowing observer would just call her a sleeping beauty, innocent of all sins of the world. They weren't Shirou who was feeling himself being driven to a metaphorical corner. "So sing us a song~ You must know some."

"Not that many and nothing for a hospital bed." Shirou admitted.

"Go for it~ I think I could sleep over a trainwreck at this point~" She opened one eye again and Shirou was sure Akeno was winking at him. "Don't even need to be a long one~ Just a small song~" Shirou can see the clear mischief in her eye before she closes it again. "It will make me feel better~"

Those words were enough that Shirou wanted to give it a try but he never did something like this before. He liked good music, at least he believed his taste in music was good, but he never bothered to sing to other people. Many of his classmates spoke of going to karaokes but his fun with friends usually involved swords and explosions.

Shirou looked a little desperate before turning to Rias for support. Surely she was going to bring some sense to the situation. "Who else wants to hear Shirou sing~" That question definitely wasn't what Shirou was looking for. The glint in her eye told him that even if they didn't plan, she and Akeno were of the same mind at the moment of having some fun at his expense.

"I am sure he would be good at it." Asia, ever innocent, didn't realize that Shirou was being teased and spoke in encouragement.

"If Asia wants to…" Issei was a little more grumpy but anything the former nun desired he usually was completely in favor of.

"Shirou… singing… good…" Even asleep, Koneko casted her vote and with everyone that he cared for practically in favor of him doing it, Shirou saw himself with little choice.

So with a blush on his face comparable to his hair and practically butchering most of the notes of the song he picked up, Shirou tried to sing. It was bad, he clearly never had done something similar before but people laughed a little and applauded.

Rias was next and with a wink to him she began to sing a love song from an anime she watched. The lyrics were not a give away that it was an anime song and Rias sang it well. As she was raised by old nobility, Rias was trained in the arts of music and dance as much as she was in the arts of politics and war.

However she still lost to her mother as Venelana Gremory stepped up to sing an opera's piece that was actually in the right tone to help those recovering to sleep and recover their strength.

In the end most of the mood in the Infirmary of the Gremory Castle was joyful with even some of the nurses working together for a chorus when asked, happy to partake in the festivities.

Everyone that wanted to sing gave it a try and the atmosphere of the place was a good one, not too loud to not disturb the patients but it was still loud due to the happiness spread around.

There were those that managed to fall asleep in the comfort of everyone's presence and there were those that gained new energy, even if just to clap, to be part of the party.

But there was one exception, someone that refused to allow the peaceful festive atmosphere to affect them.

That person, who was pretending to be asleep, heard the improvised victory party but chose to remain motionless, his breathing even and his face calm despite the storm of emotions raging inside his being. It wasn't exhaustion or his wounds that kept him in bed but his frustration and anger.

Kiba couldn't fall asleep either; he wanted people to know he was awake. It wasn't the noise that prevented him from resting, he was the first to arrive and did receive medicine to help his recovery and sleep. He just refused to allow his consciousness to drift and rest.

Everyone was congratulating his team for a job well done, his King was free from her engagement and all their goals from before the Rating Game were reached.

However, during the Rating Game, Kiba found something long buried inside him, a new goal or an old one depending on the point of view. During his fight, Kiba found a sword similar to the object of his hatred and his nightmares.

But he didn't want to bother his friends nor did he want to sour the mood of the party. So he stayed quiet and as still as he could manage. Anyone that looked at the blond Knight's face would only see a peaceful expression, not even a twitch even as his blood boiled with rage.

'I can't believe I lost that sword.' Kiba couldn't deny the thought cropping in his mind when Shirou spoke about it, almost opening an eye to take a peek. He still managed to keep them closed, his mind wouldn't forget it anyway. 'I didn't need to break it, I just needed to beat the owner. But I wanted to break it too. Why did I try to break it?'

He of course knew the answer. Memories of hopeful smiles and friends long gone played in his mind like a black and white movie. It was the only way he could remember them without just having everything covered in blood.

'That wasn't a Holy Sword.' Kiba reminded himself of that multiple times after his defeat. 'That isn't one of them. That isn't IT!'

His anger flared again and if his body was in better condition everyone in the room would be able to feel the demonic power threatening to escape. Much like the gray blade he created on the match to keep going, Kiba's sacred gear was answering to his feelings and trying to create something else to help its owner.

'If I can't break that smaller legend, how will I break the greatest of them all?' Kiba already asked himself that more than once. It was a thought that was stuck in a loop on his brain, being repeated constantly. 'But it is fine… Everything is gonna be fine.' Kiba managed to tell himself. 'That sword, Bakuya, is coming to Kuoh with us. Shirou will surely be able to make copies of it. Once he does, I will train and then I will break them. After that, I will be a step closer to destroying it.'

Kiba's hatred for Holy Swords, something that was buried beneath the ties he forged through the years, was brought back to surface. While he didn't realize that it wasn't a Holy Sword that reminded him of his promises of vengeance, it wasn't a hard comparacion for him to make with the ones he saw in his memories.

In his childhood, Kiba had seen many Holy Swords but every single one of them would lose to Bakuya, of that he was sure. Except one.

His goal and his ambition is the destruction of that one, the so-called Greatest of All Holy Swords and the pride of the Heavens.

So when Kiba finally fell asleep because he was too tired to keep up despite his anger, he didn't dream of better days. He dreamed of horrors, of vengeance.

He dreamed about a weapon he never personally saw.

He dreamed of Excalibur.

…

Most of the time the devils of the Underworld couldn't tell what Zekram Bael was thinking.

As the Oldest Devil, the First Patriarch and Great King, Zekram had perfected a poker face that any player would envy by just knowing the man. Even when he spoke, people had no choice but to believe his words because of how good his lies could be when someone tried to actually guess his intentions.

They always fell into traps of their own minds, guessing one thing or another, sometimes even reaching the right conclusion but changing their minds upon realizing that they were trying to outthink the Most Ancient Devil, Zekram Bael.

Sirzechs was also sure that said devil was now as happy as a child on their birthday just after receiving every gift they could ever want and things they never imagined but still loved to the point that they never would disappoint their parents again.

The actual Lucifer had gone with his ancestor to the Phenex Territory to collect Rule Breaker per the agreement the Clan had reached with his sister and from the teleportation circle to the halls of the place, Zekram looked more alive than he had been in decades.

When other members of the Phenex Clan, all returning from the Game, or servants saw most of the core family approaching with the Maou and one of the leaders of the Underworld they were confused. They were even more confused at the defeated faces of the leadership of the Phenex Clan, the Elder Phenex for example looked the complete opposite of Zekram, meek and recluse.

Riser the Elder looked completely defeated and everyone knew that was a bad sign.

It got worse when the servants witnessed the two devils which were not part of their Clan being taken directly to their hall of treasures, a place in the center of their palace that only those with the Phenex bloodline were supposed to be allowed entrance.

Unlike the Gremory Clan who had many things they considered treasures, the Phenex mostly had gold and one last artifact besides the weapon given to the third child.

When Lord Phenex was about to step up to collect the crooked dagger in the center of the room in a marmore pillar surrounded by a boundary field made to reject anyone not from the Phenex Clan, Zekram had already moved ahead and placed his hand on the shield.

It lasted a second before a torrent of Power of Destruction alerted every member of the Phenex Clan in the region that someone was invading the vault. Not that it mattered or the Bael cared, the Phenex had to follow their lord's lead and the man just raised an arm to stop any attack against Zekram.

Those watching could barely understand what was going on and they didn't dare to ask as their leader's frown remained and their Elder just stood there defeated. If the actual Lucifer presence wasn't already enough to halt any dissidents, the faces of their leaders were enough to break and silence them.

Soon enough Zekram began to walk out the vault, his stride confident and despite he still looking old, his posture was the same of a man at the peak of his youth stridding back from a battlefield victorious.

In his hands was his prize, Rule Breaker. Why he wanted it the members of the Phenex Clan could only guess but they didn't dare. Their treasure, their trump card that cost them a fortune, was now away from their hands for good.

"As per the agreement, we are confiscating the Noble Phantasm, for the good of all devils." Sirzechs spoke both as an announcement and a warning to any Phenex that didn't know there was an agreement in the first place. "Know that the Underworld thanks you for your contribution."

The Lord of the Phenex clenched his fist in frustration but didn't dare to speak. In a way Sirzechs was being kind by implying that they gave up the Noble Phantasm by choice to all their subjects when that was far from the truth. The man didn't know what made him more furious; the fact that he was losing the Noble Phantasm over nothing in the first place or that his enemy was being kind enough to spare him public humiliation.

All the members of the Phenex Clan could only watch as Sirzechs and Zekram began to walk out of the castle, the main family left at their vault's door instead of escorting them back.

Hundreds of them were called by the boundary field and none of them was doing a thing to stop the redhead Maou and the Ancient Devil. Just their lord's order, which had already passed around, wasn't enough to freeze them like this. It was who the two individuals were that made the whole exercise pointless.

Soon Sirzechs was the first to step out of the Phenex Castle and notice a whole army practically waiting for him. 'Reminds me of the civil war.' The grim thought didn't appear on his face as it remained stoic. A leader couldn't show fear from his subjects. "Open a path, Elder Bael and I will be leaving the Phenex's Territory this instant."

The command was quickly obeyed and hundreds of devil wings flapped to make a way. Sirzechs opened his own and Zekram looked at him with an amused raised eyebrows before doing the same the two quickly began to fly.

It wasn't as fast as Sirzechs could fly or he really wanted to but he had to fly slower to keep Zekram close. Because of the difference of power, if the younger devil wished, he could leave his ancestor behind in less than a second, fly to his home thousands of kilometers away and come back to just find the older devil half way in the same path.

Buf if he did that, Sirzechs would lose his chance to have a private conversation with his ancestor and he has questions he need answered; both as an older brother and as a Maou of the Underworld.

"Any reason why we didn't teleport?" Zekram made the question sound like a joke, that was in how good of a mood he was in. "I believe that no one dared to follow us so we can either have this conversation mid flight or we can land somewhere in this fiery landscape."

They were still on the Phenex lands and it would take a while before they were away from the trees of fire and lakes of lava. 'I always hated this area of the Underworld.' Sirzechs wasn't landing any time soon. "I still need to escort you and Rule Breaker to the capital so we aren't stopping."

"Just a guard but the guard is Lucifer himself. I am flattered." Zekram wasn't but he wasn't the one who wanted answers.

"Why do all this?" Sirzechs question wasn't unexpected, if anything the older devil was impressed the man waited this long to ask.

"Why? Don't you think that Rule Breaker isn't a risk for our society that needs to be carefully monitored or destroyed?" Zekram asked back with an easy going smile.

The Maou remained calm. "I don't disagree with the statement. I am asking why you did all this anyway? It certainly wasn't for the goodness of your heart." Sirzechs looked back at the Elder Bael but the man kept his smile and said nothing. Looking ahead once again, the redhead tried to coax the older devil to talk. "You are right that such Noble Phantasm is a risk for us, devils. As a society dependent on magical pacts and deals, that thing is probably the most dangerous Noble Phantasm to ever exist." He slowed down a little more to make sure he and Zekram were side by side. "But your actions don't match your modus operandi; you are usually much more subtle by 'convincing' me or Serafall to do the dirty work for you." The Elder didn't react for being called out like that, both of them knew all Sirzechs spoke was true. "So I ask you this; what was your interest in Rule Breaker? You were after it from the beginning and made sure Rias included it in negotiations. It sure wasn't just because of opportunity."

"Congratulations Sirzechs, you proved why you are my second favorite grandchild at the moment." Both knew who held the first place. "You are correct, I was looking for Rule Breaker before this whole mess. In fact, the only reason why the Phenex even managed to get it in the first place was because I was looking for it and had finally found a good lead."

"How did they get ahead of you?" Sirzechs didn't bother hiding his surprise.

The Elder chuckled. "They had more money and we had similar contacts." The redhead stayed silent and Zekram just kept chuckling. "Their Elder is almost as old as I am, he was there when our race was beginning to build our realm, legacy and network in the human world. In those days, combat was constant and any ally or contact that could survive it was worth keeping around. Be they devils or any other race."

"Who found Rule Breaker?" Sirzechs sounded really interested in the information.

"A treasure hunter managed to find and steal it from Circe's island." Zekram replied easily. "The information wasn't a secret, it wasn't just well known because most people didn't know about him. He was a spirit with a few hundred years of age that liked challenges and money."

"So he infiltrated Circe's island and managed to escape with Medea's dagger?" Sirzechs can't deny he was impressed, Circe was a witch of incredible power and a minor goddess to boot. "I would like to meet such person."

"That is impossible right now, Circe doesn't like having her things stolen and the dagger of her precious niece was something she zealously protected. With a whisper here and information there, Circe managed to find him and turn him into a pig." The way that Zekram said it implied that he clearly had something to do with it. "Rule Breaker is something very dear to Circe; it was the dagger with which Medea commited many of her crimes for love and Circe used it as a vessel to her sins so her niece was absolved of said crimes despite Medea having killed many of her family members. Command of the gods or not."

"And that turned said dagger into Rule Breaker." Sirzechs nodded, processing the information. "Not that I mind the story lesson but that didn't answer my question."

"Medea's crimes were both committed by herself and by command of her gods. Rule Breaker was made to break her from her crimes and make them null, that is why it can sever most contracts." Zekram elaborated a little more with a smile. "Knowing that I realized long ago that such Noble Phantasm was a risk for the actual system in the Underworld and even in the times of Lucifer I suggested we attack the island to seize it because of its potential."

"And enrage the Greek Pantheon? That doesn't sound like you." At least not with the actual Zekram he knew.

"Those times were different, the Underworld had the 72 Pillars, the Four Original Maous and… doesn't matter. The point is that we hadn't started full open conflict with Heaven, just skirmishes and if the original Lucifer was less prideful we wouldn't have started for a while. But then again he was Lucifer, Pride was his Sin." The Ancient Devil reminisced with a frown. He rubbed his beard to fix it a little before continuing. "Maybe we would have paid for that with blood when the real war started, maybe we would have made the Greeks capitulate and got many of their treasures to help us against Heaven. Either way, it didn't happen and if Rule Breaker just stayed there it wouldn't be any problem." He held the dagger with the tip pointed away from him for Sirzechs to see. "But now it was loose and it was a risk for our world and so I moved to neutralize the threat."

"Only that the Phenex Clan got their hands on it first." Sirzechs was now fully able to connect most of the dots. "Why did you fear it? You believed it was a treat to the Evil Piece System?"

"That would be a good hypothesis but still not the correct one." Zekram's tone was one of lecture and Sirzechs recognized it from when the Elder Bael taught him when he was little. "The Evil Piece System is a pact and a contract, that is true. However it is a pact made not with simple magic but with the soul, even the Phenex weren't bold enough to try and mess with that. That is why not every being is able to be reincarnated and why stronger beings can reject reincarnation, their souls don't need to 'sign' the 'contract' because it is beyond a simple contract that can be signed." The man then laughed. "While we are using terms like 'contracts' for this, the reality is that the soul is too complex for it to be so simple. Complex in a way that a Noble Phantasm like Rule Breaker could or couldn't break and why Rutal remained with his peerage despite the fact that he was stabbed with the dagger but none of them ever saw the thing."

"But it still was a threat to you." Sirzechs knew that to be true. "Your contracts. Since it maybe can't affect the soul, you feared the contracts that would be broken, particularly yours."

"Finally you realized? Took you a little too long. You are slipping, Sirzechs." Zekram commented even a little jovial. "Maybe peace doesn't agree with you. You were sharper during the civil war and would have realized that in an instant during those times."

Sirzechs chose to ignore the comment; he prefered peace much more than war after all. "If Rule Breaker was being used by the highest bidder or something similar, none of the contracts made by devils would have value, our pacts would begin to diminish as a devil wouldn't really need to do their part and in time everyone would suspect us more." The whole scenario played on his mind as the realization began to sink. "We would enter another civil war for the possession of Rule Breaker. Worst case scenario other factions could join it and start another Great War." Then he glared at Zekram. "Not even commenting on the contracts from devils like you; so old that they probably need them to keep certain enemies at bay or else would need to sleep with an eye open at night."

"I sleep with four by the way; that is why I still take mistresses, in return for their protection I give them my seed and secure a bright future for them and any of my children." It wasn't that the man was bragging, it was a fact that Zekram actually did that and that was why he was already waiting for another child. "A safe way to secure powerful devils under my employ while not needing to use Evil Pieces, wouldn't you agree?"

More than once Sirzechs wondered which laws Zekram passed for the Underworld's sake and how many were for his own. The open relationships that the Underworld approved were supposedly to help them repopulate and yet here was the Oldest Devil alive using it to surround himself with powerful guards that also had strong families even if not Pillars, all for the sake of survival.

"Rule Breaker should be destroyed." Zekram suddenly said, shocking Sirzechs who almost stopped flying in his shock. "Don't look so surprised, it is unbecoming of the Leader of the Underworld. While a powerful tool, once word eventually gets out we have it, devils will demand that we destroy it anyway. We should make plans for a ceremony or something before we throw it on a volcano to get rid of the thing."

"So you don't want it?" Sirzechs than shaked his head, realizing that it was a stupid question. "Of course you don't. It is a Noble Phantasm that threatens the stability of the Underworld, the world in your ideal state."

"Correct. After all, why would I want to mess with the world that is already mine?" Zekram asked seriously and Sirzechs couldn't disagree.

While not known by the masses who was the true leader of the Underworld, that was what Zekram really was; he had the ears of every noble family, his descendant was the Strongest Devil and his political influence was without peer.

Why would he risk anything when the Underworld was already his. 'Falbium once called Zekram 'The King Without A Crown'. Sometimes I wish he was wrong.' Sirzechs also realized that Zekram wasn't going to allow him to take Rule Breaker out for Shirou to study it.

That was something he would have to live with for his opponent was the Oldest Devil, he wasn't going to risk the most dangerous artifact to him in the hands of any human, much less one that survived a god, for even a second.

…..

A lot of you really wanted Riser dead didn't you? Not all of you said it but you guys wanted Shirou to fight him, Shirou who defeated someone stronger and with a better regeneration in the Gorgon for that matter.

Couldn't Shirou beat Riser? Sure, he doesn't even need Harpe to do it. Riser's immortality isn't really immortality in the most pure sense, if someone wants to make a comparison all they need to do is think about Heracles, Berserker of the Fifth Grail War.

If it is taken into account that God Hand gave Berserker a form of immortality by making its user immune to weapons of a certain level and twelve lives then his immortality is far superior considering that Riser's defenses were close to zero.

Not even counting Tiamat from Fate GO and how much it took to actually make her 'mortal'.

That actually raises into question Raiser's victories on the other Rating Games, if he always stays behind and his peerage fights first who is to say that there weren't devils that couldn't beat him in a fight but they were either defeated or weakened by Riser's variety of Pieces of a complete peerage.

In fact, Kiba could defeat Riser in a fair one on one fight the same way that Shirou could; cut his limbs then keep stabbing him with swords until he either dies or runs out of energy. The only problem Kiba would have was if Riser attempted to fly but Shirou has no such problem because he is an Archer so there was just no escape.

When in doubt Caladbolg also has enough destructive force that Harpe is pretty much overkill.

About the game itself let's talk what Rias' plans were; After the trap, and she was confident that would work because Ravel was playing like a standard devil, the cloaks were not just to hide the identities of her peerage but also to anticipate them arriving at the main school building and Asia succeeding in preparing the Holy Water. That would only happen if Ravel played defense and retreated everyone to the building, the only one without one was Akeno because she was always supposed to face Yubelluna who wasn't going to stay on the defensive with a title like Bomb Queen.

Failing that and the fights splitted like they did most received the same order; defeat the opponent and get to Riser. Akeno already had that one, she was the one with more odds of defeating Riser because of her magic because she could keep him regeneration constantly with lighting and so drain his stamina faster. That was actually the second best scenario for RIas, that Akeno would get to Riser and force him to exhaust himself.

Issei and Asia had different orders, he was supposed to open a way for her so she could reach the main building while he dealt with anyone who tried to stop them. But neither was fast enough to compete with Xuelan easily, who was a more experienced fighter and was at least aware of the support Asia could give but with Issei winning and the way to the gym open, the plan changed a bit because both Issei and Asia were still close enough to the building.

The rest of the Rating Game details can be filled by the reader so I am sure some have raised the question; did Rias need to win? The answer is yes and the reason is leverage.

Riser winning has Rias bound to marry him, her parents not knowing about the extent of the Phenex crimes against them because Rias didn't realize her parents may have cared and the fact that with Riser as technically a member of the Gremory, even if just as a consort, he would have some authority and respect by default and could protect his clan of origin. Not only that but Rias wouldn't be confident enough to press much with the few things she actually had and without her clan direct support she wouldn't be able to produce enough, or at least threaten to produce enough, to fill the market in a way to break the Phenex monopoly on healing.

Rias winning erased any chance the Phenex had to get away with anything, the meeting was practically rigged and she realized before either Zekram or her brother offered her support. She wasn't really planning on going all in and crushing the clan but then she saw the extent they were going to win and lost any mercy when she saw Bakuya.

Because the thing with the Phenex clan, besides Riser who had another problem all together, was their greed. The right, sensible and even respectable play at knowing about EM existence would have been to schedule a meeting with Rias, hash out a deal to keep it out of their territory or to limit it and just accept that an engagement was a small sacrifice to keep them rich.

But they wanted prestige, they wanted a connection with one of the Maou, they wanted the possible descendants from the union between Destruction and Immortality, they wanted everything at any cost.

And to be fair their odds were good; Rias was a young even if powerful devil, their challenger lacked a complete peerage, most of them didn't show anything special even if one was the Red Dragon Emperor, if anything getting a Noble Phantasm for the match was overkill, so what that Riser gave her ten days, what difference can that make?

A lot.

In reality, Rias' power didn't grow that much in the ten days, Issei was the one who most benefited from the training in that aspect and right after him came Akeno who basically found a whole new reserve of power. Everyone else didn't grow much power wise because there was little time.

But they all learned how to use their powers a little better, how to move a little faster, more efficiently and Rias learned how to think outside of the devil standard besides learning how to better control her Power of Destruction.

Another thing which actually secured her win was the battlefield, that was Riser's biggest mistake of the whole thing besides the ten days, maybe even more than the ten days.

No trap that the Gremory side could have made would be as efficient as they were if they, all of them, didn't know the area where they would be fighting as well as they did. The traps and baits only worked because they were in a place which they knew and was modern enough that some tricks were available in the first place.

Could they win if the battlefield was different? Depending on the battlefield, their strategies may lack the impact that they did on this case, the first trap may fail in getting everyone or Asia may take more time to find the water box to prepare the final trap.

In a more medieval setting with castles for exemple Rias would have lost, same in open planes or forests, the disparity between numbers was just too much.

Which brings out an interesting point of discussion, why Riser did everything he did? Now I am happy that people liked this interpretation of Riser because he is legitimately a good character to write. He is also a bad person.

His problem wasn't just lust, it was beyond that. To Riser it was impossible for Rias to find happiness unless it was with him on his terms and that was his downfall.

In trying to please Rias, by doing something she hated, he gave her what she needed to escape, indirectly pleasing her but ruining himself. His defeat was so complete that even the Noble Phantasm he should have was lost together with his fiance.

Now Bakuya is also in Shirou's possession and that… will be spoilers so I am going to finish this author note from here.

Until next time.