Edited by: Priapus, Marethyu, UwU

– Mizuki –

Going down the bustling streets of Lucifaad, she immediately loathed her current situation. It wasn't the fact that she was in the heart of the devil world, although that certainly played a big part in it— but being nowhere near her daughter made her feel sick.

Images of her late husband's corpse terrorized every waking moment after she and Akane had been separated, making Mizuki fear the worst. Even though it was pure paranoia, and she knew she was being unreasonable, she still worried for her daughter immensely.

The last time Akane had gone to the underworld, she'd had Daigo and Mine with her, but now they weren't here, and while she was much stronger now and had Ichiban at her side, it wasn't the same. There wasn't even anyone protecting her from the shadows.

Just why did Akane want to join this tournament so much? She just had to show interest in the one thing Mizuki didn't want her to show interest in. Devil activities that involved her going to the underworld.

And why couldn't her daughter understand that even though her devil friends were okay…ish, being anywhere in devil territory was dangerous? Mizuki couldn't count the number of people who would love to take advantage of her here.

She sighed deeply, tightening her hold on Asia's hand as they 'explored' the city. This was just her unreasonable side speaking, of course. Mizuki knew that her daughter was too smart to be fooled by anyone here and too strong for most devils. She also knew that Sirzechs and the other New Satans had a few guards stationed to ensure she was safe.

Ironically, Akane was safest within this city. Obviously, not as much as back home, where surveillance was nearly everywhere, specifically there to ensure she was okay, but it was something to consider.

Mizuki was just being a worrywart. For good reason, perhaps, but it was probably fine. Even though it was every mother's job to worry about their children, she knew she could be overbearing sometimes. That was why she'd agreed to let Akane participate. She didn't want to control her daughter so much that she'd resent her mother. Nothing scared her more than seeing Akane dying, but Akane hating her was a close second for sure.

Plus, she knew her daughter was incredibly powerful for her age. Unless she was jumped, she could topple most opponents in her strength class comfortably. And Akane was smart— she knew to retreat when she had no chance of winning.

…Almost. Kind of. Back then, when she used to pick fights against other delinquents, she threw hands even if she was outnumbered. The number of times she had run away from a fight could be counted on one hand.

But that was a long time ago. Her daughter now was a much wiser, much more intelligent individual. She probably knew when to cut her losses. Hopefully.

There I go again. Mizuki sighed once more. Worryin' about imaginary scenarios. My hair's going to go gray at this rate…

She brushed the white streak of her hair away, giving it a concerned glance.

Or white.

"Are you okay, Mizuki-san?" Asia asked. "You've been sighing a lot lately. Is something on your mind?"

"Pff, it's nothin'." She waved it off, giving the blond a confident smile. "Just a little worried about Akane. That girl is probably up to no good and picking a fight with the competition. Expecting to be called to a police station any second now."

Asia giggled.

"You keep saying things like that, but I can't ever see Akane that way." She said. "She's a little headstrong and very confident, but I admire those things a lot. I wish I could be as cool as her one day."

"Well, I'll admit, she's been pretty level-headed since last year," Mizuki responded. "But let me tell you, back then? She was a nightmare. Her second year in middle school was the worst thing ever."

"Oh, when you two were in America?" Asia guessed. "Akane told me that she studied there before."

"So she never told you that she was expelled?"

"Expelled?!" The nun looked shocked at that, covering her mouth. "No way!"

"Yup. Our stay there was cut short because she couldn't keep her fists to herself." The older woman explained. "I don't know the details; it was just a case of bullying that got out of hand. Akane beat the brakes off of one girl so hard she left her hospitalized."

That one had been especially brutal. Some rich girl had tried to pick on Akane and gotten beaten so severely that she was almost unrecognizable. Broken arm, concussion, lost most of her teeth— Poor girl couldn't eat any solid food for more than a month.

"Goodness…"

"It wasn't the first time it happened, but it was in a prestigious private school. They had no tolerance for that behavior, so she was immediately expelled, and we returned to Japan to continue her education there." Mizuki sighed. "And right before it happened, Akane promised me she'd behave. She looked serious about it, too. That girl must've said or done something that pissed her off."

The strangest thing was that Akane had never properly explained what had made her act that way. She looked guilty about getting expelled and even cried for breaking her promise. Getting Akane to sob like a baby like that was rare. It never happened.

Although likely painful from her daughter's point of view, Mizuki remembered that memory fondly. As sad as it sounded, she didn't get a lot of chances to act like a mother, so she could never forget the times she'd caressed and soothed Akane as she cried in her arms.

But she digressed. Akane said nothing else as if ashamed of her actions. Of course, Mizuki never pressed her, but she wasn't bothered. Akane seldom broke her promises, so she must've had a good reason to do what she did.

"So don't let her calm and collected behavior fool you." She told her second daughter. "Akane was a feral beast that took all my patience to tame. The hardest thing I've ever had to do, and I fought gods before."

"You say all that, but it looks like you're fond of those memories as well, Mizuki-san," Asia noted with a smile. "I think Akane-san is very lucky to have a mother like you."

"Aw shucks! It's nothing special. I'm just thick-skinned enough to handle her." She chuckled. "Though, she could learn a thing or two from you. Ah, I wish she was half as polite as you~"

"That's so kind of you to say…" The blond blushed at the compliment. "I think Akane is polite enough, though."

"To you." Mizuki snorted.

The conversation with Asia had admittedly lifted her spirits up a little. While it was mostly reminiscing, it certainly felt better than stressing about what could happen to her now very able and powerful daughter all the time.

Mizuki had to trust Akane. The girl could protect herself just fine and didn't need anyone's help to kick devil ass. Hell, she was participating in a tournament where the best of this generation were entering, and she was confident even after getting a proper sense of the competition.

She would be alright.

As they continued their walk, Mizuki felt a sudden malicious intent directly on them— or rather, on the girl walking next to her, causing her to pause and sharpen her gaze. A devil with dark green hair approached them from within the crowd with a disarming smile, but she easily saw through it.

"Ah, I've finally found you. My savior." He said, looking at Asia. "Oh, I've searched for you for so long. To think I'd find you here of all places…"

The devil took a step forward.

"Back off," Mizuki said with a warning tone.

The devil flinched at her killing intent, his fake smile becoming concerned as he finally noticed her and gave her his full attention.

"A-ah, my apologies. I didn't see you there, Ms…"

Mizuki said nothing, gazing into his very soul.

"Oh, where are my manners?" He cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "My name is Diodora Astaroth. I would like to thank you, Ms. Argento."

"Me?" Asia blinked.

"Yes. You may not remember, but you saved me." He said before explaining. "Back in Italy, you used your Twilight Healing on a wounded devil, did you not?"

"That was you?!" She looked surprised and then smiled. "Wow, what are the odds? I never expected to see you again."

"But of course. I've been looking for you everywhere since then." He explained. "To think I'd spot you in the Palace of Lucifer…"

As he tried to approach them again, Mizuki reminded him to stay away by releasing some of her aura and getting in front of the blond, seeing through the malicious bastard's benevolent act.

The way he looked at Asia was a look full of lust. There was no hint of gratitude or appreciation. He was ogling her body like it was a toy and nothing else. Mizuki would never let him lay a finger on her.

"Don't." She said.

This time, instead of a look of surprise, Diodora looked at her with disdain and annoyance. However, that expression barely lasted a second as he returned to his disarming smile—one that wasn't deceiving her.

Asia looked confused, however, and wanted to ask what was going on before taking a look at Mizuki's scowl.

"I assure you, Miss. I do not wish you or the lady behind you any harm." He lied. "I only want to—"

"You're not fooling me, Devil." She cut him off. "Fuck off."

"M-Mizuki-san?!" Asia was surprised.

His smile fully dropped this time, and he didn't bother with another fake expression.

"You're quite rude, you know?" He scoffed. "I expect you'd show a little respect seeing where you are. I suppose that'd be asking too much from a human, huh?"

Mizuki stayed quiet.

"Honestly. All I wanted to do was to show my gratitude to the lady who saved me." He reiterated. "I know not your relationship with her, nor do I care to interfere with it, but whether you are her superior or even her mother, you have no right to get in between us, for I owe her my life."

"Mizuki-san, please. I don't think he wants to do anything bad." Asia tried to convince her. "I-I'll be fine, I promise."

"See? Even Ms. Argento thinks you are being unreasonable. Honestly, did no one teach you any manners?" Diodora sneered. "To act in such a way is unacceptable in our culture, especially to a pillar devil such as I, the heir of the Astaroth Clan."

"You love jacking off to your own voice, don't you?" Mizuki muttered.

"What did you say?!"

"Aren't you one of the tournament participants? The first as well." She said. "Just leave us alone. I don't know what you're doing out here instead of preparing for your match."

She held Asia's hand and walked past the devil, not wanting to escalate the situation further. Thankfully, the bastard devil didn't bother following them and only gave Mizuki an angry glare as she stared back at him.

Wow. How fierce. She snorted, looking away. He's pathetic. Although…

Something about his power seemed… off. It was different from the usual demonic energy she was used to, but not by much.

Am I imagining it? Mizuki thought with a frown.

Something was amiss.

"Mizuki-san!"

"Huh?" She blinked before glancing at Asia, who expressed confusion and annoyance.

"What was that? Why were you so rude to that kind man?" She questioned. "He just wanted to say 'thank you'."

"No, Asia." Mizuki disagreed, not planning to hide what she saw. "He was lying. He stared at you the entire time like you were a piece of meat."

"W-what?" The blond looked shocked. "How do you know that?"

"It's something I picked up as a kid. Sensing someone's intent." She explained briefly. "He was acting maliciously. Please trust me, Asia. I know it sounds strange, but avoid him if you see him, okay?"

Asia hesitated, and Mizuki understood why. Considering her history with devils, it's very easy to say that she was simply paranoid or distrustful. However, Diodora's intentions were clear as day for anyone with a lick of experience in this field.

Seeing that the man was a participant made her concerned. She hoped he'd lose in his first or second match and not meet her daughter's team in the semi-finals. Even though he was weak compared to her…

She didn't like this.

"Okay…" Asia nodded.

"Thanks, Asia. I mean it." Mizuki smiled at her warmly. "Now, how about we find a seat? The tournament is about to begin."

"Alright."

She didn't know why, but after this encounter, she had a sinking feeling that something awful was going to happen.

Mizuki prayed that she was wrong.

– Akane –

"I understand being confident, Akane, but this is…" Sona thinks of a way to phrase her next sentence as we walk through the hallways inside the stadium. "This feels more arrogant than usual. How are you so sure?"

"Because I gauged the competition," I explain. "I predict we will end up against Rias and her team in the finals. Chances of any surprises happening are less than two percent."

Arbatirary percentage, but eh.

"That's the thing, though, Amamiya-san." Tsubaki quips. "We also gauged the competition, yet we can't see what you see."

"Easy. The group we're in consists of complete and utter fodder." I respond. "Sairoarg, the only possible threat, is in group B with Rias, and he's gonna lose."

I don't care how strong that guy or his queen is— they will not defeat Rias, not when she's backed up by someone like Ichiban and the rest of her high-class+ peerage. Hell, Akeno is already breaking through that barrier with an INT stat above a thousand.

Rias might be lacking quantity, barely having five members for a team, but they're all powerhouses in their own right. They've grown significantly stronger after the battle with Kokabiel, so quality is still there. And I know she's taking her battle with her cousin seriously.

Almost more seriously than her match with Riser, which does kind of piss me off, but I digress.

As for that sorry excuse of a Phenex, he's fucked. He did grow a little, but he didn't seem all that more powerful than the time he had his ass handed to him. His first match? Against Sai. He's losing horribly.

The tournament brackets are split into two groups: Group A and Group B. Starting with the former, the first match is Astaroth against Sallos, which should be fun. I don't care about the Sallos team very much since they seemed utterly underwhelming like most participants here.

But seeing Astaroth's tactics before fighting him would be a good advantage. He still feels pretty weak all things considered, but the fact that I have some fading recollection about the guy at all might mean that he's important somehow. Hopefully, seeing him fight will help jog my memory.

The second match is Agares versus Glasya-Labolas, which I imagine won't be as fun. I asked about Seekvaria; apparently, her clan heritage is time manipulation. So that, on top of being purely stronger than her match, makes it pretty clear who will win.

The third game is Sitri vs. Zepar. Our opponents are a bunch of weaklings. I won't even bother showing any tactics or strategy against them. Just like the fourth match, which is between another two pathetic devils I didn't even bother remembering the names of.

Group B had nobody worth noting other than Rias and Sairaorg. Like Riser, the rest of the teams aren't that intimidating—not one bit. Eventually, the two cousins will end up in the semi-finals, and Rias will win handily.

I think we seriously overprepared for this.

"How are you sure?" Sona's queen asks, looking genuinely curious.

"Because Ichiban won't lose. No matter what happens." I respond with a smirk. Especially not after what I promised. "Sairaorg can have as many surprises as he wants; he can work as hard as possible, but that's not enough to beat Ichi."

"Having faith in him is nice, but beating him isn't the priority." Sona reminds me. "As soon as Rias is defeated—"

"Sona, I know I call Rias a dumb bitch a lot, but she's clever." I cut her off. "She knows that, and she will plan around it. Give the girl some credit."

"She's as smart as she is headstrong, Akane." She disagrees. "Sai is her cousin and rival. The chances of her fighting him face to face might be low, but not lower than ten percent."

"So? Rias is still plenty strong," I say. "She can hold her own."

I guess that is the only chance of them somehow losing. Rias doing something completely fucking brain-dead. Do I think it's going to happen? Maybe. Do I think it guarantees her loss? Not really. After all, Ichi is with her in case that happens. And from what I noticed?

While everyone knows he's the Red Dragon Emperor, nobody knows he has a subspecies. I mentioned that to him before we split off an hour ago. Keep that a secret as long as possible so it works to his advantage.

"I suppose…" She sighs. "Admittedly, I… do see where you're coming from."

"Sona?" Tsubaki blinks.

"Mind you, I don't believe we should be overconfident. Caution is essential." She reassures her queen piece. "But thinking about it logically, the only teams that could prove troublesome are Sai, Rias, and Seekvaria."

Unlike that disappointing vampire twink, the time-manipulating chick has actual control over her powers. She's stronger than the average high-class devil, and while not quite at our level, any time-related power is problematic, especially one wielded by a skilled user.

She's two matches away from being our opponent, though, so that should give us more than enough footage to study in case that happens. I can always overwhelm her and knock her out if the situation calls for it. As far as I know, she can't stop time like Gasper, so that's good.

To win, I only have to move faster than she can activate her power, and I'm very confident in my speed.

"That's what I'm saying." I snort as we finally reach one of two waiting rooms reserved for kings and queens. "You'll see what I mean once we watch the first match."

As I open the door, I see the rest of the teams. The ones that matter, at least. Sairaorg, Rias, Seekvaria, Glasya guy, and their queens. Plus Ichiban, but of course, he'd be there—special privileges for being the friend of the New Lucifer's precious little sister.

The room is spacious, with a long, comfortable-looking black couch facing the TV screen showing the matches. There are even snacks and drinks everywhere, including alcohol, which once again reminds me that the drinking age here is, like, fourteen or something.

Ichiban blushes and glances away as our eyes meet, making me smirk. Cute. Seeing him like that makes everything extremely worth it. It was about time I got bolder with my tactics anyway. He has been getting used to what I usually do.

"Oh hey, you're finally here. Perfect timing." Rias, as usual, is the first to greet us. "The first match is about to begin."

She points at the big screen attached to the wall, showing the type of dimensional arena they'll be fighting in. The theme is an abandoned city. Simple enough. I'm sure the theme will change with every match.

The moment we step in, a few of my spiders crawl down from my sleeves, making sure to stay hidden because, as small as they are, I'd rather be safe. I let Sona and Tsubaki walk before me as the tiny machines get closer and attach themselves to their targets.

Seekvaria and Kuisha are the two most interesting people in the entire competition. Time and portal powers, respectively? I'm not missing out on something as powerful as those. None of them notice anything, but of course they don't. I made sure the spiders couldn't be noticed by anything.

Phase one is now done without any complications. Phase two would be finding a way for Nemesis to connect to them when we return to Earth. Interdimensional connections like this are very possible—the fact that I could access the human internet here is enough evidence.

But I don't want to go asking around about that. I want to figure it out independently to eliminate any possible trail. That's why I let Nemesis into the supernatural internet a few hours ago before we left the resort. He'll do my research for me, and from what I've found out, the Devilnet doesn't have as good protection as ours. It's relatively new, after all.

"What's this?" Zephyrdor frowns. "Another human? Seriously?"

"Hey." Rias scowled at him. "Behave."

The asshole flinches and only clicks his tongue in annoyance, clearly intimidated by Rias. Why wouldn't he be? She's ten times stronger than him. He's a complete joke.

Still, good job, Rias.

"Ah, Sona. It's good to see you again." Seekvaria approaches us with a polite but genuine smile. "How long has it been since we last saw each other? Three years?"

"It's good to see you again, too, Seekvaria." Sona mirrors her expression before introducing me. "This here is a close friend of mine. Akane Amamiya, though I'm sure you knew that already."

"Of course. The one who led the charge against Warhawk Kokabiel." The Agares heiress nods. "Your name has been popping up in many newspapers and several popular forums on the Devilnet. No one expected the daughter of the legendary Immortal Dragon to be the one to do it. Quite the accomplishment for someone of your age."

…You know, they keep saying he's the 'immortal' dragon, but if he's so immortal, why is he dead? Isn't that kind of the opposite of what his title wants us to believe? I should ask Mom about this.

"It was a team effort," I respond politely, quickly glancing at the butler next to her before addressing her. Must be her queen piece if he's here. "Couldn't have done it alone."

I could've done it alone if I used Excelsis, though. So that's a lie.

"That doesn't make your achievement any less significant. Though, if I may ask you something…" Seekvaria says that as we sit on the couch, the rest conversing with each other. "That robot that followed you around in the Palace… I was wondering if the Tojo Clan were the ones to hand it to you. I've heard quite a lot about their engineering marvels, but to see it for myself…"

I mean, I did try to mimic their designs, only with inverted colors. They stick to black and gold, while the armor is white and blue. Need to make the 'inspiration' look obvious, after all. My gauntlet? Completely different.

…Still a little inspired by Amon tech, though.

"Huh. Why do you wanna know?" I ask.

"Oh. I simply wanted to know who built it." She says. "You see, I'm very interested in robotics, and I'd love to meet the person who created that exquisite work of art."

Having that armor, which isn't even my best work, get called an 'exquisite work of art' makes me feel extremely smug.

"That so? Well, today is your lucky day." I respond with a smirk. "You're talking to her."

Seekvaria freezes, and her eyes widen.

+30 REP with Seekvaria Agares [40/100]

Forty? Hmm, the ten points must be because of my previous 'achievements'.

"You?! You created it?!" She questions in shock. "Magnificent! I never expected you'd have such great mechanical engineering talent, too!"

"I'll admit, it's a newish hobby." I shrug my shoulders. I have always liked robots. "Purely self-taught, but the Tojo did help with supplies. I'm even good at programming. That robot you saw following me? It's actually a suit of armor."

"Astounding." She clasps her hands together, her eyes sparkling in amazement and excitement. "If it's possible, could I have a closer look at it? I don't quite have a lot of opportunities to examine such intricate designs up close. I'd love to study it if you don't mind."

I mean, as I said, it's not my best work, so I don't really give a shit if someone dismantles it after it does its job.

"Sure, that's fine," I respond. "Probably after your match, though."

"Of course. Thank you, Ms. Amamiya." Seekvaria says with a grateful nod. "I'll be sure to repay you most handsomely."

I feel like she's taking this too seriously. She makes it sound like I'm going to give her the armor. Which I won't.

The match finally begins on the big screen, and our conversation stops there. As I'm not interested in Astaroth's opponent or any of either team's peerages, I focus solely on Diodora, who, for a while, doesn't really do anything suspicious or weird.

The Rating Game continues on as normal, with even Lucifer standing by watching it with great interest. Right, that's his first time seeing a Rating Game, isn't it? However, I did want him to watch this as well since he might be able to tell if there was anything strange or out of place. I told him how I felt about Diodora before going to the coliseum.

"Interesting." He says. "I understand why this sport is popular. Spectating battles like this can be very exciting."

Keywords: Can be. This current Rating Game looks really boring. To me, at least. I can tell the rest are very engaged with the match, even Ichiban, as they point out either mistakes or certain strategies made by the combatants. I just stay quiet the entire time. Personally, I'm only interested in Diodora and why it feels like I'm forgetting something very important.

But so far, nothing. The battle goes on without anything feeling odd, and Diodora eventually wins the match, making me frown in annoyance. As the announcer announces the winner and Diodora leaves the arena dimension, I give Lucifer a quick gaze, to which he quickly notices and shrugs.

"I've not noticed anything out of the ordinary." He answers, giving me his typical calm smile. "But you seem rather adamant that this individual is important in some way, so I shall be on the lookout. As promised."

"Good match," Sairaorg says with a nod. "Each side gave their all for sure."

"I feel bad for Mr. Sallos." His queen adds. "Losing the first match is always the worst thing that could happen."

"It's bad enough that he comes from a clan that's very low in the hierarchy." Sona agrees. "Can't imagine how heartbroken he must feel."

Man, who gives a shit about that? Maybe he should've trained harder if he cared enough to win. Honestly, this entire tournament feels like a joke. I can't believe anyone would take these weakling participants seriously. I can't believe I took it seriously.

I knew we were strong, and I was always confident we were going to win, but I expected somewhat of a challenge. Sairaorg and his team were the kind of strength I thought we had to worry about for every participant. I didn't know most competition was going to be so weak.

I don't know why I'm even disappointed, as if I was looking forward to a challenge. No. This is better than what I had expected. Weaker challenges mean more chances of winning, and winning means I will complete that amazing quest I had ages ago.

[Non-Devil Champion] – Quest

Objective: Find a way to enter and win the tournament of the Young Devil Gathering

Rewards: 500 to all Stats, Tremendous EXP, 1 Epic Gacha Token, Massively increase affection for Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri, Massively increase reputation with devilkind, [Demon Champion] Title

With my perks, I'd get one thousand points for every one of my stats. That's fucking HUGE. Beyond anything I've gotten before from a quest or even leveling up because collectively, that's seven thousand points in one go.

I am NOT losing this tournament.

"Why the hell do any of you care?" Zephyrdor snorts, mirroring my thoughts. "What's with this show of empathy? Idiots who lose in the first round don't deserve that. That loser was a weakling and lost like one."

Sometimes, your thoughts should be kept to yourself. I might agree with him, but there's no crime in thinking some random moron is a loser. Saying it like that, though? I think that's when you lose the moral high ground.

Not that I ever gave a shit about that myself, but being nice gets me allies.

"He still fought like a true warrior." Sai disagrees. "Whether he lost or won does not matter."

"Well, it clearly does here, rocks for brains." He scoffs. "It's the Young Devil Tournament. Can't you imagine the humiliation one can feel after losing in the first round? Oh wait, you probably can; you disowned piece of shit."

Dayum.

"Zephyrdor!" Rias scowls deeply. "How dare you say such a thing—"

"It's fine, Rias." Sai stops her, not bothered at all. "I don't mind."

"Heh. See? Can't even stand up for himself. Needs his precious cousin to do that shit for him." He laughs. His voice is really grating. "Can't believe I'm stuck in here with you morons. You fucking had humans come in here."

"That's a problem?" I tilt my head.

"Fucking yes, it's a problem!" He sneers. "Idiot. Why are you even here? Piss off already."

"Do it yourself. Kick us out." I challenge him with a glare, and as he hesitates, I taunt him further. "Come on, you fucking pussy. Do it."

"What the hell did you say?!"

"Need your ears checked, you imbecile? I've been pretty clear with my words, haven't I?" I say. "Supernatural hearing down the fuckin' drain."

"Oh, I'm going to enjoy putting you in your place, you human slut." He responds scathingly as his magic leaks from his body. "I don't care if you beat Kokabiel or fucking Shiva. You're going to beg for forgiveness by the end of this."

"Buddy, you're gonna end up like that guy on the screen, crying and shitting yourself." I don't even bother using my magic to intimidate him. He's not worthy of even feeling my mana. "And everyone is going to laugh at you like the little bitch you are."

The second he raises his hand, Ichiban moves, grabbing his arm firmly and forcing him to look at him.

"The hell?" Zephyrdor's scowl deepens.

"You lay a finger on her." A red aura begins surrounding Ichiban as he says that. "And you won't like how things are gonna turn out."

Easily intimidated, the guy flinches and doesn't say anything back, only lowering his arm slowly.

"We cool?" Ichiban asks.

Zephyrdor pulls his arm with a hiss, walking out of the room silently with his queen in tow. As he leaves, I give Ichi a flirtatious smile.

"My hero~"

"I was trying to save him from you." He says in a blank tone. "Not the other way around."

"Regardless of intent—" I get up from my seat and approach him. "You deserve a reward."

"What are you—"

I give him a quick peck on the cheek right in front of everyone here, who all give various different reactions. Rias squeals excitedly like a child, Akeno and Kuisha giggle, Seekvaria covers her mouth in surprise, Sairaorg gives Ichi a knowing look, and Sona frowns in annoyance.

As for Ichiban himself? It's what anyone would expect from him at this point.

"W-w-what the hell was that?!" He backs off. "Why'd you do that? In front of everyone?!"

"Oh." I blink. "Ah, so you prefer private smooches? Got it."

"NO!"

While everyone snickers and chortles at Ichiban's adorable reactions — except Sona — Diodora enters the room with his queen; I look at him with a neutral expression as my grin drops. He gives us a bow and a fake smile. I don't even need to use Observe to be able to tell that he hates everyone in this room and thinks he's better than all of us.

Unfortunately, Observe doesn't tell me why he's relevant. The only hint I have is his title, which is 'Nun Obsessed'. I don't know what the hell it refers to, but I better keep Asia away from his grubby hands if that's the case.

"Great work out there, Mr. Astaroth." Sairaorg is the first to congratulate him, getting up and offering a handshake. "You and your team fought well."

His eye twitches in annoyance, but he responds politely, taking Sairaorg's hand and shaking it firmly.

"Thank you." He responds, quickly letting go. "It certainly was not an easy battle."

"Well, it's time I face my opponent," Seekvaria says, standing up and giving me a smile. One that isn't fake like pretty boy over there.

She's nice.

"Good luck."

+5 Reputation with Seekvaria Agares [45/100]

Seriously?

She nods and walks outside with her butler, heading towards the coliseum. Here's hoping she puts up an entertaining fight, at least.

…Oh, who am I kidding? It's going to be even more boring than Diodora's match.

She's winning this almost immediately.

– Sona –

Seekvaria won her match almost immediately.

But it was incredibly gratifying for Sona. Why, might one ask? Because Seek's opponent, Zephrydor Glasya-Labolas, was a massive pain in the ass for most people here. A loudmouthed, disrespectful, and arrogant dick that nobody liked.

He would always get in trouble with the locals, flaunt his clan name around without care, and even try to pick fights with other clan devils. He'd been a thorn in her side ever since the previous heir had been killed, and he was chosen to be next in line.

A delinquent, but none of the traits that made one even slightly endearing. At least Akane, while also disrespectful and arrogant, was that way only to authority figures and was pretty kind to other people. She was a fun delinquent—a nice one.

No, she was not biased because of her ever-growing crush on the girl. Sona would never do such a thing. But even if she was, all of that was true. Akane was exactly what every delinquent should hope to be.

If leaving that lifestyle wasn't a choice, of course, but something told Sona that her human friend wouldn't have been as much fun without that sarcastic and arrogant personality. It felt like a major part of her.

…I'm so hopeless. Sona thought, glancing at Akane. Why her, of all people?

But enough internally gushing about the girl sitting next to her. It was finally time to show the devil world their power.

"Absolutely, to no one's surprise…" Akane muttered quietly, but seeing that she was surrounded by devils, everyone heard her.

"I was going to say it was a hard-fought battle," Sai responded. "You thought the outcome was predictable?"

"Seekvaria and Zerphador might've been pretty close in power—"

"It's Zephrydor, Ms. Amamiya." Kuisha corrected with a giggle.

"But that dumbass rushed in without thinking, even knowing what his opponent was capable of." She snorted. "What kind of moron does that make him? A healthy amount of confidence is fine. Hell, being arrogant is also alright, but when it gets to a point where you throw strategy out of the window first thing?"

"I suppose that makes sense." Sairaorg hummed.

"Even Ichi knows that's a stupid mistake," Akane said.

"Fuck's that supposed to mean?" Her bodyguard scowled.

"Though, you seemed sure even before the battle began." Sai pointed out. "How come?"

"Terrible arrangement for him." She explained. "Defensive magic against time manipulation? Seekvaria had a massive advantage. Would always have an advantage, I should say. It's hard to counter a power like that, but it was even worse for the guy. He could only shoot regular demonic blasts, and they were too close in power for that to be useful. He lost the fight before it even began."

She turned her head to look at Diodora.

"Meaning you have your work cut out for you, Dodoria."

"It's Diodora." He corrected her.

"Most importantly, though." Akane continued without missing a beat. "Unlike him, Seekvaria actually took it seriously. She didn't compromise her plans because of some stupid ego or a silly grudge. It would've ended with her winning regardless, but it would've been a fun battle if he wasn't being a total idiot."

Sona agreed with her assessment of the battle but was happy that Zephyrdor had held the idiot ball long enough to get his ass handed to him. Maybe this would help him realize how much of a nuisance he was.

Seeing the barely contained fury on his face did not make her confident, though. Oh well. At least he was going to get disowned or something. She hoped he would. That jackass deserved it.

"Oh well. Let's go." Akane said to Sona, standing up and stretching her limbs. "The sooner we're done with this, the better."

"Of course." Sona glanced at Tsubaki, who stood up with her.

Once Seekvaria entered the room looking extremely pleased with herself, Akane walked up to her and held her hand up. The Agares heiress blinked in confusion for a moment, then understood the gesture and responded with a high five.

"Good job," Akane said before walking past her.

Sona looked at this almost admiring gaze of Seekvaria with a concerned look. She wasn't trying to woo more people, was she? Because if she was… Dear Lucifer, the competition was hard enough as it was!

Sona sighed and followed after Akane, ignoring the knowing stare of her queen.

Soon after, the three girls stopped as they saw Zephyrdor, bruised and beaten, walking in with a furious look on his face as Akane's shit-eating grin only kept widening. He said nothing even as they stepped away from him, and once he was a distance away, her human friend spoke.

"Oh, what's that? Is that someone about to turn into a 'disowned piece of shit' I see?"

Zephyrdor quickly turned around, his strength exploding as he charged up all his remaining demonic energy in one hand, screaming and shouting at Akane. Sona and Tsubaki got ready for a fight, and the former silently cursed her friend for provoking him.

"I'm going to—"

Right before he released the demonic blast, a piercing wave of magic was unleashed from the girl next to her, fizzling it out and stopping the enraged devil right in his tracks as his face, once filled with unyielding anger…

Showed nothing but overwhelming fear.

He began to freeze slowly, as did the floor, ceiling, and walls. Sona herself had never felt this amount of malice and killing intent from Akane, and while she could handle it easily, was extremely surprised.

Akane took a step forward, inching closer to his face.

"'I'm going to'... what?" She whispered. "What were you going to say?"

Zephyrdor remained quiet as his very sweatdrops froze over. He looked away, shivering and trembling in fear and cold. They stayed that way momentarily, with Akane looking deep into his eyes. He couldn't even keep eye contact as he looked away, and once he regained enough of his composure, he simply walked away, almost jogging to be out of her sight as soon as possible.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." She snorted, calling him out. "Like a little bitch."

He flinched, and as he was out of view, Sona frowned.

"Was that seriously necessary?" She scolded as the shock wore off.

"From a practical standpoint? No." Akane grinned. "But it felt good, didn't it?"

…Sona couldn't deny that.

"Just… please stop provoking people. I know he was rude, but you can't act that way with everyone who annoys you." She sighed. "Let's just go."

"Way ahead of you."

As the rest of the peerage teleported near them, the team entered the coliseum grounds, prompting the audience to cheer loudly. Even though she was confident in her victory, Sona still felt nervous. There were a lot of people here…

The main goal isn't to win the tournament, Sona. She reminded herself. As long as we reach the finals or the semi-finals… we're good.

She always had to remember that winning wasn't a priority for her. It'd be great, and she'd try to win, but she'd be okay losing to Rias or something. Akane probably wouldn't be okay with that, but it wasn't like she was getting anything from this tournament anyway. Fame only.

Knowing her, though, that was good enough.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our contestants for today's third match are here!" The announcer… announced. "But what's this? Do my eyes deceive me?! Over in Sitri's corner, it's none other than the daughter of the legendary Immortal Dragon and slayer of the Grigori's Warhawk! Akane Amamiya!"

The satisfied smirk on Akane's face confirmed it for her.

As the announcer continued immersing the audience, Sona spoke to Akane.

"So what's the plan?" She asked. "I know you said no plan was needed, but isn't that what you reprimanded Zephyrdor for? Calling him an idiot for rushing in?"

"The difference, Sona, is that I'm actually powerful." Akane shrugged. "A lot more powerful than Zapdos could ever hope to be."

"That's not even close to his name."

"Just sit back, relax…" Akane winked as they were teleported to the battlefield with a forest theme. "And let me handle this."

"And begin!" The announcer shouted.

Akane skipped forward directly into the heart of the battlefield, hands behind her back as she hummed a pleasant tone. Sona hesitated, and after a moment, she made her decision.

"We'll support her. Ruruko, Tsubaki, cover her rear." She ordered. "Everyone else with me."

As they split, they watched their ace from afar, seeing her walk into enemy territory without a care. Some enemy devils began shooting her with magic, which she easily blocked with ice barriers and walls.

Anyone could tell she was heading straight to the enemy king, making them grow desperate as nothing they tried made a difference. No projectile ever pierced the thick walls of ice she created, and none of them wanted to get close, as Akane's icy aura kept leaking, freezing the very ground she walked on.

Accepting her challenge, the enemy king appeared on top of a tree.

"So you're Akane Amamiya, huh?" She spoke. "Didn't think you'd join a peerage. I thought the Tojo Clan hated us."

"Temporary measure," Akane answered. "Just trying to help out a friend. That and to prove that you guys ain't shit compared to me."

"...Dangerous words for a human." The Zepar heiress scoffed. "Very well. I, Lathi Zepar, will teach you—"

Before the girl could even finish her sentence, Akane appeared in front of her, and with a single gut check, Zepar collapsed, eyes nearly bulging out of her skull as she tried but failed to breathe. A second later, she lost consciousness, instantly ending the match.

They were quickly teleported out with the announcement of their victory, and after a quiet moment, the audience exploded with cheers. None of them had expected a Rating Game as quick as that.

Sona, on the other hand… didn't feel as surprised.

"Told you," Akane smirked viciously as Sona landed beside her. "Complete. Utter. Fodder."

"Showoff," Sona responded in amusement.

Akane simply shrugged and walked away, with the rest of the team following her.

Maybe this tournament really would be as easy as she claimed.

You should check out the pat re on. Just posted a fire chapter. Here's a hint:

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