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In a luxurious VIP box overlooking the main stage, Algernon sat beside Rias, his face a mask of calm confidence. His crimson eyes scanned the crowd, taking in the auras of the various power players in attendance.
Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light erupted in the center of the arena. When the light faded, a lone figure stood poised and elegant. She had long, silver hair pulled back in a neat bun, with elegant strands framing her face. Her eyes were a striking, fierce crimson, and her demeanor exuded a calm, formidable authority. She was dressed in a sleek, elegant black dress that reached the floor, with subtle lace detailing at the cuffs and a high collar. This was Grayfia Lucifuge, the Silver-Haired Queen of Annihilation.
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Algernon's calm facade cracked for a brief, imperceptible moment. His eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise as he took in the elegant figure of Grayfia Lucifuge in the center of the arena. He had not seen her in the Gremory house, and her sudden appearance here, as the host of a Rating Game.
A voice, deep and impossibly gentle, sounded in the silent room. "Are you surprised?"
Algernon turned, his expression instantly reverting to a mask of calm confidence. He saw a man with the same fiery crimson hair as Rias, but with a presence that radiated an unimaginable, overwhelming power. His kind, blue eyes held a depth that spoke of millennia of history and an authority that commanded instant respect.
Rias gasped, her own voice full of utter shock. "Brother!"
Sirzechs Lucifer, the Demon King, smiled. His gaze was fixed on Algernon, a friendly yet probing look that seemed to see right through him. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you personally, Algernon Azeroth," he said, his voice as smooth as velvet.
He gestured to Grayfia. "I take it you were surprised to see Grayfia here? It's been a long time since a simple Rating Game has required her presence. She is the last member and head of the venerable House of Lucifuge, a clan that has served the Lucifer family for generations."
Algernon's mind raced, processing the new information. This was a detail his foreknowledge of original work had not accounted for.
"The pleasure is all mine, Lord Lucifer," Algernon replied, his voice calm and steady, despite the shock. "I must admit, your presence here, and Lady Grayfia's, confirms the importance of this little match."
Sirzechs chuckled, a deep, knowing sound. "Indeed. It is not every day that a new Pillar House challenges one of the old ones for a bride. I am here to ensure that all goes smoothly." He turned his attention back to the arena, his expression turning serious. The conversation was over. The game was all that mattered now.
Grayfia's voice, as crisp and elegant as her appearance, resonated throughout the arena. "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Rating Game between the peerages of Lord Riser Phenex and Lord Algernon Azeroth!" she announced, her voice calm and clear. "The rules are simple. This is a battle to the last man standing. The winner will be the one whose King remains standing. The King of the losing side will forfeit all claim to the Lady Rias Gremory."
A wave of cheers erupted as a massive magic circle, adorned with the Phenex family crest, flared to life on one side of the arena. From it emerged Riser Phenex, his golden hair and arrogant smirk a familiar sight. He wore a lavish suit and was flanked by his entire peerage—a full set of pieces. His Knights, Bishops, Rooks, and Pawns all stood with an air of confidence.
On the opposite side of the arena, a new magic circle shimmered into existence. It was a deep, ominous crimson and black, adorned with the stylized Azeroth crest. A collective gasp swept through the crowd as only a single figure stepped out. It was Issei Hyoudou, Algernon's Pawn. He was dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans, standing alone against an army.
Riser's smug smirk widened. "A single pawn? Riser is almost disappointed," he sneered, his voice loud and condescending. He looked toward Algernon's box, a flicker of genuine malice in his eyes. "You send a mere human to fight my elite peerage? It's an insult, a clear sign you have no true power! You are just a fleeting flame, and Riser's fire will burn you and your pet to ashes!"
Issei's grip tightened on his hand, but he held his tongue, his resolve firm. He didn't need to respond. His actions would speak for him.
Grayfia raised a hand. "Let the game... begin!"
Riser's smug smirk widened. "Kill him," he commanded, his voice dripping with condescension.
His entire peerage charged forward in a blur of motion. Two Rooks, a Knight, and a Rook surrounded Issei in a tactical formation, their auras flaring with power. They saw a quick, easy victory, a simple formality.
Issei looked at Riser's army, then back at his King, Algernon, who sat calmly in the stands. A silent understanding passed between them.
A brilliant green light exploded from Issei's body. The Boosted Gear roared to life, not with a simple BOOST, but with the thunderous roar of a dragon awakening. "BALANCE BREAKER!"
In a flash of light and raw power, the red dragon armor materialized over his body, its iconic helmet, wings, and gauntlets snapping into place.The crowd's collective gasp was so loud it momentarily drowned out the roar of the arena.
In the VIP box, Rias and her parents were stunned into silence, although they knew of longinus but they hadn't expected it to be boosted gear of heavenly dragon, Ddraig. Their shock, however, was nothing compared to the genuine, wide-eyed surprise on Sirzechs's face. He watched, his usually serene expression replaced by one of absolute bewilderment.
"The Boosted Gear," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. His crimson eyes, which saw through most magical disguises and power levels, were fixed on the red gauntlet. "The Red Dragon Emperor's Sacred Gear. But how?"
He turned to Algernon, a new, intense look of surprise in his eyes. "I knew you were powerful, Algernon, but this... a Longinus? And on a Pawn? This is unheard of." His gaze then fell on the shining armor covering Issei's body. "And a Balance Breaker? A complete Balance Breaker? This is simply incredible."
Riser's shock in arena turned to fury. "That's impossible! Riser's flames are eternal! Riser's peerage is invincible!" he screamed, his voice laced with rage.
His peerage, shaken but still confident in their numbers, charged forward. A Knight, a Bishop, and two Pawns surged toward Issei, their auras flaring with immense power. They planned to overwhelm him with a coordinated assault.
But they were in for a brutal surprise. Issei didn't move. He simply raised his hand, and from his gauntlet, a swirling orb of red energy pulsed to life.
"DRAGON SHOT"
He unleashed the orb, and it split into four smaller spheres, each one hurtling toward a member of Riser's peerage. The demons, confident in their powers, didn't even flinch. But the red energy exploded head-on simply consuming them. The single attack made them teleport, marking them as disqualified.
Riser's eyes widened in utter disbelief. He was watching his entire peerage, one by one, fall to a single Pawn who wielded a power that bypassed their bloodline's greatest asset.
Issei, his voice a chilling monotone, pointed his gauntlet at Riser's remaining peerage. "One of me is enough for you. Now, choose who is brave enough to face me."
The remaining members, terrified, looked to Riser for a command, but he was frozen in place.
"Looks like your peerage isn't as brave as you are, Riser," Issei said, his voice a low, taunting rumble.
With a final roar, he thrust his hand forward, and a massive Dragon Shot erupted from his gauntlet. The blast, infused with a crimson-black energy, soared through the arena and consumed the rest of Riser's peerage in a single, devastating explosion.
The arena was silent. The dust from Issei's final blast settled, revealing a battlefield littered with the defeated bodies of the Phenex peerage. Riser was the only one left standing, his golden hair disheveled, his eyes wide with a mix of shock and fury. His peerage, his "invincible" family, had been annihilated in a single, brutal attack.
Riser's smug arrogance returned, but it was a thin, fragile mask. "Riser admits you are powerful for a mere Pawn," he sneered, forcing a confident smirk. "But this does not matter. Riser will show you the true power of an Immortal."
With a roar, Riser burst into a torrent of crimson flames, his body becoming a living inferno. He lunged at Issei, intending to overwhelm him with the sheer heat and force of his flames. He believed that his power of regeneration and the eternal flames of the Phenex family would be more than enough to burn Issei to ashes.
But Issei did not flinch. He simply raised his gauntlet, and a swirling vortex of black and crimson fire burst out that fed on Riser's flames, neutralizing them and turning their power against him.
Riser's flames sputtered and died, his body engulfed in a cold, horrifying fire that annihilated his life force. He screamed, not in pain, but in sheer terror as his immortality was rendered useless. His body was not burning; it was being unmade.
With a final, enraged roar, he threw a punch at Issei, but it was a move of desperation. Issei caught his fist and delivered a powerful counter. "DRAGON STRIKE!" The blow, infused with the Power of Boosted Gear, slammed into Riser's chest.
A massive explosion erupted, and when the dust settled, Riser lay unconscious in the center of the arena, his body broken and scarred, his immortality shattered.
The Rating Game was over. Grayfia's voice echoed through the silent arena, announcing the results. "The winner is Lord Algernon Azeroth."
The crowd erupted in a mix of stunned silence and a slow, growing wave of applause. Algernon had won. And he had done it with a single Pawn.
In the VIP box, Rias let out a sob of pure, unadulterated relief. Without a moment's hesitation, she threw herself into Algernon's arms. Her entire body trembled as she clung to him, her face buried in his chest. "You did it," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "You really did it! You saved me."
Algernon held her tightly, a small, knowing smile on his lips. He gently ran a hand through her crimson hair.
Sirzechs Lucifer after congratulating algernon turned to leave.
"Lord Lucifer," Algernon's calm voice cut through the air. Sirzechs stopped and turned, a curious look on his face.
Algernon's crimson eyes met the Demon King's, a silent conversation passing between them. "I wish to speak with you," Algernon stated, his tone firm. "But not here. There are matters of great importance that require a more private setting. I invite you to my home, to the city of Aethelgard."
Sirzechs's expression shifted from curious to profoundly serious."I will be there," he said, and with that, he vanished in a flash of light.
With Sirzechs gone, the opulent viewing box seemed to grow silent and small. The crowd's roar was a distant echo, and the only sound was Rias's soft, shaky breath.
"I can't believe it," she whispered. "It's over. I'm free."
Rias raised her head their eyes, locked in a moment of shared triumph, spoke volumes. The unspoken emotions of a terrifying political gambit, of a love that had defied tradition and expectation, surged to the surface. Algernon didn't hesitate. With a gentle hand on her cheek, he lowered his head and claimed her lips.
The kiss was not hesitant or gentle; it was a hungry, passionate surrender. Rias's hands flew to his hair, clutching at the strands as her own lips met his with equal ferocity. His taste was a mix of the victory they had just won and the raw, untamed power that defined him. She deepened the kiss, a silent plea for more, and he answered with a soft groan, pulling her body flush against his. There was no room for doubt or fear, only the overwhelming, exhilarating reality of him. Her body melted against his, the victory of the battle giving way to the sweet, dizzying triumph of love.