"You've changed so much to the point of being unrecognizable, Riser. You're so much more fun now than you were in the past." A silver-haired, cute girl with a petite build chuckled, breaking the tense atmosphere in the banquet hall.
Most of the guests had already left, with only a few still enjoying the feast the Phenex Clan had presented. They did so with an air of nonchalance, and this girl was one of them.
Her appearance also suggested that she was a smart girl, a scholar of sorts—though she was not wearing glasses.
"Congratulations to you, Iryuka Glasya-Labolas. You've been chosen as the heir of your house. I heard that Sairorg defeated the previous heir in the Rating Game and caused him to suffer from autism. Since then, you've taken over the clan." Riser looked at her with appreciation, rather than taking offense at her comment.
His charisma was on point as he politely congratulated her, even though she had made fun of him.
He even extended his hand to her as a gesture of congratulations.
Her face flushed unnaturally when Riser praised her, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words.
"Yes, thank you, Riser. Congratulations to you, too." Iryuka accepted his extended hand, and they both took a seat. "I honestly thought you'd act like an angry lad or a serious man who refused to take a joke. Who would have thought you were also capable of being charming and humorous?"
Riser offered no comment but chuckled in response. "You're Ravel's friend, right? I've heard the two of you were close in school. Are you still friends?"
"No, we've been separated since you left home. She refuses to let anyone approach her after that incident," Iryuka sighed.
"I have to admit, your statement is on point, Riser. Devils don't need peaceful talks or negotiations—we need to win. I support your cause, and Glasya-Labolas' house will stand behind you." She vowed.
But Iryuka wasn't the only one approaching him. Sairorg also patted his shoulder and grinned. "Well, long time no see, Riser."
"Sairorg, it seems you've changed a lot too. I've heard you've reclaimed your pride as Baal and defeated the previous heir of Glasya-Labolas' Clan—causing him to suffer from autism." Riser greeted him back with a smirk.
"Unfortunately, my father still refuses me and dismisses me as insignificant. He wants a son with better talent, with stronger destruction power from the start." Sairorg sighed.
"It's their loss, my friend. It's their loss." Riser comforted him.
Sairorg shrugged, then continued, "I may not represent Baal, but you have my support, Riser. Sona's death is something that should not be taken lightly, and the crows should pay for their sins."
He agreed with Riser's statement. Moreover, his relationship with Sona was that of childhood friends.
The same could be said for Riser and Rias, and it wouldn't be Sairorg if he didn't seek retribution for his friend's death at the hands of others, maliciously, without expecting some form of payback.
He also hated the crows and Kokabiel—and he wanted him dead.
"Your support is appreciated, my friend." Riser offered a toast to Sairorg, then shifted his gaze to Iryuka. "You too, Iryuka."
"Thanks," she said, and they toasted with smiles, completely sealing their alliance and unity in the face of war.
However, their warm atmosphere was suddenly shattered by the angry retort of a woman with tanned skin and brown hair.
Her dress was as provocative and explosive as her temper, drawing every eye in the banquet hall.
"Riser Phenex, your audacity against Sirzechs is indeed admirable, but I can't forgive what you did to make our leader change his heart and support that impostor!" she spat, her voice dripping with fury.
"Katerea Leviathan..." Riser's eyes narrowed, his expression betraying his irritation at the unexpected guest's interruption.
"I have known of you for a long time," he said with deliberate calm, his voice cutting through the tension. "You are famed for your beauty, strength, and nobility, but it seems every assumption about you was utterly wrong. You have nothing in common with the virtues people attribute to you."
"What did you say, you insolent little shit?!!!" Katerea's eyes flared with unrestrained fury as her demonic power surged around her like a storm, threatening to tear the lavish banquet hall to pieces.
Before she could advance, Sairaorg Bael stepped forward, his muscular frame shielding Riser completely.
His presence was immovable, a wall of raw power that dared Katerea to test her strength.
Seeing this, Katerea let out a mocking laugh, her voice dripping with disdain. "Stop hiding behind him, Riser Phenex! Where is the so-called bravery you flaunted when you stood against Sirzechs?! Face me yourself!"
Riser smirked, placing a firm hand on Sairaorg's shoulder.
"Step back, Sairaorg," he said, his tone calm but commanding. "Trust me."
With a reluctant nod, Sairaorg moved aside, leaving Riser to face Katerea alone.
In an instant, Riser's entire demeanor shifted. His aura, previously restrained and unassuming, began to grow exponentially.
His demonic power, which should have been capped at the level of a high-class devil, surged higher and higher, ascending with frightening speed.
"Boost!"
"Boost!"
"Boost!"
The chants echoed as his power reached a terrifying crescendo, climbing to a level that rivaled the might of the Satans themselves.
The pressure in the room became suffocating, forcing even Katerea—an Ultimate-Class Devil—to her knees.
Her eyes widened in shock as she realized she was utterly outmatched.
"Impossible...!" she hissed, her pride crumbling under the weight of his overwhelming strength.
Riser's voice cut through the chaos, calm yet laced with deadly intent. "Adolf Riser. That is my name, Katerea Leviathan. Engrave it into your memory, for it will be the last name you curse."
Before she could respond, magic chains materialized around her limbs, binding her tightly to the ground.
Katerea struggled against the restraints, her demonic power rendered useless by their suppressive enchantments.
In the shadows of the banquet hall, Le Fay Pendragon stood silently, a mischievous smile on her lips as she subtly aided Riser in subduing the descendant of the Old Satan Faction.
"Argh...! Riser, you bastard!" Katerea roared, thrashing like a wild beast. "You will pay for this! I will never forgive you! Never!"
Her defiance, however, only drew cruel laughter from Riser.
"So be it," he said coldly, his hand glowing with the fiery brilliance of the Phenex flames.
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the flames directly at Katerea.
Her eyes widened in terror as the inferno engulfed her, the searing heat forcing an agonized scream from her lips.
"Argh...!!! How dare you...!" she screeched, her voice a mixture of rage and desperation.
Despite her immense power, she was completely helpless, the chains holding her firm as the flames consumed her flesh.
The banquet hall was silent, save for the sound of crackling fire and Katerea's anguished cries.
The once-proud devil could only writhe in impotent fury as her body was reduced to ash, her life snuffed out by the unrelenting blaze.
When the flames finally died down, all that remained of Katerea Leviathan was a charred outline on the floor.
The guests, still frozen in shock, could only stare at Riser Phenex, their disbelief palpable.
The sheer force of Riser's strength had taken them all by surprise.
Riser clapped his hands and offered a formal bow of apology as he addressed his guests.
"I deeply apologize for the unpleasant events that have unfolded in this grand hall, my lords and my ladies."
"However, let it be known that I will never, under any circumstances, tolerate disunity among our races! We must stand united as a whole, for there are countless enemies who wish for our demise, who plot for our extinction. The crows are merely one of many threats against us!"
He pointed sharply, his tone growing harsher.
"She refused to support the reinforcements for Lady Serafall. Not only did she refuse, but she also actively prevented others from doing so! Her actions were driven solely by her petty grudges, her poisonous mindset, and her delusional sense of superiority! For her own selfish desires, she sought to make us lose this war!"
Riser's voice echoed through the hall, heavy with condemnation.
"Katerea Leviathan deserved to die. She brought no achievements, no contributions to our race. She was the embodiment of incompetence within our society, a stain upon our nobility, and a disgrace to our bloodline! But no longer! People like her must be disposed of, torn down from their undeserved pedestals! I, Adolf Riser, have judged her guilty!"
A resounding cry erupted from the crowd.
"Riser!"
"Riser!"
"Riser!"
The guests, filled with fervor, clapped and cheered, their roars of approval shaking the very walls of the hall.
Their blood burned with exhilaration as they witnessed Adolf Riser's meteoric rise to power and his ruthless disposal of Katerea Leviathan.
In their eyes, he was no longer just a noble; he was their future.
He was the leader who could elevate their race to unprecedented heights.
Sairorg grinned, his arms crossed as he observed the spectacle.
"Riser—no, Leader—you have earned my complete trust. From this moment forward, I believe in you. I believe you can avenge our fallen friends, Sona Sitri, and the injustices we devils have suffered."
Iryuka followed suit, stepping forward with a sly grin.
"You've convinced us as well, Leader. Completely." Her words were final, her tone filled with respect.
No one in the hall addressed him by his name anymore.
To them, he was now their leader, their chosen champion.
Riser's display of power and his dominance over the descendant of a Satan had earned their admiration and unwavering loyalty in an instant.
Accompanied by the deafening roar of the crowd, it was clear: Adolf Riser had completely won their approval.
He accepted their praise, their allegiance, and their support with open arms, a triumphant smirk on his face.
This—this was the life he was destined to live.
The life of Adolf Riser.