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"Hey, Edgar… can't you at least turn on the AC?"
Edgar stayed silent, staring at Rias as she slipped off her coat.
The AC? It was already on.
But he quickly realized his attention had wandered elsewhere.
Her long red hair spilled down like flames, a little messy as it brushed her waist. Her flawless face had only the lightest touch of makeup, a faint pink glow highlighting her features with a dangerous sort of allure.
That lavender top—if you could even call it a top—was basically just strips of fabric barely holding together, tracing out a neckline that could make anyone's heart skip a beat. The black mini skirt sat at just the right spot; one wrong move and… well, he'd see more than he should.
Her legs, wrapped in sheer black stockings, looked impossibly perfect.
If Rias usually rated a solid hundred, then tonight Edgar couldn't help but think she deserved at least a hundred and two. The rest of her—yeah, that belonged straight to hell, six-six-six stamped all over it.
For a moment, he just stared, dazed. Then his expression twisted.
Something was off.
No—this was more than off. This was twelve kinds of not right.
What the hell was his childhood friend playing at?
Noticing his gaze, Rias's cheeks flushed red. A flicker of panic rose inside her.
Had her choice of outfit been… too much?
But at this point, it was already too late to turn back.
She stepped forward and sat down right in front of him. The faint, delicate fragrance she carried immediately wrapped around him.
"Ahem."
Edgar coughed softly, his eyes fixed on the dangerous curves right in front of him.
"Rias… what exactly did you come here for today?"
If she weren't his childhood friend, someone he respected deeply, he wasn't sure he'd still be holding it together.
"Nothing much," she said with a soft laugh, "just wanted to thank you for what you did today. And… to check if you were hurt."
Her voice was warm, full of concern.
But…
What does that have to do with my hand? Don't just grab me like that, geez.
Edgar's eyelids twitched.
Good god.
Seriously, good god.
How had he never noticed his childhood friend was like this?
"Phew…"
He drew in a deep breath, trying to steady himself. The fragrance only grew stronger. His control slipped further.
Noticing the change in him, Rias's pupils tightened. Crap.
On the outside, he looked perfectly calm. But could she really be in danger here?
Strangely, she started worrying about herself instead.
But soon, she made up her mind.
It couldn't be helped.
A delicious meal was a temptation neither men nor women could resist.
"I'm fine. Don't worry," Edgar said firmly. "I didn't get hurt."
Since she asked, he had to be honest. But that was as far as he'd go.
Rias bit her lip.
"No. I don't believe you."
"That was a ten-winged fallen angel—practically on par with a demon lord."
"Rias, seriously. I'm not hurt. Stop tugging at my collar—"
"Quit stalling. Let me check for myself."
Their voices dropped lower and lower. The sound of buttons came undone one after another.
"Edgar, my power really has improved," she murmured.
She had been stuck at the upper-class demon level for so long. No matter how hard she trained, the next realm always seemed just out of reach.
But now… something had changed.
For demons, once you reached the upper-class stage, progress wasn't about numbers anymore. It was about a fundamental leap.
Getting stronger again wasn't going to be easy.
But now, things were completely different.
Rias could feel it—sharp and vivid—the path toward becoming a true high-class demon had never been clearer.
At last, she understood why Shiho Miyano and the others had managed to level up so quickly.
"See? Satisfied now? If you want to get stronger fast, you've got to put pressure on yourself."
"Hmph, yeah, I get it."
Rias shot Edgar a sultry sideways glance, irritation mixed with charm. Then she pushed herself harder, greedily devouring the power surging into her body.
The cycle repeated again and again until her emotions drowned out all sense. She forgot who she was—only the thunderous joy of her very cells cheering in unison remained.
"Oh, right. Rias, if you really want to become stronger, how about becoming my servant?"
"Eh…?"
Before she could even process the words, Edgar went on. "Don't overthink it. My reincarnation ritual doesn't rely on devil pieces, so it won't interfere with your bond with your own servants."
Her head was spinning, her thoughts too hazy to form properly, but she understood his meaning.
She nodded slightly, whispering, "Fine… I… I'll do it."
Edgar didn't hesitate. A bead of crimson welled from his fingertip and fell onto Rias's bare skin.
Shiiing.
Radiant light flared, lines of mysterious script flashing into existence before fading away.
A new set of attributes appeared before them:
[Rias Gremory]
[Race: Demon]
[Master: Edgar Lucifergus]
[Level: 37]
[Skills: Power of Destruction, Eyes of Annihilation]
[Power of Destruction: The Gremory clan's signature ability, unrivaled when it comes to pure destructive force.]
[Eyes of Annihilation: Eyes that ignore resistances and weaknesses alike, capable of reducing anything to nothing.]
"…Well, what else could I expect from you, Rias?"
Edgar's eyes lit up as he scanned her new stats. Both of her abilities were built entirely for destruction.
With the Power of Destruction alone, even someone impersonating a Gremory might be convincing. But the Eyes of Annihilation…
"This might just be my most powerful skill yet."
Dark light flickered deep in his gaze as his hand trailed gently across her smooth, pale back.
Rias shivered at the touch, her mind too overwhelmed by surging emotion and inner changes to care. The only thought echoing inside her was a desperate one—level up, level up, level up.
The next morning, before dawn had even broken, Edgar stretched lazily and rose from bed.
He hadn't slept a wink all night, but it didn't matter. His power was already far beyond the limits of human understanding.
And the results? Satisfying, to say the least.
[EXP +1006]
[EXP +1087]
[EXP +2005]
Of all his servants, Rias was the first to work this relentlessly toward her next level.
She'd fainted over and over—ten times at least—but always came back fighting with unshakable resolve.
As expected of a high-class demon. Perhaps only Esdeath among his servants could match her tenacity.
Well… there was one other who might be even stronger, but he hadn't had the chance to test her yet.
As the thought crossed his mind, a faint murmur reached his ears.
Edgar turned his head just in time to see Rias blinking awake, still hazy with exhaustion.
The moment she stirred, she winced, brows knitting in pain.
"Careful now."
He pulled her close, resting her head against his chest, one hand gently stroking her hair.
Rias let out a soft sigh, the corners of her lips curving upward as she melted into Edgar's gentle embrace.
But almost immediately, she pinched him in mock annoyance, her tone laced with jealousy."Tell me the truth—do you treat the rest of your servants this way too?"
"Of course not. You're my childhood friend. You're special."
Edgar whispered the words against her ear.
A lie, but he wasn't stupid enough to admit it out loud. No point in making things harder for himself.
"Hmph. Sweet talker."
Even so, a flicker of joy betrayed her eyes.
"Oh, right. Here—this is your attribute information. Take a look."
Rias accepted the slip of paper and began to read. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then her eyes widened.
[Eye of Destruction]?
This wasn't just powerful—it was practically an evolved form of her clan's own destructive magic.
Wherever that gaze landed, light itself would collapse and everything would be annihilated.
Such an overwhelming, tyrannical ability…
Her lips curved into a smile as she muttered under her breath,"Perfect. With this power, even a Phenex's so-called immortal body wouldn't stand a chance."
"You're still brooding about your engagement, huh?"
Edgar chuckled and shook his head. "You really don't have to worry. I was planning to deal with it myself."
Rias blinked in confusion.
"You didn't actually think I'd just sit back and let my childhood friend get married off to someone else, did you?"
The reason he hadn't acted earlier was simple—there had been time to spare, and back then his strength wasn't enough.
But now? Things were different.He wasn't invincible yet, but he no longer needed to tread so carefully.
"Don't be reckless," Rias said, touched but worried. "Even as a Maou, there are limits to what you can stir up."
"Relax. I know what I'm doing."
With their bodies still marked from earlier, skipping a bath was out of the question. Feeling sticky and uncomfortable, Edgar kissed her forehead, then headed for the bathroom.
In the Underworld—
At the Phenex family's castle, inside a lavish study, the heir Raval sat behind his desk.
Creak.
The door opened and a man strode in—sharp red suit, no tie, features twisted into a scowl.
Riser Phenex, the third son.
"I told you to go visit your fiancée in the human world, get closer to her. Why haven't you done anything yet?"
Raval's voice was cold. As head of the family, he couldn't afford to be lenient. For the sake of their bloodline, this marriage had to go through.
Riser flopped onto a sofa, crossing one leg over the other with disdain."What's the rush? When the time comes, we'll marry. Simple as that."
Raval shook his head, his expression darkening. "You really think this marriage is set in stone?"
"Even with all the pureblood families backing it, there's no guarantee."
He had reason to worry.
Raval had long since noticed something.
Sirzechs—Rias's brother, one of the Four Maou and a transcendental existence—was far from happy with this engagement.
He hadn't openly opposed it, only played along with the rules. But if the day came when he flipped the board over, those so-called elders would be powerless to stop him.
At the end of the day, this world still bowed to strength.
And just then, in the distant heavens, the clouds exploded apart as a figure descended—
The shadow had already appeared above the Phenex family's castle.
BOOM!
A crushing pressure rolled down like a tidal wave, shaking the very air itself. The massive fortress of the Phenex clan trembled violently, stones groaning as though the walls might collapse.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Inside, countless demons and servants were instantly forced to their knees, trembling uncontrollably under the weight of the overwhelming aura.
"What's happening?! Whose power is this?"
"A Demon King... which Demon King has descended upon the Phenex family?!"
Fear and outrage twisted on every face. The Phenex clan, one of the proud pure-blood houses, had stood with unmatched prestige for centuries. Since the ancient wars, no one had ever dared storm their gates—until now.
Eyes instinctively turned skyward.
There, suspended in midair, stood a figure dressed in the attire of an old-world noble. His sharp features and calm bearing radiated a chilling authority.
"Unknown Demon King," Raval Phenex called out as he rose into the sky with his brother Riser, bowing low despite the burning anger in his chest. "I do not know why you've come to our family's domain. May I ask your purpose?"
The man—Edgar—looked down at them. His gaze fixed on Riser."I'm here for him."
Raval's expression hardened. He shot his younger brother a murderous glare, then spoke in a low, steady voice."If Riser has offended you somehow, then both he and I apologize."
"No need." Edgar's smile was faint, almost kind—yet it sent ice through every soul present. "I don't want an apology. I only want his life."
The words were delivered without joy, without anger, without anything at all. That terrible calmness was more frightening than rage—it was the way one spoke about crushing an insect.
Buzz!
In an instant, Raval's magic flared. A dark red magic circle expanded rapidly, forming a barrier that enveloped the entire Phenex castle.
"May I ask," he pressed coldly, "why you want to kill my brother?"
"Rias is my woman," Edgar answered flatly. "What do you think?"
Raval fell silent. His lips tightened.
But Riser exploded with arrogance."Big brother, stop wasting words with him! I've already sent out a message—reinforcements will be here soon! Then we'll carve him into—"
"Shut your mouth!" Raval roared, cutting him off before he could finish.
He immediately bowed again toward Edgar. "My lord, surely we can discuss this."
"You could have talked before," Edgar replied, his eyes cold. "Now? It's too late."
His hand rose."Ultimate Magic: Lightning Strike."
The sky erupted. A massive glowing circle blazed overhead, and with a crack like the heavens tearing apart, a flood of lightning crashed downward.
KRA-KA-BOOM!
The Phenex clan's barrier shone desperately under the assault, shuddering violently as if seconds from collapse. Inside the castle, countless faces turned pale; ears rang with the deafening roar.
Riser's panicked laugh cut through the chaos."Ha! See that? With this barrier, your attacks are meaningless!"
His manic grin locked on Edgar, but the man did not answer. He only stared back, colder, sharper—like a blade of ice.
A crimson glow flared. On Edgar's arm materialized the legendary gauntlet of the Red Dragon Emperor.
"Boost!"
The voice echoed, each call multiplying his power again and again.
Raval's face drained of color. "That… that's the Red Dragon Emperor's Boosted Gear?! My lord, wait—please, hear me ou—"
He was drowned out by the thunder.
BOOM!
The next strike was several times stronger than the last. The great barrier shattered like glass, torn apart in a blinding flash.
Riser's eyes widened in terror—but before he could even scream, his entire body was swallowed by the storm of lightning.
The air was filled with shrill screams, quickly swallowed by the deafening roar of explosions.
Boom!
Riser plummeted helplessly from the sky, crashing into the ground with a bone-rattling thud.
His body was nothing more than charred remains, yet somehow, he still clung to life.
"I carry the blood of the Phenex. True immortality runs through my veins—you can't kill me!"
He glared at Edgar with wild, furious eyes, still trying to shout defiantly despite his pitiful state.
"Is that so?"
Edgar's face was unreadable. The clear black-and-white of his eyes dimmed until they became an endless abyss.
The power of the Eyes of Destruction made both Riser and Raval shudder instinctively.
A low hum vibrated in the air.
In the next instant, a flash of black light erased Riser completely—body, soul, everything gone without a trace.
Such was the power of the Eyes of Destruction: even the spirit could not escape obliteration.
Once it was done, Edgar turned his gaze to Raval.
"Spare me, my lord," Raval said quickly, bowing with the grace of an old noble demon.
"Riser has offended you in countless ways. His death is no loss. As the heir of the Phenex clan, I also share the blame—but I beg you, please let the family itself go free.
For that, our house is willing to pay any price."
Smart man.
Edgar's eyes glimmered faintly. After a pause, he said, "In that case… I want Raval Phenex."
"..."
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