Rias Gremory was not only the successor to the Gremory Clan but also a pure-blooded devil who inherited the "Power of Destruction."
This trait was originally a hereditary characteristic of the House of Bael, ranked first among the seventy-two pillars. However, the successor of the Bael family in this generation had not inherited it. Instead, a pair of siblings from the Gremory family—whose mother hailed from the Bael family—inherited the trait and subsequently forged immense reputations for themselves.
The elder brother, Sirzechs Gremory, had been famous for centuries. He represented the reformist faction and defeated the devil descendants of the Old Satan Faction. He was subsequently hailed as the new Crimson Satan, taking the name Sirzechs Lucifer, and remains one of the strongest devils in the current Underworld.
The younger sister, Rias Gremory, inherited the Gremory House and was slated to become the next head, known by the title "Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess."
Inheriting the magical traits of the Great King Bael and having a brother who served as a Satan, Rias Gremory's talent was self-evident. In terms of raw power, she was certainly stronger than Sona Sitri, and she was an existence far beyond Leon's reach back when he had first ascended to the rank of High-Class Devil.
Even now, Leon could feel that vast and dangerous magical power within Rias from a close distance. It gave him—someone who had already reached the Ultimate-Class Devil level—a sensation that it was something one should not touch lightly. The strength of the "Power of Destruction" was formidable.
Those with this trait, like Rias, had no need to learn meticulous application techniques. As long as she released her magic, she could destroy everything. Once an ordinary object came into contact with her magic, it would instantly vanish into ash; it was an absolute force that could not be met head-on.
Possessing such a blessed trait, being the princess of the Gremory family, and embodying beauty, a perfect figure, and an elegant temperament, Rias was constantly brimming with confidence. She appeared radiant even when facing Leon. It was no wonder she consistently held the top spot in popularity at Kuoh Academy, becoming an unparalleled idol.
"Let me introduce my servants to you as well."
Rias gestured to the servants behind her.
"Akeno, Yuuto, Koneko, come over here."
At Rias's call, the final three remaining in the office stepped forward together.
"I am the 'Queen' of the Gremory peerage—Akeno Himejima."
The first to speak was a woman with the aura of a Yamato Nadeshiko. She wore her hair in a single ponytail, and her figure and looks were in no way inferior to Rias's. She ranked second in popularity at Kuoh Academy and had been watching with a constant smile.
She was Rias's first devil servant. She had lived in the Gremory household since childhood as Rias's attendant, receiving her education and growing up alongside her. She was Rias's best friend and the person who understood her most.
Like Tsubaki Shinra, Akeno Himejima hailed from one of the five major exorcist clans, specifically the Himejima family. She was also a good friend of Sona Sitri and Tsubaki Shinra, both of whom attended Kuoh Academy in the same year.
Though a servant, as the "Queen" who stood by the side of the "King," she was naturally qualified to be friends with Rias and Sona. Her personal strength was extraordinary; known as the "Priestess of Thunder," she was highly skilled in using lightning-based magic.
"I am the 'Knight' of the Gremory peerage—Yuuto Kiba."
Following her was the only male present before Leon's group had arrived. He had a slender build and handsome features—a classic heartthrob. Like Akeno Himejima, he wore a gentle smile. If he attended Sobu High, he might have been even more popular than the second-year Hayato Hayama, potentially rivaling Leon in popularity.
In fact, at Kuoh Academy—which until recently had been an all-girls school and still leaned heavily toward a female majority—Yuuto Kiba was the most popular male, an idol-level figure in his own right. His presence in this setting was not at all surprising.
Being part of a peerage in such a female-dominated environment as the sole male would be enough to make anyone envious. However, he was different from Leon in one respect: he did not position himself at the center of the circle. He stood respectfully to the side, silently maintaining his status as an attendant.
If Leon was the type who looked like the natural center of a crowd, Yuuto Kiba was the type who clearly preferred not to stick his head out. He wasn't antisocial or isolated, but he was content to be an observer, lacking the inherent leadership aura that Leon possessed.
"————I am the 'Rook' of the Gremory peerage—Koneko Toujou."
The last to speak was a girl with a petite frame who looked more like a middle schooler than a high school student.
The girl had chin-length white hair. her delicate features were devoid of emotion, and her gaze was not particularly lively. Though she was cute, she seemed to be the standard "kuudere" type—silent, heartless, and expressionless.
Naturally, this girl was not a real middle schooler. She was actually the same age as Mahiru Shiina, sixteen years old and a first-year high school student. Ranked fifth in popularity at Kuoh Academy, she was quite well-liked.
However, with his exceptional perception abilities, Leon noticed at first glance that there was an aura of Youkai energy about this girl.
This girl was definitely not human before being reincarnated as a devil—Leon could make such a judgment even without knowing the original story.
Looking at these three Gremory servants, Leon finally understood how others felt when they looked at him.
"Truly... an exceptionally outstanding peerage."
Leon voiced his admiration.
At a glance, these three seemed like devils reincarnated from ordinary humans, but in reality, each was more extraordinary than the last.
"Thank you for the compliment, but it seems inappropriate for you to be the one saying it." Rias arched her brow again and spoke with a half-smile, "Who in the current Underworld doesn't know that the heir of the Eligos House has recruited several extremely talented Sacred Gear users as servants?"
"Even the host of the 'Eternal Ice Princess,' a possessor of a Longinus, is your servant, right?"
Upon hearing this, Leon smiled and gestured toward Yukino Yukinoshita.
"This girl was also my first servant, though unfortunately, she didn't become my 'Queen'."
The eyes of everyone in the room suddenly converged on Yukino Yukinoshita.
Is she the host of the "Eternal Ice Princess," the Longinus wielder of the Eligos peerage?
Everyone's expressions varied.
"I'm terribly sorry for not being your 'Queen'."
Bathed in the gaze of so many people, even Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't remain as calm as usual. However, she maintained a cold expression and retorted to Leon without hesitation.
Asuna Yuuki and Utaha Kasumigaoka quietly glanced at Mahiru Shiina but said nothing.
It seemed that neither the Sitri nor the Gremory families knew that a second Longinus wielder had appeared among Leon's servants...
Leon had no intention of exposing Mahiru Shiina yet, so he ruthlessly pushed Yukino forward as a shield.
"Both of your peerages were reincarnated earlier than mine, so in a way, they are Yukino's Senpais. I'll have to ask you to look after her."
Leon spoke with underlying meaning, causing Rias and Sona to exchange a glance.
"Actually, we are also quite curious about Yukino's current strength," Sona Sitri said as she pushed up her glasses.
"Rather, I am curious about what kind of strength all the servants under your command possess right now..." Rias added with a blooming smile, her words laced with deep intent.
Everyone present understood the meaning behind these two. Suddenly, all eyes were focused on the entire Eligos peerage.
Yukino Yukinoshita and the others were no fools; on the contrary, they were all very clever girls. They instantly understood the meaning behind those words and stares.
"What?" Leon laughed, sounding fearless. "Do you want to try sparring with my servants?"
Sona Sitri said nothing, instead looking toward Rias.
She didn't particularly care about sparring; she was simply curious about the growth rate of the Eligos peerage. Therefore, she chose to hand the decision over to her childhood friend, who was clearly more interested.
She knew her best friend well. Rias had been competitive and spirited since they were children. Combined with her prior interest in Leon's group, she was undoubtedly itching for a match.
Sure enough————
"If possible, I would like to try sparring with you as well."
the "Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess" was indeed bold, actually wanting to challenge Leon, the master himself.
This wasn't a whim; it was a thought she had harbored for a while.
Rias had heard from her brother and Sona that Leon was not the person he used to be. Because of that famous Mutation trait, although he had only recently become a High-Class Devil, he seemed to have undergone a complete transformation. He was no longer the human-devil hybrid who had barely reached High-Class rank before his official debut.
She was naturally competitive, so she really wanted to know what kind of strength this man—whom her brother and childhood friend praised so highly—actually possessed.
This was also a probe.
Just as Sona had said earlier, the relationship between the three could be natural allies or natural competitors. Whether for public or private reasons, Rias really wanted to test Leon.
Leon also felt Rias's fighting spirit, and he found himself quite intrigued.
"Since you put it that way, I also want to see how strong the legendary 'Power of Destruction' truly is."
Leon's sentence ignited the sparks of competition in the room.
"Then let's go to the gymnasium," Sona Sitri announced decisively. "My Sitri peerage will act as referees. How about we have a friendly exchange?"
Leon and Rias nodded together without a moment's hesitation.
"It's a rare opportunity, let's do it."
"A spar is a fine way to enjoy ourselves."
The two spoke in unison, then met each other's gaze, both flashing bold and fearless smiles.
Thus, the group moved together toward the Kuoh Academy gymnasium to meet this sudden clash.