A heavy, stunned silence blanketed the entire arena for several long seconds.
Then the nobles erupted.
Murmurs turned into angry shouts. Faces twisted in outrage and disbelief. No one , absolutely no one had expected the Phenex heir to be so utterly humiliated.
Riser Phenex, the undefeated immortal, had been crushed like an insect in front of the entire Underworld elite.
"Impossible…!"
"That commoner dares—?!"
"This is an insult to the Phenex clan!"
Riser's peerage, stormed down into the arena alongside several members of the Phenex family. Flames roared as they prepared to swarm Silas in a desperate act of revenge.
But the moment they reached the center of the arena.
Silas was gone.
He reappeared instantly in the VIP stands, casually sitting in an empty seat right beside Venelana Gremory. One leg crossed over the other, arm draped lazily over the back of her chair as he leaned in slightly.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet Rias's mother," he said, voice smooth and dripping with flirtatious charm, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
Venelana Gremory , widely known as one of the most beautiful women in the Underworld , turned her head gracefully. Her short, brown hair cascaded like silk, and her striking violet eyes sparkled with amusement. A soft, elegant chuckle escaped her lips.
"Oh? What gave that away?" she asked, clearly entertained.
Silas's smirk deepened as he looked at her with open appreciation.
"Only a Goddess could birth another Goddess."
Venelana's laughter was light and melodic, genuinely amused by his bold flattery. She lightly covered her mouth with the back of her hand, eyes narrowing playfully.
"Oh my… I bet you say that to all the women you meet."
"No," Silas replied without missing a beat, his voice low and sincere. "Quite the opposite, actually. No other woman is as dashing as you."
The flirtation was so smooth and shameless that even some nearby nobles raised their eyebrows.
Zeoticus Gremory, sitting on Venelana's other side, frowned deeply, his hand tightening around his wine glass.
The head of the Gremory household was visibly displeased at watching another man openly flirt with his wife so brazenly.
Meanwhile, down in the stands, Rias, Akeno, Asia, and Koneko were all pouting in unison, cheeks puffed out in clear jealousy.
'Another woman…?' they thought, almost in perfect sync.
Riser's family rushed into the arena, surrounding their fallen heir. Flames of healing wrapped around Riser's broken body as they desperately tried to stabilize him.
His peerage, however, remained standing at the edge of the arena, shooting pure venomous glares toward Silas.
Silas didn't spare them a single glance. Because the next moment, Rias came running.
She sprinted across the arena floor, wedding dress fluttering behind her, tears still streaming down her beautiful face. Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest.
Silas caught her easily, wrapping his strong arms around her waist and pulling her close. He hugged her tightly, one hand gently stroking her crimson hair.
Rias's peerage watched with warm smiles, Akeno, Asia, Koneko, even Kiba looked genuinely happy. Grayfia observed quietly with a soft expression.
Issei, however, clenched his fists, eyes burning with envy.
'I wanna be him right now…!' he screamed internally.
'You will,' Ddraig's deep voice echoed in his mind. 'Just get stronger, partner.'
Issei sighed, a determined fire lighting in his eyes.
'After that… I'll take all his girls!'
Before Silas could say anything, Rias pulled back slightly, looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, and suddenly pressed her lips against his in a deep, passionate kiss.
The entire arena fell into shocked silence once again.
A "nobody" an unknown man with no noble title was kissing the heiress of the Gremory clan right in front of the entire Underworld high society. Many nobles looked outraged, others stunned, some even impressed.
Akeno, Asia, and Koneko didn't protest. They simply watched with soft, knowing smiles. 'Their time would come.'
Silas kissed her back without hesitation, one hand cupping the back of her head, completely unbothered by the hundreds of eyes watching them.
When they finally parted, he leaned in and whispered something directly into her ear, so quietly that no one else could hear.
Whatever he said made Rias's cheeks flush bright crimson. She bit her lip and nodded shyly, a radiant smile blooming on her face.
Sirzechs Lucifer stepped forward, his presence commanding the attention of the entire arena.
"Now that you've won," he announced, voice carrying across the stands, "I shall grant you one wish. The man who defeated the Phenex heir should not leave empty-handed."
Silas gently set Rias down, then turned to face Sirzechs. He noticed the Maou was slightly taller until he glanced down and saw Sirzechs was wearing heeled boots. A small, amused smirk crossed his face.
"I want you to break off Rias's engagement," Silas said clearly.
Sirzechs didn't even hesitate.
"Consider it done!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the entire arena erupted into loud cheers and applause.
Rias's peerage shouted with joy. Rias herself beamed with pure happiness, fresh tears of relief rolling down her cheeks as she hugged Silas's arm tightly.
Venelana clapped elegantly beside her husband, while Zeoticus simply sighed in resignation, though a small smile tugged at his lips.
The Phenex side remained deathly silent, their pride thoroughly shattered.
Silas looked down at Rias, who was still clinging to him, then glanced toward the rest of the girls watching them with eager, expectant eyes.
Zeoticus Gremory stepped forward with a warm, diplomatic smile, raising his hand gracefully.
"Let us all go and celebrate at our manor," he announced. "This calls for a proper feast!"
In the blink of an eye, a massive teleportation circle enveloped the entire Gremory group, Rias's peerage, Grayfia, and Silas.
They vanished from the arena, leaving the stunned nobles and the humiliated Phenex family standing awkwardly in the now-empty wedding hall.
Ravel Phenex, however, had somehow slipped away with the group, the young blonde now standing near the back, looking equal parts embarrassed and relieved.
...
The grand halls of the Gremory manor were quickly transformed.
Servants moved like a well-oiled machine, setting up long tables filled with exquisite food, rare wines, and desserts.
Music filled the air as lights glowed softly across the elegant ballroom. Laughter and cheerful chatter soon echoed throughout the mansion.
Silas stood near a tall window with Sirzechs and Zeoticus, a glass of dark red wine in his hand.
"You're quite the strong individual," Sirzechs said, studying him carefully. "Yet you're not part of any faction in our universe. I'm not even sure you're human."
"I'm not," Silas replied casually, taking a sip. "I thought Grayfia already told you."
Sirzechs chuckled, though there was clear curiosity in his eyes.
"Yes… I heard. Beerus the Destroyer?" He shook his head lightly. "It's just a bit hard to believe."
Zeoticus stepped in, his tone polite but carrying a hint of skepticism.
"Indeed. For someone so young to call themselves a God? I think you might be exaggerating your power just a little."
Silas simply continued smiling, completely unbothered by their subtle belittling. He gave a small, respectful nod.
"I'll go get myself another drink," he said smoothly, excusing himself as he walked away.
The moment he was out of earshot, Zeoticus and Sirzechs began speaking mentally.
'Coward, maybe?' Zeoticus asked telepathically, narrowing his eyes.
'No,' Sirzechs replied. 'He's strong. I genuinely can't measure his full strength. He beat Riser without even breaking a sweat. He's clearly operating in the realm of High-class devils… perhaps even beyond.'
Zeoticus frowned. 'Then why not organize a spar? Let's test him for real.'
Sirzechs smiled faintly. 'I was thinking the same thing. The real question is… will he agree?'
Both father and son turned their heads at the same time.
Their expressions froze.
Silas was now comfortably seated on a luxurious couch between both their wives , Venelana on his right and Grayfia on his left. He was saying something with that easy smirk of his, and both women were laughing softly.
Venelana had a hand lightly resting on his arm, while Grayfia who normally was so cold and composed , had a rare, genuine smile on her face as she listened to him.
The two most powerful and beautiful women in the Gremory household were clearly enjoying his company.
*Crack.*
Both Zeoticus and Sirzechs unconsciously tightened their grip on their wine glasses, the crystal creaking dangerously under the pressure.
Zeoticus's eye twitched.
Sirzechs's usual calm smile became just a little strained.
Meanwhile, across the room, Rias, Akeno, Asia, and Koneko were once again pouting in unison as they watched Silas charm the two older women with effortless ease.
The celebration had only just begun, but the night was already filled with tension, jealousy… and plenty of unspoken competition.
TO BE CONTINUED