The main room of the Occult club’s base had been turned into an unofficial theater. They brought in a large TV and had a couch and four chairs facing it. Rias’s whole peerage was there with her.
More than a few of them winced as they watched Kurama, in her fox form, bite Geza Furfur’s arm clean off.
“That didn’t feel like a match,” Kiba said.
“Was that Geza guy weak?” Issei asked. “Or is Kurama just really strong?”
“The second, I think,” Elmenhilde said, sitting next to him on the floor, their backs resting against the couch.
Asia was sitting on the other side of Issei, covering her face with both hands. When she heard the footage stop playing, she peaked out.
“Did she have to hurt them so badly?” Asia wondered.
Akeno leaned forward. “That kind of devil only respects strength. If she had been gentler with him, she would have been looked down on in the future. Sometimes, it’s best to be a little sadistic.”
Akeno’s giggles gave away that she had a streak of that within herself.
“I doubt that Kurama was thinking about all of that,” Kiba said thoughtfully. “Although we haven’t met many times, I have the impression that she enjoys fighting this way.”
“She is a dependable ally,” Xenovia said. “Even if she often indulges in the sin of wrath. And greed. And sloth. Ah, and pride, too.”
“My, she’s close to a full set!” Akeno cooed.
Rias wasn’t listening very closely to the conversation. She was staring at the TV, which had frozen after Kurama’s victory was proclaimed. Well, they called in Naruto’s victory, but his Queen was the only one who’d fought.
They hadn’t been able to watch the match when it was being held thanks to school, so what they’d been watching was a replay. Rias picked up the remote and rewound the recording back to the battle’s climactic moment.
The Furfur clan’s special ability wasn’t a particularly flashy one, yet it was practical nonetheless. They could cast magic much faster than other clans. Stacking spells, chaining spells together the way that another devil wouldn’t be able to without training, and even enhancing their projectiles to move faster. Rias’s brother had mentioned at one point that the ability actually had to do with time, although they could only work the effects on their own spells.
As soon as Geza entered the space themed arena, he had unloaded an entire barrage of intense magic. Not only did lightning, fire, earth, water, and ice all fire at Kurama, they traveled at a much higher speed than those projectiles should.
Geza’s remaining peerage members took defensive positions around him. They would give him time to cast, making use of his proficient magical abilities and the bloodline he inherited. If Rias fought him one against one, she would lose. His strategy was sound and made the best of what he had.
None of that stopped Kurama from walking straight through his attacks like they were a trifling breeze. A swing of her massive paw launched two different peerage devils all the way into the wall, disabling them. Her fangs glinted in what HAD to be a sadistic smile.
Rias squeezed the armrest beside her, watching the beatdown.
She was completely absorbed in what she was watching until a long finger with a sharp nail dug into her side.
“What is THAT thoughtful face about, hm?” Akeno asked.
Rias focused on her friend, giving a smile that she was afraid would come off as tired.
“I’m just thinking of how far behind we are,” Rias said.
She and Sona had worked hard their whole lives to grow into strong devils who could achieve their dreams. They learned tactics, strategies, trained their peerages, studied past Rating Game matches—they did everything they could.
At some point, people started calling them part of the Rookies Four. It was a fancy name that made her feel like her efforts were bearing fruit.
Now, she was seeing that it had all made her complacent.
Geza Furfur had trained. He had a full peerage whom he trusted. He employed tactics and strategy.
Only for it all to be crushed by one monstrous fox far too strong for anything to come close to working.
“I think that I see the problem,” Akeno said. “But Rias… What are we going to do about that?”
Rias, for a moment, could only stare.
“Get stronger?” she said.
“I like the answer. Say it more firmly,” Akeno said. “Really, it seems quite straightforward. Look at dear Issei.”
She poked the back of the Pawn’s head with her toes, making him hiss out of irritation.
“A few months ago, he was as weak as an ordinary person,” Akeno said. “A few days ago, he defeated a dragon. Do you plan to stop getting stronger, Issei?”
“No!” Issei flexed, patting the bicep on his right arm. “I’m gonna get so strong, Master won’t have anything left he can throw at me!”
“Master” was Naruto. Issei, for all that he liked to grumble about the blond devil, had referred to him this way ever since the two went for their “man to man” chat off the coast of the beach.
Akeno nodded, before leaning over to Rias.
“I don’t plan to stop either,” Akeno whispered to her friend, holding her hand up like she was sharing a deep secret. “If we’re weak now, there’s only one solution. I’ve already done it before. I’ll train and reach new heights, just like I did when you gave me my second chance.” Akeno leaned back, smiling at Rias. “So let’s give it our all!”
Rias’s lips twitched. Soon, she found herself smiling. She pressed the power button and turned off the television, since they’d already seen the footage. Rias raised one of her fists in the air.
“As your King, consider this a command!” she said, her heart resolute. “From now on, we’ll get stronger together, until we can stand on our own two feet!”
Issei and Akeno gave cheers as they raised their fists. Everyone else raised their fists with different expressions. Kiba was smiling; Xenovia’s face was determined; Elmenhilde seemed quietly motivated; Asia was nearly bursting, she looked so committed to what her king had challenged her to do.
“That’s the spirit!” someone said.
A red glow filled up the room along with the voice. Rias spun around, seeing a teleportation circle activate. From it, a familiar face with long red hair appeared, followed by the ever beautiful Grayfia.
“How’s my favorite sister doing?” Sirzechs Lucifer asked. “I had a few things to talk about, so I thought I’d pay a visit!”
LINE BREAK
Rias expected it, but the things Sirzechs had come to talk about called for a bit of privacy. Leaving her peerage behind, the two of them went to talk in one of the old conference rooms from when the building had been in use as Kuoh Academy’s schoolhouse.
The room was in a dark state. They were relying on light coming in the window, originating from a late afternoon sky that was already getting dimmer.
“It’s always nice to see earth’s sky,” Sirzechs said, looking out the window. “I’ve always enjoyed it more than our artificial one.”
“Brother, what did you come all the way here for?” Rias asked.
“I can’t check on my cute little sister? You’re wounding me, Rias!”
“You need a good reason to visit with your usual schedule,” Rias said. “Please. Dragging it out is making me nervous.”
Sirzechs sobered up. The two of them were sitting across from each other around a small table. Sirzechs leaned his weight forward, resting his elbow on top of the table. “Dad wanted to pass a message.”
“He could have called me himself,” Rias said.
“He was going to, I think, until Mom stopped him. She’s worried that you’re angry with them.”
“I see,” Rias said carefully.
“The Phenex Family is in a decent bit of turmoil right now, from what I’ve heard,” Sirzechs said. “Their youngest son showed he was a prodigy, one of the greatest ones the Underworld has ever seen, then went and cut contact. The third son is the only one who’s talked to him since then, and from what I hear, the second son had a disagreement with Lord Phenex in the last few days. The heir is running trying to play peacemaker without knowing where to start. Whatever Lady Phenex is feeling, speaking to her scared mom. She’s worried that you’re going to follow Naruto’s lead.”
“No,” Rias said. “I wouldn’t do that.”
Her voice was slightly subdued, though. She was telling the truth; unlike Naruto, she was the Gremory heir, with responsibilities because of that. Besides, that wasn’t her personality. While he wouldn’t hesitate to go his own way… Rias wasn’t brave enough (or foolish enough, depending on your perspective) to go that far.
“All the same, that’s what Mom has been thinking,” Sirzechs said. “So, since I’m not in the doghouse, I get to play messenger!”
“And that message is?” Rias asked.
“The engagement has been officially annulled,” Sirzechs said. “That was always the agreement, sure, but now the paperwork is done. You’re free, Rias. Congratulations!”
“Thank you,” Rias said. She sighed, and ended up saying it again, relaxing in the presence of her brother. “Thank you. I’m so glad that’s over.”
“I’m not sure why you’re thanking me,” Sirzechs said. “You won that freedom for yourself without my help. You and a certain troublemaking Phenex.”
There was an awful lot of fondness in Sirzechs’ voice when he brought up Naruto, which gave Rias a sudden flashback.
She saw it all over again, the way she had in her dreams ever since that day: Naruto framed in the sky, grinning, his blue eyes and spiky yellow hair making him look electric, playing with her heart.
Rias clammed up, which was a mistake. Sirzechs leaned forward. He’d picked up on something.
“What’s wrong, Rias? Someone on your mind?”
“No.” Rias forced her face to clear. “I wasn’t thinking about anything. Carry on where you were.”
To her surprise, Sirzechs looked disappointed.
“For a moment, I thought you might’ve had a crush,” Sirzechs said. “That’s a shame.”
“Why is it a shame!?” Suddenly, without being able to help herself, Rias had raised her voice. She cleared her throat and carried on more quietly. “Naruto is a good friend. I’m aware of everything he’s done for me, even if he also benefitted, and I’m deeply thankful for his efforts. That’s all.”
If only her damn voice didn’t crack at the end.
“I knew I sensed something,” Sirzechs smirked.
Rias glared at him, even though it was herself she was actually frustrated with.
“It doesn’t matter now anyway,” she said, a bit loudly. “We fought and ended the engagement, so that’s all that there is to it. What else could there be left to talk about?”
To Rias’s consternation, Sirzechs let out a big and disappointed sigh, followed by a shake of his head. He paused, looked at her, then sighed again.
Rias’s eye twitched, irritation rising inside of her. “What?”
“Rias,” Sirzechs said slowly, “why, exactly, did you hate the engagement so much?”
“Because our parents went ahead and decided MY life, all on their own,” Rias said immediately. “Because they decided they could control who I love. Because without any say from me, they picked someone before I was even born, like I was some broodmare.”
“In other words, you fought to choose who you love,” Sirzechs said.
“Yes,” Rias said immediately. “That’s it!”
Sirzechs leaned forward, looking flatly at her, an amused half smile on his face. “You’ve won now. So you get to choose.”
Rias blinked. It all fell together inside of her head. This WAS what she and Naruto fought for.
She could choose him, and he might not choose her back. If they chose each other, tried their best, but it didn’t work in the end… They could move on. The choice was theirs. ALL the choices were theirs!
“Finally realized?” Sirzechs asked. He laughed, leaning back. “As long as you get it, Ria. I’ll be rooting for you!”
He flashed thumbs up.
“Why do you like him so much?” Rias asked. “Normally, you’ve always hated the idea of boys getting close to me.”
“I guess Naruto kind of reminds me of me,” Sirzechs admitted. “All that potential, but somehow it doesn’t go to his head. I don’t know how he does it. If I didn’t have Ajuka around to challenge me, I would’ve gotten such a big head! But Naruto didn’t turn out like that. He’s wiser than he should be at his age. When he told me he’s coming for my title?” Sirzechs laughed deeply. “I’ll be cheering for him! I could use a nice peaceful retirement.”
“It seems like you have plenty of time right now, if you came all this way to give your sister a pep talk and pass one message,” Rias said.
“Does it seem that way? I actually worked pretty hard to be here! I cleared my schedule,” Sirzechs said. His smile faded. “I really wanted to see you, after all.”
Rias felt a sudden sense of tension. “There’s something else.”
“Nothing is certain yet,” Sirzechs said. A dark look crossed his face. “If it WAS certain, I wouldn’t just be visiting. Do you remember the devil who managed this territory before you?”
“She was from the Belial Clan,” Rias said. “She was killed.”
“By the church,” Sirzechs said. “After, they left Kuoh, perhaps worried about retaliation. Until recently, when agents of heaven have been noted moving around the territory. They aren’t here yet. But the chances are, they’re plotting something.”
“Here?” Rias said. “With Sona and I here? Are they insane?”
Even the most bloodthirsty exorcists would know that war would follow if Rias or Sona were harmed. It would tear the world apart as the Three Factions did battle with each other again on a massive scale. That was…
“We don’t know what they want,” Sirzechs said. “At the moment, we’re working off of a handful of vague reports and a tipoff from an anonymous source. Just be careful, Rias. Don’t travel alone. And carry this with you.”
Sirzechs slid a paper across the table toward her. It had a magical circle sketched onto it.
“Tear it at the first sign of danger,” Sirzechs said. “It will alert me. If it should come to that, I’ll be here and I’ll put a stop to it. Results be damned.”
His voice sounded raspy for a moment, like that of a monster. Even though he was acting out of concern for Rias, she couldn’t help shivering. Her brother’s power was so immense that a tiny taste could be off putting.
“I’ll keep it on me,” Rias said. “And I’ll keep my eyes open. Should I tell Sona?”
“Serafall already handled that. Meet with her, though,” Sirzechs said. “Make sure you’re on the same page.”
“Of course.”
“Well, then, that covers everything!” As quickly as his serious mood arrived, it disappeared. Sirzechs hopped to his feet, smiling. “Grayfia’s already going to pinch me for how much time this trip took.”
After just three steps, Sirzechs stopped. He glanced at Rias with a twinkle in his eye.
“I noticed that you had a teleportation circle prepared downstairs,” Sirzechs said. “What’s that for?”
“A trip,” Rias said.
“Where to?” Sirzechs asked casually.
“The Underworld. Lucifaad,” Rias added a moment later.
“And what are you going there for?”
“A party,” Rias said stiffly. “It was Kuroka’s idea. Naruto and I decided our peerages deserved a chance to celebrate. We set it up right after the Rating Game.”
“A party in Lucifaad, with Naruto and his peerage… Good luck!” Sirzechs smirked.
Rias groaned as soon as he’d slipped out of the room, laying her forehead on the table. She knew he would tease her about that.
Although, the longer she thought about it, after the conversation earlier, Rias came to the conclusion that good luck might be exactly what she needed.
“Thanks,” she muttered, even though her brother had already departed.
Then she got up, starting to pace, as she considered an extremely important question.
Not what to do about the church.
The question occupying Rias’s whole attention was:
“What am I going to wear to the celebration?”