23 Start of rating games

Soon the given ten days passed as everyone prepared diligently...

Ken, Wearing a dark shirt tucked under baggy white pants with a sash belt of matching color tightly wrapped around his waist, sighed softly as he looked at everyone with half-closed eyes.

Except for him, others were wearing their regular school uniforms with slight variations in their equipment. Kiba had a gauntlet ready around his wrists as he calmly stood in the other corner of the room.

Koneko was wearing heavy, (Finger-less gloves). the type that martial artists usually use to prevent injuries.

In the center of the room, Rias was sitting with absolute confidence with her with her arms crossed under her breasts. Her eyes were closed, and her face was adorned with a small smile. Beside her, Akeno was calmly preparing tea. And Ken found himself wondering 'Why are they so casual about the match?'

He didn't need anyone else to answer his query, for he already knew what was going on within his 'King's' head, and so he couldn't help but sigh at her naivety.

In the last few days, All the people present in the room had improved to varying degrees. However, Irrespective of the order of who developed more, they all were certain that, they would wipe the floor if they fought against their past selves.

And when anyone over-accomplishes something in a short duration, Spades of confidence follow, Only a few are capable of reigning over that overflowing boldness so that it doesn't translate into arrogance.

It was clear as the ellipsoid earth, that these children aren't among them.

"Is it fine, Buchou?" He knew that the match may start anytime now, there is no use mulling over it now. But stepping into the ring with confidence and over-confidence is completely different. A small word can spell a huge disaster.

Rias stopped sipping the tea that Akeno had just prepared and turned towards Ken, "What do you mean Kenny? We have already completed every preparation and also created a foolproof plan against Riser and his Peerage. And besides, If something unexpected does come up, We already have you, You can just blast Riser away with your boosted gear"

From the side, Akeno added "Don't worry, ken-kun. We have trained day and night for this day and have grown stronger. There is no way we'll lose against anyone"

"Well...that's true....sigh~ forget it" Ken tried to voice his objection but ultimately dropped the topic.

From the side, he felt Someone's hand over his shoulder.

 Ken, looked at Kiba weirdly, who was comforting him with a gentle smile "Let's just do our best in the upcoming match for Buchou" 

"Yeah, yeah..." Ken hurriedly shrugged Kiba's hand and distanced himself, Kiba confusedly tilted his head to the side.

Fortunately, when Kiba was about to voice his confusion, A bright light caught everyone's attention. They simultaneously shifted their gaze toward the familiar phenomenon.

Wearing the same French maid outfit and stoic mask there stood grayfia, she took a moment to look at everyone within the room, and her eyes started roaming from Koneko to the far left, then to Akeno, continuing to roam clockwise, Only stopping for a moment when it landed on Ken.

Her eyes widened slightly when she looked into his sky-blue eyes, A sharp contrast to his previous Dark blue ones. She wondered what had happened in the last few days she hadn't seen him, but quickly shook her head as her gaze hopped off him and settled on Rias.

She nodded her head in acknowledgment of her improvement "I see. Everyone is ready, the Rating game is about to start in ten minutes"

Ken and the others prepare for departure as Grayfia starts explaining about the Rating games– When the time finishes, everyone will be teleported to an artificially created separate dimension to prevent needless destruction. It is also important to note that, after entering the dimension where the fighting will be held, the use of magic circles will be prohibited.

"A separate dimension huh..." Ken raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"yes. It was a devil's technique developed to prevent accidents such as death or permanent cripplement during the Rating games. So when someone is in a critical condition of health, they will be teleported away from the rating games to the infirmary and will be counted as eliminated" Akeno Said.

"Everyone, It's time. please step on the magic circle so that I can send you off"

ken and the others walked up to the circle near grayfia and stood there.

*** *** ***

After being teleported away, Before opening his eyes Ken felt a shift in the air. His eyes fluttered open in a flash "Interesting..."

Just like the first time he visited the underworld, he felt a tingling sensation akin to sand being grained against his skin. But what was different was that, unlike the last time when he could only feel it, this time he saw the demonic energy grating against human skin.

Another thing he noticed was the lack of Divinity. Yes, unlike the human world where even the ground was drenched in the Divinity of Gods, here he didn't even find the speck of Godly powers 'A truly godforsaken land huh...' He chuckled at the irony, that a church-born like him would ever say that.

[I still can't believe you continued to fool everyone into thinking you're a devil]

[Oh, Ddriag! Haven't heard from you in a long time, How have you been?] Ken enthusiastically greeted the Welsh dragon, He then adjusted his imaginary monocles and wisely answered [ I am merely a foolish human, How can I, a fool, fool someone else]

The Dragon scoffed at his puzzling words and asked [So, are you going to use me or not]

 [Why? Aren't you happy at not being used as a tool for once?]

[Stop twisting the words, That's not what I mea–]

{Hello everyone. I am Grayfia, a maid from the House of Gremory and today I will be the arbiter of the Rating match between the House of Gremory and the House of Phoenix.} Grayfia's booming voice cut him off, He walked to the window and peeked out from it towards the bright sky.

{In the name of my Master, Sirzechs Lucifer, I will be keeping my eye on this match. By using both Rias-sama and Raiser-sama's opinions, we created this battlefield which is a replica of the school, Kuou academy, which Rias-sama attends to in the human world.]

"It looks like you were right, Kenny. Riser really chose the School to prove his dominance against you"

he looked back at Rias, who jutted out her breasts, that act did nothing but torment the poor button keeping it together, and replied "Or so it seems"

Yes, Ken had already familiarized Rias that Riser would most likely use something that she is incredibly familiar with, be it- her gremory mansion, or the school in the human world due to his blind confidence in victory, and so he would use this chance to completely humiliate Ken--At least he will try.

In that case, what better way to utterly crush your enemy in their home ground? Keeping that in mind, Rias had prepared a strategy for both scenarios.

{The location where both teams were transported will be their "base". Riassama's "base" would be the Occult Research Cub's clubroom located in the old school building. Raiser-sama's "base" would be the Student Council's room located in the new building. For the [Pawns] to use "promotion", please head to the enemy's base to do it.}

'Wait a sec...what is this [pawn] thing] Upon hearing Grayfia's announcement, Ken found himself questioning

[You are a [pawn] dumbass. Did you seriously forget what she used on you...or should I say, YOU suggested her to use it on you]

'Ah!... Shit, How do I do this promotion thingy' A sudden dread invaded his heart when he thought about the possibility of Someone asking him to use this 'promotion'. 'Should I evolve right now...'

When he let his core absorb the evil pieces Rias used to reincarnate Ken into, Since then he always had the ability to just let the demonic energy modify his body into a devil's physique. But he never did that, despite having a fragile human body--barely capable of fighting a low-level devil.

Heck, the Dragonic heart repeatedly thumping in his chest right now, also had a basic role of amplifying his magical reserves. It should have slowly converted his body to half draconic in the last one-and-a-half month since he converted his heart. That was the only reason, his magical reserves were at the level of High-class.

The lie that he told grayfia wasn't a complete lie, This dead body of Nishimoto Ken that he had transmigrated into was utter trash-- both in physical ability and in magical talent.

He was still, to date pure human in flesh and blood( except Heart). The reason for that was he forcefully tamed both the Draconic energy and the Demonic energy with a tight leash, not letting it change his physique in the slightest.

Ken's reasoning 'Nah...That would disrupt my plan of forcefully evolving the Boosted gear to achieve a 'Balance Breaker''

His goal was that 'If I can't take the backdoor of Extreme emotions to achieve the Bug in the system, Then I'll break the front door by Fucking overloading the system with Data'

That wasn't the only reason though, He also didn't want the Devil's weakness to light magic. Before his little awakening some days ago, he was trying several combinations and possibilities to use his own ability to generate light energy and mix it with demonic energy. so when he evolves like a freaking Pokemon, He shouldn't be merely a devil, but a devil immune to Light magic

'I mean, come on...! Who doesn't like the concept of a freaking Nephilim! No matter how overused cliche it may be. Also...The starter pack comes with some cool-ass wings'