Chapter 27

An entire week had passed... Issei had decided to spend time with his family and Artemis, who would frequently visit. Each day Artemis would show up, Issei would notice that her reputation for him was increasing... he never checked what her reputation for him could be described as, but he knew that she was very fond of him.

"Issei... How about we watch the newest horror movie together in the theatre?" Artemis asked while noticing Issei was staring into the ceiling.

"A new movie... horror... Sure, this will be fun." He was really looking forward to her screaming and crying... this was going to be a very fun moment.

After a little bit of time to travel and sit down with their popcorn in hand to watch the movie. Issei watched as Artemis was very excited to watch this movie...

A couple of minutes into the film... and she was sitting on his lap and hugging him tightly to hide from the movie. "ISSEI! I DON'T WANT TO WATCH THE MOVIE ANYMORE!"

Doing what he did best... he simply continued watching the movie as he hugged her. This woman was very confusing... He was just going to be a very good friend.

Placing her down, Issei turned to her and spoke, "Don't watch the movie because of the scare... watch it for the goofy parts. For example, the scary monster in the movie is just a cuddly teddy bear with bad breath."

Trying to soothe her fear out, Issei watched as Artemis nodded slightly. After a few hours... Artemis was just hiding her face into his chest... Artemis was quite clingy to him... this has been happening for the past couple of days.

Issei didn't think much of it. She was just like this naturally... right?

After arriving back in his house... Artemis decided to leave... that was when he noticed that another presence was in front of his house. Noticing Sirzechs in front of his house, he was confused. "Lucifer... what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to invite you... to Rias's first rating game. She wanted me to invite you to watch the rating game from the VIP section."

Staring blankly at him, Issei responded, "What the hell is a rating game?"

"Oh... it's like a game of chess... alright, let me cut to the chase. It's where a team fights against another team in a specific area. Their combat abilities will be showcased and the winner will be the last team standing."

"Like a team death match?"

"Without the death part... yes."

"... Do I have to go?"

Sirzechs laughed at this, "Rias really wanted you to come... it would make her day to show up... Plus, she wants to showcase her abilities to you."

Issei really didn't want to come...

...

...

He was going to figure out a way to get back at Sirzechs after this. Not only did Sirzechs promise him food, but he also said that he would get free drinks... The food was just a simple piece of bread...

Issei's disappointment was immeasurable and his day was ruined.

That was when the rating game began...

Rias was standing on top of a replica building of her Occult Building. With her hair being tied into a pony tail and her dress being more appropriate for battle, some armor and a proper sword, she stood proud and tall in front of Riser's peerage from the distance.

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Name: Rias Gremory

Race: Pure Devil

Title: Heir to the House of Gremory

Level: 52

HP: 2600/2600

MP: 3750/3750

STR: 56 (+10)

AGL: 50

END: 48 (+4)

INT: 64 (+25)

Bonus: +30% Magic Damage

 +20% Damage Reduction

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Rias was far stronger now... Issei smirked, seeing the fact that Rias was wearing a proper suit that can defend much better against attacks, she was learning from her mistakes against the knight. Sirzechs noticed this and smiled in pride knowing that her little sister was going to definitely win this game. Issei sat down in the VIP section, away from anyone to make sure that no one would notice his presence.

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Name: Riser Phenex

Race: Pure Devil

Title: Heir to the House of Phenex

Level: 52

HP: 2800/2800

MP: 3100/3100

STR: 62

AGL: 52

END: 46 (+10)

INT: 52 (+10)

Bonus: +2% HP regeneration per second

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Issei knew that Rias should have an easy time with this... Her peerage members seemed to be more powerful as well.

That was when the rating game began. Rias rushed in to fight against Riser while her peerage members disbanded and rushed to deal with the other peerage members.

The first member to be tested... Was Kiba. His breaths were shallow, running as fast as he could, he didn't want to let his King down. Around him, the silhouettes of five formidable women emerged from the swirling dust, their presence as ominous as the darkening sky above. Mihae, Karlamine, Isabela, Lle and Nel were in front of Kiba.

Two of the women wielded chainsaws, their blades glistening with a sinister hunger for battle. "We won't let you get any fur-" Kiba interrupted them by rushing in with his many swords around. Transforming the ground below the women into sword, all five of them backed away.

Rushing in, Kiba grabbed one of the swords from the ground and swung. Lle tried to use her chainsaw to deflect the blow, but Kiba was just using the initial swing as a distraction as Koneko came from behind the women and slammed her fists right into the head of the women. Immediately, the woman was eliminated from the Rating Game.

Looking at each other, Kiba and Koneko nodded as they sensed the presence of Nel and Isabela coming in. Kiba ducked as he dodged a swinging chainsaw coming to cut him horizontally and countered with his own sword, which he quickly formed from the ground, and stabbed it straight into the woman's gut.

Koneko wasn't holding back either as she was able to dodge the sword coming from behind her as Isabela was coming in for the one-shot end shot. However, Koneko, with her raw strength, struck her feet straight into the ground hard. And shot herself straight up, slamming her fist straight into Isabella's head and knocked her out.

Another one eliminated... This left Riser's peerage down three members. Kiba quickly threw a couple swords towards the other two women... Taking his chance, he rushed in, pressuring the two women to back up.

Grabbing their respective weapons, they were readying up their own counter play against Kiba, but that was when Akeno shot her two lightning bolts straight at the two and easily eliminated them. Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko had trained to fight together to prepare for their fight. They weren't getting any special training like their master, but that didn't stop them from making sure they were ready for this battle.

"Akeno... Left... Koneko... Middle... I'll come from the side." Nodding, Kiba rushed from the right, "Formation trio of danger... Commence!"

With that... Issei watched as Rias's peerage was beginning to quickly cut down on Riser's numbers.

...

...

However, what Rias's peerage didn't account for was the fact that Riser's queen was far stronger than the rest of the pieces.

With her being the only piece remaining on Riser's side, she decided to go out with a bang. Shooting all her magic into the proximity of where Rias's peerage was, she was able to take down herself and Rias's peerage, excluding Rias, with relative ease. Talk about a kamikaze.

"This is just perfect..." Rias scoffed, "Your Queen did have a special attack hidden underneath."

Riser wasn't fairing any better as he was being humiliated in this game. He never thought that the match would come down to him fighting against Rias.

Rushing right at Rias, he was going to use brute force into defeating her. He needed to do this for his family... for the sake of the devils...

Rias dodged the first blow and nailed Riser straight in the face with her fist. Stunning him, Rias swung her blade. However, she was not expecting for Riser to shoot flames out of his mouth. Blasting her back, Rias instantly shot a beam of destruction straight at Riser. Hitting him in the chest, Riser scoffed and ran to Rias.

The battle between Riser and Rias escalated quickly, their powers seemingly matched as they exchanged blow for blow. Riser, fueled by a sense of duty to his family and the devil's pride, lunged forward with renewed vigor, his fists engulfed in a fiery aura. Rias, her crimson hair a stark contrast against the chaos, met his assault with equal ferocity, her hands crackling with arcane energy.

"I do this for our race... For our name! I will win this and bring glory to our race!" Riser continued enhancing his flamed fist as he began empowering his body with the flames of his clan.

"I will win and make this a precedent to all those in arranged marriages... For my freedom and the freedom of many others!" Rias began glowing a powerful and radiant crimson aura.

As Riser's flames met Rias's force field, the air around them shimmered with heat and power. They were locked in a dance of destruction, each strike more desperate than the last. Riser's punches, swift and heavy, were parried by Rias's deft movements, her counters sharp and precise. The ground beneath them cracked, testament to their might. Rias's sword was long melted, but she didn't need that when she had the advantage in power. However, Riser quickly intercepted her attempt at empowering her body with more destruction, blasting her straight in the face with flames from his eyes, Rias was stunned. Taking this chance, Riser shot a huge wave of flames that took shape of a Phoenix. Rias could only watch this in horror as her entire body was engulfed.

An explosion the magnitude of mountainous earthquakes echoed through the area as Riser was only laughing. "I knew you couldn't beat me..." However, he was met with a powerful beam of pure radiant crimson light blasting his entire body. Rias, seen through the smoke with her entire body covered in burn marks and blood, was shooting a huge beam of destruction with all her magic. She knew that this was her only chance in winning... However, she quickly noticed that Riser wasn't going to quit. Another Phoenix was forming at the end of her beam... colliding and pushing back her beam, Rias began applying all her energy and strength... her sweat, her tears, her will into this to only match Riser.

Neither yielded, their eyes locked in a silent vow to emerge victorious. In that instance... As the two were nearly at the end of their magical capabilities... Issei noticed, same with Sirzechs, as they were more keened on watching Riser since they had a feeling that something was going to happen... Rias was supposed to win... her beam was beginning to slowly push Riser's Phoenix back a little...

That was when they noticed something...

'I will not lose... I will not allow for myself to disgrace my family... I will not allow myself to fail my race... Rias... you may want to be selfish, but I want to be grateful to my family.' Riser pulled out a vial of Phoenix tears and drank the entire bottle... 'I'm sorry... but I must win.'

In normal circumstances, this wouldn't have been an issue... However, the entire bottle being consumed was illegal in the duration of a Rating Game. A single Phoenix Tear would be able to allow for a person to greatly heal... a whole bottle would allow for the user to reach their peaks again.

In that instance, not many were paying attention to Riser, he was able to push with maximal energy once more. Easily overtaking Rias's magical beam and engulfing her with flames once more...

"Rias... has been eliminated."

"That cheating bastard..." Sirzechs gritted his teeth...

While Issei was sitting there with a distaste of what happened. There was just something about Riser cheating in such an honorable battle that threw him off in the wrong...