Time Enough to Rule, Act I: The Devil of Audacity (Patreon)

"Magical Girl Sera-tan is here~~☆!!"

Serafall makes sure to enter the viewing room with the appropriate amount of flair, using her oft practiced illusion magic to cover her entrance with just the right amount of sparkles.

As expected, there are a number of varied responses from the various Devils gathered, but she would be lying if she said she was paying any real attention to any of them. 

Instead, all she heard after making her glorious entrance was the long suffering groan of her adorable little sister! She's so cuuute!~

"Beautiful So-tan☆~~!" She yells as she leaps across the lavishly decorated room, crossing its twenty metre floor length in a single bound and crashing right into Sona so as to hug her cute little sister against her chest. "I missed you so muuuch! Did you miss your big sister too? We should just get married so we can be together forever!"

"Sera!" Her adorable little sister exclaims, still trying to pretend that she doesn't also like their sisterly bond. "Get. Off me!"

"Waaah! Zechy! So-tan doesn't love me anymore!" Sera immediately whines once her sister pushes her away, well, not that Sona could actually move her if she didn't want to be moved.

Turning her attention to the side, she gives Sirzechs a pitiful look, to which he smiles placatingly, long used to this act.

People look up to their leaders for an example to follow. It's why if you are a leader, you have to always seem calm and in control, even if you're not. Because if someone sees their boss panicking, then it will make them panic too.

The Devil race has a long history of being the worst kind of scum. Because of this, it is important for them, as the New Satans, to appear casual and friendly. Normally it would be better for a leader to appear stern and serious, but once again they are being stymied by their past.

The reputation of their kind is simply too low. People might not be convinced that they've truly changed if they still act even slightly the same. So they need to appear chill. A normal leader would want to be at least a little bit scary so that they get taken seriously. For them it is the exact opposite. They need people to stop being scared of them and stop taking them so seriously.

Which is why she allows Sirzechs to placate her as if she is an unruly child and he is some older brother figure, even though he is definitely not cute enough to be her sibling like Sona.

With all that said, she won't deny that it is a little bit unnecessary for her to go as far as she has with the whole plan of appearing non-threatening.

But she just can't help herself~! Not only is it just really fun to act like a Magical Girl, to the point she even got the humans to make anime about it, but by acting like this she can make her adorable little sister give such cute reactions!

Then there is also the immense joy she gets by the thought of how those old fossils and pretentious lowlifes who follow the Old Satans must react to her antics. Sometimes just imagining how the original Leviathan would react to her acting this way under his name is all it takes to lift her mood in the morning.

And her mood is certainly something that needs lifting.

Not to say that she is upset, but more that she is concerned.

Glancing about the room, she takes it in properly now that the 'show' has ended.

It is obviously obscenely luxurious by human standards, and even by Devil standards, it could be called a little bit excessive. But she was born a Sitri and is literally a Satan. This level of excess is something she barely even notices.

Inside the room are a number of Devils, all seated roughly together, with the wine-red sofas all placed to be facing the same side of the room, where a wall has been replaced entirely by glass, allowing everyone in the room to clearly overlook the empty stadium below.

Well, empty of a show. The stands are packed full to bursting with Devils, and even a number of species from other Factions, though she wished there would be more. Perhaps once the peace treaty between the other Biblical Factions goes through, they might see more tourists and migrants. Alas, their originally planned meeting got briefly delayed, such is the nature of politics. As the Satan in charge of foreign affairs, she naturally wants more Factions to feel comfortable visiting for events such as this. 

After all, the Youth Devil Rating Game Tournament isn't an event that happens just every year. In the first place, it's rare for there to be enough young Devil Heirs and Heiresses to actually fill out a full tournament bracket, and even then, they need to actually be strong enough to put on a show, otherwise there's no point to it.

Normally, that would make this a good thing. But Serafall has a bad premonition that this Time there is going to be a bit too much of a show.

In fact, looking around, she can see that the Devil youths present in the room have split into two halves. On one side is Riser Phenex, Diodora Astaroth, Zephyrdor Glasya-Labolas, Maxurias Shax and their respective Queens. Four Devils who are rather impressive for their age, though nothing truly outstanding. 

It doesn't really surprise her to note that the room seems to have split into the likely loser bracket and the winner bracket. As Devils, they are sensitive to power, which makes it so that Devils tend to congregate with those of similar strength. Kind of like how humans tend to gather together with the other humans that wear the same kind of clothes as them.

On the other side of the room is her adorable So-tan with her Queen, Tsubaki Shinra by her side. On the next sofa over is Rias Gremory with her Queen, Gasper Vladi, and finally there is also Sairaorg Bael with his Queen, Kuisha Abaddon.

It's after noticing this that she realises that the cause for her bad premonition just happens to be the only one not present.

Yet, as if summoned by the thought, the door to the room swings open, garnering the attention of everyone in the room.

Inside walks a girl of similar age to the other young Kings present at around eighteen years old. Despite her youth, her figure is mature, even more so than Serafall's own, something she is definitely not jealous about. Her face is sharp and angular, set into a stern expression of impassiveness that matches the glasses she wears and her hair is long, straight and a lovely light shade of green.

Distinctly, she wears an immaculately pressed and tailored bespoke suit suit and tie that hugs her figure like a lover. To finish the look, she has a matching overcoat hanging off of her shoulders.

As she steps into the room, her crimson eyes pass over everyone without seeming to truly acknowledge any of them. Remaining impassive until her sight lands on Rias, whereupon a slight smile graces her lips, one that inspires a similar smile and a slight blush from Rias.

The interaction makes Serafall's smile start to feel strained.

Seekvaira Agares. The final participant of this Youth Devil Rating Game Tournament, and the sole cause for Serafall's concern.

As Seekvaira enters, a figure follows behind her. But other than assuming that this figure is Seekvaira's Queen, Serafall cannot tell much about them, as they are covered head to toe in a long brown hooded cloak. 

The part that worries her so, however, is the fact that she cannot even tell anything through her magical senses. This by itself shouldn't be a big deal, but she is a Satan. She should be able to see through all of these kids' power as well as their Queens'. She certainly can with the others, that's why it's so clear to her the difference in power between the two groups.

Yet she cannot see through Seekvaira's strength. She has no idea how strong the girl is. Again, this normally wouldn't matter, as Seekvaira is only eighteen years old, so even if Serafall can't sense her power, she obviously won't be as strong as Serafall herself is.

Serafall has obviously heard the rumours of Seekvaira's prodigal mastery over her Clan Trait, Time, but again, so what? There have been many Agares before her, and even with the power of Time, none of them have ever been particularly powerful. After all, unlike in the movies, it's not like Time travel is actually something that can be done.

To actually travel through Time, one would have to turn back the clock for the entire universe. Ergo, all that can truly be done with Time is using it somewhat like a Barrier Technique that manipulates the Time inside of a set range, and with a power like this, there has never been an Agares to reach her own levels of power, let alone Sirzechs or Ajuka.

Perhaps that would be what she would have though had she not been in a meeting with the girl just a mere couple of weeks ago. And therein lies the main reason behind Serafall's professional concern here.

In the past, the only thing that made Serafall wary of Seekvaira was how close the girl was to her dear baby sister. She knows that the green-haired woman has already seduced poor little Rias, and she has since been doing her best to protect her adorable So-tan from the evil Devil's seductions ever since.

Even among Devils, Seekvaira can be said to be an exceptional seductress. Not only is she incredibly attractive by Devil Standards, which naturally makes her a peerless beauty among humans, but she is known to be very convincing and good with her words. A true silver tongue.

Aside from Serafall's suspicions of Seekvaira's relationship with Rias, because it is technically just a suspicion without any evidence, there is also a rumour that she has seduced Ravel Phenex too! Naturally, she could not allow her cute little sister fall into the evil clutches of such a lascivious woman!

Only Serafall has the right to glorious So-tan's body!!

However, perhaps it was her mistake to have focused so much on sexy Sona's safety, as absurd as that is to think. But maybe then, she might not have been caught so off guard when Seekvaira finally decided to discard the mask of someone who is satisfied with what she has.

For the past eighteen years, Seekvaira has proven to be an interesting Devil, but not an unpredictable one. She was clearly born for politics, as the only Times Seekvaira has even been seen is during social and political events.

No one has ever seen her fight or show off her magic. No one knows who is in her Peerage or even how full it is. All Serafall knows is that she clearly loves playing politics, and that she is really good at it, to the point that just last month she was considering offering Seekvaira employment as an intern with a clear route to becoming a secretary or ambassador in the future.

However, there is no longer any doubt in her mind that Seekvaira is an ambitious Devil, and that can either be a good thing, or a very very bad thing for her. But what it means for certain, is that Seekvaira would never accept working under her, or anyone else for that matter. That much was clear from the one conversation she's had with the young Devil.

It all started twenty days ago, when Lord Agares abruptly decided to step down as the Lord of the Agares clan, allowing his Heir, Seekvaira Agares, to take the mantle of Lady Agares.

It's not unheard of for Devils to step down from their Lordship. In fact, with their lifespans, it's honestly about an even split between Lords stepping down or dying for their Heirs to take their position.

However, Agares is one of, perhaps even the most important Devil House in the Underworld. Such a sudden and unexpected development without a single word or signal of warning was not a fun situation to deal with, politically speaking.

This also makes Seekvaira the youngest ever Devil to be the head of her house without the cause being the deaths of every other available candidate.

But still, it's not too big of a deal, right? Pillar Houses have changes in leadership fairly frequently, it's nothing new, even if the situation this Time is a little bit special.

If only it were that simple.

Fifteen days ago, Seekvaira, as the Head of House Agares, asked for a meeting with Serafall and Sirzechs as the Satans of Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs respectively.

Naturally, as the ruler of a Noble House of Devils, she would then have the right to ask for meetings with a Satan, so long as the reason is something that actually relates to their jobs as Satans.

But even if that were not the case, she and Sirzechs would still have had no real choice but to come at her call. Because the House of Agares is the second highest ranking of all the Pillar Houses, an Archduke just below the House of Bael.

Additionally, Agares is probably the most wealthy House in the Underworld. With their monopoly on Agreasite—the material used in the creation of Evil Pieces—they are practically a strategic resource all by themselves.

With all of that compounding together, Serafall couldn't even complain when the newly ascended Lady Agares summoned half of the Satans as if they were servants that should come at the ringing of a bell. Whether she knew it or not, Seekvaira certainly did have the ability to treat them in a way no one else can.

Going into the meeting, Serafall didn't know what to expect. There were too many possibilities and too little information to even begin to guess. A simple greeting? Discussing new reforms, as fresh leaders are oft wont to do? Power getting to her head? She couldn't guess. Not that she ever would have guessed correctly anyway.

Fifteen days ago, Seekvaira Agares, as the Head of House Agares, officially withdrew from the New Satan Faction and declared her House as a neutral, unaffiliated party.

They tried to convince her to change course, obviously they did.

The Devil race cannot afford any kind of internal strife right now. They certainly can't afford the kind of issues that would come about from a conflict between the ruling Satans and one of the most significant Houses around.

However, Seekvaira, or rather, Lady Agares, was adamant, and what could they do? Use force?

Obviously, they both insisted that they be allowed to talk with her father, the former Lord Agares. With such a significant decision being made, they had to be sure that there wasn't anything fishy going on, that Lord Agares wasn't being mind controlled or puppeteered or some such thing.

After all, Lord Agares is someone that she and Sirzechs have met many a Time for a large swath of political matters. She knows without a doubt that the man has a good head on his shoulders. For an older Devil, he's even somewhat compassionate, and he is certainly intelligent enough that he wouldn't make such a decision.

At least, that's what she would have thought.

Typically, a sign of an Heir supplanting their parent's position through unsavoury methods is that they would refuse to allow the supplanted to meet with any important figures. However, Seekvaira merely smiled when asked, as if she had been expecting the question, and then personally led them to another room, where her parents were waiting.

Serafall won't exaggerate to say that it was some masterful prediction to have known that they would have asked to meet her parents. But still, the fact that she was prepared for it proved that she at least knows what she's doing.

That conversation was enlightening, to say the least.

She has no idea how Seekvaira managed to do it, but the girl had somehow managed to convince both of her parents completely and utterly that her being in charge is the best thing for their House's future. The sheer faith that both of her parents seemed to have in her was downright concerning to Serafall's eyes. Like the way an Angel speaks of their Father.

Just how charismatic does one have to be to inspire such confidence in Devils over a thousand years old?

After that, there weren't really any excuses left to delay the matter, especially not with the new Lady Agares' insistence.

Obviously, there were certain concessions that had to be made. Even if they want to repair the image of Devilkind, if Lady Agares were to stop the mining and selling of Agreasite for instance, then there would have been no recourse but to resort to force. Not to mention that the floating city of Agreas, where most Agreasite is mined, is also the location that controls the Underworld's airflow and is a popular tourist location besides.

Thankfully, Seekvaira was at least reasonable enough to make these concessions without putting up any kind of a fight. It almost felt like she didn't really care about the conversation, which is absurd, because the sale of Agreasite pulls in more capital then Phenex Tears do and control of the Underworld's airflow is a powerful bargaining chip. At least for however long it will take Ajuka to create a new system elsewhere.

For the sake of reference, the sale of Phenex tears contributes to approximately four percent of the entire Underworld's economy. That Seekvaira would seem so blasé about an even greater amount of wealth is simply madness.

In human terms, House Agares' mining business is the equivalent of getting a military contract with the United States. That much wealth is excessive even for her as a Satan, and yet Seekvaira didn't seem to care one whit about it.

It took some negotiation, during which Seekvaira, a girl of eighteen years somehow managed to keep on even footing with two Satans, once again proving that she must have been born for politics. The result was one that Serafall is not necessarily happy with, but can at least accept, as is the nature of compromise.

House Agares will continue its current contracts with the New Satan Faction, including an exclusivity contract regarding the sale of Agreasite, though Seekvaira did insist on adding a clause to revisit said contract in ten years' Time. Additionally, they will continue to control the airflow of the Underworld as they have been until an alternative is built, and will assist freely with the efforts to construct a replacement.

There were plenty more minor details, but the end result is that House Agares is now officially an independent Faction, though they have retained their position among the Seventy-Two Pillar Houses as an Archduke of Hell.

However, trade deals that were made before this will continue to be upheld to their completion, and House Agares will continue to trade and act largely as they have as a member of the New Satan Faction.

In effect, the only true changes are that Serafall will have to start slowly pulling Agares influence out of Devil politics. That and they will no longer be providing any political or military support to House Agares.

The political split is only natural, as House Agares is now independent, and thus not beholden to the commands of the Satans. Just as the Satans no longer hold any responsibility to House Agares, meaning that the next Time Seekvaira calls they will not be forced to answer so promptly.

However, Serafall is not a heartless individual, so she naturally suggested that even if House Agares no longer has the support of the New Satan Faction's military, they could still enter a military, or at least defensive alliance so that there is no real change in security.

However, it was Seekvaira herself who refused that, claiming that House Agares will protect Agares land and property by itself.

Typically, hearing such a thing would have Serafall ascribing arrogance to the one saying it. Yet, the longer the conversation went on, the more she started feeling like there was no need to worry, like Seekvaira has everything under control and will handle everything herself without issue.

Serafall won't admit it out loud, but that realisation scared her a little bit. She even did a magical diagnosis to triple check that her mind was not being affected by any magic or drugs, but no, it was just Seekvaira's charisma.

It brings to mind the stories her parents used to tell her while tucking her into bed about the terrifying charisma of the Morningstar.

That whole meeting completely shifted the image she had in her mind of Seekvaira Agares.

Before, she just thought Seekvaira was a girl who likes to talk politics and business, enjoying the intellectual challenge of navigating complex relationships. In that sense, Seekvaira was rather similar to cute and adorable Sona-tan in her mind. An intellectual who enjoys stretching her brain.

However, one of the first things she did after that meeting was to tell Sona all about it. To warn her adorable little sister that her friend might be putting on a mask, that she's more dangerous than she lets on.

Glancing to her side at the sight of Sona, Rias, Sairaorg and Seekvaira talking amicably, Serafall winces at her rash decision.

She really should have known that Sona would not have reacted well to her telling her that she should spend less Time with one of her very few friends, and the only one she can enjoy intellectual conversations with. Because as much as she tries, Rias really just isn't as smart as the other two. She can't scratch that itch.

So now, Serafall's mistake has created a rift between her and her sister, and she's not entirely sure what she can do to mend it. Especially because now that she has seen Seekvaira's true face, she has started seeing everything the girl has done from a new angle, and it has lead her to a very worrying realisation.

Somehow, without anyone even noticing, Seekvaira has managed to create an entirely new political bloc. Or at least the foundations for one.

In no one is this more clear than Rias Gremory.

Seekvaira and her have been friends since basically forever, and it is a secret to absolutely no one that Rias greatly admires her red-eyed friend. That much is clear enough in how Rias is sitting right now, with her back straight and face set in an attempt at seeming aloof. A poor imitation of Seekvaira's much more natural, much more regal bearing.

And is it any surprise?

The reason Serafall even had her suspicion on their relationship in the first place is because Sona once told her about a Time that she walked in on Seekvaira and Rias making out a few years ago. Normally, such a thing would be waved away as curious teenagers experimenting with friends, but it is clear to her now that there was more to it.

Beyond just being a 'close friend,' Seekvaira also somehow managed to convinced Lord Gremory and Lord Phenex to allow Rias a chance to annul her arranged marriage with Riser Phenex via a Rating Game.

Then, Seekvaira supposedly personally trained Rias' Queen Gasper Vladi in combat since the boy's Sacred Gear, Forbidden Balor View, possesses the ability to stop Time and was thus in her area of expertise.

Except she didn't just train the boy. She turned him into a monster on the battlefield, somehow even managing to evolve his Sacred Gear into Aeon Balor.

A newly classified Longinus-class Sacred Gear.

Rias only has four Peerage members right now, and that was three at the Time of the Rating Game, as Xenovia Quarta only joined after that whole fiasco with Kokabiel and the Fallen Angels.

Which means, at the Time of the Rating Game, Rias faced Riser's full Peerage of fifteen, not including himself, with only three. Kiba Yuuto, her Knight with the Sacred Gear Sword Birth, Asia Argento, her Bishop with the Sacred Gear Twilight Healing, and Gasper Vladi.

However, none of that even mattered, because Gasper singlehandedly decimated Riser's entire Peerage. The entire fight only lasted twelve seconds, and that's just because it took twelve seconds for Rias to finish telling Gasper how badly he should beat up Riser.

Once he activated his Sacred Gear, the entire arena flashed black as if they simply blinked, and then the battle was over. Every member of Team Riser was retired at the same Time.

Calling Gasper an Ultimate-class Devil after such a showing is only natural. The actual question is whether or not he is strong enough to fight a Satan. To fight her.

She is obviously confident that she would win, but she's not as certain as she should be, which is an endorsement in and of itself of Gasper's strength.

So after all of that, it is no surprise that Rias has a very high opinion of Seekvaira.

Combine that with her close friendship with Sona and Sairaorg, as one of the former's few friends and one of the only people to treat the latter without distain for his being born without the Power of Destruction, and Seekvaira has a close tie with House Bael, House Sitri and House Gremory. All of whom are among the most powerful houses. Additionally, there is the connection that she has gained with Serafall herself and Sirzechs as a friend of their beloved sisters.

Adding on the apparently close relationship between Seekvaira and Ravel Phenex, a daughter of the only other House that might be able to match Agares in wealth, and suddenly it becomes clear just how deeply Seekvaira has managed to entrench herself in Devil politics.

An alliance between House Agares, Bael, Gremory, Sitri and Phenex could worryingly easily take over Devil politics and turn her and her fellow Satans into mere figureheads.

The only thing that's really stopping that future is the fact that Sirzechs and Ajuka are the only active Super Devils, as Rizevim seems to be happy doing whatever it is that he is doing.

The only thing Serafall doesn't know, and desperately wants answered is; what is the end goal here? What is Seekvaira trying to achieve? Because if she were to, as an example, throw in support for the Old Satans, then Rizevim might make an appearance and suddenly there would be nothing stopping her and her fellows from being forced to step down as Satans lest the Civil War resurge.

She doesn't think that that is the case, but the possibility of it alone is worrying enough.

"Sera," Sirzechs soft voice pulls her out of her thoughts, and she turns from where she is sitting on one ceremonial throne of four, to turn to him in answer, to which he simply tilts his head to the glass wall.

There, she sees a big projected screen counting down from ten, signalling the start of the tournament.

So it is beginning, she thinks to herself, once more glancing at Sona from the corner of her eye, feeling her heart clench at the sight of how happy Sona looks talking with Seekvaira.

In her long life, there are many things she regrets. She had hoped that she was done adding more regrets to that list, but it seems that she is not, and this Time, she doesn't know what to do to fix it.

"HEEEELLLOOOOO!!!! VIEWERSSSS!!!" The bombastic voice of the commentator calls out once the countdown hits zero, garnering everyone's attention but her own.

With the volume of the announcement, she naturally glances over, and inwardly she hopes that this event can go smoothly without any issues.

But then she glances back at the kids and for just a second, she sees Seekvaira's normally impassive face twitch upwards in a slight, but undoubtably pleased smirk that fades so quickly she could have imagined it.

Any hope of this event having a simple ending swiftly melts away at the sight, while a deep feeling of coming dread fills her bones instead.

Deep down, she knows that today will be the day that Seekvaira stops hiding. She just hopes that whatever scheme the girl has been preparing until now will not bring ruin to the Underworld.

///

Rias Gremory

///

Sitting on her throne, Rias looks at her Peerage with a smile on her lips, though she reminds herself to keep the smile cool and composed instead of letting her giddy excitement take over her.

She wasn't expecting to take part in the first battle of the tournament, but neither is she going to complain about the chance to be the first to show off in front of Seek-chan. 

The Rating Game arena this Time is a simple setup of two opposing castles, separated by a forest and a river splitting the centre.

Against her is Maxurias Shax, who has a strong Peerage, mainly composed of close-quarters combatants, rather than the magic focus that most Devils prefer.

That's fine though, because even if she is outnumbered three-to-one she has full confidence that this battle will be her victory.

And not just because of Gasper! 

Though he could undoubtably defeat the entire enemy team by himself, but then she wouldn't be able to show off much, would she?

She wants to show Seek-chan how much she's grown.

After all, although Seek-chan focused the majority of her attention on Gasper when she decided to help save her from a loveless marriage with Riser of all Devils, it's not like she didn't spare some Time for the rest of them too.

Seek-chan really is amazing. In just one week, she not only managed to turn Gasper into a true powerhouse, but she even helped him overcome his fears entirely. He's like an entirely new person ever since then, full of confidence. Though, he still dresses as a girl.

She's honestly more grateful for that than the power Gasper has gained. She's just happy that a member of her family has healed, emotionally.

Still, Seek-chan also trained the rest of them, though not as much. At first, it did kind of suck, and Rias definitely wanted to slack off. She is a Devil of Sloth. She's not cut out for that kind of hard work.

But when she thought of the disappointed look Seekvaira would give her if she suggested giving up, she just couldn't bring herself to stop. Thanks to that, she's actually gotten pretty strong.

She did compromise a little bit by focusing more on her magic and less on her body, but that's fine, because Yuuto, and now Xenovia too, are the opposite, and Asia can heal any damage they take!

Of course, Gasper is still her trump card now. He's grown so powerful that she doubts she'd be able to Reincarnate him as they are now. She really has no idea how Seek-chan managed to do so much in such little Time.

Whenever she asked, she would just say, "It's a matter of using your Time appropriately," and refuse to elaborate. She even managed to convince Gasper not to spill the secret.

But it's fine. Rias trusts Seek-chan, so she doesn't intend to try and force an answer.

Instead, she should focus on the present.

"Gasper," she begins, ignoring the announcer's voice overhead and garnering the attention of her Peerage. "You had fun against Riser, so you're in reserve this match. Asia, you stay by Gasper's side and provide healing when and if necessary. Yuuto, Xenovia. We will do the fighting. Focus on keeping the enemy in chaos while I pick them off."

"Hai!" they all agree, standing straighter at her command, though Gasper's shoulders are noticeably more relaxed than even her own.

The composure of the strong, she muses to herself.

Rias knows she isn't much of a planner. She's not stupid by any means, but neither is she a genius like Seek-chan or Sona, and she's frankly too lazy to do proper multifaceted planning like those two do.

Seriously, one Time they tried to teach her high level chess by playing a match against each other where they would explain to her their entire thought process every move. It ended up taking multiple days to finish, in part because the explanations of their thought processes always ended up including their original thoughts as well as their revised thoughts after listening to each other explain their own thoughts to her.

Frankly, she felt like her head was going to melt by the end of it all. So while she is not stupid, she knows that she's not a great tactician either.

That said, she can learn, and she has been watching Seek-chan very closely, for educational reasons only of course, and has picked up on some things. One of those things is a very buxom- Ahem, is the importance of having at least some strategy.

In this case, since she is outnumbered, she knows that allowing her enemies to remain coordinated will only be bad for her. So Yuuto and Xenovia's job will just be to cause havoc so that they cannot make use of their superior numbers, while her job is to actually be the offence. Something that shouldn't be challenging with her Destruction.

The klaxon sounds and Rias grins as the battle begins.

///

Gasper Vladi

///

Standing hand in hand with Asia on the parapets of the castle wall, Gasper smiles as he watches his King blast another out of position member of the enemy's Peerage from the game.

Yuuto and Xenovia are doing a magnificent job making a nuisance of themselves behind enemy lines. Even from this distance, Gasper can clearly see where they are making use of Agares-sama's lessons on battlefield tactics.

He remembers her saying that in any battle, be it martial or verbal, one of the most important things to know is what you value, and what your opponent values. What are the win conditions and what are the loss conditions. Knowing these things and planning around them can make a massive difference.

For example, the win condition here is that the enemy Peerage is too disorganised to stop Rias from picking them off one by one until she can focus on Heir Shax without the numbers disadvantage.

The loss condition for their side is that the enemy gathers itself into a proper formation that allows them to make use of their superior numbers to beat a superior foe. If they did that, then Gasper is not so sure that Rias would be able to win. At the very least, not as easily as she no doubt wants to.

However, that is just for their side. It's important to consider both sides, and if one must only consider one, it is better to know your enemy than yourself. Gasper is pretty sure there are some famous literatures saying the opposite, but Agares-sama was firm in her belief, and he didn't want to challenge her on it.

Agares-sama is scary, after all. He is the only one who got subjected to the full brunt of her training, and although he is certainly happy to both be powerful enough to fight a Satan and confident in himself enough to not be wracked by anxiety, he still debates with himself if it was worth it or not. 

Either way, the conditions for Shax's Peerage are different. Their win condition is obviously the same as Rias' loss condition, in that they need to manage to organise themselves enough that they can take out the opposing King, Rias.

However, as with any rating game, Shax's team's loss condition is that Heir Shax is defeated and retired from the fight.

Really, one could be mistaken to think there are no differences in win and loss conditions, since the end is the same. Both teams will lose only when their King is defeated, and thus that is all that matters.

Agares-sama beat that kind of thinking out of him.

The difference is that Heir Shax's win condition has prerequisites. Rias only has herself, Xenovia and Yuuto, as he is not participating and Asia is a non-combatant.

Heir Shax however, has a nearly full Peerage of fourteen members, including himself. This means that in order to bring about their win conditions, Rias simply needs to attack, while Heir Shax needs to first organise and then attack.

This provides an opening for Yuuto to take advantage of. All he has to do is distract Shax's Peerage so that they cannot organise properly, and to make sure that he distracts them all instead of just three or so, all he has to do is take pot shots at Heir Shax every now and then, because doing so will force the rest of the Peerage to move to protect their loss condition.

That said, Gasper can see Yuuto make a number of mistakes. Nothing large or overly detrimental, just not perfect either. Rias too. She is good, way better than she used to be, but she could also still be a lot better.

And if he can see that, then he is certain that the one who taught him to notice it in the first place does too. Whether or not Agares-sama will mention it however, he does not know.

Agares-sama might be terrifying and likely stronger than anyone thinks, but he knows that she genuinely cares about Rias, and that is all that really matters to him.

In the Time that she was teaching him, she made it very clear that she didn't truly care about him or his progress, just that he be strong enough to protect Rias. Agares-sama even went as far as to say she would kill him if he ever failed to protect Rias, and he won't even call it a threat because he knows that she would and that he wouldn't be able to stop her, no matter how strong he may have gotten.

But that didn't discourage him. If anything, that just made him think more highly of her. Of course, he doesn't particularly like her either, but he respects her and genuinely wishes the best for her relationship with his King.

"Gasper-chan?" Asia calls out, making him turn his eyes to the diminutive nun. Well, not that he's any less diminutive than her, because being small is best!

"Yes, Asia-chan?" He responds, his voice as calm as his still heart. If it was just a month ago, he would have been having a panic attack just for being in the open air. Now, he is standing here, knowing he's being recorded and watched by people from every faction, and he isn't bothered at all.

After all, they're all weak.

"Should we really not be helping Rias-sama and Yuuto-san and Xenovia-chan?" She asks, turning her big innocent eyes to him and making him want to squeeze her cheeks. He holds himself back though. Because he's nice.

"Don't worry, Asia-chan. They are enough to win by themselves, they'll be fine." His words are not entirely true, as there is still certainly a margin for failure present.

However, Rias really wants to show off for Agares-sama, and she would be despondent if she lost in front of her secret lover, even though Agares-sama certainly won't look down on her for it.

With that in mind, if it ever looks like Shax's Peerage is going to get a lucky hit in and change the course of battle in their favour, he fully intends to intervene just enough to effect the battle but not enough to be noticed.

With his Sacred Gear that can stop Time, it isn't like it would be difficult for him to intervene without anyone, except for Agares-sama and similarly powerful people, like the Satans to notice, and he's sure they will understand his intentions and not say anything. Alas, such concerns proved unnecessary, as after a long and arduous battle, Rias manages to remove enough Peerage members that they could easily team up against the remainder and smash through them and into Heir Shax, bringing a dramatic end to a climactic fight.

He's sure the audience will have enjoyed the show, but he really just can't bring himself to share the same enthusiasm.

He never really thought about it before, what people like the Satans felt watching rating games.

Now he thinks he kind of gets it.

Watching weak people fight is incredibly boring.

Everyone moves so slowly, their attacks are so light and their skill is basically non-existent. Even Yuuto, whom he once thought was incredibly skilled with the blade, now just looks like a kid playing with sticks to his eyes.

The perspective of the strong.

It's something that he's going to have to get used to, now that he stands among their number.

Still, once the winner is announced and they are teleported back out of the arena, he makes sure to give Rias and Yuuto the appropriate praise and congratulations.

And then it is Time for them to return to the waiting room, where Agares-sama awaits. At least, that's the part that he knows Rias cares about, never mind the fact that her brother, Satan Lucifer, is also in that room and no doubt waiting to congratulate his beloved little sister.

Gasper lets out a fond sigh at his King's clear excitement about being praised by Agares-sama as she practically drags them back.

Though, he won't deny that a part of him would prefer it if he were not his King's Queen, but rather a Knight or something. Because only the King and their Queen are allowed in that waiting room, and he would honestly prefer to keep his distance form Agares-sama.

He might respect and trust her, but so sue him, she scares the Hell out of him.

Pun entirely intended.

///

Sona Sitri

///

When Rias burst through the door with Gasper at her back, Sona was not particularly surprised to see her childhood friend's eyes lock on to Seekvaira's form immediately.

However amusingly enough, despite Rias' blatant desire to rush forward and glomp the fellowly bespectacled girl, she instead takes a calming breath and approaches much more sedately. Only to be interrupted by her brother glomping her and filling the room with the sounds of his praise.

"Rias-chan! You were so coooo~~l!"

"Brother!" Rias exclaims, aghast and embarrassed.

It takes a minute, but eventually she manages to pry herself out of Sirzechs' embrace and she takes another moment to straighten herself out before returning her approach.

Seekvaira meanwhile, merely turns away from the tea she was sipping, somehow making the simple action seem regal, to regard Rias with a small smile.

Sona does her best to push down the ugly feeling that such a simple action grows in her chest. She has known about Seekvaira and Rias' little secret for a while now. It was hard not to have figured it out with how much Time she's spent around them.

Seekvaira of course was always far more difficult to read, but even she gave out some hints occasionally when they would spend Time together. She's pretty sure Seekvaira was giving out the hints on purpose though. A way of subtly informing her with a nice benefit of plausible deniability.

She's happy for them. She truly is, they are both her best friends. But she can admit, at least to herself, that she is a bit jealous as well. Her and Rias have always considered each other rivals, but she never expected they'd be rivals in love.

The three of them have known each other since they were kids, and Sona has long since come to terms with where her preferences lie. So she has always felt more than just friendship for them both. Hell, Rias was her first crush, because the dunce is just so stupidly attractive.

But it's Seekvaira that truly held her interest, both because she is also Devilishly beautiful, but also because they can actually have intellectual conversations together. It's nice to be able to have a proper conversation with someone that just understands. With Rias, she often has to explain her thought process to keep the conversation moving, but Seekvaira has always understood her. Better even than her own family.

Which is why she got so pissed off when her idiot sister tried to forbid her from spending Time with Seekvaira. Sera's reasoning was stupid anyway. She knows that Seekvaira has secrets. That she keeps her hands close to her chest. She doesn't even know what Seekvaira's Peerage looks like.

But so what? Sona might not know what Seekvaira wants for her future, or what kind of political game the girl is probably scheming, but what she does know is Seekvaira. She knows that she can trust her and besides, Sona has a feeling that Seekvaira's Time hiding is coming to a swift end.

"Congratulations Rias," Seekvaira's words snap her out of her thoughts, bringing her attention to where Rias is standing by their couch looking like a puppy waiting to be praised. "You put on a good showing, winning even while so heavily outnumbered. Good job."

"Ehe~ Thanks!" Rias beams, moving to sit on the other side of Seekvaira from Sona herself. "It's only because of your training that we could even win! Heir Shax has an impressive Peerage."

"You sound like a Pokémon trainer when you say that," Seekvaira returns with a sip of her tea, amused. "Do not discount your own effort though. You learnt well, and you fought well."

"Thanks!" Rias chirps, forgetting to keep her imitated poise in the face of Seekvaira's praise.

"WHILE THAT LAST MATCH WAS ONE HELL OF A SHOWING," The announcer's voice sounds out, cutting them off and drawing their attention back to the giant screen hanging in the arena. "WILL THE NEXT BE THE SAME? WHO KNOWS? IF YOU ASK ME, A BATTLE BETWEEN SONA SITRI AND RISER PHENEX SOUNDS PRETTY EXCITING!!"

It's her turn then.

She notices the way Rias grimaces when Riser's name is called. She is understandably still rather unhappy about that whole marriage fiasco. If not for the satisfaction she got of her Queen beating him senseless, she'd probably be too disgusted to even be in the same room as him.

She finds her eyes flickering to her sister, expecting the immature Satan to be making a scene. However, Serafall appears to be too deep in some conversation with Lord Lucifer to have even noticed what's going on. That's pretty rare for her sister, but she knows the saying about gift horses so she doesn't mention it.

"Good luck, Sona. Try not to tunnel vision." She nods her head at Seekvaira's words, knowing that she does have that flaw.

"You got this, Sona-chan!" Rias follows up while she rises to her feet. 

She smiles, both at the support and the fact that Rias still uses Japanese suffixes so much. She's such a Japanophile. Sona has never really understood the obsession with humans.

"Indeed," Sairaorg agrees, rising with her to pat her encouragingly on the shoulder. "I expect to see a clean victory, Sona."

And then the moment is ruined when Zephyrdor Glasya-Labolas, the green-haired, tan skinned Heir of the Glasya-Labolas House, opens his mouth.

"Hah, you hear that Riser," Zephyrdor snorts derisively. "You're expected to lose to a bunch of virgin women! Ain't that embarrassing?"

She scowls at the insult, and the temperature of the room noticeably lowers. Sona feels the hairs metaphorically on her back stand on end, and she turns to see the source of the feeling to be Seekvaira. 

Her normally composed friend doesn't seem to have reacted much. She is still sitting collectedly, still holding a cup of tea in one hand and a tea plate under it in the other. But behind her glasses, her eyes are locked onto Zephyrdor and Sona has to fight a blush at the honestly rather flattering anger she can see in her friend's cold glare.

Surprisingly, Riser doesn't rise to the taunt. Instead, he merely scoffs and shoves his hands into his pockets before stalking off, his Queen at his heels. He's clearly grown smarter as of late.

"Fuck off, Zephyrdor," Riser grumbles. 

She didn't think it was possible, but maybe getting his ass kicked might have actually humbled Riser enough for him to grow as a person for once. She won't hold out for it, but it would be nice if he became less of an ass. For political reasons if nothing else. House Phenex is rather important to the Underworld's economy.

"What?" Zephyrdor crudely asks them, only now realising the attention he's garnered. He points the question mostly to Seekvaira, who stares for a moment longer before answering, her words as pointed and carefully chosen as always.

"Is it not embarrassing for a Noble to act as if a common thug?" She asks him, taking another sip of her tea. "If you apologise for speaking derisively of my friend, then I won't take this matter further."

"Haah? Can the virgin bitches not take some words? If you're that upset about it, then we can go to a private room and I'll give you something you can take further. Geez, all the women of the families of the Satans stink of virgins! You're unbearable!"

The tension in the room skyrockets at his words. She notices Heir Shax discreetly edge away from Zephyrdor while Sairaorg moves to diffuse the situation. However Seekvaira responds before he can do so, and the tone of her voice freezes him in place.

Seekvaira calmly places her cup of tea on the table before turning to regard Zephyrdor, her posture straight and noble.

"First. I am not a virgin." She begins, and Sona ignores the ache in her chest at the words. "Second. I am certain that I have made more women orgasm than you, so I'm unsure what you could 'teach' me."

Zephyrdor scowls deeper at her words, while Seekvaira pauses momentarily, tilting her head up to look down her nose at him. As she finishes her response, her carefully neutral expression shifts into a slight, smug, but mostly mocking smirk.

"Third. How is your sister?"

"You bitch!" He immediately yells, his Demonic Power flaring like a hurricane. Yet, not a single hair on Seekvaira's head is blown out of place. "I told you I'd break you if you ever went near my home again!"

"Well, if we are moving on to threats now," Seekvaira responds, her aloof expression back in place.

She moves her attention back to her tea, seemingly dismissing Zephyrdor entirely.

"My Queen," she says, making the robed figure standing behind her straighten. "If the Glasya-Labolas Heir," she waves her arm vaguely behind her, "Should speak another word in this room, remove his jaw and kill his Queen."

Seekvaira's mysterious Queen bobs their head an acknowledgement and turns to the man in question. Waiting.

Sona meanwhile finds herself stilling at the threat. Not so much the words themselves, but that Seekvaira's tone doesn't have a single hint of bluff. She can just tell, down to her bones, that Seekvaira means it.

Seekvaira will kill his Queen and rip his jaw off if he speaks again, and that kind of scares Sona, just a little bit. It's a side of her friend slash crush that she hasn't seen before, even if she logically knew it would exist.

Zephyrdor, predictably, opens his mouth to shout back at her, however, he doesn't get the chance to.

"Glasya-Labolas!" Serafall of all people interrupt him, and Sona is hit by the fact that she has never heard her sister sounding so rushed before. "Do not say another word!"

A tense stillness falls over the room as Zephyrdor, faced with the glare of a Satan, finally wises up enough to realise the severity of the situation. Serafall wouldn't have gotten involved for any reason but his own safety after all, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Serafall believes the threat. And if she believes it? Well, one would have to be monumentally stupid to ignore it.

The only one who seems unaffected is Seekvaira, though that doesn't really surprise Sona at this point. Only when Serafall seems content that Zephyrdor isn't going to say anything, does she turn her glare to Seekvaira. 

There are not a great number of living beings that can face the glare of a Satan without withering, yet Seekvaira merely meets Serafall's eyes and casually takes another sip of her tea.

Seekvaira raises a brow, and she feels like there's some silent conversation that goes on between the two of them, but she has no idea what it is.

Evidently, it went in Seekvaira's favour, as a moment later, Serafall turns back to Zephyrdor with a frown. 

"I suggest you relocate to another waiting room, Heir Glasya-Labolas." He opens his mouth again to protest, but not a sound leaves him before the temperature of the room drops and Serafall's aura overwhelms them.

There are Times that Sona forgets just what terrifying power her sister must wield to be a Satan.

"Without a word. For your own sake, and that of your Queen."

Zephyrdor manages to hold her sister's gaze for all of two seconds before folding. He scoffs as he turns to stomp out of the room, his Queen quickly following after him.

An awkward silence follows the slamming of the door, and Sona decides to avoid it with a tactical retreat.

"I should get my Peerage ready for our match," she says, rushing through the door.

Serafall is her sister whom she loves, even if she is far too annoying, and Seekvaira is her friend whom she has a crush on. And Serafall seems to have some bias against Seekvaira.

In other words, she really just does not want to get in-between any of that.

Funnily enough, beating Riser seems a lot less daunting of a task now. It's hard to be nervous about it when it feels so much more preferable to the idea of standing in the middle of an argument between her sister and her crush.

She just hopes they can make up eventually.

///

Serafall 'Leviathan' Sitri

///

Watching the retreating back of her adorable So-tan fills Serafall with no small amount of regret, but she quickly pushes that aside to focus on more immediate concerns.

Even with Zephyrdor, Riser and Sona all gone, the room is still full of Devil Heirs and Heiresses. So some measure of decorum is still necessary, even if she really feels like yelling.

But instead of doing so, Serafall simply takes a deep breath and pushes her feelings on the matter to the side. Her attention turns to Sirzechs, for as much as she would like to glare at Seekvaira, she is not only too mature to be unable to control herself, but she is also the Satan of Foreign Affairs.

As what just occurred was a dispute between two of their Devil's nobility, it falls under the purview of Sirzechs, the Satan of Internal Affairs. At least that would normally be the case, but Seekvaira did just recently insist on separating from the authority and law of the New Satans.

Well, since House Agares is still a Noble House of the Seventy-Two Pillars, incidents involving her and fellow Nobles could technically fall under the purview of both herself and Sirzechs.

With all of that in mind, Serafall decides to be the one to speak.

"Lady Agares," she begins, acting the part of her job instead of the more casual attitude she prefers to use. Seekvaira has proven herself significant enough of a player that she feels as if she should treat the girl as she would when dealing with any other foreign power. "As you are no longer a member of the New Satan Faction, I ask that you not start conflicts with any of our Houses, or we will by law have to retaliate."

Various sounds and expressions of surprise filter through the room, as the separation of House Agares from the New Satan Faction hasn't been officially announced yet. Everyone who would have need or reason to know of it naturally already does, but this room is filled with Heirs and Queen Pieces, none of them have reason to care.

"What!?" Unexpectedly, it is Rias who responds in outrage. Though perhaps she really should have expected it. Serafall just blames Seekvaira. She hasn't felt at the top of her game ever since that meeting fifteen days ago. "What are you talking about Sera! Zephyrdor is clearly at fault here!"

"Rias-chan..." Sirzechs interrupts, his voice soft but wearing the sort of tone used when one isn't sure how to tell someone that they're clearly wrong. "Lady Agares cannot simply threaten death and bodily harm to members of our Faction. No one can. It's written into law that our entire faction will come to the defence of any House or member that faces malignment. For your own sake Lady Agares and ours, please try to remain civil."

Rias puffs up in further outrage, but before she can get anymore words out, Seekvaira lays a hand on Rias' knee and she immediately deflates. It's worrying how she only listens then.

"Let us not waste Time," Seekvaira's voice remains the epitome of calm and collected despite once again speaking against two Satans. "I am the Head of House Agares, Archduke of Hell. House Glasya-Labolas are only Counts. Perhaps if I had threatened death upon Zephyrdor, you would have had cause to take action, but the only threats I made were of bodily harm and the death of a Queen who was once a human of no renown. As I would have offered to pay for the Phenex Tear to heal that wound, the only loss would be a Reincarnated Devil with no name. For such a small matter, your own courts would only condemn me a slap on the wrist, if even that. Lest you risk my House deciding to revisit our previously agreed contracts? Ten years isn't that long."

Serafall hates the calm certainty in Seekvaira's voice as she casually explains why she can go around doing whatever she wants without facing any consequence. She hates even more that Seekvaira is right. If Serafall, or House Glasya-Labolas tried to pursue this matter, it would go exactly nowhere. Perhaps even resulting in detriments instead, as the blatant threat regarding the sale of Agreasite would imply.

Serafall knew there was a reason Seekvaira wanted a clause to revisit that contract after a decade. She just figured it would have been something simpler, like a precaution in case Agares lands don't do as well as expected when independent, allowing her to up the price of Agreasite to compensate.

Serafall certainly didn't think the girl would use the sale of Agreasite as a threat. Not because such a move is unpredictable, but simply because Serafall's image of the girl was significantly different a month ago.

"It is a pointless consideration regardless," Seekvaira continues, blithe to the stares she is receiving for effectively threatening two Satans, no matter how softly done. "Sona is someone of great import to me, and I will not allow a mouth as foul as Heir Glasya-Labolas to insult her. If that means paying reparations to the New Satans as a result of my actions, because we all know there would be no war, then that is of little concern to me."

Once again, Seekvaira is right. Just like with how Serafall and her fellow Satans have had to put on a more personable front to the world compared to what a strong leader would usually require, it would be politically suicidal for the New Satans to start a war. No matter how small the conflict would be, without an ironclad casus belli that not even the Angels could denounce, then war would be the last of their options.

Feeling annoyed at how smug Seekvaira is being—even though Seekvaira isn't showing any smugness at all, but Serafall knows that the girl is simply too poised to let her true feelings shine—Serafall's eyes narrow as she knows that he cannot continue to be so passive.

"Do not forget, Lady Agares. Your House and holdings do not amount to one tenth of ours. Any sanctions you can impose can be returned to much greater effect."

To her annoyance, Seekvaira does not seem even remotely cowed as she politely nods her head as if conceding the point. But that action is somewhat undermined by the slight tug of her lips betraying her amusement. Like a woman who is in on a joke that no one else knows.

How annoying.

"Your words are duly noted." Seekvaira nods gracefully, sounding almost genuine enough in her sincerity for Serafall to believe her. "Now, I do believe that your sister's match is about to begin, so let us put these small matters aside. Sona deserves our full support and attention, she has worked hard to improve herself and her Peerage recently, let us not insult that effort."

Serafall hates politicians. 

If there was anyone more suitable to have taken the position, she honestly would rather not be a Satan at all. Unfortunately, there really aren't any Devils that could interact with the outside world as the Satan of Foreign Affairs as well as her. The amount of work she has put in to fixing the reputation of her kind is crazy.

But in all of this Time, she has simply come to truly hate politicians. 

A battlefield of words is so much more irritating than any other, and there is little that irritates her so much as being put in a verbal trap.

Such as Seekvaira's words, which Serafall knows were intentionally phrased. Because now Serafall has no choice but to agree with Seekvaira unilaterally, for to do the opposite would be to say that her adorable sister's hard work isn't deserving of praise, and Seekvaira knows that she would never disparage her cute sister.

So, with much reluctance, Serafall does agree and turns her attention back to the tournament. 

There is much on her mind, but being able to watch her adorable little sister prove herself in front of the entire Underworld will surely sooth her thoughts. At least for a while anyway.

Because Sona Time is the best medicine~!

///

Azazel

///

A hearty laugh fills an opulent office as Azazel watches Sairaorg Bael truly lay into the Glasya-Labolas Heir. The Bael's Failure's anger is clear for all to see as he pummels his fellow Devil into the dirt.

The previous two matches were pretty boring all told. Little Gremory and Little Sitri are both so clearly still just kids. Powerful kids to be sure, but they are nothing like either of their siblings were way back when.

It's a good thing, really. Weakness is a sign of peace, which is something that Azazel dearly desires.

Let the old war dogs like him stay strong so that the young can enjoy a life where strength isn't the most important thing.

Let them have their fun.

Still, for all his feelings on the matter, those fights weren't any more interesting. The last though, well, Little Bael is nothing like those two. He is someone to watch out for, someone with not just the strength, but the drive.

It's a good thing, he supposes. Long term.

Despite his desires, there will still need to be new pillars of strength in each generation. Otherwise the peace he seeks will not last for very long.

But even if Sairaorg's match was more interesting than the previous two, that doesn't mean that it was really worth his attention.

As the leader of the Grigori, Azazel is actually a pretty busy person. When he isn't getting Shemhazai to do the work for him anyway.

A deep, baritone voice from his side pulls Azazel from his thoughts.

"That boy is not bad," they say, and Azazel turns away from the projection showing off the tournament to raise a brow in the direction of his second-in-command and good friend, Baraqiel. The return look he is met with is one of exasperated disappointment. "But I still hardly see why you, and by extension why I should be wasting my Time watching this? There are more important matters than a children's competition."

Azazel chuckles, turning back to the projection without responding. His eyes turn to his hand, resting on his desk over the back of a white envelope of high quality paper.

Picking it up as he waits for the next round to start, Azazel languidly spins the letter around in his hand for some Time as his prodigious mind runs away with thought.

"I agree completely," Azazel eventually responds, noting with mirth the clear surprise and scepticism on his good friend's face at the words. It's understandable really, Azazel isn't going to try and deny that he often finds strange excuses to slack. But he's old. Gotta keep things interesting somehow.

And speaking of interesting, he thinks to himself as the screen in front of him shows the next and final round of the first bracket beginning.

"To be honest," Azazel begins as the host starts introducing the teams. Diodora Astaroth and his irrelevant Peerage of former nuns on one side. Another sibling to a Satan, though not with nearly the same familial bond, "I would much rather be in my lab right now. There's a tweak I have in mind for a project, and I wanna see how it'll work out."

Azazel mostly ignores his friend's attention on him as he speaks his thoughts aloud, still spinning that letter around in one hand. 

"But you know what they say about good things and patience, right?" He watches as the other side is announced. Seekvaira Agares, the new Lady Agares after her father's unexpected retirement. "We'll see if this is worth my Time or not in just a moment."

Azazel finishes his thought as the sixty-second countdown for the match begins. The screen split in half, one side showing the Astaroth Heir and his Peerage, the other Agares. But his screen quickly changes again according to pre-set instructions to show only the Agares side.

The temporary dimensions used for Rating Games are designed for spectacle, so it is only natural for their to be audio with the visual. A lot of people enjoy listening to both sides discuss their strategies before the battle begins.

Azazel watches the screen with only faint amusement. 

The arena is the same as the other matches of the fist round. Two castles, separated by a forest and divided by a river through the centre of the arena. Which leads to the sight before him.

Seekvaira Agares. dressed in a top of the line suit and tie, seated on an imposing throne atop the roof of her castle, one leg crossed over the other. One arm rests on the side of her throne whilst the other sits on its elbow, allowing delicate fingers to rest on her chin and cheek. 

Behind and to either side, fourteen figures stand, seven to a side. Each is dressed in long brown cloaks that entirely conceal them from view, with only one exception in one of her Peerage who towers above the others even hunched over. That one seems to keep a distance from the rest.

It presents a powerful message.

It is rather rare for Peerages to stand so firmly at attention. Especially during a Rating Game. Most are more like Diodora's, or all of the others seen so far. Standing around without much discipline, each personality expressing themselves in a more casual atmosphere.

Generally, there are two cases for Peerages lining up as Agares' are. One is age. Older, more experienced Peerages tend to be mature enough to understand that showing some discipline every now and then isn't going to damage their character. The other usual case is when the Peerage in question is full of soldiers instead of 'family,' as the Gremory's so like to call them. 

It's a small detail, one that most wouldn't have reason to either notice or care. But if Azazel is going to waste his Time watching this 'child's competition,' as Baraqiel put it instead of in his lab, then he is damn well going to pay attention.

Besides, his curiosity has been piqued. The least he could do is pay attention.

It is with that thought, and the silence from the screen—beyond the commentator filling the quiet with talk of Agares' confidence in not even strategizing—Azazel turns his eyes back to his hand.

With deft hands, the letter he was spinning stills between his fingers, and he twists it around one more Time to view the front.

Specifically, the broken wax seal engraved with the crest of House Agares.

Flipping the letter around again, Azazel uses his one hand to unfold it and reads through the brief message once again. He admires the penmanship as he does. It's not something he's ever really focused on, but he can't deny the beauty of the writer's hand.

Dear Azazel, Governor-General of the Grigori;

Watch the Youth Devil Rating Game Tournament, and watch it with Baraqiel. You will find the show more interesting than you might expect.

I look forward to your reply. I am sure that our negotiation will prove fruitful to both of our satisfaction.

Regards, House of Agares, Archduke of Hell, Seekvaira Agares.

It's not often that Azazel gets personally penned letters—assuming that it was indeed Seekvaira Agares who penned it and not some scribe, a doubt that persists when he considers her age with the quality of the handwriting. So that alone caught his attention.

But the entire letter, brief though it is, is full of confidence that he can't help but find curious. The specification of watching with Baraqiel likely would have been enough to garner his interest. But to speak of a coming negotiation that he has heard no mention of?

She can only mean to imply that whatever she intends to show off during this competition will be so enticing to him, or perhaps Baraqiel, that he will have no recourse but to reach out to her. Even then, that she seems to believe she can offer anything to him that will require actual negotiation on his part is curious indeed.

The only real options he can think of is if she is either offering Agreasite or something related to Sacred Gears. But that doesn't make much sense, because only an idiot would think that she actually has the ability to freely trade Agreasite. Political considerations would never allow it.

As for Sacred Gears? What could a girl not even two decades old possible have to offer him in that regard?

So he is curious.

Which is why he notices when the mostly still video of Seekvaira's Peerage finally has movement. It is why, when he sets the letter back down on his desk, he is dearly hoping that she won't disappoint him after all of this wait.

The countdown for the match nears zero by the Time Seekvaira finally moves, and Azazel mutes the commentator as she does. He isn't providing any useful information and is rather too loud of Azazel's liking.

But Seekvaira does not do much.

Dressed and seated like a Queen holding court, Seekvaira simply holds up her free hand and in a casual gesture that still manages to seem refined, she snaps her fingers.

In response, and in the final few seconds before the match begins, one single member of her Peerage steps forward. A figure mid-way down the line on Seekvaira's left.

Azazel watches with muted anticipation as the figure steps forward as the clock ticks down, hopping on to the parapet of the castle's roof on the final second.

And as the clock strikes zero and the claxon blares, the figure reaches a hand out from their cloak and up to the opposite shoulder. They grab hold of said cloak, and in one swift movement, pull the entire thing off and throw it aside.

The figure that is revealed is distinctly feminine, with two very large 'points of evidence' denying any doubt of that fact. She is young, beautiful in a way that is noticeable even in the supernatural world, with a shrine maiden outfit that does nothing to hide her figure. She possess violet eyes that shine with dark amusement to match the mean smile on her lips and long dark hair that nearly touches the floor tied up into a ponytail.

Yet, all of those details seem to fall to the wayside as Baraqiel explodes beside him. Pure power and Holy Lightning flooding from his body in waves as he entirely loses control of himself.

Not that Azazel could say that he fares much better. He barely even notices the storm ravaging his office like a cyclone, too busy staring with a dropped jaw at what is unmistakably, if older than he recalls, Akeno Himejima.

"Akeno." Azazel turns at the word, a softly whisper so full of emotion that it almost has a physical weight to it. He sees Baraqiel staring wide-eyed at the screen before them, eyes full of shock and disbelief and worst of all, that desperate, gnawing, hope. "She's alive."

Azazel considers his friend for a moment, but really, what could he possibly say in this moment?

Nothing comes to mind, so he stays silent.

"Ufufufu~." His attention snaps back to the screen at the sound of laughter, and the image of a much younger Akeno flashes in his mind as he listens to her speak for the first Time in total shock. "I thank you for the opportunity to be the first to play with your enemies, my King~."

With his mouth stuck open with shock at the tone being used, Azazel turns his eyes back to the letter on his desk and he can't help but burst into disbelieving laughter.

What a joke. 'more interesting than you might expect' was it? How audacious to send him such an understatement.

He can't deny that Seekvaira certainly chose her words well at least. As much as he would like to disappoint her confident expectations of him, he really just can't. That's kind of hilarious actually.

His eyes flick back to Seekvaira. You are proving to be more interesting than I ever would have expected. Where have you been hiding?

Azazel is honestly starting to feel a little bit excited. This is all just so interesting. Seekvaira has certainly piqued his interest enough for him to hear her out. Even without the fact that Baraqiel would quite literally kill him if he tried to get in the way of a reunion with his daughter.

So funny.

Movement again pulls at his attention, and he watches as the screen changes to show an angled bird's eye view of the arena. It shows Akeno alone taking to the air, two large black feathered wings trailing behind her. A sign of her Fallen Angel heritage. A heritage that clearly runs strongly in her, else half her wings would be the bat wings of a Devil. That's what usually happens with Fallen Angels reincarnated into Devils.

Against her, Diodora moves out with his entire Peerage, which makes him the more normal of the two.

Sending out a single Piece against an entire Peerage is certainly confident, but Azazel is coming to realise that confidence is not something that Seekvaira lacks.

So he watches, though nowhere near as intently as Baraqiel, and he is not disappointed in the slightest.

Akeno flies over the forest while Diodora's Peerage walks, and soon enough they come across one another, meeting in the centre of the arena with only the river separating them.

Diodora speaks up first, craning his neck to look up to Akeno with a smile so plastic it makes Azazel nauseous to look at, though he can see why people might fall for it. "Oooh, a Fallen Angel? I suppose that explains why Agares would send you alone. Light attacks are scary for a Devil~. But, you know.. I have some Holy Magic on my side too~. No hard feelings though?"

Azazel watches as Akeno lifts a hand up to cover her lips as another laugh echoes through the recording.

"Ufufufu~, there are things scarier than Holy Magic~. Regardless," Akeno lets out a sigh, as if genuinely disappointed. Though, Azazel notes how her posture remains poised throughout, a rare thing for people so young, and he means under a century. The mean smile however, betrays the insincerity of the action. "I would be made fun of if this lasted too long, so I am afraid that our play must be short. Alas, I shall ensure that this brief moment is one that you will never forget, Astaroth Junior~."

Azazel is still struggling to connect the cute and innocent descriptions Baraqiel would never stop giving about Akeno with the woman in front of him, but even with that he still finds himself amused when Diodora's mask cracks slightly at the diminutive nickname.

Unfortunately for the Astaroth, Akeno does not wait for him to respond, as if his part in this 'play' is simply inconsequential. She simply raises one hand high above her head and snaps her fingers.

When she does, Diodora's jaw drops and his eyes actually open, and perhaps Azazel usually would have laughed about that. But his reaction isn't too far different as sixteen bolts of Holy Lightning appear in the sky above her.

So she inherited it after all, Azazel thinks to himself, eyeing his friend who, just moments ago, was the only man in the world to wield Holy Lightning. Only, all he is doing is staring forward with some soundless mix of dread and shock and pride and hope.

"Wha—" Is as far as Diodora gets before the sound of thunder drowns out all others with a brief flash of light, immediately precipitated by a confluence of pained screams.

The flash of light fades away alongside the screams, and though they are muted, Azazel is certain that the commentator has just announced Diodora's entire Peerage retiring as the Heir in question stands alone, burned and trembling in a ball on the ground.

"Ufufu~ come now, Astaroth Junior~. Show me that despair~"

Azazel is really coming to terms with the fact that Akeno clearly takes more after her mother than her father. He can't say he knew Shuri particularly well, or at all for that matter. But he is aware of his friend's peculiarities, and the blatant sadism on display is about as far in the opposite direction as one can get.

No wonder he was so happy with her, Azazel thinks, staring at Baraqiel in disgust. A masochist like him literally falling into a sadists hands? What kind of smut fantasy is he living? Why don't I get smut fantasy random events? I want to fall into a busty nymphomaniac's arms! Tch, lucky bastard.

Azazel's attention is one more pulled from his thoughts by a rather embarrassing change in character from Diodora.

"Y-you dare!" The brat yells like an anime villain, though his pain and fear is clear for all to see. Azazel should have brought snacks, it's like prime-Time television watching this. Though maybe he just likes watching Devils with sticks up their asses having their pride shattered. "I am a High-class Devil! I am a part of the bloodline of the current Satan Beelzebub! My Noble blood cannot loose to a lowly and savage Reincarnated Devil like you!"

Ooo, ouch. Azazel winces at that. Not the words themselves, but the fact that this is being broadcast live. 

Serafall and Sirzechs are gonna have a tough Time dealing with the political backlash of a Devil Nobility openly harbouring such opinions.

Oh well! Sucks to be them~!

Tsk, why did that remind me of Kokabiel? Azazel thinks to himself, annoyed. It's not as fun to mock people when I suffer the same pains~. Damn idiots.

"Ufufufu~, my my~, such a harsh tongue deserves some punishment, no~?"

Idly, Azazel reflects that it really feels kind of awkward watching Akeno speak like that while sitting next to her father.

"No. No! I refuse!" Diodora yells, struggling to push himself to his feet, mania clear in his eyes as his power visibly surges, snaking around his body like he's the unfortunate protagonist of one of Azazel's favourite— Well, that's not important.

What is important is that Azazel recognises the imprint of that power.

Khaos Brigade, he thinks grimly, before another thought strikes that has him reconsidering the new Lady Agares once again. Did she know this would happen?

That would explain why Akeno allowed Diodora to survive the initial attack. A fact that is further proven to him when Diodora is immediately defeated in Akeno's next attack, not that he is truly paying much attention to that at this point.

Even if Akeno apparently being an Ultimate-class individual already is something that would normally fascinate him for how impossible it should be. It's not like she was born an abnormality like Sirzechs after all.

No, he is far more concerned with Seekvaira. He has clearly been underestimating her, which is kind of hilarious because he had thought he was overestimating her. By a lot too.

But if she does know about Khaos Brigade and purposefully allowed Diodora to expose himself, potentially specifically in order to garner Azazel's attention, then that is far more important than Akeno's unusual power growth.

Rating Games long forgotten for now, Azazel picks up the letter on his desk once more, though he doesn't bother to open it again.

It seems your confidence was warranted after all, Lady Agares.

///

Sairaorg Bael

///

"You don't have to look so eager~."

Sairaorg turns to face the teasing voice, meeting eyes with his Queen Kuisha Abaddon, an Aryan beauty from one of the Extra Demon Houses that exist outside of the Noble Seventy-Two Pillars.

He shoots her a grin. "I'm pumped! I never knew Seek has such a powerful Peerage! I mean, that Fallen Angel used Holy Lightning! It'd be like fighting the legendary Lightning of God— ow."

They all wince at the utterance of God's name, and Sairaorg rubs the back of his neck sheepishly when his Peerage glare at him for saying it.

"My bad."

Kuisha sighs fondly. "Just don't go overboard. Seekvaira still has the rest of her Peerage. I doubt we really have any chance of winning, but we at least have better odds if you don't just go rushing ahead by yourself."

Sairaorg can only laugh at that. "Oh yeah, we're definitely going to lose!" His Peerage look at him oddly for saying something so pessimistic so happily. "But at the very least, we won't have to worry about the rest of her Peerage."

"What makes you so confident?" Kuisha raises a brow, but he just grins back.

"Cuz it's Seekvaira." He lets his words hang for a moment, as if they alone are answer enough, which, in his simple mind, they are. "Think about it, none of us even knew Seek had a Peerage, never mind a full one. But you saw it too, right? The cloaks and the reveal? She's being dramatic, which with Seek can only mean there's some angle she's playing here. I get the feeling that she wants to show off for whatever reason, so she probably wants to win each match using only a single Peerage member. Just means that we have to beat 'em all one at a Time! No biggie."

Kuisha sighs but doesn't bother arguing the point. "Do you have a plan at least? Beyond taking them one at a Time." 

His mouth snaps shut as she beats him to the punch answering her own question with the exact words he was going to use. So he takes a moment to think before giving a different answer.

He's known Seekvaira for a long while. Rias introduced them while they were both still kids, and Seekvaira remains one of the few Pure-Blooded Devils that have not looked down on him for not inheriting his House's Clan Trait; Destruction.

Not just him. His entire Peerage is familiar with Seekvaira, though perhaps not enough to really say that they're friends. Sairaorg at least has had more reason to spend Time with her than his Peerage has.

Still, Sairaorg's Peerage is full of outcasts, and Seek was always good to them all. It's something he respects about her a lot. Same with Sona and Rias really.

More to the point though is that Sairaorg is very well aware of the fact that Seek will outsmart him every day of the week. So planning out anything complex seems rather pointless to him. Just go forth and beat up the enemy. Keep things simple.

"Well, we know what we need to defend against," he says, knowing Kuisha would click her tongue if he didn't say anything. "So I guess Misteeta, you use your Sacred Gear to seal away her Holy Lightning, Kuisha, you be prepared to use Hole defensively and the rest of us split into defending Misteeta and Kuisha or attacking the Fallen Angel."

He doesn't really need to give any more direction, as they all know themselves and each other well enough to know which roles they should compart themselves into.

Seeing no disagreements, Sairaorg nods once before turning his eye to the large countdown in the sky. Not long to go.

His eyes pan out to the world around them. In the second round now, the arena has changed. From two opposing castles, they now stand in a maze of towering desert mesa. Lots of open space, lots of high ground or ambush spots. A good place to fight when one has the numbers advantage.

Footsteps to his side alert him to the arrival of his partner, Regulus, who greets him with a smile.

"You might have to wear me if you want to win," the young boy says, which only makes sense when one knows that Regulus is actually the avatar of the Longinus-class Sacred Gear Regulus Nemea.

"You think so?" Sairaorg was under the impression that they could eke out a victory against the Fallen Angel without having to resort to that. At least if they all work together anyway.

"Yeah," Regulus nods, looking almost as excited about the prospect of a challenge as Sairaorg feels. "I got a feeling of danger from her. But if you wear me, and everyone else helps out too, then I think we can win."

"Alright." Sairaorg nods, readjusting his mental slightly and not even thinking to doubt Regulus' words. "I'll focus on bringing her down first. Our fighters are better suited to ground combat. Especially Beruka."

"I can hear you, you know?" Beruka interrupts with a scowl, though his smile dispels any notion that his annoyance could be anything but playful.

Sairaorg chuckles at the easy companionship before turning back to the arena and beginning some stretches.

His Peerage notice and break off from their separate conversations to gather around him, each putting themselves through any final pre-battle preparations.

Soon enough, the countdown ends and Sairaorg steps forward, anticipation thrumming through his veins at the prospect of a good fight.

"Let's go."

His Peerage follow in step with him as they take flight and alight on the nearest mesa before moving into a brisk jog forward that has them hopping between each desert pillar.

The logic is simple enough. Anyone with a brain knows that a smart outnumbered foe will seek to separate their enemies and pick them apart in pieces. So by rising to the top of the mesa, they make it far more difficult for them to be ambushed or split apart as they have sightlines in all directions bar down.

No words are needed for them to work together, but there would normally still be some chatter. Banter, really. The only reason for the current silence is that everyone understands that they will need to focus to win this fight.

But it is that familiarity with casual chatter during battle that delays all of their responses when a friendly feminine voice breaks the silence.

"Woah! Half your Peerage really is from extinct Houses~!" The voice appears abruptly between them all, and it is only as she continues talking that they all react to it. "Talk about collecting endangered species, nya~!"

When they do react, Sairaorg's Peerage does so as one unit. Liban and Beruka, his Knights, spin around and drop into a fighting stance alongside Sairaorg himself with Regulus by his side.

Coriana and Misteeta, his Bishops and Kuisha his Queen all throw themselves away to he nearest desert pillar while Gandoma and Ladora, his Rooks follow suit. Gandoma, a Devil that looks to be made of stone, follows their trump card Misteeta in order to defend her whilst Ladora transforms into a dragon and does the same, moving to guard Kuisha.

As this happens, Sairaorg takes in the sight of their foe, and he immediately feels a wry smirk grow on his face as he doesn't recognise her at all. He figured this would be a possibility, but it's still funny for Seek to dismantle their plans, vague as they were, immediately upon contact.

The woman standing between them all is a Yōkai, a Nekomata going by the fluffy ears and tail that splits in two. She has long black hair with split bangs, hazel-gold eyes and a voluptuous figure carefully concealed by a modest kimono, black and green on the outer layer and red on the inner.

The woman's posture is refined enough to match the oldest and most Noble Devils that Sairaorg has interacted with. But even with that, there is a sense of playful amusement to her as she eyes them all, seeming utterly unconcerned for her safety.

Sairaorg can only grin at the confidence, feeling his anticipation only grow at the idea of a foe that could face his entire Peerage without even feeling concerned. He gets the feeling that she knows exactly how strong he is too.

"Hm hm." The woman raises a hand to hold her chin as she glances between them with bright eyes. "Shocked~? Expecting someone else~? Too bad, Akeno already got her turn~, she doesn't get to hog all the fun~."

"You got me there," Sairaorg readily admits. He might be looking forward to the fight, but this is the Peerage of a close friend, he is hardly going to be rude. There is a difference between a friendly competition and a real battle. Which is why he keeps talking. "Though to be honest, this is the first Time I'm seeing any of Seek's Peerage. You said that Fallen Angel is called Akeno? Well, I'm Sairaorg, nice to meet you..?"

The Nekomata giggles like a princess, just in that the action is both playful and genuine whilst remaining refined and noble. Makes him think that she might be an older Yōkai, which would in turn make it likely that she is both powerful and skilled.

"My name is Kuroka Agareka~! Pawn of my beloved King, Seekvaira Agares~! Nice to meet you, Sai Sai~." Kuroka winks at him as she says the nickname, and while many Devil Nobles might dislike it, Sairaorg simply smiles back. He also does not fail to note the similarity between her family name and Seekvaira's.

Regulus surprises him by speaking up next, honest confusion in his tone. "How come you're here instead of that— instead of Lady Akeno? You don't feel strong enough to fight us by yourself, not like Akeno did."

Sairaorg raises a brow at that, but trusts in his partner's judgement.

Kuroka lightly pouts at Regulus' words. "I will have you know that I actually beat out Akeno by three points!" She waves her hands when he raises a brow at her words. "An internal ranking system we use, don't worry about it. I'm plenty strong~. Look, I can prove it~."

"Sairaorg Bael's Bishop, Coriana Andrealphus, has been retired."

What?

Sairaorg blinks, his eyes snapping to the side where Coriana stands, looking back at them all in equal befuddlement at the announcement.

And then Coriana's form blows away with the wind, revealing a grinning Kuroka standing in her place.

His eyes snap back to where Kuroka stands surrounded in Time to see Beruka spear through Kuroka's form and cause the image to disperse with the wind.

"Illusions," Sairaorg mutters to himself.

"Technically it's Youjutsu~!" Kuroka calls out in response anyway. "Plus some Senjutsu~!"

"Senjutsu," Regulus echoes in a voice of dawning comprehension. "That's why you don't feel strong. You're blending your presence out with the world."

"Hehe~, I wouldn't want to scare any of Lady Agares' friends~. Oh! That reminds me," Kuroka leans forward and cups her mouth like she is a child sharing a deep secret, "Lady Agares wanted me to tell you that she has something going on, and that she doesn't mean any insult by having me take you on by my lonesome."

That does bring a smile to his face. He already figured as much of course, but it's still nice of Seek to let him know.

"I hope she won't be upset when we beat you anyway then?"

"Hah~!" The laugh that leaves Kuroka is startled and entirely genuine, as if the idea of them beating her is truly the most unexpectedly funny thing she has heard all day. "Sorry sorry, but we really aren't on the same level. You aren't too bad yourself, but this is kind of unfair y'know~? If you can last ten seconds, I'd say your pride would be well earned~."

"Ohh?" Sairaorg only grins wider at the fighting words. "You're that strong, huh?"

"I am that strong~," Kuroka happily confirms with a nod of the head.

"Heh. Sounds fun~."

As if that were a signal, Sairaorg's Knights both burst into movement, attempting to slash and skewer Kuroka simultaneously.

The Yōkai's arms move to defend, but she briefly falters and instead twists elegantly around both blows, all whilst sending a playful glare to somewhere behind him. Sairaorg can figure that Misteeta must have used his Sacred Gear to seal away Kuroka's ability to use Senjutsu, throwing the Nekomata off balance.

"Your ten seconds start now~," Kuroka happily exclaims as she almost immediately pushes past Misteeta's ability and moves with startling speed to dismantle his Knights. Grabbing Beruka's lance and spearing it through Liban before ripping it from Beruka's hands and swinging it like a bat straight into his head.

"Sairaorg Bael's Knights have been retired."

"Regulus!" Sairaorg yells, and the lion is quick to respond. Rapidly transforming into the form of a giant golden Nemean Lion and lunging at Kuroka whilst he himself dashes forward with his partner.

The ethereal sound of chittering laughter echoes around them as the figure of Kuroka dissolves into mist and blows away with the wind.

"Sairaorg Bael's Bishop, Queen and Rooks have been retired."

Spinning around, Sairaorg's draw drops as he sees the arena empty save for Kuroka wiggling her fingers in his direction as a wave.

"You have eight seconds left~," she says, and Sairaorg is realising that she might have been right about not being on the same level. 

This is seriously ridiculous. It's like that one Time he sparred with Sirzechs. The Satan didn't even use any magic and thrashed him completely.

Granted, that was a few years ago, but the memory is still fresh.

Sharing a brief look with his partner as the seconds count down, Sairaorg is willing to accept that there is only one choice if he wants to even have the ability to fight back. 

Regulus looks at him with hope and excitement, for as much as a giant golden lion can express such things, and when Sairaorg nods his head, the lion only grows more cheerful.

"Let's go!!" Regulus joyfully yells as his large body transforms into pure golden energy that shoots straight for Sairaorg.

"Oh, my lion!" Sairaorg chants, his voice rising as a feeling of pure power flows into him. "Oh, King of Nemea! You who bears the name of the Lion King! Respond to my rage and transform to my vesture!"

The air around him shudders and the mesa he stands on cracks down to its foundations as Regulus' overwhelming power fuses with him and they finish the final line of the chant together.

"Balance Breaker!"

The power that had been growing and coiling around him comes to a head in a titanic explosion like a miniature nuclear bomb. One that destroys everything around him and whose shockwaves part the skies clear of clouds throughout almost the entire arena.

As the light of the explosion dies down, Sairaorg is revealed, clad head to toe in shining golden armour. A giant lion with its mouth open in a roar sitting proudly in the centre chest piece while long golden hair stretches in a mane behind him near to the floor.

"Regulus Rey Leather Rex!" Sairaorg roars, flexing every muscle as his strength is brought to an entirely new level with Regulus wrapped around him.

The sound of soft clapping disturbing the silence that followed his transformation's devastation pulls his attention to the side where Kuroka stands, unruffled. The smile on her face is mostly unchanged, just holding a sight interest but not a hint of fear.

Has she not noticed the massive difference in strength, or is even this still not enough to reach her level?

"Super Saiyan~," Kuroka says, smiling his way. "Well, I don't have a chant or anything, but I can do a transformation too you know~?"

As she speaks, pale green markings exactly the colour of Seekvaira's hair spread across her skin. They move down her arms to wrap around each finger and up from the neck, through the cheeks to end on her forehead, where the markings come together into the crest of House Agares.

Uncaring of his bewilderment at the nature of her transformation, Kuroka snaps her fingers in his direction in a pair of finger guns and utters only two words.

"Sage Mode~."

A Sage? Sairaorg thinks to himself in shock. He didn't even think a Devil could be a Sage, but even then, Sages are so rare, he didn't think he'd run into one here. Didn't think Seek would have one in her Peerage.

"Are you ready~?" Kuroka asks, snapping him out of his useless thoughts. "There are two seconds left~."

Understanding her words for what they are, Sairaorg immediately drops into a defensive stance and prepares to receive her attack. He already knows he can't win, so he's changed his goal post.

He doesn't need to win. He just needs to survive the first attack. 

He just needs to survive two seconds. Just two. Then he will be able to hold his head with pride.

Keyed up as he is, when Kuroka simply disappears from every and all of his senses, Sairaorg does not hesitate to bring his arms up in a block.

Almost immediately, maybe actually before his arms were fully up in fact, Sairaorg feels the faintest impression of an impact before his entire world flashes black and white and then every colour in-between.

He comes to to realise that he is hurtling through the air, spinning so fast that the world is just a blur of colours as he smashes through desert pillar after desert pillar without slowing at all.

But he can barely even pay attention to that as his mind wobbles in and out of consciousness, only his fighting will refusing to allow defeat keeping him from succumbing to the sweet promise of dreams.

An abrupt stop to all movement jolts his brain back into focus. Bleary and disoriented, but at least lucid enough to understand that he is no loner moving. That he is encased in a Sairaorg-shaped crater at the end of a long trench his body must have dug through the earth before halting.

"Uuuu~, you're still conscious~?" Kuroka's voice echoes trough his brain, but he struggles to comprehend the words, and any attempt at a response only comes out as a slurred groan. He tries to meet her eyes, but he can barely recognise her face. Just abstract colours blurring together in the vague shape of Kuroka.

"Impressive," Kuroka says again, and again, Sairaorg doesn't hear her. He is too busy trying to push himself back to his feet, but it feels like trying to move in a dream, like every limb is made of lead. He isn't sure if he even manages to move at all. If his body is even capable of listening to him right now.

Kuroka steps closer and his world twists and shakes again as he is pulled up by his collar. Somehow, he manages one brief moment of lucidity. Just enough to hear her words as she pulls her other hand back in a fist.

"Take heart, Sairaorg Bael. You did not manage ten seconds, but you did force me to strike you twice. That is honestly more impressive than you yet know~. Hold your head high."

Perhaps if he could move his body, he would have smiled at the words. But as it is, he simply accepts them proudly into his heart and allows darkness to descend upon him.

"Sairaorg Bael has been retired."

///

Yasaka

///

Inside of a lavishly decorated room of traditional design, Yasaka lightly smiles as she watches young Shirone and her daughter Kunou cheer with delight at Kuroka's victory. She mostly tunes them out however as they start rambling about how 'cool' Kuroka is.

Mostly, she knows that it is simply Shirone feeling inordinately prideful for her beloved sister and Kunou just generally being excited because her friend is excited.

Instead, as the screen transitions into something to be muted as they wait for the next and final match to begin, Yasaka turns her attention to the delicately folded letter sitting innocently on the low table in front of her.

Reaching forward, Yasaka brings the high quality paper back up to her eye level and briefly studies the broken wax seal proudly displaying House Agares' family crest.

Twisting it around in one hand, she unfolds it and reads through the words a second Time.

Dear Yasaka, Leader of the West Youkai Faction, Daiyōkai;

How have Shirone and Kunou been getting along? Well, I hope? I am unsure how much Time I will be able to spare Kuroka for for the next year or so, as I will be rather busy. However, after that, I think it would be good for Shirone and Kunou to have an adventure of their own, and Kuroka would be more than happy to escort them anywhere they wish to go.

However, this letter is not simply to discuss such things. Rather, I am writing this in order to recommend to you that you watch the Youth Devil Rating Game Tournament that I will be participating in. I intend to make it one to remember.

Additionally, I will have Kuroka fight in one of the rounds. Would you mind bringing Shirone in with you as you watch? You know that she admires you, and I am sure she would be twice as happy to see her sister show off if she were doing so by your side.

I will be by on a more official basis shortly after the tournament. When you decide to meet with Amaterasu-Ōmikami, I would ask to be invited.

With thanks and kind regards, House of Agares, Archduke of Hell, Seekvaira Agares.

Yasaka finds herself smiling just as she did when she first read Seekvaira's letter. The audacity of that woman has always been greatly amusing to her.

Frankly, Yasaka has no idea what Seekvaira is planning, but she is certain that the display of power from her Peerage is just the first step. Because that alone wouldn't be enough to give her the confidence that Yasaka will seek out Amaterasu-Ōmikami in response.

She isn't sure if she is scared or excited to see what Seekvaira is going to pull that she thinks the involvement of the Gods is a natural response.

Still, whatever it is that she has in mind, Yasaka has faith that it will not bring her or her faction any harm. 

That thought has her eyes turning back to the two young Yōkai giggling together in their own little world.

It was strange, Yasaka recalls. Her first meeting with Seekvaira Agares that is. Amusing in hindsight, for all that she was hostile at the Time, though not without good reason.

She had, after all, just been informed of the massacre of all Nekomata living in the Underworld, including the rare branch of Nekoshou. So when a cloaked Devil appeared in her faction without warning, she was naturally not feeling charitable.

She remembers it as if it were yesterday, though in fairness it was only a few years ago. A pittance of Time.

She was in a meeting with all of the high ranking members of her faction at the Time. Discussing their response to the Devils' actions. Many were considering war as the only reasonable response, and honestly Yasaka was feeling rather convinced.

Then, during that heated discussion, a guard bursts in warning of a cloaked Devil appearing at their gate and requesting a meeting with her.

Her initial assumption was that it would have been one of Leviathan's subordinates, or perhaps Leviathan herself considering the severity of the crime committed against them. When Yasaka granted the audience instead of simply killing the impudent Devil, she had expected that they would come with terms. With concessions to be made under the table in order to avoid the worst sorts of outcomes.

What she got instead was a green-haired child.

Now, the fact that the Devil had the appearance of a twelve year old did nothing to affect Yasaka's attitude. It's nothing unusual for people to live for centuries without growing past puberty.

If she knew at the Time that the child truly was exactly as young as she looked, Yasaka isn't sure what she would have thought.

Regardless, this mysterious Devil was not there on behalf of the Leviathan, or any Satan for that matter.

No. They were there personally. 'Representing House Agares and my own personal benefit,' was what she said. Such an absurd thing to say to a room full of half the most powerful Yōkai alive, each staring at her with murderous intent.

Truly, she has always been an audacious girl.

Yet, it was hard to muster up any anger when that audacious brat revealed that she had managed to personally save roughly half of the Nekomata in the Underworld from death, including every child.

For that, they would have given her anything. The gratitude that they felt was so great that the previous hatred seemed as if nothing in comparison.

And what did this audacious child want to repay this debt?

Wealth? Artifacts? Power?

Yasaka chitters with laughter as the girl's words play through her memory.

"Hmm, how could you repay me? Well, I do not particularly need anything, but I could never have too many friends. If you still feel you owe me beyond that, then there is one thing you could do for me. Sometime in the coming decade, vouch for me. Oh, and I'm taking this one with me."

When pressed for what she should be vouching for specifically, that girl would just smile and refuse to answer. Even now, Yasaka isn't sure what she meant. She is half suspicious that the girl just said that for the sake of giving an answer and that she isn't even planning to call the favour in.

Yasaka is pretty sure that she will though. In the few Times they have met since, Yasaka has come to learn that Seekvaira is the type of Devil to look forward and to act with meaning. She just has no idea what the girl is planning. 

Probably something absurd, knowing her.

As for the last part, she was speaking of Kuroka specifically. The SS-class Stray Devil and one of the most wanted criminals in the Underworld. It was funny, to be honest. The Heir to the Archducal House of Agares choosing to harbour the Underworld's most wanted.

Truly, so audacious.

Perhaps in other circumstances Yasaka would have fought that claim. She has never liked the Devil's reincarnation system. No one has, for that matter. That damn Beelzebub might be the single most cursed being alive for what he has wrought on their world.

But Seekvaira was clearly different to the average Devil. 

For one, if she wanted to claim Kuroka out of greed, then it would stand to reason that she would also want Shirone too. More impactful than that however, was the simple fact that one look at Kuroka's face was enough for her to know that attempting to separate them would be a fruitless endeavour.

Yasaka huffs an amused breath at the thought, recalling the earlier sight of Kuroka's Sage Mode. She hadn't known Kuroka had advanced so far, but that impressive feat is largely drowned out by how amusing it is to see the cat's adoration of her King represented so clearly by her own Senjutsu.

Matching her colours, naming herself Agareka and even wearing the Agares crest. A bolder statement one could not make with words alone.

From there, little came of the event. Well, compared to the war that could have erupted.

Leviathan did eventually make a discrete visit as Yasaka had expected her to, but by that point she was already too late.

Still, Seekvaira did not want anyone to know about her interaction with Yasaka's faction, and they felt too much gratitude to do anything but assist in that matter.

She felt a little bit bad for Leviathan at the Time, as she naturally negotiated hard by using the threat of a war that the Devils could not afford, even if they would likely win. But winning against her Yōkai would mean losing against the Shinto Pantheon later, so she had Leviathan in a box and used that advantage ruthlessly.

She felt bad about it because she does believe that Serafall Leviathan is genuinely a decent person who truly wants to see Devil kind have peaceful and friendly relationships with the other factions of the world. But politics are not a place for mercy, and so Yasaka extended her none.

In the end, she managed to pull a rather hefty amount of reparations from Serafall all while completely closing any and every instance of trade between their factions. There was also mention of heavy and immediate retaliation on any ensuing affront against her faction by Devilkind as well as the negotiated release of all reincarnated Yōkai who were coerced in any manner into their Peerages.

Yasaka was pleased by the end of it all.

The Nekomata that were lost were still many, and that loss was still keenly felt. But the concessions hurt the Devils and went a long way to making up for their crime. 

Plus, Yasaka glances at the two young Yōkai sharing the room with her, she even managed to get a second daughter out of the whole thing.

An announcement from the projected screen on her wall draws the eye, and Yasaka turns to see the next and final match about to begin.

As she watches the a third cloaked member of Seekvaira's mysterious Peerage step forward to dramatically reveal themself, Yasaka idly wonders if this match will be any more interesting than the last. 

One can hope.

///

Odin

///

Odin's eye itches.

Normally, Odin has better thing to do with his Time than watching a bunch of children alternatingly fight it out in fierce battles or get crushed by a vastly superior foe.

For example, he could be ensuring the smooth running of Asgard, though he does have helpers for that. Or he could be plotting with Zeus and Azazel about how they could bring about a lasting peace between their factions. Or he could be checking what colour panties his Valkyrie are wearing today.

Many important matters.

Yet, he is here. Alone in his office watching a Rating Game tournament between the Devil's youths.

The reason for such a divesture in his routine?

Simple.

Odin's eye itches.

He does not know why. He does not know if this feeling plaguing him is an omen of good or ill.

All he knows is that there is something that he must see. It feels as if Yggdrasil's wisdom is vibrating within the empty socket in his skull. Demanding that he observe something, though he knows not what. Only that whatever he will see must be important. Significant enough to reshape the universe as he knows it.

When the final match of the tournament began and Rossweisse of all people revealed herself as the third member of Lady Agares' Peerage, he was rather shocked. He knew that she had retired from her position in the Valkyrie, but he was under the impression that she was simply going on a journey.

It is nothing new for such a thing to happen. Everyone needs some alone Time to discover themselves every once in a while. He had hope that she would come back stronger and more sure of herself.

Well, that much at least seems to be true enough, Odin thinks to himself as he watches his wayward Valkyrie.

She is dressed in a suit and tie not unlike her King's but that it is white as snow. Only the soft green vest and red tie add colour to the ensemble.

More than that however, the difference that Odin notes is in how she holds herself.

It isn't immediately obvious, and he doubts anyone save for her grandmother Göndul would be able to pick out what the difference is specifically quite as quickly as Odin.

Rossweisse has always been an uptight girl. That's why she never got a boyfriend. It was always work and study with her, no fun at all.

Looking at her now, Rossweisse still stands straight. Her suit is still immaculately pressed and free of any disturbance. She seems as serious and boring as ever.

However, there is a... casualness that did not exist before.

Her movements are still nearly the same, but now there is no stuttering, no forced motion. Instead, she moves with smooth ease. As if tense muscles have finally relaxed. A confidence that he has never seen her exhibit before.

It makes her seem dangerous. Even to him, he feels like he can no longer see her as he used to. As if she were not someone he should tease as he has in the past.

Honestly, he's happy for her. It's like she's finally wearing her own skin. He knows Göndul will be happy to see her like this too.

Apparently, that surprise was not enough though, as Rossweisse soon sets out to surprise him once more.

The 'battle' started out simple enough. The Gremory girl was clearly feeling down at receiving the same treatment as Lady Agares' previous two bouts. Rossweisse informed her of a message she had for Rias' ears only, and then Odin got to enjoy the mirthful sight of the Gremory girl blushing up a storm at whatever was whispered into her ear.

From there, the Gremory girl's Peerage all retired themselves with the exception of the King herself and the Sacred Gear wielding Dhampir.

Now, Odin actually happens to know a bit about Gasper Vladi. Azazel brought him up once when they were visiting this wonderful new restaurant called 'Hooters' that the humans in the United States of America invented. He was on one of his tangents about Sacred Gears, as the man obsesses over them even more than women! Absurd.

Still, Azazel talked about the boy. Mentioned how his Sacred Gear had evolved into Longinus-class, a Gear capable of killing a God. 

The brat is apparently pretty strong besides. Azazel seemed to think that the Vladi boy was around the level of Serafall Leviathan and Falbium Asmodeus. Quite impressive for his age. Apparently that is what is so strange about it.

It isn't as if Gasper Vladi is anything like those anomalies, Sirzechs and Ajuka who were born with overwhelming power. 

Odin recalls Azazel theorising that the evolution of his Sacred Gear had done something of an 'overhaul' of 'Gasper Vladi' as a whole. Mind body and soul.

He would like to see how Rossweisse fares against such a foe. Because the Rossweisse he knew would likely not stand much of a chance. She would have done better against Serafall, simply because Vladi's focus is on Time, which is challenging to fight against.

However, it is unfortunate that Gasper Vladi's method of combat doesn't really lend well to spectacle.

Instead, all he gets to see is the screen flash black before the announcement comes through.

"Rias Gremory's Queen, Gasper Vladi, has been retired."

Odin huffs.

"Boring," he complains, but despite that, he still does feel something akin to pride seeing the darkness fade to reveal Rossweisse standing alone and unruffled. Standing in an arena significantly more cratered than a second ago.

"I probably should have seen that coming," Rias Gremory says into the silence, meeting Rossweisse's eyes with a smile. "Your King is the one who trained Gasper in the first place, after all." A sigh leaves her and she shakes her head, "Well, whatever. I forfeit."

"Rias Gremory has retired."

If not for the continued itching of his eye, Odin might have considered this a small waste of his Time, bar for being able to see Rossweisse growing into herself.

But he doesn't feel as if he has seen all that there is to see, so he continues to watch the broadcast regardless.

He is not disappointed.

After a brief intermission, a bunch of talk that Odin honestly had no reason to care about, (except for the advertisement announcing the next season of Serafall's show, Miracle☆Levia-tan, which he is very interested in because there are always a lot of panty-shots) the broadcast does eventually get to the point.

Namely, the award ceremony. 

There is no second or third place in this, that sort of thing is mostly a human invention. For many supernatural races, second place is just first amongst the losers. Only the winner truly matters. This sort of mindset is especially prevalent in Devil society, where they are especially sensitive as a species to power.

The ceremony starts about as boring as he expected it to. A lot of congratulates, a lot of Sirzechs subtly trying to encourage the idea that Devils are cool and friendly and won't eat your soul. A lot of 'We're so happy to see so many visitors to the Underworld,' and 'Everyone did so well today!'

Odin tuned most of it out. Even his eye stopped itching, as if bored.

Of course, that only lasts until Sirzechs speech comes to an end. By then, Odin couldn't have continued to ignore the broadcast if he wanted to. Whatever he has been waiting for, he knows that it is now that it will be revealed.

"-and with all of that being said, please allow me the honour of introducing the victor of this tournament!" From where he is standing on a raised platform that sits on one side of their colosseum in clear view of everyone attending in person, Sirzechs steps to the side of his podium and raises his arm behind him as another figure emerges. "Seekvaira Agares!"

The platform they stand on is itself built into the stadium. A repurposed VIP box. Because of this, the entrance is a shadowed tunnel into the brickwork, giving an appropriate amount of spectacle as Lady Agares enters. Steady steps bring her forward, each step revealing more of the Devil in question.

From her polished dress shoes to the perfectly tailored suit and overcoat, she certainly paints a striking image. 

Personally, Odin isn't too fond of the clothes humans wear these days, but he can admit that it looks good on her. But maybe that's just because she herself is so attractive. He briefly wonders what kind of underwear she wears before filing the thought away for later consideration. 

Perhaps Azazel could find out?

Regardless, the Lady Agares is followed up to the podium by five distinct figures. Three being the members of her Peerage revealed so far, Akeno, Kuroka and Rossweisse. The other two however, are both wearing the same brown cloaks concealing their figures as the rest.

The ploy of drumming up anticipation is no less successful for how blatant it is. Even Odin is interested in what the rest of her Peerage could look like after seeing the first three. Though, they were probably among the best she had available, as he imagines she wouldn't have wanted to take the chance of losing.

Not that there was much of a chance of that with how hilariously unfair this competition has been.

Soon enough, Seekvaira Agares is standing behind the podium, facing a full stadium and really the entire supernatural world thanks to the broadcast. 

She doesn't so much as blink, seemingly oblivious to the pressure many would feel upon realising where they stand.

Interestingly, Odin notes how the three revealed members of her Peerage all seem to angle themselves as if to form a blockade for the only other person present, Sirzechs. 

And then she opens her mouth and Odin's eye itches. So much so that he unconsciously brings up a hand to rub at his eyepatch, and with that as warning, Odin sobers up and he pays attention.

"Hello all. I would like to first thank Sirzechs Lucifer for presenting this opportunity to me," she nods her head in the Satan's direction with a small smile that he happily returns. Then, pageantry over with, Seekvaira turns back and sighs as if something has been deeply troubling her. "However, it does not feel right for me to stand here and act as if I am proud of my victory today."

The way Sirzechs blinks tells Odin that he was not prepared for the turn Seekvaira's speech is taking. Usually these things are all just full of thank yous and declarations of being better. Perhaps some advertising, 'come visit my lands, we have great food!'

Seekvaira ignores the look the Satan is sending her entirely and stares the camera directly in the metaphorical eye.

"You see, my inclusion in this event simply was not fair. I am sure you all understand well enough after witnessing the preceding battles. Each competitor today was surely an impressive showing, but the unfortunate truth is that I am just too strong. It was not fair. How could they be expected to compete against me, when I am the most powerful Devil to ever live?"

Odin's jaw drops at that final line, and she lets the words hang in the air for a moment in the stunned silence that follows. Not just at the declaration itself, but that she would say it standing right next to the Satan Lucifer!

Here, Seekvaira's façade of troubled thoughts fades away from her expression entirely. In its place, Seekvaira's smile grows just a tad wider. An expression that despite being relatively modest still manages to convey the same kind of emotions that Odin recalls seeing in his son's eyes when Thor was enjoying a particularly good fight.

In line with this, when she continues talking, her energy is entirely different. Full of an honest charisma that he finds drawing him, uncomfortably reminding him of hearing the Morningstar speak.

"Luckily," Seekvaira's tone feels a lot more honest as she grins into the camera, "I have thought of a solution. In order to claim a victory that is truly earned, I intend to host my own tournament. Just over two weeks ago, my House Agares declared its independence, and I can think of no better way to celebrate this occasion than a grand tournament. However," a delicate finger is placed on her chin as if in thought, "That naturally poses the question, to what incentive will anyone have to sign up? Every grand tournament needs an equally grand reward befitting the competitors after all."

With her theatrical pondering out of the way, Seekvaira's grin quickly returns as she answers her own question without hesitation, staring straight into what feels like Odin's soul as she does so.

"That comes in two parts. For one, I have come to understand just how boring it is to be the strongest person around. A feeling I am sure that many of the opponents I would like to face will understand. Shiva. Sun Wukong. Thor." She turns slightly to acknowledge the stunned Satan besides her, "Sirzechs Lucifer." Her eyes return to the camera without a hint of hesitancy despite having just called out four of the most powerful beings alive. "For the strongest around like us, it can be so restricting never being able to stretch our legs. So for you, I believe the only incentive necessary would be the promise of a good fight."

To be honest, Odin struggles to hear the words, as once he overcame his shock, the God simply couldn't stop from laughing uproariously at hearing his own son get called out by a Devil not even two decades old claiming to be a peer of the strongest. But despite the absurdity she speaks, Seekvaira Agares does not stop.

She instead remains with a smile that says she is in on a joke no one else yet understands, and Odin is quickly forced to sober up as she goes on to prove that that is exactly the case.

"Now, I am sure I can imagine many of your thoughts, speaking of my arrogance to claim a spot at the peak. It is understandable that you would think so, and I know that by myself I will not inspire much hope of a good fight for the names I have mentioned. Which is why I would like to introduce you all to my faithful Queen."

Seekvaira steps to he side as one of the cloaked figures steps up to the podium, and as they grasp their cloak and pull it off in the same fashion as the others, Odin once more finds his jaw on the floor.

The figure revealed is a beautiful woman wearing a deep blue suit not unlike Seekvaira's. She has long pale blue hair, dark blue eyes and is in possession of a cold beauty, as if she is above all others. 

There is no mistaking it. Odin knows exactly who this is, yet he still finds himself shocked when she actually speaks.

"As my King commands, I shall introduce myself. I am Tiamat, the Chaos Karma Dragon, strongest of the Five Great Dragon Kings and now the Queen of Lady Seekvaira Agares' Peerage. I can personally vouch for the strength of my King's Peerage. Akeno Himejima is the second weakest of us, and there are three others not counting my King who still stand a chance at besting even me in battle."

Tiamat pauses briefly, allowing a moment to digest her words and Odin soon learns why as she proceeds to drop yet another bomb on him that nearly blanks his mind.

"Additionally, Shiva. My King considers you to be the one she must best, so pay attention. I am sure that even with all of my power, I was not someone you truly considered a threat. However, I am not the same as I once was." Tiamat silently raises an empty hand into the air, staring straight into the camera as a single word echoes like thunder. "Boost!"

A flash of light engulfs her raised hand for only a moment before fading away to reveal a sleek crimson gauntlet of dragonscale. It is decorated with gold and a large green orb on the back of the hand. Odin struggles to believe Loki isn't pulling tricks on him seeing it.

"Albion!!" The voice that echoes through the recording is familiar enough to Odin, yet even then his mind struggles to accept what it is comprehending. "Bring your host to Agares' tournament so that I can crush you!! You won't stand a chance this Time! Hahahaha!"

What the fuck.

Tiamat is the new host of the Boosted Gear?

Tiamat is the new Red Dragon Empress? Chaos Karma Red Dragon Empress?

What the fuck?

How? When? Why?!?

A second flash of light covers her hand before disappearing, banishing away the Longinus-class Sacred Gear, and Odin barely gathers his wits enough to listen as Tiamat continues speaking. As if she didn't just reveal something so terrifying.

"As you can see, I am also the new Red Dragon Empress. My power has reached heights I did not think possible. And yet.." For the first Time since she began talking, Tiamat's expression changes. Showing a small, challenging smile. "My King is stronger still. So I would advise that you spend the next year working off the rust, Shiva. You will need it if you don't want to lose your position at the top. Lastly, Crom Cruach. You have enjoyed touting yourself as the strongest Dragon for far too long. Come, so that I may beat some humility into you."

A startle laugh leaves Odin at the absurd words he is hearing. 

No wonder his eye was itching so badly. This Devil has got some nerve. He has never watched such an audacious broadcast in his life. This is amazing.

With her piece said, Tiamat takes a step back to retake her place beside the other cloaked figure behind their King.

Stepping back up to the podium, Seekvaira smiles as if nothing is out of the ordinary.

"Now, naturally the prospect of a fight alone is not incentive enough. Even if it were, a tournament can only be as grand as the reward for winning. But what could invoke the greed of the Gods? Such a question troubled me greatly before a solution was presented to me in the form of my Rook. A reward even Gods will covet."

Once more, Seekvaira takes a step back and once more, another member of her Peerage tears off their cloak.

This figure is also a beautiful woman with blue hair, though hers is deeper, more akin to the surface of a lake. Her eyes too. The blue within rolls and waves like an ocean is contained within the orbs. She is dressed in a long white dress and allows her hair to flow freely near to the floor.

"You may refer to me as Viviane," the woman begins, her voice mostly polite. Noble. A touch away from being unfriendly. "I am likely better known as the Lady of the Lake; the forger of Excalibur, the only of my works that anyone seems to remember. My King and I have come to an agreement. In the coming tournament, I will forge for whoever comes in third a weapon of equivalence to Excalibur. Before it was broken and disgraced."

Well, Odin thinks, if she wanted to incite greed, then Seekvaira has certainly succeeded there.

People have been fighting over Excalibur's fragments for centuries, yet most of those who do so do not even remember what the sword was like in full form.

Odin remembers. He'd wager that every Deity does.

The original Excalibur was a weapon worthy of a God. An equal to the likes of Odin's own Gungir. Part of what made it so special was that the Sword of Promised Victory was capable of interfering with Destiny itself. Redrawing the tapestry of Fate in favour of its wielder. 

It was a sword that brought the very concept of Victory into fruition for whomever wielded it.

And this is what the Lady of the Lake is offering for third place!?

"To whomever comes second, I will forge a weapon and armour of equivalence to Excalibur. To whomever claims total victory, I will forge five pieces of equipment of their own choice, each of equivalence to Excalibur. Greater, even, as I have improved since then."

That's a total of eight pieces of equipment matching Excalibur.

Before this, Odin was not that interested in the tournament Lady Agares is setting up. At most finding it amusing for his son. But now? 

He knows that the announced rewards are there specifically to attract participants by provoking their greed, but that does not change the simple mathematics.

Five pieces of equipment equalling Excalibur—surpassing it even—would be enough to significantly boost his faction's total combat power. 

He knows it would mean playing into the hands of a Devil not two decades old, but that reward simply is not something that he can afford to ignore. It would be a disservice to the faction he rules if he were to do nothing.

That thought just makes him smile, impressed with the young Agares despite himself. It seems that she will be getting exactly what she wants.

He just wonders how true Tiamat's words were, because he struggles to believe that anyone, let alone a young Devil, could be a match for Tiamat wielding the Boosted Gear. He knows that he would lose that fight, though maybe his son could fare better.

He wouldn't bet on it though. That's a seriously scary combination.

Viviane takes a step back after having said her piece, the Fae clearly having no interest in public speaking.

Seekvaira steps back into the dead silence following the constant shocks she has fed them, and once again, her smile is unchanged. Perhaps slightly wider with anticipation.

"The format will be simple. Sixteen teams of up to sixteen participants will compete in a single elimination style tournament. Unlike with Rating Games, there will be no Peerage system limiting participants. Simply gather up to sixteen fighters together and fight. Bring the best that you can, anything less and there would be no point, as I would once again win with far too much ease."

The arrogance on display is astounding, but perhaps he should consider it well founded confidence. Assuming that Tiamat was being honest about her King's strength anyway.

With her speech winding down, Seekvaira once again looks deep into the camera, and her smile fades into something more solemn. Her words, more significant as she leans forward and makes the most audacious statement so far. An impressive feat considering what has already been said.

"The list of the 'Top Ten Strongest Individuals' has been left stagnant for far too long. You lot have gotten comfortable. It is high Time that that list got an update."

Smiling away her own solemn tone with her piece said, Seekvaira leans back and finishes her speech in a tone that does not suggest that anything beyond the ordinary has happened.

"The tournament will be held in one year's Time on Agares land. More detailed information will be made available later today. Thank you for listening, I hope you all have a pleasant evening."

With those final words, Seekvaira simply sends Sirzechs Lucifer a nod before turning on her heel and calmly walking away, her Peerage following without a word.

Silence fills Odin's office as Sirzechs is visibly too stunned to have words, and a moment later the broadcast cuts entirely.

Odin sits there in silence for a long while. Simply considering the sensation that Lady Agares' short speech will no doubt be causing at this very moment.

Nobody has called out the strongest beings alive like that in... Ever. It has simply never happened. Yet, her words can't even be written off as a dog barking louder than its bite. It's difficult to do that when one shows off not only the Lady of the Lake but also Tiamat wielding the Boosted Gear!

That thought makes Odin snort. Then, that brief amusement flares into a chuckle. A chuckle that grows into a laugh, before soon enough his office is filled by the echoing of his uproars laughter.

Every laugh that leaves him only furthering his amusement as his thoughts circle around Lady Agares' words and the consequences that will undoubtably follow them.

Truly, what an audacious Devil.

///

Act I: Close

////

btw, this whole fic is like an experiment for me, y'know trying something new. So if you have any constructive criticism after reading it, please do share :D