The Seraphic System-Chapter 78: The Rating Game

The Seraphic System

Chapter: 78

Disclaimer: I don't own High School Dxd or any other universe used in this story. 

Pa/ t reon details below the Chapter if you're interested in seeing some content in advance.

(The Rating Game)

I sat on my throne, an occurrence that had become recurring in my everyday life. I was thinking over an important subject that my mind kept circling back to, the Sephiroth Graal.

One of the most powerful Longinus Sacred Gears. I knew it held a key part within the future of this world and would no doubt be an asset to Heaven even if I didn't know how to use it.

What intrigued me was the current wielder.

A half vampire, half human.

One of the rare cases of the Heavenly System showing its degradation in my... absence. According to Michael it was only due to the lack of presence that let the Sacred Gear System be abused. It should be back online properly.

Naturally my first thought was to retrieve the Holy Grail. But then I looked at the compatibility rate.

98%.

That was high, and I knew compatibility would determine the usage of the Sacred Gear. So that left the question, was it worth converting her on Heaven's side? From what I knew she was currently being abused and looked down on due to her status as a Dhampir.

I had already expanded out of just relying on my Angels... It was a tough decision and even if I tore it out right now, there was no assurance I could find a replacement.

Unless I personally gained it...

That was tempting.

I couldn't see my own compatibility rate without removing it.

I'd have to think about it more.

The Grail hadn't been my only focus these past few days.

It had been nearly a week since the Holy Order had returned from the mission, and things had been moving steadily. Brias was finally secured, along with Kampe and the twin gods.

He had been residing within my sub-dimension with Asia and Hestia who had both taken a liking to the traumatised man. My twelve Angels that resided with my sub-dimension and had further attempted to make the man feel safe.

We had come to learn that the two gods we captured were both Deimos and Phobos, with Deimos being a God of Terror, Dread and Panic while Phobos was the God of Fear and Panic.

Apparently, they'd played a part in Brias' torture.

Bringing them in raised an unexpected question: where to keep them? I'd only planned for Kampe, two minor gods were a different problem. They were still noticeable, even if they weren't well-known.

That led to Michael's suggestion, and with it, the revelation that Heaven had its own prison.

A heavily fortified prison within a secret location buried in Cocytus. The only reason I hadn't immediately gone to check it out was due to its location. That being within the underworld but further more Cocytus was dangerous.

Even Ultimate-class beings couldn't see all around without preparation. Though, I felt that would be different for me considering I was reaching upon the top of the ultimate-class.

Regardless of that. Throwing an ancient Greek monster and two gods into it would've been a political nightmare if anyone found out. Heaven couldn't afford that at the moment.

It was annoying but I had to think about these things. I had decided against it in the end. I needed somewhere more secure.

More private and more secure than anything else could be. In the end, I chose the safest option I had, my inventory. A personal space that only I could access, completely cut off from the outside world.

There, no one could reach them, and no one could accidentally stumble upon what we'd done. I'd have to think about what to do with them at a later date, in any case. There was no way this would lead back to us and no witness' to say otherwise.

Brias was as you would have expected him to be after so much torture. Asia had been a massive help in keeping him stable. Her gentle nature, combined with her healing powers, had done more for him than any of us could.

She was patient, checking on him daily, offering soft words and comfort. He had initially been intimidated by Hestia before he got used to her presence.

Being surrounded by Angels was helping even if he seemed to be intimidated by my Arch-Angels when they entered my sub-dimension. Bit by bit, he was healing.

I hadn't spoken to him yet, but I planned to change that today.

In a way, the past week has given me time to breathe. Everything had been proceeding smoothly, the Holy Order had gotten to know each other further and Jeanne had insisted they all visit the Vatican together.

I imagined a place like that was exciting for her. She still struggled with the idea of me being her lord, often pushing herself too hard to prove her worth.

Over time, I'd gotten to know more about Jeanne, especially her background, like it was shown in the Fate series.

Born to peasant parents in Domrémy, France, Jeanne claimed to have received divine guidance to fight for humanity's betterment. Learning about her has been fascinating.

Since while she acted like a cute ditzy girl she was actually a force to be reckoned with. Spending time with Jeanne has been enjoyable. Occasionally, when she speaks too quickly, she becomes adorably flustered.

My thoughts were interrupted as a notification appeared in front of me.

[Download Completed!]

I grinned in excitement.

That had taken a while, with my rise in power downloads of this level becoming quicker.

Judging from the download time, Celebrimbor was firmly within the Ultimate-class if not at the lower end. It was hard to scale powers from other universes.

His body could be weak, while he could also have some insane skills able to combat a God-class being. But from this I could deduce his overall power was generally in the ultimate-class.

While his smithing skills on the other hand...

{Template - Celebrimbor - Age Unknown}

{Perks}

Master Smith

Elven Lorekeeper

Eternal Resolve

Eleven Grace

Elven Physique

Dark Influence Resistance

{Skills}

Fëanorian Smithing 

Smithing 

Enchantment Weaving

Arcane Insight

Combat Proficiency

{Sub-Skills}

Mithril Crafting

Rune Inscription

Spirit Binding

I didn't waste time going through them.

[Master Smith] (Passive)

Unparalleled skill in crafting legendary weapons, armor, and artifacts.

Even this alone was worth it... I wanted it. My smithing skill was getting harder to level up and I felt like this would help me tremendously... but it wasn't what I needed at the moment.

[Elven Lorekeeper] (Passive)

Deep knowledge of ancient magic, languages, and histories.

[Eternal Resolve] (Passive)

Unyielding spirit, able to endure torment and manipulation without breaking.

[Elven Grace] (Passive)

Heightened agility and reflexes, making him swift and precise in movement.

[Elven Physique] (Passive)

 Blessed with the natural gifts of elven heritage which include heightened agility, keen senses, exceptional stamina, and elven grace that surpasses mortal limits.

[Dark Influence Resistance] (Passive)

Mental fortitude to resist corruption and domination.

As I said, these skills were all useful. This was the problem with Download. I always downloaded one character and then ended up wanting other things I found along the way.

I could easily end up with a bunch of random powerful abilities if I wanted.

The only thing that stopped me from getting insanely powerful skills was the download time and the fact I could only make one download at a time.

[Fëanorian Smithing] 

Mastery over the legendary craft of the House of Fëanor, allowing the creation of artifacts of unmatched beauty and power. This profound art of imbuement wove the very essence of Fëa into its creations, elevating them. Techniques include forging with enchanted materials, binding magic into metal, and crafting weapons, armor, and jewels that resonate with light and ancient enchantments.

There it was.

The skill I had been waiting for. This would help me make a powerful weapon.

Out of curiosity I still checked over the others.

[Smithing] 

The art of shaping and creating objects out of metal by heating, hammering, bending, and forging it into the desired form. It is a foundational craft in metallurgy

[Enchantment Weaving]

Imbuing objects with powerful magical properties.

[Arcane Insight]

Ability to perceive and unravel magical structures.

[Elven Combat]

Skilled in elven combat techniques with swords and bows.

[Mithril Crafting]

 Specialized skill in forging items from Mithril, creating near-indestructible artifacts.

[Rune Inscription]

Carving runes of power to enhance magic and durability.

I'd definitely have to look into downloading Celebrimbor within the future. These skills were all invaluable for smithing and weapon-making.

Regardless of that, after a moment's pause I selected my chosen skill.

[Fëanorian Smithing] (LVL: 1/25) {Novice}

Mastery over the legendary craft of the House of Fëanor, allowing the creation of artifacts of unmatched beauty and power. This profound art of imbuement wove the very essence of Fëa into its creations, elevating them. Techniques include forging with enchanted materials, binding magic into metal, and crafting weapons, armor, and jewels that resonate with light and ancient enchantments.

Knowledge entering my mind, the basics on how this type of smithing worked.

I didn't waste any time, immediately heading towards Uriel's forge. The place where I had left my failed creation and where I did most of my smithing.

A fact that seemed to make Uriel happy.

The heat from the forge pressed against my skin as I stepped inside, the Gravity increased as always. Though it felt different now with my Gravity Magic passively counteracting it.

In the corner, where I usually worked, the broken fragments of Murasame rested on a velvet cloth.I walked over and picked up the largest piece.

The dark steel was cold to the touch, rough along the edges where it had shattered. Even broken, there was a weight to it.

The remnants of the curse still clung to the metal, faint but persistent. I could feel it under my fingertips, a subtle darkness that hadn't faded with time.

I was curious to see what would happen if this went well. Technically I was using dark and cursed energy to make a holy blade which wasn't exactly easy as shown with my smithing skill being unable to help.

I set the pieces on the anvil, letting out a slow breath as I focused on my new skill.

[Fëanorian Smithing].

It was subtle at first, a change in understanding, like a door opening in the back of my mind.

Small Techniques I'd never seen before unfolded in my thoughts, step by step.

How to melt and reforge cursed metal in a different way to the way I used with smithing.

How to layer magic into the metal. How to fuse light and magic into the very core of a blade. The process was more complex than anything I'd done before, but it felt... instinctive.

I grabbed a pair of white tongs and carefully placed the fragments into the forge.

The holy flames roared, wrapping around the metals I had selected, and I watched as the dark metal slowly turned red, then white-hot. Once it reached the right temperature, I pulled the first piece out and laid it on the divine anvil.

As the metal cooled, I placed it back into the flames.

When the metal glowed white-hot again, I pulled it out and repeated the process. Saturating the sword with a heavy amount of holy power.

Hammer. Heat. Bind.

Hours passed. My muscles burned, sweat soaking through my Kimono, a rare occurrence these days, but I kept going.

I moved onto the harder part. Actually making the sword I wanted to make.

The first attempt ended in a sharp crack and a bolt of cursed energy being sent my way, too much holy power, and the cursed energy lashed back, shattering a small part of the forming blade. Which naturally was a problem.

I'd have to be careful...

The second time, I lined the core with Arcsteel, hoping its magical conductivity would smooth the clash of energies. The metal glowed bright, before the curse devoured the balance, corroding the holy side until it cracked

Annoying...

Hours bled away while I worked with focus. Sweat dripped from my chin, hissing as it evaporated moments later from the sheer heat.

Every now and then I heard the ping of my skill levelling up as I instantly put it into use.

I fixed the blade again carefully, this time layering in thin veins of Heavenly Steel and Arcsteel along the edges.

The alloy pulsed faintly and the entire jagged unfinished blade glowed slightly, holding onto the holy power, creating a barrier against the dark energy that slithered through the cursed metal.

I took a step back and let out a sigh of exhaustion. This had been meticulous.

Success.

The sword was only about 23% completed but it was progress.

I glanced over at my skill.

[Fëanorian Smithing] (LVL: 27/50) {Apprentice}

Mastery over the legendary craft of the House of Fëanor, allowing the creation of artifacts of unmatched beauty and power. Techniques include forging with enchanted materials, binding magic into metal, and crafting weapons, armor, and jewels that resonate with light and ancient enchantments.

My eyes widened, that was a large amount of progress for a few hours of work. Then again, I had essentially just skipped past the multiple stages and taken on an extremely complex cursed sword....

That was trying to infuse holy and light energy with cursed energy.

I'd have to continue this another time.

For now I had a giant to meet.

-Scene Break-

I watched as the nervous giant entered the room, his hundreds of hands and eyes apparently hidden as two main eyes nervously stared at me.

He fidgeted, a look of submission in his eyes not befitting his large powerful body.

{Name: Briareus (Aegaeon)}

{Titles: Hundred-Handed One/Briareus the Strong-Handed}

{Race: Hekatonkheires (Hundred-Handed One)}

{Power Level: 16,500}

He knelt.

"Almighty One, before You stand Briareus, Hundred-Handed and Fifty-Headed" He said, his voice deep.

I paused at his formal greeting.

"Hello Briareus." I greeted.

Uriel stood next to me, almost protectively. His arms crossed as he stared at the giant passively.

"My Lord." He replied.

"It's good to finally see you. I hope your stay has been comfortable." I responded.

His face changed and a frown marred his face, a hint of something strange passing through him as he kept his eyes on the ground.

"In my short time here I have been shown more kindness than most of my time alive." He replied sincerely. "Thank you for saving me."

His broad shoulders shook slightly.

I went to speak only to be cut off as he spoke once more.

"Please." The single word hung in the air, heavy with desperation. "Almighty One... let me stay." His massive hands clenched against the stone floor. "You want something from me, right? I... I don't imagine I was saved for nothing. I'll do it. Just... let me stay."

I blinked in surprise, even Uriel's expression next to me shifted. A hint of compassion shining through his eyes.

The desperation in his voice caught me off guard. I hadn't expected him to beg. He didn't even know what I wanted yet, but he was already offering himself.

Whatever Kampe and the gods had done to him had been bad. I glanced at Uriel, who remained silent.

It wasn't a big surprise he knew I wanted something. Though I could play it off with Heaven's reputation I didn't wish to lie to him.

Did he think I was going to discard him? I frowned at the thought, only quickly covering it up when Brias' form shook at my reaction. While my morals were still questionable, I didn't do the whole throwing away thing. It was something that resonated with me and I hated it.

"Briareus... that's why I brought you here. I wanted to offer you a place in Heaven." I smiled.

His head snapped up, eyes wide, disbelief and hope flickering across his face.

"Heaven's army needs better weapons. An attack is coming. Soon." I let that sink in, watching as the realization dawned on him. "I want you to become my smith. Create weapons that can protect Heaven. You're a powerful craftsman and you were being wasted by idiots."

I decided to be honest.

Uriel smirked slightly at my last comment, his eyes practically blazing as he stared at me with an interesting look.

Briareus blinked. Slowly, almost reverently, he placed one massive hand over his chest and bowed again, deeper this time. "I... I would be honored and I will do my best to defend this place. The kindness you showed on me will not be wasted."

He spoke passionately, and I had to admire his honesty. Why such a person was tortured was beyond me.

To so easily swear his loyalty... he must have truly suffered.

I smiled faintly, feeling a strange warmth in my chest.

It was a win-win. The best type of win.

"Perfect. Uriel will show you to your new working space. You'll continue residing within the extra sub-dimension but there is a special forge that you will work in." I said.

The reason Uriel was here was since Brias would be working within his forge. Technically it was the only forge in Heaven. And ultimately the best one.

He nodded, bowing again.

Uriel inspected him all the while.

-Scene Break-

"So you understand your parameters?" I asked, looking over the former Assassin.

{Name: Taje}

{Title: Mr. One/Servant Of God. }

{Race: Blessed Human(Enhanced)}

{Power level: 7,380}

He nodded easily. "Help the Devil Rias Gremory in her rating game and keep my presence as undetectable as I can. Conceal my identity with a valid excuse and give away as little as necessary. Do not reveal your involvement under any circumstances."

His voice was calm.

"Good, you will only be there for a day to complete the objective and then you will be brought back to the Vatican." I replied.

Taje, the former Assassin, had been mostly kept on the backhand. They had merged into the small intelligence group within the Vatican that worked on gathering intelligence and secret objectives.

Taje stood silently, his sharp eyes studying me.

I could see the hesitation in the slight furrow of his brow before he finally spoke.

"If I may, my Lord..." he began carefully, voice low. "Why help a Devil?"

A fair question, I hadn't really told anyone. Besides Gabriel and Michael who had both taken the news rather... poorly. Since they believed I shouldn't resort to this to gain something and that they could get me whatever I needed.

While it was cute and nice to know they were willing to go so far, there were bound to be things only a Devil could get me and it wouldn't cost me anything.

I met his gaze, my expression calm. "A passing interest," I said, leaning back. "A deal was struck."

Taje's frown deepened. "If she becomes a threat to you or attempts to reveal this, I'll eliminate her." His tone was flat, matter-of-fact, as if killing a Devil was as routine as breathing.

A bit random.

I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "That won't be necessary."

He hesitated again, clearly trying to understand. "What could a Devil possibly offer you?"

I studied him for a moment, letting the silence linger.

I decided to make my stance known.

"Heaven didn't wage war on Devils," I finally said. "They came after us. We fought back. But their existence? Their race? That's not Heaven's concern. It's their actions , the choices they make, that matter." I paused, watching the realization dawn on his face. "Rias Gremory isn't our enemy. Not yet, at least. I'm not going to reject her plea and prayer just because she's a Devil. Especially not when she's willing to give me so much."

"She prayed?" He said, bewilderment lacing his tone. "A devil prayed?"

"Yes."

He seemed to ignore my statement about gaining something. That was the reason I answered after all.

I was thinking about Phenex Tears or some other such thing that Heaven couldn't get its hands on. The healing effects could be useful to study, and possibly replicable. I'd have to think about it more later.

Taje's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of understanding crossing his features. He bowed his head. "I see... Thank you, my Lord. I won't fail you." His voice was quiet but determined. "And I won't waste the second chance you've given me."

I nodded once. "Good."

I turned towards the large snake staring at me. "You'll be taking Galadriel too."

Taje's eyes widened. "What?"

"My Familiar can carry messages and escape relatively uncatchable if it comes down to that. It'll be good to let her stretch her... scales in any case too." I said, giving me reasoning even if I knew I didn't have to.

Such was the privilege of being God's Heir or technically God himself.

"I understand." He nodded. "T-thank you for your consideration of my health."

He seems to have a hard time processing that. I decided to push on that.

I smiled. "You work for me now, Heaven has been weakened in my absence and we will be going down a new path but those who work for us will receive the full face of Heaven's love."

Those who oppose us though...

He stared at me, stunned. Before nodding his head without any more words being spoken.

-{Rias Gremory}-

Rias paced back and forth in the spacious room, biting her lip.

The Rating Game was tomorrow, and her nerves were fraying.

Had it actually been just a dream? That was the main thought going through her head. Had she relied on a mere dream she had a week ago?

She glanced at Akeno, who stood quietly by the window, arms folded.

"Where is he?" Rias muttered, glancing around. "He was supposed to be here by now."

A faint ripple brushed against her senses and suddenly, he was there.

A tall man stood silently before her, dark clothes blending into the shadows. His eyes were blank.

Rias froze. Akeno tensed beside her, her gaze narrowing as a faint crackle of electricity danced at her fingertips.

"I am the rogue mage," the man said, voice low and calm. "I am here to answer your call."

Rias blinked. "What?"

"You hired me."

She had a moment of realisation and let out a long breath, rubbing her forehead. "Right. You startled me."

She glanced at Akeno, who relaxed slightly, even as her eyes stayed glued to him.

"Well... I'm glad you're here." Rias straightened, forcing herself to smile. "We have a lot to discuss."

He didn't reply, simply nodding once.

She walked over. "Akeno, will you please prepare us a cup of tea?"

Akeno nodded, a fake smile on her face that made Rias want to sigh.

"Are you prepared?" Rias questioned first after a moment. She didn't know what to make of the man.

He certainly didn't seem like an envoy from God but maybe that was the point?

"I am." He replied with a relaxed tone that admittedly soothed her.

Despite that she couldn't help but feel a strange nervousness, this was her livelihood and while she wasn't a sensor, she did have a limited ability to determine frequency from people.

Currently, the man wasn't giving off anything. He could be a normal human without any magic for all she knew.

"Are you sure? Not to be ungrateful or doubt your abilities but Riser is a High-class Devil. While he isn't exactly skilled he has a powerful bloodline and high-class magic reserves. His regeneration is admittedly near unbeatable even to me." She replied grimly.

"I have a plan." He replied. "Rias Gremory."

She perked up.

"You will win this battle." He said.

She smiled, feeling comforted.

Akeno placed the tea on the table, and sent him a glance. "So do you intend to share your plan with us- fufu." She giggled flirtatiously.

"No. You will all stay back and defend your kind while I take care of the peerage." He replied.

That made them both pause.

Rias knew that whoever was coming would be strong, but she had expected her peerage to fight alongside him.

"You're going to fight a peerage... all alone?" Akeno asked In disbelief.

"Yes, while you defend your king." He replied without hesitation.

"Don't you think you may be underestimating them a bit? A full peerage isn't a joke." Rias hurriedly interjected.

"It won't be a problem, if it makes you feel any better. Even if I only take out a few of them, that'll significantly boost your chances to go in after I'm eliminated." He explained, using logic.

"Ok." Akeno nodded.

Rias sent her a look but couldn't find herself to refuse.

He was obviously going to be strong. Even if he managed to take out half of them it would be enough to significantly boost her chances. It wasn't worth potentially denying his help over.

-Scene Break-

Rias stood by her bed, sighing as she tried to calm her heart down.

Just as she went to lie down, she paused. Looking up as if someone was watching her. Hesitantly she clasped her hands together in an unfamiliar position.

"I-uh don't know if you are listening but thank you."

She knew that there was probably a reasoning behind this that she was oblivious too, but she honestly couldn't bring herself to care. It took a God that supposedly didn't like Devils to save her instead of her own kind.

While she wouldn't do anything that would put her family or race at risk she would obey any order outside of that.

Her head hit the soft pillow, crimson hair sprawling out as she found herself entering her sleep quicker than expected.

The reasoning for that became apparent.

Across from her, a familiar young man sat casually on a large rock, watching her with quiet amusement.

Her breath caught in her throat. She recognized him instantly.

The God who had decided to intervene and help her.

"You're welcome," he said smoothly, the corners of his mouth lifting into a faint smirk.

His voice was calm, almost teasing, like he knew more than he was letting on.

Rias swallowed, her heart racing. "I... didn't expect you to actually hear me."

He chuckled softly, leaning back on his hands. "It's hard to ignore someone calling out to you directly."

She shifted nervously. "I still can't understand your reasons for helping a Devil."

He glanced out over the water, his expression unreadable. "I have my reasons and again, you aren't like the rest of your kind."

The words made her feel oddly proud.

She didn't know if he meant it, but it made her feel special.

She held her tongue. There was something about him that made her feel small. Not in a bad way, but like standing before a vast ocean.

She supposed it came with being the most well-known God within the World.

"You mentioned having some business with the Phenex," she ventured carefully, watching his reaction. "Are you sure your envoy can handle it?"

He tilted his head, as if considering her question. "Don't trouble yourself with such matters. It's already in motion."

She lowered her gaze. "Of course."

They stood in silence for a moment. Rias found herself glancing at him, the way his golden hair fell around his face, the calm in his eyes, the faint smirk that never quite left his lips.

She wanted to say something, anything, just to keep him talking. The idea of this conversation ending filled her with a strange sense of loss.

"All I need from you at the moment is to keep him safe." He added.

"What?" Rias questioned.

"After learning he is not a Devil. This will bring suspicion, which will mostly be negated when you inform them he's a rogue magician. Then will come the nature of Devils. Many will seek to make him a Devil, one way or the other." He informed her, and she nodded sadly.

That was the nature of her race.

"You can help with off-putting most of that by claiming you intend to reincarnate him, it'll also help with your family even though I suspect your brother will do a deep search on him. By that time he will be gone and you'll tell your brother that he decided he didn't want to become a Devil." He said, more as an order that she found herself obeying without question.

"Seems like our time is up, don't worry. Everything is going according to plan." He said soothingly.

But when she looked up again, he was gone. The lake and sky faded into darkness.

Rias woke up with a soft gasp, staring at the ceiling. Her heart pounded in her chest.

Akeno stood next to her bed. "It's time to get up."

Rias nodded, calming herself.

It didn't take long for the peerage to gather, with the exception of the rogue mage who's name she still hadn't been told.

"Where is he?" She questioned.

"I am here." He said, making her jump.

Rias cleared her throat, regaining her composure. "Everyone, this is... well, I don't know his name." She glanced at him, silently asking for confirmation.

"I am Nathaniel Orion Y'Barra, pleased to meet you." He greeted me.

"Uh-yes, He'll be temporarily joining us for the Rating Game."

The reactions were immediate.

Kiba stepped forward first, offering a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you. Any help is appreciated." His tone was friendly. Even as he sized him up.

Koneko's nose twitched. She took a few steps closer, sniffing the air cautiously. Her brow furrowed. "Smells weird," she muttered, glaring at him. "Like blood."

The Rogue Mage met her gaze but said nothing.

"Tch." Issei crossed his arms, glaring at him.

"Figures. Of course, he's another pretty boy. Just what we needed."

The mage ignored him entirely, which only made Issei scowl harder.

Before anyone could say anything else, a familiar magic circle lit up the room.

The air grew colder, and a woman with silver hair and piercing eyes stepped into the room. An incredibly beautiful woman entered the room and immediately made Issei stare like an idiot.

Grayfia Lucifuge, the strongest Queen.

Her gaze landed on the unfamiliar figure almost instantly.

"Who is this?" Grayfia asked, her tone as cold as ice.

Rias squared her shoulders, lifting her chin defiantly. "He's a rogue mage. I hired him to fight alongside my peerage for the Rating Game."

Grayfia's expression darkened slightly. "I wasn't informed of this."

"I don't have to inform you of everything." Rias met Grayfia's gaze without flinching.

For a moment, the room felt even colder. Grayfia studied Rias carefully before shifting her attention back to the rogue mage. He stood there, unmoved, his expression unreadable as her eyes bore into him.

"And who might you be?" she asked.

He held her gaze, his voice calm and measured. "I am a rogue mage hired by Miss Gremory to act as a piece in the Rating Game."

Grayfia's eyes narrowed, searching for any hint of deception, but he gave nothing away.

She lingered for a moment before finally turning away. "Very well."

With a flick of her wrist, a magic circle expanded beneath them, and in an instant, the room vanished in a flash of light.

When they reappeared, the Rating Game field stretched out before them. The battlefield mirrored Kuoh Academy, recreated through magic.

Rias took a deep breath.

All her peerage had been... informed about the plan last night. It was needless to say they weren't happy but decided to obey.

Riser's team would be on the opposite side, but she knew they wouldn't waste time.

Riser wasn't one for strategy. He'd overwhelm her with numbers and brute force, using his peerage like pawns in a game he thought he'd already won.

Kiba moved ahead, scouting quickly while Koneko stayed close, eyes sharp for any threats.

Akeno stood near Rias, quietly preparing her magic.

They all stood within the occult room.

Grayfia floated above the field, her voice echoing across the arena. "The Rating Game between Rias Gremory and Riser Phenex shall now begin."

Rias stood with her peerage, taking a deep breath.

She turned toward Nathaniel, ready to go over the plan but he was gone.

Her eyes darted around. "Where...?"

She bit her lip, but quickly pushed it aside. "Everyone, spread out and guard the occult building. Stay alert."

-{Taje}- 

He slipped through the window unnoticed, landing without any sound in what identified as the gym building. Galadriel was wrapped around his upper torso, peeking out from his clothing.

Riser's Rook, Xuelan, and Bishop, Mira along with his two Pawns, Ile, and Nel, were stationed inside, oblivious to the silent Assassin watching them.

Their voices echoed softly through the empty space.

"I still don't get it," Xuelan muttered, stretching her arms behind her head.

"Why is Lord Riser acting so... cautious? He's never been like this before."

Mira frowned. "It's weird. He's usually so confident. Trading Ravel out for a different piece seemed unlike him. He's been acting weird ever since he came back from the Familia Forest."

"You think he's scared?" Ile asked, bouncing lightly on her heels. "I mean, it is the Gremory girl. Her brother is Lucifer."

Nel scoffed. "Please. Like Riser-sama would ever be afraid of some spoiled princess. He probably has a plan we don't know about. Especially with that man he supposedly found, we all know was given to him by his Father."

They all nodded, reassured by their own words. Then, the temperature dropped.

A low hiss escaped Galadriel as she released a potent steam, the air instantly growing thick and heavy. A dense mist unfurled across the gym, curling along the floor and swallowing the light.

He sent a raised eyebrow to the serpent, it almost seemed like she had her own grudge against the Phenex group.

"The hell?" Xuelan snapped to attention, her eyes darting around. "Who's there?!"

A soft whisper of movement answered her.

"Stay close!" Mira called, summoning a small magic circle in her palm, casting faint light into the fog. "We're not alone!"

Suddenly, a sharp cry echoed as Nel stumbled forward, clutching at her arm or rather, the stump where it used to be. Blood sprayed across the gym floor. She collapsed, writhing in pain.

"Nel!" Ile screamed, rushing to her sister's side.

Galadriel's mouth opened and mist gathered into a bolt of energy, it shot out and sent Ile flying through multiple walls. In an instant the Lucifuge woman's voice rang out with a hint of surprise.

"Riser's Pawn Nel, had been eliminated."

"Riser's Pawn Ile has been eliminated."

Taje emerged from the mist, eyes glinting coldly in the dim light.

"You bastard!" Xuelan roared, her fists glowing as she lunged forward, aiming a strike at his head.

He side-stepped effortlessly, catching her wrist mid-swing. With a sharp twist, a sickening crack echoed through the air, and Xuelan cried out as her arm bent unnaturally.

He flung her aside, her body skidding across the floor.

He knew he may be going a bit harsh, and this hadn't been explicitly ordered by his Lord but it was the quickest way in his opinion.

By the way Galadriel hissed in approval anyway.

Mira raised her hands, a complex magic circle forming. "Fireball!" she shouted, launching a blast of flames that instantly consumed half the room.

The ethereal smoke around her hardened and dozens of tendrils bound her, only for Taje to appear. Mira could react, his palm slammed into her chest, sending her crashing into the wall.

"Riser's Phenex' Bishop Mira, has been eliminated."

Only Xuelan remained conscious, trembling as she pushed herself onto her knees. "W-what... what are you?" she whispered.

Taje tilted his head, watching her struggle. "Irrelevant."

With a flick of his wrist, she collapsed, unconscious.

The gym grew silent.

"Riser Phenex' Rook Xeulan, has been eliminated."

He raised his eyebrow and in a burst of speed excited the gym just as a massive explosion consumed it.

Riser's queen glared furiously, swishing her staff and a massive explosion erupted. Heading directly to the Assassin only to disappear in a strange fragmented space in front of him. She could only scream as she was consumed by her own explosion.

She scowled and tried to stabilise herself wobbly within the air, only for a blast of energy that erupted out of Galadriel's mouth to strike her, sending her exploding through multiple walls.

"Riser Phenex' Queen Yuebelluna, has been eliminated."

"That's ..."

"That's 5 out of the twelve of them." He calmly said, swirling his sword.

At that moment, two figures blurred in. Looking around seriously and warily.

Karlamine's eyes burned with fury, her sword drawn and ready. "I don't know who you are, but you're done."

Siris flicked her wrist, summoning her blade with a sharp clang of steel. "All this damage... and you're alone?" She scoffed. "You'll regret not running."

Taje tilted his head, eyes cold and unreadable.

They moved as one, Siris darting low while Karlamine went high, their blades whistling through the air. Taje slipped between their strikes with fluid grace, the steel passing harmlessly by.

Karlamine spun, sword flashing towards his neck. He ducked, sliding beneath her swing, and delivered a sharp kick to her ribs.

She grunted, skidding back.

Siris lunged, her blade thrusting forward.

Taje twisted, catching her wrist mid-thrust. Their eyes met for a split second before he wrenched her arm sideways, the sword clattering to the ground.

Siris gasped, swinging her other arm in a desperate punch only for him to catch that too.

He swept her legs out from under her, slamming her into the ground with a sickening thud. Siris groaned, trying to push herself up, but a sharp boot to the stomach knocked the wind from her lungs.

Karlamine roared, flames erupting around her blade as she charged again. "I'll cut you down! I won't allow you to interfere with Riser-Sama's victory. That little slut will marry him if it's the last thing I make happen as his knight."

Taje sidestepped, his movements so smooth they felt almost lazy. Her sword carved through empty space, and in the same motion, he delivered a brutal elbow to her face. Blood sprayed from her nose as she stumbled back.

"You fight well," Taje remarked, sidestepping another thrust. "For middle-class devils."

Karlamine growled. "Shut up!"

She feinted left, then pivoted, her blade slicing through the air in a deadly arc. For a moment, it almost looked like she'd landed the hit until Taje caught her sword with two fingers.

Karlamine's eyes widened in disbelief. "What...?"

He twisted her wrist, forcing her to drop the blade. It clattered to the floor as he spun behind her, wrapping an arm around her neck and pulling her close.

With his other hand, he pressed a small glowing rune against her back.

"What did you—?" Karlamine struggled.

Taje aimed, he knew where the other team's starting point was and where Riser Phenex most probably was. He launched her, and watched as she flew through the air. Landing through the building.

A large explosion was let off.

She wouldn't die. That would be against the rules. He had studied for this task extensively. It was his chance to prove he was useful. The rune exploded outwards, meaning she would be eliminated from the impact of being thrown into the building more than anything else.

A deafening boom shook the air, flames and debris erupting skyward.

The shockwave rippled through the battlefield,

"Riser Phenex's Knight Karlamine, has been eliminated." The voice rang out, still composed but the undertone of shock was much more noticeable.

Taje turned back to Siris, who was still gasping for air.

She tried to push herself up, trembling, but he crouched beside her, tilting his head.

Before she could move, Galadriel slithered out from his clothing, her scales glimmering faintly in the low light.

She reared back, releasing a plume of steam that enveloped Siris.

For a moment, Siris gasped, eyes darting wildly as the steam clouded her vision.

Galadriel's body turned massive and she flicked her tail, sending the knight flying through the air.

"Riser Phenex's Knight Siris, has been eliminated."

"Eight out of twelve." He mused.

There was silence as none came to him.

He thought about it logically. Losing so many pieces so quickly was making them panic and retreat.

They were with their king.

That was the conclusion he came to.

It didn't take long to find the Devil Heir.

There, at the center, stood Riser Phenex.

His golden hair shimmered in the flickering light, a smug expression plastered on his face as he stood flanked by two of his remaining pawns: Marion and Burent.

But it wasn't just them.

A fourth figure stood at Riser's side, a man Taje didn't recognize.

Tall, broad-shouldered, and exuding a quiet power that marked him as high-class.

His gaze was almost bored, as if none of this mattered to him.

"So, you're the one causing all this trouble." Riser's voice echoed through the courtyard, arrogance laced with a hint of something else.

Something... uncertain. His eyes flicked over Taje, brow furrowing. "My pieces aren't weak, you know. You must be quite skilled."

Taje said nothing, stepping forward.

Burent growled, flames sparking to life around her fists. "Let's just kill him!"

"No." The unknown man stepped forward, raising a hand to stop her. His eyes locked onto Taje's, his expression cold. "I'll handle this."

Marion and Burent moved to the sides, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

The high-class devil slowly rolled his neck, magic building around him. "I don't know who you are, but this ends now."

Taje inclined his head.

The man lunged.

His speed was impressive, a blur of motion as he closed the gap in an instant, fist crackling with raw magical energy.

Taje sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the strike as the ground behind him exploded into rubble.

Marion and Burent attacked in sync.

Marion's chains lashed out, trying to ensnare him while Burent unleashed a torrent of flames. Taje moved like smoke, slipping between the attacks with ease.

The chains snapped around empty air, and the flames washed over him, doing nothing.

"Stay still!" Burent roared, launching herself forward, fists blazing.

What a stupid thing to say. Taje thought, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.

Taje caught her wrist mid-punch. She gasped as his grip tightened, bone grinding beneath his fingers.

"Stay still." He boredly reiterated.

With a sharp twist, he wrenched her arm behind her back and slammed her face-first into the ground.

The stone cracked beneath the impact.

"Burent!" Marion screamed, her chains shooting forward once more.

This time, they wrapped around Taje's arm. She pulled tight, trying to lock him down.

He simply yanked her forward, her feet leaving the ground as she flew towards him. The last thing she saw was his fist before darkness claimed her.

"Riser Phenex's Pawn Burent, has been eliminated."

"Riser Phenex's Pawn Marion, has been eliminated."

The high-class devil snarled, magic surging around him.

He conjured a massive spear of dark energy, launching it forward. Taje moved, faster than the eye could track, weaving through the attacks like water.

The devil's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible..."

In a blur, Taje was in front of him.

A single punch.

The high-class devil's ribs shattered, the force sending him crashing into a nearby wall. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Riser Phenex's... guest, has been eliminated."

Riser stood alone.

For the first time, there was no arrogance in his eyes. Only fear.

"You..." Riser stepped back, shaking his head. "You're not supposed to be this strong." His hands trembled, flames flickering weakly around his fingers.

"What are you?"

Taje tilted his head. "Again, Irrelevant."

Riser's face twisted with rage.

"Irrelevant?!" He threw his arms wide, flames erupting from his body. "I am Riser Phenex! I am immortal! You think you can kill me?!"

The courtyard erupted into flames.

A massive wave of fire surged forward, consuming everything in its path. The ground cracked beneath the heat, stone melting into slag as the inferno roared to life.

Taje leapt, twisting through the air as the flames chased him, narrowly avoiding the deadly heat.

He landed behind Riser, but the Phenex prince was already moving.

"Burn!" Riser roared, launching massive fireballs into the sky. They hovered for a moment before plummeting down, each one a miniature sun, screaming towards Taje.

He didn't move.

The fireballs reached him... and passed through.

Riser blinked. "What...?"

The air shimmered.

The fireballs reappeared.

Right behind him.

They slammed into his back, explosions tearing through the courtyard. flames consumed his body as he crashed into the ground.

For a moment, silence.

Then he rose, his body rapidly regenerating. He scowled.

That was going to be a problem.

Galadriel opened her mouth and a strange stream of black-white mist impacted Riser, who coughed and sputtered. A strange aura surrounded him, making his skin appear dark and an aura of pure white surrounding his frame.

The snake then launched a blast of that strange energy it used and the Devil heir was sent flying back. A massive wound on his torso that noticeably didn't heal.

So that's why his lord sent Galadriel.

Some sort of power distortion?

It looked like it was draining the snake's energy fast so he didn't waste any time.

Riser backed up in fear as a realisation came over him. "W-wait."

His face was pale.

"I surrender." He hurriedly called out, just before Taje could get to him and he disappeared from sight.

"Riser Phenex has been eliminated."

Taje nodded, satisfied.

That had gone well.

-{Rias Gremory}-

Rias and her peerage stood still, eyes wide as they tried to process what they had just heard.

Ten minutes.

In that amount of time he had wiped the floor with a peerage and its master.

Just who was this guy?

-END-

Note: Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying the longer Chapters. Just wanted to say thanks for all the support and ideas. I hope you're enjoying the Heaven Arc while it lasts :)

if you wish to read up to sixteen Chapters in advance among my stories and other things please visit pa/t reon * / Snipez818, the app is charging a lot more for some reason so I suggest using the website. 

I appreciate all the support!