Ryuya Kurobane didn't hold back at all with this punch.
It was obvious at a glance—Raiser's face was visibly caved in from the impact.
The next instant, Raiser's body was sent flying sideways, a sharp whoosh tearing through the air.
Only after carving a trench more than twenty meters long into the ground did he finally come to a stop, half of his face completely smashed.
The power of the Phoenix bloodline activated.
Flames rapidly ignited across his ruined face, and in the blink of an eye, his injuries regenerated as if he had never been hurt.
Ryuya rubbed his knuckles and, seeing this, gave a faint smile.
This guy really could take a beating.
"I knew you wouldn't go down that easily."
He spoke softly as he flashed forward, grabbing Raiser by the collar and hauling him up, then spinning into a heavy kick that slammed straight into his chest.
Raiser let out a scream and was sent flying once more.
After lying on the ground for two or three seconds, Raiser struggled back to his feet, forcing the power of his Phoenix bloodline to its limit. His wounds healed at rapid speed, his eyes brimming with ferocity and killing intent.
"You bastard… I won't let you get away with this…"
"I don't need you to," Ryuya replied calmly. "Whatever you've got, I'll take it."
He stepped forward unhurriedly, looking completely unguarded.
But in Raiser's eyes, that attitude was nothing short of humiliation.
He was a noble Phenex—how dare this guy… how dare this guy look down on him like this?!
Letting out a furious roar, he surged his demonic power and launched an attack.
Flames erupted skyward, vaguely forming the totem of a Phoenix as they lunged violently toward Ryuya. The terrifying energy was enough to make even a high-class devil take it seriously.
The flaming Phoenix tore through the air. Compared to its massive form, Ryuya looked like nothing more than a speck of sesame, ready to be blown away by the shockwave.
Yet facing the onrushing Phoenix of fire, Ryuya merely stood there in silence.
The next second, he was swallowed whole by the flames.
Fire raged everywhere, completely engulfing Ryuya—yet he remained utterly unharmed.
A mysterious power seemed to circulate around his body. No matter how fiercely the flames assaulted him, they couldn't inflict the slightest damage.
The Endless Twilight Citadel had been activated.
While it was in effect, Ryuya would exist eternally in a state of [Stillness]. Every aspect of his body was permanently fixed at that moment, unaffected by any external factor until the ability was dispelled.
Just like that, Ryuya walked step by step through the raging flames and out of their range, not even a single strand of hair out of place…
"How is this possible…?"
Raiser stared as if he'd seen a ghost.
Refusing to believe it, he gathered his demonic power once more.
This time, his power shimmered with nearly seven different colors. Roaring behind him, a pair of almost fully materialized wings of flaming light unfolded from his back.
An extraordinary surge of demonic energy erupted—his offensive far more violent than before!
"I don't want to admit it, but right now, you really are a monster… I'm actually scared. I don't care anymore—burn to ashes before your master with karmic flames!"
In ancient myths, Raiser's race had been known as phoenixes, immortal birds, or firebirds—legendary creatures whose flames could even burn through dragon scales, beings truly capable of standing toe-to-toe with dragons.
Among the powerful figures watching from behind the scenes, a few nodded lightly.
"He's finally willing to use this move—Karmic Flames Incineration. No filth of the human world can withstand that."
"Heh, that reincarnated devil kid really is a bit too arrogant. Let him suffer a lesson. Still… better be careful not to actually burn him to death."
They spoke in low voices, all eyes fixed on Ryuya in the magic broadcast, each of them watching with unmistakable intrigue.
The dual-class Devil Pieces—this was something no one had ever seen before.
In the several hundred years since Devil Pieces came into existence, there had never been a single exception. Ryuya Kurobane was a genuine, undeniable first case!
Because of that, these people were absolutely going to protect Ryuya—so they could study his condition.
This was a matter that could potentially change the entire devil race!
Within the alternate space, Ryuya narrowed his eyes slightly.
Facing Raiser's karmic flames head-on, he could clearly sense just how terrifying they were.
If he weren't under the effect of the Endless Twilight Citadel, he truly would have had no way to deal with these karmic flames.
But Ryuya had long since made thorough preparations.
From a very early stage, he had already been planning how to contend with Raiser. This time, things were simply much easier thanks to the existence of his clone.
Even without it, Ryuya was still confident he could defeat this guy.
It would just come at a considerable cost.
But now…
With the Endless Twilight Citadel successfully activated, there was no longer any suspense.
Facing the overwhelming karmic flames rushing toward him, Ryuya advanced without the slightest hint of fear.
As the karmic flames engulfed him, all the spectators revealed expressions of eager anticipation—yet in the very next second, every single smile froze solid.
Ryuya looked nothing like someone being burned by karmic flames. His expression never changed as he walked step by step toward Raiser, enduring the surging inferno head-on.
In the [Stillness] state, even karmic flames had no effect whatsoever.
"Impossible! No matter who it is, everyone bears sin and karmic burden—everyone is affected by karmic flames! How can you—"
Raiser was finally left dumbfounded.
Watching Ryuya approach at an unhurried pace, panic finally crept in.
"Y-you need to think this through! My marriage to Rias is for the future of the entire devil race! You do have great potential—once I become Rias's husband, I'll train you properly and help you grow into a supreme powerhouse! That will be our shared glory!"
Ryuya tilted his head slightly.
"…You really don't understand, do you."
He spoke in a low voice, calm and steady, yet for some reason it made everyone's hearts tighten.
"W-what?"
"The glory of devils—honestly, I don't care about it."
Ryuya placed his hand on Raiser's shoulder and gave it a light pat, as casually as if he were talking to a friend.
"At the end of the day, I'm just a reincarnated devil. I don't understand your pure-blood devil obsession with lineage at all, so I don't care about it either. If you want to preserve pure-blood lines, I've never opposed that."
"Then why—" Raiser asked in confusion, only for Ryuya to raise a hand and stop him.
"The reason is simple. Because Rias doesn't like you."
The hand resting on Raiser's shoulder slowly tightened, gripping down on it.
"She doesn't like you. Marrying you wouldn't make her happy. That's clear enough, isn't it?
If you want to preserve pure-blood devil lineage, then go find a pure-blood devil who actually likes you to carry it on—instead of forcing Rias, a girl who doesn't like you at all."
The grip on Raiser's shoulder grew tighter and tighter, pain twisting Raiser's face.
Ryuya's calm voice continued to ring out, while his right fist slowly rose, vast demonic power surging around it.
"Pure-blood devils, high-class devils—none of that matters to me. In my eyes, Rias is just a helpless girl.
You self-righteous bastards… by what right do you think you can use your own will to decide someone else's lifelong happiness?"
The moment Ryuya finished speaking, he swung his fist without mercy, blasting half of Raiser's body apart.
Bang!!
Half of Raiser's body exploded directly into a cloud of blood mist.
…
---
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