"Sirzechs, what exactly is happening to Rias? Why has her power surged so drastically in such a short time?"
Zeoticus Gremory's expression was deathly serious as he questioned his son.
"Have you asked her directly, Father?"
"I have, but the girl only gave me ambiguous answers."
Sirzechs nodded gently, as if he had expected as much.
"Father, for now, we must simply place our trust in Rias."
Zeoticus let out a helpless sigh.
"I just don't want to see my daughter in any kind of danger."
His tone was heavy, filled with the raw emotion of a father worried for his child.
"I understand your concerns, Father. But this time, we truly have to believe in her."
"...You're right."
Zeoticus finally allowed himself to be swayed by Sirzechs' reassurance.
...
Shortly after, Sirzechs held a meeting with the other three Devil Kings.
"What do you all make of this phenomenon?" Sirzechs asked, his expression firm and commanding, befitting a true Great Satan.
"I'm not entirely sure what's happening. What is clear, however, is that we must contact the other factions before taking any further action," Ajuka Beelzebub replied with a solemn look.
"Asgard, for instance?" Falbium Asmodeus chimed in.
"We were already planning to discuss a cooperation with Asgard anyway. We can simply include this topic in our negotiations with them," Serafall Leviathan explained.
"You're all correct, but that isn't quite what I wanted to hear from you. Suppose we agree to an exploration with the other factions—who would you send?"
"..."
The three other Devil Kings fell silent, deeply pondering their answer.
"I, for one, already have the perfect candidates in mind," Sirzechs said, his voice laced with mystery.
"Hoo? And who might that be?" Ajuka asked.
"Rias and her peerage."
The expressions of the three satans shifted instantly, their mouths hanging open in utter shock.
"Sirzechs, are you certain about sending Rias?" Ajuka asked, his voice thick with disbelief.
"It's far too dangerous. We have no idea what lies on the other side," Falbium added sternly.
"Exactly! What if something happens to Rias-chan?" Serafall asked, her tone laced with worry.
Sirzechs offered a thin, knowing smile.
"Don't worry. Rias is no longer a weak devil in need of protection."
"???"
Confusion clouded the faces of the three rulers.
"What do you mean by that?" Serafall asked, her curiosity piqued.
"You will all find out when the time is right."
Sirzechs' mysterious smile remained.
His response only served to make them more curious. They swallowed hard, filled with a mix of tension and anticipation for whatever surprise Rias was about to bring.
The discussion didn't end there; they moved on to the specifics of the cooperation with Asgard, naturally involving Azazel and Michael in the plans.
...
Meanwhile, Rias's peerage was training under the guidance of the Gremory Household.
Since Issei and Rias's power had already reached the level of a Devil King, they no longer required physical training to grow stronger. Despite this, both were forced to attend the rigorous study sessions conducted by Grayfia.
Issei didn't mind the lessons, but the moment Rias noticed something "off" about the way Issei was looking at Grayfia, she began to feel a pang of insecurity.
No, Grayfia is Onii-sama's wife. There's no way she would be interested in Issei.
That single fact was the only thing capable of soothing Rias's mounting anxiety.
In the end, Grayfia's session concluded without incident. Issei didn't do anything that would provoke Rias's ire. After all, to the current Issei, Rias was number one.
...
The peerage regrouped just before the party for the young devils began.
Rias and Sona led their respective families into the venue, only to be startled by a sudden explosion that erupted right in front of them.
The force of the blast sent Asia stumbling backward. She nearly fell onto the floor, but luckily, Issei caught her just in time.
"Asia, are you alright?"
Asia nodded, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson.
"Thank you, Issei-san."
Issei gave her a gentle smile.
"You're welcome. I'm just glad I could help."
At that moment, Issei felt a sharp prickle of hostility directed at his back. He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. The culprit was undoubtedly Diodora Astaroth.
Rias felt Diodora's hostile gaze as well, but she chose not to intervene unless Issei asked her to. She trusted that Issei had his own way of handling things and didn't want to interfere with her own ego.
"Long time no see, Rias."
A young devil approached to greet her.
"You as well, Sairaorg."
"Sona, you too."
Sona gave a small nod in response to Sairaorg's greeting.
Sairaorg then shifted his attention toward Issei. Sensing the man's gaze, Issei looked back and couldn't help but feel a surge of genuine admiration for Sairaorg's strength.
Most devils rely on magic to fight, but this man has none. He took a different path to compensate for his shortcomings. Even so, he rose to the top and is now the number one young devil in the Underworld... Sairaorg Bael.
Issei didn't just admire his strength, but his background as well. If Issei had been in Sairaorg's position, he wasn't sure if he could have achieved the same feats without the help of the System.
To be continued...
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