The night air outside the Gremory mansion felt different.
Heavier. Charged. Yuto stood at the edge of the private training grounds, his eyes locked forward as two figures stepped into the center. Zeoticus Gremory. Sirzechs Lucifer.
Father and son.
Rias stood beside Yuto, arms crossed, her expression calm, but even she was focused.
"Watch closely," she said quietly. "You won't get an opportunity like this often."
Yuto didn't respond. He couldn't. His attention was completely locked in. Zeoticus cracked his knuckles slightly, a relaxed smile on his face. "Alright," he said. "Let's keep this controlled."
Sirzechs smiled back. "Of course, Father."
Then, for a brief moment, The world went silent.
Zeoticus glanced toward Yuto.
"Before we begin," he said, his tone calm, "understand this."
Yuto met his gaze.
"Sirzechs will be holding back."
A pause. Yuto blinked. "Holding back?"
Zeoticus smiled slightly. "He's surpassed me easily. He is one of the strongest Demons ever."
Yuto's eyes widened slightly. Rias didn't look surprised.
Sirzechs scratched the back of his head with a small laugh.
"Let's not make it sound so dramatic."
But the air had already changed. Yuto swallowed slightly.
So that's the level I'm looking at, he thought to himself.
Zeoticus raised his hand. "Ready?"
Sirzechs nodded. "Anytime."
Then the fight began. Zeoticus moved first. A surge of powerful demonic power erupted from his body enveloping him an intense aura that could knock Yuto off his feet. Deep crimson energy exploding outward like a controlled storm. The ground beneath his feet cracked instantly.
Yuto's eyes widened. "What the hell—"
Before he could finish, Zeoticus vanished with a flash. He reappeared directly in front of Sirzechs. A miniature sonic boom was heard as Zeoticus punched Sirzechs with his magic, but was blocked casually by him. Their clash shook the entire training ground.
Yuto staggered back slightly from the shockwave alone.
"That was just a punch?!" he muttered.
Sirzechs hadn't moved. He blocked it effortlessly with one hand.
"Good," Sirzechs said calmly as he smiled. A glint of fire in his eyes.
Then, he flicked his hand. A wave of power surged forward, Not explosive. Not chaotic. Controlled. Absolute. Zeoticus was forced back several meters. Yuto could feel the heat and wind that was created just from that blast alone. He knew that Sirzechs Lucifer was holding back a lot.
Yuto's heart started racing.
This… this isn't even on the same level as before.
Zeoticus grinned. "Still as overwhelming as ever."
Then, his aura flared again. Stronger. Denser. He raised his hand, And unleashed a barrage of demonic energy blasts. The sky lit up. Each attack carried enough force to erase everything Yuto had seen so far. Sirzechs didn't dodge. He stepped forward and everything vanished.
Just Gone.
Yuto's pupils shrank. "He erased it."
Not blocked. Not deflected. Erased.
Sirzechs raised his hand slightly. A deep crimson-black aura gathered around it. Yuto felt his entire body tense. This is different. This wasn't just power. This was destruction at a fundamental level. Several small spheres of pure destruction formed around Sirzechs Lucifer as he pointed to Zeoticus and the spheres darted him at quick pace.
Zeoticus reacted instantly his eyes widening.
He didn't even attempt to dodge it. He threw up his hands to summon a large wide wall of demonic fire while he dodged to the side as the spheres made impact with the wall and absolutely obliterated it. Each time a sphere hit the ground, it let out a massive explosion that sent ripples in the air.
"What the heck was that?!"
Yuto said to Rias as they held up their hands to brace against the wind produced by the fight.
"That's the power of the truest highest form of Destruction, but contained to a heavy degree. Sirzechs Lucifer is an SS-Rank System User, who somehow managed to push his rank from S-Rank to SS-Rank all by himself. It's considered a feat that hardly only a handle of people achieved ever. That's why most people never even consider trying to push their rank beyond their system limit."
Yuto just nodded in disbelief as the dust from the magic power settled and Zeoticus was lying on the ground trying to get up, but Sirzechs Lucifer was right there with another miniature sphere of destruction ready to go. Zeoticus threw his hands up in the air to surrender. Then Sirzechs helped Zeoticus up from the ground.
It wasn't that Zeoticus was weak, but it just was Sirzechs was that much stronger.
Zeoticus walked over, placing a hand on Yuto's shoulder.
"Use what you saw as motivation," he said. "Not discouragement."
Yuto nodded slowly. "I understand."
He responded to Zeoticus, but his eyes were still locked on Sirzechs. Because now he understood. That was the level at the top. And somehow, He had the potential to surpass it if Sirzechs true limit was SS-Rank.
Sirzechs stepped closer. "Yuto," he said calmly.
Yuto looked at him.
"If you want to grow quickly," Sirzechs continued, "Celestial Academy is your best path."
A pause. "Surround yourself with rivals. Allies. Pressure."
Yuto smirked slightly. "Sounds like hell."
Sirzechs smiled. "It is, but it's also where monsters are created."
Yuto exhaled. Then nodded. "I'm in."
Rias smiled faintly beside him. "Good, because you're starting tomorrow at the academy."
That night, Yuto returned to his room. His body felt heavy. Not from exhaustion alone, but from everything he had just witnessed. He lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. That level of power…I'm not even close. His eyes slowly began to close. But before he could fully drift off, The door creaked open softly. He didn't move. But he knew who it was.
Rias.
The bed shifted slightly as she climbed in beside him without a word.
She moved close. Resting against him. Warm. Soft. Comforting.
Yuto opened his eyes slightly. You just invite yourself in now?"
Rias smiled softly."Problem?"
He huffed lightly. "Not really."
She rested her head against his chest. Silence filled the room. Not tense. Not heavy. Peaceful. For the first time since arriving in this world, Yuto felt it. Calm. His arm moved slightly, resting around her. Rias didn't say anything. But she shifted just a little closer. And then, sleep took them both as their vision faded to darkness.
A faint glow flickered in the darkness.
[Bond Level Up Completed]
Target: Rias Gremory
Current Rank: E (45/100)
Boost: 40 -> 45 (5+ Exp) Cuddling
Yuto's mind drifted as he slept.
Celestial Academy…What's waiting for me there?