Before this part gets underway I want to apologize for the delay on this part. I know I took much longer than usual to get this out, but I had to take a break for about a week so I could get my mind right. As of this point, this story has passed 100k reads. I want to thank you all for the support on this story. I never thought I would have achieved something like that, but I've got a post on my profile going more into detail for that. For now, enjoy the longest part I've ever written, and thanks again for all of the support.
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Y/N POV
Sairaorg and I stare each other down, eerily waiting for the start of the final match in the Rating Game. Everything that has happened since I became a devil has led to this very moment.
"Ddraig," I say, "be honest with me. Am I ready for this fight?" The dragon starts laughing at me.
"You're really asking me this question right now? You and I both know how this game is going to go. Don't hold anything back in this battle Y/N. Think of your family who were defeated for you to get to this moment." I get a smirk on my face. Sairaorg's face gets a similar look on it.
"I can tell you're ready for this battle Y/N. Let's give it all we have in this battle, for everyone watching as well as the people who were defeated to get us here." I nod to him and the arbiter appears on the battlefield.
"Let the final match of this Rating Game begin!" As soon as he's done talking Sairaorg and I close the gap between each other. He throws a punch at me but I can tell that something is off about him. While each punch still carries the same weight, it's almost like he's fighting in slow motion. With every punch I throw my mind jumps back to everyone who has been taken down, both on our side and on Sairaorg's side. I can only hope that Sairaorg is fighting with the same intent I am, and I won't accept him fighting for any other reason.
3rd Person POV
As the final fight starts to get underway between Y/N and Sairaorg the other people on the battlefield start to face off against each other.
"Take all the time you need," Regulus tells the remaining Rook of Bael. "I've been waiting to get a good fight in." He steps up to fight against the three members of Gremory, but before he does his body starts to transform into a golden lion, his arms and legs turning into the legs of a lion, his simple orange hair becoming a full golden mane. From his back grows a lion's tail, and with a loud roar, he faces down Rias Gremory.
Gasper's eyes get wide at the form that has appeared in front of him. While he's done his best to overcome his general fears, in this current moment all of that work is gone. Rias looks at her two Bishops and gives them a warm smile.
"You two focus on the Rook, I can take care of this one." As Rias approaches her opponent the crowd erupts in applause.
"It can't be," Azazel says. The other people in the booth look over at him. "That's Regulus Nemea. Before it was the lion that fought against Heracles in ancient mythology. After that time it was said to be transformed into a Sacred Gear, one of the thirteen Longinus to be exact. The interesting part is that the former host has been said to be MIA for quite a time. This fight just gets more and more exciting."
"That's not even the half of it," Sairaorg continues from Azazel's thought. "When I had found him it was clear that there had been a struggle. The battle axe that the Sacred Gear was supposed to be had transformed into the golden lion that you see before you. It was at that point was when I decided to make him a member of my household. Since he's an intelligent Longinus and is able to act without a master, his power can be quite unstable. Because of that, he can only fight in matches alongside me."
"Explains a lot," Y/N responds. "Something tells me Rias might be in over her head in this battle, but at the same time, I know that she's improved just as much as I have over these last couple of weeks." The Red Dragon Emperor looks over to his King, taking in her overwhelming crimson aura, one that he had only seen twice before. Rias has just as much to prove in this Rating Game as Y/N does. From the start of this Rating Game, she had seen those closest to her be taken down one after another, with the exception of her Bishops and Y/N. On top of that, when the dice numbers were announced Rias was worth fewer points than even her Queen Akeno. Of course, Akeno was not at all weak, but she still feels that she should be given the respect as the King of her peerage. "Give him hell Rias." The Ruin Princess turns towards Y/N and gives him a smile, her typical blue eyes having been overtaken by her aura and glowing in a shining red color.
Meanwhile, Asia and Gasper face off against the remaining Rook of Bael, Ladora Buné. His body is surrounded by a faint golden aura. His body starts to grow and transforms from the human-like shape that it normally holds. From his back sprouts large wings and from his waist a tail, the rest of his body growing to accommodate the size of his new appendages. The light fades and in front of the two blonde Bishops stands a large brown dragon.
Gasper stands up to face the now transformed dragon who looks down at him with a fear-inducing grimace.
"Try your best little boy, but you'll never be able to take me down." While the booming of Ladora's voice shakes Gasper, but he doesn't let it bother him. While before he would have been quite afraid of standing up against a large dragon such as the one in front of him, after having known Y/N and Vali for as long as he has now, he knows how to stand against a dragon. Asia opens some magic circles around her, and it's clear that she's trained under Rossweisse to harness her offensive abilities.
"You don't scare me," Gasper responds. "I'm not running away anymore. I'm a man of the House of Gremory, and I refuse to back down from the challenge in front of me." Y/N gets a grin on his face and turns back towards Sairaorg.
"Shall we pick up where we left off? Everyone is in play now so we might as well get back to dancing." The two titans start clashing once again, the force of their punches enough to shake the entire arena around them. Even in the open space that they call a battlefield, the pressure of their blows can be felt back where the spectators are watching the matchup, including the Satans in the upper deck with the other VIPs.
"They're really something," Sirzechs says aloud. "It's still strange to think that Y/N has been a devil for less than a year, and through all of it he's accomplished so much. It's hard to believe that if anyone else was in his position they would have achieved everything that he has up to this point. Sairaorg has been waiting for someone who would be able to rival him in power, but as of right now, it appears that it may be the other way around." Everyone looks over at the crimson-haired Satan and he gets a devilish smirk on his face.
"What are you saying?" Hades asks the current Lucifer.
"I'm saying that Y/N is holding back. I've seen what he has accomplished since the first time the two of them sparred with each other, and I know that this is only a shred of his power. Of course, Sairaorg has most likely accounted for this and is trying to work his countermeasure into action, but for now, all we can do is watch."
Y/N throws a right hook that sends the King of the Bael team to the ground, but Sairaorg brushes it off with ease. He quickly closes the gap and tries to land a good hit on Y/N, but Y/N is able to block some of the damage. Even with the cracks that form in Y/N's armor Ddraig is able to repair it with ease.
"Well Sairaorg, I guess I owe you the pleasure of leveling up to my Triana. I hope you jotted down in your notes what you need to stop me. I'm not holding back anymore Sairaorg, not while the remainder of my family is putting their lives on the line against the rest of yours. Welsh Sonic Boost Knight!" Y/N dashes at Sairaorg and lands a clean punch to his cheek before dodging and landing another punch.
"My master is in trouble! I must go help him." Regulus tries to jump towards Sairaorg but a Power of Destruction from Rias knocks him back. The lion looks at the Ruin Princess with her blazing red aura still radiating.
"You're not helping him, not while you're fighting me!" Regulus turns towards Rias and pounces on her, clawing at her and trying to weaken her as much as he can, not even caring if he were to kill Rias.
"The Rook of Sairaorg Bael is retired!" On the other side of the arena, Gasper sees his master in trouble and speeds his way over to her. Asia tries to call to him so she can heal him, but he doesn't listen. Gasper tackles the Regulus lion and tries to fight him hand to hand, but it's clear that he's at a disadvantage. Rias stands up weakly and Asia runs up to heal her, but it isn't enough.
"Get off of me kid! Master needs my help, and I must get to him!" Gasper does his best to hold him back, but the difference in power overwhelms the young vampire. The Regulus Lion's claws dig deep into Gasper's body, but instead of showing his pain, he has a smile on his face.
"Rias," he says weakly, "I did it. I promised Y/N I wouldn't run anymore, that I would fight. I'm not scared anymore, and I did it all for you. Good luck everyone." With one final swipe, the blue light takes Gasper away.
"Now, back to what I was trying to do." Rias feels something land on her body, and she looks to see Y/N's hand on her shoulder. He opens the vial of Phoenix Tears and pours them on top of Rias, healing her wounds instantly.
"You look like you were in a bit of a bad spot," he tells her. "He seems like one tough pussy, and trust me, I know one when I see one." Rias rolls her eyes at Y/N.
"Master put me on," Regulus yells at Sairaorg. "Don me and we can defeat the Red Dragon Emperor!"
"Enough! I told you we weren't going to do that unless it was an emergency!" Y/N looks over at Sairaorg, watching the argument unfold.
"Sairaorg, I think you should do it." Everyone looks at the Renegade. "Truth is, I've got something else I've been saving myself, and you're the first person I want to use it against. You had told me on multiple occasions that you were going to fight me at your best, and if it takes you and the Regulus working together in some way, then that's exactly what I want you to do." Y/N's helmet fades away. "Being the warrior you are, I know you want nothing but to face me at my best, and that's exactly what I want from you as well." He looks down at Rias and gives her a smirk. "You trust me, don't you, my love?" He helps her up to her feet and she gives him a hug, even though it's a little cold due to the armor.
"How could I not? Just be careful, I can't wait to see what you've got in store for us. I'm sorry that I couldn't take him down myself."
"Don't be," Y/N interrupts. "You both have done exactly what you needed to, just like everyone else. Truth is, the way Sairaorg is right now he won't beat me. I didn't train just so I could match him the way he is, I wanted to surpass him, and I've done just that. If there's a level beyond what he currently is at, then I have the desire to face him at that next level."
"Very well Y/N," Sairaorg says to him. "You've piqued my interest with this next level you're talking about, as well as the chance to show you my own. Regulus, I think it's time to show what we've accomplished."
"Yes sir!" Regulus goes from his current form into a bright golden light and makes his way to Sairaorg's body, overtaking it in a bright golden shine.
"My lion! The King of Nemea! You who is known as the Lion King! Respond to my rage and transform to my vesture! Balance Breaker, Regulus Rey Leather Rex!" The shine dies down, and with a loud roar from Regulus, Sairaorg stands clad in golden armor from head to toe, his helmet leaving his face uncovered. From the back of his helmet stretches a golden mane, one that would be seen on a normal lion, and on his chest plate, the face of Regulus is visible for all to see. The crowd in the arena starts to erupt in loud cheers at the sight before them. Fans of Sairaorg Bael swoon over their hero standing in golden armor, representative of his abilities in comparison to the other young devils him, believing himself to be second to none.
(I don't know about you guys but I think this picture is super badass.)
"Alright Mufasa, let's see what you've got." Y/N flies towards Sairaorg, but any of the injuries that he had sustained seem to be gone, as with one hit Y/N is sent flying back with cracks in his armor. "This is what I've been waiting for." Up in the stands, the crowd is in awe at the sight before them. What had started as a battle almost set in stone for the Red Dragon Emperor has turned into him being on the ropes against one of the most powerful devils in existence, and one that had no demonic power to begin with.
"Well, this is quite the turn of events," Vali says to those around him.
"You've got a point, Mr. Lucifer," The Director responds. "I do not know much about Sairaorg Bael, as I came to watch the Red Dragon Emperor in battle today, but I can already tell that this powerup makes him quite the bigger threat. Of course, I don't think that he could take me on how he is, but it's a nice step up." Vali raises an eyebrow at the stranger's confidence.
"You think you could take on Sairaorg Bael how he is right now? I don't even know how I would fair, and Y/N and I have both made strides to improve over the last couple of weeks." The Director smirks at Vali.
"Not just him, I could take you and your cousin on alongside him as well. Trust me when I say this, I'm in a league far above what you all are."
"If that's the case, then why do you need our help for your little problem?" The Director slumps back.
"I'll have to explain later, but it's not a matter of power, it's a matter of numbers. Trust me, it's not in my interest to use you two. The former Director was a man bent on power and nothing else. He wanted to make a world of absolute chaos, and it almost happened. That's enough about that though, let's keep watching the fight."
Y/N enters his Rook form and throws a hard punch at Sairaorg, but the King of Bael is able to defend against it with ease.
"Quite a letdown, I thought you had something you wanted to show me." Sairaorg aims directly for Y/N's gut, cracking the armor of the Red Dragon and causing blood to escape from his mouth. His body falls to the ground in an almost limp state, but weakly he rises to his feet. No matter how much damage Y/N takes, he's shown that he will fight until his last breath for the people that are most important. He showed that determination against Riser, Kokabiel, Vali, Loki, Diodora, and the Hero Faction, so why should this battle be any different?
"Ddraig, be honest with me, is it time to try it out?"
"Yes, it is. Reach deep into your mindscape and pull out what you're looking for." Sairaorg gets a smirk on his face hearing the Red Dragon's words.
"You might as well Y/N. You said you would show me everything you had, so I think now it's time for you to prove it to me. Don't worry, I'll wait for you." Y/N closes his eyes and enters his mind, looking to draw out the power that he is looking for. In his mindscape sits many people in white cloaks, though the atmosphere is rather dark.
Y/N's mind
"Well," the Red Dragon Emperor says, "here I am. Are you old fucks going to ask me to forfeit my humanity again?" One of the voices starts speaking to Y/N.
"You must activate the Juggernaut Drive, it's the only way you'll be able to take this threat on." Y/N laughs.
"You know, that sounds like a good idea, but I'm going to do it my way. This whole power of domination thing seems a little bit overrated to me."
"No, you must become the Dragon of Domination, it is your destiny!" Y/N turns away from the former hosts of Ddraig.
"No, I don't. Come to think of it, didn't we have this conversation when I fought Loki? I thought I told you guys to fuck off back then, but I guess I'm stuck with you still. If I have to fight all of you right now before I get back to my match against Sairaorg, then I guess that's just what I'll have to do."
"I don't think that will be necessary." A figure appears in front of Y/N with silver eyes and gray hair, sporting a long white coat and some boots.
"You're quite an interesting specimen Red Dragon Emperor. You may be curious as to why I'm here. See, I'm a former host of the White Dragon Emperor. Before when you had assimilated a fragment of Albion with yourself, I had appeared here in your mindscape. I know you have tried to work on your Divine Dividing power, but to less success than your counterpart. I have a theory about you, close your eyes." Y/N does as he is told, and a single image appears in his mind, a smile landing on his lips.
"Rias, Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, Asia, Ravel, Xenovia, Irina, Gasper, Vali, Kuroka, Rossweisse, hell, even Sona and her house are there."
"You're a selfless being," Albion's former host tells the Renegade. "Being in your mind I've looked back at your memories. You spent so much time being selfish and looking out for yourself, but it was out of necessity. Once the chance arose for you to look out for someone other than yourself, you did it almost instantly. The former Red Dragon Emperors have all been known as selfish creatures, you already know that, but you didn't fall into that same trap. You see the people closest to you because that's what you fight for. You don't fight for power, and that's what sets you leagues above those who have come before you. Y/N, harness those feelings for the people you see and enter your Juggernaut Drive. Your mind will not be taken over this time if you think about the people you love, so take that drive and go farther." Y/N turns back towards the former hosts of Ddraig, and as they try to start chanting Y/N ignores them.
"Alright Sairaorg, I'm ready. I have a feeling that whatever is about to happen is going to blow your mind. Let's just say I'm about to be the most perfect Heavenly Dragon you've ever seen. You ready Ddraig?"
"Fuck yes, let's do it!"
I, who am about to awaken
Am the Red Dragon Emperor who neglected the principles of domination
I shall stand as a shining light for those stranded in darkness
I shall become the Emperor of Crimson Dragon
And I shall show everyone the future which shines in deep crimson light!
A bright glow surrounds Y/N's body, a pinkish color blinding all of those looking directly into it. The entire battlefield shakes as the pressure of Y/N's transformation, causing even Sairaorg to have to protect his eyes from the shockwaves. The light dims down but does not fade, and once Y/N is visible his armor has transformed. The normal green color of the gems of Ddraig are swapped out with a deep pink color, and the wings on his back resemble those of the White Dragon Emperor. He turns towards Sairaorg and raises a fist to him.
"Y/N," Rias says with awe, "that's impossible. How did you do this?" He looks over at her.
"Nothing is impossible. This is my new form, inspired by the Juggernaut Drive, but instead of being based on negative emotions, my fuel is the desires of those closest to me." He turns to look at Rias and Asia, both of them absolutely entranced by the sight before them. "I guess I'll have to come up with the name later, I didn't give it much thought when I was in my head talking to a former host of Albion. The only thing on my mind when I entered my mindscape was the people closest to me, how much they've done for me and how much I desire to take care of them. I would never have gotten this far without them, hell, I wouldn't even be alive. I was told that this is why I was able to reach the point I'm at now." He takes a look at his wings and takes in the beautiful hue emanating from them. "Damn, I look badass. It's funny, all I did for a year was get pink and now my wings are shining with it." Y/N's eyes dart back over to Rias and she rolls her eyes at his immaturity.
"This is even greater than I had thought it would be," Ddraig tells his host. "It appears that you've been able to use the power of the Red Dragon Emperor to promote yourself into a Queen, much like how your Triana forms work."
"So what you're saying is that I'm even stronger than I thought? Every time I think I've reached the limit with you it appears there is another step. Oh well, that works out for me."
"That's quite amazing," Sairaorg tells Y/N. "It seems that you were able to achieve a Cardinal Crimson Promotion. Being as it's the color of the Gremory family I can't say it's too surprising, combined with the insane amount of potential that you've shown off."
"Sairaorg," Y/N interrupts, "let's get back to our fight. I came here to fight for the dreams of my family, as well as my own. Above everything, there's one person's dream that I've come here to achieve, and that person is Rias Gremory. Her dreams are mine and my dreams are hers. I love this woman with everything I have, and I'm going to fight to make her dream a reality!" The crowd in the arena cheers louder and louder for the Red Dragon Emperor. Even those who were in support of Sairaorg coming into this match can't help but give their applause for the Pawn of Rias Gremory. Up in the VIP booth, the praise seems to be matching that of the rest of the audience.
"That Y/N," Sirzechs chuckles, "I don't know how Rias got so lucky to end up with him." Back on the battlefield, Sairaorg gives a hearty laugh at Y/N's confidence.
"Well Y/N, that was quite a speech. I'm excited to see if you can back it up, so give me everything you've got!"
"You don't have to tell me twice. Let's show him what we're made of Ddraig!"
SUPER SONIC BOOSTER! SOLID IMPACT BOOSTER!
The Renegade flies at Sairaorg, preparing to launch a strong attack at the opposing King. As his first attack flies the armor on his fist is transformed into a more heavily armored fist, causing Sairaorg to take a hard hit from Y/N. Even after taking the full brunt of the attack, Sairaorg holds strong and prepares his counterattack.
The two of them enter a fistfight, neither one of them giving an inch. With each punch landing comes the sound of armor being clattered on as the two of them try to find an opening in the opponent's defenses. A decisive blow lands from Y/N's left, and only one word is heard on the battlefield.
DIVIDE!
Sairaorg starts to slow down a tiny bit, but not enough to turn the tide of the battle. Even after having his power weakened, he knows he has worked way too hard to give up this fight after one measly division of his power. Y/N activates his Solid Impact Booster again and punches Sairaorg directly in the chest, sending him sliding backward on his ass. Sairaorg tries to stand up, but his legs buckle and he falls to his knees.
"No," Sairaorg grunts, "this can't be my limit. This is only the beginning of this battle, and I intend to see it through to the end." He rises to his feet, shrugging off any signs of damage or stamina loss. "If I lose this battle then I don't deserve my place as a member of the Bael family. I must not fail!"
"I have to respect it, but I'm not done either," Y/N responds. The two of them dash at each other again and Y/N throws a punch to fake Sairaorg out. Before he can react Y/N gets right under Sairaorg and raises his leg to kick him directly in the gut, sending him flying directly upward.
"Time for my next move, Crimson Blaster!"
FANG BLAST BOOSTER!
Two cannons appear from Y/N's back and charge a beam to be aimed directly at Sairaorg. The Bael family member lands back on the ground, but as he gets to his feet he sees the blast coming directly his way with no chance of dodging it. Sairaorg is overtaken by a crimson light similar to the one that encompassed Y/N while he transformed. As the dust settles Sairaorg is seen laying in a crater, but a specter in the form of his mother sits next to him, looking down at her son.
"No way," Y/N says in awe as his cannons disappear.
"Arise," Sairaorg's mother speaks to her son. His eyes shoot open as he recognizes both the voice and the figure sitting beside him. "You must be strong, get up and fight. This isn't the end for you Sairaorg!" Sairaorg struggles to his feet and stands tall against the Red Dragon Emperor. "You fight for the sake of the underworld, and so that nobody will have to experience what you went through. That's the future you want to see. A world where skill and hard work, not what someone is born to be, is what is truly valued. Isn't that the world you want to see, my sweet Sairaorg? Make the world that you desire!" Sairaorg makes his way out of the crater made by the blast he took and prepares to fight again, blood oozing from his lips. With a loud yell, a blue aura surrounds Sairaorg, the figure of his mother fading from view. Y/N can only look at Sairaorg with the utmost respect. Never before had he fought someone like himself, someone that refuses to give up and will keep standing no matter what is in front of them.
"Y/N Lucifer," Sairaorg yells. "For the sake of my goals and beliefs, this is where I will defeat you!"
"Not a chance!" The two of them dart towards each other and each lands a harsh blow to their opponent's head, cracking the armor protecting them. The two enter another fistfight and try to get the edge on each other.
Y/N POV
It's crazy, no matter how much damage Sairaorg has taken, he's still been getting up to face me. Every blow I land seems to be nothing but a scratch to him, whereas every time he hits me, I feel the full force of each punch. Sairaorg has proven to me that he's in a league far above anybody else I've battled, and hell, I'm not even sure how Vali would fair in this battle. Everything he does is for his desire to change the underworld into a place where people aren't shunned for what they don't possess and instead are praised for what they're able to achieve, with or without demonic power. I don't think it's a stretch to say that Sairaorg would be willing to die in this battle if he had to, and for that, he has my utmost respect. At the same time, I can't stop fighting for my dream, for Rias' dream.
Rias, I bet she's worried sick right now. Both her and Asia are sitting back there watching me put my life on the line against someone who would definitely kill me if he had to. It wouldn't be the first time that this has happened. Without her, I wouldn't even be alive, and everything I've been able to accomplish is because of her. She believed in me at a time when nobody else would, when I was just the school's bad boy. I'm not sure if she knew I was the host of Ddraig or not, but I'm glad that she's been by my side through it all. No matter what I do she's been right there with me, from when I stood up against Riser all the way to when I transformed earlier. She's the first thing I see when I wake up and the last thing I see when I go to sleep, and I couldn't imagine my life without her. Because of Rias, I have a family, a home, and a place that I actually belong. If I give up now, then I'm giving up on her, and nothing would make me angrier than knowing I let her down.
Sairaorg and I keep trading punches, each one feeling even heavier than the last. It's clear that he's exhausted, but I'm not in much better shape. The two of us are both going to fight until the end when we can't move anymore. If I have to die here to make Rias' dream come true, then at least I can die knowing I did the right thing for the end of my life. With each attack I land I carry not only Rias' dream but everyone else's dreams too. Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, Asia, Xenovia, Gasper, Rossweisse, they've all been amazing to fight alongside. Without them, I never would have made it as far as I have, and I can only hope they think the same thing about me. Of course, Vali, Kuroka, Irina, and Ravel have been along for the ride as well, but this battle is for the House of Gremory.
"Sairaorg, I too have a goal. I want to help Rias Gremory achieve her dream, to help her become the champion of the Rating Game. And then, I'm going to become my own King." I clench my right fist and prepare to throw a hard punch. "This punch is packed with all of the hopes and dreams of my family!"
DIVIDE!
"AGAIN!"
DIVIDE!
"Red Dragon Emperor! Look!" Before I can throw another punch Regulus snaps me out of what I'm doing. My Balance Breaker fades and I fall to one knee, my arms and legs feeling heavier than ever. I look at Sairaorg and notice that his eyes are closed, and his chest piece where Regulus is has tears falling from the lion's face. Was he really fighting on adrenaline after having been knocked out? "This fight is over Red Dragon, my master has already lost consciousness."
"You're right," I pant. I stand up slowly and walk towards Sairaorg. His helmet breaks open and he starts falling towards me. My arms go around him and catch him as he falls. "Even when you weren't even awake, you kept fighting until your body stopped, all for the sake of defending your dream. I know you can't hear me right now, but I'm glad that we had this battle Sairaorg. It was everything that I had hoped it would be."
"Sairaorg Bael has resigned," I hear the announcer say. "Rias Gremory is the official winner of this Rating Game." Sairaorg starts to disappear and I turn back towards Rias and Asia. I feel a tear start to fall from my eye, my emotions not being able to handle Sairaorg putting everything he had on the line for this. The two of them make their way towards me and I put an arm around each of them. Asia starts healing me but I feel my body starting to slow down even more.
"Hey," I say weakly, "don't be worried, but I'm about to fall unconscious." My vision starts to go black and I feel my body slump down.
A Few Hours Later
My eyes shoot awake and I have to block them because of the bright light shining into them.
"Ah, you're awake." I turn my head and see Sairaorg laying in a bed a few feet away from me. I sit up to stretch.
"You are too, I see. I'm glad to see you're feeling better." He gives me a smirk.
"I was going to say the same thing about you. I must say, that was the best fight I've had in my entire life. This is the first time that I've ever been satisfied in defeat." He looks back over my way. "If I had to lose to anyone, I'm glad that it was you, Y/N Lucifer."
"You know, I feel the same way. I never wanted to beat anyone as badly as I wanted to defeat you in our fight. Never had I faced someone who was so deadset on their goals that they can continue fighting when they lose consciousness. Sairaorg, you and I aren't so different." The door slides open and in walks Sirzechs.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Not at all," I respond, "just a show of good sportsmanship between the two most likely to take your place." The three of us laugh and Sirzechs enters the room.
"Well, I suppose I should congratulate the both of you. Your battle was truly a spectacle, and the higher-ups are more than satisfied. People are excited to see what the future has in store for the both of you. Now, Sairaorg, if you don't mind, I'd like to speak to Y/N for a minute."
"Okay, I'll make my way out." Sairaorg tries to stand but Sirzechs puts his hand up.
"Actually I'd like you to hear this as well. Y/N, there's been talks of promoting you to a High-Class Devil. It came as a personal recommendation, but you have more than enough accolades to achieve it at this point. You've done quite well in your time in Rias' peerage, but it's almost unanimously agreed upon that this would be the perfect time for you to be given your own Evil Pieces. Kiba and Akeno would also be promoted to Mid-Class Devils at the same time as your promotion." I take a second to think.
"There's no way. I don't even know how to properly respond to that Sirzechs. I'm honored that you all think that highly of me, but isn't it a little early for me to be getting my own pieces?"
"You do have a point," Sirzechs responds, "but at the same time, it seems clear that you may be ready for the task at hand. You still have plenty to learn, especially about being a King, but I have the utmost confidence that those around you will do their very best to give you the advice you need to be an amazing King."
"You should accept it," Sairaorg tells me. "They didn't ask me, but I would say that you're ready for it as well. Hell, you've already surpassed me so it's only reasonable that you and I get to face off at the same rank. The next Rating Game could be between the both of us instead of me against Rias."
"All of those are perks of the piece. I'll explain the details more later for you, but for now, I'll give you two some time to rest." He stands and makes his way towards the door. "By the way Y/N, I'll remember what you just said to me. If you want my throne, then you'll have to do much more than become a High-Class Devil to achieve it." He leaves the room and I look over at Sairaorg.
"So, do you think he's going to start training more?" Sairaorg gives a deep and hearty laugh.
"No doubt, I think you even had him scared just thinking about it." I lay back down and look at the ceiling with a grin on my face. "Congratulations on the promotion, but I can tell that there's someone else on your mind. Tell me, how has Rias been while you all were preparing for the Rating Game?"
"What do you mean? She trained just as hard as anyone else, and I think she proved that." Sairaorg shakes his head.
"It's clear the way that you two feel about each other, but I think you should let her know again. Besides, I know there's something you're dying to tell her." I look over at him.
"It's so early on though, I don't know if it's a leap that I'm ready to take yet."
"What are you so worried about Y/N? You intend to marry her at some point anyway, and I can tell that she is head over heels for you. Trust me, she's never felt this way about anybody else before you." I look back towards the ceiling.
"What if she says no? What am I supposed to do then?"
"If that happens then you let me know, and the two of us can drink to your heart's content."
"That's why you're the best," I tell him. "Either way I may have to take you up on that offer. It sounds like a good idea when you put it the way you did." I get out of the bed and stand tall. "I'm not going to worry. I've got the plan all laid out in my head, and I'm ready to make it happen."
"That's the spirit! Nobody can stop you when you're feeling like that!"
A Couple Days Later
The day of the Kuoh Academy Fall Festival is here. The entire campus is decorated for the occasion, and it's quite a sight to see the school all decorated in the way it is. The old school building is even decorated with ribbons going across the top of the building and above all of the windows, as well as laying on the trees outside. Looking outside of one of the windows I see plenty of people preparing to come inside, both students and adults. Inside of the doors, Asia greets everyone, and all of the girls, minus Akeno, Koneko, and Rossweisse are dressed in purple waitress outfits. I won't lie, seeing them dressed the way they are is doing some things to my mind, mainly the one below my waist, but I know that I've also got a job to do while I'm here. Kiba comes up behind me and taps me on the shoulder.
"Y/N, it's your turn to scare people."
"This is going to be fun." In one of the hallways I get dressed up as a zombie and do my best to scare people, and it seems like some of them I'm getting pretty well. Of course, there are some dirty looks from some of the student body that aren't fans of me, but overall it's an enjoyable time, even if it's something I wasn't initially looking forward to. I look to my left and see Gasper dressed as a vampire and trying to scare people, but unfortunately for him, he's probably the least intimidating vampire I've ever met. The girls of the school all surround him and talk about how cute he is, even though he's still putting up the effort to scare them. After a little while, I leave the room and see Azazel coming down the hallway towards me, and he motions me to follow him. He leads me out the back of the building and we stand by the door.
"I know this isn't a good time, but I have some news that I want to share with you. The devils that were backing Sairaorg have pulled away from him. Almost all of the support that he had from the higher-ups is gone." My expression drops.
"Damn," I respond. "All of his hard work down the drain, I know it's killing him to deal with all of that." Azazel puts a hand on my shoulder.
"Whatever you think about it, don't blame yourself for it. The higher-ups of devil society value talent over anything else. If you can't cut it, then you have to face the consequences, that's just the way things work. You didn't do anything wrong Y/N, so don't worry about that."
"I've got a question Azazel. Has Sairaorg lost his place as the heir to the Bael family?" Azazel shakes his head.
"No, that's still intact. Even though some of the big wigs supporting him have abandoned him, he's still a very strong and popular figure in the underworld. People love how even without any demonic power he was able to rise through the ranks, and I don't think that's going to change for a long time. That being said, you're gaining quite the popularity yourself. From what I can gather it appears that all eyes are on you. No pressure or anything, but just make sure not to do anything that would fuck that up for you." I roll my eyes.
"I don't intend to. I've matured a little bit since you met me Azazel, don't worry about that. I know how to make good decisions now." Azazel chuckles at me.
"Yes, I suppose you have. You've got your own problems to worry about other than that anyway. That new form you unlocked during the Rating Game, you're going to have to find a way to go farther beyond that. Every time you break your limits people will be watching you, but I suppose that's nothing new for you."
"Y/N." I hear my name being called from another side of the building.
"Well," Azazel tells me, "it sounds like you're needed." He walks away and I see Vali coming to find me.
"There you are, I was wondering where the old man could have dragged you off to. Rias was wondering where you were, something about having to be a waiter or something lame like that." Vali gets an evil grin on his face. "Maybe I'll have to come in and embarrass you in front of everyone." I give him a slight push.
"Don't waste your effort, it's already a bit embarrassing." He heads off back where he came from and I re-enter the building, making my way back to the cafe. As I arrive I see Rias at the end of the room looking over everything. She spots me and I give her a wink before taking on the role of a waiter for an hour or two. As night time comes a fire is started in the middle of the school's courtyard, and once it's over I make my way back to the old school building. I open the door to the club room and see Rias staring out of the window.
"Hello Y/N," she says as I walk in. "You did well today, I'm proud of you." I go over to her and lock my arm with hers.
"Thank you, it was more enjoyable than I expected it to be." I turn my head to look at her and she locks her eyes with me.
"You've given me so many reasons to be proud recently Y/N, I'm so glad I can call you my Pawn as well as my boyfriend. I know things are going to be changing soon, but I'm excited to see what you are able to achieve." I shrug my shoulders.
"Do you think I'll be able to handle it Rias? There's a ton that I don't know about being a King, and I know that I'll have a lot to figure out as time goes on."
"Of course you can handle it. I've seen you act as a leader before, and I know that you'll be able to take on anything that comes your way." Her hand reaches up and plays with my hair. "Don't think that I'll take it easy on you now. You may be the man I love, but I'm not going to let you one-up me so easily." I grab her hand softly, moving it away from my head.
"I wouldn't want anything else Rias. Listen, I have something I want to ask you while the two of us are here right now." I reach my other hand into my pocket, pulling a small object out of it. I raise it into Rias' view and it's clear she knows what it is. "Rias Gremory, will you marry me?" Tears enter her eyes and a large smile takes over her face.
"Of course I will Y/N!" We take each other into a warm embrace and we start kissing. One of my hands rubs her on the back while the other starts creeping down her body, but she stops me before anything happens. "I love you Y/N Lucifer!"
"I love you too, Rias Gremory. That's why I proposed after all." She looks up into my eyes and shakes her head.
"Leave it to you to make a serious moment like this a joke."
"What can I say, it's what I do." The doors open and the rest of the Occult Research Club comes tumbling in. "Why am I not surprised? To be fair, I suppose you all knew this was going to happen anyway. Last time I trust Vali to keep a secret for me."
"Don't act like you're that surprised Y/N," Akeno tells me, "it was pretty obvious as soon as you came back from the Underworld the day of the Rating Game." Rias looks at me.
"Let's just say I had a nice talk with your family about you. I told them the truth, that I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life, and they were overjoyed." I get a grin on my face. "It's funny, when I told your parents and brother about how I felt Sirzechs was the happiest. He was all, 'it's about fucking time Y/N, I've been waiting for months for this.'"
"That sounds about right," Rias responds. "Well, I think I'm ready to head home now, what do you all say?" They all nod and we teleport home, Rias clinging to me as if her life depended on it. Once we arrive at home I see Vali sitting on the couch with someone I've never seen before. I let Rias go and punch Vali in the cheek.
"That's what you get for telling everybody. It was supposed to be a private moment but no, let's just tell everyone." The unfamiliar man starts laughing.
"I see that you've got quite the way of making your presence known. If you would please sit down, I have something I would like to discuss with you, Mr. Lucifer."
"I'm sorry, am I supposed to know you from somewhere?" He shakes his head.
"You probably won't, but I was in the audience during your battle with Sairaorg Bael. Everything I had heard about you was true, and I'm glad that we're getting the chance to have this meeting now. So please, if you would be so kind to give me a little bit of your time." I glance over to Vali.
"I would do as he says, he's not someone we want to piss off." I shrug my shoulders and sit next to Vali.
"Now, let's get to business."
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With that Season 4 is over and we move into a new arc. I won't be following the LN, instead, I'll be doing my own thing to finish off this story. I hope you all enjoyed this part, and let me know what you think of using GIFs for the fights. I've always felt like I struggled to write good fight scenes and I'd like to think that this helped a little bit. I've seen plenty of other people do it and I figure it may help me try to get my point across in the fights. If you have any suggestions feel free to let me know, and until next time, have a good one.
-Coop