Underworld, Gremory Territory, Gremory Estate.
"That last move was pretty sick." Issei said as he watched the post-[Game] wrap up after the [Rating Game] between James and Sairaorg.
"Yeah, but I don't think James expected the [Game] to end like that." Akeno said with a smile. "That confused expression of his was so cute, wasn't it?"
In response to Akeno's question, Rias, Koneko, Mio, Maria, and Xenovia nodded their heads simultaneously. Then, they all began to giggle.
"Still, I guess James has outgrown his own expectation if he didn't expect that move to finish the fight with Sairaorg." Rias said while tapping her chin with an index finger. "I wonder what he's gonna do about it?"
"He'll probably work hard to fix his control." Venelana said as she and Grayfia entered the room where the young devils were watching the [Rating Game]. "It's obvious he didn't mean to use as much power as he did. So, he'll probably realize that he doesn't have perfect control of his power."
Everyone nodded in response to Venelana's reasonable analysis. Then, Rias spoke again.
"Hopefully, it takes him a while to get control of his power."
"Why do you say that, Rias-Nee?" maria asked curiously.
"Because it feels like I'm falling further behind him every day." Rias said with a frown. "And I don't like that. I want to be able to stand next to him, not follow behind him."
"Then, maybe you should stop being so lazy in training." Akeno replied in a teasing tone.
To Akeno's surprise, however, Rias did not begin to pout or grow angry. Instead, she nodded her head.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Rias said. "I know how hard James works. If I want to keep up, I'll have to work just as hard... Ugh... or harder."
Everyone smiled when they saw the hesitation in their lazy [King's] expression when she mentioned training harder than James. However, when they all imagined doing the same themselves, they also began to grimace.
Venelana, who was watching all the youngsters' expressions, began to laugh, hard. Even Grayfia could not help but allow the corners of her lips to rise slightly.
Underworld, Sitri Territory, Sitri Estate.
"Having someone like Ayame-San is cheating." Tomoe said as she watched the highlights from the [Rating Game] with the rest of Sona's peerage.
"And to think, James was against taking her in at first." Sona said with a smile.
Tsubaki and Reya also smiled when they remembered the day James brought Ayame into his peerage.
"Why would he ever hesitate?" Momo asked.
"Because she stalked him for almost an entire year beforehand." Tsubaki replied while adjusting her glasses. "And then when he finally found her, he found out she was a world-level pervert."
"Yeah, I guess that would be a problem." Tsubasa said while glancing at Tomoe.
"I may be a shota-con, but I'm not a pervert." Tomoe replied with a huff.
"Sorry, Tomoe." Reya replied. "But being a shota-con makes you a pervert by default."
Everyone else in the room, including Serafall, nodded in agreement.
"Don't act like being a sis-con doesn't also make you a pervert, Older Sister." Sona said under her breath.
Unfortunately, Serafall's sense of hearing was much better than Sona imagined. Especially when it came to hearing the things that her little sister had to say.
"That's so mean, So-tan." Serafall said as she tightened her hug.
Sona could feel the air being pressed out of her lungs due to the force of Serafall's hug.
Underworld, Satan Territory, Capital City, Lilith.
In the infirmary reserved for Team Bael, several of its members were lying in sick beds. Meanwhile, the members who made it to the end of the [Game] were seated in the room waiting for their comrades to awaken.
Kuisha, the first to be retired, was the first to awaken. Looking around the room, she noticed that she was in the infirmary. A moment later, she noticed that the rest of her team were all present, with Sairaorg, Misteeta, and Beluga lying in sick beds like her.
"*Sigh* We lost, huh?" Kuisha said with disappointment in her tone.
"We did." Sairaorg said from the bed beside Kuisha's. "But the battle was phenomenal. James and his peerage are so strong. I can't wait to face them again!"
By the end of his speech, Sairaorg had sat up in his bed and was almost roaring the last of his words. Seeing her [King] like that, Kuisha felt her negative emotions starting to fade.
Everyone in Sairaorg's peerage knew that their chances of winning were low. However, Sairaorg only asked them to do their best. In most situations, people would think that Sairaorg had given up on victory. But in Team Bael's case, they thought nothing of the sort. In every [Rating Game] so far, Sairaorg had told them the exact same words before every [Game]. Because he believes that is all he could ask of them.
A few moments later, Misteeta and Beluga also woke up. Though, in Beluga's case, it would be a few days or a week before he was back to full strength. Having a spear punched all the way through your chest is not an injury most people recover from in a day.
"When we get back to the Bael Estate, we'll take a look over the [Rating Game] again." Sairaorg said with vigor. "We'll analyze what we could have done better in each situation."
"Yes sir." All the members of Sairaorg's peerage replied in the most energetic manner they could muster, given their current physical conditions.
*Knock!* *Knock!*
"Sounds pretty lively in here." James said as he entered the room without waiting for a response.
As James entered the room, Scathach and Shuna followed him.
"Haha! We're just ready to get back to training so that we can improve from this failure." Sairaorg said, clearly in high spirits. "Unfortunately, it will take a few days before we're all back to fighting strength."
"Actually, that's why we're here." James replied with a smile. "If you'll allow it, Shuna here could help with your healing. I even have a few healing skills myself."
"Great!" Sairaorg said excitedly. "That would really help us out. Then, we'll be able to have a rematch even quicker."
To that, James only smiled wryly. Sairaorg was a great guy, but the constant requests for sparring over the last five years or so were a bit much, even for James.
Deciding that Sairaorg's challenge for their next fight could be put on hold, James, Scathach, and Shuna, with Shuna in the lead began to heal the members of Team Bael.
Underworld, Bael Territory, Bael Castle.
Sitting in Zekram Bael's study, Zekram and the current head of the Bael Clan, Larenius Bael, had just turned off the broadcast of Sairaorg's [Rating Game] against James.
"So, what is your opinion of the [Rating Game] between Sairaorg and James Alaverus?" Zekram asked calmly.
"Sairaorg is a disgrace." Larenius said with disdain in his tone. "He could not even be the strongest devil in his own generation. Not to mention he is a waste that cannot use the [Power of Destruction]."
"*Sigh*You are quite the disappointment." Zekram said after Larenius finished his little outburst. "Do you think that even with the [Power of Destruction], you could defeat Sairaorg?"
"Of course, the [Power of Destruction] is the underworld's most powerful bloodline." Larenius replied with pride.
"*Sigh* I should have broken the rules for this generation and allowed Venelana to take on the mantle of clan head." Zekram said in a tired tone.
"Why would you say that, Ancestor?" Larenius asked in a panic.
"Because it is clear that you are a fool whose pride is greater than their power or intelligence." Zekram said, insulting the current head of the Bael Clan without mercy. "You really believe that you, at the initial-level of the ultimate-rank, could defeat someone at the peak of the same rank without issue?"
"What!?" Larenius exclaimed in surprise. "Six months ago, Sairaorg had just broken through into the ultimate-rank. How did his power increase so quickly."
"It is quite simple." Zekram said calmly after taking a sip of the tea a servant had served not too long ago. "Unlike you, and much like your elder sister, he works hard. And because of his lack of talent, he works harder than most. You on the other hand have been coasting along on your talent for as long as you have been alive."
Hearing that, Larenius lowered his head while gritting his teeth. To think, his eldest son, Sairaorg, who was born without the bloodline ability of the Bael Clan, and who was all but in name exiled from the clan by his own hands, had surpassed him in strength. The humiliation he was feeling at that moment was immense. However, Zekram's next words would make it soar to new heights.
"I think it may be time for Sairaorg to take his place as the next head of House Bael." Zekram said off-handedly, as if he had forgotten Larenius were still in the room.
Human World, India, New Delhi.
Standing in his private room in a base Indra had built for him, Cao Cao was unwrapping bandages that were wrapped around his head and covering his right eye. Standing in front of a mirror while doing so, Cao Cao was looking forward to seeing the eye he had transplanted to replace the one James destroyed in Kyoto.
When all the bandages were removed, in his right eye socket, he saw a reptilian eye with grey sclera, a bright yellow iris, and a black slit pupil. On top of that, he could feel the power that the eye radiated. The power to petrify his enemies would definitely be quite useful for his plans.
At the same time, leaning on the door frame of Cao Cao's bedroom door, a handsome, young man with neatly cut, short brown hair and wearing Greek inspired armor over a gakuran.
"So, how's my gift, Cao Cao?" the young man asked with a smug smile.
"I must admit, it's better than I expected, Perseus." Cao Cao said while still checking out his new eye in the mirror. "it's harder to control than I thought it would be, though."
"Well, you just got it and you're not a gorgon." Perseus said as he rolled his eyes.
"Haha, that's true." Cao Cao said with a smile. "I'll definitely be able to make this power mine, sooner or later."
"That's the spirit." Perseus replied. "So, what's our next move now that you're up and running again?"
"I've heard from a little birdy that Vali is acting suspiciously." Cao Cao replied with a smile. "My guess is he's gonna do something that would be considered treasonous soon. He never really meshed with the rest of us, after all."
"Oh, should we stop him?" Perseus asked as he narrowed his eyes.
"Nah." Cao Cao waved off that suggestion dismissively. "Instead, we should take advantage of it. I have a fairly good idea of what he wants to do. So, it will be the perfect chance to kill two birds with one stone."
"If you say so." Perseus replied with a shrug. "I'll do whatever you need me to do."
"Thanks, I know I can count on you." Cao Cao said with a smile.
Human World, Japan, Kuoh.
After James, Scathach, and Shuna finished healing Sairaorg and his peerage, they were finally able to return to their home in Kuoh. Before they arrived, the rest of the peerage had already arrived and were sitting in the living room waiting for them. Eventually, shortly before midnight, James' teleportation magic circle appeared in the corner of the room. Then, when it vanished, James, Scathach, and Shuna were standing in its place.
"Whoo... I'm beat." James said as he stretched.
"I guess you would be." Cu Chulainn said in response. "You finally got off your lazy ass and participated in the [Rating Game]."
Everyone other than Mizore, Dante, and Shion could not help but giggle.
"What's up with you three?" James questioned when he saw the sour faces Mizore, Dante and Shion were wearing.
"James-San, why was I punished with those two?" Shion asked while pointing at Mizore and Dante.
After Shion's question, Mizore and Dante turned their glares from James to Shion. Meanwhile, James was wearing a confused expression.
"Punished? Why would you think you were being punished?" James asked.
"Because we were placed so far away from the battles." Shion said with slightly teary eyes. "So, why did you punish us? And why was I punished, I don't break stuff when I fight or disobey orders."
Mizore and Dante's glares strengthened in response to Shion's words, though she seemed not to notice that fact. Meanwhile, the rest of the peerage was doing everything in their power to not laugh aloud.
"Uh... I think you're misunderstanding something; besides, Master was the one that assigned the defensive positions, right?" James replied, also trying to stifle a laugh after seeing the disgruntled looks on Mizore and Dante's faces.
Immediately after James statement, Shion turned her pitiful eyes toward Scathach, but before she could speak once again...
*Ring!* *Ring!*
The doorbell rang.
"Who in the hell would show up at the house this late at night?" James asked with a frown.