Riser Phenex was paying close attention to the ongoing battle despite his confidence in winning.
He might be an arrogant bastard and a playboy. But he isn't an idiot or else he wouldn't be able to get 9 wins in the Rating Game. Even the four losses he gets is due to him surrendering out of respect to the members of his household. In other words, he had a perfect victory every time he fought.
He usually does not rely on tactics as he himself is enough to take down all his enemies by relying on his fire manipulation and healing power of his Phoenix Clan.
However, when he observed his sister using magic, he noticed she was in battle against none other than that human. He looked down on the human being because he didn't have any energy in his body which made him dismiss him as merely a weapon user proficient with martial arts.
"Riser's Knight retired."
"How the hell?!"
Riser watched in shock.
As members of his Peerage, each of them are granted the power of Phenex. The power to control fire and wind and also their immortality. Even when all their limbs are cut off, their immortality can easily heal it back but Sirius didn't.
Riser saw the fire that emerged on her wound and was trying to heal the injury but Leo did something and extinguished the fire. When he look closely, he can see a faint light emitted from his weapon.
"Holy Power! Impossible! A human cannot use Holy Power!" Riser denied what he saw. He cannot accept it because Leo isn't an Angel or Fallen Angel.
"Did Rias planned this on purpose? She knows he can use Holy Power and he is the trump card to win this Rating Game?" Riser looks angrily at the magic display.
"Such a dishonorable method." He spat as he watched Leo defeat the rest of his Peerage members except Ravel. If Leo dared to lay a hand on Ravel, he would immensely flip.
He admits that he was overconfident and didn't bother doing a check on Leo prior to the battle. However, he is still confident in winning the Rating Game.
"Yubelluna. Forget about Rias' Queen. I want you to quickly eliminate that human."
"Yes, Riser-sama."
Riser contacts his Queen using magic to prioritize Leo. As long as he is eliminated, the rest isn't a problem for him to defeat.
———
"Hee!"
Ravel squeaked and cowering by the tree as she watched Leo butchered the last of Riser's peerage assigned to her.
She wanted to help them but the moment that she became involved and retracted her participation as merely a spectator, she was afraid Leo would kill her too.
Once Leo killed the bishop, Mihae. He turned his eyes to Ravel.
"Y-You! Don't you dare a-approach me!" She desperately tries to run but her legs feel weak and her body isn't responding due to fear.
"Relax. I wasn't trying to harm you." Leo approaches her.
"N-No! Stay away! Somebody, help!"
Leo sighed. He just feels bad that he made her like that, unable to even stand up on her feet. He just wanted to help her to stand but she shout like he is about to kidnap her into his basement and torture her to death.
"I'm just trying to help." Leo said and dismissed his weapon. "See. I even put away my weapon." Leo approaches her and then lifts her up to her feet.
"You really won't kill me?" Ravel looked surprised that Leo would go to such an extent.
Well, Leo didn't want to put a bad impression on her since he wanted to recruit her later.
"What do you think I am? A mindless butcher?" Leo frowned.
He never killed sane people before. Those he killed are beasts and those who succumbed to madness. This one didn't count because he knew that those people he killed didn't really die. There is a magic that forcefully teleports them away once they are too injured. Considering they are servants of Phenex, they would definitely be healed with Phenex Tear. He also tries to not make them suffer too much by defeating them in one hit.
Ravel lifted her head up and looked at his face hidden by the bandana before she said, "Frankly, Yes."
"Tch. I only fight because this is a job. I normally don't kill sane people. Those I hunt are those who succumbed to madness like Stray Devils. It's against my oath to harm those who do not deserve." Leo felt a bit annoyed to be seen as a mindless butcher.
"Oath? What oath? Like a Knight's code or something?" Ravel suddenly became chirpy. It looks like she is alright now.
He lets go of Ravel once she can stand properly and says, "Anyway, since you aren't participating in the fight. Better stay away or someone might accidentally injure you."
Leo then walks away and summons his weapon back into his hands. He will go and hunt down the stragglers and end this Rating Game quick. He is getting bored of it already since none could really keep up with him.
Not that he is saying those Devils are weak. They are strong but lack real fighting experience to keep him entertained since they practiced not for real battle where death is real but a sport called Rating Game.
But when Leo is far enough from Ravel, a magic circle suddenly shoot to the ground from above and exploded like a goddamn tank mine.
"Yubelluna?!" Ravel recognise this type of spell.
"Are you alright, Ravel-sama?"
"I'm alright. Didn't Onii-sama ordered you to do this?"
"Yes." Yubelluna descent from the sky and nods. "Let's get you to safety first. Riser-sama is worried about your safety."
"Mhm." Ravel nod and sprout her fiery wings unique to the Phenex.
"Oi. Since when do I allow you to leave, Queen of Riser Phenex? Since you have decided to fight me, don't you dare running away." Leo appeared after the smoke and dust of the explosion receded.
Yubelluna and Ravel saw Leo's sorry state. Yet his vitality is tenacious. He lost his left leg with blood bleeding all over and half of his body scorched black by the heat of the explosion.
Instead of succumbing to his injury, Leo took out an item that magically appeared in his hand. A large and antique looking syringe, large compared to those commonly used by modern medicine. He stabs the syringe into his and injects the mysterious red fluid that looks suspiciously similar to blood.
Then, like time is being rewinded. His injury and damage on his attire all reverted to its previous state before he was attacked by the explosion.
"Damn that hurt a lot." Leo stands up as if nothing happened and the two would think so if not for the destroyed landscape below his feet.
"It's the first time I was injured to that extent." He cracked his neck a little before his furious eyes locked on Yubelluna.
"Leave quickly, Ravel-sama." Yubelluna urged.
"Take your time. I am willing to wait." Leo said after summoning his weapons back to his hand. "I would rather not show her more than the previous. Since it might scar her mind."
Leo stood there as a testament to his words. Ravel looks hesitant to leave Yubelluna but after being urged once more. She quickly left, leaving only Leo with Yubelluna.
But before he could fight. More interference arrived. Akeno, who is chasing after Yubelluna and Kiba, who is nearby and dealing with Carlamain, arrive to help Leo.
"Please do not interfere. I want to defeat her on my own. You two should go to help Rias instead." Leo said with a stern tone and accepted no refusal as he sent them away.
Yubelluna is willing to wait since he showed the courtesy earlier and the less she needed to fight against, the better.
Once there is no more interference. Leo turned his eyes back to Yubelluna and said, "Now, shall we begin our dance?"
Yubelluna didn't reply with words but instead she moved her staff and multicast three magic circles on the ground which explode and throw up dirt and dust into the air.
Leo shoots his body out from the smokescreen of dust with insanely fast speed and swings his saw at her but Yubelluna were a spell caster, not melee users. A teleportation magic envelope her and she vanished before Leo could hit her.
"Quite arrogant of you to think you can fight me. I am a magician. I can cast spells from the sky, away from harm!" Yubelluna bellowed and swung her staff before a large magic circle surrounded Leo before a bright flash of light consumed him followed by a loud explosion.
Yubelluna makes sure to use a larger explosion to make sure Leo cannot escape this time. However, much to her shock. Leo weather through the explosion and once again inject the weird fluid and his body regenerates again.
"What? The Phenex isn't the only one that can heal. Immortality? Bah, it's just faster regeneration. It's not true immortality if they can still die." Leo emerged from the smoke unharmed and immediately trained his gun on Yubelluna before taking the shot.
A defensive magic circle appeared to block the bullet but Yubelluna was shocked to see it starting to crack. This magic shield can even block a sniper rifle bullet without a scratch suddenly cracked from a weapon that should belong to the museum and almost penetrated the shield. She quickly concluded it's not a simple pistol.
Yubelluna quickly created a proper barrier to shield her from the bullets and rapidly cast spells to bombard Leo. However, he simply vanishes into mist whenever a spell almost hits him. It frustrates her but she must admit Leo is a very deadly opponent against a magician.
Her Mana reserve was already running low from the spell bombardment yet Leo didn't look exhausted at all. His ability to change form into mist didn't seem to consume any energy which sounds impossible but it's the fact.
(There is consumption of stamina but Hunters regenerate stamina very quickly due to their abnormal body so… does Leo have infinite stamina? Idk)
But, her effort isn't in vain. From what Yubelluna observed. Leo can only charge toward one direction when using his ability. While it makes him intangible for a moment. When the mist reformed, he cannot immediately use the ability again. There is at least a small window of time she can injure him.
She casts another spell and another bigger spell before she waits for Leo to use Quickening. When he reformed his body, Yubelluna activated the second spell which is a wide area explosion.
When the spell exploded, she saw Leo caught by it and thrown a few dozen meters away looking disoriented. His body is injured but Yubelluna knows if she allows him to inject another syringe of the red fluid again, he will be fully healed and her effort will all be in vain.
She uses the last bit of Mana she has and casts another explosion spell on Leo, to defeat him for good. This is a mission given by her King. She cannot fail his expectations.
Yubelluna grit her teeth to resist the nauseous feeling of running dry on Mana.
To Devils, Mana is like oxygen for humans. Without Mana, they cannot survive. Thankfully the atmosphere is rich in Mana since they are in the Underworld. Even if she ran dry on Mana, at most she would pass out instead of dying.
When the spell completes, she pour all her remaining Mana into the spell and point down her staff at Leo. Then everything went black.
"I did it…Riser-sama…"
———
"Riser's Queen retired."
The announcement caused many to halt and turn to the plume of black smoke in the distance.
"Impossible! Yubelluna has a Phoenix Tear. How can she be defeated?" Ravel cried out after hearing the announcement.
Riser also stared at the direction with an expression of disbelief that his Queen was defeated. His undoubtedly strongest servant in the peerage.
"He actually did it? Sasuga, Leo sensei! I knew he would win without a doubt." Issei cheered with a proud expression on his face.
Yeah, Issei's impression of Leo is similar to Kiba. After he tested his strength and skill, he admitted Leo is stronger than him. For now that is. He promised he will definitely surpass him one day.
As for Leo, having Issei the protagonist surpassing him is definitely great. It means he can just throw his enemies to Issei and let him deal with them for him.
After Yubelluna is defeated, all that is left is Riser, Ravel and three pawns that somehow didn't go into the trap laid by Akeno because of Leo's action to challenge Ravel and her escorts changing the future.
"Surrender now, Riser. We still have everyone alive while you only have four alive. Three since Ravel isn't fighting." Rias offers to Riser.
Hearing the offer, Riser turned his head to Rias before laughing.
"Surrender you say? Hahaha. Even if everyone is defeated. So what? This Riser alone is to handle all of you!" Riser suddenly burst into flame and manifested his brilliant fiery wings just like the mythical Phoenix and flew into the sky.
"This! Watch out!" Rias recognised this move and tried to warn everyone but she was too late.
"It's useless! Taste my flame, the majesty of a Phoenix!" Riser roared with flame surging out like a tornado and swept through Rias and her Peerage.
The powerful flame instantly causes Kiba, Koneko and Asia to be defeated. Akeno barely survived thanks to her Queen Piece that increases her overall strength and defense. Rias barely shielded herself with a hastily made defensive spell.
Their differences in strength are that vast. A single attack made Rias and her Peerage almost wiped out by the fearsome fire manipulation Riser displayed.
While this attack consumed a significant amount of his Mana reserve. He didn't need to use magic again. He can clean up the rest without relying on his magic.
"Back to you, my dear Rias. How about you surrender now?" Riser floats proudly in the sky, looking down at Rias with arrogance that he can back with his words unlike Rias.
"You damn fried chicken! Come down here and fight me!" Issei started to spit out typical hot-blooded shonen protagonist dialogue at Riser.
"Why should I?" Riser replied while staring in disbelief at the idiot.
Who would abandon his advantage to fight an disadvantageous battle when he can simply use his magic one more time to wipe out Rias and what remains of her Peerage.
Rias was at her wits end. They cannot win against Riser. The strength gap is too big. She might have a slim chance if Issei still has at least a dozen stacks of Boost. But he used it on his Dragon Shot earlier and it would take two minutes to accumulate more. Riser will not give her the chance to turn the table on him.
If they fight, Issei will be the first target because of his Sacred Gear.
"So, how is it Rias? Are you going to continue your defiance? Or do I need to make an example out of your favorite Pawn before you will understand?" Riser implies he will kill Issei before the teleportation magic kicks him out.
"How dare you threaten Buchou! I'll fight you to death if I need to protect her from a bastard like you!" Issei blinded by his anger used Promotion to become a Bishop and fired a Dragon Shot buffed with 5 stacks of Boost.
"Issei, don't!" Rias tried to stop him but he wouldn't listen anymore.
"Hmph. I overlooked your rudeness before because Maou Lucifer's Queen is present. But this time, I wouldn't allow your insult to the Pure Blooded Devil Nobles pass." Riser forms a spear made of fire in his right hand and pulls his arm back to throw it at Issei.
*Boom* *Thump*
The sound of an explosion caused by gunpowder interrupted them. Then the followed by a mysterious sound of dull and heavy strike echoes across the air.
Riser cannot even form a word before his body seized up and fell to the ground.
Emerging from the treelines is Leo looking no different from the beginning except a little tired and breathing a little heavier.
"You know… I said this before and I'll say it again." Leo came to a halt when he reached the vicinity of Rias and her surviving Peerage members. "You bunch are really pathetic." Leo said bluntly which none of them dare to refute as they can only hang their head low and accept his words.
"Even after I cleaned most of the obstacles for you and your peerage. You still failed to defeat Riser Phenex." He scans his eyes over them before he turns to Ravel on top of the building spectating and then Riser who has already recovered from the Stagger he inflicted.
"To be honest. I would have rather let Riser win since he deserves it, unlike you who spend all the time you have on anime and manga instead of training hard to win and break off your engagement." Leo turns his head back to Rias to express his true feelings.
"Leo sensei…" Issei is at a loss for words.
Akeno also wanted to speak up to defend Rias but she had accompanied Rias the longest and what Leo said is indeed the truth.
Meanwhile Rias only remains stunned and speechless. She also cannot find any word or excuse to deny his accusations.
"He at least has the effort to earn his strength although his personality is not the best. Unlike you who are only betting on miracles to come, for strong Peerage members like Issei to carry you to victory while you only laze around." Leo turns back to Riser who looks at him in shock.
Like who really expects Leo to suddenly call out on Rias and praise Riser? That's right. No one.
Leo then took a stride with his right foot, slowly walking toward Riser.
"However, the terms of our accord. You will owe me favor in exchange for your victory. I shall honor it."
Looking at Riser, Leo came to a halt three meters away from him. He look at Riser with pity and reluctance before he sighed.
"I offer you my apology in advance and an advice. Consider it a mercy from me. Surrender now and we can end this without pain and bloodshed." Leo stood still and waited for his response.
Leo was honestly feeling annoyed. If he hadn't known about Rias' past, he might have wholeheartedly helped her out of pity. But because he did, he cannot really feel pity for her. This is the path she chose. The hole she dug for herself.
She has Power of Destruction from the Bael clan inherited from her mother yet she never makes full use of it. Instead, she became overconfident and resulted with this. Had she trained her power from the very start, even if she isn't as strong as Sirzech, she will at least be strong enough to break off her own engagement even with Issei and Boosted Gear.
Riser feels the threat contained in Leo's word. His mention of giving mercy is genuine. But perhaps it's his pride? His arrogance? It clouded his judgment that he chose to ignore the mercy Leo gave.
"Hah! Mercy? This Riser does not need it. I am Riser Phenex of the Phenex clan. You might have defeated Yubelluna and my peerage because of your Holy Power but I am different! You cannot defeat my immortality." Riser declared with power fire bursting out his body and making him look like a majestic Phoenix with his brilliant fiery wings.
"I see. It's a shame. But I will respect your choice." Leo held his weapon ready. Blue spark shooting around him before blue lightning appeared and covered his Saw Cleaver.
"Enough! This Riser does not need the pity of a human!" Riser roared with a wave of fire followed by the swing of his arm and rushed to Leo live tsunami wave.
Leo leans forward and dash head on into the magical flame without fear. The moment before he is touched by the fire, his body vanishes into a mist and is unaffected by the wall of fire and phase through it before his body reformed without losing any momentum.
"Annoying tricks!"
Riser willed the fire to grow into a bigger and turn his surrounding into a sea of flame.
"Try to dodge that!" Riser laughed cruelly as he imagined Leo being burnt alive by the fire.
But contrary to his imagination, Leo didn't get burnt alive. He is on fire. But that didn't affect him at all. Even when his expression is twisted by the pain of being burnt alive, he endures it and lifts his Hunter Pistol before pulling the trigger.
*Boom* *Thump*
The sound of gunpowder ignited and then a loud explosion that propelled a bullet out from the muzzle. When it hits Riser, the mysterious sound of dull and heavy strike echoes across the air again.
Leo dismissed his Saw Cleaver and straightened his arm and finger like a spear before he drove his hand into Riser's chest, crushing the ribs and going through it.
A hand is not supposed to be capable of piercing through flesh like that. Even more so when Riser is not as frail as a normal human. But his thrust was not fully driven by physical strength, but also his Beasthood.
When looked closely, Leo's right arm transformed slightly. His nails grew sharp and longer like a beast's claw and pierced through the glove.
This is Visceral Attack, a darker skill of a Hunter. By allowing bloodlust to momentarily take over a Hunter's mind, they partially transform their body into a beast to temporarily increase their strength.
Leo performed a Visceral Attack and plunged his arm into Riser's chest before he forcefully yanked his arm out while holding a red beating heart full of blood that quickly drained.
Brutal it is. But this is the most painless way Leo can defeat Riser who possesses Hyper Regeneration. Losing his heart isn't fatal as even as Leo is watching, a new heart is already regenerating at a visible pace. But this is enough to knock him off cold for a while.
"Riser the King retired."
"Leonis Ashford retired."
Leo heard the announcement before his sight went dark. He didn't feel the fire because after the first dozen seconds, his pain receptors were already being fried by the heat. He could last until the announcement was made because he was bathed by Riser's blood which healed him a little. But not enough to fully recover as he also passed out.
"Riser's Peerage is defeated by the elimination of the King. The victor is Rias and her Peerage."
Everyone heard the announcement before the stage collapsed into Mana particles and everyone was booted out.
—————
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