The student council room was still buzzing with energy as Raizer Phoenix's peerage casually settled back into their routines. The dramatic events—the unleashing of Conqueror's Haki, the severing of Issei's sacred gear, and the healing of his soul—seemed almost mundane to them.
Rias and her peerage, however, remained in various states of shock and confusion. Rias, still sitting on the floor, was glaring at Raizer with disbelief, while Issei leaned weakly against the wall, clutching his healed arm and muttering incoherently about dragons and pain.
The silence that had fallen was abruptly broken by a loud, gruff voice.
"Where's the fight?!"
Everyone turned to see Garp sitting upright on a couch in the corner of the room. His shirt was disheveled, and he was rubbing his eyes groggily as if he'd just woken up from a deep sleep.
"Did I miss it? Who do I punch?!" Garp shouted, his fists clenched as he scanned the room.
The Peerage's Reaction
For a moment, there was stunned silence. Then, Roger burst out laughing, slapping his knee as he doubled over.
"Garp, you old fool!" Roger managed between fits of laughter. "You slept through the whole thing!"
Whitebeard joined in, his deep, booming laugh filling the room. "The match is practically over, and now you decide to wake up?"
Shiki floated down from his perch, grinning like a maniac. "What were you dreaming about, Garp? A buffet? Or maybe another nap?"
Garp scowled, clearly annoyed. "I wasn't sleeping! I was… uh… conserving energy!"
"Conserving energy?" Mihawk said, raising an eyebrow as he leaned against the wall. "Is that what you call snoring loud enough to shake the windows?"
The room erupted into laughter again, Raizer included. Even Yubelluna, who usually maintained her composure, let out a small chuckle behind her hand.
Ignoring Rias's Peerage
As Garp continued to grumble about being "left out," Rias and her peerage looked on in stunned disbelief.
"Are they… seriously laughing right now?" Rias muttered, her face a mixture of confusion and anger.
"They're acting like this isn't even a peerage game," Kiba said, his tone incredulous.
"They don't care," Koneko said flatly, munching on yet another cookie.
Issei, still clutching his arm, groaned. "I don't get it. What just happened? Why did Ddraig leave me? And why are they acting like nothing happened?!"
Akeno tilted her head, her usual serene smile tinged with unease. "It's almost like we're not even part of the equation."
"That's because you're not," Shiki called out, clearly having overheard her. He grinned, twirling lazily in the air. "Don't take it personally, though. You're just… outclassed."
The Audience's Perspective
Outside the arena, the audience watching the match was equally stunned. Nobles, high-ranking devils, and even the Demon Lords were still reeling from the events they had just witnessed.
The Noble Houses
In the stands reserved for noble families, the murmurs of speculation grew louder with each passing moment.
"Did you see that?" one noble whispered. "They used no magic, no weapons—just sheer presence to knock them all out!"
"That wasn't just any presence," another said, shaking his head. "That was something else entirely. What did they call it? Conqueror's Haki?"
"And the way he severed the sacred gear…" a third muttered, his tone laced with both awe and fear. "That wasn't just power—it was precision. Who is this Raizer Phoenix?"
The Gremory Family
In the Gremory section, Lord Zeoticus was pacing nervously, his face pale. "This… this is unprecedented! He just cut the Boosted Gear! Do you know what that means?!"
Lady Venelana, though outwardly calm, had a faint frown on her face. "It means Raizer Phoenix is far more dangerous than any of us realized."
"But what about Rias?" Zeoticus said, his voice rising. "How is she supposed to handle this?"
Venelana sighed. "She isn't. Not without learning from this experience."
The Sitri Family
Sona Sitri, sitting with her queen Tsubaki, adjusted her glasses as she watched the broadcast. "Raizer Phoenix's peerage is unlike anything we've ever seen," she said quietly.
Tsubaki nodded. "The Conqueror's Haki alone is enough to set them apart. But the way Raizer handled Ddraig…"
"It's a statement," Sona said. "He's showing the entire underworld that he isn't bound by the same rules as the rest of us."
The Demon Lords
In the balcony reserved for the Demon Lords, the reactions were equally mixed.
Sirzechs Lucifer sat with his chin resting on his hand, his crimson eyes narrowed in thought. "Conqueror's Haki… it's not a devil technique. Where did they learn it?"
Grayfia, standing behind him, folded her arms. "The cutting of the sacred gear is what concerns me. Such precision requires an understanding of both magic and souls that few possess."
On Sirzechs's right, Serafall Leviathan was less composed, her face a mix of amazement and frustration. "My poor little Rias!" she wailed. "How is she supposed to compete with that? It's not fair!"
Ajuka Beelzebub leaned back in his seat, his green hair glinting faintly under the magical lights. "Fairness has nothing to do with it, Serafall. Raizer Phoenix has simply raised the bar. The question now is whether anyone can meet it."
Falbium Asmodeus, ever the skeptic, yawned loudly. "All I see is a lot of unnecessary drama. Wake me up when the match actually starts."
Back in the Room
Inside the student council room, the laughter was finally dying down. Garp, still muttering under his breath, crossed his arms and sat back down. "Fine. Next time, someone wake me up earlier."
"No promises," Roger said, grinning.
Raizer turned his attention back to the Gremory peerage, his golden eyes sharp. "Now then," he said calmly. "I believe we were discussing next steps."
Rias, still glaring at him, stood shakily. "What steps? You've already humiliated us enough. What more could you possibly want?"
Raizer smirked. "You'll see soon enough."
Cliffhanger
The camera feed flickered, capturing the stunned faces of the audience as Raizer's casual dominance continued to unsettle the entire devil world.
The question on everyone's mind was the same: What would Raizer Phoenix do next?
This chapter blends humor and tension, highlighting both the absurdity of Garp's antics and the weight of Raizer's actions. Let me know if you'd like any adjustments!