Aeternum: Chat Group Chapter 43: Rias the Schemer
Hyoudou Issei clenched his right hand, forming a fist as he watched Rias fight. Every move made by her seemed carefully thought out and the way she executed them was beautifully deadly and precise. He had never seen Rias fight like this; of course, she fought when everyone else trained, but she never seemed to put in too much effort. Or rather, as if she was never using a large portion of her power.
Issei was anything but annoyed; he felt surprised to see the speed, strength, and techniques Rias used; he felt a little impatient to become stronger so he could help her on the battlefield, his heart was beating eagerly for more training, and his mind felt much calmer than he expected. Days ago, when he talked to Rias about her perverted side, Issei thought hard about the subject and decided to follow her advice. From that day on, he began training every day, studying for at least an hour a day after school, and stopping spying on girls at school.
Reflecting on himself, he felt very ashamed about his current way of thinking and that of years ago. When he was little, he didn't really have many friends. To him, his childhood friend was truly a joy and blessing. It was when he remembered this that he also remembered the real reason why he started his Harem King idea.
Since he never had any friends except for Irina at the time, and his grandfather started the whole breasts and Harem thing, a young Issei thought it was a great idea to make a lot of friends and be able to feel more loved by other people. He was by no means lacking family love, but the feelings of having a friend and being able to talk about things that you couldn't or didn't want to with family, being able to have fun and enjoy time, was something he longed for when seeing other children his age or older doing that kind of thing.
That idea had stayed in his head and as he grew older, the idea of having friends became something much more perverted, but it hid a desire to have a girlfriend, to be loved by another person. Realizing many things that seemed hidden in the depths of his heart and mind, Issei felt ashamed, realizing how twisted his thoughts had become.
It's not that he stopped liking breasts from one day to the next, but now he knew that what he was doing was not entirely right and decided to change little by little.
Issei's thoughts were interrupted when the entire outside was filled with a red and black light. Grayfia's voice indicating Rias' victory sounded a second later. Issei smiled forcefully.
"She won! Buchou really did it!" He exclaimed happily, but noticed the slightly dissatisfied expressions of Kiba and Akeno. Koneko didn't seem any different, but a small smile could be seen on her lips.
. . .
Kiba and Akeno didn't seem satisfied with the victory, Akeno more than Kiba. While Kiba let out a slightly strange sigh for not being able to fight and accompany his King, he understood a little better where Rias was coming from. His problems weren't as related to his powers as Akeno's. He had a great resentment towards the sacred swords, especially Excalibur, so his powers weren't blocked as much as Akeno's, but his confidence when fighting and his way of explaining all his abilities were something that had to change, was what Kiba realized. While in a Rating Game it wasn't as much of a problem because the rival would be investigated as much as possible, in other types of battles it could be fatal.
Akeno, however, was truly dissatisfied, not only because of the fact that Rias indirectly called her weak and didn't want her to fight by her side, but also because she hid her true capabilities from her. Since a few years ago, they were true friends, who knew each other's likes and dislikes, their dreams, and the things they feared. Therefore, she felt a little hurt that Rias hid her true power from her, as well as things that she knew were happening, but she had no knowledge of.
She looked at her hand as her fingers slowly extended from being previously in the form of a fist. Lightly and carefully, small arcs of golden lightning spread out from her hand as her eyes held a look of resentment and annoyance. But, at the same time as she showed that kind of expression, her mind imagined various things; such as the possibility that they had lost this battle and Rias had to forcefully marry. Little by little, more imagined scenes appeared, from the most normal to the most terrifying.
She really hadn't been much help in battles, had she? Was what he thought at that moment. Despite having a reputation as the priestess of thunder, she was by no means strong, now that he thought about it, she didn't even reach the level of Queens that some people in the younger devils' Peerage had.
"Akeno-san...", Kiba looked at her a little surprised at the sight of the lightning bolts in her hand and the sense of danger they generated.
"...", Akeno just kept silent before sighing. At that moment, regardless of the feelings that were swirling inside her, she knew that she had to become stronger. Letting go of the things that tormented her mind and heart wouldn't be that easy, but she had already taken the first step.
. . .
While the Gremory Peerage thought about themselves and reflected a little, on the other side, things weren't so calm.
"Why do I force the retreat?! Even as the strongest Queen and wife of Lucifer-sama, I think I need an explanation," Riser growled angrily as he glared at Grayfia. And even if he was showing his anger through his expressions, his words were respectful. He knew he couldn't offend this woman.
"I could have regenerated after that attack…"
Grayfia shook her head back and forth slowly and carefully while at the same time maintaining her stoic expression: "No, you greatly underestimated Rias-sama."
"Not even I or anyone else would expect it, but Rias-sama's last attack almost reached the level of eliminating Sirzechs-sama. Her attack would have completely eliminated him, leaving nothing behind that could regenerate. That attack alone reached the supreme rank. Simply put, regardless of the limitations in battle, you would have died, without a doubt."
Within the categories of the levels of the devil race, there existed a total of four: High-class Devil, Mid-class Devil, High-class Devil, and Supreme-class Devil. The latter was the highest class that a devil can obtain by training or being born with power. After that, there was another category, but it was mostly a title that only a few had and that was awarded to those who were called 'irregular beings', or also called Transcendental Devils, they were those who surpassed the original four great Satans in power and reached the level of gods of mythologies. This was because many people wonder if they can even be considered Devils due to surpassing the existence of the same race.
And leaving aside that atypical classification, that an attack by Rias is considered the 'highest' classification, said a lot about her power and prowess. Riser could only clench his hands tightly as he growled, really dissatisfied and angry with this result.
Grayfia looked at him for a moment before retreating, appearing in the Gremory household's living room. There, Sirzechs, Zeoticus and Venelana were surprised after seeing the crushing battle that Rias unleashed on Riser Phenex's team. Frowning slightly, Grayfia recalled Rias' words before sighing a little; not only because several of the things she said had a meaning. Also, she was sure that the Underworld would become a bit messy.
Rias basically stated her belief that most of the Pillars and part of the government were greedy, arrogant and part of the Underworld not being as strong as it was in ancient times. At the same time, she gave a message to many reincarnated Devils, saying that they could improve as long as they saw their flaws and surpassed those who looked down on them. Oh, Grayfia knew, that message of recognizing flaws and being able to improve was not for the government and the pillars, but for the reincarnated and lower class.
She wondered what her dear sister-in-law/sister was trying to achieve.
And much to her and everyone else's surprise, Rias appeared thanks to a magic circle beside her.
"Good evening, brother... Father, Mother...", Rias respectfully greeted her family. "Grayfia too..."
Sirzechs frowned slightly, because he could clearly hear a hint of amusement in his sister's voice. To him, this would clearly attract trouble, especially with the statements she made. These would not only be taken as statements from Rias Gremory, but also from Lucifer's sister.
"May I know the reason for your actions, Rias? Currently, I am very curious," Sirzechs asked lightly, but it was clear that he was in his work mode. Now he was not just Sirzechs Gremory, a brother, father, son, and husband, but he was Sirzechs Lucifer, one of the Rulers of the Underworld.
Rias smiled lightly at him, but her face showed no amusement.
"I want you to stop spying on me...", was Rias's response and she snorted at Sirzechs' slightly surprised look. "Do you think I wouldn't notice? Please, even if I hadn't noticed Grayfia, I would still know with your personality."
Rias extended her hand and this time she did seem amused: "If anything, you should be more concerned about other things than spying on me, don't you think?"
"Although...", Rias paused for a few moments: "I should thank you for helping me form my Peerage."
Sirzechs this time seemed genuinely surprised.
"Romania, Kyoto, a frozen forest in winter above all things, plus a nekoshou. Hmph, there's no way I'd be so lucky; all those trips were carefully planned for me to meet them."
"I want you to stop interfering in my life. I'm not a chess piece that you can move whenever you please."
"Do you realize the trouble your words will cause, Rias?", Sirzechs decided to dodge the subject, talking about the previous topic. "Many pillars could dry up their business with the Gremory. You should have been more cautious."
"Please...", Rias snorted in disgust. "If Gremory can't deal with this, then it shouldn't be a pillar in the first place."
She raised her hands with her palms up and said seriously: "Now that the words were said, it's just a matter of time before the lower class, middle class, and the reincarnated ones rise up little by little. They will train, fight for their rights, and become a more important part of the Underworld, little by little it will happen. Even if I didn't do something like this now, in the future, it would still happen."
"Do you realize that this could lead to another civil war?!", Zeoticus couldn't listen any longer and shouted angrily at his daughter's actions, but only received a slightly scary smile.
"Of course," that answer froze everyone in place.
"Currently, more than half of the remaining pillars are gloating over their powers and not even lifting their butts from the privileged seats they're in; as I said before, no matter if I did this now, eventually the devils at the bottom would slowly rise up to make those at the top nervous. Just speed up the process a bit."
"What you're doing is dangerous, Rias," Sirzechs said sternly. "Currently, in the Underworld there are still some who agree with the former great satans' way of ruling, if they... come... out into the light..."
Sirzechs had started to speak, but almost at the end he stopped as he looked at his sister as if she were a monster. His parents and wife looked at him when they heard him stop, only to see a look of disbelief and concern.
Rias looked at him with a cold smile and a calculating gaze.
Sirzechs, or any of his fellow Satans couldn't do something like what Rias did. They were the Rulers and had to look out for the entirety of those living in the Judeo-Christian Underworld. Therefore, they could never make moves like preferring the reincarnated and lower class, nor the pillars and those who still hid desires for the previous rule. Therefore, they couldn't move against these last people who were hiding and causing trouble.
Only now did he realize that his sister's move would cause trouble, but it would also help.
"You... you...", he could only look at Rias in disbelief.
"Do you realize the danger you're exposing yourself to, Rias?!", he shouted worriedly and angrily.
"I think I mentioned it in the fight against Riser: Anyone who gets in my way, can fight against me," Rias answered smoothly. Now, this wasn't arrogance, but rather confidence backed by her current level of power. She never stopped training her skills, so she could easily fight with those people. And, among them, there was only one truly dangerous person, but she didn't know him personally.
Also, with the support of her Peerage, which was growing little by little, it was easier. Not only that, after this, she would have support in other devils who want to become stronger and want to surpass those who oppress them.
With the statements made earlier, Rias had achieved several things:
1.-That the oppressed have more determination and also trust her more. Little by little, those people would slowly join together and she would have great support and popularity.
2.-Those people who remain hidden and desire the previous government, would begin to come out little by little by showing their discontent with this. And, therefore, it will be known who are traitors and troublesome people who could bring about chaos in the Underworld.
3.-The Gremory house might lose popularity with other pillars, but it would gain much more with those oppressed people. And even with Kings who already have their Peerage, but are still harmed.
Sirzechs noticed all this, so he was surprised at his sister's grand planning. But he also felt worried, because Rias was practically forming a new faction in the Underworld.
If Naruto and Harry were present at all this, they would laugh hard before patting Rias on the back for the chaos she was causing while also benefiting from it. Well, more Harry than Naruto, the latter would only laugh at the mess caused.
Unfortunately, Sirzechs had no knowledge of the size of Rias' plans. Only she knew that Aeternum would see the light in this world before long.
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