DXD: The Awakening Of Phenex

Valerie stood before Rizevim, her body exhausted and her eyes lifeless, while two parts of the Sephiroth Graal floated in front of her, radiating a cold and ominous light. The glow of the sacred gears reflected on Rizevim's face, who watched the scene with a twisted smile.

"Keep going, Valerie," said Rizevim, his voice dripping with malice as he tilted his head slightly. "You're doing an admirable job."

Valerie, with her empty expression, said nothing. Her body seemed to act on its own, forced to manipulate the Graal's power under Euclid's influence.

Euclid watched everything coldly, his calculating eyes focused on the progress of the ritual.

"Apophis, Crom Cruach, Aži Dahāka," Rizevim commanded as he turned toward the three dragons patiently waiting in the shadows of the hideout. "Go outside and help delay the Maous from invading this place. They're getting closer."

Apophis, with his imposing posture and cold aura, silently nodded. Aži Dahāka, impatient, let out a low growl, his eyes gleaming with the anticipation of battle.

"This will be fun," said Aži Dahāka, his tone filled with excitement.

Crom Cruach, the strongest among them, remained silent, but his golden eyes shimmered with unwavering confidence. Without waiting for more orders, he took the first step toward the exit, and the other two dragons followed.

"Euclid," Rizevim ordered. "Erect a barrier that will protect us and prevent our enemies from seeing what we're doing here."

Euclid raised his hand, and a dense, dark energy began to form around them. The black barrier took shape, encasing Valerie, Rizevim, and Euclid in a cocoon of darkness, shielding them from any prying eyes.

"Whatever happens out there, they won't see anything in here," Euclid said coldly, satisfied with his own magic.

....

Outside, Apophis, Crom Cruach, and Aži Dahāka moved toward the front lines, leaving the hideout and advancing toward the battlefield where the Maous awaited. The malicious presence of the dragons was like growing shadows that darkened the horizon.

Meanwhile, among the clouds above, Riser and Merlin floated invisibly, observing the unfolding events from a distance. Below them, two devil armies were aligned, ready for battle. On one side, the army defending Rizevim's castle, and on the other, the Maous, led by Ajuka, Sirzechs, and Grayfia, prepared to strike.

"What will we do, Riser-sama?" asked Merlin, her voice calm but laden with curiosity. She knew Riser had a plan, but the situation seemed to be growing more complicated with the appearance of the three dragons.

"We'll just observe for now," Riser replied, his eyes fixed on the movement on the battlefield below. "During the climax of the fight, we rescue Valerie."

Merlin nodded slightly, staying alert to the battlefield. Both knew that while the Maous were prepared to fight the dragons, the real challenge would be rescuing Valerie without alerting Rizevim.

On the ground, the confrontation began to unfold. The Maous' forces, led by Ajuka, Sirzechs, and Grayfia, advanced with precision and power. The devil armies, organized and ready, awaited the right moment to strike.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by a deep roar that echoed across the field.

ROOOAAARR!

Aži Dahāka was the first to reveal himself, emerging from the shadows, his three heads spewing fire and venom toward the Maous' forces. Apophis and Crom Cruach followed close behind, their monstrous presences dominating the battlefield with an oppressive aura.

Ajuka, noticing the dragons approaching, raised his hand with a decisive gesture. "Prepare yourselves!" he ordered, his firm and clear voice echoing among his soldiers. Sirzechs, at his side, was already surrounded by a red aura of magical energy, ready for a direct confrontation.

Grayfia, ever unperturbed, raised her hand, and a series of bright magical circles began forming around her, preparing devastating spells. The confrontation between the dragons' evil forces and the Maous' power was about to explode.

Within seconds, the battlefield was filled with explosions and bursts of magic. Crom Cruach was the first to charge, colliding directly with Sirzechs in a titanic impact. The force of the blow shook the ground, and a wave of energy spread across the field.

Ajuka, in turn, cast a series of powerful spells at Aži Dahāka, each one striking the beast's heads. The dragon momentarily recoiled but quickly counterattacked with a barrage of poisonous fire. Ajuka stood firm, creating magical barriers to protect his forces.

Apophis, shrouded in a dark aura, charged toward Grayfia, who swiftly responded with a barrage of ice spells. The two engaged in a fierce battle, dark magic against pure ice, as the ground around them cracked and froze with the impact of their attacks.

Meanwhile, in the sky, Riser observed the unfolding battle with keen eyes.

"Now," he said calmly, turning to Merlin.

Merlin snapped her fingers with a quick and precise movement.

SNAP!

A teleportation magic circle formed beneath their feet, briefly illuminating the sky. In an instant, Riser and Merlin vanished from their elevated position, leaving behind only the faint glow of the teleport.

...

They materialized silently inside Rizevim's castle, in an abandoned and dark room. The place was empty, the cold stone walls dimly illuminated by distant torches.

Merlin glanced around, her eyes glowing faintly as she checked to ensure they were alone.

"It seems safe for now," she said in a low voice.

Riser nodded, maintaining a serious expression as he took a few steps forward, his sharp eyes scanning the dark room. "We need to find Valerie as soon as possible," he said, his cold and determined voice echoing off the cold stone walls.

They moved silently, their figures shrouded in magical invisibility that hid them from any prying eyes. Riser's steps were calculated, and he led the way, with Merlin close behind, her magical senses attuned to detect any presence or hidden barrier.

As they turned a narrow corridor, Riser stopped abruptly. His eyes narrowed as he saw a glow ahead.

"There," he murmured, discreetly pointing to a large black barrier blocking the entrance to a room further ahead.

"That's the barrier Euclid created," Merlin observed, watching the pulsing black energy field.

They advanced cautiously toward the barrier, still invisible, until they spotted a familiar figure. Euclid Lucifuge stood before the barrier, his hands raised as he maintained the magic fueling the structure, his eyes closed in concentration.

Riser narrowed his eyes. "Euclid." His voice was a cold whisper, filled with contempt.

Merlin glanced at him, a glint of anticipation in her eyes. "He's the one controlling Valerie… are you going to deal with him?"

Riser extended his hand, and in an instant, his fists were enveloped in intense flames, a vibrant aura of heat beginning to emanate from his body.

In one swift, deadly movement, Riser advanced without making a sound. In a single instant, he appeared beside Euclid, breaking his invisibility and striking him directly with a concentrated blast of fire.

FWOOOSH!

The explosion of heat was instantaneous, burning Euclid from the inside out before he had any chance to react. His eyes widened in a moment of surprise, but there was no time for screams or defenses. Euclid's body was consumed by flames in seconds, disintegrating into ash.

The black force field he maintained began to waver, its structure collapsing as the magic that sustained it vanished with Euclid's death.

[Congratulations, you have earned 1500 luck points for the death of Euclid Lucifuge.]

The cold, mechanical sound of the system echoed in Riser's mind, but he showed no visible reaction. He was entirely focused on what came next.

[Luck points: 12,150.]

As the barrier dissolved, the dark glow surrounding the area began to fade, revealing the interior of the chamber. Valerie was there, her body exhausted and her eyes lifeless, manipulating, against her will, the two parts of the Sephiroth Graal floating in front of her.

Before Riser could make a move, a deep and menacing sound began to reverberate through the chamber.

"Ah... it seems you've arrived just in time for the main event." Rizevim's voice echoed from within the room, full of malice and amusement.

Riser and Merlin saw Rizevim emerge from the shadows, his eyes gleaming with a twisted smile. He raised his hands, and the atmosphere around them changed drastically. The room was filled with an oppressive and evil aura, and the temperature plummeted.

"What are you doing, Rizevim?" Riser said, his voice cold and filled with authority.

Rizevim chuckled softly, the disturbing sound echoing through the hall. "I'm summoning something special… something that will turn this game in my favor." His eyes gleamed with madness as he raised his hands, chanting a spell in an ancient and forbidden language.

In the center of the room, a gigantic magic circle began to form beneath Rizevim's feet, glowing with black and purple light. The ground trembled, and a dark energy began to emanate from the circle's center, growing in intensity with each passing second.

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