Flesh is Weak

In their hearts shall he burn.

Rias sat in her chair with her peerage behind her in the box set aside for the Gremorys. Her heartbeat is in her throat, and each beat makes her anxiety grow. This is the game that would decide her future. Her father and mother were on either side of her in the box, being silent as the grave. Zeoticus Gremory put his arm around his youngest child and rubbed her back in reassurance. Venelana Gremory squeezed her daughter's hand in support, feeling her baby's nerves. Her brown eyes looked to where her eldest daughter's peerage sat. They all watched in extreme interest, waiting for the game field reveal.

Ravel softly shifted in her seat next to Ruval in the Phenex's box as the game was being prepared. Her father and mother were sitting far apart from each other. Ravel was extremely nervous because, despite her hope that the letter to her betrothed this past week had reached him, he had not replied to it. That action had built up her fear that he did hate her for causing this. How, in the worst way possible, she had weakened his standing in the underworld. She had not lied in saying she didn't care about his nature. He had destroyed doubt completely by being strong and turning the situation at the park around in his favor.

He knew what to say to piss off Riser. He had gathered information about his potential foe in preparation for this possible thing and had delivered the blows as precisely as Riser had his own. Ravel knew her betrothed had not lied about his actions. She investigated him and found three separate things confirming his claim. He was the Gorgan, whose list of foes had shut her father up seeing them. Lord Phenex, like all devils, respected strength. The actions of the Gorgan won some minor respect there, and being Ajuka's son, stopped the rage slightly after learning about his nature and why he had demanded that Riser be left alive at the end.

Ravel wanted to know this heir who backed up his words, was handsome, and didn't slack like many of the devil heirs in the current crop. He was someone Ravel had always wanted because he was like her in so many ways. She just worried that if Riser won, he would demand the contract between her and him be terminated. That was what Riser had boasted of wanting loudly. Her father had agreed there because it was within the rights of the duel and kept Riser from being upset at home. Ravel prayed to the Morning Star that her betrothed won this game. Riser had eyed her in a way no family member should eye another after that confirmation.

We are as ready as we can be for the game. Heniya had arrived at the house and immediately opened a portal to the pocket dimension where the game was being hosted. We stepped through the portal to what would be our base. When Issari, with her helmet on, passed by Heniya, the Crimson Lady of Ruin's green eyes widened horrifyingly wide. She let everyone else in their power armor and robes in and her shock was enough to ignore Mr. Cuddles' presence before I stepped through last. Heniya looked dead straight into my eyes, and she then grinned bloodthirsty, showing her first sin to me. We shared it, and it was well hidden like mine. She smiles wide and then shuts the portal.

We were in an unfamiliar location inside a big building that was empty of furniture. We were not given the go-ahead to scout, so we waited for the announcement. Katase was making her great axe roaring in eager anticipation for the fight. Hetvia was patting Mr. Cuddles, and the robot was spinning his three-finger claws in anticipation. Raynare told Mittelt that this would not be bad as her lines were coming out at good rates for us.

Psykers still weirded out Mittelt and a few others. I told her they were just wackier space wizards. Don't get too weirded by them because Ray was pretty normal, all things considered. She wasn't talking about a beloved or levitating things randomly, so we should not complain. Still, Raynare's part of the first wave was to take potshots at Riser's scouts. Aka, scare them badly and unnerve them into paranoia. Raynare bounced, getting to do that, which was her favorite thing.

Issari was standing in a corner by herself, practicing spells, when she touched her own favor from Akeno. Her soft purrs helped settle some of the nerves that we still had. When the announcement was made for all to hear, I prepared the first part of three possible plans.

"Greetings and welcome to this ratings game! I am your host, Roygun Belphegor, and I am excited to be here! Today's game is an honor duel between Riser Phenex and Gregor Astaroth. The cause for this game is a betrothal argument between the two for the hand of Rias Gremory. Because of the nature of these types of games, there are very few rules I need to mention. The two exceptions are that each team has an advantage the other doesn't have. For Team Phenex, it is map knowledge. For Team Astaroth, the team has an additional member in a contracted magician. The game mode is simple. The elimination of the other team completely. Both teams have a thirty-minute preparation phase for the game before it starts properly and that starts at the end of my announcements. May the best team win!"

I immediately gave an order to Mittelt.

"Send in the skulls I want to see what we are dealing with."

Mittelt asked her spirits to fly out and explore the map. The three skulls zipped off her armor and out of the building. The team crowded around Mittelt and her tablet as the skulls scanned the pocket dimension. Kuroka recognized the area.

"We are in a replica of a town controlled by the Phenexs called Fatirny nya. It held out longer than many towns during the Civil War. It's a mini fortress now near the DMZ with the fallen nya. Riser owns this town."

I looked at Mittelt, who explained further.

"It's like Verdun in being extremely well designed for resisting taking. According to the skulls, Riser is based in the town castle. We are on the outskirts of the town, based in a warehouse."

Clever bird he makes up for the unknown with numbers and terrain advantages, along with defensive works in case he fails on the attack. He, however, plays into our advantage of extra close range for our people. I thought of how we would break in.

"We will dig him out. Mittelt, you should make a sniper nest where you have the best field of view for the trap. Riser will be aggressive because of the numbers difference, and we will defend until we outnumber them. Then we push through the defenses. Ray, as they approach the trap, you will target pawns and get them scared. They will make more mistakes. Murayama, you will challenge them and be the bait for step one."

I explained the rest of the plan to them. We ironed out details that gave everyone flexibility and the ability to make changes as needed. By the time we were done, the prep phase was almost over. Ten minutes remained, and I ordered everyone to take their positions.

The game began with this announcement.

"The game has started! Begin, and let's see who comes out on top, the veteran ratings games player or the rookie!"

The map of the game was released to the watchers. The nobles in their boxes surrounding the board. The many watchers' topside, such as Sona and her peerage, clustered around a TV in their dorms. The secret watchers from several factions of the supernatural world, having hijacked into the network of the devils in various ways, now watch in interest the game that had leaked to them via rumors. The underworld's noble population near TVs watched their televisions, ready for another of the gladiator games that were loved and hated equally. The commoners and reincarnated near speakers listened in. A little boy listened excitedly with his parents in their home village's square, surrounded by the other villagers eager to hear more about their future ruler.

The three Satans, along with Grayfia and Milicas, sat watching the TV in their rooms, hoping to see the one who had caught their attention. The trio hope now that the fourth of their number has heard this. Said Satan looked up from his desk in a dark room, hearing a name he thought he heard. He was now listening with a half-ear before taking another drink of his choice of poison.

The entire underworld awaited this match, and bets were placed on either side more on the Phenex than the Astaroth.

The game started when two pawns moved together towards the foe's base. The two left the inner ring of the fortress town down a street towards where a familiar, operated by their queen, said to go. The pawns were moving down the narrow street towards their foe's territory and met no resistance. That changed when a noise was heard from the right near an alleyway. The first pawn prepared herself for battle. As did her comrade. It never came. That stumps the two pawns. They looked around carefully at the houses and alleyways. They didn't hear anything from there again, which made them advance further. They continued to hear noise from their sides and stayed on guard. A second pair of pawns was sent to reinforce the first down a second street.

That duo heard a sound and froze as well. Before they, too, got ready to fight, nothing again happened. The second pawn in this duo looked around carefully, and she saw nothing wrong with the area. They continued together towards the first two, constantly hearing noises like the first duo. When they all entered enemy territory, the four finally ran into a foe.

A single person stood in one of the few town squares outside the city walls. The figure was clad in red robes and red armor that was strange to look at for everyone watching via TV and or described it by Roygun. It drew many confused looks because the figure had a sword and shield with a strange symbol. A skull split down the middle, one half-bone white and the other mechanical. The four pawns prepared themselves to attack. Two chainsaws roared to life and the noise should have intimidated the foe. It stood still and watched its foes with red eyes, looking at the pawns.

The four moved and immediately attacked the single figure. Chainsaws roared louder, spells were thrown, and finally, a wooden staff twirled as the four charged. The single figure readied its shield as the spells came first. Two red balls of light slammed into the shield which took both spells easily. The blocks let the three other pawns in close.

Two chainsaws came for a leg and the sword arm, respectively. The teeth hit the robes of the unknown, and instead of ripping apart the cloth, they bounced off the robe, shocking watchers and attackers. The figure's sword cracked, with lightning running up the blade. Then, a white substance jumped up it, and a swing came from the figure as more chainsaws and spells hit it.

The sword swiped and cleaved a chainsaw in half, taking a hand from the user. The pawn screams as burns cauterize the wound. The second chainsaw user stopped her attack worried about the other person, who was their twin. Only to get bashed by the shield, which cracked with electricity. The second pawn flew backward from the foe, slamming into a pawn dressed in a French maid costume. The two stumble back as the unknown, now revealed knight swipes and takes the other hand of the pawn. She screams again before another bash sends the handless pawn flying into a building wall, and she groans as a ball of light takes the pawn.

"Riser Phenex's first pawn has been retired! This foe is good and, judging by the speed, a knight! What the hell type of weapons are they using?"

The three pawns now looked cautiously at this knight. The group spread out and prepared to encircle the still-unmoving foe. However, before the next attack could be made, a red light flies from somewhere and hits the French maid on an arm that is preparing a spell.

The arm landed next to the woman who was screaming in agony from the loss of her right arm. The wound was not gushing blood, with the now-gone arm point sizzling from an extremely hot attack. The other pawns froze and immediately dived for cover to prevent getting hit by whatever that light thing was. The pawn hit continues screaming before getting picked up by a ball of light.

"Riser Phenex's second pawn has been retired! I couldn't recognize the light! It might be a new spell from a bishop that is nearby and extremely well hidden!"

The square shakes as something enters it behind the knight. A massive red figure with a silver-plated head. On its chest plate was the same symbol as the shield. The knight emotionlessly spoke for the first time.

"Forfeit, or this gets worse. You have two minutes."

Portals opened behind the two still in cover pawns as a rook and knight entered the fight. The black-haired knight got her two-handed great sword ready to fight the unknown knight. The rook, a woman with a white mask covering half her face, prepared to fight the unknown thing. The pawns still shake, not liking this.

The monster red thing moves forward, shaking the ground with each move. Its claws on the hands spin eagerly in a circle.

"What is this new foe? I'm being told it's something called a robot. I have no idea what that is, but it seems to be alive. What else are we going to see from this team?"

The red robot moves next to the knight on the right. Its feet extend claws into the square floor, and the sound of bricks breaking makes the new people look at it cautiously. The fighters watch each other. At the minute mark, a new sound hits the area.

The sound of metal clanking boots comes from behind the robot and knight. A figure joins the trio on the left of the knight. The spear it carries also cracks with electricity up the blade. That makes the four foes back up from the three, especially when multiple hands extend from the newcomer's back, showing many roaring swords like the chainsaws that had been used first.

The knight took its first step forward.

"Forfeit now, or it will be worse. Spare yourselves pain."

The four women faced the three, and none forfeited. The rook charged toward the robot, the knight against its opposite at a fast speed, and the pawns against the unknown because failing to obey means pain.

The rook immediately throws several punches straight on into the robot's chest. The punches started raining down on the robot, who took everything without complaint. The furious punches dented the robot's chest, but it didn't flinch or fall back. The blows finished when the hands of the rook were removed from their arms by the sudden roaring of claws. The hands fell to the ground before the robot picked up the screaming rook for a hug. Then, slamming the rook into the floor extremely quickly in a series of slams. The rook had stopped screaming to groan. The robot lifted its clawed foot and put it over the stump on the right. Then the left extremely fast before the rook could try to get away. It then crushed those arms simultaneously with its claws, renewing the screaming from the rook. A ball of light takes the poor woman out from underneath the robot.

"Riser Phenex's rook has been retired by the robot! What the hell is that anyway, I have never heard of a robot! This thing is deadly! Is it a piece or something else!"

Mira felt fear as she brought her staff against the unknown with the spear. She felt more hearing her comrade get retired. The staff hit the foe, and it creaks from the impact on its arm holding the spear. She was shaking, and then she felt something hit her. An extremely fast and hard punch. The force of it makes her fly away and into a wall. She groans as the pain hurts. She looked up and saw her fellow pawn spasming from the spear. Before a whack comes from the butt of the spear, and the other pawn also flies, dropping her chainsaw. She slammed into the wall beside Mira, and the light came for her.

"Riser Phenex's third pawn has been retired by a rook! Yet I have no idea who they are, and they are a great polearm user."

The rook stepped towards Mira and Mira widened her eyes, feeling them. Looking upward into their red helm eyes, she now feels something on the blade. The being looked down on her and said in the same emotionless voice as the knight.

"You will be better off soon, pawn. I'm sorry for the pain."

Mira tried to shout out to her comrades about the new danger! That was unwanted by their king to do that as they were expected to remain silent at all times. Mira was about to shout out the warning despite everything and the pain coming from this. A blue light hits Mira, and she jerks and doesn't get out her warning. The last thing Mira thinks of before unconsciousness hits her is that she is lucky to be alive after fighting a blessed weapon.

"Riser Phenex's fourth pawn has been retired! Five pieces down from Team Phenex, and it's a third of the team with no hits on Team Astaroth! What has this rookie been doing with his people?"

The duel between the two knights continued throughout the whole time. Swords clashed and clanged against each other or the shield. The shield had many scratches from the two-handed great sword. The knight attempted to back away from this now that they were outnumbered three to one. She fought a fighting retreat and watched hesitantly as the robot and the rook moved on her from the flanks, not engaging her.

They were just herding her into a corner of the square. Siris was extremely tired, as they never attacked her. They only blocked or stepped back from her, making the black-haired knight use up her energy in counterattacks. She saw a nearby small alleyway and took her escape, darting into the alley.

There was a scream from the alleyway before it was silenced, and a ball of light took out a person.

"Riser Phenex's knight has been retired! I have no idea by what, given the buildings, but it is his! The son of Ajuka Beelzebub is showing he and his peerage are equally deadly! I'm told he is called the Gorgan, and his peerage has taken the name the Warriors of Mars. Strange name but they are showing immense potential by having this early of a lead."

Rias felt her hope grow with each piece of Riser's peerage falling to her Lord of Iron's. Her parents were both amazed and shocked at how brutal the Warriors of Mars were. Venelana worriedly looked at her youngest daughter, thinking they might have given her to a monster. Heniya spoke up, and her voice was her in the high.

"He's never going to hurt Rias mom. He has shown me the man behind the helm and I support it regardless of what you see. This is real war, and he is sending a message to multiple people. Rias will have a very good husband."

Rias softly spoke up for her mother.

"He will always be there for me, Mommy. He loves me like you two do. He gave me this."

Rias formed the power of destruction in her hands, and her parents went wide-eyed. As did everyone else in the box, including her cousins, who had long mocked her. The balls of red power make Heniya smile, having seen this a week ago.

"He treats my sister and your daughter right. He's showing this to the world against him. He might eventually become a super devil, given everything Rias has told me he can do."

Rias smiled wider than ever before, and her parents looked at their daughter, who hadn't smiled in many years. They settled back into watching the game, interested more in the man who had caught their baby girl's eyes.

Ravel watched the battle plan her betrothed played out. It brought confusion from her parents. However, she and Ruval saw it fully. Intimidation and more makes Ravel want to be there with him on that field, planning games with him. She wondered if he had a queen. For a moment, Ravel imagines herself next to him. The two of them standing together against the ones who tried to break them apart. But she remembered the woman with black hair and that red fringe over her right eye. That was his queen.

Ravel hurts for a second before remembering what he said to her.

"Lady Ravel, I will enjoy getting to know you properly and bear no ill will towards you for his disgusting behavior and for manipulating you so that he gets his kicks. I will make sure we build this relationship right after I win."

He had meant it. He had not responded to her letter because he had been busy training his peerage and himself to win this fight. He wanted to prove the detractors wrong and show the underworld he was not to be messed with, protecting her as well as the others. Ravel would believe in him.

Ajuka listens to the radio here in his office in silence. Was it possible his son was alive? He dared to hope that he was. He had woken up from the explosion with ringing ears and a broken arm. He had looked to his left to see his wife dead. A metal beam through her stomach and blank eyes. A look backward had shown his son with bone jutting out of his arms and legs. A glass shard extremely close to his boy's eye. His son did not seem to be moving or breathing. Ajuka Beelzebub, the second strongest Satan, had at that moment freaked out, completely losing his logic-driven self, and had run away from this shame. He had failed the ones he was supposed to protect, like how he failed the firstborn of his system, who suffered along with the later ones.

That killed his hopes again. His baby boy who had saved his sanity and had made his stress from working long hours into the night go away. Alex was dead. Before he thought something, this person was in a ratings game so he had a peerage. His machine would have recorded their demonic signature! This was the key to knowing if this was Alex. Ajuka stood extremely fast and ran to the next room, where he had his machine reader.

The watchers across the network were shocked at how brutal this game was turning out to be. For the ones not used to the games, they looked at this with disgust. More devil degenerate ways. A voice stopped that for one group.

"This devil is different. He has my former student. She took out the knight."

Another voice, this time a female one, asked.

"How do you know that?"

The first voice replied with a smile present on the speaker's face.

"She was always the best sneaker for my cadre yet she never lost some of her habits. If my former person can trust a devil when she was terrified of them from her past life, that says something. I think we can trust them more than you'd think. He's a half, yet he isn't fighting for bragging rights. He is fighting for a lonely girl who faces abuse from another. I run our spy network, on Earth and it has long pointed at this girl as a way to approach them for a real ceasefire."

A third voice broke the silence left by that reveal to the small group of angels watching.

"I will have faith in you, Metatron. Perhaps we can learn more about him. Please find out what you can. I feel something with him."

The angels settled into watching again.

Zekram Bael watched this halfbreed's peerage destroying the Phenex spare's peerage. His son was raging at that, along with many other people in their political party, but the Great King was not one of them. He was curious and not entirely disgusted at this one. This halfbreed was sending a clear message to everyone. Zekram smiled slightly because this hybrid was showing himself to be better at the game than the Satans had been when they had first taken power. He looked underneath the underneath and was playing the long game. Zekram would enjoy watching this from the shadows to see what this halfbreed would do. Perhaps there was a new player worth caring about. Zekram then tuned out his son, starting his next rant.

More people now tuned into the game, having been shoved into watching by others.

I smile smirk, having seen this from a skull floating in the nearby alley. Raynare had scared Siris so badly that she had fainted. Kuroka was amused, as was Kiryuu. Hetvia and Issari were prepping for their phase of the plan, and I asked Hetvia.

"Mr. Cuddles is still good? We need his help breaching the first gatehouse."

Hetvia frowned before she answered.

"Mr. Cuddles was damaged enough he can't go on long. His reactor is leaking power slowly and he says he will get us through the first but not second gatehouse. He didn't dodge because he felt bad for the rook. She was limping slightly, and he wanted her to feel better for actually doing something to us."

I shake my head and hate how I have become a bit colder here.

"I understand, but we need to end the game as fast as possible. He will have to get rid of that empathy when we fight Kokabiel and his people. I'll relay orders to Issari to blow open the second gatehouse after he is done. I will remain behind to protect our base for now. Roka, have a portal ready for me when you're through the first gate. Gut Yunabella. She should see a real queen."

Kuroka smiled, bloodthirsty as her tails wagged, and she opened the portal to where the rest of the peerage was gathering.

Ten minutes passed by with no further action. Before Roygun announced something.

"The peerage of Gregor Astaroth is preparing a push."

Moving up the main road towards the gatehouse of the outer ring came the train. The robot in the front with something on its right shoulder. The knight and the figure carrying a spear were to its left and right. Behind them came an unknown person carrying a massive warhammer that cracked in preparation. Behind that was a figure with two tails and four other people around them in an arrowhead formation. One of the figures had several birds on their backpack armor, and the birds were deployed to scout. The figure on the right stopped moving and suddenly disappeared from view. Getting gasps from everyone in the audience and a smile from a watcher. The last two people carried a massive two-handed axe with roaring chainsaw teeth spinning or an ice sword with the same spinning teeth.

Up on the battlements, a pawn gulped. Thanks to her king, she was wearing next to nothing, and the teeth below made her nervous. She almost backed away from the battlement before she felt magic build up behind her, and she instinctively knew that was a warning to stay. She did, and the buildup decreased slightly before a bomb was thrown over the pawn's head at the foes.

The bomb landed and exploded near the robot showering the metal construct in bricks and shrapnel. The robot tweeted but advanced as more bombs and spells came towards him. Earth walls jumped up in front of spells and absorbed them while magic balls thrown from the ice user intercepted several bombs. The ice user extended multiple metallic hands from a backpack and then began to form various spell circles that threw counter-spell fire back at the battlements, forcing the bombs and spells to lessen. A bird flew towards the walls and then did something. It spoke quickly in 0s and 1s, making the defenders clutch their heads in pain and allowing for the first claimed piece of the fight.

A red light slammed into the pawn, wearing next to nothing. The young woman lost her left arm. She flew back off the battlements, screaming past her comrades, and was saved by a white light.

"Riser Phenex's fifth pawn has been retired by the unknown spell except that didn't come from the bishop. That came from someone else. This person must be a talented magic user because that spell is an almost guaranteed limb removal. However, in saying that, the removed pawn should have been wearing armor of some kind."

Another red light was seen, and it forced a defender into cover allowing the robot and his guards into the gatehouse finally. The robot spun up his claws and then placed them next to the magically enhanced wood and let loose. The screaming of metal on wood raised the noise of the battlefield as spells and bombs flew freely back and forth. The bird made another dive bomb, and once again, 0 and 1s came out, making the defenders clutch their heads again in pain. Before a spell from a black-haired bishop hits the bird, and it explodes into pieces.

That stopped the zeros and ones. However, an ice bolt flew up and claimed a hand on the bishop. The woman squealed and then began shivering badly. Before she started making barriers for her comrades with her good hand. The bishop was prepared to throw a barrier on her queen when she went still completely. Unnoticed by her comrades, she slumped to the floor, and the white light returned again.

"Riser Phenex's bishop has been retired? Yes, they have been retired yet I can't figure out how they were. She just froze and then slumped."

The defenders were trying to figure out how they lost their bishop when two claws covered in lightning made a swipe toward another foe. This time in a rook. The Chinese woman lost both her hands suddenly and violently, making her freeze from shock, and she was hit by a spell from below, knocking her to the ground. The white light returned, blinding her comrades by it, and the red-armored foe disappeared again from sight.

"Riser Phenex's last rook has been retired. By a piece of the peerage of Gregor Astaroth that is incredibly sneaky. How did they get up there without being noticed? Another mystery from this mystery peerage, it seems."

Yunabella growled in frustration and ordered a retreat with her last three slaves. The pawns ran with her towards the next ring, abandoning the first ring of the two. The crowd watched as the noise mostly died out. The robot withdrew backward from the gate, and the shoulder-mounted weapon powered up. Before a massive energy buildup and then a red light flew and blew up the wooden gate sending shrapnel and splinters everywhere. The robot went still for watchers, and his silver-plated head went dark. The being with the birds stood still, and the field was silent. The birds left flew off the user towards the next ring. Before, a voice rang out emotionlessly from the figure who had the birds.

"I forfeit."

The being and the robot disappeared from the battlefield in a white light.

"Gregor Astaroth's first pawn has been retired. I am now being informed that the pawn owns the robot. Given this is the first piece from his peerage lost in the game to the many of Riser's, I'd say the Warriors of Mars have done incredibly well so far. I am curious about that red light because it is like the unknown limb removal spell."

The peerage moved up and then forward into the first ring.

I can't blame Hetvia for being worried about Mr. Cuddles. She had embraced being a robot handler to the utmost and started to pet machines like I do. Issari had been about to tease us both, but she fell silent after Kiba had ratted her out, saying she does the same when not being watched. Getting a blush from Issari and then head pats from Akeno. We were tearing through Riser's people, and he really didn't train them. He was so busy installing instant obedience to him and Yunabella that he didn't encourage adapting or trying to fix their obvious lack of armor. Stupid horny. I watched through the skulls as my peerage slowed down the push after an unexpected surprise.

Two explosions, almost back-to-back, rock the first ring, and bricks fly into the air. Then, more explosions rock the ring further, and shrapnel rains down on the first ring. The watchers and listeners are confused by the explosions and are given clarification.

"Riser Phenex booby-trapped the approach to the second ring with multiple proximity runes. The magician for the Warriors of Mars spotted them instantly and detonated some. Expect more explosions as they advance."

The explosions grew in frequency as the peerage of the rookie moved up slowly. However not all of the runes were found, and the second claimed piece was made at the halfway point of the ring.

"Gregor Astaroth's second pawn has been retired. This one, however, was not with the main group. They were in a building and were watching the advance while slowly moving up behind them. They must have been the spell shooter."

More explosions are heard, and as the group arrives near the second gate, they stop with a hand gesture from the magician. Before, a small thing is lobbed from one of their metal arms, and the object hits the floor in front of the gatehouse and then explodes. Dozens of explosions go off, kicking bricks into the air, and they fly, hitting the walls of the second ring. Then, two more things are launched by the magician, and more explosions are heard.

The tailed being opened a portal and out stepped the unknown king that had long been wondered about. His hair was short and neatly kept. His red eyes made many of the watchers intimidated or extremely interested. His face was clean, and his lips were currently in a frown. In his arms was a strange weapon with rings around the center that had blue lights running up the weapon. He carried the weapon with ease, and he moved to the gatehouse with no step wasted in energy.

Rias saw him, and that was her desire now in his armor, with her favor near his heart. She hears one of her female cousins mutter something behind her folks.

"Fuck that is hot."

There were hearts in that voice. Rias wanted to brag that was her future husband and not her cousin's. Heniya and her peerage all watched in open curiosity now. Akeno, behind her king, now saw her cousin and hero fully standing up for them. Shirone, next to Akeno, actually panted with her ears out along with the tail. Kiba saw the one who had shown spirits their justice. He used weapons in many ways, still barbaric, but he had honor and valued nobility. The girl who had scared him before now had something Kiba found he was beginning to want. His friends whispered to him to try for her who wanted him. Jane especially urged her once-childhood crush to accept this person. He deserves to be happy, too, she said.

Ravel looked at him, whom she now wanted more than ever. He was the warrior and noble who was truly what nobility should be. She glared at her father harder than ever before in her life, making him flinch. Lady Phenex joined the shaming of her husband, who had made too many blunders lately. The man who had doubts about this halfbreed now no longer has them.

Ajuka looked wide-eyed at his machine reader, still in shock. Then to the now on TV to his right. He had tears in his eyes, and now, seeing his son alive and well in strange armor was not what he expected today. His eyes squarely on his son, who was back from the dead by a miracle. Seeing that split skull on his son's chest piece inside a cog made Ajuka believe in something again. He immediately prepared to go to his son and thought up ways to beg him for forgiveness. He must fix this problem for Nomie. Ajuka swore for a second that he felt his wife hug him before the feeling was gone. He ran towards the others he long denied and now his reason to live again.

Zekram Bael saw this halfbreed fully now. His son and the others of the party were spitting slurs and promising vengeance on this thing that shouldn't exist. Zekram watched and saw that this hybrid was indeed something to watch out for. He was Ajuka without the mistakes holding him back so far. Zekram wanted to see this new game that was starting to be played.

The angels all felt the thing Michael had said that he was beginning to feel. It was not the dread they would have normally felt for someone knowing this. It was fascination. They saw the being that this halfbreed was entirely as he held answers they needed. He knew what they had long hidden. That God was dead.

"He knows yet has not exposed it. He is the inventor's son and could spill it at any point. What is his game?"

That was the female voice. It was the third voice that answered his sister.

"He sees the big picture. You can't see what I see. The man here embraces the half of him that is the second children fully. He is taming the darker side. Flesh is weak for him, and yet he sees the glory of it. Metatron, you were right."

The under seraph smiled wide.

"Raynare was always looking for the one she said would change our world. She found him finally, and despite her fall, she had faith, unlike him we all despise."

That got everyone flinching except Michael. The Archangel sighed in remembrance of better times. The angels settled in again to watch the game.

I approached the gatehouse with them all. My trusted people that somehow believe in an idiot like me. I don't deserve this. The power, the nobility, or even the trust. I am weak and not the one who should save the world. Why believe in the weakness of the flesh, which I embody totally? I feel nothing again. Before the faces of my peerage and the ones I helped flashed before me. I had done that by being different from the world I'm here in. The picture of that boy who is looking at me with wonder again shown to me by my patron. His parents, who had needed that money, telling all of me. For them and more.

I nod to Issari.

"Break the gate. It is time."

My best friend nodded her head before cracking the thunder hammer. She got her jet pack roaring to life and then said over our vox and to the watching audience.

"Boost!"

With a swing of the thunder hammer, Issari smashed it into the gate, and there was a massive crack before the enhanced wooden gate exploded into pieces. The splinters flew into the second ring, where Riser and his remaining pieces stood on the castle stairs, all looking at us with naked fear and horror.

"Holy shit. Gregor Astaroth has the Red Dragon Emperor as their contract magician. A Longinus user, and with how he has one, too. That's two in the same peerage group. Yet I can't tell who they are. Something is masking them. I dread to think what his might be if the user of the boosted gear is his magician."

I stepped into the castle courtyard and stared Riser down with doom promised for him. Kuroka is on my left, and Issari is on my right. Behind me came Murayama, Katase, and Thoron. Kiryuu and a newly revealed Raynare in the back. Katase roars her great axe in warning to her foes. She and Murayama focus on the catgirls. Raynare focused on the silent order that I gave her. Kiryuu gets her ice magic and makes the courtyard begin to freeze. She has the remaining pawn in her sight. Kuroka knows her job. Her tails wagging in anticipation.

I narrowed my eyes on Riser's. I tell Alex to warm up the guns and Tsuda the melee weapons. The gun starts to whine and light up. Riser looks at it warily. I offer one last time.

"Forfeit the game. I have taken more of your pieces spare your remaining one's pain. You lost before this was started, Riser."

Riser watched us all but didn't respond for a second before spitting on the ground between us.

"Riser is immortal halfbreed. Riser will outlast you. You're nothing and will remain nothing. Riser will have fun with the weakling. The underworld will see you and your failure. Riser is a Phenex and is above filth like you."

I smirked and extended my mechadendrites each carrying an arc pistol.

"Flesh is weak bird. I'll enjoy making you dance. You and they are going to see the strength I have. Rip them apart."

Murayama and Katase charged towards the catgirls. Kiryuu threw an overwhelming number of ice spells and claimed the French maid still left. Multiple ice bolts hit her throwing her backward against the stairs next to Riser and Yunabella. The light returned and saved the pawn.

"Riser Phenex's sixth pawn has been retired! Those extra hands are incredible!"

Raynare disappeared again and went for the next target. Issari roars boost and flies towards Riser extremely fast, shocking him and making him back up to miss the thunder hammer slamming into the castle's steps. The hole left there makes Riser's eyes widen more than ever. The dodging had separated him from Yunabella and Karlamine, who also had to dodge. Yunabella dodged right into Kuroka's eyesight, and the two quickly started their fight. I fire my arc gun with the ball of electricity sizzling the air and hit Riser dead on as he attempted to dodge another thunder hammer strike.

Riser dances and screams. Jerking violently as the electric shot hits him and my blessing on the gun activated making the pain double for him. Thoron moves towards Riser with his spear cracking for battle.

Katase claimed the next pawn by swinging her axe at just the right time, catching the catgirl off guard.

"Promotion knight!"

The sudden speed takes an arm from the green-haired catgirl. She screamed, and blood gushed from her left arm, splattering the ground and making it red. The light returned and took the poor thing away.

"Riser Phenex's seventh pawn has been retired by an extremely well-timed promotion and a brutal weapon! I don't want to be near that axe!"

The final pawn shakes and looks at her twin's arm in the pool of blood where she had been. Murayama and Katase focus on this cat, and the cat, seeing she is alone and nowhere close to any ally, screams out.

"I forfeit!"

The light takes her, and Roygun announces excitedly.

"Riser Phenex's eighth and final pawn has been retired! We are nearing the end game now!"

Karlamine moved robotically and was immediately engaged by Raynare, who made dozens of jabs at the knight. The claws were extremely fast and came for Karlamine at multiple angles during which she barely blocked each of them. The speed kicked up again when Raynare shouted out.

"Promotion Knight!"

The new speed hits and Karlamine couldn't block any of the attacks as effectively as before. She slumped to the ground with a broken leg, and the white took her.

"Riser Phenex's last knight has been retired by the clawed wielder! That person is extremely dangerous!"

Riser finished jerking, and his face was scrunched into a face of pain. He jerked again, and that was when Thoron moved and slammed his spear forward, cutting off Riser's left arm. It flopped to the floor, and Riser didn't scream but let the limb regenerate back. Yunabella roared and tried to get to her king, only for four earth walls to form a box around her and Kuroka.

Yunabella tried to break the walls without her bombs. She turns on the mystery person with tails, and she shakes. Because this was a mutation queen. The mystery queen moves at a knight's speed and throws magic at queen along with extra bishop strength at the now trapped torture queen. Yunabella screamed, realizing that she was doomed no matter what.

Three spells hit her in ultra-fast succession, and each hit makes her jerk, spasm, or begin coughing violently. That last one made her start coughing blood up onto the ground. Yunabella felt the black starting to form in her purple eyes. Then came several punches that were rook strength and broke Yunabella's arms and a leg all at once. Yunabella collapsed, but she had enough strength to look up into the eyes of that helm. It's red ones staring at the purple, starting to get milky white. The rebreather comes off and a silence bubble popped around the trap.

"Machine God, take an absolute bitch like you. They are your peerage members, and your fellow reincarnated. You will suffer for the rest of your life. I cursed you. If you ever hurt them again, you will feel it tenfold on yourself. It won't ever go away. My mate is a million times better than your king. Now suffer forever bitch."

The holy words make Yunabella scream and that ends her suffering. For now. The white light takes Yunabella.

"Riser Phenex's queen has been retired! By the unknown queen who is a mutation one! This peerage of Gregor Astaroth is going to become monsters if they continue training right and focus on their strengths! This game has shown me a potential new deadly player!"

Riser now faces us all alone, and he sneers at me. I sneer back before we begin to move into position with weapons prepared. Cracks, roars, and a whine from my gun ring out. Kuroka dropped her walls and joined us. She prepared her magic with Kiryuu. Blood from earlier kills freezes completely. I then smirked suddenly, and Riser didn't get it. Before claws take a chunk of his back suddenly. The meat flopped to the floor, and then Ray was behind Riser on the steps, looking down on him. Riser was now trapped between all of us, and he faced me again. Riser doesn't back down and shows his stupidity by continuing to resist. The meat on his back regenerates.

He extended his flame wings, trying to get the cold to stop and give him room to move. It half works, but nothing else happens. My peerage moves and makes it so Riser can't escape from me. I holstered the gun and drew my axe and a chainsword. Both roar to life and Riser, to his credit, doesn't back up much. Issari touched my right shoulder and hit me with a boost from her gear. I used that and wrath to move fast and immediately started the fight.

I swung my axe first and dodged three fire spells in quick succession that flew from Riser's wings at me and Kuroka sets up a protective shield around us to keep anything from escaping. Along with slowly making the shield grow smaller and smaller making my advantages more effective. Riser was a magic type fighter and he was immediately beginning to suffer.

My axe and chainsword took his arms again. They return, and Riser throws a spell that sizzles at my head. It doesn't hit me, and I swing again at Riser, taking his hands this time. He doesn't scream still. I activated the blessing and then made my chainsword go through his chest, taking a lung from my foe. Riser coughed a bit of blood and as I pulled my sword out of his chest. He throws another fire spell, which takes some of my hair. It slightly hurts, but the hair falls to the ground, turning from green to black.

A swipe takes meat from Riser's calf, going through his pants and making the first sound out of Riser in a small whimper. I shot a round from my arc pistols, and they all hit Riser through hastily summoned barriers. He spasmed again from it, and I took his arms once more and then got more meat on his leg. Before I swipe and take his head with my axe. The head falls to the floor, and it comes back. Riser is pissed and throws more fire into my face. It hits a spot on my right cheek, and it burns. The new nerves hurt so bad, but I don't scream. Riser was smug in finally getting a blow on me. Before, his face began to pale as my burns receded fast. I smirked and then took his head again.

It comes back slowly, and Riser is now whimpering louder. Issari hit me with another boost through the one-way barrier. I spat at him as I swung extremely fast with both my weapons and took his arms, the meat on his legs.

"That was for making Rias cry for you, being a little princess who needs her hand held by adults who actually do things. You will rue the day you pissed off the Gorgan."

I swipe multiple times with the axe and stab with the sword. Each time, taking limbs from Riser. He gets slower and slower, regenerating them. I feed my sin well, and this day will feed me for an extremely long time. I make Riser my bitch. I swipe and again take his head. I snarled out my rage at Riser's slowly returning head.

"You tormented her because it was easy. I built something, and that's hard, you shit. You scorned her and called her weak every chance you could to destroy her. I earned what I have with Rias by putting her forward first and not being a bitch that isn't willing to try. I gave a damn she and I can have a future free of you."

I take more and more of his limbs in faster and faster succession, and I don't feel tired at all. I spat back again at Riser.

"You abused your sister's trust in you and used her desperation to know me to abuse her and Rias again. You expected a weak person who would roll over for you like everyone else has in your life. The fact you look at your own sister in that way shows me you are a shit. I break shits like you."

Riser was now whimpering more and more as limbs slowly came back. Then, halt midway through. I take the arms again. Riser finally falls to his knees, and I take his arms once more. My blessings were to prolong his suffering. My patron helps keep him alive, too, to make this bitch our example. I look down into Riser's eyes before saying to him with pure disgust.

"You are a boy pretending to play war. I know it fully, as I have seen a place with only war. I am Gregor Astaroth, the Lord of Iron Will, the Gorgan, and many more future things. You will fall like all those who try against me and mine. Surrender now I can go all day, and I am not tired."

Riser spits at me, and it lands on my chest plate. I smile evil and unleash my sin for him. The axe comes down and roars, taking Riser's arm. The blessings on it and Tsuda make this blow the worst yet.

Riser froze before he screamed loudly horrified at the burning pain that made his limb stop regenerating, I took the next arm. Riser screamed again louder, making my message reach the hidden ones watching. Riser continued screaming, and he looked at me with the same fear that he had for Issei. I raised the axe again. Riser screamed out finally.

"Riser surrenders! Stay away from me!"

The light comes and takes Riser away from the game field. Weapons stop being active. Then comes the announcement.

"Riser Phenex has surrendered! This ratings game is over; the winner is Gregor Astaroth, the Lord of Iron Will! I would watch this heir carefully, folks, because he is going places!"

Zekram smiled as the game ended, and he watched the new faces of horror on his political party's faces. His eye turned to the heir of the Baels. Sairaorg was smiling his own smile. Zekram decided this hybrid deserves some respect. He got the message loud and clear. Never try to anger this stoic man. Zekram wouldn't and would move his loyalists around the party to ensure that never happened. His son had not gotten the message.

Sirzches Lucifer smiled wide and looked at his two fellows. Serafall was beaming at this new player in the game. Fabium was in a rare moment of not being drowsy for this game, and they now saw the one who could potentially fix the mistakes they had made. A champion of the NKF. A person who could shock the underworld from the stagnant ways they had settled into. He was perhaps the thing that could save their race. If he survived hell. Grayfia feels pride for her star son. Milicas now wants to meet this person who had protected his Aunt Rias.

Ravel watched him rain blows on her brother and snarl his rage. His sin was wrath, yet he knew how to control it. When he won, Ravel was incredibly happy. Ruval looks at his sister as the game ends and shows his sis con self asking in rage.

"Has he been doing that, Vel?"

Ravel gets vengeance on her bitch relative.

"Yes. Always when father and mother were gone, he is disgusting and said I would repopulate the race properly."

Ruval was not a very expressive man. Being number four in the ratings games made him learn that fast. Ruval turned his blue eyes on his father and said with an extremely pissed-off voice.

"You will step down. Riser almost ruined this for us, and Vel will have this heir. If you don't I will tell the Satans what you did during the civil war. I held it in because you are my father, but the fact that Riser tries to break the only taboo we were given by the Great Mother Lilith is beyond disgusting while under your watch."

Lord Phenex prepared to say something and was instantly shocked when his wife joined the attack.

"I support Ruval. You never curbed this in Riser despite the many times I told you this would bite us in the ass. We will become pariahs if we don't immediately punish Riser. You will go and enjoy your retirement. He has tainted our whole image, and we have to rebuild it. The contract stays. Ravel will have this Lord of Iron. Do you honestly think anyone is going to try to cross him after that display? If they do, it will be this again."

Lord Phenex looked and saw the branch Phenex's also in support for his heir. Their blonde heads promised pain on the patriarch if he said no. Lord Phenex sighed and nodded his head in acceptance. He will enjoy retirement. He can't blame the halfbreed because he had shown he was the Lord of Iron indeed. He would never piss off the next potential super devil, like father like son.

Rias wept tears, knowing now that she was free of Riser forever. Zeoticus Gremory smiled wide and immediately turned to his bishop.

"Tell Lord Astaroth we immediately accept the terms of the proposed contract. I will sign it in ten minutes. My daughter deserves the best, and she will get it. This is the one."

The woman smiled and went to obey her king immediately. Akeno whooped in a cheer, joined by Shirone, who loudly proclaimed she would have the strongest mate ever. Heniya smiled wide and her sin was well fed by her mood kindred in her new brother-in-law. He had her support in anything for making this game good and for making Ria-tan happy. The Gremory cousins now look at Rias in jealousy for the first time in their lives. Venelana Gremory looked at her baby girl, finally happy, and she thanked the Morning Star that her deep desire was answered finally. She caught a glimpse of something, however. On Rias's right wrist was a cog with the skull split down the middle. She smiled because it seemed the Lord of Iron knew he could get away with that. It seemed he wouldn't need too much training in politics.

The other angels had been off put again by the brutal nature of this half-devil. However, Michael stopped their new disquieting.

"He is playing their game. They are brutal. He is more, yet he stands for virtues, too. His virtue is duty, as his sin is wrath. He falls in between and feeds both well. Metatron, I want you to do what you can to make contact with him. He has the same goal as us, even if it must be paid in Iron and Blood."

The sneaky ninja angel will send his best to find this half-devil. The woman was eager to see the war end like he did. Metatron was tired of it and had tried many times to find a way where they all got to end this with a peace with honors. The original ones were dead. The new were trying to reform their race. The greats didn't see that because they were busy in Heaven but Metatron saw every attempt made. He will contact the Orthodox church right away.

Ophis joined, watching the game midway through. Vali and his people, along with Agrat Leviathan, had their own thoughts. Ophis wanted this potential super devil in her organization. He could be the key to her return to the gap. The robot especially had spoken to her in a way nothing else had here on Earth. It was emotionless like her, as he was until the right moment. Ophis wants him and will give him anything he wants.

Vali smiled evilly, now knowing his new rivals were strong. The Red One was active along with his fellow hybrid. Vali felt many things with this one. Resentment that he was getting acceptance. Admiration because he knew real war. He was right in being a Lord of Iron Will. The healing had been what interested him the most. It was fast, meaning battles with him could last long. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Le Fay Pendragon have stars in her eyes for this rival. She and her twin brother both watched in fascination. Vali was eager to see this unfold more.

Agrat Leviathan had pure hope now because this could be the answer to her problem. He had made a robot that was advanced enough to be fully autonomous. Agrat was not stupid, she followed human science fiction. It was her secret guilty pleasure. She was a big fan of Asimov and more. He could fix her increasingly bad problem.

Cao Cao doesn't know what to feel as he, Hercules, Stanley, and Georg watch the game. The Warriors of Mars were devils. Yet the leader was a half-devil and actually seemed like a decent person. He fought against the system of the devils by his very nature. He had the makings of a hero. No. He was the beginnings of a hero. Cao Cao had seen the strays' crimes. This possible hero killed strays that had inflicted true evil on humans, making Japan and the world safer by his actions. He was, in many ways, the same as Cao Cao himself. They were all silent, with Georg wanting to say something. However, Cao Cao said to Stanley with a nonnegotiable voice.

"Watch him closer. We have a possible new foe or perhaps someone who shares our vision."

Stanley nodded while Hercules and George remained silent. Watching the devil that was like them yet not.

The true Satans now had the biggest faces of hate. This halfbreed filth was defiling pureblood devil women. He had inflicted horrific damage on his pureblood devil superior. He was showing the first hints that he had the potential to become a super devil like his father. He needed to die as fast as possible. They prepared several plans to achieve this goal.

In the village a little boy now has a new dream. He wants to be like his hero in the Lord of Iron. The village was celebrating the victory of their future lord, who had won his game. The few other children in the village were excitedly claiming to be the Lord of Iron. They were play fighting each other, and running around while the boy sat on the fountain in the middle of his village. His crutches next to him. He looked at his left stump and wished he could do that again. His parents were hoping they could eventually save up enough money to get a Phenex tear. The little boy hopes he will get it. A voice reaches his ear.

"Trust in the Omnissiah. He knows your plight and will bring you your wish. You will be like him. Flesh is weak. You will have the strength and certainty of steel. The Lord of Iron will never forget people like you. Have faith in him."

This little boy didn't know who that was yet he hoped to be like his hero utterly. He wanted this strength and certainty of steel like him. This little boy will have faith. He once again dreams of running. To be like his hero, who it seemed loved them like how they, the commoners and reincarnated alike, were beginning to love him.

Hidden away in a small, long, unused building on the property of a lord of the underworld, two people who had never known each other before today are now siblings of faith. They knelt together and whispered a prayer to the crude symbol made for this place. That symbol was made by the first one in iron from the smithy on the manor property. This symbol had spoken to them each in the same way. A prayer of hope comes from them. For the dream, many people like them had long ago given up. Freedom from the ones who lied to them and put them in chains. The cog split down the middle half human and half machine. They who had been exorcists with good training recognized this symbol. They had been in awe seeing it on those like them and began to believe again in that dream. They would shed the weakness of flesh and become like the machine. Like the one who helped the weak like them. The Omnissiah of Freedom. They would hope for that dream again.

Two figures stood still in this place, which was different from so many others. They had stood silently, and both were collecting their thought trains long and hard. Before, a male voice spoke with a strange accent.

"You have searched long and hard on this person?"

There was silence for a second before the response came.

"I have it is not the other, yet they are the same."

That had been a female voice. The male voice spoke again with cautious hope.

"Then you may go there. If they are the first one again, end them. If not then perhaps we finally have hope."

The female voice replied with no hesitation.

"As you will. It will take a while to get there. The closest point is far away from this place."

The male understands.

"We have no hurry. Your life matters."