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In the end, Riser still managed to stand back up.
But merely standing was the limit of his ability; truthfully, he was barely able to force his battered body upright.
He was in a state of absolute disgrace.
He strained to lift his head, glaring upwards at the white-clad youth floating serenely in the air, wiping blood from his mouth through clenched teeth.
The gaping hole in his chest, left by that devastating God-Slaying Overlord Fist, was slowly regenerating due to his Phenex bloodline—but clearly at a much slower pace compared to the injury from the earlier kick.
This wasn't because a heart was harder to restore than bones.
In theory, the Phenex bloodline was absolutely invincible. Any descendant of the Phenex clan could recover rapidly no matter how grievous the injuries, and even tears imbued with Phoenix energy could instantly regenerate an entire body for someone critically wounded and left with only a head.
Yet, an invincible physical body didn't mean the spirit was equally invincible.
Just as mentality could affect an athlete's performance, demons were no exception—no different from humans in this regard.
The previous strike didn't just shatter Riser's body, but also his confidence.
He couldn't fight back, couldn't dodge, couldn't even resist!
Facing such a terrifying opponent—how could he possibly win?
"Umm… Does contestant Riser still wish to continue fighting?"
A voice echoed from nearby; it was Serafall, the appointed referee of this battle.
Clearly, the sheer magnitude of the clash between Bokue Keikain and Riser had exceeded her expectations. To avoid being completely splattered after this fight—as a magical girl, she'd rather not end up looking like a magical meatball—Serafall had wisely encased herself in a lovely ice ball, resembling a figurine inside a capsule-toy machine.
Riser didn't answer her. Instead, he raised his head, looking toward the white-clad youth in the sky, his voice hoarse and filled with resentment.
"You bastard… are you really an Onmyōji?"
"What makes you say that?"
Bokue Keikain raised his brows slightly.
Riser grit his teeth.
"I've done my research on you Onmyōji. According to my knowledge, no Onmyōji fights the way you do."
"Oh, that's true."
Completely unconcerned with giving his opponent recovery time, Bokue Keikain leisurely chatted.
"But I've never said I was an Onmyōji in the first place. I always said I was just the Acting Head of the Keikain family."
"…Hah?"
Riser froze in bewilderment.
What kind of joke was this? The Acting Head of an Onmyōji family wasn't an Onmyōji himself?
"Come on, being Acting Head doesn't mean I'm better at Onmyōjutsu than them."
The white-clad youth shrugged.
"It's just that no one else in the family can beat me in a fight. If I'm not the Acting Head, who else should it be?"
Riser: "..."
Damn it! So that's how you became Acting Head?!
———
"Meow~"
Inside the banquet hall, comfortably curled in her younger sister's embrace, Kuroka couldn't help but let out a small laugh upon hearing this exchange.
She was immediately rewarded with affectionate petting from the silver-haired girl.
"Good kitty, don't laugh randomly now~"
——
Meanwhile, Sairaorg standing next to Sirzechs couldn't help but burst out laughing heartily, his voice echoing so loudly that even the chandelier above trembled slightly.
"So as long as you defeat all competitors, you become the head, huh? Well, you're not wrong! Hahaha!"
"Not the head—just the Acting Head."
The youth's voice drifted down from the sky into the banquet hall.
"Something as troublesome as being family head should be left to my little sister. She's the serious type who suits that role; I couldn't possibly do it. Imagine sitting at a conference table for over ten hours each day surrounded by a bunch of old geezers… just the thought of it gives me a headache."
Hearing this, Sairaorg laughed even louder.
Just then, a graceful figure in white slowly approached them, raising her eyes toward the youth floating outside.
Sirzechs noticed first, slightly startled.
"Mother, you've come too?"
"Hm?"
Sairaorg, standing ahead, turned slightly slower. When he finally looked around, he saw Venelana, elegantly dressed in a white gown, already standing next to her son and waving gently toward him. He quickly greeted her.
"Aunt Venelana, it's been a long time."
"Indeed, it really has."
Venelana smiled softly.
"After all, I haven't left home for several years now. I've been cooped up inside for far too long—so it's rather refreshing to come out like this."
"It's mainly because of Rias' marriage matter, right?"
Sirzechs took the rare opportunity to tease his mother gently.
Unexpectedly, Venelana didn't treat it as a joke. Instead, she huffed lightly, eyes sparkling as she gazed towards the youth battling in the arena outside.
"Naturally. How could I not take my daughter's marriage seriously? I'm still waiting eagerly for Rias to give me grandchildren soon. Otherwise, Mother would have nothing to do at home every day—it's terribly boring."
"Mother… Rias is still attending school; isn't it a little too soon to talk about children?"
Sirzechs twitched slightly at the thought.
But before he could finish, a certain crimson-haired girl's voice came urgently from behind, embarrassment and indignation mixed together.
"Wait! Wait! Mother, what nonsense are you spouting?!"
"Ara? Doesn't Rias-chan want to have a baby with Bokue-kun…?"
Venelana intended to continue, but Rias quickly covered her mother's mouth, her face flushed red.
"I've told you already, please stop, Mother! Brother just said I'm still too young—what's the rush?!"
"Mmm… but Mother truly is very bored at home."
Gently removing her daughter's hand, Venelana sounded utterly innocent.
"Sirzechs hardly has time to come home anymore; you're always attending school in the human world. Mother stays alone in such a big castle and can't leave… what else can I do?"
"…Eh?"
Rias, previously blushing furiously, suddenly froze.
Thinking about it, indeed, her brother had been increasingly busy ever since becoming a Satan, and she herself was now permanently residing in the human realm, leaving her mother alone each day in that empty castle.
Almost like a grand prison.
A wave of sudden guilt washed over Rias, softening her voice considerably.
"Um… anyway, summer vacation is just in two months. We'll come home then—it's not like we're staying away forever, so…"
"Yosh! Then it's settled~"
Upon getting her daughter's promise, Venelana instantly revealed a radiant smile, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the moon.
"Oh, and remember to bring Bokue-kun along when you return."
"Um… him? Well, probably…"
Rias nodded absently.
Was it her imagination, or was Mother's mood swing just now a bit too abrupt?
Sairaorg, observing this warm exchange between mother and children, couldn't help feeling a touch of envy.
——
Meanwhile, outside in the arena—
"So, what's your decision? Continue?"
Bokue Keikain tilted his chin slightly upward, fists clenched, emanating an imposing aura like a sovereign ruler gazing upon his domain.
"If it's only about victory and defeat, admit your loss. But if it's life or death—then die!"
Anyone could plainly see that Riser had utterly lost, without the slightest chance of reversal or resistance.
Yet, stubbornly, he still stood. His twisted expression glared upwards at that pure white figure in the sky, teeth gritting, features distorted beyond recognition.
"I'll kill you! Aaaarghhhhhh!"
With that roar, the blazing wings of Phoenix fire unfurled behind him once more, and he surged upward into the night sky as a streak of furious flames.
And then—
Once again, he was effortlessly knocked back down by a casual, backhanded punch.
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