~ We're almost close to the 200 Power Stone Bonus Chapter.
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Whether it's spiritual power or magical energy, all forms of strength ultimately reflect the will of the wielder, driven by emotion and conviction.
Once one gives up internally—admitting defeat from within—no matter how powerful they are, they wouldn't be able to exert even the slightest bit of strength.
It's like a mighty great white shark, capable of devouring everything, shrinking into a tiny goldfish that can only blow bubbles.
Though Riser kept stubbornly shouting about continuing the fight—being knocked down again and again, struggling up from the ground despite his worsening injuries, and swinging fiery punches toward the white-clad youth hovering calmly above him—
—in his heart, he'd already surrendered.
The magical flames he ignited became increasingly unstable, weak, and erratic, while the strength behind his fists grew softer and softer.
BOOM!
With another casual punch effortlessly knocking Riser back down to the ground, the white-robed young man standing midair sighed faintly, seemingly bored of the fight.
Taking a step, he returned to the ground. Without even waiting for the dust and smoke to settle, he reached down, grabbed Riser from the crater he'd made, and hoisted him up by the neck.
"Hey, don't you think that's enough? I've been holding back enough to not seriously injure you, but even your regeneration is barely keeping up. Keep going like this, and you'll really die, even if you are a Phenex."
His calm voice resonated through the air. Looking around now, the previously smooth arena was utterly devastated, filled with countless spiderweb-like craters created entirely from Riser's battered body being smashed repeatedly into the earth.
As the swirling dust slowly cleared, Riser, held aloft by his neck, tilted his bruised and swollen face slightly backward. His once golden hair, now greyed and disheveled, made him look no better than a beggar. As he tried to speak, a slight whistling could be heard through his missing teeth.
"Cough... You...you don't understand..."
"Oh?"
Bokue Keikain raised an eyebrow slightly, a bit intrigued. He hadn't expected this guy could still stubbornly run his mouth in such a pathetic state. Rather impressive, actually.
Originally, he'd thought this was just some spoiled brat who'd surrender at the first sign of trouble.
Riser continued coughing violently, blood and broken teeth spilling from his mouth with every painful gasp.
"My engagement with Rias...cough...is for the revival of Pureblood devils... cough cough cough... Not something you—a mere human... cough—can decide alone..."
"Revival of pureblood devils? Is being a pureblood devil really that impressive?"
Bokue Keikain tilted his head, giving the Phenex he held—who now resembled more a roasted chicken than a noble devil—a contemptuous glance.
"Oh~ Come to think of it, if I recall correctly, your Phenex family is Pureblood too, right? Yet you've been beaten to this state by me. Seems your pureblood devil bloodline isn't worth much after all. If you put it like that, how about your sister come borrow my seed instead?"
"..."
"..."
His sudden, outrageous statement plunged the entire banquet hall into instantaneous silence.
On the devastated arena, a gentle evening breeze passed by. Somehow finding strength in humiliation, Riser's eyes suddenly widened furiously.
"BASTAAAAARD!!!...!!!"
"Hmm?"
Bokue paid him no mind, instead distracted by Rias's frantic gestures behind the barrier in the distance.
Next to her mother and brother, the red-haired girl anxiously mouthed words and subtly gestured towards someone inside the hall. She was repeatedly, discreetly indicating a certain blonde girl with twin-drills, who'd been quietly watching the fight from the very beginning, fists clenched nervously.
Bokue stared intently for four or five seconds, finally deciphering what Rias was silently mouthing:
Riser really has a younger sister!
Following the direction of Rias's pointing finger...
Bokue glanced toward that blonde, twin-drilled girl—face flushed bright red, biting her lower lip and seemingly on the verge of bursting into tears—then turned his gaze back at the raging Riser, and then again toward the trembling blonde girl.
Emmmm~
After a brief moment's thought, the white-robed youth sincerely raised his hand and apologized:
"Sorry about that. I was just making fun of your brother a little—I didn't really mean that."
You don't seriously explain something like that!
Bokue's well-meaning clarification was the last straw for the blonde twin-drilled girl. Finally unable to suppress her emotions, she buried her face in her hands and turned to flee from the banquet hall.
It was like being stopped by a pervert on a dark street, only for him to shine a flashlight on your face and immediately zip his pants back up, saying "never mind" before walking away.
Either scenario was humiliating, except one was physical and the other emotional.
At this moment, Riser's voice rang out once again, this time filled with burning rage:
"What's that supposed to mean? Are you implying Ravel isn't worthy?!"
"Tch, like I said, that's not what I meant—"
Bokue scratched his forehead, tone growing increasingly impatient.
"Anyway, enough with this already. Are you going to concede or not?"
"...No."
After a brief silence, Riser gave an unexpected response.
Bokue: ?
"I said it before—the outcome of this duel isn't something either of us can simply decide."
Riser spoke with great difficulty.
"My engagement with Rias is for the revival of pureblood devils. This is my mission as Riser Phenex and represents the honor of the entire Phenex Clan. If I concede here, the Phenex family would face endless ridicule and slander—I cannot allow—"
"So what?"
Before he could finish, the white-robed youth calmly interrupted him.
"Is a life spent living by the opinions and arrangements of others really something to be proud of? Ridicule and slander? So what! When you possess strength Unparalleled under Heaven, all that idle chatter becomes worthless noise, beneath notice."
"Besides, didn't you invite the entirety of the Seventy-Two Pillars here precisely for today's duel?"
Bokue turned his gaze toward the banquet hall, eyes traveling beyond the barrier and directly to the assembled crowd of noble devils behind Rias and Sirzechs. Taking a deep breath, he loudly proclaimed:
"You've all heard clearly, haven't you? I, the Acting Head of the Keikain family, Bokue Keikain, officially cancel this engagement today. Anyone who has an opinion—step forward now and speak!"
"Speak!"
"SPEAK!"
Unparalleled! Domineering!
With his final booming word, a violent shockwave centered around him burst forth, hurling stone fragments, splitting open the earth, and slamming against the red magic barrier, causing violent tremors and directly cracking it open.
And then, after the fierce rumbling, absolute silence followed.
"Hmph. Looks like no one objects."
Bokue smiled lightly, turning his attention back to the golden-haired "Roasted chicken" still dangling from his hand.
"See? Those people you worried would mock and ridicule you—they're all shrinking their heads now, trembling like frightened little quails without daring to utter a single word. So? Ready to concede yet?"
"..."
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