Fun In Highschool DxD World

Chapter 47: Izashi Vs Riser (Proposal For A Rating Game)



Riser stood frozen, the air thick with tension, his words caught in his throat. He had walked right into Izashi's verbal trap, and he knew it. There wasn't a single retort he could muster that would get him out of this predicament. His own arrogance had left him cornered, and for the first time, he felt the sting of defeat without even throwing a punch.

 

Izashi's laughter cut through the silence, rich and mocking. "Look at you, Riser," he said, turning to Grayfia with a wicked grin, "the poor guy's got no answer. Can't even defend himself with words, much less in a fight. Sister," he continued, his voice dripping with amusement, "why don't you head over to our father and the Lord of the Phenex House? Let them know that I'm proposing something a little more exciting than the usual boring engagement arrangements."

 

Grayfia raised a single eyebrow, maintaining her ever-composed expression. "And what exactly are you proposing, Izashi-sama?" she asked in a cool, professional tone, though there was a faint curiosity in her eyes.

 

Izashi smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "An unofficial Rating Game. Rias is the prize if I lose. But if I win—" he paused for dramatic effect, his grin widening, "—I want Riser to release his sister, Ravel, and another member of his peerage to join mine."

 

The room seemed to collectively hold its breath. Riser's face turned crimson, a mixture of anger and disbelief flooding his expression. "How is that fair?" he barked, his voice shaking slightly as he clenched his fists. "If I win, I get to marry Rias. But if you win, you get two members of my peerage? That's ridiculous!"

 

Izashi put a hand to his chin, as if deep in thought, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Hmm… You're right. It's not entirely fair." He looked over at Riser, then smiled as if a brilliant idea had struck him. "How about this? I'll even the playing field. I'll face your entire peerage… just me and Kuroka, my bishop. That should make it fair, don't you think?"

 

Riser blinked, his anger momentarily giving way to confusion. "Kuroka?" he muttered under his breath. The name was familiar, tugging at some distant memory, but he couldn't quite place it. Was this Kuroka someone important? Someone dangerous? He couldn't recall, but the name nagged at him.

 

No one in the room made any effort to explain it to him, and Riser, always too prideful to ask for clarification, kept his suspicions to himself. Still, something about Izashi's arrogant smile made him uneasy.

 

"When do you want the Rating Game to take place?" Riser asked, trying to sound nonchalant, though the edge in his voice betrayed his nerves. He was certain that Izashi would try to delay the match, maybe ask for weeks to prepare, hoping to drag out the engagement until he could find a way to wriggle out of it. But Riser wasn't going to let that happen.

 

Izashi's response, however, shattered Riser's expectations. "Tomorrow," he said simply, his tone almost casual, as if he were discussing what to have for dinner. "No point in dragging it out. I'd like to get this over with as quickly as possible. Grayfia," he added, glancing over at her, "you can handle the formalities. Let our father and Lord Phenex know."

 

Riser's heart skipped a beat. 'Tomorrow?' He stared at Izashi, searching for any hint of hesitation or deceit. But all he saw was that infuriating confidence, like Izashi already knew how this would end.

 

Riser tried to cover his growing unease with a smirk. "Fine," he said, his voice carrying a false bravado. "Tomorrow it is. But don't think for a second that I'll go easy on you, Izashi. My peerage and I will make sure you regret this challenge."

 

With that, Riser turned on his heel, his fiery peerage following behind him in a show of unity. But before he disappeared through the teleportation circle, he cast one last glance over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing as they fell on Izashi and his calm demeanor. He would need to make sure he was prepared—Phenex Tears, extra training, anything to ensure his victory. 'This time,' he thought, 'I'll make him regret his arrogance.'

 

As Riser vanished, the tension in the room eased, and the Gremory household members exhaled collectively. Rias, however, was still visibly worried. She turned to Izashi, her brow furrowed with concern. "Izashi-chan… are you sure about this? Fighting against Riser's entire peerage, even with Kuroka, isn't going to be easy."

 

Izashi's eyes twinkled with amusement as he reached out and gently cupped Rias's face in his hands, giving her cheeks a playful squeeze. "Aww… Rias-chan is worried about me," he teased, his tone lighthearted. "How cute. Don't worry, I'm not planning on killing him. That wouldn't do much for the Gremory-Phenex relations, would it?"

 

Rias shook her head vehemently, her crimson locks bouncing with the motion. "It's not him I'm worried about," she said, her voice soft but insistent. "I'm worried about you. Are you sure you'll be okay?"

 

Izashi chuckled, clearly amused by her concern. "Rias-chan, I already feel guilty for dragging Kuroka into this. Honestly, it wouldn't even be a challenge if I fought Riser alone. I'm more worried about accidentally breaking him than anything else. But you're worried about me?" He sighed dramatically, releasing her cheeks and shaking his head. "My sister has no confidence in her big brother."

 

Rias pouted slightly, feeling a twinge of embarrassment at his teasing. But before she could respond, Kuroka chimed in, her voice carrying a mischievous lilt. "Yeah, princess," she purred, stretching lazily. "You don't need to worry about us, nya~. I'm more concerned about not accidentally maiming your fiancé too badly. That'd be such a pain to explain to his house, nya~."

 

Akeno, who had been quietly observing the exchange, couldn't help but smile. Kuroka's playful attitude and Izashi's confidence were infectious. Her own worries began to melt away, and she found herself trusting in their abilities. "If Izashi-sama says it's going to be fine, I believe him," she said with a soft smile, stepping closer to Rias. "Besides, he's not one to make careless mistakes."

 

Rias, though not entirely convinced, nodded slowly. She still couldn't shake the feeling of unease, but she trusted her brother. As she gazed into Izashi's eyes, she saw no fear, no doubt—just a quiet, unwavering certainty. That reassured her more than anything else.

 

In a sudden burst of emotion, Rias threw her arms around Izashi, hugging him tightly. She buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled but sincere. "Thank you, Izashi-chan. For everything. For helping me get out of this awful engagement."

 

Izashi's smile faltered for a moment, his expression turning slightly bitter, though Rias couldn't see it. If only she knew, he thought to himself, his mind racing. 'This plan isn't just about breaking off your engagement, Rias. It's about tying our family to the Phenex House in a way that benefits both sides. I'm only playing the game they've been playing for years.' He sighed inwardly, wondering how Rias would react when she eventually realized the full extent of his plan.

 

But for now, he simply patted her head affectionately, his voice light and teasing. "Don't thank me yet, Rias-chan. We still have to win the Rating Game first."

 

As Rias finally pulled away, her eyes still filled with gratitude, Izashi turned to the rest of the group, his expression suddenly serious. "Alright, everyone. We didn't come to this mansion for a tea party. We're here to train, and we're running out of time. Start your training now."

 

With that command, the room sprang into action. Rias, Akeno, and the others quickly dispersed, each heading off to prepare for the upcoming battle. The air was thick with determination as everyone went their separate ways.

 

Everyone except for Kuroka, who remained standing beside Izashi, her golden eyes glinting with curiosity. She tilted her head slightly, her cat-like ears twitching. "So, you wanted to talk to me, nya~?"

 

Izashi nodded, his playful demeanor slipping away, replaced by a more serious tone. "Yeah, Kuroka. Tomorrow, a lot of old devils are going to be watching the Rating Game. Some of them are sure to recognize you. We need to be careful. Don't use your full strength—keep it at a High-Class Devil level. If you reveal your true power, it'll be a nightmare trying to explain why an Ultimate-Class Devil is fighting alongside me."

 

Kuroka's playful expression faded as she absorbed his words. She nodded solemnly, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Got it, nya. I won't let them see what I'm really capable of."

 

Izashi smiled, relieved that she understood. "Good. We don't want to draw any unnecessary attention. Sirzechs will handle any issues if they arise, but it's better if we avoid complications altogether. The last thing we need is for people to start questioning why I have an SS-class stray devil as my bishop."

 

Kuroka's lips curled into a smirk, her confidence returning. "Don't worry, nya~. I'll behave. For now."

 

Izashi chuckled, shaking his head. He trusted Kuroka, but there was always a wildness to her, a mischievous streak that made her unpredictable. Still, he was confident in their plan. Everything was falling into place.

 

As he watched Kuroka slink off to begin her own preparations, Izashi's thoughts returned to the Phenex family. They think they've got the upper hand, he mused, a sly grin spreading across his face. But by the time tomorrow's over, they'll realize just how wrong they were.

 

Tomorrow would be the turning point—both for Rias and for the future of the Gremory and Phenex houses. And Izashi would make sure everything went exactly as planned.

~~

A/N: I hope you all liked this long chapter.

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Also, If you like Harem Stories, check out my new story, Harem Master: Seduction System.)

 


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