"Snatching relatives?! What nonsense are you spouting?" The demon guard's face twisted with indignation. "This is Devil territory, and humans have no business here! Leave now!"
Today was Lord Riser's engagement ceremony, and the last thing he wanted was a confrontation with this intruder. If the human would just leave peacefully, all the better. But if not... he'd have to use force to drive them away.
"As a knight of my lord, I cannot tolerate such disrespect!"
In Artoria's hands, the holy spear blazed with radiant light, the final holy judgment made manifest.
"This is... Maou-level aura? From a human?" Ajuka's eyebrows rose slightly as he sensed the overwhelming power. "Where did this little monster find such a powerful ally?"
He hoped, genuinely hoped, that this wouldn't escalate into a complete disaster.
Well, he was just here to enjoy the feast anyway. He'd leave everything to Sirzechs, after all, Sirzechs was the number one Maou and Rias's older brother. This banquet was his responsibility.
Meanwhile, at the entrance...
Wind King Barrier!
A tyrannical storm erupted from Artoria's holy spear, sweeping away every demon that dared approach. Under the tempest's fury, the guards were sent flying like leaves in a hurricane.
"That's enough, Artoria. We're not here to wreck the place," Takeyo said with an easy smile.
Though his actions already suggested otherwise.
Without waiting for permission, he strode toward the center of the banquet hall, his presence commanding attention even among the assembled superior demons and Maou themselves. He showed no intention of tempering his aura whatsoever.
The reason was simple, his current strength had reached the superior demon level. All his attributes had hit that threshold even without activating his incarnations.
After making certain preparations and acquiring something from the Underworld, Takeyo's base power had officially broken through to superior demon class.
"Takeyo!"
The moment he entered the venue, a beautiful figure with devil wings flew into his arms.
Tears filled Sona's eyes as she pressed against him, rubbing her face against his chest. If she didn't feel his warmth, his reality, she couldn't believe he'd actually returned.
"Sona... I'm back," Takeyo said gently, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes with his thumb.
"Ahem!"
In the next moment, he coughed up golden blood.
Artoria, ever prepared, produced a handkerchief and carefully wiped the blood from his lips.
"Takeyo? What's wrong?" Sona's voice filled with panic. "Is something happening to your body? We should see a doctor right now, "
She didn't even hesitate. Rias's engagement ceremony tonight was just that, an engagement, not a wedding. Compared to formalities, Takeyo's health was infinitely more important.
Rias, overhearing this from across the hall, might have had some choice words for her best friend's priorities.
"No need, it's just a minor issue," Takeyo said, still coughing blood.
It truly was minor. With his current physical condition, using the Ultra-Limited Incarnation posed no real danger as long as he didn't push too far. It was vastly better than before, when using it at intermediate demon level would have caused serious injuries.
"This is still a minor problem?" Sona's voice trembled with worry.
"Trust me, Sona. It really is," Takeyo assured her, gently pressing a finger to her lips. "You don't want me to break my promise, do you? I haven't kept it for so long... I'd hate to be remembered as someone who doesn't honor his word."
His gaze shifted toward the center of the banquet hall.
There stood a figure with crimson hair, staring at him with eyes full of disbelief.
"Now then, Sona, it's time for you to sleep."
Before she could react, Takeyo lightly touched her forehead with one finger.
Her eyes rolled back, and consciousness faded.
Takeyo had his reasons. If Sona watched him fight while coughing blood the entire time, wouldn't she worry herself sick? Better to spare her the anxiety.
"Sona-chan!"
Unable to contain herself, Serafall burst from the crowd of spectators.
The Satan Leviathan rushed to her sister's side, catching her before she could fall.
"I'm leaving Sona in your care," Takeyo said, gently transferring the unconscious devil into Serafall's arms.
"By the way, I'm quite annoyed that you shoved those chess pieces into me," he added, leaning close to whisper in her ear.
"Ah!"
Serafall let out a soft gasp.
She felt it, that man had actually groped her while she was holding Sona! The audacity!
But considering she'd done something rather underhanded to him, and more importantly, that it had made Sona furious with her... she decided to let it slide for now. She wouldn't make a scene.
"Hmph!"
She shot Takeyo a threatening glare before retreating with Sona cradled protectively in her arms.
Sona-chan comes first, she reminded herself firmly.
"Well, that felt nice," Takeyo said with a slight shake of his head, a faint smile playing at his lips.
Only he, Serafall, and the two transcendent Maou in attendance had noticed the brief exchange.
Takeyo continued walking toward the center of the banquet hall.
However, Riser finally lost his patience.
My wedding is being disrupted by some human? Does he think he can just ignore all the devils here?!
"What are you all waiting for?! Seize this trespasser immediately!" Riser commanded his house guards.
Under Riser's orders, a swarm of Phoenix household guards moved toward Takeyo and Artoria.
Artoria said nothing. She simply stepped in front of Takeyo, taking her rightful position as his vanguard.
"All who obstruct my lord's path shall be deemed enemies of my blade!"
The holy spear in her hands erupted with brilliant light.
Rhongomyniad, The Spear at the End of the World!
Artoria released the true name of her Noble Phantasm.
The holy spear was essentially the Lancer version of the Holy Sword of the Stars. Its true form was said to be a tower that anchored the texture of the world itself, the pillar of light that maintained the surface layer of reality.
Like the Star Holy Sword, its original power was restricted by the Thirteen Restraints. Even in this limited state, Rhongomyniad, the spear that glorifies the light of the stars, manifested its essence as a pillar of radiant power.
Due to the existence of the Thirteen Restraints with the same procedures as the Holy Sword of Selection, it barely maintained its form as a Noble Phantasm treasure.
"If you have no will to oppose me, do not stand before my lord's path!"
Artoria held her holy spear ready, maintaining the Noble Phantasm's liberation at a critical threshold. Such precise control would have been impossible before her promotion as Takeyo's Knight, but now it came as naturally as breathing.
"Tch..."
Under Artoria's overwhelming pressure, every demon who'd attempted to step forward froze.
There was simply no way forward. The killing power of the holy spear against devils was utterly terrifying. None of them possessed the strength to withstand it.
Among the Maou present, only the Four Great Satans could possibly take such an attack.
But the Satans were all neutral observers.
Sirzechs watched calmly with an occasional smile. Ajuka had progressed to openly smiling. Serafall was occupied caring for her sister and had no time for intervention. Falbium merely observed Takeyo with curious interest.
He kept feeling that Takeyo's magical power attributes seemed strangely familiar...
Could it be... bloodline from our clan? The notion that Takeyo possessed the absolute defensive attributes of Maou Falbium had begun circulating among high-ranking devils, prompting even Falbium to consider the possibility.
As for the superior demons? They'd be killed instantly. The Phoenix Clan patriarch might endure through Nirvana's resurrection, but he'd suffer severe mental damage in the process.
High-class demons?
They wouldn't even get the chance to scream.
In short, with the holy spear radiating such power, no devil dared advance.
Except... one young girl.
A blonde devil with elaborate twin-tail curls stepped into Takeyo's path.
Ravel Phoenix, younger sister of the roast chicken himself.
Just as Artoria prepared to unleash her spear, Takeyo raised his hand, stopping her.
"Oh? Little miss, you've got quite the courage," Takeyo said, reaching out to gently tug on one of her distinctive twin-tails.
Ding!
Congratulations to the host for completing location sign-in! Sign-in level: Bronze!
Sign-in location: Ravel Phoenix's Twin-Tails
Congratulations! Reward obtained: Protection of the Phoenix (Imperfect)
Protection of the Phoenix: ...
Well, a second Phoenix protection. That meant he could afford to be a bit more reckless.
The reason he'd stopped Artoria, aside from the sign-in he'd just noticed, was that he needed some preparation to ensure his challenge against the roast chicken would be properly dramatic.
"How dare you stand before me?" Takeyo asked while continuing to play with her twin-tail, finding the springy texture oddly satisfying as it bounced back when pulled.
"Huh?"
Ravel suddenly realized something, why didn't she feel the holy power burning her? And why was someone tugging on her hair?
"The... the glory of the Phoenix family must not be trampled!" Ravel finally managed, summoning her courage.
"Actually, I don't mean to trample the Phoenix family's glory," Takeyo said with a gentle smile, still playing with her twin-tail.
Because I've never regarded your Phoenix family's glory as anything worth noticing in the first place.
Compared to that, he cared far more about fulfilling his promise.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Ravel looked confused. Wasn't he here to crash the engagement?
"If you're willing to do me a small favor, I'll explain," Takeyo whispered softly into her delicate ear.
"Wh-what favor?" The Phoenix girl's eyes were practically spinning. Too close! He's way too close! Doesn't he know I haven't even come out yet?!
"Hey! You bastard who came from who-knows-where! Get your hands off my sister!"
Seeing his sister being "bullied," Riser finally snapped.
Though he'd recruited his sister into his peerage and kept her in his harem purely to satisfy his collector's desire for various character types, he was still fundamentally a good brother. Watching Ravel being harassed while the Phoenix family's glory was trampled, he couldn't take it anymore!
However...
BOOM!
Artoria's holy spear unleashed a portion of its true power, as if capable of shattering the world itself, and struck Riser directly!
At the same moment, a magic circle appeared in Takeyo's hands.
"This is what I need your help with."
The magic circle passed through Ravel's body.
In that instant, she found herself dressed in a gorgeous wedding gown!
☆☆☆
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