This is so boring. Cao Cao, hurry up and show yourself already.
Cid figured most of the audience probably felt the same way, because even he, watching from the venue, was already getting bored.
Although he hadn't been connected to the off-field commentary, since his physical condition prevented him from participating in the battle and could risk leaking information, Cid could still clearly grasp what was happening through his Magical Power radar.
From the feedback, Rias was being completely suppressed by her fiancé. It didn't look like she could escape this engagement.
Koneko had already been eliminated.
Yuuto Kiba's Magical Power was fluctuating erratically. He had likely suffered serious injuries.
Akeno Himejima's Magical Power was weak, probably from overexertion.
Claire had taken down two opponents, yet her Magical Power hadn't decreased at all. Her mental fluctuations were unusually excited. Cid couldn't make sense of it. Had his sister turned on some kind of cheat?
As for that "cardboard box Vampire," the supposed new Vampire species, there was no need to mention him. Just as expected, he had been taken out right at the very start.
"Finding a servant like you, Rias's taste has really gone downhill!"
Sitting across from Cid, the blonde twin-tailed girl who had been holding a tablet-like device since the match began suddenly looked up at him with an arrogant expression.
After the match started, Cid had taken his "Do Not Disturb" sign and casually picked a spot to sit, waiting for Cao Cao to show up and stir trouble.
During that time, the blonde twin-tailed girl, one of Riser's Peerage Members who was also holding a "Do Not Disturb" sign, had been wandering around before eventually ending up here.
"As a man, sitting here alone while your companions are fighting... are you even a man?"
Noticing Cid's confusion, she lifted her head and spoke in a disdainful tone.
"Putting aside the fact that I have my reasons for not fighting, aren't you doing the exact same thing? What gives you the right to judge me?"
"You don't know who I am?!"
"Do I need to?"
"You, you, you..."
As if she had just heard something utterly ridiculous, the blonde twin-tailed girl pointed at Cid, trying to speak, but she was so angry she couldn't get her words out.
"Hmph. Looks like Rias has really fallen. To take in someone like you, a man with no sense of responsibility, who doesn't even bother to gather information on the enemies his own side is facing, as a Peerage Member."
After calming down, she let out a cold snort.
"Fine. I'll tell you my true identity, so you understand the greatest difference between us."
"I am Ravel Phoenix. Remember that, Phoe-nix. I'm not like you, a Reincarnated Devil who started as a Human and only later became a Devil. I am a Pureblood Devil, the fourth daughter of the House of Phenex. Got it?"
"Half, I guess."
"...Sigh. I explained it so clearly, and you still don't get it. How did Rias even choose you? Forget it. I'll be generous and explain it properly."
You probably misunderstood what I meant by "half"... or maybe I'm the one who misunderstood.
Watching Ravel's speechless expression, Cid thought to himself.
"It's because my perverted older brother has this obsessive fixation on the composition of his Peerage Members. You Humans seem to call that kind of thing 'moe points.'
Anyway, he wanted to complete a 'little sister' slot in his Peerage, so he kept begging me to join his team. In the end, I couldn't take it anymore and reluctantly agreed, becoming his Devil servant through a special method. Got it now?"
After listening to Ravel, Cid lowered his head and rested his hand under his chin, thinking for a moment before looking up again.
"So what you just said, what does it have to do with you being here right now, wearing a 'Do Not Disturb' sign?"
"You really don't get it?"
"Isn't it possible that you're the one not making sense? Who you are has nothing to do with why you're here with me instead of fighting. Or what, do you have a grudge against your brother and you're deliberately sabotaging him?"
"Of course it's related. The relation is, is, is…"
Ravel tried to continue, but suddenly got stuck halfway through and couldn't finish her sentence.
Cid found this reaction very familiar. It was something he often saw in children of high-ranking families who took their privileges for granted, never once thinking about where those privileges came from.
In Ravel's case, she probably just didn't like fighting and had been spoiled by her family. So she directly asked her brother, Riser, to let her sit out the match and simply watch.
And Riser had actually agreed, even going as far as to request a "Do Not Disturb" sign from the organizers of this Rating Game.
"I think I get it. Your brother treats you pretty well."
Cid nodded and said it sincerely, but Ravel didn't take it that way.
After being called out by Cid, Ravel also realized how weak her so-called reason for not fighting was. For a moment, she felt both embarrassed and ashamed, and it stung even more because it was pointed out by someone she had originally looked down on.
Under those emotions, Cid's sincere comment sounded like pure mockery to her, as if he were laughing at her for being a spoiled young lady who relied on her family's indulgence and acted however she pleased. That instantly set off her pride.
"Fine, I'm a spoiled, arrogant young lady. But what about you? What reason do you have for not fighting? Don't tell me it's because of your body. You're perfectly healthy. I can tell."
"…Didn't you notice I'm not a Devil?"
"?"
Ravel blinked, stunned by Cid's words. She carefully examined him, and after confirming there was no Devil aura coming from him, she exclaimed in shock,
"You're not a Devil?!
Then how did you get in?"
"I'm one of Rias's Peerage Members."
"???"
Seeing the confusion all over Ravel's face, Cid thought for a moment and then explained it to her.
During that explanation, through his Magical Power radar, he noticed Yuuto Kiba and Akeno Himejima's presence disappear, and immediately understood that they had been eliminated.
Ah… now only my sister and Rias are left on the field. Looks like Rias is close to losing. The match should be ending soon…
The match is almost over and Cao Cao still hasn't shown up. Don't tell me he actually chickened out.
Forget it. Better rely on myself. When it matters, I'll step in.
"Ravel, do you know where the nearest restroom is?"
After finishing his explanation, Cid suddenly asked this, making Ravel look at him with a strange expression.
She had just started to feel a bit of sympathy for him after learning about his special condition. Not being able to fight because of that was honestly quite unfortunate. And then he suddenly asks this.
Don't you realize this is a crucial moment in the battle between your master and my brother? How can you be thinking about going to the restroom right now?
"Turn right after you go out."
Her feelings were complicated, but she still pointed him in the right direction.
"Thanks."
After thanking her, Cid walked out the door, preparing to transform into Shadow.
Let's see where my sister is now… the distance between me and her is ten meters, nine meters, eight meters…!
"Boom!"
A figure crashed through the wall, shot past Cid, and slammed heavily onto the ground, kicking up clouds of white dust.
"Cid?"
Within the dust, Claire planted her sword into the ground and stood up, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth as she looked at him.
"Once I take you down, Rias will probably give up and admit defeat on her own.
You're seriously too strong. If I'd known, I wouldn't have said I'd make Rias surrender willingly. Now I have no choice but to beat you first."
Flaming wings spread from Riser's back as he flew out through the hole Claire had smashed open. Blood continued to drip from his arm. Looking in the direction Riser came from, Cid could see Rias lying on the ground. She was still conscious, but had already lost the ability to fight, while Riser's other Peerage Members gathered around her.
"How is there still one of Rias's Peerage Members left?"
Riser spotted Cid nearby and frowned, puzzled at how he had managed to survive until now.
"Well… I'm…"
"Forget it. Since we've found you, I'll just finish you off. You're weak anyway."
Cid tried to take out his "Do Not Disturb" sign, only to realize he had left it back in the previous room.
He wanted to explain that he was a patient, but Riser had no interest in listening. A blazing flame gathered in his hand and was thrown straight at Cid.
Watching the flame rush toward him, countless thoughts flashed through Cid's mind in an instant.
A major crisis for a background character!!!
The power of that flame wasn't strong, at least not to Cid. It wouldn't even be able to break through his defenses.
The real problem was how he was supposed to fake being seriously injured.
He couldn't use The World. If he did, it would only stop time within the arena itself. The audience outside wouldn't be affected, and there was a void between the two spaces that couldn't be crossed. That void was truly nothing, with nothing in it at all.
Super high-speed movement wouldn't work either. There were too many strong individuals in the audience. What if someone noticed?
Dodge it? No. The speed was too fast. How could someone with B-rank strength possibly evade it?
It seemed there was only one option left.
"Pfft!!!"
The flame thrown by Riser slammed into the ground. Under the impact, Cid spat out a large mouthful of blood. Parts of his body were scorched black, and white steam rose from him.
With his Magical Power surging rapidly, and by deliberately adjusting its color and angle, the light passing through his body created an effect similar to an LED glow.
"Didn't take him out?"
Seeing that Cid hadn't been judged as eliminated and teleported away by the arena's protection system, Riser frowned.
Still, he didn't think too much of it. He assumed the previous attack simply hadn't dealt enough damage to meet the arena's threshold for serious injury. Just like with Rias. Even though she had already been defeated, the match continued because her injuries hadn't reached a certain level and she stubbornly refused to surrender.
Another flame ignited in Riser's hand. This time, he got serious. Since Rias had placed her hopes on her Peerage Members, he would eliminate all of them first, and then completely finish her off.
"Whoosh!"
A black Magic Bullet shot out from the front, blasting apart the arm Riser had raised with the flame.
"Ah!"
Riser cried out in pain and quickly turned his head, trying to see where the attack had come from.
"You… you actually dared to hurt Cid!!!"