Rias and Raiser were teleported to a separate dimension prepared as the battlefield.
To be honest, none of the nobles expected Rias to win.
She was only four years old, while Raiser was much older.
Her small frame didn't exactly inspire fear.
---
Rias's POV
> [New Mission Available!
Defeat Raiser Phoenix!
Reward: 1,500 Coins
+2× Luck
+¼ Magic Power]
"Hmph. A free skill, how convenient," she muttered with a smirk.
From the air, Grayfia's voice echoed across the battlefield.
"The duel between Rias Gremory and Raiser Phoenix is about to begin!"
"So Grayfia is the referee, huh? I expected that," Rias thought.
Raiser crossed his arms, his expression confident.
"I recommend you surrender. I don't want to hurt you."
"That's funny. I was just about to say the same thing to you," she replied, her eyes gleaming.
"So be it."
"Let the battle… begin!" declared Grayfia.
---
Third Person POV
BOOM!
The ground exploded beneath them.
Raiser barely had time to blink before Rias vanished from sight.
The next moment, his body was hurled into the air.
"Guh!" Raiser coughed blood.
"This isn't over yet, Raiser-kun!" came a voice from above.
Rias descended like a crimson meteor, her small fist striking down with terrifying force.
BOOM!
The ground shattered again.
When the dust settled, half of Raiser's body was gone.
Rias landed gracefully, crossing her arms.
"Come on, regenerate already."
"Cough— damn y—!"
BOOM!
"Don't talk back to me, chicken, or I'll blow your head off next time," she said sweetly.
Raiser's body fell to the ground—headless.
---
At the Party
The nobles stared in disbelief.
They had expected Raiser to win easily. Even those who suspected Rias had a plan imagined she'd be overwhelmed by the Phoenix flames.
But now… their jaws hung open.
The duel had barely begun, yet Rias had shown monstrous strength and mastery no four-year-old should possess. If it weren't for the Phoenix's regeneration, the fight would've ended instantly.
Sona looked stunned—when had her friend become this powerful?
Even the Maou present were shaken.
Serafall Leviathan's eyes widened. She'd heard Sirzechs praise his sister's talent before, thinking he exaggerated. Now she realized he hadn't. In fact, he might've understated it.
Rias's speed, her raw strength, her flawless magical control—it all defied reason. Her tiny four-year-old body had moved faster than the eye could follow, striking down Raiser without mercy.
From the corner of her eye, Serafall noticed Sirzechs himself looked shocked.
So he didn't know either.
Indeed, Sirzechs had always spoken proudly of his sister, but he had never seen her train physically. He could feel it—her power wasn't magically enhanced. It was pure physical strength.
Another bloodline?
Had she always been this strong?
He didn't know. But he would ask her after the battle.
Rias's parents were equally shaken, sharing the same thoughts.
---
Back on the Battlefield
"Can we end this now? I'm getting tired of hitting you," Rias said, stretching lazily.
"Never! I'd shame the entire Phoenix clan if I lost like this!"
"As you wish. But I'll make you surrender whether you like it or not."
"Raiser, have you ever heard of the theory of the magical circuit?"
"The… what?"
"Hm. Nods. It's the idea that all living beings have a system within their bodies that channels magic—like a nervous system, but magical. The more magic one possesses, the tougher their body becomes, because the energy constantly flows through it.
"So if we think about it, this 'circuit' carries mana throughout the entire body. But since the circuit is the body itself, transferring it to another person would be nearly impossible—unless you changed the brain that controls it."
She smiled innocently.
"That's why it's only a theory. No one has ever tested it. After all, anti-magic seals shut down the entire body's mana flow, but they don't target the circuit itself."
"What are you getting at?!" Raiser shouted.
"What I'm saying is… what would happen if someone were to cut a Phoenix's magical circuit? Would they stop regenerating without mana flow? No one's ever tried it… so I thought I'd test it."
"Wha—"
"There are three requirements for that," she interrupted calmly.
"One, a way to sever the magical circuit.
Two, a way to destroy the severed part.
Three, perfect control of magic to do both precisely.
And as it happens… I have all three."
She raised her hand.
"Sever."
Slash!
"Gaaah!" Raiser screamed, clutching his left arm as he fell.
"Well, that worked," she said sweetly. "I just used my bloodline power to cut your magical circuit, and my Power of Destruction to erase it from your elbow down. A perfect combination of my control and talent."
She spoke with the innocent tone of a child, as if she hadn't just made a groundbreaking discovery—and weaponized it.
"Let's see if you can still regenerate. A true Phoenix would heal naturally, just like blood flows through human veins, without the need for mana."
"Sever."
Slash.
Raiser's hand hit the ground.
"AAAHHH!!"
Flames burst from his arm in an attempt to heal it—but the fire flickered and died, like a candle snuffed out by the wind.
"Just as I thought," Rias said, smiling. "The Phoenix regeneration isn't as miraculous as that of a real phoenix."
She looked down at him coldly.
"So, Raiser, do you surrender?
Otherwise, next time I'll aim for your head."
"I surrender! I surrender!!"
"Good."
"The… the duel is over," Grayfia announced, her voice trembling.
---
At the Party (Again)
Silence.
No one could process what they'd just witnessed.
To cut someone's magic—without seals, without incantations—was unheard of.
And she had done it with a single blow.
Rias and Raiser were teleported back to the hall.
Healers rushed to treat Raiser, while Rias, uninterested, turned to leave—only to find her father blocking her path.
"Come with me," said Zeoticus, his tone cold and commanding.
It was the first time Rias had ever heard him speak like that.
They left the hall in silence, Rias walking casually with her hands behind her head.
When they reached her room, Zeoticus opened the door.
"You will not leave this room until told otherwise."
"Eh? What happened—"
"Don't argue. Stay inside."
He closed the door and walked away.
"Hmph," she muttered.
Days passed. Maids came and went, leaving her meals. Every time she tried to leave, Grayfia appeared and calmly forced her back inside.
After three days, the door finally opened.
"Rias, come," said Venelana.
"I'm coming."
She followed her mother silently to a room where Zeoticus, Sirzechs, and Grayfia waited.
Grayfia stood behind Sirzechs, pouring tea for everyone.
"So?" Rias asked. "What's going on?"
SLAP!
The sound echoed through the room.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"For what?!" Zeoticus roared. "You dare ask me that?!"
"You not only destroyed the alliance between two noble houses, but you also ruined your public image—and put yourself in danger!"
"Well, he deserved it! That Raiser wasn't worthy of me anyway! And what do you mean, danger?"
"It's not about worthiness, Rias!" Zeoticus snapped. "There were better ways to handle this than leaving him without a hand—and an arm that can no longer use magic!"
A limb without magic… an eternal weakness and humiliation for any demon noble.
"Do you understand? The entire Underworld—and even the human world—fears you now. A person capable of cutting magic is terrifying. There have already been assassination attempts to prevent you from growing stronger."
Rias froze. She hadn't expected so much to happen in just three days.
"And that's not the worst of it," Zeoticus continued grimly. "The Council elders are terrified of you. They've decided… to eliminate you."
Venelana placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"Rias, they have sentenced you to five years in the human world—without any protection."
Zeoticus nodded heavily.
"Without our shield, bounty hunters and those who fear you will come after you. They'll hunt you down."
"What?" Rias's voice trembled. "Why? It was a duel! There shouldn't be consequences!"
"I know," said Zeoticus quietly. "But those old men twisted the rules. They claimed that injuring a high noble so severely deserved punishment. And most of the council agreed."
"Impossible…" she whispered.
Knock, knock, knock.
Grayfia opened the door. A group of devils entered, holding an official document.
"We're here for Rias Gremory," one of them announced. "Accused of grievously injuring an important noble. She is to serve five years in the human world."
---
TO BE CONTINUED…
You can watch advance episodes here ---> [email protected]/Gatoferoz