The next day, the atmosphere in the Occult Research Club was far heavier than usual.
Rias sat on the sofa, holding a cup of black tea in her hand, but she did not drink it.
Her gaze rested on the sky outside the window. Her expression was calm, but the fingers wrapped around the teacup had gone faintly white.
Akeno stood behind her, one hand resting on her shoulder, silently offering support.
Yuto Kiba leaned against the wall. His expression was composed, but vigilance flickered in his eyes.
Koneko Toujou sat in the corner. The milk carton in her hand was already empty, yet she did not reach for a second one as she normally would. She simply stared ahead in silence.
Asia sat uneasily in a chair, her hands clasped before her chest as she prayed softly. Although she was already a devil, old habits did not change so easily.
Genichi stood by the window with his back to everyone, looking out at the sky.
The weather today was excellent. The sun was bright, and there was not a cloud for miles.
But he knew a storm was coming.
"Don't be nervous."
Genichi's voice was calm.
"It's just Riser."
Rias looked at him. The corners of her mouth lifted faintly, but there was a trace of bitterness in her smile.
"You don't know Riser. That man relies on his phoenix bloodline and never puts anyone in his eyes."
Genichi said nothing.
Of course he knew Riser Phenex.
In the original story, the guy was a typical spoiled noble son. He used his family's power to act as he pleased, and his phoenix bloodline made him look down on everyone.
His strength was not weak, but the truly troublesome part was not his power. It was his nearly immortal ability.
As long as his spirit did not collapse, he could regenerate endlessly.
Broken bones could reconnect. Torn muscles could heal. Burned skin could grow back.
In battle, that ability was the ultimate cheat.
But Genichi was not worried.
He had Shadow King. He had the Seven Deadly Sins. He had the Magic Index.
And he had the Boosted Gear of the Red Dragon Emperor.
At that moment, the magic circle in the center of the clubroom suddenly lit up.
The light was not the red Rias usually used. It was the orange of fire, carrying a scorching heat.
The temperature in the air rose instantly, and a wave of heat rushed over them like noon in midsummer.
Then flames surged out of the magic circle.
The fire shot upward, reaching the ceiling and casting the entire clubroom in red.
Heat churned through the room. The documents on the table were blown everywhere, and the curtains snapped violently in the hot wind.
Rias's crimson hair was lifted by the air current. Akeno raised a hand to shield her face. Kiba's coat hem fluttered in the heat.
Genichi stood by the window, the firelight dancing across his face, his expression unchanged.
A smug voice rang out from within the flames.
"The fire and wind of the human world are as filthy as ever."
The flames scattered, revealing several figures.
The man standing at the front had blond hair styled in an exaggerated fashion. He wore a custom-tailored suit with the collar open, exposing the necklace on his chest.
His face carried an arrogance that seemed to come naturally to him, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised, as if he were mocking everything in the world.
His eyes were golden, with flames seemingly dancing in his pupils.
Riser Phenex.
Behind him stood several women.
They were all members of his peerage, each with her own distinct charm. Some were lively, some passionate, some coolly elegant, and some gentle.
They stood behind Riser, looking at everyone with the proud eyes of women who belonged to Lord Riser.
Among them, one woman at Riser's side was especially eye-catching.
She had long black hair, enchanting features, and a voluptuous figure. Her revealing outfit exposed large areas of skin.
The corners of her eyes tilted upward slightly, giving her a seductive allure.
She was Riser's most favored peerage member and his strongest Queen piece.
Riser's gaze swept across the clubroom as if he were surveying his own territory.
His eyes paused briefly on Akeno, then on Koneko, then on Asia, before finally landing on Rias.
"Rias."
His voice carried a matter-of-fact intimacy. "If not for you, I would never come to this filthy human world."
He walked over to Rias and sat down beside her with casual ease, as if he had returned to his own home.
The sofa sank slightly under his weight. He leaned toward Rias.
Then he reached out, intending to touch her cheek.
The motion was frivolous and casual, as though he were handling something that belonged to him.
Disgust flashed across Rias's face. She turned her head and avoided his hand.
The gesture was obvious and gave him no face at all.
Riser's hand froze in midair. His expression stiffened slightly, but he quickly returned to that arrogant look.
"Riser."
Rias's voice was cold. "I will not marry you."
She went straight to the point. No detours. No pleasantries.
Her clear, firm voice echoed through the silent clubroom.
Akeno's hand tightened gently on her shoulder, silently supporting her.
Riser looked at her, and a trace of displeasure flashed through his golden eyes.
But a smile still hung on his face. That smile carried a hint of amusement, a hint of disdain, and something Genichi could see very clearly—arrogance.
"Our engagement concerns the dignity of both House Phenex and House Gremory."
His voice was calm and unhurried, as though he were stating an undeniable fact.
"Rias, you had best think this through."
Genichi stood by the window and watched the scene, sneering inwardly.
Dignity?
In the end, it was all about profit.
The marriage between House Gremory and House Phenex was an alliance between two great families, a political bargaining chip approved by Lucifer himself.
Rias's feelings had never been part of the equation.
Riser's gaze left Rias and began sweeping over the others in the clubroom.
His eyes paused on Akeno for a moment, and the corners of his mouth lifted with amusement.
They paused on Kiba for a moment, and disdain flashed through his eyes.
They paused on Koneko, and he raised an eyebrow.
They paused on Asia, and his eyes lit up faintly.
Finally, his gaze landed on Genichi.
The boy standing by the window, silent from beginning to end.
Riser looked at him with scrutiny, contempt, and a condescending sense of superiority.
"So this is your new peerage member?"
He asked Rias, his voice tinged with disdain.
"The host of the Red Dragon Emperor?"
Rias did not answer. She merely looked at him coldly.
Riser smiled, and a trace of cruelty entered that smile.
Then he struck.
Without warning. Without any sign at all.
A pillar of flame rose from beneath Genichi's feet.
The fire swallowed his entire body in an instant.
Flames exploded outward, and heat roared through the room. The temperature inside the clubroom rose by more than a dozen degrees in an instant. The curtains caught fire, the documents on the table turned to ash, and even the air seemed to burn.
"Genichi!"
Panic appeared on Rias's face at once.
She shot to her feet, and the teacup in her hand fell to the floor, shattering into pieces.
Akeno's expression also changed. Her hand left Rias's shoulder, and lightning danced at her fingertips.
Kiba gripped the hilt of his sword, his body leaning forward slightly, ready to draw.
Koneko rose from the corner, killing intent flashing through her golden eyes.
Asia covered her mouth, tears gathering in her eyes.
Riser looked at the ball of flame, a smug smile curling across his lips.
"The host of the Red Dragon Emperor? Is that all?"
His voice was light and airy, carrying mockery that said, This is the peerage member you're so proud of?
Rias ignored him. She stared fixedly at the flames.
Her heart leaped into her throat. Her fingers clenched tight, her nails digging into her palm.
Then the flames dispersed.
Genichi stood in the same place, unharmed.
His clothes were not burned. His hair was not curled. Even his expression had not changed in the slightest.
He stood there calmly, looking at Riser with eyes that held no emotion.
No anger.
No fear.
No provocation.
Riser's expression froze.
His smile stiffened on his face, and disbelief flashed through his golden eyes.
His flames had actually been neutralized by this boy as if they were nothing.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]