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"Mika, don't!" Rias's voice, filled with panic, echoed through the room.
Startled by his earlier words, her earlier anger forgotten, she moved with a speed imperceptible to humans, appearing before him and pushing him back onto the sofa.
Her dramatic reaction amused the others.
"What's the rush, Rias? He's obviously joking. While we all know Mika is strong—and he did defeat Kokabiel, a Fallen Angel Cadre, that doesn't mean he can defeat Azazel, the Governor General of the Fallen Angels, their strongest warrior. That's a completely different level,"
Akeno chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand.
As someone with Fallen Angel heritage, though she despised both her bloodline and her father, she was still familiar with the power dynamics within the Fallen Angel faction.
Kokabiel wasn't among their strongest—he wasn't even in the top five. And the gap between him and Azazel was immense.
Surely Rias, as a Devil, knew this as well? Then why such a strong reaction? She studied her friend, a thoughtful expression on her face, despite her amusement.
Could it be because of Mika?
However, her musings didn't stop her from teasing Rias.
"Ah..." Rias, realizing her actions, blushed, feeling the weight of their amused gazes. She glared at Mika, the instigator of her embarrassment.
He, in turn, feigned innocence, his puzzled expression only fueling her anger.
"Just you wait, Mika. We'll discuss this later," Rias said, her voice low and menacing, conveying her displeasure through a pointed glare before returning to her seat, composing herself, taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves.
She hadn't expected him to make such a flippant remark, especially about such a serious matter. Moreover, a part of her had actually believed he could defeat Azazel.
After his return, having sensed his increased power, she had questioned him about his experiences in the Saint Seiya world, learning about his training and his ascension to the Eighth Sense. She had then asked about his current strength.
"Among the top ten in the world—" Mika had replied casually.
This had stunned her. After all, the top ten in this world were legendary figures.
The current ranking, excluding Great Red (who resided in the Dimensional Gap and wasn't considered part of the active power structure) placed Ophis, the Infinite Dragon God, at the top.
However, she was in a league of her own, a being of a higher dimension.
As for the remaining nine—Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva from the Hindu pantheon; Indra from the Buddhist/Hindu cosmology; Thor and Fenrir from Norse mythology; Lugh from Celtic mythology; Typhon from Greek mythology; and Hades — their rankings weren't fixed.
They were considered equals, the strongest beings below Ophis, all having reached the peak of the God-class, the pinnacle of power below the Dragon Gods.
Mika considered them God-King level.
After all, the chief Gods in most pantheons were often the strongest warriors, though still within the same tier as the other Gods—and in the future, other hidden powerhouses would also be considered among the "Top ten," making it more of a title than a strict ranking.
Mika, at the peak of the Eighth Sense, had also reached this level. Only by achieving the Ninth Sense could he rival the Dragon Gods.
However, even so, being among the world's top ten was a significant achievement, a level of power far surpassing Azazel's, a realm only the God of the Bible, in her prime, had occupied.
While Mika believed the God of the Bible was likely among the top three, alongside the Trihexa (both possessing Dragon God-level power), Rias wasn't aware of this.
She simply knew that Mika was incredibly strong, powerful enough to potentially defeat Azazel. Therefore, when he had suggested eliminating him, she had believed him, hence her panicked reaction.
With the Three Factions meeting fast approaching, she couldn't afford any more incidents.
Having calmed herself, she returned to her usual composed demeanor. The others, seeing her reaction, also settled down. After all, this was a serious discussion.
"So, Azazel's target is Issei, then?"
"Me? Why me?" Issei asked, puzzled.
"Azazel has a fondness for Sacred Gears. He collects them, studies them, hoping to uncover their secrets. He has an entire unit of powerful Sacred Gear wielders under his command—Vali, the White Dragon Emperor, for instance," Rias explained.
As a member of her peerage, Issei's safety was her concern, especially given his status as a Longinus wielder, which made him even more valuable.
While all Devils treated their peerage as family, there were still degrees of closeness.
To Rias, Mika was undoubtedly the most important, followed by Akeno, then Issei. Being third, in her peerage, was a testament to his potential.
"..."
Issei hugging himself and shuddered at the thought. He preferred beautiful, busty women. If they were the ones targeting him, he might even surrender.
Issei grinned at the thought, a rather...lecherous expression on his face.
The others, seeing his reaction, exchanged amused glances. They were used to his eccentricities.
"That pervert—his obsession with women is truly remarkable," Mika said, shaking his head, the others nodding in agreement.
Just then, Kiba approached Issei and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Issei, I'll protect you," he said with a smile.
However, his earnest expression and reassuring words had an unexpected effect on Issei. "Wait...while I appreciate your concern, Kiba—a guy saying that to me with such a serious expression...it's...unsettling."
Issei took a step back...
He knew that among the girls at school, his relationship with Kiba was a frequent topic of discussion, often misinterpreted.
Since he and Kiba were the only male members of Rias's peerage besides Mika.
(Mika often used his power to become practically invisible)—and Kiba was often tasked with relaying messages from Rias (though Mika occasionally did so as well)—they often found themselves alone together, a situation that hadn't gone unnoticed by the girls at school.
Rumors of a... special relationship between him and Kiba had already spread.
And Issei, who aspired to be a Harem King, not a well, not that kind of king—was mortified.
Kiba's words, combined with his knowledge of these rumors, only fueled his discomfort.
"Of course, I'm serious, Issei. You're my friend, my comrade. If I didn't help you when you're in danger, how could I call myself a Knight of the Gremory peerage?"
Kiba, after all, was a Knight...
"Oooooh!" The others, including Rias, leaned in, eager to hear more, their inner gossips ignited.
Mika even started clapping, as if cheering them on.
They were all aware of the rumors surrounding Issei and Kiba.
After all, gossip spread quickly, especially among close-knit groups of girls. And Mika, after suppressing his presence, had often listened in on their conversations, later relaying the details to Issei, much to his embarrassment.
While Issei would usually cover his ears and protest loudly, Mika always managed to transmit the information directly into his mind.
Hearing Mika's clapping, Issei remembered his earlier training sessions with Mika, his mind filled with images of... well, let's just say it wasn't pleasant. He took another step back, his gaze fixed on Kiba, a complex mix of emotions swirling within him.
Issei appreciated Kiba's concern, his loyalty, but his tone...it didn't sound like something one would say to a friend or a comrade, but rather, to a... love interest. Such words, spoken to the girls at school, would have them swooning.
"...."
However, Kiba, unaware of Issei's internal struggle, continued, his voice filled with genuine sincerity.
"There's no need to worry, Issei. My Sacred Gear has achieved Balance Breaker. And with your Boosted Gear, I believe we can overcome any challenge—"
"...."
"Stay away from me!" Issei backed away, desperate to escape Kiba's...affection.
Mika, Rias, Akeno, and Koneko burst into laughter, while Asia, her face pale, rushed towards Issei. "Issei-san, you can't be with Kiba-senpai!"
"I'm not with him, Asia!" Issei shouted, mortified.
"Issei—" Kiba's face fell.
Issei quickly distanced himself from him, eager to end this misunderstanding.
Seeing their antics, Mika and the others smiled, the earlier tension having completely dissipated.
"While we can't actively target Azazel, we still need to be cautious. I won't allow him to—poach any members of my peerage," Rias said, her voice firm, attempting to steer the conversation back to the matter at hand.
Just then, a voice called out.
"Azazel has always been like this, Rias." Rias turned and saw her brother standing in the doorway.
"B-Brother?!"
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