Chapter 240 Providing a Little Perk for the Brother-in-Law
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Yubelluna and Xue had already reached their limits. The moment Ravel stepped in to help, the tension keeping them upright vanished, and both girls collapsed into unconsciousness.
Many within the Phoenix clan complained that Ravel was wasting valuable resources, but no one was willing to argue with the clan’s beloved little princess. Treating Yubelluna and the others cost relatively little, and keeping Ravel happy was worth far more than the expense.
Meanwhile, supported by his formidable regeneration and the vast resources of the Phoenix clan, Riser Phoenix quickly brought the unstable power within him under control. His future growth had effectively come to an end, but the gains were undeniable. In a single leap, he had crossed two major thresholds, rising from S+ to the very edge of the Super-Devil class, commonly classified as SSS-.
The increase in strength filled Riser with confidence, yet he remained wary. The memory of Aki crushing a Demon King-class opponent like Azazel with his Balance Breaker still lingered in his mind.
Unfortunately, the Phoenix clan’s immortality was not without limits. The secret art had extracted a terrible price, and repeating it recklessly was impossible. If circumstances allowed, Riser would have recruited another group of peerage members and continued the process. For him, that was the only remaining path toward the realm just beneath godhood.
The problem was finding people willing to participate.
Buying cooperation required enormous favors and resources, while forcing the issue would unite the other great devil families against the Phoenix clan. Even one of the Four Great Devil Houses could not withstand that kind of pressure. Had that restraint not existed, the Phoenix clan might have already dominated much of the Underworld’s power structure.
As for beings who had truly stepped into the realm of gods, they rarely involved themselves in the affairs of the Three Realms. Their attention was focused on the endless void beyond. Within the Three Realms themselves, the Super-Devil class stood at the peak.
…
Aki knew this challenge hid more than a few traps, and he had no intention of walking into them unprepared.
For some time, he had been searching for a way to break through his current limits. The next major transformation awaited at the god-level, but crossing the gap between SS+ and SSS- was anything but simple. He either needed Dual Cultivation1 with an SSS-rank partner or a life-and-death battle powerful enough to force a breakthrough.
Neither option was easy.
Partners of that caliber were rare, and even when he found one, they were hardly lining up to volunteer. Finding an opponent capable of pushing him to the brink was even more difficult.
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
The members of the Occult Research Club arrived in the Underworld through a transfer circle. Driven by curiosity, Naruse Mio had insisted on coming along, while Maria naturally followed close behind. As a result, Basara Toujou’s first day after transferring schools saw more than a few empty seats. The classroom was practically deserted.
Across the Underworld, countless elegantly dressed devils looked toward the sky.
A massive broadcast screen stretched across nearly the entire horizon. After concluding his opening remarks, Sirzechs allowed the image to shift to an enormous marble arena reminiscent of the Roman Colosseum. Two figures stood at its center, facing one another in silence.
As the camera zoomed in, excitement swept through the crowd.
Riser Phoenix.
Aki.
”Dragon versus Phoenix. A clash between two legendary powers is about to begin,” Sirzechs announced, his voice echoing across the arena.
After introducing the match, he turned his gaze toward the battlefield below. Through magic, his words reached Aki alone.
”This duel was requested by Riser Phoenix, and he has already prepared a reward for the victor. As the one presiding over the event, however, I have no intention of being outdone.”
His refined voice carried a faint smile.
”Tell me, successor of the Red Dragon Emperor. What do you desire? A peerage rank? A Sacred Gear? Or perhaps… a woman of peerless beauty?”
Aki looked up at the enormous screen.
The offer was unexpected.
For a brief moment, he considered making a far less respectable request involving a certain silver-haired beauty. Unfortunately, the entire Underworld was watching. The reputation of the Red Dragon Emperor’s successor demanded at least a little dignity.
”I’ll take the rank, Demon King-sama,” Aki replied evenly. “Climbing through Rating Games one step at a time sounds far too troublesome.”
”Granted.”
Sirzechs’s answer came without hesitation.
Aki possessed the strength already. What he lacked was official recognition.
Several conservative elders immediately looked ready to object, but the sight of Rias standing beside Sirzechs caused them to reconsider. They were stubborn, not foolish. The relationship between Rias and Aki was hardly a secret anymore, and everyone understood why Sirzechs was being so generous.
Even so, recent events had proven Aki’s value beyond dispute. Reluctant though they might be, most of the old guard had already accepted that bringing him fully into the devil faction would benefit its future.
”Battle, commence!”
The moment Sirzechs gave the order, the broadcast image faded from view.
Aki and Riser moved at the same time.
After spending two days searching for weaknesses, Riser had found almost nothing beyond Aki’s battle against Azazel.
”SSS-Rank? That’s a pleasant surprise,” Aki remarked.
”Heh. I’ll even give you time to activate your Sacred Gear. Otherwise, you won’t last five seconds.”
Aki had never cared much for pointless banter.
He ignored the provocation entirely.
”I won’t need my Sacred Gear against you,” he replied calmly. “But here’s a piece of friendly advice. If you treat me like an ordinary Ultimate-Class devil, you’ll regret it.”
A faint chuckle escaped him as he released his devil form.
Massive bat-like wings spread behind his back. A sharp tail swayed through the air, and dark patterns crawling across his skin lit up with an ominous glow. The sight alone sent a ripple through the countless spectators watching from across the Underworld.
—
Summary:
Sirzechs manipulates a high-profile duel between Riser Phoenix and Aki to grant the protagonist a needed rank upgrade under the guise of an arena challenge. Aki accepts the rank while intentionally choosing to forgo a private reward, aware of the political eyes upon them. The battle commences in a massive Underworld arena, with Aki transforming into his Devil form as he faces the reinforced strength of the Phoenix clan successor. The outcome remains uncertain as Aki prepares to push beyond his current limits through combat.
—
Trivia:
Riser Phoenix achieved SSS- rank through specialized, costly rites.
The Four Great Devil families restrain their infighting to prevent collective retaliation.
Dual Cultivation with a partner of sufficient strength is required for Aki to breach the SSS- threshold.
Dual Cultivation consumes the life essence required for procreation, preventing both simultaneously.
Sirzechs acts as a gatekeeper to his sister Rias’s romantic interests for political reasons.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Yubelluna – Known as the Bomb Queen, this loyal A+ rank magic user is a highly skilled, experienced Queen who possesses powerful bomb and barrier magic. A girl with a sultry, curvaceous build and long purplish-red hair, she maintained a romantic relationship with Riser Phoenix and once desired to be the first to participate in cultivation, but finally regained her freedom after Riser was incapacitated.
• Ravel – The youngest child of the noble Phoenix clan, this sixteen-year-old blonde twin-tailed Devil princess sports flame wings and a lolita dress. Initially haughty and a loyal yet critical Bishop to her brother Riser, her sharp, analytical mind later leads her to join Rias’s peerage. Reverent yet nervous, she serves as a tactical asset, messenger, and patient escort with a solemn, sharp-tongued demeanor.
• Xue – A powerful, athletic girl and martial arts genius who wears a traditional Chinese qipao with a bun hairstyle. As a loyal, A+ rank Rook in the Riser Phoenix peerage, she possesses incredible physical strength and resilience, constantly pushing herself to her absolute limit until she collapses from exhaustion after combat.
• Y – The first initial/part of the name Y Ddraig Goch.
• Phoenix – The Phenex noble clan, from which Riser and Ravel originate, is known for their unique bloodline abilities and the healing properties of their tears.
• Riser – A tall, yellow-haired, punkish High-Class Devil of the Phoenix clan who wears a crimson suit, wields infinite wealth, and has a queen named Yubelluna. Driven by obsession and an intense drive for dominance, his arrogance masks permanent mental trauma, physical deterioration, and a near-death terror from a past duel. He uses fire control and near-immortal regeneration to pursue Super-Devil status, fueled by losing his fiancée, Rias Gremory, and a deep hatred for Aki.
• Azazel – A decadent, arrogant fallen angel and former Governor General, this middle-aged man in a neon hot-spring yukata pairs a rogue personality with immense, Demon King-class power. Defeated by and confirmed weaker in combat than Aki via Balance Breaker, he still acts as a formidable antagonist who researches Sacred Gears, provides the Occult Research Club with data, and shapes their view of Aki.
• Aki – A tall, handsome Kuoh Academy strategist and Red Dragon Emperor successor with smooth, jade-like skin and a wild, sturdy physique. This mixed-blood Devil/Fallen Angel/Nekoshou is a dominant, authoritative powerhouse who uses dual cultivation, lightning magic, and high martial strength to heal others. Rias’s key pillar, he protects the Naruse sisters and Mio amid complex supernatural conflicts.
• Naruse Mio – A supporter and cheerleader for the Gremory peerage.
• Basara – A handsome, spiky-haired young man with a rugged edge and a distinct scar, Jin Toujou’s son and Chisato’s nephew is an earnest youth who shoulders a heavy lineage. Recently uprooted from a Hero Village into the Toujou family, this magic novice possesses the unique Banishing Shift ability. A veteran at transferring schools, he acts with ease in academic settings, though his upcoming transfer already leaves a notable, anticipated absence.
• Naruse – The family name carried by Mio, her sister Maria, and their parents. This significant lineage is deeply tied to the history involving Wilbert and is central to the current pursuit.
• Toujou – The Toujou family name, carried by Koneko.
• Maria – Shela’s daughter and a rare Demon King/Succubus Queen descendant, this transfer student is Mio’s younger half-sister and a Kuoh Academy member of Rias Gremory’s peerage. Usually a petite, white-haired girl sealing her mature form, she follows Mio into the Underworld. Playful, forward, and occasionally manipulative, she is a tactical aide to Aki and a protective, supportive presence for Mio.
• Mio – A delicate, prideful, and busty red-haired Demon King’s daughter with peach eyes and twin tails, she is a pure-blooded Devil from the Naruse family. Possessing latent fire magic, this tsundere transferred to Kuoh Academy to avoid pursuers. Inquisitive about the Underworld and the Occult Research Club, she resists control over her fate, struggling with her lineage and complex relationship with Aki.
• Sirzechs – Sirzechs Gremory, the powerful, red-haired Demon King and Lucifer-class Devil, holds immense political and combat authority. Older brother to Rias, he serves as a stern, focused arena observer for the Rating Game. He commands a regal appearance while navigating complex relationships with allies and rivals, manipulating events for his family’s benefit while maintaining an ambiguous political stance.
• Rias – An elegant, voluptuous SS+ rank Gremory devil heiress and Buchou with long crimson hair and green eyes. As future clan head and Sirzechs’ sister, this tea-loving, book-reading noblewoman commands a peerage from a villa. Wielding destruction mana, she navigates a forced marriage to Riser and a soul-bound bond with Aki, acting as a firm, confident leader and organizational contact for patients.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply