Chapter 242 New Students +①
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
As an audience, there was nothing more entertaining than a close, evenly matched battle. If both fighters were hotheaded enough to throw themselves into the fight without overthinking every move, it became even more exciting. To borrow a MOBA comparison, a chaotic team fight would always draw more cheers than a slow match centered around objectives and resource control.
Aki and Riser Phoenix’s duel had been exactly that kind of spectacle, and the observing Peerages felt the trip had been more than worthwhile.
Then, in the span of a heartbeat, everything changed.
Aki himself appeared no different than before, yet Riser Phoenix—who had controlled the pace of the battle for most of the duel—was suddenly blasted backward. The lingering mana distortion around the arena delayed sound slightly, causing voices to arrive a moment late.
”Five minutes? That is unlikely,” someone muttered.
”Yeah. Riser’s spirit is heavily taxed, but five minutes is not enough to burn him out.”
Unable to keep silent any longer, Ravel turned toward Rias.
”My, Rias-sama. I acknowledge that your Peerage is impressive, but believing someone can break the Phoenix clan’s immortality in five minutes is pure fantasy.”
Rias responded with a gentle smile as she watched the man who would soon become her newest peerage member.
”Ravel, Aki-chan never lies.”
Whether he was playing the villain to win over a girl or fighting for his life, Aki rarely relied on deception. He understood the value of shortcuts, but his nature always pushed him toward results he could achieve head-on.
On the screen, Aki blurred into a phantom that only SS-Rank devils could follow, his shadow flickering across the arena as sparks and blood burst from Riser’s body with every strike. Bruised and battered, Riser deliberately took a direct hit to force some distance between them. He had already recognized the signs of a reckless secret art. Power like that always demanded a price, even if the cost had not appeared yet. The Phoenix clan possessed similar techniques, but the burden was so severe that he avoided using them whenever possible.
”Heh. Giving up already?” Aki sneered.
Rather than waste energy chasing after him, Aki simply stopped where he stood. Closing the distance would have been easy, but there was an even simpler solution.
”If you’re going to hide, I guess I’ll use my Sacred Gear~”
The moment those words left his mouth, Riser’s face lost all color.
The Boosted Gear required time to build momentum. If Riser wanted to drag the fight out, then they would simply see who remained standing when the clock finally ran out.
Riser could barely handle Aki in his current state. Adding the Boosted Gear on top of that was practically the same as admitting defeat. No matter how many times he replayed the battle in his head, he could not understand why they were so far apart. Being driven into a corner by a devil he considered beneath him turned the heat in his chest into something ugly, and the humiliation of suffering such a defeat in front of everyone finally snapped the last thread holding his reason together.
Stepping out from behind the rubble, Riser allowed his blazing Phoenix flames to collapse inward.
”So you really have a trump card. Fine. I said I would not use the Gear, so I will not.”
Aki raised an eyebrow as he sensed the mana gathering within Riser’s body. The growing mass felt like a miniature sun compressed into a fragile shell. Since Riser was no longer retreating, Aki immediately pressed the attack. Against an enemy with regeneration this absurd, victory usually came through relentless attrition or overwhelming force. Without the Boosted Gear, overwhelming force was not an option.
That left only one path.
Riser abandoned defense entirely and focused on burning his core to fuel the attack. Although the secret art allowed him to keep up with Aki’s speed, the difference in skill remained obvious, and every exchange ended with him taking another beating. None of that mattered. He only needed enough time to finish charging the blast. Enhanced resilience, fueled by the destruction of his own origin, kept his battered body standing.
More than half of the promised five minutes had already passed.
By this point, Aki had landed well over ten thousand blows. Even the Phoenix clan’s absurd immortality was beginning to show cracks.
More accurately, Riser’s mind was.
At last, the terrifying mass of flame stabilized. The compressed yellow fire deepened into a brilliant orange that radiated unbearable heat. Blood spilled from Riser’s mouth as he thrust the burning sphere forward.
”Die!”
Aki moved to evade it, but Riser had anticipated that response from the start.
This was not an attack meant for a single target.
It was meant for the entire arena.
Unless Aki surrendered and left the battlefield, there was nowhere to run.
The Roman-style colosseum shattered under the impact before being completely erased by flames that reached temperatures exceeding ten thousand degrees. A violent surge of mana swept across the area, destroying the broadcasting equipment, while a blinding white light swallowed the battlefield and concealed the destruction from view.
”Has Riser gone mad?” Rias asked, visibly shaken. “It is only a duel, and he is using that?”
”I think he has,” Ravel murmured, hiding part of her face behind her fan as she remembered what Riser had already done to his own peerage.
”Grayfia, prepare to intervene.”
The red-haired Demon King, Sirzechs, watched the inferno with a grim expression. Two life signatures still remained inside the blast, but both were fading rapidly. They were standing on the edge of death.
Just as he prepared to forcefully end the duel, a battered figure emerged from the center of the destruction.
Dragging behind him was another body that looked barely alive.
Every eye in the arena locked onto the pair.
An attack of that magnitude should have killed even a Demon King-class fighter. The sight of both combatants still breathing bordered on the unbelievable.
Aki glanced toward the edge of the arena before giving the limp Riser Phoenix a shake.
”Demon King-sama, I believe that counts as my win?”
Sirzechs nodded.
His voice thundered across the battlefield with unquestionable authority.
”The victor of this duel is Uesugi Aki.”
The moment the result became official, the last of Aki’s strength vanished.
He dropped.
”Aki-chan!”
Rias shot forward and caught him before he hit the ground. Nearby, Riser was rescued by his own attendants.
The sight of Aki’s mangled body made Rias immediately call for Asia.
”Aki-sensei, are you alright?” the blonde nun asked, her voice trembling.
”Do I look alright to you?”
Despite his injuries, Aki managed a strained laugh.
Who would have thought that bastard would actually resort to a suicide attack? Betting everything on his immortality and trying to drag them both down together was about as dirty as it got.
Seeing him joke at a time like this eased the tension gripping the girls’ hearts. Asia wiped away her tears before focusing on the healing. Warm life-giving mana flowed into his body, knitting flesh and bone back together, and Aki let out a satisfied groan.
Once he regained enough strength to move on his own, he signaled for her to stop.
He still had not forgotten about his prizes.
* * *
Human World, Kuoh Academy, High School Division, Class 2-A.
”Everyone, let me introduce the two transfer students joining us today.”
At the front of the classroom stood a mature blue-haired beauty wearing glasses and a fitted teacher’s uniform. Beside her waited the two newest members of Class 2-A.
”Go ahead and introduce yourselves.”
As a veteran of school transfers, the spiky-haired boy stepped forward without hesitation. Picking up a piece of chalk, he wrote his name on the board with practiced ease.
”Nice to meet you all. I’m Basara Toujou. Looking forward to getting to know you.”
Polite applause followed.
Nothing unusual.
Having never attended a Human World school, much less transferred into one, Ravel simply followed Basara’s example. After writing her name beside his, she turned toward the class with her chin slightly raised and her crimson eyes filled with noble pride.
”I am Ravel Phoenix. You are permitted to address me as Miss Ravel.”
Rather than irritating her classmates, the declaration only made the girls in the room more interested.
The applause she received was noticeably warmer.
Sure enough, appearance really did matter.
If a cute blonde girl acted arrogant, people called it charming.
If anyone else did it, they called it obnoxious.
Seated by the window in the second-to-last row, Aki stopped watching the introductions and glanced at his reflection in the glass.
Hmm.
Even with several bandages wrapped around his face, he still looked pretty good.
If anything, the injuries gave him a rough, rebellious edge.
Under Kalawarner’s guidance, the two transfer students officially joined Class 2-A and began their new life at Kuoh Academy.
—
Summary:
Aki successfully defeats Riser Phoenix in a brutal duel, narrowly surviving the latter’s desperate suicide attack. Following the conclusion of the battle, Rias and the others ensure Aki receives immediate medical treatment. Shortly thereafter, Aki and Ravel transfer to Class 2-A at Kuoh Academy, marking the start of a new chapter in their lives. The tension remains as the dynamics between the transfers and the school environment begin to settle.
—
Trivia:
Riser Phoenix burns his core/origin for extra power and resilience.
Aki possesses a hidden secret art that provides a temporary, explosive boost in power.
The arena combat equipment was destroyed by the intense mana explosion.
Ravel Phoenix insists on being addressed as “Miss Ravel” as a display of her status.
The students at Kuoh Academy react more positively to Ravel’s arrogance due to her appearance.
Aki uses bandages to cover his post-fight injuries while at school.
Notes:
• 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 and wields infinite wealth. Following a crushing Rating Game defeat that dissolved his peerage and influence, this fallen leader is driven by obsession, losing his fiancée Rias Gremory, and a deep hatred for Aki. His arrogance masks trauma and near-death terror from a past duel, yet he uses fire control and near-immortal regeneration to pursue Super-Devil status.
• Aki – A tall, handsome Kuoh Academy strategist and devil-lineage cultivator with jade-like skin and a wild, sturdy physique. Assertive and dominant, this Red Dragon Emperor successor utilizes specialized timeline knowledge, Mirror Reflection, and primal dual cultivation to restore life energy, strength, and damaged potential in others. A key pillar of the Occult Research Club, he pragmatically navigates soul contracts, supernatural investigations, and intimate relationships with Marion, the Naruse sisters, and Mio.
• Y – The first initial/part of the name Y Ddraig Goch.
• Ravel – The youngest Phoenix clan child, this 16-year-old golden-haired, twin-tailed Devil princess with flame wings and a lolita dress transitioned from her brother Riser’s peerage to Rias’s and later Aki’s. A sharp-tongued, pragmatic observer and strategist, she assists with schoolgirls’ recovery while closely analyzing Aki’s unique abilities. She remains intelligent, analytical, and highly reverent.
• Rias – An elegant, voluptuous SS+ rank Gremory devil heiress, Occult Research Club President, and future clan head. Sirzechs’ sister and close friend to Sona Sitri, this refined, tea-loving noblewoman enjoys reading under the moonlight and commands a peerage from a villa. Wielding destruction mana, she navigates a forced marriage to Riser, a soul-bound bond with Aki, and provides restoration mentorship.
• Grayfia – The strongest Queen and a high-ranking Underworld Devil, this silver-haired maid serves the Gremory house as a medical examiner and Rias’s sister-in-law. Conveying the Demon King’s wishes as his secretary, she acts as a mature, calm, and seductive voice of authority. She balances administrative duties as a detached, neutral arbiter, announcer, and referee overseeing Rating Games.
• 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.
• Iru – A green-haired, sky-blue-eyed twin loli with a petite, adorable appearance, identical to her sister Nel in looks and mana. Formerly in Riser’s peerage, she is currently C-rank. Highly proactive and devoted to Aki, she possesses a petal-soft secret garden that provides intense pleasure during cultivation, while watching the cultivation process with a mix of curiosity and envy.
• Jin – A handsome, middle-aged man with half-rimmed glasses and a penchant for smoking, he is Basara’s father and a powerhouse of the hero clan. While navigating a complex web of Underworld allegiances, he acts as a guardian to his son and a potential protector for Mio. He is currently preparing to travel abroad for work.
• Nel – A green-haired devil loli with azure eyes, identical to her twin Iru in appearance, C-rank mana, and a mind-link. A member of Riser’s peerage, she was the first to undergo treatment and shows high receptivity to the process. Previously healed by Aki, she now harbors a deep longing toward him and seeks to restore her strength and potential alongside her sister through Dual Cultivation.
• Uesugi Aki – Family name of Aki.
• Uesugi – Aki is a slender, silver‑haired Martial God realm cultivator with calm, resolute eyes and perfect physical mastery, allowing absolute control over his massive physical proportions. He commands the mystical Azure Flame. Bearing the Uesugi name, this powerful, pragmatic, and occasionally ruthless A‑rank Stray Devil is linked to the Kurogane line and the Takamine family’s household dynamics, as noted by Kalawarner.
• Asia – A gentle, blonde first-year nun reincarnated as a kind-hearted Devil and Gremory peerage Bishop in the Occult Research Room. This diligent, clear-headed newcomer serves as a crucial supportive healer for conflict survivors. Possessing a compassionate heart, she deeply cares for others, anticipates her growth, and holds a naive affection for Aki, whom she once invited to lunch.
• Basara – A handsome, spiky-haired young man with a distinct scar, Jin Toujou’s son and Chisato’s nephew is an earnest magic novice with the unique Banishing Shift ability. Recently uprooted from a Hero Village, he is a Kuoh Academy student who handles school transfers with ease, currently serving as a source of information regarding rumors of vampires circulating among the student body.
• Toujou – The Toujou family name, carried by Koneko.
• Kalawarner – A tall, voluptuous, fair-skinned fallen angel turned Devil, this emerald-eyed, blue-haired S-Rank fighter wears glasses and professional outfits. Serving as a strict yet playful Kuoh Academy English teacher and household consultant, she acts as a loyal, sisterly figure to Aki. Deeply intelligent but insecure about his bond with Rias, she competes with Mittelt for his attention in the peerage.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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