The next day…
Ren sat in the spacious living room of the mansion carefully prepared for him by Zekram, surrounded by luxurious touches that reflected the family's prestige. Bambietta stood behind him gracefully, serving tea while maintaining a strict air of respect throughout the visit.
Ren lifted his cup calmly, a gentle smile playing on his lips as he directed his gaze toward the guest seated across from him.
"So… what brings me the honor of this visit, cousin?"
He spoke in a measured tone, observing the movements of the man opposite him.
The person seated before him was a young man in his mid-twenties, with jet-black hair and gleaming violet eyes. His strong build betrayed years of training and discipline, and his facial features bore a clear resemblance to Rias, as if they had sprung from the same root.
He was slightly taller than Ren; while Ren stood around 185 cm, the man before him easily surpassed the 190 cm mark.
Sairaorg Bael stared at Ren without hiding a hint of surprise; it was rare for someone from the family not to show the usual disdain he had grown accustomed to since childhood.
Sairaorg took a deep breath, his eyes blazing with clear determination.
"In truth…"
He lifted his head steadily:
"I wish to duel you, with the position of Beal Clan heir as the stake."
There was a brief pause before he added in a firm tone:
"If I win… I want you to relinquish the heir's title to me."
His words were not so much shocking as they were reflective of his nature; he was a straightforward, honest man, neither skilled at evasion nor one to waste time dancing around words.
Ren smiled lightly, a smile more appreciative than mocking.
"I appreciate your honesty… unlike those crafty old fools in the family."
But the smile quickly faded.
His expression froze, and his voice dropped to a cold, sharp tone, clear as a blade.
"But don't get things twisted, Sairaorg."
He set the cup aside and continued with even deeper coldness:
"True, I don't care much for the Beal heirship… but it is mine. And what is mine, I do not give away without a price."
Leaning slightly forward, his gaze grew even steadier.
"So… tell me, Sairaorg Bael—"
"What can you offer in exchange for the title of Beal Clan heir?"
His words were strong, calm, yet carried the full weight of family… prestige… and authority.
"…"
Sairaorg fell silent for a moment. It wasn't that he hadn't expected Ren's question… but rather that he had been so confident the Beal heir would immediately accept the challenge. His knowledge of Devils had taught him that most of them possessed a blind pride that made them leap into duels without a second thought.
But Ren…
Was completely different.
A faint, slightly mocking smile appeared on Sairaorg's lips as he stared at his cousin.
"As expected… you truly are different from the others."
He then leaned slightly forward and said with unwavering confidence:
"How about this? I will put Regulus Nemea… one of the Thirteen Longinus… against the Beal Clan heirship. The winner takes both: the title and Regulus Nemea."
Ren's expression changed, a small smile revealing genuine interest this time.
"Thirteen Longinus… huh~"
He whispered lightly, almost playfully. The idea of acquiring Regulus Nemea was extremely appealing, especially since he could later grant it to one of his subordinates to boost their strength.
He leaned back in his chair and said comfortably:
"Very well… I accept."
He raised his tea cup again, as if agreeing to something trivial rather than a gamble that could shape the family's future.
"You set everything—the time, the place, the rules… and I will accept them as they are. Just let me know when it's time."
His voice was calm, but beneath that calmness… there was absolute confidence that could not be ignored.
Sairaorg smiled faintly as he stood, taking a deep breath before speaking:
"Do you mind holding a Rating Game?"
His words were calm, yet carried wisdom and caution. "It would serve as a suitable event before the Gathering of Young Devils."
Holding this event was a carefully considered decision. Not only would it give him additional fame before the gathering, but it would also limit any attempts at manipulation or cheating by members of the Beal Clan.
Most importantly… Sairaorg was fully confident in the abilities of his Peerage. They had trained, developed, and proven themselves capable of facing any challenge without fear.
Ren lifted his eyes and responded almost indifferently, as if it mattered little:
"Fine… as I said before, I will accept all your conditions as they are."
He waved his hand lightly, his voice free of tension or hesitation, as if agreeing to a routine matter rather than a gamble that could determine the family's future.
In truth, Ren had no interest in Sairaorg's concerns at all. He was far more curious to see what Sairaorg's Peerage could offer, and the desire to test their true capabilities outweighed any reservations.
At present, Ren's Peerage included several members, each with unique abilities that combined multiple supernatural traits:
Knight: Xenovia – a Visored, possessing both Hollow and Shinigami powers simultaneously, granting her a remarkable balance between offensive and defensive capabilities.
Pawn: Yuuma – a Fallen Angel-Quincy hybrid, combining celestial powers with deadly Quincy combat techniques.
Pawn: Mahiru – an Arrancar in her own right, wielding advanced Hollow abilities, making her a highly flexible fighter with tremendous destructive power.
Pawn: Bambietta – a Fullbringer-Quincy hybrid, blending magical Fullbring arts with Quincy powers, providing versatile and unpredictable offensive techniques.
Pawn: Candice – also a Fullbringer-Quincy hybrid, similar in nature to Bambietta offensively, but superior in precise energy control.
Pawn: Satsuki – a Devil-Visored hybrid, a rare combination of demonic power and Visored abilities, creating a body of devastating offensive strength with great defensive flexibility. Her power extended further, as she also possessed one of the Thirteen Longinus: Incinerate Anthem, giving her immense additional strength and making her a true threat in any battle.
Bishop: Yotsuya Miko – a Fullbringer-Quincy hybrid, but she didn't stop there; she also inherited Ren's demonic trait, making her power extraordinarily formidable. She wasn't just a strong fighter, but likely the strongest among all Peerage members, capable of facing any threat with absolute confidence and overwhelming destructive capability.
When using Evil Pieces to manifest others, Ren could identify only the main trait of each person. Other trait inheritance depended on the other party's talent and compatibility with his abilities, which allowed Satsuki to inherit his demonic trait while simultaneously granting her Visored powers.
In this way, each Peerage piece represented a precise mixture of innate abilities and Ren's talents, making the group strategically well-rounded and diverse.
For this reason, Ren was fully confident in winning the Rating Game, especially since he also planned to recruit additional talented individuals into his Peerage.
He had several promising candidates in mind, each suitable for joining his Peerage.
...
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Hello everyone, it's been a while, I hope you're all doing well. I've been away for a while due to some things I had to take care of, and I'm finally back. I hope you haven't forgotten me after this absence. I also have an announcement: I've started writing a new series, and I hope you'll take a look at it.