Trials of the God-Harem King [Highschool DxD/Exalted] (CLOSED)

There's no reason to think about it. You know the smell of bullshit when you hear it and Raiser is serving up a metric ton of it. Your anger explodes once more.

"That's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard you grilled chicken shithead! Not five minutes ago you were telling me how much you wanted Rias, describing her as she was just a fucking brood mare! Don't talk to me about the glory of your houses when you just got done complaining that your fiancée is being too successful for you!"

You seethe in fury, but remembering Rias brings an errant thought to mind; this must be "that matter" that she wanted to handle by herself. You'll have to apologize later, you seem to be stealing one of her kills.

"Actually I take it back, you're not even fit to be called grilled chicken! You pretend to be upset about the loss of your bloodlines but then you turn around and tear down the ones who show the greatest promise, whether it's locking Rias away in a gilded cage or threatening to slaughter her peerage! Don't think I'll ever forgive you for treating their lives like something you can throw away when you don't want it anymore! That kind of two-faced cowardice is the behavior of a worm!"

Your eyes narrow.

"And for that matter, why is it important that Devils with "pure-blood" don't go extinct? Last I checked, any difference's in strength were minor, and disappeared after a few generations. No, wait, isn't it the other way? Afterall, those who have breed with humans have the ability to be born with Sacred Gears, and a far higher reproductive rate? What was it? 300 years per child for pure Devils, 30 years for half humans, 3 years for reincarnated humans-"

Suddenly, it all clicks. Why Raiser is like this, why this "important", and the way Devil society is.

You couldn't help it. You start laughing. "WAHAHAHAHA!"

Raiser look at you in disbelief, before his face transforms into a mask of rage.

"YOU DARE LAUGH AT THIS!?!" he screams, throwing a ball of fire at you.

Still chuckling you dodge the flame easily, before looking back at him, a smile etched on you face that would give the dead heart attacks.

"You're afraid."

"Wha-" Raiser begins, before you cut him off.

"That's why you place so much emphasis on blood purity. That's why you look down on others. You're afraid of change, and more importantly.." Your grin grows wider with this.

"Your afraid of losing your power."

Once more opening his mouth to speak, you once more interrupt.

"Oh, not you. Not specifically.

I'm talking about the nobility. The one's who will lose with the current paradigm.

Devil society under the original Maou's emphasized strength, blood purity and social rank, didn't it?

And under that paradigm, you thrived. Despite the loses you suffered in the war, your power in society was secure. Never needing to train, never needing to worry about those beneath you, assured of your own superiority.

Yet now, things are different. Devils outside of you, born from other races, or from mixed blood, now threaten your hegemony. Society is changing, yet you cling to the past, afraid of letting go and becoming unimportant, rather then embracing the changes and working to show that you are indeed worthy of such status.

In the 18th century, Europe underwent the same thing, you know? The transition from feudalism to democracy was a long and bumpy path, with the old families unwilling to let go of their power. And that's same process is now occurring amongst the Devils. And that frightens you more then anything."

"Because your ego's can't accept being anything less then all-important."

Raiser's mouth moves, but no sound comes out of it.

"The truth, presented as to be undeniable, hurts, isn't it? I know, I felt the same when my misconceptions were shattered by the cruelty of this world. Yet I survived. I was reforged. And with that, I became stronger. It's a curse, but also a blessing.

Take this message back to your allies Raiser Phenex, to all the pure-blood that will deign to listen to your words: those who trample on the rights and happiness of others will find themselves judged by the Unconquered Sun, and no amount of blood purity will save those found guilty. That's a promise."

You fold your wings against your back and your arms against your chest.

"Now get out of my sight. I've wasted enough time and energy dealing with you."

"...Worm?" Raiser whispers, his teeth gritting against each other.

"...Worm!?" He barks.

A few teeth shatter.

"NOT FROM YOU! NEVER FROM YOU!!" He bellows, arms raised to the sky as an incredible amount of demoniac energy flows out of him. "DON'T YOU DARE CALLING ME A WORM!!!!"

Fire and Wind gather above him, forming a gigantic sphere.

Then the sphere starts shrinking.

----

"That's-!" Ravel shouts horrified, her hands over her mouth. "Ruval-niisama's-!"

"Execution Rebirth..." Yubelluna whispers in terrified awe.

"Execution Rebirth?" Rias repeats, not linking the sound of it at all. "What is that? Ravel! Answer me!"

"It's..." She begins slowly. "Ruval-niisama's ultimate spell. It can kill an Ultimate-Class Devil, but it was banned from the Rating Games because it killed the target too fast for the removal spell to act!"

For a second, Rias' heart stops.

"Ruval-sama showed it to Raiser-sama only once...I didn't know he managed to learn it." She gasps. "If it's like Ruval-sama, the detonation will incinerate the entire area!"

Beowulf's eyes narrow.

Maybe he will be forced to interfere for real...

----

[This...For a grilled chicken on his last leg this is impressive. Partner, don't let that hit you: only ashes will remain at the end!]

'So, this is his last attempt?'

{Yes. Prepare to dodge after he fires, and be ready to use Adama-}

'Sorry.' Your maw open, golden light gathering into a single point. 'Can't do that.'

Raiser finishes compressing the sphere between his hands. His arms are trembling from the effort, but his gaze never wavered the entire time.

That's the look of someone who is betting everything on a last hope.

It would be disrespectful to those feelings to run away. So, in deference to them, and not him...

You will meet his determination head-on.

[Partner?!"]

{Worm! I order you to-}

You drown their voices down, your entire being focused into pumping as much Essence as you can into your first, and favored technique.

"VANIIIISSSSHHHH!!" Raiser fires his attack, the sphere of searing white plasma shooting through the air towards you.

You open your maw.

"HOLY DRAGON SHOT!!!"

A beam of pure, blinding golden light flies towards the enemy's attack, the air screaming at its passage.

The two meet.

FHWAAAAAASSSSHHH!!

Like in an anime the two attacks clash mid-way, the backslash reducing everything around them into cinder.

For a few seconds they stand still. Then, slowly but inexorably Raiser's attack starts to overpower yours.

'More.' You think as you pump more Essence into the Dragon Wave.

[Stop it Partner! You're going to hurt yourself!]

'More!'

{Great Maker protects us all! Why are you muscle-headed idiots all the same?! Dodge you idiot!!}

Continuing like this...you will lose.

...Lose? You?

Never!

'I NEED MORE POWER!!!'

Boosted Gear starts glowing gold, red and green.

[Evolution! Boost!]

Golden lens appear below both of your wrists.

Dragon Wave doubles in size and swallows the sphere of plasma.

KABOOOOOOM!!!!

----

As the screen of fire and smoke finally lower you stare at the exhausted figure of Raiser Phenex.

He stares back at you and at your body covered in burns.

"I..." He croaks out.

"Lost." Your fist comes up and hits his chin at a distance of nine meters. "That was a great move. Come back when you're stronger and I will give you a rematch."

He falls on the ground. He doesn't stand up after that.

[What you did was very stupid partner.] Ddraig admonishes you.

'...Would you have done otherwise?' You reply, feeling fatigue finally starting to get the best of you.

[...Probably not.] He ruefully chuckles. [You should have been born a dragon partner.]

'Maybe in another life. Bright?'

[Making sure her sword's edge is keen enough. I don't think you will get away with this lightly.]

You gulp. Damn, maybe having someone to beat the stupidity out of your skull isn't so great as you thought.

You slowly walk towards the prone form of Raiser, determined to at least bring him back to the club's room.

Then someone gets in your way. A young girl with dark blue eyes and long blonde hair tied in twin ponytails with large, drill-like curls, blue ribbons keeping them in place. On a second glance she looks a lot like Raiser.

The girl puts herself between you and Raiser and spreads her arms. She's visibly trembling, but the eyes that stare back at you show only pure determination.

"..Who are you?"

"I'm Ravel Phenex, of the noble house of Phenex!" She says as if giving herself courage. "I will not let you hurt my brother anymore!"

Ah, she's Raiser's sister. What she is doing here you don't know, but it doesn't matter.

"You're Raiser's sister." You tilt your head before nodding. "Good. Siblings should watch out for each other. Maybe there is hope yet."

"Eh?" She blinks in confusion.

"Take your brother and go home Ravel Phenex." God, you feel so tired. "He should have learn his lesson, but be sure to bring him back to the right path if he strays. Tell him this: his pride is lost, but not forever. It's now up to him to forge it anew, and make it last."

Dragon Energy recedes into Boosted Gear. Your form shrinks, until you're back to being human.

Uhm, it may be the fatigue talking but you feel breezy.

And why is Ravel Phenex blushing like a ripe tomato as she stares at you?

You look down.

'...Note to self: becoming a three meters tall dragon causes my clothes to shred. That, or it was the fire.'

You turn to your right, and see the Occult Research Club, Beowulf, a woman you don't know and part of the Student Council staring at the scene from a distance.

Your lips turn into a half-grin. "Well, this is embarrassing."

And then darkness claims you.

----

Phoenix From The Underworld Arc: Complete.

+4 Xp for defeating Raiser Phenex
+3 Xp for [SECRET!]
+5 Xp for completing the quest

----

----
When you wake up, you are surprised to feel both freezing cold and searing heat.

Cold from the ice below you.

Heat from the sun in the pristine azure sky. Somehow, the aster looks more real than what you remember.

Curious, that.

The colossal mass of Ddraig lands a few meters from you. "Awake at least? You took your sweet time.

"Morning Ddraig." You sit up and look around, realizing you are in the middle of a seemly endless glacier. "This is inside my mind, right? Where I am?"

"Do you like it?" Bright steps forward next to you, as if she appeared from thin air. "This is where I used to meditate to deepen my understanding of the world and its secrets."

"All alone?"

"For months, even years."

Badass. "I...am going to feel a lot of pain now?" Your voice doesn't tremble, no sir.

"I really need to discipline you." Bright's eyes narrow. "But we can make your deserved punishment useful at least." Cruel Wisdom appears in her hands. "You fainted from your injuries. Your body is already being taken care of, so there is no danger of dying. Until you wake up, and I can keep you asleep as long as I want, I will make you practice until you grasp properly the Charms you learned during the battle. Maybe I will also add something else you can learn."

You gulp.

"So you don't need me. Ohy, where is the nearest forest?" Ddraig asks.

Bright points to the south. "30 days in that direction."

"Sweet!" The red dragon jumps into the air and takes off.

Traitor.

You have: 18 Xp. Do you want to spend them for something?
[] Write-in.
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Smut's Stunt won, but BFldyq said what I had in mind too so I decided to add part of it.