Chapitre 7: King’s Reputation
"I-Issei!" Asia called out in a panic.
"He's fine, just knocked out! Asia, get over here!" Kazuki shouted.
"Yes, right away!" Asia rushed to his side, ready to help.
"Please take care of him," Kazuki said urgently, before turning his attention back to Rias. "I need to ask you something, Buchou."
Rias wiped the last of her tears away and stood tall, waiting for his question.
"Why do you hate the idea of marrying Riser so much? I get that this is a political marriage, and I understand that it's something necessary in the devil society, right?"
Rias hesitated for a moment, 'What should I say?'.
Finally, she lifted her head, her eyes fierce as she spoke with conviction.
"Because... because I hate men like Riser! I hate that spineless womanizer who treats women like objects! I want to be with someone I love—someone I've chosen with all my heart, someone I've fallen in love with passionately. That's been my dream, ever since I was a little girl! Got a problem with that?!"
Rias blurted it out, no embellishments, no hesitation. Her voice rang through the tense atmosphere, and Riser, Ravel, and even Asia were left speechless by her honesty.
Anyone watching from the sidelines, whether it was the heads of the two families or the kings of the underworld world, would likely be just as shocked.
Then, unexpectedly, the silence was broken by the sound of psychopath-like laughter.
"Pfft!"
"Haha... Ahahahahahaha! Ahahahhaahahaha"
Rias turned, startled and confused. Her face flushed with embarrassment, a mixture of anger and humiliation as she tried to hide the tears that were threatening to fall.
"Wha- What's so funny...?" she stammered, clearly flustered by Kazuki's sudden outburst.
Kazuki Fuwa was laughing, genuinely laughing, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Even in the midst of all this chaos, the absurdity of the situation had struck him.
"You really are something, Rias," Kazuki said, still grinning, trying to hold back his laughter. "But I get it now! You've got more fire in you than I gave you credit for."
Rias stood frozen, her face still red, unsure whether to feel relieved or embarrassed. But in that moment, something in her shifted. Maybe, just maybe, they weren't as lost as she'd thought.
"Who would have thought it'd be just as Ravel said... You hit the jackpot, Ravel."
Ravel, floating mid-air, placed a hand on her forehead in an exaggerated display of relief.
"Hehe, Rias!! Do you realize that whether you win or lose, your reputation is going to take a huge hit in either case?" Ravel's voice was playful but sharp.
"Huh!?" Rias blinked, clearly unaware of the gravity of her situation.
Kazuki stepped forward and explained, recapping the conversation he had with Ravel just moments ago.
Rias froze, eyes wide in realization; "Ahhh!" she gasped, her face falling into a look of shock and disbelief.
"Heh, this is amusing! So, what'll it be? Are you going to keep fighting, or is it time to throw in the towel?" Kazuki asked, his tone light but serious.
Rias trembled, fists clenched tightly at her sides. Her resolve solidified as she stood tall, her voice ringing out with a fiery determination.
"I'll fight! If my reputation's going down either way, then I'll fight to the end! I can't let this go on without a victory. I need to win and avoid this marriage, no matter what!"
Rias's voice quivered with emotion, but there was something undeniably endearing about it.
Kazuki couldn't help but think she looked even more striking at that moment, determined and unyielding.
"I understand, my King," Kazuki said with a grin.
With that, he turned towards the still-stunned Riser, stepping forward with purpose.
"Buchou," Kazuki called, gaining her attention.
"What is it?" Rias's voice was still shaky from the emotional outburst, but she focused on him.
"You might think people are going to turn their backs on you, but honestly, I think you're making the right choice."
Rias looked puzzled, clearly not understanding where Kazuki was going with this.
"I think you should pursue a love marriage! It's something every girl dreams of, right? So go ahead, chase after that love of yours. Find someone you really care about and follow your heart," Kazuki continued, his voice steady and reassuring.
"K... Kazuki..." Rias murmured, her thoughts clearly spinning as she took in Kazuki's words.
"I believe you can regain your status as 'King' later. But right now, you should do what feels right. And you'll have us, your followers, by your side to support you, no matter what."
Rias's breath caught in her chest, her eyes widening in realization. For a moment, she said nothing, her gaze lingering on Kazuki, appreciating the sincerity in his words.
With the resolve set in her heart, Rias watched as Kazuki took his place, ready to confront Riser.
"Well, well, seems you've been dumped, playboy!" Kazuki called out to Riser, whose expression shifted from stunned to furious as he glared back at Kazuki.
"You... Bastard!" Riser snarled, his anger burning in his eyes.
However, before Riser could react further, Kazuki acted swiftly.
He unleashed a quick Tiger Shot, a brutal blow of overwhelming force that collided with Riser's chest.
"Gahh!?" Riser's body was sent flying, blood spattering from his mouth as he tumbled backward, but within moments, flames spiraled up around him, and Riser was back on his feet, completely unharmed.
"You, Fucker! How dare a lowlife like you!?" Riser's voice seethed with fury as he stared down Kazuki, flames swirling around him.
"You talk big after beating up my comrade, huh? Let me return the favor. I'll make sure you're smashed just like him," Kazuki growled, his eyes blazing with cold fury.
"Hmm, I see... you're a martial artist." Riser's face twisted in shock and pain as he rubbed his chest, sensing the pain from Kazuki's blow still radiating through his body.
"So, this is the Phenex regeneration… It heals wounds at the cost of immense pain. You feel the pain, don't you?" Kazuki taunted, watching Riser's reaction carefully.
"Tch! So what!?" Riser snapped, his body glowing with an intense fire as he summoned more power.
The next moment, Riser's fists were engulfed in intense flames as he lunged at Kazuki, throwing punches that would be scalding if they connected.
But Kazuki saw through his movements—no form, no finesse. Riser was relying solely on his Phenex ability, having never trained properly in combat. It was easy for Kazuki to dodge his strikes and counter effectively.
Kazuki sidestepped the wild punch and with a swift counter, he knocked Riser's arm away, breaking his elbow with a forceful strike.
"Guaahh!" Riser howled in agony, his face contorted in pain.
But as expected, the flames swirled around him again, and soon he was fully restored as if the attack had never happened.
"So, you can control your regeneration at will, huh?" Kazuki observed. "If that's the case, then I'll just keep hurting you until you break. It's just a matter of time."
Riser's eyes turned red with rage as he charged again, screaming in fury. "You think you can defeat me!? I'll make you regret this!"
But Kazuki wasn't afraid. He knew that the only thing to fear from Riser was the Phenex's immortality, but he also knew that if he could keep hurting him, the regeneration would eventually wear him down.
"You'll burn in the fires of hell!" Riser shouted, flaring his wings of flames as he took to the sky, charging up his most powerful attack.
His hands glowed with concentrated magical energy as he launched a massive magical blast directly at Kazuki.
The attack was terrifying, an inferno of raw power that would obliterate anything in its path. Kazuki's eyes widened, realizing that he had no way to block this attack, no means of defense.
In a split second, he did the only thing he could.
"Guyverrrrrrrr!!" Kazuki called out what could be called another version of himself as if to reach out across time and space.
As the flames of Riser's attack bore down on him, Kazuki's world was consumed in fire.
Yet, something shifted in the air...
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