章節 14: Chapter – 13 The Championship Finals

<<Good evening, everyone!>> he announced. <<I am Naud Gamigin, and it is an honor to serve as the announcer for tonight's thrilling Rating Game match—the grand finale of the Ninth Underworld Rating Game Championship! Let's all hope tonight's Rating Game match is truly unforgettable, shall we?>>

The stadium erupted in a thunderous roar of cheers!

" " "Oooooooooooooooooooooo!!" " "

Naud Gamigin allowed the cheers to die down before continuing.

<<Now, before we introduce the two remarkable and incredibly powerful Devils and their peerages, I would like to present our honored special guests and arbiter. Joining me here in the broadcast box is His Highness Ajuka Beelzebub. Everyone, please give a warm welcome to Lord Beelzebub!>> Naud's voice boomed with excitement. <<He graciously found time in his busy schedule to join us here today, and I am truly honored and grateful to have Maou Beelzebub personally accompany me in the broadcast as a special commentator.>>

As Naud Gamigin introduced Ajuka Beelzebub, a strikingly handsome young man in his early twenties appeared on the massive screen. With light blue eyes and slicked-back green hair, he exuded a mysterious aura that gave him an undeniably devilish presence.

The cheers that followed were even louder than before as the crowd witnessed one of their Four Great Maous appear.

" " " " "Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!" " " " "

'Hm? I didn't expect Ajuka Beelzebub to take on the role of special guest. I thought he was the type to stay in the background. It would have made more sense if Sirzechs or Serafall were up there, or even Falbium. But Ajuka...? Well, this is definitely unexpected,' thought Seir looking at the man on the screen.

"Lord Beelzebub? To think he's here for the commentary!" Seekvaira muttered in surprise.

It wasn't just Seekvaira or Seir; Lady Agares also seemed equally astonished. "I didn't expect Lord Beelzebub to accept the invitation," she remarked.

Sephie murmured, "His appearance might be related to the technical aspect of the competition event..."

"Exactly as Lady Belphegor has guessed," a man's voice replied from behind as he drew closer, drawing everyone's attention.

"Father..." Seekvaira exclaimed, running toward him and hugging him. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, just some work," the man said with a smile as he patted his daughter.

"Even today?" Zarathis murmured in a frown.

"That's right," Malakarion said, walking in alongside the man. "If I hadn't dragged him back with me, he might have stayed there even longer, isn't that right, Regaros?"

Regaros seemed a bit embarrassed as he sighed. "Well, when you're an Agares, there are always things that need handling here and there..." He added, "Not to mention, the finals are being held in the Agares Domain." He shook his head, dropping the subject, and then greeted Sephie with a gentlemanly smile. "In any case, it's a pleasure to see you again, Lady Belphegor. I trust you're doing well?"

"The pleasure is mine, Lord Archduke," Sephie responded with a smile of her own. "Indeed, I've been quite lively, thank you for asking. I hope you are well, too."

"Oh, you know..." Regaros smiled and nodded, before glancing at Seir. "And you must be the younger brother of Lady Roygun Belphegor."

"Indeed, I am Seirios Vandegor Agares. It's an honor to be in your presence, Lord Archduke," Seir said politely, nodding with courtesy.

Like everyone else, Regaros Agares was surprised by Seir's refined and polite greeting—something he hadn't expected from someone so young.

Before he could respond, Seekvaira spoke up. "Father, Seirios also likes the Transformers..."

"Hm? Is that so?" murmured Regaros, surprised.

A conversation about Autobots and Decepticons then began, involving Seir, Seek, and Regaros, with Zarathis watching quietly.

Meanwhile, Malakarion sat beside Sephie and shook his head, speaking in a low whisper. "It didn't go well. Vizel Bael isn't willing to discuss the matter of his first child..."

"I see..." Sephie nodded with a helpless sigh, her attention drifting back to the large screen, where Maou Beelzebub was addressing the audience in response to their cheering welcome, <<Hello, everyone! How are you all doing? I must admit, I'm a bit excited about this match as well. I hope the field my team and I personally designed for today's game will add an extra layer of excitement for both the finalists and everyone watching.>>

Naud Gamigin, surprised by Ajuka's response, eagerly asked, <<Oh? The field was designed by Maou Beelzebub himself. Now that's something to look forward to! I can't wait any longer!>>

Ajuka chuckled lightly. <<Hahaha.>>

'I see, is it because of the special field he prepared?'

Naud Gamigin continued, <<Before we take a look at the field personally prepared by His Highness Beelzebub, allow me to introduce our co-commentator for the day—the former Dragon King and one of the only two Reincarnated Devils to have ascended to the rank of Ultimate Devil, the Blaze Meteor Dragon, Tannin!>>

As Naud made the announcement, the big screen shifted to reveal a western dragon with purple scales sitting in a chair. Despite Tannin's normal height being over fifteen meters, sitting next to Naud Gamigin and Ajuka Beelzebub, he didn't appear any larger.

'Dragons do seem to have the ability to alter their sizes, don't they?' Seir thought to himself.

The moment Tannin appeared on the screen, a loud roar of cheers erupted, this time mainly from children and fellow dragons who had come to watch the finals.

" " " " "Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!" " " " "

<<How do you do, people of the Underworld?>> Tannin's voice echoed as he addressed the crowd. <<I, Tannin, was invited to provide commentary, and I gladly accepted. Though I would have liked to participate as one of the two finalists, unfortunately, I was eliminated before reaching the championship finals. It's a bit regrettable, but nonetheless, I have been reminded once again of how incredible my fellow Rating Game players are. Today, I have the honor of watching two of the best in action. While I may not be a finalist, I am certainly looking forward to the fantastic game ahead.>>

<<Thank you, Lord Tannin>> Naud Gamigin thanked the Blaze Meteor Dragon before continuing, <<Now, let us introduce the arbitrators for today's game. Normally, a Rating Game only has one arbitrator, but today is a special occasion. Due to His Highness Beelzebub's recommendation regarding the type of field he designed, we will have three Arbiters to ensure that the game proceeds with the utmost fairness and that no situation is overlooked. So, without further delay, let's call upon the arbitrators: The Ultimate Devil, Rudiger Rosenkreutz from the House of Mammon, the young and talented Lord Ruval Phenex from the House of Phenex, and finally, the strongest [Queen] of the Underworld, Lady Grayfia Lucifuge.>>

'So, one Devil from each of the three factions… Are they all acting as arbitrators to ensure fairness? Honestly, this whole arrangement reeks of politics and distrust…'

The fact that Ruval Phenex, representing the Great King Faction, Rudiger Rosenkreutz from the Extra Demon Faction, and Grayfia Lucifuge from the New Maou Faction are all acting as arbitrators together highlights the political maneuvering and distrust involved.

Since Diehauser Belial is from the Great King Faction, the Great King Faction would never accept Rudiger Rosenkreutz from the Extra Demon Faction as an arbitrator. Similarly, Roygun Belphegor, who is supposedly from the Extra Demon Faction, would prevent the Extra Demon Faction from accepting Ruval Phenex from the Great King Faction. This leaves only the Old Maou Faction and the New Maou Faction as possible choices.

Given the reluctance to involve the Old Maou Faction, the only logical option remaining is the New Maou Faction. Enter Grayfia Lucifuge, who, though part of the New Maou Faction, has roots in the Old Maou Faction. She is the perfect choice to serve as an arbitrator, bridging the gap between these factions.

Of course, neither the Great King Faction nor the Extra Demon Faction would allow Grayfia Lucifuge to handle the arbitration alone. Both factions would want to ensure their own arbitrators were involved in the game to guarantee that nothing is overlooked.

As a result, Ruval Phenex and Rudiger Rosenkreutz were also brought into the picture.

'Still, having three of the most capable Devils in the Underworld act as arbitrators really highlights just how significant the finals of this Underworld Rating Game Tournament are and the level of attention it's drawing. Compared to this, the Rating Game match between Rias Gremory and Sairaorg Bael seems like child's play.'

While Seir thought as such, three magic circles appeared in the air, from which three individuals emerged. Ruval Phenex stood on the left. Seir, having already met him earlier, didn't pay much attention and instead focused on the other two figures.

On the right side stood Rudiger Rosenkreutz, a man in his early twenties with silver hair, dressed in elegant attire befitting his status as one of the Ultimate Ranked Devils.

At the center was a beautiful young woman with a voluptuous figure, appearing to be in her early twenties. She had long silver hair, styled with braids on each side, with small blue bows at the ends. The rest of her hair fell freely, ending in twin braids. Her red eyes were striking, and she wore a blue and white French maid outfit with long sleeves, a white maid headband, and red lipstick. She was undoubtedly the strongest Queen and the most formidable Maid in the Underworld, Grayfia Lucifuge.

Seir couldn't help but think, 'Grayfia Lucifuge… The [Queen] of Sirzechs... Oh, how much I envy the man…'

He watched her closely, aware that not only was Grayfia incredibly strong—easily ranking among some of the most powerful Devils in the Underworld—but she was also highly intelligent, incredibly capable, and stunningly beautiful with a perfect body that would make any woman cry in envy.

Though she hadn't yet become a Milf, the thiccness was real, and that is something not even her maid uniform hid.

On top of that, she has a peculiar maid fetish, which is clearly evident from the fact that even today, while serving as one of the arbiters for the Underworld Rating Game Championship, she's still wearing a maid uniform. It's unusual, considering the attire typically expected of an Ultimate Ranked Devil or the strongest [Queen]—proper aristocratic or battle clothes.

'Sirzechs is certainly a lucky man to be clapping those damn thicc cheeks,' Seir mused enviously.

Honestly, Grayfia was the maid of Seir's dreams. But knowing that such a thing was impossible, he shook his head with a sigh. 'It's a pity she's already taken by Sirzechs. Otherwise, I would've definitely wanted her by my side.'

'Why wasn't I born in that era? If I had been, perhaps things would have been different. Instead of being the [Queen] of Lucifer, she could have been the [Queen] of Belphegor…'

As Seir looked at Grayfia with regret, thinking he was born a few centuries too late to make her his personal maid and [Queen], the trio—Ruval, Rudiger, and Grayfia—elegantly bowed to the audience.

Once again, the audience erupted into cheers, this time louder than when Maou Beelzebub had appeared on the screen.

"""""""Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!"""""""

Naud Gamigin graciously acknowledged the trio, saying, <<Lord Ruval Phenex, Lord Rudiger Rosenkreutz, and Lady Grayfia Lucifuge, thank you for accepting the role of arbitrators.>>

With that, he transitioned to the main event.

<<And now, the moment everyone has been waiting for… let's introduce the two finalists!>> he announced, his voice brimming with excitement. <<From the West Gate, we have the two-time champion, Lady Roygun Belphegor of the House of Belphegor of the Extra Demons, along with her peerage!>>

The stadium roared with applause and cheers as all the cameras panned toward the West Gate.

"""""Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!"""""

Stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight, Roygun led her peerage with an air of confidence. She was followed closely by her [Queen], Lucia, and the nine other members of her peerage.

As Roygun stepped into the light, she gracefully waved to the crowd as her confident demeanor captivated the audience. Her eyes scanned the VIP boxes, and once she found the one she was looking for, she blew a playful kiss in its direction.

"""""Kyaaaaaaaaaaa~!"""""

The crowd erupted in excitement, many Devils swooning with hearts practically visible in their eyes. A good number even began to argue amongst themselves, insisting that the kiss was meant for them. However, the true recipient of her gesture knew it was directed at him and smirked smugly, "Hehe!"

Meanwhile, the members of Roygun's peerage displayed a variety of reactions as they followed behind her. The [Queen], both [Knights], the first [Bishop], and the first two [Pawns] remained silent and composed, the first [Rook] and the third (last) [Pawn] were brimming with enthusiasm and curious energy, the second [Bishop] was filled haughty confidence or pride, meanwhile, the second [Rook] had a nonchalant expression as he smoked a cigarette.

Naturally, each member of Roygun's peerage had their own dedicated fans in the crowd, cheering enthusiastically while waving posters and banners adorned with their names and images.

"Lady Lucia is the best!"

"Little Miss Maria, look here… look here!"

"Woof! Woof! Lady Liala, I am at your service anytime you call!"

"Auuuuu! Boss Basara, please visit our land next!"

"Miss Mio…!"

"Sir Leohart…!"

"Boss Jin…!"

"Miss Zest!"

"Kyaa~ Yuki-chan is so cute!"

The cheers filled the stadium, creating a wave of excitement that matched the grandeur of the occasion.

Watching the scene unfold, Seir was once again reminded of the status held by the top-ranked Devils in the Underworld. 'Roygun and her peerage are practically as revered as the great Maous themselves,' he thought, marveling at their overwhelming popularity.

After entering the stadium, Roygun's peerage settled into their designated seating area as the thunderous cheers from the crowd gradually subsided.

Naud Gamigin resumed his commentary. <<Whoa! Did you see that, Lord Beelzebub? The fans of Lady Belphegor are really going wild for her!>>

Ajuka Beelzebub replied thoughtfully, <<Indeed, Lady Belphegor has been performing exceptionally well this season. While I'm not entirely certain of the reasons behind her noticeable improvement—especially considering she was already a highly accomplished player given her ranking—her stellar performance seems to have given her fans high hopes this season. Given her performance this season, some might even argue that she is closer to the trophy this season than she ever was, even back when she actually won so it's no surprise that they're eagerly anticipating her winning the championship.>>

Naud Gamigin nodded in agreement. <<That does seem to be the case, but…>> He paused briefly, skillfully drawing the audience's attention before continuing. <<Let's not forget that Lady Belphegor's opponent is none other than the five-times reigning Champion of the Rating Games. With an unbroken winning streak spanning the last five seasons, he has never lost a single match since his debut in the Rating Games. This remarkable feat has rightfully earned him the moniker of the 'Emperor.' And that is the caliber of opponent Lady Belphegor will be facing in these finals...>>

Once again, Naud Gamigin allowed the suspense to build before delivering his next words with grand theatrics. <<Now, entering from the East Gate, I present to you the man, the myth, the legend—Lord Diehauser Belial of the House of Belial from the 72 Pillars, along with his esteemed peerage!>>

All the cameras immediately turned toward the East Gate as Diehauser Belial stepped into the spotlight with an air of calm elegance. Following closely behind him was his [Queen], Asir Igrat, accompanied by the rest of his peerage, who moved in perfect sync, reflecting their discipline, unity, and confidence.

Naturally, the audience had no intention of staying silent as the 'Champion' made his entrance. They erupted into loud cheers, greeting him with overwhelming excitement.

"""""""Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!"""""""

Amidst all these cheers, the Belial peerage settled at their designated seating area, waiting for Naud Gamigin to begin explaining the designed games and their rules.

Once the cheers subsided, Naud Gamigin began again, <<Now that we have both of our finalists in the stadium, let's address the most important matter: the rules and theme of the finals. The event in which Lord Belial and Lady Belphegor's peerages will be competing is...>> He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to capture everyone's attention, and then announced in a loud voice, <<Dungeon Clearance!>>

"Dungeon Clearance?" Seekvaira muttered, her expression one of confusion.

It wasn't just her—others in the VIP box, including Sephie, Malakarion, Zarathis, and Regaros, shared similar puzzled looks.

"I've never heard of this competition event!" Sephie whispered.

"This is to be expected since no such event has ever been held before..." Regaros Agares added.

"After all, the committee often creates new and unique competition events. This one must be something they've designed specifically for the finals," Zarathis Agares remarked.

"Hmm, now that I think about it, Lord Beelzebub did mention that he and his team personally designed the field for today's game. It must be related to that," Malakarion recalled, remembering Ajuka's earlier words.

"Indeed, this 'Dungeon Clearance' competition was something Lord Beelzebub came up with at the last minute. If it weren't for that, the committee would have selected a different competition event," explained Archduke Agares.

'Oi, oi, oi... 'Dungeon Clearance'? Seriously? Am I in Draconic Deus or one of those typical Korean Manhwa? Where did Dungeon Clearance come from?' Seir thought to himself.

The rest of the audience was similarly confused, waiting for the announcers to provide more details.

Meanwhile, Roygun and Diehauser both wore thoughtful expressions as they chewed out the name of the competition event, "Dungeon Clearance?"

Ajuka then began his explanation.

<<The name of this event is 'Dungeon Clearance,' and the dungeon itself is called the Dungeon of Dominion. This is the specific field where the Dungeon Clearance event will take place, and it is a field that I and my team have specifically prepared for the finals.>>

Pausing briefly, Ajuka continued with a more detailed description of the Dungeon of Dominion.

<<The Dungeon of Dominion is a three-floor dungeon teeming with demonic beasts that are native to the uninhabitable, miasma-filled lands of the Underworld. In addition to these miasma beasts, the Dungeon also features various traps, treasure rooms, mazes, boss monsters, and more.>>

As Ajuka explained, the screen displayed a brief preview of the elements he was describing.

The screen showcased a variety of terrains, including intricate labyrinths, fiery volcanic chambers, and shadowy mazes.

'It really looks like a dungeon straight out of those Manga/Manhwa/Manhua. Has Ajuka Beelzebub been reading too many of them lately? Wait, was he an Otaku? I don't think so, right? But then again, he did play as Satan Blue or something, right? And created the Belzebut game… so who knows… maybe this is him experimenting or something…'

Ajuka continued, <<The main objective of Dungeon Clearance is not simply to clear the dungeon but to accumulate points. Each Demonic Beast within the dungeon has been assigned a specific point value. Different classes of beasts are worth varying amounts, including the Boss monsters.>>

For the next few minutes, Ajuka continued elaborating on the rules, conditions, and intricacies of the Dungeon Clearance event within the Dungeon of Dominion. He began by explaining the types of demonic beasts inhabiting the dungeon, their point values, their total numbers, and the requirements to challenge the boss monsters. He detailed the reward points for defeating boss beasts as well as encountering hidden bonus beasts, earning points through player eliminations (PK), along with a few other methods that the peerages will have to discover on their own during the Dungeon exploration, which involves clearing a floor, discovering secret treasure rooms, and finding shortcuts.

Ajuka also outlined the various winning conditions, which included clearing the dungeon by defeating all three boss beasts while simultaneously mapping out the entire dungeon, acquiring the highest total points by eliminating all the beasts, or directly eliminating the opposing peerage's [King] while making sure to earn a certain number of points. He even described the procedures for resolving tie-breakers and further explained the functionality of the special map given to each [King], which would automatically update and map out explored sections of the dungeon.

Once Ajuka concluded his explanation, Naud Gamigin nodded and summarized, <<This means the two peerages will compete to amass points by navigating the Dungeon of Dominion's many dangers, striving to clear it while contending not only with the dungeon itself but also with each other within the 8 hours time limit. Did I get it right? Lord Tannin, what is your opinion on this new type of competition event?>>

Tannin said, <<This event promises to be highly unpredictable, demanding exceptional tactical flexibility. Both Belial and Belphegor will need to balance combat, exploration, and strategic ambushes to maximize their points while remaining constantly vigilant for potential encounters and PK attempts from the opposing peerage.>>

<<That is indeed the case>> agreed Beelzebub.

"This is too complicated…" muttered Seekvaira, and unsurprisingly, she wasn't the only one with such a thought. The sheer complexity and length of the explanation left Seir with a pounding headache. With each new condition Ajuka revealed, Seir found himself thinking, 'Forget calling this a mere Rating Game match field—this feels like a full-fledged dungeon exploration adventure game!'

Regardless of the children's thoughts, once Maou Beelzebub concluded his explanation, the three Arbitrators took their positions. Shortly after, both peerages were teleported to separate safe zones within the Dungeon of Dominion, marking the official commencement of the Ninth Underworld Rating Game Championship finals.

<<Let the Ninth Underworld Rating Game Championship finals between Lord Diehauser Belial and Lady Roygun Belphegor, BEGIN!!!!!>>

A professional Rating Game cannot be won solely by strength, as multiple factors are taken into account to determine the winner. While there are several winning conditions, choosing the best and most efficient one is always the key to achieving a higher rating and a better overall result.

Given the difficulty and complexity of the 'Dungeon Clearance' event, it was impossible to predict who would win between Diehauser Belial and Roygun Belphegor.

However, as Maou Asmodeus said, the Champion is the Champion for a reason.

He, who hadn't lost a single Rating Game match since his debut, wasn't about to lose the 'Dungeon Clearance' either, regardless of how complex or difficult it may be.

Indeed, the competition was incredibly close, and for much of the event, it seemed as though Roygun would emerge victorious. She had taken a significant lead in points after one of Diehauser's [Rooks] triggered a trap magic circle. This unfortunate event forcefully teleported the [Rook] to a hidden Boss layer of the dungeon, leading to an early retirement.

This setback placed Diehauser at a significant disadvantage. Losing an essential [Rook] so early in the game severely hindered his peerage's efficiency in hunting beasts compared to Roygun's. Even after defeating the final Boss of the third floor, which granted him 250 points, Diehauser still found himself 195 points short of Roygun's lead. With the remaining beasts in the dungeon offering insufficient points to bridge the gap, his chances of winning seemed slim.

At that critical juncture, Diehauser faced a tough decision: either engage and defeat Roygun, the [King] of opposing peerage or find another solution. However, he knew Roygun wouldn't be easily overcome. In fact, all she needed to do was stall for time to secure her victory.

Fighting Roygun was a risky last resort, so he had to think outside the box. But what other options remained?

Fortunately, luck hadn't completely abandoned him. Thanks to his [Rook]'s earlier misstep, the hidden Boss layer was marked on his map device. Seizing this opportunity, Diehauser navigated to the hidden layer and prepared to face the hidden Boss.

The map devices provided to the two peerages were designed to map only the areas that members of the peerage had physically explored. Since none of Roygun's peerage members had triggered that specific trap, they remained unaware of the hidden beast layer, which ultimately became the key to Diehauser's victory.

In a dramatic turn of events during the final moments, Diehauser successfully cleared the hidden beast layer, earning just enough points to surpass Roygun and complete the exploration of the 'Dungeon of Dominion' in time.

<<He's done it again! For the sixth time in a row, Diehauser Belial has claimed victory! By winning the finals by the narrowest of margins, he has once again secured the title of Champion of the Underworld Rating Game Tournament!!!>>

'Whether by an inch or a mile, a victory is still a victory.' or so said the guy who values Family.

It didn't matter whether he had won by the narrowest of margins or an incredible difference, without question, Diehauser Belial had won and solidified his legacy by becoming the six-time champion of the Underworld Rating Game Tournament.

Watching Diehauser being crowned Champion once again, Seir let out a sigh. 'Though I expected this outcome—after all, Diehauser Belial never lost a single Rating Game and was considered undefeated in the canon—I still hoped for a different result, for Roygun to claim victory against the Emperor. But it seems the Champion is the Champion for a reason.'

This outcome also demonstrates that sheer motivation alone isn't enough, apart from real skill and ability, luck is also essential!

"Roygun will be disappointed that she didn't win…" murmured Malakarion with a bittersweet smile.

Sephie sighed softly. "Yes, she truly wanted to win this time… but alas, luck wasn't on her side."

Roygun's determination to claim the Championship stemmed from a deeply personal reason—she wanted her younger brother to admire her. She longed for him to see her as an extraordinary elder sister, someone who could surpass even the Champion, someone he could look up to as the greatest and most dependable sibling.

Every elder sister dreams of showing their younger brother how truly exceptional they are, and Roygun wanted to do the same. And honestly, she had come so close to achieving that dream. But sometimes, no matter how hard we try, life doesn't unfold as we hope.

"Well, let's go check on her," Malakarion suggested, his voice laced with concern.

"Yes, let's do…" Sephie nodded as she gently picked up Seir.

With that, the Belphegors bid farewell to the Agares family and left the VIP box, making their way toward the waiting room to see Roygun and her peerage.