The Cloud-Raised Brave Man's Travels

Rias waved her hand, declining Grayfia-san's offer.

"actually--"

The moment Rias opened her mouth, the magic circle drawn on the club room floor suddenly began to glow. It was the same magic circle Grayfia had just passed through, except that the emblem drawn on the magic circle was changing, becoming a flaming firebird.

"—Phoenix."

Akeno, who had just entered, saw the emblem on the magic circle and quickly walked to Rias' side, looking at the magic circle warily.

Dazzling light illuminated the room, and a figure emerged from the magic cube.

The magic cube erupted in flames, sending a wave of heat through the room. A male figure stood within the flames, waving his hand and dispelling the surrounding flames.

"Huh~~ It's been a while since I last came to the human world."

He was a man in a red suit. Perhaps to be less formal, he wore no tie and his shirt was open to the chest. He looked to be in his early twenties.

His features were regular, but with a hint of dandyism. He had his hands in his pockets, a cynical air. He was a bit like the top prostitute at that male escort agency on Happy Street, giving off a sly vibe. How should I put it… the kind of person some might like, but most people would subconsciously dislike.

The man looked around the club office and smiled when he saw Rias.

"Dear Rias, I'm here to see you."

It seems... this is the time traveler that Koya and the others were discussing in the chat group just now. After all, the system he possesses is an irregular harem system, so how could that person be a decent person!

Chapter 207: High School DXD Ranking Game

Lin Fei Phoenix had been in this world for over twenty years. His system wasn't very powerful, and even if he completed his missions, it could only strengthen his bloodline. According to the system, it would only truly be effective if it truly altered the world's plot. So, without hesitation, Lin Fei began disrupting the plot, first snatching Rias's engagement from his third brother. This boosted his power to that of a high-level demon. And recently, after he had a demon steal the demon flyer Rias had given to Hyoudou Issei, his power had reached the level of a demon king.

Just when he was about to marry Rias and reach the peak of his life, he saw the handsome man next to Rias who made him jealous.

[System, what's going on with that man? ]

[The patch to the world: if you kill Hyoudou Issei, you'll still have Hyoudou Nisei and Sansei. In other words, as long as you don't marry Rias, the story will continue as it was originally written.]

【so? 】

[So speed up, you wimp! You've wasted over twenty years of my time!]

【Tsk, got it.】

·Dividing line·

Rias's uninvited arrival was clearly met with disapproval, her attitude so cold it could even be described as disgust. However, Lin Fei wasn't surprised by Rias's attitude. He knew that before the plot was ruined by 50%, the original female protagonists would subconsciously dislike him. This was the main reason why he had struggled to secure a female lead for over 20 years. However, he also knew that if he successfully married Rias, the plot damage would reach 80%.

By then, the harem system will be fully functional. Not to mention disgust, he can even be like Brother Aotian in the previous novels, where he can just shake his body and the beauties will open their legs to welcome him.

So now he wasn't in a hurry at all. Even if a troublemaker showed up, so what? It was just the Red Dragon Emperor. He was the Phoenix Demon King, how could he lose? If he still lost, he would chop himself into pieces right then and there!

"Lin Fei, what are you doing here?"

"Akeno-san's tea is delicious. I hope to drink it often in the future. Rias, you should know the reason for my visit. Your father and Sirzechs-sama are very worried, afraid that your family will die out in your generation. Many pure-blooded devils died in the previous war. Even now that we are no longer at war, we are still fighting against the Fallen Angels and the Gods. It is not uncommon for pure-blooded devil heirs to die in pointless skirmishes with those guys, and their family lines are cut off. Considering the future situation of demons, it is natural for families of both pure-blooded and high-ranking devils to unite. You are not unaware of the value of pure-blooded high-ranking devils and the new generation of the next generation."

"What you said is meaningless. If I remember correctly, you don't seem to be a pure-blooded demon, right?"

"Yes, but the Phoenix blood in me is purer than that of my three brothers, so it's no problem to call it pure-blood. Furthermore, new demons—reincarnated demons like your servant, who originated from humans—have been growing stronger recently. If this continues, high-ranking demons from ancient families with long histories like ours will become increasingly powerless. Some ancient families intermarry with reincarnated demons simply because they are powerful. Okay, that's not impossible, after all, future demons will need new blood too. But we can't let pure-blooded demons become extinct, right? We have several older brothers in our family, so it's okay. However, you only have two siblings, and your brother has already left that family. So, Rias is the only one left to inherit the Gremory family, right? Without a husband, the Gremory family will be extinct in your generation, and Rias, you don't want to end the family line that has been passed down from generation to generation, do you?"

Although this time traveler named Lin Fei was dressed like a playboy, he was very eloquent when it came to speaking big truths. There was nothing false in what he said and he brought out the powerful weapon of tradition. Rias could not find any reason to refute him at all.

"I won't let the Gremory family end here. Of course, I also plan to take in a son-in-law."

"Oh, it seems you have figured it out. Then hurry up and come with me—"

Lin Fei, who had always maintained the demeanor of a noble man, finally couldn't help it. After all, "victory" was right in front of him, and it was normal to be a little excited; however, Leah shattered his fantasy without hesitation.

"But I won't marry you. I'm going to marry someone I like."

Rias spoke firmly without making any righteous rebuttal. Now all she could rely on was her willfulness. What Lin Fei said was right, but she just didn't want to!

Lin Fei understood when he saw Rias's attitude. No matter what national justice or family inheritance, it was useless for Rias. She showed her willfulness as a girl in the place where she shouldn't be willful, but this willfulness became extremely important because of her brother and her family. Because Lin Fei knew very well that Rias's parents and brother could tolerate this willfulness, as long as she really showed an attitude of never giving up, then the engagement would definitely be invalidated.

"...Me too, Rias. I, too, bear the honor of the Phoenix family. I cannot sully our name. I don't like the human world very much, and I never wanted to come to these small, shabby buildings. The fire and wind in this world are filthy, and as a demon who controls them, it's unbearable!"

Flames ignited around Lin Fei, sparks flying across the room. Since words didn't work, then there was no doubt that the only option was to resort to force.

"Even if I have to burn all your servants, I will take you back to the underworld."

However, before the flames could get close to Rias, they dissipated without any warning.

"He controls fire and wind? You're so arrogant~~"

The dragon that controls all elements spoke playfully. In the divine realm, no matter what element, they would only obey the orders of one person. A flutter of his wings brought a raging wind, a stride sent an earth rumbling, and a breath of his breath sent a blazing flame. Who dared to claim to control the elements in front of the Black Dragon?!

Lin Fei felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave. Koya didn't emit any oppressive aura; his fear came from within. He was horrified to discover that the Phoenix Flame, which burned at his will, had lost its connection. The storm he could normally summon with a wave of his hand was now gone. All his abilities seemed to vanish in an instant. What the hell was going on?!

"You? You did it?! What on earth did you do? Give my power back to me!"

"I'm just sitting here doing nothing."

Koya picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip of tea slowly, looking as if it had nothing to do with him, but everyone could see the mocking smile at the corner of his mouth.

"you!!!"

In this tense atmosphere, one person calmly intervened.

"Master Lin Fei, please calm down. If you attack our guest from the Gremory family, I cannot sit idly by. For the sake of the Gremory family's reputation, I will not be polite."

Miss Grayfia's words were calm yet forceful, inspiring Lin Fei. After glancing at her, he returned to his previous seat in a cold manner. And as for Keya... he could tell the maid was giving Lin Fei a way out. What a shame! If he dared to make a move, Keya would have spit him to death without hesitation. After all, the sooner the mission was over, the happier he would be.

After Lin Fei sat back in his original position, he drank the tea in front of him, exhaled deeply, shook his head and said:

“…Since Grayfia, known as the strongest ‘Queen’, says so, I naturally wouldn’t dare to act presumptuously. Sirzechs-sama’s followers are all known to be monsters, and I have no desire to be their enemy.”

After hearing Lin Fei's answer, Grayfia glanced at Koya who was sitting on the sofa and provoking Lin Fei by pulling my hair. After confirming that Koya did not make any unnecessary moves, Miss Grayfia said:

"The Patriarch, Sirzechs-sama, and everyone else in the Phoenix Household are well aware of how things will turn out. Let me be frank: this is the final meeting. All of you have anticipated that this meeting would yield no results, and have therefore decided to resort to this last resort."

"Ranked game?"

"Yes, in fact, the young lady had expressed her wishes to the head of the family a long time ago, but... he might not have wanted to see things come to this. The young lady also knew that only mature devils could participate in the official "Ranking Game". However, if it was an informal game between pure-blooded devils, even devils who were not capable of standing alone could participate. This kind of situation often happened-"

"When there's a dispute between relatives, or between two families?"

Lin Fei took over Grayfia's words. Although he understood that all this was proceeding according to the original script, he was still surprised by the Gremory family's favor for Rias. They were willing to make enemies with the Phoenix family for their daughter. They really didn't act like a devil.

"I understand. I have no objection."

Phoenix was much older than Rias and had participated in many official ranking games. Furthermore, Rias was his unwavering goal, so according to the original plot, there was no harm in playing a ranking game with her. However...

"Will he participate in the ranking game?"

"Mr. Koya is the foreign aid that the young lady is looking for. According to the rules of the ranking game—"

"Ms. Grayfia, please don't treat me like a fool. Foreign players are not allowed to participate in the official ranking games."

"Master Lin Fei, the young lady is not yet an adult, so this ranking game is not formal. Informal ranking games allow outside players to join."

"Tsk, I agree."

"I understand. I, Grayfia, have confirmed your intentions. Then, I will serve as the witness and direct this game. Okay?"

"can."

"Okay."

Naturally, both sides gave affirmative answers.

"I understand. I will be responsible for notifying the elders of both families."

After receiving the answer, Miss Grayfia bowed deeply.

Lin Fei was no longer interested in staying here, so he stood up, walked to the teleportation array and uttered the last harsh words.

"Rias, just wash yourself clean and prepare to marry me."

"I'm going to turn you into ashes!"

The divine domain had been reclaimed, and the uninterrupted magic circle quickly activated. Koya actually wanted to suddenly interrupt the magic circle and see what kind of embarrassed expression Lin Fei would have. However, in the end, this idea was not put into practice.

After Lin Fei left, Grayfia's gaze immediately shifted to Koya. Just as she was suppressing Lin Fei, she'd sensed a fleeting aura from him. Such a strong dragon energy made her curious about Koya's identity. She thought she knew Rias's connections intimately, but she had no idea how her young lady had met such a powerful dragon. A guaranteed Demon King level, with an unknown upper limit, was probably the reason Rias dared to challenge Lin Fei in the ranking game.

"Mr. Koya, I wonder if you could tell me about your background."

Grayfia was straightforward enough. Since the intelligence didn't reveal anything, she just asked directly. As the head maid of the Gremory family, it was reasonable for her to inquire about the identity of the unknown person around the eldest lady, but Koya didn't give her any face at all.

"Because you just gave that guy a way out, and I'm very upset, so I can't."

"this--"

"President, are you okay? Do you need me to treat you?"

"It's okay, Asia, I'm not hurt. By the way, Kitty, Asia, let me introduce you, this is my friend Koya Constantine. He's the helper I hired for this ranking game. He's very strong, so if you want some training, you can ask him out."

"Don't treat me like a laborer, but Rias, you are a demon, right? Why do you have a nun among your followers? This child doesn't look like a demon at all, but rather a pure little angel."

[Hmm? Keya, you also know this?]

[The followers of Yahweh are quite famous in our area. They are not a fighting clan, but rather are keen on missionary work. They have churches in various countries. Our Hestia family originally lived in the basement of the Yahweh Church.]

「Ah, this... you guys are really exaggerating. 」

[By the way, there are also Satan's followers. They are not a group that is keen on dungeon adventures. Like Yahweh's followers, they are keen on spreading the doctrine of corruption and are very hostile to Yahweh's followers.]

Of course, the above conversation took place in the chat group. Koya is not a fool. How could he say such words in front of an outsider (Grayfia)? Naturally, he said it secretly in the chat group.

"Asia's situation is somewhat unique... She was originally a saint of the church, but was exiled by the church for rescuing a demon. Eventually, she became part of my family. Her divine weapon is very powerful and can quickly heal injuries. If she has enough magic power, she can even achieve the same resurrection effect as the Phoenix family."

"Artifact? What is that?"

Akeno invited Koneko and Asia to sit on the sofa. She then took the teapot to the kitchen in the activity room and brewed a fresh pot of tea. She also took some snacks from the refrigerator and a few bags of Koneko's favorite potato chips from the locker. They began chatting without paying any attention to Grayfia standing nearby.

Grayfia shook her head helplessly and used the teleportation array to leave. She still needed to report to the Gremory and Phoenix families about the ranking game.

Chapter 208: High School DXD: Artifact

A divine artifact refers to an extraordinary power imbued in certain individuals. It's said that many notable figures in history possessed divine artifacts, their names immortalized through their power. Most divine artifacts, at best, only have the ability to influence human society, specifically... like cheat codes or systems.

However, some artifacts are powerful enough to threaten demons and fallen angels. Each artifact possesses a unique ability. Feeding on the thoughts of its owner, the artifact constantly transforms and evolves, becoming ever stronger. Once manifested, it can be activated anywhere at will.

The artifact will operate according to the host's mental state; if the host is in a depressed state, the effectiveness of the artifact will be worse than usual; otherwise, the power of the artifact will increase. Of course, the power usually depends on the host's basic qualities.

Artifacts can be seized through special means, but the original owner dies after the artifact is extracted. Powerful mythical and magical beasts such as dragons can be sealed within artifacts, and while they are still unawakened, they can only use the artifact's most basic abilities.

The ultimate realm of divine weapons is "balance breaker," which means banning ominous external techniques.

A Divine Artifact user who can fully wield a Divine Artifact can only reach this state when their mind undergoes a profound transformation. The resulting emotions of joy, sorrow, happiness, sadness, fear, and so on, are transformed into the Divine Artifact's ultimate power. Depending on the user's consciousness, the power transforms into something else. Using it is like "destroying the balance of the world," hence the name "Forbidden Power." Furthermore, "Forbidden Hand Transformation" has subtypes, meaning it exists in many forms.

In general, magic is a very magical prop and a golden finger that can change a person's life.

"Alas, how could I be so unlucky? My host died before he even awakened. If that white guy knew about this, he would definitely laugh at me."

The Red Dragon Emperor's Arm Guards, the legendary God-destroying Tool, was now unconsciously floating in the sky above Juwang Town, searching for a new host. Not long ago, its host was killed by a fallen angel, who wanted to strip off the Red Dragon Emperor's Arm Guards. But as a God-destroying Tool, how could it not have a backup plan? It easily escaped the search of the fallen angel and hid in the sky above Juwang Town, looking for a new host.

"Host, host, where is he~~"

A ball of red light drifted across the sky like a cloud. Although he wanted to find a host quickly, such things depended on fate. He was a divine destroyer, not just anyone could possess him! He finally found a human with such strong desires, but he died within a few years. What a disgrace to him, the Red Dragon Emperor!

"Hmm?! Dragon, the smell of a dragon? Not that white one, no... not even someone I know? Could a new dragon have been born? Let's go check it out!"

Just like that, the red light in the sky changed its slow and leisurely appearance and flew towards the only school in Juwang Town like a meteor.

"The artifact is truly magical."

Listening to Rias's descriptions of the various artifacts, Koya couldn't help but feel a surge of yearning. Some of their abilities were truly incredible, like stopping time and sealing off space... Though seemingly powerless, Koya was able to use the artifacts to perform incredible feats. To experience the artifacts' power, Koya deliberately inflicted a wound over 20 centimeters long on his arm and had Asia heal it.

Facts have proved that Aisha, whose energy in her body is not even one percent of Koya's, healed the wound on his arm in just one second with her magical power; it's a pity that it is not an offensive artifact, otherwise Koya would be able to feel the power of the artifact more intuitively.

"Koya, do you want a divine weapon? Although I can't provide you with divine annihilation tools, my warehouse has quite a few common divine weapons that are quite effective. Unfortunately, these artifacts are restricted by the gods, and only those with human blood can use them. So my family's divine weapons are basically piled up somewhere, waiting to be given as rewards to my own reincarnated demons."

"No need. Although I'm curious about the artifact, I'll just let things take their own course. I believe more in 'fate'."

Well, actually, Koya now has too many and too diverse skills. Sometimes he even forgets what abilities he has. What he relies on and uses most skillfully is the Black Dragon template he obtained in the Terra world.

Rias and the others spent the entire afternoon chatting in the activity room. Although they looked relaxed and unconcerned, Koya felt that they were like prisoners awaiting trial. The uneasy feeling was palpable from the atmosphere between them.