I stared at the various spectators around me.
Kuroka teleported me to the venue this morning, well after another steamy morning sex.
My first thoughts as I arrived was.
Seriously. What the hell?
I realize how much I underestimated Sona's warning about how a lot of important people are gonna watch.
We were on some isolated island somewhere between Japan and Hawaii, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. And it wasn't just any island—there is a massive arena here. Like, a full-on colosseum that looked like it belonged in ancient Rome, complete with tiered seating, fancy columns, and magical barriers shimmering around the fighting area.
Devils in expensive suits over there, looking like they were at some fancy business meeting. And not just any devils either—I spotted Serafall Leviathan in the VIP section, her usual magical girl outfit traded for something more formal but still bright enough to hurt your eyes. Next to her sat the other Maous, Sirzechs Gremory himself, Ajuka Beelzebub and Falbium Asmodeus.
Church people in their formal robes, acting all serious and holy. But these weren't your average priests—I could see actual archangels among them. Michael himself was there, along with Gabriel, both radiating that subtle divine energy that made my senses tingle.
Hell, there were even gods from different pantheons here, each group having their own special seating areas. Some I recognized from the anime, others from business photos since, you know, CEO life meant knowing who was involved with my company.
This was the first time I met many of them - the big shots of the supernatural world.
Oh, and there were the people I actually knew. Rias and her crew. Sona sitting all proper next to Tsubaki. Koneko caught my eye and gave me this tiny nod that was really cute.
This definitely wasn't what we'd planned. This was supposed to be me and Vali beating the crap out of each other in private.
Though I expected some spectators, besides the Vali team. Probably Azazel, while my relationship with that guy became sour, courtesy of kokabiel. He was still close to Vali, and being how nosy and annoying that guy is, will definitely watch our fight.
Instead, it looked like half the supernatural world had shown up expecting a show.
Then I turned my gaze to Vali, who avoided my eyes, probably with shame.
"So," I said. "Want to explain how our 'private sparring session' turned into this?"
Vali's jaw tightened, but he still wouldn't look at me.
"Azazel."
Ah. Now that sounds about right.
I sighed.
Vali continued, finally looking at me properly. "He thought it would be 'educational' for the supernatural world to see what you and I can do. Apparently, he's been planning this whole thing for months ever since he introduced you to me."
But then I thought about it more and it hit me.
The peace treaty.
This wasn't coincidence. This was a setup..
You don't get the Four Maous, archangels, and probably half the supernatural world's leadership to show up somewhere without massive coordination in a short matter of time.
Hell, thinking about it now, even Vali's invitation to fight was probably their manipulation. Had he come up with the idea himself, or had Azazel or someone else planted it? The timing was awfully convenient.
They probably wanted to show the entire supernatural world my true strength.
They wanted to make a statement, not just to those in the biblical factions but to the others also.
The Biblical factions had coordinated this whole thing. They'd turned my private sparring match into political theater without even asking.
And honestly? Part of me was impressed by the sheer audacity of it all. They'd turned me into the centerpiece of supernatural diplomacy without even asking. But they weren't wrong about the strategy.
Think about it from their perspective. You're trying to negotiate a peace treaty between factions that have been at war for millennia. Each side has members who'd rather keep fighting than make peace. You need a mediator that everyone can respect, but you also need to prove that mediator isn't just someone who'll get pushed around.
So what do you do? You arrange for that mediator to publicly fight one of the strongest beings of his generation in front of every major supernatural leader. If he can hold his own against the White Dragon Emperor, then nobody can question his qualifications anymore.
It was manipulative as hell, but it was also smart as hell.
I had to respect it, even if I didn't appreciate being kept in the dark about it.
Vali glanced at me. "You figured it out too, didn't you?"
"The peace treaty," I said.
"Yeah." Vali looked almost apologetic.
"You didn't know?"
He shook his head. "I didn't know about the bigger picture until this morning."
"And you are okay with it?"
He smirked. "As long as the fight happens."
Then continued. "A strong opponent is a strong opponent, regardless of the audience."
That was so typically Vali. Politics, manipulation, grand schemes—none of that mattered to him as much as the chance to test his strength against someone worthy.
And he was right, everything else can come later. For now the fight is what matters.
Anyways, before I could say anything else, I saw three familiar figures making their way toward us. Koneko and Sona were walking together, with Rossweisse following close behind looking like she was ready to drag me away from this whole mess if necessary.
Seeing them Vali steps back giving us some space. I nodded gratefully towards him.
Come to think of it, this was the first time my... Well, most of the women I was involved with were all going to be in the same place at the same time. Except for Koneko and Sona, of course, since Koneko was part of Rias's peerage and they'd met before.
This could get awkward fast.
Speaking of awkward situations, Kuroka was still keeping her distance from Koneko, even though we'd talked about this whole sister thing already. I could feel her magical signature somewhere on the edge of the colosseum, probably trying to stay out of sight. Along with some other energy patterns—probably Bikou and the rest of Vali's team.
"Leon," Sona said. "This situation has become far more complex than anticipated."
Of course, Sona easily understood the hidden agenda about the match.
"Tell me about it," I said, gesturing at the massive colosseum around us. "Apparently our 'private sparring match' got upgraded to a full supernatural summit."
Koneko stepped closer. Her eyes never stopped moving, tracking movement in the crowd. She didn't speak, just shifted until she stood slightly in front of me, shoulders tense.
I patted her head, like what I do every time with her.
Rossweisse just stood behind me as she reached us. Sweat beaded her forehead despite the cool breeze. She didn't say anything but just gave me a small smile.
After a few small talks with them. I expected their first encounter to be a bit messy, but hey everything went well.
Anyways, after a while someone decided to come near.
"Leon"
Azazel.
"Azazel."
I greeted him, not bothering to hide the bite in my tone.
He smirked at my hostility. "Heard I was getting popular again."
"Popular's one word for it. Manipulative jackass is another."
Azazel just waved a hand dismissively. "It's not personal, Leon. Besides, I had permission from Serafall."
He said this as our gaze went toward a certain magical girl in the VIP boxes above.
I could see Serafall grinning and waving at us.
"Permission?" My voice dropped dangerously low. "You turned my private fight into a political circus without telling me."
"Think of it as an opportunity," Azazel said, his casual tone making my teeth clench. "You wanted to establish yourself as a mediator for the peace treaty, right? Well, now you have every major faction leader watching. Impress them here, and your credibility goes through the roof."
He wasn't wrong, but that didn't make me any less pissed about the manipulation.
"And if I lose?" I asked.
Azazel's grin widened. "Then you lose. But somehow, I don't think that's going to happen."
Before I could respond, a new voice cut through our conversation.
"Well, well. If it isn't the famous Leon Mishima."
Before I could respond, the temperature around us dropped noticeably. Several conversations died as an oppressive presence made itself known.
I turned to see a figure approaching that made every instinct I had scream danger. What stood before me was a walking skeleton wreathed in shadows and dark robes. Empty eye sockets glowed with an eerie blue light, and bone fingers peeked out from ornate sleeves.
Hades. The Greek God of the Dead.
One of the most powerful beings in the Highschoold DxD Verse.
"I've heard quite a lot about you."
"Have you now?" I kept my voice neutral, but I could hear Azazel had gone unusually quiet.
"Oh yes. The human who thinks he can acts as intermediary between factions that have existed since before your species learned to make fire."
The skull's jaw moved in what might have been a smile. "Tell me, what makes a mortal think he can stand among gods and command respect?"
I felt my mana respond to my irritation, blue-white energy starting to leak from my skin. Several conversations around us stopped as people noticed the shift in atmosphere—and probably the sudden drop in temperature.
"Maybe after I'm done beating Vali into the ground, you can find out firsthand," I said pleasantly.
Hades chuckled, a sound like tombstones grinding together. "How refreshing. A mortal with spine. I do hope you put on a good show, boy."
He turned and walked away, shadows seeming to follow in his wake, but I caught his parting words.
"It would be such a shame if humanity's great hope turned out to be as fragile as all mortals inevitably prove to be."
Azazel let out a breath I didn't realize he'd been holding. "Well, that was terrifying. You sure know how to attract the scary ones, Leon."
"Shut up," I muttered, watching Hades take his position in what looked like a specially prepared section for the Greek pantheon.
A loud chime echoed across the colosseum, and all conversations gradually died down. I looked up to see a figure floating above the center of the arena—Michael, his six pair of golden wings spread wide.
"Welcome, representatives of all factions," his voice carried clearly across the entire colosseum without seeming to strain. "Today, we gather to witness a demonstration of strength between two of the most promising warriors of the younger generation."
He gestured toward Vali and me. "Vali Lucifer, the White Dragon Emperor, descendant of the original Lucifer and wielder of Divine Dividing."
Polite applause from the devil sections, along with some enthusiastic cheering from what I assumed was Vali's fanclub.
"And Leon Mishima, CEO of Mishima Corporation."
Michael continued, "This match will serve not only as a test of individual strength but as a demonstration of the cooperation and mutual respect that we hope to achieve through our peace negotiations."
Translation: Don't kill each other and make this look good for the cameras.
"The rules are simple," Michael announced. "The match ends when one participant yields, is rendered unconscious, or I determine they are unable to continue. No interference from outside parties will be tolerated."
His gaze swept across the audience, lingering on certain sections. The message was clear—anyone who tried to turn this into a free-for-all would answer to him personally.
"Combatants, please take your positions."
I looked at the three women who'd come to see me off. Sona gave me a slight nod, her expression serious but confident. Rossweisse squeezed my shoulder briefly, her touch warm and reassuring. Koneko just stared at me with those golden eyes, but I caught the tiny upturn at the corner of her mouth.
Don't lose.
I smiled back.
I wasn't planning on it.
I walked toward the center of the arena, Vali approaching from the opposite side. The crowd fell silent as we faced each other across the floor.
Up close, away from all the political bullshit and manipulation, it was just the two of us.
"Ready?" Vali asked, and for the first time today, he looked genuinely excited.
I felt my mana responding to my anticipation, power thrumming through my veins like electricity. In the distance, I could sense Kuroka's magical signature spike with worry and pride in equal measure.
"I've been ready since the day we met," I said, summoning a sword from my inventory.
Vali grinned, his white wings manifesting behind him in a burst of silver light.
"Then let's give them a show they'll never forget."
Michael raised his hand high above his head, divine energy gathering around his palm.
"Begin!"
His hand fell, and the arena erupted into chaos.
=====
If you'd like to read ahead and support me, feel free to check it out: p@treon.com/VashFF