Chapter 130 – The Troublesome Mother-in-Law
Facing the woman before him—her eyes gleaming with an undeniable thirst for battle—Akira was completely at a loss.
Why did it feel like his beloved mother-in-law was more excited about fighting than he was?
In the Underworld, Akira didn't mind dueling anyone. Even going head-to-head with his future father-in-law would be fine.
But fighting his mother-in-law?
Absolutely not.
"Mother-in-law, please… let's not joke about this. This really isn't appropriate," Akira said, trying to stay calm.
"What's not appropriate?" Venelana replied casually.
"You're Rias's mother. And I'm her fiancé. If Rias comes back and finds out I actually fought you, she'll probably skin me alive."
"Relax. I won't tell her."
"…Please, spare me…"
Akira nearly collapsed in despair. Why was this woman so stubborn?
But as his eyes met her serene smile, he saw something in her—something that looked eerily familiar.
A glimpse of Rias's future.
There's an old saying: If you want to know what a girl will be like in the future, look at her mother.
Not always true, but usually not far off.
And the opposite was just as valid—if you want to imagine how a woman looked in her youth, look at her daughter.
Venelana Gremory, once known as the Pride of the Bael Family, had been a blonde beauty with a fearsome reputation.
They didn't call her The Extermination Lady for her looks.
That title was earned on the battlefield, in blood.
Unlike the current peaceful era, her youth had been forged in the fires of faction wars and family feuds. It was in that chaos that she carved her name into Devil history.
If anything, the young Venelana was like a more disciplined, more dangerous version of Rias.
The only real difference was that Venelana had bowed to her family's will—even accepting an arranged marriage with Zeoticus Gremory, a man with little renown.
Meanwhile, Rias… had fought back against fate, searching for love and freedom on her own terms.
"So, if you don't say anything, and I don't say anything… who's going to know?" Venelana asked sweetly.
"Mother-in-law, I beg you… please don't put me through this…"
What did she mean no one will know?
This was the Underworld—where Maou-class magic surges were immediately flagged by the defense systems. Even a ripple of power would trigger an investigation.
To be honest, Akira was starting to think Venelana was like a final-form Rias—but even more unpredictable.
"We'll fight in a separate dimension. That should solve everything."
"That's… not solving anything!!"
Akira's continued resistance finally sparked a bit of irritation in Venelana.
After all, she wasn't known for being patient. If she had been, she never would've earned the nickname Extermination Lady.
The woman standing before him wasn't just a gentle mother or noble hostess—she was a warrior. And a proud one at that.
"Shin Akira," she said, her tone sharpening. "I'll ask one more time. Are you coming… or not?"
"…I-I'm coming…" Akira replied, voice low and defeated.
He was completely cornered.
Facing down his future mother-in-law's glare, what sane man would dare disappoint her?
Especially when his relationship with Rias was still teetering in a more-than-friends-but-not-quite-lovers stage...
One wrong move… and everything could fall apart.
"Hmph."
With a small snort and a graceful gesture, a warm light enveloped them both—and the world around them vanished.
— — —
When Akira opened his eyes again, he found himself inside a vast coliseum-like structure—an isolated space made purely for combat.
There were no audience seats, no decorations. Just a clean, empty battlefield surrounded by a void of endless silence.
Venelana stood on the opposite end, her Maou-class aura slowly rising like steam.
This was clearly her private dimension—a personalized space she'd created over the years.
And seeing her now, in this form…
The elegant housewife image completely melted away, revealing a side even Rias probably didn't know.
"Shin Akira," Venelana said, her voice calm and dignified. "You're strong. You've defeated the Evil God Loki, even Fenrir. I know I can't win against you."
"Eh? Then… are you conceding?"
"Concede? Not at all." She smirked. "We'll be fighting with pure magic and physical skill. No Sacred Gears, no artifacts, no external techniques."
"What about spellcasting?"
Before he could finish asking, a crimson beam of Power of Destruction shot toward him, slicing the air with a sharp hiss.
Akira instantly responded—summoning his Blue Lightning Light to intercept the incoming blast.
A deafening shockwave echoed through the arena as the two powers collided, stirring up a whirlwind of dust and heat.
As the smoke cleared, Venelana had already disappeared from sight.
Suddenly, Akira felt a surge of pressure from his right side.
A punch. Fast and clean.
He barely managed to tilt his head, narrowly dodging the attack.
"Impressive reflexes," Venelana praised, a touch of pride in her voice.
"Well… I do my best."
But deep down, Akira had no intention of letting this duel drag on.
He couldn't bring himself to hurt this woman—not even slightly.
To him, Venelana was someone to be respected, honored, and protected… not challenged.
So the "fight" quickly turned into a one-sided match.
Venelana attacked.
Akira dodged, blocked, and defended—never once striking back.
Thanks to his mastery of Aura Detection, he could predict her every movement before she made it.
And while Venelana was undeniably powerful, firmly in the early Maou-class, Akira was hovering just beneath that ceiling… only 2% away from breaking through.
For the next thirty minutes, Venelana poured her heart into the fight.
But eventually, she too realized the truth.
Akira had never truly fought back. Not once.
"…Haaah."
She sighed deeply, brushing back her long hair as her aura slowly receded.
"That's enough. You win."
With those words, the duel officially ended.
Akira exhaled, finally feeling a sense of relief wash over him.
But then—
[Ding!]
[+3% Inheritance Synchronization Achieved]
Akira froze.
…Seriously?
Of all things, it was this sparring session—with his mother-in-law—that finally pushed his inheritance over the edge?
The final piece of his Template… had just clicked into place.
He didn't know whether to laugh… or cry.
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