"DXD: Transfer Student"Chapter 246: Coveting Asia
The day of the tournament arrived, and Rias led her entire Peerage to the venue early.
Draconis Yi was taken aback by the sheer scale of the place—a stadium so vast it looked like it could swallow hundreds of thousands.
"This is where the matches happen?" Xenovia asked, wide-eyed. It was her first time at such a high-profile event, and the novelty was written all over her face.
Rias smiled. "Not quite. The real battles take place in a separate dimension. This stadium is just for broadcasting everything to the audience."
She explained that Rating Games were nothing like ordinary matches. The pieces fought for real, injuries were common, and things could get brutal. That's why the battlefield was kept separate from the crowds. If anyone was too badly hurt to go on, they'd be whisked out of the combat zone instantly—medics on standby in the pocket dimension.
Draconis Yi had played in a Rating Game before, so none of this fazed him. He followed Rias inside, calm as ever.
The stadium was already packed—devils of every kind filled the seats, the roar of the crowd echoing through every corridor.
Since the advent of Rating Games, the tournaments had become the hottest ticket in the Underworld. No matter the scale, every public match drew swarms of spectators.
"So many devils..." Asia whispered, her voice trembling. She'd never seen a crowd like this; the sea of faces, the deafening cheers—it all made her knees go weak.
Rias gave her a reassuring smile. "Just relax. Pretend they're not even there."
But then she added, almost as an afterthought, "And this is just the live audience. The broadcast viewers will be even more. Even though this is only the newcomer tournament, it's being streamed across the entire Underworld—just like the championship matches."
She mentioned that in the championship, the top ten devils were all Ultimate-class. Rias's eyes shone with ambition.
An Underworld-wide broadcast...
Asia and Xenovia both gaped. Akeno and Koneko's eyes narrowed, bracing themselves.
"Let's head to the prep area," Rias said, clapping her hands. "We can go over strategy one more time."
They made their way to the rest area.
While Rias was gathering everyone for the tactical briefing, a knock sounded at the door. A female devil staff member poked her head in, bowing respectfully.
"Lady Gremory, Lord Astaroth is here to see you."
Rias blinked, surprised. "What's he want?"
"Please let him in," she said after a moment.
A few seconds later, the door swung open and in walked a black-haired young man, gentle smile on his face.
Diodora Astaroth—heir to the Astaroth family, a clan that had produced a Maou. His status matched Rias's, and Draconis Yi recognized him from the earlier gathering.
"What brings you here, Diodora? Shouldn't you be working on your own team's strategy?" Rias asked, frowning.
Diodora's smile never wavered. "That's all settled. I'm here for something more important."
His manner was polite, almost soothing, but something about him set everyone on edge. Sirzechs, the Maou, radiated genuine warmth; Diodora's smile, by contrast, felt like a mask—a wall hiding secrets.
"Then spit it out. We've got a strategy meeting to finish. You'd better hope you don't draw us in the bracket," Rias said, her tone light but pointed.
Diodora nodded. "I'll be direct, then. Rias, I want to trade Bishops with you."
He glanced at Asia, standing close to Draconis Yi. "The Bishop I want is Asia Argento."
Asia shrank under his gaze, hands clenched tight, eyes full of silent refusal.
Draconis Yi's eyes narrowed. He didn't object to the servant trading system—provided it was voluntary. Ravel's transfer had been her choice; forcing someone against their will was another matter entirely.
Diodora ignored Asia's discomfort, producing his Peerage handbook with a practiced flourish. "What I'm prepared to offer is—"
Rias cut him off. "Let's be clear before you even show me that. I'm not trading with you."
Her voice was firm, her expression hard. She wasn't interested in comparing values or weighing options—she simply wouldn't give up Asia.
"This isn't about her value or her charm," Rias continued. "She's my Peerage devil, and she's important to me. I won't let her go."
By refusing to even look at the handbook, Rias made her stance unambiguously clear. It was an admirable move—no room for anyone to accuse her of making a cold calculation.
"Why? Is it because she's valuable? Or do you just find her irresistible?" Diodora asked, still smiling.
His easy tone didn't match the gravity of what he was suggesting.
"Both. She's like a little sister to me," Rias replied, her voice cold as steel.
Diodora shrugged, still unfazed. "Very well. But I won't give up. Asia, don't you remember me? You saved me once, when I was gravely injured."
He turned to Asia, gaze soft.
Asia flinched as the memory surfaced. "You... you were that wounded devil..."
She looked stunned. Xenovia frowned. "So you lost your sainthood because you saved him?"
Asia nodded, pain flickering across her face. Those memories still stung.
Without hesitation, Draconis Yi stepped forward and wrapped Asia in a protective embrace, gently stroking her hair.
…
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