The silence in the grand hall remained absolute, shattered only by the ragged gasps of the dismembered devil. Rin, his gaze cold and unwavering, had perfectly heard the man's frantic thoughts moments before. A spy from the Old Satan faction. This marriage alliance, a distraction. A chance to lower the New Satan faction's guard, to launch an attack. The man's internal shock at Rin's casual, yet devastating, strike was equally clear. He just swayed his hand! How did he cut my arm?!
Fueled by pain and a burning desire for vengeance, the man lurched forward, intending to lunge at Rin. But before he could take a single step, Sirzechs Lucifer's aura, thick and oppressive, slammed into him, pinning him to the spot. The man glared at Rin, a silent promise of future retribution in his eyes.
Suddenly, Rin shimmered, a faint ripple in the air, and then reappeared back beside Rias and Sona. The speed was astounding. Every devil in the hall, even the most powerful, gasped. They hadn't seen him move. It was a stark, undeniable demonstration that this human was far from ordinary. Yet, a defiant thought echoed in some minds. He's still just a human. He can never truly be stronger than us.
Sona, her face etched with concern, immediately reached for Rin's arm. "Rin-kun, your hand! Is it okay?"
Rin offered her a reassuring smile. "It's fine, Sona. Perfectly fine." His voice was calm, though Sona's concern was justified. Even if it was the man's shoulder that had taken the full brunt of the magical severance, a devil's body was not to be trifled with. Hearing his calm assurance, she let out a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, Rin noticed a familiar presence, a pair of eyes intently focused on their group. His gaze shifted, landing on a beautiful devil with long, flowing blue hair and a playful, almost mischievous smile: Serafall Leviathan, Sona's older sister and another of the Four Great Satans. Though she didn't speak, her teasing smile, directed squarely at Sona, made Sona's face flush a deep crimson, and she quickly averted her gaze.
My little sister has changed, Serafall's thoughts, bright and curious, entered Rin's mind. And it must be because of this human. How interesting. He seems… quite capable. I should visit the human world later, spend some time with Sona, and observe him more closely.
A wicked thought sparked in Rin's mind. If I'm being greedy, why not add Serafall to the harem as well? He shook his head, however. No. Not now. The timing was wrong. He could feel the surging bloodlust emanating from several of the Great Families, particularly those loyal to the New Satan faction, who were now seeing him as a potential wild card, a threat to their carefully constructed order.
Sirzechs, his voice cutting through the lingering tension, finally addressed Rin. "Rin-kun, why did you cut that man's arm?"
"He's just ugly," Rin replied simply, his tone utterly devoid of malice, as if stating an undeniable fact.
The dismembered devil roared, his rage overcoming his pain, and he lunged forward, ignoring Sirzechs's aura. He was about to launch himself at Rin, but Sirzechs, with a subtle shift in his own demonic power, subtly intensified his pressure, making the man falter, forcing him to reign himself in.
This will take too long, Rin mused, sensing the man's suppressed fury and the simmering unrest among the other families. He decided it was time to put on a proper show.
Without a word, Rin released his mana. It wasn't a casual trickle; it was a torrent, a tidal wave of spiritual energy that slammed into every being in the hall. It radiated from him, immense and pure, the raw power of a human who had just awakened as a mage, yet whose potential was already frighteningly vast. The air shimmered, the very foundation of the castle seeming to groan under the pressure.
A collective gasp swept through the devils. They immediately recognized the sheer scale of his power. He's a threat, the thought echoed in multiple minds. Several families, loyal to the New Satan faction and now seeing a direct challenge, decided to make their move. The dismembered devil, his eyes burning with renewed vengeance, was among the first. He's still a newly awakened mage! He doesn't know any magic or spells! I'll tear him apart!
But Rin didn't need spells. He didn't need magic. He only needed his imagination.
His boundless mana compressed, swirling and coalescing into a tangible form. In Rin's hand, a katana materialized, its blade not of steel, but of pure, shimmering spiritual energy. It pulsed with an ethereal blue glow.
With a single, fluid motion, Rin swung the mana-forged katana through the air. There was no direct target, no discernible spell. He simply slashed.
But as the blade cut through the space, the air itself warped, distorting into a miniature, yet incredibly potent, tornado. The vortex erupted in the center of the hall, a controlled, localized tempest of raw mana. The devils who had lunged forward, caught in the unexpected blast, were instantly swept off their feet, thrown backward with immense force. They slammed into their seats, dazed and disoriented, but unharmed, their attempted attack utterly nullified.
Sirzechs Lucifer, observing the scene, did not intervene. Instead, a slow, appreciative smile spread across his face. Rias has found herself an exceptional man indeed, he thought, his eyes gleaming with a newfound respect. His mana... it is equal to my own power. Sirzechs, a being of unimaginable strength, recognized a kindred spirit in power, if not in temperament. If I were to fight with Rin right now, I can see myself being the winner at the end, but I would lose some parts of my body. The thought brought a strange, almost thrilling, realization.
Deciding the demonstration was sufficient, Sirzechs released his own aura. It was not an attack, but a sheer, overwhelming weight of authority. The pressure pressed down on every devil in the room, forcing them to acknowledge his presence, his power, his ultimate command. The scattered, disoriented devils immediately fell back, returning to their positions, their earlier defiance replaced by profound respect for their leader.
The meeting resumed, but now, the atmosphere was drastically different. The discussion was no longer about whether Rias should marry Riser, but about how to best accommodate the undeniable presence of Rin Takakura.