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  ....

  I stood in mid-air, calmly Cao y expression serene and fident.

  "It seems that without the True Longinus, we're fairly evenly matched. her of us gain an advantage."

  Cao Cao's expression was grim as he admitted grudgingly, "Hmph, if I could use the True Longinus properly, you wouldn't stand a ce—What was that golden you used earlier?"

  I chuckled, a hint of mockery in my voice. "Are you making excuses now? You use your on, but I 't use mine? Why don't you ask yourself how much strength you were actually using? You holy believe you still win in this situation?"

  Hearing my words, Ge approached Cao Cao and said, "You 't defeat him right now. ht has already attracted too much attention. We should retreat for now."

  "It's a shame I couldn't defeat you and have you join us. It's truly regrettable. ime we meet, we'll be rivals. I hope you'll be as lucky then as you were today."

  With Cao Cao's final words, the two vanished.

  Seeing them leave, I breathed a small sigh of relief.

  Although Cao Cao's True Longinus was restrained by [s of Heaven], he was still a student of Indra.

  And he had been at the Ultimate-css level for a long time—it was hard to say who would have won in an all-out fight. Besides, Ge was still there.

  My inal pn was to save my trump cards for the—Peace fereween the Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels. If Cao Cao had really pushed me, I would have summohe Azure Dragon's soul and annihited them both!

  But this fight had given me a deeper uanding of my own power, which was a good thing.

  Sensing other fas approag from afar, and not wanting to reveal myself to them prematurely, I left the area.

  ....

  Meanwhile—back at the Occult Research Club, the atmosphere was tense...

  "Hmm? Sona, you've found another peerage member? When did this happen?" Rias asked, a little puzzled, after hearing Sona's words. Then she added, "But if you recruited her, she must be quite talented. gratutions."

  "It was just today. Yura brought her friend over, and I made her my peerage member."

  "But I had no idea she would be so gifted. It took seven Pawn pieces to reinate her. And as soon as she became a Devil, she awakened Vritra's Sacred Gears."

  Sona expiaking a sip of the tea Akeno had prepared. A smile pyed on her lips.

  "!!!!"

  "Seven Pawn pieces? And Vritra's Sacred Gears?"

  Hearing Sona's words, everyone in the Occult Research Club, including Rias, gasped in astonishment.

  After all, none of Rias's current peerage members had such high potential. To awaken such a high-level Sacred Gear right after being a Devil ractically unheard of.

  Although she and Sona were close friends, they had always been petitive, both in their peerage members and in public matters.

  inally, they were both still vying for Kyoya.

  And now, her best friend had acquired su incredibly talented new member. Rias couldn't help but feel a little envious.

  So, Rias gratuted her friend, though a hint of jealousy was unavoidable.

  "gratutions, Sona. You've found an exceptional member. Her future is limitless. Why 't I have such good luck?"

  Seeing Rias's envious aed expression, So a little guilty. After all, it was Rias who had first invited Kyoya, but now he had reended Kiryuu to her instead.

  So, Sona quickly tried to fort Rias.

  "Rias, don't worry. You'll find exceptional members eventually. There's o rush."

  Hearing Sona's words, Rias forced a smile, her expression strained. "Sigh, how I not be worried? I don't have much time left."

  'Hmm? Not much time? What does she mean?' Sona frowned, her eyes fshing, and then she uood.

  ....

  As Rias's childhood friend, she naturally knew about some of Rias's affairs in the Underworld.

  Rias was the heir to the House of Gremory, one of the 72 Pilrs of pure-blood Devils in the Underworld.

  Because her brother, Sirzechs Gremory, had assumed the title of Lucifer, one of the Freat Maous, she had bee the in lio i the Gremory name.

  But both she and Rias had arranged marriages. Sona had mao dissolve hers by winning a game of chess against her former fiancé. But Rias's fiancé was a different story.

  The Phenex family, like the Gremory family, was one of the 72 Pilrs of pure-blood Devils in the Underworld, and a promi Devil .

  Rias's fiancé was Riser Phehe third son of the Phenex family. Rias's marriage to him olitical one.

  It was an arra made by the two families to maintain the purity of Devil bloodlines. But it had always been a thorn in Rias's side. She hated the idea of marrying him, which was why she had run away to the human world to avoid seeing him in the Underworld. She really loathed Riser.

  ....

  After a moment of silence, Sona finally asked, "What does your family say?"

  Hearing her best friend's question, Rias looked utterly forlorn.

  "Sigh, what else they say? You know how important family alliances are. I'm not as lucky as you, Sona. My father is stantly pressurio return to the Underworld and plete the wedding."

  "Although I've asked Onii-sama for help, he 't do mu this situation. The Phenex family is just as powerful as ours. F the issue could cause serious problems. Sigh, all I do is take it oep at a time..."

  Seeing Rias's troubled expression, Sona's cheerful mood dampened. After thinking for a while, she looked at her friend strangely and suggested, "If all else fails, why don't you ask Kyoya-kun for help? I'm sure he has the ability to resolve this issue."

  ....

  Rias stared bnkly at Sona for a moment before snapping out of her daze.

  "Kyoya-kun?"

  Hearing Sona's suggestion, Akeno fidently added, "That's right. I'm sure Kyoya-kun has a way to save Rias. Besides, didn't he say he wanted a harem? He definitely won't just stand by and watch a 'beauty' like Rias get married off to someone else."

  Koneko and Kiba also nodded in agreement, expressing their belief in Kyoya's abilities.

  Rias also perked up, her brow furrowing slightly, then she blushed and smiled. "That's a good idea. If nothing else works, I'll just have to gh with it with Kyoya-kun. We'll make it a done deal! That should shut them up!"

  Hearing Rias's bold decration, Koneko's eyes showed a hint of rese.

  Akeno teased, "Rias, running away is not a good idea. I won't just hand Kyoya-kuo you. Of course, I might make an exception just this once!"

  Sona took a deep breath and said seriously, "Although this is a special circumstance, and I'm letting you take the lead this time, Rias, I won't give up. You o be prepared."

  Hearing Akeno and Sona "decre war," Rias also became fired up. "Even so—I won't back dow's see who es out on top!"

  After resolving the issue and deg her iions, Rias felt a weight lift from her shoulders.

  ????

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