Chapter 43: Strength x Strength

Author's Note:

This damn chapter's a chunky one, but I really wanted to close out everything before the third task. So yeah, a lot happened.

We had some fun moments with Rias and her Peerage, and then there's Fleur's section (I love how it ended, honestly). Let me know what you think in the comments! You all know Fleur, so proud and haughty... but that's just the surface. Deep down, she's vulnerable, and she wants to be more. She's also someone who makes decisions way too fast, lol.

And finally, what many of you have been waiting for:

The bro is here.

Sairaorg stepped onto the scene and humbled Elias hard.

The difference between him and other devils? Besides being built like a truck, he uses Touki, and yeah, it showed.

Next chapter will kick off with a proper lemon, followed by the lead-up to the third task, maybe a flashback or two, and it'll end on a cliffhanger... because I'm evil like that.

......

Celestial Ascendancy

Chapter 43: Strength x Strength

Hogwarts.

Elias Black.

It took a week of daily meetings with Rias and her Peerage, but I could confidently say we were friends now. She hit it off with Iris like a house on fire and got along with Hermione, too, though not quite on the same level.

I mean, Iris and Rias were pretty similar, so it made sense.

So yeah, while the girls mingled and bonded, I spent most of my time being a glorified punching bag for some members of Rias's Peerage. Honestly, I was starting to worry they'd get the wrong idea about me.

Akeno practically treated me like her favorite person in the world, and Rias found my endurance hilarious, so it wasn't all bad. But still, Kiba and Koneko gave me some weird looks now and then... at least for the first three days.

Flashback start.

"Is there any reason you don't fight back, Elias?" Kiba asked, a weirded-out smile on his face. He looked caught between laughing and cringing as I took another lightning blast from our sadist Queen.

Akeno was panting slightly, and not just from tiredness. She'd put a good chunk of her power into that spell. It was flashy, and yeah, it genuinely hurt.

I took a deep breath, centering myself as I kept channeling healing energy throughout my body. My recovery speed had already improved by leaps and bounds, and I was starting to adjust to spells at this level. It was rough—I'd really suffered for a bit—but it was so damn worth it.

After a minute of silence, my body felt renewed… and stronger than before. I could feel my blood pumping, muscles tightening, ready to explode at just the right moment.

Honestly? I felt at least twenty percent stronger than I had three days ago. And considering how strong I already was, that was saying something.

"I'm not a masochist," I deadpanned at the blond knight. My eyebrow twitched as I caught a nearly silent scoff from the petite rook, who was casually munching on some pastries Dobby brought for the session.

"As you've probably noticed during these last three sessions, it's not exactly common for Wizards to deal with this level of firepower," I continued. "This is helping my body adapt. Haven't you seen the difference? I can tank Akeno's attacks way better now compared to the first day."

Kiba nodded. "I mean. Yeah, we've all picked up on it. Even if we don't understand how. But still, shouldn't you be training to fight back against someone like her? Or Rias?"

"He's right, Elias," Rias grinned. "I think you're not capitalizing on this opportunity. Other than your monstrous body and healing magic, we haven't yet seen what you can actually do."

Laughing softly, I nodded. It's not like I wanted to keep my abilities secret. The more the devils were interested in the girls and me, the better protected we'd all be if the worst came to pass.

Joining a Peerage wasn't something I wanted—or needed, to be honest—but the girls could definitely get a nice boost from an arrangement like that.

To be completely honest, I wasn't even sure if the Evil Pieces could reincarnate me, thanks to several of my perks.

I wouldn't push them toward it, obviously. That kind of decision needed to be firmly theirs.

Still, I could tell they were curious. Mostly Iris.

"Fine, fine," I chuckled. "Who wants to spar for real?"

Akeno immediately shook her head, she was clearly tired after that last spell.

Kiba glanced at Rias, and she gave him a slight nod.

"Go ahead, Yuuto," she said with a dazzling smile. "Do your best. We've seen Elias can take it."

"Eli's going to win," Iris smirked at the red-headed devil, earning a challenging smirk as an answer.

Hermione helped Akeno into a chair and handed her a glass of cold water. Akeno smiled tiredly, swallowed it, and fell into a recliner with a sigh.

"I swear, he's the best and worst opponent I've ever faced," Akeno muttered, grunting as she adjusted her posture.

Her eyes, though, were bright with amusement as she watched from the sidelines.

"You seem to have fallen for him, Akeno," Rias said with a soft chuckle. "Makes me nervous. Like you're going to leave me for him."

I caught all of it from the corner of my eye, but my main focus was on Kiba as he readied himself.

"I know," Akeno grinned, then smirked at Iris. "Maybe I'll steal him from you and Hermione. He'd be a wonderful addition to the Peerage."

Rias's eyes went wide as saucers, her mouth opening in alarm, until she heard Iris guffaw from her seat.

"I'd love to see you try, Akeno," Iris laughed. "Maybe invite us to watch the show. I'm sure that will be something else."

Rias just shook her head in amusement, "I swear, you two are special."

"You ready, Kiba?" I smirked at the knight. His Sacred Gear was active, and a silver sword rested in his hand.

He nodded seriously before making his move. He was decently fast, just a bit below Alivian, for what that was worth.

He attacked me blade-first. Thinking for only a second, I drew my own sword into existence, taking his blow cleanly. Parrying his lunge, I darted around behind him faster than he could track, sweeping my foot under his and sending him off balance.

His eyes widened.

Chuckling, I gripped my sword with one hand and raised my wand with the other. A firm flick of the wrist sent an Impedimenta crashing into his chest, freezing him mid-motion.

With another wave, I conjured ten ice lances that hovered in the air around me before launching them all at once.

He powered up instinctively, shattering the jinx. But not fast enough. One lance slashed open his left arm. Another impaled his leg clean through. He surprised me by managing to deflect eight of them in the short time he had available. He was fast with that sword of his.

He cried out in pain.

I didn't stop.

I sprinted toward him at full speed and punched him square in the chest. Before he could fly back from the impact, I caught him by the neck, braced myself, and slammed him into the ground hard enough to crater the area beneath us.

He was out cold.

I exhaled slowly, letting the adrenaline fade as I took in the scene of our relatively short spar.

No doubt about it, Kiba was the better swordsman. But my raw stats outclassed him by a fair margin.

Waving my hand, I summoned a small vial from across the field. Accio, the most helpful spell ever. It landed in my palm just as Rias and the rest of her Peerage rushed over to check on him.

"Was there a reason you went that hard on him, Elias?" Rias asked, her tone noticeably frosty.

"I thought we were supposed to help each other during these spars, Rias," I said, keeping my voice calm. "And there's no risk. We recover quickly. I made sure to avoid anything vital. Take a breath, okay?"

I uncorked the vial and gently pressed it to Kiba's lips, tilting his head back just enough.

The moment the liquid touched him, the wounds sealed shut at breakneck speed. His eyes fluttered open.

Rias and her Peerage visibly relaxed.

"How do you feel, Kiba?" I asked, keeping my tone light.

The knight took a deep breath, then nodded to his King. "Never better, Elias. Was that your healing magic? I'm surprised by its potency. It was fast, and I feel... recharged."

"Heh," I chuckled. "I wish my healing magic was that good."

I held up the empty vial between two fingers.

"That was one of Ash's tears," I explained. "She's grown enough now that she can produce them semi-consistently, so don't worry. It's not a waste."

"Ah, your phoenix familiar," Akeno murmured. "Why haven't we seen her until now?"

Iris answered with a gentle smile. "Seekvaira and Alivian didn't react too well during their first meeting with her. We wanted to be sure she wouldn't accidentally upset anyone here."

"Understandable," Rias said with a slight wince. "Phoenixes are… rare. I've never seen one in person, so I get why people might react badly. But I like to think I have a decent read on people. If you'd like to have her present, I won't say anything against it."

Grinning, I called for Ash through our bond. She was off playing in one of the farthest ecosystems inside my trunk.

A burst of fire lit up the space ten feet away, and we all gasped as Ash materialized in a swirl of golden flame.

She let out a bright trill in greeting, and the air instantly felt warmer... more alive.

"Oh!" Hermione squealed, immediately scooping her up and cradling her in her bosom. "You can teleport now, Ash!"

Ash squeaked in protest, but I could feel her joy radiating through our connection, along with a healthy dose of smug pride.

"You're the best phoenix ever," I said with a grin.

Iris giggled and gently stroked Ash's beak, murmuring sweet nothings to the crimson diva.

The devils watched quietly, soft smiles on every face. Even Koneko, who was usually stoic and expressionless, looked at them in wonder.

She's beautiful," Rias gasped. "That's a truly magnificent creature.".

"Indeed she is," said Iris, smiling and placing a kiss on the top of Ash's head.

Rias shook her head, her expression regretful. "I'm sorry for overreacting earlier. I let my emotions get the best of me."

We all smiled at her in perfect unison as if rehearsed. I took the lead.

"That just means you care, Rias. No need to apologize for that."

Her smile returned, but this time, it carried a spark of challenge.

"In that case… why don't we have a go, then, Mister Wizard?"

Grinning, I met her gaze. "It's on you, Miss Devil."

Flashback end.

Rias was a fun one, but her attacks still hurt like hell; no pun was intended. We still didn't think it was safe to test my body against her Power of Destruction directly, but that didn't stop her from using it in spars. I just made sure not to get hit.

At the very least, it made for a good evasion course.

Right now, we were spending the day before summoning the second, and probably final devil before the third task. It had been a unanimous decision: summoning all three would've eaten too much prep time before we had to deal with Walburga… if it was really her.

So, Sona Sitri was being left out.

The girls had sent her a message explaining everything... our situation, the reasoning, and why this was the best call. She'd been pretty understanding about it. Actually, I had the feeling she and Hermione were becoming friends through the phone.

Mostly messages, but Sona had asked to speak with her once this week, voice to voice.

I smiled to myself. It was good seeing Hermione connect with someone outside our usual circle. She always had a harder time making new friends than the rest of us.

"Oh... hi!" a winded voice called out from behind us.

Iris turned around, smiling. "Heya, Fleur! How've you been? How's your sister?"

"Hello, Iris," Fleur smiled back. "She's okay, bouncing around already after the task. I've been looking for you all week, but I couldn't find any of you."

I rubbed the back of my neck and chuckled. "Yeah. We've been busy preparing for the third task. Sorry about that. Did you need something?"

Fleur nodded, then hesitated. She opened her mouth, paused for a beat, then finally began, "I... I wanted to apologize."

She took a breath. "The way I acted during the second task... it wasn't right. I was… jealous of your Strength, Elias. And I let that get in the way of being a decent friend."

The girls exchanged knowing grins and continued on, sending me a couple of teasing winks as they walked away.

Sighing, I took Fleur's hand gently and pulled her along to a nearby vacant classroom. She trailed after me in silence.

"We'll have some privacy in here," I said, mussing my head. I was starting to understand why Iris hated fame. It was much more exhausting than I'd thought, especially the way everyone looked at you so carefully.

"I see how you feel, Fleur," I began gently, sitting on the professor's desk. "And I guess I've done little enough to assist in that."

"No, you haven't," she breathed, moving closer. "It's hard. I've always pushed myself to be better, not as a Veela, but as a person. To prove that I'm more than just a pretty face. More than just a body men think to breed out of."

She shuddered slightly, her voice tightening as she moved closer.

"I thought I'd made it. When my name came out of the Goblet of Fire, I felt like I'd finally proven myself. Out of the whole school... I was chosen. And I was proud of that."

There was a beat.

"And then my name came out," I said with a dry chuckle.

She nodded, smiling faintly. "I was… offended, honestly. At first, I couldn't believe it. A kid—" she laughed suddenly, the sound light but raw, "A kid managed to do what I worked my ass off for. And he didn't even want to be part of it."

"And then the first task happened," I said, shaking my head.

Fleur stood in front of me, close, observing my face carefully. "Yeah… that was something. It was the first time I felt your magic."

She tilted her head slightly, voice lowering. "Did you know? We Veela are special in our own way. When I sensed it… I was amazed. Afraid. Confused. You had so much magic, with such a weight, that I genuinely doubted you were human."

She glanced down, fingers loosely fidgeting. "And even with everything the covens taught us about the outside world, I had no idea what you could be."

I grinned. "Yeah, I guess I am special."

Fleur rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth tugged into a smile. "You know you are. But then you won the first task… and not just by luck. You did something I don't think I could have replicated without real risk."

She paused, her tone becoming more thoughtful. "The only way I might've pulled it off would've been by fully transforming into my Veela form, and even then, it'd be a coin toss. Wyverns are creatures of fire, after all."

I noticed her choice of words. Wyverns, not dragons. I didn't think she realized she'd said it, so I kept quiet and played dumb.

"Your ice magic," she went on, "should've been repulsive to that part of me. It should've made me instinctively recoil."

"But… it didn't," she said, almost in a whisper.

I nodded silently, letting her keep going. It was clear she needed to let this out.

"I was confused at first," she chuckled softly. "I thought you were just a show-off. Someone who didn't really know what he was doing."

"Then we actually spoke."

She looked up, her eyes searching mine.

"I was… intrigued. At first, because of the rumors. But then I felt the way you looked at those two girls. The love you had for them... it wasn't a show. It was real. And it was beautiful. I've only ever seen something like that between my mama and papa."

I smiled gently. "I noticed it affected you when we talked."

Fleur gave a dry little laugh, her expression flat. "It was almost distracting in its intensity."

"I'd do anything for the ones I love," I said gravely. "And all three of us… we've got big hearts. Too big, perhaps, sometimes.".

Fleur nodded slowly, her gaze soft. "I can see it. Every time you're close to them. It's like watching something whole... something special."

She inhaled slowly, her chest expanding. "Then the second task took place."

I kept quiet, letting her speak.

"You've changed," she said, her tone softer now. "Even more than you did before. There's something about you now. It's not magic, it's... I don't even know how to describe it."

Her eyes locked into mine, traveling downward and then back again in puzzlement.

"You've grown up," she breathed. "Not only in power. I can feel it. Like you're becoming something much more."

She stepped closer without thinking, and I felt her breath ghost across my cheek. Her presence was warm, but there was an unmistakable pull between us, something deeper than Veela's allure.

It could no longer affect me, but I felt like it was. This conversation had not gone how I expected.

I looked at her… really looked at her.

Her eyes were impossibly clear, just like the sky when it was at its most beautiful point. That same kind of blue. Her hair was pale platinum, shimmering under the light coming from the window.

She was breathtaking.

But it wasn't just her beauty that caught me off guard… It was the vulnerability in her expression.

The way she stood there with an open heart made it seem like she was standing at the edge of something she didn't fully understand... but wanted to.

Neither of us spoke for a few seconds.

"I've never felt this way before," she whispered, her breath brushing against my face… minty, fresh.

I… I didn't know what to do. Not really. So, I did the first thing that felt right.

I pulled her into a hug.

She tilted her head slightly, looking up at me, torn again but a searching look on her eyes. Her lips parted just a little, eyes locked on mine.

Gently, I placed a finger on her lips and shook my head. Then, with a softer touch, I brushed my fingers against her cheek.

"Why don't you come with us on our date?" I asked quietly. "Get to know us. Really know us."

Her eyes searched mine for a moment longer… then she took a deep breath and nodded.

"I think I'd love that."

Later.

The girls were enjoying themselves, and I was more than happy to take the back seat. They hadn't talked much before, but they were really getting along.

Fleur was more than just her looks... she was bright and had a sharp mind. Hermione appreciated having someone who could keep up with her on magical theory and knowledge. And she was fun enough to leave Iris cackling on the bench near the lake.

We were sitting together, sharing one of Dobby's picnic feasts. The excitable elf was a god in the kitchen, and he'd been experimenting with new recipes lately... he was determined to spoil us even more.

"You know, my sister was asking about you, Elias," Fleur said, wiping away a tear from laughing at one of Iris's jokes. "She wanted to know more about the man who helped save her big sister."

"She's adorable," I nodded. And she really was, Gabrielle Delacour was the kind of kid who made you want to spoil her just by existing. She was barely eight this year, but according to Fleur, a total little hellion.

"That she is," Fleur sniffed haughtily. "But she'll never hear those words from my mouth."

Laughing, Hermione replied, "I always wanted a little brother to spoil."

"It's fun," Fleur said solemnly. "Cleaning up after them, taking care of them… sneaking off with your friends for some time off."

Iris let out a soft chuckle, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Even with all that, I think it'd be worth it."

"Oh, you sweet little thing," Fleur cooed. She pulled Iris into a warm hug, swaying gently. "I'm sure Gabrielle would love to play with you before we leave."

Iris sniffed, "Thanks, Fleur. Maybe it'll work out. You should bring her by next time. Does she like flying?"

"She loves it," Fleur smiled.

"Then there's that," said Iris, her expression turning serious. "I'll give her a whirl on my broom. What do you think?"

"That would be lovely, Iris," Fleur said, smiling brightly. "I've heard you're the best Seeker in the school."

Iris's cheeks blushed. "I don't think so."

"Oh, she is," I said, pinching her cheek. "Don't be fooled by her modest act; I'd bet on her over Krum any day."

Hermione nodded, her eyes sparkling. "She's appallingly good. Her size could be an advantage, too."

"Blah," Iris stuck out her tongue. "All that matters is right here." She grabbed her chest and lifted it with a smirk before letting it drop.

"See?" she grinned. "Look how Eli gets."

Fleur rolled her eyes. "You don't have to flaunt how much you've got him dancing on your finger, Iris."

My girlfriend grinned. "Oh, but he's adorable when he gets like that."

"That he is," Fleur murmured—then blinked and shook her head, alarmed at her own words.

She hadn't been quiet enough, though. The two girls heard it right away.

Iris smiled, flashing me a wink, with Hermione letting out a soft, sympathetic sigh.

"What are your plans after the Tournament?" Hermione asked, shifting the conversation with a gentle nudge.

"I don't know," Fleur replied, raising her head. "Before coming here, I was going to spend time with my grandmother and her coven. Learn a bit more, you know."

"What changed?" Iris asked, popping a grape into her mouth.

Fleur hesitated. "Hmm… I'm not sure." But her eyes flicked around the group.

Smiling, I gave her shoulder a gentle push. "Whatever you do, I know you'll do well, Fleur."

"Yeah!" Iris grinned. "So, what were you planning to learn from the coven?"

"Charms," Fleur answered thoughtfully. "I love them. But the professor at Beauxbatons... she can't really teach me much more."

"Oh!" Iris's eyes sparkled. "You do know Professor Flitwick is one of the top Charms Masters in the world, right? He was a dueling champion in his youth. And, being half-goblin, he'd probably understand some of the things you might face in the future."

"I know him," Fleur nodded eagerly. "I've even seen recordings of some of his duels. He was brilliant."

"You could talk to him," Hermione chewed her lip, pondering. "He's actually a great teacher."

"We're pretty close, Eli's is learning from him and has grown even closer. I'm sure he could recommend you," Iris finished.

Fleur turned around, "Would you really do that, Elias?

"If that's what you want," I said gently, holding her gaze. "I'm sure I can convince him."

She hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Let me think about it."

And then, to my surprise, she let out a quiet squeal and threw her arms around me.

"Yes, yes," I laughed, returning the hug and gently rubbing her back. "It's getting late anyway. We should take you back to the carriage."

Hermione shared a glance with Iris, one of those quiet exchanges that didn't need words, before giving a slight nod.

"Eli, give me your trunk," Mione said gently. "We'll prep everything for later. You go ahead and escort Fleur to her schoolmates."

I blinked. "You sure, love?"

"Yeah. Go," she smiled, stepping in to kiss me softly. Her lips brushed my ear as she whispered, "Go for it, love. We like her."

My eyes widened slightly as I handed over my miniature trunk.

Iris grabbed hold of me by the collar, pulled me into a deep kiss, and then whispered into my ear.

"Make her remember us, love," she breathed with a smile.

They strolled and wrapped Fleur in a pleasant hug.

"It was a pleasure to spend the day with you, Fleur," Hermione said.

"Would love a repeat soon," Iris joined in, beaming.

Elias Black

I grabbed Fleur's hand, and her eyes widened slightly as I pulled her a bit closer.

"I think it'd be better if I cloaked us," I chuckled. "Wouldn't want the papers writing something scandalous about you."

"How considerate of you, Mister Blake," Fleur teased. "I suppose that's the only reason?"

Grinning, I replied, "But of course, my fair lady."

She giggled but didn't resist as I cast the spell.

Murmuring the incantation, I felt my magic settle over us like a veil.

She shuddered, got closer to me, and stayed quiet for the first few minutes.

"They're nice," Fleur said softly. "I can see why you love them that much, Elias."

"I know," I grinned, even though she couldn't see it. "They're amazing."

"And they liked you, you know," I bumped her shoulder lightly. "They wouldn't have asked for a second date otherwise."

Fleur exhaled softly. "It's always been hard having female friends… being a Veela and all. Most girls either hate me for how I look or worry I'll steal their boyfriends."

I glanced over at her and lowered my voice. "Yeah… that sounds exhausting."

"It doesn't affect you, right?" she asked, pausing near the entrance to the Beauxbatons carriage. A few of her schoolmates lingered nearby, but none noticed us.

"Nope," I snorted. "Are you sure the allure is working?"

"Don't be a… what do they call them here? Oh yes... a prat," Fleur huffed, turning to face me. "I think you're the only male besides Papa who can hold a conversation like this ever since I hit puberty."

She took a slow breath, exhaling softly.

"It was a wonderful day, Elias. Thank you," she murmured, locking eyes with mine.

We were alone beneath the cloak—no eyes, no judgment.

"If I didn't know you had girlfriends…" she hesitated, her eyes trembling just a little, "…I'd kiss you."

I reached up, brushing my fingers gently across her cheek.

"Then it's a good thing the girls gave me their blessing, eh?" I said softly, smiling as her expression froze in surprised wonder.

Her breath hitched.

I gently tilted her chin up and pressed my lips against hers.

It was soft. No harder than a lingering touch.

But she leaned into it like her heart had just been waiting for the chance.

"I hope you had an amazing day, Fleur," I murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her beautiful ear. "And I wouldn't mind a repeat."

Later that night.

"So? How was she?" My green eyed girlfriend smirked, "Did you snog her behind the carriage or what?"

"Iris, love," Hermione groaned loudly, "Fleur doesn't seem like the type to go around snogging boys that fast."

"Bah," Iris scoffed, waving her off. "I like Fleur, but the girl's smitten with this idiot."

"Not that we can blame her," Hermione said pointedly. "We're the same, aren't we?"

"Girls, girls," I chuckled, holding up my hands as they both turned toward me. "Calm down."

"Not much happened," I said casually, already knowing that would set them off.

"I love you, Eli," Iris sighed. "But don't be stupid. Spill it, what happened? And how was she?"

"Heh," Hermione smirked; she was curious about it in spite of her silence.

"Yes. I kissed her," I admitted. "It wasn't long, and it wasn't deep. But I don't think she'll be thinking of anything else tonight.".

"Woop!" Iris threw her arms over her head and then slumped back over her chair, pouting. "Ugh, I wanna watch."

"For Merlin's sake, love," Hermione groaned. "Do you have to be such a horny little thing all the time?"

"Of course I do," Iris smiled brightly. She promptly jumped onto Hermione's lap and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"You expect me to see you strutting around with that perfect, tight little arse and stay sane?"

"Eeep!" Hermione cried out as Iris's hands inched down, wrapping around her tightly.

"You drive me crazy, Mione," Iris breathed fiercely, her voice husky. "Seeing Akeno almost melt during her training with Eli? Yeah… that messed with my head. And someone's going to pay for it tonight."

Hermione bit her lip. She didn't answer right away, but after a moment, she gave a slight nod. "Tonight. Once our guest is gone."

Iris grinned like a cat. "That's a promise."

"You two are so much fun," I chuckled, lifting my hands in surrender as Iris shot me a glare.

"You'll be doing most of the work tonight, mister," she warned. "So don't get cocky."

"Obviously," I grinned. "Wouldn't miss it even if the world was ending, love. But... we should probably summon Sairaorg soon; it's almost time."

"You're right," Hermione said, glancing at the clock with a nod.

I walked toward the pamphlet and pumped my magic into it. After a minute of nothing happening, the Bael family crest shimmered into view beside the table.

Two figures stepped through.

One was a hulking and massive dude, and the other was willowy woman, standing gracefully next to him.

Sairaorg Bael was a mountain of muscle. Built like a bodybuilder on steroids, he radiated physical Strength even while standing still.

The woman next to him was striking in a different way: blonde, tall, blue-eyed, and elegant. She was someone I had not seen in my past life.

"Hey!" Sairaorg grinned brightly. "Thanks for the heads-up. I hope I can help out Seekvaira's friends; the girl needs to get out more."

"My King," the woman said gently, "You shouldn't say things like that in public."

Clearly, she was used to cleaning up after him.

"Sairaorg," I nodded, stepping forward and offering my hand.

He took it immediately, gripping it tight. I met his Strength with equal force.

What a beast.

He was a regular devil, as dumb as that sounded, but he had already shown more Strength than Alivian did when we first met.

His grin widened, sharp canines glinting under the lights. "Oh, you're strong."

"Pleasantries first, my King," the woman reminded him, clearing her throat again.

"Right, right." Sairaorg chuckled. "I'm Sairaorg Bael, as you probably know, and this is my Queen, Kuisha Abaddon."

"A pleasure, my lady," I said with a respectful smile. "I'm Elias Black. And these two are my girlfriends, Hermione Granger and Iris Potter. We're Wizards."

It turned out they knew even less than Rias and Seekvaira about our existence, but after a quick crash course, both were nodding thoughtfully.

Say what you want about Sairaorg, but he wasn't stupid. I'd only just met him, but it was apparent he was sharp in his own way.

"I can see why Seekvaira kept this quiet," Kuisha said at last, her tone calm but thoughtful.

"I don't think it'll be a problem," Sairaorg grinned. "No one pays attention to where I go."

What a sad state of affairs for a devil that strong. His family was filled with stupid devils.

"So," he turned to me directly, "why did you call for help?"

"There might be a Longinus user involved," I said flatly. "And I've got, at most, three months to prepare."

Kuisha winced. Sairaorg laughed.

"So… training?"

"Yeah," Iris grunted. "Mostly with Eli. He's the only one who might reach that level fast enough, but we all need to sharpen up."

Sairaorg nodded, expression serious. "Makes sense. You can fill us in on the details later. That's enough for now. I'll do it."

I could tell the girls were surprised by how quickly he agreed. I was too… I'd expected to negotiate like I had with Rias.

Kuisha sighed quietly, but I noticed the faintest tug at the corner of her mouth.

"You don't know how much this means to us, Sairaorg," I said honestly. "I might not be much in my current state… but you've got a friend here."

"Yeah, what Eli said," Iris added with a grin. "If you ever need anything, just call."

Hermione nodded, her expression warm.

Sairaorg gave a grin of his own, then cracked his knuckles. "Then I think it's time I see what you can really do."

I nodded and motioned for them to follow, sweeping my hand toward the training grounds.

Dobby would already be moving the chairs closer so everyone could watch comfortably.

After a few minutes, we arrived at the wasteland. As expected, Dobby had everything set up.

Kuisha glanced around, visibly impressed. She gave a short nod. "This works. I'll put up some barriers so you can go all out, my King."

"Thanks, Kuisha," Sairaorg said with a wide grin. Then he turned to me. "So, Elias. What have you got?"

Considering how much Sairaorg could help, I decided to show him everything.

"Well," I started, "I'm pretty good with fire magic."

I ignited my body in blue fire, letting it burn harmlessly across my skin. After everything Akeno had put me through, it didn't even tingle any more.

I let the flames fade, glancing over just in time to catch Sairaorg staring with wide eyes.

"I can heal myself pretty well, too," I added, slicing my palm with a cutting spell. The wound sealed shut instantly, so fast that not even a drop of blood had the chance to fall.

"Cloaking magic," I said next, disappearing mid-step as I began circling them in silence.

Sairaorg's eyes followed me. Kuisha, on the other hand, never turned her head.

"Ice magic," I added, summoning an ice blade in my hand and hurling it across the field. It shattered a boulder near the mountain base.

"That's… a lot," Kuisha said, her tone shifting to something more serious. "Are all Wizards like this?"

Hermione laughed, brushing her hair back. "He's a bit special. But yes, we're generally very versatile. Our magic, I mean. He is a beast of nature when it comes to physique."

Sairaorg stared at me, lips twitching. "Anything else?"

"Just the usual wizarding stuff," I shrugged, then grinned as I raised my hand, "And this."

My sharp teeth glinted as I called upon the Aetherium.

The hollow filled with a radiant holy light, the power from the Elder Scrolls flaring to life in my palm.

"Don't worry," I added quickly. "I won't use this if you don't want me to. I still don't know how devils react to it if they get hit directly."

I held out my hand to him. "So… shall we begin, my friend?"

He guffawed, "Oh, this will be good. I am a hand-to-hand specialist, so let's begin with that."

He turned serious and waved his hand carelessly, "Start when you want, Elias."

Nodding just as seriously, I ran toward him at my fastest speed, not holding my Strength at all.

Throwing a punch at his chest, he parried it carelessly, without even trying, and returned a punch to my temple.

Grunting at the feeling, I shook my head and began once more.

Punch after punch, I tried to break his guard, but he was laughably better than me.

"I've seen enough," he grunted, "Your basics are solid, but you will need more."

Without stopping, Sairaorg grabbed my arm and twisted it before slamming me to the ground, just as I had done against Kiba.

It was humbling, but I didn't care.

My own resilience was high, so I turned around with a kick, but he just jumped above it.

"You are more durable than you look, Elias," Sairaorg grinned before he took a deep breath.

With a roar, his aura increased multiple times. And he moved fast, almost too fast for my eyes, as ridiculous as it sounded.

But I was already adapting. His punches had a new weight in them, and they hurt more than Akeno's magic, but I endured. I waited for my chance, blocking what I could and bearing what I couldn't.

I had hoped that he would lower the intensity after a bit, but he was as ferocious as the start, laughing all the way.

He increased his Strength even more, but I managed to uppercut him when he didn't expect it. He was getting too excited and lowered his guard.

"HAHA, Good!" he grinned, cleaning his nose from a small trickle of blood I managed to draw.

I was circling healing magic throughout my body without stopping, but it was getting into me. He was damaging me more than I could heal.

After ten more minutes of receiving a beating and I getting a couple of solid hits, I fell to the ground.

"For Lucifer's sake, Elias," Sairaorg grunted, "This durability of yours is no joke."

Panting, I stayed on the floor and chuckled, "It didn't help much, you absolute monster."

Iris and Hermione were looking worriedly, but they knew my advantages. It was something needed if we wanted to survive what was coming.

Now that I wasn't under the barrage of blows, I looked carefully at the wasteland and laughed incredulously at the sight. It was destroyed like never before, with a bunch of craters and dents in the whole area. Almost five hundred feet in diameter, it was damaged all the way down, with some holes bigger than my own body. The few remaining trees didn't exist anymore, and Kuisha's barrier was cracked and filled with spider webs.

"If you grow at the same rate you did during this fight, you will be ready, my friend," Sairaorg grinned.

"And after this, call me Sai. I know my name is quite a mouthful."

........

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