The Paladin on the Infinite Tour

Exia didn't show any surprise when her name was suddenly mentioned.

Rias would seek help from him, and Shitori Sona had already mentioned it to him a month ago.

"What do you need from me?"

"I want you to serve as a demon agent and temporarily become my nominal dependent to participate in the ranking game." Rias said, "If you have the same strength as the superior demon, the difference in number may be negligible. .”

If there are no special circumstances, the strength gap between demons of different levels is absolute. Lower-level demons cannot compare to mid-level demons, and intermediate demons cannot compare to upper-level demons. The gap in strength will make the numbers meaningless.

"Rias, do you think this is a legitimate situation?"

"Of course, brother - this is in line with the nature of ranking games, isn't it?"

Ranked games are just [entertainment] after all. If you can add elements that make the game interesting, not many people will refuse, not to mention...

“It’s pointless to watch a battle where the outcome is almost certain beforehand, right? This is not acceptable for a [game].”

After all, the most important thing about games is fun.

Sirzechs smiled slightly: "You are a little more eloquent, Rias. Well, that's very good. I will take this suggestion back to inform my father and the Phoenix family, and I will also do my best to promote it." The establishment of this game.”

"but--"

When the conversation changed, Sirzechs looked at Exia: "The premise is, are you willing to accept Rias's request? Demon agent."

Yes, Exia's decision is the most important.

He accepted the request in order for Rias' application to become a reality, but if he didn't...

"I accept."

Alexia's answer was without any hesitation.

"After all, my identity in this world was prepared for me by Ms. Rias, and she lent me the place to live. There is also the matter of Aisha... Although I usually help her a lot. thing, but that’s just a transaction based on a cooperation contract.”

"This time, just think of it as my personal return of kindness to the first [friend] I met in another world."

"Yeah...I know."

Sirzechs nodded with a smile, unfolded the magic square under his feet, and disappeared into the activity room together with Gurefia.

And as soon as the two of them left...

"Well!"

"Oh~"

Rias's body went limp for an instant, and Alexia, who was close at hand, quickly reached out to catch her: "Are you okay, Ms. Rias?"

"Do you think I look good?" Rias glared at Alexia with a rare dissatisfaction, "Why did you do such a thing this time? You obviously don't have to-"

"But you don't want to get married, do you?"

Alexia asked rhetorically.

"As I said just now, even if we are just a cooperative relationship, I still regard you as a [friend]. And since my friend is in trouble, there is no reason for me not to help, right?"

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Helping Rias up, Alexia smiled and said, "This is what Kaslana does - do you have any dissatisfaction?"

"...."

"without thanks."

————————————————————————————————————

Then.

Four hours after Sirzechs and Gurefia returned to the underworld, the notice that Rias' application was approved was conveyed.

but.......

[The format of the ranking game is no longer a battle between the Gremory Familias and the Phoenix Familia. After the strong request of Lady Risel Phoenix, it has been changed to a personal duel between Lady Alexia Kaslana and her]

[The time is three days later]

34. Talk to your instincts

"A one-on-one duel with the Phoenix family in two days!?"

The next day, in Azazel's apartment.

Hearing Alexia in front of him say this, he almost spit out all the famous wine in his mouth!

"real or fake?"

"I'm not used to bullshit."

"I think so..."

Azazel put down his wine glass. He originally just summoned Exia to play games with him all night like the day before yesterday, but he didn't expect to receive such shocking news as soon as he came up.

According to the results of Rias' inquiry, it was tentatively established at the meeting that "Reseel Phoenix will give up her engagement if she loses in the ranking game". After all, it was Demon King Lucifer who came to tell him personally. , and he himself also showed a corresponding willingness.

In addition, the head of the Gremory family also dotes on his daughter, and he worked hard when he heard that his daughter did not want to get married.

What was originally a good cooperation between the three families suddenly turned into a situation where the Phoenix family suffered a loss. It is impossible to say that there is no resentment in their hearts.

So Risel Phoenix, the party involved, put forward this opinion.

[Is it some kind of demonic agent who forced Rias to break off the engagement? Then as long as I kill him, Rias will change her mind, right? It also happened to let him understand how stupid it was for a mere human to interfere in the devil's affairs! 】

Based on this feedback, changes to the ranked game format were finalized.

"Devil King Lucifer said this is the best result that can be achieved. If they continue to demand greater concessions, the Phoenix family may do something more egregious."

Alexia pressed the controller as he spoke - he was still playing a game with Azazel, but today it was a fighting game.

Dealing with Alexia casually with one hand, Azazel smiled meaningfully and said: "That's it... hum hum ~~~ That's really interesting. It's just been done in one night." You did such a manly thing, but you are actually quite manly."

“Fighting to the death for the woman you love and challenging impossible enemies—this can be ranked in the top 10 of a man’s ultimate dreams!”

"I never said I liked Rias." Alexia glared at her angrily, "The reason why I helped her was just because she was my friend, and -"

"And I don't want to see Rias Gremory fall into despair and darkness in the future!"

Azazel added the last half of the sentence without permission: "Did I say something wrong?"

"...I guess you are 80% right."

"You are so dishonest - oh, I won again, so that's fifty-two consecutive wins!"

While speaking, Azazel gave the character controlled by Exia a powerful kill to clear the health bar.

Putting down the controller, Axia looked at Azazel who was pouring himself another drink and said, "Do you think I can win? The duel will be in three days."

"no."

Azazel answered without any hesitation: "You do have the strength of a superior demon. If you use all your firepower without restrictions, it will definitely be no problem to be evenly matched with Phoenix - but that's it."

"The power of Phoenix lies in his immortality. This does not only refer to his body, but also his physical strength. To use a game metaphor, it means that he has full health and mana, which is unreasonable. You can stay with him for a period of time. There is a stalemate, but you cannot maintain a stalemate with him forever. If it drags into a protracted war, you will definitely die."

This is the racial difference between the two sides, the inherent gap between Exia [human] and demon [Phoenix].

And the more important point is——

"Rasel Phoenix can launch suicide attacks countless times. He won't die anyway, but you will definitely die."

The opponent can make countless mistakes, but Exia cannot make one mistake.

If you fail to catch one move, it will be a complete defeat!

"However, there is no way to win."

Azazel's tone changed: "Although Phoenix is ​​said to be immortal, he also has a fatal weakness - that is his spirit."

"Spirit?"

"Even if a phoenix can rise from the ashes, the mental damage alone cannot be completely cured. The more common method is to use strong mental attacks to defeat his spirit... .By the way, isn't there a little nun accompanying you? Ask her to borrow the cross and holy water."

Crosses, holy water—these sacred objects from the church can inflict a great deal of damage to demons, both physically and mentally, just by touching them.

"So simple?"

"It's that simple...but it's still quite difficult for you now. In the final analysis, it's not the object itself that can hurt the devil, but the [holiness] of the cross and holy water. That's why It is the direct source of damage. When facing higher-level demons, the sanctity of the cross and holy water is definitely not enough. It may be possible to inflict damage, but at most it is to this extent."

As Azazel said, he clenched his fist and hit Alexia on the head - it hurt a little.

But...can it only inflict this level of damage?

"You just said... it's difficult for me now?" Alexia, covering her head, remembered Azazel's somewhat inappropriate statement, "Is there any way to improve it?"

"Isn't it in your own hands?"

(In my hand?)

Alexia lowered her head and looked at her hands: "...The power of the Sekiryuutei? Multiplication and transfer!"

"That's right! If you don't have enough strength, just strengthen it. Use the multiplication effect of the Sekiryuutei to strengthen your own strength, and then transfer the power to the cross and holy water through transfer. Even a superior demon will never be able to stand it - the problem is, you are now We can’t use the Sekiryuutei’s cage hands.”

"Well......."

This is the most hurtful thing.

Azazel put down his glass: "In the final analysis, the reason why you can't master the artifact is because your instinct is resisting, right?"

"Um."

At first, Exia's instinct even refused to host the artifact. After Exia agreed, Sekiryuutei's Cage Master and Ddraig were able to reside in his soul. However, even so, Exia's instinct did not allow him to use the power of the Sekiryuutei.

The reason is unknown.

"In that case, how about you just go talk to your instinct?"

"Eh?" Exia was slightly startled, "Talk to Instinct...?"

Azazel nodded: "In my opinion, the training you have taken so far to manifest the artifact is like resisting your own instinct. You have no idea why your instinct rejects the artifact. You have no idea at all." Try to understand your own instincts. The more you resist and the more insistent you are, the stronger the instinctive rejection will be."

"So, if you change the way, you directly ask your own instincts and figure out why you want to reject the power of the Sekiryuutei. Then this rejection may disappear - didn't I say it the day before yesterday? You have to learn to cooperate occasionally. Just obey others."

Cooperate and obey.

Follow your instincts?

Exia recalled his battle in the dungeon a few months ago. In the deadly battle with Otta, he released a little instinct for the first time, and then in the battle with Udaios, he was the first in seven years. For the first time, he obeyed his instinct.

But both times, it was not thorough enough.

To unleash the power of the Sekiryuutei that is enough to kill gods, we need to be more thorough.

"What should I do?" Alexia asked, "Since you said that, there must be a way, right? A way for me to talk to my instinct."

"So there is."

Azazel put down his wine glass and stood up. A magic circle dedicated to fallen angels appeared under his feet.

"Come with me, I will take you to the headquarters of the [Son of God Monitor]. I will give you a chance to talk to your own instincts there."

35.Hey, long time no see, I

Watcher of the Son of God.

The organization of the fallen angels, like the demons, is set up somewhere in the underworld, but it is quite hidden and far away from where the demons live.

Under the leadership of Azazel, Exia came here directly through the magic circle.

but......

"The experimental data haven't been measured yet!"

"You think it's a good test! The experimenter doesn't cooperate!"

"Then give him a huge dose of anesthetic and knock him down!"

"boom------!"

"Which bastard's research laboratory exploded again!"

...

The moment they arrived here, such roars and explosions from time to time filled Exia's ears one after another, and a large number of fallen angels dressed as researchers were constantly running and even flying in the corridor.