Ch 101: What kind of idiot would give his enemies time to power up?

Once they were dressed in formal attire and reunited with the girls who had watched the Game, Noah and everyone else entered a vast gala room where several hundreds of prominent members of the Devil society were discussing in small groups.

They started making the rounds, introducing themselves to everyone. And Rias quickly found herself under siege, by people who both wanted to congratulate her for her victory, and really, really wanted to know why she possessed a Longinus.

Noah was relatively ignored, as most of the people present weren't aware of his contributions to the peerage. As far as the average devil noble knew, he only was some random peerage member with some long-range detection ability, and little else. That impression was reinforced by the fact that for once, Noah didn't have Seifuku hanging from his waist, for the sake of appearing weak in Diodora's view.

Still, a few girls were clearly interested in his looks and wanted to get to know him better, but Noah wasn't particularly interested. He had plenty on his plate already. He was polite with them, but kept his answers short, and most eventually gave up.

"Are you having fun?" asked Kaede with a teasing grin as she and Suzu joined the circle of girls around him. She knew perfectly well that he didn't really enjoy the barrage of questions and half-veiled invitations.

"Of course I am." replied Noah, and the twins giggled. They didn't need their lie detection ability to hear the lie. "I was telling those ladies that, regretfully, I cannot go to their tea party next week."

The three devil girls were looking slightly disappointed. Noah wasn't even certain about their intentions. It wasn't like he was free boyfriend material, since he already was part of Rias's peerage. Maybe they just wanted to try to seduce him away from Rias to prove they could? Like scoring points over a rival?

Rias was talking to a bunch of middle-aged devils not far, but he could see she was frequently looking at his direction. He winked at her, and she smiled before returning her attention to the people around her.

After about forty minutes of tortu… socializing, things started getting interesting. Noah spotted a young blue-eyed devil who he thought might be Diodora Astaroth chatting with other young devils, and he seemed to stare a lot at Asia, who was chatting with Alice, Irina, Xenovia, Claire and five male devils he didn't know. But one, he recognized. With his enormous build who seemed second only to Vasco Strada, he could only be Sairaorg Bael, Rias's cousin, and was known as one of the promising "Rookies Four", an honor he shared with Sona Sitri, Rias and Seekvaira Agares.

And Asia seemed to have recognized Diodora, as she somehow never looked at his direction. Noah pretexted a need for a drink to come closer to her.

Asia noticed and waved to him, stepping slightly aside and asking him to join the conversation.

"Everyone, this is Noah Enfield. he was the one who informed us of the enemy's movements during the game."

"It's nice to meet you all." nodded Noah with a smile.

"Likewise." said Sairaorg, quickly echoed by the others.

"They were asking us about the armor you were all wearing." said Asia.

"Oh, this? I made them. I chose to make the armor parts crimson because it's Rias's favorite color, and since we're her peerage, it made sense." shrugged Noah.

"The design choice is interesting. You used Roman armor as inspiration?" asked Sairaorg.

"Exactly." Noah looked at Asia.

"How did we look?"

"Quite dashing." smiled Asia, and Noah laughed.

"That was the intent." he casually put his arm around Asia's shoulders, and she twitched, blushing. Sairaorg frowned.

"Pardon me for asking, but what is the relationship between you and Asia?"

As Sairaorg was asking, Noah was watching Diodora from the corner of his eyes. His provocation seemed to be effective, as he was glaring in their direction.

"It's a bit complicated. I guess the closest approximation would be that we're engaged."

"Oh. Congratulations are in order, then."

"Thank you." grinned Noah.

"You made those armors for your teammates and yourself. Are you perhaps also the one who made those black swords?" asked Sairaorg with interest.

Noah was wondering if he should allow that information to spread, when he saw, still from his peripheral vision, Diodora put his glass of wine on a table and walk toward them.

When Diodora stopped just outside the conversation circle, Noah and Asia looked at him squarely. Diodora had short blue hair and purple hair, but the shape of his face and his smile somehow screamed 'two-faced snake' to Noah.

"Pardon me." said Diodora with a butter-smooth voice. "Are you perhaps Asia Argento?"

"Yes? Have we met before? Your face is vaguely familiar." replied Asia, appearing clueless. Noah had to grant it to her, she was a good actor.

"Do you remember the devil you saved three years ago, in Florence? That was me." smiled Diodora.

"Oh! I recognize you now! I'm glad to see you in good health!"

"Thank you, miss Asia. For a long time, I have wanted to meet you. Would you mind having a chat with me in private? I'd like to thank you personally, and catch up." asked Diodora, pointedly ignoring Noah's arm still around her shoulders. He was ignoring Noah entirely.

"Sorry, pretty boy, but no. My fiancée isn't going anywhere without me." smiled Noah, making it impossible for Diodora to ignore him further.

"I do not remember asking your opinion." Replied Diodora, looking down his nose at him. "You're the most useless member of Rias's peerage with that vampire. As far as I am concerned, you might as well be part of the help."

Noah's eyebrow twitched at the disdainful tone Diodora used when referring to the staff. He if didn't already plan to do Bad Things to Diodora, he certainly would, now.

"I do not care about your opinion. Asia is mine, and if you want to put your hands on her, it will be over my dead body."

"Oi oi, what's happening there?" asked Sairaorg, confused at how fast the situation was heating up.

"Do not give me ideas, gnat. You must be a reincarnated human, to be so ignorant. Don't you know that in this world, Devils can challenge each other to a rating game for any reason?"

Noah only scoffed at the threat. Deep inside, he was grinning. Things were going nicely toward a physical confrontation, and he wanted to fan the flames further.

"Like you'd have the balls to challenge me. We just won a game against someone much stronger than you must be. But maybe you have some memory issues. Is this perhaps an early onset of dementia?"

"You're asking for it!" Diodora's face twisted with anger, and his raising voice attracted attention from his surroundings.

"I, Diodora Astaroth…" started Diodora with a loud voice, clearly heard by most of the people present in the gala room. "…am challenging you… what is your name already?"

"Noah Enfield." replied Noah while rolling his eyes.

"Whatever! I am challenging you to a rating game!"

"Diodora, what kind of nonsense is that?" retorted Sairaorg, getting angry. "Only Kings challenge each other in rating games!"

Diodora looked at the bulky youth with a smug face.

"That's a tradition, not a law! I have the right to challenge him in a rating game."

"Do you have no shame? he doesn't have a peerage!" Sairaorg cracked his knuckles. He never had liked Diodora, and right now, he was just about ready to pummel him like Riser had been earlier.

"Diodora is actually correct." said Grayfia, surprising them. "He technically has the right to challenge Noah Enfield in a rating game. Even if it is quite a shameful thing to do."

"I do not care! So, what about it, Noah? Are you going to cowardly decline."

"Like hell I am. but what about the terms of the bet? You want my fiancé. What are you going to offer if you lose?"

"Ah? Is that the excuse you intend to use to decline my challenge? I offer something, and you'll claim this isn't valuable enough? I won't let you. Name your prize."

"Oh?" smirked Noah. "Then what about this? Any member of your peerage that you will use to fight me, will become mine if I defeat you."

Shocked whispers spread among the onlookers, and Diodora considered for a moment. He was angry, but not blind to what Noah was doing. Or so he thought. Diodora believed that this request was intended to make him fight Noah alone, or with only a few members of his peerage, to limit his losses in case of a defeat.

But, Noah had miscalculated. Because Diodora had two trump cards at his disposal, and one of them required his full peerage to be fully effective.

"I accept!" said Diodora. He didn't really care about acting like a gentleman in her eyes anymore, as she would inevitably become his after the Game was over.

"Noah, are you sure?" asked Rias worriedly. She was not actually worried at all, but she needed to act concerned.

"Yes." smiled Noah, gently squeezing Asia's shoulder for a second before taking his arm off her. "How about we do this right now? We're already close to the Arena." he asked while looking at Venelana and the four other Great Satans. None of them looked very surprised by what was happening, and he suspected Venelana already had informed them of his intentions.

"Very well. Diodora, how much time to you need to get your peerage ready?"

"Ten minutes, Venelana-sama."

"Then get to it. The game will start in fifteen minutes."

Diodora nodded and quickly left the room, followed by a few young devils who seemed on friendly terms with him.

"Venelana-sama, this is complete madness." protested Sairaorg. "Noah is a support member in Rias's peerage, and knowing Diodora, I expect him to bring his whole peerage to the fight. Sixteen against one. Why are you letting him to it?"

"Sairaorg, I'm grateful that you want to defend me, but I know what I'm doing." gently said Noah. "I'll go in the preparation room."

"Good luck. I'll act as the referee again and make certain the infirmary is staffed." nodded Grayfia, and the crowd parted to let him go.

Noah excused himself and walked out, with Asia, Rias, Akeno, Sona, Serafall, Sairaorg, and a pretty girl with long blond hair and glasses that hadn't been introduced to Noah yet following him.

Once they gathered inside the preparation room, and Serafall locked the door behind them, Noah sat down and laughed softly.

"Damn, it actually worked. Great job, Asia."

"Thanks." nodded Asia, smiling. "You were laying it pretty thick, though. If he was any smarter, he would have realized you were antagonizing him on purpose."

"Hey, I never claimed to be subtle. But I felt I had to really rile him up. Anger makes people stupid, and he seems to be the type to be vulnerable to that." shrugged Noah.

"I do not understand." said Sairaorg. "Why are you trying to pick a fight with him under such unfavorable conditions? Your detection skills may be impressive, but they won't help you much against Diodora. I hate him, but his skills are above average, and he's utterly shameless. I think he's going to bring his whole peerage to crush you."

"That's the plan." smiled Noah. "That guy is a scum, and the women in his peerage will be much happier under my custody. Still, I can't believe Diodora fell for it. He really doesn't know anything about me."

Serafall scoffed. "Not a chance. This lazy prick would run with his tail between his legs if he knew."

Sairaorg looked at Noah's confident face, Rias's serene face, everyone else who seemed relaxed.

"I'll confess to being ignorant as well. What did I miss?"

Noah laughed softly as he looked at Rias.

"Rias, my dear. If we were to spar against each other, going all out. Who would win?"

"You." answered Rias without hesitation. "I'd be stronger thanks to Ddraig, but there's no point if I can't land a punch. You would run circles around me, depower me with your rune magic, and I'd be at your mercy."

"Sairaorg, Noah killed Kokabiel. By himself." added Akeno, grinning at Sairaorg's expression.

Serafall cleared her throat.

"Noah, there is something you need to decide, about the members of Diodora's peerage. Should you win, you have two options. One is to accept them as your peerage, in which case, we will immediately promote you to a high-class devil, but Rias will not become your Queen, unless you make place for her by expelling Diodora's current Queen. A devil is not allowed to have more than one set of Evil Pieces. The other option is for us to remove all the Evil Pieces from them before we transfer them to you."

"I see. I'll choose the latter. I want to choose the future members of my peerage personally and carefully. Speaking about peerage members, Rias, who is joining us?"

"Ravel, Mihae and Xuelan. I already informed them, and they should be having their Evil Pieces removed and join us by tomorrow. My peerage already has a lot of skilled close combat members, so I chose Mihae for her support magic."

Noah nodded and looked squarely at the one girl standing quietly besides Akeno.

"We haven't had the opportunity to introduce ourselves properly in the chaos. I am Noah Enfield, as you surely know. It is nice to meet you." said Noah as he rose and nodded politely.

"It is nice to meet you too. I am Seekvaira Agares. I am also sorry for not introducing myself properly before. But while the situation may be messy, I am learning a lot about you." smiled Seekvaira.

"I look forward to having a proper discussion with you after this incident is solved."

"Me too. I have many questions to ask you. Rias and Akeno have been quite tight-lipped about what they've done those last few weeks. After watching the Game today, I understand why."

Noah nodded, and took Seifuku out of his inventory, binding the sheath to his waist.

"Everyone, let's give Noah a few minutes of peace before his match against Diodora and his peerage. We can discuss more afterwards. Noah, please enter the magic array." suggested Serafall.

Everyone nodded and left the room. Noah took his smartphone and called Kaede.

"Noah? Do you need something?"

"It looks like what we discussed the other day is going to happen a little sooner than anticipated."

"It does look that way, yes. Are they all going to join the mansion immediately?"

"Not right away. I want them all to be, used in our ways, let's say, before this happen. I'll count on you and Suzu, and likely others."

Kaede laughed.

"Likely more. But the suits you made will help a ton. Can we enlist the help of, say, Irina, Xenovia, Raynare, Mittelt and Kalawarna?"

"Yes, as long as they're willing. And, ideally, I'd want their training to be over within two weeks. The Peace Conference will likely be disturbed by an attack from the pro-war elements of each faction, or even individuals coming from other pantheons who might not want us to make peace. I expect we'll take a few prisoners when this happens."

"Ah, I'm not even surprised anymore. No rest for the wicked, as they say. I'll talk to the girls. Master, we'll need you to make more of those suits."

"Yes, that isn't an issue. And there's another thing. Have you met Sairaorg?"

"Rias's cousin? Yes. He seems to be a good person."

"As far as I'm aware, he is. And his mother is in some kind of coma. A disease or curse that cause some devils to fall asleep and never wake up."

"Understood, I'll do something about it."

Noah could hear the smile in her voice. He knew she certainly wouldn't mind acting in his stead for this.

"Oh, the fight is about to start. We're being asked to go take our seats. I'd wish you luck, but you don't need it."

"See you later, Kaede. I love you."

"Please say it again!"

Noah chuckled to himself as he ended the call, and tried to remember the little he knew about Diodora and his peerage. Which wasn't much. Her peerage members, being former nuns, were mostly fighting like mages, not melee fighters. But they wouldn't be all that strong, as they were overpowered by Rias's peerage without too much trouble in the original novel. Diodora should have a black snake, a small fragment of the Dragon God Ophis, that he would swallow to increase his power.

But would Noah simply wait and allow Diodora to swallow it, like the protagonist of some novel waiting for the villain to enter his second phase? Of course not. He wasn't a protagonist… Was he?

Noah was pondering on his fate and starting to give himself an existential crisis when the teleportation formation started powering up, and he shoved his disturbing thoughts in a mental black box, never to be opened again.

When the formation did its job, Noah found himself on a grassy plain. A hundred meters from him stood Diodora and fifteen women, their figures and faces partially hidden by dark brown robes. But from what he saw, they were all cute, at the very least. As expected from people being part of the DxD universe.

"Ahahah!" loudly laughed Diodora as he looked at him with contempt. "I brought along my entire peerage! Are you having regrets now?"

Noah only rolled his eyes, and Diodory became angry again at his lackluster reaction.

Grayfia's voice was heard.

"Once again, I, Grayfia Lucifuge, will act as the referee to this, sorry excuse of a Rating Game. The same rules as in the previous game will apply, with immediately lethal blows being forbidden and the match ending when Diodora Astaroth or Noah Enfield admit defeat or is incapacitated. Should Noah Enfield win, all the members of Diodora's peerage will be stripped of their Evil Pieces and transferred to his custody. Should Diodora win, Asia Argento will be transferred to his custody. I will point out that she has given her consent to those terms, despite not being part of any peerage. Are all contestants ready?"

Noah and Diodora nodded.

"Then, the game will start in Three. Two. One. Start!"

Noah drew his sword as he created an illusion of himself and became invisible using Senjutsu. The illusion ran toward the rightmost member of Diodora's harem, while Noah headed toward the leftmost member, taking care to minimize the sounds and crushed grass under his feet.

A salvo of various elemental magic attacks was launched toward the illusion, and Noah let it dissipate. By the time the smoke left behind by the explosions dissipated enough for Diodora's peerage to notice his body wasn't there, he had already reached his first target, and dropped his invisibility at the last moment. he drove a fist into the girl's stomach, careful not to do too much damage, and she lost consciousness.

The next girl, standing three meters away, barely had the time to cry out and lift a dagger before she, too, folded on his fist and collapsed.

"Start the large-scale spell!" screamed Diodora as he ran toward him.

"Diodora Astaroth's Two Pawns are retired." quickly announced Grayfia.

Noah's prey was running toward him with a sword, but Noah didn't intend to just wait for him and used Shunpo to pass him by, punching him lightly.

Diodora collapsed, not quite understanding what had just happened. How could such a weakling neutralize two of his pawns that easily. How had he just disappeared like that, and how had he been injured?

"You're so weak." snorted Noah as he ignored Diodora and trotted toward another peerage member. He was ready to evade any incoming attack, but none came, as the thirteen nuns were chanting some kind of ritual.

Noah felt a wave a something invade his body, trying to restrain his movements, but the effect was almost immediately gone, and a notification appeared in his field of vision.

[User has learned Magic Binding.]

Knowledge of the spell's specifics flooded his mind for a second at the same time.

An idea came to him, and he decided to play along, making wincing faces as he pretended to be unable to move his body.

He could see the nuns relax as they kept chanting, while Diodora's footstep were coming up from behind him.

When he got close enough, Noah suddenly winked at the girls, turned around, and punched Diodora in the face and sternum, erasing his conceited grin.

"W-wha?!" shrieked Diodora on the ground, but Noah had already used Shunpo again to incapacitate more members of his peerage, using only his fists or the hilt of his sword. He was dropping them so fast that Grayfia had trouble keeping up with her announcements. In less than ten seconds, only Diodora and Noah remained.

Diodora was fearful now, as Noah calmly walked toward him.

"Hey, I guess I should thank you? You've offered me many pretty girls on a platter! I'll make sure to think about you when I spend time with them." taunted Noah, not wanting Diodora to throw in the towel before attempting to power up. It seemed to work, as fury twisted his expression, and his right hand reached in the empty air for something. When he retracted his hand, Noah spotted the small black snake, and he immediately used Shunpo.

When Noah appeared right in front of Diodora, his sword arm became a blur, and several things seemed to happen simultaneously. Diodora's hands and feet were severed at wrist and ankle level.  A horizontal slash at eye level cut through his eyes and the bridge of his nose. And a sword thrust at his crotch forever removed his appendage. It took less than a second for Noah to inflict all those injuries to Diodora, and he seized the hand that held the black snake before it fell on the ground.

Diodora collapsed and was barely starting to scream when Noah sheathed his sword and healed him, just enough to stop him from bleeding to death. Taking the small black snake from the severed hand, Noah put it in a transparent jar and sealed it.

"Noah Enfield has won the duel." announced Grayfia as Diodora was teleported away, without his severed body parts.

Noah was also almost immediately teleported, and his girls surrounded him.

"Congratulations, Noah. But what's in that jar? Ddraig is wary of whatever this is." asked Rias with interest.

"A small shard of Ophis's power." casually said Noah as he lifted the jar at eye level, enjoying their shocked expressions. "Diodora intended to swallow it to give himself a power boost."

"Ophis!" hissed Venelana as she approached. "Why does Diodora have something related to Ophis?"

Noah gave her the jar.

"And that's the evidence I promised you, Venelana-sama. Ophis isn't a bad person, but is pretty naïve, and has been convinced to help the Old Devils faction a little. I'll deal with the Dragon God of Infinity… let's say tomorrow. It will be easy."

"Easy?" chocked Rias. "It's Ophis! The Dragon God of Infinity we're talking about! One of the two strongest beings in the world!"

"Or at least, I thought so, until you told me about Lilith, Aizen and Yhwach." she added in a more muted voice.

Noah smiled gently as he patted her head.

"Easy. Remember how I obtained the Boosted Gear? When you know what people wants, all you have to do is offer it to them. And I happen to know something that Ophis doesn't realize it wants yet. I'm going to trade gold for glass beads again." laughed Noah quietly. his mansion could use a mascot, as well as a guard dog.