Chapter 131: Showdown!

"...."

Everyone fell in silence, but one dragon, whose height was around 10 meters and had a similar feature to Tannin, suddenly stepped forward with anger.

"What did you say, you bastard?!"

The expression of the others wasn't much better, but their expressions were also filled with anger. Nevertheless, they were different from the first dragon, who dared to step forward and question Riser. After all, unlike this dragon, they didn't have a good background.

Bova Tannin.

The youngest son of Tannin.

Bova stared angrily at Riser, but Riser had never put him into his eyes.

Riser seemed disinterested, yet at the same time, still maintained this calm and friendly smile that made Bova feel disgusted.

Nevertheless, this confrontation quickly attracted all the reporters. Their instincts and jobs as reporters made them wish to capture their argument, but when they thought about who was standing behind Riser, they hesitated, and in the end, they didn't do anything. However, some of them, who happened to be in the minority, took a video and a picture of this argument.

Yet, Riser didn't care and just felt bored since it was so easy for him to provoke them. Even if they had become a devil, their thought was still as simple as ever, and they were easily provoked.

Frankly, he knew his words easily made him the enemy of all the dragons, but so what?

A dragon was nothing but a giant lizard.

The only ones that he could put into his eyes were those dragons whose names remained in the myth or history, but this Bova Tannin definitely wasn't one of them.

As for Tannin?

While neither of them were enemies, the way Tannin acted in front of him made him too lazy to talk.

In the worst case, Riser thought that he might as well make this race go extinct.

Nevertheless, Bova, who was being ignored by Riser, felt rage and wanted to smash Riser, but—

"Guwahahaha!"

Tannin laughed. "Then, I can't wait for our match. Don't lose so easily. Come on." Leaving those whose he no longer stayed.

The rest also didn't stay and follow their King, but Bova kept staring at Riser with anger.

However, Riser didn't stay and just walked to the hall where the press conference was held by the others.

"Come on."

His peerage members didn't have a good impression of the dragons and scolded them in the voices that could be heard by those dragons, yet impossible to be heard by the reporters. After all, they were female and still wished to appear gentle and feminine in front of the camera.

"Bova! Come on!"

"...yes, father."

Bova was gloomy, staring dagger at Riser and his peerage members, but he still followed his father's words.

Nevertheless, even with that conflict, the press conference didn't stop.

As they sat side by side, they faced all the reporters who asked them questions.

"Tannin-san, what do you think of this match?"

Still, this was Riser's home ground, and everyone here was working in his family's industry.

If they still wished to maintain their living, then they should know what they said, or else—

When the press conference started, Riser welcomed all of them and acted like the host. With his voice, demeanor, and gentleness, he quickly became the center of attention, and everyone had a good impression of him, whether it was the reporters or the audience, as this press conference was held live.

His parents, his older brothers, his family, and the others who were involved with his family and the Sitri House were satisfied with his performance, thinking that even if Riser was quite impulsive, his talent at grasping people's hearts was amazing.

"How sneaky..."

"Little weasel..."

"What a hypocrite..."

The dragons, who were by his side, couldn't help but murmur and curse him in a low voice, feeling that Riser was a bastard, but then again, they knew this was the talent of the devil; they were good at seducing people.

Riser heard their talk, but he ignored them since their opinion wouldn't change his life much. Instead, he might as well make the devil in the Underworld know his figure, familiar himself, so they could see what kind of person they needed to serve in the future.

Then, when his talk ended, it was time for the question-and-answer corner.

Frankly, it was hard for the reporters to ask Riser, as a little question might determine their future, so they asked Tannin first. Moreover, their young master had kindly asked them something, so they could only follow.

"I can see that Riser Phenex definitely isn't an easy opponent, and I also anticipate our match, but I...

No, we won't lose."

Tannin's expression was firm and filled with confidence.

"Nevertheless, please anticipate the battle between the dragon and the phoenix."

His message was concise and short, but it showed his status as someone who had stepped into the ranks of the Top 10 in the Rating Game.

Even though he was a dragon, he was a Dragon King. He was different from most dragons, who were simple, so naturally, he also knew how to grasp people's hearts. He also had a lot of experience in the "Rating Game," so it was normal for him to be able to manage the media well.

Moreover, Tannin knew that all the people in this place were Riser's people.

If he talked too arrogantly, on the next day, he wouldn't be surprised to see the news would be filled with denigratory news about him.

This wasn't good, especially when the status of the reincarnated devil was still hardly accepted by all the devils in the Underworld, as they believed the existence of the reincarnated devil was nothing but just a lowly slave.

The fact that Tannin could become an "Ultimate-Class Devil" and have his own territories had already touched the nerves of many as they felt that he wasn't worthy to receive such a thing even if he had become a devil.

Frankly, even if Tannin was a dragon king, he wasn't invincible and still needed to take care of all the dragons who had followed him.

After reincarnating as a devil, he also knew how dangerous the media was.

This was also the reason why he tried to maintain his popularity since the more people liked him, the better it was for all of his races.

Compared to the muscles, the might of the words were more dangerous since they could erase his entire race.

If Tannin was so strong that he could ignore all the consequences, then it might be okay, but he couldn't after all.

Frankly, Tannin realized how cunning Riser was, and he started to regret his decision to accept Sirzech's invitation, but then again, as a dragon, he also had his own pride, yet he also wasn't stupid enough to give a chance for Riser to slander him as the enemy of the entire devils on the Underworld.

Some of Tannin's peerage members also realized this, and the others, while they might not realize it, could feel the tenseness of the atmosphere, so they decided to shut their mouths, especially when they received a reminder from those who had realized.

Meanwhile, Riser, who had set up everything, still showed his calm and composure as if everything was unrelated to him.

While the majority of devils were ignorant, those who stood above felt chilled by Riser's means to take down his opponent.

If Riser succeeded with his ploy, there was no doubt that he would make all the dragons into the enemy of all the devils of the Underworld.

By then, it would be impossible for the dragon to live in the Underworld once again, and their extinction was only a time when the dragon would lose their means to stay alive as they would be unable to get their hands on Dragon Apples, a fruit that now exists only in the Underworld, which a certain race of Dragons needs to eat in order to survive.

Yet, when everything was so smooth, trouble had always come, wishing to make Riser into a joke.

Among the reporters, while Riser wasn't sure whether this devil was bought by his enemy or due to a sense of justice, suddenly raised his hand and asked, "Riser Phenex, were you really the one who defeated executives of the Grigori, Kokabiel; the holder of Divine Dividing, Vali; and the governor of the Grigori, Azazel?

"While the media has said so, and there is even the video as proof, I am sure not only me but many are doubting this news. Are you really the one who defeated them? Are you sure?

"Moreover, is it only me, or do you have a prejudice toward the reincarnated devil?

"Please answer my questions!"

The reporter was full of spirit and asked all of those questions in one go in front of the media.

However, hearing those questions, everyone had gloomy expressions, thinking that this person was crazy!

Lord Phenex, Lady Phenex, Ruval Phenex, Rasa Phenex, and everyone related to Riser had a gloomy expression, and they were ready to stop the press conference right away. Frankly, they felt a bit regretful for doing this press conference in live broadcast as they were unable to stop this oversight.

If Riser did the wrong answer, he might become the enemy of all the reincarnated devils and receive even more prejudice from now on.

Riser's peerage members were quite anxious due to this question.

Nevertheless, Tannin and his peerage members gloated about Riser's misfortune.

However, Riser was calm and reminded his palm, telling the others to calm down.

"I am not sure where you have heard that I have prejudiced toward the reincarnated devils, but I believe that you shouldn't take all the news you have heard as the truth.

—or are you someone who is unable to make your own decisions and just follow the others obediently?

"Moreover, have your parents taught you etiquette? As I am surprised that you can even stand among us here."

"..."

The reporter was in a daze before he quickly got angry.

"You haven't answered my question yet?!"

"I have never prejudiced the reincarnated devils. If so, then I won't even reincarnate someone into the devil and make them into my own peerage members. Moreover, in the Phenex Domain and the Sitri Domain, we have many reincarnated devils who live with us normally.

"So, for those of you who feel that you are treated unfairly in the place where you live, please come to the Phenex Domain and the Sitri Domain, as we treat you the same as others.

"Naturally, it is the same with you, the pure-blood devils, who don't feel uncomfortable staying in the place where you live.

"We, the Phenex Domain and the Sitri Domain, welcome all of you."

"....."

Why did his answer feel like an advertisement?

Nevertheless, Riser wasn't finished.

"As for your doubt about my power, whether I had defeated Kokabiel, the White Dragon Emperor, and Azazel,  I only have one thing to say."

Riser stared into the camera, ignoring the reporter who asked him a question.

"Just watch me."