Chapter 44 - Can I Fuse Them?
"I ran into Roy Flott just now," Sona said calmly, addressing Rias's question.
"He's joined your Occult Research Club."
"Yep," Rias smiled was little off.
"Roy's officially one of us now."
Sona's expression didn't flicker.
"He can still join the student council."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Rias narrowed her eyes with a competitive glint.
"Trying to poach my member, Sona?"
"Poach?" Sona looked unfazed.
"If anyone's poaching, it's you."
"Roy was eyeing the kendo club, then the student council."
"If you hadn't swooped in, he'd likely be with them by now."
"He just hadn't found a club that clicked," Rias said, her tone cool.
"Now he's with the Occult Research Club."
"Kuoh's rules don't bar joining multiple clubs," Sona said, holding her ground.
"So, Sona, are you giving up on Roy?" Rias asked, her voice firm.
"Just fighting for my shot," Sona said, a faint smile tugging her lips.
"I haven't seen his strength, but if you made an exception for him, Rias, he's got something special."
"As your childhood friend, I trust your judgment."
"Should I thank you for the vote of confidence?" Rias looked a bit annoyed.
"You told Roy about us, didn't you?" Sona asked.
"Yeah, it's out in the open," Rias said, nodding.
No point hiding it.
"Things didn't go smoothly, though," Sona added thoughtfully.
"He didn't agree to be your Knight."
Like Rias, Sona saw Roy as a perfect Knight.
"As expected," Rias said, her smile brimming with confidence.
"He's in the club now. I'll win him over eventually."
"Then I've got a window until you do," Sona's eyes glinting with resolve.
"No chance," Rias said, snorting.
"Sona, you really want to compete for Roy?"
"Looks like neither of us is backing down," Sona said, smiling thinly.
"How about a fair contest to settle it?"
"A contest? A Rating Game?" Rias asked, surprised.
"No way," Sona said, shaking her head.
"We're not cleared for Rating Games yet. How about a high school sports match?"
"To decide who gets Roy?" Rias asked.
"Not quite," Sona said.
"It's about who gets the first shot at convincing him."
"Roy decides whether to become a reincarnated devil."
"If he refuses, no contest changes that. This just sets who persuades first, with the other staying out until they fail."
"Sona, that still feels stacked against me," Rias giggled.
"Roy's in my club. I've got the edge."
"Don't forget, you're already taken," Sona's smile was sharp.
"Uh… can I say something?" Kiba interjected, chuckling nervously.
"Yuuto?" Rias said, puzzled.
"Hmm?" Sona glanced at him, recalling Meguri's report that Yuuto sparred with Roy.
"You got something wrong, Sona-sama," Yuuto said.
"What's that?" Sona asked, curious.
"Roy came to Kuoh Town because of President," Yuto said.
"Because of me?" Rias said, stunned.
"Because of Rias?" Sona echoed, equally shocked.
[T/L: Sorry, for the change]
Kiba gave a wry smile, recounting Roy's excuse for transferring.
"That's the deal."
He was backing his master, hoping Roy's potential might earn him a spot in Rias's peerage someday.
As a friend, Kiba wanted to give Roy a nudge.
He'd planned to tell Rias later, but Sona's visit sped things up.
He omitted Roy's noon quip about Sona, chalking it up as a joke.
"Rias, your charm's unreal," Sona said, her tone tinged with a bittersweet pang.
"Roy transferring to Kuoh for you? Never would've guessed."
She'd come to probe Roy's status and "declare war," only to stumble into a romantic rumor.
"No wonder Roy-kun was so cool-headed," Akeno teased.
"My charms didn't faze him—he's got eyes for Rias."
"Really?" Rias said, chuckling awkwardly.
'Is he that good at hiding it?' she wondered. His calm analysis during their talk supported the idea.
"Sona, guess I didn't poach after all," Rias sighed.
"Kiba-kun's word is trustworthy," Sona said, nodding.
His knightly honor lent credibility.
"But, Rias, that doesn't change my mind."
"Maybe Roy came to Japan for you, but he first picked the kendo club. That's fact."
"And…" Sona's gaze turned pointed.
"You can't return Roy's feelings."
"That's irrelevant," Rias face darkened, likely recalling her engagement to Riser.
"Is the gymnasium free?" Rias asked, her voice sharp.
"School's out—it should be empty," Sona said.
If not, the student council could clear it.
"Then let's settle this in the gym," Rias looked resolute.
The two marched out of the Occult Research Club, heading for the gymnasium.
"Didn't expect this turn," Akeno sighed.
"Another long evening."
"Bet it ends in a draw," Yuto said, exasperated.
Rias and Sona, childhood friends, were fierce rivals.
Past contests—often tied—proved their evenly matched strength.
A sports match would likely end the same.
"Tsubaki's got her work cut out, babysitting those two," Akeno said, glancing at Tsubaki, who stood quietly.
"School just started. Student council's swamped, right?"
"Supporting the president is my duty as vice-president," Tsubaki looked stoic.
"The council's workload is manageable."
"Let's go watch Rias and Sona," Akeno said.
"Gotta make sure they don't wreck the gym, or we're all sleeping bad tonight."
The group followed to the gymnasium.
***
After leaving Kuoh Academy, Roy returned to his villa and dove into the system.
He'd waited all afternoon to use the High-Class demonic power and Power of Destruction.
"System, use High-Class demonic power."
A surge of energy flooded his body, mirroring the Demonic Power he'd replicated from Kiba.
It strengthened his physique before settling down.
"This is intense."
No wonder High-Class devils commanded such status in the Underworld.
Next, Roy focused on the Power of Destruction.
===
Replicated Ability: Power of Destruction
Quality: B
Effect: Wields devastating demonic trait capable of annihilating everything.
===
Unlike Hell Fire, the Power of Destruction was pure, singular devastation.
Its lethality was unmatched.
"System, use Power of Destruction."
A crimson aura erupted around Roy, radiating danger.
It grew denser, more oppressive, until the floor beneath him silently vanished, erased by the leaking energy.
After a moment, the aura receded, sinking into Roy's body.
"Didn't mean to carve a pit," Roy chuckled, stepping out of the hole he'd accidentally made.
The raw potency was staggering.
A stray leak had obliterated the floor cleanly.
Mastered, its destructive potential would be terrifying.
"I'll get someone to fix it tomorrow."
===
Host: Roy Flott
Race: Human
Level: LVL60
Replicated Abilities: Hell Fire (C), Power of Destruction (B)
Replicated Item: Boosted Gear (B+)
Dimension Points: 1,626,783
===
His gaze shifted to Hell Fire and Power of Destruction.
"Can I fuse these two?"
A new idea sparked.
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