"Before we ask the important questions, Yuki Judai," Reid began, finally taking his own seat. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Judai. "I have to ask… did the Gremory family not inform you of anything? Because looking at you and Rias Gremory, the contrast is night and day even her Peerage is dressed perfectly for this occasion."
A screen displayed an image of Rias's Peerage in their formal attire. The audience murmured in agreement.
"Even the reincarnated devils show respect."
"Does he think this is some casual human event?"
"This isn't the human world."
Reid smiled faintly at the crowd's reactions before pressing on. "Is this your way of masking nerves by disrespecting our traditions… or are you truly confident about beating the Rising Devil, Riser?"
Suddenly, Judai's clothes shimmered and shifted, replaced by an elegant suit of magically-enhanced armor. He turned calmly toward Reid. "And what exactly are you implying?"
The audience gasped in surprise.
Reid's eyes widened slightly. 'Did he just use spatial magic? Or instantaneous matter-shifting?' He leaned back, a sharper gleam in his eyes. "Impressive, Yuki Judai. It seems you were simply waiting for the right moment to show your fangs. My apologies… It appears the 'barbarian' has a better tailor than I anticipated."
Judai ignored the barbarian remark; it barely registered.
Riser sneered from his seat. "Pretty armor won't stop me from melting you, human. You can dress like a king, but you'll still die like a dog."
Judai didn't even glance at Riser, he kept his focus on Reid.
Riser bristled at being ignored, while Rias allowed herself a small, satisfied smirk.
Watching from the audience, Lady Phenex whispered to her husband, "That boy is clever. He's making Riser look like a child throwing a tantrum."
Lord Phenex gave a tight nod.
Reid shot Riser a subtle look, signaling him to tone it down. Riser clenched his jaw but fell silent. Reid then continued, "What am I implying? I'm implying the 14th Longinus certainly has a sense for drama. But tell me, is that armor merely for show, or can those gauntlets actually catch a Phoenix by the throat?"
"For your information," Judai replied smoothly, "this isn't my Sacred Gear. It's just advanced enhancement magic."
The studio fell silent, then buzzed with shock.
A vein twitched near Reid's temple, but he kept his smile intact. Leaning back, he tented his fingers. "Advanced enhancement magic… My, my. Most High-Class devils take a century to master instantaneous matter-shifting of that caliber. To call it 'just magic'… you're either the most gifted prodigy the human race has produced in a millennium, or a very bold liar."
"Well," Judai said, turning his gaze toward the cameras with a faint smirk, "you'll have to find out tomorrow during the match."
Reid hated how effortlessly Judai played to the crowd, but he also loved the drama it created.
"Bold. I like it," Reid said, his tone edged. "But in our world, if you promise a spectacle and deliver a disappointment, the audience won't just boo. They'll call for your head."
"Even better," Judai replied, locking eyes with Reid. "More ratings. More views, right?"
Reid watched, annoyed at how effortlessly Judai handled the conversation. He quickly shifted focus, dismissing Judai's presence with a cold smile.
"Spoken like someone from the human world. But let's remember, this isn't about ratings. This is about lineage. Bloodlines."
He fixed his gaze on Rias. "Princess Rias Gremory, you sit there beside your champion and treat our sacred traditions like a television drama."
Judai gave a casual wave toward the cameras just as Reid finished speaking.
Reid's eye twitched, but he pressed on. "Tell me, Princess, are you truly prepared to gamble your entire future on a man who treats his own life like a game of numbers and viewer counts?"
Judai raised an eyebrow, almost impressed by the verbal manipulation. "Wow, you really put words in my mouth. But go ahead, Rias."
He smoothly passed the microphone, preventing Reid from steering the exchange further. Reid's annoyance grew, Judai was countering every attempt to paint him as reckless.
Rias leaned forward, her voice calm and confident. "I'm not gambling. Gambling implies I can lose. I brought Judai here to represent a future your house is too blinded by its own immortality to see. If you're so worried, look at your younger brother, he looks furious. Is that the demeanor of someone fit to stand beside me?"
Both Reid and Riser seethed, though Reid maintained his composure. Beneath the table, his knuckles whitened.
"Careful, Princess Rias. Confidence is a virtue, but arrogance is a death sentence in the Rating Game. You speak of the future, yet you're betting on a man who treats a blood-contract like a variety show."
"You talk like you know virtue," Judai cut in, his tone lightly mocking. "You're a devil."
That was the final straw for Riser. He shot to his feet and stormed toward Judai and Rias. "ENOUGH! Human, you talk a lot for someone who's about to become ash! And Rias, you dare speak of a future while sitting next to a human?"
Judai and Rias glanced at each other and shared a soft chuckle.
"He threatened us. Ooh, I'm afraid," Judai said dryly.
"He's going to burn you to ashes, I think," Rias added playfully.
"I think he's going to burn me to ashes," Judai echoed, nodding in mock concern.
Riser's flames flickered at his fingertips, his temper boiling over.
Seeing the situation escalating, Reid cut in sharply. "It seems the heat is already rising. We'll leave the rest for the battlefield. Underworld… prepare yourselves. Tomorrow, we find out if the House of Gremory has found a savior or just a very clever jester. We're out."
The ON AIR light went red, and the audience was swiftly teleported out of the studio.
The moment they were off-air, Riser lunged, flames erupting around him, only for Grayfia to appear in a flash of cold energy, extinguishing his fire with an icy aura.
Riser glared to his right, where Grayfia stood with a stern expression.
"The interview is over. Reid-sama, Riser-sama. We shall see you at the arena."
With that, Judai, Rias, and Grayfia rejoined the rest of the Peerage and left the studio.
Behind them, Reid finally snapped, overturning the mahogany table with a furious roar, even Riser flinched at the outburst.
"If you had kept your cool, I could have stopped him from humiliating us!" Reid shouted at his brother.
"He was openly mocking us! What was I supposed to do?" Riser shot back.
Lord and Lady Phenex, along with Ruval, stepped onto the stage.
"Enough, both of you," Lady Phenex said coldly. "He's already gotten inside your heads."
"That boy is clever with his words," Lord Phenex added thoughtfully. "It's as if he's done this before."
Ruval turned to Riser. "If you want to win, end the fight quickly. He's human, he'll likely try to counter you with something like holy water or a trick."
Riser nodded, his anger hardening into resolve.
Meanwhile, Grayfia walked beside Judai as they headed to meet the others. Her expression remained neutral, but her voice carried quiet approval.
"Good job."
"Thanks," Judai replied with a small, genuine smile. Coming from Grayfia, it meant something.
"Where did you learn how to talk like that?" Rias asked, curious about Judai's gaslighting skills.
Thinking back to his years in multiplayer lobbies, Judai offered a nostalgic smile. "That's a secret."