The Fourth Beast

17

A Different Beginning

I

Elemental Academy

2nd Month

"I am Rias Gremory, heiress of the pillar Gremory family and sister of Sirzechs Lucifer. I can and will be the next Super Devil."

Rias chanted this a few times in her head. A routine that she had been doing since that fateful day. One of the small things that helped her to focus, help her to remember. With her mind cleared, she took a deep breath, and then, went inside the classroom.

It had been five weeks since the Elemental Academy had officially been opened, and four weeks since the classes had started.

If things did not turn out as they had, maybe she and Sona, along with their peerages, would have started their journey in Kuoh town... journey to be independent and to grow. Unfortunately, it was not the case, not when the devils lost all the cities and towns they owned in Japan, Kuoh town being one of them. At least, a few months after the confrontation, the devils were allowed to visit those towns to retrieve their belonging. An opening that both she and Sona were able to utilize.

"Good morning, Rias."

Rias turned to face her childhood friend and smiled, "Good morning, Sona." She looked at other occupants in the large classroom, well it was more like a class hall because of how big and wide it was, and waved, "Good morning, everyone."

Even though the events which transpired between the Avalon Kingdom and the Devil faction were nothing short of bloody and humiliating, the competition to be chosen as their faction's representative students to join the Elemental Academy was, on the other hand, vicious.

It was surprising, but at the same time, expected. After all, the Elemental Academy was the perfect place to make a name for oneself. Their fame would not be limited to their own faction, but it would be known throughout the entire supernatural world.

So, everyone in the Devil faction was throwing their weights for their own heir or heiress to be selected. It got to the point where they had to hold an all-out rating competition for the younger generation, to make it fair for everyone.

The idea was that only the top four teams would be chosen. But Zekram Bael, as usual, threw a curveball at it. He pointed out that since it was considered an all-out competition, why not they went till the end... to find out the strongest rating champion of their generation. Rias had to grudgingly admit, he had a point.

So the rating competition was held, to find out the best of the best amongst the younger generation. And when the dust settled, the four teams that remained were hers, Sona's, Sairaorg's, and Riser's. And the one who became the champion was Sairaorg. She knew she and her team were nowhere near strong enough, but to be beaten so badly... that made her feel powerless. And she hated that feeling.

The only comforting outcome was that she was not the only one. Sairaorg crushed everyone.

But to be fair, her defeat at Sairaorg's hands made her think.

Just from the families' sides, Rias had the 'Power of Destruction', Sona had the 'Water Manipulation', and Riser had the infamous 'Immortality'. But Sairaorg had nothing. And yet, he came on top.

It was the same for the peerages as well.

Sona tended to recruit well-mannered and disciplined, and mostly females, individuals. Riser recruited his members solely based on the need of his lower head. Rias was more toward uniqueness. She wanted her peerages to stand out by their own unique characteristics, abilities, and origins.