Riser Phenex, The Supreme Overlord

[Now, let's distribute the talents.]

[The talents are divided as follows: White, Green, Blue, Purple, Platinum, Black, Gold, Black Gold, and Diamond.]

[These traits will shape your Simulator journey.]

[Visionary Madness (Black): Your intense devotion to your ideals grants you unparalleled determination. However, this can also lead to reckless, extreme decisions that alienate others.]

[Strategic Opportunist (Purple): You can seize opportunities in chaos, turning setbacks into advantages. Your ability to plan three steps ahead is unparalleled.]

[Charismatic Aura (Gold): This makes you both a compelling leader and dangerously influential. Your presence alone demands attention. People are drawn to your vision, regardless of whether it's good or bad.]

[Silver Tongue (Platinum): Your mastery of rhetoric and persuasion knows no equal. Whether rallying a crowd, wooing a lover, or deceiving an enemy, your words bend other to your will.]

[Artistic Savant (Gold): Your raw talent for art shines through, capturing the beauty and darkness of the world. Your works inspire emotions you can weaponize.]

[Cultural Adaptability (Purple): You excel at integrating into different societies, adopting their customs, and using them to your advantage.]

Riser Phenex remained silent for a while, his gaze fixed on the scattered talents displayed before his eyes.

Did he truly want to become a playboy again, even if he was trying to start a new life?

Or perhaps a Satan?

The thought crossed his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to believe it was possible.

He knew his talents paled in comparison to Rias Gremory's.

That truth was a bitter pill to swallow.

She was more talented, and yet, in the Rating Game, she had lost to him.

Sure, she was younger, but did that really matter? If she had trained harder, it would have been far easier for her to crush him completely.

Even her peerage members possessed greater potential than his peerage could ever hope to achieve.

In everything that truly mattered, he had lost to Rias.

And yet, this wasn't the end.

Even in starting anew, he found himself unable to escape the web of entanglement that tied him to her.

As if to twist the knife, his father suddenly spoke, shattering whatever fragile peace Riser had been clinging to.

Even in this so-called "reset timeline," their engagement remained unchanged.

"My boy! I have great news for you!" His father's booming voice rang with pride and enthusiasm. "You've been chosen as Rias Gremory's fiancée. Her father also thinks the two of you make a perfect match!"

His father's face lit up with joy, and his mother mirrored the sentiment with a bright, delighted smile.

Even Ravel Phenex, his little sister, joined in, her voice dripping with congratulation.

"Congratulations, brother," Ravel chimed in with cheer, her tone far too genuine for his liking.

"Yes, Riser, congratulations," his mother added, her smirk holding a strange mixture of pride and mischief.

"Boy, this is your chance!" His father grinned slyly, his tone dripping with encouragement. "Go to her. Win her over!"

And his opinion on all this?

Did it matter? Did it ever matter?

No one in the room seemed to care whether he had a say in this arrangement. In their minds, it was already decided. Riser's reputation as a womanizer and someone who couldn't resist beautiful women was too well-ingrained.

They were all so blissfully ignorant of the living nightmare this red-haired bitch would inevitably bring into his life.

Everyone was simply happy for him, thrilled at the idea of their golden son landing a noble and gorgeous fiancée.

Still, he didn't intend to reject the chance to meet Rias. On the contrary, he wanted to face her directly and make his position clear—he had no interest in her, and she should leave him the hell alone.

The last thing he wanted was to repeat the disaster of their previous engagement.

So, with a firmed nod, he stood up.

"Great!" His father clapped his hands together, beaming with satisfaction. "Now go, boy, chase her!"

Without another word, Riser made his way out, walking alone as he headed toward Rias's mansion.

Specifically, he sought out her garden, where he knew she often retreated for solitude.

And there she was.

The red-haired girl stood silently in the garden, her striking crimson locks glowing faintly under the soft light of the setting sun.

Her eyes, deep and pensive, were fixed on the horizon, her expression tinged with melancholy.

Riser Phenex took a deep breath, steeling himself. It was time to confront the woman who had become the inescapable thorn in his side.

"Are you unhappy with the engagement?" he approached, his presence remaining the same—less enthusiastic.

She shifted her gaze to him unhappily and pouted. "Whose fault is that?"

"I don't think it was mine. It's your father who proposed the engagement. It could have been me, or it could have been someone else. I'm not the only noble in the Underworld, but I know for sure that I'm unlucky enough to be chosen as your fiancée, Rias Gremory," Riser stated bluntly, making it clear that he didn't like her.

"So, pretty girl, if you wanted to hate, hate your father. I don't want to be part of it."

"You... You said it was unlucky to be my fiancée. How dare you? Don't you know how many boys are willing to kill themselves for this?" Rias's face darkened as she angrily glared at Riser, wanting to bite this asshole.

"Then they should kill themselves to spare themselves from trouble, which is you," Riser let out a humorless chuckle.

When Rias wanted to bark back, she halted her plan when she saw Riser's eyes.

They were a bottomless abyss, filled with unspoken pain, hate, and anger behind the façade of this young boy's cold expression.

"You... What happened to your eyes? Why do you hate me so much?" She didn't know what had happened to her fiancée, but her tone was no longer filled with anger and blame toward him.

Instead, it was soft-spoken, wanting to understand him.

She wanted to know where that pain and hate were coming from and why he hated her without reason.

She had never been exposed to this level of hate, considering how she was surrounded by a loving family, adoration, and love.

So, she didn't know what to do with it.

"I don't just hate you, I hate myself, Rias Gremory. Don't worry about it. You can have your freedom. I will not marry you." Riser didn't continue to be aggressive when he saw that Rias had softened and was no longer taking a hostile stance against him.

"You're different from what the rumors say, Riser Phenex. I thought you would act like a pervert, aggressively claiming me as yours. But it seems I was wrong. Even if we don't marry each other, I certainly want to become your friend." Rias extended her hand for a handshake, her expression sincere.

Riser stared at her hand, visibly lost in thought.

Was this really the same Rias Gremory he thought he knew?

Then, like a sudden storm, the memories of the past came flooding back, striking him with brutal clarity.

No wonder she had hated him so much.

Their first meeting… he remembered it vividly.

Back then, he had indeed been aggressive, spouting perverse comments and shamelessly staking his claim on her as though she were an object—his possession, his trophy, his everything.

He had acted like a complete fool.

But now, things felt… different.

At the end of the day, after what seemed like an eternity of hesitation, Riser finally closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, a smirk danced on his lips.

Slowly, he extended his hand and grasped hers firmly.

"Yes, let's be friends, Rias," he said, his voice steady and genuine.

Rias beamed, her smile radiant as she held his hand. She could see it—his eyes no longer burned with that intense hate or repulsion toward her.

Instead, they held something else entirely, something she couldn't quite place yet.

But it was a change, a good one.

"Well, Riser, how about coming to my house? Let me introduce you to my father and mother… and even my brother," Rias suggested cheerfully. "I'll prove to my brother that you're not the perverted scoundrel he claimed you to be."

Riser's smile faded slightly, replaced by a solemn look.

"Unfortunately, Rias… even if we can be friends, I can't be your fiancé." His voice softened. "I want to go somewhere… somewhere no one knows me. I want to be free."

"To be free…" Rias echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

She smiled faintly, though her eyes betrayed a hint of sadness. "That's a wonderful dream, Riser. If you ever need help, you can always find me at Kuoh Academy. I promise I'll never reveal your whereabouts to anyone."

She paused, as if considering something, then added with surprising enthusiasm, "But why not stay for a while first? We can make plans together. No need to rush off into the unknown just yet."

Riser blinked in surprise.

This side of Rias—kind, understanding, and even supportive—was a side he had never seen in the previous timeline.

Her gentleness caught him completely off guard.

Finally, he nodded. "Alright. Let's go to your family. I have some… curiosity about your brother and why he dislikes me so much."

"Let's go, Riser-kun," Rias said, her voice light and playful as she led him toward the Gremory Mansion.

The suffix slipped out naturally, a subconscious nod to her love of anime and manga.

Riser didn't correct her.

Instead, he followed her without hesitation, allowing her to guide him to the mansion.

However, what neither of them realized was that this meeting would become the catalyst for something far greater.

This wasn't just a simple visit—it was the first step in a journey that would change everything for Riser Phenex.

He was supposed to heal here, to find warmth and acceptance through Rias's sudden kindness and patience.

But could the same be said for Sirzechs?

How would Sirzechs Lucifer treat Riser now?

Would this meeting reveal to Riser the manipulative nature of Rias's older brother?

Would it unveil the truth about the previous timeline's ill-fated wedding and Sirzechs's hidden motives?

Only time would tell, my friends. Only time would tell.

[Don't forget to drop power stones, leave comments, and write reviews if you enjoy this fic.]