16 Introducing myself

The crowd was dumbstruck as the trio of musicians finished their bow. It took a minute before the first person was able to compose themselves to ask.

"How did they get in here? We had over a dozen guards!" The random devil said as the disguised shinigami started slowly walking forward

"Those were yours? I mean oh my god who beat up the guards?" the sombrero head said trying to sound surprised but came off as more sarcastic

Rizer started to realize that the band wasn't hired by them "Seize them!" he commanded as a group of guards tried to surround the band and nearly-forgotten dragon emperor only to have their lower bodies encased in ice

The sound of slow clapping could be heard from the black hair-dyed Shiro as he continued to slowly walk towards the blonde "Rizer, Rizer, Rizer.... love the ring to that name, no wonder you enjoy talking in third person so much. Shame you don't live up to such a name" he said mockingly

Anger flashed through the flaming chicken's eyes as he looked down at the impertinent human

"And who are you? Rizer does not remember inviting human vermin such as yourself nor that low-class over there" he retorted

"Me? I'm just the teacher of that low-class over there that you seem to fear. I am JUAN PELO! the Red Dragon Emperor's sensei. And you are from what I hear a coward who is too afraid to even fight the so-called 'low class' back there" He introduced himself with a smirk as he pointed a thumb back at his student

"Rizer fears nothing! Especially not a low born wretch like him!" the blonde said as he began to flare up in flames

"Oh? If you aren't afraid then you wouldn't mind facing off against the 'low born' now would you?" He said putting up air quotes on low born

Before the two could continue their spat, an armored crimson haired male stepped forward

"I believe this would prove to be the perfect entertainment for such an event." said the satan

"My brother's here?!" asked Rias as she didn't believe her brother would attend the party

Murmurs sounded from the crowd as they were stunned that the Great devil Lucifer was present.

Rizer who processed his words just asked "What exactly do you mean by entertainment?" as if he was offended

Sirzechs just put up a hand to placate Rizer's confusion "I watched the game Rizer, and to be honest I was underwhelmed by you." The crimson haired man stated

"My sister lacks experience compared to you, yet you were still nearly defeated had you not taken a girl hostage. I doubt your family would be proud of the way you handled yourself. he continued

"So I think you should be given another chance." He finished as laughter came from the direction of the disguised shinigami

"AHAHAHAHA, Well Rizer you heard the man. Will you 'rise' up to the challenge and take on my student?" Shiro said with a sneer beneath his fake mustache

"Fighting such a low born is beneath Rizer! However crushing his teacher could prove to be satisfactory. Do you accept my challenge human!?" He mockingly said as he looked down on the shinigami

'Is this guy seriously underestimating me just because I'm human?' Shiro thought as he raised a brow towards the idiot

"Well if it's fine with tomato-head over there I think I can oblige." he responded directing his gaze at the aforementioned red-head

The Devil King wasn't sure of the human's strength but conceded hoping that being the teacher to the Dragon Emperor wasn't for show "Very well, I will permit it" he declared

"Sensei! You don't need to do this" Issei said worried remembering not to call him by his name in public as Ophis and Kuroka were already beside Shirone with the food from the tables

"Relax my student, put some more faith in your teacher. I'm just going to teach this idiot not to mess with my protege" Shiro said as he waved off his concern

"Now then, I have a chicken to grill." He said as he was ported into the arena

∞

As the disguised shinigami stood in the dusty arena with his guitar held up over his shoulder like a hammer, he gazed up at his opponent who seemed to have a thing with wanting to be on higher ground.

"Issei will your teacher be alright?" Rias asked as she had never seen him fight before

"Honestly, I don't know. I sparred with him for 3 years when he was training me and I never won once. But that was before I got my sacred gear. On the other hand I'm pretty sure he was always holding back so I can say he won't go down easily" The future harem king responded

Ophis could be seen nearby waving a familiar small flag as she cheered in monotone "Fight on"

Shirone was next to her waving a similar flag as Kuroka was tempted to take a picture of the two.

Back at the arena

"You chose the wrong fight human, a devil would never lose to a human! now die!" Rizer roared as he took to the air with wings of fire and threw a large ball of fire towards the unfazed shinigami

Before impact, ice could be seen forming around Shiro's guitar turning it into a makeshift mace. As the flames hit their target, no traces of a sombrero could be seen.

Rizer laughed in condescension as he continued to float in the air until he heard a voice behind him

"Oi, you're pretty slow aren't you" the disguised shinigami said as he slammed his frozen guitar down at the flaming chicken making a crater form on the ground.

"You know, that was pretty close. You could have burned my clothes there and these were pretty expensive to buy" Stated Shiro as he looked down at the smoking Crater

As Rizer burst out of the crater he looked up towards his opponent who seemed to be standing in the air "Well you won't have to worry about that AFTER I TURN YOU TO CINDERS!" the blonde yelled as a large amount of flames burst from his body

The blonde charged forward leaving a trail of flames as he appeared in front of the human in a burst of speed as he threw a burning fist out only to be met with a surprisingly durable frozen guitar.

A shockwave sent the two back as Rizer sent a barrage of fireballs at the shinigami.

Shiro disappeared from his position and his voice was heard above the blonde

"GRAND SHATTER" Rizer looked up to see a massive chunk of ice shatter as the shards covered the entire battlefield nailing him to the ground

Shiro appeared right next to Rizer still unfazed by the fight. "Concede you can't win" he said as he gazed down at his foe

The Phenex became enraged as he broke free from the shards that nailed him to the ground surprising the shinigami as he clamped down on him "TRY DODGING THIS HUMAN!" he screamed as the sound of an explosion rang out in the arena in a large torrent of flames.

The arena looked like a hellscape as all the ice evaporated. The smoke gave out revealing 2 figures, one of which made the current Devil King stand up with enough force to shatter his throne behind him and his wife began to shed tears at the sight of the boy she was looking for all those years ago.

As Rizer's body finished regenerating he looked over at his foe. His black hair-dye completely burnt off revealing crimson red, his silver eyes annoyed as he looked at the rest of his tattered disguise.

He just sighed as he saw his disguise destroyed. "Well then" He began as he looked over to the flaming chicken

"Let me reintroduce myself" The shinigami spoke as a large pillar of red energy and flames rose and pierced the sky. A pressure descended onto the blonde and everyone else at the party despite being in another space. For the first time in awhile Rizer could feel heat, burning heat crushing his soul as if it were the prelude to his death.

Once the pillar of flame and reiatsu dispersed, showing his crimson haired foe now garbed in dark eastern cloth and a haori donned as a cape. The guitar turned to ashes revealing a long katana. His foe's silver eyes glowed crimson light as he spoke

"Greetings, I am Shiro Aversis, now let me show you real flames"