Starting with No Game No Life: Infinite Chests

The Phoenix family mansion was lavish, far more so than the Naberius estate. Everything was elegant and refined: exquisite furnishings, fine chandeliers, priceless paintings, each detail catching the eye. Although both the Phoenix and Naberius houses were among the 72 Pillars of pure-blood devil nobility, only the Phoenix clan possessed the legendary item capable of reviving anyone who wasn't yet truly dead, the Phoenix Tears.

Thanks to these Tears, the Phoenix clan enjoyed immense profits and reputation, both in the Underworld and throughout the world of devils.

At this moment, however, the Phoenix manor was far livelier than usual, as several new faces arrived, drawing everyone's attention.

"Father, you've finally returned!" A young girl with golden twin drills and sky-blue eyes, delicate features, and a pink-and-white dress came running into the grand hall, smiling brightly.

"Oh! Lady Serafall, you're here too! I'll prepare tea right away." Noticing Serafall among the guests, the girl quickly offered a respectful bow.

"And to our other guests, please wait just a moment." She glanced with curiosity at Riku, Jibril, and Schwi, her etiquette flawless, her bearing that of a true ojou-sama.

"Ahem, Riku, this is my daughter, Ravel Phoenix. She's still young and may be a little inexperienced; please forgive her if she's lacking in any way." Phillip Phoenix cleared his throat anxiously, worried that Riku might be offended by his daughter greeting him after Serafall.

"Ravel, huh? That's a good name." Riku looked at the girl and smiled softly.

Ravel, when she first appeared in the original story, acted the classic tsundere. But in truth, she was this very sort of ojou-sama, her initial behaviour mostly because she disliked Issei. A bit of pride, yes, but really a well-bred, likeable girl.

"Ravel, thank Riku for his compliment," Phillip prompted his daughter quickly, not daring to offend their new "guest."

"Uh oh, thank you for your kind words, Mr. Riku," Ravel replied, a little startled. She managed a sweet smile, giving Riku a somewhat curious look as she bowed again.

She couldn't help but wonder: Who was this young man, that even her father treated him with such caution, and even Lady Serafall seemed to take second place?

"Very polite. Now then, would you please prepare three adjoining guest rooms for us?" Riku smiled, reaching out and gently patting Ravel on the head.

"—!" The gesture left Ravel blushing faintly; no one outside her family had ever been so familiar with her before.

Her first instinct was to step away, but remembering her role as a proper hostess, she forced herself to stand firm, enduring the head-pat without protest.

Riku's golden eyes flashed with a touch of satisfaction. As expected, this girl was truly impressive.

"Hey, Riku, just how long are you planning to keep your hand there?" Schwi tugged on his sleeve, rolling her eyes.

"Ah, Master, interested in this girl already? Want me to help you out?" Jibril teased with a mischievous grin.

Riku shot Jibril a sharp glare and withdrew his hand, instead patting Schwi on the head to appease her.

Jibril's teasing drew Serafall out of her gloom, and she shot Riku a strange look.

"U-um…" Ravel stammered, face still red, unsure what to make of it all. Jibril's words had rattled her more than a little.

As for Phillip Phoenix, his mouth twitched. If Riku really set his sights on Ravel, should he be happy… or terrified?

"Don't overthink it," Riku reassured her. "Ravel, please go prepare the rooms."

"O-okay! Right away!" Ravel nodded rapidly, hurrying off.

"Phillip, your daughter's quite something on many levels," Riku said, watching her retreat with a mysterious smile.

"Ah, if my daughter can earn your praise, it's her honour," Phillip managed a nervous laugh, unable to guess what Riku was thinking.

A few moments later, Ravel had finished preparing the rooms for their guests.

Riku promptly led a despairing Serafall into one of them. After putting up a few soundproofing and privacy barriers, he began yet another "training" session.

Were it not for those barriers, the sounds from inside would have left the household blushing furiously.

But don't get the wrong idea, Riku didn't actually go all the way. As much as he liked beautiful women, he wasn't about to cross that line with someone whose heart wasn't in it. For Serafall, that was her one unbreakable rule. Had he tried to force her, she'd have fought to the bitter end.

That boundary, though, only made the "training" all the more enjoyable for Riku. After all, disciplining a Maou was its own reward.

Meanwhile, Schwi and Jibril, left to their own devices, passed the time with chess in Schwi's room.

As expected, Jibril was repeatedly trounced, to the point where Schwi started to outright complain about her lack of skill.

As for Ravel, when she saw Riku and Serafall enter the same room, she was utterly bewildered, her heart pounding as she wondered what exactly their relationship was. She quietly filed the scene away, inventing her own (very wrong) explanation.

If Serafall ever found out, she'd probably cough up blood in fury.

While Riku "trained" Serafall, Sirzechs, Ajuka and the other high-ranking devils who'd returned to Maou Ridge were already convening a new emergency meeting.

This time, every major power in the Underworld was represented. The debate was fierce. The stubborn old guard refused to accept Riku's terms, pushing for all-out war. Sirzechs, Ajuka, and the pro-negotiation faction, those who'd fought Riku and survived, argued fiercely for compromise.

In the end, Sirzechs settled it with one offhand remark: "If you think you can handle it, why don't you try fighting Riku yourself and rescuing Serafall? Maybe you'll get lucky." With that, the hardliners had nothing left to say.

Everyone's pride was wounded, the Underworld's honour trampled underfoot, but when it came to actually facing Riku in battle, there was no braveness left, only fear.

No one dared underestimate him after the fate of the previous "subjugation team."

In the end, the opposition of the conservative nobles and elders could only swallow their objections and obey the orders of Sirzechs and Ajuka, the two Maou.

Soon after, a series of shocking and sensational announcements came from the highest echelons of the Underworld.

For example, the Naberius family was charged with heinous crimes. To prove their guilt, Sirzechs publicly displayed the various horrifying items unearthed from the Naberius family's secret chambers countless devils, youkai, and reincarnated devils used as experimental subjects.

This revelation ignited the fury of the devil's populace. Ordinary devils were enraged at the darkness of the Naberius family, and soon public outrage spread, even targeting other noble houses.

After stirring up this storm, Sirzechs then brought Riku's name into the discussion. He declared that Riku was not an invader, but rather an honoured guest of the Four Great Maou. It was only because the Naberius family had offended Riku that their hidden evils were exposed and brought to light.

This further shocked the Underworld. All the anger directed at Riku vanished, transferred to the disgraced Naberius house. While some clever devils sensed that something wasn't quite right, they couldn't put their finger on it and chose to wait and see.

Finally, a message came to calm the populace: The recent disturbances in the Underworld were due to monsters unleashed by the Naberius family breaking free and causing destruction. If left unchecked, they would have wrought havoc, but thanks to Riku's intervention, the threat was eliminated with minimal damage.

This official story immediately placed Riku at the centre of attention. Not only did he stop being seen as a threat, but he quickly became a hero of the Underworld, even gathering a fanbase.

After all, the recent chaos had left every devil terrified. No one really understood what had happened now, at least there was a clear explanation.

With the top brass of the Underworld refusing to comment further, the matter was settled as fact and spread throughout devil society.

Sirzechs, Ajuka, and the other high nobles finally breathed a sigh of relief at this shift in public opinion.

Pinning the blame on the already-destroyed Naberius family, a family whose demise was, if anything, overdue, they felt no guilt. If anything, it was just a matter of using trash as fertiliser.

The Underworld's authority took a slight hit, but it was a small price to pay. This was the perfect solution: don't offend Riku, and don't truly disgrace the Underworld itself.

All the while, Riku himself was unaware of any of this.

Late at night, Riku closed his door with a satisfied smile, strolling out into the corridor. If one peeked into his room, they'd see ropes, candles, and other "tools," and a red-faced, gritting-her-teeth-yet-limp Serafall sprawled on the bed, unable to move. This man's vindictiveness was really something he'd spent half a day "training" her!

"Where should I go next?" Riku mused as he wandered the hall. Should he go find Schwi and Jibril for some games? That sounded appealing.

Training Serafall was satisfying on a spiritual level, but it only heightened other desires. He needed to let off some steam.

"Well, there's plenty of time. Might as well use this chance to open that platinum chest." With that thought, Riku leisurely roamed the Phoenix mansion.

Along the way, every servant greeted him respectfully and offered assistance, but Riku simply waved them off.

Before long, he arrived at the rooftop terrace, where Ravel was sitting, enjoying the night breeze, her white legs dangling from a stone sculpture.

It was a scene of tranquil beauty.

"Oh, Lord Riku, you're here to enjoy the wind too? The breeze tonight is really nice." Seeing Riku land nearby, Ravel hopped down, giving him a polite bow and a curious look.

"Yeah, something like that. Sorry to disturb you," Riku said with a gentle smile, nodding slightly. "Don't worry about me, just keep sitting there if you like."

"Mhm." Ravel's cheeks colored a little at his words, and she looked a bit shy.

Still, although she nodded, Ravel didn't move, simply remaining where she stood.

Seeing this, Riku chuckled, shaking his head before sitting down on the stone sculpture himself.

"Sorry if that was a bit rude, Lord Riku," Ravel said, face reddening further as she flew up to sit beside him.

"If it's possible, could you drop the 'Lord' part?" Riku rubbed his nose.

"No, I can't. 'Lord' is 'Lord.' You're the honoured guest of the Maou themselves; calling you by name would be rude." Ravel was surprisingly firm, almost stubborn on this point.

Riku knew there was no convincing her, so he let it go. "As you like."

"Thank you for understanding, Lord Riku." Ravel smiled, clearly delighted to keep using the honorific.

Riku just smiled and said nothing, instead placing his hand atop the nearby platinum chest.

Instantly, the familiar sound of the lock opening rang out, and the system prompt echoed in his mind.

[Ding! Congratulations, Master, you have opened a platinum chest and obtained a Bloodline Fusion Spell Card.]

Bloodline Fusion Spell Card: An improved version of the "Polymerisation" card from Yu-Gi-Oh!. The original allows you to fuse different monsters into a new one; the Bloodline Fusion Spell Card allows for the perfect fusion of two bloodlines.

Uses remaining: 1

"A Bloodline Fusion Spell Card, huh? That's not bad." Riku smiled. "Looks like I'll have to think of a way to obtain the Phoenix bloodline for fusion."

Though the card sparked some ideas, Riku wasn't in a hurry, so he simply tossed it into his system storage and lay back to enjoy the night breeze.

"Lord Riku, isn't this place wonderful?" Ravel swung her legs gently, glancing at the boy lying next to her. Her eyes were filled with admiration, almost like she was gazing at an idol.

"It's nice. The only thing missing is a starry sky, which is a bit of a shame." Riku tilted his head, speaking casually. Chatting with Ravel helped calm his impulses, the tension slowly fading away.

"A sky full of stars… I wish I could see it too," Ravel said, eyes sparkling with interest.

"You've never seen the stars? Wait, does that mean you've never been to the Human World?" Riku asked in surprise.

"Yeah, Father never lets me go; he says it's too dangerous. As for my brother, he's always busy, and he rarely goes to the Human World himself," Ravel replied, tilting her head, looking a little troubled.

"But, Lord Riku, don't get the wrong idea, it's not like I really want to go or anything," Ravel added at the end, huffing a bit.

Don't get all tsundere in a place like this... though honestly, this kind of attitude is pretty cute.

Riku shook his head slightly, amused.

"Do you want me to take you to the Human World for a visit?" Riku suddenly suggested, rubbing his chin.

"Eh? Really?" At those words, Ravel's eyes lit up instantly. But then she suddenly realised what she'd just agreed to, her cheeks turning bright red, looking a little flustered.

"Of course I can," Riku replied with a small smile, teasing her. "But are you really going to trust me just like that? What if I'm a bad guy, or if I'm not strong enough? You could get caught by exorcists and dissected, you know."

"...!" Ravel was startled at first, but then puffed up her cheeks and said, "Geez, Lord Riku, don't scare me like that!"

"If I'm with Lord Riku, I'm sure everything will be fine. After all, Lord Riku is the hero of the Underworld, and the honoured guest of the Maous," Ravel said, hugging her knees and looking sideways at Riku, her eyes filled with admiration.

"...Huh?" That left Riku a bit dumbfounded, and he frowned slightly. 'Hero? Honoured guest of the Maous? What is this...'

"Did Sirzechs and the others do something?" Riku quickly guessed what might have happened and looked at Ravel with a strange expression.

"That's right," Ravel said, her face shining with admiration, and she began to enthusiastically explain everything that had happened recently. Especially since Ravel had always looked up to heroes since she was a child, she spoke with even more excitement.

"...They really did something speechless again~." After hearing her explanation, Riku was left speechless. 'I was clearly an invader, I even beat up half the Underworld's high-ranking officials, and they somehow managed to turn me into some kind of heroic figure.'

Of course, Riku understood Sirzechs and the others' intentions. And since this situation didn't bring him any trouble, he just let it go.

"Hey, Ravel, how about making a contract with me?" Riku got up, sat up straight, and reached out his hand to Ravel.

"A contract?" Ravel asked, confused.

"Yeah, a contract. If you sign it, you'll become my servant and gain great power. I'll also protect you," Riku explained simply.

"Hmm, about that..." Hearing this, Ravel hesitated for a moment, looking conflicted.

After a few seconds, she finally showed a pure and sincere smile. "If it's with Lord Riku, I'd be happy to."

That made Riku smile as well. 'This girl really is likeable.'

He immediately took out a contract card and had Ravel drip a drop of blood onto it.

In that instant, a special bond was formed between them, and the magic power inside Ravel's body began to increase at a terrifying rate.

"Eh! Lord Riku?!" Ravel couldn't control the sudden surge of magic power and cried out in shock, completely confused as to what was happening.

"Relax, didn't I say it? Making a contract with me gives you great power," Riku said with a gentle smile, patting Ravel's head to reassure her.

At the same time, Riku also gained a special bloodline: that of the House of Phoenix. The Saiyan God bloodline and the Phoenix bloodline clashed inside him, and even Riku felt uncomfortable, so he had to keep the two bloodlines separated for now.

"I see..." Hearing that, Ravel's face filled with wonder, her admiration growing even stronger. 'If just making a contract with Lord Riku gives me this much power, then just how strong is Lord Riku himself?'

"Ravel, what's wrong?!" At that moment, the whole mansion was alarmed by Ravel's explosive surge of magic power.

Phillip Phoenix rushed over with a group of people, anxiously looking at Ravel.

But when he saw Riku, he froze. The way the two of them were acting was way too close.

"Father, it's nothing. I just formed a special contract with Lord Riku. This power was granted to me by Lord Riku," Ravel said, feeling a little guilty, like a little girl caught doing something bad.

"Uh...!" Hearing that, Phillip Phoenix was stunned, staring at Riku in shock, his mind in turmoil.

Just a contract, and Ravel already has Maou-level magic power? This is way too broken!

"Ahem, in that case, Ravel, you need to properly thank Mr. Riku. I'll go to bed now, you two take your time talking," Phillip Phoenix coughed awkwardly and quickly excused himself.

'Looks like Riku really has his eyes on my daughter... Maybe having Riku visit our house is a great thing after all. In such a short time, my daughter now has Maou-level magic power. With a bit of training, she'll soon be a Maou-class powerhouse herself. If the Underworld really does end up under Riku's rule, at least we'll be protected. And if Riku loses, the Maous won't blame us for getting close to him. Either way, we win...'

With that, Phillip Phoenix stopped worrying about his daughter being so easily "kidnapped" and went back to his room in high spirits.

Meanwhile, in two other rooms of the mansion, Schwi and Jibril also felt the surge of magic, both muttering that "Riku really did go after Ravel," but didn't say much else. After all, they couldn't stop him, so they might as well let things happen. Besides, Riku isn't the type to abandon his previous women just because there's a new one.

As for Serafall, after finally getting cleaned up and taking a bath, she also sensed the aura and just pouted.

"Sorry, Lord Riku, Father was just worried about me," Ravel said, a bit embarrassed.

"It's fine," Riku shook his head, then patted Ravel's head again before jumping down from the sculpture.

"I'm a bit tired, so I'll go back to sleep. You should get some rest, too, Ravel. Don't worry too much about the flow of magic power," Riku waved at her.

"Okay, Lord Riku, I will," Ravel answered sweetly, nodding.

With that, Riku didn't say anything else and teleported back to his own room, laying down on his bed without hesitation.

"System, use the Bloodline Fusion Spell Card to fuse the Saiyan God and Phoenix bloodlines."