Ambush

Riser continued trying to land flaming punches onto Jake who was doing his best to avoid them. A glancing blow grazed Jake's arm causing him to let out a curse from the burn. Jake was starting to wonder if he would have been better off at long range after all and just blasted each other with spells until one of them collapsed from exhaustion. It was too late for that now as Riser went for another hook that Jake easily ducked under and retaliated by stabbing Riser in the torso with another ice blade.

Jake's flaming opponent just ignored the wound and kept coming after him. It seemed that blades just weren't going to put this guy down. Jake wondered if he should try some blunt forced attacks instead.

"Quit dodging, you coward!" Riser screamed in frustration. Luckily for Jake, he was a trained boxer, and it was obvious from Riser's form that he barely even knew how to throw a punch. Jake figured it was time to turn this fight around and that he might as well take Riser to the ring for a bit.

With a flare of magic around his arms, Jake tried something new and formed a large spiked ice gauntlet on each arm. They were bulky and heavy but looked and felt deadly. Jake felt like he was straight out of League of Legends with the giant gauntlets on his arms. Riser went at him with another wide haymaker, and Jake responded by throwing his armored fist right at Riser's.

CRUNCH!

"Ow, dammit, you bastard!" Riser screamed, clutching his now broken but healing hand. Jake didn't give him time to recuperate, though, as he quickly slipped inside Riser's nonexistent guard and went to town on him. Despite the heat radiating off his body, Jake's magically enforced ice gauntlets held strong as he landed punch after devastating punch all over Riser's body! Torso, face, kidney, gut, shoulder, solar plexus, face again! He was beating him down with the mother of all combos! Unfortunately the beat down couldn't last much longer. Jake could feel his gauntlets starting to melt, so with one last drive, he slammed his fist right into Riser's stomach as he heaved and launched him across the arena!

Riser ragdolled almost halfway across the whole place before he hit the dirt and crumpled up in pain.

"T-this isn't going to keep Riser down for long," he hissed out in pain as he slowly stood back up. His wounds were once again healing at a visible rate, and it felt like all Jake's efforts were for nothing there. He really needed that unforgivable spell to work. What was he doing wrong when he failed at casting it?

In only a few more seconds, Riser had once again healed to his prime before giving Jake a glare. "Riser wants you to know, Jake Gremory, that at first this wasn't personal, but now it is. Know this, Riser truly hates you!" As he delivered those words, Jake had a realization. That was what he was missing. The reason the unforgivable didn't work was because he lacked hatred. Sure, he disliked the guy, but he didn't outright hate him. If anything, he was actually pitying him more for his background...

Jake once again pointed his arm towards Riser, as he felt like what he imagined a Sith would, and focused all his hatred on casting the spell. He focused his thoughts on what would happen to Rias if she actually was forced to marry Riser. He focused on the fact that he would be a failure to his family if he didn't end this here!

Riser smirked at seeing Jake about to cast the same spell as before. "Hahaha, will you attempt that failed spell again? Very well, give it your best shot. It will make no difference in the end," he said confidently, spreading his arms wide.

"CRUCIO!" Jake called out with hatred this time, and a lance of magical energy rocketed from his palm and hurtled towards Riser. Riser's eyes widened in shock at Jake's success. His arrogance cost him, and the spell connected… He screamed...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhh." Riser immediately dropped to the floor, screaming in pain. He had never experienced pain like this! What was this evil magic!? He didn't want to give in, but it hurt so much! –Riser continued to scream for another 30 seconds as the pain just wouldn't stop. Jake was impressed by Riser's resolve but knew it was only a matter of time before he broke. Eventually he did.

"I-I surrender, please STOP!" Riser screamed from the ground. Jake canceled the spell as Riser continued to lay there, shaking from his fried nerves literally rebuilding themselves.

"The winner is Jake Gremory!" Grayfia declared. Jake let out a sigh of relief and success. The spectators in the stands politely clapped, but no one cheered. All he heard were some dissatisfied grumbles that he hadn't been injured enough for their likings.

"Good job, Jake," Grayfia said next to him. "I knew we and Rias could count on you." She smiled.

"It was no problem, Grayfia." He replied. He smiled and waved to the grumbling crowd for a few minutes as Riser tried his best to heal his nerves. From the stand VIP box Jake could see Rias, Sirzechs and Serafall enthusiastically waving at him. Jake was elated that he had succeeded.

…

A few minutes later, Jake noticed that Riser had recovered from his nerve damage and was glaring at him bitterly in defeat. Riser huffed, "You have defeated me, Jake Gremory, and I will... honor the wager..." He said bitterly, "Riser had no idea such a terrible spell that only causes pain even existed..."

"Indeed, human magic is always underestimated, isn't it?" A voice Jake vaguely recognized spoke out of nowhere.

Grayfia immediately put her guard up, searching for the voice's source. Riser and Jake were also glancing around alert as well.

"This duel might be over, but it is still very disrespectful to the noble house of Phenix to inter-" Riser was cut off as a large blade erupted out of his chest!

Standing behind Riser and stabbing him was Cao Cao! Jake would recognize the smug bastard anywhere!

Cao Cao wielded a spear that felt incredibly dangerous to Jake's senses. The True Longinus, he realized in shock. The weapon even Sirzechs warned him about! 'But that means…' Jake thought in realization.

Jake looked towards Riser, who was grasping at the spear through his chest in agony. With seemingly no remorse, Cao Cao ripped the spear out of his back and flicked away the blood. Riser dropped to the ground... he wasn't healing! His magic faded away right in front of the shocked Jake and Grayfia. He was dead... just like that.

Next to Cao Cao, Georg faded into existence with that familiar mist scattered around him. He had used his Dimension Lost to infiltrate the duel and was even able to completely cloak the two of them perfectly, hiding them from the senses of even the strongest devils there.

Cao Cao smirked at Jake. "You know Jacob, I truly did wish for you to join us, but then you had to go and join the devils. I don't like being rejected," he said maliciously. "So I'm now here to deliver a message." He reeled his arm holding the spear back before he threw it right towards Jake at incredible speed! It was moving so fast there was no way he could dodge it!

"JAKE NO!" He heard a scream shout out before a familiar twin-tailed magical girl threw herself right in front of him! Jake's eyes widened as the spear found a mark and stabbed right into her!

"NO!" Jake screamed in shock at seeing Serafall take the fatal blow for him. "Blaze, I need you now!" He shouted out in panic, and in a burst of flames, his phoenix familiar flashed right next to him.

"I don't think so," Georg said as a barrier appeared around Blaze and completely locked him inside!

"CHIRP!" Blaze scratched at the magical cage it found itself trapped in, but it was too strong to break. It also found that it couldn't teleport out for some reason.

"No miracle cures for the Maou, I'm afraid," Cao Cao laughed as the spear that was impaling her dislodged from her body on its own and flew back into his hand. "I was planning on killing you Jacob, but this is just as good. Let's go, Georg, and bring the bird." Georg surrounded Cao Cao and himself in the mist and vanished along with the captured Blaze! They had disappeared just in time as a horrifically powerful wave of destruction slammed down where they were just standing!

Sirzechs landed in the arena a second later to see the murderers had escaped. What's more, his precious little brother was standing over the bleeding form of one of his dearest friends, who he could feel the life slowly fading away from. "Jake..." Sirzechs called out sadly.

Jake looked down at the girl he loved who was dying in his arms. He didn't even know what to say.

"Jake..." Sirzechs said again. "I'm so sorry." Serafall had taken a direct blow from the spear. Blaze was taken, and there was nothing they could do... Sirzechs hadn't felt so bitter since the Great War…

Serafall's breathing was growing more and more shallow. Jake could see her dying any minute now. Was he just going to let that happen...

NO!

There had to be a way to save her. Jake wasn't in his right mind, but in his desperation, he once again drew on the black mist inside of him. He prayed to it as he called it forth to take them someplace that could save Serafall!

"Jake, what are you doing!?" Sirzechs said in shock as he saw the black mist surrounding his brother and Serafall. "Are you trying to time travel again!?"

"I can't let her die!" Jake declared, now completely surrounded by the mist. "I will save her!"

And with that, Jake and Serafall vanished from the arena...

…

-Asgard-

"My people, I would like to thank you all for gathering together on this day to witness the crowning of my son Thor!" The thousands of Asgardians gathered in his halls erupted into cheers as Odin delivered his speech.

Thor smirked cockily as his people cheered for him. This was the day he had waited his whole life for. He had his beautiful sister Loki next to him as they marched down the hall towards where his father Odin awaited with his crown.

FWISH!

Suddenly, in front of Thor and Loki, a black mist formed and blocked their path! Thor immediately put his guard up, wondering if someone was trying to sabotage his big day!

The cheering crowds of thousands of Asgardians also quieted down and watched in shock at the sudden mist. Odin, sitting on his throne, sat forward in worry as he felt a foul power he hadn't faced off against in over 1000 years. The mist faded away, and there in its place appeared a boy with hair the color of fire. He held in his embrace an unmoving girl who looked to be mortally wounded!

"Please, somebody help her!" The fire-haired youth shouted out pleadingly over the hushed hall as thousands stared at him in shock…

-#########-

A/N: Lets Gooooo new arc! The vote was Marvel so here we are!

Thank you to my current Hero Team Patrons: Michael, Mason, Rick, Nirojan, Benzaboyo, Carl, and William

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