High School DxD
Volume 25 Chapter 7-3

After all preliminary matches for the first Rating Game World Tournament [Azazel Cup] had ended, the announcement for the teams that made it to the main stage took place at the floating city of Agreas in the Underworld, which was regarded as the sacred territory of the Rating Games. The commentator, Naud Gamigin, along with another guest commentator, livened up Agreas Stadium. Even though there was no match, the spectators were pushing each other as the entire stadium was completely filled. As the media from every mythology was covering the event, the announcement started.

<<The sixteen teams that are going to the main stage have been decidedddddddddd! And we will announce them soon!>>

As Naud Gamigin roared, the giant monitor on the stadium started to show the first team.

<<We will be starting from the first team who qualified for the main stage without a single loss! They are said to be the team that is the closest to becoming the winners! The team that consists of Gods that Sakra A.K.A Indra leads, [Vajra]! >>

He participated in the Tournament where Gods from every other mythology joined in order to show off his power. While everyone withdrew from the tournament as their spirit withered because of the mighty monsters and brutal Sacred Gears, this God of War, on the other hand, enjoyed that tendency. A team that focused on Buddhism and was accompanied by the Four Heavenly Kings (Dhrtarastra, Virudhaka, Virupaksa, Vaisravana) was one of the winning candidates since the beginning. The next team was then displayed.

<<The next team is one of the few teams who originate from the human world, and they have made an impact not only against Ultimate-class Devils’ teams, but also the supernatural beings! From the same mythology as the God Indra, Mount Meru, the team led by Sakra’s vanguard A.K.A Cao Cao-senshu, [Spear of the Heavenly Emperor] is chosen to participate in the main stage as well!>>

Starting from Cao Cao who wielded the strongest Longinus, they were the team that consisted of people who challenged humanity’s limits. The ability to transform a Sacred Gear into its Balance Breaker was both widely acknowledged and feared by supernatural beings. Not to mention that Guan Yu who joined forces with them gave them a big advantage.

<<The legendary trio who have been going strong in the preliminaries! A popular team from Mount Meru who has their own particular view on the world and keep gaining stars, [The Journey to the West] Team, is also going to the main stage!>>

Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing, the former trio along with the heaven-sent child, Nezha, their synergy was incredible, allowing them to defeat Ultimate-class Devils and even Gods. The power of the legendary team was also legendary.

<<Mount Meru is really amazing. As expected of the God of War Indra who led them himself!>>

Mount Meru was the number one rivaled mythology even in the main stage, and those who once trained under Sakra showed just how much power the God of War had. The next team was displayed on the monitor.

<<The team with the King of Monsters, Typhon, as the [King], whose members are young prodigies and even chief Gods, [Leisure of the Kings]! It was even said that it would be weird if this team didn’t qualify for the main stage!>>

Even though they suffered a defeat from the turbulent match against Hyoudou Issei’s team, the team where the legendary King of Monsters participated along with the chief God of Asgard and Olympus had an unrivaled strength as they crushed the preliminaries with ease. With that lineup, they were also one of the favoured candidates. On top of that, there was a high chance that the Gods supporting them would join their team. Even now, it was still a team full of unknown factors.

<<From the Norse, the team that the flame giant Surtr-senshu leads, [Black]! The flames that he used to burn down God-class beings continues to rage on in the main stage!>>

The Legendary giant Surtr’s team from the Norse mythology crushed the preliminaries. The flame giant was said to easily burn even Gods to the ground. This was one of the causes for the withdrawal of God-class beings from the tournament.

<<From the Hindu mythology is the team that unexpectedly suffered a defeat once, but besides that, they won all their matches, [Asura]! Leading the team is Mahabali, the Prince of the Asuras! It’s impossible for them to not qualify for the main tournament! We are all expecting the match against Indra that we couldn’t see in the preliminaries!>>

Even though the team of the Prince of the Asuras was defeated by the mysterious newcomer Devils Balberith and Verrine, they won the rest of their matches with an unwavering divine class as they were one of the winning candidates.

<<Next is the team that attracted the most attention among the Sacred Gear researchers! The [King] of mysterious Sacred Gear users, team [Shooting Star]. The frightening power of Shooting Star-senshu’s sword and gun can even blow God-class beings away! >>

The most unexpected team. A dark horse that no-one anticipated. Since the middle of the tournament, they were the team marked by everyone in the last stage of preliminaries as their Sacred Gear abilities got stronger. Their team also became a hot topic among the mythologies as their members weren’t just Sacred Gear users, but strong people whose names were still unknown as well. Who in the world were they, and why hadn’t they been noticed until now? Their goal for winning was — to be able to live without having to worry about starvation. Their goal was the smallest amongst all the teams that crushed the preliminaries. However, it was a story which could describe their past. —Why didn’t anyone replace them? These talents, these outstanding talents that didn’t have any social position, went on a rampage at the tournament as they proved the real meaning of it to every single mythology that participated. And then, there was another dark horse—.

<<Since the team [Black Satan of Darkness Dragon King] had several strong supporters join their team, they kept winning as they qualified for the main stage! The unknown Devils starting from Balberith-senshu and Verrine-senshu surprised many spectators as they even defeated Gods!>>

The team that had the High-class Grim Reaper Zeno from the Netherworld as their [King]. Basically, they were a team with Grim Reapers and other monsters as their members. They didn’t gather that much attention as their winning percentile was pretty low in the early stages of the preliminaries. However, ever since the middle of the preliminary stage, after they took the prodigious Devils Balberith and Verrine into their team, they continuously won and started to become one of the top competitors. They were one of the completely unexpected teams who made it through the preliminaries. Balberith and Verrine’s combat potential was feared by many, and even God-class beings started to avoid them. On top of that, their team was still gathering atrocious Devils, which meant that their power hadn’t been completely clarified.

<<From Heaven is of course the [Joker of Heaven] team who brazenly crushed the preliminaries! They will be going to the main stage!>>

<<Not only is their teamwork really great, but the influence of advisor Rudiger is tremendous. I am also looking forward to their tactics for the main stage.>>

While advisor Rudiger Rosenkreutz’s direction was amazing, they also displayed great team synergy among all the participants. They were also a balanced team as they often won against high-ranked opponents.

<<Coming right up is one of the few teams who’s like the [Spear of the Heavenly Emperor] team that originated from the human world! Once again, we can see a glimpse of the fierceness of a human who has mastered his Longinus! From the organization of Fallen Angels, Grigori, is the team that Ikuse Tobio-senshu, whose blade can even cut a God, leads, [Slash Dog]!>>

The Longinus that was able to cut even God was still going strong, and the ability of [Absolute Demise] to freeze everything made opposing teams fear them. This team was also great in their teamwork, and there weren’t any openings from them. As the team was believed to have received blessings from Japanese Gods, the full extent of their power had yet to be seen.

And then, on the monitor, the Devils’ team that had charged through the preliminaries and had gathered attention in the Underworld was introduced.

<<There are many teams from the Devils who are going to the main tournament as well! It’s the origin of the Rating Game after all! Even if we’re up against Gods, we can’t afford to falter! The first team is this! Here they come, here they come, here they come! Anyway, it’s only natural that they would come! The team that the Rating Game Champion Diehauser Belial leads, [Babel Belial]!>>

Even though they joined at the middle of the tournament, the team play of the champion was strong, regal and absolute. They kept gaining a series of victories as they got into the top class and brazenly beat even God-class beings, whirling through the preliminaries. While the real ability of Diehauser Belial was unquestionable, participants from all mythologies were confronted with the true essence of the Rating Games in the face of the Champion’s bold and solid game play.

<<Coming up is a team that has become a hot topic due to the combination between Holy and Devil Phoenix. We’ve also heard that the embodiment of the Immortal Bird Army even gave trouble to God-class beings! Another active professional player besides Emperor Belial who broke through the preliminaries is the team that the next successor of the Phoenix House Ruval Phoenix-senshu leads, [Phoenix]!>>

<<Not only do the members consist of the Holy and Devil Phoenix, the God from Egyptian mythology who is known as the ancestor of the Phoenix, the Immortal Sacred Bird Bennu, is also a part of that team! On top of that, there is also the notorious Sacred Gear user who controls mechanical equipment that showed us quite a scene!>>

<<Starting from Bennu-senshu, who has a connection with the Phoenix, there is a rumour of Egyptian Gods backing this team up.>>

The next head of the Phoenix clan, Ruval Phoenix, who was a top ranker even in the original Rating Games, scouted [Immortality], [Immortal Bird], and [Sacred Bird] beings from all over the world and successfully created a combination team to enjoy this international tournament. As a result, they made all mythologies strongly reaffirm the so-called concept of [Immortality]. A lot of people knew that if they gathered the [Immortality] that only God-class beings could beat, then they would become a force that wouldn’t even be defeated by God-class beings. And there was another [Immortal] who had joined—.

<<And then, according to the new information that we just got, there is a possibility that the third son, Riser-senshu, who was eliminated in the preliminaries, will be joining this team as a player!>>

<<Players who held the [King] piece when they got defeated in the preliminaries are now able to join forces with the teams that will be participating in the main stage.>>

<<According to the rules, if a player belonged to a team that was eliminated in the preliminaries, it does not count as a double registration. What an interesting system! This means that players who lost in the preliminaries might unexpectedly reappear.>>

Indeed, there was a possibility that the people who didn’t survive the prelims (there was a restriction on the number of who could come back) could become a member of a team that would be progressing to the main stage where they could shine again. In addition, it was possible for players to be recruited from the teams which had been eliminated from the main stage as well, although there were some strict limitations there. And the monitor continued to display the young Devils...

<<And first are these young prodigies! The team that the next head of the Bael clan, Sairaorg-senshu, leads, [Imperial Purpure]! Those fists can even smash a God!>>

The Fist of the Lion King that was said to be equal to a Maou-class Devil, and could supposedly even reach the Gods in this tournament. While there were times when he would be teased as the one-man army because of his unbelievably strong arms, the teamwork with his servants was also magnificent as there were only a few small mistakes. There were rumours that the team of the next head of Duke Agares’ clan, Seekvaira Agares, who was eliminated in the preliminaries, would be joining their team, and it looked like the Lion King team would be rampaging in the main stage as well. Shown next on the monitor was — the colour of crimson.

<<And from the Rookies Four as well, the team that the next head of the Gremory Clan, Rias-senshu, leads, [Rias Gremory]! While their unity was a natural thing, the legendary Evil Dragon Crom Cruach-senshu, and the one who was titled the strongest human, Vasco Strada-senshu’s existence is also immense!>>

Rias Gremory’s team was strong with the Sekiryuutei, but they were also strong without him—. That girl drastically changed her own evaluation in the tournament. She was highly evaluated on the [Scout] field as she was able to take in Vasco Strada, who was said to have reached the utmost limits of humanity that no-one else had been able to reach, along with the ultimate Evil Dragon Crom Cruach, and two other Longinus users in her team, combining all their abilities together. Of course, her servants who followed her since the early days had also grown, making it one of the veteran teams.

<<These two teams aren’t the only young Devils!>>

As Naud Gamigin yelled that, an animation of a red and white Dragon was displayed. The first to be displayed was — Vali Lucifer.

<<One of the Two Heavenly Dragons, the team that the White Dragon Emperor leads, [Hakuryuukou of the Morning Star], has been chosen to participate in the main tournament as well! It’s fate for the person whose veins carry the blood of the first generation Lucifer to participate in the main stage of the World Tournament!>>

He was really popular as he was the direct descendant of Lucifer, the symbol of Devils, one of the Two Heavenly Dragons, Odin’s adopted child, and above all else, the fated rival of the Oppai Dragon. Because of his overwhelming strength, and the fact that his comrades were a group of strong ruffians, their team received much attention. They were touted as one of the winning candidates. The last one to be introduced was — that man. The song was played on the entire stage—.

[Zoom Zoom Nya—n!]

What the monitor displayed along with the Oppai Dragon Song was — the Red Dragon Hyoudou Issei.

<<Of course! We can’t afford to forget this man! No! It’s impossible to forget him! One of the Two Heavenly Dragons, our Oppai Dragon! The team that the Sekiryuutei Hyoudou Issei leads, [Sekiryuutei of the Blazing Truth]!>>

[Oppai Dragon!]

[Oppai! Oppai!]

[Opaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaai!]

Regardless of age or gender, thunderous welcoming voices echoed through the arena. They were the most popular amongst all teams since their participation, and you could even say that they were the best team that had received support from a wide range of people.

<<The spectators are fired up as well! I am sure that you guys also remember their previous match where they crushed the team of one of the winning candidates [Leisure of the Kings]! We are also looking forward to unexpected rampages in the main stage!>>

Even though they were uneven in terms of the details and direction of their matches, they basically kept gaining wins and golden stars like when they defeated the [Leisure of the Kings] team, and they magnificently stepped up to reach the main stage. While the flashy power of their members was unchallenged, their tactics were also so great that they excited the spectators with the cleverness of their games. All mythologies were paying attention to them, especially to the destructive power of the black armor, and whether the resurrected legendary Heavenly Dragon Ddraig would be rampaging again. Displayed on the monitor were the sixteen teams that had been chosen to move on to the main stage, lined up next to each other.

<<Now, these are the sixteen chosen teams that are going to the main stage! With this, we announce the end of the long preliminaries, and the fierce tournament will soon begin with these sixteen teams! There can only be one winner! However, all teams are aiming to be the winner! Who will be the winner in this commemoration-worthy First Rating Game World Tournament? People of all mythologies, everyone, please look forward to the main stage that will begin soon!>>