ɴᴀʀᴜᴛᴏ ʙᴀᴇʟ:- ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢᴇꜱᴛ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ!

Chapter 23

After the devastating loss in the Rating Game, Rias Gremory found herself cornered by her family in a private room within the stadium. Zeoticus Gremory, her father, was the first to speak, his voice laced with concern and confusion. "Rias, what happened out there? That wasn't like you. You were unfocused and distracted. We've never seen you perform so poorly. What's going on?"

Sirzechs Lucifer, her older brother, stood beside their father, his expression a mix of worry and frustration. "Rias, I know this isn't like you. We expected better. Why were you so out of it during the match? This isn't the sister I know."

Grayfia Lucifuge, Sirzechs' ex-wife, remained silent, but her presence was palpable, her usually composed demeanour betraying a hint of anxiety. Venelana, Rias's mother, stood close by, her face etched with concern, knowing the source of Rias's distress all too well.

Her eyes burning with anger and betrayal, Rias snapped her gaze towards her brother and Grayfia. "How dare you ask me that?" she hissed, trembling. "After everything I've learned, you expect me to act like nothing happened? To fight like everything is normal?"

Sirzechs looked taken aback, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What are you talking about, Rias?"

Rias's anger only grew as she saw the bewilderment on her brother's face. "I know everything, Sirzechs! I know what you and Grayfia did to Naruto! You both lied to everyone, to me, about your perfect relationship, about your so-called love! How could you betray him like that? How could you stand there and pretend to care about me when you've destroyed someone else's life?"

Grayfia's usually stoic expression faltered, her eyes reflecting a deep guilt. "Rias, it's not as simple as you think. We never wanted to hurt you-"

"Not as simple?" Rias interrupted, her voice rising. "You pushed Naruto into exile and made everyone believe in this fairy tale of your love story, while the truth is that it's all built on lies and betrayal! How could you? I looked up to you both! You were my role models, the ones I aspired to be like, and now I find out it was all a sham?"

Venelana stepped forward, trying to calm her daughter. "Rias, I know this is hard to accept, but there were reasons-"

"Reasons?" Rias spat, tears welling up in her eyes. "What possible reason could justify what they did? What did they put him through? I can't even look at either of you the same way anymore."

Zeoticus, sensing the depth of his daughter's pain, placed a hand on her shoulder, but Rias shrugged it off, stepping back. "Don't touch me! None of you understand what this has done to me, how it's shattered everything I believed in!"

Sirzechs, now fully understanding the extent of his sister's anguish, tried to reach out to her, his voice softening. "Rias, please, let us explain-"

But Rias shook her head, her voice breaking. "I don't want your explanations! I want to know why you would betray someone who trusted you so much, someone who did nothing but care for you. How can I ever trust you again after this?"

As Rias confronted her family, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Her father, Zeoticus, her brother, Sirzechs, and her ex-sister-in-law, Grayfia, stood before her, concerned and confused by her poor performance in the rating game. Venelana, her mother, was also present, her face lined with worry.

"Rias, what happened out there? You weren't yourself," Zeoticus asked his tone a mix of confusion and concern.

Rias's eyes, still filled with the anger that had been boiling inside her, snapped up to meet her father's. "You want to know what happened? I'll tell you what happened," she spat, her voice laced with bitterness. "Everything I've ever believed in, everything I've been taught to admire and aspire to-was all built on lies and betrayal!"