Chapter 45 – Endgame
Inside the VIP room, Azazel was watching the unfolding matches with a tense expression on his face.
"It can't be…!" Azazel exclaimed in shock, turning to Shemhazai next to him. "Shemhazai…you actually implanted all four Vritra-type Sacred Gears we gathered over the past few years into Saji Genshirou?"
"As you can see, that's indeed the case, Azazel."
"Even though those Gears have a similar level of power and wavelength due to containing fragments of the same soul, do you understand how dangerous such a procedure still was?" Azazel asked. "The assimilation we planned was supposed to happen over the course of a couple of years at least to allow his body and soul to adjust without any complications. You could have easily killed him, or worse, turned him into a mindless, rampaging beast out for blood!"
"I am aware of all that, Azazel." Shemhazai said with an impassive expression. "My intent at first was to implant only a single Gear. However, Saji Genshirou insisted on assimilating all four of them. I stressed out the dangers of such an attempt many times, but he was adamant about it. In the end, I decided to respect his unyielding determination and take the chance."
"Even so, that's—"
"It's done now, so there's no use arguing about it." Shemhazai said, cutting off Azazel. "Over the course of four months in the time dilation barrier, we inserted all four Vritra-type Sacred Gears we had extracted from the terrorists and miscreants we fought in the past into the young Pawn's body, reforming and awakening Vritra's segmented soul."
"Vritra is back in action?" Zeus laughed. "Oh, I bet Indra is going to be really pissed once he finds out about that! He never did get along with that overgrown black snake after all. Wish I could be there when someone delivers the news to him. I bet he's going to go all red from anger!"
"Of course, we made sure to suppress Vritra's consciousness for now." Shemhazai said, ignoring Zeus' guffaws. "He's still confused and very likely to lash out at everyone around him on instinct. We'll have to work on that at a later date if we want Saji Genshirou to utilize his newfound powers to the fullest."
"…You know, harebrained actions like these are usually my specialty." Azazel said with a sigh, rubbing his temples. "You're supposed to be the one scolding me for them, not the other way around."
"Always a first time for everything, brother." Shemhazai smirked. "Also, you haven't made any comment about the prototype Artificial Sacred Gears I gave to the Sitri Peerage."
"I was getting to that, but I'll save the lecture for later." Azazel said. "They are dangerous to use as well, but not likely to kill or cripple them at this stage. Right now, I'm curious to see what everyone's next move will be."
"This was a strong opening from both sides, but taking the current situation into account, the end result favors the Sitri girl." Odin remarked while stroking his beard. "Will she be able to keep this momentum though, or will the situation turn around from this point on?"
"No way that will happen!" Serafall said. "My Sona-chan will blow away Rias-chan for sure~! No offense, but that's how it is, Sirzechs-chan~."
"This match is far from being decided, so you shouldn't be so premature, Serafall." Sirzechs said while smiling. "Rias will be the one to come out on top in the end, I'm sure of that."
"Looks like another fight is about to begin." Michael said before Serafall could respond. "I have to admit that the Devils' Rating Game is far more interesting than I imagined. Perhaps our Brave Saints could participate in it as well in the near future once their numbers grow further."
"Oh, you said something good there, Michael." Azazel said. "Angels versus Devils, this might be just the thing to shake up the games further and fire up audiences even more. Could be a good way to channel some of that lingering resentment in a relatively safe battlefield as well."
"Maybe warriors from our side could participate too at some point." Zeus said. "Our demigod children are a hyperactive bunch, so it would be nice if they could channel that excess energy of theirs in a productive manner instead of roaming around monster dens and finding themselves in dangerous situations in general. Sheesh, I wonder why most of them grow up to be such rowdy troublemakers."
"You, are you seriously asking that?" Odin said, shaking his head in exasperation. "Your lack of self-awareness is astounding as always, Zeus…"
After Odin said so, the VIPs present turned their attention to the screens once more, eager to observe the battle that was about to unfold.
"Ah, looks like my opponent caught up with me in the end…"
Ruruko let out a nervous laugh as she faced Pandora, who was standing a few meters away from her.
"Tough luck, Nimura-san." Pandora said with a smile as her eyes glowed. "Not only do you have to face me as an opponent, you weren't even able to reach the labyrinth's midpoint line in order to promote. It looks like my Charm isn't effective, but that doesn't matter. Once I take you down, our group will be one step closer to victory."
"Hm, this is quite the big pinch." Ruruko said with a frown, but then smiled. "In this case, the answer is simple; I'll use my full power and break through by force!"
A bright radiance came from Ruruko's legs, forcing Pandora to shield her eyes with her hand. Once it died down, Pandora noticed that her opponent's lower body was now covered in some sort of silver armor, which was letting out a faint glow.
"This is my new power, the Artificial Sacred Gear Procellarum Phantom!" Ruruko said with a wide grin. "It may not be as fancy as some other Sacred Gears, but I guarantee its destructive power!"
Upon saying so, Ruruko vanished with a burst of speed, aiming a swing kick at Pandora. Using a gust of wind, Pandora evaded the attack by propelling herself backwards and countered with a barrage of wind blades. Ruruko kicked most of them away before aiming a drop kick at her opponent next. Pandora jumped back and formed several twisters that flew towards Ruruko.
The small amounts of aura coming from Procellarum Phantom intensified as Ruruko swung her leg, unleashing a powerful energy blast that tore through the twisters and headed for Pandora. Rias' Knight remained unperturbed as she raised a large rock wall in front of her, which shielded her from Ruruko's attack.
"Good grief, this almost feels like I'm dealing with Xenovia-san…" Pandora said with a sigh. "You're quite the energetic and straightforward person, aren't you, Nimura-san?"
"That's a kind way of saying I'm hot-headed and impulsive, right?" Ruruko laughed. "Student President always scolds me for that. It can't be helped though. That's just how I roll!"
Ruruko jumped on the wall as she said so and started running along its length while launching demonic power blasts at Pandora. In response, Pandora conjured a raging tempest in the area that blew Ruruko off the wall and sent her tumbling on the ground.
A barrage of rock spears flew at Ruruko, but she spun around while swinging her legs in a rapid manner, deflecting or destroying the incoming projectiles. She then performed a backflip to avoid several lightning bolts that came at her, taking her distance from Pandora.
Not wanting to give her opponent a chance to recover, Pandora launched a large number of metal bullets at her. Ruruko raised the aura coming out of her armor, swinging her leg and shooting another beam from it that vaporized them.
"Alright, what gives?" Ruruko said with a frown. "Othrys-senpai shouldn't be able to use her Spirit Magic with such ease in artificial battlefields like this one."
"That was the past me." Pandora said with a smile as she touched the bracelet on her right hand, which had three Anima Crystals placed on it. "I've also worked myself to the bone in order to become stronger and not drag down everyone. As to whether the results were satisfactory…I'll let you be the judge of that, Nimura-san!"
Pandora tapped the red crystal on her bracelet, with a raging torrent of flames wrapping itself around her right hand and solidifying into the form of a golden longsword with red markings on the hilt and flat of the blade. Pandora swung the blade, with flames igniting around her in response and forming a towering wall of fire behind her.
"Is it me, or did the temperature just go up by forty degrees or so?" Ruruko said while sweating bullets. "Also, that sword is…"
"My fire-type Spirit Armament." Pandora said as she brandished her new sword. "While my swordsmanship is mediocre at best, you'll find I can more than make up for that with my sword's raw power. For everyone's sake, I'm taking you down here, Nimura-san!"
Pandora stabbed her sword in the ground, with a large amount of flames in the form of a horde of salamanders erupting from it and heading straight for Ruruko. The young Pawn grimaced as she evaded the incoming attacks with agile movements and rushed forward, aiming a kick at Pandora.
However, flames engulfed Pandora's body, blocking the incoming attack and almost melting the leg armor. Ruruko jumped back in haste as Pandora swung her sword, unleashing a wave of concentrated flames that scorched the labyrinth's walls.
Slicing through Ruruko's incoming beams, Pandora aimed a series of thrusts at her opponent, forcing her to draw out as much of Procellarum Phantom's power as she could to dodge. Even so, several burns appeared on her body due to the intense heat coming from the blade. In addition, each time Pandora's blade buried itself in the walls or floor of the maze, it would vaporize a small part of them.
"These walls are supposed to withstand an Ultimate-class Devil's attacks without a scratch, and yet this blade can damage them…?" Ruruko muttered with a shocked expression as she jumped further back and started running. "That's crazy… No wonder they call you the Calamity Witch, Othrys-senpai!"
"Please don't use that detestable nickname, Nimura-san." Pandora said with a small frown as she chased after the retreating Pawn. "It reminds me of a past I would rather forget!"
"Sorry about that, but don't you think it's a fitting one, especially in this situation!?"
Ruruko said as she evaded the rain of large fire spheres aiming for her while running on the walls and jumping from one to the other, making it difficult for Pandora to aim at her properly.
Her speed and resilience are remarkable. Pandora thought. That Artificial Sacred Gear of hers, it's far more advanced and stable compared to the ones the Fallen Angels that had abducted me were using. There's no telling whether it has more surprises in store for me, so I have to end this as soon as possible. This will be somewhat hard on my body, but I'm not taking any chances here.
Pandora tapped the brown crystal placed on the bracelet she wore on her left wrist. A large number of stones, sand and metal ores gathered around Pandora's left hand in response, forming an ornate mace with eight spikes protruding from it. She struck the floor with it, generating a large tremor that shook the entire area and caused Ruruko to lose her balance, falling off the wall she was running on and tumbling on the ground with a grunt.
Crossing her two weapons together, Pandora released a torrent of magma that rushed towards Ruruko. Although she was able to evade it with difficulty, the magma surged and rose behind her, solidifying into walls of igneous rock and sealing the passageways, trapping Ruruko.
"End of the line, Nimura-san." Pandora said as she brandished her weapons. "Time for you to exit the stage."
"Yes, that's sounds about right." Ruruko said with a forced smile. "Even so, I'm not about to let you take me down without struggling to the bitter end, Othrys-senpai!"
Ruruko's leg armor ignited as she dashed towards Pandora, dodging the numerous small magma meteors and flame arrows aimed at her. Blood started flowing out of her body as several capillaries broke and her arms spasmed due to the overuse of Procellarum Phantom. Despite that, Ruruko was undeterred as she approached Pandora, the aura around her leg armor intensifying.
Channeling demonic power in her legs, Pandora evaded the Pawn's desperate charge with a burst of speed and struck her back with her mace, breaking several bones in Ruruko's body due to the force of the blow. Despite the immense pain, Ruruko smiled as the light of retirement enveloped her while several curse-like patterns appeared on her body.
"Caught…you…"
[Sona Sitri-sama's Pawn, retired.]
Once Ruruko vanished following Grayfia's announcement, a magic circle appeared underneath Pandora. Before she could react, several sinister symbols emerged from it and crawled up her body, locking it in place.
I…can't move…? Pandora thought as she tried and failed to move even a single finger. I can't even speak. Don't tell me…a curse meant to inflict paralysis? I would have noticed something if Nimura-san had cast it herself during our fight…which means one of their Bishops must have placed it on her beforehand. The conditions for its activation…they must have been Nimura-san's defeat at my hands and her close proximity to me. That's why she approached me with such suicidal abandon in the end instead of trying to break through the igneous rock barriers. Not to mention, I have no idea how long it will remain active. What a blunder…!
Pandora channeled demonic power and Spirit Magic into her body in an attempt to release herself, but once again, her efforts bore no fruit. Her body remained immobile, rendering her unable to even inform Rias of her current situation.
I'm sorry, everyone. Pandora apologized to her teammates in her thoughts. Even though I defeated my opponent and almost reached the exit, I still fell for their scheme. How am I supposed to pay back my saviors if I keep being such a disappointment…?
Unable to do anything else in this position other than lament her shortcomings, Pandora could only hope that this setback wouldn't have a major effect on her teammates.
"This is strange…"
Rias, who was moving further into the labyrinth alongside the rest of her Peerage, muttered with a troubled expression. Despite Grayfia announcing a total of three eliminations from the Sitri Peerage's side a short time ago, which meant that her servants had defeated their respective opponents, she had yet to receive any reports from them. Furthermore, all four of them seemed stuck in their current positions for some reason. Although she had attempted to communicate with them twice so far, there had been no response from anyone.
"Since they are neither responding to our calls nor moving, something must have happened to them." Akeno, who was walking next to Rias, reasoned. "Most likely, Sona devised some way to immobilize any of our members that ran into hers even if her servants lost their fights."
"Yes, she's thorough like that." Rias said while rubbing her eyes, which had started to sting a bit. "What concerns me is whether that was part of her strategy or simply a means to give us a bloody nose after having foiled her plan. I'd much prefer the latter scenario, but if it's the former…that's a cause for concern."
"It's also worrisome that we haven't run into Student President's group even though we've crossed about three quarters of the distance leading to their exit." Yuuto, who was walking a couple of steps ahead of the two girls, said, letting out a small cough. "Is there any chance they've somehow slipped past us and are heading for our exit?"
"That's unlikely." Akeno said. "The surveillance spells I set up at various intersections would have notified us. Plus, if the information provided by that control point we came across a while back is accurate, they're still moving in a group and should be somewhere around this area."
"Does that mean they're aiming for a decisive battle now that they're out of options?" Xenovia, who was acting as the vanguard while holding Almace in front of her, said. "Or perhaps—"
Several magic circles flared to life high above the group at that moment, unleashing a barrage of light arrows at the four Devils. Xenovia swung Almace in response, causing the projectiles to disperse the moment they came into contact with the blade. At that time, several magic circles also formed on the ground, letting out an eerie crimson glow before exploding, disorienting the four Devils and causing minor injuries on them.
A large spinning shield surrounded by flames came at them next, but Xenovia batted it away with Almace. Yuuto conjured a large number of Blast Ogre Holy Swords around him, sending them flying towards the direction he sensed their opponents were. Akeno and Rias launched a barrage of lightning bolts and Destruction bullets as well, but a thick semi-transparent barrier appeared out of nowhere, blocking the attacks.
"There you are…"
Rias muttered with a tense expression as she gazed at the silhouettes of her opponents in the distance. Sona and her four Peerage members were standing there. Among them, Momo was standing at the forefront, her hands crossed in front of her as a pair of bracelets on them let out a soft glow.
"Hanakai-san must be the one projecting the barrier…"
Rias gave an imperceptible nod in response to Akeno's whispered words, noticing that she had taken out a small iron sphere from her pocket, before turning her attention to Sona and her group.
"That was a well-crafted ambush, but unfortunately not that effective, Sona." Rias said with a small smirk. "I have to say though, I'm surprised that you showed yourself at this stage. Feeling confident that you can take us down with these members?"
"Whether I'm confident or not, that matters little." Sona said. "With the situation developing the way it did, a change of plans was necessary. To be able to take down my pieces without incurring any casualties, your servants are fearsome opponents indeed, Rias. However, I can't stop here. No matter what, I have to show everyone that I wasn't spouting empty words back then, and that I have the strength to transform my ideals into reality. Even if that means I have to trample over your pride and estimation in the process, I will keep moving forward."
"I expected nothing less from you." Rias said with a fierce smile. "Still, if you want to use us as stepping stones, you had better be ready for the consequences, Sona. Do it, Akeno!"
"Yes, President!"
Akeno's arm was surrounded by electricity as she fired the metal sphere in her hand with her thumb. The lightning-fast projectile struck the barrier before the members of Sona's team could react, shattering it with ease. Yuuto and Xenovia charged forward in response, the former conjuring several drill-shaped Holy Swords around him and launching them at his opponents.
Tsubaki stepped forward, swinging an ornate yari with a black shaft and thick blade that was letting out a faint glow instead of her usual naginata. Her spear cut through Yuuto blades with ease and let out an energy wave that Xenovia dispelled with a swing of Almace. She headed for Tsubaki, only for Tsubasa to step in front of Xenovia, her glowing shield clashing with the latter's blade and neither giving ground as they began a furious exchange.
At the same time, Yuuto aimed a thrust at Tsubaki, only for her to slice his blade in half with ease once again, forcing him to take a couple of steps back to avoid her counterstroke. Tsubasa also pushed Xenovia back after a few exchanges, with Momo and Reya unleashing a barrage of light arrows from their magic circles at the Gremory group.
Making a small gesture with her hand, Akeno manipulated the fragments of Yuuto's broken swords through magnetism, lifting them up and having them act as makeshift shields. Shaping them into a large number of small daggers, she sent them flying at the two Bishops along with several bolts of lightning, with Momo forming yet another barrier with her bracelets.
"I guess this is far enough…" Sona muttered with a frown, doing her best to counter Rias' Destruction arrows with her water lances. "Pull back, everyone!"
Clapping her hands together, Sona released a large amount of water vapor to obscure the Gremory group's sight. Rias and Akeno rushed to create wind in order to disperse it, only to see the remaining members of the Sitri Peerage retreating in haste.
"After them, everyone!"
Rias shouted as she and the other three members of her Peerage began chasing after their retreating opponents, wary of any potential traps in their way. However, just when it seemed they were about to catch up to them, the area around them began shaking all of a sudden.
"This is… Don't tell me!"
Rias shouted in alarm. Before she or anyone else could react, walls began rising and sinking around them, while the floor opened up and started moving in several directions, rearranging the layout of the labyrinth all around the Gremory Peerage. Rias found herself separated from the others due to the moving floor, and before she could rush to rejoin them, a wall rose up in front of her, cutting her off from her servants and leaving her alone. After a couple of seconds, the tremors subsided, allowing Rias to survey her surroundings while also checking her wristwatch.
"The others aren't too far away." Rias remarked. "Still, I doubt you'll let me get to them without a fight, right, Sona?"
With a lopsided smile on her face, Rias turned to her fellow King, who was standing a few meters away from her with Reya on her side. Sona nodded at her Bishop, who started running towards a passageway in the left side. Rias launched a barrage of Destruction disks at her, but a thick water tendril emerged from a magic circle next to Sona, aiming for the disks. Although the disks vaporized it, Sona's attack gave Reya enough time to escape from the area.
"My apologies, but I can't let you 'take' any more members of my Peerage." Sona said as several magic circles formed around her. "Not without putting up a hard fight at least."
"This is your last gamble then?" Rias said, her body enveloped by Destruction aura as she glared at her foe. "Hope that you can stall us long enough for Kusaka-san to reach our exit somehow? If so, then perhaps you shouldn't have had the final battle take place so close to your exit? Then again, you couldn't have manipulated the labyrinth otherwise. Let me guess, you used the control point that appeared on your side during the start of the game to do so?"
"That's right." Sona said. "As you're well aware, a control point doesn't disappear until it's used by either team. All we had to do was place a spell on it that would activate the labyrinth restructure function in order to split your group and create an opening for one of us to slip past you."
"Looks like my earlier assumption about your use of the control point was mistaken." Rias said. "Well played, but your plan has several glaring holes in it. There's quite a bit of distance for Kusaka-san to cross before she can reach our exit and she's not a Knight or Pawn, meaning it will take a lot of time for her to arrive at her destination. Lots of things can happen during that time. Chief among them is that since you're standing before me—I can simply settle the game by beating you!"
After she said so, Rias increased the volume of Destruction power surrounding her. It swelled and expanded, forming the four-armed Destruction Avatar in its second stage. All its weapons were aimed at Sona, who only narrowed her eyes a bit in response.
"That is indeed a viable way to end this game." Sona said. "However, I have no intention of being taken down that easily, Rias. Don't think you're the only one who's grown stronger during the training period before the game."
Large volumes of water erupted from the magic circles around Sona following her words, forming a large water cage that surrounded the two combatants. Furthermore, a large amount of water enveloped Sona's body, solidifying into the form of a suit of armor around her body. Two fin-shaped wings protruded from her lower back and a water lance extended from her right arm.
That's a large amount of water, larger than she should have been able to create at her current level. Rias thought with a frown. Not to mention, she doesn't seem winded at all. Storing it beforehand…that's something that the game rules don't allow, which means…
"The moisture in the atmosphere…" Rias muttered, the sudden irritation in her eyes and itching throat making sense now. "But how? Gathering so much water like that should have been taxing on her…"
"Don't space out on me, Rias!"
Sona shouted, her water lance growing in size as she jabbed it at Rias' avatar. The Gremory heiress brought up her avatar's sword in response, with the clash between the two weapons signifying the beginning of the two girls' battle.
Meanwhile…
"That's quite the scary weapon you've got there, Shinra-san! When and where did you come across the famous Tonbokiri!?"
"Let's just say we took advantage of my family ties and the favor you guys curried with the Five Principal Clans and the Youkai Factions! My apologies for that, but we'll also use anything and everything at our disposal to grow stronger and triumph, Kiba-kun!"
"No need to apologize, Shinra-san! That's the way it should be!"
Such an exchange occurred between Yuuto and Tsubaki as the latter slashed apart yet another Holy Sword the former held with ease. Switching from Blade Blacksmith to Sword Birth, Yuuto activated his Balance Breaker, forming several Thunder Calls, Flame Creates and Aqua Currents that he launched towards the sky. Tsubaki frowned at first, but quickly realized his aim as the blades froze in midair and started circling the two combatants.
Akeno, who was controlling the blades through magnetism, grinned as the blades began shooting their respective elements at the Sitri Peerage's Queen. Tsubaki was forced on the defensive as Yuuto created two more blades, a Holy Demonic Sword that generated iron sand and a Snake Fang, intending to use the latter's whip-shaped blade to entangle Tonbokiri's shaft while Tsubaki was busy dodging.
"I won't let you!"
Momo shouted, crossing her arms and forming a disk-shaped barrier above Tsubaki to shield her from the hovering blades' elemental attacks and allow her to focus on Yuuto. Akeno formed several iron sand blades and sent them flying towards the unguarded Momo, only for Tsubasa's wind-covered thrown shield to tear through them and head for Akeno, who batted it away with a lightning whip. Bouncing off the maze's wall, the shield came for her once again, with Akeno raising an iron sand wall to shield herself.
Seeing that her opponent had no weapon now, Xenovia brandished Almace as she charged at Tsubasa. Much to the Gremory Knight's surprise, a bright light enveloped Tsubasa's hands, solidifying into the form of grey gauntlets. Deflecting Almace by striking the flat of the blade, Tsubasa struck Xenovia's shoulder, sending her skidding backwards.
Tugging at an energy cord connected to her arm, Tsubasa pulled her now flame-enveloped shield back, aiming for Xenovia's unguarded back. Turning around in haste, Xenovia batted the shield away, with the flames covering it dispersing. Her movements presented Tsubasa with an opening, allowing the Sitri Rook to deliver several jabs at her opponent. Despite reinforcing her body with demonic power, Xenovia felt that each blow was somehow a bit heavier than the previous one.
Is this…those gauntlets' effect? Xenovia thought as she took note of the glow surrounding the gauntlets. In that case!
Firing a small amount of holy aura from Almace to propel herself and better maneuver her body, Xenovia spun around and caught Tsubasa's next blow on the flat of her blade. As expected, the gauntlets lost their luster once they touched the blade, with Xenovia pushing Tsubasa back.
Evading the thunder-clad shield and blocking her opponent's straight, Xenovia kicked Tsubasa, sending her tumbling backwards. Her downward slash was blocked by yet another barrier from Momo. Though Almace dispersed it in a matter of seconds, it gave Tsubasa enough time to roll away and stand up a few steps away from Xenovia, her shield and gauntlets at the ready.
"Those are some interesting weapons you have there." Xenovia said as she fixed her stance and regulated the output of demonic power enveloping her body. "They almost resemble Sacred Gears, though they feel a bit different."
"That's probably because they were created by Grigori." Tsubasa said. "All of us non-special ability wielders received one from Shemhazai-san, though I'm a bit of an odd case for having received two. With my Twinkle Aegis and Buster Cestus, I'm more than a match for you, Xenovia-san."
"I see." Xenovia said with a smirk. "When you say it like that, I can't help but want to prove you wrong. If it's a contest of power, I'm confident I won't lose no matter who the opponent is."
"Looks like we feel the same way." Tsubasa grinned while dropping into a stance. "I wonder if that's because we're fellow Rooks, or because we're both rowdy fellows who love fighting against strong opponents."
"Maybe a bit of both." Xenovia said as a tear in space appeared next to her. "That's why, I'll blow you away with all my strength using my trump card!"
Large amounts of holy aura poured out of the tear, enveloping Almace's blade.
"This is…" Tsubasa grimaced. "You took out only Durandal's holy aura from its storage and wrapped it around Almace…?"
"Brace yourself, Yura." Xenovia said as she brandished her empowered sword. "Even in this state, I still can't control the aura in a perfect manner. As such, there are no guarantees I won't hurt you more than I intend to!"
Xenovia dashed forward and slashed at Tsubasa, forcing the young Rook to retreat in haste towards one of the surrounding walls. Running out of room to maneuver due to Xenovia's relentless assault, Tsubasa brought up Twinkle Aegis to defend herself. The empowered Almace sliced the shield in half and would have severed Tsubasa's arm if the gauntlet hadn't received the brunt of the attack.
"Guh!"
Tsubasa fell on her knees, cradling her numb arm as Xenovia aimed an overhead slash at her. However, at that moment, an ornate mirror appeared in front of Tsubasa all of a sudden. Carried by her momentum, Xenovia was unable to stop her attack, with Almace destroying the mirror. A wave of energy erupted from the broken mirror and engulfed Xenovia's body.
[Rias Gremory-sama's Rook, retired.]
"As I thought, Almace's nullification ability couldn't be used when the sword was enveloped by Durandal's aura." Tsubaki grinned as she deflected Yuuto's strike. "Bad call, Xenovia-san."
"Damn it… To think she could project the mirror away from her…!"
Akeno cursed with a bitter expression on her face following Grayfia's announcement and Tsubaki's words. Her body surrounded by lightning, she charged at Tsubasa. Momo formed a barrier around the injured Rook, but the electric arcs coming from Akeno's fingertips tore through the barrier with little difficulty. Tsubasa aimed a kick at Akeno, but she dodged with ease and struck her with a lightning-clad punch. Tsubasa cried out in pain as she fell on her knees, the light of retirement enveloping her body.
[Sona Sitri-sama's Rook, retired.]
Tsubaki tried to charge at Akeno, but Yuuto cut her off. Forming a katana-shaped blade, he deflected Tsubaki's Tonbokiri, with the Sitri Queen sidestepping his riposte. She was surprised to see that his blade had left a thin line in the air, but had little time to ponder this as Yuuto came at her, his sword almost a blur as he unleashed slash after slash at her.
That spear has traces of divine power in it, meaning my Holy Demonic Sword's absorption ability is useless here. Yuuto thought as he pressed on the attack. But if I increase my blade's output by disrupting the balance…
Evading Tsubaki's thrust at his feet, Yuuto focused on his blade, enveloping it in an unstable mix of holy and demonic power. Tsubaki brought up Tonbokiri and strengthened the divine power surrounding the spear's blade to slice apart Yuuto sword, but it held strong this time. A frown appeared on her face as Yuuto swung his blade in a rapid manner once again, forming several cuts in space around Tsubaki, with one of them opening a deep gash on her arm once she came into contact with it.
At the same time, Akeno launched several railgun-like attacks at Tsubaki's direction as Yuuto charged once again. Using both her Artificial Sacred Gear and her magic, Momo formed the most powerful barrier she could to shield Tsubaki. Meanwhile, the Sitri Queen gathered Tonbokiri's energy on its tip and swung it, launching a crescent-shaped slash at her opponent.
Acting fast, Yuuto summoned Gravity Nail and used it to decrease his weight, jumping high enough to avoid the incoming slash. He then conjured a large number of them around him and launched them around Tsubaki, using their effect to increase gravity and immobilize the Sitri Queen.
"Ara, ara, if I were you, I'd brace myself for a lot of pain, members of the Sitri group!"
Akeno said with a beatific smile as she extended her arms, using her magnetism to gather the copious amounts of iron sand and metal shards from Yuuto's broken Holy Demonic Swords into two large spheres. Holding one sphere with her left hand, Akeno had the other slam into her other hand through her magnetism, with the first one shooting forward at high speeds.
An alarmed expression appeared on Tsubaki's face as she summoned Mirror Alice once again. However, a large number of floating shards that had been invisible thus far shattered the mirror, with Yuuto grimacing as he received the damage on his body. Thanks to his act however, Akeno's metal sphere shattered the barrier Momo had erected and struck both her and Tsubaki, smashing them on the maze's wall.
[Sona Sitri-sama's Queen and Bishop, retired.]
Akeno exhaled in relief as she turned to Yuuto, who was walking towards her while wincing and holding his side.
"Are you alright, Yuuto-kun?"
"More or less…" Yuuto said with a grimace. "Although I tried to keep the power as low as possible when I destroyed the mirror, Shinra-senpai's Sacred Gear still dealt quite a bit of damage. I don't even want to imagine what would have happened if she had managed to reflect the damage from your last attack."
"I imagine we would be in a world of pain right now instead of our opponents, ufufu~." Akeno chuckled with a slightly flushed expression, prompting Yuuto to raise an eyebrow and Akeno to cough in her fist in order to compose herself. "Using that hybrid Holy Demonic Sword in the end prevented that scenario from coming to pass. Let me guess, you mixed an invisibility ability with that sword that allows you to split your blade into several remote-controlled shards?"
"That's right." Yuuto nodded. "Thanks to it and that magnetic cannon of yours, we managed to triumph in the end. Still, that was closer than I would have liked. The Sitri Peerage had some nasty surprises in store for us. Those Artificial Sacred Gears, the Tonbokiri, Shinra-senpai's ability to project her mirror away from her body… If we had been any less careful, this might have not ended with just Xenovia's loss."
"There's no use fretting about what could have been." Akeno said. "What we must do right now is focus on our next step. Can you still fight, Yuuto-kun?"
"Of course." Yuuto said. "Injuries of this level won't hamper me much. I can swing my sword just fine, Akeno-san."
"In that case, we should rush to Rias' side." Akeno said. "I know full well how strong she is, but there's no telling whether everything that's happened so far is part of Sona's plan, or whether she's got some sort of ace up her sleeve."
"From the looks of it, President isn't that far away from us." Yuuto said. "If we take the intersection behind us, we should—"
A sudden announcement from Grayfia interrupted Yuuto's words.
[Resignation confirmed. The winner of this match is—]
Several minutes back…
"She's faster than I could have imagined…"
Rias muttered with an annoyed expression on her face as her avatar launched several magatama-shaped Destruction shuriken at Sona, who was circling her opponent while sliding on the water cage's bars. The projectiles missed their mark, with some flying through the gaps and others vaporizing parts of the cage. However, the water cage would reform herself faster than Rias could destroy it, allowing Sona to resume her three-dimensional maneuvers with its aid and remain out of Rias' reach.
Pointing her water lance at the Destruction avatar, Sona launched a large number of pressurized water tendrils that were reinforced by demonic power at it. While a few of them managed to go past the outer layer, they weren't able to pierce the inner layer. Rias dispersed them with a swing of her avatar's blade before nocking it on the bow and launching it as an arrow along with several more shuriken. Although a large portion of the cage was destroyed once again, Sona slipped past Rias' attacks once again while reforming the cage.
As Sona formed several water serpents and sent them to attack, Rias had her avatar jump backwards in an attempt to escape from the water cage. However, the cage slid towards the back as well at the same time, preventing Rias from leaving it. The water serpents wrapped themselves around the avatar's limbs, seeking to immobilize it, while Sona jabbed at it with her spinning water lance from several angles in an attempt to pierce through it.
Her fine control and technique are remarkable. Rias thought as she fired several crimson arrows at the water serpents binding her, with her Lock Control dissolving them. Manipulating water with such precision and condensing her demonic power into it to achieve maximum damage with minimal loss of power, all these are testaments to Sona's skill. Even so, it looks like I've still got the edge in power. No matter how refined her technique is, she shouldn't be able to keep this up for long.
Rias gave a mental command to her Destruction avatar, whose lance aimed at Sona. The Sitri heiress conjured several water twisters to shield herself, but the Destruction lance pierced through all of them with ease. Sona evaded the incoming attack by sliding on the water cage again, but Rias shot several crimson arrows along with Destruction shuriken at the water bars around Sona. The section of the water cage struck by Rias' attacks collapsed, leaving Sona suspended in midair for a few seconds.
Before she could reform the cage, the Destruction avatar lunged at her using its blade, forcing Sona to transform her lance into a shield to defend herself. Even so, the force of the blow sent her flying backwards and crashing on a nearby wall.
Although shaken, Sona wasted no time in shaping the remaining water surrounding her into a large number of blades that flew at Rias' avatar. However, a single swipe from its blade was enough to vaporize the incoming attacks, with Sona barely managing to dodge the avatar's lance.
"It's over, Sona." Rias declared. "It's clear as day that you no longer have enough power or water to reform that cage of yours, and your attacks thus far haven't been able to go through my avatar. No matter what you do, your defeat is a done deal."
"That…would seem to be the case…" Sona said with a bitter smile while heaving. "Regardless…I will fight to the bitter end, Rias. I wouldn't be able to face my servants, who gave everything they had in this battle and then some, otherwise!"
Large amounts of water gathered around Sona once again, forming a large water serpent that coiled around her. At the same time, her shield transformed into a spinning lance once again as demonic power enveloped it and her water armor, further enhancing their density.
"I understand, Sona." Rias said with a solemn expression as she focused her power on her avatar's sword, transforming it into an arrow that was enveloped by black and crimson aura. "In that case, as your friend and as your opponent, I'll send you off using my full strength!"
"I wouldn't have it any other way, Rias!"
Sona shouted as she charged at Rias, propelled by the large water serpent. Rias released her arrow at the same time, which flew through the air at high speeds and struck Sona. The Lock Control applied on it dissolved the water serpent almost instantaneously, with Sona doing her best to push through it using her lance. However, in the end, she was overpowered, with the Destruction energy vaporizing her armor and damaging her body all over.
Once her opponent fell on the ground, Rias dismissed her Destruction avatar, feeling exhausted and winded even though she hadn't moved around too much. She also had trouble focusing and her head felt like someone was pounding it with a hammer.
I must have used far more energy than I realized…
Rias thought as she focused on Sona's inert form. A bright glow enveloped her body, but instead of it vanishing like Rias expected, it changed its shape somewhat. Once the radiance died down, a mask fell from the girl's face, revealing her familiar features and causing Rias to open her eyes wide.
"That's…Kusaka-san…?"
Rias muttered in shock, her bewilderment evident as she struggled to understand what was going on here and why Sona's Bishop was lying on the ground instead of Sona herself. Meanwhile, Reya's body was enveloped by light once again as Grayfia's voice echoed in the maze.
[Sona Sitri-sama's Bishop, retired.]
Rias barely registered Reya's retirement, her mind working on overdrive in an attempt to figure out what had transpired just now. For some reason though, her thoughts were sluggish, her eyesight was blurry and her body seemed to be losing strength. She tried taking a few steps forward, but before she knew it, she found herself on her knees, having stumbled and fallen down due to her trembling limbs.
"What's…going on here…?"
"It seems like it's finally taking effect."
The one who had spoken was Sona, who stood some distance away from Rias and observed her with a passive expression.
"Sona…?" Rias croaked. "How…? Why was…Kusaka-san… What…have you…?"
"Proteus Visage." Sona said. "That's the name of Kusaka's Artificial Sacred Gear. It can create masks that allow the wearer to take on the appearance of someone else. She can only create a couple of them as of yet, but that was enough for our purposes. She took my form and I took hers in order to deceive you. Her time at the drama club during middle school served her well, since you didn't realize anything was amiss during her performance. I controlled all water-based constructs, and by extension her body through the water armor, from afar in order to perfect the illusion that you were fighting me. All for the sake of buying enough time to complete my preparations."
"Preparations…?"
"While you were busy dealing with my doppelganger, I was using my power to separate the water surrounding you two into its base components, hydrogen and oxygen." Sona explained. "I stored away the former and let the latter fill the area around you. In order to ensure that it wouldn't disperse, I formed another barrier around the area you two were fighting at the same time I created the water cage to keep it contained. Thanks to one of Saji's Sacred Gears, Drought Call, absorbing the moisture from all around us, I had enough water for my purposes."
"Oxygen poisoning…" Rias muttered as she stood up with great difficulty, her whole body shaking and her vision swimming. "That was your plan…?"
"Devils are more resilient than humans, but even we are susceptible to oxygen toxicity after a while." Sona said. "From the very beginning, my goal in this Rating Game was taking you, the King, down, Rias. I was almost certain you'd use the first control point to reveal our positions and would assume my plan would be centered around getting one of my pieces to the exit, an impression I made sure to reinforce with my formation. Because of that, and because of your confidence in your strength, you failed to discern my true intent. That's why you have lost."
"A bit premature…aren't we…?" Rias wheezed out. "I haven't…lost yet!"
Having gathered as much demonic power as she could in her hand while Sona was talking, Rias launched a wave of Destruction at her, reaching for the bottle of Phoenix Tears in her uniform at the same time. However, the wave passed through Sona's body harmlessly, with it only flicking a bit. Several water needles shot out of a nearby puddle at the same time, shattering the bottle and mixing with the tear, rendering it ineffective.
"Sorry, but this is only a projection." Sona smirked. "I'm actually hidden behind the intersection to the right. Messing everything up near the finish line would be rather embarrassing after all. This time, allow me to say this; it's over, Rias!"
Several water blades flew towards Rias from the distance. She attempted to conjure a defensive magic circle, but her body was too slow in obeying her commands. As such, the blades pierced her in several spots, with the light of retirement enveloping her.
[Resignation confirmed. The winner of this match is Sona Sitri-sama.]
Following Grayfia's announcement, the tension left Sona's body as she leaned on the wall, letting out a relieved sigh.
"We did it. Thank you so much… For your hard work and sacrifices, truly, thank you, everyone…"
A small smile appeared on Sona's face as she turned her gaze to the sky, basking in the elation of victory.
A while later…
[I have to say, this was an unbelievably well-fought match from both sides. As long as they keep this momentum up and refine their tactics further, both Peerages could go far once they step into the stage of the official Rating Game in a few years' time.]
[That's true, although calling the end result a big upset wouldn't be an exaggeration. After all, the Gremory Peerage's victory was the most likely result according to everyone's predictions. Despite that, the Sitri Peerage managed to come out on top despite the seemingly overwhelming disadvantage.]
[This just goes to show once again that power isn't everything in the Rating Game. Tactics that enable a team to adapt to each ruleset also play a major part. The members of the Gremory Peerage have distinguished themselves in many skirmishes and battles so far, but that experience doesn't translate into instant dominance when it comes to official matches. Even though most of them triumphed when it came to individual battles, they still lost where it mattered most.]
[Not to mention, the Sitri Peerage members' determination and tenacity were also praiseworthy, as were Sona Sitri's tactical ability and fine control over her powers. Those Artificial Sacred Gears given to them by Grigori were also quite fearsome, and they could possibly become a major game changer down the line should they become more widespread.]
[That is something I cannot say for sure. What I can say with confidence though is that Rias Gremory and her team's estimation will receive a major blow after this loss. You can expect a harsh evaluation from the higher-ups due to—]
"Shut the Hell up already!"
A flying remote struck the television at that moment, destroying the screen and cutting off the speaker's voice. The one who had thrown it, Takeshi, had a furious expression on his face as he fell back on his bed, punching the wall next to him a couple of times in frustration and cracking it.
Following the game's conclusion, all members from both teams had been transported to the medical room for the customary check-up. After receiving a clean bill of health from one of the doctors a while back, a nurse had informed him that Rias and Xenovia, the only ones from their group who had received serious damage, were still unconscious, while the others were still in the middle of their check-ups. As such, he had opened the television and watched the commentary of the match, only for him to lose his patience upon being reminded of the Gremory Peerage's defeat, resulting in his outburst.
"That damn vixen got us good…" Takeshi bit his thumb while grumbling. "Using Saji-kun to drain the moisture from the maze, having Hanakai-san set up a transfer magic circle on Drought Call that would enable him to deliver the water to Sona-senpai, placing that curse on Nimura-san, faking the Sitri group's formation, using the control point to rearrange the labyrinth, utilizing Kusaka-san's Artificial Sacred Gear to trick Rias… This is the worst. Our peerless Student President continues being a major obstacle in my way to the top. One of these days, I swear I'll find a way to surpass her and wipe the smirk off her face…!"
[What…a waste…of energy…] Ladon sighed. [Those Rating Games of yours…they're just…an elaborate show…a phony, clean battlefield…with silly rules…and regulations… Whatever the result…may be…it means nothing…in our world…]
[Yeah, your fury is delicious, but wasted here, whelp.] Grendel snorted. [If that little princess and her band had fought us for real, we would have stomped them all to death for sure!]
[And hey, look at the bright side, partner.] Orochi said. [At least we kicked that trickster Vritra's ass. That's got to count for something, right?]
"That's a surprise." Takeshi chuckled. "Are you guys actually trying to cheer me up here or something?"
[I can't speak for the others, but I'm in a good mood right now.] Nidhogg said, letting out a sinister chuckle. [Watching you crush a young man and his noble dreams without any regard for his circumstances or the fact that he was putting his life on the line was quite exhilarating. Dragging down others into the abyss of despair and making them miserable is one of my favorite pastimes after all.]
"No wonder you don't have any friends, Nidhogg." Takeshi said. "Besides, me defeating Saji-kun in the game isn't something that will deter him or crush his dreams. If anything, he will emerge stronger from this, I'm sure of it."
"He's not the only one. We will also improve ourselves following this defeat, right?"
Takeshi turned around at the sound of that familiar voice, coming face-to-face with Rias, who was smiling at him.
"Rias?" Takeshi said, looking a bit surprised. "Are you sure you should be up and about? I heard Student President did quite a number on you."
"I'm still a little sore, but otherwise fine." Rias said. "My pride took a far worse beating compared to my body. More importantly though, I see our defeat didn't sit that well with you, eh, Takeshi?"
Rias gestured at the damaged television and cracked wall, prompting Takeshi to let out an awkward smile.
"Yes, well… I might have overdone it a bit with my venting."
"What am I going to do with you…?" Rias sighed, and then smiled once again. "In any case, thank you for your hard work today, Takeshi. You did very well against Saji-kun and showed everyone that you have full control over the Evil Dragons that have awakened so far. With that, the voices still claiming that you're a dangerous and unstable individual that needs to be contained or eliminated should quiet down for a while."
"You're welcome, though this brings me little comfort seeing as Koneko-chan, Gasper-kun and I ended up being trapped by Saji-kun's technique and contributed nothing else to the game." Takeshi said while frowning. "If only we had been there when you fought Student President…"
"I'm sure there are plenty of things we could have done differently, but it's no use agonizing over that now." Rias said with a smile. "There'll be time later to go over this game and analyze it in depth. As irritating as this defeat was, there was meaning to it. Thanks to this loss, we realized our shortcomings and the areas we need to improve upon, and we'll be stronger for that. Next time, the result will be different. Right?"
Instead of responding, Takeshi embraced Rias, who let out a small yelp in response.
"Erm, Takeshi…?"
"You don't have to hide it from me, Rias." Takeshi said, his lips close to Rias' ear. "I can tell you're forcing yourself to be cheerful and confident. It's alright. Don't hold it in and let everything out. I'm not going to judge you, and I won't say a word to the others. I would be a lousy boyfriend if I did so after all."
Rias said nothing at first, but then her shoulders shook and tears ran down her eyes as she wrapped her hands around Takeshi.
"It's not fair…" Rias mumbled, her head buried in Takeshi's chest. "I wanted to beat Sona so much, make a good impression in my first official Rating Game and take the first step towards my goal…and yet, it all ended like this because I wasn't good enough… Frustrating…it's all so frustrating, damn it…"
"I know." Takeshi said, caressing Rias' head. "I understand how you feel, because I'm the same. As painful as it is though, we have to endure it. Endure, grow stronger, and triumph for sure next time like you said. Our time will come as long as we don't give up and keeping marching on."
"Perhaps, though this game has shown me how naïve I still am compared to Sona…" Rias said with a sigh. "The determination to sacrifice her servants and use them as stepping stones in her plans…will I ever be able to do something like that? I treasure all of you as my important family and want to keep you out of harm's way as much as possible, but such an attitude will only hold me back in the games, not only against Sona, but other experienced players as well. It's a weakness that can be easily exploited, and one not easily overcome, especially for us Gremory family members."
"You are a strong girl, far stronger than you yourself realize, Rias." Takeshi said as he let her go and took a step back while holding her shoulders. "I'm sure you can overcome any wall in your way, even the ones within your heart. All of us will also do our best to support you like we've been doing so far."
"If that's the case, then I'd like some support right about now." Rias said, a sly smile on her face. "I'm still feeling a bit down, so if you could spoil me a bit, I'd—"
Before Rias could complete her sentence, Takeshi sealed her lips with his own as he pulled her closer to him. Their passionate kiss went on for several seconds, with Takeshi caressing Rias' back and butt, while Rias' hands had found themselves under his shirt. However, just as Takeshi was about to start unbuttoning Rias' shirt—
"Hoh, even though you Devil youngsters just came out of a harsh battle, you still have enough energy left for intercourse? The stamina and passion of youth cannot be underestimated."
The one who said that as he entered the hospital room was Odin, a sly smile on his face as he observed the two youths. Behind him, Rossweisse's face had turned beet red upon witnessing that intimate scene.
[Oooh, nice figure!] Orochi remarked in Takeshi's mind. [That's a fine example of Nordic beauty if I've ever seen one. A nine at the very least.]
"I-Indecent!" Rossweisse cried out, jabbing her finger at Takeshi and Rias. "Shame on you two! Doing lewd stuff such as k-kissing in a hospital is absolutely forbidden! Boys and girls your age should be more focused on studying hard and troubling over their future career instead of frolicking around! If you keep this up, you'll turn into no-good adults in no time!"
"Oh, lighten up a bit, you neurotic Valkyrie." Odin let out an exasperated sigh. "Let them have their fun after fighting so hard. Attitude like this is why you have never had a boyfriend so far even though you're almost the same age as them."
"Boyfriends have nothing to do with this, Odin-sama!" Rossweisse shouted with a stern expression on her face, though tears had formed at the edge of her eyes. "If these two let their passions rule them all the time, they'll never be able to reach their full potential and—"
[Odin, you one-eyed bastard!] Nidhogg howled all of a sudden as Cataclysm Zone manifested without Takeshi's consent. [You dare show your rotten face in front of me after everything you've done!?]
"Now that's a nostalgic presence and voice." Odin grinned. "Hello, Nidhogg. You seem to be doing well from the looks of it."
[Oh, you think you're so clever, don't you!?] Nidhogg hissed. [This pitiful state I've been reduced to is all because of you! You destroyed my life, and you still dare act all nonchalant about that after all this time!? If I had my body, I would—]
"If you still had your body, any and all attempts to challenge me would have ended the same way as usual; with your rotting hide mounted on a pike on top of Asgard's walls for all to see." Odin said, cutting off Nidhogg. "Furthermore, you claim I destroyed your life, but your actions after you escaped from Niflheim, the destruction and pain you wrought, they only served to prove that my decision to contain you was ultimately the correct one."
[Classic Odin.] Nidhogg sneered. [The wise All-Father who knows better and can see further than anyone else. Never mind how he cloaks his pettiness and fear in a shroud of righteousness when he condemns anything that could even remotely be classified as a threat to his reign to grim fates worse than death.]
"Feel free to believe whatever you wish about me, Nidhogg." Odin said, turning his attention from Cataclysm Zone to Takeshi. "I have not come here today to banter with you, but to ascertain the current Evil Dragon User's state with my own eyes, or rather eye."
"Ascertain…you say?" Takeshi asked, dismissing Cataclysm Zone by force and ignoring Nidhogg's tirade in his head. "Are you also among those who view me as a threat then, Odin-sama?"
"Make no mistake, youngster." Odin said as his monocle shone. "There is no-one among all Pantheons who doesn't see you as a potential threat, especially with your abnormal growth. Opinions are only split as to whether you are useful enough to keep around or not."
"And what is your opinion, Odin-sama?" Takeshi said. "Should I expect assassins from the Norse Pantheon to try and stab me in the back one of these days?"
"Please, I wouldn't resort to such crude methods if I wished you dead." Odin grinned. "With the Ouroboros and the odd individuals it has gathered around it as our enemies, I believe we can't afford to waste anything that could give us an advantage, even the Evil Dragon User. However, that doesn't mean I won't be keeping a close eye on you."
"With Gods like you leading the Pantheons, I sometimes feel even saving the whole world on my own wouldn't be enough to prove myself…"
"Fighting against centuries of justified prejudice was never going to be a simple endeavor, youngster." Odin said, turning to Rias next. "That was a good match, Sirzechs' sister. It is unfortunate that while you won the battles, you lost the war. Well, such is the nature of a battlefield. If you are smart, you will turn today's loss into a foundation for your growth."
"I understand." Rias said. "Thank you for your advice."
"Odin-sama, it's almost time for the meeting with the Devil Kings, Zeus-sama and Indra-sama, who will be arriving shortly from Mt. Meru." Rossweisse said. "We should go now, or else we'll be late."
"Right." Odin nodded. "Farewell, Sirzechs' sister, Evil Dragon User. Perhaps we'll meet again in the future."
Once Odin and Rossweisse had taken their leave, Rias turned to Takeshi.
"I didn't expect to meet the Chief God of the Norse Pantheon here of all places." Rias said. "Not to mention, the previous good mood is gone now because of him. I'm thinking about visiting the others. Want to join me as well?"
"I'd like to check up on Saji-kun first if you don't mind." Takeshi said. "I'm a bit anxious about his condition."
"No problem." Rias said. "I'll go to Xenovia's room first. See you in a bit."
After Rias left, Takeshi changed into his summer student uniform and made his way to Genshirou's room. Hearing familiar voices coming from inside, he stepped closer to the door to listen.
"—too reckless, Saji. Siphoning your life like that to empower your Sacred Gears could have disastrous long-term effects on your body. I forbid you from pulling such a stunt ever again. You won't be doing me any favors by killing yourself from overexertion."
Peeking through a small opening, Takeshi saw that Sona was inside Genshirou's room, sitting on a chair next to his bed. Although her tone was stern, her expression was soft as she spoke to her Pawn.
"Sorry for worrying you, Student President." Genshirou said with an awkward smile. "However, that was the only way I could think of to match Ryuugamine. Even then, I still showed a disgraceful performance…"
"There was nothing disgraceful about your fight, Saji." Sona said. "Trapping three members of the Gremory Peerage played a big part in our group's win, and that was only possible thanks to your skill and tenacity. Take pride in what you accomplished today. I know I'm proud of you."
"Student President…" Genshirou said, tears forming in his eyes. "Thank you very much! I swear I'll keep working hard like this from now on as well in order to make our dream a reality!"
"That's good to hear, but you need to take care of yourself as well." Sona said, picking up a bowl of soup placed on the tray next to Genshirou's bed. "You can't move very well yet, right? Let me help you with eating."
"Student President is going to feed me…?" Genshirou muttered with a shocked expression before showing a thrilled expression. "This is the best! The happiest moment of my life so far! If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up!"
"What are you getting so excited about, Saji?" Sona tilted her head to the side, looking bewildered. "Is the pain making you delirious? Should I call the nurse and have her bring you some more painkillers?"
"No, no, I'm fine!" Genshirou said in a hurry. "Just need a moment to get my heart ready…"
"Looks like everything's going well on that side." Takeshi grinned as he stepped away from the door. "Best to give these two some privacy for now, and let Saji-kun enjoy his 'reward'. Plus, I could go for some late lunch as well right now. Oh, perhaps I should bring something for Rias and the others."
After saying so, Takeshi made his way to the cafeteria while whistling.
A few days later…
"Well then, it looks like this is where we part, everyone. I hope you'll keep taking good care of yourselves, and always remember that you may return here whenever you wish without hesitation. You can think of the Gremory family as your extended family."
Zeoticus said those heartfelt words to Rias and her Peerage, with Venelana, Sirzechs, Grayfia and Millicas standing next to him. All members of the Gremory family had gathered at the train station in order to bid farewell to Rias and her group, who were scheduled to return to the human world on this day.
"I also hope that you and Rias will take your relationship to the next stage soon, Takeshi-kun." Zeoticus smiled at Takeshi. "With the two of you leading the Gremory family into the next era, I can retire without any worries."
"Dear, it's still too early to talk about Rias succeeding you." Venelana said. "Wait until she finishes university in the human world at least before we have a proper discussion about that. Also, shouldn't this be the part where the father has an angry outburst and swears he won't give up his daughter no matter what?"
"Why should I say such a thing, my dear?" Zeoticus raised an eyebrow. "Takeshi-kun will soon surpass me in power, if he hasn't done so already, and he's a respectable young man. Leaving Rias and the Gremory family to him in the future is the sensible choice."
"From the looks of it, I suppose it is." Venelana smiled before turning to Takeshi. "I'll be counting on you to keep looking after my daughter, Takeshi-kun. She can be a little too selfish, overly emotional at times, and splurges a bit too much when it comes to her hobbies. All that worries me as a mother."
"M-Mother!" Rias complained, a healthy blush on her face. "What are you saying all of a sudden!?"
"There's no need to worry, Venelana-sama." Takeshi grinned. "I swear I'll take good care of her, now and forever."
"Hearing that makes me feel relieved."
"Rias, make sure to keep in touch during the remainder of your summer vacation." Sirzechs said while holding Millicas. "I wasn't able to be around as much as I wished to because of the various meetings, but I should have some free time during the next few days."
"Yes, brother." Rias said as the train whistle sounded. "That's our cue. I'll make sure to visit again as soon as I can."
"Take care, auntie, everyone!"
Millicas waved at Rias' Peerage in an enthusiastic manner. After they were done with their farewells, the Kuoh Academy Devils boarded the train, which left the station after a couple of minutes, heading for the nearest entrance to the Dimensional Gap.
"Azazel-sensei won't be returning with us?"
"From what I've heard, he still needs to take care of some business in the Fallen Angel capital." Rias responded to Pandora's question. "Whether that's true, or whether he's using that as an excuse to slack off, that's something I don't know."
"I have to say though, that was one Hell of a summer vacation." Takeshi said while leaning back on his seat. "I'm sure none of us will forget it any time soon. Too bad it soured a bit in the end, what with the game not ending in our favor. Speaking of Rating Games, do we know who our next opponent is?"
"Either Seekvaira Agares or Diodora Astaroth." Akeno said. "Whoever wins their upcoming Rating Game will be the one facing us next. Sairaorg Bael and Zephyrdor Glasya-Labolas are also scheduled to have a game at around the same time the Agares-Astaroth game will take place."
"Heh, is that so?" Takeshi smirked. "That's nice. I'm looking forward to witnessing the true strength of the one touted as the strongest youth. If I want to claim that title for myself, I need to thoroughly study my opponent."
"…Looks like Senpai is motivated as usual when it comes to contests." Koneko remarked from her usual spot on Takeshi's lap. "Don't forget that we have a more immediate challenge ahead of us though, namely tackling our summer homework."
"Ugh, that's right, there was that as well." Xenovia grimaced. "I guess we can say goodbye to what remains of our summer vacation."
"In that case, how about we enjoy ourselves to the fullest today?" Yuuto suggested, taking out a small box containing several decks inside. "Anyone up for a game of Magic: The Gathering?"
"Well, that's a surprise." Takeshi said. "You're familiar with this game, Yuuto?"
"One of my clients is a big fan, and I got hooked as well after playing a few rounds with her." Yuuto said. "Are you in, Takeshi-kun?"
"You bet." Takeshi grinned. "Among all card games I'm familiar with, this is my second favorite one. You're going down for sure."
"We'll see about that." Yuuto said with a smile. "Anyone else want to join?"
"…I'm game."
"M-Me too!"
"Count me in as well, ufufu~."
Koneko, Gasper and Akeno responded, while Rias, Xenovia and Pandora refrained from participating.
"Unfortunately, I'm unfamiliar with this card game, and so are Pandora and Xenovia from the looks of it." Rias said. "Would you mind explaining it to us while you play? I'm starting to get somewhat interested in it."
"Sure thing, President." Yuuto said. "You see, this game's goal is—"
Like that, the Gremory group passed the time in an enjoyable manner while the train travelled through the Dimensional Gap.
"Finally! I thought these tests of yours would never end, Aria. If you took any longer, I would be late for my scheduled meeting with Chief Exorcist Godfrey."
Leon complained as he stood up from what resembled an operating table within a wide room surrounded by all sorts of computers and magic circles, removing the cables attached to his body. A beautiful young woman was sitting across him, typing something on the computer in front of her. She had thigh-length golden brown hair that was tied into a ponytail, golden eyes, a voluptuous figure and wore a lab coat on top of her white long-sleeved dress shirt along with a short black skirt and thigh-high stockings. From the looks of it, she hadn't paid any attention to Leon's words, her eyes glued on the monitor in front of her.
"Hey, Aria." Leon said, waving his hand in front of her face. "Earth to Aria. Do you read me?"
"…Hm?" Aria muttered, only now registering her comrade's presence. "Ah, you're still here, Leon?"
"As always, whenever you're absorbed in your work, you lose track of everything around you." Leon said as he looked at the monitor as well. "How's the project going?"
"I'm making good progress." Aria said as she glanced at a large tube in a corner of the room, where some sort of unfinished belt and thirteen cards were submerged in glowing liquid. "The first prototype of the Saint Rouser you proposed a while back will be complete soon thanks to the data I got out of you during our sessions."
"That's great to hear." Leon said, looking excited. "As for that other matter we were discussing, do you think—"
"For the millionth time, no." Aria said, a hint of irritation in her impassive voice. "I can't design a Beta Capsule, Sparklence or whatever you call those bizarre devices that will transform you into some sort of glowing giant. Not yet at least."
"Shame." Leon said, a slightly dejected expression on his face. "Still, it's not like something like that is completely impossible, right? Not for the genius Aria Enfield, who's second only to Raziel-sama when it comes to intelligence and creativity."
"These strange requests of yours are going to be the death of me…" Aria sighed as an alarm clock rang next to her, with her neutral expression becoming livelier all of a sudden. "Ah, Magical Girl Levia-tan is about to start! We'll continue this discussion another time, Leon! Now, shoo, shoo!"
Aria almost threw Leon out of her laboratory, slamming the door behind her as a 'Do not disturb' sigh appeared on it.
"I wonder what the Devil King Leviathan would say if she knew the daughter of her greatest rival is an avid fan of her show." Leon chuckled. "Anyway, I should get going as well."
Leon started walking in a hurried pace to avoid being late. Several warriors, priests and various other Church personnel that crossed paths with him greeted him with obvious reverence, a common occurrence over the past few years. He returned their greetings with his usual smile, accompanied by a simple blessing at times. Like always though, he couldn't help but feel somewhat bitter at the way they looked at him.
They only see the son of Michael and the Red Dragon Emperor, not the person in front of them. Leon thought. A living miracle. No use getting worked up over it though. Best to focus on not losing my way. The guy who designed this stronghold beneath the Cisterna Basilica must have had an odd sense of humor, or they were big fans of the Labyrinth in Crete.
After a few minutes, he arrived in front of a large door flanked by four armored Templars. After scanning him with magic circles and confirming his identity, they allowed him to enter the room.
"Inquisitor Leon…no, it's Joker of the Left now, isn't it? It has been some time."
The one who had greeted Leon as he stood up from his chair was a tall, burly man that seemed to be in his fifties with close-cropped black hair that had hints of grey in it and green eyes. His wide office only had the barest of necessities in it, with the only exception being an ornate sword that was hanging on the wall behind the man's office. Even if he had never seen it in person before, Leon would have instantly recognized it as the Holy Sword Coreiseuse.
"Chief Exorcist Thomas Godfrey." Leon said as he inclined his head. "It's an honor meeting a member of the Magisterium in person. I hear that you've been very busy these days."
"Not as busy as you I presume." Thomas said. "Organizing our Exorcists' deployment in all active fronts is an arduous task, but significantly less demanding than actually facing the various terrorists threatening the stability of the world. On that note, allow me to congratulate you for the expert way you handled the crisis in Russia. Patriarch Joachim spoke highly of your work there."
"Thank you, but we only succeeded back there thanks to everyone's efforts." Leon said. "Enough about that though. Was there a particular reason you needed to see me? Perhaps one related to my and the others' imminent departure for Kuoh?"
"Your guess is spot-on." Thomas said. "Then, I will get straight to the point. While I don't see any issues with dispatching Ace Irina Shidou there, seeing as this was her hometown, and I can sort of understand why one of our trump cards must be present there, I question the need for Dia-sama and Queen Asia Argento's deployment, especially when one takes their value into account. Being in such close proximity to high-ranking Devils and Fallen Angels, I confess this makes me somewhat anxious."
Leon narrowed his eyes a bit at that statement. From what he understood, Thomas Godfrey was an important member of the emerging radical faction, a group within the Church that condemned the peace treaty between the Three Factions due to the long-standing feud between them. Even several high-ranking Angels in Heaven had expressed their dissatisfaction through various indirect means, but none of the Seraphs had supported their ideals, much to Leon's relief. Still, he was certain this faction could cause a lot of turmoil if they weren't dealt with sooner or later.
"I understand your reservations, but the Devils residing in Kuoh are trustworthy, something I can personally vouch for." Leon said. "Governor Azazel has also been devoting his efforts towards establishing a permanent peace between the factions, and I have no reason to doubt his sincerity. His presence in Kuoh is a good opportunity, which is why I asked for Asia Argento to join us."
"A good opportunity, you say?" Thomas said. "How so?"
"He's the foremost expert when it comes to Sacred Gears, and he has already begun creating Artificial Sacred Gears." Leon said. "With his aid, we might be able to mass produce copies of Asia Argento's Twilight Healing. You should be well aware of how many lives have been lost due to our limited supply of healing items and abilties, as well as the fact that the only universal healing method that affects all races is the Devils' Phoenix Tear. However, Twilight Healing can heal anyone regardless of race or affiliation. If there were more of them available, mortality rates would go down by a significant amount."
"Reducing casualties among combatants and non-combatants even further would be a blessing…" Thomas said, rubbing his chin. "What about Dia-sama though?"
"Considering the fact that Dia is set to attain a high position in Heaven in the future, I thought it best to have her interact with our former enemies in person and form her own opinions without being prejudiced by biased accounts." Leon said, making sure to keep the scowl out of his face. "Plus, furthering her understanding of regular humans by attending a normal high school is also important, as is developing a close relationship with influential figures such as Azazel and the heiresses of two influential Pillars."
"I see your point." Thomas said. "Well, even if I have my reservations, this matters little considering your orders came directly from Heaven. I wish all of you luck in your new assignment, and once things around here get a little less hectic, I will make sure to dispatch some additional support in that area. Perhaps Griselda Quarta would be a good choice. From what I understand, she used to look after Xenovia, the current wielder of Durandal. I'm sure she'll be happy to be reunited with her former protégé."
More importantly though, she'll be out of your way, seeing as she's Gabriel-sama's Queen and one of the more vocal supporters of the peace treaty. Leon thought. How annoying. We have enough enemies outside without us being at each other's throats for crying out loud.
"If she's willing, I suppose that could work." Leon said, masking his thoughts behind an impassive mask. "If there's nothing else, I must be off now. Have to prepare for the journey and all that."
"Of course." Thomas said. "Have a safe trip, and I hope your time in Kuoh will be as uneventful as possible."
"Somehow, I doubt that will be the case."
Leon said as he left the Chief Exorcist's office, his mood having become a bit fouler.
I might not have prophetic vision like Uriel-sama, but even I can foresee trouble in all fronts in the near future. Leon thought. On the bright side though, at least I'll be reunited with my friend and spend some time with Dia as normal teenagers.
A small smile appeared on Leon's face as he made his way to his quarters in order to take care of his final preparations.
This concludes Chapter 45. Sorry for taking so long to finish it, but my free time was drastically reduced due to returning back to work and having to help one of my relatives after she got sick. At long last though, both the Rating Game and this arc are over.
Regarding the game itself, Sona emerged as the victor by outsmarting Rias and taking her down. Compared to a pyrrhic victory, I figured an outright defeat would be a far more effective way to hammer into the Gremory group's heads that great power isn't always a solution in the Rating Game, and also in real battlefields. In addition, since Rias' group triumphed over Riser's Peerage here, I thought it would be interesting to change things around in this match as well. Plus, Sona has the nobler dream out of the two of them, so she deserved the win in my opinion.
Regarding the Artificial Sacred Gears used by the Sitri Peerage, there were some deviations from canon. The most important one is Reya's Artificial Sacred Gear. Instead of it being Scouting Persona, a pretty basic ability from what we saw in the novels, she uses Proteus Visage, an original Sacred Gear that allows one to copy someone else's appearance by wearing the masks created by it. When it comes to Tsubasa's Artificial Sacred Gear, I made Twinkle Aegis into a solid shield instead of a large shield of light, and also gave her a second Artificial Sacred Gear, Buster Cestus. Its ability is based on Derieri's Combo Star, though the increase in striking power is much less compared to Derieri's ability. Tsubaki also received a brand-new weapon, the Tonbokiri, to further increase her power.
Well, that's all for now. The next chapter will start this story's next arc. As always, please read, review, favorite, follow, but most of all, enjoy!
See you all next time!