Itachi Sitri

by Michael Shadow

After the edo tensei was undone, Itachi gets offered a second chance by a dark being, the next thing he knows he has a twin sister, an older sister and two new parents, and they are all devils. I don't own anything! No Chakra Itachi, Itachi x harem(small), more information in ch1. Rated M because it's DxD.

28. Honor vs Pride!

Chapter 28: Honor of the Phenex vs. Pride of the Sitri

After the announcement of the Rating Game tournament at the end of the gathering of the Young Devils. Sona sat in a carriage along with her Queen Tsubaki, as well as her older brother Itachi and his Queen Kuroka. "Feeling anxious?" Itachi casually asked seeing the look on Sona's face, she had already begun planning her battle strategy against Raiser.

"A bit, not because of my opponent, but because of what this battle represents." For Sona, this was a battle for her pride. And to show everyone that her ambition for the future of her school was no silly dream.

Once they had arrived at the Sitri estate, Sona, Itachi, Kuroka and Tsubaki all headed into a dark room. Sona laid back into a chair and summoned forth various screens, each one displaying a different Rating Game battle.

"… Are these all the previous Rating Games Raiser has fought in?" Itachi eyed the screens, and instantly noticed that in each battle Raiser used the same strategy. Except the ones he lost on purpose. Raiser took full advantage of his numbers against his opponents, and would bulldoze straight through the enemy forces. With his immortality it was like the young Phenex had no fear. And every time, it would work, every time except for a single one. The one Raiser had against Itachi, when for the first time Raiser's bulldozing strategy was useless as Raiser and his peerage were met with the great wall that was Itachi, Bob, Kuroka and Jack. "You're even counting this one?" Itachi eyed the screen with his Rating Game against Raiser.

"It is the most recent one." Sona argued and continued to analyze. "Although I will admit it is not that informative, nor helpful."

"Sorry." Itachi casually apologized over not having taken a more direct approach to fight Raiser during their battle, so that Sona could have had more valuable intel. But Sona gave a light chuckle.

"It's okay, with the rest of these recordings I should manage. The trick will be trying to figure out if his strategy has changed from his battle against you." Despite having lost in the past, the Rating Game against Itachi was the first time Raiser had lost whilst fighting seriously.

"Ravel did mention Raiser was forced to train with his father and brothers." Itachi shrugged, he imagined the young Phenex was most likely forced to change his approach in battle. Although, knowing Raiser wasn't the greatest tactician out there it was highly unlikely he would come up with a good new strategy. But, Ravel on the other hand might. "Even though Raiser isn't the most intelligent Devil, Ravel is different. I suspect Raiser is letting her in more on the decisions regarding battle strategy. So, if I were you, I would prepare for the unexpected."

Sona nodded at Itachi's advice and then she shortened the number of screens on display, having finished analyzing half of them by now. "It seems these are the games where he fought the hardest, it displays a wide variety of his abilities as well as his peerage members. And another interesting thing I noticed." Sona with a flick of her fingers displayed the images of four people. Raiser's Queen Yubelluna, his Rooks Xuelan and Isabela, as well as his knight Karlamine. "In a Rating Game, the Phenex are allowed to carry two bottles with Phenex tears to heal. In every game Raiser has fought, he always gives one to Yubelluna, and the rest to either one of these three."

"Hn, but do you have a plan for it? You will need to somehow snatch the bottles from them before they can use it. If you destroy it the liquid would still fall onto their skin and heal them." Not to mention Sona would require to keep a close eye on all four of them throughout the game.

"Not to worry, Azazel was kind enough to assist us in coming up with a counter measure." Sona smirked, clearly not planning on revealing the counter measure to Itachi, wanting to keep it a secret.

"… I see, was there anything you needed? A training schedule for your peerage maybe?" At Itachi's suggestion Sona smiled but shook her head in response.

"I do not wish to rely on my big brother every time I am in trouble. I will manage everything fine on my own. You worry about your training and your own research." At this Sona dismissed Itachi.

"Very well, good luck Sona. I promise to come and watch the game." And with that, Itachi and Kuroka left the room.

"Good luck, bro-con." Kuroka playfully wished Sona good luck as she followed Itachi. Sona twitched a bit from the bro-con comment, but decided to ignore it for now.

"Tsubaki." At hearing her master call, Tsubaki's body stiffened like a soldier standing before her general.

"Yes, lady Sona." Tsubaki awaited her orders.

"That ability Azazel taught us, will be ineffective against the Phenex family's natural healing ability. But the tears should be a different story. I trust that you have passed on the knowledge of this technique to the others?"

"Yes, Momo, Tsubasa and Reya have been instructed in the usage of Reversal." At this Sona seemed pleased and looked with a little ease. "But Kaichou, I must say I still think a swift lethal strike to the enemy will be far more effective. If they are mortally wounded, they will end up retiring anyway."

"Yes, I can see the reasoning behind your words. However, it is still risky as it could potentially lead to someone's death. And if they have enough willpower, they can power through in order to take the Phenex tear and heal. Deaths aren't uncommon in Rating Games, and I would like to avoid it. But if there is a need, feel free to use a certain amount of lethal force. I expect the enemy will do the same, so we must prepare as well."

"As you command." Tsubaki respectfully bowed and complied with her master's wishes.

"Tsubaki, I also trust you to take charge of the training of the others. You are free to do as you wish." At this Tsubaki saluted her King.

"In the name of our dream, and for your victory, I will train them to the bone." Tsubaki's glare behind her glasses could send shivers down once spine, her gaze so cold and focused. Seeing this determination in her, pleased Sona to no end.

"Thank you." Sona gave her thanks and returned to think of other strategies whilst Tsubaki headed out to gather up the peerage.

Saji was gathered with the rest of Sona's peerage in the main hall of the Sitri estate, mumbling amongst themselves on what they thought the battle plan would be. Saji, Momo, Reya, Tsubasa, Tomoe and Ruruko all fell silent as the loud thud of Tsubaki's Naginata slamming into the floor, ringing across the room like a bell caught their attention. Everyone tensed up and gaze upon the Queen of their peerage on the top of the staircase. "Sona-sama has entrusted your training for the next three days in my hands. Prepare to head out to the mountains. We leave within the hour."

Saji tensed up, a look of fear in his eyes. 'Dammit! Tsubaki-senpai's training is way stricter than Kaichou! It's downright brutal!' Saji in his fear backed up his right foot with a mere inch, to which Tsubaki narrowed her glare at him.

In Saji's eyes Tsubaki vanished on the spot, and blitzed him going right up in his face. "You Saji, I have a special training schedule just for you." Saji's teeth were cackling, his body trembling as the blade of Tsubaki's naginata was very close to his neck.

'Frickin' scary!' Saji cried out within his own thoughts.

The scene switched over to the side of a large mountain in the middle of the wilderness. The winds blowing through were so strong that if caught in it, a man would be blown away like a leaf in the wind. And standing on top of this mountain was Tsubaki Shinra, wielding her naginata.

Meanwhile, Saji along with the rest of Sona's peerage were climbing up on the side of the mountain. The task ahead of them and Tsubaki's instructions repeating on within Saji's mind. "First we're going to have a little race. The last one to reach the top of this mountain will go the whole day without any food. You are not allowed to use your wings, should you use them you will face punishment. You will be wearing weights as you climb, and the only tools you are allowed to use, are you Sacred Gears or magical abilities."

'I can do this!' Saji thought as he used the line from his Sacred Gear to latch itself up the mountain, and use the line to climb upwards. Already he was in the lead. Saji's eyes widened as suddenly raining down onto him were massive boulders. Saji quickly jumped and swung himself away from the falling boulder.

"And of course, you will need to avoid any obstacle I might throw your way~" Tsubaki smirked as she looked down on them from the top of the mountain. "Struggle, struggle to climb to the top. In the name of Sona-sama's dream. Our dream. The dream that was laughed at, gather strength, courage, and reach the top in the name of our master and our dream! Show those stuck-up geezers our dream is no laughing matter!" Tsubaki's words of encouragement lit a fire under everyone as they all climbed faster. "Rule change! If you don't climb this mountain in the next five minutes you tarnish Sona-sama's pride! And I will teach you the true meaning of humiliation!" Then her frightening threat, further boosted their will to climb faster.

Tsubasa sent a pulse of magical energy to her feet to take a massive jump, quickly stealing the lead from Saji. Even as a boulder came her way, Tsubasa smashed it into pieces with her Rook strength. Momo and Reya were quick to follow, using magic attacks as boosters to get them higher up into the air and further up the mountain. Even Tomoe was using her swords as a method of climbing, and with her knight speed she even ran up alongside of the mountain. And should she tumble and nearly fall, Tomoe would stab her sword into the mountain to regain her footing.

"Sorry, Saji-kun." Ruruko apologized, a set of armored boots formed around her legs, increasing her speed and the strength in her feet. Ruruko ended up running up the mountain, leaving footprints on the side of the mountain.

"O-Oy!" Saji cried as suddenly he was last. And in the end, Saji was the one to go on without any food that day. But they all managed to climb the mountain in under five minutes.

In the meantime, Sona was contemplating her strategy, going over various chess moves. Taking Raiser's usual plan of attack into consideration, Sona was currently fighting multiple simulations of Raiser inside her head. With various outcomes and counter measures to see how effective they would be. Despite Raiser and his peerage outnumbering Sona and hers, the main concern in Sona's eyes was Raiser and Ravel's immortality. Sona herself, and the members of her peerage didn't possess the illusion abilities her brother Itachi did. So, breaking Raiser's spirit through an illusion was out of the question. She needed a different approach. Sona was scribbling down various strategies that popped up into her mind, having already made multiple stacks of papers with strategies written down on them. It was near the point she had covered herself with a small castle gate wall of paper stacks.

The Sitri princess wasn't the only one preparing for the games. Far in the Underworld within the Phenex estate, Raiser was getting a beatdown from his father and brothers. Despite his regenerative abilities, Raiser was panting and looked mentally exhausted from fighting his father and brothers.

"You shame our household." Lord Phenex looked down on his son, and Raiser twitched under his father's strict gaze. "In your Rating Game against Itachi Sitri, you lost face. You lost your honor as a Rating Game pro, and thus shamed our noble house!" Lord Phenex stomped onto Raiser's back pushing his face into the ground. "Now that you are up against the Sitri once more, you have your chance to regain that honor. You understand this, right?"

"Y-Yes father…!" Raiser pushed his father off by unleashing a violent fire storm from his body.

"Raiser, we are doing this for your own good." A young man with blond hair and dark blue eyes like Raiser, Ravel and Lord Phenex, was the oldest son of the Phenex family. Ruval Phenex. He was slightly taller than Raiser, and more muscular like their father. "You have to learn. You cannot bulldoze your way through a battle like a spoiled rich kid."

"Yeah, I understand, Ruval Onii-sama…" Raiser picked himself up and prepared to face his father and brothers.

"Get real, this chicken was trembling in the face of that Sitri heir." A voice filled with even more arrogance than Raiser has ever shown, was the second son of the Phenex, Raul Phenex. His blond hair long and majestic like a mane, his cold blue eyes filled with arrogance. He was skinnier than Ruval and not as muscular, but he was a bit taller than his older brother.

"Raul nii-sama…" Raiser mumbled looking with shame, out of all his brothers Raul was the one he looked up to growing up. Which probably explained Raiser's own personality.

"Huh? Don't look at me like that, loser." Raul looked down on Raiser with disgust. Disgusted over his younger brother's weakness. "If I were you, I would have fried that Itachi and already taken Rias Gremory as my bride. You weak pathetic chicken." Raiser mumbled under his breath however. "I would like to see you try." Raul seemed to notice that however. "What was that? You chicken, speak up!"

"Raul! Enough!" Ruval glared at his younger brother, an explosion of a fire aura radiating around him. "We're here to help Raiser grow, if you aren't interested then I suggest you leave."

"…" Raul snarled at his older brother. "Fine, I get it. Don't get all riled up, aniki." Raul remained quiet, and decided to remain to continue training Raiser.

Lord Phenex gave an approving nod to his oldest son Ruval. And sighed at the arrogance of his second son Raul. "Raiser, do you understand the lesson Ruval is trying to teach you?"

"Yes, I have learnt from my fight against Itachi…" Raiser nodded.

"Pfft, yeah right. It was hardly a fight, more like a complete one-sided annihilation." Raul scoffed at Raiser, earning him a quick glare from his father which silenced him.

"Raiser, make sure to not look like a fool out there. And actually, be competent in this battle. Use your brain instead of brawn. As long as you put up a good fight, I will be satisfied." Lord Phenex in a way of showing kindness, didn't put too much pressure on Raiser on the need to win.

"Pfft, come on dad! If he doesn't win then it is meaningless! He needs to teach that Sitri princess a lesson, thus teaching her punk of a brother a lesson!" Raul voiced his opinion openly, putting pressure on Raiser on the need to win this battle.

"Worry not, otou-sama, I shall help onii-sama in his strategy." Ravel assured her father, her father's face instantly softening from his usual warrior like face.

"Ah, my bright little Ravel-chan. I know you will help your idiot of a brother out. My precious little firefly~" Lord Phenex dotted on his daughter, to which the young Ravel blushed a bit.

"Please, otou-sama show some restraint." Ravel struggled to break free from her father's embrace.

"Heh, pathetic." Raul mocked Raiser for needing the help of their baby sister to win.

"You are such a good girl, Ravel." Ruval on the other hand, smiled looking very pleased at Ravel's wish to help Raiser.

"Also, Raul nii-sama. I suggest you do not look down on Itachi-sama's abilities." Ravel pouted looking at her second older brother, who in return threw her an annoyed glare.

"What's that brat? You implying that Sitri punk can beat me?!" At Raul's outburst Ruval merely chuckled.

"To be honest, I myself don't think I would stand a chance against him. And I am stronger than you, Raul. So, that should answer your question." The humbler oldest son noted, which caused Raul to look a bit flustered.

"You can't be serious aniki?! There is no way that punk is stronger than you!" Raul protested.

"I am afraid I am quite serious, little brother." Ruval confirmed, to which the middle Phenex brother merely growled in anger at the thought of Itachi being stronger than him.

"Enough boys, let's resume training." Lord Phenex's faces instantly switched over to the strict looking warrior he usually appeared to be, the very moment he looked at his sons.

"Yes, father." All three of his sons replied at the same time, and all at once they attacked with storms of fire brewing around them. The fires of the Phenex family would light up the entire night sky around their estate.

And then, three days had passed, and it was time for the Rating Game tournament to begin it's very first match. Gathered on the entrance to the arena, were Itachi and Rias both accompanied by their peerage members. Although Rias seemed to be missing Issei, the perverted wielder of the Red Dragon Emperor was nowhere to be seen. "Where are they?" Rias impatiently tapped her foot onto the ground whilst looking at her watch. The match was about to start.

"Where exactly did Issei go to train?" Damian casually asked about his kouhai in the art of culture.

"He went out into the mountains with Tannin." At Rias mentioning that name, Itachi's eyes widened a bit in surprise.

"Tannin? The Blaze Meteor Dragon King?" Rias gave Itachi a nod at his question. It was surprising, so the young Issei was getting training from an actual dragon? Well, perhaps it was for the best if he were to master Ddraig's power.

Then the sound of flapping wings came from above, and powerful winds being struck around following the mighty wings. Landing was a massive dark purple scaled dragon with golden horns. "Sorry for the delay, this one overslept." Tannin said as Issei rolled off of Tannin's back and fell face first into the ground.

"Issei-san!" Asia called out as she and Xenovia approached the downed pervert.

"Asia-chan… I've missed you." Issei looked near tears, despite it only having been three days since he started training. "Xenovia-chan, I've missed your oppai…" Issei shamelessly cried, but Xenovia did not react.

"Tch! Still on about that fake culture." Damian sighed rubbing his temple. "I told him the ass was the true culture, he may admire boobs, but asses should be number 1-" Before Damian could go on a rant, Harry bumped his fist into Damian's head.

"Quiet." Harry looked at Damian who now laid face first in a small crater shaped around his face.

The massive dragon that was Tannin, began to shrink, he shrunk all the way until he was the size of your average human. "Hmm, Issei, I will meet up with you after the Game is over. Be sure to enjoy your time off training." The Dragon King declared and walked on ahead into the arena, probably to join Azazel and discuss Issei's progress.

"Buchou!" Issei cried holding onto Rias' leg. "It was horrible! Please don't make me go back!"

Rias smiled, knelt down and stroked Issei's head like a gentle older sister would. "Issei, don't worry. The summer will fly by, and you will have gotten so much stronger. I need you to endure just until the summer." Issei cried at being told to continue his training with Tannin. Guess the Dragon King was very strict on Issei for hosting one of the Legendary Heavenly Dragons.

"Anyway, shall we head on inside?" Itachi suggested, and thus everyone followed him into the arena. It was a giant stadium, only with an empty void in the center. Gigantic screens surrounded the arena to show everyone the battles that would take place. Itachi, Rias and the rest took a seat in the stands of the arena, eagerly waiting for the Game to begin, and to see Sona in action.

A pillar rose from the empty void, on top of that pillar was a throne that appeared to be made out of ice. Seated on the throne was the Queen of Serafall Leviathan, Esdeath. Standing around her, three men dressed in only boxers with blindfolds and ball gags in their mouths. Two of them holding serving plates, one with a fancy drink for the Ice Queen, the second ball gaged man held a strange mysterious button. One of them was even on their knees and hands, whilst Esdeath rested her feet onto his back. Each man had ice chains and collars around their necks like they were her pets. A microphone lowered itself down to Esdeath. "Welcome, Devils, Fallen Angels, Angels, Dragons and Gods. To the Rating Game tournament for our Young Devils. In today's first match, we have young Sona Sitri of the great Sitri family, the same family who spawned my master, Serafall Leviathan. And her opponent is, Raiser Phenex, third son of the Phenex family who have made themselves famous for their Phenex tears. I am your referee, Queen of Serafall Leviathan, General Esdeath."

Whilst no one seemed to react to Esdeath's three slaves, Issei was gawking in shock, Asia gasped and looked with confusion, Xenovia on the other hand seemed intrigued. "How are everyone okay with this?" Issei mumbled to Kiba who nervously scratched his cheek.

"It's just how lady Esdeath is, people are used to it." Everyone gave a nod at Kiba's words, confirming it was the absolute truth. Everyone knew of the sadistic nature of Esdeath.

"Now, let the Games begin~" Esdeath stabbed the heal of her boot into the man's back causing him to squeal like a pig.

Meanwhile, Sona and her peerage watched the announcement in the Student Council room at Kuoh academy. "Everyone ready?" Sona looked amongst her peerage, and was met with eager nods.

"Yosh! We will show everyone the true value of your dream, Kaichou!" Saji passionately declared.

"Thank you, everyone. Our opponent is Raiser Phenex, he has fought several Rating Games in the past, and only lost once on purpose against my brother. Raiser's immortality is going to be tricky to get around, but we'll have to try our best. My dearest friends, my beloved servants… show everyone the might of the Sitri household!" Sona passionately looked at her peerage members, this was a match they couldn't afford to lose. Her servants responded with eager cheers, all but Tsubaki who remained quiet and patient. A magic circle formed beneath the group, ready to take them to the battlefield.

'Yosh! Our first Rating Game! Just you watch, Hyoudou, I will show I am more amazing than you!' Saji thought eagerly, although looked confused as he noticed after the teleportation, they were still in the Student Council room. "Eh? Did it fail?"

"No, look outside." Sona instructed and Saji and Ruruko both walked towards the window seeing the sky was multicolored, almost like the northern lights that danced in the sky. "This is a pocket dimension. It is separate from the real world so we are free to rampage as much as we want. It seems the arena of choice is Kuoh Academy." Sona's eyes narrowed as she wondered what Raiser was up to? Or was this due to the influence of Serafall or Esdeath? Trying to give her a small advantage by having the battlefield being a familiar environment.

"Per Raiser Phenex's request, today's battlefield will be Kuoh Academy. A High School in the Human world in Japan. The very same school Lady Sona Sitri, Lady Rias Gremory and Lord Itachi Sitri attend to. The rules are simple, whoever defeats the enemy's team King first, wins. Sona Sitri's base of operation is the Student Council room. Whereas Raiser Phenex's base of operation is the Occult Research Club in the Old School building. Now, begin!"

"Alright, Raiser has us outnumbered, and he is located at the Old School building on the other side of campus. First, we need to set up a perimeter. Tsubaki." Sona began her plan of defense.

"Already on it, familiars are stationed all around the forest area. And, I shall stay here as a line of defense for you." Tsubaki declared and Sona gave an approving nod, Tsubaki was her most reliable servant.

"Saji, Ruruko I need you to patrol around the south side of the new school building and be on the lookout for Raiser's peerage trying to infiltrate. Tomoe, I need you to take the north side. Tsubasa, Reya and Momo I need you to capture the gymnasium before Raiser has a chance. Before we can advance on Raiser, we need to lower their numbers. That is all."

"Understood, Kaichou!" They all saluted and quickly went to complete their tasks.

Meanwhile in the Old School building. Raiser was taking in the sight of the room where Rias usually operated from within the academy. "Ah, if only this was real. It would have Rias' scent all over…" Raiser sighed and sat in the chair Rias usually sat in. "Ravel, any suggestion for a plan of attack?" Raiser looked to his younger sister.

"Yes, onii-sama." Ravel smiled and eyed her brother's peerage. "As we all know, Sona Sitri is a beginner, but she is far from a fool. In fact, I suspect Sona possesses a level of intellect that nearly rivals Itachi-sama. My guess is Sona will use it to her advantage that we are experienced in Rating Games. The fact that this is the first time Sona and her peerage are participating in a Rating Game, puts us at a disadvantage. As our knowledge of their abilities are limited. Whilst Sona has a lot of information about us to exploit in this battle. So, we need to change our approach in our plan of attack. Without a doubt, Sona will have a counter strategy meeting us at every turn otherwise."

"If they have such an advantage, why did we pick this for our battle location? It just gives her more of an advantage, no?" Karlamine voiced her concern.

"That is a good point, and that is precisely what I want Sona to think. She doesn't know that I have scooped up this academy and made myself familiar with every corner of it. I know every short cut to the Student Council, every hiding spot, I even know that the gymnasium is a target Sona would wish to secure to get another advantage over us. Which is why, instead of sending all of you out to advance like bulldozers tearing down a rainforest. We will send a group of you pawns to test the waters of Sona and her defenses at the south side of the new school building. Mira, Ile, Nel, Ni and Li that will be your job. The ones to that will take the gymnasium Mihae, Siris, Karlamine. Marion, Burent and Shuriya will attack from the north side of the new school building. Yubelluna will be on standby along with Isabela. Xuelan will remain here as a line of defense should Sona's peerage advance on us."

"L-Lady Ravel, are you sure I will be enough to defend you and master Raiser?" Xuelan looked concerned, for all she knew all of Sona's peerage could attack at once.

"Not to worry, I am counting on Sona not to make such a beginners mistake. Most likely she will focus on her line of defense, you are just a form of insurance." Ravel smirked with confidence, as there was one more part of her plan she needed to act out. "As for the Phenex tears, I think we should change it up a bit…" Ravel smirked at seeing the confused look of the girls and her brother.

On the southern side of the new school building, Saji and Ruruko were making their patrol. "Kaichou, we have yet to meet the enemy." Saji spoke over a commlink.

"Keep me posted, they are bound to make a move soon." Sona sounded calm and collected like usual, filling Saji with ease that they would manage to pull through after all.

"You got it! Ruruko let's take another round around the perimeter." The twin tailed girl Ruruko gave a quick nod, her cheeks flushes in a slight shade of pink as she gazed at Saji's back.

"Huh? Saji-senpai! The enemy are here!" Ruruko and Saji both leapt out of the way as two chainsaws roaring with fire sliced into the spot on the ground where they stood.

"Ho, they dodged it, Nel." One of the green haired chainsaw twins snickered.

"Ah, that girl detected us just in time, Ile." The twins took a short leap backwards to gain some distance between them and Saji and Ruruko.

"Heh, so they've come." Saji already having activated his black Sacred Gear gauntlet, pulled his arm back revealing multiple lines stretched out into the wilderness area of the academy. Saji with his strength pulled up trees by the roots from using his Sacred Gear, and tossed the trees onto the tiny chainsaw twins.

"Nel, let's slice them up!" The twins turned on their chainsaws, the rotating saw blades creating soaring rings of fire. The twins easily sliced the trees in half, and aimed for Saji. "You think some trees are going to stop our demonic chainsaws?!" The twins snickered as they swung their chainsaws at Saji.

Sparks flew in the air, and the twins looked in confusion as their chainsaws were blocked by a leg cladded in armor.

"Saji-senpai! Let's go!" Ruruko swung her other armor cladded leg in a spin kick straight into Ile sending her flying into Nel, and both twins went flying straight into a brick wall.

"Yeah, nice one Ruruko." Saji smirked as he swung the lines of his Sacred Gear, attaching it onto the twins' waists. "And now for the finisher!" Saji hoisted the twins' up into the air, and slammed their bodies into the ground in a loud clash that created a crater upon impact.

"Bastard…!" Ile cursed as she and Nel picked themselves up. "We ain't done yet! Ni! Li!" The chainsaw twins called out to which a torrent of blue fire spheres was unleashed from the woods.

"More?! I didn't even sense them?!" Ruruko backflipped to avoid the incoming torrent of fire bullets. Out from the woods jumped out the two nekomata twins Ni and Li.

"Nya!" Both twins slammed their fists into Ruruko knocking the air out of her and propelling her straight through a wall in the academy. "Me and sis use ki manipulation, we can easily conceal ourselves to beginners like you. Nya."

"Tch! We got careless!" Saji cursed, he quickly ducked as thrusting in from behind aiming at the back of Saji's head, was a Bo staff held by the young Mira. Saji threw a kick towards Mira who blocked it with the side of her Bo staff.

"Hey there, pawns of Sona Sitri. Looks like you're outnumbered." Mira smirked as she, the nekomata twins and chainsaw twins had Saji surrounded. "You're trapped."

"…" Saji remained calm, and looked around at Raiser's pawns who had him surrounded and boxed in. "Trapped? Me? Nah, you girls are the ones who are trapped here with me!" Saji confidently declared. Lines shooting out from his gauntlet and attaching themselves to Mira, Ni and Li as well. "Well, come at me!"

"Overconfident little." Mira rushed at Saji, thrusting her Bo staff as it engulfed itself in flames to increase its destructive power. Saji dodged the Bo staff, and from his right palm he fired a magic bullet straight into Mira knocking her back.

"What's with these lines, creepy!" The chainsaw twins attempted to cut the lines Saji had attached to them earlier with their chainsaws, yet even with the fire it would not be cut. The girls shivered as the lines looked like it was pumping something making it look creepier.

Ruruko having recovered jumped out from the hole in the wall, and spun kicked at Mira who blocked it with her Bo staff. 'So strong!' Mira grunted as she was pushed back from the force of Ruruko's intense kick.

Ni and Li ran around on all fours like actual cats, in their wake they left traces of blue fire from their sprinting. "Time to hunt, nya~" The twins pounced on Saji, scratching him with their claws made out of blue fire. Saji shielded his face with his arms, grunting as his body looked like it had been scratched by an actual tiger.

"Saji-senpai!" Ruruko looked like she was about to rush to Saji's aid, although was distracted as Mira thrusted her Bo staff towards her face, Ruruko barely managing to dodge it by tilting her upper body backwards.

"I'm your opponent. You are Ruruko Nimura, right? Your worth is a single pawn piece like the rest of us. And the only other pawn in Sona Sitri's collection, Saji Genshirou, worth a total of four pawn pieces. Doing the math, having Ni, Li, Nel and Ile fight him is more than fair." Ruruko was a bit taken aback on the level of knowledge Raiser's servants possessed about them. "It's just like Ravel-ojousama said… people guarding the North and South areas… and others going towards the gymnasium."

'How did she…!' Ruruko widened her eyes at learning that Raiser and his peerage knew of their plan. 'I must warn Kaichou!' Although before Ruruko could even attempt at it, Mira thrusted her flame engulfed Bo staff into her gut. Mira with her Bo staff hoisted Ruruko into the air, took a leap to hover over the Sitri pawn, and proceeded to slam the edge of her Bo staff into Ruruko smacking her into the ground.

"It's useless, and already too late." Mira smirked and smacked the edge of her Bo staff into Ruruko's face as she was down, causing her to roll across the field.

Saji in the meantime was getting attacked from all over, the nekomata twins scratching him with scorching blue fire, he barely could keep up with the four Phenex pawns. Saji was blocking every strike from the chainsaw twins using the lines of his Vritra Sacred Gear. 'Just a little longer…' Saji thought as he endured this abuse for as long as needed.

"You think we're done?" The nekomata twins smirked and their bodies glowed in a brilliant orange glow. "Unlike you we're at enemy territory. Promotion Knight!" And thus, the speed of the nekomata twins doubled, their strikes much faster and swifter.

"We're next!" The chainsaw twins smirked. "Promotion Rook!" The strength behind their attacks doubled, and Saji's lines began buckling under the pressure of their strikes.

"I'm up next." Mira smiled at the panting Ruruko. "Promotion Queen!" The intensity of her flames doubled, along with her strength and speed. Mira's thrusts left afterimages of herself, and Ruruko could barely keep up as she was locked in a bombardment of strikes.

"Ruruko! Let's take it up a notch!" Saji called out.

"Yeah!" Ruruko spat out some blood from her busted lip.

"What can you do?! You cannot use promotion in your own territory!" The chainsaw twins mocked them.

Ruruko's armor around her legs began to glow, and she vanished in a flash before Mira. 'Fast!' Mira looked spooked, feeling a surge of pain in her left side as Ruruko delivered a heavy spin kick into her. Mira was flung across the field, getting a good look at Ruruko was taking chase after her. Now Ruruko was leaving afterimages of herself in her wake. "Don't underestimate me!" Mira snarled, a blazing torrent of fire charging up around her Bo staff, only for it to be snuffed out in an instant. "What the? M-My power is fading?"

"Nice, Saji-senpai!" Ruruko smirked and delivered a drop kick on the top of Mira's head knocking her face first into the ground, which exploded into a crater.

"Nya?" Both Ni and Li halted as well, feeling out of breath already and their flames fading as well. "What is happening?"

"Argh!" The Chainsaw twins tumbled in their steps, looking a bit pale as they struggled to even stand up.

"One of the abilities of my Sacred Gear Vritra… Absorption Line. It attaches itself onto my opponents and drains their power." Saji smirked at his downed foes, the lines pumping power from the Pawns of Raiser and into him.

"N-No fair!" Ile whined as she fell onto the ground, her legs too tired to even stand.

"Five of Raiser Phenex's Pawns, retired." Esdeath announced and on que, Mira, the nekomata twins and the chainsaw twins disappeared rendered unable to fight.

Saji gave a thumbs up to Ruruko as the lines vanished back into his black Sacred Gear gauntlet. "Five down…"

Meanwhile with Raiser, Ravel and Xuelan in the Occult Research Clubroom. "No way… Sona Sitri had a servant with such a Sacred Gear?" Raiser's brow twitched in frustration at the loss of five of his pawns.

"No need to worry, Onii-sama. We've tested the abilities of our opponents. Xuelan, think you can handle them?" Ravel looked to the Rook of Raiser dressed in a Chinese dress.

Xuelan gave a quick nod. "It won't be a problem."

"Then head out, like I thought Sona is keeping most of her peerage on the defense." Ravel instructed, and on que the Rook vanished out an open window headed for the battlefield.

Meanwhile, on the northern side of the academy. Raiser's pawns Burent, Marion and Shuriya advanced from the wilderness towards the north side of the academy. Shuriya's senses tingled and she looked up. "Above." She casually warned her comrades as they all took a leap out of the way as a magic blast was unleashed from a magic circle.

"A trap?" One of the French maids, Marion looked curious and blasted out random magic bullets around her, that disarmed several traps.

"Aww, does Raiser only have women in his peerage?" Walking out from between the trees, was Sona's Knight Tomoe Meguri, wielding a black katana. "No cute little guys like Gasper-chan or Bob-chan… before he has slept anyway."

"Only one? Are they underestimating us?" Burent questioned looking a bit annoyed.

"Hmm? No, I mean… it only took Bob-chan to take down all eight of you pawns last time, right?" Tomoe said such insulting things with a smile on her face, and thus all three pawns flinched.

"What was that you bitch?" Shuriya trembled in rage.

"But it's the truth." Tomoe casually tilted her head, unfaced by the glares she was receiving. "Bob-chan even later went on to take down both your Rooks."

"Yeah, so what? You are nothing compared to that monster!" Marion threw back at Tomoe.

"Well yeah… that is also true." Tomoe casually stuck out her tongue while rubbing the back of her head with a sheepish look on her face.

"She's really starting to piss me off…" Shuriya glared at the casual knight of Sona.

"Well then… shall we get this started?" Tomoe went into a stance with her katana. Tomoe quickly blitzed their field of vision, targeting Shuriya first. Tomoe went for an upper swing with her Katana slicing down on Shuriya. However, the pawn of Raiser backflipped, flames engulfed around her feet as she attempted to kick Tomoe. Tomoe however avoided the fire kick by an inch by tilting her head backwards.

Tomoe moved like a dancer avoiding Shuriya's kicks with ease, holding her katana firm in her grip Tomoe swung her katana in an upper swing at Shuriya. Shuriya avoided the blade itself, although was blown back as moving with Tomoe's blade was water. "What was that?!" Shuriya picked herself up from the ground and stared at Tomoe, with water dancing along with the movements of her katana.

"Meguri-clan, form one. Water Bluff." Tomoe raised her katana, water shooting up in the air like a fountain from it. "I hail from the Meguri-clan. A clan of exorcists who exorcise demons and evil spirits with the use of our unique sword style." Tomoe once again vanished from their sight and appeared between Burent and Marion this time. "Meguri-clan, form two. Water Current!" With a sideways swing of her katana, Tomoe unleashed a current blast of water that sliced into the two maids' backs.

"She's fast… everyone let's use promotion and take her down." Burent went first and along with Shuriya and Marion they all promoted into a Queen.

Shuriya with her increased speed, strength and magical abilities moved like a Brazilian dancer, and fire dancing with her making her dance moves into deadly strikes. Tomoe went serious and began weaving and dodging the various fire waves coming her way.

"Meguri-clan, form three. Water Cannon!" Throwing her arm back, with a sphere of water gathering at the tip of her katana, Tomoe unleashed it in a mighty thrust. The thrust of her water cannon breaking the sound barrier, as it launched itself straight into Shuriya in the middle of her dance. The air knocked out of her, as Shuriya was sent flying through a row of trees.

Marion and Burent flew over Tomoe and unleashed a barrage fire of fire bullets. Tomoe turned around and faced the rain of fire, taking a deep breath for this next strike. "Meguri-clan, final twelfth form. Dance of the Water Gods!" With Tomoe's knight speed she slashed a series wave of water forming a gigantic web of water that flung itself into the fire bullets cutting them in half.

"Ah…" Marion and Burent didn't even have time to react as the water web clashed into them, creating an explosion of water in the sky for the whole school grounds to see.

"Raiser Phenex, three pawns, retired." Esdeath announced and the falling French maids who were stripped of their uniform from that intense attack, and the unconscious Shuriya laying trapped under multiple trees all vanished in blue lights.

"Phew, that took a lot of work." Tomoe wiped away some sweat from her brow, taking a quick breather. "That takes care of all the pawns… I should probably regroup with Saji-kun and Ruruko-chan."

Back in the southern area of the academy, Saji and Ruruko gave each other a high five at hearing the remaining of Raiser's pawns were retired. "Yosh! We're in the lead now!"

"Yeah, we're-" Ruruko couldn't finish as someone had jumped out and grabbed onto her face, slamming her hard into the ground which erupted into a mighty explosion that knocked Saji back.

"One down." It was Xuelan, the Rook of Raiser Phenex.

"One of Sona Sitri's pawns, retired." In a split second, Ruruko was taken out in one blow from Raiser's Rook. Saji stared in disbelief at seeing his comrade fading away into the blue light.

"R-Ruruko…" Saji uttered, Xuelan's shadow casting over him as she stood tall and stared him down. "Bastard!" Saji got up to his feet, and stared down Xuelan.

"More to go." Xuelan smirked as an explosion erupted that rocked the entire academy.

Saji stumbled and nearly fell over from the intense shaking left by the explosion. "That came from… the gymnasium." Saji's eyes were widened as he stared at a towering pillar of black smoke.

"Sona Sitri, one Bishop, retired." Esdeath announced, leaving Saji feeling a sense of dread. Was it Momo or Reya who were retired?

Xuelan however looked unimpressed. "Only one? You're getting sloppy, Yubelluna."

A bit earlier, after having remained in hiding to observe if any of Raiser's peerage entered the gymnasium. Momo, Reya and Tsubasa observed their surroundings in silence. "No one has entered the gymnasium yet. What now?" Tsubasa looks to the two Bishops.

"I say we move in and take it. It will give us an advantage later on in the battle." Reya stated and rushed out of hiding with Momo and Tsubasa following close behind. As Reya was in the lead, she reached the doors to the gymnasium first. "Come on, let's go!" Reya called out to Momo and Tsubasa, although then a magic circle appeared around the whole gymnasium.

"Reya! Get out of the way!" Momo warned but it was too late, the whole gymnasium blew up in a mighty explosion. Momo quickly formed a barrier around herself and Tsubasa to protect them from incoming debris. A massive cloud of smoke and dust blowing around the barrier completely blocking their field of vision.

Momo and Tsubasa looked as the smoked cleared, seeing a gigantic charcoaled crater left where the gymnasium was. "Reya!" They both called out, although saw their injured and burnt comrade on the ground vanishing in a blue light.

"Sona Sitri, one Bishop, retired." Esdeath announced, and Momo lowered the barrier as she and Tsubasa quickly looked above seeing the Queen of Raiser Phenex Yubelluna.

"My, I didn't expect one of you to have the ability to form a barrier. I had hoped to take all three of you out at once. How embarrassing." Yubelluna flicked her finger and jumping out from hiding were Raiser's Bishop Mihae and his Knights Siris and Karlamine. "Oh well, I suppose I can't hog all the fun." Yubelluna giggled and remained airborne to observe the fight.

"But how… our base is closer to the gymnasium. How did you beat us to it?" Momo questioned as Raiser's peerage had managed to remain hidden and observe them, waiting for them to fall for Yubelluna's trap.

"Ravel-ojousama in her quest to learn more about Itachi Sitri, scooped out this academy and made herself familiar with it, including finding any shortcuts~" Yubelluna revealed giving the revelation on why Raiser had picked Kuoh Academy as their battlefield. It was to lure them into a false sense of security that they were in a familiar environment.

Back with Saji, the Sitri pawn was locked in a fist fight with Xuelan. However, her kung-fu skills proved too much for Saji to keep up with. Her punches were heavy, even with the extra power taken from his previous opponents, Saji buckled under the pressure. 'This woman is insanely strong.' Saji avoided a fire covered kick, although his cheek was scratched from the fierce flames. Blood drawing itself from the cut on Saji's cheek, sweat began pouring down his face, he needed to gain some distance.

Xuelan would not let up in her assault, and kept rushing at Saji with heavy blows. Giving Saji no time to attach an absorption line onto her to drain her powers. Saji blocked a palm strike with the head of his Vritra gauntlet. And with some quick thinking he threw a punch, but his amateur fighting style was easy for Xuelan to predict as she countered the blow and delivered a heavy palm strike to Saji's abdomen.

Saji felt an intense pain surging through him, his bones breaking and the air knocked out of him. 'Dammit… I can't lose here… I was supposed to prove Kaichou's dream was no laughing matter. I can't lose here! I won't lose here!" Saji pulled his arm back, his absorption line attached onto a brick wall. Saji easily pulled down the wall upon himself and Xuelan.

'Does he attempt to take us both down?' Xuelan stared at the falling wall, and with a quick spin kick she shattered it into pieces. Saji used this opening to throw a punch to Xuelan's face sending her skidding backwards.

"I'm not done yet!" Saji raised his absorption line, swinging it down on Xuelan like a whip. Xuelan jumped out of the way, not allowing herself to get caught by the line as it would without a doubt attach itself to her and drain her power. Xuelan dug her hands into the dirt, and with her Rook strength picked up a massive chunk of earth and tossed it at Saji. The earth chunk crumbled in the face of Saji's absorption line. Saji with his free hand fired a magic bullet at Xuelan.

"Like the power of a mere pawn will-!" Xuelan caught the blast although was shocked as it packed more power than she expected. Xuelan skidded backwards, the earth digging itself up from underneath her feet. 'He used the stolen power from Mira and the rest?!' Xuelan tried her best to contain the blast in her grasp, trying to burn it out with her blazing inferno of fire.

'Yes! I got her now!' Saji moved in with his absorption line now that Xuelan was stuck trying to fight off his magic bullet.

'Dammit I messed up!' Xuelan disregarded the consequences and crushed the magic bullet between her hands. The explosion burning both her forearms with mild burns. Avoiding Saji's absorption line was out of the question now, she just needed to make sure she took Saji out with her. "I commend you, Pawn of Sona Sitri." Xuelan grabbed onto the line before the end touched her, but like she suspected it didn't matter as the line attached to her right hand. "You are one tricky opponent. However, I won't lose that easily!" With all her Rook strength Xuelan pulled at the line, and heaved Saji into the air and sending him flying straight towards her, and her fist. "It's over!" Xuelan cladded her fist in flames and aimed to finish Saji off in one blow.

'Dammit! Vritra cannot absorb her power quick enough! At this rate I might not make it!' Saji prepared himself the best he could, hoping to try and block the punch with his forearm. A burnt and broken arm was better than ending up retired this early on in the games.

"Meguri-clan, form six, Rotating Water Wheel!" Tomoe jumped in right between Saji and Xuelan, spinning her body as she slashed her katana sword creating a wheel of water. With Xuelan backing up from the water, Tomoe quickly shifted her stance pulling her dominate arm back and aiming the tip of her blade towards Xuelan. "Meguri-clan, form three, Water Cannon!" With a mighty thrust Tomoe unleashed a water cannon at near point-blank range into Xuelan.

"Ugh!" Xuelan grunted in pain as the air was nearly knocked out of her, had she not blocked the strike with her forearms she would have taken much more damage. With her Rook strength however, Xuelan didn't go flying and skidded merely backwards.

"Tomoe!" Saji looked ecstatic to see his comrade.

Tomoe was breathing heavily, using two forms at once was tiering for her. "Sorry I'm late, Saji-kun… If I came here a bit earlier, I could have saved Ruruko-chan."

"Don't worry about it… I'm sure Ruruko is beating herself up already from getting caught off guard. We need to focus on the task Kaichou gave us." Saji's Sacred Gear had already begun the process of draining Xuelan's power, hopefully soon the Rook would tire herself out and be an easy target.

"Right, let's take her down and join the others at the gymnasium!" Tomoe readied herself into a stance as they stared Xuelan down.

'The bones in my left arm are broken… my energy is draining but I still got some to spare… if I play this right, I can take them both down with me.' Xuelan thought out a battle strategy, she was a Rook after all. She wasn't going to go down that easily.

'That Rook, her ability is easily on the level of a Queen… her magical abilities is nearly as good as her strength and stamina. She's the worst kind of opponent for me… I can't cut her down that easily… And Saji is needed more than I am in this Rating Game.' Tomoe herself began analyzing the situation in her head, she looked to the line Saji had attached to Xuelan's right hand and instantly came up with a strategy. "Saji-kun…"

"Yeah?"

"We're running for it!" Tomoe instantly took off at full speed leaving a confused Saji and Xuelan.

'She ran away?!' Saji and Xuelan screamed internally in confusion.

"W-Wait! Tomoe!" Saji quickly took chase.

"What's the deal with them… They left their base open for attack?" Xuelan questioned in confusion, although before she could even think of going into the building to confront Sona. Xuelan noticed the absorption line was still attached to her right hand, and no matter how far Saji ran it kept extending itself. Connecting the dots, an enraged Xuelan took chase after the fleeing Sitri members. "Come back here you pieces of shit!"

No matter how far Saji would go, this line would continue to absorb Xuelan's power, they didn't have to beat her head on, they just needed to outlast her. "She's fast!" Saji looked in shock as despite being a Rook which is designed for physical strength and stamina, Xuelan was nearly as fast as a Knight.

"Don't underestimate the stamina of a Rook!" Xuelan roared as she took chase after them.

Tomoe snickered at the chasing Phenex Rook. 'The more she exerts herself, added with Saji's absorption line absorbing her power, she'll tire faster. The more she exerts herself, the easier it will be for us to obtain victory!'

'This feels like such a cheap victory…' Saji sweat dropped at the screaming Phenex Rook closing in behind him.

"Let's make this harder for her." Tomoe took a quick flip around, and sliced her katana sword cutting down multiple trees in an instant. Xuelan clicked her tongue in frustration and powered through the fallen trees, flames erupting from her entire body.

"Come back here dammit!" Xuelan cried whilst sprinting at full speed, she was already feeling her chest growing hotter, it was getting harder to breath. While running Xuelan with her full strength tried to rip off the line attached to her right hand, but to no avail. And when she tried to pull Saji to her, the line just kept on extending. "Dammit! Dammit! Shit! Come back here you bastards!" Giving up on ripping the line off, Xuelan went back to focusing on running.

Meanwhile in burning crater of what was left of the gymnasium. Momo was holding up her barrier in the face of Raiser's Knight Siris who kept slamming her gigantic sword into it. Lightning sparking from the barrier and the sword when it made contact. Momo looked to be sweating a bit under the pressure of Siris attacks, which didn't go unnoticed.

"How long can you hold out I wonder?" Yubelluna asked from the sky, and on que Siris jumped back as Yubelluna unleashed a series of explosions onto Momo's barrier. Each explosion sending rocking vibrations across the entire area.

Tsubasa in the meantime, jumped away from bullets of fire being shot towards her by Mihae. Tsubasa whilst avoiding the flaming bullets tried to advance towards Mihae, but every time she got too close Karlamine appeared and swung her flaming sword at her forcing Tsubasa to back away. "I don't usually dual against opponents by ganging up on them. But orders from Raiser-sama, are orders!" Karlamine sliced and slashed after Tsubasa who kept backflipping to avoid the flaming sword. However, Tsubasa had no room to breathe as Mihae once again unleashed a barrage fire of flame bullets at her.

"Tch! This is bad! We need reinforcements!" Tsubasa and Momo both realized how dire the situation was for them. At this rate they would be taken out, and Sona would be left at a heavy disadvantage. 'I was hoping to save this for later, but I have no choice!' As Karlamine was about to cut Tsubasa down, Karlamine's fire sword clashed with a shield of light.

"What the?!" Karlamine took a leap back in shock.

The shield then changed into a golden energy made yo-yo, and Tsubasa flicked it towards Karlamine who countered it with her sword. Although the never-ending energy string of the yo-yo managed to reach Mihae. The bishop letting out a gasp as the yo-yo emitted a strong torrent of lightning and crashed onto her. Mihae jumped out from the burning smoke, her kimono tattered and her body covered in burns. 'What is that?! A Sacred Gear?!'

"Artificial Sacred Gear, Twinkle Aegis." Tsubasa span two yo-yos around her, one covered in lightning and one covered in fire.

"Artificial Sacred Gear? I see, I assume the same applies for this one." Yubelluna looks at Momo who was still holding up her barrier, Yubelluna eyeing the bracelets around Momo's wrists. "No matter… soon you will tire anyway."

Karlamine countered the incoming spinning yo-yos of Tsubasa, the yo-yos struck the ground creating craters from its powerful impact caused by Tsubasa's Rook strength. "Mihae! Get up!" Karlamine ordered and the bishop picked herself up, and continued unleashing a barrage fire of flame bullets.

"Naïve!" Tsubasa transformed one of the yo-yos into a golden shield to block the flame bullets as she advanced forward.

'The Rook's Sacred Gear can switch between defensive properties and offence in the form of a shield and a yo-yo. Whereas the bishop only holds defensive and supportive properties. I suspect the bishop's defensive barrier is stronger than the rook's shield. But the Rook is far more mobile than the bishop with her shield. Therefor I should dispose of the Rook first.' Yubelluna directed her staff towards Tsubasa as she was advancing on Karlamine and Mihae.

Tsubasa's senses picked up the faint sound which sounded like someone lighting a match. Tsubasa rolled towards the source leaving her back open to Karlamine and Mihae. An explosion erupted around Tsubasa, although the Rook managed to use her shield to protect her from the source of the explosion lessening the amount of damage. Although it didn't matter as Karlamine slashed Tsubasa in the back with her flame sword. "Argh!" Tsubasa cried out in pain. Her wound cauterized from the fire so there was nearly no blood. The impact was added as Mihae blasted a fire bullet into Tsubasa's back sending her rolling onto the ground.

"Tsubasa!" Momo called out to her comrade, looking relieved to see Tsubasa still being able to stand on her two feet. 'I see, you realized taking the damage from Raiser's Queen's explosion, would have been much worse than the combined attacks of his Knight and Bishop.' Momo couldn't rest as Siris kept pushing her barrier with her violent sword slashes.

Tsubasa went back to using two set of yo-yos, sending the lightning once smashing into Karlamine, and the fire one rolling into Mihae. Karlamine was able to block and counter with her sword, but Mihae was caught in the blast her body suffering even more burns. 'She should retire at any moment! I must finish this!' Tsubasa redirected the lightning yo-yo and sending it flying at the downed Mihae. Although Karlamine quickly intervened and blocked the yo-yo.

"Mihae." Karlamine threw the bishop a look, before rushing right at Tsubasa engaging in a duel with Tsubasa's yo-yos. Tsubasa however did not take her eye of Mihae, noting the bishop was taking something out from her sleeve. It was a bottle with Phenex tears.

"Ugh! Momo! The tears! The Bishop has one!" Tsubasa warned, and then in that split instant Momo lowered her barrier. A move which did not go unnoticed by Yubelluna who aimed her staff at Momo.

"Reverse!" Momo casted a spell, the moment Mihae began pouring the Phenex tears onto her body. Then suddenly the tears that fell on Mihae's body exploded into a series of explosions. Followed by another explosion unleashed upon Momo who cried out in pain.

"Raiser Phenex and Sona Sitri, one Bishop each retired." Esdeath was heard over the announcing system.

Despite having taken out Momo, Yubelluna looked shocked at seeing Mihae also getting taken out. "Wh-What did that Sitri bishop do?" Yubelluna looked perplexed, the Phenex tears blew up the moment they made contact with Mihae's body. "What's going on here?"

Meanwhile, Raiser and Ravel both looked shocked at this discovery as well. "S-She… changed the healing properties of our tears… into explosives?" Ravel looked in disbelief, she never imagined Sona's peerage had such an ability.

Back on the battlefield, Yubelluna looked nonchalant about all this. "The Sitri, are a clever bunch it would seem. I would expect nothing less. But with that bishop now gone, you won't use the same trick again."

The battle went into a halt, as they heard screaming coming from the wilderness. They all casually turned around seeing Tomoe and Saji sprinting out from the between the trees. The two Sitri servants went into a halt, and looked behind them seeing the panting Xuelan shakingly following them. "C-Come back here… *pant… You… *pant…. Bastards." Xuelan panted although was then karate chopped into the neck by Tomoe.

"Sweet dreams~" Tomoe smiled as Xuelan began fading away.

"One of Raiser Phenex's Rooks, retired." Esdeath announced.

'Reinforcements?' Yubelluna was focused on Tomoe and Saji. 'Still no sign of Sona Sitri or her Queen… Meaning they are the only ones left at their base?' Yubelluna smirked as she saw a golden opportunity. "Karlamine, Siris keep these fools distracted. I'm going for the goal." Yubelluna flew away towards the new school building.

"I won't let you!" Tomoe took chase, although the moment her feet touched a certain area on the ground, it was lit up with magic circles. "Huh?" Tomoe couldn't react as the magic circle traps exploded in a massive chain of explosions. Tomoe however, was still standing as she flew out from the smoke, her uniform a bit tattered and burnt from the explosion.

Siris then clashed her blade with Tomoe's katana. "You are the only knight of Sona Sitri? I've been waiting for you." Siris smirked as she and Tomoe were locked in a duel.

"Saji! Go after the Queen! We got these two!" Tsubasa ordered as she held off Karlamine.

"Right!" Saji as he turned around to run, he hit something hard, yet soft at the same time and fell onto his ass. "Ouch! What did I hit…?" Saji looked up seeing a tall woman with a mask over the right side of her face.

"Glad you could join us, Isabela." Karlamine welcomed her comrade with a smile.

"I am Isabela, I am Raiser-sama's Rook. I will be your opponent." Isabela glared down at Saji who flinched a bit underneath her strict glare. Although the image of Isabela was then replaced with the glaring face of Sona. Yep, Sona was much scarier to Saji than this Isabela woman.

"Dammit, guess I got no choice." Saji got up to his feet and readied himself for battle.

The sound of clanking metal echoed through the wilderness of the forest, as the speeding knights Tomoe and Siris clashed their blades. Siris heavy sword pushing down on Tomoe's katana. Tomoe flinched as her legs trembled due to the burns, she suffered from that explosion earlier put a strain on her body. "Heh." Siris smirked and took a leap back while slashing her blade in midair, generating such violent shockwaves that it cut down the surrounding trees in the blink of an eye. Tomoe ducked to avoid the shockwave just in time, and was quick to jump back on her feet.

"Meguri-clan, form five, Dancing Waves!" Waves of water began moving along with Tomoe's sword, as she rushed towards Siris the waves grew bigger and bigger. Siris widened her eyes as the water waves towered over like a miniature tsunami. Tomoe leaped up and slashed her katana downwards sending the wave crashing down onto Siris. Water splashing violently and raining down around the battlefield.

Tomoe grunted a bit feeling pressure pushing her back, widening her eyes seeing Siris with double handed sword having blocked off her katana strike. Siris displaying superior strength pushed Tomoe off with ease sending her flying into the air. Tomoe pulled out her devil wings to remain airborne.

"You won't get away." Siris pushed her right leg behind her back along with her blade. Pushing her left foot into the ground causing it to crack as she prepared to take a giant leap. Then as if a gun shot went off, Siris took a giant leap towards Tomoe aiming to cut her down.

"Meguri-clan, form three, Water Cannon!" Tomoe quickly thrusted her katana forward unleashing a water cannon blast straight towards Siris. The Phenex knight looked unfaced, and brought out her devil wings taking a flip over the water blast midair. Letting out a war cry Siris slashed her sword on the gaping Tomoe sending her pummeling like a meteorite towards the ground in a loud crash.

Siris looked down upon Tomoe as she laid there twitching in a crater, broken. Yet Tomoe was still conscious and deemed able to fight as she was not retired yet. Siris glared down on Tomoe, seeing the Sitri knight barely managed to hold onto her katana properly in her grip. "No more tricks, eh? It's over." Siris plummeted down towards Tomoe ready to deliver the final strike.

"M-Meguri-clan, form ten," Tomoe managed to stand, blood pouring over her cute face from a cut on her forehead, her white teeth stained red in blood as well. Tomoe moved as if she was pulling her katana from her hilt and glared at the incoming Siris. "Depth Slash." Tomoe then blitzed Siris and appeared behind her with her katana drawn and with traces of water emitting from her blade.

Siris stared perplexed, her gaze looking at Tomoe from the corner of her eye. "S-So fast…" Siris found herself vomiting out a puddle of blood, as a gashing slash appeared on her torso.

"Raiser Phenex, one knight, retired." As Esdeath announced it, Siris began fading away in a blue light.

Tomoe fell from the sky, and crashed into the ground. She was out of breath, her arms broken along with a few ribs. She couldn't even manage to hold her katana any longer, she was done for. "Sona Sitri, Knight, retired." Tomoe began breathing slowly seeing a blue light emitting around her. 'Sorry, Kaichou, sorry I couldn't be more of a use to you.' Tomoe shed a single tear as she vanished.

"Tomoe…" Tsubasa glanced at the spot where her comrade vanished from, with a regrettable look, Tsubasa returned to combat. 'Without a doubt, Raiser and Ravel Phenex are already headed for Kaichou's base. With Yubelluna backing them up, Kaichou and Tsubaki are at a disadvantage. I need to send some reinforcements their way…' Tsubasa took a quick glance in Saji's direction, who was doing his best to contend against Isabela's Rook strength.

Karlamine rushed at Tsubasa, mighty flames generating from her sword, followed by a powerful gush of wind creating a blazing tornado around her blade. "Pay attention!" Karlamine scolded Tsubasa and slashed her sword, sending a gigantic flame tornado towards the unexpecting Rook.

'Dammit!' Tsubasa converted her yo-yos into a gigantic golden energy shield to hold off the tornado. Yet even with her defensive abilities, the might of the blazing tornado was pushing her back. The soles of her shoes dragging up the earth as she was slowly pushed back.

Out from Tsubasa's blind spot however, Karlamine targeted her back that was wide open. "Game over…" Karlamine slashed her sword aimed at Tsubasa's back, being a Rook however Tsubasa endured the pain of the hot metal of Karlamine's sword slicing at her back. Once the flame tornado was gone, Tsubasa quickly turned around in order to punch Karlamine. Yet Karlamine with her knight speed easily avoided her punch, and this time she cut Tsubasa's abdomen with a flame dagger.

Tsubasa was panting a bit, glaring at Karlamine who stood armed with a flaming sword in her right hand, and a flaming dagger in her left. "Your body is quite sturdy, and your willpower is quite impressive. It is an honor to fight such a worthy opponent." Karlamine gave a respectful bow to Tsubasa.

"… You haven't seen nothing yet." Like if they were Morningstar's, Tsubasa spins her yo-yos over her head, the intense spinning leaving golden trails of their energy in their wake.

"Heh, that's the spirit." Karlamine smiled and rushed at full speed towards Tsubasa. Tsubasa swung a down her yo-yo coated in lightning, yet Karlamine merely jumped to the side to avoid it. Tsubasa wasn't done as by pulling her arm back, the yo-yo halted and spun towards Karlamine like wheel. Lightning crackling around it tearing up the terrain limiting Karlamine's movements. 'She's creating a straight path leading only towards her?' Karlamine noticed as the second yo-yo coated in fire was doing the same as the lightning one on her left, tearing up the ground. 'I will just take flight an attack her from above!' As Karlamine brought out her wings, Tsubasa widened her eyes and saw an opening.

"Now!" Tsubasa crossed her arms, and her yo-yos crossed each other and binding themselves around Karlamine's wings. Karlamine widened her eyes in shock, her wings were trapped, and Tsubasa's grip on the energy string of her yo-yos tightened. "You little!" Tsubasa yanked the string back, and thus Karlamine was pulled up into the air. "Get over here!" Tsubasa roared as she dragged Karlamine straight towards her. Karlamine looked too shocked to even react, as Tsubasa pulled her fist back. Tsubasa let out a war cry as she threw a solid punch straight into Karlamine's abdomen. Karlamine spat out some saliva, the air knocked out from her lungs and like a cannon ball she was sent rocketing straight towards the academy pool in the distance.

All one saw, was the massive towering splash of the water from the pool along with the booming sound of Karlamine crashing into the pool. "Raiser Phenex, knight, retired." Tsubasa took a few deep breaths at hearing Esdeath's announcement, Karlamine was defeated.

Saji in the meantime threw a punch to Isabela's gut, only to look shocked as the woman didn't even flinch. "Too weak!" Isabela grunted and kneed Saji in the gut causing him to buckle over in pain. Isabela grabbed onto the tuff of Saji's hair, holding him up and readying her fist. "Grit your teeth and take your defeat like a man." Isabela threw her fist forward at Saji's face, only for a strong sturdy hand to catch her punch. Isabela looked a bit surprised and looked to the side only to be met with a heavy punch to her face.

"Tsubasa…" Saji rubbed his head to see if Isabela had ripped any of his hair out, looking a bit relieved to see Tsubasa having stepped in.

"Get up, and go back to base. I suspect Raiser is taking advantage of this opportunity to attack Kaichou. She is going to need backup." Tsubasa grabbed onto Isabela's hair holding her in place. "I will deal with this one! Rook to Rook!"

"R-Right." Saji understanding the urgency ran back towards the new school building to stop Yubelluna and aid Sona and Tsubaki in the upcoming final battle.

"You defeated Karlamine, right?" Isabela looked like she wasn't affected by Tsubasa's punch earlier, which shocked Tsubasa she had put a lot of force into that punch. "I see, so you are a Rook huh? Well then, let's hope you are stronger than that pawn."

"Heh," Tsubasa smirked as she stared down Isabela. "Don't flatter yourself, Saji hasn't even gotten serious yet. He is saving his power per orders of master Sona. If he had gotten serious, he would have beaten you." At this Isable seemed a bit intrigued.

"Is that so?" Isabela headbutted Tsubasa, yet Tsubasa stood her ground and didn't buckle under. Blood trails dripping down from Tsubasa's forehead as she and Isabela stared each other down. "Ugh!" Isabela grunted a bit as Tsubasa kneed her in the stomach.

"That's right you bitch…" Tsubasa declared and a smirk appeared on Isabela's face. Isabela returned the favor from earlier and grabbed onto Tsubasa's hair, both women holding each other by the hair and raising their fists now that they held each other in place. "Ora!" Both of them began punching each other violently in the face, the sheer speed they swung their fists left multiple afterimages of their fists. It looked like a storm of fists.

In the stands of the audience watching the battle unfold. Everyone was mumbling amongst themselves seeing these two women duke it out by punching each other in the face. "W-Why are they fighting like that?" Issei asked in confusion.

"My guess is that they are competing to see who is the toughest. Whoever gives in first, looses. If you look carefully, you see neither of them are moving their bodies or flinching despite getting punched in the face. They are both standing their ground." Bob replied as he watched on with some interest, he had a hand in mentoring Tsubasa in the past, and he had fought Isabela in the past.

"Bob, that Isabela woman…" Itachi looked at the two Rooks carefully whilst they were locked in a fist fight. "… you fought her before, does she seem different somehow?"

Bob gave a nod. "Yeah, the weight of her punches is much stronger than when she fought me. I suspect she's been training since her loss to me. Well, that and one other thing…"

"What else? She holding back?" Damian casually asked while munching one some popcorn. As he and the rest of the sins couldn't help but notice Isabela didn't seem to take much damage from Tsubasa's punches, whereas Tsubasa was her face already bruised and a bit swollen.

"Not sure, she may very well be. But it is that mask of hers, no matter how hard Tsubasa punches her in the face, that mask doesn't crack." At this everyone looked closer, and indeed Isabela's mask hadn't suffered a single injury despite the number of punches Tsubasa landed on it.

"I see, an anti-magic mask. That mask wouldn't even break if you blasted it with magic attacks. It is usually used for sealing purposes." Itachi recalled reading about them, it is one of Ajuka's creations designed to suppress the power of someone who doesn't have good control over it. "Going by the intensity of that Isabela's attacks now, I would say without that mask on she is High-class devil level. She is probably stronger than Raiser's Queen."

Back in the battle, Isabela smirked as she noticed something about the way Tsubasa punched. "That stance, and the way you throw your punches… have you been trained by the Sin of Sloth Bob by any chance?" Isabela looked with great interest.

"He showed me a few boxing moves, what of it?!" Tsubasa kept punching Isabela at full force, feeling a bit irritated that Isabela's face wasn't even bruised.

"I see, if you recall I fought Bob during the Rating Game between Itachi and lord Raiser. He is quite strong. I admire that about him. Ever since he beat me, I've been training for a rematch one day! I was hoping to show off to him in this game to be honest."

Tsubasa grunted and in a surprising turn of events, she tied the golden energy string of her yo-yo around her fist. Using it like a knuckleduster to increase the power of her punches, which seemed to work as the yo-yo was even coated in lightning and Isabela threw her head back a bit from the force of Tsubasa's punch.

Isabela looked at Tsubasa's face who threw another punch, into Isabela's face. Every time Tsubasa threw a punch, sparks of lightning flew around them. "If you want a rematch against Bob, you have to get by me first!" Both women then smirked as Isabela swung her head forward in a headbutt yet Tsubasa didn't flinch and stood her ground.

Back in the stands, Issei now eyes Bob with a hint of jealousy. "What?" Bob looking confused asked.

"Don't you what me! You have two beautiful women fighting over you! I am so jealous!" Issei cried, causing Asia to pout and pinch his arm. "Ouch!"

"… I think you are mistaken." Bob rubbed the back of his head as he looked at Isabela and Tsubasa struggle in battle. "Seeing this, I'm not exactly getting the feeling they are fighting over me… not for the reason you think anyway."

"I agree." Damian added. "Kouhai, what you are seeing aren't two maidens in love fighting for their man. What you are seeing, are two fighters competing for their mentors' attention. I can clearly see both of them aren't in love with good ol' Bob here. No, if anything the feeling they are feeling towards Bob, is respect between fellow warriors." At this Issei seemed to calm down, and returned to look at the ongoing battle.

The sound of groaning flesh and bones were all one heard between these two women punching each other with everything they had. Until that sound finally came to an end as both threw a final punch into each other. Standing still both let go of each other's hair and Isabela stumbled backwards and fell onto her ass.

What follows is a long silence, as Isabela is panting a bit, she looks up at the towering form of Tsubasa standing over her. "Phew, you are one tough woman… Tsubasa Yura." Isabela smiled as she looked at her opponent who began fading away in a blue light. "I look forward to a rematch one day."

"Sona Sitri's Rook, retired." Esdeath announced as Tsubasa faded away.

"Well, time to join Raiser-sama and the rest…" Isabela got back up, and ran in the same direction Saji took off to earlier.

Meanwhile, on the roof of the new school building. Yubelluna was hovering in the sky, looking confident as she found the last line of defense for Sona. Tsubaki Shinra was standing tall with her naginata in hand. "Ah, the Queen of Sona Sitri, Tsubaki Shinra, correct?" Yubelluna asks, yet Tsubaki doesn't look up, and doesn't even acknowledge Yubelluna's presence with a respond. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Yubelluna bows while keeping a cocky smirk, as appearing flying behind her are Ravel Phenex and Raiser Phenex himself.

"…" Tsubaki doesn't say a word, and doesn't even bat an eye at her opponents.

"That Queen of Itachi Sitri, Kuroka, gave me quite the trashing last game…" Yubelluna tightened her grip onto her staff, her eyes twitching in anger at that humiliating defeat. "Therefore, I shall take out my anguish on a fellow Queen of the noble Sitri family!" Yubelluna loses her cool at the thought of Kuroka and unleashes a series of explosions at Tsubaki that rock the entire academy from its power.

However, to Yubelluna's surprise it is as if her explosions are sucked in and appearing before Tsubaki is a mirror. "Mirror Alice…" Tsubaki mumbles under her breath, as the mirror glows and shatters from Yubelluna's explosion. But thus, reflects Yubelluna's explosion right back at her with double in power. Yubelluna gasps seeing her own explosion coming towards her, but she manages to avoid it by flying away to the side, and the explosion detonates in the air behind her like fireworks lighting up the whole sky.

"That was a Sacred Gear…" Ravel points out to Yubelluna. "Be careful, I suspect her Sacred Gear reflects magical attacks!" Ravel warned Yubelluna who was grinding her teeth in frustration over having been humiliated like that before Raiser.

"Why you!" Yubelluna snarls, really annoyed with Tsubaki who still refuses to look at her. "Don't underestimate me!" Yubelluna in her anger charges head forward at Tsubaki. And in that moment, Tsubaki lifts her gaze, her eyes meeting Yubelluna's for the first time since their match started. Yubelluna looks a little caught off guard, she was under the impression Tsubaki was underestimating her. But that couldn't be further from the truth, Yubelluna was the one who underestimated Tsubaki.

In the blink of an eye, Tsubaki thrusts her naginata forward and stabs Yubelluna through the stomach with its blade. Raiser and Ravel both gasp in shock, they could barely keep up with Tsubaki's movements. In the speed of a split second, Tsubaki had slipped her hand down to the edge of her naginata staff, and thrusted the heavy spear forward to stab Yubelluna.

"Tsu-Tsubaki…!" Yubelluna vomits out a spray of blood onto the cool stoic face of Tsubaki, leaving a blood spray over the right side of her face. Tsubaki twirls her wrist a bit, and then swings her naginata to the side and thus she flings Yubelluna off the blade and onto the roof in a violent crash that sends her flying straight through. Yubelluna crashing right into the student council room and lands before Sona's desk, who calmly looks down on the fallen Phenex Queen.

"Yubelluna!" Ravel attempts to fly down to her brother's Queen, but Raiser stops her seeing the calm look in Tsubaki's eyes filled with killer intent.

Tsubaki slams the end of her naginata staff onto the roof, and stoically eyes the Phenex daughter. "Next." Tsubaki casually calls out, awaiting a new opponent.

"Raiser Phenex, Queen, retired." Esdeath announced.

"Are you crazy?!" Ravel begins shouting. "You could have killed her with that wound!" Ravel scolds as the stab wound Yubelluna suffered without a doubt was fatal, had she not been retired that quickly and not received treatment from the healers on the other end with Phenex tears, Yubelluna would have been dead.

Tsubaki however looks stoic and calmly replies with. "In the Rating Games, a player is only taken off the field when near death or rendered immobile. Besides, they will probably heal her with the Phenex tears. What I did, is only what is naturally expected in a Rating Game. I fight, and I live my life for Sona-ojousama. My wish, is her wish. My desire, is her desire. My dream, is her dream. I will crush anyone, who stands in the way of Sona-ojousama's ambitions." Tsubaki declares to not just Ravel and Raiser, but to everyone watching from the stands.

Watching from the sidelines in awe, are Rias and Itachi with their peerage members. Xenovia in particular is twitching and trembling. "What pressure… So, this is Tsubaki-senpai? If Irina and I had fought her, when we came in search for Excalibur… We would have lost." Xenovia shakes, as in her mind she imagines an ominous form of Tsubaki standing towering over her whilst pointing the blade of her naginata down onto her.

"Tsubaki Shinra, is completely devoted to my little sister. She doesn't care who stands in her way, she will fight until her last breath. An admirable quality. Sona sure picked a frightening devoted Queen." Itachi compliments Sona's choice of peerage members, they were all devoted to Sona and her ambitions. It pleased Itachi to no end seeing his sister having such support. Rias even nods in agreement to Itachi's words.

Akeno is seen sweating a bit. "Frankly, I'm not sure I could beat her either. Her Sacred Gear, and sheer battle skills might be too much for me." Akeno admits as she, who mostly relies on magical attacks would be a horrible match up against Tsubaki's Mirror Alice.

'Tsubaki with her tactic and skills… if she were a member of Konoha she would have made a fine ANBU Captain.' Itachi couldn't help but compare Sona's Queen to the level of an ANBU Captain, with such devotion to her master and with such a lack of emotion she would have been a perfect fit. Itachi knew what Tsubaki's tactic was from that little bout with Yubelluna alone. Tsubaki lures her opponent into thinking she is underestimating them by not even acknowledging them. Using her Sacred Gear to render any long-ranged attack useless. Her opponents angered at the thought of her underestimating them, and frustrated that their long-ranged attacks aren't working, will attack blindly up nice and close within range for Tsubaki to attack.

Kiba looks at the form of Tsubaki in admiration. "Such wonderful technique, and a magnificent style."

Jumping onto the rooftop at Tsubaki's side is Saji, and closely followed by Isabela who jumps before Raiser and Ravel acting as their bodyguard. Sona flies out from the hole left by Yubelluna and stands with her Queen and Pawn.

Raiser acknowledged Sona with a tiny smile. "It seems your brother is not the only one with capable servants…"

Sona merely huffs at Raiser's words. "Comparing onii-sama and his peerage of Ultimate-class level monsters… isn't really fair, Raiser."

Raiser gives an amused snort. "Certainly not. Honestly, I think the only one with a chance at beating Itachi is Sairaorg. I don't see how this tournament will be entertaining with such predictable results."

Sona gives a light chuckle. "Afraid of facing my brother's wrath? Up to some old tricks that will get the council to disqualify him?"

Raiser merely shakes his head in responds. "No, no more tricks… Just stating a fact."

Saji interrupts by charging head first at Raiser, only to be meet with the wall that was Isabela as the two clash their forearms together. "That Rook Tsubasa Yura claimed you were hiding your true power, I would love to see it." Isabela smirks, and Saji looks at Sona from the corner of his eye who gives him an approving nod.

"Yeah, she was right!" Saji declares as black fire begins emitting from around him.

"Good, Raiser-sama, may I?" Isabela looks to Raiser from the corner of her eye, who gives a nod of approval. "Finally, I've been waiting for this." Isabela smiles as she grabs onto her mask. Isabela removes her mask revealing the hidden right side of her face, her eye was closed and had a strange tattoo pattern around it. Saji looked curious as his gazed focused on the opening eye of Isabela. Her eye was iris looked like it was on fire, it looked like the sun itself shining bright gold. Isabela effortlessly crushes the anti-magic mask in her own hand. "I was hoping to use this in the rematch against Itachi Sitri… but from the looks of it, I need to use it now." Isabela's body began emitting golden fire. "Sacred Gear: Eye of Helios."

In the stands Bob looked a little taken aback, wondering why Isabela never used that Sacred Gear during their battle. "Eye of Helios? Is it a powerful Sacred Gear?" As if on que, Azazel arrived and put his arm around Itachi like they were best of friends.

"Yo! How's it going over here? Enjoying the game?" Azazel smirked holding a glass of whisky like he was offering one to Itachi.

"I would put that away if I were you." Itachi looked amused as he could practically see Serafall from the Maou stands glaring down at Azazel, and even Esdeath sending death glares their way.

Azazel sweated a bit and gave a nervous chuckle as he chugged down the glass and tossed it away. "Gee, no sense of humor that sister of yours…"

"Azazel-sensei, do you know what that Sacred Gear is?" Issei asked and pointed to the screen showing Saji and Isabela.

"Ah, Eye of Helios… Nothing special really. Just your average Sacred Gear. It works as a Twice Critical and doubles the wielders power, and gives them the power to wield the fire of the Greek sun God Helios. Its fire is hotter than the Phenex families Hell Fire. But from the looks of it, that Isabela is not very well trained in the use of it as Raiser had her wear that mask to seal it away." Azazel gave them his quick thoughts on the subject, and joined them as he leaned back in his seat and let out a relaxing sigh. "Well, by the looks of it this will be the last stand of this round. Let's just sit back and enjoy."

Saji felt like he was getting pushed back from Isabela's superior Rook strength which had even doubled now. Isabela smirked. She was excited over finally getting a chance to use her power. Her hair rose up and moved like fire itself as it even turned golden.

Saji takes a leap back, although Isabela blitzes him and punches him in the gut. Saji gasps as the air is knocked out from his lungs, he could hear the groaning of his flesh and bones as he suffered from Isabela's heavy punch. What is more, a scorch burn mark had burnt itself through his uniform.

"I can't believe it… despite all the games you have played you managed to hide the fact that your Rook had a Sacred Gear?" Sona looked a bit amazed at Raiser, he had been able to get through so many Rating Games without even revealing Isabela's full ability.

"I didn't keep it hidden to mock my opponents or anything by not going all out, don't get me wrong. I just honestly never bothered to train Isabela properly to use it. She doesn't have such good control over her Sacred Gear, but she's improved in the past few weeks. The reason it hasn't been shown before, is due to my failure as a master." Raiser revealed as he looked a bit apologetic as he gazed at Isabela's back, he felt some guilt over having ignored the growth of his servants and mostly focused on how they would please him in a sexual way. 'Isabela, even if you wish to lead me to victory… I do hope you don't go too far with your Sacred Gear and end up hurting yourself like last time… Without proper control the flames will go out of control and even harm the wielder. So, please Isabela, be careful.' Raiser was genuinely concerned for his servants' wellbeing. A faint memory from the illusion world Itachi had trapped him in, where he saw all his servants abandon him and burn before him. Choosing death than rather be his servants, that memory haunted him for many nights.

"Kaichou's dream… was laughed at! Our dream was laughed at! So, I swear that I won't go down that easily!" Saji declared with burning passion, the black fire burning down alongside the absorption line. "Blaze Black Flare!" The flames burnt alongside Saji's absorption line, coming from the salamander dragon head of his gauntlet as if it was breathing the fire. Saji swung the line around like a whip, and the black flames spread all around them, putting the surrounding forest ablaze with the black flames.

Itachi viewing this from the stands looked intrigued. 'These flames… they are almost like the Amaterasu. Although it lacks in the same intensity as Amaterasu…'

Saji held his absorption line as if it was a bow, and the black fire generated itself into a blazing arrow. Saji's right eye started turning black, his iris gold with a black slit. Saji fired the arrow towards Isabela, the arrow traveled at such speed Isabela couldn't dodge it. Isabela acted quickly and from the palm of her hand, she created a giant wall of golden fire.

The black fire from the arrow clashed with the wall, in a brilliant blaze the black flames from the arrow expanded, and spreading around the golden fire. Isabela looked in disbelief, the black fire was eating away at the golden fire. It wouldn't be long until the black fire would have overtaken the golden flames, and thus Isabela took a quick retreat and took flight into the air.

"Huh?" Isabela blinked as Saji came crashing from above and elbowed her upside the head. Isabela however barely buckled under the pressure, pulling herself together she threw a lightning quick jab at Saji, with a trail of golden fire following her fist. Her fist was too fast for Saji to dodge, so he took the punch straight to the face. But to Isabela's surprise he didn't seem that effected by it as he was only sent flying back a bit.

"Hehe, got you." Saji snickered as Isabela suddenly felt something on her neck, reaching out she felt it. It was an absorption line from Saji's Sacred Gear.

'He tagged me with it with that elbow strike?' Isabela turned up the heat, the flames burning like a wild fiery aura around her. "In that case, I will take you out before you drain me!" Throwing her fist back she generated a massive surge of power, as the winds changed direction towards her fist that was burning in a brilliant inferno. "Helios Flare!" Isabela threw a punch that carried a massive fire blast, yet Saji smirked.

"Sorry, but that wasn't the absorption line. Delete Field!" A pulse of energy spread from the line attached to Isabela's neck, sending a pulse energy bubble around them. And with that pulse, the fire blast shrunk to half its original size, it was still bigger than Saji's body though. Saji pulled the line off from Isabela's neck and retracted it back into his gauntlet. 'Now!' With the fire blast shrunken in size, and halved in power Saji smacked it away to the side. 'Awesome! Just like in Dragon Ball Z!' Saji sang in his head, feeling a rush of adrenaline through his body.

"… What is this? I thought his Sacred Gear could only absorb his opponents' power? Now he is able to create black fire, and now a field that is depleting my power?!" Isabela rushed out from the pulse bubble, feeling her energy draining within it by the minuet. And Saji cursed himself for letting her escape the Delete Field as he was too caught up in his own fantasies.

Isabela stared down at Saji, who couldn't help but look amazed as Isabela didn't even look tired yet. Just how much stamina did she have?! Saji held his guard up, waiting for Isabela to do the next move. Like Sona and Tsubaki told him, don't rush into things without observing the situation first. 'She's really crazy… her stamina should have been halved by now along with her power… and even after throwing hands with Tsubasa, she's still not close to being tired. Even for a Rook this is nuts.'

Isabela was like Saji in deep thought. 'This boy, he is more formidable than I thought. He might even be a greater threat to Lord Raiser and Lady Ravel than that Tsubaki Shinra with those abilities of his. I need to take him down here and now! Or at the very least take him out with me!' Isabela rushed down at Saji, with her fist raised. Saji quickly reacted and coated his absorption line with black fire.

Saji shot the burning line towards Isabela, making it go in a circular formation to bind her as she flew into it. Isabela in responds crossed her arms, and generated an intense heat around her. "Helios Fire Storm!" Shooting out from every corner of her body, were a volley fire of fireballs. The fire balls clashed into Saji's burning line, although the black flames ate away at Isabela's flames, the line itself was pushed aside giving Isabela room to close the gap between her and Saji. Saji gasped as Isabela was up in his face and smacked her fist into his face sending him plummeting out from the sky. "Ugh!" Isabela grunted, as a burn mark was visible on her right forearm.

Saji crashed to the academy grounds like a meteorite, dragging up the ground with him. "Ouch, that was hard…" Saji rubbed his sore cheek, his face a bit swollen from that punch. Isabela quickly crashed down before him, and in an instant threw a right fire cloaked hook into Saji knocking him off balance. Isabela followed up with a series of fire cloaked jabs into Saji's upper body. Saji groaned in pain along with his sore muscles, fighting through the pain Saji managed to catch Isabela by her wrists. Holding her restrained, or so he thought. Isabela jumped up and wrapped her legs around his neck in a chokehold.

Isabela dragged Saji to the ground, holding him tight in the chokehold. "Go to sleep already!" Isabela groaned with a hint of pain in her voice. Saji desperately tried to break free from the chokehold, but as he did, he noticed something. There were small burn marks left on Isabela's thighs. 'Were these caused by Vritra's flames? No, it couldn't be… those flames won't stop burning until I say so… But then, it must have been from her own?' Saji was losing oxygen, it was getting harder to think. He squirmed and struggled in Isabela's grip. "B-Blaze Black Flare!" Saji's Sacred Gear unleashed the black fire of the dragon in his Sacred Gear. In responds Isabela cried in pain and trying to get away she jumped off from Saji, yet the flames still burnt on her. Isabela groaned in pain as her jacket had already been burnt through. Then the flames vanished as if they were snuffed out.

Isabela was panting with fright, she thought she was a goner those flames were hotter than anything she had ever experienced. Her jacket had burnt away leaving Isabela with her black bra to cover her chest, and with a nasty burn mark on her upper back. She looked over to Saji, who held his arm out towards her and also panting. Saji himself snuffed out the fire? But why?

Tsubaki watching this unfold from atop the New School building scowled. "Sentimental fool…" Saji had stopped the flames out of fear that it would have killed Isabela.

'Sorry, Tsubaki-senpai… but I just can't take such risks. Don't worry, I will defeat her!' Saji despite his act of mercy, jumped towards Isabela and gave her a square kick to the chin knocking her over. Isabela quickly picked herself up and countered Saji's incoming punch with her own fist.

"That act of mercy, may have cost you this game!" Even Isabela was scolding him, yet Saji merely smirked.

"Yeah, I don't think so! Those flames cannot be put out without my say so. You may have ended up retired, but the flames would have continued to burn even so with no means of extinguishing it! And you could have died as a result." Saji revealed, but Isabela didn't look faced.

"You are noble of heart, but that still might cost you!" Isabela snarled and headbutted Saji knocking him back a few steps. Flames burnt more intensely around Isabela, smoke emitting from her upper body, and burn marks slowly appearing on her. "I will bring Raiser-sama his victory! I will restore his pride!" Isabela rushed like a rocket, leaving a trail of fire in her wake. She threw a heavy punch and unleashed a wave of fire that Saji barely managed to dodge by tucking and rolling out of the way.

"Absorption Line!" Saji saw an opening and shot out the line, attaching it to Isabela's left shoulder.

"Naïve!" Isabela scoffed at him and rushed at Saji, kneeing him in the chin. The irises of Saji's eyes were vibrating, his ears ringing as blood escaped his lips. Isabela continued and threw a heavy punch into Saji's rib cage. The sound of Saji's ribs snapping like twigs echoed across the battlefield, as he was launched crashing into the wall of the New School building. Isabela let out a battle cry and jumped towards Saji. Saji was quick to dodge and Isabela as a result hit the wall behind him, which collapsed upon coming into contact with Isabela's fist.

Saji however unleashed a magic bullet straight into Isabela's face from the energy he was absorbing from her. Isabela was showing signs of fatigue, she backed up from the blast of the magic bullet and was panting. "You can't win…" Saji pointed out, his victory all but assured.

"I will show you!" Isabela snarled gasped as she felt something dripping down over her lips. Reaching up, Isabela discovered a trail of blood coming from her nose. 'My body… the side effects from using Eye of Helios too much.' Isabela gave a grunt and wiped the blood away with her forearm. Isabela's body was in intense pain, her muscles were sore and aching, yet she rushed at Saji with the intent to take him down. "Helios Flare!" Isabela unleashed a massive fireball from her fist towards Saji, although Saji noted it wasn't as big as when Isabela first used it. As he thought, she was tiering herself out.

"Delete Field!" Saji shot a second line from his gauntlet that clashed with the fireball, unleashing once again a pulse energy bubble around himself and Isabela.

"Ugh!" Isabela vomited out blood from having more power drained, whilst still pushing herself for more with her Eye of Helios. Isabela shakingly fell onto her knee. Saji didn't bother dodging the fireball, letting it clash into him. the flames burning around his uniform leaving him topless, his right pantleg burnt to the top of his thigh. Yet his body itself hadn't suffered any injury from the fireball.

"See? You can't win." Saji declared, although a second ball of fire blasted into his back. "Argh!" Saji cried out in pain as it exploded in a blazing inferno. The blast came from Raiser himself, having seen an opening and blasted Saji in the back.

"Nothing personal, it's just a game after all." Raiser avoided a slash of water from Sona, and retreated as the Sitri princess took chase after him.

"Saji!" Sona called out to her pawn, Saji fell out from the burning fire and onto his knee. The skin of his entire right arm having been burnt off along with the skin on his upper right torso. Yet he was still conscious, his eyes vibrating in pain, every cell in his body crying out in pain.

"Don't worry Kaichou! I ain't done yet!" Saji swung around a second line from his Sacred Gear like a whip coated in black flames.

Raiser attempted to blast Sona out of the air with his hell fire, yet mere rain drops sized black fire fell down onto Raiser's fire. And as a result, Raiser's flame was consumed by Saji's black fire before it even reached Sona. "That brat!" Raiser hissed, Saji needed to be taken out and quick.

Ravel having come to the same realization. "Isabela! It's time!" Called out the to the Rook, who gave a quick nod.

Isabela reached into her pockets, and pulled out the second and last Phenex tear bottle they were allowed to use this game. Tsubaki noticed it quickly, eyeing Isabela from the corner of her eye. "Reverse." Tsubaki mumbled as she enchanted the bottle.

Ravel noticed, but too late as Isabela began pouring it onto her burnt and sore body. "Isabela! Grab that pawn quick!" Ravel shouted as this was the only strategy she could play.

"Yes, my lady." Without even questioning Ravel's orders, Isabela pounced Saji grabbing ahold of him as the Phenex tears that hit her skin began to glow. Saji gasped as Isabela was trying to take them both out at once. Isabela also knowing what was going on from seeing what happened to Mihae from a distance. "I have served my role to my master and mistress. But I admit, this battle was my loss. Let's fight again one day, Saji." Isabela smiled as they were overtaken by the explosion.

Tsubaki and Sona both gasped at seeing Saji getting caught in the explosion with Isabela. Raiser, Ravel, Sona and Tsubaki all took a break from fighting, to see if anyone survived the explosion. The smoke cleared revealing the near naked form of Isabela holding an unconscious Saji down. Both began glowing in a blue light, and were fading away. "Raiser Phenex's Rook, retired. And Sona Sitri's Pawn, retired." Esdeath announced and then there were four.

Sona and Tsubaki versus Raiser and Ravel. All landing onto the top of the roof at each side. Sona and Tsubaki in the right corner, and Raiser and Ravel in the left corner. "It pains me to sacrifice Isabela like that, but you left me no choice with that ability of yours that changed the tears healing properties." Ravel glared at Sona and Tsubaki.

"Saji was too busy protecting me from Raiser that he didn't pay attention, he served his role well. And in return for his, and everyone's sacrifices, we will defeat you here and now." Sona declared, a surge of water expanding around her as she raised her rapier sword.

"No, we'll be the ones to defeat you!" Raiser declared as both he and Ravel were caught ablaze in a massive storm of fire that reached the sky.

Watching from the stands, were Lord Phenex along with his wife and his two older sons. "Hmm, well done Raiser…" Lord Phenex praised his son, and Lady Phenex smiled at seeing two of her children working together.

"He lost all but Ravel… He better win this." Raul hissed, finding it disgraceful that all of Raiser's servants were defeated.

"In return he also took out Sona's Sitri's peerage, all but her Queen. I would say he is doing well." Ruval, the oldest son like their father praised his younger brother Raiser for his efforts during this game. "He's definitely shown a great change since his last Rating Game in terms of strategy."

Lord Phenex nodded in agreement with his oldest son. "Indeed."

"Yeah, yeah, now all he needs to do is win, and I will at least stop calling him chicken." Raul rolled his eyes at how acceptant his father and brother were.

Back on the battlefield, Sona had generated a massive sphere of water over her head from the raised tip of her rapier sword. Sona was in a stand still against Raiser and Ravel, the two Phenex clan members staring her down with a storm of fire spiraling around them. Then in the blink of an eye, Sona lowered her rapier sword and took a giant leap back along with Tsubaki. And as if gravity came crashing down onto the water sphere it collapsed into gigantic waves that clashed onto the roof, washing Raiser and Ravel away.

The whole building collapsed from the pure pressure of the water, Sona and Tsubaki flew above and observed the sight of the crushed school building. Sona heard the flickering of fire and swiftly turned around with her blade coated in water, to counter a fire coated punch from Raiser. The flames roared as it clashed with the swirling water.

Tsubaki avoided a fire blast from Ravel, who with wings of fire flew above them. Ravel's fire blast clashed with the ground, and a large part of the forest was left with a gigantic smoking black crater. "Nice reflexes." Ravel smirked and summoned forth a spiraling fire blast. "Now perish!" Although Ravel froze as she saw her fire coated arm falling before her very eyes, severed. Tsubaki having blitzed her field of vision, and was now right up in her face with her naginata in hand. Before Ravel could react Tsubaki slashed the blade down across Ravel splitting her in half.

"Ugh!" Ravel looked caught off guard, glaring back at Tsubaki as her body divided itself. The Queen of Sona Sitri looked as stoic as ever, in fact she looked bored. Tsubaki blasted Ravel with a magic bullet that eclipsed Tsubaki herself in size.

"Ravel! How dare you harm my sister?!" Raiser enraged suddenly found himself silenced, as he saw his body floating upside down. No, his head had been severed. Tsubaki had blitzed Raiser's field of vision and now appeared behind him. 'She's fast…' Raiser noted as his severed head burnt away in flames, and a new head regenerated from his body. Ravel appeared floating next to him, fully regenerated.

"… It seems that reversal ability cannot affect our natural healing powers." Ravel noted as if Tsubaki could that would have ended the battle right here and now.

"Lovely, then victory is ours." Raiser boldly declared.

"Don't be so sure." Sona floated above them, spinning her body as a gigantic serpent dragon appeared dancing around her. The water dragon roared as it danced with the movement of Sona's rapier sword, and caught the two Phenex siblings in its jaws. The crushing weight of the water crushing Raiser and Ravel's bones, both siblings grunting in pain as they were trapped inside the water dragon.

"UARGH!" Both Phenex siblings unleashed a mighty war cry, and a massive blaze of fire exploded around them. Looking like two glowing twin suns. Raiser and Ravel burnt inside the water dragon, the surface of the dragon beginning to boil, and the dragon howled as if in pain before exploding unleashing a massive fire storm caused by the Phenex siblings.

"Ugh!" Sona flew back to avoid the heat, and Tsubaki although looking stoic avoided the incoming heat wave that burnt the academy grounds. "Heh…" Sona smiled, as Saji had left them a present.

"What?!" Raiser hissed seeing the black fire that had surrounded the forest, beginning to burn their current fire storm. Despite being retired, Saji's flames would not extinguish. Both Phenex siblings unleashed their full fire power into the oncoming black fire, but the black flames merely burnt away their hell fire.

Raiser and Ravel both took flight away from the area before the black flames reached them. Sona and Tsubaki having no choice followed them. Raiser and Ravel leading them to a part of the academy grounds that currently wasn't being burnt down by black flames. "Face it, Sona. You cannot win." Raiser boldly declared. Raiser was confident. Sona may be a Sitri but she was no Itachi. There would be no mind games in this battle, he had nothing to fear. "You are no Itachi, there is no way you can overcome our immortality."

Sona glared at Raiser, reflecting on the third son of the Phenex's words. "It's true that I am not my brother… It is also true that your immortality makes you a tricky opponent. Although I am aware, in order to beat you I must break your spirits. And neither Tsubaki nor I possess an illusion ability like onii-sama. However, just because it won't be as easy, doesn't mean I don't have other means of crushing you beneath the heel of my foot."

Tsubaki rushed at full speed towards Raiser and Ravel, and before the Phenex siblings knew it they had both been decapitated. "It's useless." Raiser declared as he and Ravel began to heal from their super regenerative powers. Sona however unleashed a bombardment of eagle shaped water projectiles. The soaring water eagles like blades shredding through Raiser and Ravel's bodies.

"Kaichou, which form shall we put into use?" Tsubaki asked her master, it was clear to Tsubaki Raiser and Ravel could have dodged her earlier. But in order to psyche them out, the Phenex siblings had allowed themselves to be decapitated. Tsubaki back flipped as a powerful fire blast shot out from the water eagles that had turned to steam from the sheer heat unleashed by Ravel.

"We'll try formation A… Keep formation C on as back burner in case it fails." Sona ordered Tsubaki who gave a nod, understanding Sona's plan of attack. "If all else fails, I will use formation B as a last resort."

"It's pointless, one of us will just evaporate your water while the other attacks." Ravel smirked as Raiser proceeded to throw multiple fire blasts out from magic circles.

Tsubaki leaped back to avoid them, and used her naginata to deflect them. Although as she struck one, Tsubaki realized it wouldn't be that easy as she struggled from the sheer force. Sparks of orange lightning flickered between the fire blast and the naginata as Tsubaki attempted to deflect it. Raiser with a flick of his finger, detonated the blast in a massive explosion. "Argh!" Tsubaki cried in pain, Tsubaki jumped out from the burning smoke. The upper right side of her uniform having been burnt off, revealing parts of her white bra.

"Hey, why don't you use that mirror Sacred Gear of yours, huh?" Ravel giggled generating an intense amount of fire around her. The flames danced around her, and with her smirk made the little Phenex girl actually look sinister. "Oh? Maybe you can't? Or maybe the number of times you can use it, are limited? I see…" Ravel chuckled and out from the fire around her, shot out a large bird shaped fire blast. "Will you use your mirror for this? It is powerful enough to blow a hole through Ruval nii-sama."

Tsubaki clicked her tongue in annoyance, whilst contemplating on her next move. However, before Tsubaki could even bring a plan into action, a giant shield of water appeared before her and tanked Ravel's fire blast. "Kaichou…" Tsubaki looked to Sona, who was doing breathing exercises.

"Great Beast of Leviathan!" Sona raised her arms, and water exploded out from the ground bellow, drawing the moisture from the entire arena. A gigantic water dragon rose from the ground like a beast would rise from the depth of the ocean. It's size great enough to swallow the academy itself whole. Raiser and Ravel were both awestruck at the sheer size of the beats, that made their fire storms seem like a mere candle fire in comparison.

Raiser and Ravel both actually sweated a bit, the nervosity kicking in. Sure, they broke free from the last water dragon, but this water dragon was ten times bigger. "Now, let's see you manage to escape the belly of this beast." Sona glared down on them as the water dragon loomed over her. The dragon roared and dove after Raiser and Ravel.

"Dammit!" Raiser cursed as he and Ravel took off, flying away. "What now?! We can't possible generate enough fire power to take that thing down!" Raiser looked to Ravel for advice, however the Phenex daughter was so stressed out she could hardly think. That it, until that came into view.

"I may have an idea, follow me onii-sama!" Ravel increased her fire power and took off like a missile, and Raiser followed.

Tsubaki looked at the fleeing Phenex siblings trying to escape the humongous water beast. Although her attention was drawn away from the beast as Sona collapsed onto her knees. "Kaichou!" Tsubaki rushed over to Sona, supporting her up. Sona was panting and sweating, she was tiering herself out.

"I'm fine… just need to take a breather…" Tsubaki looked the giant water beast her master had summoned. It was clear Sona had exhausted her tank of demonic power.

"Kaichou, you know your stamina is low. An attack like that, I'm surprised it didn't drain you completely." Sona looked at Tsubaki who was in the middle of scolding her, smiling.

"I needed to break their spirits… this is the best I could think of. They will be trapped in its belly, their bodies constantly getting broken, then they regenerate only to be broken again and with no escape. Eventually they are bound to give up…"

Ravel calculating their next turn suddenly stopped. "Onii-sama! Stop!" Ravel commanded which confused Raiser.

"Ravel! Wait!" Ravel was swallowed up by the beast, and Raiser in his shock quickly followed. Both Phenex siblings traveled down the deep water that was the belly of this water dragon. The crushing weight of the water increasing the further in they went, their bodies breaking, regenerating, only to be broken again kept going on in repeat. Despite healing, Raiser and Ravel felt every bit of the pain from being under all this pressure.

Tsubaki and Sona gazed up on the water beast that flew around in the air whilst carrying the Phenex siblings in its belly. Sona widened her eyes as she noticed something, this plan would fail she could tell right away. "… Tsubaki, make preparations for formation C. I will make the preparations for formation B."

"Understood." Tsubaki nodded and they both got to work. Sona with a chalk began drawing two circles on the ground. Her last resort, if formation A and C should fail.

The massive water beast roared, black flames burning across its back. Ravel and purposely lead the water beast into the flames that remained from Saji. Her and Raiser's flames couldn't take down this beast, but those black flames could. "Now! Onii-sama!" Ravel began releasing all the heat she could muster, burning bright like a star. Raiser shortly followed, increasing his heat level to the max. Both looking like two glowing balls of light within the water dragon. The dragon was already boiling from the black flames on its back, but with the added heat of Raiser and Ravel's hell fire it was falling apart.

The belly of the dragon exploded, and falling out were Raiser and Ravel. Raiser crashed hard onto the ground. His body broken, his legs and arms twisted in unusual directions and even his neck was broken. Ravel seemed fine, having healed faster than her brother. Raiser slowly picked himself up, as his body healed. "Nice trick… Sona." Raiser commended, actually laughing at how close he was to giving up from the level of pain he experienced trapped within that beast. "You almost had me."

"The game is not over, Raiser." Despite having nearly exhausted herself, Sona looked as cool as ever when facing her opponent. Not showing any signs of fatigue. "Tsubaki, formation C."

"Roger." Tsubaki instantly rushed in, thrusting her naginata at the Phenex siblings. Raiser and Ravel gasped as the sheer speed of Tsubaki's thrusts made it appear as if fifty naginata spears were thrusted at them. Raiser and Ravel couldn't get out of the way, as their bodies were cut open by Tsubaki, yet they healed.

'This Queen, she really is fast!' Raiser looked annoyed, as severed arms, legs, finger, were all cut off from his body. Tsubaki even thrusted her naginata so it penetrated Raiser's skull. The storm of blades didn't seem to ever end, until Ravel cried out unleashing a massive heat wave.

Tsubaki looked in shock, her naginata had melted. Tsubaki took a giant leap backwards, as both Raiser and Ravel aimed for the killing blow. Behind them formed two massive soaring fire birds, two phoenixes. The two birds soared towards Tsubaki. "Mirror Alice." Tsubaki's Sacred Gear appeared, and took on the two fire blasts. But of course, the mirror shattered, but in return it reflected Raiser and Ravel's own attacks at double the power and size back at them.

BOOM! The explosion of the fire blasts rocked the entire arena, even the stands were shaking. Raiser and Ravel both laid there on the ground, their skin, hair and eyelids burnt away. Both looking like black burnt crisps with eyes.

"Not bad…" Ravel commended as she healed back into her cute self, her drill shaped golden locks and her noble pink dress, her fair silky smooth white skin. "But we're Phenex, it will take more than that to make us give up." Despite Ravel's words her body was trembling, it was remembering all the abuse it had taken today. And it felt like it nearly wanted to give in. The same seemed to be the case for Raiser, who's regeneration had significantly slowed down.

"Yeah… you've lost." Raiser groaned as his skin healed and he returned to looking like his normal playboy self. Like Ravel however, his body was trembling from all the pain. Decapitation, having his limbs severed, being crushed under the weight of thousands of tons of water. Raiser generated the most powerful attack he could muster, a massive soaring wave of fire danced around his arm, forming into a massive sphere of fire that kept growing in size.

Before Raiser even attempted to throw it, he eyed Tsubaki to see if she was going to use Mirror Alice again. He really couldn't take much more of this abuse without his spirit breaking. Tsubaki looked as stoic as ever, the only signs she was showing was of fatigue. Her chest slowly heaving up and down, as she was out of breath.

Sona on the other hand, hadn't moved. She was standing still with her rapier sword ready for combat. Raiser then threw the massive fire sphere at Tsubaki and Sona, and Tsubaki showed no signs of bringing out Mirror Alice, in fact she resulted into using magic circles for defense. "Heh, looks like she can only use that Mirror Alice twice a day." Ravel smirked, seeing the fire sphere clash into Tsubaki's magic circle barrier.

"Ugh!" Tsubaki held her ground, the ground beneath her feet sinking from the pressure. Her feet pushed deeper into the ground as she tried to hold off Raiser's attack. 'I can't let this attack reach Sona! She can hardly move in her state!' Tsubaki knew, Sona was nearing her limit. And Sona required to keep her concentration should formation B work. Tsubaki batted an eye to the side, seeing the water Leviathan beast sinking into the ground as the black flames burnt it away. Tsubaki poured as much power as she could into her defense, but eventually the magic circles cracked and the fire sphere exploded knocking Tsubaki back.

Tsubaki cried in pain as her right arm had suffered major burn, she was sent flying skidding over to Sona's side. But in return the fire sphere had been dealt with. Tsubaki crawled back up, and stood together with Sona eyeing their opponents. "It seems this is the end…" Raiser smirked and bowed to them. "It was a good fight." He congratulated them for their efforts. Raiser and Ravel both generated waves of fire into their fists, wings of fire sprouting out from their backs as the soared towards Sona and Tsubaki.

Sona smiled at seeing the incoming Phenex siblings. "Thank you for holding them off as long as you could, Tsubaki." Sona thanked her Queen, and raised her rapier sword into the sky. The magic circles Sona had drawn with chalk earlier lit up in a brilliant blue light.

Ravel and Raiser managed just to come to halt over the circles, as water exploded out from the magic circles. Ravel in shock squealed and Raiser grunted as they were closed in within bubbles of water. "Water Prison!" Sona held her hands out, tightening her grip and thus the pressure in the water bobbles containing Raiser and Ravel increased.

"This is!" Ravel looked around in disbelief.

"That's right, it is Onii-sama's Water Prison technique. The one he usually uses before trapping his enemies in his Zub Zero Ice Prison." Ravel and Raiser both quickly discovered they were unable to even move a muscle whilst trapped within this water.

"What is this?!" Raiser groaned feeling his bones breaking.

"Those magic circles, I drew them in order to draw in the moisture left from my Leviathan Beast attack. Drawing its water from the moisture in the earth bellow, to this very point. In order to create highly concentrated prison water bubbles with a high amount of pressure. And also, one other thing…" Sona smiled as black fire began flickering within the water prisons, burning onto Raiser and Ravel who both cried out in pain.

"Y-You anticipated I would lead that beast into the black fire?!" Ravel looked with eyes as wide as saucers.

"Not exactly, I predicted that in the events of Saji being retired from the battlefield. His Virata fire would remain after him being retired. And, I also predicted you would have witnessed its incredible power, and using it as a way to escape my Leviathan Beast. However, in the events of you not realizing that, you would still be crushed within the belly of the beast making formation A, a success. Formation B entirely relied on if Formation A failed, in which I would draw the water from the beast once it hit the ground. Draw it, and the black fire into these magic circles, and trapping the two of you in the Water Prison with black fire that can never be extinguished."

"A-And Formation C was what, a distraction?!" Ravel hissed as the black fire was burning her body faster than she could heal.

"Precisely, if you manage to escape Formation A, and Formation C. I counted on you getting confident enough to approach me, and thus triggering these magic circles and putting Formation B into action." Sona smiled as she flicked her glasses up a bit. "Checkmate, Raiser, Ravel, it was a splendid battle."

"Ugh! No! I'm not done yet! I am Raiser of the house of Phenex!" Raiser roared and burnt through his last supply of demonic power. Generating an intense amount of fire as a last-ditch effort, and Ravel did the same. Both looking like glowing balls of fire under water. Sona tightened her grip, increasing the pressure in the water prison. And both Raiser and Ravel's flames were then burnt away from the black flames.

"It's useless. You cannot escape this trap without outside help, or if you have demonic power above the level of a Maou. And the two of you, have already tired yourselves out a bit already. It shows with how slow you are both regenerating. "Submit, and admit defeat."

Something clicked in Raiser's head, the image of the disappointed faces of his father, his brothers and his mother, made his rage boil. "NEVER!" Raiser roared and unleashed more fire power. Creating a fire storm within the water bubble that was beginning to boil and looking near its breaking point.

"Reverse!" In that instant, Raiser's flames were snuffed out as Tsubaki reversed the heat ability of Raiser's fire letting it get snuffed out with ease under water.

Raiser growled as he looked at Sona and Tsubaki, he looked to see Ravel who was groaning and crying in pain from the black fire burning her body. Raiser begrudgingly lowered his head. "I accept defeat…"

And right away over the announcing system, Esdeath announced. "Raiser Phenex admits defeat, the winner of the first round in the Rating Game tournament is, Sona Sitri."

Sona held her hand to her ear, revealing a commlink. "Saji, deactivate the fire."

"Roger that, congratulations Kaichou… Sorry the rest of us couldn't last until the end. We'll be sure to do better next time!" Sona giggled a bit, she could imagine Saji was lowering his head right now.

"It's okay, good work everyone." The black flames around the arena vanished, and it also vanished within the water prisons where Raiser and Ravel were trapped. Both given a chance to regenerate before Sona released them. Ravel looked to be pouting, despite her hard work they still lost.

"I'm sorry, onii-sama…" Ravel mumbled.

"It's okay…" Raiser smiled and patted Ravel's head.

In the stands, Lord Phenex looked at his defeated son and gave a nod of approval. "A good fight, Raiser… I am satisfied." Lord Phenex smiled as in a sense Raiser did regain his honor. Putting up a fight and showing signs of competence as a King of his peerage. Even though Ravel helped with most of the strategy, Lord Phenex was still satisfied with the result.

"Trash…" Raul on the other hand hissed and walked away, refusing to stick around for a pity party.

The arena that was Kuoh Academy vanished, and Sona, Tsubaki, Raiser and Ravel appeared standing on the center of the arena where everyone in the stands cheered at their battle. Sona looked up seeing Itachi, Rias and the rest smiling and cheering over her victory. Sona in particular took in the proud look Itachi had on his face as he smiled at her.

In the stands Rias looked to Itachi. "Since when did you teach her your Water Prison technique?"

"I didn't." Itachi revealed, Sona had mastered that technique on her own. To which Rias looked a bit surprised, having suspected Itachi had a hand in Sona's growth.

Sona and Tsubaki didn't stick around, and walked out of the arena. Both were walking down a dark hallway, the cheers of the crowd still echoing in the background. Sona then falls leaning up against a wall panting and out of breath. Tsubaki is quick to support Sona up. "You drained your stamina too much trying to hold up that water prison. Not to mention from the whole battle in itself."

Sona wipes the sweat from her brow. "Yeah, it was hard just to keep my cool… my lungs feel like they are on fire. A minuet longer, and I would have had to admit defeat. What is more, in the semifinals, we will potentially go up against Rias… Her stamina far exceeds mine. Not to mention we are both almost equally good when it comes to strategies. But in terms of brute power, she's got me beat." Sona had to admit, Rias was stronger than her. And although Sona held a small tactical advantage over the Gremory princess, it wasn't enough.

"We'll need to come up with a strategy then?"

"Yeah, I must think of some counter strategies. Tsubaki, make sure to observe Rias' Rating Game with Diodora carefully. Also, any recorded battle from the past will be helpful. In particular the one she had against Kokabiel. You have it, right?"

Tsubaki summons a flash drive out from a magic circle. "This holds the recorded footage from Kuoh Academy's security systems. Although most of the footage was destroyed along with the academy during that battle, we were able to recover a portion of Rias' battle with Kokabiel."

Sona nods and smiles. "Sorry Rias… but we both knew we would one day face off against each other. This is just strategy. The years of observing Onii-sama in battle, and copying some of his skills, and the training with Esdeath has made me stronger. But you always seem to be ahead in that department, so I need to be ahead in the tactic part of battle. Now, I must focus mainly on stamina training in the meantime whilst the tournament goes on, so I can defeat Rias when the time comes."

Tsubaki led Sona straight to the infirmary, and the moment they opened the door they were met with confetti poppers. Saji, Tsubasa, Tomoe, Momo, Reya, Ruruko all stood ready with a cake and everything. "Kaichou! Let's celebrate our victory!" Saji looked with a big grin on his face, despite being bandaged up from nearly head to toe.

"Yeah!" Tomoe cheered with her arms held high, although quickly lowered them as they were still sore.

Tsubaki stepped up to the cheering Saji, grabbing him by the shoulder, looking pissed off as she glared at the trembling pawn. "First, let's discuss your little act of mercy back there." Saji flinched in pain from the hard grip Tsubaki had on his shoulder, Saji only squealed in fear.

"You can do that later Tsubaki, for now let's celebrate." Sona calmed down her raging Queen. Saji still trembled in fear under Tsubaki's gaze.

"We're one step closer to realizing your dream, Kaichou." Momo declared.

Sona smiled and shook her head. "Not just my dream, our dream." Sona uncharacteristically stood on top of a chair and shouted. "Alright everyone! Let's celebrate!" To which everyone in the room cheered.

The remaining summer for all were spent training, the battle against Rias and Diodora scheduled for late August. And now we were in the middle of August, summer vacation was over, and it was time for the young devil trio Itachi, Sona and Rias to return to Kuoh along with their peerage members.

That's the end for now!

So, that was the first match of the Rating Game tournament. I essentially skipped through the individual training of everyone. I mean, we know pretty much how they will train, or at least have a good idea of how they trained. The next chapter we'll begin the Diodora arc.

Anyway, I was able to finish this chapter pretty quickly as I had the whole Game planned out already, so writing it went smoothly. Not so sure on the next chapter and when it will be released, but I will try to not take too long to update.

Anyway, leave a review!

-Later!

(Responds to reviews):

Dasgun: .._..

RazerGamer501: Thanks, I appreciate your patience.

Drax152: Well, Xenovia was considered but I decided against it. And I would say Sairaorg is more like Ban to Itachi's Meliodas in this situation XD

fallendemon248: Oh, most likely someone will interrupt. But as for Itachi awakening Mangekyou, he will have it before the end of this tournament. He will get it during the Hero Faction arc, and the tournament will go a bit beyond that.

compaydelmonte2: The devil society is kind of medieval when it comes to arranged marriages. I mean, Rias was promised to Raiser at an early age.

velniar341: All I can say is wait and see how Itachi awakens it. But yes, it was a seven deadly sins reference to Meliodas and Ban's reunion.

No-Named-Dude: Thanks! And spoiler, Raiser didn't make it that far.

Mrjl: Yes, I am following the anime ending. Even though I thought the manga was better, I thought Esdeath was a bit better portrayed in the anime.

Ainz227: All I can see, if you are ever worried if I have abandoned a story just PM me and I will answer you. The answer will most likely be that I haven't, but that I am busy with either work or my studies. I would imagine Itachi starts at least with trying to explain it in words, and warning everyone that what he is about to show them will be graphic so if they don't want to witness it, they could back out.

T149Man: Fair point, maybe I should add a spoiler warning.

DanDrake: Well, I imagine Itachi and Rias wouldn't really care about rank and status. So honestly it could go either way. Therefor I have it so Sona needs to be prepared to take over, should Itachi decide to marry into the Gremory family.

merendinoemiliano: Thanks!

ghostFLIN: Thanks!

Guest: Thank you, I will need that luck.

KadeBear: Thanks! And although it could be a proper moment, I don't see it happening in the Diodora arc.

andresskorskiruiz: Thanks, Eto's arc is still a bit away into the future, I think it is safe to say Eto is one of the few who has a good idea about the source of Itachi's trauma.

dragon. ghoul9707: Yeah, luckily people in this world aren't as closed off so Itachi actually feels like he can share the burden, and not do everything by himself. Issei does need a lesson in love, true. I mean Asia likes him and he has no idea.

Mr. Haziq: It do be like that sometimes… Random choices aren't so random after all XD

leblanq: If that is all that kept you here, then shame. The story and plot I have planned is not for everyone.

Guest: Finally, I know how it feels to be apologized to for being late. XD

Andy: I mean, I plan on keeping it 9. Is that too many? The ones I have planned on keeping are: Rias, Akeno, Kuroka, Koneko, Raven, Eto, Ravel, Gabriel and Ophis.

ariantoty: Thanks!

GXFIB: He could, but the sharingan offers Itachi more OP abilities tbh. Plus, he can easily regain multiple abilities and even expand on it with what he can learn in DxD. Demonic power, Senjutsu, Youjutsu etc. Yes, the mangekyou will come eventually. Although since you made that prediction at chapter 15, I have to say it hasn't been shown yet.