"What is happening?!" Rias demanded while she coughed out dust from her lungs.
She had been watching the match between Issei and the eight Pawns with held breath, gripping so tightly to the overlook-balcony's railing that she had nearly crumbled the stonework, until something terrifying had happened.
The voice she had heard coming from Issei… It was unlike anything she had ever heard before. It was like a choir of voices full of anger and resentment that washed over Rias like a wave of unfulfilled regrets.
Her brother and Maou, Sirzechs, had jumped over the overlook balcony and charged Issei as soon as he had heard the voice, but before he could make contact with Issei, the second part of the 'chant' of sorts had begun and the blast-wave of malevolent energy had knocked much of the observing crowd back.
"[-Who has stolen the Principles of Domination from God-]"
"-It was always going to end like this-" "-That's not right, it was never supposed to be like this-"
"Rias-sama! Are you wounded?" Grayfia knelt beside Rias as she struggled to get up. The dreadful chant felt like a wave of power that washed over her and tried to pressure her to stay down.
Rias struggled to get her hands under her body… And then lifted herself up, drawing strength from her worry for Issei, allowing herself to withstand the dreadful chant!
"[-I fawn at the 'Infinite', and I lust over the 'Dream'-]"
"-The one the world didn't see-" "-The one that defines the world-"
"I'm okay! What's going on?! Is Issei alright?!" Rias asked while she hurried to the balcony railing and looked at what was happening-
And then she blinked.
And then she scrubbed her eyes with her knuckles to make sure she was seeing things right.
"It would appear that Sekiryuutei-sama has entered [Juggernaut Drive]. Sirzechs-sama has departed to ensure that the rampage will not destroy this place or result in the deaths of the present nobles." Grayfia explained while she was cool as a cucumber and completely unfazed by the sight. "I would recommend caution as the battle may yet spill over and affect us."
Said nobles were fleeing the balcony en masse as they saw the fight that unfolded before their very eyes! Rias wanted to scream at them for running away at a time like this!
"[-I shall become the Red Dragon of Domination-]"
"-The power was never realized-" "-It was always flawed-"
"-What was missing was never found-"
Before them was a gigantic Red Dragon… girl.
Rias stared up at the sight of a dragon-girl who was the size of a skyscraper, with draconic wings coming off her back as long as she was tall, towering over the already-ridiculously huge ceremony hall like some sort of kaiju.
The dragon-girl was clad in a qipao-like outfit and black stockings. She also had blazing red hair and massive horns coming off her head. Moreover her thighs were thick and well-defined, and her breasts were almost absurdly large, while her waist was sturdy yet narrow. By all senses of the word, she was an absurd sight.
The eyes of the gigantic dragon-girl were blazing red and without pupils, as if they were red-glowing miniature suns, and she moved with reckless yet flowing abandon like a monster out of a kaiju-movie.
"Wh-what the heck?!" Rias blurted out as she stared at the kaiju-dragon-girl who was fighting a relatively small form that was flying around her body and peppering her with spells, causing tears to appear on her outfit and showing her skin through them.
"It would appear that the [Juggernaut Drive] has changed shapes from its previous iterations." Grayfia noted calmly as Rias turned to babble something at the maid while pointing at the sight.
A massive surge of power drew Rias's attention back to the fight and she saw that Sirzechs had covered himself in an aura of [Power of Destruction] and was standing in the air in front of the kaiju-dragon-girl.
The dragon-girl took a swing at Sirzechs and the man dodged with calm ease. The Maou then charged forth, aiming to hit the dragon in the chest-
However, before Sirzechs could land his charge, the dragon-girl had grabbed her own breasts and pulled them apart!
A dreadful slap-like sound echoed in the partially ruined ceremony building as the kaiju-dragon-girl slammed her breasts together, squishing Sirzechs between them like a fly!
"Nii-sama!" Rias screamed in terror as she saw her brother get squished!
"..." Grayfia had a vein pulsing on her forehead but her expression didn't change.
Sirzechs's body fell down from the sky, with a trail of blood following him, coming from his face! However, before Sirzechs could crash against the ground, the dragon-girl jumped up high and took to the air with her massive wings!
Just as Sirzechs was about to crash down… The gigantic dragon-girl slammed her butt down on Sirzechs in a seiza-pose, causing a small earthquake and shaking the trees of the forest that bordered the ceremony hall and causing an avalanche on the nearby mountains! Sirzechs was nowhere to be seen! There was just a massive crater where he had been squished!
Grayfia had several veins pulsing on her temple.
"Noooo! Nii-sama! Don't die! Issei! Please come to your senses!" Rias screamed in fear for both her brother's and for her Issei's life.
"B-butt vore…" Riser whimpered, causing Rias's ire to hone in on the red-dressed 'woman' who was staring at the 'battle' with terrified expression. "Hieeeeee!"
"Enough! Go be useless somewhere else!" Rias growled at the useless idiot. "You-"
The dragon-kaiju turned her red-glowing stare towards the ceremony hall as she stood up, and turned to stare directly at Riser while the terrible aura of the Dragon blasted over the ceremony hall.
Riser promptly fell over as she tried to flee while wearing high heels.
The dragon (girl) roared its anger and fury, and sent the entire area quaking.
Rias flinched from the violent sound and covered her ears.
Grayfia calmly swiped her dress clear of dust that had landed on it.
"Kyaaaahhh!" Riser immediately lost control of her bladder in absolute terror and materialized her wings, resulting in a combination of flapping wings and a violent 'water'-jet that accidentally launched the woman to the second floor of the ceremony hall like she was using a terror-powered piss-launched flappy jetpack.
It was just in time as well, as the kaiju had drawn her fist back and had swung it forwards towards where Riser had been. However, the accidental 'dodge' made the swing miss its target!
The massive fist landed like a wrecking ball, caving in a sizable part of the already-broken ceremony hall, and causing the second floor of the ceremony hall to crumble apart.
Grayfia sent a side-eye at the giant fist that had crushed the area next to her, still in her maid-like posture, and sighed. "I'll take care of this now, Rias-sama. Please do not look."
The fist pulled back and the kaiju-sized dragon-girl reared back to let out a roar of dominance that caused yet another avalanche in the nearby mountains.
"What- Grayfia-neesan!" Rias was shocked at Grayfia's finalistic words. "Do you have a plan? Can I help?! And… Please, if you can, don't hurt Issei!"
Grayfia was not paying attention to Rias as she had pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen, and was seemingly scribbling something on it.
Rias took a step to the side to look over Grayfia's shoulder as she wanted to know what sort of sealing spell the gray-haired maid was preparing!
"If u win quickly I'll let u do butt stuff tonight -G." The words Grayfia had written on the paper felt like a flashbang to Rias's brain!
Grayfia folded the paper into a paper plane and threw it towards the crater where Sirzechs had been buried.
There was a sound of rustling paper… And a dark arrow of Destruction shot out of the crater!
The Dragon-Kaiju-Girl fell down on her back with a bruise at the center of her temple! She was K.O'd in one hit!
Sirzechs Lucifer, the Maou, was standing up in the air with his hand outstretched and finger up, as if he had just flicked his finger against the huge monster's forehead!
The Maou stood tall and terrible, wreathed in [Power of Destruction] that roared around him like a maelstrom… and then the dark energy dissipated in as soon as the downed dragon-kaiju disappeared into motes of red energy.
Sirzechs sent a thumbs up to Grayfia and Rias while he had a happy and goofy expression on his face.
Grayfia bent down a bit to take a piece of broken masonry and flicked it off, where the hypersonic projectile bounced off Sirzechs's temple and caused his head to bob back and forth a bit.
Rias didn't pay attention to any of it as she jumped over the railing and materialized her devil-wings, and flew as fast as she could towards the crater that Issei's 'dragon-girl' form had caused as it had fallen on its back.
"Issei!" Rias spotted an unmoving form amongst the broken trees and crushed ground.
Issei wasn't dead… But it looked like he was in great pain!
Rias dashed forwards and threw herself on top of Issei's body, channeling her energies to her skin and pushing it to Issei to replenish his strength. At the same time she summoned her ball-like bat familiar. "You! Go to Asia! Have her come to me immediately! Issei needs to be healed! Now! Hurry!"
The bat struck a salute with its wing and flew off in a zig-zag pattern.
Rias curled up on top of Issei's body and grasped her hand to a fist out of frustration. "Ise… You told me you wouldn't go away… Please don't go…"
She had seen the situation unfold from the side, but it was clear to Rias that Lord Phenix had arranged the whole challenge-situation. It was clear that he didn't approve of the solution that the families had come up with, and chose to meddle directly to alter the outcome.
Rias felt her anger boil for the noble who had chosen to snub Issei, and in his zealotry could have cost Issei his life.
"Rias-sama?" A voice came from behind her and Rias glanced at Grayfia who had landed nearby with a blanket. Sirzechs landed next to the maid, though the Maou's ear was slightly red as if someone had twisted it painfully. "It would be wise to relocate elsewhere. As it is, I believe that the wedding ceremony is either postponed or cancelled-"
"No, that's not quite it. I believe that the ceremony has concluded. All necessary things were said and done, and as far as I'm concerned, Issei-kun definitely won the battle against the Pawns… Seeing that they all fell unconscious from terror. Though I have no doubt Lord Phenix will object and cite various reasons for it, such as my involvement." Sirzechs said while putting his hand on Grayfia's forearm to stall her. "I'll take care of the political side of this, but it would appear that Issei-kun accidentally entered a [Juggernaut Drive] form just now. I've seen several [Boosted Gear] users use this form… Though, it has traditionally taken the shape of a dragon?"
"I do not know what happened either, Sirzechs-niisama." Rias told her brother. "But Issei needs help right now! He feels so cold and in clearly in pain!"
"I see. That is better than the alternative- He's alive after all." Sirzechs said with a tone of finality in his voice. "Normally you cannot simply 'knock' someone out of [Juggernaut Drive]. It's a state that will go on until the wielder of [Boosted Gear] either dies or simply burns out. It's not a controllable power, rather, it's the 'last gasp' of the [Boosted Gear]'s wielder, usually activating moments before dying when they are at the peak of their power… Though, never have I seen [Juggernaut Drive] activate in that manner, or so… strangely. I would like a word with Ddraig and Issei-san, once they wake up. If they wake up."
"Sirzechs-sama is certain to also refrain from big brotherly threats regarding Issei-sama's various statements during and before this event, when he has this discussion with Issei-sama." Grayfia noted calmly. "Statements involving Rias-sama's virginity and such."
Sirzechs had a vein ticking on his forehead and it looked like he was restraining himself with massive effort. "Yes, of course. I'll make no mention of such. Maybe just a little, though…?"
"Sirzechs-sama." Grayfia pinched Sirzech's ear again.
"Yes, certainly. It would be inappropriate if I enacted justice upon someone who dares to approach my sister in such a manner, ahahah." Sirzechs spoke with a carefree tone and easygoing expression, though his face was red from pain.
"...I love Issei-kun, you know. I won't forgive you if you hurt him, Sirzechs-niisama." Rias sent a glare at her big brother.
"Ahaha, that is precisely why I'd wish to have a talk with- owieeeeeee! I get it! I get it! I'll behave!" Sirzechs's ominous words died to a pained whimper as Grayfia twisted his ear further.
"Very good, Sirzechs-sama. Now then, I believe that it would be optimal if Issei-sama was taken somewhere else to recover. Of course, it would be wise to have the area guarded, just in case [Juggernaut Drive] re-activates." Grayfia suggested and let go of Sirzechs's ear. "Moreover I believe that Lady Phenix expects Issei-sama to spend the night with Riser Phenix, therefore I suggest we combine these two requests and lock Riser-sama in a room with Issei-sama, where Riser-sama can guard Issei-sama."
"...grr…" Rias sent a low growl at Grayfia for wanting to pull Issei away from her! "What if Riser hurts Issei?! He's vulnerable right now! He… I mean, she might try to kill him in his sleep!"
"It is my belief that the situation might be reversed, given recent history." Grayfia noted. "However we can place various spells on Issei-sama to give indication of his health, just in case. Given Phenix's regeneration, such things are unlikely to be needed for Riser-sama."
"...I want a room near Ise-kun." Rias glowered at Grayfia.
"I believe that such things are up to your hosts." A fourth voice entered the conversation and Rias turned to look at Lady Phenix, who had appeared out of a teleporting sigil alongside Asia, Rias's familiar, and a few guards carrying Phenix colors. "Asia-chan? You were requested, I believe?"
"Y-yes! Rias-sama! I'll help Issei-san now!" Asia ran to Rias, or rather, hobbled to her as though she didn't have high heels, her dress shoes were clearly difficult to run in.
"Well then." Lady Phenix clapped her hands together. She had a shadow covering half her face and her eyes were closed and she had an eerie smile on her face. "I believe that I am needed to send my regards to the guests as they file out, seeing that the wedding ceremony is quite effectively over at this point, largely due to the damages inflicted over the course of this… 'event'. However I decided to drop by and check on how my Riser's brand new husband is doing, after something strange happened and even the Maou decided to interfere and turn our backyard into their playground ..."
The blonde woman lifted her eyebrow at Rias, who was curled over Issei's body. "...And into a 'playground' of entirely different sort. During the day of the wedding, no less."
"I was healing my Ise-kun!" Rias hissed violently at Lady Phenix, not quite able to keep her annoyance and emotion hidden as Issei was once again wounded for her sake!
"Of course. Naturally." Lady Phenix's eerily dangerous expression didn't change.
Sirzechs coughed to his hand to draw attention away from Rias. "I assure you, Lady Phenix, that nothing untoward has happened. Moreover I would like to offer my condolences for the unexpected end to the ceremony due to this battle."
"I wonder if Sirzechs-sama has input on how exactly this situation came to be?" Lady Phenix asked while she seemed to radiate worrisomely intense energy.
"It would appear that Issei-kun accidentally entered [Boosted Gear]'s 'forbidden' mode, [Juggernaut Drive, that caused this whole mess. I would assume that being forced to do battle in his tired and exhausted state after the Rating Game influenced the situation. Moreover it may not have been Issei's choice entirely to enter [Juggernaut Drive]." Sirzechs spoke. Rias's spirits rose as she realized that Sirzechs wasn't blaming Issei for the situation. "At the same time, the [Juggernaut Drive] has behaved entirely out of the ordinary, at least as far as my knowledge of [Boosted Gear] goes, so I cannot offer a definitive answer. In the past [Juggernaut Drive] has mostly activated out of some sort of situation where the owner of [Boosted Gear] is placed in a situation of extreme regret, such as when they have lost or are about to lose something- or someone- that is of extremely high value to them. It may be that…"
"Ohoh~ So, it's like that then. I may have drawn wrong conclusions earlier~" Lady Phenix seemed to realize something and reached to stroke her chin, accidentally interrupting Sirzechs. Though it didn't look like Sirzechs was intending on continuing anyway as his words had trailed off. "It looks like I'll have to have a talk with my dear husband."
Sirzechs looked like he wanted to excuse himself and run off but didn't want to draw attention, even though Lady Phenix's dark mutterings weren't directed at him specifically.
"...And also a talk about when to give up and when to talk with his wife before deciding to do something stupid such as ruining a wedding ceremony his wife has worked so hard on. He may consider himself to be in the dog-house for a while now." Lady Phenix seemed to draw herself out of the dark murmurs with visible effort. "Once Issei-san's immediately threatening wounds have been healed here, could I trouble you two to escort Issei-san to the doctor for a quick check-up, and then return him to us? Maou Lucifer, I thank you for your presence during this ceremony and for your aid in ensuring a swift end to the altercation that happened during this ceremony."
"Of course. Moreover I am grateful that you have allowed Rias and the rest of her Peerage to be your guests for now." Sirzechs gave the blonde lady a small bow while speaking with an official tone, as the two nobles chose to return to more official airs.
Rias snapped her eyes to her brother, but chose to say nothing.
On one hand she was conflicted on staying anywhere near where her Issei had been forcibly married off to female Riser and where the two would be all but forced to consummate their marriage, much like how Rias would have been forced to do so if the marriage had taken place between male Riser and Rias. But on the other hand, Rias would easily stomach the heartache if it meant she could stay near Issei and support him.
She had planned on using her status as Issei's King to argue that she should be allowed to be present at Phenix estate even after the wedding, but if Sirzechs argued the case for her, she'd jump on it in a heartbeat!
"Fine, fine." Lady Phenix didn't seem to object to the arrangement as she just waved her hand. "Riser's Peerage could use the company anyway. I'm not sure why they are as shocked as they are, it's not like Riser has become an entirely new person. He's… ahem, she's just slightly more skittish now, though I would attribute that to nervousness. Ohoho~ I remember when I married my husband, I was fretting over all sorts of things~"
Lady Phenix's mood seemed to lighten a bit, but she still retained a pissed-off air around her as she walked off and teleported away in a flash of red light. The pair of guards that had come with her stayed behind and moved to unfold a stretcher for Issei.
"...Alright. I'll see you later, Rias-chan. Please be well. Use this if something happens." Sirzechs gave Rias a slip of paper with his sigil on it, which could be used to summon him in a flash if needed. "Issei-san's [Juggernaut Drive] might reactivate once he wakes up so I would not recommend you staying too close to him for now. I'll leave that to Riser-chan."
"...Fine. Nii-sama, about what you said, that [Juggernaut Drive]-" Rias took the paper and tucked it away between her breasts.
"We'll talk later. Now, I have some very important things to take care of tonight, so please excuse me." Sirzechs spoke while he looked like the very image of a professional and well-put Maou with no ulterior intentions.
Rias sent a side-eye at Grayfia, who gave a sigh and a shrug.
.
.
.
A half-slipped off high heel shoe dangled off a leg that was sticking out of a giant pile of rubble in the ruined ceremony hall.
The leg was the only thing visible of her, as the rest of her body was buried in a huge pile of rubble.
The girls of Riser's Peerage put down flowers in front of the grave-pile while sniffling.
"Heeeelppp meeeeeee…" A miserable whine came out of the pile of rubble, like the crying of ghosts, haunting the wrecked wedding ceremony hall.