Chapter 91 - was

speeds.

"…!" Koneko's eyes widened as she saw the pawn flawlessly redirect her momentum when she hit the ceiling, going straight at- "Issei-senpai!"

The boy in question didn't need the warning. If there was something that he improved after the tutelage of his two senseis, that would be his dynamic vision. The draconic, red gauntlet was raised in time to block the spinning kick, but the strength behind it was greater than he expected, causing him to slide back several meters.

However, to his surprise, Ruruko didn't keep pressuring him. Instead, she jumped back with another flit, going straight for Koneko.

"Tch!" The nekomata immediately understood that they already failed to take the lead. With just a maneuver, she and Issei had been separated, and now she was surrounded.

She raised both her arms and shrouded them in ki to block Ruruko's kick and Yura's punch. Due to her position in midair, Koneko was able to force the pawn aside and threw her fist at the enemy rook.

It was an unblockable attack. If the moment it connected, her ki would pierce through her flesh regardless of her enhanced defense and would damage her internal organs. But instead, she was met with yet another surprise.

"Hnn!" The back of Tsubasa's hand hit Koneko's fist softly, yet her attack was flawlessly deflected. Even part of her ki was deflected, causing it to not be enough to destabilize the blood flow of her hand.

There was no time to think though, as Tsubasa countered with a haymaker straight to the chest that she barely caught with her other hand. Her cat ears twitched, warning her of the movement behind her in time to duck bellow another of Ruruko's kicks. The moment her chest touched the ground, she immediately rolled to the side, avoiding by the skin of her teeth the double axe kick from both enemies.

[Boost!]

"Hold on, Koneko-chan!" Issei immediately put to use the extra energy from the boost and fired some beams between Koneko and the other two girls to give her some breathing room.

Their teamwork was really good. To think they would quickly force Koneko to stay on the defense. At this rate, he would have to enter the fray directly, even if he didn't have enough boosts to compensate for the difference in martial prowess-

"The first Bishop of Rias Gremory has been retired."

His breath got stuck in his throat for a moment upon hearing Grayfia's impartial announcement. Even Koneko got distracted enough that Tsubasa's fist grazed her cheek.

"No way! Gasper-kun is already out!? But didn't he transform into a myriad of bats!?"

"Watch out, Issei-senpai!"

Koneko's voice filled with urgency and even fear barely reached his ears just before the sound of a glass shattering to his right and something sailing through the air. His head snapped in that direction, and he caught glimpse of several steel projectiles coming his way.

His instincts kicked in, jumping to the side to avoid half of them, and swinging his armored arm to deflect the others. They had enough force to repel his arm, but aside from that, he was completely unscathed-

"Kuh!" His eyes widened when something pierced his right arm. One of the steel projectiles he dodged turned out to be way longer than the others, and instead of ending up nailed to the front of the opposite shop, it bounced and struck him. "Woah!"

The steel bar retracted, causing his back to slam against the wall and causing the already weakened structure to fall apart. As he fell to the ground, he heard some voices coming out of the other shop.

"Thanks for the help, Reya-san. You can now take this with you."

"I'll leave the rest to you then, Gen-kun. Good luck."

As he figured, when Issei got back on his feet, he saw Saji walking out of the other shop, and the other girl, Kusaka Reya, running away with the other end of the "line" connected to his arm.

His first instinct was to try and tear off the steel rod from his arm, but it was no use. The thing didn't even move an inch.

[Partner, try to cut it with Ascalon!]

"Right, blad-"

"Oh no, you don't!" Before he could draw the dragon-slayer sword, his brown eyes saw Saji's reptile-like gauntlet coming dangerously close to his face.

The Red Dragon Emperor barely tilted his head in time, and immediately threw a punch back. The red gauntlet failed to meet its target, and Saji took the opportunity to grab it. In a quite unorthodox judo maneuver, Issei's view of the world was flipped and his back once again hit the concrete.

[Boost!]

That third boost came in just in time to mitigate the damage, and this time, Issei quickly rolled to get back on his feet. Seeing his fellow pawn charging at him again, he concentrated his energy in his fist as he got ready to punch with all his might.

To his surprise, Saji completely mirrored his movements, and their armored fists were propelled with a mana burst and clashed with enough force to shatter all the glasses around.

""Gah!"" Both teenagers gasped in pain as they were repelled in both directions and fell inside the shops, effectively switching their initial positions.

"Man, that definitely looked better in the animes…" Issei scratched the back of his head and tried to push away the dots at the side of his vision.

"I guess I miscalculated a little bit…" Saji seemed to be in the same situation as he shook the dust and debris from his uniform. His burning gaze met once again Issei's, and he opened his mouth. "But this should show you how serious I am, Hyoudou. I will surpass you and defeat you here and now!"

[Boost!]

"We will see about that! Koneko-chan, I'm afraid you're on your own!"

"Don't worry about me! Take him out quickly!" His partner replied as she concentrated her ki in the palms of her hands and threw it as fire blasts to disrupt the enemy formation.

"It's you and me then!"

Both teenagers rushed at each other and their fists started to fly around. Having pulled himself together, Issei was able to react to Saji's attack properly, and throw counterattacks without glaring openings, but…

"Kuh…" As the punches and knees of Vritra's wielder started to slip through his guard, he was starting to come to a somber realization.

"What's the matter, Hyoudou!? All that dragon fighting made you forget Aniki's lessons to destroy humans!"

Saji's assumption was… spot on. Yeah, those lessons engraved into his muscles were still there, just that they were buried beneath an entire month of just dodging gigantic claws and meteors. His attacks were faster and more powerful, and his body could resist the hits way better, but his overall technique was quickly falling short against this opponent.

[Boost!]

His power was doubled once again, just what he needed to not just block Saji's next punch but to also break his guard!

"HAAAAAHH!" Finally, Issei's fist met his opponent's cheek, some blood flying from his mouth. The Red Dragon Emperor's onslaught didn't end there, throwing his gauntlet towards his open chest.

"As if!" Saji's response came quickly. Even as he was still regaining his balance, a "line" was fired from his black gauntlet and deflected Issei's attack with a loud bang.

He didn't end there, his right hand shooting to grab the other end of the "line" and quickly wrapping it around Issei's arm.

"Wha-" Issei's eyes widened, but he was too late. His balance was ruined the moment Saji pulled him towards, and his elbow dug deep into his solar plexus, getting the air knocked out of his lungs.

Something here was wrong. That was the thought that crossed Issei's mind as he tried to pull himself together again. He still received a couple more punches before the next duplication came-

[Boost!]

"HNN!" With a grunt of effort, he unwrapped the "line" around his Boosted Gear, but before he could throw Saji around, the lizard mouth of his gauntlet cut it.

Using the momentum of the struggle, the blonde teenager threw a roundhouse kick that was hastily blocked by the Boosted Gear. But even so, he winced with the strength generated by another mana burst.

The plan to grab the hanging leg had to be thrown aside as another "line" was fired right at his face. Issei threw his body to the ground and propelled himself with a mana burst of his own.

He greeted his teeth for what was to come. Barely tilting his head to not receive another punch straight to his face, the Boosted Gear sailed over Saji's arm and struck his other cheek. But even so, the Red Dragon Emperor still received a kick in his guts that put some distance between them.

"Yeah, something isn't adding up… Haaah… This is the seventh boost, but somehow, he's keeping up with my strength and speed… Ddraig, is something wrong on your part?"

[No. That absorption line attached to your right arm isn't absorbing your power. His power catches up to yours with a slight delay… could it be… That sacred gear can absorb the residual energy in the atmosphere, but the efficiency shouldn't be anywhere near the regular absorption method, even if our boosts and your little friend's liberal use of Senjutsu provide plenty of energy.]

"If that's the case… the only way to win is completely overpowering him! Ddraig, activate the Balance Breaker!"

[Good luck surviving then. Reset! Countdown!]

That was the other problem. All the energy he had accumulated until now went down the drain while the transformation began. Azazel said that this was something common amongst the former Red Dragon Emperor that just awakened the Balance Breaker, but man it sure was inconvenient.

However, now that he wouldn't be providing more energy, Saji would start powering down. The problem was surviving those initial seconds.

"Sorry, Saji, but I'll have to use this!"

[Blade!]

"Tch!" Saji clicked his tongue as he had to duck under Ascalon's swing. As an anti-dragon, holy sword, even a slight touch would be fatal. Not just that, but the now large difference in range forced him to stay dodging.

He tried to fire some "lines" in quick succession, but it was no use. Ascalon cut them like nothing and came to bite his neck.

"Well, I guess I'll have to bring out my trump card as well!"

[Blade!]

A deep voice preluded the familiar blade that came out from the lizard's mouth to block Ascalon in a shower of sparks.

"You gotta be kidding!" Issei screamed in frustration as he recognized that cursed sword. The same one he used to curb stomp Riser.

[I had a feeling that was the case. That sword's efficiency when it comes to absorbing magical power is comparable to even the White. Eyes up, partner! You will be out as well if that thing touches you!]

"Here I go, Hyoudou! I'm beating our ass with Aniki's gift!"

And with that, the unorthodox dance of mortal blades began as Issei struggled to buy every possible second.

Some minutes before…

Two figures descended to the lower floors making as little noise as possible. Kiba walked ahead, scouting the places before signaling Akeno to follow him. But things changed when they heard Grayfia's voice once again.

"The first Bishop of Rias Gremory has been retired."

"They already got Gasper-kun? This is not a good start…"

Akeno looked at her partner with middle curiosity. "You are taking it better than I expected."

"That's something we need to get used to it. Losing our cool would surely get us defeated. Especially against an opponent like Sona-kaichou."

"I know. But even so… the thought of losing Issei-kun…"

"I… can understand your feelings. But get ready. We have company."

The moment they finally stepped into the parking, a trio of figures was already there waiting for them, without bothering to hide.

Vice president Tsubaki was standing in the center of the room, her two hands resting on the butt of her naginata. Momo was leaning on a car some meters behind her, her body tensing up in preparation. And sitting on a car beside the queen was Tomoe, who sheathed her katana and gave them an enthusiastic smile the moment she sensed their presence.

"It seems Kaichou hit the jackpot again, Tsubaki-senpai, Momo. We have here their real trump cards."

The knight received a pair of grunts in confirmation while a pair of frowns settled on Kiba and Akeno's faces. Hearing that Sona had already predicted their movements so far wasn't encouraging.

However, if these girls really wanted to destroy their main force, the most logical thing would be to at least bring another piece, but as things were, Issei and Koneko must be facing the other four pieces. As Rias said, the chances of Sona sending some of her numbers for an attack through the rooftop when she knew she needed the advantage in numbers were abysmal.

"Akeno-san, do you think you can take on Shinra-san and Hanakai-san at the same time?" Kiba spoke as he unsheathed the sword he was already carrying, his trusty Holy Eraser.

"Who do you take me for? You should have more faith in me, Yuuto-kun. I promised I would never lose to another queen." As if to prove her point, small arcs of electricity started to run through her fingers.

"Well, funny thing…" Tomoe's smile became fierce as she took her stance for a classical unsheathing strike. "I thought exactly the same, Kiba-kun. Let's have an old-fashioned duel, shall we?"

Her smile was mirrored by the blonde knight. "Glad to see you haven't lost your habits after training under Shirou-kun, Meguri-san. I accept your challenge!"

The entire parking was plunged into silence as everyone waited for someone to take the first movement. And that honor was Kiba's, the muscles of his legs tensing up in preparation.

The moment he kicked the ground to rush at his chosen opponent, Akeno raised her right hand in the same a gunslinger would make a quickdraw and fired the first electric bold towards the pair of queen and bishop.

However, despite the speed of her attack, Tsubaki and Momo reacted even quicker, jumping aside and letting the bolt crash against the ground and lifting some small rubble.

Before Momo's feet even touched the ground, a fireball was already leaving her hand toward Akeno. The thunder queen immediately fired a barrage of bolts in retaliation, quickly overwhelming the bishop and interrupting Tsubaki's charge.

"Huh?" But she let out a surprised voice as she saw how the two girls dodged and maneuvered through her attacks.

Momo seemed like she was dancing through them, her concentration never interrupted if the way she kept casting spells to cover her ally's advance was a sign. And Tsubaki wasn't only advancing through them, she even deflected some of them with her naginata.

"Sorry, Akeno-senpai, but the sword-spamming sessions with Shirou-kun made sure we could react to this kind of attack!" Momo spoke calmly as she threw another spell.

"Ara, ara. Then I must ask him if I can join one of those sessions after this!" Once again, Akeno countered her spells, but this time, that became a problem in itself as an icicle was amongst the fireballs.

The ice attack was vaporized the moment it was hit by Akeno's thunder, providing Tsubaki with a vapor screen to cross the remaining distance. Wind wasn't the element she had the best affinity towards, but she could cast a gust of wind with enough power to disperse the vapor.

"…!" Unfortunately, she wasn't fast enough and Tsubaki's naginata was already coming down on her.

Her wings extended, barely allowing her to dodge out of the way, and still, it left a shallow cut on her chest. She fired another bolt to cover her retreat, but she was met with yet another surprise.

"Alice Mirror!" Tsubaki brought out her mirror-shaped sacred gear, reflecting the attack and forcing her to cast a barrier to block it.

But at the same time, Momo attacked her from another angle. Akeno's reaction time was put to trial as she casted another barrier, but a part of the explosion still hit her.

"Fufu." A really disturbing smile appeared on the thunder queen's face once the smoke faded away, and even more electricity started to cover her body. "It would seem I have to undertake Shirou-kun's labor of punishing these bad girls!"

While the fight intensified, Kiba crossed the between him and his fellow knight. His black sword was already descending on her, yet the only movement she did was to take a deep breath.

"Here I go…"

CRACK!

"…!" A surprised voice left Kiba's lips. It happened so quickly he had trouble processing it. Tomoe's swing wasn't just fast, but that single hit was enough to shatter his sword as if it were made out of glass.

For a moment, he thought the one attacking him was his sensei, Okita Souji himself.

Without even stopping to think about what just happened, his Sword Birth was already producing another Holy Eraser into his hand. His blue eyes saw how Tomoe shifted his stance for a thrust and again-

"Kuh!" The attack came at a blurring speed, only missing his eye due to his sword deflecting the katana at the last possible second. He had to still close that eye as parts of his Holy Eraser were blown away.

Throwing any form to the wind, he immediately rolled to the side, barely dodging the follow-up. The distance he put between the two allowed him to create another blade anew and regain his bearings just in time to meet Tomoe's charge.

The third Holy Eraser moved to deflect the diagonal cut, a sizable dent appearing on his edge. The next swing, with an upward trajectory, cracked the blade, and the next descending one smashed it into splinters.

But in that brief exchange, Kiba was able to assess better the situation. First, even if Tomoe's physical strength was superior to his, the real reason his swords were utterly destroyed was the vicious edge of that katana itself.

He recognized it as her family heirloom, yet it was sharper and stronger. If he had to put it into more accurate words, that katana was closer to the Muramasa blades in Shirou's possession.

As for her technique, even if her ruthless attacks leave barely any window to react, the transition between them was still far from perfect. The attacks flowed into each other, but her speed decreased considerably during that transition, making it possible for him to get a good read of them and find an opening between them.

As his hand moved to intercept the next attack, different swords filled them. One with a flaming blade on his right hand and another with a glacial edge.

Both of them fell apart in the next four movements, but the steam created by the clashes made the perfect cover for his attack. A long rapier with an electric aura appeared on his hand, and he thrust it towards the opening he saw between her movements-

"Wha-" That plan fell apart as quickly as Tomoe's katana cut through the vapor and his blade like nothing. However, he didn't allow her to regain the initiative, attacking with another blade.

His thrusts were easily as fast as Tomoe's attacks, or even faster, but even so, all of them were swiftly deflected, and his blades shattered. Not only did the delay between her forms start to shorten by the second, but she also moved even before he threw his attacks and her eyes weren't even following his sword.

Did she attain the same absurd level of prediction as Shirou? No, that seemed unlikely. The auburn-haired boy's eye of the mind wasn't something you could just reach in a month, regardless of the talent of the swordsman.

No, she wasn't reading several steps ahead. She was looking straight into his eyes, all the time.

"Suigetsu!?" By the time that realization hit him like a truck, she was already overwhelming him. His ability to replenish his swords in quick succession wasn't as polished as he wanted, leaving gaps in his attack and defense.

"Gah!" He managed to avoid a fatal injury the moment his sword shattered by jumping back, and his landing wasn't even planned, causing him to roll through the concrete.

"Hehe." This time though, Tomoe didn't pursue him and took her stance. "You're gonna need to take me a little more seriously if you don't want to get your ass kicked so easily, Kiba-san. You see, Shirou didn't just help me learn the Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu from THE Yagyu Munenori's experience. He also beat me with a lot of styles. His own ultimate technique, an invisible blade, Musashi's Niten Ichi-Ryu, the Tsubame Gaeshi, but most importantly…"

Kiba could only wince as he saw his opponent shift her stance for one that he knew really well.

"He even has Sensei's sword in his arsenal… No wonder you both could read me like an open book…"

He forced himself to stand up with a grunt and eased his irregular breath. He didn't want to use it so early since his time limit wasn't that better compared to Issei's, but he had no choice. It will remove his only handicap, and also give him the plus of ending the fight the moment he scored a good hit.

"Balance Breaker: Sword of Betrayer!"

The evolution of his sacred gear wasn't even visible. However, the ornamented sword that formed in his hands was more than enough proof. The sword that broke the balance of this world. His holy-demonic sword.

"Time for round 2, Meguri-san!"

"You betcha!"

The two swordsmen threw themselves at each other, without caring for the destruction caused by the other fight taking place in the same room.

Their swords now clashed in balance. A beautiful dance to behold. Kiba was showing his real style now that his sword withstood the clashes, and conversely, Tomoe was also showing her true movements. Compared to those, her movements earlier seemed as if she had just been warming up or going over her forms before the real battle.

As the fight intensified and their blades crossed the air faster than Akeno's thunder, both knights sported big smiles. He even saw her cut one of Akeno's stray attacks like nothing while he did the same with Momo's.

True swordsmen don't need to fear anything as long as they have their swords with them, not even magic. That was a lesson stilled by both their coaches.

However, the fun inevitably came to an end when they heard Grayfia's announcement once again.

"Sona Sitri's first pawn is out."

"Momo, Tomoe withdraw! We are going with phase two."

"Understood, Tsubaki-senpai!"

"What a pity…" Tomoe spoke a little dismayed as she forced Kiba's sword aside and disengaged. The blonde knight tried to pursue her, but a literal wall of fire got in his way.

By the time Akeno managed to dispel Momo's spell, the three girls were already nowhere to be seen.

Both knight and queen exchanged confused looks. They could see that both of them were already somewhat fatigated and with injuries. Had the fight continued, there would have been two possible outcomes. One of them falls… or Akeno decides to use her true power and ends the fight almost instantly.

But all rational thoughts ceased the next moment.

"Sona Sitri's second pawn and Rias Gremory's rook are out."

"Koneko-chan!?" Akeno immediately turned to look at her partner, her eyes alone conveying a lot of fear. "Issei-kun is now alone!"

Kiba didn't need to be told twice, his legs moving at maximum speed to undo his way to the parking and go assist their precious friend.

"Kuh!" Issei left out a pained voice, his arms trembling as he struggled to block Retriever with Ascalon.

That sword really was making things hard for him. It was absorbing Ascalon's holy aura and converting it into raw energy that Saji's Absorption Line could absorb in turn. Those two weapons were truly a match made in heaven… or hell in this case.

Yeah, Sensei was definitely the one who found this lethal combination… No, this isn't the time to think about that-

"Gah!" That little distraction allowed Saji to push aside his dragon-slayer sword and deliver a straight jab to his guts with his right hand.

He almost tripped, but he managed to conserve his balance by digging his feet into the concrete. His entire body hurt. Even after acquiring a robust physique due to his extreme training in the mountains, he could feel all his damaged muscles and bones screaming at him to stop already.

This was by far, the worst beating he received after becoming a devil. But he couldn't stop here. Saji wasn't the only one who had an unyielding resolution. His dream might not be as beautiful as Sensei's or as the one shared by the Student Council members, but it was his dream.

And also, he could see it. The figure of that red knight he pursued was behind Saji. All those precise movements Saji was using came from him. Therefore, defeating Saji would definitely be a step closer to his aspiration!

"Grr, haaah!" With a shout of defiance, the Red Dragon Emperor repressed his pain and swung at Saji to counter his follow-up. The unexpected resistance caused the two swords to bounce in another shower of sparks and generated a distance he needed so desperately.

"Tch!" Saji's face was growing frustrated as he pointed the cursed sword at him. "You're really clinging to life with your entire being, Hyoudou!"

His eagerness was justified. The number showing in the Boosted Gear's gem now reached ten seconds. Therefore, the fight was going to be settled in that interval of time.

"Retriever!" Without wasting another second, Saji pointed the cursed sword toward Issei and summoned its true name.

A part of his accumulated energy was fired in the form of a small beam toward the Red Dragon Emperor. Small enough to not cause considerable damage to the property, but the curse would still take out Issei in one hit.

"Woah!" The brown-haired teenager ducked with a masculine yelp, some of that hair getting burned. But it didn't end there as more beams like that came towards him as if Saji were just firing a gun.

His movements were sloppy, most of the time rolling through the concrete rather than cleanly dodging. But even so, he was so used to dodging projectiles that his body moved on its own despite the pain. Whether it was fireballs as powerful as meteorites or twisted swords at sonic speeds, you could say clinging to life was his specialty!

[Five seconds!]

"Haaaaaaaaahhh!" To Issei's surprise, Saji pointed the cursed sword behind him and fired a beam towards apparently nowhere.

However, the recoil propelled him towards the Red Dragon Emperor and closed the distance in a beat. With a turn to gain even more momentum, Saji brought down Retriever on Issei, who barely raised Ascalon in time.

"Ngh!" Even if the holy sword resisted the attack, Issei could tell his arm was about to fall apart. Having that sword attached to his gauntlet was the only way for him to wield it, but all the impacts were directly transferred to his arms.

Blocking was no longer an option, and he doubted he could retreat safely. The only way was to attack back!

"OOOOOOOAAAAH!" Issei grabbed his left arm with his right hand and swung it with all his might toward Saji's vicious attack. Both blades clashed in balance, causing the blonde pawn to widen his eyes.

The boy in front of him looked like a walking corpse. There was pretty much no energy coming from him. He burned everything to survive for these to minutes. There was no way he could keep swinging his blade. He would definitely collapse after the next attack-

"What the…" Or so he thought ten attacks ago. The brown-haired boy kept swinging his blade. Those eyes weren't even looking at him, but at the ideal behind him.

"Did Rias-senpai's breasts feel so good, Hyoudou!"

"Yes! Yes, they did! It was the best thing in the world! But I'm not just fighting for them! I will defeat you and go after Sensei!"

"Damn it! I Haven't even seen Kaichou's! But I won't let our dream die here! This ends here!"

The way Saji raised his left arm and accumulated energy, Issei immediately knew it. He was going to fire a really powerful mana burst. But there was no looking back. It was now or never!

CLANG!

"…!" Saji's breath got stuck in his throat. His most powerful attack was miraculously blocked by the walking corpse. And his eyes… they were now looking at-

Issei gritted his teeth as a world of pain almost knocked him unconscious. Yeah, his left arm was definitely broken, and his left leg was almost the same. But he finally saw it. The opening he worked all this match!

[WELSH DRAGON BALANCE BREAKER!]

Just in time. The immense power of the Red Dragon Emperor's Scale Mail filled his body as he threw his right punch at Saji's exposed side.

"GWAH!" The wielder of Absorption Line spat a considerable chunk of blood as his body flew through the air like a ragged doll and crashed into the already ruined shop.

"Haah… haah… haah…" Issei took a couple of seconds to catch his breath, even if just breathing was becoming a herculean effort.

[You barely made it, partner, but this is your victory.]

"No… Grayfia didn't… announce his… elimination… I'm sure… he will be… as hard to beat… as I…"

That said, he was sure that hit must have messed up for good his internal organs. Even if his willpower kept him in the match, it would take just another hit to take him out.

Issei forced his way inside the ruined shop, and the first thing that met him was one of Vritra's "tongues". However, it missed him completely and hit the ceiling. The ceiling that was already falling apart!

"Tch!" Issei clicked his tongue as he pushed aside some of the debris. There wasn't enough rubble to even make a dent, but the purpose of that desperate attack became clear as Saji was already in front of him, raising his left fist for a final punch.

The Red Dragon Emperor saw the attack coming. It was a last desperate attempt without elaborate technique. He could easily dodge it… but, he couldn't bring himself to. It would be a dishonor to not answer to his determination with his own!

"HYOUDOUUUU!"

"SAJIIIII!"

Both put aside any notion of defense, their fists passing by each other and finding their mark on each other's faces. A clash that made the entire frame of the shop tremble before finally collapsing into a pile of rubble.

"Sona Sitri's first pawn is out."

Issei barely heard Grayfia's announcement over the ringing in his ears. His helmet was completely shattered, but thankfully, it took most of the impact.

He just… he just needed to rest a couple of seconds. Koneko could handle the other two enemies. After all, she was using her true strength…

His fatigue was so big that he failed to realize a crucial detail. That hit should have sent him straight to the infirmary if it had been powered by Retriever's curse. Therefore, if he was still conscious…

"GAH!" A voice filled with immense pain caused Issei to snap back to reality.

When he looked for the source, he saw Ruruko flying like a rag doll. Ah… Koneko finally managed to land a solid hit. With her Senjutsu, the internal damage the pawn must have suffered must be immense. She would be retired in just a couple of seconds.

His eyes then drifted to look at Koneko in case she needed help to dispatch the other rock, but…

"Huh!?" Issei widened his eyes in horror. Koneko herself widened them as they looked down and saw the silver, cursed sword stabbed in her chest.

Those yellow eyes then looked at Issei's form, and her lips moved, yet no words left them. Her entire body entered a total shock due to the unbearable pain just before she was teleported to the infirmary.

"Sona Sitri's second pawn and Rias Gremory's rook are out."

Grayfia's announcement was followed by a dead silence, only interrupted by the clanging sound caused by the cursed sword hitting the concrete.

Yura walked calmly towards it in front of Issei's astonished look and picked it up. "You did really well, Ruruko-chan, Saji-kun. Leave the rest to us."

At that precise moment, something snapped inside of Issei and his vision turned red. "YOU BASTARD!" With a combination of a mana burst and the thrusters in the back of his armors, he rushed towards the rock while putting a massive amount of energy in his undamaged fist.

"Ah…" However, that rage faded away the moment his self-preservation instincts kicked in as he saw the rock do the same movement, she used to deflect Koneko's attacks. Her free hand flowed through the air calmly and redirected the force behind his attack like nothing. He could swear that he even saw for a moment a blue aura covering it.

But it was too late to think of a countermeasure as he was already spinning through the air uncontrollably until he crashed into another shop.

He tried to stand up as quickly as possible, but a kick hit his right arm, sending a jolt of pain through his entire body and putting him down.

"Sorry, but I cannot waste this opportunity. This is your end, Red Dragon Emperor!" He saw Yura plant her right foot firmly on the ground a pull back her fist.

That was it, huh? Damn it, they really got them for good…

"ISSEI-KUN!"

A familiar voice caused both their heads to snap to the side in time to see a holy-demonic sword flying toward Yura. It was thrown by Kiba, who was at the end of the hallway. No, to be more precise, he punched it much as Shirou did with those anti-dragon daggers.

The enemy tower jumped to dodge it, or at least she tried, but to her horror, Issei was firmly grabbing one of her legs.

"Guh!"

"Sona Sitri's rook is out."

The sword stabbed her chest before she could try another approach, and the safety system teleported her right away before the holy aura spread through her body.

Once again, Issei felt his body relax as the sound of steps approached him, even if it just brought even more pain.

"Issei-kun! Hold on!"

"He's about to disappear! Yuuto-kun, I'll use the Phoenix Tear!"

It wasn't just Kiba. Akeno was also there, and the premise of having one of those miraculous things poured on him was quite reassuring. However, there was a crucial detail he wasn't forgetting for the second time.

"Wait… where's… where's Sensei's sword?"

"What do you mean-"

"Sorry to rain on your parade, but I can't let you do that."

Kiba immediately stood on guard when they were interrupted, but everyone froze at the realization that Issei was right. Tomoe was standing some meters from them, holding the same cursed sword that had been in Yura's hand before she was retired.

"Blow 'em all, Retriever!"

All the energy stored in the cursed sword was fired in a sizable beam, and Kiba and Akeno moved to block it and protect Issei. But to their surprise, it wasn't aimed at them, but at the already cracked soil beneath them!

""WHOOAAA!""

The three members of the Gremory screamed as they fell to the lower floor amongst the rubble.

"Issei-kun!" Kiba, who managed to break his fall better than the other two immediately moved to attend to the downed Red Dragon Emperor and remove the debris on him. "Akeno-san, where's the Phoenix Tear!?"

"I lost it amongst the rubble, damn it! We need to get him to Asia!" She sounded really pissed off and scared at the same time.

"Right- wait, what is this metal rod connected to your right arm? Let me cut it-"

"No, don't do that yet…" It surprised Issei that his Balance Breaker didn't blow it away, but if it came to this, he might as well take advantage of it. "I'm sure… it will… lead us to… Kaichou…"

"But isn't this thing bad news?"

"ISSEI-SAN!" Like a ray of good luck, they saw Asia and Rias descending through the now ceiling towards them.

The ex-nun immediately made her sacred gear work at maximum power to heal everything broken in his body, and the red-haired kind let his head rest on her lap, something that caused him to instantly relax.

"Thank goodness I decided to come here the moment I heard Koneko-chan was defeated…" Her blue eyes looked at her other two servants and the sight of their injuries made her grit her teeth. "I didn't expect Sona's peerage to improve so much, even if it was Shirou-kun who trained them…"

"No… Buchou, aside from the lack of surprise factor on their side… as Shirou-kun said, they know way better how to use everything at their disposal."

Akeno nodded at Kiba's assessment. "They still need to put a lot of effort to eliminate just one of us. If we manage to get Issei-kun back on his feet, they will have wasted a lot of that effort and pieces for nothing."

"Akeno-san, I'm afraid even if I heal Issei the best I can, he won't be at his peak…."

"She's right…" The Red Dragon Emperor suddenly forced himself to stand up, interrupting Asia's efforts midway. "I don't know why… ugh… but even with Asia's awesome power… my head is still spinning, and I can barely stand… I think the best I'll manage is one last attack… In fact… Kiba, I think it's better for you… to have this now…"

Just as he said that, he detached Ascalon from his left arm and gave it to the Gremory knight who nodded resolutely.

"I will make sure to put this holy sword to good use, Issei-kun."

Rias clenched her fists, destructive aura forming over them for a moment as she fought to repress the maelstrom of feelings filling her heart.

"Then we'll make that one attack count. Follow me, my cute servants! This will be all-or-nothing!"

The Gremory team was quickly on the move after Asia finished healing Akeno and Kiba's injuries. They followed the "tongue" connected to Issei's right arm until they reached the rest area of the shopping center. A place that resembled a square filled with benches and with a small clocktower in its center.

There, they were met by the rest of the Sitri team. Tsubaki and Tomoe were standing in the front, while Momo and Reya were some meters behind them, casting what looked like a powerful barrier in the form of a dome. And from inside of that dome, Sona greeted them with her usual analytical look.

"It took you more than I expected to come here Rias. But I guess that's because you somehow managed to give Issei-kun some extra time even without the Phoenix Tear. Your bishop's healing powers are certainly something to fear in a Rating Game, and I can see why the Red Dragon Emperor is also feared just by his appearance."

Rias' eyebrow trembled. Sona of all people monologuing? That was certainly new. "Is this your plan, Sona? You will just stall inside that barrier, powered up by the power you stole from my Issei-kun? I'm sure that will be definitely boring for the audience."

"I'm just taking the safest path to victory. There's nothing more to it. At the end of the day, a victory is a victory, regardless of the employed method."

"Heh, that's something Shirou-kun would definitely say."

Just as Rias said, Issei could see through his blurry vision that the other end of the line connected to his arm was still on that bishop's hand. However, something didn't add up in Rias' deduction. He could tell that the power of the Balance Breaker didn't diminish at all despite his growing fatigue.

"Buchou, I'm reaching my limit… I'll go ahead… ugh…" He tried to take his stance for a controlled dragon shot, but even that single action became almost impossible. One of his knees touched the ground, his legs failing him way before he expected. "What's this… I can barely think straight…"

"Of course, that can happen to a human body that loses almost half of its blood. Even as a reincarnated devil, that weakness still applies. That's something you won't be able to heal with Twilight Healing or a Phoenix Tear."

To illustrate the point of her mistress, Reya showed them the object to which the "line" was actually connected. A bag filled to the brim with blood. His blood.

"We had a plan B in case Saji-kun didn't defeat you with his fists. In fact, the beating you received from him must have accelerated the process. He made sure to bring you down one way or another."

Ah… So that was the real extent of Saji's determination. With Sensei's help, he turned his inferiority complex into unwavering resolve. Not just him. All of the members of the Student Council were ready to give everything for their dream. That and Kaichou's tactical prowess created a solid path to their victory.

But if that was the case… he couldn't fall behind.

"If this is it for me… then I'll go out… with a banger."

Even if mustering everything he had didn't even allow him to stand up again, it would definitely allow him to fulfill his mundane desires. His very end goal.

"Rise up, my desire! Give free rein to your worldly desires! Realize yourself, world of my dreams! Let me hear your hidden voice!"

After uttering the aria he came up back during his time of isolation back in the mountains, and a lot of voices entered his head. The voice of all the breasts around him.

But there was hardly any time to pay attention to the concerned voices coming from Rias and Akeno's "assets", nor could he hear the plans of all the remaining members of the Student Council. The best course of action was to read the intentions of the mastermind behind all their plans!

"Please, Kaichou's breasts! Please tell me what kind of strategy are you gonna use!?"

"What the-"

"This special barrier created by Reya and Momo is only a decoy. The only thing inside of it is the spirit while my body is on the rooftop. Basically, a realistic illusion. That way, they'll waste some of their energy breaking this barrier."

"Gotcha… Buchou… that Kaichou inside the barrier… is an illusion… a decoy so we… waste our time and energy…"

He managed to force those words out of his mouth as he finally collapsed. But as his consciousness started to fade, he heard something that ran his blood cold.

"But that is also a façade."

As much as he tried to warn his comrades his body no longer answered his commands and the safety system was already teleporting him.

The last image he saw before finally falling into a long slumber was Kaichou's disturbing smile.

"Rias Gremory's pawn is out."

"What a… peculiar technique." Sona was the first one to break the astonished silence filling the place. "I don't think there's going to be a single female devil who wants to fight against you in the future, Rias."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that but that's Issei-kun for you…"

While Rias seemed to be still in shock due to the weird technique Issei pulled off, Kiba could feel Akeno's barely repressed murderous intent. She was definitely going to use her true power. However, if she attacked recklessly and Tsubaki reflected the attack with her sacred gear, then things will really get ugly.

He rested his hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Wait a moment, Akeno-san. I will create an opening for you."

The queen seemed about to object, but she ultimately nodded. Without wasting a second the blonde walked to the front, his holy-demonic sword in his left hand and Ascalon in his right hand.

"Buchou, allow me to take the initiative."

"Very well then. Show them the power of the Gremory clan!"

On the other side, Sona left some last words to her servants. "I'll leave the rest to you, Tsubaki, Tomoe, Reya, Momo. I trust you will execute the plan flawlessly."

"It shall be done."

"We got this, Kaichou!"

The duo of queen and knight stepped forward as well to face him, their hands already resting on the hilts of their blades.

"Shiny bravely, Ascalon!" Kiba put together his two swords as he summoned Ascalon's holy aura and transferred it to his Sword of Betrayer. The holy side of the latter was greatly amplified, causing it to start shining with enough intensity to illuminate the entire place.

"Ascalon Birth!" After finishing charging up, Kiba stabbed both swords into the ground, sending a massive wave of holy light toward the Sitri team. Not only that, but lots of holy-demonic swords sprung from the ground alongside the wave, amplifying it even more.

But even in front of that attack, the smile on Tomoe's face didn't waver. "Even if it's still a far cry from the real 'Peerless in swordsmanship', it will have to do. Tsubaki-san, I'll go ahead."

"Understood."

Having her confirmation, the Japanese knight closed her eyes and lowered her stance. The nature of the attack in front of her didn't matter, as this technique will turn her sword into a sure-kill attack.

"Mine heart is immovable, yet I must be free. Thusly, it will enter the realm of no desires and thoughts. Kenjutsu Musou: Kenzen Ichinyo!"

With almost no sound, the katana was unsheathed and swung toward the approaching attack in the blink of an eye. The next moment, all the holy-demonic swords protruding from the soul were sliced in two, and the wave of holy energy lost a considerable part of its power.

"Alice Mirror!" Just enough so that Tsubaki's sacred gear could take it on. The mirror was instantly shattered, and the attack was redirected with two times its original strength.

However, that was something the Gremory team already expected, allowing them to dodge the attack in time before it obliterated everything on its path. While Tsubaki seemed ready to continue at any time, Tomoe's perfectly calm breath became a complete mess.

Even that poor imitation of the secret technique that reached the heavens was enough to put her entire body under great strain.

"Heh, you can send ten more of those! I'll cut them all!" Yet that didn't prevent her from trash-talking.

"No, now it's my turn." The one to step in front of them now was Akeno. Her ever-present smile was nowhere to be seen, replaced by a cold glare. Her bare presence was enough to make the temperature in the room descend a couple of degrees. "With that annoying mirror out of the way, I can blow you away for sure. I wanted to show my resolution to Issei-kun, but you ruined it…"

Her wings spread and her body was once again shrouded in electricity. But to their surprise, one of her wings wasn't bat-like, but that of a crow, and her aura now felt the same way as Ascalon's.

She was finally using her power as a fallen angel hybrid.

"Disappear! Light Thunder!"

If Kiba's attack illuminated the place, Akeno's thunder shone like a miniature sun that caused any supernatural creature of dark origin to flinch. Like those majestic thunders in the worst of the storms that were attributed in ancient legends to Thor's wrath or Zeus' judgment.

In front of such an attack, even the cold queen of the Sitri team lost her composure. "Momo, with me!"

"Yes, Tsubaki-senpai!"

She and the white-haired bishop immediately casted a defensive barrier just in time to receive the massive thunder. The impact shook the entire building and shattered all the glass in the vicinity.

There was barely any struggle. It took only a couple of seconds for the attack to completely destroy any possible defense in its way and strike true.

"Sona Sitri's first bishop and queen have been retired."

Akeno blew the tip of her finger, once again like a gunslinger after a victorious encounter, as Grayfia announced the demise of her enemies. However, to her surprise, there was still one person standing after the smoke was cleared.

Her body sported really concerning burns, and she was barely conscious if her pained expression was anything to go by. But her hands hold on to the hilt of a certain cursed sword as if her life depended on it. A cursed sword that was now brimming with energy absorbed from Akeno's attack.

"Heh… Kaichou wasn't joking… when she said that you… are Rias' true trump card… Akeno-san… I guess it's time for us to show you ours!" The safety system was already trying to teleport her away, but using her last bit of strength, she moved her trembling muscles for one last swing. "Retriever!"

"Sona Sitri's knight is out."

The massive beam was fired just in time before her body disappeared from their view. A cursed attack that would definitely take down even powerful dragons, instantly rotting their scales and consuming their flesh.

The black-haired queen was under no illusion she could take on such an attack and immediately batted her wings to fly out of its trajectory.

"AKENO, BEHIND!" Unfortunately, Rias' warning came a second late. To her horror, a pair of arms grabbed her from behind in a lock that didn't allow her to move an inch.

Sona's second bishop, the one that casted the spell that managed to conceal her presence and Saji's from even Koneko's exceptional senses, was now immobilizing her while giving her a triumphant smile.

"Sorry, Akeno-san, but you will have to accompany me to the infirmary!"

"NOOO-"

"Sona Sitri's second bishop and Rias Gremory's queen have been retired."

The safety system teleported them before the attack even grazed them. However, as dangerous as that attack was for supernatural creatures, the beam only punched a hole through some of the shops, leaving the building's structure intact.

Once everything settled the only proof of the presence of those five girls left behind was the cursed sword with its blade buried in the soil. And just a second later, the rest of the Gremory team saw how Retriever collapsed in specks of light, as if to say that its job there was done.

"Phew… that was close. Your lads gave us a good scare for a moment there, Shirou-kun, but this is our victory. Still, I agree this has been a really valuable lesson for my kids to never underestimate your opponent."

Meanwhile, in the VIP room reserved for the relatives of the participants, their coaches, and Odin as an honored guest, Azazel spoke relieved as he whipped the sweat from his forehead.

Sirzechs beside him was pretty much the same. "Rias' estimation will still drop as she didn't crush them as was expected, but a victory is a victory."

On the other side of the spectrum, Sairaorg was so excited that he seemed eager to enter the battlefield as well. "This is definitely the best Rating Game I've seen in a lot of time! I can't wait to see how the fists of Issei-kun and Saji-kun grow in the future!"

"Hohoho! I can see why this Rating Game thing is so popular in the underworld." Meanwhile, the All-Father seemed overjoyed since the first time they met him. "I forgot how exciting is to see the new youths working so hard to surpass impossible odds. That boy who defeated the Red Dragon and that Japanese knight are definitely well-trained. Take good care of them, Sirzech, Serafall."

"Lord Odin certainly has a good eye. Shirou-kun did a great job for sure…" Serafall, despite wearing her magical girl cosplay, spoke with a sorrowful voice and a strained smile.

It was so close. But even with his help, So-tan wasn't able to protect her dream…

"What are you guys talking about?" The man in question tilted his neck to look at them from his sit, the confident smile on his face sending chills down Azazel and Sirzech's spines. "The fight isn't over yet."

"I admire your positivism, Shirou-kun, but it's just So-tan against Rias-chan, Asia-chan, and Kiba-kun. As much as I want to have faith in her, this situation…"

"No. This isn't an unfavorable situation at all, Serafall. In fact, this is the very outcome Sona's been working towards since the beginning of the match. Just wait and see."

Back at the shopping center, the remaining members of the Gremory team regroup for the final assault.

"Damn it, they even got Akeno… Yuuto-kun, how much do you think you can fight with your balance breaker?"

"Not as much as I would want, Buchou. Even if it was to just open the path for Akeno-san, that attack took a lot from me. I think I will only be able to wield my holy-demonic sword and Ascalon for a few more minutes."

"Then we'll have to get to the rooftop ASAP. Asia-chan, can you use your sacred gear on him while we run?"

"Yes, Buchou. I trained specifically to be able to use my Twilight Healing without having to be so focused. Let me-"

Just as the ex-nun was about to call forth her ring-shaped sacred gear, a loud bang interrupted her before all life left her green eyes. In front of Rias and Kiba's widened eyes, a projectile seemingly made out of water impacted the back of her neck.

"Asia-chan-"

"Rias Gremory's second bishop is out."

Everything happened so fast that they weren't able to do anything about it. Asia was teleported away even before her body hit the scorched soil. That hit must have knocked her out instantly.

Their blue eyes turned to look in the direction of the attack and found the only possible culprit standing above one of the few shops that resisted the previous exchange with her hands in a position as if she had just fired an arrow from an invisible bow.

"You dropped your guard way too soon, Rias. You shouldn't put all your trust in the intel you got from someone in a completely delirious state." With that said, Sona calmly jumped from her vantage point to the ruined hallway and started walking toward them.

"Even if Issei-kun was fatigued from the blood loss, if it came to his personal desires, I'm 100% sure his read on your intentions with that weird technique must have been accurate."

"Well, that depends on what you consider 'accurate'. Yeah, I was waiting on the rooftop to save energy for this final battle and the illusion's purpose was to make you waste your energy. However, that was only the first phase of the plan. Do you consider a half-truth true enough?"

Rias couldn't help but grit her teeth. "You chose this place specifically as hiding a teleporting circle would be easy and there were a lot of vantage points for a surprise attack. You took out Koneko and Gasper so that the surprise attack wouldn't be ruined. And I assume Akeno would have been the target had she not been taken out… You really were several steps ahead of us throughout the entire match. But all that ends now. There won't be any tricks in this battle!"

"Are you sure? Checkmating with only a knight is nearly impossible, you know? But you are welcome to try."

She spread her arms and showed her a smile disturbingly similar to her sister's. That interpretation of a cliché villain was certainly to make Rias lose her cool, and unfortunately, Kiba could tell she was succeeding.

The Gremory clan is known for their deep affection for their family and servants, and three of her beloved servants were taken out right in front of her face. The only reason keeping her from really snapping was that she would lose if the building collapsed.

"Buchou, let me face her first. I don't think I will be of much help once I lose my state of Balance Breaker, but I can at least weaken her with one or two cuts."

"No, I'll cover you. I won't let my feelings get the best of me, and the other part of my training that wasn't studying strategies was to learn to control better my destruction power."

"Very well. I'll take the front then, Buchou! Let's make everyone's efforts worth it!"

Without wasting another second, the blonde knight rushed at the enemy king with every bit of his speed. The distance was closed in a beat, Ascalon raising for a downward swing at her neck.

But strangely enough, she didn't try to jump away or dodge as Kiba expected. Instead, she breathed deeply and moved her arms in wide arcs, her hands completely relaxed. As they sailed through the air, he was able to see how a thin layer of water impregnated them and turned into a bluish aura just before they met his holy steel-

"…!" There was no burning when his holy sword hit her hand, nor a clanging sound. To his utter astonishment, his attack was flawlessly deflected as if it didn't have any strength behind it. Steel and holy energy. It seemed as if the very essence of his attack was what was deflected.

Gritting his teeth to push away the shock, Kiba kept attacking ruthlessly… but to no avail. Swings, thrusts, swipes, all his lightning-fast attacks were fended off like child's play. The attacks that could keep up with Tomoe's incomplete Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu now hit an impossible wall.

It wasn't that Sona could read his attacks even better. No, he was caught in her flow from the very beginning. So much that he couldn't even create a single opening for Rias' support fire.

Like a person trying to swim against the current of a furious river, regardless of how much strength he put in his attacks or how fast he threw them, he was completely helpless.

And the inevitable outcome was finally realized.

"Gah!" Sona's fist flowed through his guard elegantly before slamming his solar plexus with unbelievable strength. The air was knocked out of his lungs and the frantic movements of his arms stopped for a single moment.

A fatal opening. Even before Sona moved to capitalize on it, Kiba knew already this was his defeat.

"Hnn!" The next punch landed on his right shoulder, dislocating it and causing him to let go of Ascalon.

After that came the liver, upper chest, and finally, an uppercut right at his chin. All her attacks flowed into each other, but unlike Shirou's which seemed like a calm stream, hers were like a violent current that smashed through rocks.

"I'm sorry… Buchou…" His weak voice barely reached his mistress as his body flew limply through the air.

"Rias Gremory's knight has been retired."

Rias forgot how to breathe as she saw how her last servant was teleported away. Her eyes slowly turned to look at her childhood friend, who was still with her arm stretched after that final punch. Steam was coming out of her hands, and several small burns were revealed when she opened them.

"It seems it still has room to be improved, but it passed its first test on the field with flying colors."

"Sona… what in the world was... that?"

"What? Unlike the rest of the Sitri clan, I'm just using water on a conceptual level instead of just throwing it at the enemy. On a surface level, this is the result to apply my water element to Shirou-kun's mana burst. Shirou-kun called it just 'water mana burst', but I think 'Rock Smashing Water Stream Fist' fits it better."

One of her hands reached into her pocket as she elaborated on her new technique, taking advantage of Rias' shock to use her own Phoenix Tear on her damaged hands.

"Now then…" With her hands now healed she took a stance similar to a praying mantis. "It's just you and I, Rias. Like the old times."

"Very well, Sona. Let's decide this with a one-on-one duel! Take this!" Rias stretched her arms with her hands already covered in the power of destruction and started firing projectiles the size of a tennis ball.

Despite their size, those "bullets" could still pierce through most materials like nothing and covered an area wide enough to make it impossible to dodge by simply jumping aside. However, once again, Sona didn't bother to dodge and swung her hands covered in blue aura.

Despite how calm her movements were, the barrage of destruction bullets was deflected with astonishing easiness. If one were to look at the scene from above, paradoxically, Rias' attack resembled a stream of water parting due to rock on its way.

By the end of the exchange, while the soil and the nearby buildings looked like cheese with all the holes caused by the bullets, Sona was completely undamaged.

"Sorry, Rias, but this technique was primarily tested against Shirou-kun firing magic swords at me at the same speed. I think it's obvious who's going to run out of energy first."

"Tch. The rule of not destroying the building is really hindering me in this situation."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Rias. After all, you missed the other reason I chose this place. The toilets are over here."

Just as she said that a massive amount of water burst out from the ruined toilets as well as from the holes beneath her feet, to form a massive snake beside her.

"Let's settle this!"

Sona rushed towards Rias, her water snake leading the charge and absorbing her opponent's desperate attacks. But by the time the red-haired king managed to vaporize all the water, Sona had already closed the distance.

The fight was already over when Sona's fist saw her mark on Rias' chest. Her water stream fists deflected any attempt at counterattacking, and viciously hit all her vital points.

As Shirou said, the match was pretty much over the moment the Sitri team took out Akeno, the only one whose attacks had a chance to pierce through her technique.

And then just as Rias' back hit the ground, Grayfia gave the announcement that shocked the majority of devil society.

"The king Rias Gremory has lost consciousness and therefore cannot keep fighting. This is Sona Sitri's victory."

Some hours later at Serafall's hospital…

"… ugh, this thing tastes horrible…" Issei grimaced as he threw to a nearby wastebasket a can whose flavor he mistakenly assumed was orange juice due to its color.

Since the reason he was eliminated was blood loss due to Asia's sacred gear, he was able to walk perfectly after a blood transfusion and a good rest. However, his mind was still in turmoil.

They had lost, again. No this was worse than their match against Raiser. That time, the ones at disadvantage were them, but this time, all the odds were on their side. Koneko and Akeno left their past grudges behind so they could fight with everything. He had achieved the Balance Breaker. And Kiba showed all his work to be able to wield holy swords after overcoming his hatred.

But it seemed that what Sensei actually taught the Sitri team was something way more valuable than those power-ups. How to never give up and fight against those impossible odds.

It stung. The taste of defeat was once again on his lips. His only real victory, using his own power, had been against his… ex. All those other times he escaped death's grip, it has always been others who saved his ass. Mostly Sensei now that he thought about it.

Perhaps that was the real reason he really wanted to reach him. So that he wasn't a burden anymore and fight alongside him.

"The distance only grows regardless of how many steps I take… But just like them, I can't give up. Perhaps I should set myself easier goals, like steps to finally reach him. There's Vali… no, that bastard is just a little more reachable than Sensei. I think surpassing Saji would be an easier challenge, even if I got my ass handed this time…"

Yes, that boy who was so set on surpassing him and who also wants to reach Sensei, or Aniki as he calls him for some reason. He makes it sound as if Shirou was the leader of a biker gang.

After some time, he realized that his feet had brought him to the door leading to Rias' room while he was absorbed in his thoughts.

The image of the downed face she was making when he woke up was still stuck in his mind. She had been the most mortified of them after their defeat. It really looked like she lost all her will to fight.

His hand moved to knock at the door but stopped inches away. Was he really the most qualified to comfort her? Maybe Akeno was better suited for that task. Then again, the queen herself had been also depressed due to the way she had been taken out.

*Knock knock*

"It's me, Buchou. Can I come in…"

"Oh… Issei… Yes, come in."

The sight that greeted him after entering was quite discouraging. There was no sign of the strong woman that made him fall head over heels. The girl sitting on the bed with reddened eyes was completely defeated. Sona really made sure to break her spirit with her bare fists.

"I'm sorry…" She was apologizing before he could even sit beside her. "This is entirely my fault. Even after all of you gave everything you had for me, I messed up… Akeno and Koneko-chan's resolution was completely wasted…"

Issei scratched the back of his head. This was just like Koneko's case. He really didn't know what to say.

"I know it's a leader thing to assume the fault for your subjects' failure, but I think all of us were at fault. I mean, Koneko was taken out because I failed to notice that Saji gave out Sensei's sword… neither did I notice my blood loss until it was late…"

"Yeah… but it's still my fault that we played right into Sona's hands… I don't think I'm fit to be your leader…"

"Don't say that Buchou! You might not be perfect. We might have had our asses beaten, again, because we underestimated them. We might have disappointed everyone who put their trust in us…"

Those words caused her to look even more depressed, urging him to get to the point.

"Look, what I'm trying to say is that there's always the next time. There's always room for improvement. That's the best lesson I can get out of this mess, and I think that's what Sensei was getting at. At least, I won't stop striving to be better. To be the best pawn. To one day reach him."

For some reason, she squinted her eyes for a moment before staring at him with an almost pleading look.

"Issei… will you… will you still be by my side even if I have a long way to becoming a good king for you?"

"Why of course! I already promised you that before summer, don't you remember? That vow hasn't changed in the least. In fact, you were the reason I managed to develop my 'Pailingual', the technique I used to hear the voice of everyone's breasts. I was so lonely back in the mountains that I think I reached some kind of state of enlightenment."

That finally got a giggle out of her. "I'm afraid I'll have to forbid you from using that technique so we can have Rating Games against female devils in the future."

"WHAT!? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Now she was outright laughing. She even had to clear a tear from her eyes. "Aah… I'm really glad I got to meet you, Issei. Very well. I'll keep trying to be a king worthy of you, Issei. But for now, I think a little reward is in other."

She signaled her chest, and Issei didn't need the rest of the explanation. His massive blush told her as much.

"YES! Buchou is the best-" But before he could bury his face in them, a hand grabbed him by the shoulder, and he felt something really soft being pressed against the back of his head.

"Ara, you certainly don't waste time, Buchou. Don't you think I have the same right to reward Issei-kun's valiant efforts?"

"Akeno…" Now Rias' voice sounded completely murderous. But the queen wasn't the only one who entered the room.

"Please, Issei-san, don't overexert yourself! Let me heal you even more!" Everyone knew that was just an excuse, but Asia still tackled him with her modest chest.

He could feel how the precious blood he received to save his life started to exit his body through his nose as the three beauties tried to pull him away from the others. But the warm yet tense atmosphere was completely interrupted by an unfamiliar voice.

"Ah… it's really you. I finally found you, Asia Argento."

They turned around to find one of the other young devils standing at the room's door. Diodora Astaroth. The way his eyes were fixed on Asia gave Issei goosebumps even if his expression was definitely sweet.

"Hey, what kind of business with Asia?"

His question was completely ignored. "You don't recognize me? I'm sure you must have seen my face that fateful day." As he said that, he lifted his shirt revealing a big scar on his chest.

"…!" That must have finally rung a bell if the way Asia widened her eyes was something to go by. "That wound… don't tell me…"

"Yes, I'm the devil you healed that time. The doctors weren't able to finish healing the wound so that the scar disappeared, but your sacred gear definitely saved my life back then."

After saying that, he quickly approached the ex-nun and took her hand. "Asia Argento. I apologize for not greeting you at the party. However, I'm positive our reunion here was fated. I want you to be my wife. I love you."

The room was plunged into an awkward silence, no one knowing how to respond to that love confession out of the bat. Everyone but Issei.

"WHAT!?"

Completely unaware of that development, there was a… "party" being held at the other wing of the hospital.

"Cheers for a deserved victory!"

""CHEERS!""

Serafall lead the toast being held at one of the restrooms with even more enthusiasm than the teenagers sitting around the table. Even if some of them still felt their bodies stiff, they didn't miss the chance to celebrate, raising their glasses with renewed energy.

"I admit my faith in you wavered for a single moment, but I knew you're the best, So-tan!"

"Waaahh! Onee-sama, not in front of everyone!"

A round of giggles was heard upon seeing the image of Sona resigning herself to her big sister's affectionate hug. Even Tsubaki allowed herself to break out of character.

"Saji-kun even received the MVP prize! I'd say this is total victory!"

"Are you sure about that, Meguri-san? I still couldn't beat Hyoudou in a direct fight while you took out Akeno-senpai."

"Nah, that was a group effort, and even with all I learned from Shirou-kun, Xenovia-san, and Jeanne-san, beating only Kiba would have been difficult."

"Koneko-san really turned my insides out with that punch, but it was completely worth it."

"You know you could have just waited for me to give you an opening, Ruruko…"

"Don't sweat the details, Yura-senpai!"

"I think getting fried alive by Akeno-senpai's light-infused thunder was way worse. Right, Tsubaki-senpai?"

"I definitely don't want to experience that again."

"I was lucky I wasn't hit by that massive beam though… I'm pretty sure Akeno-senpai and I would have been vaporized. Tomoe-san, you really wanted to kill us there."

"Hey, I was pretty much a walking corpse at that moment! Just aiming the attack properly already took everything I had left. But I must say, I now understand how that sword could completely nullify a Phenex's immortality. That diabolical thing is even more poisonous to us than a holy sword."

"Yeah. I could feel Vritra's fragment steer up in excitement while that thing was fused with my sacred gear. But I definitely want to see the recordings of Kaichou's 'Rock Smashing Water Stream Fist' in action!"

"Me too! I bet she looked awesome!"

To add even more fuel to said girl's flush, Serafall spoke proudly. "Oh, So-tan looked truly heroic! The way she stood gallantly in front of Rias-chan and Kiba-kun and proceeded to clean the floor with them was simply amazing! And the face Azazel-kun and Sirzechs-kun made was even better!"

"Heh, having you deflect my Durandal really paid off!" Xenovia nodded to herself proudly. "I'm pretty sure that technique would have been the worst nightmare for every exorcist back in the day."

"I'm pretty sure no devil would have tried to apply a human focus to their lineage's power Xenovia. Still, it's still impressive how effective the technique is."

"You guys are exaggerating. There's a limit to what I can redirect. I doubt I can use it against someone like Sairaorg, yet. But I really have to thank you for this, Shirou-kun." Her purple eyes turned to look at the auburn-hair leaning his back on the wall some meters from them. The way her lips curved upwards was no longer a ghost, but a real smile. "Thank you for helping me to protect my dream. I really mean it."

He mirrored her smile for a moment. "Well, what can I say? As I said during the face-to-face, I just gave you some pointers and acted as your sparring partner. But I'm glad I was able to help."

"Hey, don't sell yourself short, Shishou! I'm positive every swordsman in this world would give up an arm to fight against so many famous swordmasters!"

"That's right, Aniki! If it wasn't because of you, I would've done something really stupid! C'mon, join us for once!"

Tomoe and Genshirou pretty much dragged him to the table, but the golden-eyed teenager didn't put up any resistance.

"Okay, I'll celebrate as well. I mean, I bet my entire salary as your coach on your victory and on Sona ending up as the last man standing, and now I don't think I'll have to worry about my financial situation for the rest of my life."

""WHAT!?""

"Shirou-kun, I gave you the bearer check yesterday, and you almost lost it in less than 24 hours!? Don't you remember your luck sucks!?"

"It wasn't my luck at play here. Besides, I wouldn't have minded losing it if I failed to accomplish what you paid me for. And well, due to that All-Geezer betting on you a fortune as well, I didn't earn as much as I expected."

"That explains why his secretary was about to suffer a heart attack by the end of the match, huh… wait, that's not it! What kind of convoluted way to reject a payment is that!?"

"I would like to say that's just like you, but Shirou… our meals from today onwards depended on that. Irina really did rub on you."

"Was this Lady Irina I've been hearing about really a gambling addict?"

"Let's just say she was susceptible to fraudsters."

"Hey, it wasn't that bad. As much as I tried to reject him, Michael pretty much dumped a ton of money on me for reforging Excalibur. I don't know who you guys take me for, but I don't take risks without a solid reason."

Those words earned him a myriad of blank looks before everyone started laughing.

"Well, I guess my idea of cooking a feast for you tonight isn't welcomed then…"

And that put an end to the laughs as everyone stared at him with stars in their eyes.

"Really!? I'll finally get to taste the same food Koneko-san is always boasting about!?"

"That rocks, Aniki! I always had faith in you!"

"Wait, what's that about? You didn't cook for them during the training camp?" Serafall asked with total disbelief.

"It's not like I didn't want, but your family's serfs glared at me every time I got close to the kitchen."

"Huh? Really?"

"Onee-sama, I think that's a natural reaction when, after all their years of service, you just went and said that Shirou-kun's cook was way better."

"So-tan, you'll definitely side with me once you get a taste of those heavenly delicacies! And that reminds me, even if you no longer need money, you'll still keep helping So-tan and her friends, right, Shirou-kun?"

Shirou did his very best to ignore that innocent smile. "My duty as their coach is done, you know? I really don't have anything else to teach them, and we won't have that much time once school begins again. And I also have to act in your show."

"O c'mon! I'm sure you can make room in your schedule! As Tomoe-chan said, you still have a lot of valuable experiences to teach them."

She was now hugging him and pressing her "assets" against his arm. A direct attack on his hormones if he had ever suffered one. But she suddenly stopped to look at him with a somewhat serious look.

"I've been meaning to ask though, where did you get Souji-kun's katana?"

Shit, that was a question he had been trying to avoid really desperately. "That wasn't his katana exactly. It pertained to a girl I once met who fought with a really similar style."

"Similar style? I haven't seen Okita-sama myself, but I'm quite sure that girl would definitely give him a run for his money, even as Sirzechs-sama's knight."

"Well, the "Sasaki Kokiro" I met was a farmer who had a lot of free time and ended up developing a technique similar to the one described in the legends. That kind of thing happens more than you think."

"Really? Is that the same case with the Niten Ichi-Ryu you showed me? I mean, it was way flashier than I expected after reading 'Five Rings'."

"Actually, funny thing, the 'Miyamoto Musashi' I met was a vagrant girl in the middle of her journey to reach the void. We fought together to cut down a bunch of… immortal demons who wanted to cast a curse on the entire Tokugawa lineage."

"Wow! Why didn't you tell me about that while we were planning next season's plot!? You MUST tell me that story!"

Once he managed to dodge the bullet, the conversation shifted to him giving a really shallow version of his adventure through the alternate Shimosa until most of them had to return to their respective rooms to continue their recuperation.

His obvious destination after leaving alone the two black-haired sisters was the hospital's kitchen. With Serafall's permission to use it, there was no one who could stand in his way to conquer it. Xenovia and Jeanne went to pay a visit to Asia, so he would be on his own.

"Perhaps I should pay a visit to the Gremory team… I doubt that's enough to kill their will to fight, but a good meal can raise anyone's morale…"

His mumbling ended the moment his eyes met the sight of a mesmerizing beauty walking in the opposite direction. She was a devil that looked like a girl of his age. Her long silver hair flowed behind her like silk, with the exception of a big ahoge, her emerald eyes looked just like Arturia's, and she sported a big smile on her face.

With all the genuine beauties he had seen just in this world, he wouldn't have paid that much attention. However, something caught his attention. No, it wasn't the school uniform she was wearing that was completely out of place. Her appearance resulted quite familiar, but he couldn't put a finger on it…

"Oh!" Her eyes widened in recognition the moment they met with golden eyes, and the next moment, she was already on him, ignoring completely his personal space. "You must be Shirou-kun, right!? This must be a fated coincidence! To think I'd run into you before Serafall."

One of Serafall's acquaintances? She was acting really familiar even if this was definitely the first time they crossed paths.

"Excuse me, who are you exactly?"

"UGHIA!?" She made a sound as if she just received a punch in the guts. "You don't recognize me, Shirou-kun!? Even if you filmed your part separately and we didn't have the chance to talk during the party, I'm 100% sure you saw the trailer before climbing to the stage!"

"Oh, oh…" His brain finally connected the dots, but still her personality now and in the trailer couldn't be farther apart. "You are… 'Nyaruko'?"

"Well, yes, that's my nickname in the show. My name is Nahida, Nahida Buer. Serafall Leviathan's queen. But you can keep calling me Nyaruko if you want. My clan was never that relevant in the grand scheme as we were always centered in the search of knowledge, pretty much like Mephisto-kun."

Yeah, no wonder she was Serafall's friend. They were like long-lost sisters. She was already shaking his hand before he realized it.

"Anyway, I really wanted to meet you, Shirou-kun. Serafall talks a lot about you, and we're gonna be co-protagonists since she will take the villain role! I can't wait to start filming! That little bit about Muramasa was so cool!"

"Ah… I'm looking forward to working with you as well. Even if Serafall insists I'll be fine, I don't know how well I will fare. I've never acted in… anything relevant." He had to immediately repress a grimace.

Those memories of his other self's participation at the Domus Aurea must never arise for the sake of his mental health.

"Don't worry, neither I nor Serafall knows how to act, at least by human standards. Her charisma alone carries most of the show, and our fight was way more realistic when we were genuinely fighting. I shouldn't have bet on who would go talk to the Greek geezer…"

Considering the long list of lost sons that particular Chief God had, he could see why they had their reserves.

"And about the other part you mentioned, does Serafall really talk about me that much?"

The mischievous smile that was drawn on her face really gave him goosebumps. "Hehe. Of course. You know, I actually wanted to thank you for that."

"Thank me for what exactly? I mean, I did help her beloved sister, but the rest of the things we did together was pretty much business."

"If you haven't even the slightest clue then she really has her work cut… At any rate. What I mean is that, even if the Serafall you know seems all smiles and chaos, it wasn't until recently that she returned to her old self. The civil war really affected her more than she lets on. Her passion for magical girls and the birth of her precious little sister helped, but then So-tan entered her rebellious phase and ran to Japan. It wasn't until she one day stormed the office with a new script for the show that I saw her smile regain its brightness."

And there she was claiming that she would help someone like him when she was the one who needed the help.

"But I didn't do anything special…"

Nahida's expression softened for a moment. "And you don't have to. Just keep doing what you've been doing up until now. I'd really appreciate it. Even her friends, myself included, can't keep up with her eccentricities all the time. So-tan did for a while until she matured, but you know how she's now. But you do. Not only did you lend her an ear and a shoulder to lean on, but you also went through something similar in your first life. I can tell just by looking at your eyes."

"I… I can't make promises. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to emotional problems. But I'll do my best to help her."

"That's more than enough." The solemn air that almost gave her the image of a wise Goddess evaporated the next instant as she suddenly grabbed his arm. "Now, why don't you tell me about this Muramasa plotline over a drink? I'm on break for the next few hours, so we can talk extensively. As the head researcher of this hospital, I can offer quite a lot of knowledge in return."

"Oh, hi there, Nahida! I see you've already met Shirou-kun!" A familiar voice interrupted them before he could think of an excuse to proceed with the take over the kitchen.

When he turned to look around, Serafall's hands were already pulling him away from Nahida's grip. "Unfortunately, he is in charge of tonight's dinner, so he should get going, right?" The smile in her face seemed really forced, but he knew better than stepping on a possible landmine.

"Yes, I'll be on my way then. We can have that talk some other time, Nahida."

As he all but sprinted his way through the hallway, he missed how Serafall's face turned really red and Nahida burst out laughing.

"Why did you have to tell him all those unnecessary things? You made it sound like I need therapy. I already moved past that. Yeah, I lost a lot of people close to me, and I killed a lot of people in that absurd war. But in the end, we were rewarded with the peace we sought. But Shirou-kun… he never got a reward. He saved a lot of people, and the only thing he got in return was dying alone… Don't you think it's sad?"

"Maybe? I mean, he seems happy with the act of helping itself, and last I checked, you don't have a massive mental disorder. So, tell me, why would you go to such lengths to help him? Why do you see him in a different light than all the other people here in the underworld that get nothing in reward for their good actions?"

That same question was formulated in her head several times, but this time though, having Nahida's knowing smile in front of her denied any possibility of pushing it back into the corner.

As much as she would like to think that she was just doing it to repay her debt to him, one that only increases with time, she knew that wasn't the case. The fact that she had been trying to ignore up until now surfaced, increasing the temperature of her cheeks by the second.

"Don't tell me… I… I… but So-tan seems to fancy him as well… I can't…"

"Hehehe, that's something you will have to figure out on your own, my friend. However, you shouldn't dwell on it too much. The competence is bound to get really fierce."

"Well, there's also Jeanne-chan… and Xenovia-chan… and Irina-chan… that Valkyrie was also throwing him stares throughout out the meeting… And that cow angel might as well… Wait, don't tell me…"

Serafall grabbed her head with her hand as she came to a terrifying conclusion.

"Shirou-kun was an eroge protagonist all along!?"

"Well, what do you have to offer, devil?"

Euclid stared unimpressed at the man sitting at the other side of the table. Despite his supernatural beauty, divine presence, and fancy suit and ornaments he was wearing, he still gave the feeling of a delinquent.

"I doubt you can offer something more valuable than a fraction of the power of the Serpent of Infinite."

To answer his taunt, the silver-haired devil dropped a box on the table and opened it to reveal a good number of familiar flasks.

"Oh?"

"If you want to start the twilight of the Gods, you will need something more than power. These were procured directly from my Lord's reserve. We do not offer just quantity. I can assure you, their quality will be way superior to the ones that… 'Khaos Brigade' can provide through the black market."

The God of Deception inspected them personally, and he found that the devil wasn't lying.

"Then what do you expect in return, devil? I doubt you are as gullible as that Dragon Goddess."

"Well, we are in need of a weapon for one of our current… 'projects'. One that, in good hands, can bring down even a dragon. Your mythology is famous for the weapons produced by elves and dwarves. I'm sure it won't suppose a problem."

The God considered it for a moment. With the clone of Sigurd missing alongside a good portion of the demonic swords, he had to expand his horizons. And then, a twisted smile was drawn on his face.

"You know, there is a pair of dwarves I've been wanting to get back at for quite some time. I will have a weapon worthy of even the Gods prepared. I doubt you lot would ever be able to wield it, but just the thought of those bastards having a heart attack after seeing that their latest masterpiece has disappeared will be worth it."

"We have a deal then."

The devil stretched his hand, and God shook it confidently. Little did he know that, if their plans went well, that weapon was going to be wielded in a masterful way better than the Gods.