P.S this story starts a few years before the start of our favorite DXD verse!
AND I DON'T OWN ANY DXD MATERIAL, ALL CREDIT TO THE ORIGINAL WRITERS!
"Talking out aloud"
'Thinking with ones mind'
"Spirits inside the sacred gears talking"
Without further delay, lets start the chapter!
Outside the Gymnasium
The Battle between three mage type Devils had been going on for a few minutes at this point and as expected the Gremory Queen was held at a disadvantage from the start of the battle. Even removing the gravity bracelet helped little since the speed she gained after removing the said device barely helped her dodge attacks of two rating game veterans. Akeno suffering from the damage from her earlier battles with Yubelluna helped little as well.
Sure, Akeno had a small moment of success when she was able to hit both Ravel and Yubelluna with her lightning whip at the start of their duel. Something that made both of the Risers strongest magicians yelp at the jolt of concentrated lightning. But that success lasted for barely a few moments cause as soon as both Yubelluna and Ravel recovered, they increased their magical attacks on the Gremory Queen by several folds in order to avenge themselves.
*Thud* Sound of Akeno crashing into the remains of the Gymnasium echoed through the courtyard as her attackers watched the Gremory Queen try and recover from their perch, high in the sky.
"She is rather durable" Yubelluna's eyes twitched after seeing the Gremroy Queen not giving up considering the punishment she had gone through game against her and now her masters baby sister as well.
"Lady Rias and Lord Marid trained her and the rest of them well" Ravel couldn't help but compliment her rival team, "Despite so it is only a matter of time before we defeat them"
Yubelluna couldn't help but snort at her at ally's words, "I wouldn't be that sure if I were you Lady Ravel". Her Response gained her curious look from the strategist of the peerage, "Look closely Lady Ravel, Akeno is masochist and is actually enjoying the punishment dished out on her" her response caused Ravel to snap her head back to the raven queen who indeed had a look of sheer pleasure plastered on her face despite the injuries that littered her body.
"Is this all you can do?" Akeno spoke with a teasing tone that made her two opponents skin crawl in discomfort. Both of them, were exposed to sexual world through Riser with Yubelluna frequently laying with her master and Ravel witnessing Riser taking his peerage in the open without any sense of propriety, but during their life, they had never seen someone with kinks like Akeno.
"This is it! I am going to defeat you now" Yubelluna snapped her head in frustration as she prepared to launch a powerful ball of explosive magic at her rival queen who was completely defenseless.
"I would remember this fight all my life Queen of Gremory" Yubelluna gave Akeno one last respectful nod before throwing her attack at the defenseless Queen.
Akeno, who barely had any energy at this point, gave Yubelluna a respectful nod as well. She had done so well, but in the end, she wasn't able to retire Yubelluna. Now she was to be retired meaning Rias and her peerage were now sure to get outnumbered by Yubelluna and Ravel. Even without Riser entering the battlefield, they had lost. All that hard work for nothing.
"I am sorry Buchou I failed you" Akeno closed her eyes as tears threatened to leak out.
"You can never fail me Akeno" A voice echoed as a crimson barrier shimmered into existence, stopping Yubelluna's ball of explosive magic right in its tracks.
"Who is it now?" Yubelluna snapped as her frustration rose to its limits.
While the Bomb Queen still had no idea, Ravel on the other hand knew exactly who had taken the battlefield and the odds she calculated didn't look all that appealing to her.
"It is shocking to see you take the battlefield this early Lady Rias Gremory. Not happy with how your servants have been performing in this rating game?" Ravel asked haughtily all the while subtly trying to contact her brother.
'If Rias Gremory is out of her base, then Oni-sama can eliminate her and end our pitiful performance in this rating game' Ravel thought seriously. However, her hopes turned to ash when she couldn't create a magic circle to contact her brother.
Rias seemingly noticed Ravels expressions churn, "If you trying to contact your brother then don't bother, I have placed isolation wards which jam all communication sigils around this battlefield" Rias responded with a smile. "Afterall I can't have you contact Riser" Rias smile widened as she saw the look of horror that slowly crept on Ravels face.
"How did you know about them? Those wards were only used by Devils during the wars a long time ago!" Ravel asked in shock.
Rias smile grew as she went onto explain, "That is true, but I never truly used those wards. They are far more complicated and require too much power to plant, power I am not willing to expend at this moment. The wards that I used are slightly modified version of the privacy barriers that most of us are taught during our formal education in demonic magic" Rias replied easily as she continued.
"But they are still forbidden!!" Ravel tried to argue but deep down she knew that it was a lost cause.
"As I remember Lord Sallos used the same technique in his rating game against Lord Rudiger last season. If this can be allowed in a professional rating game then I don't see why it cant be allowed in this one"
"All of this doesn't matter Lady Ravel! We can defeat them both right now and win this rating game for Lord Riser" Yubelluna replied heatedly before smirking, "Plus it is only a matter of time before Mihae and others retire your pawn and knight before coming here to aid us"
Rias as if unbothered just flicked her crimson locks aside as if she was having a boring conversation, "I wouldn't be too sure about that if I were you"
"Oh Yes your Bishop" Ravel cautiously looked around to locate the said blonde Bishop but couldn't find her nowhere, "I assume you have sent her to help out your pawn and knight. Even with the help of a healer, I doubt they can win against the others" Ravel countered cautiously as she gauged Rias facial expression.
"You underestimate my peerage Ravel. They will fight for me until the very end and I am grateful for that. We will win this rating game…. Whatever it takes" Rias declared as her determination soared high before she unfurled her wings to take on both of them at the same time. A magic circle prepared in each hand as her eyes glowed crimson showcasing her will to win this duel and the rating game.
Courtyard
"I may not like fighting but I would not let you harm Kiba-kun or Issie-kun" Asia turned her attention back towards the group of enemies with a grim determination. As if to showcase her willingness to help the members of her newest family, Asia's emerald eyes glowed brighter as a tiny hue like comforting aura surrounded her and her two closest friends in a protective manner.
"What are you all looking at? Defeat them all!!" Mihae rallied Risers peerage again as she took to the sky to go after the blonde bishop herself. Every moment she allowed the blonde bishop to heal the knight and the Red Dragon Emperor their chance of winning this game would go down, and she would be damned if she let her true master down.
"Issie-kun" Kiba called out to his only male ally on the battlefield, "I think you are forgetting something" Kiba passed Issie his sword that he had lost earlier in the fight.
"Hey thanks" Issie quickly thanked Kiba before eyeing his approaching enemy.
"Where is Buchou Asia-san?" Kiba proceeded to ask Asia the same question Issie had in his mind as Asia stayed afloat near them. Despite her incredible improvements, Asia was still restricted by the distance she could use her Twilight healing from.
"Rias Buchou has gone to help Akeno-san. She is going to join us once she defeats Risers Queen and little sister" Asia replied with a slight tremble in her voice. Despite her earlier determined speech, she was still the very same shy girl who didn't like violence one bit and now she was about to take part in her first battle. What was even worst that result of her battle could potentially determine not only her but also the future of people who she now considers family.
Issie as if understanding Asia's inner feelings gave his adoptive sister a comforting smile, "Don't worry Asia, I am scared too but we will win this rating game for Buchou"
"Hai" Asia smiled back before refocusing on her opponent, Risers black haired Bishop who flew towards them with a great urgency.
"I will take both the knights" Kiba spoke as the battle looked inevitable.
"Not if I have anything to say about it!?!?" Issie spoke with a smile as he sprinted towards Siris.
"Issie-kun wait" Kiba tried to call out to Issie but he was already gone by then.
"I better hurry if I want to help out Issie-kun" Kiba wiped the sweat off his brow before attempting to support Issie but was stopped in his tracks by a vertical slash on him.
Kiba calmly twisted his sword in mid air to parry the strike before returning to his battle stance to combat his original opponent. Kiba only hoped that Issie's rough training would allow him to survive until either him or Asia could help him out.
"Don't turn your back on me!" Karlamine demanded furiously as she lashed out on the blonde knight with her own sword.
"I wouldn't dare to" Kiba replied with a small smile, "After all we still need to complete our own battle"
"Damn right!" Karlamine responded with a little more enthusiasm than she meant but Kiba wasn't really bothered by it since he too was laser focused to defeat his opponent.
Kiba and Karlamine found themselves locked in a duel of swords. The clashing of their blades echoed across the courtyard as they moved with incredible speed and precision. Karlamine's strength matched Kiba's agility, each strike met with a parry or counter. Their duel was a dance of steel, neither willing to back down or show weakness. The intensity of their battle drew the onlookers attention, a testament to the skill and determination of both the knights.
"You are an amazing swordsman but you are no match for me let alone for Lord Riser" Karlamine shouted in enthusiasm as she used every ounce of strength in her muscle to swing her sword at Kiba's head.
"I was going to say the same thing. However, I will defeat you and win this rating game for my master Rias Gremory" Kiba responded with equal determination as he met Karlamine's swing. Much to his opponents surprise the sword cracked before crumbling away.
"My sword!?!" Karlamine muttered in bewilderment as she saw her sword crumble right in front of her. Sure her sword was just a basic magic sword, a gift from her master on her conversion to Devil but she had never seen her trusted blade betray her like this.
"Looks like I won this battle" Kiba smirked at his opponents crumbled sword but was wise enough to retake his stance in the event his opponent had any tricks under their sleeves. A lesson both Marid and his peerage had forced down on him.
"I can still fight" Karlamine gritted her teeth with rising frustration as she reached for her knife. Knife on which she enforced her will causing the knife to engulf in flames a moment later forcing Kiba to slightly shy away from the short blade.
*Clank!* This time it was Kiba's turn to be surprised as his demonic blade crumbled under the pressure of Karlamine's fire enforced blade.
"A blade for a blade" Karlamine smirked at her opponent before springing towards Kiba with her knife in her hands, now determined to win more than ever.
Kiba immediately created another sword to parry his opponent's strike. His eyes focused on his opponent relaying his intentions to win this duel, a intention that was reciprocated by his fellow opponent.
Above the Courtyard
Above the courtyard, both the Bishops found themselves in a stalemate with Mihae doing her best to get past Asia's surprisingly impressive defensive barriers. Mihae did her best to overpower Asia's barriers, which she knew she could, any opportunity she created was always wasted when she was forced to defend herself against Asia's familiar. That is what had annoyed Mihae above everything else!
'Thank Lucifer that Lord Riser and the others enforced this rating game right now rather than later. With Lady Rias having a Red Dragon Emperor, Twilight healing, a Nekoshou and a sword birth wielder, I don't even want to imagine what would have happened if they had been allowed to come into their primes' Mihae ignored the shiver that ran down her spine and tried her best to overwhelm the former nun, but every single trap she would set for her rival Bishop would be offsetted by her rivals incredible aid.
"Good Job Kassie! Just a little more" Asia praised her pet dragon as he was able to disrupt one of Mihae attacks again by forcing her to defend against his blue lightning. The baby sprite Dragon hooted in response before taking a defensive position against Mihae.
"I am done with this" Mihae spoke in frustration before she unleashed multiple magical attacks, all of whom targeted Asia.
"Oh No" Asia looked on in horror as she saw the blast coming her way. A small angry roar from her baby sprite Dragon shook her from her stupor but it was already too late by then. Any effort to create a defensive barrier would hold the same weight as a piece of paper.
*GRAAHHH* Kassie let out a small roar as he took his place right in front of Asia in a protective manner, ready to take the brunt of the blast on his masters behalf.
"NO!!!" Asia's eyes widened as she figured out what her familiar was prepared to do but before she could do something, Mihae's magical blast had reached them and soon made contact with Kassie.
*Boom* The impact of the magical blast led to a small explosion which itself created a smoke screen that covered both Asia and Kassie.
Soon the smoke screen fizzled out, showcasing a shocked and terrified Asia and a heavily injured Kassie who was still afloat by the sheer will to protect his master.
"HAHAHA! Not even a dragon could stand up to us, let alone against Lord Riser himself" Mihae boasted arrogantly as she saw the sight in front of her.
"Hold on Kassie" A tearful Asia summoned all of her energy reserves to heal Kassie, but she knew she wouldn't be able to save her familiar as a blue hue started to form around her familiar.
"Nuh huh" Mihae wagged her finger in disapproval as she saw Asia fruitlessly attempting to heal her baby dragon. Not wanting to take any chance that the Gremory peerage could pull out of their hats, Mihae summoned and attacked Asia with a whip made out of her fire magic.
"Ahhh" Asia yelped in pain as the whip made out of fire struck her arm, burning the arm where the whip had made its impact.
Mihae giggled at Asia's yelp and her tearful expression at seeing her familiar getting close to elimination. Giggle turned into hysterical laughter at the thought of finally achieving victory against Gremory peerage. But in doing so she overlooked the baby dragon who shook in rage. Vowing to showcase everyone why a angry dragon was the most feared entity in the whole world.
*ROAARR* In its last moments in the rating game, the blue sprite dragon went into an state of rage as its red eyes glowed crimson.
To Mihae surprise, for a moment the sprite dragon overwhelmed the blue hue of elimination with its own purple aura as the dragon vowed to put on a hurting on the dark haired bishop for hurting his master. With a race against time, Kassie, much to the shock of Asia, willed all of her aura in one lightning bolt before unleashing it on Mihae's surprised form before retiring himself.
"AGGGGHHHHHH" Mihae screamed in pain as her body got electrocuted to an unforgiving degree by the sprite dragon. Nerves all over her body roared due to the excessive lightning coursing through her body while her fingers twitched heavily, making her unable to cast any spells to heal herself.
Eventually her wings gave out as she found herself falling down like a meteor towards the ground…. Until she wasn't much to her surprise. Her surprise grew further when she felt the raging typhon of electricity temper down within her body.
Her eyes, that were previously tightly shut, opened slowly to focus on the person that had given her this mercy, it was her rival Bishop looking down at her in worry.
"Are you okay?" Asia held her close as she used her sacred gear to minimize the damage Kassie must have caused Mihae in its moment of rage.
"You are a strange Devil… You are fighting in a rating game for your master but you also heal your opponent" Mihae mused aloud as she found herself fighting hard to keep her consciousness. While her aftereffects of getting hit with Kassie's terrible lightning had been minimized due Asia's mercy but the constant fighting along with the final attack had taken almost everything out of her.
"While I am fighting on my masters behalf, I am a healer before anything else" Asia smiled warmly at her defeated opponent, "My desire to win this rating game for the sake of Rias Buchou doesn't have to mean I have to fight you all with brutality"
"Pitying your enemy could be a weakness as well" Mihae countered with a grunt. "I may be retiring from this rating game but it doesn't mean I couldn't take you with me" with that Mihae pointed towards Asia's abdomen.
"Huh?" Asia blinked in confusion before that confusion turned to surprise when she saw a small magic circle in Mihae's free hand aimed at her abdomen.
"A Bishop for a Bishop… not a bad price to pay" Mihae chuckled as she observed a shocked Asia who by now had realized how her innocence could now cost her and potentially her master the rating game.
*Boom*
Earlier
"I will take both the knights" Kiba spoke as the battle looked inevitable.
"Not if I have anything to say about it!?!?" Issie spoke with a smile as he sprinted towards Siris.
"Hey, you are fighting us!!" Ni and Li almost said in unison as they attacked Issie from his two blind spots… or so they thought.
"I haven't forgotten about you" Issie calmly leaned out of the way leading to both twin Devil sisters crashing into one another, stunning each other in the process. He then used his armored hand to punch both of the twins in the back, sending them flying away from him.
"Shit" Issie cursed as he almost lost sight of Siris during his brief exchange with the twin Devil sisters. Siris had quickly sped towards Issie before swinging her long sword in a diagonal slash forcing Issie to get out of the way.
"You may be doing well but this only as far as you are going to get!" Siris spoke seriously as she started her furious exchange with Issie. Issie's determination and raw power met Siris' refined technique and speed. They exchanged blows in a flurry of movements, each seeking an opening to exploit. The two seemed evenly matched, their swords ringing out with every collision. Sweat poured down their faces as they fought on, neither able to gain a decisive advantage.
"We will see" Issie gritted his teeth as he slowly started to lose some ground against the veteran female knight. Despite that, he fared well against Riser's cold-hearted knight than he had against Mihae and the two former Nekomata pawns.
Slash for a slash, punch for a punch, Issie found himself stuck at a high paced duel with Siris. He found himself focusing on defeating the sadistic knight in front of him. Focus that nearly paid off when he landed the first strike on the said knight when he roughly back handed Siris, something that drew blood out of her mouth. However, Issie was quickly reminded of his inferior swords skills when her steel sword cut him on his sword arm, drawing his blood.
"Not bad at all. I can see how you were able to hold your own and defeat some of our peerage members but you wont get lucky with me" Siris wiped the blood of her face before taking a few deep breaths to stabilize her breathing.
During the brief null, Issie's eyes strayed to his two blonde haired allies out of whom Kiba looked the most comfortable in the fight despite not being fully healed yet. However, one look towards Asia filled Issie with a sense of urgency as she looked incredibly uncomfortable in the magician's battle, she found herself in. Issie knew that she had been working along with Millicas to improve on her magic, but he felt fear for his adoptive sister at the moment. He had to end this battle as quickly as he could!
Issie eyes returned back to Siris who was about to lunge in to restart the battle.
'Asia Aregentos familiar has been retired'
"What the?!?!" the sudden announcement caused Issie to lose his focus on his battle. During the loss of concentration, he suddenly found himself getting punched by Siris, who herself noticed Issie losing his focus and vowed to make the most of it, right into the two Nekomata pawns, both of whom were ready to dish out their own vengeance.
"You will pay for what you did Nya!"
"By several folds!"
The two Nekomata twins exclaimed before landing their own sets of punches and kicks on the stunned pawn.
"Get off" Issie snapped angrily before countering both the Devil pawns with punches of his own that send them to the ground a moment later.
"Now where were we?" Issie turned back to look at Siris but found it unsettling when he found the knight extremely relaxed with a savage grin on her face.
"Why are you smiling?" Issie asked Siris cautiously.
*BOOM*
The knight didn't even get to respond cause soon after the sound of an explosion echoed, stopping all fighting in the vicinity.
"What the?!?!" Issie snapped his head back to locate where explosion, but what he found made his heart drop into his stomach.
"ASIA!!!" Issie screamed as he saw his Asia's limp body falling down from the sky alongside Risers Bishop.
"Oh no you dont" Siris intercepted Issie before he could make his way towards Asia's downed form, "I cant let you help your Bishop, her ability to heal is rather bothersome" Siris grinned from ear to ear as she noticed the look of urgency and fear come across Issie's face. Reveling in the pain that she was causing, Siris briefly looked towards their two remaining pawns, "I will take care of him, just retire that blonde bishop of theirs. Victory here will pretty much end the rating game in Lord Risers favor"
The two Nekomata sisters wanted to reject the notion of dismissed from the fight they started but a single look from Siris told them both what would happen if her words weren't followed to the 'T'.
"KIBA!!!" Issie, who was clearly forced into a corner by Siris, shouted to his only ally to get him to help Asia. To his frustration, Kiba was unable to help a defenseless Asia as Karlamine under the same idea as Siris had increased her ferociousness of her attacks by several folds, leaving Kiba stuck in his battle against his will.
"She is going to be retired and there is nothing you can do about it" Siris gave out an evil chuckle as she continued to advance on Issie.
"Damn it" Issie cursed again as his frustration continued to rise slowly. Any attack he threw at Siris would be countered quickly and precisely, leaving him unable to help Asia out. In his desperation, Issie made the fatal error by over committing himself to one of his lunges. Siris smiled at seeing the clearly desperate strike before taking advantage of Issie's grave mistake.
Siris twisted her sword elegantly in midair before disarming Issie with a vertical slash before punching him in the face sending the beat up pawn to his knees. Not wasting a single moment, Siris grabbed Issie's neck from his back, putting him in a unforgiving chokehold that would retire the current dragon emperor slowly and painfully.
Off from the side, Mihae started to cough and fought herself to stay awake in order to avoid elimination from the rating game. She slowly crawled herself to her feet by using the nearby debris, from the battles around her, to make her away to Asia who was fruitlessly trying to heal herself as her magical reserves depleting on a far quicker pace.
Soon the dark haired Bishop was joined by the two Nekomata pawns who were clearly in a good mood. Each of them had the same idea, to retire Asia from the rating game, no matter the cost.
'That bishop is going to be eliminated if you don't do something about it partner' Draig added as he curiously observed fight in front of him hoping that Issie will not fall for the same desperation some of his prior wielders had.
'Is there something I can do Draig I need to save Asia' Issie pleaded with the dragon within his mind.
'There is one thing we can do' Draig replied thoughtfully.
'What is it?' Issie asked desperately and Draig replied back in his mind.
'Use the sacred gear of that Blonde knight. Once he unleashes his sacred gear, just punch the ground with all of your might, I will do the rest' Draig simply replied, not giving Issie any explanations, not that Issie wanted one. He was desperate and in that moment he would have done anything to protect Asia.
"Look, any moment now you beloved blonde Bishop will be eliminated and there is nothing you or that knight of yours can do to avoid that" Siris tightened her hold on Issie's neck forcing him back from his mindscape.
"Issie-san?!" In the heat of the moment, Issie wasn't sure if he heard Asia's plea for help or if it was a figment of his imagination, but whatever it was it did the trick.
"AHHHHHHH" *BOOST* Issie roared in rising fury and frustration alongside his trusted sacred gear.
"Huh" before Siris had the chance to comprehend what was going on Issie elbowed her in her ribs, knocking breath out of her lungs.
"I am not letting any of you touch Asia!!!" Issie screamed as he threw Siris over his shoulder onto the ground before punching Siris hard into the ground.
*BOOST*
"Kiba unleash your sacred gear now!" Issie looked at Kiba dead in the eye.
Kiba immediately complied knowing how desperate the situation was becoming for them and Asia.
"SWORD BIRTH" Kiba shoved his sword into the ground while dodging a attack from Karlamine to stop him.
Almost immediately the demonic swords started appearing out of the grounds and headed towards Issie at an incredible speed.
"Get off!" Siris eyes widened in fear as she struggled to move a determined Issie off her.
"Now you will see yourself and your team members be eliminated and there is nothing you can do about it" Issie snapped back viciously.
Issie followed Draigs plan and punched the ground with all of his might.
*Transfer*
Demonic swords created out of Kiba's sacred gear suddenly increased by many folds covering the entire courtyard curtesy of the Boosted Gear's gifting ability.
"Noooo" Screams of horror and panic originated from Risers peerage fighting in the courtyard as all of them were suddenly impaled by demonic swords as a result of Issie and Kiba's combination attack.
"This team is something else" Mihae shook her head in amusement as she looked at the sword going through her stomach.
'Riser Phoenix pawn has been retired'
'Riser Phoenix pawn has been retired'
'Riser Phoenix Knight has been retired'
'Riser Phoenix Knight has been retired'
'Riser Phoenix Bishop has been retired'
Grayfia's announcement of the mass elimination echoed throughout the rating game field but both Kiba and Issie paid it no mind as they ran for their downed ally who had saved them at the expense of herself.
"Asia!" both Issie and Kiba screamed for the blonde Bishop as they ran towards her lying form. What they saw made their hearts drop into their stomachs. There she lay on her back with a massive wound on her stomach with blood flowing out of the said wound. Asia laid there, pale and groaning in pain, yet didn't made any effort to heal herself further.
"Issie-kun! Kiba-san!" Asia looked over at her two teammates, her new family. "I am so happy you both made it" Asia spoke soflt as tears welled up in her eyes.
"Don't worry Asia, we will get Buchou and Akeno-san to heal you" Issie tried to reassure Asia despite his rising panic of seeing Asia so hurt.
"Please Issie-san calm down I will be fine" Asia softly placed her hands on top of Issie's panicked shoulder. Her gentle touch did its trick as Issie calmed down and looked at her.
"Then what can I do to help you out?" Issie asked softly.
"Win" Asia groaned out the last word as a small glow surrounded Asia's form, "Please help Rias Buchou win the rating game and earn her freedom" Just before Asia could be eliminated from the rating game, she gently touched both Kiba and Issie before using the last burst of her energy she had saved up to heal Kiba and Issie's injuries. Despite not healing both of them fully, she had done enough to give both the pawn and knight a second wind for the rating game. With one final act of bravery Asia disappeared in the blue light.
'Rias Gremory's Bishop has been retired'
Grayfia's voice sounded throughout the rating game.
"I promise we will win this rating game Asia… I will do whatever it takes to ensure Rias Buchou wins her freedom" Issie vowed with determination.
"You and me both will" Kiba vowed to do the same as he bare witnessed the sacrifice Asia made on their behalf. For a knight like him, a selfless sacrifice like Asia made was the greatest act of bravery and courage one could do on the battlefield and he vowed to repay Asia by doing just as she asked.
"We should regroup with Buchou and Akeno-san. Riser would have no doubt listened to the mass elimination and would be coming here to avenge his peerage" Issie suggested to Kiba.
However, before Kiba could respond, both the knight and pawn heard sounds of explosion coming off from the distance.
"Or maybe he is already there" Issie dreaded alongside the blonde knight. "Let's hurry then!" Issie continued but before he could run he found himself grabbed by Kiba.
"What are you doing?" Issie asked in confusion.
"You still need to promote yourself!" Kiba reminded Issie of their masters order for them.
"But Buchou…" Issie pointed towards the direction of the blast.
"I can only sense Risers Queen and sister there with Buchou and Akeno-san meaning we still have time to promote you" Kiba didn't let Issie respond as he dragged Issie towards the new school building.
"We don't have that much time!" Issie tried to argue but stopped when Kiba placed his hands on his shoulders.
"True but we still need to promote you to Queen. Issie you are the Red Dragon Emperor and one of our trump cards to win this rating game. What good is it going to do if you meet Riser in battle nowhere close to your full power" Kiba asked Issie rhetorically. Issie could tell it pained Kiba to leave Rias abandon like this but they all had a role to play to ensure they won the rating game. This was one such thing Marid had drilled in them all since the first day training.
"Lets hurry then, the quicker I get promoted the quicker we can head back to protect Rias Buchou" with that both Issie and Kiba sprinted off quickly towards new school building, not noticing a certain Devil flying towards the gymnasium with wings made out of fire.
Back in the Gymnasium
The battle started from where it had left off, Rias Gremory, the King and Heiress to the Gremory family, took both Ravel and Yubelluna in an aerial battle.
From her perch on one of the cornerstones of the remains of the Gymnasium, the raven haired Queen observed the one sided battle. Despite the battle being a 2-on-1, Rias Gremory used her vast arsenal to dominate both Ravel and Yubelluna. It helped Rias that Yubelluna, who was the most experience out of Risers peerage, was beyond exhausted after her battles with Akeno and Ravel was still green when it came to magical combat.
'I should have paid more attention to mothers magical training sessions' Ravel wished internally as she saw the battle slip away slowly from her fingers. Despite not being an experienced fighter like her brothers queen, Ravel had enough experience to know that Yubelluna was hanging onto the battle by a slim thread and any good attack from Rias or Akeno's involvement would retire her.
"I will… Defe..at you all… in the name…. of.Ri..s..e..r… sama" Yubelluna panted hard as her stance become sloppy.
"No you wont!" Rias responded back seriously as she smoothly dodged Yubelluna's lazy explosive blast before returning the favor with a demonic blast.
'Riser Phoenix Queen has been retired'
"Now it is just you Ravel" Rias took in a deep breath as she calmly regarded Ravel. Taking advantage of the null in the battle, Rias observed Ravel intently and boy was the youngest Phoenix furious. Rias thought Ravels anger was warranted since as the tactician of the group, it was her responsibility to ensure Riser was tactically sound. But this rating game was a complete disaster for her.
"I told Oni-sama it was a stupid decision to send Yubelluna to fight against Akeno this close to their territory" Ravel vented in frustration.
'I guess not all the blame for this rating game would lie on Ravels shoulders' Rias thought wistfully as she regarded the youngest Phoenix.
Soon Akeno joined her in the air in a far better condition than when Rias had saved her a few minutes ago.
"It is over Ravel. Most of your peerage has been defeated and with your Queen gone, there is no one left to stop us from winning the rating game"
"You are awfully confident of your stroke of luck Rias Gremory. Unfortunately Riser-onisama is still part of this rating game and there is no way you can win against him. The same tactics you used on us wont work on him"
"Don't I know it" Rias snorted before continuing, "But don't worry about Riser, I have a separate plan for him"
"I am sure you do" Ravel sighed.
"So are you going to fight and try to tire us out for your brother or are you going to retire?" Rias asked, smoothly carrying on the conversation.
"I am a Phoenix, and a phoenix never goes down without a fight" Ravel declared with feistiness she was known for having.
"True but you are forgetting that you are not a fighter" Rias pointed out with a smile, having a little too much fun playing around with Ravel. "You may have the regeneration on your side but do you think you can withstand the combined force of me and my queen" with that Rias pointed towards Akeno who was now flying just behind Rias. Her exhaustion from her previous battle, now tempered, was hiding behind her calm smile.
"Don't get cocky I still have others to help me out"
As if the fates wanted to mock her weakening confidence even further, the group heard the mass announcement of all the eliminations.
"You were saying?" Akeno giggled at the announcement but her smile never reached their full form due to someone else's retirement as well. Even Rias, who had kept her nerves in control accidently let her angel blue eyes glowed crimson at the announcement of her cute Bishop getting eliminated.
'I am Ravel Phoenix of house of Phoenix and I let Rias Gremory of all people, the Devil who was regarded as the biggest Diva of the upcoming generation, to outsmart me in a rating game' Ravel thought furiously but didn't speak aloud, lest to increase her humiliation even further.
"Why do you want to see me marry your brother?" Rias's sudden question brought Ravel out of her furious ramblings within her mind.
"What?" Ravel blustered out in confusion.
"Why do you want me to marry Riser? I was never close with the house of Phoenix and I am well aware of my reputation within the underworld. Is satisfying your brothers insatiable lust with my body your only reason behind your desire to see this marriage through?" Rias crossed her hands under her bust as Ravel broke out in a massive blush.
"I am not in charge of his Harem you know!" Ravel shrieked in embarrassment as she furiously tried to fight off her blush. "Besides the elders decided it was the best match to be made" Ravel muttered at the end.
"As I remember them making the drawing a marriage contract for you and Marid as well. Would you have followed with that marriage contract and married Marid against your will had the elders not cancelled that contract?" Rias snapped back in growing annoyance.
Ravel found no reply but instead looked at the ground. She indeed had thought about the scenario in which her marriage contract hadn't been cancelled and she would have been forced to marry Marid Gremory out of sheer duty to the underworld. Every time she had thought about the said scenario, she couldn't come to blame Rias for rebelling against her forced marriage since she would have done the same thing, despite the fact Marid would have been a far better husband than Riser would be to Rias and anyone of his future brides.
Lost in her own struggles, Ravel didn't notice Rias close the distance to her and softly lifted her chin to meet her eyes, Rias's angelic blue eyes meet her own dark blue ones.
"Don't I deserve to live a free life like you want to? Don't I deserve the same ability to choose my own partner for life just as you would want?" Rias softly asked Ravel who found her fiery spirit smoldered by Rias.
Silence dragged on for the whole minute before Ravel finally broke it, "You deserve better" Ravel admitted with a deep sigh. Her dark blue eyes looked into Rias Gremory's blue eyes, "You deserve better Rias Gremory. But in our society only the strong are respected. You may have played an incredible game up till now but you still have my brother to defeat. A Phoenix who is yet to be defeated in battle inside the rating game" Ravel spoke calmly as the reality started to slowly hit her.
"I wish you luck Rias Gremory since you would need it" with that Ravel closed her eyes and soon after a light blue hue overtook her.
'Riser Phoenix Bishop has been eliminated'
"Now there was one" Rias allowed a smile to adore her face. She knew she still had to defeat Riser but considering how well the rating game had been going for her, she thought she was allowed to revel in her success a little bit.
"My darling Rias, you indeed have played an incredible rating game. I am actually impressed that delicious body of yours could perform like that" both Rias and Akeno quickly turned around to confront the voice that had snuck up on them so easily.
Much to their frustration, the voice belonged to her betrothed and the final person she had to defeat to secure her freedom.
"Come to accept your defeat Riser? You have grown smarter than the last time I saw you" Rias answered back in equal measure.
Riser couldn't help but laugh in response, "I have come to claim you back Rias. This rating game, despite how lucky you have gotten, has come to an end. You cannot defeat me! No matter what you do, this charade will end with our marriage" Riser spoke with such arrogance that made Rias almost blast him on the spot but she stayed her hand. After all she was still waiting on Kiba and Issie to return for the next phase of their plan.
"Is it my luck that has gotten me this far in this rating game or is it my sheer determination to not have my self enslaved to you by the decree of some old Devil who care more about the powers they control rather than the good of the underworld" Rias snapped back with venom which inwardly surprised Riser but he stood firm with a arrogant smile on his face.
"Whatever it maybe, this rating game is at end. Surrender now or face your peerage's destruction" Risers warning made Rias's eyebrows twitch in annoyance.
"We will not be defeated so easily asshole!" Riser turned around to see both Kiba and Issie coming into his view.
"Ah that blonde knight and good for nothing Red Dragon Emperor. I must admit you caught me off-guard by being a host to Draig but I am sure the Red Dragon Emperor would be crying knowing how much weaker he is than the Devil from house of Phoenix"
"Don't have your arrogance be your downfall Devil! That Lucifer of yours said the same thing. It took me barely 5 seconds to beat him and his Satans into the ground. Ironically enough your race would have ended there had it not been for God himself descending down from the heavens to confront both me and Albion and even he struggled against the might of the Heavenly Dragons" Draig spoke through Issie sacred gear with such venom that made everyone watching the rating game reel back in fear. Especially the ones that were present at the time where Lucifer and the rest of his Satans tried to force the Heavenly dragons to bend the knee to them. It wasn't a pretty sight by anyone's standards.
"I will make you and your host pay" Riser replied as his anger begun to rise at the face of such confrontation. Riser, while arrogant than most Devils, knew he had no way of defeating the legendary dragon himself but defeating his host was completely different case and he would humiliate Issie to pay Draig back for that disrespect.
'Riser Phoenix' Grayfia's voice rang out, echoing across the arena, "the Bare King rule is now in effect."
Riser's eyes narrowed in confusion. "The Bare King rule? What is this nonsense?"
Grayfia responded with an even tone, "The Bare King rule states that if the King's pieces, in this case, Rias Gremory, remaining peerage members are protected and has surrounded the opposing King, Riser Phoenix, for a duration of time, the opposing King will automatically lose. This rule was implemented to prevent drawn-out battles and to encourage strategic play."
Riser's face contorted with anger. "This is cheating! The Satans are rigging the game in Rias's favor!"
Rias stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "This isn't cheating, Riser. It's a viable rating game tactic. Perhaps if you spent less time relying on your regeneration and more on strategy, you would have known about it."
Riser snarled, his wings flaring out behind him. "Enough talk! I'll crush you all!"
All the while a magical timer for 5 minutes appeared in the sky for all to see.
With a roar, the battle began. Riser unleashed a torrent of fire with Akeno and Rias countering with a barrage of ice magic, while Kiba darted in and out, slashing at Riser with incredible speed.
Meanwhile, Issei stood on the side, biding his time to store more BOOST for his eventual battle with Riser. His body twitched with anticipation but he had to stay patient if he wanted his team to win the rating game. 'Determination would turn tides, but timing would win this rating game' was what Marid had told him during their training trip. Marid hadn't given him any reason for doubt, so he would continue to trust him until the end.
As it turned out, Risers arrogance was well founded, thanks to his regeneration and skills in fire magic he made out to be incredible opponent for Rias and her peerage, all of whom fought to their best capabilities to keep up with him.
Each ball of fire magic was responded with blast of power of destruction, lightning and ice magics and slashes from demonic swords but the battle remained at a stale mate as no side gave up any ground.
As the battle continued, everyone got their licks; the bodies of Rias, Akeno, and Kiba were littered with minor burns as they panted in exhaustion while Riser's body looked perfect.
For Riser, it was his pride that took the hit. The peerage Riser had declared to be not worth his time in front of the entire underworld had not only defeated his entire peerage but was also pushing him far enough that he had to put in serious effort not to get hit any further. Effort he has only put in against the occasional mock rating game he played against his mother or oldest brother behind closed doors.
What was worst that his struggle was being broadcasted to the entire underworld at his own insistence for wanting to see Gremory family humiliated in front of the entire underworld when he defeats their heiress and her peerage in a rating game. Now it was he who was being embarrassed.
Contrary to popular belief, magical attacks that landed on him did hurt. It had been a demonic blessing for the Phoenix's that their body would have the regeneration which would almost instantaneously minimize and heal any damage that their body suffered, but near-constant attacks did eventually take their toll on even their mighty traits. One of the few ways a Phoenix was fought during the Great War of the three Biblical Factions.
Flames flickered in Riser's eyes as he faced the trio, his form radiating heat. "Do you honestly believe you can beat me, Rias? I've survived much worse."
"We'll see about that!" Rias shouted back, her voice firm despite the fatigue she was beginning to feel.
Akeno stood at her side, her lips curled into a smile, though her expression was fierce. "My, my, Lord Riser, it seems you're running out of tricks," she taunted, summoning a storm of magical energy into her palm.
Without another word, the battle erupted once more. Kiba dashed forward, his sword flashing as he aimed for Riser's heart. In a blur of speed, the knight zigzagged across the battlefield, making it difficult for Riser to predict his next move. Meanwhile, Akeno raised her hand to the sky, calling forth a bolt of demonic lightning that crackled ominously in the air, merging with Rias's surge of ice magic.
"Now!" Rias commanded, hurling a blast of frozen energy toward Riser at the exact moment Akeno unleashed her lightning. The two attacks collided with Riser's fireball in midair, creating an explosion that shook the ground, sending shockwaves and a thick cloud of smoke billowing across the arena.
For a brief moment, the field was obscured by the smokescreen. Issei, standing on the sidelines, clenched his gauntleted hand, feeling the surge of power building within him.
Boost
He watched intently, waiting for the right moment to strike, knowing that this next boost could be his last shot to make a difference.
As the smoke swirled, Akeno squinted, searching for any sign of their enemy. "Do you think we got him?" she asked, her tone slightly uncertain. But before anyone could answer, there was a blur of motion—a dark silhouette darted through the smoke with inhuman speed.
Riser's figure appeared behind Akeno in an instant, faster than anyone could react. His eyes burned with fury, his fist clenched tightly. "Got you," he growled.
Before Akeno could turn, Riser's fist slammed into the side of her face with a resounding crack. The sheer force of the blow sent her crashing through what was left of the gymnasium's wall. The impact was so devastating that the ground shook. Moments later, the familiar voice of Grayfia Lucifage rang out.
"Akeno Himejima of Rias Gremory's Peerage, retired!"
Rias gasped, her eyes wide with shock as her queen was eliminated so abruptly. "Akeno… no…" she whispered.
Riser wasted no time. He grinned wickedly, knowing that Akeno's retirement had shaken Rias. Seizing the opportunity, he lunged forward towards Rias and yet his eyes locked onto the fast-moving blur of Kiba. The knight had been closing in, but Riser's speed had become unpredictable, almost feral when he rushed towards Rias.
"Oh No!" Kiba realized as he used every ounce of energy, he could summon from his exhausted body to somehow intercept Riser before he could reach his still stunned master. Even the sudden boost he received was not enough to intercept… or atleast it should have been if Riser hadnt changed his direction at the last moment. With a swift motion, Riser caught Kiba by the throat mid-dash, lifting him off the ground as if he weighed nothing.
"You're fast, but not fast enough," Riser sneered.
Before Kiba could react, Riser summoned a fireball in his free hand, pressing it against Kiba's chest at point-blank range. The explosion that followed sent Kiba flying backward, his body engulfed in flames.
"Kiba Yuuto of Rias Gremory's Peerage, retired!"
Rias's heart raced as her peerage members were being taken down one by one. First Akeno, now Kiba—Riser was decimating her team. She took a step back, her mind scrambling to formulate a plan, but the pressure was mounting.
Grayfia's voice announced their retirement, and the Bare King rule timer was lifted. Riser smirked, his confidence returning. "It seems your plan has failed, Rias."
Rias gave Riser a furious glare but didn't rise to meet his taunts. True Riser had turned the tables in a heartbeat, but she still wasn't defeated yet. She would do whatever it took to beat him. Fortunately, she wasn't standing alone, she still had her adorable pawn with her who had come leaps and bounds for the sheer desire to help her. She would need to properly thank him after the rating game.
The pawn in question was also looking at Riser with an incredibly furious glare but was ignored by Riser for most part. 'How can I let Kiba and Akeno-san get defeated by this annoying prick. I should have just attacked him with the dragon shot to save them' clenched his fists, his anger boiling over.
'You still haven't lost partner, we still have one more trick under our sleeves if you remember and with your current stored Boost you would be able to take him on' Draig sagely reminded Issie of their secret pact.
"You are right Draig" Issie spoke loud enough that his voice broke through Rias and Riser's stare down, "Ddraig, do the thing!"
Draigs voice echoed with power, "Boosted Gear Scale Mail!"
A bright green red Aura emitted from the Boosted Gear covered Issie's entire form, light so bright that it forced Rias and Riser to shy away from the intense glow released by the sacred gear. Within the green red aura bubble, Issei found his armor transforming, glowing with an intense red aura as it slowly covered its form. First it was the left arm then the torso before the entire body was covered by crimson armor. Issie couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the intense power he felt flowing through his body.
'This is amazing' Issie opened and closed his armored wrist just to get a feel for his incredible power boost, as the green-red aura bubble that once surrounded his form dimmed until it was there no more. Revealing an incredibly intimidating armor of the Red Dragon Emperor. Once more the world was reminded of who the Red Dragon Emperor truly was.
"Just remember partner… two minutes. Even with all that training and time for your body to get acclimating to sacrificing your hand, this is all you get" Ddraig reminded his partner once again.
"Two minutes is more than enough time for me to beat this bird up" Issie said excitedly as he leapt in the direction of a shocked Riser.
Riser's eyes widened in shock as Issei wasted no time charging him with his newfound power.
The armored gauntlet found Risers cheek as the shocked Phoenix was sent smashing into the ground.
"Hell YEAH!" Issie cheered in excitement, happy that he was about to dish out his frustration on the man that was responsible for the mess he found himself in.
Issie turned to look at Rias who stood shocked at Issie's armor.
"Issie when did you…" Rias wasn't able to complete her sentence, still in awe of what her pawn was able to achieve.
"Don't worry about it Buchou. We still have a fried bird to beat up" Issie gave Rias a thumbs up, which Rias found to be incredibly cute causing redness to adore her pale cheeks.
"But your body wasn't ready to unlock the Balance breaker! How did you do it?" Rias asked in awe.
"I made a deal with Ddraig" Issie replied with a smile causing Rias eyes to widened in shock. As if understanding what his master was thinking, Issie continued, "Don't worry about it Buchou, the sacrifice is worth it". Issie's words, no matter how innocent, turned Rias into a blushing mess.
Unfortunately, their moment was destroyed when Riser roared out of the debris he was send in, "I will kill you for that Issie Hyoudou!!!" Without wasting another moment Riser rushed towards Issie with incredible speed.
The two clashed fiercely, their attacks creating shockwaves that shook the battlefield. For a moment, Issei seemed to have the upper hand, but Riser quickly adapted, fighting defensively and waiting for Issei's timer to run out. Riser had already noticed it and now Rias noticed Issie's speed slowly starting to dwindle.
Ddraig's voice was urgent. "Issei, you don't have enough time left to defeat him."
Frustration gnawed at Issei as he realized the truth. He needed a plan, and fast. In a desperate bid, Issei boosted to his maximum, feeling the surge of power course through him as he tried to get through Risers impressive guard.
'We wont win at this rate' Rias thought furiously as she saw the battle slip away from her. Despite her peerages incredible display and Issie unlocking a pesodymn version of balance breaker being immense boon to them, Risers regeneration was still too much of a problem to deal with and now Riser, knowing the threat was on the defensive, bided his time until Issie's timer runs out. 'What can I do?!?' Rias found herself recalling all the information Marid had given her regarding Riser, events that transpired during the course of the rating game itself but nothing came to her mind.
She stood there watching Issie fight on her behalf while she stood there defenseless.
'Only if I was healed, I would be able to…' Rias stopped her train of thought as she fished out the phoenix tear Akeno stole from Yubelluna earlier in the game. 'This is it!' Rias unscrewed the flask and applied the tear on her body. She felt her wounds close as her magic and energy returned to her body.
'Time for round 2 Riser' Rias thought with a wicked grin as she attacked Riser from behind. Her blast of power of destruction landing flush on Risers back, making him cringe and momentarily losing his concentration. A moment that Issie merrily used to punch Riser into the debris of the gymnasium for the second time.
"There we go!!" Issie cheered loudly.
"Are you alright my Ise?" Rias asked her pawn as she flew alongside him. Once she received a nod from her beloved pawn it was only then she turned her attention back to Riser with anger and desperation.
"I didn't expect a lowly pawn and a bitch Devil to make me work this hard," Riser growled, his voice dripping with disdain. "But it's time to end this."
"The battle is not over my Ise" Rias brought her pawn back into the fold as she saw Riser slowly rise up as his broken nose and wounded back mend itself back together.
Issei's heart raced as he glanced at Rias. Her usually confident demeanor was faltering. He clenched his fist inside his gauntlet, feeling the power of the Boosted Gear surging with every beat of his heart.
Boost
"We've got this, Buchou," Issei said, his voice full of determination. "I won't let him touch you."
Riser's eyes flared with rage at Issei's words. "Arrogant!" With a roar, he summoned a massive fireball into his hands, the heat of it warping the air around him. "I'll finish this and retire you, Rias Gremory. Then, you'll be mine!"
Riser pushed off ground before engaging both Issie and Rias in aerial combat. While Issie fought Riser in close combat, Rias provided Issie with magical support from afar. Needless to say, this time the battle was far more evenly matched but even then Rias team was held at a disadvantage on one front, and everyone knew that.
"20 seconds partner" Ddraig reminded Issie again of the growing time restraint.
"Damn it" Issie said in frustration before lunging at Riser in order to make the most use for the time.
Riser smirked before countering Issie efficiently with a right hook of his own sending Issie into the dirt this time.
"Issie" Rias screamed as she saw her beloved pawn crash into the ground not seeing Riser forming another fire ball in the meantime.
Riser hurled the fireball with all his might, the massive sphere of flame hurtling toward Rias with deadly speed. Rias's eyes widened in shock as she aimlessly tried to create a barrier but knew she wouldn't be able to conjure something strong enough to block the fire ball in its entirety.
Issie eyes widened at Riser attacking his master. Anger, frustration and fear boiled inside him but he knew there was no time to dwell on his emotions. Without wasting more time Issei moved. Without thinking, he pushed off the ground with all of his might towards Rias even going as far using a big chunk of the Boost he had saved up for a final attack.
Through sheer determination, Issie managed to reach his master in the nick of time, pushing her out of the way just as the fireball was about to make contact.
"Buchou, move!" he shouted, his hand landing on her shoulder. "Draig now!!!" Issie screamed for his partner for the one thing he hoped the legendary dragon would understand.
*Transfer* Draig shouted as he unleashed almost all of Issie's remaining energy to Rias during the moment Issie had touched Rias shoulders to push her out of the way.
The connection between them sparked, and Rias let out a soft gasp, her eyes fluttering as the energy flooded her body.A faint blush colored her cheeks, and a soft moan escaped her lips, the sudden rush of power overwhelming her senses. "Issei…"
But there was no time to revel in the feeling. In the very same moment, the fireball meant for Rias crashed into Issei's chest. His Balance Breaker armor, already weakening from the strain of the battle and the energy transfer, shattered upon impact. The fiery explosion enveloped him, the force of the blast sending him flying across the battlefield.
His painful screams were covered over the sound of the explosion of the fireball.
Rias's eyes widened in horror as she watched Issei disappear into the flames.
"Issei!" she screamed, reaching out, but it was too late. Rias's widened eyes shed tears streamed down her eye as she realized what Issie had done for her. What her team had done for her.
Riser descended, a twisted smile forming on his lips as he watched the fireball consume Issei. "How noble of you," he sneered. "But your sacrifice was in vain."
For a brief moment, the battlefield fell silent, the echoes of the explosion still ringing in the air. Rias trembled, her hands clenched tightly into fists. She could feel the incredible power Issei had transferred to her, and though her heart ached for him, she knew what she had to do.
'I Thank you all for your sacrifice everyone. I truly do! Which is why I wont let you all down now!!' Rias eyes filled with determination as her demonic aura took shape around her. She didn't waste a moment, gathering the energy into a single, devastating blast. Riser, arrogant and overconfident, stood his ground, convinced he could withstand it.
"This is what your pathetic peerage is capable of Rias? It truly is a miracle they won against my peerage" Riser laughed not noticing Rias rise in aura due to Issie's last second transfer.
But Rias stood tall, her eyes burning with determination. The energy Issei had given her was coursing through her veins, reigniting her fighting spirit. "No, Riser," she said, her voice cold and fierce. "This fight isn't over yet."
"Hmm" Riser finally noticed her rise in aura and the magical blast floating in Rias hand, a construct of potent energy from the infamous power of destruction.
"I wont let you disrespect my peerage Riser. GO TO HELL!!!" With that Rias unleashed all of her magical reserves and the Boosted energy she inherited from Issie into one singular ball of power of destruction towards Riser.
The blast erupted from Rias's hand, an immense wave of crimson energy that engulfed Riser before he could comprehend what was happening. His confidence turned to horror as he realized the true magnitude of the attack. He tried to shield himself, but it was too late. The energy overwhelmed him.
*BOOOOOOOOM* Rias final blast produced the most powerful and loudest blast of the rating game as for a moment the entire field was covered in bright light that only a very few could look through.
When the light cleared and the explosion settled, Rias found Riser lying in a crater, body covered with wounds as the blood trickled down his body.
She intently looked at the scene, looking for anyway Riser could be using an illusion spell to get her to drop her guard, a habit Rias was forced to pick up because of Marid. Once she saw a light blue hue coming over Risers body, she rushed down towards her down pawn to check on him. After all she would never have been able to survive and then defeat Riser without Issie's timely sacrifices.
"ISSIE!?!?" Rias screamed as she landed beside Issie before gingerly taking his head in his own hands. "Issie please stay with me" Rias begged her pawn to stay awake as she felt a few tears leak out of her own eyes.
"Bucho…u" Issie was barely able to open his swolled up eyes, "Is thzt u?" Issie mumbled a response, his lack of energy after near constant battles making it harder for him to speak.
"Yes my Ise its me!" Rias cried as she started applying whatever healing spells she could in that moment. All exhaustion forgotten for the Gremory heiress.
"Did we win?" Issie asked softly.
Grayfia's voice rang out. "Riser Phenex has been eliminated. The winner for this rating game is Rias Gremory."
"Yes my Ise we won!" Rias looked deeply into his soft brown eyes, "Thank you for everything" With that Rias Gremory leaned in and deeply kissed her pawn, showing her appreciation for him and his sacrifices on her behalf.
After a blissful moment for both Issie and Rias, the pair pulled back and looked deeply into each others eyes. Shocked at the actions yet found comfort in them, neither Issie nor Rias said anything but enjoy each other's company in that moment.
Rias knew at the back of her mind that she would most likely face some consequences for doing that but at that point she didn't care. She wanted to show her pawn her appreciation for his actions. She wanted to show him how much she loved him.
Rias eyes widened at that thought but before she could think more on it she found herself being whisk away from the battlefield alongside Issie.
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Chapter End
Just a FYI, Lord Sallos is the Head of the House Sallos in the underworld. House Sallos itself is a part of 72 Pillar family and is a firm ally of the Great King Faction. He is also a 4th ranked rating game player, just behind Bedeze Abaddon.
I will write the professional rating game rankings in a later chapter!
I also want to clarify my statement of 'Riser is the only Phoenix never been defeated in a rating game yet'. Riser has never been defeated in a one-on-one battle inside a rating game. Sure he has lost but those losses were on his record but they happened only to earn a favor from one of the other pillar family's and nothing more. Ruval on the other hand is in the top ten rank of the rating game and hence fought against the likes of Diehauser and Roygun, hence has lost against them since both Diehauser and Roygun are regarded as Satan Class Devils. Also, keep in mind that losing the rating game doesn't always necessarily mean Kings retirement. Pls & Ty!
As far as Youth Devil ranking's are considered, I will write those rankings in the next chapter.
Furthermore, before I end this chapter, I just wanted to urge you all to please COMMENT on the chapters and let me know what you all think. Please write constructive criticism so I know where I am lacking or if my story has some plot holes. These help me greatly improve the quality of my chapters.
Until then stay safe and have fun!
DGZalama out!
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