Rias spat out the air she'd been breathing.
Akeno let out a melodious laugh as her eyes narrowed.
"Ara ara... Buchou got pregnant. Congratulations."
"Akeno!"
Rias immediately protested against her Queen.
Koneko nodded solemnly.
"...Congrats on the baby."
"Koneko, you too?!"
Rias's cheeks were now completely red. In her mind, she was seeing herself pregnant. With a round belly. Carrying Yuu's child.
'Oh no, now I'm imagining it too.'
She quickly waved her hands in front of her face, as if she could physically scatter the image from her mind.
"I'm not pregnant! We haven't even had sex!"
She froze as soon as the words left her mouth, the ahoge on top of her head twisting awkwardly.
The fact that she had to clarify that out loud made it even more embarrassing.
Yue's lips curved slightly upward as she spoke in her usual calm tone.
"I was just joking."
Koneko nodded.
"...Me too."
Akeno smiled wider.
"Same here. Though Buchou took it a bit too seriously. Maybe she secretly wants it to be true?"
"AKENO!"
Rias glared at them with intimidating eyes, but her flushed cheeks only made her look cuter. Like an angry kitten trying to act fierce.
×××
Not long after Rias got dressed and checked her Status on the sheet of paper Yuu had given her, she was left completely astonished.
[Status]
—Name: Rias Gremory
—Path: The Beginning and the End
—Rank: Pathstrider
—Level: 31
[General Abilities]
Strength: I 0
Endurance: I 0
Dexterity: I 0
Agility: I 0
Magic: I 0
[Exclusive Skill]
—End of the Cycle
—Linked Path: The Beginning and the End
—Description—
Everything that has a beginning deserves an end. Rias simply delivers that end.
—Effects—
When using this ability, Rias gains the power of "Conceptual Nullification." In this state, she can end not only physical objects but also abstract concepts.
---
—Release of Limitations
—Linked Path: The Beginning and the End
—Description—
Will and thought grant unrestricted power.
—Effects—
With this ability, the following effect is obtained:
—Absolute Control: Power of Destruction obeys Rias's direct will.
[Active Skill]
—Power of Destruction: Allows her to erase practically anything, matter, energy, and even immaterial things such as souls.
---
[Passive Skill]
—Aegis Blessing
×××
"This is... incredible."
Rias's eyes darted quickly over the sheet of paper as she murmured in awe.
"Exclusive Skill? And Aegis Blessing?"
She looked up at Yuu with curiosity.
"Is your real name Aegis?"
"That name was given to me by the Cosmos when I ascended as the Aeon of the Beginning and the End."
'Honestly, it sounds pretentious even when I say it myself.'
Rias blinked several times.
"So... you're really not the Ouroboros Dragon?"
"I'm not that dragon you're talking about. Though I can see why you'd think so. The Ouroboros symbol represents the eternal cycle, the beginning and the end. It fits what I am, but I'm not literally that dragon."
Although, ever since he'd become the Pillar of the Multiverse, he wasn't really just an Aeon anymore.
Aeons had limits. The current Aegis didn't.
He is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent.
Though he rarely ever used those aspects. He simply didn't need to.
'The being that managed to kill Olddy... yeah, that one's gonna be a problem.'
Even with his power.
Rias wanted to ask more, but instead she pointed to something on the sheet.
"My Exclusive Skill, End of the Cycle... The description's really vague. What exactly does it mean?"
Yuu sat down on the grass, and Yue came to his side, settling next to him. Her head found its usual spot resting against his arm.
"Basically, you can 'end' things."
"End things?"
"Yeah. For example..."
Yuu raised a finger.
"You can 'end' the trajectory of an attack. Imagine someone throws a fireball at you. With this skill, you can just end its movement. It would be erased from existence."
He raised another finger.
"Or you can 'end' a spell that's about to activate, or one that's already active. If someone's channeling magic, you can cut that process off completely."
A third finger.
"You can 'end' a target's memories. Erase specific moments from their mind."
Rias's eyes widened, while Yuu shrugged casually.
"That kind of thing. What you can do depends entirely on your imagination and understanding of the power. And when you get stronger, when you truly master it, you could even erase abstract concepts."
"Ara~ That sounds really amazing when you put it like that. Still, what are these abstract concepts?"
Akeno had approached to listen and asked the question.
"Like Fate. You could 'end' someone's destiny."
Free them from their predetermined path. Or seal it, and erase that person from existence altogether. No one would remember them if she erased them. Not the world, not history, not even a record of their existence would remain.
After hearing that, the girls went silent.
"If you mix Rias's Power of Destruction with my Path of the Beginning and the End... this ability's the natural result."
Rias was clearly stunned. Her mouth was slightly open, her eyes fixed on the skill's description on the paper.
"This is... insanely powerful."
"It is. But it also requires a lot of control. If you use it wrong, you could 'end' things you didn't mean to."
Like your own existence, for example. But Yuu didn't mention that part yet.
"And the other skill?"
After accepting that she'd just obtained an OP ability, Rias pointed to the second Exclusive Skill on the list.
"Ah, that one's much simpler."
Rias's eyebrows twitched.
"Hey, I asked you to explain it."
"Hah... Basically, you've got absolute control over your Power of Destruction. Your attacks can change direction midair. Stop in place. Split into multiple projectiles. Merge again. Turn into weapons or armor."
Rias stared at her own hands as if she were seeing them for the first time.
"So... I have total control over my power."
"Exactly."
Akeno and Koneko, who had been peeking from beside Rias and looking over her shoulder at the paper, exchanged glances.
"That's pretty amazing, Buchou. With those two abilities, you just got exponentially stronger."
Koneko looked at the stats on the top of the sheet.
"...Can Buchou really level up?"
She asked while pointing to where it said "Level 31."
"Umu."
Yuu replied, his gaze drifting toward the beautiful sky.
In Genkai, where gods granted blessings to their Familia, everyone started at Level 1, regardless of their previous strength.
But Yuu had modified that system. Adjusted it so that the level reflected Rias's actual power from the start. That's why she began at Level 31 instead of 1.
As for Saeko, Jin-ah, and the others... their levels had started at 1 when Yuu blessed them, since they'd been regular humans without supernatural powers before. They had to build their strength from scratch.
Also, the reason Rias received two Exclusive Skills was because she was already high-level when she received the Blessing.
When his other Pathstriders leveled up, they would naturally gain more Exclusive Skills, and awaken their own active or passive skills.
"This system's designed to grow alongside my Pathstriders."
"Oh..."
As Koneko nodded, Yuu turned toward Rias, who was still staring at the sheet of paper.
"Are you satisfied with your decision?"
She lifted her gaze from the sheet and looked straight into his eyes. Then she smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile.
"Yes. I'm definitely satisfied. Thank you, Yuu."
And in that moment, she truly meant it, from the bottom of her heart, where the flames of hope began to burn once again.
Accepting her gratitude, Yuu lay down on the grass, and Yue took the chance to snuggle up against his chest. Her breath brushed directly against his skin. Warm and steady.
"Mm... Yuu..."
"What is it, Yue?"
"...You gave hope to someone who needed it."
Just like Yuu had once given her a new beginning.
"I see. I guess you could say that."
It was no longer the desperate hope of someone clinging to a lifeline, but the genuine hope of someone who'd finally found a way forward.
A path that didn't involve marrying a pompous chicken.
'Riser Phenex, I hope you're ready,' Yuu amused. 'Because when your Rating Game with Rias comes...'
'You're in for a really nasty surprise.'
×××
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