April 28th, 2012, Kuoh Academy Gymnasium, Rating Game Dimension, Morning
The air inside the gymnasium was thick with dust and the stale, lingering scent of old floor wax, now overlaid with the electric tension of imminent violence.
Koneko and Irumi moved through the shadows of the bleachers, their footsteps rendered silent by a combination of feline grace and caution. They were hunting, prowling through the familiar architecture of their school which had been twisted into a battlefield.
"If Kiba took down four people, it means we are now facing a twelve-versus-five situation. That is, of course, including Phenex himself," the Red Dragon Empress muttered, her voice barely a whisper.
She was lost in a labyrinth of calculations, her brow furrowed as she tried to make the math of their survival add up. The odds were suffocating.
"Senpai, focus," Koneko said, her voice sharp and grounding. She nudged Irumi, snapping the brunette back to the visceral reality of the moment.
'The girl is right, partner,' Ddraig's voice echoed in the recesses of Irumi's mind, a deep rumble of ancient wisdom. 'Your mind is wandering to numbers when it should be sharpened on survival.'
"Yeah, sorry..." Irumi shook her head vigorously, as if trying to physically dislodge the creeping tendrils of doubt.
"It's just that... today is the first time I can really do something useful since..." She trailed off, unwilling to articulate the inadequacy that had plagued her for weeks. She refused to harbor dark thoughts, not here, not when Rias was counting on her.
"Senpai, over there." Koneko stopped abruptly, her small hand darting out to point toward the center of the basketball court.
Three figures stood amidst the polished wood floor, waiting with the stillness of predators. There was Mira, the staff-wielding pawn; Xuelan, the martial artist rook; and Ravel Phenex, Riser's younger sister and bishop.
"Lady Ravel, I don't think you should stay here," Mira urged, her eyes scanning the perimeter nervously. She gripped her bo staff, her knuckles white.
"No. I am sure Lady Rias will send at least one of her servants to scout this location..." Ravel replied, holding her chin in a gesture of haughty contemplation that mimicked her older brother.
Her eyes, burning with a mixture of arrogance and anxiety, swept the upper levels of the stands.
"Those girls..." Irumi frowned deeply at the sight of Mira and Ravel. The memory of their first encounter in the Occult Research Club room—the humiliation, the powerlessness—burned in her chest.
"There is also a Rook with them," Koneko pointed out, her golden eyes locking onto the third girl, Xuelan.
Irumi tapped the small communication rune in her ear. "President, what should we do?" she whispered, trying to keep her breathing steady.
The voice of Rias came through, crisp but laced with the heavy burden of command. "Gather as much time as possible. When Akeno is ready, exit the gymnasium immediately. Do not engage in a prolonged battle."
"I have a very nice idea in mind," came Akeno's voice, dripping with a sweet, terrifying sadism. "I hope Cendrillon won't be mad if I steal her attack."
The Queen of the Gremory peerage sounded as though she were dreaming of a pleasant afternoon tea, rather than an orbital bombardment.
"Got it," Koneko said, cutting the chatter. She turned to Irumi, her expression impassive but her eyes burning with resolve. "Senpai, take care of the pawn and the chicken."
With that terse command, Koneko clenched her fists. The air around her seemed to compress, and then she exploded forward. She launched herself from the shadows, a blur of white hair and raw kinetic energy, aiming directly for Xuelan.
"Gremory servants! You finally show yourselves!" Xuelan shouted, her reaction time honed by years of training. "I will defeat you for both Lord Riser and to avenge our fallen friends!"
Xuelan pivoted on her heel, delivering a devastating roundhouse kick aimed at Koneko's temple. The Nekomata didn't flinch. She raised her forearms, blocking the strike with a sound like a thunderclap. The impact sent a shockwave of dust rippling across the court, but Koneko stood firm, rooted to the ground like an ancient tree.
"Red Dragon Empress," Mira announced, spinning her bo staff with a mesmerizing, rhythmic hum. She stepped forward, placing herself between Irumi and Ravel. "The Red Dragon Empress and Lady Rias' Rook. Just as I thought, she sent half her peerage here. I usually don't fight, but if it is against you... I can make an exception."
Behind her, Ravel began to channel magic, a ball of volatile orange fire coalescing in her left palm. "I will show you once again your place!"
"I said I was sorry for what happened last week, come on!" Irumi shouted, raising her hands in a placating gesture. But the time for words had long since turned to ash. Mira was already charging, the tip of her staff gleaming with magical reinforcement.
"Ddraig, I need a bit of help here!" Irumi screamed internally.
{BOOST!}
The gauntlet on her arm flashed, the green gem glowing with intensified power. Irumi felt the surge of energy rush through her veins, sharpening her senses.
"Perfect!" Irumi clapped her hands together with violent force. The resulting shockwave was not merely sound; it was a physical wall of pressure that slammed into Mira. The Phenex pawn gasped, forced to skid to a halt and dig her boots into the floor to avoid being ragdolled backward.
'She's stronger than before,' Mira noted, her eyes widening in genuine surprise. The clumsy girl from the club room was gone, replaced by someone who wielded a Longinus with increasing competence.
Mira gripped her staff tighter, rotating it defensively.
"I will show you that luck won't save you twice!"
To the side, the battle of the Rooks was devolving into a high-speed brawl. Koneko was dodging a furious flurry of kicks from Xuelan.
The Chinese rook was relentless, her movements fluid and deadly, forcing the smaller girl backward. Koneko was slowly being corralled toward the concrete wall of the gymnasium, her maneuvering space shrinking by the second.
Noticing the trap, the Nekomata eyes narrowed. As Xuelan launched a high kick, Koneko ducked under the limb, grabbing the enemy's planted leg. Using Xuelan's own forward momentum and her immense monstrous strength, Koneko flipped the taller girl over, slamming her into the hardwood floor with a bone-rattling crunch.
Xuelan grunted in pain, the breath driven from her lungs, but her fighting spirit remained unbroken. She swept her legs out, forcing Koneko to jump back, and scrambled to her feet.
"You are a strong Rook, I concede that," Xuelan roared, wiping a streak of dust from her cheek. "But I am too angry to let you win like this!"
Koneko threw a straight punch; Xuelan countered with one of her own. The two clenched fists collided in mid-air, shockwaves rattling the windows high above. Neither gave an inch. It was a stalemate of raw power—fist against fist, kick against kick, elbow against elbow.
'I just need to gain some more time,' Koneko thought, gritting her teeth as she blocked a knee strike. 'Senpai Akeno should be here soon.'
She cast a worried glance toward Irumi.
[BOOST!]
Irumi was dancing on a razor's edge. She weaved through the air, desperately avoiding the erratic fireballs Ravel was hurling. The young Phenex's aim was atrocious, fueled by panic and arrogance, causing the magical flames to scorch the bleachers, the floor, and even the ceiling, missing their target but turning the gym into an oven.
"Stay still!" Ravel shrieked, her face flushed with frustration. She was angry at Irumi for dodging, and even angrier at her own incompetence.
Mira saw an opening. She hurled her staff like a javelin, timing it perfectly with a massive bolt of fire Ravel had just released. It was a pincer attack; Irumi had nowhere to go.
"Wrong choice! Rhythm: Uno Due!" Irumi shouted, her voice taking on a strange, resonant quality. She didn't just dodge; she manipulated the sonic pressure around her.
A concentrated blast of sound intercepted the staff, shattering the wood into splinters, and the resulting turbulence diverted Ravel's fireball into the wall.
"Now it's my turn!" Irumi didn't hesitate. With a barrier of compressed sound shimmering around her like a second skin, she sprinted through the lingering heat. She closed the distance to Mira in a heartbeat, the Boosted Gear humming with potential energy.
She drove her fist into Mira's stomach.
[BOOST!]
The impact was thunderous. Exactly as Mira had done to Irumi in the club room, the Red Dragon Empress launched her opponent upward. Mira flew toward the ceiling, coughing up blood, before gravity reclaimed her and she crashed to the floor, unconscious.
"Ddraig, I did it!" Irumi shouted, breathless and exhilarated.
'Well done, partner,' the dragon congratulated her, his tone swelling with pride.
"One Pawn of Lord Riser has been retired," Grayfia's voice echoed through the dimension, impassive and absolute.
"Koneko, Irumi. Akeno has arrived. Exit the gymnasium as fast as possible!" Rias's command cut through the celebration.
April 28th, 2012, VIP Booth, Morning
'Seeee, old man? The Magician is catching up,' Fafnir creaked from within his jewel, sounding smug. He was eager to win his bet with the Norse All-Father.
'Attaining one's dream requires a stern will and unfailing determination,' Ryoji commented softly, his voice overlapping with the memory of Nyx's cryptic words regarding the Magician Arcana. He watched the girl with the dragon gear with a newfound respect.
"This must be the most unique usage of the Boosted Gear I've ever seen or heard about," Sirzechs Lucifer commented, leaning forward in his throne-like chair. His crimson hair cascaded over his shoulders as he analyzed the fight.
"That's because Ito is a genius," Makoto Yuki said. His tone was serious, his blue eyes tracking Irumi's movements on the screen. "She doesn't seem so at first glance, but inside her, there is a fire burning, trying to achieve her dreams. She adapts."
Sirzechs glanced at the screen, then at the blue-haired boy. "This generation's Red Dragon Empress... Rias really reincarnated an interesting person."
"Good job, Zechs," Serafall Leviathan whispered, leaning in to give the Lucifer a thumbs-up and a beaming smile for managing to strike up a casual conversation with Makoto.
Sirzechs facepalmed mentally, a wave of shame washing over him for both his own awkwardness and Serafall's antics.
'I have never made such a bad gaffe in my entire life,' he thought miserably. 'It almost seems like I am the young, foolish devil I was before the Civil War all over again.'
April 28th, 2012, above the Gymnasium.
The sky was overcast with grey clouds, a reflection of Akeno Himejima's mood. She hovered high above the gymnasium, her black wings beating slowly against the wind.
"I am getting quite eager up here," Akeno murmured, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. Electricity crackled around her fingertips, yearning to be released.
Suddenly, the air behind her detonated.
An explosion of concussive force slammed into her back, taking the Queen completely by surprise. Smoke and fire engulfed her, sending her spiraling downward.
"Akeno!" Rias shouted through the comms. "Akeno, do you receive me?"
'Akeno!' Cendrillon's voice screamed inside Makoto's head back in the VIP booth, causing him to wince at the sudden jolt of psychic pain.
"The Bomb Queen..." Akeno muttered as she stabilized herself in mid-air. Her clothes were singed, her expression dark. Looking up, she saw Yubelluna, Riser's Queen, floating above her with a smug expression.
"Thunder Priestess. I'm afraid I can't let you do as you please. Especially with Lady Ravel inside the gymnasium," Yubelluna declared, holding a wand that glowed with volatile magic.
"It just means I have to change targets," Akeno smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. It was a mask of cold fury.
April 28th, 2012, Safe Zone
"Change of plans, everybody!" Rias's voice rang out, charged with adrenaline. "If Riser sent his Queen, it means he's not playing around anymore. I will take him by surprise and crush his spirit! His body might be immortal, but his mind isn't!"
"President, it's too dangerous!" Kiba protested.
"He doesn't expect it. Trust me," Rias countered, her determination ironclad.
"We will take out his other peerage members, President! Go and defeat him for us too!" Irumi shouted over the comms, her trust in her King absolute.
"Guys, the rest of Phenex's peerage is coming toward the gymnasium. I will try to intercept them," Kiba informed them.
He broke into a run, his speed creating a slipstream of wind behind him.
With Koneko fighting Xuelan, Irumi facing Ravel, and Akeno clashing against Yubelluna, while Kiba and Rias prepared their separate assaults, the Rating Game had entered its chaotic, bloody second phase.
Gymnasium.
The battle had turned the gym into a ruin. Xuelan, desperate and feral, tore a row of heavy spectator seats from their bolts in the concrete. With a roar of exertion, she hurled the massive object at Koneko.
The young Nekomata didn't dodge.
She pivoted, delivering a shattering kick to the incoming obstacle, sending the twisted metal and plastic careening into the side wall of the gymnasium, where it embedded itself with a screech of tearing metal.
"Your Queen will soon fall to Yubelluna. You are not going to win this," Xuelan panted, sweat dripping from her chin.
"Don't underestimate Senpai Akeno," Koneko replied, her voice devoid of doubt.
[BOOST!]
Irumi's sound barrier held, deflecting the scorching heat of Ravel's erratic magic. She was closing the distance, preparing to take down the Bishop.
'Partner, you don't have enough—' Ddraig began to warn.
But before he could finish, and before Irumi could reach Ravel, the world turned white. A massive shockwave, originating from the collision of Akeno's Holy Lightning and Yubelluna's Bomb magic outside, slammed into the structure.
The gymnasium groaned, a terrible, deepening sound of structural failure. The floor rippled like water, and the roof began to scream as steel girders twisted.
'This is gonna be our grave if we don't get out of here,' Irumi thought, panic seizing her heart as she looked toward the exit, which was rapidly disappearing behind falling debris.
"Koneko!"
The Nekomata understood the danger instantly. She tensed to run, but Xuelan was faster. The Phenex rook lunged, tackling Koneko and pinning her to the trembling ground.
"You won't get out of here!" Xuelan screamed, her eyes wide with madness. A massive flake of plaster crashed down beside them, exploding into dust.
High above, a heavy lighting rig snapped from its cables. It plummeted, crashing into the floor mere centimeters from Irumi, showering her in glass and sparks.
"That was too close," Irumi gasped. She shifted her attention from Ravel to her friend. "Koneko!"
"Senpai, go!" Koneko exclaimed, struggling against Xuelan's grip.
But Irumi didn't listen. She turned her back on safety and rushed into the heart of the collapse to free her friend.
Outside the Gymnasium.
Akeno and Yubelluna danced in the sky, a deadly ballet of lightning and explosions.
"It seems your tactic is retorting against you, Thunder Priestess," Yubelluna mocked, looking down at the crumbling building.
Akeno clicked her tongue, annoyed. Chains of jagged yellow lightning materialized in her hands. "Let's see if you can resist a bit of electrocution, Bomb Queen."
She unleashed the spell. It was stronger than Yubelluna anticipated, a roaring dragon of electricity that slammed directly into her chest. The Phenex Queen cried out, her flight faltering as she plummeted to the ground, crashing into the dirt.
"You are really strong, Thunder Priestess," Yubelluna wheezed, clutching her side. "However... that was your last spell of that strength."
"I will be back in shape with just a bit of rest. Now, it is time for us to depart, Bomb Queen. It's over,"
Akeno smirked, descending to deliver the final blow.
"I wouldn't be so sure." Yubelluna's lips curled into a triumphant smile as she pulled a small glass vial from her bodice.
"That's...! Phoenix's Tears?" Akeno gasped, horror dawning on her face.
Inside the gym, Irumi launched herself toward Koneko, her hand outstretched. But before she—or the protective sound barrier—could reach the Nekomata, the roof gave way completely.
The entire gymnasium collapsed inward with a deafening roar.
"Koneko!" Irumi screamed, her voice swallowed by the thunder of falling concrete. Darkness swallowed them both.
"One Rook of Lord Riser and one Rook of Lady Rias have been retired," Grayfia's voice announced, seemingly indifferent to the catastrophe.
"Ito!" Kiba shouted, sprinting toward the mountain of rubble that used to be the gym.
"Yuuto, what happened?" Rias asked, her voice frantic in his ear.
"The gymnasium fell apart and Koneko was taken out by it. Ito is still somewhere buried here," Kiba reported, his hands shaking as he began to dig at the debris.
"Reunite with Akeno and search for Irumi together!" Rias ordered.
But fate was cruel.
"Lady Rias' Queen has been retired."
Rias and Kiba froze, their blood running cold. On the horizon, a massive explosion lit up the sky. Through the smoke, the figure of Akeno could be seen falling, unconscious, while Yubelluna—completely healed and glowing with renewed power—hovered above her.
"It's over, Knight of Gremory," Ravel's voice called out.
Kiba spun around. He was surrounded. Riser's five remaining pawns, his bishop Mihae, Ravel, and the fully restored Yubelluna encircled him.
"President... Sorry," Kiba whispered, his sword lowering. The despair crashed over him like a wave. He closed the communication link.
'Are we too weak?' Kiba asked himself, his right hand trembling uncontrollably. 'Am I, once again, unable to help my friends?' He gulped, looking at the wall of enemies.
April 28th, 2012, VIP Booth, Morning
Sirzechs looked down at his lap, unable to watch the miserable sight of Rias's peerage being dismantled.
"Zechs..." Serafall murmured, her usual cheerfulness completely extinguished.
"What are you doing?"
The question cut through the gloom. Makoto stood with his hands in his pockets, looking the two Satans directly in the eyes. His gaze was intense, unwavering.
Sirzechs and Serafall blinked, surprised by the challenge in his tone.
"Are you stopping believing in Rias?" he asked.
"N-no..." Sirzechs stuttered, quickly covering his mouth with his hand as he realized the betrayal inherent in his hesitation.
"As long as someone believes in you, there is always hope. Even if it is the undeniable you are up against," Makoto said, his voice steady and resonant. "A man once told me that with my power, nothing is beyond the realm of possibilities. You know what? It's false. It is not power the reason. It is the strength of believing in each other."
He looked from the Crimson Satan to the Leviathan.
"Despite all the difficulties and challenges, you must continue to believe in who you love. Hope won't die as long as even one person believes in it. And you won't lose as long as one person believes in you."
Looking at Makoto, Serafall and Sirzechs didn't see a teenage boy. They saw a beacon. A light far brighter than the magical displays in the arena. Hope... this was what they had lost in the grind of politics and war.
Before the birth of her sister, Serafall had hated her life. It was dull, gray, and suffocating. She had stopped believing in the world's capacity for color. Only Sona had brought that back, but even then, Serafall lived in constant fear of that fragile spark dying out. Now, looking at Makoto, she saw that spark turning into a bonfire.
Sirzechs, too, felt the words pierce his heart. Before the Civil War, he had been an idealist. He believed in peace, in harmony. Then came the blood, the betrayal, the endless slaughter. He became Lucifer to maintain the peace they had fought for, but the crown was heavy.
He had seen the brutal political schemes, the factions ready to destroy his race. He had been slowly crushed by the weight of it all, to the point where he couldn't even save his innocent sister from a forced marriage without relying on a game.
But here, in front of them, was the answer to their innermost fears. A Messiah.
"You are right, Yuki. I won't let my Rias down. Can I call you that?" Sirzechs asked, his eyes shining with unshed tears.
"Thank you so much, Makooo!" Serafall sobbed, launching herself at him and hugging him tightly.
"Yes, call me what you like," Makoto replied, accepting the embrace.
'I am Thou... Thou art I... Thou hast established a new bond. Thou shalt have the Universe blessing when choosing to create Personas of the Devil Arcana.'
April 28th, 2012, New School Building Roof
"Yuuto! Answer me! What happened!? Yuuto!" Rias shouted into the silence of the comms.
"Are you finally understanding the reality of the situation, Rias?" Riser asked.
The two high-class devils stood facing each other on the roof of the New School Building, the wind whipping their hair.
"The only reality here is that you will lose, Riser!" Rias shouted back, hurling a bolt of crimson destruction at him. Riser took the hit squarely; his flesh burned, then knit itself back together in seconds.
"Hey, Prince Charming."
In the ruins of the gym, a pile of debris shifted. Irumi Ito clawed her way out of the grave of concrete, dusting herself off. The first thing she saw was Kiba, looking defeated, his sword Winter's Outburst hanging limp in his hand.
"Ito!" Kiba shouted, shock registering on his face.
Irumi stumbled forward, got to her feet, and slapped Kiba across the face. The sound cracked through the air.
"Did I hear you giving up!?" she yelled, grabbing him by the collar. "What would Senpai think of us if he... No! He's seeing us! Do you want to give up so easily? Because I won't! I promised the President I would take her out of this bullshit, and that's what I'll do!"
'Well said, Partner! Show them your resolve! Show them what a dragon really looks like!' Ddraig roared.
Kiba touched his cheek, the sting grounding him. He looked at Irumi's fierce eyes and nodded slowly.
"Yeah... I won't go down without a fight."
[BOOST!]
"Oh? Sword Birth and Boosted Gear together. What a peculiar duo," Ravel commented from the perimeter.
Riser's pawns charged, joined by Isabela, while the bishop Mihae began casting support spells.
"I am going to assist Lord Riser," Yubelluna announced, flying off toward the school building.
[BOOST!]
"This isn't good. Ito, do you think you can reach the President and help her?" Kiba asked, parrying a strike.
"And what about you?" Irumi asked back, punching a girl wielding a chainsaw with her gauntlet.
"I will take as many enemies as possible down with me," Kiba said, ready to gamble his life.
"Let me help then! Ddraig explained a special ability of the Boosted Gear to me, but I need something. Can you create a guitar-sword with your Sacred Gear?" Irumi asked, a wild smirk spreading across her face.
[BOOST!]
"Ehm... I think so? What do you want to do?"
"Just prepare your strongest attack!"
Trusting her blindly, Kiba summoned his magic. A sword materialized—red, with the hilt shaped like the body of an electric guitar and the blade etched with green frets, matching the Boosted Gear's aesthetic.
"That's incredible! Ddraig, turn up the volume!" Irumi shouted, grabbing the instrument. She strummed the strings, and a magical amplifier roared to life.
'This is the strangest thing someone has ever done with the Boosted Gear,' Ddraig stated, baffled but amused.
"Now, Kiba! Booster Guitar: Empowering!"
[TRANSFER!]
Kiba felt the raw power of the Red Dragon Emperor flow into him, amplified by the harmonic resonance of Irumi's "music." He let out a battle cry and drove Winter's Outburst deep into the earth.
"WINTER'S OUTBURST!"
The resulting explosion of ice was cataclysmic. A supernatural blizzard ravaged the area, freezing the air instantly. Massive blades of ice erupted from the ground, skewering the Phenex peerage members before they could react.
"Five Pawns of Lord Riser have been retired."
VIP Booth
"See? What did I tell you? Ito is a genius," Makoto said, a rare smile gracing his lips.
'If Orpheus was here, I bet he would be green with jealousy,' Ryoji laughed.
'Waiiiit, this counts as points for Odin? It was clearly the Magician's doing!' Fafnir protested.
'Accept your loss, lizard,' Odin chuckled.
'It was teamwork that made them succeed, All-Father. We must admit it,' Yoshitsune noted sagely.
'Now it's the Priestess' time to show herself, hee hoo!' Jack Frost announced.
'I DON'T HEAR ENOUGH ENERGY FROM YOU!' Cendrillon shouted, her voice vibrating with manic excitement. 'Say Hip Hip Hooray!'
Silence followed.
'Hee Hee Hoo!' Jack Frost cheered instead.
'Partner, you pushed yourself beyond your capabilities. You can't take any more boosts,' Ddraig warned. Irumi fell to her knees, gasping for air as the strain of the transfer hit her like a physical blow.
"Ito? Can you keep fighting?" Kiba asked. He was trembling, barely standing himself.
"Let's do it one last time. Does it sound good, Prince Charming?" Irumi wheezed, standing up on shaking legs.
Kiba nodded. Side by side, Knight and Pawn delved into battle one last time.
"One Pawn and one Knight of Lady Rias, and one Rook and one Bishop of Lord Riser have been retired."
"My servants aren't to be joked around with, Riser! Your entire peerage isn't worth half of mine!" Rias declared, her finger pointed accusingly at the Phenex heir.
"Uh? It doesn't change the fact you can't beat me, Rias. I am an immortal Phenex! You should accept the truth. Just give up. This is checkmate. You are alone now; all your servants have been defeated," Riser said, looking bored.
"Don't make me laugh, Riser. As long as the King is standing, it's not checkmate," Rias retorted.
In that moment Yubelluna landed beside Riser.
"Lord Riser..."
"Step aside, Luna. I am going to teach a lesson to my dear Rias personally." Riser walked forward.
"Teaching a lesson to me? No, I will be the one to teach a lesson today." Rias spread her wings, darkness gathering in her hands.
In the VIP booth, silence reigned. Makoto, Sirzechs, and Serafall held their breath.
"So you are not going to surrender? If it's possible, I would like not to hurt you, Rias," Riser claimed.
"Silence! After everything they have done for me, I will not yield!" Rias screamed. She created a disc of concentrated destruction and hurled it. It sliced Riser's hand clean off, but before the blood could hit the roof, the limb had already regenerated.
Sirzechs frowned deeply.
"Is there a problem?" Makoto asked.
"Immortality... the clan trait of the Phenex House shouldn't be able to regenerate this fast from the effects of the Power of Destruction," Sirzechs explained, his voice low and troubled. "No matter how weak the user, Destruction is the antithesis of regeneration. And Rias isn't weak while Riser isn't a prodigy like his brother Ruval. This doesn't make sense..."
"This was your choice, Rias," Riser said, his patience exhausted.
He raised his right arm. The crest of the House of Phenex flared into existence, and a torrent of liquid fire erupted from his palm. It was a flamethrower of hellfire. Rias took to the air, weaving through the streams of flame.
"Flying around is useless, Rias! Stop wasting my time! Remember the benefits the Underworld will gain from our engagement. It is our duty as devils to ensure our race prospers!"
"The devil race? My duty? You are wrong, Riser! You know nothing of what a devil is!" Rias shouted back.
"I couldn't care less if this marriage is for the 'sake of the Underworld' or to gloat your own overgrown ego! I am Rias Gremory, and I won't bend to your will! This is what it means to be a devil! This is what it means to be your own person!"
Rias hurled a spear of destruction. It pierced Riser's massive fireball and drove straight toward his chest.
At the last second, Yubelluna flew in front of him.
The spear pierced the Queen. She smiled sadly at her master before dissolving into light.
"Lord Riser's Queen has been retired."
'The Priestess has finally chosen to follow her will and tread a path of thorns,' Lucifer commented within Makoto's mind.
"Yubelluna!" Riser stared at the spot where his Queen had been, his eyes going wide. Then, they narrowed in pure, unadulterated rage. "I offered you a peaceful way out, Rias! Now I will not refrain from using force!"
He began to toss spheres of fire that grew larger with every second. The heat was blistering. Rias dodged, but one attack exploded like a grenade, sending shrapnel of solidified flame into her wings.
She cried out and fell, crashing onto the roof.
"I am not... done yet," she gasped, pushing herself up.
"You can't fly anymore, Rias. Yield." Riser charged a final, massive sphere of flame.
Rias looked at the incoming death. She closed her eyes and pictured the Star. The light Lucifer had ignited in her soul.
"Extinguishing Star!"
She poured every ounce of her remaining power into the spell. A globe of dark, destructive energy, radiating flares of black magic like a dying sun, flew to meet Riser's fire.
The two attacks collided. For a moment, the Power of Destruction seemed to eat the fire. But then, the Hellfire surged, glowing with an unnatural, corrupted light. It consumed the Extinguishing Star and slammed into Rias.
April 28th, 2012, Old Satan Faction Headquarters, Morning
"Truly interesting," Nyarlathotep purred. He has been watching the battle not through the official broadcast, but through the compound eyes of a magically conjured fly buzzing inside the arena.
"The effects of the Reverse Persona are starting to be seen," Shalba Beelzebub noted, standing beside the armchair where the Crawling Chaos sat.
"He will still lose at this rate," Nyarlathotep stated, sounding bored.
"And is that not what we want? So that the Priestess' bond with the Universe can continue to grow, Father?" Shalba asked.
"Indeed. We need Makoto to nurture his bonds so he will be at his strongest when the first part of the Prophecy is fulfilled. However..." Nyarlathotep opened a thick, leather-bound book—the Shadow Compendium.
"I don't want to waste the opportunity of meeting the Universe as Jun Kurosu at the wedding of Riser Phenex."
"Isn't it too soon to do such a thing, Father?" Shalba asked, watching the pale fingers trace over the pages.
"We will see it ourselves," Nyarlathotep declared. His finger stopped on a page depicting a twisted, blackened bird.
"Reverse Phoenix... Awaken."