The match began with Kiyome summoning her trio of magical pets—a sleek black wolf, a coiled emerald serpent, and a snow-white cat. Across from her, Aika stood ready, her Sacred Gear shimmering with power.
The outcome, of course, was never in doubt. Aika, reborn with seven devil pieces and wielding her purified [Black Dragon Pulse], had spent weeks training with Shuo and the kendo club. Her strength now far outstripped anything Kiyome could throw at her.
By the end, Kiyome's creatures lay defeated, and she herself stood frozen, disbelief etched across her face.
Shuo strolled over, a satisfied grin tugging at his lips. "Nice work, Aika. You've really been putting in the effort lately."
Aika, still flushed from victory, flashed a proud smile and immediately held out her hand. "I won. Where's my reward?"
Without hesitation, Shuo swept her up and planted a kiss right on her lips.
Kiyome gawked, utterly stunned. As a girl who'd never so much as held hands with a boy, witnessing such open affection was almost too much. She spun away, cheeks flaming red.
After a long moment, Aika finally wriggled free, pouting. "Hmph, Shuo-kun—is that all I get for winning?"
Shuo just laughed, drawing her close. "Of course not. Since you live alone, why not come over tonight? I'll make sure you're properly rewarded."
Even Aika, the so-called "lady killer," couldn't help but blush at that.
Their flirtation was abruptly interrupted by Kiyome's exasperated voice. "Hey! Can you two save the PDA for somewhere else? There's still a third wheel here!"
Shuo turned, grinning. "Oh, look who's talking—the heiress of the beast tamer clan. And yet you couldn't even handle a second-year devil girl."
Kiyome bristled, struggling for a comeback. "Even if I lost, you have no right to call my magical beasts 'little pets'!"
Shuo released Aika and fixed Kiyome with a teasing look. "Still not convinced? Fine. Let me show you what a real divine beast looks like."
He reached into his system space and pulled out a spherical device—then, with a dramatic flourish, shouted the classic phrase:
"I choose you!"
A beam of light erupted from the ball, and in an instant, the sky above was filled by a colossal ice-blue dragon, easily twenty meters long. It let out a thunderous roar, sending Kiyome's pets scrambling to the ground, trembling and motionless. Kiyome herself stared up, eyes wide, mouth agape.
There, circling majestically overhead, was Rayquaza—the legendary Sky God from the Pokémon world. Dragon and Flying type, born in the ancient atmosphere, guardian of the skies, wielder of power that could shatter worlds. The very image of childhood dreams made real.
This particular Rayquaza, a rare ice-blue female, had come from Sona's red-tier reward—and its strength was already Satan-class. After mega-evolving, it was nearly at the level of a true transcendent.
Even Aika, who'd seen plenty of supernatural wonders, was awestruck. She reached out, hesitantly, and Rayquaza—recognizing her connection to its master—allowed her to touch its shimmering scales.
Shuo stroked Rayquaza's side as it spiraled around him, then turned to Kiyome with a smug smile. "So, Abe-san, tell me—after seeing my divine beast, was I wrong to call your magical pets 'little'?"
Kiyome could only stare at her own creatures, still cowering, then up at the majestic dragon overhead. Her lips twitched. There was no contest. None at all.
But instead of despair, a feverish light blazed in Kiyome's eyes. She was a beast tamer at heart, and her ultimate dream was to raise a creature like Rayquaza—a living legend, powerful and awe-inspiring.
"Wow! You… you're incredible! How did you train such a powerful divine beast? Can you teach me? I'll do anything—seriously, I'll even be your girlfriend!"
She gazed at Shuo with open adoration, all pride forgotten.
Shuo's smile widened. "It's not impossible… but first, you'll have to agree to become one of Rias's peerage devils. Then I'll teach you everything you want to know."
Watching her transformation from proud rival to starry-eyed fangirl, Shuo couldn't help but feel triumphant. This task was easier than he'd ever imagined.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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