Moments later, Rias's voice also came through Akeno's device.
At that instant, Sona realized her strategy had crumbled.
"...How did you figure it out? The me standing in the plaza was just an illusion. My real body was up here, on the rooftop."
"All thanks to our Gremory peerage's Bishop—Kuroka-san." Akeno's eyes flicked briefly behind Sona.
There, as if she had appeared out of nowhere, stood a kimono-clad beauty with cat ears, lazily yawning as though the whole battle bored her.
'Yes, she was the one…'
"Kuroka-san is a master of Senjutsu. From the very start of this game, she had been acting as our scout, tracking your movements. When Rias heard you had gone to the rooftop alone, she gave us the order—'Defeat Sona.'"
"Then... Rias herself is…"
"Yes. She hasn't moved a single step from her headquarters."
'──So that was it. My greatest mistake in this game was underestimating Rias!!' Sona admitted.
Sona was said to embody the compassion of the Gremory line. 'I had believed that, if she knew I was here, she would come herself, unwilling to let her servants get hurt. I thought my only chance of victory was a direct showdown, King versus King. That's why I lured her forces into the plaza to wear them down. And yet—she overturned everything.'
"That's how it is. Now then, shall we?"
Golden aura burst forth from Akeno's body, far greater in scale than before. She had grown stronger, too.
'Could I defeat Akeno—and the ever-watchful Kuroka waiting behind her?' Sona thought deeply…
…
"Impossible…! Why are you here, Akeno!?"
The words tore from Sona's lips. The illusionary figure flickered like a bad TV screen and vanished.
"Right about now, your President has begun her battle against Akeno-san. Your strategy is broken. This is the end."
Yumi delivered those words as a surrender demand—but,
"Not yet! If we defeat you quickly and rush to the President's aid, we might still make it in time! We will never give up!!"
At Vice President Shinra's shout, the two Bishops—Hanakai and Kusaka—stepped forward, steeling themselves.
'Of course. In their place, I would do the same...'
'But I will not let you leave. You'll be defeated right here, right now.'
"Asia-san, step back."
"Yes. Please be careful."
After pushing Asia to safety, Yumi summoned a holy-devilic sword—yet even before she could act, Shirone had already rushed at the Vice President.
'So be it.' Koneko wanted to settle things with her herself, but there was no time.
"So my opponents are you two…"
Hanakai Momo and Kusaka Reya. According to her intel, both specialized in defense and support; their offensive power wasn't high.
'Still, their Inversion technique was dangerous.' If she gave them time to use it, it would turn the tables.
'Then I'd have to strike fast, not letting them breathe.'
"—[Sword Birth]!!"
Twelve blades appeared in the air, launching in an arc to stab into the ground, forming a circle around the two Bishops. Sparks leapt from one blade, then another, until all twelve linked into a prison of lightning.
"Kyaaahhhhhh!!"
This was a derivative of the new technique Yumi had developed, [Sword Birth Meteor].
She called it [Sword Birth—Thunder Jail].
Where [Meteor] simply launched swords, [Thunder Jail] imbued them with lightning, trapping the targets in a cage of crackling destruction. Each sword's power was weak on its own, but together, twelve in unison rivaled even Akeno's thunderbolts.
[Two Bishops of Sona Sitri's peerage—retired.]
The Bishops vanished into light amidst the raging thunder.
Thump!!
A low, crawling stance transitioned into a strike aimed at the body. However, the vice-president's longsword interfered.
'She is skilled!' Koneko thought.
The difference in their reach was bad enough, but Shinra's defense was solid, leaving no opening for her fists.
'In that case!'
Shirone planted her foot onto the hilt of the sweeping longsword as if scooping it up, using the upward momentum to launch herself backward and create distance.
"───Hmph!"
She channeled her energy and drove her fist into the floor. A shockwave erupted from the point of impact and raced across to assault Shinra.
"Guwah!!"
This was a type of Senjutsu, a technique known as "Long-Distance Strike," which projected fighting energy over a range. It didn't possess enough power to defeat an opponent in a single blow, but it was more than sufficient to create an opening.
At that moment, fierce lightning erupted, and an announcement echoed that two Bishops had been defeated.
'Yuma-senpai had done it. Then!'
Koneko enhanced her body using her fighting energy, enveloping herself in a white aura.
'Kazuki-senpai! The technique you taught me... I'll use it now!!'
Closing the distance in an instant, she gently placed her fist against the vice-president's body.
"───Break!!"
The speed of her fist alone was enough to blast clean through the vice-president's body. The impact sent her flying backward. A fist-sized depression was left caved into her abdomen.
Fuwa Enmei-ryu [Tiger Cannon].
Kazuki had told her it was a technique perfectly suited for someone like Koneko, who had mastered combat using fighting energy. It was still an imitation, but she had received a passing score from her senior.
"Kuh, sorry Sona..."
[Sona Sitri's Queen has retired.]
Vice-President Shinra vanished into the light.
The battle in the plaza was over. All that remained was──
"The rest is up to you, Buchou, Akeno-senpai."
BOOOM!!!
A massive vortex of water swirled, and thunder roared.
Both of them possessed quite impressive power. Even though they were both wizard types, Akeno leaned more toward raw power, while Sona favored technique.
'They unleashed magical attacks with a level of force that I, Kuroka, who specialized more in support, couldn't match. It made me a little envious, nya~n.'
Just as the Phoenix family controlled fire, the Sitri family manipulated water. The reason Sona had taken her position on the rooftop was likely because of the huge water storage tank located there.
Even now, she was drawing water from that tank, shaping it into an aqueous barrier to block Akeno's lightning strikes.
Kuroka seemed surprised by this. 'Water should conduct electricity, so why wasn't she getting electrocuted, nya?'
"It's useless, Akeno. The water I control is 'pure water,' purified of all impurities. Your lightning attacks are ineffective against this 'pure water,' which does not conduct electricity."
'Impressive, nya.' Her knowledge, the speed and precision with which she refined the pure water—Sona's technical skills might even surpass Kuroka's own.
But if her signature lightning attacks weren't working, did Akeno stand any chance of winning?
"Akeno-cha~n, want to switch?" Kuroka called out to Akeno, who was struggling to break through.
'Well, I already knew the answer.'
"That won't be necessary. Please just sit back and enjoy the show."
'Figured as much, nya.' If she backed down just because her specialty wasn't effective, she wouldn't be fit to be a Queen, one of the peerage.
'In that case, let me witness it, nya~n—the true worth of the 'Priestess of Lightning.''
Provoked by Kuroka, she answered without thinking, but her heart was heavy.
Akeno had the power to break through Sona's pure water barrier now. However, if possible, she didn't want to use this power she had acquired through her recent training. Just then,
[Two Bishops of Sona Sitri's peerage have retired.]
[The Queen of Sona Sitri's peerage has retired.]
The announcements came one after another. Everyone had done their part. If everyone had fulfilled their duties so admirably, then she, as the Queen, had to do hers too!
Just as she was steeling her resolve,
"Akenooo-chaaan? If we defeat Sona-chan here, today's MVP is pretty much decided, nya~!! If that happens, Kazuki might praise you a lot, nyaa~n?"
"......"
THUD—a sound echoed, causing the space to tremble.
"Wha…!?"
Before a startled Sona, stood Akeno, enveloped in a golden aura emanating from her entire body.
Akeno's aura was so immense it seemed to reach the sky, and her overflowing magical power transformed into lightning, crackling and discharging repeatedly.
Overwhelmed by its intensity, Sona swallowed hard. Akeno herself was muttering something under her breath.
"──Ufufufufu. Kazuki will praise me. No, I'm sure it won't stop at just praise. He'll gently pat my head, hug me tight, and then maybe even kiss me. And once we both get excited, there'll be no stopping until we go all the way. He'll start off gentle, but Kazuki will gradually get more and more into it, thrusting harder and harder. How many times will I come if I'm fucked roughly by Kazuki's big cock? But Kazuki won't be satisfied with just one load, so he'll make me cum over and over again, and in the end, when I'm left a complete wreck, unable to even stand, I, I'll──── ahh~!!!"
Before Kuroka knew it, Akeno had begun hugging her own body, writhing and moaning. With flushed cheeks and moist eyes, Akeno looked seductive even to Sona, who was the same gender.
And that girl's voice was gradually getting louder, so Sona could hear every last word!?
"Akeno!? Ah, what kind of shameless things are you saying!?"
Even though Sona's face turned bright red as she tried to admonish her, Akeno wasn't listening at all.
"Ufufufufu. Wait for me, Kazuki!! I'll quickly take down the Cutting Board President, and your Akeno will be on her way~!!!"
SNAP!!
With that one remark from Akeno, Sona snapped.
"Who are you calling a cutting board!? There is some difference, even if it's small!!"
"My apologies. It's not a cutting board but a washboard, isn't it? Well, I can't tell the difference at all, though?"
"Hmph! If they were as pointlessly big as yours, Akeno, I'm sure they'd definitely sag in the future!!"
"Who's going to sag!?"
Sona, enveloped in a blue aura, and Akeno, shrouded in a golden one, clashed fiercely once again.
Behind Akeno, Kuroka was laughing, holding her stomach. 'That wicked cat!' She could deal with her later. For now, she'd take down Akeno first!
Sona manipulated a massive amount of water, creating a water dragon.
"Feast on this, Akeno---!!"
At her command, the water dragon lunged. But Akeno created spheres of lightning in both hands and released them all at once.
DOGAGAGAGAAAaaAANN!!
Thunder roared as Akeno's lightning strike pierced through the water dragon. The shock transmitted through it, and Sona let out an agonized cry.
'Impossible!' For the shock to transmit through a dragon made of pure water—this wasn't like any of her previous lightning attacks!?
"It's useless, Sona. This isn't just a lightning strike; it's [Raikou - Thunder Light], imbued with light. Your pure water can't defend against it."
Akeno unleashed [Raikou - Thunder Light] once more.
Amid the blinding white light that filled her vision, Sona lost consciousness.
[Announcement: Sona Sitri's retirement has been confirmed. Therefore, this game is won by Rias Gremory!]
Grayfia's announcement declared the end of the game.
"Cough cough...I see. So this is the future of the Underworld. I understand why you speak of it so proudly, Sirzechs."
"You flatter me, Lord Odin."
"Sitri's strategy to defeat the Red Dragon Emperor was also impressive. That 'Pawn' boy—you should raise him carefully, Serafall."
"Of course, Oji-sama."
"Above all, what deserves recognition in Gremory's performance this time is the work of the cat-eared girl and the fact that your little sister didn't move until the very end."
"Rias and Kuroka? ...Not Yumi and Shirone-chan, who manifested new abilities?"
"Those two are good as well, but the decisive factor for victory in this game was the cat-eared girl accurately grasping Sitri's movements. Without that, Sitri would have employed delaying tactics in the plaza battle, and Gremory would have been unnecessarily worn down. That girl possesses talent that stands a cut above the rest in that area."
"Indeed..."
"Rias also accurately analyzed the information and, without moving until the end, used Akeno to capture Sona. This shows growth as a 'King' that Rias has never displayed before. I also believe it deserves recognition."
"As the Crow Boss says. ...However, if that guy were to join this team... the Rating Games might become even more interesting."
The old man was looking at Kazuki, who was talking with Millicas, a short distance away from the seats where Azazel and the others were.
It was true—if Kazuki were to join those who were growing so remarkably, they might even give the top-ranking, unwavering Rating Game players a run for their money.
Absolutely. They were a group worth training. Thanks to them, every day was incredibly fun.