FBBH 69 (Patreon)

Barely on time but here we are, the end of Rias Vs Sona's Rating Game. Thanks for all the support guys, we are here because of you all.

Fate/Bonds Beyond Humanity

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69- Gremory Vs Sitri: To Glory

….

Olga Marie was very pleased with herself as all her sacrifices and risks paid off right before her eyes. ‘We are winning.’ She couldn’t help but think, a cheerful smile growing in her face as Sitri Clan members watched the game rapidly. ‘We are going to win.’

Even Serafall was mute when the first Noble Phantasm showed up, turning to Olga with clear shock that was mirrored by pretty much everyone in the room. Sona made no secret of what her research was and as they previously established even one success would be huge.

They were given three in less than ten minutes; a sword capable of cutting steel, an ax full of Divine Lightning and a staff capable of healing any wound. The last one had Sona and Serafall’s father, Lord Sitri, popping a bottle of champagne. A tall lean man with noble features, his hair was short and his smile was jovial and full of pride.

Pride shared with Lady Sitri, a woman with Serafall’s figure but Sona’s face and serious expression if less stern. One she couldn't help but break with a smile as her daughter’s gamble paid off. All members of Sitri present were celebrating already and the game wasn’t even over.

And why wouldn’t they be? Their Clan had acquired Noble Phantasms, their Magician had managed to summon Crystalized Legends and arm their devils safely. That not just had potential for Sona Peerage but also for every member of the Sitri Clan or their allies.

Already messages were pouring in and Olga Marie could hear how almost every single one of the remaining Pillars were trying to bargain their way into the Sitri’s graces. Bargaining with everything they had from fortunes the size of small countries to marriages alliances to other more ridiculous offers.

However Olga Marie’s smile grew as she noticed something peculiar. ‘Not a single threat.’ Thought the Magician of Sitri to herself. ‘They know we aren’t to be messed with anymore. Sona is going to be delighted.’

Their dreams were just at hand because with so much support they were getting, she doubted anyone was ever going to challenge or even insult them in their faces ever again.

Yes, Olga Marie was extremely pleased with herself despite one of her Noble Phantasms meetings being defeated. “Damn it, Tomoe. Couldn’t you have been more careful.”

“That is hardly fair, Marie-chan. Kiba-kun’s Balance Breaker is an oddity that has to be powerful.” A much more relaxed Serafall commented as she pretty much jumped in her seat. “And look at Soi-kun go! He is dominating!”

Indeed they all watched Luvia’s last moments, their VIP box filling with cheers as the Knight took down the blue Rook. Just Pain Breaker’s reveal was already getting another flood of requests and messages as its potential for healing was unrivaled.

“Now I just need to figure out how to reproduce them.” Too bad Olga Marie knew it was pretty much impossible but she was going to at least pretend to try as any good magus would. “Come on, Ruruko! Hit him!” She was also becoming quite the sportsfan if her reactions were anything to go by.

“Truly a wonder those Noble Phantasms. We are going to be the talk of the Underworld for decades to come.” Lady Sitri commented proudly, her long on a single elaborate braid resting in the chair. “And the process is truly repeatable? You must tell us if there is any problem, Olga. My husband is basically ready to make several promises of which if one is broken it will be extremely bad.”

“Just waiting for our daughter's word, dear.” Lord Sitri commented as he talked with several devils from other Clans that showed up and tried to sweet talk him. “She and Olga are the ones with the discoveries after all. Do you want to try and explain the details, Olga?”

A rehearsed question that received the expected negative. “I shall not, Lord Sitri. After all ‘a magician never reveals their secrets’.”

“You heard her, folks. If you want a Noble Phantasm you will have to wait for the Sitri and nobody else.” Considering his reputation took a hit because of his daughter’s ambitions, Lord Sitri was enjoying the turnabout. Sure he enjoyed a similar situation in the past thanks to Serafall but the woman wasn’t a Sitri anymore.

Yet she couldn’t help but cherish her family’s triumph, doubly so because it was Sona who found the magus who made all of it possible. “Congrats, Olga-tan!” She said while giving the white haired girl a tight hug which made her flush.

“T-Th-Thanks but could you please let me go.” Instead of doing as asked Serafall turned her head and made sure to sink Olga’s head in her generous bosom. Flushed beyond belief and almost passing out, Olga couldn’t help but think, ‘She must know what she is doing! I refuse to believe anyone is this naive!’ Trying to fight back was pointless as Serafall was a Maou not only in magic but also strength.

Fortunately for the white haired girl, Serafall’s mother knew her daughters pretty well. “Sera, dear, let her go. We need her awake to keep explaining the Noble Phantasms to us. Or have we seen them all?”

Because of the question Serafall freed Olga Marie who took several deep breaths before answering. “Only missing one. Tsubasa still hasn't used hers.” That one she was particularly proud of since it wasn’t a summon but the realization of an idea. Or the concept of one. “Why isn’t she using it yet?”

“Because she is playing around, dear.” Lady Sitri commented with a smile as they watched Tsubasa chase Koneko with a smile as the white haired nekomata did her best to stay as far away as possible while not outright running. “Look how much fun she is having. Her opponent is a nekomata and Tsubasa is winning easily.”

As if to pontificate her words Koneko threw herself to the side before doing a flip and throwing several kicks to the lilac haired girl’s arm before using her hands to spin in place for a far stronger kick.

All empowered by Ki of course, the problem was that the energy wasn’t affecting Tsubasa at all and only Olga Marie knew why. “Hehehe, this is Koneko’s possible worst match up. Maybe if she fought like a normal Rook she would have a better chance.”

“Why is that? Tsu-chan’s Noble Phantasm?” Serafall wondered, her eyes paying rapid attention as her sister’s Rook smiled before moving around and throwing a kick of her own on Koneko’s ribs.

“Yes. Exactly right, Lady Serafall.” Olga Marie revealed with pride as the nekomata held her side and Tsubasa stopped to say something. They could unmute that fight but everyone was too interested in what the white haired magus had to say. “Unlike all the other Noble Phantasms you could say that this one has a more passive effect to complement its power because the process was different.”

“Different how?” Lady Sitri was the one asking.

“Different as in I didn’t summon her Noble Phantasm but instead we bonded the real deal with her.” Olga Marie revealed, much to the devils’ shock. “With that, anyone can use any Noble Phantasm and get extra benefits from it.”

“That is amazing.” Lady Sitri applauded.

Serafall looked worried, turning to the fight again. “But is it safe? Crystalized Legends can be surprisingly unstable from what I understood.”

“Using them without being the right sort of person is usually what makes them unstable.” Said Olga with a grin. “But what if we can change Noble Phantasm’s ‘mind’ so to say. What if we can trick them into thinking their ‘user’ is their ‘owner’ by connecting them on a spiritual level.”

Serafall paused, studying Olga and Tsubasa with looks of understanding. “Since you were already using Evil Pieces as anchors for summons, it wasn’t that far fetched. Bet Juka-chan loved the idea.”

“... It wasn’t my idea even if it was my work.” The Magician of Sitri looked back at Tsubasa as the girl raised her right arm with confidence, a teal aura covering her body. “It was hers.”

It happened a few days before the game, at the end of the experiments and after three Noble Phantasms had been summoned. All in all a success in both Heiress and Magician of Sitri’s minds as they even celebrated the occasion after all was done. Yet the white haired girl found herself back in her lab and staring at a blue haired girl with eyes full of resolve.

Like some before her, Tsubasa hadn’t received a Noble Phantasm and as far as the Chaldea System could tell she hadn’t even managed to make contact with a Heroic Spirit. Ryuudou Issei accomplished such a feat but failed to get one as the Hero didn’t approve of him while everyone else who found someone compatible returned with their spoils.

But Tsubasa wasn’t satisfied with such an outcome and went over her King’s head she went directly to Olga to request trying to get a Noble Phantasm again. Placing a hand on the shield in the center of the room, Tsubasa fed it mana until the system began to activate, the white haired magus safely outside where she monitored it.

“Initiating support protocols.” Olga announced to the speaker. It was just the two of them in the lab, no assistants or anything which meant she needed to run and press the right buttons herself. “Extra mana engaged. Starting the injection.”

No matter how powerful a devil could become, everyone on Sona’s peerage was still young and couldn’t call a Heroic Spirit by themselves. They couldn't even call what Olga dubbed Craft Essences but the magus didn’t blame them as she had been using gems and other outside sources to power up the ritual. She has been doing it since she started her research, including using Craft Essences as fuel to try and get something better.

But for contact to be made someone needed to bond with the ritual, however temporarily, to then bond with the Heroic Spirit. Since in theory there was an infinite amount of Legends in the Throne of Heroes it was more of a throw of the dice if the spell would work or not. Mathematically speaking it didn’t make sense unless the spirits themselves had a vote of sorts or were unable to answer the call for reasons she still didn’t understand.

A ring of light surrounded Tsubasa before converging in the shield, proof the summon was successful despite it being a failure. Indeed it did work since there was one ring but it completely ignored the devil as it exploded with light and left behind a crystal with the distorted image of a woman in a red dress.

“Huh, that is a decent one.” Experiments showed that particular Essence was capable of improving a person's speed by 4% if Olga managed to figure out a way to properly equip someone with it.

A genius was necessary for most Craft Essences to become functional but the white haired magus consoled herself with the fact that should everything else fail she could just sell it or convert it into mana for the next summon.

“Shit!!!” A fact that didn’t console Tsubasa at all. “Shit! Shit! Shit! SHIT!!!” Cursed the Rook as her fists hit the shield several times.

“I think we are done.” Because there was no way Tsubasa could do another summoning safely. ‘Twice is already pushing, three times-’

“No! I can do it again!!” The bluehead tried to pour more mana into the shield but her muscles failed and she almost fell.

Even if she managed anything, Olga had already turned off the technological side of the ritual, a Miracle of Magecraft and modern technology only possible because gods still walked amongst mortals.

When she saw Tsubasa dragging herself up and trying again, Olga couldn’t help but let out a sigh. “No, we aren’t doing this anymore. Enough is enough.” Perhaps another sort of magician would try and push the limits of what was moral but Olga Marie was a good person at heart. “I am already turning everything off and you don’t have the mana to try it on a great day. Please step away from Gallahad’s shield.”

Tsubasa chose instead to glare at the shield as if it had personally offended her. It held no faults over her lack of luck or match; neither could do anything else by itself.

Olga entered the oval room with small steps with an orange dress and stockings, a red ribbon below her neck and a lab coat glistering with mana. It was made from a Craft Essence, a white cloth which smelled like poison. The smell remained but the girl didn’t mind since it improved her awareness and mana control.

She stopped a few steps short of Tsubasa and frowned. “Look, I get that you want a Noble Phantasm. I used to want one too.” In truth she wanted a Servant but the details didn’t matter. “Maybe someday, after some improvements, everyone can get one.” Olga frowned at her own words, knowing it was unlikely to be that easy.

Another punch hit the shield. “I don’t care for ‘someday’! I need a Noble Phantasm now!”

Her frown more pronounced, Olga replied. “No, you don’t.”

“Yes I do. As I’m now I’m worthless!” The blue haired girl looked beyond frustrated. “I wasn’t useful against Kokabiel! I don’t have any fancy magic like Reya or Issei! I can’t do shit!”

For a moment both girls stood there, Olga looking at Tsubasa’s back while the bluehead kept glaring at the shield. The magus felt a little bad for the other girl but she couldn't see anything she could do. Words were useless as the problems were deeper than she was equipped to deal with.

As the youngest person of their whole group, as young as Koneko or Gasper, Olga Marie knew little about how to deal with her own emotions, much less of another person’s. If anything she could sympathize with the rage and the feeling of impotence but that was it.

Glaring at the shield with a greater fury, Tsubasa let out a sigh. “Sorry for screaming at you.”

“It is fine.” Olga massaged her arm, looking around in a bit of a panic. “Do you want me to get Sona?”

“No but… I feel so worthless.” As someone who always had a gift of some sort, the ability to see supernatural things even as a human, Tsubasa had a head start even when she became a devil.

However that head start amounted to nothing at the end of the day as while she was more in tune with her mana than most, which allowed her to channel it easily once Reincarnated, it made little to no difference in the grand scheme of things.

She was normal in a world of gods and monsters, after facing Kokabiel that fact was carved in her mind. “Are you sure there is no way for me to get a Noble Phantasm?”

“Sorry.” Another moment of silence descended as Olga knew not what to do and Tsubasa stewed in her misery, still glaring at the shield.

Then an idea popped on her head, a simple one in her opinion. “What about this one?”

“What?” For a second the white haired magus was confused before Tsubasa stepped to the side and patted the shield. “Wait, you don’t mean-”

“I can take this one, right? It’s strong.” Of that Tsubasa was sure not only because it could call spirits but the shield had that quality many Noble Phantasm shared that broadcasted their powers to the World.

“You want to use Gallahad’s shield?” Olga couldn’t believe her ears. “Do you understand what you are saying?! That is impossible!! Inconceivable!! Even if I let you take the centerpiece of my research, something that the Chaldea System will fall into pieces without, you aren’t its owner!!!” The magus began to pace around, always glaring at Tsubasa who kept focusing on the shield. “You aren’t Galahad! He was practically a Saint or a Holy Knight! You're a devil!! Not to mention even how heavy the thing is!! There is no way-”

“But you can make it so that I can use it, right?” Tsubasa finally turned, hand on her chest, on her Evil Piece. “It’s a Noble Phantasm so… you can bond it with me.” Both traded looks before she turned back to the shield. “Besides, a shield like this is wasted in a stuffy room.”

“That shield is the only point of contact we have with the Throne of Heroes!!!” Olga couldn’t believe in the suggestion but her mind was already running the calculations and finding them all familiar, possible, valid.

Material or astral, Galahad’s shield was a Noble Phantasm, a Crystalized Legend. That implied it could turn into a spiritual form and so it could be bound to an Evil Piece. A different procedure sure but completely possible. While Olga Marie Animusphere wouldn't claim to be an expert in Noble Phantasm she knew her system well.

And she wanted to do it or at least to know if she could do it, gulping hard once she had that realization. Good person or not, she was a magus at heart.

“Please, do it.” Tsubasa was practically begging with just her voice and eyes, those filled with confidence but also fear. A fear of failure that once again Olga could sympathize with. “Please.”

“... It is possible.” The younger girl herself said almost involuntarily. “I need to run the math, some tests and-” Her feet left the ground as was engulfed in a powerful hug.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”

“Okay, okay! Let me go already or I won’t do it!” Olga was dropped so fast she ended up in her butt. “Ouch.”

“Sorry.” Tsubasa offered a hand which was quickly taken.

Compared to everyone else the process ended differently and with quite unexpected results as they watched Tsubasa demonstrate when her clothes changed with the shield’s manifestation.

While both Sona and Olga found the battle suit a little more than just revealing they couldn’t deny it was powerful and perhaps a Noble Phantasm of its own. Everytime it manifested, Tsubasa's stats went through the roof, doubling or tripling for the most part. Especially the girl’s defense despite how much skin it showed.

‘What I can’t understand is the hair and the extra power…’ Olga bit her lip before shaking her head. “It is almost like…”

“Did you say something, dear Olga?” Lady Sitri asked, her eyes never leaving her ‘screen’.

“No, I was just wondering about another project. The proposition to give birth to a human tailor made to host a Heroic Spirit.” She was sure that wasn’t what they accomplished yet Olga also couldn’t explain where the armor had come from. ‘Did Galahad approve of our efforts? Would he?’

From a mostly equal confrontation to a one sided beat down, that was what they watched as Tsubasa charged at Koneko shield first and slammed the smaller girl into a wall, blood spilling from her mouth since something was definitely broken.

The nekomata struggled, trying to push the shield back, but it was worthless. It was only removed when Tsubasa retreated a step and basically backhanded her with the shield.

Koneko was sent flying and there was nothing she could do to stop it, crashing and breaking the railing which diminished her momentum but left her drifting in the air without any sort of support.

Until Tsubasa descended for the final blow and defeated her without a shadow of a doubt.

A magic circle manifested on one of the walls, something that shouldn’t be possible but while the protections of the VIP box could stop many things it couldn't stop the Power of Space from Lucifurge.

As Grayfia proved by walking out of the magic circle, surprising everyone in the room. “Pardon the intrusion but I came bearing a message from the Mage of Swords.” She offered a curtsy but her eyes were not on the devils in the room.

But on the sole magician there who practically jumped in her seat at her sudden appearance.

Given her status, not just as Queen of Lucifer and Sirzechs’ wife but also the Strongest Queen, silence took over as every single devil turned their heads towards a nervous Olga Marie Animusphere.

In fact the girl just wasn’t shaking because her hands were firmly planted on her chair’s arms. Nobody would blame her anyway because Grayfia looked stern and intimidating as her sharp eyes indicated some sort of aggression or urgency.

Forever Olga would be grateful to Serafall when the older woman was the only one in the room not intimidated by Grayfia’s presence and was quick to offer her support. “A message from the Mage of Swords? Sounds important.” She turned to the white haired girl with a smile as her hand relaxed on top of the magus’. “Don’t you think so, Olga-tan?”

A little kindness went far and the Animusphere Head immediately relaxed. “Curious more than anything.” She focused on the maid who remained distant but still giving her a sharp look. “Wouldn't our resident Mage be curious about how the Sitri acquired Noble Phantasms, would he? If so I won’t answer a single question.”

“Neither should she.” Lord Sitri stepped forwards. “Per the Pillars Grand Agreement signed after the Civil War, our business is our business unless they threaten the Underworld’s safety.” Grayfia bowed to his words, showing herself to be the perfect maid. Yet when she raised her head, her red eyes remained sharp. “Allies or not the Gremory has no right to demand anything.”

“Neither are they trying to.” Another curtsy was offered before her gaze shifted back to Olga. “However the question isn’t about all Noble Phantasms, just the shield and how different the process was compared to the others.”

Olga bit her tongue and held back which gave Serafall the chance to ask, “How do you know the process was different?”

“It is evident to all watching.” Grayfia turned to the ‘screen’ showing Tsubasa about to face Ise. “But the Mage of Swords implied, rather urgently I might add, that whatever was done was a mistake.” Her eyes settled on Olga one more time. “A grave mistake that he insisted be discussed, just to make sure he is wrong. Allow me to say this, Lord Emiya truly hopes he is wrong about what you did.”

All pleasure and joy almost left the younger white haired woman before she gulped her fear down and replied. “I assure you- No, assure him, that my methods were safe and Tsubasa’s tests show she is in perfect condition.”

While it was different compared to the summoning of Noble Phantasms, Olga was sure the bonding with the shield had no negative side effects and only improved Tsubasa’s body close to what should be a Servant’s levels.

However a small voice in the back of her head wondered, ‘What is Emiya seeing?’

Grayfia’s eyes grew sharper in a manner only Olga and Serafall could notice, showing a cold but calculated look like she was measuring the younger white haired woman for all she was worth.

What she found was only for her to know as she curtsy a third time. “While I understand the reservations magicians have about sharing secrets, nonetheless Lord Emiya insisted that you talk with him post haste.”

Sounded a quite arrogant request, almost an order, on Olga and most devils’ opinions. “Maybe I will dignify him with a talk after-”

“He also told me that you shouldn’t risk possession through objects by using them recklessly.” That shut Olga up as everyone turned to her again, Grayfia’s eyes even sharper. “To quote the Mage of Swords; nobody should play with a Legend unless they understand it.”

What upsetted Olga more was anything was the implication of her incompetency carried in such a statement. “Tell him I know what I am doing and there is no risk of possession whatsoever.” She looked back to the Rating Game where Tsubasa was doing her best to crush Ise into paste. “If he thinks he can criticize my work then he better back it up with some evidence.”

“From what I understood that was what the talk will be about.” Despite her tone not changing, Olga felt a shill like someone dropped a hundred ice cubes on her back. “In either case, would you like to go now or after the game?”

Because it was obvious that conversation was happening, one way or another but Olga still decided to turn back to the game. “I will indulge him later if I am in the mood. For now I find it more important to watch our triumph.”

A notion almost all devils approved. Almost all but Grayfia who lowered her head in acceptance. “As the lady wishes.”

…

Metal clashed with metal. One was Divine, the other was supposedly made by man.

Supposedly but not anymore, not since that shield had risen to Noble Phantasm level and became a Crystalised Legend. While it retained the properties from when it was just a simple shield and then a fancy table, it was much more. So much more even that Tsubasa’s initial dash managed to crack Ddraig’s scales and push the Red Dragon Emperor to the other side of the room.

To say Ise didn’t expect a sudden dash faster than he could react would be fair but that was him underestimating Tsubasa and forgetting that she had already defeated Koneko, someone trained to be agile.

If he wanted to win his head had to be on the game which fortunately was as his feet dragged pieces of the floor with him as he fought for balance. A fight he won quickly thanks to his wings which gave him the support to jump back into action regardless of the wound on his shoulder and damaged armor.

He didn’t need to bother as Tsubasa was on him in the blink of an eye, the huge shield in her right hand meeting his face and breaking his charge before it even began. She spun it around her arm to hit his own before jumping slightly to get even more leverage and hit him on the shoulder.

The shoulder that was already hurt and barely healed.

Suffice to say Ise was really regretting not taking things more seriously from the get go.

Either way Tsubasa punished him with a fast sequence of attacks, shield always first and always hitting far harder than her fists. “Come on! Come on! Come on!! Show me that fire you had against Ruruko!”

One of the shield’s arms sunk on his side but Ise’s armor was able to hold and give him a chance to grab it. “Then give me some time to breathe!!!” The Red Dragon Emperor threw an almighty punch full of energy that hit the woman right on the face and sent her flying. “FUCK YEAH!!!!!”

His celebration was cut short when Tsubasa did a backflip midair and landed on her feet with a smile, blood dripping from the side of her mouth, right hand raised. The shield Ise had trapped in a vice suddenly went missing only to appear in its wielder’s hand as Yura showed him a feral grin.

A grin that grew even as she planted the shield and hid behind it just in time to block Akeno’s kick. The shockwave generated from the impact was so strong that Ise almost lost his footing. If that alone wasn’t proof Akeno was going all out them the furious expression on her face affirmed as much.

As if she was step dancing Akeno began a sequence of several kicks on the Noble Phantasm surface almost like she was trying to break it apart with brute force alone. A useless endeavor but to Akeno’s credit she was mostly trying to exert pure pressure on Tsubasa’s arm to break it through the shield rather than the shield itself.

It didn’t help matters she was quite frustrated with the Sitri Peerage but that couldn’t be helped as she really wanted to go all out but wouldn’t risk someone deducing her true status as a hybrid.

So she took out part of her anger at the apparently unbreakable shield, kicking it for a whole minute before Tsubasa lost her patience and pushed back with all her strength, ruining Himejima’s balance in the air and forcing the ravenhead beauty to jump away or break a leg.

Obviously she chose the former, especially when Tsubaki descended with a new naginata and tried to cut her from behind. It didn’t even come close as the Gremory Queen noted both girls were out of sync but decided to not counterattack. This was still a Rating Game and Akeno wanted to win and teach the Sitri side a lesson.

With her bat-like wings the hybrid flew backwards towards Ise, not taking his eyes off her adversaries as they grouped up. Tsubasa placed the shield in front of Tsubaki while Ruruko had dragged herself until she was a couple feet away from the lilac haired maiden. A tight formation and one hard to break as long as the shield held strong.

“Akeno-san! Good grief, it's great to see you!” Ise said while holding his shoulder. She caught a glimpse of his skin regenerating but soon it was covered by the Scale Mail once more. “These Noble Phantasms are a pain in the butt.”

Akeno couldn’t help but find those words amusing. “Didn’t you spar enough with Shirou-kun to know that by heart?”

“... He doesn’t use them…” The Red Dragon Emperor mumbled.

But she heard it loud and clear. “Fufufu. Something to fix later.” Her eyes never left their opponents. “Ise-kun… can you still fight?”

“Sure.” He replied easily, standing straight and the gems in his armor pulsing with power. “What’s the plan? Do you need some Boosts?”

As appealing as that would be, Akeno had no intention of getting any help. “No, instead I have a job for you. Consider it an order if you must.”

On the other side of the battlefield a similar conversation was taking shape. “How are you two? Can either of you fight?” Tsubasa asked but by her tone it was clear she believed they were out.

Tsubaki felt somewhat insulted but didn’t let it show. “As a Queen of Sitri there is no way I will be defeated that easily.” Soon her eyes were filled with concern as she turned to the person who really looked like she went through the ringer. “What about you, Ruruko? Do you need to retire?”

“I’ll be fine.” Even when she said that the girl couldn’t help but wince in pain and rub her ribs.

“That is a lie if I ever heard one.” The shield user said after a quick glance.

“Tsubasa-”

“Neither of you is in any condition to do anything, Shinra. The red on your belly is starting to grow purple; that is internal damage, in case you didn’t know.” The lilac haired maiden said bluntly, the other girl gritting her teeth in irritation. “Ruruko is mostly the same, just better than because Ise didn’t hit her directly so far.”

“What about you?” The Pawn asked after a pause. “He punched you in the face.”

A grin showed her teeth all in place. “I’m stronger than you two.”

“And Akeno isn’t a pushover.” Tsubaki replied with a glare at her teammate, both their eyes locked on their opponents. “She can use Thunder as well.”

“Doesn’t sound that impressive.”

“Tsubasa, it was a ball of Thunder that did this to me.” She said, pointing at the wound that indeed was growing purple. “Rating Game aside, I think she is still holding back.”

The three members of Sitri shared a couple of looks before Tsubasa let out a sigh. “Then you better retreat or retire.”

“Tsubasa-”

“I can’t protect you and fight them at the same time.” Saying that left a bitter taste on Tsubasa’s mouth but also instilled her with confidence as she knew that was a fight she could win regardless. “Time for the big girls to have their turn.”

Taking a deep breath, Tsubaki then replied with, “If you think you can beat the two of them by yourself you are delusional. I don’t care how you managed to rope Sona and Olga into giving you that shield,” her naginata patted the bigger weapon’s back for emphasis, “but that doesn’t make it, or you, invincible.” Upon seeing her friend pretty much ignore her words, the long haired girl grunted. “We don’t need to have this conversation. I can still fight. Can you, Ruruko?”

The brunette stood up and began to focus mana in her left hand. “I have one more Golden Spark in me.”

“Great. Stay behind and wait for your shot.” Tsubasa’s expression shifted to a confident grin. “I will pin Ise first and then you can hit him. Can you hold Akeno for one more minute, Tsubaki?”

No, she couldn’t. “I think so.” Lied through her teeth. “But it also depends on what they are going to do.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Dislodging her shield, Tsubasa’s grip grew tighter on the handle as her other hand held its upper left side. “As long as I’m here, you gals just focus on hitting them.”

Meanwhile the Sitri side discussed, Ise grew mute at what Akeno was suggesting. “I don’t like this.”

[Makes us look like cowards.]

“Fufufu. Don’t worry, don’t worry. Just leave things to your senpai here.” Akeno commented with an eager smile as she locked eyes with Tsubasa. “Unless you need to go back to Asia-”

[Oh no, that would be a step too far!] Ddraig hated the idea with a passion.

Much to Ise’s chagrin. “But Ddraig-”

He was cut off by the dragon shouting in his mind. [No buts! I don’t care how bad the taste is, you are eating and we are punishing Sona Sitri for her misdeeds, no matter how unintentional!!]

Watching Ise wince made Akeno giggle. “So I can trust you two?”

“Yeah, you can count on us.” Ise closed his fist tightly. “Just be careful, alright?”

“Oh my, don’t think just because I didn’t train with dragons that I can’t pack a punch.” Akeno’s energy grew heavier around her, making the Sitri’s Pieces raise their guard. Out loud she said, “Just need to be reeeeeeeeeally careful to not kill them by accident.”

“I want to see you try!!” Tsubasa shot back with an excited smile.

A smile that Akeno was happy to mirror. “Challenge accepted!” Several magic circles manifested around her and a rain of Lightning was unleashed towards the other girls.

Tsubaki was ready to activate her sacred gear but found herself blocked by her own ally as Tsubasa jumped ahead and met the attacks with her shield. ‘She should be focused on Ise!’ Quickly the black haired Queen changed gears since her dance partner was busy and opened her wings to charge at the Red Dragon Emperor.

The boy saw her coming and raised his fists in response but the path was soon blocked by a gold magic circle. Tsubaki didn’t even need to think, she just acted.

“Mirror Alice!!” A giant mirror, clear as a crystal, appeared before Tsubaki perfectly reflecting the magic circle as the girl held her hands up to sustain it, waiting for the attack.

It never came and instead Ise had maneuvered around both the magic circle and the long haired woman to fly in Ruruko’s direction. The girl was startled and completely underprepared but managed to get into an instance as if she was going to meet him head on. Perhaps she would have if not for the huge shield bashing Ise from the side.

Tsubasa had leaped once she was sure the Lightning wasn’t going to hit anyone and intercepted the Red Dragon Emperor perfectly to throw him inside a would-be buffet restaurant.

She was about to give chase when she felt pain in her arm, turning to see a chain of Lightning tied around it and Akeno pulling her back. “We are far from done.” Declared the Queen as her power surged and her Lightning pierced whatever protection Tsubasa had.

The lilac haired maiden gritted her teeth and used her shield to break the chain, despite Akeno making it as strong as she could, rather easily. Fixing her stance she threw the shield in the Gremory Queen’s direction with all her strength. It flew faster than the ravenhead expected but she dodged below it and charged at Tsubasa.

Only to be hit in the back as the shield had perfectly ricocheted in an impossible angle to connect the blow. ‘Power of Luck again?’ She thought sarcastically but regardless Akeno didn’t think about the event for long.

She pushed herself with an arm to avoid a kick to the head from Tsubasa who followed after the Queen with a grin. Akeno managed to block the first punch with an arm before ducking another kick that was followed by a stomp on her feet. The ravenhead punched the shield user's stomach but she refused to be dislodged and soon they were trading blows.

For his part the only male in the fight dug himself out some metal dishes and bowls, shook his head and got a naginata on his neck for his troubles. However it didn’t penetrate his armor so an amused and curious Ise looked up to see a distracted and frustrated Tsubaki.

“Nice try.” Ise joked as he broke the naginata with a light grip. “But you don’t have a Noble Phantasm or a dragon backing you up.”

Which just infuriated the Queen of Sitri even more but she bit back her fury and acted logically by hitting him with the back of her staff before shouting. “Tsubasa! I can’t defeat him!!!”

Queen and Rook were still trading blows when the lilac haired maiden heard the shout. “Tch.” She threw a knee at Akeno’s stomach, forcing her to bend over just as her shield returned. “Playtime is over.”

With a pained expression, Akeno looked up. “Cough. That we can agree.” Before pulling her arm and revealing a chain tied to her opponent’s leg.

At that point it wasn’t just a competition of strength as Tsubasa was caught off guard and Akeno took advantage of it by creating another chain. Their eyes met and the shield was raised defensively but the Gremory Queen’s target was her Sitri counterpart. The arrowhead flew faster than Lightning and tied itself around Tsubaki’s neck before Akeno took flight.

Both girls were trapped but that wouldn’t last long and Akeno knew it. “Go Ise!!” She shouted while spinning around and throwing two as far away from the Red Dragon Emperor as she could.

“Thanks, Akeno-san!!” Opening his wings the red armored warrior took flight. From the side he could see a vulnerable Ruruko and took the opportunity to attack. “Dragon Shot!” A small blast was unleashed, its power reduced considerably from its original form due to the rules.

Ruruko had her eyes on Ise and saw it coming before it did so she was already going into a roll to get out of the way. Good thing she did too since she still felt some rocks hitting her body, results of the small explosion from Ise’s attack.

However she knew the Red Dragon Emperor wasn’t going to stop and so she got onto her feet into a crouch, her Golden Eater ready to be called only to see Ise flying past her straight for the other side of the mall.

Towards her King. “HE IS RUNNING AWAY!!!!!”

[We are advancing, woman!! ADVANCING!!!!!] Ddraig definitively loathed the rules from that Rating Game.

But the shouting was heard as magic blasts and Gallahad’s shield flew in his direction but Akeno appeared in a flash and created a sphere of Lightning around herself to stop every attack, securing Ise’s escape.

A few more blasts escaped the Sitri Queen’s magic circles but it was in vain as Akeno’s shield didn’t waver much less break. “Stop it, Tsubaki-chan, you are wasting energy.” Ruruko called out and slowly the black haired girl stopped her attack.

Once it had happened Tsubaki clicked her teeth and retrieved another naginata while Tsubasa glared at Akeno with fury. “My, oh my. I know you two are upset but please, don’t be like that.” The Queen of Gremory started cheerfully, her usual smile failing to hide her bloodlust. “Can’t let you guys get my kohai. But don’t worry, I will keep you all company.”

“And you think you can?” Tsubaki asked as she walked forward, Tsubasa joining her side as Ruruko kept her distance. “It is three against one.”

“Hmmhmm~ It sure is.” From her sleeves Lightning chains took shape and began to wrap themselves around Akeno’s arms. “But, and here is the thing, I think I can win this.”

“Oh, really?” Tsubasa asked sardonically.

“Really.” Akeno’s smile looked gentle. “I bet I could beat your whole peerage if it wasn’t for this stupid mall.” Then her eyes opened slightly to reveal a sharp glare as her mana began to expand from her body. Her bat-like wings opened herself fully as she still held herself back. ‘Just need to keep the Divine at bay, no Holy Lightning either.’

The arrowheads became sharp nails that pulsed with Akeno’s power that intimidated Tsubaki and Ruruko. ‘How? How is she this strong?! She is practically-’ The images of a fallen angel with ten black wings. ‘It has just been a month!’ Then she saw someone take a step forward.

Unlike her allies, Tsubasa looked excited. “Great! You’re stronger than Koneko-chan!” Mana surrounded her body, teal and pure like the stream of a river. “But so am I!!!”

She shouted while charging forward shield first, ignoring her friends' screams to stay back so they could plan. The former bluehead slammed her feet on the ground one extra time to renew her dash and get even more speed. Despite her small stature, she charged at Akeno with the strength and weight of a tank.

As fast as Tsubasa was, Akeno had the better reaction time so she was already moving around the shield with grace but instead of letting her opponent pass by unmolested she moved for a straight stab on the Rook’s side just below her breast.

However, while her reaction time wasn’t as good as Akeno’s it was still good enough to notice the maneuver so Tsubaka forced herself to a sudden halt, moving her body enough to force Lightning Nail to get stuck between her and her shield.

Really stuck as Tsubasa closed the small opening with a grin. “Got you now!” She then began to move her body and shield in the opposite directions, planning on breaking Akeno’s arm.

That proved to be extremely difficult as the ravenhead moved with her, keeping her arm in an angle that while uncomfortable was safe for most intents and purposes. Tsubasa began to push harder with her shield while trying to raise it towards Akeno’s elbow but the Queen threw a punch that distracted the lilac haired Rook.

Distracted as in that she glared at Akeno and abandoned any attempt of just breaking her arm to begin punching back with her free hand. The first hit connected perfectly but the second was blocked by the Queen’s arm as her chains moved to trap the girl’s arm. They glared at each other before Akeno hopped in place to deliver a double kick on Tsubasa’s chest.

It was not enough to separate them as the Rook ignored the pain and held her ground, struggling against Akeno’s arm as she kept both of theirs at bay and her right hand was incapable of acting as it needed to hold the shield.

She feared the second she abandoned her Noble Phantasm Akeno would use her other arm to deliver a more devastating attack. That was more or less what the ravenhead was planning but she didn’t need to free her left hand as the chains tied on Tsubasa’s right arm moved like a snake.

The Sitri Rook only realized it when it was too late and soon Lightning had tied itself around her neck while the nail moved to pierce an artery. Gritting her teeth, Tsubasa focused extra energy to fortify her neck but she still felt the blade’s bite and more Lightning running free in her body.

“I am not stuck here with you, you are stuck here with me!” Akeno declared triumphantly as she delivered several kicks on Tsubasa’s body as the lilac haired warrior failed to do the same.

The Queen was just too agile and her legs moved with extreme precision to hit Tsubasa’s abdomen, chest, legs, or below her arms. Anywhere was a target and Akeno was happy to deliver the pain as her Element ran amok on her opponent’s body.

But that wouldn't last for long as Akeno felt someone approaching. Tsubaki had snapped herself back into the fight and charged full speed to stab her fellow Queen in the back.

Tsubasa noticed her ally coming and gladly tightened her grip with the shield while her free hand held Akeno’s arm. “We got you!”

“Did you?” Akeno asked with some mockering teasing before relaxing her legs and dropping on her back. With herself locked as she was, Tsubasa began to fall too and the Queen took advantage of the unstable position to free her arm, her free hand quickly approaching her opponent’s face. “Thunder Sphere!!”

The impact was strong, so strong that even with a body protected by a Noble Phantasm Tsubasa could feel her neck almost breaking. Against such concussive force she couldn't keep her grip going and Akeno found her other hand free, kicking the Rook away with her feet before jumping to a stance just in time to duck.

Tsubaki’s naginata didn’t even come close to cutting anything but her attack had been decisive and she had overextended enough that Akeno was free to stab her neck and chest. Except those wounds would definitively be fatal so she held back and went for the shoulder and the midriff which was still crippling and extremely painful.

Less painful when Akeno’s elbow met her nose and face several times before Tsubasa came to her rescue. Once more the Queen of Gremory felt the opponent coming, not hard with the Noble Phantasm acting like a beacon. Shame too that it wasn’t enough because for some reason the shield user was faster than before, so fast in fact she had no time to react and took the hit.

From her back to the side, Akeno felt the weight of the shield crushing her bones before she was sent flying. She tried to keep her grip on Tsubaki but the Queen of Sitri managed to break one of the chains and remove the other.

Their connection broken, both young women found themselves falling even if in different manners and locations; Akeno dragged several debris as she skidded through the floor while Tsubaki fell to her knees using her naginata as support.

In front the Queen was the Rook, shield raised. “You fine?”

“No.” Tsubaki knew she was mostly done.

Tsubasa gave her a look before shaking her head and focusing her sight on Akeno whose haori grew darker as red mixed with purple. “Stay down a little and support me with magic. I think I can take it better than her.”

“Are you out of your mind?!” She got to half the question before the Rook charged again. “Darn it.”

“Tsubaki-chan!” Ruruko was approaching with a cautious jog. “What are we going to do? We’re being eaten here!”

“Just focus on your Noble Phantasm and wait for an opening.” Said the Queen while slowly getting back up only to fall again. “Just wait. Either me or Tsubasa, one of us is going to get her.” From a magic circle she summoned her own EM, staring at it with doubt in her eyes.

Considering everything that happened she didn’t know if using it was right or wrong but she just gripped it tightly before stabbing her midriff with it and activating its effects.

Meanwhile Tsubaki was healing, Tsubasa threw herself at Akeno with renewed fury, Galahad’s shield always first as she did everything to hit the Gremory Queen with all her strength.

When a bash of her shield failed she converted it on a swipe with her leg that Akeno jumped over and threw her own kick only for the shield to block it. ‘She is getting faster.’ Both thought about each other as they accelerated further.

Akeno threw her nails at the Rook but they bounced from the shield that was going for her face before she used a hand for support against the shield to flip herself behind Tsubasa before creating several magic circles to unleash Lightning.

Since she was already in a run, Tsubasa kept going to give herself some space despite her speed not being greater than Lightning’s. She took the first hit in the back and another in the arm before turning around to use her shield properly. The damage was not even close to crippling, something Akeno noticed when she tried to follow up with a direct strike only for the lilac haired maiden to kick her away.

‘This is getting us nowhere.’ Looking around the Queen of Gremory saw nothing that could give her an advantage. If anything she saw something that made her a little mad. “Oh you aren’t using EM against me, are you? Lightning Bolt!”

Skipping the magic circles, and demonstrating her ability to use magic without it to the whole Underworld, Akeno managed to catch Ruruko and Tsubaki off guard. The latter who, upon seeing the Lightning, knew she had no time to summon her sacred gear and pushed the Pawn out of the way.

Still she made an attempt to summon Mirror Alice but her mana was too scattered and her focus faltered leaving her vulnerable were it not for Galahad’s shield which landed in front of her just in time to block the Lightning Bolt.

Tsubasa had thrown it at the exact right moment while she took over in a sprint to reach the enemy Queen. By the time the Bolt clashed with the shield she was already on the ravenhead like a hurricane unleashing a sequence of punches to break the young woman’s concentration. It wasn’t needed, the Lightning was already unleashed and it would last only an instant.

Regardless of that the Rook managed to get a cheap shot on Akeno’s cheek before following up with another dozen or so hits that were faster than with the abstinence of her shield but also lacked the necessary power to make the Queen bleed much.

But she was bleeding by the time she managed to raise her arms and start blocking properly before using her chain to tie one of Tsubasa’s arms. Throwing the lilac haired maiden on the floor, Akeno raised one of her nails to stab her chest but just as solid Lightning began to descend Galahad’s shield returned to Yura’s hand.

With all her strength Tsubasa pushed and dislodged Akeno who jumped several meters back to recover her bearings before cleaning blood from the side of her mouth with a finger. Looking at it the woman couldn't help herself and smiled with genuine glee at the sight even if it wasn't much.

A smile that Tsubasa shared. “You know, I didn’t think I could fight you. Not really.” Holding her shield at her side, she got into a pseudo runner’s stance. “But I’m glad I can.”

“Noble Phantasm and strange sensation aside… I can’t help but agree.” More of Akeno’s chains left her sleeves and tied themselves around her arms as she held the nails, ready for combat. “But I am far from going all out.”

Mana exploded from Akeno’s form in greater intensity than before as Tsubasa charged once more with her shield in the front, both women ready to tear each other apart.

…

Momo couldn't deny she was nervous as she had her hands over a magic circle on her teacher’s back slowly but surely transferring her mana reserves to the man as it was her duty as a Supporter.

Sona was sitting down as she had contributed a big portion of it before passing the duty to Momo. “Are you sure you don’t need any healing, Sensei?”

“No. Pain Breaker restored everything, including my missing arm.”

“You lost an arm?!” The white haired Bishop couldn't believe it.

“Calm down, Momo. Our teacher has no reason to lie.” With his bluntness Sona wondered if the man was even capable of such. “But that truly shows that Noble Phantasms are things beyond any normal limits or rules. Only True Magic can be called superior and even then I would argue otherwise.”

Not that she had seen any True Magic either but the Heiress knew for a fact that restoring whole limbs in seconds was something akin to the territory of the gods. And she had a Knight that could do for a literal minimal cost of mana. To multiple people at the same time if needed.

More than once she regretted not having a Bishop left out to Reincarnate Kuzuki with it because just thinking what he could do with a bigger mana reserve sent chills through her spine.

‘We can win.’ Closing her fist tightly on her tight, Sona’s confidence returned despite losses suffered. ‘Tomoe may be out but that is fine, Ruruko and Tsubasa are still in and in the same area. Then, once Kuzuki-sensei is at full power… advance or support. Which one is better? Both have merits but-’

Her thoughts were cut off by Issei’s return as the Pawn looked rather sweaty but satisfied, like he had come back from a fun jog through the woods or had just spent an hour at the gym. “Kaichou.”

“Report.”

“Last traps in place, nobody is getting to us by any floor without us knowing and taking a lot of damage doing it. I also took the initiative to make a barrier on the second and fourth floors as bait where I placed several talismans that could knockout any devil.”

“Good job, Issei. However I must ask, have you seen the ongoing battle?” That was what Sona really wanted and needed more than anything. If she wanted to make a plan, information was crucial and blind as they were, only her Pieces could give her a clear picture of what was happening. ‘I will curse my foresight against Luvia until the day the sun dies.’

Unfortunately she wasn’t going to get much. “Everyone else was fighting at ground level but I remained hidden to not give away my position.”

“What? Afraid of any of them looking up?” Momo asked jokingly even if she completely understood why Issei stayed hidden.

They all were feeling the colliding energies at the center of the mall and knew they were mostly outmatched despite some of their teammates being in the eye of the storm. Of those  present only Kuzuki could be classified as a real fighter and certainly not a heavy hitter. Those were already in the fight and Sona knew she couldn’t count on them until it was done.

Closing her eyes the Heiress of Sitri tried to feel everyone’s energies hoping that she could identify who was winning or losing somehow. Unfortunately her skill wasn’t high enough to do more than tell who was fighting and that Tsubasa and Akeno were spending more energy than everyone else.

There was so much power being thrown around the shopping center that it was pretty much impossible to detect anyone by the usual means. Only specialists would be able to do it and that was because most of the time they didn’t focus on mana at all. Or had other senses to compensate, either way all Sona did was confirming Issei’s information.

People were fighting and while she recognized their powers that was all she knew about the fight.

She had no way of getting their exact location or their condition. ‘Perhaps investing in learning Ki is a good idea? Just in case we are blindsided again.’ An unfortunate possibility that could easily repeat itself. ‘Doesn’t help that this game is being televised and recorded.’

When the King of Sitri opened her eyes, she saw Kuzuki getting up and flexing his fingers. “Should I proceed to face Rias Gremory?”

“I am… unsure to be honest.” Admitted Sona with a pensive expression as her Pieces waited. “While I don’t doubt your skill, reaching Rias may be a greater challenge if Tsubaki and Tsubasa are defeated.” Defeated without taking down their adversaries at least, that was the worst hypothesis. “Caution demands that we wait for reinforcements but… despite having numbers, we are losing.”

Momo was shocked by the revelation. “But we still have three Noble Phantasms.”

“And Tomoe was defeated.” Kuzuki reminded her. “While powerful, they are more equalizers than anything when facing people already superior to you.” At least from what he observed after facing Luvia. “However, I must disagree about taking the more cautious route.”

The three younger devils looked at each other before their King spoke. “Please, elaborate.”

“While Rias Gremory may still have Kiba, the possibility that our side loses the main fight is still existent. In that case, she is the one getting reinforcements.” While his tone sounded uninterested, his eyes were sharp and focused as he evaluated how to take down his main target. “The best strategy in this case isn’t defense but offense.”

Sona realized where the History teacher was going. “An all out assault then?” He nodded and her hand went to her chin. “That might work but I will be left exposed-”

“Not if we all go!” Momo shouted in realization.

“Opening our King to capture the enemy’s King to pry open their defenses.” Issei commented with a smile. “Looks like a practical chess play if you want my opinion.”

Certainly something Sona could appreciate. “Then we shall depart immediately.” But before it could happen they all saw Issei wince and hold his head. “Something wrong?”

“My traps were activated, several of them at the same, mostly on the first floor.” While he wasn’t powering up the traps anymore Issei was still connected to them and got some whiplash when several were activated at the same time. “Most ofudas were destroyed but not the- Someone breached the second floor!!”

“Did Rias send Kiba by himself?” A logical play since Asia’s sacred gear would give him plenty of time to rest and heal him completely.

Much to her shock, Ise shook his head. “No, I don’t think Yuuto-kun would bulldoze my traps like that. This is just reckless.” He began to feel nausea for a reason no one would expect. “Trap after trap, every seal, ofuda, magic circle and barrier is being breached! They found the bait!”

Everything grew quiet as they waited for something to happen, anything. The bait room Sona had Issei prepare was supposed to have strong enchantments that should be able to even hurt a Maou or at least slow them down.

All eyes landed on the black haired boy as he gritted his teeth before frowning. “Second floor’s traps are done.” They waited with baited breath but Kuzuki was already stepping outside and turning towards the stairs in the interior of their floor. “They found the fake wall and broke the last barrier. Last traps are-”

From the stairs several lights glowed and blinked before the sound of mana blasts and explosions were unleashed to stop whoever was coming. A roar echoed on the floor and most devils felt the hairs in the back of their necks shiver with the exception of Kuzuki who waited patiently.

Ise immediately knew who was coming.“That was-”

“Hyoudou Issei.” Sona stood up but Kuzuki raised a hand to stop her from trying to take a look. Not that she was going to try. “Is he weakened?”

“I believe so.” Kuzuki couldn't see anything but a hunched shadow that looked like a dragon. “It is a bit too far yet. Should I take a look?”

“He is the Red Dragon Emperor and we still have some traps.” Sona replied just as calmly, crossing her arms. “You two prepare to leave as well. We are taking the fight to Rias.”

““Yes!!””

Issei began to pack some talismans he had used on the place while Momo just picked a bag with some supplies and potions meanwhile Kuzuki kept staring at Ise’s direction. Despite the distance he could see the shadow’s shoulders go up and down, an obvious sign of exhaustion.

He then noticed something odd, a red light that made the shadow grow bigger, the teacher then took a step forward expecting some sort of attack. Instead he saw something land on the shadow’s hands, a ball of some sort bigger than the Ise’s hand.

Everyone suddenly stopped their preparations when they heard a loud crunch of something being bitten. “What happened?” Asked Issei.

“He is eating something.” Informed Kuzuki while forcing his improved sight to try and see more details but he could only see shadows.

Shadows that grew proportionally larger when a bright red glow took over Ise’s form who was still biting something with some sort of urgency that Kuzuki failed to comprehend despite recognizing the signs of distress.

But it was related to the red light, to the power Ise was beginning to employ as the area was consumed by it. Soon the four members of Clan Sitri all were outside and watching Ise’s shadow from afar as he and his power began to grow.

“We should run.” Suggested a nervous Momo.

“We are trapped. I can’t just disable the traps on the top floors for us to get through.” Issei was beginning to sweat with the realization he had cornered them all like rats.

Then things got worse as Ise let out a roar of pain as his power expanded further outwards and hit the devils with its full weight. Despite none of them having faced a dragon before, they recognized the energy’s ‘flavor’ as something similar to Vritra but bigger.

Much, much bigger.

“How can he still have this much power?” Sona asked in disbelief. “Issei confirmed he set off all traps. How?”

“Get back inside.” Suggested Kuzuki as he began to step forward.

Only to stop when they heard the heavy stomps of an armored warrior and another trap was triggered and exploded just at the top of the stairs.

“SHIT!!!” If anything the voice and curse confirmed it was Ise which was further confirmed when he entered the floor proper looking every inch like the Red Dragon Emperor he was. “Fuck! This stuff hurts!”

[There are some sort of blessings in those talismans, Partner. Your devil nature is reacting negatively. Curious too since they are made with demonic energy.] Ddraig informed helpfully.

“Really? How the heck can they even do that?” Then Ise’s armored head turned up and he saw someone he definitely didn’t expect. “Kuzuki-sensei?”

“Good evening, Hyoudou-kun.” Greeted the teacher respectfully before settling himself on his fighting stance, hands and legs apart, ready to lead with his right.

“Wait, hold on. Why are you here? Were you Reincarnated? Did Kaichou Reincarnate you?” He shook his head to calm himself down. “Of course she did. Say, about our summer’s homework-”

“I expect it to be delivered on our first day of classes.” While prepared to fight, he took no step to approach the enemy.

“Give me a break, teach! I have been stuck in a forest full of dragons for a month!”

[Is this really the best time to have such a discussion? We are in the middle of a fight.] Ddraig interrupted before Ise legitimately tried to plead his case. [And that is your enemy. Beat him up, find his King and let us go eat something decent.]

“Right!” With that Ise dropped on a crouch and surrounded himself with aura, clearly planning to trample Kuzuki with pure power. “If he is here, Kaichou has to be close. Time to win, baby!!” The Red Dragon Emperor charged only for several pieces of paper, the same color as the walls and practically invisible to the naked eye, jumped on his body. “NOT AGAIN!!!!”

Another explosion, self contained to not damage the mall, filled the area as every talisman stuck on Ise blew up at the same time with the same destructive power from a small demolition charge.

Not enough to really hurt were it not for the fact that Issei’s talismans held a minor form of Divinity born from Shintoism teachings. It wasn’t the sort of attack that should break Ddraig’s scales but the one using them wasn’t Ddraig but Ise, a devil. A devil with eight Evil Pieces making sure he had their strengths and weaknesses.

It was like buckets of Holy Water had hit him so the Pawn bleed and feel which gave Kuzuki an opportunity. While she was away from sight, Sona was close and he couldn’t let his King be found so he needed to take care of the threat.

Fortunately for him the Knight was already aware of every talisman around the area, as he lived in a temple he was familiar with their power, so he easily avoided all the traps and hit Ise straight on his Adam's Apple.

A move that would be crippling to many wasn’t the same for someone who had a Balance Break like Scale Mail and Kuzuki felt the metal repelling his attack. Instead of letting that stop him he quickly turned his trust into a palm strike on Ise’s covered face before throwing a high kick to the neck.

Startled, disoriented and very surprised, the Pawn of Gremory couldn’t stop himself from crashing on a wall, ending up inside a store that sold hiking gear. ‘This place really sells a variety of stuff.’ He could feel Ddraig’s deadpan stare. ‘I mean, no time to think about that!’

But he should because Kuzuki kicked him inside that particular store deliberately since his first attack failed. Grabbing two pickaxes and a long rope, the man created magic circles to strengthen his improvised weapons before restarting his offensive just as Ise jumped to his feet.

In matters of speed both sides found themselves about equal but when they were close enough, their moves mirrored each other as their right arms moved to attack the opponent, a fist for Ise, one of the pickaxes for Kuzuki.

However that was the extent where they were equal as the teacher perfectly avoided the armored arm and dug his improved weapon above the heart. Even with armor Ise couldn’t help but hesitate as the weapon managed to get past some of Ddraig’s scales. Just a little and not enough to even be a threat, the pickaxe was even loose.

That hesitation gave Kuzuki another opening as even if Ise recovered quickly thanks to his experiences on Dragon Territory his opponent was already moving automatically to capitalize on the most momentary advantage.

When the second pickaxe came it was to Ise’s right side and would have pierced the lung if it wasn’t for the Scale Mail. He lost some of his balance but threw a back hand to try and take down Kuzuki who kept running until he was behind the Red Dragon Emperor.

It was then he took the rope wrapped around his arm and quickly wrapped it around Ise’s neck, his dark green magic covering the full length of the rope as Kuzuki crossed his arms to increase the pressure.

“You know,” if Kuzuki was more emotional he would be surprised Ise was talking at all, “Saji’s Lines were way stronger than this rope.” With a flick of his finger he cut the improvised weapon before turning to throw a punch at the teacher.

He completely missed just because he spoke and gave Kuzuki time to realize his attack method was inefficient. The man had opened his wings for a second to fly over Ise, landing behind him and unleashing a string of thrusts and punches to measure his defenses.

Despite fortifying his fists Kuzuki felt every hit he was delivering against the Scale Mail, jumping back after the fourteenth and escaping Ise’s back kick. The brown haired boy turned around and prepared mana in his hand before unleashing one of his attacks.

“Dragon Shot!” It was small but the explosion it created destroyed several shelves with backpacks and tools used for exploration.

Rolling away from the blast Kuzuki found himself with an angry dragon in his sight and a fist on the gut as Ise closed the distance between them in a powerful leap. The black haired man was sent flying through two shelves before landing on a wall behind the balcony. He landed on his feet and ignored the pain as the Red Dragon Emperor jumped in his direction and threw another punch.

Once again he rolled away, jumping to his feet a second later and creating a magic circle several feet behind him. “Dragon Shot!” His improvised shield blew up but he wasn’t bothered by its failure and ducked to avoid the new shot that destroyed a wall.

From the floor he found a pair of shoves and quickly formed a magic circle to empower them before holding one on each hand for a new avenue of attack. Ise wasn’t going to risk anymore Dragon Shots since the store was almost falling apart, of that Kuzuki was sure, so the fight was about to become close quarters again.

[Boost!]

He was proven right when Ise did exactly what he expected and charged forward, his body covered with a powerful red aura that could end their fight even if the attack missed. The Red Dragon Emperor reached the man and began to throw a fast sequence of punches, all of which were easily evaded.

[Boost!]

Kuzuki could feel the aura’s heat as the punches grew ever closer, Boosts being called by the sacred gear again and again to power Ise further. He hadn’t reached his limits yet and was already faster than the Knight but the teacher’s reaction time was superior so he managed to avoid every single hit.

[Boost!]

But that wouldn’t last for long so he made another attempt as quickly as he could, stabbing both shovels just below Ise’s ribs. Or at least tried too as Scale Mail was also being strengthened and the shovels broke apart in his hands instead of doing any damage. At that point the Red Dragon Emperor wasn’t even phased by his attacks anymore.

[Boost!]

And with one more Boost his speed grew unmatched as even if Kuzuki could perfectly calculate the movement of Ise’s arms he could no longer avoid the punch they delivered right in the center of his chest.

Several ribs broke as he was sent flying through the hole Ise made a few moments before to a fishing equipment store. He skipped for a while before standing up, pushing through the pain and ducking inside a small boat on display. But Ise saw the attempt of an escape, tackling and destroying the boat but missing the Knight.

The Red Dragon Emperor didn’t need long to find his target since Kuzuki was moving somewhat slowly thanks to his wounds even as he called Hecate’s staff to his grip. “Pain Breaker!” The teacher returned to his best condition just in time as Ise grabbed him by the waist and flew both of them outside the store.

Back on the hallway where there were some traps still left but neither activated much to Kuzuki’s confusion. While frustration wasn’t really registering as an emotion, the teacher almost displayed it when his last gamble failed and Ise stood up prepared to stomp him out of the game.

Only for several ofudas to stick on his chest and a discharge of electricity to run around his being. “Ahhhh! Again?!” Taking advantage of Ise’s predicament, Kuzuki kicked his chest and rushed away, Noble Phantasm still in hand but legs weak, managing to escape as the armored Pawn fell to his knees. “What the fuck! It hurts more than before!”

“Language, Ise.” Issei, who was unnoticed and was the one who threw the talismans in his namesake direction, caught both fighters’ attention as he held his hands in prayer. “I understand that this must be painful for you but you can either bear with it or retire.”

[Boost!]

“Oh, you would love that, wouldn't ya?” In response Issei moved his hands into the ram seal and more stacks of paper flew from the walls, electrocuting Ise some more. “Ow!! How are you doing that?!”

[Boost!]

Hands returning to prayer position, Issei ignored his friend in favor of his teacher and teammate. “Are you alright, Kuzuki-sensei?” From his voice it was clear he was starting to struggle.

“I will manage.” He didn’t need to use Pain Breaker yet so the Noble Phantasm disappeared. “Can you finish him?” Besides, they had more pressing matters as Ise was starting to get up.

Gritting his teeth, Issei was beginning to sweat. “I am trying but Ise is just too strong. We need to get more ofudas on him.”

“Leave it to me!” Momo came from behind in a rush, several stacks of paper that were once used as traps, in her hands. “I got as many as I could from the fourth floor, Ryu-kun.”

Indeed in her hands was a huge ball of paper made with several dozen ofudas, most of his remaining arsenal as things stood. It was a mess of crumpled paper but nothing his magic couldn’t fix.

The Pawn nodded with a thankful smile as the white haired girl passed him the papers as one hand remained in prayer position, his mana still attacking Ise. “Thank you, Hanakai-san!”

“How many times do I have to say; ‘Momo’ or ‘Momo-chan’?” She replied with a grin before touching his arm and transferring some of her mana to the Pawn. It was slow as the process wasn’t the most efficient but it helped plenty. “Get him, Ryu-kun!”

“Leave that to me.” The boy charged new mana on his talismans to alter their letters and so their spells slightly. “The water flows as this world tempts us with desire. Reach a new path by accepting this protection and burning away those feelings.” A prayer, an aria, a spell as magic circles appear on Issei’s back and the back of his hand holding the ofudas. “Through pain, be redeemed. Through abstinence, be purified. Find the Path and reach the Truth. Weight of the Sinner.”

The talismans pulsed and Issei threw them with all his might. He wasn’t very strong but fortunately the spells on them would make it so they didn’t need to go far before jumping at the Red Dragon Emperor.

Over fifty pieces of paper began to glue themselves on Ise’s body, each and every one of them adding to the pain he was already feeling. Anyone watching was confused how the mighty Red Dragon Emperor was being defeated by just pieces of paper.

Except they were not just pieces of paper at all. “Kuzuki-sensei, attack! They aren’t going to affect you!”

It was all the Knight needed to know and he immediately increased the pressure on the Gremory Pawn by hitting him with a long sequence of punches and kicks that kept pushing Ise back until he met a wall.

The teacher kept going and Ise kept screaming. ‘Ddraig- do some-thing!”

[I can’t! I don’t- even understand- what is going on!]

Neither could comprehend how Issei’s attack was getting past their Scale Mail nor how Kuzuki was unaffected by the blasts of dark pink lightning jumping around their body. All they knew was that everything hurt and kept hurting, their concentration so broken they weren’t even Boosting.

“Give up, Ise! You aren’t escaping a prison made from your own desires!” Issei declared firmly, Momo steady flow of mana helping him keep his prayer going.

“My- desires?” Ise managed to ask before the pain grew too much as Kuzuki’s palm shoved his head into the wall.

“Your excessive lust that plagued Kuoh’s girls for over a year! Your excesses are now your weakness!” That was certain as those new talismans were made especially to counter the Red Dragon Emperor.

To be more precise they were made to counter Hyoudou Issei as his namesake used what he learned as a monk’s apprentice to identify those emotions while his demonic energy punished their owner.

Imagination played a crucial part on modifying something used to purification into inflicting harm but monks were also known for exorcizing spirits and Issei used that to strengthen the image on his mind reaching a new form of combat tailor made to fight against anyone who let themselves be dominated by their desires.

Such as Hyoudou Issei. “Since you want to be a Harem King, you have too much appreciation for the female form. Too much lust!” Momo watched Ryuudou Issei blush even as he was saying those things. “As long as you are you, my magic can take you down! Even if you are a dragon!”

Fact was that using other people’s emotions to harm them directly didn’t make the strongest of attacks. It took a lot of emotion for them to actually manifest in a relevant manner and Issei wasn’t using his own emotions but the vices from another person so he had to do more work.

Compensating everything it was a lot harder but cost way less than using his own mana on the offensive when facing someone completely consumed by their own negative emotions and, like planned, Ise was the ideal target.

Which brought out another emotion from his heart, fury. “You’re using- my dream against me?!” He managed to roar as Kuzuki kept punching and kicking. However the effects were greatly reduced as even his lust was drowned in rage. “You bastard!!”

Not that Issei minded as he quickly picked a new ofuda from his blazer’s pocket. “Anger can also be a negative emotion. Let the spirit find peace and let the flames perish! Weight of the Sinner!”

The writing on the talisman changed and Issei threw it at his namesake, the lightning attacking the Red Dragon Emperor changing from pink to red. There was still some pink lightning running around as Ise’s lust was still present but both Issei and Momo began to put more effort in the attack.

‘Multiple emotions are harder to deal with.’ Acknowledged Ryuudou with a growl. ‘Come on, Ise. Fall. Fall! You can’t escape this.’

All the while Kuzuki started waving hard kicks all around the Red Dragon Emperor’s body, noticing the area grew warmer. ‘Ryuudou-kun’s spells don’t affect me.’ Which meant his ally wasn’t the one increasing the temperature was the other Issei. Quickly he jumped back, shouting a warning, “He is about to counterattack!”

As fast as he could Issei grabbed a few more ofudas and threw them around the walls to form a perfect square between the Gremory Pawn and himself, Momo and Kuzuki safely behind him.

Holding his main spell as long as he could, Issei saw the attack coming when Ise’s form was consumed by flames with a roar full of rage and determination. The talismans glued on the Red Dragon Emperor turned into ash just as his focus shifted, creating a transparent wall.

He didn’t need to have bothered as Ise could be furious but he wasn’t foolish enough to let his whole power out and get retired because of the rules. No, instead the Red Dragon Emperor held his power in, covering his body with red fires so hot that the area he was standing began to melt.

And that was it, nothing else was being affected as Ise controlled his power completely, the members of Sitri could do little but watch as the red armor gained a flame aspect that manifested on every pour, the green eyes shining ominously.

Then it was over, the fire vanishing as Ise almost passed out from exhaustion since not only he pushed out a lot of energy due to the pain there was also the mental strain of keeping his fire around him until the very end.

His shoulders waved up and down as he recovered his breath, his aura diminishing until it was mostly gone and Scale Mail’s luster grew dull, its green gems losing any glow they had before.

A more obvious, and unmistakable sign, of his exhaustion was when Ise staggered a little before falling on the wall with his back. “Shit.”

[That is what you get by doing things by half.] Ddraig commented out loud, already recovered from the ordeal.

While he held little to no lust in his being Ise had plenty for both so he took the same damage his partner did. However, soul or not, the dragon shrugged it off like it was nothing and focused on the fight.

[Now stop being stubborn and play for keeps, Partner.]

“Yeah, yeah.” Ise raised to his feet as the Sitri Peerage watched him with their guards high. Kuzuki was ready to charge again when Ise spoke out loud, his voice weak. “That was a mean trick, Issei.”

His namesake pitied his friend a little. “You should blame yourself. It was your lust that bit you back for a change.”

“Doesn’t matter! I’ll become a Harem King!” His aura returned, however weak, and the trio prepared to fight again.

“Any more talismans, Ryu-kun?” Momo asked cautiously, hands close together to either fill his mana reserves or make a magic circle of her own.

“Only those shielding us but I can use my small army if push comes to shove..” Four ofudas wouldn’t bring the Red Dragon Emperor down if almost one hundred, counting the traps on the lower floor, didn’t. “At least he is weakened now.”

Almost as if to spit on what his namesake said, Ise raised his left hand and the trio felt a massive amount of power appear from his sacred gear. For a second the three thought he was about to shoot another blast and Issei fortified his wall. Except that despite its glow it wasn’t an attack but something else that was pulsing with power.

“It is like…” Momo flinched as a terrible thought crossed her mind. “I don’t know, like he was Boosting but not himself?”

“Like if that was a physical manifestation of his Boosts.” Kuzuki realized with worry as the energy coalesced and subsided until they saw what really was.

An apple.

An apple, as big as Momo’s head and more red than any ruby.

That triggered Kuzuki’s memory from a few minutes in the past and the teacher dashed at top speed. ‘That presence is stronger than-’

He couldn’t finish his thoughts as Ise’s helmet retracted and he quickly took a huge bite from the apple, his power exploding around his body to a level far greater than before forcing the Knight to reevaluate the situation.

Ise almost choked on the fruit but Ddraig wasn’t going to let him stop. [Finish it!] He was also suffering with the taste, a taste so awful it could have killed lesser dragons. [No more half measures! Finish that damn apple!]

“It has more Boosts-”

[I said FINISH IT!!!!] The scream was so loud that Ise just closed his eyes and dove right in, biting the apple as fast as he could to get done with it before he actually puked.

He was also crying from how bad the taste was but he couldn’t help it, it was the consequences of his actions, of his power. Nobody else, no dragon nor devil, had ever eaten something that awful. Compared to it all normal dragon apples were delicacies of the finest cuisine.

But they were his idea so Ise didn’t dare to complain, not when his previous half measures got him in the position to need a second apple in the first place. So he bit, he chewed and did everything he could to ignore the flavor as best as he could. He was eating so fast his head was like a blur.

Kuzuki abandoned all caution as his student’s energy increased to heights greater than before. The dragon had awoken, truly and utterly awoken and the former assassin knew they needed to take him out as soon as possible. Fortunately to eat Ise had to expose his face so he finally had a target.

Moving at his top speed, Kuzuki focused a considerable quantity of mana in his left hand, reaching the Pawn of Gremory in moments with a chop that would leave any grow devil dead.

And it wasn’t enough, not even close as his hand never even reached the Red Dragon Emperor’s skin. Ise’s aura had grown so much that it slowed down his hand with its cheer density, giving the Red Dragon Emperor enough time to finish the apple and grab it.

Student and teacher traded looks as brown eyes grew wide before he turned his head to the opposite side and held his mouth with his now free hand.“Blergh! Stay down. Stay down.” he whimpered, close to puking, and letting Kuzuki go as he held his stomach. “Oh it’s coming out.”

[Don’t you dare! Don’t you fucking dare!] Ddraig sounded sick, frustrated and ready to rip someone apart. [I am burning it out, Partner. Work through the pain! We are not having another apple today!]

Ise nodded rapidly with his hand still in his mouth and looking up as the three members of Sitri watched the event with clear confusion. Even Kuzuki couldn't tune that particular emotion out on that particular situation as his brain couldn’t help itself. They all watched as the Pawn of Gremory began to beat up his chest as something tried to leave his throat.

After a few more seconds Ise finally relaxed and let out a deep breath that unleashed a small ball of fire as his aura returned to full force. No, it was stronger than before and they all could feel it in their bones like a true dragon was looking at them and they were its next dinner.

Slowly the Red Dragon Emperor’s head turned, his eyes full of tears but at the same time with an expression of absolute relief. “That was the second… worse apple… I ever had.”

“Ise, what was that?” Issei couldn’t help but ask as he collected his last talismans. He really wished he had more than a hundred before the Rating Game started.

“Boosted Apple. Or Red Dragon Emperor’s Apple.” At the looks of confusion from Momo and his name sake, Ise offered them a small smile. “You see, dragons need a lot of calories to survive so they need these… special apples to live. With me so far?” He looked sick. “But sometimes they eat too much, even if the taste is bad, because they can use the extra calories to heal… By the way, I can heal now.” There was no need to say it but the three could see he was a little out of his mind.

It was just how bad that apple had tasted, the Boosted Apple. If the name wasn’t a clue then the three of them wouldn't be able to call themselves part of Sona Sitri’s Peerage for their lack of wits.

At the same time the implications were staggering. “You can turn calories into energy.” Kuzuki understood first, some sweat dropping from his brown as his younger colleagues started to look afraid. “You used the excess to strengthen yourself.”

“That is right! That is, terribly, right. But a normal apple doesn’t have enough to heal up a dragon by itself. Heck, one can help healing but stopping to eat ten in the middle of a fight sounds dumb.” Ise began to smile with pride as no matter how disgusting the thing was, it was his idea, his accomplishment and his application of Ddraig’s power. “So I picked some and… started Transfering.”

After some trial and error the Red Dragon Emperors figured out exactly how much energy a Boost could give them through the apples while also how many the fruit could actually survive taking in.

Fifty was the utmost limit and that was the second Boosted apple he had eaten. The first apple had just ten and barely restored him to peak condition. Same couldn't be said for the one he ate in front of the Sitri group as his body was pulsing with energy like if he had suddenly Boosted ten times in a roll.

“Why didn’t you eat it before?” Momo asked calmly, too calmly. Both Kuzuki and Issei easily realized she was speaking for their King with magic as Sona remained hidden. “The one you ate… it gave you less energy… had less Boosts. Why not eat that one from the start?”

As things stood that was the best play as none of them was sure they could stop Ise from doing anything.

Once again Ise made a face like he was going to vomit. “Because unless you Boost everything the thing loses consistency and falls apart.” His hand returned to his mouth and he fell into a crouch, feeling nauseous. “Everything… including the taste.”

A dragon apple was already considered so awful that dragons fought day and night for better territory just to not have to eat them unless in case of an emergency. The first time Ise ate the most Boosted fruit he truly did vomit but that meant losing some of those precious calories which meant a loss of energy.

So he clenched his butt and managed to keep it down as his training kicked in. Normal people would need half a day to digest anything but as a dragon Ise wasn’t normal for the Underworld’s standards.

Upon command his stomach reacted and devoured the fruit while his metabolism burned the excess calories, Boosted by fifty times, to give him all the energy necessary to not only heal completely but also go beyond his limits.

The shift was happening even during their ‘casual’ conversation; his Scale Mail returned to its healthy red, the green gems began to glow again, his skin lost any burns from Issei’s attack and his aura returned to its peak before growing even higher.

“There! I’m done!” Declared the Red Dragon Emperor, helmet covering his head once more before he looked at the trio with glowing green eyes. “Thanks for waiting.” They weren’t really waiting, just shocked and fearful how his power returned and grew in just a few seconds. Turning back to them completely, his aura pulsed as his wings revealed all their glory. “Now we can fight for real!”

When he charged it was with a roar and carrying a quantity of power that dwarfed everything he had used before. Just looking at him the trio saw the true might of the Red Dragon Emperor, a ghostly red dragon flying in his wake, its size impossibly fitting in the mall’s hallway.

Two thirds of the Sitri members were frozen in fear but one of them still moved, pushing the other two out of the way before jumping over Ise. Both devils stopped as Ise turned around and charged at Kuzuki again, the teacher kicking the ceiling to dodge a punch that didn’t touch the area and still crushed its metal plates.

Not that Ise allowed any more damage than that as his power was under control and he dove towards the History teacher to finish him off. He accelerated as his power coalesced and the second punch carried around even more power. Power that Kuzuki tasted first hand as once again the Red Dragon Emperor became faster than him.

The hit literally destroyed Kuzuki’s lungs but Hecate’s staff was already glowing. “Pain Breaker.” He managed to whisper a millisecond after the hit made contact, closing his wounds in that second.

Since they were close the teacher took advantage of his new position and hit Ise several times in the back of his head to ruin any sort of balance. While the Pawn was flying he was also going fast and the Knight’s reaction made sure he moved even faster and crashed inside the appliance store that once was the Sitri base.

Kuzuki landed with a grunt, breathing quickly as the restoration of his lungs was unexpected and a pleasant surprise as their abstinence was one of the most uncomfortable things the man ever suffered in his life.

“Sensei!” Issei and Momo approached him, the man accepting he was going to need their help.

“Get ready. He isn’t done.” None could disagree as the Red Dragon Emperor’s power still filled the floor.

His green eyes glowed ominously behind a dust cloud as he stood up and shifted in place, his powerful red aura growing more intense and a rumbling escaped his throat which sounded like a true dragon.

…

Galahad’s shield blocked a ball made of pure Thunder that threatened to take its wielder's head. She was still pushed several steps back and stumbled, falling due to the strength of the attack. Not a real inconvenience as she shifted her center of gravity by pushing the shield with all her strength and letting herself be taken by its momentum.

Which pretty much saved her skin as Akeno descended where she should have fallen with her Lightning Chains, its nails would have stabbed Tsubasa’s chest and a strong kick would have kept her down.

But the Rook had dodged and brought her shield back for a swipe aiming at Akeno’s leg. The ravenhead beauty raised her limb in a can-can kick before bringing her foot down and pushing the shield in the process. She then tried to stab Tsubasa but the lilac haired girl moved her head and pulled her shield with both hands.

The Queen fought to keep her foot on the shield as her wings helped with balance but the Rook was strong, way stronger than Akeno even.

But what she had in strength the ravenhead had in agility and flexibility as the hybrid proved it by balancing herself on the shield and throwing spinning kicks first with the right then her left leg.

Because of the fast kicks Tsubasa couldn’t respond and ended up spinning in the air from the impact. But her hand never left her shield and Akeno found herself flying in the opposite direction while throwing her chains at the other woman’s back. Small cuts were the result but the attack couldn't last long as the shield maiden recovered her balance and dashed back for a counter.

Akeno manipulated her chains perfectly, cutting the feed with the far out links while making new ones as new nails landed in her hands. Instead of running or dodging she pressed up by throwing Lightning at the shield to slow Tsubasa down. It didn’t work as the girl just hid herself behind her weapon and kept going.

It was a habit the ravenhead had picked up early as while the girl seemed to have a supernatural mastery over her weapon she wasn’t truly used to it and would overextend or make mistakes like that one which left her either blind or exposed.

So obviously Akeno twirled around the shield and let Tsubasa move by while charging her the Thunder in her chains and throwing it at her back. The impact shook the whole food court and once more the shield maiden found herself flying with the priestess right behind with every intention to stab her.

But it was the point that the Rook was used to the Queen’s tricks and easily directed the right shield’s tip down like a leaver, avoiding the fall. It also gave her more time to maneuver against Akeno who quickly unleashed her Lightning again only for it to be dodged for the most part, the shield deflecting the rest of it.

All the while Tsubasa kept her run going, jumping to cover more distance and slam Akeno with the front of the Noble Phantasm. The ravenhead beauty maneuvered to the side again but once more the shield user proved herself adaptable by stabbing the bottom of her Noble Phantasm on the floor to throw a kick.

The blow connected with Akeno’s arm who winced but also used the opportunity to tie her opponent with chains and allowed them to punish the new lilac haired woman with Lightning while she pulled, forcing the girl to make a perfect split.

It left her open to the chain’s nails so Tsubasa raised her free arm to block one only for the other to come rapidly and cut her beneath the eye. ‘Crap.’ She thought while using her shield to push her opponent back and maneuvering it to break the chain once Akeno had run away.

However the Queen was already preparing a new attack as her chains grew stronger, Holy Lightning and her goddess power almost escaping as she focused on them but held her true nature at bay.

Instead the chain’s Lightning grew thicker as the nails began to take a new form for speed by gaining hooks on their sides similar to wings. “Raijin!!”

Another name for the Japanese God of Thunder and Lightning as the principle of the technique was the union of Elements much like the other with one proviso; her new attack had the Elements invested in their parts with Thunder playing the role of supporter for Lightning in a greater scale.

Its goal was not to crush or break but to pierce.

The modified nails with the side hooks cut the distance between them in a flash but Tsubasa still managed to react despite still getting a deep cut in her right cheek. Akeno then was surprised when the lilac haired Rook grabbed the chain, ignoring the Lightning that should be cooking her alive, and pulled with her full might.

Bat-like wings tried to fight back as Akeno failed to cut the feed fast enough so she was sent flying straight to Tsubasa who prepared a fist. However just because she failed to escape didn’t mean the Queen was vulnerable. Like proven before she was the faster one and more flexible so she danced around the fist and stabbed the lilac haired girl on the neck.

Despite the leotard’s expected resistance since it was a material generated from a Noble Phantasms there was blood and plenty of it as a result even if the nail failed to go too far thanks to Tsubasa’s collarbone.

Both women struggled as the Sitri Rook was now trying to escape, something Akeno obviously wasn’t going to let happen. She quickly created and tied a new chain around the shield user’s neck, Tsubasa being forced to let the Noble Phantasm go or be basically strangulated.

Taking advantage that both her opponent’s hands were busy, Akeno attacked with her elbow to disorient the Rook before using her leg to force the girl down for even more leverage. The match between them would end there if not for several mana blasts hitting the Queen’s back, reminding her it never was a fair fight.

Not with Tsubaki charging towards them with a magic circle in one hand and her naginata on the other, Ruruko not far behind with golden mana pulsing in her hand. Lightning was calling and Akeno could practically taste the Divine power taking shape on the girl’s fingers.

She punched Tsubasa two more times before undoing the existence of all her chains and running away as fast as she could. ‘Unlike Ise-kun, I can’t heal if that thing hits me.’ At least she believed she couldn't. Standing back she watched as the Sitri girls got together, Ruruko helping Tsubasa get up, Tsubaki on guard. ‘Still, I have some tricks on my sleeve. Time to see if being a High Priestess is really all that.’

Closing her eyes Akeno focused on the energies within her, the Holy Lightning and the Divinity from Medusa. Problem was separating it from her Element but the goddess herself taught her how to do it during their constant hours of practice. It was all about demonstrating one’s devotion through action.

With that in mind the Queen of Gremory did her best to forget she was in a Rating Game, that she was being watched by the whole Underworld and that she wasn’t entirely confident on what she was about to do.

Then again, that was a matter of Faith and that she had on spades.

So while the three members of Sona Peerage organized each other and prepared to attack together, Akeno did something that shocked them and surprised the whole stadium watching the Rating Game.

She began to sing.

Sing with the voice of an angel that elevated the well practiced tune to a masterpiece level despite the lack of instruments. Sing a symphony of her own authorship that told the tale of a girl ready to brawl.

And every word carried power. “Here I am~ On a stage~ Challenging the whole world~ Let them hear the sound of my voice~ Myyyyyyy vooooooooice~” The beat accelerated. “Listen to me~ I am ready to bring it down~ This is a brawl and I am not stepping out~ You’re gonna lose~ Prepare for when you do~ You aren’t taking me down~”

Dozens of magic circles, all violet despite she still holding back her nature, manifested themselves and pulsed with the melody she wanted to be played. Mana produced the music that was once missing and it complemented her voice perfectly. But they did more than that as from the magic circles close to the floor Tsubaki felt a powerful energy she recognized but also not.

It was Divine and that alone was enough to get her panicking. “Take her out! QUICKLY!!!!”

Was all the Queen of Sitri managed to say before the magic circles began to create serpents, hundreds of serpents that appeared to be made of pure purple Lightning and every single one of them confirmed Tsubaki’s fears.

The music kept going as the army crawled its way towards the three girls faster than any snake should be able to, cutting their way to Akeno as they began to jump and try to bite the devils.

Tsubasa moved first to bash several of them out of existence and almost lost her footing when they exploded in a blast of Lightning. “THEY ARE BOMBS!!!!”

Nothing else needed to be said as Ruruko retreated and Tsubaki cut several of them down with a swing of her naginata which blew apart in sections every time it cut off a snake before only a little of the shaft remained and then threw it on a quartet of snakes.

Despite touching each they didn’t blow up because of it and every single one of them aimed for a bite. One came too close when a new naginata fell on Tsubaki’s hands to cut it away only for her weapon to fall apart a second after. She called another one and then used that magic circle to blast the serpents but they just kept coming.

Ruruko stopped trying to gather mana for Golden Eater and began throwing her own Lightning at the serpents but if anything it was the most useless spell possible. “They are immune?!”

A familiar shield crushed five snakes about to attack the Pawn, flipped while holding her Noble Phantasm and used it to bash away a couple more. “If Lightning doesn’t work-” She destroyed a few more. “-use the ax.”

Which was what Ruruko got back on doing but that limited any other action as she had to trust in her allies to cover for her, something quite vexing. Her Noble Phantasm cost too much to be used and she had been trying to force it out for the last few minutes for nothing as she couldn’t even get close to the Gremory Queen.

None of them could as every time they tried to advance the snakes would jump at them and blow up in a blast of Lightning. And there were hundreds of them attacking at every moment, moving through the music’s rhythm.

It wasn’t as much as they were serpents as they were like ants moving under their Queen’s orders. Or what they truly are; Divine Beasts born from prayer, although minor ones.

Prayers that were reinforced through action as the dancing and the singing were part of Medusa’s adoration and the whole Underworld could see it as Akeno’s magic circles didn't have the symbol of Gremory but instead they the goddess serpents tied together in a loving embrace like the symbol of medicine without the staff.

Actually the environment and the type of ritual she was using was ideal for a Rating Game as thanks to the music it was easy for people to cheer for her and join, empowering her further to the point she was barely using any of her mana to create those hundreds of snakes.

Medusa had explained more than once the benefits of having a goddess Authority backing a priestess or any faithful. It was a rush of power that was proportional to their respective god’s but was also versatile depending on one's Faith and position. Akeno was a High Priestess and while she was one of few, very few as only a few fallen angels joined Medusa’s religion, she had many perks.

Such perks didn’t need Medusa’s direct input, not for her High Priestess. They were part of her fledgling Faith System, one whose groundwork existed for centuries but just recently began to be built up.

Thanks to it all serpents were powerful, all of them were dangerous, their Lightning acting very much like a fast acting poison that could be quite fatal. Tsubaki could certainly attest to that as her body began to shut down, her vision growing blurred. With a swipe of her naginata she managed to remain in the game by destroying a few more snakes as it broke.

When she made a magic circle for another one, she noticed a problem. ‘I am out?’ Considering she had thirty of them when the game began, Shinra could hardly believe it. Biting her lip she ordered, “We need to retreat!”

“Ise is already going after Kaichou!” Tsubasa reminded the Queen as she destroyed another bunch of serpents, never losing a step.

“At least let's get away from the magic circles!” Ruruko suggested and since it was a good plan as any Tsubaki signaled for them to do just that.

The three began to run away as Akeno’s voice kept going as she danced animatedly. “I can win~ I can fight~ I will reach the skies~ I will find them all~ Together we will fly~” And with every word the snakes grew in number. Then she noticed them running away from the magic circles with a smile as she knew exactly what to do. “Not gonna quit~ Not gonna give up~ We will reach the skies~ Once again~ Once again~”

Akeno began to jump in place before taking a step forward, all magic circles moving with her. Her dance became more energetic as the snakes accelerated and Tsubasa worked diligently to destroy as many as she could. The Sitri Queen tried to help with magic but she stumbled and was about to be overwhelmed only for Ruruko to grab her.

Both would still be taken by dozens of snakes if the shielder hadn’t jumped in front of them and tanked all the Lightning. Sure most of them were stopped by the Noble Phantasm but Akeno was controlling her creations and managed to direct them around Galahad’s shield often enough to be a problem.

“Keep moving!” Ordered the Rook while throwing blows left and right to keep the snakes at bay as the music was growing more intense as the climax approached.

Playing with her hands during the dance, Akeno moved her hips and the magic circles began to spin as the remaining snakes all charged at full speed. The raven haired beauty began to spin slowly while playing with her hands, the magic circles moving in sync and combining with each other.

All the while snakes attacked the trio, Tsubasa doing her best to protect her allies with minimum support as even if no more snakes were being created there was still a small army in the food court.

Despite that the lilac haired maiden was adoring the fight and the adrenaline as she pushed herself to her upper limits. However she never lost herself to it, an eye on Akeno at all times and so she noticed when the Queen’s movements grew more definitive. Didn’t take a genius to figure out something was coming and that was when she noticed how few snakes were left.

And how the magic circles had combined into three big ones as Akeno’s arms moved around her head before moving around in the air. Her voice grew louder as she poured all her emotions in the song making the magic stronger. That would be the most powerful attack she ever conceived without unleashing her true nature.

Tsubaki also noticed what was coming and channeled much of her mana into a huge magic circle to try and shoot down Akeno’s. Rules were irrelevant because she knew if that attack got out she and Ruruko would be down for the count. So all was expelled into a blast the size of a mountain but the violet magic circles didn’t bulge.

At the very least the attack decimated all Lightning snakes but Tsubaki felt exhaustion and desolation as a serpent taller than her blast began to emerge from the magic circle and opened its hood to reveal Medusa’s symbol on its back.

Had that been the real article then that particular snake would be from the naja’s species despite its purple coloring and the different marks that looked like red snakes or lightning bolts with serpent heads on each side of the hood.

Then it opened its mouth and revealed fangs taller than the black haired girl, the Queen feeling a shiver of fear. She bit it back, focusing on the fight, but soon her senses told her that it wasn't the only one of its kind.

For there were three magic circles and so three naja-like serpents emerged from each, one to every remaining member of the Sitri Peerage present. “INCOMING!!!” Tsubaki did her best to warn as she prepared her sacred gear, hoping she could deal with all three attacks.

She couldn't and her allies knew this, Ruruko focusing all she had to force her Golden Eater to manifest one last time as her body began to burn from the inside. Devil or not she was pushing too hard but she intended to take the three serpents down for her friends.

A sentiment shared by Tsubasa but unlike her allies she didn’t have anything else to bring out but her shield. Holding it high the lilac haired girl prepared herself for the storm as the serpents raised up with the song before going down.

“I will take you down~” Were the last lyrics as Akeno went down to one knee as her hands slammed into the floor, the serpents moving in sink and attacking at the same time.

“Golden Spark!!!”

“Mirror Alice!!!”

Were heard with roars of determination as Lightning flashed and exploded around the area with flashes of purple light. It was a sight to behold in Akeno’s opinion and she couldn’t help but stand up and look at her hands with wonder as the power that propelled the spell, the ritual, left her.

Still the blast remained even as some of the Lightning was repelled or tried to escape but it wasn’t that simple as the serpents were minor Divine Beasts of considerable power. They were weaker than anything Medusa could make but their ability, the lingering Lightning that could be as deadly as a poison, was proof of their Divinity.

However the members of Sitri fought back with vigor, especially the golden Lightning that clashed against one of the serpents just as the attack connected. It increased the intensity of the initial explosion but at that point it wasn’t Akeno’s problem.

Nor was it her problem when another of her serpents clashed against a huge mirror and became a beam that was shot back towards the shopping center’s roof. That managed to stop that one completely on its tracks but the sacred gear didn’t protect Tsubaki from the other two and she was struck.

Certainly the serpent that caused the most damage was the one facing Galahad’s shield as Tsubasa hit it directly with all her strength, destroying it for sure but also unleashing its Lightning on the trio.

That was when the dome of light was formed, that was how they were punished for attacking Medusa’s High Priestess.

*Another Pawn was defeated from Sona’s Sitri side in a magnificent display of Divine favor! Is this the power devils can expect when they pray to gods?!*

That was all Akeno managed to hear before her senses screamed of danger. A furious and slightly burned Tsubasa came flying from the lightning shield first. She was so fast the Queen was barely fast enough to raise her arms and make a hasty shield. It was barebones at best so it easily shattered on impact, the ravenhead taking the hit on her arms.

In that position Tsubasa had the advantage and she kept pushing with every intention of crushing Akeno against a wall. But the hybrid fought back, her feet slowing them down as more chains escaped her sleeves to tie themselves around the shield. Trapping the shield wasn’t the goal, they were moving to reach Tsubasa’s arm.

Which they did and the shield wielder screamed before that scream of pain turned into a roar of greater fury as they hit a wall despite Akeno’s best efforts. The lilac haired girl then moved her Noble Phantasm enough so she could punch the ravenhead on the face. Twice over she successfully hit the Queen before Thunder exploded and sent her flying away.

Doing a flip in the air, the Rook landed safely on her feet before charging against her opponent only to freeze in place and raise her shield as several chains with Lightning and Thunder Spheres raining in her area.

Galahad’s Noble Phantasm took many hits but couldn’t stop the momentum being generated for each new explosion and impact. Tsubasa was pushed back further as Akeno took the initiative back and joined her hands to gather power. Once again she was about to hold her Holy Lightning back but thought better of it.

‘The Noble Phantasm can take it.’ She concluded with a grin as Holy Lightning danced and she had to actively hold back her true wings. “Lightning Bolt!!”

Still with her shield raised high, Tsubasa didn’t even see when the attack hit her. But she certainly felt it, every last bit of it.

Compared with the attacks from before that new violet Lightning was cataclysmic in scope and so powerful that it covered her whole body. Galahad’s shield still absorbed most of its energy but there was something missing in its defense, something whose abstinence made it less complete.

Akeno realized it with a frown as she studied the fallen shield still on Tsubasa’s hand as she barely held herself up with it. The Noble Phantasm looked pristine as always but the girl’s burns were severe and even most devils would have died because of them. If anything the ravenhead thought they would be worse, shield or not.

But something was odd and so she took a risky decision. Opening her bat-like wings and warming up her circuits slightly, Akeno approached the Rook with a short flight.

Tsubasa was still stunned as her body was burning all over, the might of Holy Lightning was terrible in truth, both her skin and nerves were damaged. Had it not been for Galahad’s Noble Phantasm and her connection with it, she would be dead but instead she was slowly recovering.

Only to jump to her feet in shock as Akeno landed in front of her and placed a hand on the shield. Tsubasa tried to react by slamming the woman with her weapon but the hybrid easily jumped over the shield, hit her leg with a swift kick and pushed her on the floor. A new chain was on the Queen’s hand an instant later, its nail piercing the opening between the sleeve and leotard to force the shield wielder to let it go.

If it was either the stab or the new Lightning charge which did it neither was sure but Tsubasa finally let the shield fall from her hand and Akeno didn’t hesitate to take it before jumping as far away as she could.

Structural Analyzing a Noble Phantasm wasn’t something simple. She wasn’t Shirou and he would have problems with shields by default but Akeno did her best in the second she had with it.

It helped that she was looking for specific pieces, one in particular that should be at the very top of any other information if the Noble Phantasm was being used properly and at full capacity.

Something essential for all Noble Phantasms; its name.

A second ticked down and while Akeno couldn't dive too far she couldn’t help but smile even as Tsubasa jumped towards her for another furious assault. Galahad’s shield flickered and disappeared from the Queen’s hands and returned to the Rook’s to smash the floor. Its lower tip almost hit the ravenhead but she dove down and jumped to the side.

Using her shield as leverage, Tsubasa stopped herself from going too far and turned around close enough to continue the fight with a swipe of her Noble Phantasm aimed towards the Queen’s head.

Only that her opponent was already moving away with a playful smile.“You don’t have it… do you? Its name.” Akeno commented and the Rook froze. “That is why even if it is a shield you are barely using it right. In fact, I think you are doing way worse than you could since the mana used by it is less than a grain of sand compared with what it can really do. Ball parking a little, of course.” It was provoking, playful and a bait to make her opponent upset.

“Shut up!” Tsubasa charged and began to throw a fast sequence of attacks. All of which Akeno dodged or blocked by generating a chain and using it to hold the shield in place, close to hitting her midriff. “This is my Noble Phantasm and-”

“Oh but it isn’t. It isn’t even borrowed.” Those words stung deep because something inside the Rook told her Akeno was telling an undeniable truth. “You know the Heroic Spirit’s name but not his weapon. To you, to Olga and to Sona it was just ‘the Round Table’. Fufufu. It is so much more than that.”

Akeno saw the true power of a Noble Phantasm, actually she saw the true power of several but the closest comparison she could make was a shield with another shield and Shirou’s Rho Aias was superior to the giant piece of metal Tsubasa was flunging around which she knew should be impossible.

And it was, Galahad’s shield was inherently superior and she didn’t even need her boyfriend to confirm it. “Why aren’t you manifesting its true form? Its real defense?” Akeno asked with mirth as Tsubasa tried to keep pushing but failed miserably as the Queen easily deflected the attack and danced around the follow up. “A Noble Phantasm is more than just a thing. It is an understatement with the World, a Legend given life. As far as we can see, all you are doing is flunging a table around.” She tapped the shield and dodged just in time from a hit to her chest. From behind the shield user she used her chains like whips and Tsubasa crashed on the floor. “You aren’t really using its best qualities, its real defense, so as a shield it falls short!”

Her last piece said several chains slammed down on Tsubasa’s position with their nails pulsing with Lightning. It was supposed to be a finisher but the Sitri Rook abandoned the shield and managed to roll away and get to her feet. Using her arms and with a roar the Rook charged at Akeno in her all fours much to her surprise but the Queen jumped over her.

Fine for Tsubasa who called Galahad’s shield and used it as a platform to jump back and throw a punch on Akeno’s cheek. That one she couldn’t dodge and it was just the first hit as the Rook followed up with another two punches and a kick to her shoulder. Without the shield she was much faster and it took a second for Akeno to adjust.

But it also just cemented what she had figured out on the Queen’s mind. “I knew it!” Akeno shouted as she blocked a knee to her stomach, pushed back and stabbed Tsubasa’s leg. The Rook of Sitri tried to follow up with a punch to the head but Akeno dodged and hit her side with an elbow. “You really can’t use it fully at all. Sure you know how to use it as a shield but not as Galahad’s shield!”

She kicked the boot covered left heel before creating and slamming a Thunder Sphere in the center of Tsubasa’s chest. The girl vomited blood but Akeno changed the sphere into a nail and prepared to end everything. Only for Tsubasa to grab her arm and use her feet as leverage for a toss that the Queen was nimble enough to recover and land safely.

“You aren’t its owner.” Akeno affirmed as Lightning grew more intense around her. Her chains grew stronger as their tips gained hooks once more. “You aren’t even a real user, you are just bonded with it. Raijin!”

As quickly as she could Tsubasa called her shield and the impact’s sound was loud like a gong that threatened to deafen her. She forced herself to hold the shield with both hands as she was sent flying until her back hit the floor. Akeno was already retrieving her chain and charging with even more power, ready for the rebound.

“Noble Phantasm or not, that is more than the Round Table. It was part of an ideal that Caliburn and Excalibur fought to preserve.” Akeno's power grew even as she held her true nature in check. Bat-like wings manifested to help focus on her Evil Piece’s power, she began spinning her chain. “If a half backed Rho Aias is stronger than that shield, capable of protecting more than that shield, then it is because you are failing on using it!”

With a mighty throw the chain flew faster than the Lightning which it was made of but Tsubasa managed to hold it back, a look of fury in her eyes as she refused to submit. Mana flowed from her body and she pushed it on the shield and tried to unlock something, something she knew was there but couldn’t access.

However Akeno was right, she wasn’t the owner of the shield in any level and wasn’t even acknowledged by it. Galahad wasn’t there and so the shield lost, her footing was lost and she was hit by the full might of Raijin.

A world of pain confused Tsubasa as her shield stopped the chain but not the Lightning and so for the instant the two made contact she felt like a leaf being consumed by a forest fire. Sure it wasn’t Holy Lightning but its power couldn't be denied and shouldn’t be underestimated as she quickly learned.

The contact between chain and shield lasted less than a second as the Noble Phantasm repealed the attack the instant of contact but at that point the damage was already down, Tsubasa falling to her knees without air from screaming.

But she hadn't retired and so Akeno wasn’t done. ‘Whatever powers that shield is giving you,’ she thought while taking a deep breath, ‘probably doesn’t compare to the real deal. But that isn’t my problem.’

Her chains pulsed as she changed its composition since she expected some sort of resistance. Tsubasa certainly was going to make her best attempt as she was already back on her feet, shield front and center. It wasn’t going to be enough to stop the next attack as Akeno was getting ready to bring down the Thunder.

However, someone else was on the wings, waiting for Akeno to unleash her attack. That person had been observing the last few seconds of combat with a grimace but chose to not interfere. It wasn’t much of a choice as it was her weakness that strayed her hand and despite managing to heal her wounds she was on her last legs.

That and also the fact that both warriors were far stronger than her but Tsubaki knew that from the very beginning. Her previous duty was always to stall Akeno, never beat her and the fact that Tsubasa wasn’t doing much better proved how strong the Gremory Queen was. Any straight fight was pointless.

No, what she needed was an opportunity and while some had appeared during the fight Tsubaki stayed back and waited. Patiently, calmly, coldly for even when the combat turned brutal and her ally suffered she remained hidden.

Moving around the empty food court, doing her best to hide behind rocks and debris while dragging herself around as silently as possible. When Tsubasa fell after her connection with Galahad’s shield was questioned she knew that was the best opportunity she would have.

The first attack was strong but the Noble Phantasm managed to deflect it, of that she was sure. Yet there was still damage done and her friend fell, time running out as the end was near. If anything the Sitri Queen was impressed that Akeno held back her more sadistic tendencies and prepared to deliver the final blow.

A blow Tsubaki would see reflected.

Lightning pulsed, the Thunder had taken its form and Akeno threw the chain with her left hand at speeds the Rook could barely keep up with, certainly the Sitri Queen couldn’t.

But she had jumped preemptively. “Mirror Alice!!” Her sacred gear manifested in full, its crystalline surface forming perfectly.

A clean mirror without ornaments reflected Akeno who had a happy expression despite its apparent threat. Tsubaki couldn’t see the priestess but knew there was no stopping that attack and soon it would be over.

However, not the way Tsubaki intended because she completely forgot that Akeno’s attack wasn’t a blast or just Lightning, it was a chain and like any chain it had limits in its extension unless the hybrid said so.

So the Sitri Queen was utterly blind the when chain pulsing with Lightning stopped just shy of touching Mirror Alice, just shy of having all its power thrown back at its owner. But no contact meant no activation, exactly as the hybrid had planned.

And Himejima Akeno never lost sight that there were two opponents in the area. ‘Did you think I forgot about you?’ She thought in an amused tone nobody could hear as the chain’s links began to shrink from her left hand and move to her right as she threw her weight that side. ‘Because I didn’t~’

In a second much of the Lightning had transformed into Thunder just as Akeno had planned and prepared for. That last attack was too tempting for Tsubaki to let it through and so the ravenhead made it look threatening despite its inability to connect with the shield user.

By itself that attack was just an overly exaggerated feint, one that the Queen of Sitri fell for and so Akeno could throw the real attack with her other arm. Like the dancer she became over the last month she completed an elegant spin with her right hand open and unleashing a new chain in an arch.

On its tip there was no nail or hook that time but instead a huge Thunder Sphere, taller than the priestess, perfect and powerful.

For the God of Thunder had many names.

“Raiden!!!” The attack flew faster than Tsubaki could react and only she saw the violet light coming when it was covered by Tsubasa’s back, shield ready.

It wasn’t enough and Galahad’s shield let out a ‘mournful’ gong-like cry at being hit harder than anytime else during that match. It wasn’t its fault its user was lacking, neither was Tsubasa for she was truly trying.

Thunder still carried her and Tsubaki away as both felt Akeno’s crushing power and collided with one of the many restaurants that surrounded the food court with an impact that made the building shake a little.

For a moment there was silence and Akeno looked at the damage with wide eyes, blinking in confusion when she wasn’t forcibly retired from the match. ‘They should have made the rules more clear… Or not made them at all… If I find who ever had that stupid idea I will-’

Then she heard Naud’s announcement. *Thunder has fallen and a Queen has been defeated! All hail the might of Akeno Himejima, Lady Medusa’s High Priestess.*

‘At least that is good advertisement.’ Akeno giggled as her chains wrapped themselves around her arms. “You still up, Tsubasa-chan?”

Lo and behold the lilac haired girl stood from the debris with several wounds and bleeding from her arms, forehead and legs. One eye was shut, covered by blood, and one of her legs was bent out of place awkwardly. Bonded to a Noble Phantasm or not, blocking Raiden was never on the cards without her shield’s True Name.

Just surviving it and the girl paid a hefty price in Akeno’s opinion.

“I’m not done… just yet.” Tsubasa claimed with deep breaths, taking a step forward with her wounded leg before bending down and moving it back in place with a loud ‘crack’, much to Akeno’s horror. “You’re going to pay for that.”

Recovering from her opponent’s painful action, the Daughter of Baraquiel replied with a firm expression. “Had your group not brought Noble Phantasms then this would have been far less painful.”

“Just shut UP!!!!” Tsubasa charged once again and without anyone else in the way Akeno unleashed her power freely.

Lightning struck the shield and the lilac haired girl kept pressing until she reached the priestess. Only it wouldn't be that easy as Akeno knew she had no intentions of dodging, her straightforward approach for combat more than evident from previous charges. All the ravenhead did was throw Lightning until they were close and side stepped the attack.

Tsubasa saw Akeno escaping and grunted, slamming her foot on the floor for a hard left turn, throwing her shield at the Queen. The priestess dodged the Noble Phantasm and hastily raised her arms up to stop a punch which was followed by a kick which connected with her midriff.

Keeping the offensive going, the Rook went for a knee attack which she converted into a kick once it was dodged and countered with a spin and back hand. Both women hit each other as their weapons returned to their hands.

Eyes locked into each other they knew the fight wasn’t over. ‘What is going to take to beat her down?’ Akeno asked herself as Tsubasa roared again, unwilling to lose.

…

Hearing that Akeno defeated two more people didn’t help much with Ise’s mood. ‘Fuck Noble Phantasm!!’ Were his last thoughts before his shoulder collided with a wall. Slowly the armored Pawn stood up with a growl of anger. ‘Seriously, fuck them.’

[Now, now. That is hardly fair.] Said Ddraig calmly. Too calmly for his partner’s tastes. [The problem here isn’t the Noble Phantasm. The problem here is your fucking teacher who can’t stay still!!]

Even the Original Red Dragon Emperor was growing increasingly frustrated with the man’s tactics as the History teacher no longer tried to attack or challenge them in any way. Standing in a slightly different posture the black haired man had his palms open and his legs leaning to the side, ready to run.

Powering himself up Ise charged again for a powerful punch but the slower Piece evaded the hit, the follow up and the upper cut that should have taken his head off. The man kept dancing and slowly stepping back as the Gremory Pawn kept attacking, always avoiding everything by a hair tread.

It didn’t make any sense for the two as they were much quicker, their speed Boosted to Ise’s limit and at speeds that would break most traffic laws in any Reality. Certainly faster than the Sitri Knight and yet he was still dodding and the Red Dragon Emperor was losing his mind.

His aura focused around his arm and Ise began to prepare a truly explosive blow only for several stacks of paper to slam him from the side and throw him off balance. It was Issei who, supported by Momo and his remained ofudas, unleashed his small army in a wave to buy their teacher some time.

Time that Kuzuki used to grab Ise’s arm and flip the Pawn over his shoulder towards one of the stores, using the Red Dragon Emperor’s mass to his advantage. “Great job, Sensei!” Momo celebrated, Issei smiling in agreement as he grabbed some of his paper army and began to write on them with his mana. “Do you need any more?”

“Keep your energy up, Hanakai-kun. This costs less than nothing.” Since his technique used his opponent’s emotions he wouldn’t need much.

Kuzuki motioned them to step away with his hand. “Remember to keep your distance. We are barely causing any damage.”

*Scale Mail has no recorded weaknesses other than Dragon Slayer weapons.* Sona commented on her Pieces’ ears, watching from afar and ready to help. Besides the ones close to her they had only Tsubasa in combat and she feared for her Rook. *Issei, how is the work doing?*

“Already made another thirty ofudas, Kaichou!” A piece of information his namesake heard and couldn't help but groan.

‘Dammit!’ Powering up his aura, Ise didn’t attack immediately as he tried to figure out the best way to win. ‘It’s like he can see where I attack before I do it.’

[Like if he could see the future- That is it! He can do it.] Exclaimed Ddraig with realization.

‘He can see the future?’ Ise doubted that. Previous experience told him that wasn’t the case and Kuzuki had some sort of trick.

[Not the future but your stance, your maneuvers, your muscles. Even beneath my scales that man has been able to read all you have been doing because of his own control.] Disbelief colored Ddraig’s tone but the dragon didn’t hold it back. He was impressed. [Move your legs a little, see what he does.]

Ise moved his left leg slightly, Kuzuki lowering his shoulders like he was about to dash again. ‘Crap, he has me pegged already?’ He jumped on a run in the opposite direction but Kuzuki leaned to the side and stopped him from exiting the store without destroying a wall. It was another thing the teacher was very good at, to always be between Ise and the other Sitri members. ‘You gotta be kidding me!’

[His fighting ability is off the charts. Just by fighting you for a few minutes he already picked up most of your habits.]

‘So all that training to get good at stances and stuff was for nothing?!’ Ise was growing increasingly pissed. ‘Screw that! I ain’t losing here. If he can guess my moves from how I position… then I just have to go from one to one hundred faster than he can react!’

With that in mind Ise abandoned his runner stance and stood straight with his armor’s wings positioning themselves behind him. Kuzuki’s expression didn’t change but his stance became more reserved and defensive, pretty much confirming Ddraig’s theory.

However, while that nullified the Knight’s advantage, they had a problem. [Where do we go from here?] Ise didn’t reply. Ddraig didn’t blame him. [We can’t just throw mana around willy nilly and-]

‘Give me a sec, Ddraig. Let me cook for a bit.’ Ise replied quietly, his mind running loose. “I think I got you now, Sensei.” As expected the man gave no response even as the red aura grew heavier. “Here I go!!” But Ise didn’t move and neither did Kuzuki. “What do you have, nerves of steel?” The Knight stayed mute. “Come on, teach. Give me something to work here. Aren’t you going to praise your favorite student?”

That got a reaction from his namesake and Momo more than anything since Ise was far from being the favorite but the teacher remained passive, calm, his core strong as he was ready for any move.

Except the one that Ise made which was to turn around and offer his back. “Crud, and here I thought your classes were boring. This fight is making me sleepy.” He let out a fake yawn that nobody was falling for since they all felt he was beginning to form a Dragon Shot in front of him. “This way I'm gonna have to,” his power was glowing brightly, “blow you all up!”

Everyone rushed for cover but instead of a powerful blast what they received was a fog made of red aura that while hot to the touch it was mostly harmless. That and also Ise himself who flew through it max speed, ignoring Kuzuki and aiming to take out his own namesake.

Issei’s preparations were far from done so he was exposed, forcing Momo to push him away which saved him from the strong tackle that shoved the Bishop into a wall. Knowing his priorities Ise let the white haired girl fall as he turned towards his namesake who raised seven of his talismans to form a star.

“Restrict!” Ordered the Pawn and his mana pulsed as ropes of mana tied themselves around the Red Dragon Emperor. Ise didn’t even notice them and kept going with his attack, punching his fellow Pawn in the gut and drawing blood. “Gark!”

He had enough time to turn when Kuzuki had returned with a double kick on his chest that managed to push the armored fighter back before it was followed up with a crouch, uppercut and a fast sequence of punches.

All of which had no effect on Ise and if anything  was harming Kuzuki’s hands until Ise decided to counter attack with a roar, his fist making contact and breaking Kuzuki’s arm.

[Don’t let up!]

“I know!” He tried to grab Kuzuki’s neck but the man managed to move just enough to sacrifice his shoulder. Red claws stabbed deep and Ise could see victory in sight.

Unfortunately his fist never reached Kuzuki’s face as a literal ton of water slammed on his side. He tried to hold on Kuzuki but his claws ended up tearing through flesh and allowing the man to escape as the water focused on pushing him further back while focusing on a single point. Stabbing his wings on the walls he recovered his balance but multiple light blue magic circles showed up and increased the pressure.

Sona Sitri wasn’t the most powerful pureblood devil but she was still one of the Pillars whose lineage was selected carefully to allow her mana reserves to be more than just considerable and her skills with magic were enough that Rias considered her a worthy rival while growing up.

Once she heard her Pieces were about to be defeated she didn’t hesitate and jumped out of her hiding spot, throwing everything she had at the Gremory Pawn. Fortunately, despite being pressed by the Red Dragon Emperor, the members of her peerage positioned themselves in such a way that even if captured she would have a clear shot.

And she took it with gusto, unloading more thin jets of water that could cut through metal and sending them Ise’s way. It was a true ton of water volume focused in a single point and unleashed faster than any hose’s pressure. Then, once her Knight was safe, she created nine more magic circles and aimed the same pressures to different parts of Ise’s body.

However he was the Red Dragon Emperor and had attained his Balance Breaker, several jets of water wouldn't cut it, no matter how much pressure Sona managed to make. Which was fine because her interruption did several other things besides exposing her location.

It freed her Knight and with him standing it wasn’t long before the others would be back on their feet. “Pain Breaker.”

Medea’s Noble Phantasm covered not only Kuzuki but also Issei and Momo in its aura of healing born of love. Much like with just the teacher it was like time was walked back, the trio’s wounds healing at a rapid pace still impressive no matter how much the audience and Sona saw from it.

They all stood up quickly and began to enact one of Sona’s several plans for that sort of situation, none of which involved the Red Dragon Emperor in particular but plenty that dealt with creatures more powerful than themselves.

For Issei was still on the match and with a powerful magic circle he began to send his talismans at his namesake in force. “Weight of the Sinner.” They struck anywhere where his King wasn’t hitting, all talismans locking on Ise’s form.

But they weren’t alone as Momo made several magic circles around the area and began to send her magic around Ise’s body with the objective of increasing the gravity around the Red Dragon Emperor.

It was a Supporter skill that demanded a great quantity of mana, useless when the opponent was stronger than them but its goal wasn’t to win by itself. Instead it would make the other attacks more painful as Ise began to roar in agony from Issei’s Weight of the Sinner and Sona’s water jets that started to penetrate his armor.

A roar that turned into fury and had the Pawn unleashing more of his power against his opponents. “Dragon Shot!!”

Without any means to cause any damage, Kuzuki threw himself in front of the attack with the best magic circle he could make in his free hand. He ended up losing that hand with the explosion but he kept his allies safe while the damage itself wasn’t really a problem.

“Pain Breaker.” And so his arm was back and Ise was more furious but couldn’t help but fall to a knee, holding his arm up to try and block some of the water.

“Keep going!” Ordered Sona. “He is going to fall soon enough.”

“No way in hell!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!” Ise roared with a greater fury as his power surrounded his body with flames manifesting around the Scale Mail.

“He is doing that again!” Issei commented as he summoned some more of his paper men and used a hand to make them into more talismans. “He is going to burn all my ofudas at this rate.”

“Get ready.” Sona didn’t need to say it but it helped her focus as she summoned more two magic circles to push Ise back. “That will be our opening. We wait for his power to explode and then crush him!”

“It won’t be… that easy!” Ise opened his mouth for another roar and a huge fireball appeared in front of his helmet.

For a moment they all expected an attack to break their formation but, to everyone’s shock instead Ise unleashed a flamethrower on himself, melting much of the floor.

At that point both Sona and Issei ceased their attacks, knowing they were doing nothing while Momo tried to keep pushing only to be blown back from some sort of recoil. The Heiress of Sitri took it as a signal and focused all her magic on a huge magic circle that unleashed a torrent in the Red Dragon Emperor’s direcion.

Her peerage expected that and took flight quickly as the attack would banish away the flames and pin the Pawn of Gremory once more for them to follow it up as they wished.

Except that didn’t end up happening as the fire grew intense to the point the water was turning into vapor a whole meter away from the Red Dragon Emperor whose new form looked more akin to a demon coming from hell.

Indeed it was a comparison many watching made and which managed to silence Yoruichi, Naud and Diehauser, two of them couldn't believe what they were seeing while the yokai was just impressed by the heat Ise had to be emanating.

Not that anyone doubted it since his whole armor was covered in flames which exited from every apparent opening it had including his mouth. Only his eyes and the gems around his body retained their green color as the rest of it turned into a deeper shade of red due to the heat.

Even his wings looked like a dragon’s wings no longer as they were like two huge fans of fire on his back that dominated the area he was floating on. Floating because his body was so hot that if he was standing anywhere it would be melting, if it wasn’t already melted at least.

For Ise had attained a new technique to counter his opponents, one which would negate Sona’s water, get rid of Issei’s talismans and repel Kuzuki’s hands. He was now wearing two armors; Scale Mail and a flame like coat born from his power.

Staring at his hands, watching the flames dance around, the Red Dragon Emperor chuckled. “Looks like it worked.” Ddraig said nothing, also impressed that his partner managed to focus his flame much like he learned to do with his aura. “I think I’m going to call this Scarlet Mail. What do you guys think?” Used to Kuzuki at that point he wasn’t expecting a response but took some delight in the looks of horror from the remaining Sitri members’ faces. ‘Starting to see why Akeno-senpai likes to play so much.’

Either way the Pawn took advantage of his new form and used his wings for propulsion, suddenly accelerating without making any preparations. Still Kuzuki had already positioned himself in front of his comrades, already anticipating Ise’s move to take the Sitri King down.

In fact everyone anticipated that, it was the most obvious move and with Sona in front of him she was a target too tempting to ignore. Issei raised his hands to call a magic circle much like Momo even if she aimed it to the floor as she abandoned any attempt to weaken Ise.

When the Red Dragon Emperor blasted forward he immediately crashed on Kuzuki and the man managed to hold on for one second. He didn’t perceive pain, didn’t demonstrate it, showed it or even gave any indication he was being attacked at all. Except his body did and it was clear to see.

After all he began to catch fire the instant the two devils made contact, Ise’s flames covering them both and the heat destroying his flesh just as his clothes turned to ash. The Knight managed to hold Ise down for one second as his hands were covered with magic circles which protected him for that length of time before he lost them.

Then the first second passed and the Rating Game’s spells took him away, saving the teacher’s life for even if he could have used Pain Breaker he would be dead by the next second of close contact with the Red Dragon Emperor.

Who kept going at ludicrous speeds as several walls of mana appeared in his path, all of which were destroyed by his might. That extra second was still enough for Issei to open a magic circle big enough to fill the hallway and unleash his whole army of paper men against Ise. Every single one of them was empowered by magic.

They turned into ash either way and the black haired boy couldn’t even look astounded as the flaming dragon approached. Later he would only remember heat before passing out, the Rating Game judges pulling him out before the hit actually came due to Kuzuki’s injuries despite only a second having passed.

For they were the first to see the damage and remember the old fear all devils once held.

Fear from being caught in the Red Dragon Emperor’s path.

Issei’s disappearance surprised the dragon for a moment as his flames decimated everything around him. Glass and floor melted, clothing articles caught fire just from being in the vicinity, leather turned to ash from a wing’s touch. Then the moment passed and Ise decided to focus on the remaining Sitri devils.

Momo had already lifted a wall of stone at that point as Sona flew away with the goal of joining with Tsubasa as Galahad’s Noble Phantasm was her last hope. Her Bishop lasted as long as her wall, passing out much like her teammate did, the Red Dragon Emperor’s eyes locking on his target as he took a deep breath.

“Blaze Meteor Shot!”

Calling his attack a fireball would be understating it since the flames were so thick that they looked like molten lava flying straight towards Sona. Older devils and Rating Game veterans recognized that attack since they saw a very similar technique from another dragon. It was Tannin’s personal skill and something Ise caught up over the month.

When Sona looked back she knew she was done and closed her eyes in resignation. Thanks to her position as Heiress and the fact nobody expected her to survive such a hit the flames never reached since the judges saved her before it landed. Her ears were soon filled with the cheering of the crowd as her feet landed in the stadium.

*That is it! The match is over! King Sona Sitri was forcibly retired against the might of the RED DRAGON EMPEROR!!!!!* Naud announced for everyone to hear, making the result more than clear as the cheers got louder. *Wouldn't you two say it was a brilliant match?!*

*Oh yeah, they all got way stronger over the last month.* They all could hear Yoruichi fake ‘sniffs’. *They grow so fast. Noble Phantasms are still bullshit though. Nyahahaha~*

*Must I remind you that this is a transmission for all ages, Lady Yoruichi?*

*I can say for certain that I can’t wait to see any of them join the circuit proper.* Lord Belial affirmed and Sona turned to see the trio of commentators in one of the many screens.

By her side she could hear others, also being teleporting in but most of her attention was on the distant ball of heat that was Hyoudou Issei who looked around in confusion, flames still covering his form.

On the other side she noticed Akeno and Tsubasa with their hands locked, mana exploding around them as they didn’t even notice they were removed from the arena. To Tsubasa’s side was her shield but the girl continued to try and match Medusa’s priestess in a competition of pure strength.

“I think you three can stop.” Rias’ melodic voice caught her friend’s attention and the Heiress of Sitri turned to see the redhead with a hand on her hip and a smile on her face, Asia and Kiba by her side. “Looks like we won, Sona.”

With those words all fighting ceased as Akeno let her power go and Tsubasa wasn’t caught off guard since she did the same before taking a step back. “Shit.” WIth her wounds the former bluehead stumbled and almost fell down only for someone to grasp her arm.

“You did your best.” The Queen consoled the girl with a smirk. “But we were better.”

“Next time I’m going to get you.” Replied the Rook with an angry grin, clearly bitter. ”Count on it.”

“But until then… wanna me to heal you?” Asked the priestess generously.

“If you don’t mind...” Akeno raised an eyebrow and Tsubasa rolled her eyes. “Yes, oh High Priestess of Medusa. Please, be kind and-”

“You don’t need that much.”

“Asia! Buchou!” Ise retreated his flames but kept his armor going as he approached his King. “I kicked ass back there! You guys should have seen it. Also I didn’t break anything!”

[Almost anything.]

“I wish we could have watched, Ise-san.” Asia told the Red Dragon Emperor as she approached. When she touched his arm Sona half expected the formed nun to lose a finger but Scale Mail had become cool to touch once more. “So this is your Balance Breaker. Congratulations.”

‘Now both Dragon Emperors have their Scale Mails. Need to make sure Vali doesn’t start anything.’ Rias also approached her Pawn with a proud smile. “Indeed, indeed. You deserve a reward my Ise. Tell me, do you want something once we return to Fuyuki.”

“Wait, I can get anything? Then I want- Ehhhhhhhh…” Rias giggled as despite the helmet she could imagine his face as he tried to fumble on his request which would obviously be something perverted.

Also extremely hard to do with Asia around but depending on what it was, Rias would grant it. ‘If he asks for some breasts it would be hard asking some girls in the adult entertainment industry to give some of their time.’ Looking at the audience the Heiress knew she wouldn’t even have to get that far. “Look, Ise, you are on the screen.”

Not realizing it was a distraction, the Red Dragon Emperor turned to look up. “I’m? I’m!” Quickly the red clad Pawn began to flex his muscles and the people were loving it. “Hell yeah! Check out the Red Dragon Emperor! The Strongest Dragon Emperor!!”

[You said it, Partner!!]

“He is really excited. Can hardly believe he can keep Scale Mail going like that.” Kiba commented as he relaxed. The moment they were teleported he had let go of his own Balance Breaker, having kept it up just in case of a surprise attack. “You better do something about it, Asia.”

“Huh? Why? He seems to be having fun.”

“If anything, he is grabbing more attention from children than anyone else.” Rias commented with a shrug, not actually surprised that many young devils were jumping up and down everytime Ise moved. “Can’t blame them, his armor looks cool.”

“Cooler than Shirou-kun’s?” Akeno asked as she and Tsubasa approached. The lilac haired girl was covered in light for a moment and in the next she was back on her school uniform, Galahad’s shield having returned to her soul.

“Nope.” The redhead replied, turning back to a silent Sona. “It was a tough match for sure.”

Fixing her glasses, the Sitri Heires came closer to her Gremory counterpart. “Yes, not bad for our first one.” Tsubasa moved to stand besides her King looking upset but the petite pureblood placed a hand on her shoulder. “We did our best and almost won.” The shielder nodded her head and looked up with firm eyes.

Rias didn’t have the heart to disagree. “Either way, I think you got plenty of brownie points with the Ancient Devils. I bet most of them are going to be saying you won by the end of the day.”

A political victory more than any since her peerage stood against a clearly stronger opponent and revealed the Sitri Clan new bargain chip in the form of Noble Phantasms. Their defeat also wasn’t a bad one since they took down several of Rias’ Pieces which would only increase the appeal of their methods while opening the way for their goals.

Yet that just didn’t sit well with the Sitri Heiress who saw that despite dozens of advantages and having most of the rules skewed in her favor she still fell short from her oldest friend on many categories.

“A loss is a loss.” Sona did her best to smile and hold back tears. She bit the inside of her cheek as her friend came closer and offered a hand. “Good game.” She said before Rias could.

With an honest smile, they both shook hands. “Good game.”

*With that show of sportsmanship, ladies and gentlemen, please applaud our competitors!* Naud didn’t actually need to say anything, people were already doing so.

Congratulations came in many forms but the applause and the cheering were the most prevalent. Both women had their faces plastered on the crystal ball individually and it was clear when Rias’ face appeared that the people loved her more if the roar of the crowd was any indication.

Soon the faces of all surviving Pieces were shown with several statistics like damage done, defeated opponents and MVP, Most Valuable Piece, given to Hyoudou Issei for defeating more opponents and finishing the match pretty much by himself.

“Okay everyone. We are done basking in the applause.” Rias commented, Sona nodding in agreement.

“Time to go and face the rest of the music.”

“The nobles?” Akeno asked, blushing a little as the highlights began to show her singing and dancing. “Oh dear Medusa.”

“Akeno-senpai is blushing.” Kiba said and a switch had been flipped as Ise and Asia quickly approached the Queen.

“Wait, really?”

“Let me see. Let me see.” Even the former nun was excited and the priestess just turned around and marched for the exit. “Wait, Akeno-san.”

Rias fell in step with the ravenhead first. “Fufufu. My, oh my. I wish I could have seen that live.” She giggled as violet eyes refused to meet her face. “Wonder when did you have time to work on a song like that? Beautiful composition.”

“Has Lord Lucifer been giving you tips?” Sona couldn’t help but ask. An opportunity for teasing Akeno was too rare to pass up. “Can we book shows? People will probably be excited about your next hit. The first was a masterpiece.”

“Scary as hell but now that I’m not being attacked by an army of snakes it’s kind of nice.” Tsubasa said with a grin to show she knew exactly what she was doing.

“Want me to electrocute you a bit more?” Most of the teasing was coming from her Peerage and Sona was a noble so touching her was a ‘no no’.

Tsubasa, on the other hand, was ‘free game’. “Anytime, anywhere, priestess.”

Both Kings found the interaction amusing and Rias turned at Sona with a smirk. “Already planning for a rematch?”

“You bet I am.” And there would be one, neither doubted it. “For now… Should we go to the hospital ward? Many of us aren’t here to hear the news and they all… they all deserve to hear how much of a good job they did.”

Her eyes turned up where the highlights began to show Saji’s sacrifice, Tomoe’s struggle and Tsubaki’s perseverance amongst many other moments that showed the Sitri Peerage in a positive light.

She knew the old guard was playing favorites still but that wasn’t one of the times anyone would find her complaining. If anything she was grateful to see how everyone did their best, pride swelling in her chest to the point it was close from busting. If anything the tears almost fell one more time and were she not on live television for all the Underworld to see she would have let them out in gratitude.

Victory or defeat, Sona was proud of her Peerage and would never dare to take them for granted or grow unappreciative of their presence. She always liked each and every one of them in her own way but seeing them fighting for her like they did in the game moved her heart.

Rias’ hand landed on her shoulder as she recognized the smile on her oldest friend's face. A smile she wore several times and revealed a deeper truth, a meaning beyond words. An understanding between the person and reality that the redhead found first in a forest then after her first Rating Game.

“Congratulations, Sona.” She whispered in her fellow Heiress’ ear. “You are an adult now.”

Sona couldn’t help but chuckle. “Is that so? Because I think I am still lacking.”

Blue eyes rolled with mirth but no chastisement. “We are always lacking something or another. Life is all about learning more.” She poked the other woman’s side, almost making her jump in front of all the Underworld. “The important thing is to realize when we make strides, either by ourselves or with the help of our friends. Today you learned something and I say you are now a real adult.” Rias stepped forward, waving to the crowd. “Carry it with you and make sure that in our next match you use those lessons so we can have a more complete Rating Game.”

“With no restrictive rules? As if.” Sona replied petulantly, surprising Rias. “Come with your best and I will do my best. Don’t expect me to not hold back if I can get a battlefield or rules in my favor.”

“Fair enough.” Was Rias Gremory's reply before she turned to her Pawn with a chuckle. “Come along, Ise! You can talk with your adoring fans later!”

“Right! Going, Buchou!” He and Asia quickly caught up with the other devils as they exited stage right while the crystal ball kept showing the highlights from the Rating Game. Only when they were inside the tunnel did the Gremory Pawn let go of his Balance Breaker, his head turning to Sona. “Sorry about the fire.”

“... Did you destroy my Knight’s arms?” Sona asked after remembering the last seconds of the game.

Everyone turned to look at Ise with clear worry and panic of which he was feeling it himself. “I did- I mean, I wasn’t- It was an accident!” He turned to Rias. “It was an accident.”

The redhead was quickly on his side, patting and embracing his head. “It is okay, Ise. I believe you.” She turned to Sona with clear concern in her eyes. “Don’t worry, the Gremory will compensate-”

“No need. Kuzuki-sensei Noble Phantasm can restore his arms once he wakes up.” Everyone from the Gremory looked at her in disbelief except for Ise who had a look of realization. “Yes, in this case it is now a repairable mistake but I recommend you learn to control your power, Hyoudou, else you may do something truly irreversible.”

Having completely forgotten he had destroyed Kuzuki’s arms several times during the fighting, Ise nodded fast several times, looking properly chastised. “Yes, Kaichou.”

[And the pride went out of the window again.] Ddraig commented in his host’s mind, not even bothered by the destruction they unleashed in a friendly match.

“Completely restoring someone’s arms was impossible until now.” Kiba voiced the majority’s disbelief.

Which made Tsubasa laugh. “That is the power of a Noble Phantasm! You all got lucky, we aren't used to them yet.”

“Sure that is the only problem.” Akeno commented sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

“But to regenerate limbs like that… It can only be a Miracle.” Asia said with a smile.

Sona smiled, fixed her glasses and started walking again. “It is Sitri’s Miracle. Who knows, maybe we will share one with you. Neither Akeno nor Koneko or Luvia have sacred gears so they may undergo the process.” She stopped, pinching her fingers. “For a price, of course.”

“Of course.” Rias said with relief as she noticed her Pawn’s even more relieved face. “Not that we need it. We will soon have our own special weapons.”

“Huh, call me when you see they aren’t as good as Noble Phantasms. I promise a friend’s discount.”

“You’re being too generous, Kaichou. You should demand ‘house and home’ for one of our Noble Phantasms.” Tsubasa called forth Galahad’s shield. “Maybe I should have my own fee since I’m part of the process.”

“If you want a raise, just say so. But for my friends, yes, I am giving them a discount.” Sona looked at Rias with a small smile. “Although…”

Blue eyes rolled despite the confusion their owner felt. “Yeah, yeah. Once Shiro gets his own work going a little more I will get a Noble Gear for you. By the way, how did you know about it?”

“I didn’t. Just figured out Emiya-kun would be working on something else after spending a month with Azazel.” Everybody knew the Gremory had fingers on that pie and Sona wasn’t an exception. “I shall wait for good news.”

Ise approached Kiba with a whisper. “Next Rating Game we won’t have to hold back, right? If I have to care about a mall again-”

“I am sure the two of them will find some way to make things more fair.” Kiba knew both Kings heard his words and wondered when that would happen.

With that in mind nobody was going to speak about another match for at least a while, certainly until after the Youth Gathering Tournament was finished and they had time to sharpen their fangs a little more.

What everyone really wanted to do at that moment was get back to their friends, see everyone alright and rest for a while. Regardless of politics, competition or old rivalries, they were all tired and in need of a break.

Unfortunately that appeared to be a far away dream as they went deeper in the stadium and began to hear loud voices. Voices that belonged not to fans but to two specific, a man and a woman, in a heated debate.

It was loud and both Heiresses could hear their names being thrown around, anyone in their peerages could hear them. “Do our siblings have something against how the match went?” Sona asked before frowning before her eyes went wide. “Wait-”

“Those aren’t our siblings’ voices.” Rias immediately grew worried and picked up the pace, an action mirrored by everyone in their group.

“You have no idea what you did!! Lucky for you Rias and her team were strong enough to stop things from escalating because most on Sona’s side didn’t know what they were doing!!”

“Definitively Shirou-kun.” Akeno commented and nobody could disagree.

Then the second voice surprised many. “My calculations were precise! Everything went as planned and not a single Noble Phantasm showed any signs of defect nor did they show signs of rejection!!”

“Olga?” Sona could hardly believe the meek and polite magus she made a Pact with could shout so loudly.

“I am sorry, were we watching the same game or didn’t you see how half of your team couldn't use their powers more than once?!!”

“Nothing that can’t be corrected with time and training!!”

“Fine! That wasn’t my problem anyway!! The problem is that you don’t know what you were doing when you shoved a Noble Phantasm in someone’s soul!!”

“They aren’t directly in the soul! They are connected to their Evil Pieces!!”

“And the Evil Pieces are connected to what? Their souls!!”

The group arrived to see the very odd sight of Shirou and Olga Marie standing at the infirmary’s doors with several people watching the confrontation. Part of the audience included the Heiresses' parents who looked absolutely confused, their siblings who watched everything nervously and Odin who found some popcorn.

That wasn’t even counting Azazel and Rossweisse who didn’t know what they should be doing, Xenovia who was behind Shirou with Durandal resting in her waist ready to be drawn, Liz just a step away from the Mage and ready to also step in and Setsuna stood in the close to the center but had taken a step back after failing to play peacemaker.

A frown grew in the hanyou beauty as she, like many others, lost the argument’s meaning between the fury and indignation of the magi. They needed someone who understood the situation a little better, Luvia being the closest one but she laid in her bet, also confused as she was missing some context.

Almost every Rating Game participant was in a similar state, all were healed thanks to Pain Breaker as Kuzuki had remained conscious long enough to fix himself and everyone else before properly passing out due to exhaustion.

The former assassin’s resilience was a sight to behold to anyone who watched him using his Noble Phantasm just after arriving in the place and taking his time to fix all his students. However fixed arms or not his nerves had been obliterated and reconstructed in a matter of moments and that was too much even for him.

The man was sound asleep, same way Issei and Momo were as they were the most recent arrivals who Ise promptly knocked out with pure heat alone for the most part.

All of that just spared them from the magi’s fight as the two of them had started the confrontation the moment they saw each other. Shirou had insisted they talked earlier but Olga ignored the request even when the redhead raised the compelling argument about possession.

An argument she shot down several times already. “None of them has any connection to a Heroic Spirit despite their Noble Phantasms! I made sure of that!”

“They all do but only one matters!” Shirou turned to the new arrivals and everyone followed his eyes. There were no congratulatory words or happiness from him, his eyes absolutely focused on someone he barely knew or talked to before. “Because if you can’t see the problem with Yura then I will call you blind! No, worse than blind! Even a blind man would be able to sense she is different!!”

“She is more connected than the others, I will give you that, but that is just because that Noble Phantasm had a physical form so she didn't have to contact any Heroic Spirit for it!” If anything Olga considered that a more secure alternative.

“Only that is exactly the problem!” Shirou replied swiftly, his eyes back on the girl’s as both glared at each other. Tsubasa had no idea why but the Mage of Sword’s presence was tickling her somehow. “Thinking that a Noble Phantasm was something that could be just stuck into a soul without any consequence is just hubris!!!”

“There are no signs of negative effects!!!”

“Look at her hair!!! That is just the surface!!!”

“Okay, okay. Both of you calm down.” Ajuka Beelzebub arrived from the opposite path that the competitors had arrived in with a huge medal engraved with ‘MVP’ in his hands. After receiving looks of gratitude from both his coworkers he focused on the magicians. “I could hear this discussion from the other side of the stadium and I sincerely hope you two weren’t trying to disturb our guests. Or did you all forget this is also a political event?”

Olga looked down, properly chastised, but Shirou just looked at the Maou and said, “This is important. She messed with someone’s soul-”

“Which I do on a daily basis, gods have been doing for millenia and as far as I could check, her process is 100% safe.” The Chief Scientist of the Underworld reiterated with a frown. “We know how dangerous Noble Phantasms can be but-”

“To the point of changing someone’s Origin completely?” Odin asked suddenly which silenced everyone. He took another mouthful of popcorn as everyone turned to him. “That is the problem, isn’t it?” His eye landed on Shirou as the magus nodded in silent gratitude.

“Buchou, is that bad?” Ise asked with barely a whisper.

A whisper Sirzechs heard. “Evil Pieces just add to someone’s Origin, putting Shadows and Darkness in their souls so they are more compatible with devilhood.” The redhead explained, looking at Tsubasa with a frown before turning to Ajuka. “But changing it completely…”

“Not in the original procedure…” Admitted Olga Marie, avoiding looking in everyone's eyes before the fire returned to her. “But that is minor and Tsubasa asked for it!”

“Minor?! Minor?!!” Shirou couldn’t believe what he heard. To be fair neither could the majority of the devils and even Rossweise winced at Olga’s words. “An Origin is the Core of someone’s personality? Their connection with the Root-”

“So only the Root could change an Origin that much anyway! That or full Reincarnation! She was already a devil!”

After a while, Luvia sat up from her bed, also fully healed thanks to Kuzuki, and spoke. “Shero, she is right. Adding to one’s Origin is viable but changing it completely can't be conceivable until after someone dies…”

“And properly dies.” Rossweisse added with emphasis as she locked eyes on Tsubasa. “As in they go through the proper Cycle and come back depending on their god.”

“Or the abstinence of one.” Rias pointed out, stepping besides Shiro to show her support.

Doubt filled the room as the majority didn’t dare to say anything as a more aware minority tried to piece the facts together to figure out if Shirou was right or wrong.

Silence descended for a moment as the Mage of Swords shook his head and pointed at Tsubasa who was glaring at him hatefully. “I bet whatever you guys want to bet, my soul, my secrets, hell, my eternal servitude, that whatever Origin she had is gone and that she now has a new one. Worse, without a Heroic Spirit to cull her Noble Phantasm presence on her soul, it probably already overwrote everything.”

“And what would that be?” Sona asked with dread as she had approved of the treatment.

Shirou and Tsubasa looked each other in the eyes as their very natures connected and somehow communicated. She could feel it, that connection, as if he was something she was supposed to hate and love at the same time, something belonging to her side and against her in the battlefield.

For he was a Sword. “Her Origin is Shield.”

…..