The Next Day

  When Natsuki woke up, it felt as if someone was trying to crack her skull open with an icepick.

  "What the fuck?" Natsuki moaned, pcing her arm over her face, closing her eyes tightly.

  "You are finally awake," Lux said aloud, her voice tight with worry.

  "Miss me?" Natsuki pyfully asked.

  "Natsuki, never absorb Senjutsu ever again. Promise me that you will not." Lux said humorlessly.

  "Trust me, I won't." Natsuki replied, "It feels like I just got run over by like thirty semitrucks. I can barely remember what happened after I did it. Do you know why that is?"

  Lux sighed, "Senjutsu is different from Magic and sorcery with the biggest difference is that it stresses the importance of Chakra, when using it, one can strengthen both their internal and external bodies, sense the Ki and Auras of others thus letting them track targets from far away distances, and see through illusions by detecting the flow of the spirit or Ki of others. It is even capable of inflicting internal damage on others by targeting their blood vessels and internal organs. By disrupting the Ki of their opponent's Ki or severing it, it is possible to cause direct damage to their spirit and life-force, and using this as an attack could result in killing their opponent. But Senjutsu has a fatal fw; while it lets the user read and handle spiritual power, it also takes in the malice and ill will that is constantly flowing through the world, corrupting the user, and forcing them into a berserker state when used carelessly."

  One of Lux's previous wielders was a Youkai who was well-versed in both Senjutsu and Youjutsu. Even amongst others of her species, she was considered a prodigy in both arts. Until she witnessed the brutal murder of her siblings at the hands of a once-defeated foe, and was unable to keep themselves from losing control of their power, leading to their own death shortly after.

  I can't let that happen again, not to Natsuki. Lux thought solemnly.

  "So that's the power that Koneko and her sister have?" Natsuki muttered.

  She could see why Koneko was so adamant about not using it, Senjutsu, from what little she could remember, felt like a never-ending rush, like she could do anything and not be held back by her body's limitations.

  But even so, that doesn't mean Koneko should be afraid of herself just because of what her sister has done with Senjutsu, Kuroka's actions are all her own.

  As Natsuki was lost in her thoughts, the door to her room opened, and she watched as the girl she had just been thinking about walked inside.

  "Natsuki-senpai." Koneko said, her eyes widening a bit when she caught Natsuki's gaze, "Y-you're awake."

  "Yeah, I am. How long was I out for?" Natsuki asked, sitting up and leaning back against her headboard.

  "It's been about ten hours, the party ended immediately when it was found out that my sis-that Khaos Brigade attacked us." Koneko said, looking down at the floor and refusing to look at the older Devil, "I should go tell the others that you're awake now. Asia-senpai will want to look over you again."

  "Koneko, wait." Natsuki called out before the younger girl could leave.

  Koneko stopped herself from leaving but was still unable to lift her head and look Natsuki in the eye again, feeling as if it was her fault that Natsuki had gotten hurt st night, as Natsuki would not have been in a position to absorb Kuroka's Senjutsu if Kuroka had not come looking to steal Koneko away from the Peerage. And watching Natsuki lose herself to the Senjutsu only cemented the idea in Koneko's mind that she could never allow herself to use that power.

  If Natsuki-senpai of all people can be so helpless against its pull, what chance do I have? Koneko thought.

  "You know, what happened st night isn't your fault, right?" Natsuki asked.

  Koneko did not respond, clenching her fists as she kept her head down.

  Natsuki sighed, knowing what Koneko was feeling, "You can't bme yourself for Kuroka showing up and-"

  "Of course I can!" Koneko shouted, finally looking up as a growl left her throat, "Kuroka Nee-Sama only came to the party because I was there! You, Issei-senpai, and Rias-Buchou wouldn't have had to fight if I weren't there. And you got hurt because of me!"

  "I got hurt because I was stupid enough to absorb some random attack flying at me without thinking about any possible risks." Natsuki scoffed, "And you can't bme yourself for anything Kuroka did."

  Koneko shook her head, "But-"

  "But nothing, did you make your sister lose her mind and kill a bunch of people? Did you make her become a Stray Devil? Did you make her join a terrorist organization?"

  Koneko opened her mouth to refute what Natsuki had said, but quickly closed it, clenching her jaw as her body began to shake with anger.

  Natsuki climbed out of her bed, walking towards Koneko, her body feeling heavy with each step she took, but she was undeterred, not stopping until she was directly in front of the younger Devil. "Kuroka's actions are her own, just as my actions are mine, and your actions are yours, just because your sister's an evil bitch doesn't mean you will be too." Natsuki said, her voice taking on an uncharacteristic softness that surprised Koneko. "You're not her, Koneko, and anyone who tries to make you think you are is an idiot."

  "How can you be sure?" Koneko whispered, her voice cracking at the end.

  "Because I know you, because I've seen how much you care about everyone else, and the lengths you would go for any of us. Even if I do think you're a little too liberal with those punches of yours."

  "You deserved most of those punches." Koneko muttered, making Natsuki smirk.

  Natsuki's expression quickly became serious again, "And when I was all fucked up after absorbing Kuroka's Senjutsu, you were the one to pull me out of it. I think that's evidence enough of how good a person you are."

  Koneko blushed, "...I don't..."

  "And I also think you shouldn't let Kuroka keep you from using Senjutsu."

  Koneko frowned, "I'm not changing my mind, Natsuki-senpai. I can't use that awful power, not after what it did to Kuroka Nee-sama, and what..."

  "And what it did to me?" Natsuki asked, finishing the girl's sentence.

  "...I just can't trust myself not to lose control."

  Even with everything Natsuki had just said to her, Koneko could not risk the possibility of becoming just like Kuroka, of proving right the beliefs that many others had of her due to her heritage.

  "You said it before, that it's my power, right? So, I should be able to decide if I will use it or not." Koneko said strongly.

  Natsuki crossed her arms and sighed, "I guess I did say that. Damn, you and Akeno are so fucking stubborn, it needs to be seen to be believed."

  "Pot calling the kettle bck, senpai."

  "You're a very annoying kouhai, you know that?"

  Koneko smirked at Natsuki briefly before her expression fell, "...T-thank you, Natsuki-senpai. For everything."

  Natsuki stared at her for a few seconds, pcing her hand on Koneko's hair and ruffling it, smirking at her as she did so. "Eh? Are you going soft on me, Koneko?"

  "I hate you and I wish you had not woken up." Koneko muttered, but her words cked any heat behind them, especially with the blush that was now spreading across her cheeks.

  "Well, let's not keep the others waiting." Natsuki said as she walked towards the door, "I'm sure Rias is already waiting to tell me how idiotic she thinks what I did was."

  Koneko shook her head as she followed Natsuki, feeling lighter than she did before their talk.

  "Now that we're all here, we have to go over our pns for tomorrow's Rating Game against Sona." Rias voiced as she stood in front of her Peerage.

  In the middle of her bedroom, Rias had pced a rge whiteboard behind her, on the top of it, where pictures of Sona and her servants, along with their names, Evil Pieces, and everything that was known about their abilities and possible weaknesses.

  "From what Azazel told me this morning, the game will be held in a replica of Kuoh Academy, like our game with Riser; this one will also consist of a shifting terrain."

  "Shifting terrain?" Issei asked.

  "Meaning that at random intervals, the battlefield will reconfigure itself and become something entirely different than what it once was. The nd will initially be based on Kuoh Academy, it will still be something entirely different, being split into eight unique sections that Azazel calls the Verdant Garden, the Gcial Courtyard, the Ruined Library, the Thunder Gym, the Infernal Grounds, the Crystal Caverns, the Gravity Well, and the Flooded Dorms." Rias expined, "And these sections will have features that will be either a strength or a weakness for certain powers, like the Gcial Courtyard, for example, will be a slippery, brittle terrain that enhances water users while limiting physical mobility."

  "So, the battlefield will basically be like if the school were the setting of a disaster movie? Was this done to eliminate the advantage both sides have of knowing the environment or to encourage more strategic thinking while making the game more interesting to watch?" Natsuki asked.

  "Both." Rias replied dryly, "Rating Games are meant to highlight a Peerage's strength and ability to adapt to the unprecedented. They're the highest form of entertainment in the Underworld, which will be watched by most people who live here. And we won't be allowed any Holy water this time around and will be given an extra item that has already been decided upon by the Higher-ups, I think, seeing what we used the water for st time, scared general audiences."

  You'd figure that a bunch of demons and monsters wouldn't be so afraid of a little blood and gore. Natsuki heard Lux say through their bond, making Natsuki snort.

  "But the environments won't stay the same for long, will they? You said they will shift, so how are we supposed to pn for a constantly changing environment?" Xenovia asked, "And just how extreme would each environment be?"

  "We should expect each section to be extremely dangerous; there would be no point in the Higher-ups doing this if it wasn't capable of challenging us." Akeno said.

  "Akeno's right, we will have to move through the game with caution, especially because, as an added surprise, neither side will know how long the intervals between each switch will be." Rias said, "But we will come back to this in a moment. For now, we should focus on what we know of our opponents."

  Rias turned around to look at the whiteboard and gnced at each picture before her, "Neither of us has a complete set, but Sona has a set of eight compared to our nine. And not only do we have a numbers advantage, but I would say that we have a strength advantage as well."

  Rias then started to write on the whiteboard underneath the pictures of the Sitri Peerage, stepping back and allowing the others to see once she was done. On the board, Rias had written down several categories in order to make a chart.

  "The Rating Game cssifies pyers into four different fighting-types: power, technique, wizard, and support. Out of these, I'm a Wizard-type, and Akeno is the same; this type is for those who are superior in magic in general, or people who can greatly output their special abilities, although control over their power can vary. Yuuto is a Technique-type; this category emphasizes skill and combat prowess rather than brute force, and most who are adept at using weapons, martial arts, or other specialized fighting styles would be pced here. Xenovia and Koneko would be Power-types, although Xenovia is one who focuses more on speed, which is for those who focus on physical strength and direct combat, frontline fighters, relying on brute force and close-quarters combat, and can cause great damage. Asia and Gasper-kun are Support-types, both of them being people with special abilities that perform at their best when working together with one or more partners. Although if I were to cssify them with even more detail, Asia is closer to a Wizard-type, while Gasper-kun is closer to a Technique-type. Ise would also be a Power-type; however, Ise is also good at being a Support-type due to his Gift power. And stly, Natsuki would be a Technique- Type while also being closer to a Wizard-type due to what she is able to do with her absorption."

  "I wouldn't be a Power-type?" Natsuki asked.

  From what Rias had told them about the four fighting types, Power-type seemed like it would be the perfect fit for her, given her Sacred Gear.

  Rias shook her head, "Being a Technique-type does not mean that you ck attack power to draw on, just that you focus more specialized fighting styles, skills, and take advantage of the weak points of opponents and their mistakes to efficiently bring them down, which I would definitely say you excel at. And because of your ability to absorb energy, which would make you a counter as well."

  Natsuki frowned, "A counter?"

  "The four fighting types also have subcsses among them, for Technique-type, one of them is counter." Rias said before circling Issei, Koneko, and Xenovia's names from where she had written them down underneath Power-Type. "There are counter-types even among the Sacred Gears, but when fighting an opponent who carries one, Power-types like Ise, Koneko, and Xenovia can have their situations turned around by a single counter blow. It's because counters can return the opponent's power to them, plus the power of the one who counters. When one is strong, it's natural for there to be damage just as strong."

  "If there's a counter, I just have to overcome it with power." Xenovia said that bravely; however, Rias just shook her head again.

  "It's possible to overcome a counter and their abilities with brute force, but it's another story when your opponent is a genius in their field, and if so, avoid attacking as much as possible. It's better to face counter-users with a spell-user like Akeno, technique-users like Yuuto and Natsuki, or even Gasper-kun with his special vampire abilities. Everything is a matter of compatibility, Power-types are usually just strong, which is a big risk for them when fighting against those who specialize in taking people down as efficiently as possible."

  That is unfortunate. Xenovia thought, thinking hard about what Rias had just told them.

  "Among Sona's Peerage, four of them are Technique-types, although only two of them would also be considered counters: Shinra Tsubaki, her Queen, and Saji Genshirou, one of her Pawns. The two of them are also the only members of their Peerage to hold sacred Gears."

  Tsubaki-senpai's [Mirror Alice, from what I remember being told, allows her to reflect magical attacks and trap enemies in some kind of mirror world. And Saji's [Absorption Line] allows him to drain energy from others through bck lines that the gear shoots out. And I think Azazel told him something about it being able to suck out the power of other Sacred Gears and scatter the power of whatever the [Absorption Line] encounters, both gears are going to be hard to deal with. Natsuki thought.

  "So Saji's really is my direct competitor, huh?" Issei asked, a smile growing on his face.

  Natsuki looked at Issei from the corner of her eye, "Did you not just hear Rias-Buchou say that facing Saji would be bad for you, given that he can exploit your weakness?"

  "Yeah, but that would just make a csh between us, even more exciting. Besides, I can't let Saji think I'm too scared to fight him; he'd never let me live it down!" Issei excimed, remembering the conversation they had st night.

  "I think Natsuki is right, especially as Sona-Kaichou will probably be aiming to take you out of the game as quickly as possible." Kiba said.

  "Eh? Why would she want to do that?" Issei asked.

  "Ise-kun, Sona-Kaichou has seen our Rating Game against Riser." Akeno said, "And she would already know what we are all capable of based on everything that has happened since then. You aren't the strongest member of our Peerage to start with, but once your [Boosted gear] is given enough time, especially with your newly acquired Bancer Breaker, it would allow you to turn the tables of a fight. The tactical decision would be to eliminate you first before you have enough time to build on your power."

  "Akeno's right, this is what Sona, what anyone would do. Along with taking out Natsuki next, or cornering myself, Gasper, Akeno, or Asia so that we can't lend our help." Rias said, tapping her foot against the floor. "There's plenty that Sona could do to us, especially knowing that her Peerage may be weaker than ours but is far more cohesive."

  "Buchou, we're plenty cohesive!" Issei excimed, "We're able to work together well."

  "Well, it's not good enough where Sona is concerned; she's a chest master and tactician of the highest order. And I think our fights against Kokabiel and Riser, prove that our teamwork could be better."

  While she hated to admit it, Rias knew that Sona was smarter and far more calcuting than her, their years of pying chess together and Sona beating her every time they pyed more along with their general personalities, more than proved this. And more than anything, Sona had something to prove this time; she was fighting to show everyone in the Underworld that her dream had merit.

  Would my dream be enough to push me forward? I don't want this to be the same as our first Rating Game; everyone here is relying on me to lead them. Rias thought, her jaw clenching.

  "So, wouldn't the best pn we could make be one that isn't pyed like a game of chess?" Natsuki asked.

  "What do you mean?" Rias asked, turning to face her second Pawn, "Rating Games are supposed to be pyed like chess; it's what the entire system is based on. No more than sixteen pieces can participate, and everything is over once the King is disposed of."

  "I don't remember reading in the rules that Rating Games had to be one-to-one with chess, I mean, you said it yourself that not all of them are straight up fights, they can be almost anything." Natsuki argued, "So why do what people, including the Sitri's are expecting us to do, unpredictably can be our advantage here."

  "How would we do that?" Koneko asked.

  Natsuki stood up, walking towards the whiteboard and spping her hand against it, right underneath Sona's picture. "If I were Sona, I would know that time would be of the essence, because the longer the game goes on, the less likely they are to win. So, I would send my pieces out to sections of the board that best suit their strengths and move quickly enough to take control of those zones. And as King, hunkering down in one area would ensure that I would be harder to take out."

  "For Sona, the best pce for her to hide out would either be the Gcial Courtyard or the Flooded Dorms, given her family's use of water magic." Rias said, already trying to from a new pn, "The Gcial Courtyard would give her more space to use her spells, but it would leave her open to attack while the Flooded Dorms would make it harder to us to reach her, but would come with the drawback of being more confined and making it harder to escape in case she has been cornered."

  "And then there's Tsubaki, on the one hand, she's Sona's strongest servant, so sending her out would be needed if she wishes to bolster everyone else and possibly act as a counter to most of us, specifically Akeno, along with commanding her other servants. But with Tsubaki's abilities, it would be easier to ensure she can't be eliminated." Natsuki stated, trying to think about what would be more likely for Sona to do.

  "Sona can be particurly cautious, but I don't know if she would want to waste Tsubaki by keeping her by her side." Rias said, picking up her marker and circling Sona's other servants, "To work best to their strengths, I can't see her splitting them up, despite their differing abilities, so we can assume that she will put them into either pairs or trios. She can then assure that one of them is the piece that is best suited to the zone that she sends them to."

  "There's also Saji we have to consider. I honestly think that he would make a good support for whoever he is paired up with, but it could be possible that Sona would leave him on his own."

  "A sacrificial Pawn then? Maybe she could use him as bait, or she could be that confident in his strength to handle most things that come his way."

  "Am I the only one who's completely lost here?" Issei asked the others, watching as Rias and Natsuki ignored them to continue discussing strategy with each other.

  "They definitely seem to be in their own little world." Akeno said with a smile.

  "We could leave this room right now, and I don't think they would notice." Kiba added, "But it's good to know that we have them taking this so seriously."

  A part of him felt jealous over the attention Rias was giving Natsuki, but Issei knew that he would have little to contribute to the conversation if he tried to join them. But he was mainly excited about the upcoming Rating Game, this was his chance to further prove himself, to show everyone that he was far removed from when he was first called the Weakest Red Dragon emperor in history.

  The Next Day

  The Gremory Peerage stood outside the castle, a magic teleportation circle glowing underneath their feet, preparing to head to the arena where their match against the Sitri Peerage would take pce.

  Rias' parents and nephew were seeing them off, but Sirzechs and Grayfia were not present, having long since left for the exclusive spectator's lounge that was for not only leaders of the Three Great Factions to watch the game, but for VIPS from other powers too.

  "Rias-chan, make sure you bring back a second Rating Game victory."

  "Fight a battle that won't make you ashamed as the next head of the family. Everyone else as well, okay?"

  "Do your best, Rias-nee-sama!" Zeoticus, Venena, and Millicas said, respectively.

  Rias did not respond to her family's encouragement but nodded her head; a thick tension surrounded her and her servants as the magic circle whisked them away.

  When the light faded, the Peerage found themselves inside a rge dark hallway with smooth bck walls and floors, a giant map of the entirety of the wrapped school, and with only one exit that led into another pitch-bck hallway. But what they all took notice of was how heavy their bodies were, as if they were being pushed down by an unseen pressure that made it hard to move.

  "I-I think we're inside the Gravity Well, Buchou." Akeno said, feeling as if her muscles were made of lead.

  From what they were told by Azazel, the Gravity Well was a space surrounded by an artificial magic field that doubles the weight of everything within it by increasing the density of the air.

  Rias clicked her teeth, "Of course, we would get the zone that limits our ability to move around and fight in to start off with. Knowing our luck, Sona probably got one of the two zones that work with her water magic. No matter, let's go through the exit, staying directly inside of this zone will be more of a hindrance than a benefit then."

  "Everyone," Grayfia's voice sounded out across the arena before the Devils could do as Rias had told them. "I, the Queen of the Lucifer Peerage, Grayfia, will be carrying the role of arbiter in this Rating Game between the Gremory Peerage and the Sitri Peerage on this day. In the name of my master, Sirzechs Lucifer, I will watch over the battle between these two families. The battlefield for today is a specialized version of Kuoh Academy that Rias-sama and Sona-sama attend, which has been prepared within a separate space as the game field."

  Ugh, how long is this going to take? Natsuki thought, feeling the strain of the Gravity Well worsening on her body.

  "Both groups have been transported to their respective bases; Rias-sama's base is on the east side of the school grounds, in an area now known as the Gravity Well, while Sona-sama's base is on the west side in an area now known as the Flooded Dorms. In order for Pawns to promote, please go to your opponent's bases. Furthermore, a single bottle of the healing item Phoenix Tears, along with a map of the battlefield, has been provided to each team and pced within their respective bases. A timer has already been set, giving each team thirty minutes to strategize before contact with their opponent; during this time, is forbidden. Let the strategy time begin."

  Rias grabbed their team's Phoenix Tears. "Natsuki, can you tell where the others are?"

  Natsuki closed her eyes and focused on trying to look out for the magical signatures of the student council. It only took her a few seconds to find all eight members of the council, and she could tell that they were spreading themselves out across the battlefield.

  Natsuki moved towards the map that was embedded into the wall, "Sona is still in the Flood Dorms, and she's by herself. Tsubaki seems to have stopped moving somewhere southwest, most likely the Thunder Gym, based on the map. Saji and Yura are moving north towards the Infernal Grounds, and Kusaka, Hanakai, Nimura, and Meguri were heading east towards us but have stopped moving for now."

  "Good, now let's head out."

  The Peerage moved as quickly as they could, forcing their bodies to push forward, and when they did, they found that the hallway they entered had a rge window that repced one of the walls, allowing them to see outside.

  "Akeno," Rias said, and the other girl moved to immediately use her magic to bst a hole through the window.

  The Devils jumped out, feeling relieved once they were no longer beholden to the Gravity Well's effects, but now finding themselves in an entirely different zone, one that was covered in ice and snow. The ground was slippery beneath their feet, the wind howling around them.

  "I think we found the Gcial Courtyard!" Issei shouted, shivering as he wrapped his arms around himself, his eyes widening when he took note of everything around him.

  What stood before him looked as if someone had taken Kuoh Academy and its grounds, broken it apart, and mashed it together with other structures to make the world's most ill-fitting puzzle.

  "Is that a fucking volcano?! And a giant forest?!" Issei excimed, pointing to the very things in the distance.

  "Focus, Ise." Rias said, snapping her fingers, watching as Akeno handed everyone their communicators.

  Natsuki turned her body, staring off into the distance, "The four girls are moving towards us again, although they have split up into pairs and spread themselves out."

  "They're most likely scouting the Gcial Courtyard." Akeno said, "And by splitting up, they could be trying to draw us away to set a trap for us."

  "Which would mean that their information on us is out of date; otherwise, they would know that Natsuki's sensory field has gotten rger and more accurate." Rias muttered, "They're underestimating us, so let's give them a reason to regret that."

  Out of nowhere, the ground beneath them started to shake, almost knocking them off their feet.

  "What now?!" Issei stumbled as a massive ice fracture split through the ground, quickly growing as it began approaching them.

  "Everyone, fly up!" Natsuki yelled as she sprouted her devil wings.

  The others did the same, quickly flying upwards to avoid falling into the giant chasm that formed underneath them. It was so deep that it was impossible to see the bottom, only an inky darkness that threatened to swallow them whole.

  "This pce is the worst." Issei whined, gring at the ground below as if it had personally wronged him.

  "Hanakai and Nimura are doubling back, east side of the courtyard, behind the broken science building." Natsuki's voice cut sharply through the cold.

  Rias nodded, "Then we hit them now. "The pn stays the same, everyone; Kiba, Xenovia, Akeno, head toward the Thunder Gym, and I'll follow shortly. Issei, Koneko, and Gasper hold this position and keep watch. Natsuki-"

  "Already on it." Natsuki darted ahead, Asia quickly followed behind her, kicking up ice as they flew low to the ground.

  Natsuki saw two faint glimmers of magic, almost invisible to the eye and that were darting between icy mounds like ghosts.

  "Let's make them regret walking into this courtyard, Natsuki." Lux said aloud as Natsuki summoned her sacred Gear.

  "Oh, I'm pnning on it." Natsuki grinned widely before looking back at Asia, "You got my back, right, Asia?"

  "Yes, Natsuki-san." Asia said, a determined expression on her face.

  She wanted to prove that she was not completely useless in a fight outside of her ability to heal her friends. She wanted to show everyone watching that her month of training under MacGeregor's tutege was not a waste of time.

  I can stand by their side, I know I can. Asia thought.

  When the two of them finally spotted Hanakai and Nimura, Natsuki smiled and immediately shot a fire spell at the two girls, using the icy hills around them to hide their approach until it was too te.

  Hanakai jumped in front of Nimura, two bronze bracelets formed on her wrists, and a rge, clear barrier suddenly formed, wrapping around the Bishop and Pawn just in time, stopping Natsuki's attack.

  "What the hell?" Natsuki questioned as she and Asia looked ahead, shocked.

  Nimura then jumped through the barrier unimpeded; from the soles of her feet to her hips were covered in silver and gold armor. Just as quickly as she appeared, Nimura vanished in a blur, reappearing behind Natsuki and Asia.

  Natsuki was able to sense Nimura coming and grabbed onto Asia's arm, throwing them off to the side to avoid Nimura's devastating kick. When her foot hit the ground, the earth around Nimura shattered and flew away in different directions.

  "What? You thought you would be able to take us out because of all the Sacred Gears you all have? Well, thanks to Azazel-sensei, things are more evenly matched, we're stronger now, so don't underestimate us." Hanakai smirked from within her barrier.

  Natsuki scowled, pressing her finger against the communicator in her ear, "Did you hear that, Buchou? It seems like Azazel wanted to make this fight more exciting to watch. And I think it's safe to assume that Kusaka, Yura, and Meguri have been given artificial Sacred Gears too."

  "You're most likely right, Natsuki." Rias said, and Natsuki could hear the anger in her voice, "Of course, Azazel would choose today to show off his new toys, and it expins why Sona would send out half her team so confidently."

  "That has to be against the rules! How can sensei do this to us?!" Natsuki heard Issei cry out from the earbud.

  "It isn't." Kiba said gruffly through the line, "When it comes to weapons, the only rules in official games that are enforced upon them are that they cannot be used to deal a fatal blow and that you are restricted to how much power you can draw from when Holy weapons are involved."

  To most of the Gremory Peerage, it still felt unfair that the Sitri Peerage was allowed to use these Sacred Gears and that they had not been told about them in advance.

  "Let's keep the pn the same." Natsuki told Rias.

  "Are you sure?" Rias asked, wondering if it was a good idea to keep going now with this unforeseen variable in py.

  "Hey! Don't ignore us!" Nimura shouted, once again vanishing.

  Natsuki grabbed Asia and jumped, backflipping over Nimura when she reappeared and tried to hit them, nding a few feet away.

  "We already knew that Sona had to be pnning something given the disadvantage her Peerage originally had compared to ours." Natsuki said, unbothered by Nimura's attack, "Besides, I doubt Azazel has improved his Sacred Gears all that much since Vali attacked the school, which means there must be a limit to what they can do with them."

  Rias thought back to that day, remembering how Azazel's [Downfall Dragon Spear] had broken apart around him after a certain point.

  "Alright, we'll stick to the pn." Rias said, speaking to all her servants, "But be careful, we don't know what our enemy is now capable of."

  "Hai, Buchou!" The servants called out.

  Asia took a couple of steps back, knowing that she needed to focus on her role of supporting Natsuki as she fought the two Devils before them.

  Natsuki smirked as she took up her stance, staring at Hanakai and Nimura with an unshakeable confidence that infuriated both of them. Nimura rushed Natsuki again, but this time copies of Nimura started to appear alongside her.

  Afterimages? Natsuki thought as she watched the other Pawn move, and it would have been a sound idea to confuse anyone else without her sensory ability.

  Natsuki was able to feel the real Nimura trying to jump her from behind, but she did not react, knowing that Asia had her covered.

  Asia had her arms raised towards the two Pawns, her hands glowing as ice flew from her palms, hitting Nimura's legs, and freezing them to the ground.

  "What the?!" Nimura excimed, her eyes wide.

  Natsuki moved to grab Nimura, only for Hanakai to form a barrier around Nimura. Natsuki continued to push forward, sure that she could absorb the magical properties of the barrier and break it, but was surprised to see that the barrier, along with Nimura, was pulled backwards before she could touch either, bringing them back to Hanakai.

  Hanakai brought down the barriers that were around herself and her partner, "Are you okay, Ruruko?"

  "I'm fine." Nimura spat, glowering at the Gremory Devils and casting a fire spell against her legs, slowly thawing herself.

  Natsuki fired a Bck Bolt at the girls, forcing Hanakai to create another barrier. The spell crashed against the barrier but was unable to break through it.

  Hanakai then shot an icicle from her hand directly at Natsuki, but the Pawn sidestepped it, causing the ice to sm against the side of Gravity Well's building. She then watched as Nimura once again jumped out from within it, rushing to meet her.

  Natsuki smmed her hands against the ground, "Void Shatter!"

  When her bck aura swept across the ground around her, she was sure that it would have caught Nimura off guard, but the other girl vanished just as the bck sun was printed on the ground.

  "Asia! Make a barrier!" Natsuki shouted.

  Asia did as she was told, using her magic to create a barrier just as Nimura reappeared and her foot swung where Asia's head was. The barrier immediately cracked, and the force of Nimura's kick sent Asia flying backwards.

  Natsuki ran at Nimura, but Nimura used her Sacred Gear to avoid the punch Natsuki aimed at her midsection, countering by kicking Natsuki across the face. Natsuki stayed rooted in pce, blood trickling down her mouth and a bruise beginning to form on the side of her face.

  "Asia, are you okay?" Natsuki asked, her voice calm and her expression bnk as she kept her eyes on the Pawn across from her.

  "I-I'm fine." Asia huffed, wincing as she tried to sit up.

  "Oy, Nimura." Natsuki called out.

  "You haven't had enough, Sukehiro?" Nimura smirked, "Do I need to kick you into the dirt?"

  Natsuki ignored the taunts, "That's all you're getting from me."

  Nimura frowned, "What are you-"

  "That's the only hit your worthless ass is nding on me because I am going to retire you in the next thirty seconds." Natsuki said, still not showing any emotion.

  "I'm going to wipe that arrogant look right off your face, Sukehiro!" Nimura growled, "And show everyone watching that you're not as special as you think you are!"

  Nimura jumped up into the air, closing the distance between her and Natsuki, several more afterimages appearing around her, and her leg poised to kick Natsuki in the face again. But within an instant, Natsuki was gone, and Nimura's attack hit the ground where Natsuki once stood.

  Nimura felt the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end, and before she could fully turn around, she felt a fist sm into the side of her face. Nimura was sent flying backwards, her body bouncing off the ground, cracking it each time she nded.

  Hanakai moved to form a barrier around Nimura to stop her, but was intercepted by a block of ice that had gotten in the way, making the barrier wrap around the ice instead of her teammate. Hanakai gred at the other Bishop who stood across the icy wastend, Asia meeting her gaze resolutely.

  Natsuki ran towards Nimura, appearing above her just as quickly as before and smming both of her feet into Nimura's stomach, the force of which was so strong that Nimura's body was dragged across the ground, even as Natsuki stood above her, pushing them both along. It took a few moments for Nimura to come to a stop; her body buried deep into the ground.

  "Sona Sitri-sama. Pawn, retired. Unable to continue." Nimura's body disappeared in a fsh of bright green light just as Grayfia's voice broke out across the battlefield.

  Natsuki, standing over the pit that Nimura's body once inhabited, slowly turned to look at the st remaining Sitri servant.

  "Binding Light Vines!" Asia shouted, making green vines break through the hard ice-covered ground, and forcing the pnts to race towards Hanaki.

  Hanakai used her [Appuse Wall] to form another barrier around herself, preventing the vines from touching her, she then used fire to burn them to ash.

  When the fire died down, Hanakai's eyes widened as she saw that Natsuki now stood less than a few feet away. She quickly thickened the walls of her barrier seconds before Natsuki's hand touched it, gritting her teeth as she could feel Natsuki absorbing the magical properties of the barrier.

  Natsuki's eyes narrowed as she realized that she was unable to instantly break down the barrier, but did not relent, continuing to absorb the barrier and forming a Bck Bolt in her other hand, using it like a drill as she pressed it against the barrier.

  Damn it! Hanakai thought, feeling more of her energy being drained as she struggled to match Natsuki, feeling the Pawn absorbing her magic faster than she could replenish it into her Sacred Gear. Her eyes fell onto the Bck Bolt in Natsuki's hand, seeing cracks beginning to form where it was trying to pierce through her defenses.

  I have no choice but to use that spell. I'm sorry, Sona, but I need to do this if I want to take out one of the biggest threats here.

  Hanaki pced her hands out in front of her, aiming them at Natsuki, "Reverse!"

  In an instant, a bright light was emitted from the Bishop, and as Natsuki was still absorbing the magic within the barrier before her while using her Bck Bolt to try and speed the process along, Natsuki felt a change within her body.

  Her Bck Bolt became stagnant and solid, falling out of her hand and hitting the ground like stone, hardening as it was no longer with Natsuki's grasp. But she could not give much attention to what was happening to her spell, focusing on the way her right arm was beginning to glow, and the painful needling sensation that was moving through it.

  The light around Hanakai and Natsuki grew brighter, and the three Devils were forced to close their eyes due to the intensity of it. And suddenly, magic exploded between Natsuki and Hanakai, spreading across the courtyard in a massive concussive wave, sand ending Natsuki skidding back across the ice and shattering chunks of the gcially covered floor.

  Natsuki dug her heels in, but her arm was burning from magical overload. It was the worst pain she had ever felt, and when she looked down, Natsuki saw that pieces of flesh and muscles were hanging off her arm, exposing a strip of bone from underneath the bloody mess.

  "Natsuki!" Asia cried out, looking at Natsuki's arm, horrified.

  "Natsuki?! Asia?! What was that explosion? Are you two okay?!" Rias shouted from the radio, having seen the light coming from the Gcial Courtyard.

  Natsuki ignored the other two Devils, suddenly feeling weak, as if she had just been depleted of all her strength.

  "I never thought I would ever see a Devil use Reversal." Lux said aloud.

  "R-Rev-Reversal?" Natsuki asked, her breathing becoming heavier.

  "It is a spell that the Grigori created some time ago, from what I remember, it allows the caster to reverse the attributes and effects of special powers and items such as Sacred Gears, causing an inverse effect." Lux expined, "That is why your Bck Bolt, a spell using an attribute as fluid as Void into a hardened rock, and why you experienced a magical overload when you were absorbing her barrier, she turned your power against you."

  "And I will do it again if I must." Hanakai said, her skin became paler as sweat dripped down her face. Her artificial Sacred Gear had disappeared as Hanakai no longer had the physical strength to keep it manifested. This spell was one that Hanakai and the other girls of the Peerage had spent weeks trying to master, even as Azazel said that it would be a hard, near impossibility to accomplish given their Demonic nature.

  "But we will do anything for Sona's dream!"

  "Th-that spell..." Asia paled as she looked at Hanakai, her body shaking, "Th-that's the spell R-Raynare-san used when she..."

  Natsuki did not need Asia to finish her sentence, knowing that the only spell the Fallen Angel could have used on Asia would have been the one that allowed the woman to steal Asia's Sacred Gear.

  This fucking bitch! Natsuki bared her teeth, looking murderously at Hanakai, wanting to beat both her and Azazel into the dirt for making Asia relive that day with this spell.

  Lux chuckled, speaking directly to Hanakai, "You are stronger than you look, child. Despite its effectiveness, Reversal pces a burden on those who are not of Fallen blood. In turn, shortening of one's lifespan and, in some extreme cases, irrevocably destroying the pathways that the body uses to cast magic. I do not know who the bigger fool is, you and your compatriots for taking such a terrible risk in the name of an unimportant battle, or Azazel for teaching you this spell."

  "This is an important battle!" Hanakai shouted, her body struggling to move properly, "Each and every one of us is fighting for the sake of our Peerage, and our King's dream! Nothing can be more important than that!"

  She had come too far to lose now, and Hanakai was confident that she could beat Natsuki, knowing that the taller Devil was in a far worse state than she was.

  Natsuki summoned the Sword of Methuseh, using it to cut through a lightning bolt Hanaki fired at her, as she was not confident in her ability to run or use spells of her own, not when almost every part of her body felt as if it was being broken.

  Asia shook herself out of her stupor, cpping her hands together, sending a burst of wind directly into Hanakai's face, distracting her long enough for Natsuki to throw her sword at her.

  Hanakai gasped as she felt the bde of the sword embed itself within her stomach, blood pouring out of the wound as she fell to her knees.

  "N-n-no, I-I can't..." Hanakai's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fell forward, her body disappearing in a show of light before she could hit the ground.

  "Sona Sitri-sama. Bishop, retired. Unable to continue."

  "Fuck, everything hurts." Natsuki muttered as she fell to her knees.

  "Natsuki-san!" Asia ran towards the Pawn, immediately summoning her [Twilight Healing] and starting to heal Natsuki once she reached her.

  "Natsuki, Asia. Will one of you respond?" Asia flinched when she heard Rias' voice in her ear.

  Natsuki chuckled, only to immediately start coughing, "W-we're fine, Rias. Did you hear about the Reversal?"

  "I did." Rias sighed, "And most likely, it was not just Momo who learned it."

  "It would be perfectly aligned with how shitty our luck is, so it would be safe to assume that the rest of the Sitri Peerage knows it and isn't afraid to use it."

  "What happened exactly when Momo used Reversal on you?" Rias asked.

  Asia was the one to expin the effect that the Reversal had on Natsuki's absorption, describing the injury to Natsuki's arm and the weakness she was feeling.

  "Issei, Koneko, and Gasper are engaging Reya and Tomoe as we speak, and from what I've heard from them, I don't think the battle will-"

  "Rias Gremory-sama. Bishop, retired. Unable to continue." Grayfia announced, shocking the Devils.

  Asia's eyes widened, "Was that?"

  Natsuki clicked her teeth, "They took out Gasper."

  Natsuki tried to stand, but her knees buckled and she fell onto the ground.

  "You haven't recovered from the overload, Natsuki-san." Asia excimed, biting her lip worriedly.

  Her [Twilight Healing] could heal a lot, as she had already finished healing Natsuki's arm, but she could do nothing for the exhaustion that was currently pguing her.

  "Damn it!" Natsuki growled, "Rias, I need more time."

  "Don't rush yourself. Xenovia, Kiba, and Akeno are still heading towards the Thunder Gym, and I haven't reached the Flooded Dorms yet. The pn can still work; we'll just have to improvise a little bit." Rias said, "Once you're ready, head directly to the Infernal Grounds."

  "But what about Ise-san and Koneko-san?" Asia asked.

  The pn had been for her and Natsuki to double back and join up with Issei's group once all of them took care of their respective opponents before going to face Saji and whoever was with him, overwhelming them with numbers.

  To Asia, it felt like Rias was asking them to abandon Issei and Koneko.

  "You must have faith in them, Asia. It is unfortunate that Gasper-kun was retired, but Issei and Koneko's fight isn't over yet. But we can't afford to waste time, especially because we don't know when the shift is going to happen." Rias said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

  "Okay, Buchou." Asia said softly, frowning as she looked at the ground.

  "They're going to be fine, Asia." Natsuki said, pcing her hand on top of hers, "Besides, knowing Issei, this has only fired him up. I doubt he's going to lose now; he has a Vampire to avenge."

  Asia smiled, "You're right, Natsuki-san."

  Asia turned her head in the direction of the Gravity Well, knowing that Issei and Koneko had to still be there fighting Meguri and Kusaka.

  Natsuki-san is right, they'll win, I know they will.

  Issei jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding Meguri cutting him with her newly revealed artificial Sacred Gear.

  He had ughed at first when he saw the kitchen knife that held a slight golden aura, especially when Meguri had called the Sacred Gear [Bzer Shining]. But his ughter died when the Knight had cut through a rge ice block with the knife and had left a smoking cut on Koneko's arm from when Meguri had attacked Koneko earlier on.

  Issei held up his arm using his [Boosted Gear] to block Meguri's next strike, and was knocked backwards, hit the ground hard, and noticed that Meguri's Sacred Gear had chipped his own, creating a crack within his gauntlet.

  "You know, Hyoudou." Meguri said, looking down at Issei with a sharp grin, "I've been waiting for this day for a long time."

  "I-what?" Issei looked at the older Devil, confused.

  "I've been waiting to teach you a lesson for all the girls that you and your little friends have harassed over the years. I'm going to enjoy cutting you into pieces for your perverted ways." Meguri gripped her Sacred Gear tightly in her hand, pointing the tip at Issei as her malicious smile grew.

  Issei shuddered, but found himself jumping to his feet, needing to defend himself, "Hey! I won't apologize for being a healthy young man! And that's a lot of talk for someone who could never catch me whenever I peeped on you in the locker room!"

  The field fell into a brief silence, which was only shattered by Meguri tightening her hold on her knife, "[Darkness Samurai Sword]!"

  The [Bzer Shining] knife began to transform, taking on the appearance of a long katana with a bde that was completely bck, as if it was trying to absorb the light of everything around it.

  Faster than Issei could blink, Meguri closed the distance between them and smmed the dull side of her bde into his stomach, knocking the breath out of him and sending Issei flying.

  "Issei-senpai!" Gasper excimed, a curtain of darkness spilling from his hands, traveling across the field, and creating a wall that prevented Meguri from pressing her assault against the Pawn.

  "T-thanks, Gasper!" Issei said, giving him a thumb-up as he pushed himself off the ground, holding one hand against his stomach.

  Damn, it felt like that sword was made of concrete. Issei thought, staring at the shadow wall that was keeping Meguri from reaching him.

  "Focus, senpai!" Koneko yelled from where she was fighting Kusaka, a good distance away, punching and destroying the masks that Kusaka was continuing to unch at her like projectiles.

  [Scouting Persona] on the surface seemed like a weak Sacred Gear as the three Gremory Devils had seen that it was what allowed Kusaka to find their location, as it gave her the power to observe things from a great distance.

  But just like with Meguri's sacred Gear, its appearance did not denote how incredibly useful it was. Now with a pin white mask on her face, Kusaka was able to read their body nguage with such accuracy that it was as if she knew what their next move would be before they even did it.

  It was only due to the defensive properties her Evil Piece gave her that prevented Koneko from being knocked out of the game, despite how many times Kusaka had managed to strike her with the masks she made.

  Kusaka threw a mask at Gasper, but he used his Vampiric abilities to turn himself into a bat, avoiding the mask at first, only for Kusaka to stop the mask midair and make it chase Gasper around.

  When Koneko tried to take a step forward, Kusaka had thrown a mask at her feet, knocking her over before unching a fire spell at her, but Gasper had turned back into his normal form, pushing Koneko out of the way, wincing when the mask hit his shoulder.

  [Boost!] Issei's [Boosted Gear] cried out, as she charged at Kusaka, only for him to twist himself out of the wall, barely avoiding Meguri, who had jumped over Gasper's shadow wall, and almost cutting through Issei's leg.

  An earth wall soon sprouted out from the ground, breaking through the ice courtesy of Kusaka, smming into Koneko, and sending her flying into Gasper.

  Issei jumped into the air, catching his kouhais. When they nded, Issei threw them to the side, using his [Boosted Gear] to block Meguri's sword.

  "Dress Break!" Issei shouted, trying to touch the Knight, but Meguri used her sword to smack his hand, cutting Issei.

  Issei gritted his hand, trying to use Dress Break again, but was forced to jump back when Kusaka unched a volley of masks at him.

  [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!] [Boost!]

  "Okay, no more messing around!" Issei shouted, his speed increasing as he rushed Kusaka.

  Kusaka created a human-sized mask, using it to shield herself from Issei's punch. The mask shattered, and the Bishop was knocked back, but she created another mask and used that to break her fall.

  "He's going to use his [Scale Mail]!" Kusaka shouted at her partner.

  Meguri nodded her hand and ran at Issei, causing Issei to cease his attempt as he was now forced to dodge Meguri's unrelenting blows.

  "Nice trick, but you're not the only one who can read their opponent's movements!" Issei yelled, "Booblingual!"

  A red pulse was sent from Issei's hands, wrapping around the Knight, and Meguri was confused when nothing happened to her, but decided not to question it as she brought her sword down above Issei's head, but just when she did this, Issei sidestepped her bde with ease.

  What the hell? Meguri's jaw clenched as she tried to stab Issei through the leg, only for him to sidestep her attack once again.

  Meguri gripped the handle of her sword, embedded the tip of it into the ground, and channeled her magic through it, causing a bck energy to pulse through the ground as it raced towards Issei.

  "Whoa! That's like Kiba's Holy Demonic Sword!" Issei excimed as he casually jumped to the side.

  And when Meguri tried to move forward, Issei was already there in front of her and delivering a nasty punch to her shoulder, breaking part of her colrbone.

  "How are you reading my movements?!" Meguri yelled, ignoring the pain in her shoulder, and she swung furiously at the Pawn.

  "I can read your moves because you're under the effects of my Booblingual spell!"

  "Booblingual spell?" Meguri questioned, having never read of such a thing.

  Issei's smile grew with perverted glee, "This move lets me talk to the breasts of any woman who gets hit by the aura that is surrounding your body! Although it hasn't reached its peak yet, I'm still working on how to make it work on more than one woman at a time, and I can only hear one or two broken words from each breast, but I am determined to break through these barriers!"

  "You're the worst, Ise." Koneko said, looking at Issei with outward disgust.

  "You really are the enemy of all women!" Kusaka yelled, and she and Koneko had stopped their own fight once they heard Issei's statement.

  "I think you meant to say that I'm a genius! This truly is the most beautiful of abilities!" Issei said as he started to weep with joy.

  Break face. Issei heard through Booblingual, and he quickly ducked to avoid the swipe that Meguri aimed at him.

  "I'm going to kill you!" Meguri roared, revitalized by her desire to get rid of the pervert for his disgusting new ability.

  Kusaka created a wall of ice, wrapping it around Koneko's body, but Gasper had used fire to free her. He then used his shadows to cloak himself, blending in with them as he used them to hide his approach.

  Kusaka had seen this coming but decided to pretend that she was solely focused on the Gremory Rook and purposely left her fnk open.

  When he drew closer to the opposing Bishop, Gasper tried to cast a spell, but Kuska had surged forward and pulled him out from the darkness, smming her knee into his stomach.

  "Gah!" Air rushed out from his lungs, and Gasper was given no respite as Kusaka gripped his shoulders and forced him onto the icy ground.

  Gasper grabbed Kusaka's arms, using his Dhampir strength to push her back and throw her off him.

  "I don't know why you're fighting so hard. This is just like st time, isn't it?" Kusaka asked the other Bishop, sending out masks to push Koneko back and prevent her from reaching and helping Gasper. "You're just as useless to your Peerage as before, I guess being kidnapped and having the white Dragon Emperor put you in your pce wasn't enough for you to realize this?"

  Gasper's breath hitched as the memories of the Magicians holding him prisoner and forcing him to use his [Forbidden Balor View] and of Vali sealing his eyes, washing over him, freezing him in pce.

  Seeing that her manipution had worked, Kusaka smiled behind her mask, "You're just prey, Gasper."

  "Gasper!" Koneko shouted, trying desperately to break through the avanche of masks that were hitting her from all directions, and could only watch helplessly as Kusaka fired a magic bullet directly at Gasper's head.

  The green elimination fsh burst forth from his body the moment the bullet connected with Gasper's head.

  "Rias Gremory-sama. Bishop, retired. Unable to continue." Grayfia announced.

  "Gasper!" Issei shouted, firing a Dragon Shot at Kusaka, but Meguri had quickly moved to her partner's side and used her Sacred Gear to cut through the attack, splitting it in half, the two beams flying towards the Gremory base, destroying the zone, and leaving it in ruins.

  Koneko stood there frozen, ignoring Kusaka's continuing to bombard her with [Scouting Persona]. She had been too slow, too weak, just like so many other times, and was unable to do anything as someone she cared about had gotten hurt.

  Her hands clenched so tightly and dug so deeply into her palms that her nails had started biting into her palms and drawing blood as the masks hitting her flesh were starting to leave bruises on her body.

  Why, why does this keep happening? Why am I so weak? Gasper got hurt because I couldn't save him.

  Koneko's aura began to shift, dark motes swirling around her, and the ground beneath her feet cracked as she stepped forward, a faint energy radiating off her without conscious thought.

  Kusaka's expression faltered, "What… is that?"

  Koneko jumped when she felt a hand being pced on her shoulder, and when she looked to the side, Issei was looking down at her.

  "We're going to get them back for what they did to Gasper, Koneko-chan." Issei said, clenching his other hand, "So don't let them anger you too much, or they will just get in your head too. So, let's show them the strength of our Peerage, no more messing around."

  The dark aura faded, and Koneko looked down at her hands, seeing the crescent moon indents that her nails had left behind.

  You shouldn't let Kuroka keep you from using Senjutsu. Koneko could hear Natsuki's words in her head, and this, along with Issei's support, made things clear for her for the first time in years.

  "No more messing around." Koneko muttered, her body now being covered in a glowing white aura, and for the first time in years, stopped holding the form that she had been using her shapeshifting powers to maintain. Now Koneko stood before everyone as a true Nekomata, no longer hiding her pure white tail and cat ears.

  "You're not walking away from this." Koneko said her voice low and shaking with controlled fury as she gred at the Sitri Devils.

  Wow, my kouhai looks so cool right now! Issei thought, looking at Koneko with stars in his eyes.

  Faster than he had ever seen her move, Koneko had all but teleported directly in front of Meguri and Kusaka. Meguri jumped to the side while Kusaka created another rge mask, intending to shield herself.

  With that white aura covering her hand, Koneko punched the mask, destroying it before driving her fist into Kusaka's chest. A shockwave exploded out from Kusaka's back, the mask on her face split in half, and blood spewed from her mouth.

  Koneko held Kusaka up with her fist, and the Bishop turned her head to look at her shocked teammate, "S-sorry, T-Tomoe-chan."

  "Sona Sitri-sama. Bishop, retired. Unable to continue."

  The moment that Kusaka disappeared, Meguri threw her sword at Koneko, turning the weapon into a projectile.

  "Koneko, watch out!" Issei yelled.

  Koneko grabbed the sword, stopping it before it could run her through, but the second she touched it, the [Darkness Samurai Sword] started glowing an ominous red color.

  Sensing that the magic within the sword was increasing at an exponentially dangerous rate, Koneko used all her strength to unch the sword into the air. When the sacred Gear was high above them, it exploded, its shockwaves almost knocking Issei and Koneko off their feet.

  "She can make her sword explode?!" Issei excimed, and when he turned back to where the Knight had been standing, Meguri was nowhere to be found.

  "We have to go after her, Ise-senpai. We can't let her reach the Thunder Gym." Koneko said.

  "You know where she's heading?" Issei asked.

  Koneko nodded her head, "I can feel her life force now."

  The Rook had never felt more alive and powerful than she did in this moment, nor was she ever more confident in her abilities than right now.

  Natsuki-senpai was right. Koneko thought.

  "Okay, you go after Meguri-san, and I'll head towards the Infernal-"

  "Go with Koneko, Issei." The Pawn would deny shrieking when he heard Natsuki's voice suddenly coming through his communicator if asked.

  But he was not sure he would be able to not have this used against him ter, given how he could see Koneko was trying her hardest not to ugh.

  Issei cleared his throat as he willed his embarrassment away, "What do you mean? I thought the pn was too-"

  "Gasper's been eliminated, and you and Koneko took too long to finish things on your end, and I can sense that Yura has left Saji's side and is trying to meet up with Meguri. If that happens, then the others won't be able to deal with Tsubaki as easily." Natsuki expined, "Asia and I will deal with Saji; we're almost at the Infernal Grounds anyway."

  Issei frowned, "Natsuki, I know you and Buchou have this big pn, but I need to face Saji."

  "No, you need to finish your job and handle Meguri, and possibly Yura. This isn't up for debate."

  "If I were telling you not to fight someone that you needed to prove something to, you would beat my ass before going to fight anyway!" Issei yelled, "Saji and I are rivals, we promised that we would show each other who the better Pawn was, to see whocould better push forward towards their dream."

  "Compin about it to Rias then." Natsuki said coldly, "Now, go get Meguri."

  Natsuki pointedly turned off her communicator, making Issei grit her teeth angrily.

  "Ise-senpai, we have to go." Koneko said, wondering if Issei was going to follow Natsuki's orders or not.

  Issei clicked his teeth, seething bitterly and running ahead of the other Devil. "Let's go, Koneko-chan."

  Koneko nodded but kept gncing at Issei as they ran through the Gcial Courtyard, into the underground tunnels that encompass the Crystal Caverns.

  The crackle of static could be heard even from outside the Thunder Gym, only growing louder when Akeno, Kiba, and Xenovia pushed open the massive double doors of the gym and went inside. A massive thunderstorm was raging inside, the smell of ozone filling the air and stinging their noses, their bodies becoming soaked from the rain that was now battering them.

  The building was also bigger than it looked from the outside, looking more like a giant maze than a standard high school gymnasium.

  "We have to be careful from here on out." Akeno said, leading the other two, "Tsubaki-san has had more than enough time to set traps for us; she will need to, given the disadvantage she holds here."

  It was the only way Akeno could justify why the other Queen would specifically choose a terrain that would highly favor Akeno and her abilities more than her own.

  Or is Tsubaki that confident she can win even with the handicap she has pced on herself? Akeno thought, it almost felt as if Tsubaki was subtly mocking her, as if she knew Akeno would not use her Holy Lightning, making a victory for herself more likely.

  Kiba's eyes scanned the area as they moved deeper into the gym, and more of the damaged building was revealed; parts of the roof were missing with jagged metal beams, pooling across the floor. Lightning rods jutted from the cracked wood and concrete that lined the walls and floor, arcs of electricity dancing between them. Shards of gss and polished metal had been deliberately pced along the walls and floor, looking like rge broken mirrors, others as small as coins, all reflecting distorted images of the trio.

  At the center of this all, stood Shinra Tsubaki, her naginata rested loosely at her side, and her posture perfectly straight. The calm expression she wore made her look more like she was waiting for a tea ceremony than a brutal fight.

  "Akeno-san, Kiba-kun, Xenovia-san." Tsubaki greeted them with a small nod, "I see you finally made it."

  "I see you've been redecorating while you waited for us." Akeno replied lightly, her eyes flicking to the reflective surfaces, lightning dancing between her fingers. "How hospitable of you."

  "You know as well as I do that preparation is a Queen's duty." Tsubaki said simply, shifting her stance and properly holding her weapon. "You've stepped onto my board. Let's see if you can survive more than a few minutes."

  The moment Tsubaki finished speaking, Akeno pulled a bolt of lightning from the storm raging above, and through the exposed roof, catching it in her hand and redirecting it back toward Tsubaki. The other Queen used her naginata, sweeping it in an arc, causing the bolt to strike a nearby mirror shard and ricochet straight toward Xenovia.

  "Whoa!" Xenovia leapt aside, the lightning grazing her arm, sending a sharp jolt through her body, and leaving a smoking burn.

  Kiba narrowed his eyes and summoned his swords, dashing forward in a blur. His bde swept cleanly toward Tsubaki's side, but the moment it would have connected, his sword passed through her like smoke.

  A ripple shimmered in the air where she had once been, and the real Tsubaki stepped out from behind Kiba, already swinging her naginata. Kiba caught the blow with his sword just in time, sparks flying from the impact.

  "You're good, but your eyes give you away." Tsubaki said calmly.

  "Tch!" Kiba disengaged, leaping back toward Akeno and Xenovia, "She's using the reflections of the gss to mislead us and keep us from seeing which is actually her Sacred Gear."

  "Then break them!" Xenovia decred, summoning Durandal, the sword humming with destructive Holy energy, rushing forward before Akeno or Kiba could stop her. She swung downward, the force of her strike shattering most of the mirror shards around them, but when the gss broke, thin tendrils of magic erupted outward, shing at her arms and legs like whips.

  "Xenovia!" Akeno called, sending a wave of lightning at the magical tendrils, freeing her partner.

  "That was close…" Xenovia gritted her teeth, raising Durandal again.

  Tsubaki moved quickly, her naginata blurring in an upward arc. Akeno created a defensive barrier around herself and the others, but Tsubaki sliced through it with ease. Akeno countered with a surge of holy lightning, the fsh illuminating Tsubaki's eyes just as the Queen twisted her naginata to redirect the energy into the rgest mirror in the room.

  The lighting that was reflected back was twice the size of what it was before. Akeno held her hands out in front of her and struggled to handle the strength of the bolt, her feet skidding across the floor as she was pushed back, sending Akeno through a wall.

  Xenovia rushed Tsubaki, raising her Holy Sword high above her head, and Tsubaki met each of the younger girl's blows, slowly chipping away at Xenovia's defenses. Xenovia had the superior weapon, but Tsubaki was stronger and far more skilled.

  Kiba jumped into the fray, creating a bevy of swords with his [Sword Birth, the bdes piercing through the ground, forcing Tsubaki to jump back to avoid being struck down.

  The Queen then swung her bde down, cutting through a thin wire that was tied between two lightning rods. This triggered a trap that brought down most of the broken light fixtures that had been hanging above them, forcing the Knights to run as quickly as possible to avoid being struck down.

  This separated the two Knights, creating a rge wall of light fixtures between them, and leaving Xenovia alone with Tsubaki.

  "Sona Sitri-sama. Knight, retired. Unable to continue." Grayfia's voice broke through the silence around them.

  Tsubaki looked up slightly towards the sky, lifting her finger to press it against the communicator in her ear, listening to the girl speaking to her on the other end, she tightened her hold on her naginata, looking back at the two Knights with a smirk on her face.

  "What are you smiling at?!" Xenovia asked, gring at the older Devil as she watched a smug smile slowly creep into Tsubaki's usually reserved face. "You're losing, what do you have to be happy about?"

  Tsubaki tilted her head to the side, "I simply expected more from you, a True Holy Sword Wielder. Whoever trained you did quite a poor job."

  Xenovia's face turned red with anger, "Don't ever insult my teacher!"

  Xenovia used her knightly speed to quickly close the distance between her and Tsubaki, not questioning why the other Devil was not readying herself to meet Xenovia's oncoming strike.

  A shadow suddenly covered Xenovia, and before she could properly react to it, a body fell upon her and breakneck speed, smming into her like a missile and forcing her through the floor.

  When the dust cleared, a green light fshed from within the giant hole created as Yura Tsubasa climbed back to the surface.

  "Rias Gremory-sama. Knight, retired. Unable to continue."

  "I'm sorry I took so long, Tsubaki-senpai. Meguri and I had been intercepted by Hyoudou Issei and Toujou Koneko." Yura said as she stood in front of the Queen.

  "Are they heading here now?" Tsubaki asked.

  "I destroyed the tunnel they were inside of, so it will take some time for them to cw their way out." Yura answered.

  "Good." Tsubaki said, "I will handle Kiba-san; you should go deal with Akeno."

  "Are you sure? I thought Akeno-senpai could control lightning."

  "To a certain extent, but not enough to overcome your [Twinkle Aegis]. Especially as she refuses to use her Holy Lightning."

  "I'll make sure to end it quickly." Yura said before running towards the hole that Akeno had reappeared through.

  "Bance Breaker: Sword of the Betrayer!" Kiba cut through the light fixtures in front of him with his Holy Demonic Sword, gring at his senpai. "Sorry, Shrina-senpai, but I'm going to have to make you pay for what you did to Xenovia-chan."

  "Then come and try, Kiba-san." Tsubaki shot back, pointing the tip of her naginata at the Knight.

  The storm grew more intense, the intervals between each fsh of lightning became shorter, it started raining more heavily, and the thunder became louder, ringing in their ears. Tsubaki moved first, smming her naginata in a powerful downward arc, destroying the ground where Kiba once stood. She stuck her bde into the ground, using it to propel herself upwards, avoiding Kiba's counterstrike.

  Kiba took a deep breath, reminding himself not to lose his composure and to remember what his sensei had taught him. He could not afford to lose himself to anger like Xenovia had, allowing the Holy aura that existed within his Holy Demonic Sword to leak out and cover the bde.

  Akeno scowled as each of her lightning-based attacks was ineffective against the golden shield of light that Yura used to protect herself. In fact, her own lightning wrapped around [Twinkle Aegis, making the shield more dangerous than it was before.

  Yura then unched the shield, causing it to spin like a yo-yo. Akeno summoned her wings and flew high up into the sky to avoid it. Akeno used the rain around her to create a bunch of water bullets, firing them at the Rook.

  [Twinkle Aegis] glowed a bright gold color, creating a rge barrier of light around Yura that had fmes surrounding the outer edges. The water bullets bashed into the barrier, but not even a scratch was left behind.

  Changing her sacred Gear back into its offensive mode, Yura unched it at Akeno again, watching as the Queen swerved out of the way, smiling when she clenched her fist and made a pulling motion. This caused the shield to turn midair and fly back towards Akeno.

  Akeno's eyes widened, and she was unable to avoid the shield, screaming when the electric shock coursed through her body and the force of the blow, along with the shield being pushed into her by Yura, prevented Akeno from flying, and she smmed into the hard gym floor below.

  Across the gym, Kiba and Tsubaki continued to trade blows, and slowly Kiba was starting to gain ground, preventing the Queen from being able to nd a proper strike to his body by using [Sword Birth] to create mountains of swords whenever she got too close.

  Tsubaki knew that Kiba was coming close to knocking her down, so she turned and ran to the bleachers, making sure that Kiba was following her. When she got there, Tsubaki jumped to the very top and cut another tripwire that she had made.

  This time, an air conditioner unit fell from the ceiling, and Kiba was forced to cut through it, surprised and annoyed when the air conditioner's refrigerant fluid covered him from head to toe due to his actions.

  Tsubaki formed a rge fireball within her hand and fired it at Kiba.

  Shit! Kiba's eyes widened, and he ran away from the Queen, narrowly avoiding being hit by the fireball.

  Tsubaki began to rapidly unch fireballs at the Knight, knowing she only needed one to hit him to make the fluid combust and take him out of the game.

  As Kiba was trying to avoid being blown up, Yura lifted her [Twinkle Aegis] and repeatedly brought it down on Akeno, pushing her deeper into the floor.

  Akeno growled, barely able to lift her head before Yura would once again hit her with her Sacred Gear.

  "I promised Tsubaki-senpai that I would end things quickly. So, no hard feelings, Akeno-senpai?" Yura said, lifting the shield up high and increasing the amount of lightning that was surrounding the spinning gear.

  Akeno smmed her hands against the floor, creating a thick cocoon of earth around her body. The electricity was unable to travel through the dirt, protecting Akeno from the blow.

  Yura brought her shield down again, to little effect. The Rook frowned, "This won't protect you from me for long, senpai."

  The Rook then ran towards the dirt mound, her fist raised up high. Hearing her coming, Akeno added more yers to the shell, thickening it before Yura started raining down punches upon it.

  What would Baraqiel think?

  You have no fighting prowess, no close-range spells, and when fighting, you both decide to take up the rear and wait for the others to strike out first.

  Can't have the daughter of Baraqiel be so ughably weak.

  Your attacks would be more lethal if you used your Holy Lightning, Akeno-san.

  Allowing yourself to use all your abilities would be far easier than having to constantly hold yourself back.

  What about after the Rating Game? Has facing threats like Kokabiel and Vali not shown you that this kind of behavior is only hurting those you cim to care about?

  Does your hatred of yourself run that deep that you would let your friends die just to stick to your vow?

  Akeno hated how Azazel and Grayfia's words suddenly started to ring in her head, and she especially hated how right they ended up being. Even after training with Grayfia, Akeno had not seen much improvement compared to everyone else in the Peerage.

  Yura soon broke through the earth shell, punching Akeno in the stomach and sending her flying backwards.

  Akeno's eyes glowed, and in a moment of anger, Holy Lightning flowed out from her body. Yura quickly put her [Twinkle Aegis] into defensive mode, but the lightning broke through the fiery barrier with ease, striking Yura directly.

  "Sona Sitri-sama. Rook, retired. Unable to continue."

  She should have felt happy that she won, but all Akeno felt in that moment was anger.

  Anger at Yura for pushing her to use this detestable power, anger at Azazel and Grayfia for putting the idea of using that power in her head and trying to make her feel like a fool for choosing not to, and most of all, Akeno felt anger at herself for being so weak and emotional that she would resort to using it.

  Since when am I weaker than a single Rook? Since when have I been on the backend when facing Tsubaki in a fight? Akeno thought, looking down at her shaking hands, nausea creeping into her stomach.

  What kind of Queen am I?

  Akeno barely registered the sound of a nearby wall being blown apart, not moving even as Issei and Koneko came through the hole they had made.

  "Akeno-senpai! Are you okay? Were you the one who took out Yura-san?" Issei asked.

  Akeno flinched at the Pawn's st question.

  Before Issei could question Akeno's reaction, he took notice of Kiba and Tsubaki, seeing that the Knight was unching swords at the Queen.

  Once we take out the vice president, Natsuki won't be able to say anything if I show up to fight Saji. I've been waiting to see how he would do against my Bance Breaker. Issei thought, pointing his gauntlet at the Devils.

  [Transfer!]

  A rge ray of green light flowed from Issei's [Boosted Gear, hitting Kiba.

  The Knight grinned when he felt the rush of magical energy. "Thanks, Ise-san."

  Kiba used his [Sword Birth] to create a field of Holy Demonic Swords. Tsubaki teleported away, finding herself across the gym, but not fast enough to completely avoid Kiba's sword, having been pierced a few times through her legs.

  The moment her feet touched the floor, Koneko was waiting for her, hitting Tsubaki with a Senjutsu-infused punch. Tsubaki hit the floor hard, feeling as if she was being ripped apart from the inside out as blood began to trickle down from her nose and eyes.

  So, this is the power of a Nekomata? Tsubaki thought.

  "Woo! We did it!" Issei pumped his fist into the air, walking over to Koneko and raising his hand up.

  Koneko rolled her eyes, but a small smile rested on her face as she gave Issei a high five.

  "It's not over yet." Kiba said, holding his sword tightly in his hand. Kiba walked to where Tsubaki y, pointing his sword at her neck as he stood over her. "Thank you for a good fight, Shrina-senpai. And I apologize if I was too rough and rude with my words."

  Tsubaki's eyes widened, and a small blush appeared on her cheeks before she forced it away, seeing Kiba in a different light than she did before. "You truly are a chivalrous Knight, Kiba-san."

  Kiba raised his sword high, preparing to nd the final blow that would eliminate Tsubaki from the game.

  "But there is such a thing as being too courteous, especially in a game like this." Tsubaki said, quickly reaching into her pocket and pulling out a bottle of Phoenix Tears.

  To the Devils' surprise, instead of using it on herself, Tsubaki threw the liquid at them, dousing the Knight, Pawn, and Rook in the liquid.

  "Wait, why would you give us-"

  Tsubaki smiled, cutting off Issei's question as her body began to glow. "Reverse!"

  The Phoenix Tears, along with the Devils who had been doused in it, started to glow with the same brightness as Tsubaki.

  "No!" Akeno shouted, realizing what Tsubaki had done.

  Akeno's world soon turned on its head and fell into darkness as a massive explosion rocked the Thunder Gym.