novel
| ← Ch.050 | Ch.052 → |
After Ise-kun and Asia-san disappeared from the battlefield, there were only four of us left, including me—Kiba Yuuto, my master Rias-buchou, Akeno-san and Koneko-chan.
The enemy had three people left. Kaichou, Shinra-senpai, and the remaining [Bishop] student council member.
—We had lost half of our members.
A game where one side was supposed to dominate was full of major upsets right from the beginning. The side that was said to be superior had also lost half of their members. I could already hear the comments of those high-class devils watching us from above.
Buchou's estimation will surely fall. But, we couldn't let it fall any lower than this.
Ise, the mood-maker of our team, had disappeared. This was... huge. I somehow endured it, but what was going on in Buchou's mind? If Asia were still here, she would be in shock.
Our current members—wouldn't change for the moment. Even if there had been a shocking impact just now, as long as it didn't affect the battle, there was no problem, but...
Asia had also been unexpectedly taken out. The so-called [Reverse], which had been chosen to be used when she activated her healing ability, and moreover her area-expansion version. So the opposite of healing was damage... Asia-san's healing ability was enormous. The damage caused by [Reverse] must have also been unimaginable.
More importantly, Asia had exited in an instant. The opposing Bishop—Hanakai-san had also disappeared from the attack she gave. Most likely, they had predicted beforehand that the healing ability could be expanded and that it would be used, and made tactics against it. They must have also taken into consideration that Asia-san's area-expanded healing would heal without distinguishing between enemies and allies. If reverse had been activated when more than one ally was being healed... We could have also been completely wiped out. What terrifying tactics.
So you thought that far ahead, Sona-kaichou. However, even so, to have the intention of sacrificing her servants... I could feel that their power of unity was greater than ours. Because she believed in her members, they could display such feats of strength.
On the other hand, Ise's technique was... I couldn't say anything anymore. But, if the opponents are limited to women, it may become quite threatening... Wait, this wasn't what I should be thinking about, though.
Sona-kaichou hadn't aimed at winning with immense power, but instead at using counters that made use of us, who did possess immense power. This was the original Rating Game. You couldn't easily win with just power!
Buchou stood up and looked above. She must have been focusing on Kaichou, who was on the roof.
Even though Ise-kun had been lost, Buchou was calm. As expected of a [King]. Since if the [King] didn't function and act, the game would be affected.
"Koneko, can you feel her spirit?"
Buchou asked Koneko-chan this.
"Yes. I couldn't detect it before, but now I can sense Kaichou's spirit on the roof. I think that the barrier from before was false illusion that made it look like Kaichou was inside it, and also a special decoy that made anyone unable to perceive the actual person's spirit and location."
Her cat ears were moving timidly, seemingly searching for Kaichou's spirit.
Your cat ears are very cute, Koneko-chan. Koneko-chan was also a battle-ready state, even if Ise-kun had disappeared. I was thankful for this. With this, we can fight sufficiently.
I pointed my sword at Shinra-senpai and the other servant from the Sitri group.
"Now then, how shall we do this? As two blade-users, shall we decide it by the blade?"
Shinra-senpai responded to my question.
"That is also fine. In chess, when a pawn is promoted, in most cases they become [Queen]. However, the battle situation changes if they promote to [Knight] instead depending on the setting. There are also a lot of differences between actual chess and the Rating Games, but—this will be a good match."
The battle between me and Shinra-senpai was decided. Besides her, there was only the opposing [Bishop]—Kusaka-san, but—.
At that moment, Akeno entered my sight as she gave off a crackling golden aura from her entire body.
Akeno-san—had a cold look in her tear-soaked eyes and was giving off a strange aura.
"... Even though I tried to show Ise-kun my determination..."
She went forward a step on with wobbly and shaky legs. I could feel a strong pressure in that step that couldn't be expressed in words.
"... Even though I tried to overcome it... by using this hateful power in front of him..."
Akeno-san slowly raised her hands in front of her and—.
"I won't forgive you."
She showed the natural face of her S-side! The number one state that Akeno-san shouldn't be touched in! Impossible, to think that the usually calm Akeno-san would react to losing Ise-kun like this!
"—Disappear."
After that brief anger-filled declaration, a great mass of thunder sprung forth from Akeno-san's hands and swooped down on the Sitri [Bishop] Kusaka-san!
Doooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon!
"Reverse!"
At the instant of impact, Kusaka-san spread out her hands and tried to reverse the thunder, but—.
Bigagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagagaga!! The violent thunder wrapped around Kusaka-san!
Kusaka-san couldn't reverse the thunder and directly received Akeno-san's attack!
And at the same time, she was wrapped in light and disappeared!
"It seems it was useless. She tried to reverse the thunder, but what I shot just now was lightning. Thunder and light. The reverse of the light portion wasn't enough to reverse it all."
[One of Sona Sitri-sama's "Bishops", retired. ]
"—The power couldn't be overturned when the power being reversed was changed."
Just as Akeno-san said, it seemed that their training wasn't enough for them to master the power of [Reverse]. Akeno-san then pointed her hands at the [Queen] Shinra-senpai!
Akeno-san had already disregarded the battle between me and senpai! She had forgotten me in her shock over losing Ise-kun and her anger at not being able to display her lightning power to him!
It may be that, as a result of that, Akeno-san was able to conquer that power, but what an unexpected development. To think that Ise-kun meant that much to Akeno-san!
"Kuh!"
Shinra-senpai felt the danger to her body and started running away from here!
Kah! Dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooon!
The lightning extended straight towards senpai! If a devil was hit directly by that, they would be helpless! Since it was mixed with the power of thunder and the power of light, the weakness of devils, just imagining getting hit by that power was terrifying.
However, Shinra-senpai avoided the lightning and tried to escape into the interior of the department store.
I swiftly ran after her! I won't lose when it comes to speed!
While dashing, I created a holy demonic sword, and when I caught up I stabbed at her! My blade was blocked by her naginata, but I didn't know when she would bring out that counter Sacred Gear!
Shinra-senpai took out a small bottle from her pocket. —[Phoenix Tears]! So the Sitri [Queen] had theirs!
She threw the small bottle at me and cut it apart with her naginata. The liquid inside was poured onto me!
"Reverse!"
Shinra-senpai shouted that! She intended to change the immense healing power of the tears into damage the instant it hit me! I quickly changed my holy demonic sword into a sword of water!
Bishah!
The wave of water mixed together with the tears. When mixed with something else, the tears lost their effect. And as a result, the [Reverse] also lost its meaning!
"If an opening is made even just a little!"
Senpai sharply turned her naginata towards me!
I see, the attack just now was to make me block and step out. However—.
Zan!
Holy demonic swords bloomed in profusion around Shinra-senpai! The multiple holy demonic blades that sprouted out from the floor destroyed senpai's naginata.
"The current me has no openings."
When I tried firing a second bout of swords at her, she made the mirror from before appear in front of her. I weakened the swords as much as possible and they stabbed with just enough power to destroy the mirror.
Barin! Dooooooooo!
The short-lived mirror broke and the impact was returned to me with double the damage, but—I could endure this much! I clenched my teeth in pain and raised my left arm towards the sky.
"Petro, Basileus, Dionysius, Holy Mary. Please listen to my voice!"
Space warped and a tear was created! I stuffed my hand into there!
"No way!? That's!"
Understanding the meaning of this, Shinra-senpai was shocked.
"In the name of the saints lodged in the holy blade, I release thee. —Durandal!"
The item I took out from the space was the legendary holy sword, Durandal!
Xenovia! I'll clear away your regrets here and now!
Following the momentum as I took Durandal out, I slashed at Shinra-senpai! The holy sword hit, and serious damage was given to Shinra-senpai.
Even in that situation, she didn't activate her counter Sacred Gear. So she was unable to use it continuously.
"It was Xenovia's suggestion. That, in the case that she became unable to function and fight, she would transfer the sword's right of use to me, since this sword is too good for her."
That's right, Xenovia had taught me how to use Durandal.
And how could I, who possesses holy demonic swords, use Durandal, you ask?
"However, your holy demonic aptitude is—"
Shinra-senpai said that as she was wrapped in the light of retirement teleportation.
"I had no past. Because of that, I saw hell, but... I'm different now. Thanks to attaining Balance Breaker, it seems I can also handle Durandal like this."
Buuuuuuuuuuuun...
Durandal was emitting a quiet and peaceful surge. It wasn't letting out a violent and rampaging surge like it did with Xenovia.
"Kuh! This is... ! You can handle it better than Xenovia-san!?"
Shinra-senpai said that, but I didn't think so.
"... Since Xenovia has aura temperament that desires power, Durandal may have also reacted to that. But I choose certainty over power. Ability over strength."
I had intended to suppress its power, but even so the floor had been cut into two equal halves up to quite a distance away from the shockwave of slashing Shinra-senpai. It seemed I would receive a minus evaluation because of this.
"I thought that it was a stubborn steed that didn't listen to the words of its wielder, but it really seems to be true. It cut more than I thought... So controlling it is still difficult."
"... ! This is outside of our calculations, Sona! Even more than Hyoudou-kun... ! Their true ace is... ! The servant to pay attention to is... Kiba Yuuto!"
Shinra-senpai left just those parting words and disappeared from this place.
[Sona Sitri-sama's "Queen", retired. ]
"It's because I—aim to surpass Ise-kun, no, the Sekiryuutei."
Mortifying. It had been mortifying for me. The loss against the Phoenix family. Ise-kun, you weren't the only one who was filled with feelings of frustration and mortification back then.
—Since Rias Gremory's true [Knight] was taken out without being able to protect my master.
Even though I had finally attained Balance Breaker, the power of me and my comrades couldn't connect with Kokabiel, and I couldn't enter the battle against the Hakuryuukou either. I hadn't been helpful at either of those times.
Mortifying.
It was mortifying for me, Ise-kun!!
That's why I trained from scratch under my teacher. Truly from scratch. I learned from the sword basics again.
Perhaps telling myself that I wasn't like you, I also kept doing straightforward training to the point of foolishness. If I simply prided myself on attaining Balance Breaker, that will be where I degenerate into weakness!
"—More than anything else, I hate it seeming like the only servant is the Sekiryuutei."
You may be aiming at Vali. But my only goal was to be my master's sword, and stand as a partner next to you, my comrade.
Rias Gremory had not only the Sekiryuutei, but also the "Kiba Yuuto of the Holy Demonic Swords". Because I wanted to say that, I—.
"—I'll also promise the same as you promised. I will never make my master Rias Gremory cry again."
The only remaining opponent was—the [King], Sona Sitri-kaichou.
The roof of the department store. The sky outside was white, empty of anything. Because it was within the space of the game.
Our remaining four members had gone there. In front of us was Sona-kaichou.
Kaichou turned her gaze towards us and smiled bitterly. Buchou asked.
"Sona, why on the roof?"
"The [King] must survive until the end. That is the duty of the [King]. If the [King] is taken out, the game would be over, right?"
"... Yes, I didn't question the profoundness of that."
"Rias, Saji won against the Sekiryuutei. Neither Ise-kun nor you made any mistakes. —Please don't make light of that child. You aren't the only ones that are desperate."
"Yes, I could sense it with my body. —Now then, let's settle this, Sona."
Buchou took a step forward. Does she intend to do this one-against-one?
She was a person that wouldn't listen even if stopped. In that case—.
"If I sense danger, I'll enter to help immediately. I won't listen to your selfishness."
"......"
Buchou didn't react to my words, but she should have understood. If Buchou was close to losing, I wouldn't pay attention to her protests and enter to help as well.
If the [King] was taken down, it was over. I can't let you get taken out, Rias-buchou.
Then, the battle between best friends started—.
An aura of water gathered around Kaichou, and gradually formed something. This was no ordinary amount of water. Looking at it, the water seemed be collected from everywhere within the department store.
As expected of the Sitri family whose specialty is water magic. I had heard that the older sister's specialty was ice, while the younger sister's was water.
In her magic, Buchou carried the power of destruction. An attack that destroys the opponent. Without hesitation, Buchou fired magic bullets at her friend Sona-kaichou! The number of bullets was endless like that of a machine gun!
The bullets were only about the size of a softball, but I could feel magic of high purity in each shot. It seemed that the results of Buchou's training were also coming out. That she wasn't attacking showily was because of the rules.
Zabun. Zabaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan.
Sona-kaichou manipulated the water and made it into a wall, stopping Buchou's attacks. The instant that Buchou's magic hit, the water was also annihilated at the same time, but because she was gathering it from the entire building, it was unlimited.
"Now then, Rias. I shall thoroughly display my water techniques to you."
Kaichou transformed a large amount of the water with magic, turning it into many hawks that flew in the air, serpents that slithered on the ground, valiant lions, wolves that herded together, and several huge dragons as well.
So she can make this many different things at once! Her magic skill surpasses that of Buchou!
"Just as I wished for, Sona!"
Smiling fearlessly, Buchou piled compression upon compression of her power of destruction and made a countless number of magic bullets in the air. Those without enough power would vanish from just one of those shots. To have condensed that many of them, it seemed that Buchou had built up her magic power fairly well in her training.
Both excelled in the quality of their magic, but looking at it like this, Buchou stood out in power while Kaichou stood out in technique.
Both of them stood ready. Then, the two of them—unleashed their attacks at each other at the same time.
[Resign confirmed. It is the victory of Rias Gremory-sama. ]
| ← Ch. 050 | Ch. 052 → |