[229] : A Battle Observed by the Underworld—The Stakes Are Set!

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Time flew by, and the day of the Rating Game arrived.

"Go, Mika! Show that Devil the fruits of our labor!" Gabriel cheered, merging with Mika's being.

He donned the white gloves they had created together.

"Leave it to me." With that, he stepped out of his apartment and headed towards Kuoh Academy.

.....

It was late at night.

The Rating Game was scheduled to begin at midnight.

Mika arrived at the Occult Research Club, where the others were already gathered, a somber silence filling the room as they prepared themselves mentally for the upcoming battle.

Mika, seeing their serious expressions, decided to lighten the mood.

"Oh, you're wearing your nun's habit again, Asia? I haven't seen you in that for a while."

"Buchou said we should wear whatever makes us comfortable, so I chose this," Asia replied quickly.

"Relax, I'm not criticizing you," Mika reassured her with a smile.

"But are you sure that's a good idea? I seem to recall a certain Devil complaining about headaches from reading the Bible just the other day."

The others laughed.

A few days earlier, during a break in their training, Rias had asked Asia to tell them about holy water and Exorcists.

Midway through her explanation, she had complained about being unable to read the Bible anymore, claiming it gave her headaches.

Then, as if to demonstrate, she had begun reciting her favorite passage, only to clutch her head in pain moments later. She had then tried praying, with similar results.

Her dramatic performance had amused them all.

The laughter dispelled the earlier tension.

"As expected of Mika. You always know how to lighten the mood. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without you," Rias said, grateful for his intervention.

"Buchou," Issei suddenly asked, "Is Riser really that strong? When I fought his peerage earlier, they didn't seem that powerful."

"Ah, I forgot you and Asia aren't familiar with the Phenex family yet," Rias said, slapping her forehead. Akeno, Yuuto, and Koneko, as seasoned reincarnated Devils, knew about the Phenex clan.

And while Mika, Issei, and Asia were new recruits, Mika's apparent knowledge of everything had made her forget that Issei and Asia were still relatively clueless.

After all, unlike them, he had been diligently studying Devil lore since his arrival.

"While Riser's peerage is larger than ours, that's not what makes them a threat. It's Riser himself."

"He is a descendant of the Phoenix—a mythical creature associated with life and rebirth. Its tears were said to heal any injury, and its blood granted immortality. Legends about it exist in many human cultures."

"Besides the original Phoenix, there's also the Phenex clan of Devils—holding the rank of Marquis. They possess the same power as the Phoenix: immortality."

"Immortality? Doesn't that make him invincible?" Issei exclaimed.

"Practically. He can regenerate instantly from any injury. And his flames can incinerate his opponents completely. His official Rating Game record is eight wins and two losses."

"And those two losses were intentional, against allied families. He's essentially undefeated." A smile touched Rias's lips.

"When my family arranged this engagement, I had a bad feeling. They must have anticipated my refusal and set this trap. They chose Riser, believing I would have no chance of winning against him, even in a Rating Game, forcing me to accept the engagement."

"It was a gambit, a deception."

"But they didn't anticipate that I would turn their trap against them." She looked at Mika. He was the reason she had the courage to disobey her family.

He smiled back, a silent acknowledgment of their shared understanding.

"I see…" Issei said, finally understanding the situation.

Rias nodded, then glanced at the clock. "It's almost time."

Just then, the magic circle on the floor glowed, and Grayfia emerged.

"Is everyone ready? The game begins in ten minutes."

They stood up, and Grayfia began explaining the rules.

"Once the game begins, you will be transported to the designated battlefield through this magic circle."

"The battle will take place in a specially created dimensional space, a replica of Kuoh Academy. You can fight without restraint; it's a disposable dimension."

Mika marveled inwardly at the sheer power required to create a pocket dimension.

'Perhaps I should try shattering it with Ea…' he mused, then dismissed the idea. Destroying the dimension would only put Rias and her peerage in danger, and it wouldn't achieve anything positive.

"Besides, I already have a winning strategy."

.....

After Grayfia's announcement, Rias's expression turned serious. "Does anyone have any questions? Ask them now, because once the game begins, I won't have time to answer them."

"I do!" Issei said.

Rias sighed. "What is it?"

"I thought you had another Bishop. Why isn't he participating?"

"He can't. I'll explain later," she replied.

While Issei seemed to accept her answer, he was clearly dissatisfied. In his mind, regardless of the reason, everyone should be present for such an important battle.

Mika noticed the conflicted expressions on Akeno, Yuuto, and Koneko's faces and nodded slightly.

He knew a bit about Rias's other Bishop: Gasper Vladi, a young, androgynous boy with an incredibly powerful, but uncontrollable, Sacred Gear.

This was likely why Rias hadn't included him in the Rating Game.

An uncontrollable power, especially a strong one, was a liability, especially since Mika was confident in their victory.

Bringing Gasper would only introduce unnecessary risk.

After Rias answered Issei's question, silence returned to the room.

With the battle imminent, no one was in the mood for idle chatter.

Mika—felt Grayfia's gaze on him and remained silent as well.

"Both families will be observing the game through a live broadcast," Grayfia announced, breaking the silence.

She was referring to the Gremory and Phenex clans.

Rias nodded.

"Furthermore, Sirzechs Lucifer will also be watching. Keep that in mind."

"My—brother?" Rias was momentarily stunned, then her fighting spirit surged. She didn't want to lose in front of her brother.

"We will win this battle!" she declared.

"Yes! We will win!" Issei shouted.

"We will be victorious," Mika added with a smile.

The room filled with a renewed sense of determination. Soon, it was time.

"The time has come. Please enter the magic circle," Grayfia instructed.

They stepped into the circle, which, unlike those they had seen before, didn't bear the Gremory or Phenex clan crest.

'Perhaps it's a Lucifuge crest,' Mika mused—recalling Grayfia's affiliation.

"We will now begin the transfer."

The magic circle glowed, and they were engulfed in light.

.....

Mika opened his eyes to a familiar scene.

"Is this—our clubroom?" Issei asked, his voice laced with worry.

"Did the teleportation fail again because of me?" He remembered his earlier inability to activate the magic circle due to his low magic power.

"No, this is our designated starting point," Mika said, walking over to the window. The sky outside was an unnatural shade of white, a color never seen in the human world.

Issei joined him, gazing at the strange sky. "But it's nighttime…"

"Greetings, everyone. I am Grayfia—I will be officiating this Rating Game between the Gremory and Phenex families," a voice announced through the clubroom's speakers. It was Grayfia.

"In the name of my Master, Sirzechs Lucifer, I will oversee this battle. Now, let us begin."

"The battlefield for this Rating Game, chosen by both Lady Rias and Lord Riser, is a replica of Kuoh Academy, created within a separate dimension."

"Your current locations are your respective bases of operations."

"Lady Rias's base is the Occult Research Club office in the old school building. Lord Riser's base is the Student Council office in the new school building."

"When a Pawn is to be promoted, they must reach the vicinity of the opponent's base."

"Did you hear that, Issei? You need to infiltrate the enemy's base," Mika teased.

Promotion—was a special ability available to Pawns.

They could then transform into any other piece except the King, gaining the speed of a Knight, the offense and defense of a Rook, the magic power of a Bishop, or the versatility of a Queen. While they could only choose one, it granted them a significant power boost.

"So, make sure you perform well," Mika said, clapping him on the shoulder. Although he had a plan for defeating Riser, he didn't intend to end the game prematurely.

This battle would be valuable training for Rias's peerage. He wasn't strong enough to single-handedly conquer this world like he had in others.

Therefore, enhancing their overall strength was crucial.

"Understood," Issei replied.

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