[230] : Scanning the Battlefield—Mika Takes Action!

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"Yes!" Issei replied with a grin, confident in his ability to contribute to their victory.

After all, on the final night of their training, Rias had publicly released a portion of his sealed power.

When Issei was reincarnated as a Devil, Eight Pawn pieces had been used, granting him immense potential—

However, Issei—as an ordinary human before his transformation, couldn't handle such power. Therefore, Rias had sealed most of it.

As his training progressed, and his body grew stronger, she gradually released more of his sealed power, boosting his confidence.

"I'll take care of all their Pawns," he declared.

"That's the spirit! But before you go, put this on." Akeno approached them, distributing earpiece-type communication devices.

Mika took his and put it on. As he turned, he found himself face-to-face with Akeno.

"Good luck, my hero," she whispered, her finger tracing a path across his chest. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do."

Mika's breath hitched.

He suppressed his surprise and chuckled.

"I'll do my best—senpai."

"I'm counting on you." With a wink, she moved on.

"What a…devilish woman," Mika muttered, watching her go.

"Make sure you keep this safe," Rias said, handing him the last communication device. "It will allow us to communicate during the battle."

"Understood," they replied.

"It's time," Grayfia announced, looking at her watch. "The game will continue until dawn. You can fight without restraint. Now, Let the game Begin!!!"

…

After Grayfia's announcement, Rias didn't immediately issue orders but remained seated, studying a map of Kuoh Academy.

"Our priority is to eliminate Riser's Pawns. If they're all promoted to Queens, things will get…complicated."

"Indeed. That's our best course of action." They discussed their strategy, analyzing the terrain.

Mika leaned back against the sofa, his eyes closed, as if unconcerned with the upcoming battle. He wasn't the only one; Akeno was leisurely preparing tea, even pouring a cup for Mika.

"Excellent tea, Akeno-senpai," he said, savoring the flavor.

"Thank you, Mika-kouhai," she replied with a smile.

"Please don't call me 'kouhai', senpai. It's…unsettling."

"Then don't call me 'senpai'. Just Akeno."

"Akeno… very well."

They sat together, sipping their tea and chatting, seemingly unconcerned with the impending battle.

It wasn't that they didn't care; they were simply the type who preferred action to strategizing.

Their role was to fight.

As they talked, Rias concluded her discussion.

Yuuto and Koneko left to set traps in the surrounding forest. Upon their return, Rias dispatched Akeno to create a cover of mist and illusions.

With the preparations complete, Rias issued her final orders.

"Issei, Koneko, you two will head to the gymnasium and eliminate any of Riser's peerage stationed there."

"Yuuto, you'll remain in the forest and ambush any scouts they send. Eliminate them."

"As for Mika…" She looked at him, her expression serious.

"You're free to do as you see fit."

"Whether you choose to assassinate Riser directly or eliminate his peerage first, it's your decision."

"Alright." Mika opened his eyes and met her gaze.

"I will bring us victory." He stood up and headed towards the door.

His next objective was simple: eliminate the enemy and secure their victory.

…

Stepping out of the old school building, Mika sensed the difference between this replica and the real world.

He activated his Observation Haki, scanning the entire battlefield.

"There are enemies at the gymnasium, and more approaching from the side. Everything is proceeding as planned."

He sensed several enemies within the Kuoh Academy sports complex.

"I'll eliminate them first." As he walked, he summoned Radiant Spear.

....

Carrying his Spear on his shoulder, he strolled casually through the grounds of the replica Kuoh Academy.

He sensed Issei and Yuuto engaging their respective opponents.

While their battles were intense, Mika couldn't help but feel a sense of—disappointment.

The enemies were simply too weak.

Both Rias's and Riser's peerage were powerful. If this were Orario, their battle would be comparable to a clash between the Loki and Freya Familias. After all, the power of Devils was immense.

Yuuto, for instance—despite being a Mid-class, possessed near-supersonic speed thanks to his Knight piece. Such speed was comparable to Ais Wallenstein, the Sword Princess, at the peak of Level 5.

The strongest among a Devil's peerage was always the Queen. Akeno, for example, was comparable in strength to the weakened Zald and Alfia.

Of course, Zald and Alfia, in their prime, were ultimate-class—but even so, they weren't the strongest in this world.

In short, both sides were powerful, but to Mika, they were still—weak. Becoming a Devil had significantly enhanced his strength. While his combat abilities had always exceeded his Falna level, his Devil form had pushed him even further beyond.

"Come out. Your attempts at concealment are—Amateurish." He stopped in the middle of the sports complex.

"As expected of someone even Riser-sama is wary of. Our attempts at stealth were indeed foolish," a voice said, and three figures emerged from the shadows.

"A Knight, a Rook, and a Bishop, I presume." Mika sensed their auras.

"Indeed. I am Karlamine, Knight of Riser Phenex. Although you don't seem to favor a sword, I am honored to face such a powerful opponent," a female Devil clad in armor declared.

"To encounter the enemy's strongest—this is troublesome," a masked female Devil said.

"I am Isabela, Riser-sama's Rook. It's a pleasure to meet you." She had anticipated this encounter, but it was still unwelcome.

Riser had emphasized Mika's strength after their meeting at the Occult Research Club. He believed Mika was stronger than even Rias's Queen, Akeno, perhaps even stronger than Rias herself.

He had also noticed Grayfia's surprise at Mika's sudden appearance, suggesting his concealment abilities were Satan-class.

Fortunately—Riser wasn't afraid of assassination. Otherwise, even stronger Devils might fall prey to such tactics.

Therefore, Riser's peerage treated Mika with caution.

"He's so handsome! Rias has excellent taste. Her peerage is both strong and good-looking!" The speaker was the Bishop, a blonde girl in a princess dress.

"And you are—?" Mika asked, curious.

He couldn't remember all the members of Riser's peerage; only the more distinctive characters stood out in his memory.

"This is Ravel Phenex, Riser-sama's younger sister. She's not a combatant, so she won't be participating," Isabela explained.

"A spectator, then—I'll pretend you're not here. But if you interfere—" He smiled at Ravel, then turned his attention back to the other two.

"Begin. I'm offering you the first move."

"Thank you!" Karlamine and Isabela exchanged glances and nodded.

The next moment, they charged.

The Knight's sword and the Rook's fist struck simultaneously.

Karlamine, the faster of the two, reached him first, channeling all her power into a single thrust aimed at his seemingly unprotected chest. They both knew this was a decisive blow.

"I've got him!" she exclaimed, seeing Mika standing there, spear still on his shoulder, seemingly unprepared.

Clang!

"What?!" Her sword stopped, unable to penetrate his defenses. The force of the impact reverberated through her arm.

Then, Isabela's fist struck, also meeting an invisible barrier.

"What is this?!" she muttered, a sharp pain shooting through her hand.

"Just a simple magical armor," Mika chuckled.

As he spoke, a wave of chilling cold emanated from him, freezing their limbs.

They struggled, but it was futile.

"Is that—it?" they asked weakly.

"Yes, that's it..."

The next moment, they were encased in ice.

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