Though it wasn't a national holiday, Kuoh Academy had suddenly canceled all classes for the day.

Not that the students were surprised. Sudden, unexplained school closures had become something of a regular occurrence—so common, in fact, that most of them didn't even question it anymore.

The reason this time was simple—today was the day of the Rating Game.

Although the match wouldn't take place on school grounds, but rather in a specially prepared dimensional space designed to prevent any damage to the real world, precautionary measures were still necessary.

That's why Sona Shitori—or rather, Sona Sitri—along with the rest of the Student Council, had been placed on high alert, ready to respond in case anything unexpected happened.

Inside the Occult Research Club room, the atmosphere was tense and quiet.

Everyone was preparing. The moment the time came, they would be transported to the battlefield through large-scale magic teleportation.

But just as the pressure reached its peak... the silence was broken by the sound of steady footsteps echoing in the hallway.

Tap... Tap... Tap...

Sona Sitri entered the room, flanked by her Queen, Tsubaki Shinra.

"Well, this is a surprise," said Rias Gremory, greeting her friend with a polite nod. "Didn't expect to see you here, Sona."

"I came to check on you, Rias. How are you feeling? Confident?"

"Of course," Rias replied with a calm smile. "I've got an unbeatable trump card."

As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward the sofa—where Shin Akira was lounging comfortably.

He sat with Koneko Toujou curled up on his lap, calmly feeding her sweets, while Akeno Himejima poured him a cup of tea like a graceful host.

The whole scene looked less like people preparing for an intense, high-stakes battle and more like a group of friends getting ready for a spring picnic.

"…It's been a while, Shin Akira-kun," Sona said as she stepped forward.

"Nice to see you again, Sona-kaichou," Akira replied casually, not bothering to shift from his relaxed position.

Since their last meeting—when Akira rejected her invitation to join her peerage—the two hadn't spoken again.

Though from what he'd heard, Sona had recently reincarnated a human into her peerage… and had used four whole pawns to do so.

Naturally, Akira understood she was referring to Saji Genshirou.

"You seem quite sure of yourself... going up against the third son of the Phenex family."

"He's just a walking fire turkey. There won't be any surprises."

"…You've gotten cockier since the last time we talked."

Sona's voice was cool, her eyes narrowing slightly. She couldn't help but feel a little relieved that Akira had turned down her offer back then.

Sure, having a strong subordinate was valuable—but someone this arrogant could easily become a liability.

After all, even if Riser Phenex had a terrible personality, he was still a High-Class Devil from a prestigious household, and a veteran of many Rating Games. His immortality, granted by the Phoenix lineage, made him a nightmare to deal with.

Yet Akira was acting as if victory was a foregone conclusion. Even if he was stronger, overconfidence like this was a ticking time bomb.

Unbeknownst to Akira, his impression in Sona's mind had dropped several notches.

Though honestly, even if he had known, he probably wouldn't have cared. The opinions of others weren't exactly a priority to him.

"…Senpai is strong," Koneko suddenly spoke up from his lap, her gaze fixed on Sona.

Sona fell silent.

The brief words from the quiet nekomata caught her off guard.

When she turned toward Rias, she noticed something had changed. Her friend no longer carried the usual pressure or tension. In fact, she looked completely composed, even serene.

Was it possible? Could this man really be that powerful?

Sona knew that Akira had reached the High-Class rank.

But ranks in the Underworld weren't everything—especially when you factored in the influence of noble bloodlines, like the Phenex family's infamous Phoenix Regeneration.

Rias hadn't fully mastered her family's Power of Destruction, and even Sona herself didn't know how she'd deal with Riser's absurd regeneration if it came down to it.

So then… did Akira have a way to counter it?

Ding... Ding... Ding...

A soft chime rang out from a magic device in the room, signaling that the time had come. The game was about to begin.

"…Rias," Sona said softly, "I'll be watching from the outside. Free yourself from the chains that bind you."

Her words weren't just advice. As a rival and a friend, they were also a sign of respect—from one team leader to another.

But Rias simply shook her head with a gentle smile.

"No… Today's Rating Game isn't my stage."

She turned her eyes toward Akira—still lounging like he didn't have a care in the world.

"It's his."

"…What do you mean by that, Rias?" Sona asked, her curiosity piqued.

But Rias didn't answer. She simply said one last thing:

"We'll talk again later, Sona."

In that instant, a massive teleportation circle lit up beneath the members of the Occult Research Club.

A surge of magic pulsed through the air—and in the blink of an eye, they vanished in a wave of glowing light, leaving only Sona and Tsubaki behind.

"…Tsubaki. What did Rias mean by that?"

"It seems she was implying that, in this match… Shin Akira will be the only one fighting."

"…Unbelievable. She's betting everything on a human?"

"...Or maybe, there's something we still don't know."

Sona couldn't hide her shock. Rias—usually so calculating and composed—had made a move that bordered on reckless.

But before they could analyze further, another magic circle activated beneath them.

A crystal-blue light enveloped Sona and Tsubaki, whisking them away to the venue.

— — —

Rating Game Dimensional Arena – Neutral Territory, Underworld

Sona and Tsubaki arrived at the expansive battlefield prepared for the Rating Game.

The space was massive—an artificial dimension, stabilized with countless layers of magic.

All around them, the arena was filled with powerful High-Class Devils. They hadn't come merely to spectate—they were here to witness what was, in truth, a significant political event.

The younger sister of the Maou Lucifer, rebelling against an arranged marriage, and seeking to annul it through formal means—via a publicly sanctioned Rating Game.

This wasn't just some teenage drama. It was a high-stakes battle between two noble houses.

On one side stood Rias Gremory—heir to the Gremory household, younger sister of Sirzechs Lucifer, and the only daughter of one of the Four Great Devil clans.

On the other stood Riser Phenex—third son of the ancient Phenex family, infamous for their regeneration and nobility.

Seated at the highest podium were the key figures of the Underworld.

Sirzechs Lucifer himself had come to personally witness the outcome. Beside him was the head of the Phenex household—here to see whether his son would truly marry into the Gremory line.

Above the arena, giant magical screens projected the images of both teams—Team Rias and Team Riser. Magic cameras hovered around the battlefield, ready to broadcast every move in real time.

A gentle breeze swept through the air.

From above, a shimmering magic circle descended, glowing softly with silver light.

From it emerged an elegant figure—Grayfia Lucifuge, the legendary Queen of the Underworld, wife of Lucifer, and arbiter for today's match.

The Rating Game was about to begin.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

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