High School DxD: Return of the Crimson Dragon Emperor

Chapter 56: Chapter 54: Rias vs. Sona: The Final Clash!!

”Sona Sitri-sama’s ’Queen,’ ’Knight,’ and ’Rook,’ retired!” the announcer declared.

I was watching the Rating Game on a monitor in my room at the Gremory estate, catching every moment as that announcement blared.

I saw it all—Gasper, powered by my blood, taking down Sona’s peerage.

Initially, I thought Kiba’s speed or Xenovia’s strength would be the key to our strategy. Boy, was I wrong.

Gasper was the linchpin.

Sure, Gasper’s specs after drinking my blood—the Red Dragon Emperor’s blood—were insane. I’d seen it during the summit attack. His vampire abilities could take out foes without wrecking the battlefield.

But using him like that? Nobody saw it coming. Not even Sona.

Her vice-president, Meguri-san, and Yura-san were crushed by Gasper, costing her major firepower. Meanwhile, our side hadn’t lost a single member.

The tide had turned—Rias was now in control.

Gasper was down, drained from his effort, but Akeno-san and Xenovia were still raring to go.

The question was: how would Sona counter from this disadvantage? And then there was Saji.

Kiba and Saji had been fighting for a while. Saji was slashed to ribbons, blood soaking his body, smoke rising from wounds under the holy aura of Kiba’s Holy-Demonic Sword. He could collapse any second.

Kiba had the clear upper hand.

Yet Saji refused to fall. His aura surged, stronger than when the fight began. Kiba, noticing, showed a flicker of confusion.

This game was about to get wild.

[Kiba Side]

”Hah... hah... guh... cough!” Saji gasped, kneeling, blood pouring from his wounds.

I had a few scratches but no major damage. Using my speed, I kept attacking, dodging Saji’s barehanded strikes or his Line. Hit-and-run—classic.

I was supposed to be dominating.

But that thought had vanished.

No matter how many times I cut or knocked him down, Saji got back up, attacking with increasing ferocity.

”Kuh... RAAAH!” Saji roared, gritting his teeth through the pain, standing again.

Where was this strength coming from?

”Line!” he shouted, unleashing it with blinding speed—far faster than before.

I parried with my sword, keeping my distance. If that Line connected, it’d drain my power. It wouldn’t take everything instantly, but I couldn’t risk it. Touching it was a bad idea.

Nearby, Koneko-chan battled Nimura-san. Koneko excelled in close combat, and with her Nekomata powers unleashed, she was even stronger. Nimura, though, seemed to know Senjutsu, deftly evading Koneko’s strikes.

Then Koneko’s fist grazed Nimura’s cheek. A shift—Nimura wavered, her eyes unsteady. Koneko pounced.

Her fist, cloaked in faint white aura, slammed into Nimura’s chest.

Pow!

A crisp sound echoed. Nimura dropped to her knees.

”With my aura-clad fist, I struck you,” Koneko said. ”I damaged your ki flow, so you can’t channel magic anymore. The internal damage means you can’t stand.”

So that’s Koneko’s Senjutsu. I’d heard about it, but in close combat, it’s devastating. Issei-kun’s skilled with ki, but I’ve only seen him use it to enhance punches—still plenty powerful, though.

”Sorry, Saji-senpai...” Koneko said softly.

Nimura’s body glowed and vanished—retirement.

”Sona Sitri-sama’s ’Pawn,’ retired,” Grayfia’s voice announced.

That made four losses for them. We hadn’t lost anyone. We were in control.

”I made a promise to Issei-senpai,” Koneko said, striking a cool pose. ”I won’t lose!”

She might be the most fired-up among us.

”Damn... the vice-president, now Nimura?” Saji groaned, clutching his wounded arm. ”You guys are strong... but I can’t give up!”

He fired a magic bullet, packed with terrifying power. With my low defense, a direct hit would wreck me.

Where was this power coming from? Saji’s magic wasn’t this strong before, yet he was unleashing this force, standing despite his injuries.

To find answers, I dodged the bullet, scanning his body. Through his torn uniform, I saw something connected to his chest.

No way...

”Saji-kun, are you turning your life into power!?” I asked.

”You noticed, huh?” Saji said. ”I know I’m not strong enough for you. So I’m using my Sacred Gear to convert my life into power. It’s a ’life-or-death’ gamble.”

”Are you serious? That could—” I started.

Saji grinned, eyes fierce. ”Yeah, this stupidity might kill me. But I came here to beat you, no matter what. This game’s broadcast across the Underworld. We have to show those who mocked our dreams what the Sitri peerage is made of!”

Boom!

A massive black aura erupted from Saji, unlike anything before.

”To make our dreams come true, I’ll stake my life,” he said. ”Devils live near-forever. A century or two? No big deal. Even if I’m the last one standing, I’ll take you all down!”

That level of resolve... it blew past anything I’d imagined.

Ooooh...

A faint, massive black snake-like form loomed behind him. What was that?

No time to wonder. His aura stung my skin. He might really be burning centuries of life. I had to stop him—dangerous for him and us. One hit could retire us.

I closed my eyes, sharpening my senses, raising my sword, lowering my stance.

”I can’t let you push further,” I said. ”I’ll stop you.”

”I won’t stop!” Saji roared. ”I’ll beat you and claim victory!”

I opened my eyes, kicking off the ground. Saji clenched his fist and charged.

”HAAAA!” I shouted.

”RAAAAH!” he bellowed.

A fleeting clash.

Splatter.

Saji collapsed behind me, blood gushing, smoke rising from his holy-inflicted wounds. I’d won.

”...Damn... it...” he muttered.

His body glowed—retirement from combat incapacity.

I couldn’t look away, half-expecting him to rise again.

”Sona Sitri-sama’s ’Pawn,’ retired,” Grayfia announced.

Relief hit me, tension fading. Then sharp pain shot through my right arm.

”Guh...”

Blood stained my uniform from a deep wound. Saji’s fist had grazed me. If my strike had been a fraction slower, my arm would’ve been worse. It was unusable now.

”Yuto-senpai, you okay?” Koneko asked.

”Barely,” I said. ”Good thing Buchou gave me Phoenix Tears.”

I fished a vial from my pocket, poured it on the wound, and it vanished instantly. I could still fight.

”Let’s go,” I said. ”Buchou’s already moving.”

”Yes,” Koneko nodded.

We headed for the final showdown.

At the shopping mall’s center was a plaza, circled by benches with a clock pillar at its heart—a rest spot for weary shoppers.

I stopped dead.

Sona stood right in front of me.

Behind her, slightly back, were her two ’Bishops,’ second-years Hanakai-san and Kusaka-san, forming a barrier around her.

Why was she here? She was at a clear disadvantage, yet stood so boldly. A trap?

From the opposite direction came Akeno-san, carrying Gasper, with Xenovia. Apparently, Gasper took down Shinra-senpai’s group, likely using a vial of Issei’s blood.

”Sona, bold move coming to the center,” Akeno said.

Rias appeared with Asia. ”You’re one to talk, moving as the ’King’ yourself.”

”True,” Sona said. ”It’s the endgame, after all.”

”...Didn’t expect Tsubaki to fall,” Sona said, face stern. ”Gasper was a surprise.”

Knowing Gasper’s timid nature, Sona’s strategy must’ve crumbled.

”Let’s settle this,” Rias said. ”You won’t resign, will you?”

”Of course not,” Sona replied. ”Resigning would shame my peerage.”

”As expected,” Rias said. ”So I’ll defeat you with everything I’ve got.”

Rias’s aura flared—she was in full battle mode.

Sona, though, didn’t flinch. No aura, no magic buildup, just staring at us.

Something’s off.

Rias sensed it too, her expression wary. I scanned for traps—nothing.

”What are you waiting for? Let’s end this,” Xenovia said, gripping her twin holy swords, stepping forward.

Xenovia, be more cautious, I thought, but staying locked in a standoff was pointless. Rias didn’t stop her either.

Taking it as approval, Xenovia charged, slashing at Sona. Her swords, fueled by her power, shattered the Bishops’ barrier effortlessly.

Her blades reached Sona—or should have.

”What!?” we all gasped.

Sona’s figure vanished.

Not retired—no announcement. Was she... an illusion?

Hanakai and Kusaka unleashed magic attacks at us. Xenovia was in danger.

”Xenovia!” I shouted.

”This is nothing!” she roared, swinging her sword at Kusaka.

Kusaka raised her hands. ”Reverse!”

The holy aura of Xenovia’s sword vanished, turning demonic. The slash, now mundane, was blocked by Kusaka’s magic barrier. Stunned, Xenovia took a magic bullet from Hanakai, sent flying to the plaza’s edge.

As Kusaka moved to pursue—

BOOM!

A massive lightning bolt struck her—Akeno’s attack. Light was poison to devils. Kusaka was engulfed.

”Reya!” Hanakai cried.

Koneko seized the opening. ”There!”

Her aura-clad fist hit Hanakai’s chest. Like with Nimura, Hanakai collapsed, glowing.

”Sona Sitri-sama’s ’Bishops,’ retired,” Grayfia announced.

Their figures vanished.

Rias rushed to Xenovia. ”You okay?”

”Yeah,” Xenovia said. ”But what was that?”

”No idea,” Rias said. ”Her ability or a Sacred Gear. Definitely a counter-type.”

Counter abilities were trouble for our power-heavy style.

Rias exhaled, steeling herself. ”Just Sona left. Koneko, can you pinpoint her?”

”Yes,” Koneko said, ears twitching. ”I couldn’t sense her earlier, but now I feel her ki on the rooftop. That barrier was a decoy—false visuals, illusions, and masking her presence.”

”The rooftop,” Rias said. ”Let’s go settle this.”

”Yes!” we chorused.

On the department store’s rooftop, the sky was blank white—game space rules.

There stood Sona, giving us a wry smile.

”Why the rooftop?” Rias asked.

”The ’King’ must survive,” Sona said. ”If I fall, the game ends.”

”I won’t pry,” Rias said, closing her eyes, stepping forward.

Sona matched her, stepping up. ”I won’t give up, Rias. Not after my peerage fought so hard.”

She spread her arms.

ZABAAA!

Water erupted from the rooftop, forming a dome around Rias and Sona, walling us off.

”What—” Rias gasped.

Sona smirked. ”This is my final trap, prepared with Momo and Reya. A special spell. Your peerage can’t break it easily. You know what that means.”

I slashed at the water wall with my Holy-Demonic Sword—nothing. Xenovia’s attack failed too.

She got us at the last moment.

This was a one-on-one duel. If Rias fell, we lost.

Damn it... now of all times!

”No need to worry, Yuto,” Rias called, scanning us. ”I’ll win. I won’t let everyone’s efforts go to waste.”

She faced Sona, advancing, her aura blazing.

”I’ve been charging my magic since the game started, like Issei did against Riser,” Rias said. ”Not that output, but...”

BOOM!

Her destructive magic surged, affecting the surroundings.

What power. Rias had clearly leveled up through training.

Sona smiled, water aura gathering, forming shapes: a soaring hawk, a slithering snake, a bold lion, a wolf pack, and a massive dragon, layered together.

Creating so many forms at once? Her magic skill outshone Rias’s.

In this confined space, Rias had no escape.

”You’ve trained hard, Sona,” Rias said. ”My friend and rival. But I won’t lose. I’ll defeat you!”

”Bring it, Rias!” Sona replied.

The clash of best friends began.

Rias unleashed devastating magic; Sona countered with versatile water magic. Rias had raw power, Sona technical finesse.

Their battle raged.

Then—

”Sona Sitri-sama, retired. Rias Gremory-sama wins!” Grayfia announced.

The game ended.

[Kiba Side Out]

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