Bound by Infinity

Chapter: 24

Rias and I stood in the ORC clubroom, both of us surveying her peerage. Everyone was dressed in their Kuoh Academy uniforms, except Asia, who remained in her signature nun outfit. It was mere hours after we had returned from our extended training trip, and the group was now ready for the upcoming Rating Game.

"Alright, everyone," Rias began, her authoritative voice cutting through the room. "You all know the plan, yes?"

"Yes, Buchou!" Issei and the others replied in unison, their determination palpable.

"Good." Rias's crimson gaze shifted to me. "Kouki?"

"Yes?" I replied.

"Try not to go overboard," she said, her tone carrying a mix of amusement and caution.

I smirked, crossing my arms. "I can't make any promises."

Rias chuckled softly. "I expected nothing less."

Just as we finalized preparations, a magic circle glowed at the center of the room, and Grayfia stepped out, her elegant demeanor as unshakable as ever.

"Is everyone ready? The match begins in ten minutes," Grayfia said, her gaze sweeping over the group.

The atmosphere turned solemn as everyone stood. Grayfia began explaining the rules, her tone formal.

"When the match begins, you will be transported to a battlefield in a separate dimension designed for these games. Feel free to fight at your full strength, as the space is disposable."

"Well, that's oddly reassuring," I muttered dryly.

"This Rating Game will also be broadcasted for both houses to view. Additionally, Maou Lucifer-sama will be watching as well," Grayfia added.

Rias stiffened slightly at the mention of her brother. "Onii-sama is watching… I see," she murmured.

Her comment jogged my memory. Oh yeah, she did mention that once before.

After a brief explanation to Issei about Sirzechs, it was time to begin.

"It's about time. Everyone, head to the magic circle," Grayfia instructed.

We gathered, and she gave one last reminder. "Once transported, you will not be able to use the circle until the game ends."

Wasn't planning on it anyway.

The circle activated, bathing us in light. When it faded, we appeared in what looked like the same ORC clubroom, though I knew better. I moved to the window and looked out at what should have been the sky. Instead, a white void greeted me.

"A replica of Kuoh Academy inside a separate dimension," I muttered, ignoring Issei's confused expression.

Grayfia's voice rang out through the space.

[Hello, everyone. I am Grayfia, a maid of the House of Gremory, and today I will serve as the arbiter for the Rating Game between the House of Gremory and the House of Phoenix.]

There she is.

[This battlefield is a replica of Kuoh Academy, with Rias-sama's base located in the ORC clubroom of the old school building and Raiser-sama's base in the student council room of the new building. For pawns to use promotion, they must reach the enemy's base.]

"Everyone, put in your earpieces," Rias said, demonstrating with hers.

I quipped, "Not that we'll need them, since we're using telepathy anyway."

"Killjoy," Rias said with a smirk. "Let them believe."

[The game will continue until dawn in human time. Game starts now!]

"Alright, everyone, let's go over the plan. What's the strategy?" I asked with mock seriousness.

"Give Raiser's peerage a chance, not that it matters in the end," Akeno teased with a sly smile.

"Correct," I said with a grin. "But don't get cocky."

"Understood," they replied in unison.

"Good. Now, someone help me set up this table."

"Of course," Akeno said, stepping forward.

I turned to Rias. "I'll call you when it's ready."

She nodded as I vanished in a burst of speed, Akeno disappearing in a pillar of blue flames. Moments later, we reappeared mid-air above the old school building.

"This will do," I said, snapping my fingers. A large table materialized before us.

I reached into a portal, pulling out a red and black tablecloth, teacups, a teapot, and an array of pastries. Akeno quickly set the table, her movements graceful and efficient. Once everything was ready, I sent Rias a telepathic message.

'We're done. You can bring everyone now.'

'On our way,' Rias replied.

Moments later, Rias and the others appeared. Everyone took their seats as Akeno poured the tea. I glanced out the window, watching Raiser's peerage move into position.

"They're already spreading out," I noted, sipping my tea.

"Good," Rias said calmly.

We sat in silence, observing as three of Raiser's pawns reached the old school building. They moved cautiously but eventually entered the ORC clubroom. As expected, they immediately relaxed after promoting themselves to queens.

"Should we hurry this along?" I asked.

"You read my mind," Rias replied.

With a snap of my fingers, Raiser's pawns were teleported to the center of the school.

With Sona

Sona, watching the broadcast from her office, stared at the screen in disbelief. "What is Rias doing? This is a Rating Game, not a tea party. What's her plan?"

With Grayfia

Grayfia observed the events with a mix of disappointment and curiosity. Rias was too intelligent to act this carelessly, so what was she planning?

"What are you up to, Rias-sama?" she muttered.

Back with Kouki

I watched as Raiser's pawns adjusted to their new surroundings. Their confusion quickly turned to irritation as they realized they'd been moved. Predictably, they assumed it was a trap.

They didn't have time to dwell on it. Issei appeared before them in a green flash, his eyes glowing faintly.

"What is your master thinking? Is she stupid?" Marion sneered.

"Just giving you a chance," Issei replied with a grin.

"A chance? You can't be serious. You couldn't even keep up with me ten days ago," Mira mocked.

"Let's find out, shall we?" Issei said, vanishing from sight.

"What?!" Mira exclaimed, her eyes darting around.

Issei reappeared behind her, grinning. "Too slow."

Issei vs. Raiser's Pawns (Now Queens)

Issei unleashed a barrage of green energy blasts, forcing the queens to scatter. Mira lunged at him with her bo staff, but Issei sidestepped, summoning an energy blade to parry her strike.

"Not bad," Issei said, smirking.

Mira growled, swinging again, only for Issei to vanish and reappear behind her. He tapped her shoulder, and as she turned, he unleashed a pulse of energy, sending her flying.

"Come on, is that all you've got?" he taunted.

The twins, Ni and Li, attacked in tandem, their claws glowing with demonic energy. Issei ducked under their strikes, countering with a sweeping kick that knocked them off balance.

"Guess I have to level the playing field," he said, snapping his fingers. The twins' clothing disintegrated, leaving them scrambling to cover themselves.

Using their distraction, Issei fired a beam of energy, blasting them into a nearby wall.

"I've been training hard. You're going to have to do better than this," Issei said, his confidence evident.

Back in the ORC Clubroom

From their elevated vantage point, Kouki and the others observed the chaos unfolding below. The sound of the battle between Issei and Riser's pawns reverberated through the magical battlefield.

"Could he not be perverted for five minutes?" Kouki muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration as he watched Issei once again deploy Dress Break with far too much enthusiasm.

"Pervert," Koneko deadpanned, her voice as flat as ever. She didn't even bother looking up, continuing to munch on her pie with an air of detachment.

"To be fair, he's not as bad as before," Rias chimed in, delicately sipping her tea. Her tone held a tinge of exasperation, though she couldn't help but acknowledge the marginal improvement.

"That's a depressingly low bar to clear," Kouki replied, shaking his head as he cut into his chocolate cake.

"I'll take any improvement I can get," Akeno added cheerfully, pouring more tea into her cup.

Despite their casual banter, a sense of anticipation lingered in the air. All eyes occasionally flicked back to the battlefield, their amusement masking their readiness to jump in if necessary.

Back on the Battlefield

Issei stood amidst the wreckage of the fight, panting slightly as he surveyed the pawns-turned-queens, all of whom were sporting varying degrees of embarrassment and anger.

"You've done well," Kouki's voice echoed in Issei's mind through telepathy. 'But it's time to tag out. Let Kiba have a turn.'

'Got it,' Issei replied. A smirk played across his lips as he leapt away from the fray, landing gracefully back on the rooftop table where the rest of the peerage sat.

"Kiba, you're up," Kouki said casually, taking another bite of his dessert.

Kiba stood, a calm smile gracing his face. "Understood." He exchanged a quick fist bump with Issei before disappearing in a blur of speed, leaving behind only a faint ripple in the air.

"Round two begins," Kouki announced, his tone amused as he leaned back in his chair.

Issei plopped into his seat, grabbing a cup of tea. "Man, that was fun. I left them nice and warmed up for you, Kiba."

"Try not to gloat too much, Issei," Rias teased, though the small smile tugging at her lips betrayed her fondness for her pawn's enthusiasm.

The battle below shifted once again as Kiba entered the fray, his sword gleaming in the artificial sunlight of the battlefield. From their vantage point, the ORC

watched closely, their casual demeanor belied by the intensity in their gazes.

Chapter 24: End