On the rooftop, Riser finally made a distance between Rias and himself. His wounds, which were inflicted by Rias, have already started to heal. At the same time, it's true that the pain is something he can't tolerate anymore.
Even though he is Phoenix, his mental resistance to pain is approaching its limit. And just like him, Rias, who was opposite to him, has started to show exhaustion.
"I thought you were supposed to be casters." Riser said, while keeping a distance from Rias.
He sneakily looked at Rias's healer. And thought. 'I need to eliminate that healer; otherwise, it would hassle me, approaching my mental limit.'
"Yes, I also thought that caster was a backline job, but during training, my mentor told me about something called [Assault Caster], who use raw mana and short casting spells to fight in close combat." Rias then looked at Asia to see if she was exhausted or not. Seeing Asia can still go on, Rias looked at Riser.
"From the announcement, only your queen and bishop are left in your peerage, and in my peerage nobody is eliminated. With how things are going, my victory is guaranteed. So why do you forfeit the game?" Rias said with a smile.
Sweat was rolling from her forehead, but Rias looked straight at Riser.
She never imagined that she could corner Riser this much. It was her first time in the Rating Game, so experience-wise, Riser is superior to her. But in the current situation, without a doubt, it is Rias's overwhelming advantage.
And all of this happened because of Arthur, the one single entity that turned around her whole life.
Hope he is watching me withpride, that his training wasn't in vain.
"You grow arrogant, Rias, for someone who still hasn't defeated me," Riser murmured. "I will teach you what happens if you underestimate me."
"I didn't underestimate you, Riser. You underestimate me. And I am not arrogant; I am confident for the first time in my life that I can choose my own path." With that, Rias once again summoned his power of destruction and cast a spell, which Miss Solution taught her.
[Delay Magic] [Mines]
With the final trap laid down, Rias and Riser have once again taken their battle.
Riser was looking at Asia. Before he disappeared from his position and attacked Asia with a flame attack.
Reacting to it, Rias instantaneously cast a barrier. Around Asia to protect against the flame flowed Destruction Bullets in the direction of the riser.
Shu...Shu...Shu.
"{Flame Wall}" Riser responded by evoking a flame barrier and then came down with a kick to Rias's head.
Rias blocked it with her hand, enhancing her strength with demonic power.
With a wide opening on the riser side, Rias flicked the his leg to the side and give a heavy-duty punch to the right side of Rib filled with the power of destruction.
The punch landed solidly against his ribs, the power of destruction detonating on contact. A dull shockwave rippled through the air, and Riser was sent skidding backward across the rooftop, boots screeching against concrete, before he barely managed to steady himself at the edge.
"Gah—!"
Smoke rose from the point of impact. His dress was torn and scorched black where Rias's fist had connected. Even for a Phoenix, the pain stabbed deep—sharp, persistent, refusing to fade completely.
Previously, because of his confidence, Riser was protecting his dress with demonic energy while still engaged in battle with Rias, but now he started to understand that won't be possible.
Rias drew her arm back, breathing hard.
Her chest rose and fell faster now. Sweat clung to her temples, dampening her crimson hair. Every cast, every close-quarters exchange, was draining her mana at an alarming rate—but she refused to step back.
Not now.
Riser straightened slowly, flames flickering along his shoulders as his regeneration accelerated. The wounds knit themselves together, flesh restoring as if rewound by time itself. But his expression was no longer relaxed. His jaw was tight, eyes burning with irritation—and something else.
Fear.
"…You really did change," Riser said, exhaling through clenched teeth. "The old Rias would never throw herself into melee like this."
Riser grinned.
The rooftop beneath Rias detonated.
BOOM!
A delayed explosion erupted from under her feet, sending debris and smoke skyward. The blast hurled Rias backward, her body slamming into a ventilation unit with a metallic crash.
She coughed, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
Riser landed smoothly, flames dancing around his body.
"You're not the only one who can set traps," he said coldly. "You focused too much on offense."
Rias pushed herself up, wincing.
"…Then you walked right where I wanted you."
Riser frowned.
A faint crimson glow spread beneath his boots.
His eyes widened.
"What—"
The rooftop lit up.
"[Delay Magic] activate."
Multiple destruction circles activated at once.
The explosions chained together in a deafening roar, engulfing Riser completely. Fire and crimson energy collided violently, ripping apart the rooftop surface and blasting a massive plume of smoke into the sky.
The shockwave rattled the entire building.
When the dust settled, an announcement followed after.
"{Riser Phoenix has been eliminated. Victory belong to Rias Gremory.}"
~~~