"Hah… hah…"
Akeno pressed a trembling hand to her side, her breath ragged and shallow. Blood seeped between her fingers where Tsubaki's blade had left a long, angry gash. Burns and cuts crisscrossed her body, each one a souvenir of the relentless battle.
She could barely stand.
"Give up, Akeno Himejima. Alone, you can't defeat us."
Shinra Tsubaki stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Kusaka Reya, her tone calm but resolute. They were both [Queens]—equals in power, rivals in pride. But this wasn't a one-on-one duel. For Sona's sake, they would do whatever it took to win.
Akeno managed a weak, lopsided smile. "Give up… Maybe I should."
Her fingers closed around a cool glass vial at her chest—Phoenix Tears, entrusted to her by Rias before the match. "Use it if you're in real trouble," Rias had said with that worried smile.
Tsubaki and Reya tensed, but didn't move to stop her. Yet Akeno just stared at the vial, unmoving.
Even if I use this, will I really last long enough for backup to arrive? Or am I just delaying the inevitable?
She let out a shaky laugh, bitter and soft. "Useless… Everyone trusts me, but I can't live up to their hopes."
She took a breath. Her eyes hardened.
Then, with a flick of her wrist, Akeno hurled the Phoenix Tears skyward.
"Rias!"
Locked in battle above, Rias heard her name and instinctively caught the object flying toward her. When she saw what it was, her face went pale.
"Akeno, what are you doing?!"
She's hurt, badly hurt, and she's giving up her only lifeline? Rias's heart twisted in panic and anger. She dove toward Akeno, desperate to help.
But Sona intercepted her, a massive magic circle blooming between them. "Your opponent is me, Rias."
A torrent of energy blasted Rias back, explosions rattling the sky.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Forced to retreat, Rias could only watch, helpless and furious.
Akeno smiled, lips trembling with relief. "You'll be mad at me later, Rias… but please, wait until you've won."
She pressed both hands to the ground. Lightning swirled around her, magic crackling as a gigantic spell circle unfurled, trapping herself, Tsubaki, and Reya inside.
"Akeno Himejima, are you insane?!"
Realization dawned too late—Tsubaki and Reya tried to leap back, but the circle snapped shut.
CRACKLE—
"AAAAAAAHHHH!"
A pillar of thunder erupted, swallowing the rooftop in blinding light. Three voices screamed in agony.
"AKENO!"
"Tsubaki! Reya!"
Both Rias and Sona broke off their duel, shooting down in panic.
Electricity still danced in the air as the three girls collapsed, battered and unmoving. The crowd outside roared in shock—no one had expected Rias's [Queen] to pull such a desperate, all-or-nothing move.
"Lady Sona… Lady Tsubaki… The rest is up to you…"
Reya's voice was barely audible. Her body dissolved into motes of light, teleported away.
Rias and Sona landed hard, each gathering their wounded [Queens] in trembling arms.
"To… only take out a [Bishop]… What a blunder. Rias, I… I…"
Akeno tried to smile through the pain, but her body flickered and vanished, leaving only empty air.
"Lady Sona's [Bishop], eliminated!"
"Lady Rias's [Queen], eliminated!"
Grayfia's voice rang out, echoing through both the arena and the projection. The audience exploded with applause—but Rias and Sona stood frozen, their faces dark with grief and rage.
"Stupid Akeno… Just wait until I get my hands on you," Rias muttered, pounding her fist into the ground. Did she really think sacrificing herself was noble? Idiot!
"Tsubaki, are you alright?"
"Cough… I'm fine, Lady Sona."
Sona pressed a Phoenix Tear to Tsubaki's lips, watching as the wounds faded. Tsubaki's face was still pale, her hands trembling.
If Reya hadn't shielded her with [Garden of the Moment], she'd have been eliminated too.
Rias and Sona exchanged a glance—eyes burning, souls raw.
"Rias, I'm in a terrible mood right now."
"Yeah… me too."
Destruction leaked from Rias's aura, while Sona's gaze sharpened to a knife's edge. This was still just a match—but losing a comrade hurt, every time.
"Then let's finish this."
In perfect sync, they surged at each other—
BOOM!!!
BANG! BANG BANG BANG!
Elsewhere, on the mall's second floor, Koneko's battle raged on against Nimura Ruruko and Kusaka Reya.
At some point, the three had fought their way to the eastern wing. Nimura, using her [Pawn] promotion, now wore the power of a [Queen]—her strength, defense, and magical force all greatly enhanced. With Kusaka's support, they held Koneko at a deadlock.
But Koneko's eyes narrowed. "It's over."
She forced Nimura back with a flurry of blows, then unleashed her trump card—a barrage of youkai energy, each sphere pulsing with the raw power of the nekomata.
The air shimmered with danger. Nimura and Kusaka dodged desperately, but Koneko had locked onto their auras—her attacks curved through the air, homing in unerringly.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions rocked the floor. The two girls cried out, smashed to the ground.
"Amazing… Koneko-chan, you're so strong…"
Their voices faded as they dissolved into light, teleported out.
"Lady Sona's [Pawn] and [Bishop], eliminated!"
Grayfia's voice echoed. Koneko let out a shaky breath—but there was no time to rest.
Akeno's gone… I have to help Buchou!
She tried to run, but her legs buckled. She crashed to the floor, strength utterly spent.
My… power… all gone…
Her vision blurred. As darkness closed in, she thought she heard Grayfia's voice, distant and final:
"Lady Rias's [Rook], eliminated!"
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