Chapter 231: Respective Opponents
In the Occult Research Club, Rias distributed small pink spherical magic devices.
"Use these to communicate on the battlefield. They function like communicators—place them in your ears, and they'll equip automatically. They won't fall out, no matter how intense the battle gets."
If all members had completed their contracts, these devices wouldn't be necessary.
No matter how well-designed these communication tools—blending magic and technology specifically for Rating Games—were, they couldn't compare to soul connections that transcended time and space.
"This battle shouldn't pose much difficulty for everyone, but we still can't let our guard down."
With absolute superiority in strength, Rias didn't devise any tactics, planning to crush Riser head-on.
Compared to the relaxed atmosphere on Rias' side, Riser's expression in the principal's office was much more grave.
He didn't believe his servants would lose to Rias', but SS-ranked Rias and Haruto, who was also very likely SS-ranked, were completely overpowered existences.
"Though this should be easy work for you all, don't hold back. Quickly and thoroughly crush that arrogant red-haired princess's servants, then breach their main base."
Riser, holding the curvaceous Yubelluna close, gave solemn instructions to the group of specially collected beauties before him.
Including Ravel, the fifteen beautiful girl servants were all carefully selected by him.
Their potential wasn't top-tier, but still passable. The main point was that each girl's character archetype didn't overlap, and when combined, they nearly covered all types of beautiful girls.
Unfortunately, aside from Yubelluna who served as his Queen, he hadn't yet succeeded with the remaining beautiful girls.
Actually, when Riser had begged Ravel to become his Bishop, it was to complete the missing little sister archetype and tsundere elements...
It wasn't that he absolutely had to conquer them all, but rather it stemmed from his collector's obsession.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have only managed to secure Yubelluna as his Queen by now.
In the student council room, Sona kept switching between camera angles of both battling sides.
Almost simultaneously, both teams actively advanced toward the enemy's main base.
The shortest route between the Occult Research Club room and the principal's office passed through the school courtyard. Since this was a combat-oriented dimensional space where damage wasn't a concern, both efficiency-seeking teams simultaneously chose to take the direct path.
All obstacles encountered along the way were completely demolished into ruins.
No one knew about the improvement in Akeno and the other girls' strength. Including Sona and Tsubaki, all viewers watching the broadcast were deeply puzzled by Rias's choice.
Given that Riser's servants were powerful, taking the initiative to attack without any plan was understandable.
But what gave Rias the confidence? Not only was her team incomplete, but her strongest combatant Haruto wasn't deployed either, instead staying back at the main base with Rias and Asia.
Compared to the confused Sona, Grayfia and others, the Phenex family members showed scornful smiles.
"Is this the next head of the Gremory family? Although it's her first Rating Game, if this is her level, I'm truly worried our family's bloodline might be tainted."
"Indeed, it seems Lord Riser will easily achieve victory once again."
Since the broadcast went directly to their respective families, these Phenex family members weren't afraid of being heard by the Satan Sirzechs.
Not just them, even Riser showed a confident, assured smile when he received reports from his servants.
This battle was in the bag!
After dealing with Rias Gremory's group of servants, they would press forward to attack the opponent's main base in one go.
With his abilities and his servants' cover, under the Rating Game rules, he genuinely couldn't imagine how he could possibly lose.
In the school courtyard, Ravel, dressed in pink Lolita fashion, closed her pink fan.
"It seems aside from the Red Dragon Emperor's successor and the little sister with healing abilities, everyone else is here."
While examining Akeno and the others before her, she said: "Although it might seem like bullying with superior numbers, to end this quickly, we can only apologize."
At Ravel's command, fourteen distinctive beauties launched a systematic attack against the six people before them.
Six against fourteen - each person would face two or three opponents.
In the opposing lineup, aside from Yubelluna known as the Bomb Queen, there was also Xuelan, the Chinese dress-wearing girl with bun hairstyles whose strength wasn't inferior to ordinary Queens.
Among the remaining members, aside from Ravel who was the nominal Bishop but essentially a young lady, even the eight unpromoted Pawns possessed considerable strength.
If this had been Akeno and the others from one month ago, they might have been instantly defeated in the first encounter.
But now they only hoped their opponents would be durable enough to let them fully unleash their dramatically increased power.
Akeno deployed a magical barrier, effortlessly blocking Yubelluna's magical attack.
"Yuuto, can you handle those two maids?"
"Akeno-senpai, don't worry about me. I can manage these two."
Among the six, Yuuto possessed the lowest combat strength at A-rank, yet without overestimating himself, he engaged the two maid-attired servants, opening another battlefield.
"Mittelt, Warna, handle the remaining soldiers."
Yuuma directed the two to lure away the six remaining soldiers.
With three opponents each, it wasn't that S-rank Mittelt and Kalawarna faced no pressure—rather, they found it effortlessly manageable.
The stronger one's power, the greater the impact during combat.
Without establishing separate battlefields, those with insufficient strength wouldn't withstand even the residual shockwaves alone.
This was especially true for Akeno and Yubelluna—whether it was lightning magic or explosive magic, both utilized large-area attacks.
To properly experience battle, one had to stay far from their combat zone.
Though Yubelluna felt a faint unease, she never imagined the women led by Akeno could grow so much stronger in just one month.
Holding onto the thought of preserving combat strength to support Riser later, she cooperated in dispersing all combatants into separate engagements.
Koneko stared briefly at Xuelan, who shared the Castle class. Her opponent was strong—without Haruto's help elevating her own power, even victory would have come through grueling struggle.
But now? Even with the additional Rook-class Isabella, they still weren't enough to challenge her.
Crooking her slender index finger, the white-haired loli walked toward the indoor gymnasium.
This was her chosen battlefield. Rook-class combatants specialized in close-quarters combat, making this space ideal for showcasing their skills.
Sensing the immense aura emanating from Koneko's delicate frame, Xuelan and Isabella exchanged glances, then followed closely with full vigilance.
"Just the three of you left?"
Yuuma sighed softly, her amethyst eyes subtly glancing toward Ravel standing nearby with a spectator's demeanor.
As one of only three currently contracted to Haruto, her strength was fully on par with Akeno's.
Being left with merely three ordinary opponents left her somewhat uninspired.
"Miss Ravel, you're a Bishop too, aren't you? Won't you join the fight?"
"Hah? No way. I just changed into new clothes—what if they get dirty?"
Faced with such capriciousness, Yuuma felt disappointed but couldn't justify initiating provocation.
From Rias's tone during their last meeting, this golden-haired twin-tailed young lady seemed quite familiar with Rias, and their relationship appeared rather amicable.
The kimono-clad Bishop Mihae, along with Knights Siris and Karlamine, closed in on Yuuma with hostile intent.
How dare she look down on them like this? They'd teach her a harsh lesson later.
"Yuuma, don't let your guard down."
Akeno unfurled her slender black devil wings, gradually levitating into the air.
Yuuma was exceptional in every way, except she enjoyed toying with weaker opponents—a tendency that could be described as careless underestimation.
In the original timeline, this very trait allowed Issei Hyoudou to seize an opening and knock her out with a single punch.
After going through a series of events, this personality trait had improved significantly.
But recently, with her power growing too rapidly, this bad habit showed signs of resurfacing.
After Akeno took to the air, Yubelluna—who regarded Akeno as her fated rival—also flew into the sky, staff in hand.
The two magic users chose the sky as their battlefield, leaving the ground to the close-combat fighters.
Watching the three of them with serious expressions, searching for an opening to attack, Yuuma inwardly scoffed but corrected her flippant attitude.
Although she didn't believe she would lose despite being two realms apart, it was indeed a bad habit that needed to be changed.
With the battlefield divided, the broadcast screen also split into several smaller screens.
As the battles in the split screens began, all the spectators were astonished.
In the student council room, Sona and Tsubaki immediately stood up, barely suppressing the urge to find Rias right away and ask her what was really going on.