The bright afternoon sun bathed Kuoh Academy's tennis courts in golden light.
Rias Gremory and Sona Shitori stood across from each other, two upper-class Devils locked in an unspoken clash of pride and will.
Outside the fence, Ryuichi could only let out a dry chuckle.
Seriously?
A duel between high-ranking Devils… decided by a game of tennis?
Considering the physical capabilities of Devils, that sounded just a little unfair.
The match was set as a women's doubles game: Sona teamed up with her ever-composed vice president, Tsubaki Shinra, while Rias paired with her own right hand, Akeno Himejima.
All four of them had changed into sporty tennis outfits—skirts fluttering lightly with every movement, their presence alone enough to draw stares from everyone nearby.
Before the match even began, the crowd had already gathered. Word spread through the entire campus in mere minutes:
The three great beauties of Kuoh Academy are playing tennis!
Rias Gremory, Akeno Himejima, and Sona Shitori—each already a legend in her own right—and now even the Student Council's vice president, Tsubaki, was joining in.
By the time Rias and the others stepped onto the court, dozens of students had already surrounded the area, excitement buzzing like static.
Ryuichi sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead.
"This is way too high-profile…"
Koneko Toujou, standing beside him and lazily chewing on a lollipop, couldn't help but let out a tiny laugh. She knew Ryuichi wasn't fond of attention. For someone with his power, he preferred to stay out of the spotlight—something that seemed impossible whenever Rias was involved.
On the court, Rias twirled her racket lightly and called out, "Ready, Sona?"
"Of course," Sona replied, adjusting her glasses with a glint in her eyes. "Show me what you've got, Rias."
The air between them seemed to spark. With that, Rias tossed up the ball—and the match began.
The first serve came at a blur, faster than most humans could track. Both teams moved with perfect coordination and supernatural grace. Their swings created sharp gusts that rustled the surrounding trees.
They weren't just good—they were professionals.
No, with their Devil-enhanced strength, they were beyond professional.
"Whoa—President Shitori looks so cool!"
"Rias-senpai! Akeno-senpai! You can do it!"
Cheers erupted all around as the crowd lost themselves in the spectacle.
Four stunning girls, moving in sync and playing fiercely, drew as much admiration as the match itself.
Koneko observed quietly. "At least they can't use magic here," she murmured.
"...Wait," Ryuichi replied weakly, "you mean they want to use magic?"
But before he could even finish that thought, Sona infused her next shot with a spark of power. The tennis ball curved midair in an impossible arc.
The crowd gasped.
"Wow! President Shitori's Magic Spin! Amazing!"
Koneko fell silent for a moment, then sighed.
"That's… literally just magic."
Ryuichi had no words. Using Devil-tier physical abilities was already bad enough—did they really need to enchant the tennis ball too?
He could already imagine tomorrow's headlines:
"Kuoh Academy's non-pro women's team annihilates national champions!"
From the sidelines, Saji Genshirou crossed his arms with a smirk. "Our president and vice president are going to win for sure. You think so too, right?"
Ryuichi tilted his head. If it were just a friendly bet, he wouldn't have cared—but since this involved Rias, he couldn't exactly let the other guy boast unchecked.
"I believe in Rias and Akeno," he said calmly. "They won't lose that easily."
"Oh?" Saji grinned. "We'll see about that."
Then something in his expression shifted.
Wait a second… did this guy just call her Rias? Directly?
He wasn't just her servant—he talked to her like an equal.
Just how close were they?
Saji's imagination began to run wild. If he could ever get that close to President Sona—walking together after class, exchanging glances over tea, maybe even—
He shook his head quickly, face heating up.
Still curious, Saji sidled closer to Ryuichi.
"Hey, uh, Ryuichi-bro… you and your master seem pretty close, huh?"
Ryuichi shrugged. "We get along."
"'Get along,' huh? You call her by name! How'd you manage that?"
Saji elbowed him playfully, his tone practically begging. "C'mon, tell me your secret!"
Ryuichi gave it a moment of thought before replying in his usual flat tone,
"Hmm… we're probably at the neck-kissing level of friendship."
"Ha? Neck… what now?" Saji blinked, not quite processing the phrase.
Ryuichi repeated patiently, "Neck-kissing level."
For a few seconds, Saji's brain completely froze. Then realization struck.
"Wha—?! N-Neck-kissing!? You mean that kind of neck-kissing!?"
Ryuichi stayed perfectly calm while Saji practically vibrated beside him.
"…I said we're almost there," he clarified under his breath.
After all, that had happened just this morning.
"That's already incredible!" Saji cried, eyes wide with reverence. Without warning, he bowed a full ninety degrees. "Master!! Please teach me your ways!"
Ryuichi blinked. "…Excuse me?"
"Master, please! I'll be your disciple!"
"…Go away."
"Master!!"
"Die quietly somewhere," Ryuichi muttered, dodging as Saji tried to grab his hand for a dramatic pledge of loyalty.
Koneko, watching this strange scene, could only stare in quiet disbelief.
"Boys' friendships are so weird," she murmured.
While that ridiculous exchange unfolded on the sidelines, the match on the court had escalated into a full-blown magical storm. Serves blazed with lightning, volleys curved like spells, and the crowd roared with every impossible rally.
Eventually, the chaos reached its limit—every racket snapped, and the game ended in a perfect tie.
Saji jogged over to the court, brimming with enthusiasm.
"President! I think I'll skip my turn for the familiar contract this time. Let my master here take the slot instead!"
Sona blinked, adjusting her glasses. "…What?"
Even Rias and the others froze, their gazes turning toward Ryuichi in unison.
"…'Master'?" they echoed together.
Ryuichi sighed deeply. "Don't look at me. I have no idea how this happened."