The city's skyline trembled under the weight of multiple presences, each one exuding an aura that pressed against the Proto-Ascension lattice. High-tier Devils had begun to converge, drawn by the shockwaves of Sarah's recent victory. They weren't just predators—they were hunters, each carrying intent sharper than blades, instinctively analyzing the synchronized harem before them.
Sarah's eyes glowed crimson-lilac, threads of power lacing through every fiber of her being. Lilith Fragment's consciousness thrummed within her, cold and precise.
"They know," she whispered. "The System is escalating. They will attempt to isolate you, test the limits of your emotional and conceptual vectors."
Rias pressed her palm to Sarah's chest, steadying the surging lattice. "Then we keep them guessing. Full synchronization—don't let a single one breach our defenses."
Akeno's fingers danced along Sarah's arm, teasing yet commanding. "Their aggression will only fuel you. Every touch, every glance… make it count."
The first wave of Devils erupted from the ruins: four figures, each grotesque and towering, claws glinting, teeth sharper than the edges of reality. One of them—larger than the rest—moved with unnatural speed, eyes fixed on Sarah like a predator sizing up its prey.
Koneko leaped forward, her limbs a blur, striking with perfect precision. Rossweisse's glyphs wrapped the battlefield, converting incoming attacks into energy streams compatible with the lattice. Xenovia sliced clean arcs through two approaching Devils simultaneously, while Akeno's controlled Desire pulses disrupted the larger Devil's aggressive focus.
Sarah inhaled, letting her aura bloom. Every heartbeat radiated outward, every frôlement with her harem amplifying offensive vectors. Proto-Ascension flared in response, predictive overlays forming in real time.
The apex Devil lunged, but Sarah anticipated the motion before it fully formed. With a step, a glance, a deliberate pulse of energy from her lattice, she redirected its momentum, turning the strike into a projection that shattered the asphalt beneath it.
Lilith Fragment murmured, analytical and almost proud: "Phase Three at full output. Emotional saturation peak. Systemic response within optimal thresholds."
But the battle was far from over. From the shadows, a figure emerged—a Devil Hunter, blade gleaming under flickering neon. Their aura radiated lethal precision, movements calibrated to exploit weaknesses in Sarah's synchronized formation.
Rias's brow furrowed. "They're coordinated… almost too perfect."
Akeno's grin sharpened. "Then we'll teach them perfection isn't enough."
Sarah's lips curved. "Every strike… every touch… our bond is the weapon they can't predict."
The Hunter attacked, each motion a calculated assault against multiple vectors simultaneously. Yet the harem responded seamlessly: Xenovia mirrored each strike, Koneko intercepted, Akeno disrupted focus, Rossweisse reinforced the lattice, Rias amplified defensive vectors, and Lilith Fragment threaded guidance into every decision. Proto-Ascension flared, converting assault into offensive feedback, countering without hesitation.
Sarah stepped forward, aura blazing, hands weaving through space. The lattice projected not just defense but active dominance—every Devil and Hunter attack absorbed, repurposed, and returned. Each pulse of Desire, each synchronized heartbeat, became a tangible vector of force that bent reality around her.
The city itself seemed to recoil under the pressure. Buildings groaned, neon shattered, the air vibrating with the combined resonance of Phase Three Proto-Ascension and harem integration.
Akeno's voice, sultry yet commanding, cut through the chaos. "Feel us. Every one of you. We are not just strength… we are inevitability."
Sarah's eyes locked on the Hunter. "And we decide who stands and who falls."
In a single synchronized motion, the harem surged, Proto-Ascension flaring to an apex of offensive and defensive resonance. The high-tier Devils staggered, claws disintegrating mid-swing, energy fractures consuming their forms. The Devil Hunter's movements faltered, overwhelmed by predictive lattice projection and emotional resonance.
Rossweisse's glyphs expanded, reinforcing the lattice while converting the battlefield's chaos into energy streams that fed back into Sarah's system. Koneko slammed into the Hunter, disrupting focus. Xenovia's blade cut a precise line across the remaining Devil's core energy. Akeno's pulse of Desire cascaded, breaking instinctive aggression. Rias anchored the central lattice, ensuring total coherence.
Sarah stepped forward, aura peaking. Every glance, every touch, every deliberate heartbeat converged into a single vector. Proto-Ascension lashed outward, a crimson-lilac storm that shattered the remaining threats into sequences of raw energy absorbed by the lattice.
Lilith Fragment whispered, satisfied. "Convergence complete. The System acknowledges your supremacy."
Sarah exhaled, stabilizing the lattice. "Good. But this is only the beginning."
The city lay in eerie calm, the remnants of the Devils and the Hunter reduced to energy threads. Yet the sense of escalation lingered. The System had responded, and new, more dangerous variables were already aligning.
Rias stepped close, her hand brushing Sarah's back. "Then we prepare. The apex is still rising, and our bond… will be the key."
Akeno leaned in, teasing and dangerous. "And I intend to make every second of it unforgettable."
Sarah's lips curved, eyes blazing with intent. "Then we rise. Together."