Bound by Infinity

Chapter: 28

For the first time in a long while, Riser Phoenix felt fear. As his eyes darted between Rias and Kouki, his once smug demeanor crumbled. Rias's power was leagues beyond what it had been before. Her peerage wasn't this strong the last time, right? No… it had to be the man standing beside her—Kouki. Riser had heard his name before, but seeing him in action now sent chills down his spine. There was no other explanation for their rapid growth in strength.

"You know, Riser," Rias began, her voice dripping with confidence, "you really shouldn't get distracted in the middle of a fight."

Riser's eyes widened, but he was too slow. Rias's fist slammed into his gut, the impact sending him rocketing into the air like a ragdoll.

"Right? I thought you knew better." I smirked, appearing behind him in an instant.

Before he could react, my punch connected with his back, launching him straight toward Rias again.

"Happy feet," I said with amusement, watching his flailing form.

Rias smirked as she teleported in front of him mid-air, her leg sweeping up in a brutal kick that sent him higher. She vanished and reappeared once more, her movements fluid and precise. "Wombo combo," she said playfully, landing another strike that propelled him even further.

I appeared above Riser in the blink of an eye, my grin widening. "That ain't Falco, that ain't Falco!"

With a powerful dropkick, I sent Riser hurtling skyward, only for Rias to meet him with a devastating bicycle kick that sent him flying again.

We teleported together, appearing high above him as we brought our legs down in unison. Our synchronized axe kicks smashed him into the ground, creating a massive crater and sending dust billowing into the air.

Our wings flared behind us, keeping us aloft as we waited for Riser to recover. When the dust finally settled, Riser was standing, though his body trembled under the strain.

I glanced at Rias, a mischievous glint in my eye. "Wanna have a little fun?"

Her lips curled into a smirk. "What do you have in mind?"

"Let's see how long we can keep him off the ground," I said, twirling the Crucifix in my hand.

"Anything goes?" she asked, her excitement evident.

"Anything goes."

"Alright," she said, her smirk widening. "Let's begin."

Without warning, Rias vanished from sight.

"Let's," I replied, turning the Crucifix into its original form.

I pointed the Crucifix at Riser, its veins glowing silver as I pulled the trigger. A beam of pure energy erupted from the weapon, striking Riser and launching him into the air. Rias appeared behind him, delivering a brutal kick that sent him higher.

I teleported above Riser, grabbing his face and slamming him toward the ground with enough force to shatter the sound barrier.

Rias appeared below him, her arm cocked back as a miniature, fiery sun materialized in her hand. With a yell, she thrust the orb into his chest.

"Rasensun!" she declared.

The orb detonated, flinging Riser higher into the sky. Before he could recover, I appeared to his left, delivering a savage kick that sent him spiraling sideways. I followed up by firing a beam of black lightning from the Crucifix, which crackled as it struck him mid-flight.

Rias didn't miss a beat, creating a small star in her palm. "Gamma Ray Burst: Single Point."

She fired a concentrated beam of energy from the star, the destructive force colliding with my attack. Riser was caught in the center of the explosion, the sheer power shaking the entire dimensional space.

With Issei and the others

"They sure know how to be flashy, don't they?" Akeno said, sipping her tea with a bemused smile.

"Indeed," Kiba agreed, his tone calm as always.

"Overkill," Koneko said bluntly, her gaze unchanging.

"That's kinda the point, Koneko-chan," Issei replied, watching the spectacle unfold.

"Huh… do you think this will end soon?" Asia asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"Yes, this is ending soon," Akeno said confidently.

Back with Kouki and Rias

I teleported beside Rias, watching as Riser struggled to rise amidst the chaos.

[Riser-sama's Queen retires!]

"Huh, I didn't think that attack would actually hit her," Rias muttered, referring to Yubelluna's earlier retreat.

"Eh, we're ending this anyway," I replied with a shrug.

"Fair enough," Rias said. With a snap of her fingers, a star materialized behind her, and she teleported Riser onto its surface.

He looked awful—his body was burned, an arm missing, and his regeneration had slowed to a crawl. His once-proud hair was gone, replaced by singed remains.

"So, ready to give up?" I asked, tilting my head.

"F-fuck y-you," Riser spat weakly.

"Still conscious, huh? I'll admit, that's impressive. But alright, if that's how you want it…"

With a flick of my hand, I used telekinesis to hurl Riser back. Rias snapped her fingers again, forming a miniature universe around him, trapping him within.

I raised the Crucifix, shifting it into its sword form. The blade was soon coated in a swirling black hole, condensing into a dense, destructive edge.

"Spatial Rend!" I shouted, swinging the blade down.

The attack cleaved through the universe, splitting it—and Riser—cleanly in two. The surrounding dimension cracked and trembled, as if acknowledging the attack's devastating power.

"Combined attack: Heaven's Severance!" Rias and I declared in unison, our voices echoing through the battlefield.

[Riser Phoenix-sama RETIRE!]

"And with that, the Rating Game is over," I said, my tone casual as if we hadn't just unleashed absolute devastation.

"Indeed," Rias agreed, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face with an air of satisfaction.

The battlefield grew silent, the announcement of Riser's retirement echoing through the dimension as the dust settled.

Rias and I floated in the air, our auras fading as the overwhelming display of power came to an end. The fractured remains of the artificial dimension shimmered behind us, a testament to the destruction we had unleashed. Riser's limp body was teleported away as part of the game mechanics, ensuring he was no longer in danger of permanent harm—but his pride, reputation, and arrogance were thoroughly obliterated.

Rias exhaled, brushing a strand of her crimson hair behind her ear as she glanced at me. "That was… therapeutic," she admitted, her smirk betraying her satisfaction.

I chuckled, resting Crucifix on my shoulder as its form reverted to its scythe. "Therapeutic for you, entertainment for me."

She let out a soft laugh. "You have a strange sense of fun, Kouki."

"I could say the same about you, 'Gamma Ray Burst: Single Point,'" I replied, mimicking her dramatic tone.

Rias rolled her eyes, but her smile didn't waver. "Hey, if we're going to embarrass him, might as well be thorough."

We descended to the ground, where the remnants of the battlefield were still ablaze from the lingering effects of our attacks. The spectators' box was visible in the distance, and even from here, I could feel their astonishment.

The game system's voice chimed in once more:

"Victory to Rias Gremory."

The artificial dimension began to dissolve, bringing us to a viewing hall. The Gremory peerage, along with Sirzechs, Grayfia, and the other noble devils, stood waiting.

Akeno stepped forward first, her usual composed demeanor tinged with amusement. "You two really have a flair for the dramatic," she said, clasping her hands together. "Though I must say, I was impressed by how thoroughly you crushed Riser."

"Was it really necessary to use a universe as part of the final move?" Kiba added a playful smile on his face.

"Yes," Rias and I said in unison.

Koneko, standing off to the side, merely nodded. "Overkill is underrated."

Asia fidgeted nervously. "I-I hope Riser-sama is okay…"

Issei, meanwhile, was wide-eyed and slack-jawed. "Holy crap, you two! You made that guy look like a chump! Rias, you didn't even need us out there!"

Rias turned to her peerage with a reassuring smile. "Your support is always appreciated, but this fight wasn't about strategy or teamwork. This was personal."

"Personal, and extremely satisfying," I added, earning a few chuckles from the group.

Sirzechs Lucifer approached us, his expression caught somewhere between pride and amusement. "I must admit, that was… one of the most one-sided Rating Games I've ever seen. Riser won't live this down for centuries."

Grayfia, ever the picture of calm, gave a subtle nod. "The destruction of the dimension was unexpected, but effective. However, I assume you knew precisely how far to go without permanent repercussions?"

"Of course," Rias said smoothly. "We were in control the entire time."

Sirzechs smirked, clearly amused by his sister's confidence. "Rias, Kouki, I believe you've not only secured your freedom but sent a clear message to anyone who might underestimate the Gremory name in the future."

Rias folded her arms, her gaze steely. "That was the intention.

Chapter 28: End