Re/SET

Life 3 × CH 11

'Lady Ria's one queen, retired.'

When Issei watched Akeno fall and disappear, his heart nearly stopped.

'Akeno...!'

The entire arena was silent, the members of the ORC all watching with disbelief.

"Akeno..." Rias stared with wide eyes.

She then turned to glare at Riser.

"Akeno has been..." Asia was shocked.

"Looks like you've lost your vaunted right-hand lady." Riser smirked.

Rias glared harder and stood to her feet, unwilling to show weakness in front that bastard.

"I still have Yuto and Issei!" she said confidently.

Riser narrowed his eyes and smirked.

"You wish you did." he said smiled evilly.

A second later, there was another explosion.

"Kiba!" Issei yelled and ran toward him. "Kiba!"

Kiba was engulfed in a blue light and slowly disappeared.

Issei kneeled in the spot Kiba last stood, shook.

"Take." Yubelluna said, floating down with her staff.

"You again?!" Issei looked up at her.

'One of Lady Rias' knights, retired.'

"Yuto!" Rias exclaimed upon hearing the announcement.

"Resign, Rias." Riser said.

"Who, me?!" Rias gritted her teeth, summoning her power.

She launched her attack, aiming for his face.

It hit him.

"Don't you get it yet?" Riser picked himself up off the ground, healing himself. "Your bishop there, and your dear pawn will only get hurt if you don't."

Rias narrowed her eyes at him while Asia prayed behind her.

"Issei...." she said worriedly.

"You took long enough, Yubelluna." Ravel said to the woman, happy when she landed beside her.

"Their queen was as strong as we'd heard." Yubelluna said, pulling out the vial of phoenix tears. "Sure enough, I had to use the power of these."

"A win is a win. You're still the one we can most depend on." Ravel grinned.

"Well then-"

"What's in that bottle?!" Issei demanded.

"Tears of a Phoenix." Ravel said haughtily, showing off her fiery phoenix wings. "They're our family's hidden treasure that can heal any injury instantly."

"How is that fair?!" Issei complained.

"Oh, we are allowed to use them twice per Game." Ravel said. "You yourselves have a bishop that uses Twilight Healing, don't you?"

She laughed.

"These can only be produced by our family, so they fetch a handsome price. Tears and immortality--from the time the Rating Games first began, the House of Phenex has had an advantage."

Issei gritted his teeth and stopped listening to her brag.

He ran off toward the schoolhouse, ignoring the girl who called after him.

He stepped into the schoolhouse, letting the door close behind him.

"Promotion. Give me the power of a queen!" he said.