89: Chapter 89

The tide of battle had completely shifted to the other side.

Kuroka's figure vanished instantly, and the next moment, she was already blocking Koneko's retreat route.

"If Rias Gremory doesn't adjust her tactics immediately, this match can basically be declared over."

Luo Yu analyzed the situation in a low voice.

The Phoenix fire of the Phenex Clan was indeed unexpected, but it was unrealistic to say that Rias Gremory hadn't considered the possibility that Koneko's side would collapse first.

The key was whether she could steady her troops.

When it came down to it, even without Koneko and what's-his-name, Rias Gremory still had enough combat power on hand to turn the tables.

As long as she could calm down and reorganize her layout.

"Himejima Suzaku, come to my side. Let's take down Riser Phenex together. As long as the King is defeated, this Rating Game will be over."

Just as Luo Yu had guessed, Rias Gremory made a prompt decision and changed her original plan.

She directly summoned Himejima Suzaku to her side, intending to stake everything on one throw.

The current situation was that Akeno Himejima was holding off Riser Phenex's Queen, Yubelluna, all by herself.

The problem was that Ravel Phenex had already arrived with the other peerage members.

Even though Akeno Himejima and Himejima Suzaku were both High-Class Devils, facing such a large number of attackers meant they would eventually be worn down to death.

Hearing Rias Gremory's command, Himejima Suzaku calmly cast a glance at Akeno Himejima beside her.

Akeno Himejima understood immediately.

Countless rays of lightning suddenly exploded in the sky, and over a dozen magic circles appeared simultaneously, each one accumulating terrifying electrical energy.

"Are you trying to risk it all? Rias Gremory's Queen, you should know that doing this is just a waste of effort."

Yubelluna hurriedly erected a defensive magic circle.

Even if she were hit, the Phoenix fire seed within her could help her recover from her injuries.

However, the energy of the fire seed was limited; it couldn't regenerate infinitely like true members of the Phenex Clan.

If she could minimize the extent of her injuries, the consumption of the fire seed could also be kept to a minimum.

"Ara ara... I have been giving it my all from the very beginning!"

As soon as she finished speaking, dazzling lightning surged toward Yubelluna like a raging torrent.

Although Yubelluna's defensive magic circle had been set up in advance, Akeno Himejima's attack was not so easy to block.

The destructive power of the lightning itself was extremely terrifying.

Yubelluna let out a scream.

Her entire body fell to the ground like a piece of charred charcoal.

Immediately afterward, the Phoenix flames began to ignite slowly on her body, repairing her injuries bit by bit.

Himejima Suzaku seized this opportunity.

Orange-yellow Suzaku Fire instantly covered her entire body, and two pairs of vivid red wings unfurled behind her.

Like an arrow released from a bow, she sped toward Rias Gremory's direction.

"You're the only one left. How long do you think you can hold out?"

Only a few seconds after Himejima Suzaku left, Yubelluna climbed up from the ground, her condition restored.

At this moment, Ravel Phenex also arrived at the scene with a group of peerage members.

The situation was suddenly reversed.

Originally, it had been Yubelluna holding off Akeno Himejima alone, but now, it had become Akeno Himejima having to hold off Yubelluna, Ravel Phenex, and all of Riser Phenex's peerage members by herself.

"Unless you try, who knows how long I can hold on?"

Akeno Himejima curled the corners of her lips and raised her hand to release a lightning barrier.

The lightning light spread instantly, enveloping Yubelluna, Ravel Phenex, and those peerage members inside.

The barrier's range was quite large, fully as wide as a playground.

Yubelluna stared at the wall formed by the lightning, her expression changing.

She really hadn't expected Akeno Himejima to have such a trick up her sleeve.

There were clear traces of the Norse Pantheon's Arcane Magic on the barrier; the Red Dragon Emperor's mastery of Arcane Magic was famous throughout the Three Realms.

It was rumored that Akeno Himejima had a close relationship with the Red Dragon Emperor, perhaps even being one of his women; it seemed that rumor was true.

Forcing her way through this barrier would be quite difficult.

If they tried to break through by force, not only would it take a long time, but someone might get hurt.

The only way now was—

Yubelluna's gaze landed on Akeno Himejima, who was also trapped inside the barrier.

"As long as you defeat me, the barrier will naturally break."

Akeno Himejima smiled, speaking frankly and decisively.

"Then we shall oblige you. Lady Ravel Phenex, let's attack together."

Ravel Phenex nodded, and the Phoenix flames blasted directly toward Akeno Himejima.

The others followed suit and moved as well.

Akeno Himejima dodged and blocked, while silently chanting in her heart.

"President, you all need to be quick. This barrier won't hold for too long."

In truth, casting this barrier was not as easy as she appeared.

She had already consumed a massive amount of power, but there was no other way.

If she didn't do this, she wouldn't be able to hold everyone back.

If a few slipped through, it would be a big problem for Rias Gremory and Himejima Suzaku.

—

After Riser Phenex landed, he stared coldly at Himejima Suzaku, who was slowly descending beside Rias Gremory.

Especially when he saw the two pairs of red wings behind her, the killing intent in his eyes almost solidified.

"Suzaku Fire is still as disgusting as ever, smelling like rotting rats in a sewer."

There had always been rumors outside that the Phenex Clan's Phoenix flames were firmly suppressed by Suzaku Fire.

This wasn't a baseless rumor; it was the truth.

If the contractor of the Vermilion Bird Spirit Beast could cultivate Suzaku Fire to the peak of perfection, the Phenex Clan's Phoenix flames would be like mere decorations in front of them.

They could even directly steam dry the Phoenix bloodline.

For the Phenex Clan, Suzaku Fire was simply their natural nemesis.

Not to mention that the owner of this Vermilion Bird Spirit Beast before him clearly hadn't reached that level of cultivation yet.

The Spirit Beast hadn't even materialized; that point alone was enough to explain everything.

According to their family's usual practice, when they encountered a contractor of the Vermilion Bird Spirit Beast, they would execute them on the spot, leaving none alive, to save trouble in the future.

Killing her now, taking advantage of the Rating Game, was much more convenient than attacking members of the Gremory Clan for no reason outside.

The killing intent in Riser Phenex's eyes spread completely, and Rias Gremory and Himejima Suzaku didn't just stand there waiting to die; the two of them instantly joined forces and charged forward.

Power of Destruction surged around Rias Gremory, condensing into magical bullets.

She went all out, gathering hundreds of them in the blink of an eye.

As soon as the surrounding fallen leaves touched the ripples sent out by those magic spheres, they were instantly crushed to pieces, not even leaving a residue.

"Explode!"

Boom—

A loud noise exploded, and the old school building under their feet was directly blasted into a pile of ruins.

Smoke and dust rolled, yet Riser Phenex's sneer came from within.

"Rias Gremory, this move of yours is useless. Your bit of Power of Destruction is still too immature; it can't suppress my Phoenix flames at all."

The flames on his body surged violently, and he revealed himself amidst the firelight.

The previous wave of attacks hadn't caused much damage at all—even if it had, it was instantly repaired by the flames on his body.

Rias Gremory's expression darkened.

She had long anticipated this outcome.

If her Power of Destruction could truly completely suppress those Phoenix flames, things wouldn't have dragged on until now.

Although the Power of Destruction was formidable, it wasn't something just any High-Class Devil could fully control.

Otherwise, this power alone would be enough to go head-to-head with the Phenex Clan's Phoenix flames.

Unfortunately, saying all this was useless.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—

Just as she pulled back, Himejima Suzaku's attack followed.

Two pairs of wings unfurled with a swish, and countless arrows formed from Suzaku feathers shot toward Riser Phenex like a torrential rain, covering the sky.

Riser Phenex's expression tightened, and the Phoenix flames on his body surged violently, directly transforming into a fire whirlwind that wrapped around his entire body.

That rain of arrows was infused with a large amount of Suzaku Fire; only a fool would take it head-on.

Regardless, Rias Gremory and Himejima Suzaku were both genuine High-Class Devils, and no matter how strong Riser Phenex was, he was still at the same level.

Even if the two of them couldn't completely extinguish the Phoenix flames on him, the series of suppressions forced him into a position where he could only passively take the hits.

For a time, on the ruins of the old school building, the rumbling sounds were continuous, shaking the entire field.

Scorching flames spread crazily, and the Suzaku Fire rushed in all directions as if it had come alive.

The ground was burned into cracks, and beneath the cracks, one could even see surging red magma—the temperature was ridiculously high, melting even the underground.

Black-red Power of Destruction mixed in the midst of the flames, diffusing in all directions.

The two powers refused to yield to each other, biting and colliding frantically.

The pressure on Riser Phenex grew heavier and heavier.

He could clearly feel that the Phoenix fire was not only being firmly suppressed by the Suzaku Fire, but even his mental energy was being burned away bit by bit.

If it continued to be consumed at this rate, his flames would soon be unable to hold out.

Bang!

A muffled sound came.

Riser Phenex was hit squarely by Rias Gremory's Power of Destruction and sent flying.

He fell to the ground, and the Phoenix flames rose again on his body, but his eyes suddenly turned fierce.

It was as if he had made some major decision.

"What is going on?"

Rias Gremory and Himejima Suzaku simultaneously felt a heart-palpitating aura erupt from Riser Phenex.

Rias Gremory's expression changed, and she pulled Himejima Suzaku back.

Although she couldn't figure out what was happening to Riser Phenex, being cautious was never wrong.

Especially Himejima Suzaku; she could clearly perceive that the malice and killing intent on the opponent were all directed at her.

"How is this possible!"

Rias Gremory widened her eyes, shocked beyond measure.

Riser Phenex's aura was soaring crazily, rushing straight toward the limit of a High-Class Devil.

This kind of improvement did not conform to common sense at all.

Immediately afterward, with him as the center, waves of fire exploded outward in circles.

Rias Gremory and Himejima Suzaku retreated hastily again, fearing being dragged into it.

—

Those pure-blooded Devil noble clan heads who saw this scene through the magic projection were not as confused as the two of them.

After all, they knew the Phenex Clan very well.

"This time, the little girl of the Gremory Clan is afraid she's going to suffer."

"The Phenex Clan is really daring. In order to climb up the big tree that is the Devil King Lucifer, they are truly willing to risk anything."

"Riser Phenex is finished after this. Using Nirvana so early, his foundation must have been severely damaged. It's not worth it at all."

"A Rating Game is indeed not worth it. But if you count the marriage engagement, plus the contractor of that Vermilion Bird Spirit Beast—then it is completely worth it."

"That's right. Using Nirvana early isn't without a cure. Don't forget, the Phenex Clan has plenty of money now."

Many people nodded along, agreeing with this statement.

Members of the Phenex Clan are born with one [Nirvana] skill of the Phoenix.

Once this thing is activated, it explodes with extremely massive life force; relying on this power, they can directly break through bottlenecks and step into higher ranks.

However, most clan members choose to use this move when attempting to reach the Maou-Class, because using it then offers the greatest benefit and is the most secure.

If one uses Nirvana early before that, not only is the strength gained limited, but it will also leave serious instability in the body, or even ruin the foundation.

To put it bluntly, that kind of forcibly elevated power basically cannot be maintained for long.

Therefore, unless they encounter a desperate situation with nine deaths and one life, almost no one in the Phenex Clan will activate Nirvana early.

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