Page 282

"Welcome to the celestial fortress untouched by mortal hands. My garden of vanity... the Hanging Gardens of Babylon."

Aika’s eyes sparkled as she looked around, absorbing every detail.

She could instantly sense the familiar aura of her beloved—his magic, subtle yet all-encompassing—woven into the very air.

It protected this place, veiled it in secrecy.

Aside from their home, this was undoubtedly the most secure sanctuary in the world.

Without warning, her majestic, crimson-black wings unfurled behind her—terrifying and awe-inspiring in equal measure. The full form of the True Primordial Demoness soared into the air, circling the colossal halls with pure wonder.

"Wow~! This is even prettier than I expected~!"

Yuuji and the others remained grounded, quietly smiling as they watched Aika float and twirl with childlike glee.

But Semiramis did not smile.

She stood motionless, her eyes wide with something she had not felt in an eternity—raw, unfiltered fear.

The instant Aika had revealed her wings, a ripple of arcane energy had pulsed through the air. Semiramis had felt it deep within her very soul.

It wasn’t just power. It was primordial.

A fear that could not be reasoned with. Not taught or understood. It was ancient—etched into the bones of every living creature since the dawn of existence.

Her gaze flickered from Aika to Yuuji, then to Erika, Albedo, C.C., and the others. None of them looked disturbed. Not even slightly.

Semiramis’s thoughts raced. A descendant of the First Light—and upon closer inspection, perhaps something even greater—stood before her. And his companions... were beings of immense power, each one cloaked in strength that eclipsed kings and gods.

"Semiramis."

Yuuji’s voice broke through her daze. Instinctively, she turned toward him, her practiced elegance quickly snapping back into place.

"Yes, master~?"

Her voice purred with that same silken tone, and her smile—perfect, regal—graced her lips. Yet to the discerning eye, something had changed.

Her smile wasn’t as steady as before. There was the slightest flicker—a crack in her mask. A tremor in her heart still echoed behind her poised demeanor.

She cursed herself for the lapse. For revealing even a glimpse of uncertainty.

And yet, she saw it in his eyes—Yuuji had noticed. He didn’t mock it. Didn’t exploit it. Instead, he offered her a gentle smile.

"Your palace is truly extraordinary. Would you show us around before we retire for the night?"

No arrogance. No superiority. Just earnest admiration, genuine respect... and a spark of childlike wonder that shimmered in his dark, enchanting eyes.

Semiramis felt her heart skip a beat. A flutter of something light and foreign stirred within her.

"I did not expect the Descendant of the First Light to be so... endearing."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, her smile blossoming into something warm, touched with amusement.

"Of course, my master~ I would be honored to show you the splendor of my Garden."

With a graceful turn, she raised one hand. The enormous double doors of polished marble groaned open with an echoing rumble, revealing the glowing heart of her mythical domain.

And so, with Yuuji and his companions close behind, Semiramis led them deeper into the legendary Hanging Gardens of Babylon—a palace of vanity, magic, and ancient pride, now reborn under the shadow of a new master.

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

The air in the OCR room was heavy with anticipation. A quiet tension hung in the atmosphere, the kind that settled before a storm.

The days of training passed quickly, and before long, the awaited and dreaded day came at last.

Team Gremory gathered within the Occult Research Club room, their preparations complete, their minds steeling for the battle to come.

On the couch, Issei sat cross-legged, eyes closed in focused meditation—something he wouldn’t have even thought of doing just a few days prior.

But not now.

With Yuuji’s guidance and advice, and the importance to truly understand himself, his power, and what he was fighting for through self reflection had truly been drilled into himself.

He was no longer as easily influenced by his emotions during a heated battle, and learned how to keep his head cool while his heart burnt hot.

He had also learned to communicate more with Ddraign, the Welsh Red Dragon Emperor sealed within his Boosted Gear. Learn about his Sacred Gear, and truly understand the potential he could uncover.

By his side, Asia clutched her Twilight Healing ring close to her chest. Her lips moved in silent mantras from her training. Words of advice from Yuuji, Aika, and Erika. Her resolve. All while refining her control over mana and her connection to the sacred power of healing within her.

Kiba sat on the other side of the couch, calm and composed.

A demonic sword rested across his lap as he gently wiped its blade with a soft cloth.

It was a ritual, nothing more. His Sacred Gear could conjure blades far stronger.

But this act, simple and methodical, steadied his mind and spirit.

It reminded him of where he came from—and why he fought.

Beside Kiba, Koneko munched on snacks, sitting quietly with a bag of small, chocolate chip cookies in her lap.

They weren’t magical... but they didn’t need to be.

Yuuji had baked them himself, and somehow, the sweetness calmed her far more than any spell ever could.

Each bite lifted her mood and filled her with a strange, warm determination.

Rias sat behind her desk, surrounded by open notebooks and scribbled pages. A teacup steamed gently beside her, forgotten in the sea of black ink and meticulous notes. Each notebook was filled with knowledge—strategies, philosophies, insights—all gathered from her many lessons with Yuuji and Aika.

She flipped through a familiar volume, eyes tracing her scattered notes, diagrams, and advice. His teachings had reshaped how she thought, how she commanded. She now realized how lacking she was in commanding her peerage. But now... she’ll show him as well as everyone how much she has improved.

Akeno stood silently at her side, cradling a tray with another pot of tea. A gentle smile curled her lips as she watched Rias—her King, her childhood friend—finally begin to grow into herself.

Then, her gaze drifted down to the notebooks.

Those late-night training sessions with Yuuji flashed across her mind.

The calmness in his voice. His patience. His words of encouragement. His trust in her ability.

Those late night talks. The way he never judged. The way he listened.

Every word he spoke carried the weight of understanding. Every silence between them felt intentional—never empty, never cold. He had never once prodded her about the secrets she held deep within, but she could tell... he knew. He knew that she held a darkness within her.

He understood her. The darkness. The pain. And he waited—not with expectation, but with unwavering patience—for her to share it when she was ready.

That quiet understanding... it wrapped around her like a warm breeze on a cold day.

Now, having just not seen him for a day, she realized how deeply she’d come to crave it.

’I need to focus,’ Akeno told herself, shaking her head lightly. ’I can see him again after this...’

Maybe through Aika. Or maybe fate would find another way. He’d promised they’d meet again soon. And against all logic, against all reason, she believed him.

She clung to that promise like a lifeline.

"...Rias."

Her voice gently broke the silence. And Issei, Asia, Kiba, Koneko, they all snapped out of their own quiet focus and turned towards the crimson haired heiress of Gremory.

Rias exhaled slowly and placed the notebook down, her fingers lingering on the cover for a moment, as if doing so would give her the strength she needed, before rising to her feet.

"...Yes. It’s time."

Just then, a knock echoed at the door.

"Come in," Rias said, her voice clear and firm.

The door opened, revealing Sona Shitori and Tsubaki Shinra. The two student council leaders entered with composed expressions, their presence signaling the final call.

And upon seeing them, Sona and Tsubaki stopped in silent surprise.

’What in the world... How did they change so much in a few days...?’

There was a difference of heaven and earth between them now and how they were 10 days ago, just before they left for their intensive training.

In terms of magic power, Rias had always been more naturally gifted than her in terms of pure magical reserve. While she was more skilled in using her talents and magic properly to achieve even greater results than Rias and also using her intelligence to dominate the battlefield.

But now, Sona could immediately tell. They were no longer true.

She could feel it, Rias’s magic had improved by leap and bounds. She no longer felt like she was standing before a peer, but an ultimate-ranked devil.

And she wasn’t the only one who changed.

Sona and Tsubaki can feel it in every single member of Rias’s peerage. They’ve grown so much, almost to the point of being unrecognizable.

Moreover, none of them looked nervous or anxious. Each and every one of them had a solemn look of determination.

This was also the first time she had ever seen Rias not in an anxious or panicked state, but with determined resolve when confronting what she dreaded most.

’Just what in the world happened...?’

"Sona."

Rias’s voice snapped her out of her shocked daze, and Sona quickly composed herself, adjusting her spectacle.

"It seems your training has paid off," Sona said softly, a small, knowing smile curving her lips.

A wave of relief quietly washed over her heart.

She had watched Rias struggle beneath the weight of that cruel, inescapable obligation—an arranged marriage that threatened to crush her dreams, her autonomy, her very soul.

Her best friend had spent so long teetering on the edge, furious yet helpless, raging within a gilded cage that wouldn’t break no matter how hard she fought.

Sona had feared, more than once, that she might give in. That she might resign herself to the fate others had chosen for her.

But now...

Now, she saw it.

That flicker in Rias’s eyes—fierce, unwavering, and resolute.

The girl who once clawed at her shackles in desperation now stood tall, ready to shatter them entirely.

Rias met Sona’s smile and then glanced down at her hand—clenched in resolve—before her gaze drifted over the sea of notebooks covering her desk.

"It has," she murmured. "It really has."

She could feel it in every part of herself—the growth, the strength, the clarity.

And it wasn’t just her own will that had brought her here.

She owed it to Aika and Erika, whose training and insight had refined her edge. But most of all...

To him.

Yuuji.

He was the one who had guided her, who never doubted her worth, who stood beside her not as a superior, but as someone who believed in her potential.

She didn’t just want to win.

She wanted to make him proud.

She wanted to see the warmth in his eyes when she told him of their victory. She wanted to repay him—not through words, but by proving she was strong enough to stand on her own.

To show him that his time, his patience, and his faith were not in vain.

’I will never marry that scum.’

The thought was no longer just a rebellion. It was a vow.

The fire in her heart burned hotter than ever, consuming every trace of hesitation.

This was her fight.

And she was going to win it—her life, her future, and her right to marry the one she loves.

"Good luck."

Rias nodded gratefully at Sona’s words.

"Thank you."

A crimson glow flared to life at the center of the room.

Intricate runes danced across the floor as a teleportation magic circle—marked unmistakably with the Gremory family crest—materialized with a low hum of power.

The signal was clear.

It was time.

Rias took a slow breath, her fingers curling ever so slightly as she stared into the radiant red light.

This was the moment she had prepared for. The battle that would decide her freedom—her future.

No more hesitation. No more fear.

With unshakable resolve burning in her chest, she turned toward her peerage.

"Let’s go."

Her voice was calm, yet carried the weight of everything they had endured to get here.

The others responded without a word, each one rising—each one ready.

Together, they stepped into the circle, their forms bathed in the rich scarlet glow.

And in a flash of light, the room was empty.

The Gremory team had vanished—transported to the battlefield where their destiny awaited.

----------------------------------------------------------------