— Promotion.
The word left Ryuichi's lips like a low invocation — and the next instant, magic exploded out of him.
A violent surge of magic roared skyward, erupting into a pillar of light that speared into the clouds and tore the sky apart.
And at the same time — in the new school building, at Raiser's headquarters — an identical pillar of magic rose in answer.
The next moment, Raiser's incoming magic blast dissolved uselessly the instant it touched that flood of power, scattering like smoke before a storm.
"…A Promotion?"
Even Raiser could not mask his shock. Iberuna and Xueliya — who had only just completed her own Promotion to Queen — froze mid-attack, stunned into stillness.
Everyone knew that Ryuichi was one of Rias's Knights.
And yet… right here, in front of the entire field — that Knight had Promoted.
Had they mis-seen it?
Wasn't Promotion something only a Pawn was capable of?
And who was behind that other pillar of light?
Inside the barrier, Raiser could only stare in confusion — but the high-ranking spectators outside, those supervising this Rating Game, understood more than they revealed. Their expressions shifted into open astonishment.
So he could share power between bodies?
It was broken. Utterly broken.
From the outside perspective, after Akeno Himejima was defeated, Ryuichi had calmly withdrawn his duplicate body to the sports field — then assaulted the principal's office in the new campus from the front.
Which meant Rias's side now had two Queens at peak combat strength — plus Asia's gentle healing smile supporting from the rear, neutralizing some of the Phoenix Tears advantage.
Just like Ryuichi had declared earlier — this Game was nowhere near decided.
With a ripping sound, the sky split — Ryuichi's duplicate fell from above, landing beside the original in a dramatic one-knee descent that sent a gale bursting outward.
One stood, one knelt — yet both radiated such overwhelming magic that for a heartbeat no one could breathe.
His magic was now so dense it threatened to surpass even the two Kings present — Raiser and Rias. Any High-Class Devil would pale at such force.
"How…? What kind of cheating trick is this?"
Raiser's voice cracked despite himself as he stared at the two Ryuichis.
"What cheating? Don't make it sound dirty," Rias snapped back, unable to hold her pride any longer. "Ryuichi holds dual positions — he was registered not only as a Knight, but also as a Pawn. That is why he can Promote."
Her voice trembled with exhilaration.
She had guarded that secret for so long. Finally — the reveal.
The duplicate rose to its feet. In its hand appeared the King's Sword —magic roaring into the blade.
He swung — a crescent of white light ripped across the field toward the sealed girls.
Already sealed of magic , they could not defend.
The blade-arc passed through them; blood bloomed — and one by one, they dissolved into white light and vanished from the Game.
With the captured enemy girls removed, Ryuichi's true body turned back to Raiser.
"…Your turn."
Raiser Phoenix — the third son of the House of Phoenix — had never once been spoken to like that.
"Insult me if you want — but the honor of House Phoenix will not be mocked! Die!"
He flung himself forward with burning fury.
Ryuichi only sighed inwardly.
"I'm not interested in insulting your honor. I just want to beat you senseless."
Without further warning, his duplicate stepped forward and brought the King's Sword down.
The pressure alone shattered Raiser's magic barrier and drew blood — against the Undying Bird Clan, he had landed a clean wound.
"—Master!"
Iberuna and Xueliya cried out, rushing to intercept.
Rias moved as if to block — but Ryuichi's voice cut cleanly through:
"Rias. Leave all of them to me."
She smiled — a delighted, almost smug smile — and stepped back with Asia and Reyvell to watch like an audience at a private theater.
Ryuichi's true body engaged Raiser head-on.
His duplicate met Iberuna and Xueliya with the King's Sword.
After Promotion, Ryuichi felt his body transcend its old limits — the armor of the Rook, the speed of the Knight, the magic of the Bishop — every attribute had doubled.
The two Queens hadn't even finished closing the distance when they were struck and forced on the defensive. Their faces twisted — they were being suppressed outright.
Ryuichi now held overwhelming advantage.
Even Xueliya — who had also just Promoted — was swatted aside by a single blow.
"This can't be! We both Promoted — why is your strength so far beyond mine!?" she screamed as she slammed into the ground.
Rias answered for him with a laugh that dripped with smugness:
"Because you only consumed one Pawn. Ryuichi consumed eight."
The field fell silent.
Eight Pawns and two Knights — all invested into one person.
A terrifying, absurd allocation.
Reyvell stood frozen with wide eyes — realization dawning.
Raiser… might lose.
But Raiser refused to accept defeat.
"I am the Phoenix who commands wind and flame! You think you can defeat me?"
His flesh regenerated instantly — wounds vanishing as he charged Ryuichi again.
Ryuichi was calm. With the God-weeping Shield in hand — two divine artifacts when separated — his defenses were impregnable.
No matter how Raiser attacked, he could not breach him. Panic bled into desperation.
Then — two screams cut through the air.
Raiser turned just in time to see Ryuichi's duplicate stand over his fallen Queens — the King's Sword dripping with finality as they vanished from the field in white light.
Ryuichi's true body smiled faintly.
"Raiser-sama — checkmate."
— End.