Smoke hung over the ruined arena.
Rafsan stood at its center with blood on his lips, the wound beneath his ribs refusing to close.
His regeneration had slowed.
The flesh remained split for a heartbeat before the healing finally took hold.
Everyone noticed—the watching devils and Rias Gremory.
Her blue eyes narrowed as the dust settled around him.
Rias took a slow step forward without taking her eyes off Rafsan.
From the observation platform, Sona adjusted her glasses.
“She’s changing her approach.” Ajuka Beelzebub leaned closer, studying the battlefield.
Rias had stopped trying to overpower Rafsan.
She was examining him now, searching for the weaknesses behind his movements: his sudden shifts, his illusions, the way he turned defense into recovery—none of it could be a coincidence.
With every exchange, he adapted.
Every mistake became part of his next move.
If she gave him time, defeating him would become even harder.
“Everyone, change formation!
Don’t fight him alone!” Blood-red magic circles flared beneath her peerage.
Kiba took the left.
Koneko moved to the opposite side while Akeno rose into the air.
Gasper stayed behind them, ready to support the others.
Issei joined the formation.
In moments, Rafsan found himself surrounded.
A faint smile touched his lips.
So that’s your answer…
Kiba’s sword cut through the smoke.
Rafsan caught the blade before it reached him.
Koneko crashed in from the side, cracking the stone beneath her feet, while Akeno’s lightning tore down from above.
He held his ground.
Kiba came again, faster than before.
Rafsan turned the blade aside and slipped farther into the formation instead of retreating.
Koneko anticipated his movement and swung for the space he should have occupied.
He caught her wrist.
An instant was all he needed.
Koneko’s timing slipped.
Kiba’s next strike passed too close.
Akeno’s lightning forced Rafsan to shift, and the formation lost its rhythm.
“Left side!” Rias called.
“Don’t give him room!” Her voice stayed steady, though even Kiba heard the strain behind it.
Tiny openings appeared between their attacks.
Rafsan took each one without hesitation, forcing the formation farther out of alignment.
Sona’s eyes followed the movement below.
“They’re abandoning defense.” Rias had committed her entire formation.
Kiba, Koneko, Akeno, Gasper, and Issei rushed Rafsan together.
Their coordinated attack covered every angle and left no obvious path of escape.
By all rights, there was nowhere left to run.
Rafsan waited until the last instant.
Then he stepped forward.
Not away.
The formation broke around him.
Koneko’s fist struck the space Issei had occupied.
Issei stumbled into Kiba’s path, forcing the swordsman to twist his attack aside.
Akeno’s lightning scattered across the ground, and Gasper’s spell dissolved before it could support them.
Rafsan turned their own attacks into their undoing.
Steel slipped from Kiba’s hand.
Rafsan caught it and turned.
Before Kiba could recover, his own sword pierced Issei.
The system’s light flashed across the arena.
Kiba vanished.
Koneko disappeared next, followed by Issei.
Gasper tried to restore the formation, but Rafsan appeared behind him and shattered the spell before it could finish.
Gasper’s breath caught.
“Sorry…” His figure dissolved into light.
Only Rias and Akeno remained.
Akeno refused to give ground, though blood stained one side of her uniform.
Her lightning came in shorter bursts, each one carrying less force than the last.
Her eyes followed every spell until she saw her chance.
Rafsan entered while the spell was settling, closed the distance, and never gave her time to cast another.
His sword stopped at her throat.
The system eliminated her.
Akeno gave Rias a small, apologetic smile before disappearing into the system’s light.
Rias stood alone.
Crimson demonic power erupted around her.
Stone rose from the arena floor as pressure twisted the air.
She gathered every last ounce of demonic power into one attack, drawing the crimson energy around herself until it blazed across the arena.
Rafsan raised his sword.
The blast struck.
He blocked the first impact, then slid backward across the broken stone.
His boots carved two dark lines into the ground.
Rias saw it.
He had retreated.
Seeing him give ground reignited her determination.
She drove more power into the attack, forcing the crimson mass higher.
“You think I’m finished?” she asked.
“No.” Rafsan’s voice stayed even.
“You’re strongest when everyone fights beside you.” Rias’s jaw tightened.
She lunged, carrying the rest of her power into one final strike.
Crimson light flooded the arena.
When it cleared, Rafsan remained standing.
His clothes hung in torn strips, and blood ran down his side.
His sword fell from his hand.
Across from him, Rias tried to summon another magic circle.
Nothing answered.
Her knees gave way.
Rafsan crossed the distance and stopped in front of her.
Rias lowered her head, breathing hard.
“…You beat us.” “You never abandoned them,” he said.
“They fought because they trusted you.” A tired laugh escaped her.
“That still didn’t win the match.” “No,” Rafsan said.
“It didn’t.” She raised her eyes toward him.
“You really are difficult.” “And you’re stubborn.” “Obviously.” The system’s voice echoed across the arena.
“Rias Gremory is unable to continue.
Victory confirmed.” The crowd erupted.
Rafsan looked at Rias in silence.
After a few seconds, he offered her his hand.
She stared at it, pride warring with exhaustion, then accepted.
The Rating Game had ended.
Their story was only beginning.
It really helps the story reach more readers.