An overwhelming rout

He had rarely lost in any of his Rating Games to date.

Even opponents stronger than him and his Familiars.

Would ultimately be worn down and defeated by his immortal body.

Rias smiled. "I believe in Lin Luo. He'll definitely win."

Akeno Himejima chimed in beside her. "I agree with our president. Besides, it isn't just Lin Luo. His Familiars are all very strong, too."

Although this was her first time meeting Esdeath and the others, she could sense the air of seasoned veterans about them.

"Then let's hope things turn out as you expect."

Sona Sitri smiled as well. "After all, aside from being a little lecherous, Lin Luo really is quite good."

"What, are you setting your sights on my fiancé, too?"

"If it's you, Sona, I don't mind."

"Y-you... what nonsense are you talking about?"

Sona Sitri's eyes widened, and she felt the tips of her ears grow slightly hot.

Rias was far too bold.

"Oh my, are you embarrassed?"

Rias smiled faintly, but did not tease her any further.

Because the match was about to begin.

The Alternate Space!

The entire sky was a riot of colors, as though someone had painted them on at random.

"This place doesn't look any different from Kuoh Academy."

Utaha Kasumigaoka surveyed their surroundings and quipped, "They really didn't put much effort into this Alternate Space."

"As long as it's sturdy enough, that's all that matters."

Lin Luo shook his head. "These so-called alternate spaces were created to let Devils fight without holding back."

"So no matter how much destruction we cause, it won't matter?"

Esdeath narrowed her icy blue eyes, a dangerous smile curling her lips. "Master, does that mean I can really go wild this time?"

"Do whatever you like. There's no need to hold back."

As they spoke, Sona Sitri's voice rang out:

"I will now announce the rules of this Rating Game."

"Riser's side will use the principal's office as its base."

"Lin Luo's side will use the Occult Research Club in the old school building as its base."

"Any Pawn who reaches the opposing side's base may promote."

"Now, let the match begin!"

After listening, Utaha Kasumigaoka analyzed the situation. "According to the rules, our first priority should be to increase our Pawns' fighting strength. Why don't we..."

"There's no need to make it so complicated."

Lin Luo interrupted her. "Why would we need a strategy to deal with one little firebird?"

As he spoke, Lin Luo had already started walking toward the principal's office.

Seeing this!

The women all followed close behind!

Their master had made his decision.

As excellent Familiars, they only needed to carry it out.

Before long.

The principal's office was clearly in sight.

A group of figures slowly emerged from it.

Their leader had a vicious look in his eyes and resembled a street thug.

Yet as he moved, a wave of scorching heat washed over them.

"Hahaha! I have to admit, you've surprised me."

Riser looked Lin Luo over, his gaze gradually growing dangerous:

"To think you'd just stroll right over here."

"Should I call you confident, or do you simply have a death wish?"

The instant his words fell, roaring flames surged up from Riser's body.

Like towering waves, they swept across the sky, seemingly blanketing the entire heavens.

As an inheritor of the Phoenix bloodline, he possessed more than an immortal body.

His power over flames also ranked among the best in the Underworld.

Yet faced with all this, not only Lin Luo, but even Esdeath and the others showed no change in expression.

They looked as though they were watching a clown perform.

Chapter 31: An overwhelming rout

"You bastards... are you looking down on me?"

Riser swept his gaze over their faces, his eyes darkening. "Kill them."

As his voice rang out, several of his Familiars became blurs and charged toward Lin Luo and the others.

Faced with the Familiars' assault, Lin Luo stood motionless, showing no intention of making a move.

What a joke!

With his Familiars beside him, why would he need to lift a finger against opponents of this caliber?

Sure enough!

Seeing that Lin Luo had not moved, someone stepped forward to spare her master the trouble.

A figure flashed, and Leone was already standing in front of Lin Luo.

"Hehe, you want to hurt my master? Did you ask me first?"

The instant she finished speaking, Leone's pupils narrowed into slits, and two Cat Ears sprang up atop her head.

Bang!

The ground shattered, and Leone vanished.

Her explosive burst of speed made everything blur before the eyes of the charging Phoenix Familiars.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Before they could even react, an overwhelming force struck them.

Leone threw several punches in rapid succession, sending the Familiars flying with terrifying strength.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The distant buildings shattered under the impacts, burying one figure after another.

Only a few breaths had passed since Leone made her move, and the fight was already over.

Silence fell over the scene.

"S-so strong."

"Her name's Leone, right? She can actually transform. Is she some unusual race?"

Inside the Occult Research Club, cries of surprise broke the brief silence.

They had a live broadcast of this Rating Game playing before them.

Having seen everything unfold, they were all stunned.

"She's so fast, and incredibly strong, too." Sona Sitri's eyes widened. "Is she Lin Luo's Rook?"

"No, she's only a Pawn." Rias shook her head. "But I didn't expect her to be this strong, either."

"Now I know where Lin Luo's confidence came from," Sona Sitri said admiringly.

Koneko Toujou stared intently at Leone's chest, then looked down at her own. "A total defeat."

"Impossible!"

Riser cried out, losing his composure. "She's just a Low-Class Devil! How can she be this strong?"

"Why can't she?"

Lin Luo remained where he stood and said calmly, "Of course, perhaps your Familiars are simply too weak."

He had reaped considerable rewards recently.

After obtaining the technology behind Imperial Arms, aside from Esdeath's Demon's Extract, which was already quite perfect.

He had modified and strengthened the Imperial Arms belonging to Leone and the others.

Their strength had long since undergone a fundamental transformation.

"You've got some nerve saying that."

Riser's gaze turned savage as he roared, "Yubelluna, don't disappoint me again!"

"Yes!"

A tall woman dressed in a mage's outfit shot straight into the sky.

Hum!

A Magic Circle spread across the heavens, and a massive explosion roared like a bomb, sweeping down over Lin Luo and the others.

"Not bad. You use Explosion Magic well."

Lin Luo offered a word of praise, yet remained completely still.

Clang!

Murasame left its sheath!

Akame burst into motion, flashing past like a meteor.

Swish!

An icy blade gleamed, and a slash soared skyward, splitting the massive explosion in two and reducing it to motes of dust that vanished.

The sight made Riser's pupils contract.

This Low-Class Devil was another monster.

"Come on, then! Who wants to fight me?"

At that moment, Riser's Familiars heard a low shout.

In the instant Akame drew their attention, Leone had already closed in on them.

Her athletic body seemed to brim with surging power.

With every step, she became a blur, tearing straight through the air.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Amid a series of dull impacts, several more people were sent flying, carving furrows through the ground.

"You bastard! That's enough!"

Riser's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets, and his aura surged.

"Utaha, let me see the Essence of the Fire God," Lin Luo said then. "You should have learned to wield its power over the past few days, right?"

"Of course, Master!"