EPHS-CHAPTER 197 AKENO’S DETERMINATION

“Hā…Hā…”

With one hand on her waist, Akeno panted palely.
Although she avoided the vital areas at the last moment, the attack left a long bloody streak on her body.
Not only that, but other parts of Akeno’s body were also covered in various sword wounds and magic burn marks, all of which are the injuries from her previous battles.

“Give up, Himejima Akeno, you alone cannot fight us,” Shinra Tsubaki said calmly, standing with Hanakai Momo.

As a fellow [Queen], Akeno was an opponent she respected.
Although it was a bit underhanded to attack one person with two, it was not a fair duel between them now.

For Sona, they had to win.

“Give up… It seems that maybe I should think about it,” Akeno said, laughing at herself, and took out a Phenex tear from her bosom, which Rias had given her before the battle, for her to use in critical times.

Frowning, Shinra Tsubaki and Hanakai Momo didn’t stop their attack.
But staring at the Phenex tear in her hand, Akeno was unsure of her next move.

“In this state, even if I use the Phenex tears, I may not be able to hold out until my friends arrive,” Akeno thought, “I’m really a useless woman.
Although everyone trusts me, I can’t meet everyone’s expectations.”

“So……” Akeno exhaled, and as if she had made up her mind, she threw the Phenex tears into the air.

“Rias!” Akeno called out and Rias who is fighting Sona subconsciously caught the flying object upon hearing Akeno’s voice.

But when she saw the Phenex tears that she gave to Akeno, Rias’ expression changed–

“Akeno, what are you doing?!” Rias exclaimed, understanding Akeno’s plan and feeling angry and anxious.
Despite her own injuries, Akeno had thrown the Phenex tears at her, and Rias immediately tried to rush over to support her.

“Your opponent is me, Rias,” Sona said, blocking Rias’s way and deploying a huge magic formation.
A violent energy column rushed out and blocked Rias from advancing further.

Hōng Hōng Hōng Boom!!!!!

The air was filled with chaos, and the helpless Rias could only fight Sona anxiously.

“Rias, you will be very angry afterward, but blame me after you win,” Akeno said with a relieved smile on her face, and then placed her hands on the ground, immediately deploying a huge Magic phalanx that covered herself, as well as Shinra Tsubaki, Hanakai Momo.

“Himejima Akeno, are you crazy?!!!” Both Shinra Tsubaki and Hanakai Momo exclaimed, realizing what Akeno was planning, and they were about to retreat, but it was too late.

Hiss…

“Ahhhhh……”

A huge beam of thunder and lightning shot up into the sky, followed by the screams of the girls.

“Akeno!” 

“Tsubaki, Momo!”

Rias and Sona exclaimed and flew down at the same time.

Electric lights exploded in the air and Akeno, Shinra Tsubaki, and Hanakai Momo were lying on the ground, covered in scars.

At this point, the guests outside the alternate space battle were in an uproar, as no one expected Rias’s Queen to do such a thing and take each other out.

“S-Sona-Sama, Tsubaki-Sama, I’ll leave the rest to you…” Hanakai Momo said with difficulty, before turning into light dust and being eliminated from the battle.

At the same time, Rias and Sona flew down and hugged their seriously injured Queens.

“I-only one [Bishop] was taken away, what a mistake, Rias, I…I…” Akeno said with an unwilling smile, before turning into light dust and being eliminated from the alternate space.

“Sona-Sama’s [Bishop], eliminated!” 

“Rias-Sama’s [Queen], eliminated!” 

Grayfia’s voice echoed in the venue and the different space, and the guests watching the battle shouted and exclaimed, but Rias and Sona’s hearts were gloomy and their faces were grim.

“Stupid Akeno, watch how I punish you later!” Rias gritted her teeth and slammed her fist on the ground.

“Tsubaki, are you alright?” 

“Cough cough cough… I’m fine, Sona-Sama.”

Sona asked as she helped Shinra Tsubaki swallow the Phenex tears and quickly recover from her injuries.

The girl stood, her face still pale from the lingering fear of the previous events.
She couldn’t help but think that if it weren’t for Hanakai Momo’s protection with the “Garden of Moments – Applause Wall,” she might not be standing there.

“Rias, I’m not in a good mood right now,” Sona said in a low voice with a sharp look in her eyes.

“Same here,” Rias replied as she stood and exuded the breath of Power Of Destruction.

Although it was just a game, the loss of their companion had affected them greatly.

“Then let’s continue the battle!” Rias and Sona exclaimed in unison, and their eyes met with determination as they prepared to continue fighting and they rushed toward each other at the same time.

Boom!!!!!

…

Boom! Bang Bang Bang!!!

On the ground floor of the mall, Toujou Koneko’s battle with Nimura Ruruko and Kusaka Reya was still ongoing.
At some point, the three of them had fought their way to the east of the second floor.

Nimura Ruruko had promoted herself to become a 【Queen】through the attributes of 【Pawn】, which greatly increased her attack, defense, and Magic Power.
Together with Kusaka Reya, she was able to hold her own against Toujou Koneko in a stalemate.

“It’s over!” Toujou Koneko exclaimed as she seized an opportunity and forced Nimura Ruruko back.
She then punched out, and clusters of monster power flew out, attacking Nimura Ruruko and Kusaka Reya.
This was the strength of Koneko’s Liberation’s [Nekoshou] clan, and it was also her strongest ability now.

Feeling the danger of the violent monster powers, Nimura Ruruko and Kusaka Reya kept dodging, but Toujou Koneko had locked onto their breath, and clusters of monster powers quickly caught up with the two women in a beautiful arc through the air.

Hōng Hōng Hōng!!!

“What…”

There was a violent explosion, and Nimura Ruruko and Kusaka Reya, who were hit, fell to the ground with screams.

“No, as expected of Koneko-san, to be so strong…” Nimura Ruruko said in disbelief.
Then, they were sent out of the alternate space as light dust.

“Sona-Sama’s [Pawn], [Bishop], eliminated!” Grayfia’s voice announced, and Toujou Koneko finally breathed a sigh of relief, but she couldn’t afford to rest.

“Akeno has already left the stage, we must hurry to help Rias Kaichou (Club President),” Toujou Koneko said as she prepared to continue the battle.

Thinking of Rias Kaichou (Club President) who was fighting alone, the girl felt anxious, but before she could take two steps, her feet went limp and she fell to the ground.

“Power, power, run out…” Toujou Koneko murmured as her vision gradually became blurred.
In the last moment before she lost consciousness, she seemed to hear Grayfia’s voice again:

“Rias-Sama’s [Rook], eliminated!”