Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Clash of Champions
The final match was set in a virtual galaxy, navy blue skies and countless stars in the sky as milky clouds appeared to serve as their foot-hold, not faulting at everyone's weight. Keiji and Rias were at the front, while Gasper and Asia were behind them, filling a more supportive role.
"So big," Gasper muttered. "But it's beautiful."
'It's a bit of a shame that Ascalon is being repaired in Heaven, so I won't be able to use it for this battle. But fighting with my own fists against Sairaorg is even better!' he thought, clutching his fingers.
Asia nodded at Gasper, sharing the same sentiment. "It is amazing."
Keiji observed the surroundings. 'Now this is definitely a final boss stage look,' he thought, checking up on everyone before turning to Rias. "Do you have that ready?" Keiji asked.
"It's temporary but it should be enough to turn the tables if things go down hill," Rias whispered, patting his back. "Good luck."
A flare of excitement erupted from the crowd as Sairaorg and Regulus appeared. The mysterious Pawn removing his mask to show a young boy with spiky dark orange hair, golden eyes, and facial markings.
"And the big moment has arrived! Will Sairaorg and his Pawn manage to take the win, or will the Gremory Peerage claim the big victory with their large succession of win streaks!"
Regulus noticed his King's fierce grin and gazed towards the less important opponents, walking to the side. "I shall take care of the rest, Lord Sairaorg," he said, Sairaorg nodding.
Rias followed Regulus' lead as Asia and Gasper followed her lead. "We'll take care of Regulus. You focus on Sairaorg."
"Do it, sempai!" Gasper cheered.
"Stay safe!" Asia warned.
Keiji gave a nod as he sent a small good luck to them and turned to his opponent, flames pulsating in his veins as Keiji approached Sairaorg.
"Are you not going to call your Familiar?" Sairaorg asked.
Keiji shook his head. "Ilulu has earned a nice rest, and I trust the others to take care of your Pawn. For this battle, it's just between the two of us. Man on man. Nobody is getting involved!" Keiji promised.
A booming celebration echoed from Sairaorg's mouth as his Touki exploded around him, the effect stronger than before as their hair blew against the pressure.
Reciprocating Sairaorg's desire, the Scale Mail clad Keiji. An aura exploding from his jet as the two of them needed no more words and charged straight at each other.
Despite the cataclysmic clash, the battle on the other side was dead silent. "I know I don't need to say anything but we must win this one for Keiji's sake. He's facing Sairaorg." The others fiercely agreeing.
Regulus gave a deep inhale. "I never expected the Gremory group would beat everyone else and even be able to injure my King while still having three members standing, aside from my Master's rival. Now I shall be destroying you for my King's sake! PROMOTION: QUEEN!"
A golden pillar broke out and began sending shivers into the trio as the mysterious man's body went limp and began to grotesquely jut out before going on all fours. Suddenly, Regulus hair became a golden mane and an aureate aura began to take over his form. Eventually it all settled down to a giant lion with a jewel on its forehead. Its large body reaching heights that were surpassing giraffes.
"What is this?! The young Regulus has morphed into a golden lion!"
Azazel's eyes widened. "The Nemean Lion!" Azazel remarked, questioning how it came to be here and under Sairaorg as a devil. "Shouldn't he be sealed in the Longinus, Regulus Nemea?"
"I say, is that impossible?" Naud questioned, the crowd muttering and wondering the truth behind it as well.
"Maybe not. But we've been unable to find the current user for a while now."
Sliding back, Keiji stopped as Sairaorg was currently not battle ready, making him stare in surprise at the sudden disconnection. A grin came on his face. "After it's previous wielder died, Regulus, somehow, materialized himself and killed the group of people that was responsible for his host's murder. When I arrived at the scene, I managed to tame him and reincarnate him with 7 of my Evil Pieces."
"Looks like I haven't seen it all. A living Longinus being turned into a devil," Azazel muttered, still surprised about it. After all, they were God's creations.
Keiji chuckled. "You've certainly got a crazy Peerage!"
"Wanna keep going?!" Sairaorg rhetorically asked.
The delinquent nodded, swiping forward with several full-force kicks. "Well, don't get your hopes up just yet. Your gonna need more than a giant cat to beat my King!" Keiji warned, making Sairaorg raise an eyebrow as he sent a jab forward.
Asia laid her hand forward as several light green barriers rocked up but the bull-like charge from Regulus easily shattered it and Gasper's time stop was nothing more than a second delay as exhaustion had heavily mitigated the extreme effects of it. Rias' rapid fireballs of destruction were, ironically, seemingly destroyed the moment they came into contact with the tough Herculean hide.
"Scatter!" Rias warned her Bishops, which they followed but turned in surprise to see that Rias hadn't moved from the raging bull.
"Rias!" they cried out as Regulus' claws looked destined to fall on her; the Pawn of Sairaorg determined to even up the situation by removing their Phenex Tears, just as Yuuto, Rossweisse and Xenovia had done to Sairaorg.
"BOOST!"
The golden mountain was sent on its back and a far distance apart as everyone was open-mouthed at seeing a Red Dragon Empress upper cutting the Nemean Lion in the jawbone with the combination of her Power of Destruction.
Azazel almost flipped back on his chair and the whole crowd was confused as all hell at how Rias was wearing the Boosted Gear Scale Mail. "What the fuck just happened?!" Azazel swore, almost falling off the chair he was leaning on.
"T-this is certainly an unexpected development but it's moments like these that we live for in the Rating Games!"
Even Sairaorg paused in shock at seeing his cousin. He noted the numbers appearing along the jewels of Rias' armour. 300, 299, 298.
Keiji chuckled. "Surprise!" he alerted Sairaorg, making sure his opponent knew that Keiji was there before bending to avoid the jab and whipping sideways with extreme force and punching Sairaorg in the face.
Rias raised her arms as a sphere of purely concentrated Destruction began to construct itself. "It's a bit of a new invention but we managed to find a way of temporarily borrowing the Red Dragon Emperor's powers into someone that was 'compatible' with Keiji's power! Don't feel bad about the surprise! We didn't even tell anyone in the whole of the Peerage. It was a final trump card between the two of us. Prepare for 5 minutes with me using the power of the Boosted Gear's Balance Breaker!"
Regulus tried to attack but Gasper stunted its growth with straining eyes. "I'm still a man! You won't touch the President!" Gasper promised.
An endless chorus of Boosts were ended with the words "Transfer!" Rias flaunted the sphere as it grew to manage Regulus in size. "I'm Rias Gremory, King of the Red Dragon Emperor, Keiji Hiryu, and I'm not allowing myself to be a hindrance to him! EXTINGUISHED STAR!!!"
The Nemean Lion roared in defiance at the threat of the deadly explosion, which promptly engulfed him.
Sairaorg shook his head, chuckling coming off of him. "I guess I should have expected my cousin would also grow so exponentially being alongside someone like you."
Keiji responded by slamming his fist against his face and driving him back. "Thanks," Keiji responded.
Despite the fist at his face, Sairaorg casually flexed a smile. "Now how about we stop holding back, too?" Sairaorg suggested.
"Welsh Dragonic Rook!"
The public went in an uproar at the metamorphosis of the Scale Mail. "I knew Keiji would be fine!" Gasper said, relieved that his friend and role model wasn't over yet.
"Nice. This is exactly what I've waited for!" Sairaorg muttered, exuding more Touki as the two of them began to engage in the mother of fist fights. Keiji's fists were noticeably slower but Sairarog's faster fists were less effective against the red wall.
A punch to Keiji's chest was dealt with enough finesse to upset Keiji's balance but his smiling face glared at Sairaorg, holding the Bael devil's fist. "I can't let you have all the fun!" Keiji menacingly spoke, hammering his armoured attack against Sairaorg and making him bend his back at the fierce force.
However, Sairaorg's eagerness began to reflect in his battle as his attacks were more devastating and Keiji could feel the knockback on them. 'Even with my Rook's defence, I can feel the force of his hands! He really wants me to catch them!'
Sairaorg's senses tingled, his whole body feeling the effect every time Keiji's percussion hammers knocked against his body, making him grit his teeth. 'My whole body feels like it is being shaken from the inside out!' he thought, only smiling wider at the intensity of the match.
"The crowd is wild! I don't blame them! These two young devils do not care for etiquette but this is certainly entertainment! Blow after blow! Which one will prove the mightier?!" Naud enthusiastically spoke, unable to blink. "I can't miss a single moment. I refuse to blink! What about you, ladies and gentlemen?!"
Azazel chuckled at the crowd but he found himself in a similar boat. "Neither one is showing signs of pain but it might be quite even. Whoever will break first is hard to tell but both of them will keep on going, even if their bones are dried. It's just who they are!"
"Solid Impact!" Ddraig called out.
A more audible gasp came from Sairaorg as Keiji sent the power of his elbows and dug it right into Sairaorg, focusing a lot more power in one small point and making the pain expand and the damage send Sairaorg down on the ground.
Sairaorg stopped further progression by extending his leg out and using the Rook form's heavy design to halt it. "Being too big doesn't give you the privilege of speed!" Sairaorg told his rival, quickly rising up and using the heavy shield arms to rise above and deliver a sledgehammer to bring Keiji down.
"Don't need to tell me twice!" Keiji grunted out, putting his arms together and skidding back against Sairaorg's low kick.
The Bael devil didn't waste anymore time as he put his arms up in a boxer style and suddenly shifted low and delivered a double blow punch, the impact vibrating against the armour and making Keiji hunch back as the force of his Touki exploded out of Keiji's back.
Asia was about to start trying to heal Keiji but stopped as Sairaorg found his face being clutched and squashed as Keiji manically laughed and viciously smacked his head against Sairaorg, the force making the latter stumble back and Keiji focusing his efforts into a heavy over-arm hit that sent Sairaorg flying back.
"You got up quick," Keiji muttered.
Sairaorg grinned. "I have a reason to!" he replied, thinking of his mother.
Panting, Rias noticed the cracks in her armour. "The power of a legendary beast from the Greek pantheon using Promotion is definitely tough," she muttered, with the growling beast full of gashes and a few meters away from her.
"Well done, devil woman. Even the original Heracles was unable to pierce my hide!" he praised, then rushing in again to continue.
Rising up were supportive shadow tendrils, their tenacity managing to trip the golden beast. "Go, Rias!" Gasper shouted.
The heiress boosted herself one last time as her Destruction-coated fist resounded against the mammoth maw, knocking a tooth out to the surprise of Regulus.
With the cry of a 0, the armour broke down as Rias flew back and walked weirdly on shaky legs as Asia slid to her side and her rings glowed. "I'll heal you, Rias. Stay put!"
A strong thud made them look to see the exhausted Gasper pinned down by the injured form of Regulus, making Rias scream out, Asia freeze and the main fight stop. "You fought bravely," Regulus commended, bleeding from the mouth. "But this ends now!" he warned them fiercely, charging at the two ladies.
"Regulus! Stop it!" Sairaorg shouted, concerned that his Pawn defeating Rias would end his fanatic fight prematurely as the game ends with which King is defeated.
Fear crept into the hearts of others as Asia propped herself as a shield for her King with open arms, ignoring the complaints of concern for her. "No! Keiji hasn't finished his fight, so we're now allowed to lose yet!" Asia screamed at the others.
A smouldering shine broke out from the rings as Asia was now covered in a golden dragon armour with red jewels, with a domain radiating from her as it shrouded Rias.
The Regulus didn't hold back as it brought its' claws onto her but nothing happened. Trying not to let it phase the boggled-eyed beast, the Nemean Lion rapidly attacked again, again, and again but Asia was simply standing there like a wall as all the damage that should have been done was simply gone, reduced to ashes.
Smiling at the former nun's determination, Keiji turned around in place. "Armour Release!" he shouted, causing a breakdown and taking to the skies, much to Sairaorg's confusion, who gazed at the skyward dragon.
"Didn't take you for the arrogant type?" Sairaorg joked out.
Keiji laughed. "If the girls are going all out to such a degree, how can I not do the same?!" Keiji responded, dipping and plummeting like light as a bright blush from his aura lit up the sky and Sairaorg stared with a wild grin.
Accumulating momentum that made thunder look like terminal velocity, Keiji's body bulked up as the Boosted Gear called out, "Welsh Dragonic Rook!" and Keiji's robust, rigid form crash landed on Sairaorg.
Roaring, Sairoarg brought both bulky biceps up and charged his fists against Keiji's Solid Impact, a reckless explosion ensuing that sent shockwaves rippling through and even washing away Regulus while making Rias hold onto Asia.
The Bishop taking a deep breath as her Balance Breaker collapsed away with the last residues of the tremors silenced and she fell to her knees.
Rias quickly turned around and made her drink the Phenex tears, pulling up a shocked Asia back on her feat as her minor wounds fell down.
"Rias, why did you do that?" she asked.
Rias smiled. "You deserve to see this fight to the end as much as me after doing that!" she praised, hugging the girl.
Crawling out of the continental crater was Keiji, panting, as he stood atop of Sairaorg's fallen form. "That was something else," he muttered.
Before the announcer could try and break the silence, Sairaorg's form rose back up. Blood escaping both his fists in concerning amounts. That didn't stop his smile leaving as he shook himself, then steadied himself.
Keiji laughed at seeing the fight not being over. "You actually tanked that?! And you already want some more. Amazing but it suits you."
Regulus slammed down besides his King, making the Gremory group a bit confused, while Sairaorg glanced at his Pawn. "I never thought I would have seen you so banged up, Regulus."
"That's certainly something," Rias muttered, seeing Regulus laugh.
"You've chosen well, my King. We've never faced, and may never again face, worthier foes then this," Regulus said, sharing a moment with his King. "But this fight can only be won by going all-out!" Regulus seriously spoke.
Sairaorg opened his mouth to refute but stopped himself, a small chuckle on his jolly face as his throat extended it to full-blown laughter. "Your right!" he exclaimed, making Keiji look in surprise as the man lowered his fists. "Originally, I swore never to use this against anything but a threat to the Underworld itself, but after what Rias, you, Gasper and even Asia have shown both me and my mightiest servant, how can I NOT use all of our power?! This is the result of the power inherited from my mother's bloodline!"
"REGULUS! GO!"
"BALANCE BREAKER!"
Misla watched as she covered her face, proud tears straining her shirt, something that not even her butler commented on as he, too, was engrossed in the match going on. The golden figure igniting the screens with how shiny the display was.
"Such intense pressure," Keiji muttered, a sweat bead on his face while Rias and Asia also stared in shock at seeing Sairaorg in a golden lion-themed full-bodied armour.
The moment the man opened his eyes, everything around him was crushed. "I'm coming now!" Sairaorg screamed out, the white clouds disappearing into the void from the force.
Keiji blocked the attack... only for his Rook arms to crack like glass and crumble like water soaked in paper. "Fucking shit!" Keiji cursed in disbelief, blood seeping from his mouth as the ones cheering for the Gremory were gasping at the sudden reversal of the tables.
Growling with anger, Keiji returned the favour with a punch but Sairaorg didn't acknowledge the attack as much as Keiji felt a funny click against his side from the hammer hitting at his side. "Keep this up!" Sairaorg shouted, not letting up on his rival.
'Every hit is so heavy!' Keiji thought, unable to shake the incessant pain striking his nerves as Sairaorg's kick made it hard for Keiji to even recover properly as his handstand ended up with him tumbling on his side.
Rolling back from the bone-breaking fist of Sairaorg, Keiji stumbled back as he evaluated his options. 'This won't do,' he thought. "Armour Release!"
With the aerodynamics from, Keiji distanced himself and urgently called for his brain to spawn a miracle but his eyes could only look in worry at seeing the eager eyed Sairaorg matching his speed.
Barely did Keiji escape the blow as his heart rate increased. 'I would have been defeated instantly,' Keiji remarked, the burden becoming heavier.
Sairaorg attacked once again but Keiji prepared for it and tickled the man's face. Growling, Keiji flew up and lamented how ineffective the kick was. 'This might be my only chance to win, but there realistically isn't enough time!' he thought.
Asia and Rias watched as Keiji moved to the apex of the field and switched to his Bishop form, the cannons aiming down and charging up. 'Please give us this chance!' Rias and Asia thought, not wanting to cope with the despair that came with defeat.
Hope was ripped by the claws of Sairaorg, already crushing one of his blasts with his hands. Keiji screamed as he unleashed the other prematurely, point-blank to the chest and the explosion covering the top of the field with a massive smokescreen.
The announcer and the crowd held their breath as they waited for the moment to reveal itself, which it did as Keiji's form crashed down, the normal Scale Mail surrounding him.
Closer by came the cracked form of the Regulus Rey Leather Rex appeared. Sairaorg's chest heaved heavily as a small burn mark was on his face. "That was an amazing fight," Sairaorg mumbled, unable to express his praise harder from the exhaustion.
***
For the second time, the depths of the Boosted Gear was where Keiji woke up as the previous users stirred up and stared at the screen, his beaten body laying there as Sairaorg stood supreme over it; growls ensuing at seeing the armoured back of Sairaorg.
Like a hivemind, thoughts about destroying, crushing him, crushing the strong enemy with the Juggernaut Drive. Propaganda about the omnipotence of the Juggernaut. It was a downward spiral of desperation, despair and degeneracy.
"FUCK THAT!" Keiji screamed to the previous Boosted Gear users, breaking the chaotic energy that they had started gathering around him. "This is MY fight! None of you are allowed to ruin it!" Keiji snapped at them.
"It's the only way!"
"You'll lose!"
"The Dragon of Domination cannot taste defeat!"
"Dominate!"
A mocking laughter was given by the delinquent, a middle finger propped up. "If you really couldn't lose, then why do I see all of you here, calling for a maddening power to prevent defeat?!" Keiji responded indignantly, his arms out.
"I, who am about to awaken."
Hearing the users beginning to speak the taboo lines, Keiji didn't hold back as he disfigured their face with one punch. A golden glow taking place around his fist as silence suddenly was instilled into them.
"If any of you insist on continuing those lines, I'll beat each and every single one of you!" Keiji threatened, his eyes gaining a slit look and a macabre aura leaking. "I'd rather lose than become an uncontrollable beast! That's not how I'm beating Sairaorg!"
Walking forward were two familiar faces, smiles on both Elsha and Belzard. "That's the most admirable thing any wielder of the Boosted Bear has ever said said!" Belzard complimented.
Elsha walked up to him. "Are you ready to lose?"
"I'm not losing. I'm going back there and fighting until my body goes dry, even if my bones beg me, I'm going until I'm nothing! When two men duel, you have to devote yourself to the end! No matter the reason! Anything less is an insult to Sairaorg!"
Belzard grinned as he walked to his side. "I'm up for it, you do have our power on your side!" Belzard told him.
Elsha smiled as she walked up to him, giving him another kiss and speaking Belzard's words, too. Her eyes looked to the others members. "What about you all?"
While the hectic hivemind didn't continue, there was still some hesitation on them. "What about the Juggernaut?!"
"Can he really win?!"
"What will happen?!"
Keiji turned to all of them, a more sympathetic and confident smirk on his face. "If you need to chant anything, I've got a creed you can all be proud of," Keiji told them.
"I, who is about to awaken—"
A few joined in, but most didn't.
"Am the Red Dragon Emperor who has discarded the principles of domination—"
This time, more were prepared to accept and repeat the chant.
"I shall walk the road of righteousness by having infinite hopes and dreams—"
Smiles came upon the previous users faces as more of them joined in and accepted.
"I shall become the King of Crimson Dragon—"
By this point, all of them were muttering the chant with hopeful faces and the chaotic energy that once surrounded the area.
"And I promise you all! I shall show you the future which shines in true crimson light!"
Keiji announced the last line with a bright smile, fully encompassed in the golden glow that lighted the dark dimension.
"Do you mean it?"
"Is it sincere?"
"Will a new future open up?!"
Turning around to meet their faces, a crimson crinkle in Keiji's eyes and his mouth giving a thumbs up. "Of course I am! Because, regardless of it all, we are ALL the Red Dragon Emperor, so now it's time to show that you are more than just vengeful ghosts! You are all the culmination of a legacy passed down for generations, so it's time to change to something even greater!"
For the first time, they all roared as one as the fragment of the Holy Grail materialized and began to glow gloriously as the form of Ddraig appeared in a blazing inferno. "Partner... My Partners!" Ddraig called out with pride. "New power keeps coming, and it's swelling greater than before! I can feel myself reaching the zenith of my power!"
The Evil Pieces of Keiji shook as the power of the grail glazed them with crimson, making Keiji grin to the dragon. "It's time to stand up again and show what that the Red Dragon Emperor can do!" Keiji spoke, the confidence of ages seeping into him.
The Pawn Pieces burned as they evolved to a Bishop, sharpening to a Knight, firmly forming into a Rook and brimming with the form of a Queen, the light consuming them all.
Outside, Sairaorg stepped forward to finish the fight that gave him so much. Rias and Asia landed between him and Keiji, a fighting stance for the both of them.
"This just might be the end for the Red Dragon Emperor," Naud mentioned, less passionate and more completely focused. "What a fight this has been," he muttered, Azazel silently nodding his head.
Sairaorg stopped, then smiled, with his aura burning. "Fighting until the very end? I'm proud of you, and I wouldn't have it any other way!"
Everything behind the duo was devoured by the eruption of a crimson light, making everyone's facial features gape, with Sairaorg in the same boat and staring at the new armoured form standing behind them, bathing in a celestial cardinal-coloured column. Energy wings similar to the those of the Divine Dividing engulfed a wide area, as they glowed with a heavenly light. Keiji's armour was more bulky but nothing extreme to the level of his Welsh Dragonic Rook. All the jade jewels were now changed to a blushing rose colour.
"SAIRAORG! Who said this fight was over?!"
Azazel completely fell back on his chair as he watched the sight, and the whole crowd screamed at the miraculous comeback. "I shouldn't be surprised but this is amazing!" Azazel commented, stroking his goatee.
Naud took a moment to compose himself before falling into fanatic announcer. "I-is this an illusion?! No, it's not! The Red Dragon Emperor has managed to claw his way back from the Underworld! Does the Red Dragon Emperor not yield to anyone?! He's a being of pure fortitude!"
Resting, Ilulu jumped up with the biggest and, perhaps, her purest smile as she was in awe at seeing Keiji's new form. "Master is amazing," she muttered.
"He's become a True Dragon, and it's all thanks to my training with him!"
"Hey, I've helped a lot more than you! That means I made him a True Dragon!" Ilulu shouted.
"Huh?! I don't want to hear that from someone weaker than me! So what if you've known him longer?! I'm going to be his best maid!" she shouted, with Ilulu retorting back, and Tohru firing off at Ilulu; the exchange going back and forth.
Kanna stared in awe. 'He's so much stronger now,' she thought.
Elma dropped her donut in surprise, while ignoring the sugar by the side of her lips as she continued to look enamoured by the new form.
Lucoa smiled brightly at the development of her mate. At the rate he was going, Lucoa was going to need to make sure she didn't slack behind.
Rias and Asia allowed their weakness to be exposed. "Keiji!" they both called out, feeling the despair be drowned by the new hope. Keiji's grin to them warming them up even more.
"Splendid!" Sairaorg said, his golden Touki flashing bright and exploding. "Cardinal Crimson Queen, that is the only way I can think of naming this majestic new change. But I still don't intend to lose!"
"Right back at you!" Keiji shouted, both of them engaging in another clash as they flew up and started clashing, their speed making them look like flashes of light bouncing and clashing against each other as the only proof of their cataclysmic supersonic exchange was the tremors that pounded and praised the battle.
Keiji's legs clashed rapidly against Sairaorg, who growled and punched forward with fury, something that Keiji was able to take and use to his advantage as grabbing his leg allowed him to bring himself up and kick Sairaorg and send his face spiralling back in discomfort before throwing him back and using the ability of the Star Sonic Boosted to rapidly punt Sairaorg all across the place like a pinball while not having to worry about being broken in one blow like before.
"This new power is beyond anything a Boosted Gear user has experienced," Belzard muttered, knowing first hand from his experience and being a victor over two White Dragon Emperors.
Sairaorg's Touki grew in power as he smiled, his attacks now having an air punch to them and forcing Keiji to adapt and defend against it as Keiji took the damage and slowly started to make his counters, using his tail to distract Sairaorg's groove and beginning to anticipate Sairaorg's next move.
With a clever feint, Keiji fell into position and Sairaorg took advantage of it as he gripped Keiji's arms and head-butted him. "Your not the only one adapting!" he remarked, immediately performing an orthodox move and using both his legs to attack the hips, which allowed Sairaorg to try and throw Keiji back, but Keiji righted himself.
"Even the defence is amazing!" Elsha spoke, feeling that Keiji was under no pressure.
Keiji bent back and followed it into a back-flip kick that Sairaorg grunted from, and then he was too dazed to not notice the axe-hammer kick that sent him flying back. "Solid Impact Booster!" Keiji shouted, using a more advanced version and managing to sent Sairaorg flying uncontrollably back, even with his guard up.
"Partner, you can win this!" Ddraig spoke, feeling pride at the heights they had now reached.
Sairaorg smiled as he managed to catch Keiji and focus his Touki in one point, blasting the latter back and making him crash into the surface. This was followed by a series of fast but heavy hits that had Keiji needing to dodge, less he get overconfident and run out of stamina.
'I can't take all of this damage and expect come unharmed! This IS Sairaorg, after all!' Keiji thought to himself, amazed at the might of his opponent.
Keiji flew back as he glared at Sairaorg with nothing but respect. "This is getting fun, but don't lose steam now!" Keiji remarked.
Sairaorg reared his fist back. "You think you'll take me down so easily!" Sairaorg responded, charging forward.
"Just give it your all!" Keiji shouted, throwing his spine into it as both their fists clashed. The force blowing everything apart as the screens were covered from the smokescreen created and energy started flying everywhere.
Rias looked towards the sky in amazement. "The heavens themselves have split," she muttered, gazing like she had been struck with an epiphany.
Sairaorg whacked Keiji's face, the latter falling back but kicking back and sending Sairaorg back. The Bael devil flicked his finger, a surprise air shot attack making Keiji use his tail to block it and this allowed Sairaorg to grab it and throw him around.
"Nice," Keiji remarked, though he used the spear-head tail to his advantage and righted himself and drop-kicked Sairaorg, making him groan.
'His attacks are certainly getting my heart racing but this body won't go down until it goes down! Sairaorg thought, rushing forward and matching Keiji and both of them grappling, an explosive release of energy threatening anyone who dared interrupt the battle.
"Just as strong as I'd expect!" Keiji shouted, laughing crazily as he pushed harder. "We're going to the very end, Sairaorg!" Keiji promised.
Sairaorg smiled back, an equal loss of sanity as the both of them only focused on the delight of their duel. "That's right! Show me, Red Dragon Emperor!" Sairaorg shouted, squeezing harder and managing to use his techniques with Touki to break Keiji's focus and knee him in the jaw.
Laughter ensued from Keiji as, from inside the helmet, he felt some blood seep from his mouth. "I definitely felt that!" Keiji shouted, throwing him back and focusing his aura around his body as the mantra of the Boost kept on spawning: a strong right hook, a powerful low left leg attack and a strong sternum strike that made him stagger.
'I think Keiji is enjoying himself a lot,' Asia remarked, seeing his smile but being able to feel the passionate and pure emotions in it.
Sairaorg showed his bleeding mouth with how wide he smiled. "This is the greatest fight I've ever experienced before!" he commented.
"My emotions have never reached such a state. Perhaps this might be the greatest battle for me, so thank you, Sairaorg. But... I'm winning this match. I'll be the victor for this one reason: everyone else, especially my King, gave me this one final advantage in the fight. Can you guess what it is?"
Regulus' face came alive as his master's eyes widened. "DODGE, MY KING!"
The warning was given in time but the response was not as a titanic trampling force violently collided against the same location where the lion's fang was broken from Rias' and the others fight, which shook his bones; Keiji using his Solid Impact Booster with the speed of his Star Sonic Booster, brutally breaking the chest-plate.
"I will continue!" Sairaorg shouted to himself, not allowing the weakness to stop him and planning on surpassing his limits.
Thunder struck as Sairaorg's whole body became a jellyfish at the trauma dealt to his solar plexus. Being and training hard enough, Sairaorg could easily tell it wasn't something that he couldn't overcome as the glowing demonic-dragon power of Keiji's attack was dramatically rising and blinded everyone with the force.
"Outstanding!" Sairaorg managed to speak out, still trying his best, even if he knew it was futile.
Unable to let Sairaorg's best efforts go to waste, two cannons began charging in front of Sairaorg while Keiji gave a passionate and sincere smile to Sairaorg, the crimson blast engulfing the man as everyone covered their eyes and the crimson and green twisting beam loudly roared as Keiji felt his whole body shiver from the extreme output. His legs shaking and slowly sinking into the ground as Keiji dropped back and the cannons retracted into his wings.
The Bael King was sent flying like a meteor and crashing against the ground far away, with Keiji walking weakly towards his opponent and seeing Regulus appear by their side; the remaining armour no longer present.
Blood and bruises decorated Regulus as he shakily tried to muster willpower and talk to his master standing up, ichor flowing out with several coughs. "I-it's okay, Master. We did our best... I have no regrets serving you!"
Smiling sadly, Regulus fell back on his side as he vanished. Sairaorg smiled gently as he retired soon after.
"And Sairaorg Bael has retired! The Gremory team wins!" Rudiger announced, taking a while to compose himself as he still had to take everything in. "W-what a match, ladies and gentlemen! I think we all enjoyed that! Truly unpredictable!"
Roaring echoed from the crowd as Rias and Asia to cover their ears as they tiredly smiled at the crowd. Misla sniffled a bit but her butler patted her on the back, with the mother of Sairaorg assuring her butler she was fine and just unable to control her joy at how much her son had grown, even with his defeat.
Shattering to pieces left Keiji bare, blood and bruises as he weakly smiled. "Damn... he was too cool in the end. You were amazing... the very best... Sairaorg Bael..." Keiji muttered, holding a finger to commemorate the battle him and the others went through.
His fall from the floor was stopped by Asia and Rias, the both of them almost faltering at his weight as they both smiled at him. "Congratulations on winning."
Keiji shook his head. "Nope... This is the Gremory Peerage's victory," Keiji managed to mutter, feeling himself succumb to silence and the need to recover. 'I hope to fight you again, Sairaorg... You've made your mother proud...'
"Such a tense Rating Game," Grayfia remarked, watching the whole thing and inhaling and exhaling heavily. "My heart was racing."
Venelana smiled. "I'm sure it did. You showed so much emotion," she said, making Grayfia blush. "But I don't blame you. Rias certainly has found someone special.
"It's Kei-kun, of course! He's a very special dragon!" Serafall happily spoke. "And he looks so happy! I just can't wait to add this into the TV show!" she said, making Venelana and Grayfia both giggle.
Rias looked up to the others and smiled, giving a thumbs up. "This is OUR victory," she muttered, taking in everything that had happened and panting.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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