However, it was a long shopping mall across its two floors and the atrium, so it was considerably large horizontally. The rooftop was a parking lot. Besides that, there was also a multi-storey parking garage elsewhere. [Both groups have been transported to their respective “bases”. Rias-sama’s “base” is on the second floor of the east side, while Sona-sama’s “base” is on the first floor of the west side. In order for “Pawns” to promote, please go to your opponent’s “bases”.] Our base and our enemies’ base were on opposite ends of the department store. We were on the second floor’s most eastern side. The opponents were on the first floor’s most western side. Around our base, there was a pet shop, an arcade centre, a dining floor, a bookshop and a drugstore. On the first floor beneath our base, there was a branch store of a major second-hand bookshop company, and a sports-supplies shop. Over on the opponent’s side, there was a grocery shop, an electrical appliance store, a junk food shop, and a general goods store. During the battle, each side would have to respectively head towards the other end of the department. That was simple and clear, but it wouldn’t go like that. [This time, there will be special rules. Documents on this have been sent to each group, so please check them. A single bottle of the healing item “Phoenix Tears” has been provided to each team. Furthermore, the time to strategise before the battle is thirty minutes. Contact with the opponent during this time is forbidden. The game is scheduled to start after thirty minutes. Then, let the strategy time begin.] After the announcement, everyone quickly gathered together. We couldn’t waste even one minute of this time. “The battlefield is modelled on the department store near Kuou Academy. So it’s an indoor battle.”
Buchou said this while looking at a guide map of the department store’s interior that was depicted on the dining floor’s wall. There was also a personal diagram of the place divided into chess squares in Buchou’s hands. We had encamped ourselves in the aforementioned dining floor and were planning out our strategy. An indoor battle! So the Rating Game has that kind of battlefield as well! I thought about how each side had a base on this certainly wide battlefield, and how we would have to run around within this field. It was like that during the House of Phoenix battle as well. Rather, the stage was the department store near our school! This was a place we often came to on our way back from school. More than ninety percent of the students attending Kuou Academy knew about the appearance of the store's interior. Me, Buchou and Asia have also come here on our days off. Buchou looked over the document with the special rule that had been sent to us. “The rule this time states [Don’t destroy the department store which has become the battlefield]; in other words, we can’t do any showy battles.”
Buchou narrowed her eyes and seemed to be thinking about this rule. “…I see, so to me, the fuku-buchou, and Ise, this is a disadvantageous battlefield. We can’t do attacks that affect a wide area.”
It was just as Xenovia said. By saying that it was an interior battle and furthermore that the building itself couldn’t be destroyed, I couldn’t use my Boosted Gear-raised Dragon Shot! The great fire attack that used doubled fire magic, which I obtained at great pains in the training with Tannin-ossan, was also impossible here! It would turn into a conflagration! Akeno-san also couldn’t use her extra-large lightning attack by creating thunder clouds unless she was on the rooftop, right? It seemed that, if she didn’t suppress her power, she could deal damage to the building as well! Xenovia also wouldn’t be able to unleash her holy slashing wave with Durandal either. Even at the best of times, it was a sword that gushed out a holy aura even in its drawn state, so it couldn’t be recklessly swung in order to not break the rule. “That really is troublesome. A battle of large mass attacks has been mostly sealed.”
Akeno-san put a hand against her cheek with a troubled face. She gave her opinion after letting out a sigh. “Gasper-kun’s eyes also won’t be as effective. There are too many places to hide within the department store. All the goods and products have also been exactly reproduced, so there is an overflowing amount of objects to obstruct his vision. There is also the possibility of surprise attack in the dark…It’s troubling. This is a disadvantageous battlefield for our special characteristics. Because the Rias Gremory group’s forte is to battle showily, we’re completely sealed.”
Damn. I believed that we were strong, but everything has completely changed just because of this rule! Buchou shook her head at Akeno-san’s words. “No, Gasper’s eyes couldn’t be used from the start. They put in a restriction on it here. [The use of Gasper Vladi’s Sacred Gear is forbidden], it says. The reason is clear and simple. Since he still can’t perfectly control it yet. They judged that it would be problematic if the entire game was spoiled by his eyes going out of control. Giving him Ise’s blood is also prohibited. It seemed that they’ve provided him with Sacred Gear-sealing glasses developed by Azazel. [Since it was made for Gasper’s exclusive use, it won’t have any particular bad influence on his body]—so it says here. Really, he likes to prepare.”
What another problem! So Gasper’s Sacred Gear couldn’t be used! Now that you mention it, I heard that Gasper’s training didn’t go well in regards to his Sacred Gear. He made a lot of progress, but it seems it will still take quite a bit of time for Gasper to master his eyes. Besides, I doubt it would be good even if he simply unleashed it. “Then, will Gasper fight using magic and his vampire abilities?”
Buchou nodded at my question. “That’s right. From the beginning, his time-stopping power carried a lot of risk. The other side has not only the counter-types I mentioned before, but also Saji-kun, who possesses a Sacred Gear that absorbs the ability of others, so we don’t know what kind of counterattacks they’ll use. Like suppressing it with genjutsu. There are also other technique’s to take away a person’s vision. When talking about such things, it becomes impossible to use that power in either the games or actual battle. Using meticulous caution is only natural.”
Vali also said the same thing as Buchou. That if you know that the ability activates from the eyes, it’s easy to deal with it. Buchou continued. Ah, Gasper had put on the glasses right away. “…The Rating Game isn’t something you can win simply by having a lot of power. The battle situation changes completely according to the battlefield and rules. Because this is a ground where even devils that lack strength can depend on wisdom and rise higher, it has become popular in the Underworld and among the other powers. The rules this time may be disadvantageous to us.