'Let's see'
Judai activated a Spell Card. A translucent card the size of a person appeared before him and phased through his body.
Riser watched warily, remembering the last trap that had turned his own attack against him. He decided to wait and observe, keeping an eye on Dodger Dragon circling overhead.
As the spell took effect, a gentle breeze began to swirl around Judai, causing his cape to flutter. He smirked, reminded of some vague memory about "aura farming" from an anime, standing at a high point. The details were fuzzy, but the feeling was real.
'Do you see this, Master?' he mused internally.
Joking aside, he could feel the spell's effect, his strength and defense had visibly increased.
He drew another card while Riser watched him closely. Riser was slowly piecing things together, though his conclusions weren't entirely accurate.
Cautiously, Riser launched a volley of smaller fireballs, testing to see if Judai would counter again. Judai didn't activate a trap card, instead, he dodged, weaving through the attacks on foot.
Riser noted the evasion. He wouldn't usually fight so hesitantly, but Ruval's warning echoed in his mind: Stay cautious. Only go for the kill when you see the opening.
Judai kept drawing cards. On the third draw, he finally found what he needed.
He summoned Shining Abyss.
The luminous entity appeared and hurled a sphere of light toward Riser, who dodged and retaliated with fireballs.
'He can wield light energy?' Riser thought, momentarily alarmed.
When the smoke cleared, Shining Abyss was still standing, but Riser noticed something else: Judai's aura had weakened slightly. A surge of confidence washed over him.
'He noticed it,' Judai realized. He ordered Dodger Dragon to evade as it weaved through the air, avoiding Riser's attacks.
Another fireball struck Shining Abyss, and the monster vanished.
"I'VE GOT YOU NOW!" Riser's arrogance returned in full force. He soared straight toward Judai, no longer holding back.
He briefly considered targeting the dragon, but seeing that Judai hadn't used it to attack even after Shining Abyss fell, he dismissed it as a non-threat. This was his opening.
Judai retreated, drawing another card, Sparkman.
'Shit. When I need you, you don't show up. Where the hell are you in this deck?'
Riser closed the distance, trapping Judai with nowhere to run. He unleashed a wave of fire from his fist.
Judai braced himself, trusting his equip spell and enhanced durability. The flames washed over him, he was scorched, but the combined defenses lessened the damage.
Riser followed up with an uppercut, flames gathering around his knuckles. Judai sidestepped and countered with a sharp punch to Riser's chin, knocking him back a step.
Riser just grinned.
"I thought you hit harder than that. I was worried for nothing."
He lunged forward and landed a flaming punch squarely on Judai's face, sending him flying backward through the misty air.
In the VIP section, Rias whispered, "Judai…" her worry rising.
Zeoticus, Venelana, and Sirzechs were surprised to see Judai being pushed back.
"Why isn't he summoning the dragon?" Zeoticus murmured.
Venelana and Rias wondered the same.
"I believe he may require specific conditions or a particular monster to activate certain abilities," Grayfia suggested calmly.
The Phenex family smiled triumphantly, all except Ruval, who watched with a deepening frown.
'Riser, end it quickly,' Ruval thought. Sacred Gear users often had a final, devastating move.
Among the audience, Kiba, Akeno, and Koneko grew tense. Judai could lose this.
On the field, Judai managed to land on his feet. He drew a card, Performapal Trump Witch, and discarded another, Griffore.
He sighed, feeling his energy draining. Prolonging the fight would only lead to defeat, Riser's immortality gave him an endless advantage.
Judai scoffed at himself.
"I'm losing because of my shitty draw… just like old times."
"Yes, you are and you'll die here. There won't be a second chance," Riser said, advancing slowly. He shouted toward the stands, "Rias! Watch as the human you chose dies by my hand today!"
Judai looked up at the sky. "I really didn't want to use this."
His regalia disappeared; the Equip Spell was sent to the Graveyard automatically. He then summoned three monsters in quick succession: D/D Ghost, Cabrera Stone, and Panther Warrior. A floating orange gem, a rune-covered stone, and a panther-man wielding a curved sword appeared around him
Riser paused, taken aback by the sudden swarm of summons. He also noticed Judai was no longer in his Regalia outfit, a sign his defenses were fading.
Panic rising, Riser gathered a massive fireball and hurled it at Judai.
"LINK SUMMON!"
The fireball struck, engulfing Judai in an explosion of smoke and flame. When the smoke cleared, a futuristic, square-like structure hovered in Judai's place, six gray arrowheads glowing ominously.
"What… is this?" Riser muttered, stepping back.
The entire stadium watched in shock. A tear seemed to form in space itself.
Sirzechs stood abruptly. "Stay here," he ordered, preparing to intervene.
From within the mechanical box, Judai floated unconscious as his monsters flew toward the arrowheads, lighting them up in sequence. Then, from the structure emerged a colossal, 30-meter mechanical Gryphon, Knightmare Gryphon.
As it fully materialized, a wave of blue-black energy erupted from its wings, shattering the arena's barrier like glass. An oppressive force washed over the stadium, suppressing everyone's power, only a select few remained unaffected.
Riser froze in terror. Before he could react, Knightmare Gryphon fired a searing beam.
Half of Riser's body was instantly vaporized. He didn't even scream, the attack was too sudden, too absolute.
Worse, his regeneration had stopped.
Before Knightmare Gryphon could deliver the final blow, Sirzechs appeared between them. Flaring his demonic power, even tapping slightly into his true form, he conjured a sphere of pure Destruction and launched it.
The orb struck Knightmare Gryphon, vaporizing it completely.
As the mechanical beast vanished, the suppressing field lifted. Riser's regeneration finally kicked in, and the spectators could move again, but the lingering fear remained. They had felt utterly powerless.
Sirzechs caught Judai just before he hit the ground.
Lord Phenex, Lady Phenex, Ruval, and Ravel descended to check on Riser. Zeoticus, Venelana, Grayfia, and Rias rushed to Judai's side.
Riser was alive, but barely.
The Phenex family looked at Judai, unconscious, carried in Sirzechs' arms, and finally understood why the Gremorys had supported him.