The White Dragon Emperor, clad in his signature white and blue Scale Mail armor, sleek, powerful, and radiating an overwhelming aura of dominance. The jewel-like gems on his armor glowed faintly as he stood tall, wings of energy folded behind him.
Silas's eyes lit up with genuine interest for the first time that night. 'Maybe he'll pose a bit of a challenge,' he thought, a small smile forming on his lips.
Kokabiel barely had time to register the new arrival.
WHOOSH!
In a blur of white and blue, Vali blitzed forward faster than anyone could track. There was no speech, no taunting, no dramatic declaration. Just pure, overwhelming speed and power.
SPLAT.
Kokabiel's head exploded in a gruesome burst before he could even form a single word. His body remained standing for half a second, wings twitching, before it collapsed lifelessly to the ground in a heap.
One of the strongest fallen angels in existence, gone in an instant.
Silas's smile instantly dropped into a deep frown. 'Now why would he do that…' he thought, visibly annoyed.
Vali slowly turned toward Issei, who flinched hard at the intense gaze. The White Dragon Emperor's voice echoed from within the armor, calm and confident.
"Looks like you hit bronze with your host," he said.
Ddraig's deep voice responded from the Boosted Gear with clear amusement.
"I often back luck with that."
"Hey! What does that mean?!" Issei cried out, flustered.
Before Vali could take another step forward, a hand landed firmly on his shoulder.
Vali turned his head sharply.
Silas stood right behind him, expression calm but eyes sharp.
"Let go," Vali warned, voice cold. "I'll say it once and never again."
The moment the words left his mouth, Vali tried to move.
He couldn't.
His entire body had frozen in place, as if the air itself had turned into solid steel around him. No matter how much power he poured into his armor, he couldn't even twitch a finger.
Vali's eyes widened slightly behind his helmet.
Silas didn't say anything. He simply kept his hand on the White Dragon Emperor's shoulder, staring at him with a bored, slightly disappointed look.
The entire battlefield fell into a deathly silence.
Vali stood completely frozen, his body locked in place by an invisible, overwhelming force. Inside his Scale Mail, his mind was racing.
'He really is strong…' he thought, a rare flicker of genuine shock running through him. 'I simply thought everything so far was just a fluke.'
『I can for sure tell you that you do not want to mess with this person,』 Albion's deep voice warned inside his head. 『Ask for forgiveness and let's go. Now.』
Vali's pride wanted him to resist, to fight back. But even he wasn't stupid enough to ignore his Dragon's urgent advice. Not against this.
"…My apologies," he forced out, voice strained but clear. "I overstepped."
The pressure vanished instantly.
Vali staggered forward a step, regaining control of his body. He didn't wait for a response. With a sharp flap of his wings, he shot up into the sky and disappeared into the night without another word.
Even as he flew away, Silas's presence lingered in the back of his mind like a shadow he couldn't shake.
Silas turned around casually and started walking back toward the group. The moment he got close, the girls ran at him full speed.
"Silas!" Rias called out, crashing into his chest and hugging him tightly.
Akeno wrapped her arms around him from the side, pressing her body against him with a soft laugh. Asia hesitated for half a second before joining in, hugging his waist shyly.
Koneko stayed back but gave him a small, rare smile and a nod of approval. Even Sona and Tsubaki looked visibly relieved.
"You did it again," Rias murmured against his chest, squeezing him tighter.
Silas simply stood there, one hand resting on Rias's back, the other lightly on Akeno's waist. A small, genuine smile tugged at his lips as he let them celebrate.
Nearby, Issei was still in a deep, whispered conversation with Ddraig inside the Boosted Gear, looking equal parts amazed and slightly terrified.
"Let's go home," Silas said after a moment, voice calm.
With a few waves of demonic power from Rias and Sona, the worst of the damage to the school grounds was repaired, broken walls mended, craters smoothed over, leaving only faint traces of the battle behind.
The group started walking back toward the manor together under the quiet night sky.
The tension of the night slowly began to fade, replaced by tired relief and the comfortable chatter of friends (and rivals) heading home.
.....
The Next Day – Gremory Manor
Silas broke the news to them in the living room after breakfast.
He didn't sugarcoat it. He told them straight , their god, the one they had devoted their entire lives to, was dead. Gone for a very long time now.
Irina broke down immediately. The cheerful, energetic girl crumpled onto the couch, tears streaming down her face as years of faith shattered in a single moment. She sobbed quietly into her hands, shoulders shaking.
Xenovia, on the other hand, stayed silent for a long time. Her eyes were wide, staring at the floor like the world had been pulled out from under her. But instead of despair, something else flickered in her gaze, a new, burning resolve.
When she finally spoke, her voice was steady.
"…Then I will serve someone worthy instead."
She looked directly at Silas. "You."
Silas sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm not looking for any servants," he said plainly. "Why would I need one?"
Xenovia didn't back down. Her eyes were intense, almost pleading in their own stoic way. "Then… at least let me serve Rias," she said. "If I can strengthen her group… that would be enough."
Silas glanced at Rias, who gave a small nod.
"Fine by me," he said with a shrug. "If that's what you want."
Irina, still wiping her tears, took a shaky breath. She was heartbroken, but her faith, even if redirected, remained stubborn. "I… I still believe in the cause," she said quietly. "I'll continue my mission. For the Church… even if it's changed."
The two church girls left the manor later that morning with heavy hearts but an idea of what they would do next.
With no school that day, Silas spent the afternoon exactly how he wanted , sprawled lazily on the massive couch in the living room, remote in hand, watching football highlights on the big screen.
The volume was low, the room quiet except for the occasional cheer from the commentators.
Rias was curled up against his side, half-watching the screen while scrolling on her phone.
Akeno sat on his other side, legs draped over his lap, occasionally feeding him snacks. Koneko was lying across the back of the couch like a cat, quietly munching on chocolate.
It was peaceful and just like that… the Holy Sword Fragment arc came to an end.
End of the Holy Sword Fragment Arc.
TO BE CONTINUED