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[Ding.]
[Congratulations, host. A treasure chest has been triggered.]
[Treasure Chest Level: Silver.]
[Treasure Chest Unlock Condition: The Unification of the Two Heavenly Dragons.]
[Subdue the dragon soul of Albion, one of the remaining Two Heavenly Dragons.]
That was the reason Anos looked at Vali with such interest.
Mm...
He had to admit, this one was quite valuable.
...
"Azazel? Azazel knew about my plan?"
Kokabiel's eyes once again filled with the light of hope.
If he went back to face judgment, did that mean he could survive?
Did that mean he could escape this man's grasp?
At that moment, Kokabiel desperately hoped Vali would take him back.
Even if he had to face judgment, that was fine.
With Azazel's way of handling things, the worst that would happen was probably being frozen. It was not as if there would be no way to break free later.
As long as...
As long as he could recover his power, everything would be up to him again.
Even if he could not defeat these monsters, he should at least be able to flee somewhere safe.
His attitude had become far humbler than before.
"Of course, Azazel knew about your plan, He cannot allow you to start a war as you please."
Vali still looked at Anos while saying words that were meant for Kokabiel.
"Can you hand him over to me? He will receive the punishment he deserves."
Vali stretched his hand toward Anos.
And then...
He received an answer that left him completely satisfied.
The human he was interested in merely smiled.
Then, a powerful burst of sacred light surged from beneath Anos's foot.
"Waaaaaah!"
Within that pure sacred radiance, Kokabiel's body disappeared from the world almost instantly.
Perhaps for someone who had betrayed the God who created him, abandoned his faith, and chosen to fall, being destroyed by Anos's holy power was one of the most fitting endings.
If one rounded it up, was this not the Biblical God personally dealing with a fallen angel?
"Your feathers are far less dark than Azazel's."
Vali crushed a black feather that drifted before him and sighed.
However, his sigh lasted only a moment.
Because now, he had something far more important to do.
Battle!
Battle!
Battle!
He was born for battle.
"Since you did that, I can take it as a provocation against me, right?"
Vali spoke the words he had wanted to say all along, his voice brimming with excitement.
He did not care about Kokabiel's life.
Even if Azazel scolded him after he returned, it did not matter.
What he wanted to do now was fight the man before him.
"Of course. I have no problem with that. After all, I still have a promise to fulfill for someone else."
Anos smiled and stretched his hand toward Vali.
Then he made a move that excited Vali even more.
A crimson light flashed across his hand, and a slightly fierce-looking gauntlet appeared there.
[Boosted Gear.]
The moment Vali saw the Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet, his eyes went wide.
He had not expected to see Boosted Gear here.
What did it mean to search everywhere and then find what you sought without effort?
Now, he understood that feeling firsthand.
"Hahahahahaha! So you are the Red Dragon Emperor."
Vali looked at Anos with burning eyes.
Was this person his destined rival?
Indeed.
Whether it was appearance, strength, or way of doing things, he perfectly matched the kind of rival Vali found interesting.
In another sense, Anos really was the most suitable and most interesting rival for him.
Because Vali had once said something unbelievably dramatic.
[I am the bloodline heir of the deceased former Satan Lucifer. However, I am a hybrid born between a father who was the grandson of the old Satan and a human mother.]
[The reason I obtained the Sacred Gear of the White Dragon, Vanishing Dragon, is that I am half-human. I am the one who truly inherited Lucifer's blood and became the White Dragon.]
[If fate or miracles truly exist, then surely they refer to me.]
[I regret being born in this age, a world without God. I had originally wanted to defeat God.]
[God is gone. How cruel that is for me. In that case, I have no choice but to make my goal defeating the Great Red instead.]
[If there are no strong opponents in this world, then I may as well die. I have no interest in such a boring world.]
Mm.
Since his original goal had been the already-departed Biblical God, then Anos was a person who fit that role so perfectly that he could not be more suitable.
Of course, as far as Anos personally was concerned, he had no interest in that kind of suitability.
He merely wanted to achieve a few goals through his battle with Vali and subdue Albion's dragon soul along the way.
Since ancient times, dragons have been symbols of power.
The collision of power and power would attract more power.
The collision of dragon and dragon would draw certain people Anos was interested in.
That was why Anos had not used the Savior Star Dragon to paralyze Vali from the start.
What Anos wanted was the process of battle.
Because as far as he was concerned, the result of the battle would be the same.
He did not want to expose his identity because of the battle. He only needed this fight to achieve some of his objectives.
"A battle between the Red Dragon Emperor and the White Dragon Emperor. Shall we?"
Anos stretched his hand toward Vali and smiled.
"Of course."
Terrifying demonic power erupted from Vali's body.
This was the part of him he was most proud of as a descendant of a true Satan.
In response, Anos also gave a certain answer.
[Welsh Dragon Balance Breaker.]
[Balance Breaker: Boosted Gear Scale Mail.]
If it were only the power of the Red Dragon Emperor, then exposing it would be acceptable.
What Anos was using now was only spiritual energy.
Vali still had no idea that he was currently being used as a tool. He was still excited by the arrival of the winds of battle.
[Vali, be careful. This opponent is extraordinary.]
Albion reminded Vali not to become too immersed in the fight.
"Relax, Albion. I am a man who will seize every victory with my own hands."
Vali spoke with great excitement.
The moment he finished, his figure vanished from where he stood.
Facing Vali's attack, Anos merely tapped lightly in the air and soared into the sky.
He had no desire to let his battle with Vali drag too many people into it.
After all, Rias, Sona, and the others were still nearby.
"What?"
Vali had not expected that, even after entering Balance Breaker, he still could not keep up with Anos's speed.
However, he did not hesitate. He increased his speed again and chased after Anos.
Now...
There was only Anos in his eyes.
"Vali, you are indeed a genius."
In the sky, the two stood apart in midair. Anos spoke with a trace of emotion in his voice.
"So?"
Vali smiled.
Was Anos praising him, his opponent, as a genius?
"But you are only a battle maniac."
Anos shook his head.
Only a battle maniac.
Many things could be solved through battle, but many things could not.
"Is that what you wanted to say?"
Bang!
The sound of air being torn apart rang out.
Anos and Vali's fists collided in midair, creating a series of explosive booms.
Vali's body was sent flying, carving a stream of air through the sky.
Anos could already fight him in Balance Breaker or even Juggernaut Drive with his physical ability alone, let alone now that he was also using Boosted Gear.
"Albion, it should be fine if I use that, right?"
Using the power of the dragon to repair his damaged armor, Vali wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and spoke.
[Although it is not my wish for you to become intoxicated with my power, it seems there is no helping it now.]
[Your opponent may surpass you in both strength and talent. He is likely the strongest Red Dragon Emperor in history.]
[For the sake of fulfilling our pact, for the name of the White Dragon Emperor to resound throughout the world, use my power as you please, Vali.]
"Roar!"
Vali displayed an unprecedented level of passion.
[I...]
[Awaken as...]
[The Two Heavenly Dragons who had everything stolen by the principle of domination.]
He reached toward the sky, and the radiance of the White Dragon Emperor formed a dazzling white star in the heavens.
[Envy the infinite, and seek the dream.]
[I shall become the tyrannical path of the pure white dragon.]
[And invite you into the flawless limit.]
[Juggernaut Drive.]
"Looks like I may have put some pressure on Vali."
Anos smiled.
"But that is fine. At the very least, he needs to reach the level of Juggernaut Drive to meet my requirements."
Since the other party had used Juggernaut Drive, Anos naturally chose to respond.
[I...]
[Awaken as...]
[The Two Heavenly Dragons who seized the principle of domination from God.]
[Mock the infinite, and worry over the dream.]
[I shall become the crimson dragon's overlord.]
[And sink you into the crimson lotus purgatory.]
[Juggernaut Drive.]
[Boost. Boost. Boost. Boost. Boost. Boost.]
He also used the Red Dragon Emperor's Juggernaut Drive.
For the current him, this was something so simple it could not be simpler.
In fact...
He could even use the Red Dragon Emperor's dragon soul to do something even further beyond this.
It was just that there was no need to use it against Vali, nor was there any need to expose it at this moment.
"Fight, kill, burn each other to ash."
"This is the destiny of the Two Heavenly Dragons."
Vali released a voice filled with utter delight.
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