At this moment, the entire Occult Research Club was filled with Vali's unrestrained battle intent.
The "Divine Dividing" shone behind Vali, causing powerful dragon fluctuations to pour out unchecked.
Sirzechs and Michael, who were originally sitting, both rose to their feet, while only Azazel continued sitting casually, as if completely unsurprised by this.
"Vali Lucifer," Michael spoke first, solemnly addressing Vali, "Please control your actions. This is not a suitable place for battle."
"I never expected the new generation White Dragon Emperor to have already appeared, and moreover, he's a descendant of the Lucifer bloodline," Sirzechs' tone was even more complicated as he spoke, "But standing before you right now is neither myself, who took over the name Lucifer, nor the Red Dragon Emperor who is destined to be your rival. Your challenge shouldn't have any meaning here."
Michael and Sirzechs clearly didn't want the situation to escalate.
After all, this was Kuoh Academy, located inside the town itself, not some deserted wilderness. If the wielder of the Holy Spear and the successor of the White Dragon fought here, it might lead to irreversible consequences.
Unfortunately, Vali didn't pay any attention to these words.
"For me, challenging the strong is the most meaningful thing in life." Vali turned his gaze to Sirzechs and smiled leisurely as he said, "Originally, I wanted to challenge you - a battle between the old Satan bloodline and the current Lucifer. If we could decide who was stronger, it would certainly be an attractive event.
"But Azazel wouldn't allow me to do it, saying it would give Devils and Angels the wrong idea—that we wanted war—and things would become troublesome."
"Luckily, the strongest Longinus also appeared here, so I didn't come in vain."
"Don't stop me. Otherwise, I'll be very troubled."
Even though he said this, Vali wore an expectant expression, as if he would actually be glad if Sirzechs stepped forward to stop him.
His burning fighting intent wasn't targeted at one person, but rather at all strong beings. This caused Rias and those around her who were comparatively weaker to break into a cold sweat.
Feeling Vali's fighting intent, they could only feel immense pressure, as if their entire bodies were about to collapse.
"He can make weaker opponents lose their will to fight just by his fighting intent alone? What a terrifying battle maniac, nya…"
Kuroka stepped back a few paces while protecting Asia, giving an evaluation that was unclear if it was out of amazement or fear.
Even Kaiser silently marveled in his heart.
"This intensity of fighting intent is almost on par with that monster from Jie Long Seventh Institute."
When Kaiser had won the championship at the Phoenix Festa, he had briefly met that person at the award ceremony. At that time, that person had stared at him with equally blazing and battle-hungry eyes, making Kaiser feel immense pressure, as if he had been targeted by a ferocious beast.
Of course, the similarity was only in the intensity of fighting intent. When it came to actual strength, Vali was definitely stronger, and by a considerable margin.
A descendant of the Old Satan bloodline who also possessed a Longinus that sealed one of the Two Heavenly Dragons, the White Dragon Emperor—having both power rivaling a god and the power inherited from a Devil King coexisting within him—Vali's potential and abilities had increased dramatically. He was incomparable to ordinary Sacred Gear users, and even less comparable to the Genestella from the world of Asterisk War.
This was purely a dimensional reduction strike. Unless a god-level being appeared in the Asterisk War world, humanity couldn't possibly defeat the combination of the Old Satan descendant and the White Dragon Emperor.
Azazel spoke up at precisely the right moment.
"Don't underestimate him just because he's young. His strength is really impressive." Azazel spoke as if it didn't concern him, even gloating slightly, "With the Devil King's bloodline, he naturally possesses tremendous Demonic Power. His potential far surpasses all previous White Dragon Emperors, making him definitely the strongest White Dragon Emperor in history."
"The Grigori is filled with many powerful individuals, including high-ranking Fallen Angels and other Longinus wielders. Yet among all of them, Vali is still a top-tier existence. Even if you count me and Shemhazai, he would still rank around fourth or fifth."
"If you guys want to stop him, you'll have to show some real skill."
Precisely because of this, Azazel had brought only one bodyguard. Unlike Sirzechs and Michael, one had brought his sister's entire peerage, and the other had brought two Holy Sword users.
Let alone in an informal occasion like this, even in extremely formal talks, Azazel needed only a single guard like this.
"Azazel..."
"You..."
Michael and Sirzechs still wanted to say something to Azazel, but Azazel spoke first.
"Don't look at me like that. It's not like I didn't consider stopping him, but he wouldn't listen anyway. If we let him run wild, it would also become troublesome. It's better to let him formally issue the challenge in front of us like this."
The meaning behind Azazel's words was very clear.
He was telling everyone that reasoning with a battle maniac was pointless.
If someone truly interfered with Vali or rejected him too harshly, perhaps Vali would initiate an attack on his own.
At that point, it would become truly dangerous.
"If you're a real warrior, you won't refuse me."
Vali spread his wings of light behind him and flew outside, leaving these words behind as he departed.
"I'll wait for you outside. Don't disappoint me."
Saying that, Vali flew out through the window.
Everyone moved to act, but in the next second, they discovered that Kaiser, who had remained silent and allowed Vali to speak, had disappeared at some point.
"Where is he?"
Rias quickly asked aloud.
"He has gone out," Kuroka replied, holding Asia's hand and showing everyone a mischievous smile that indicated she wanted nothing more than to stir up trouble. "After being provoked like that, how could my dear resist?"
"Even if his opponent is a descendant of the original Satan and the current White Dragon Emperor, he wouldn't feel intimidated, nya~~~"
Hearing Kuroka's words, everyone exchanged glances, and then immediately rushed out of the Occult Research Club's activity room.
"Big sister..."
Only Toujou Koneko showed a complicated expression as she looked at Kuroka, who was clearly protective of Kaiser.
"Buzz—"
The atmosphere surrounding Kuoh Academy suddenly vibrated.
An invisible barrier that ordinary people could not see suddenly rose from the ground, enveloping the entire Kuoh Academy.
"A barrier..."
Michael, Sirzechs, and the others who had just left the activity room noticed this scene. They paused for a moment and then turned their gazes toward Azazel, who leisurely walked out.
"Was this your doing, Azazel?"
Michael's question naturally received an affirmative answer.
"I had a feeling things would turn out like this. Just in case, I prepared this," Azazel said, shrugging his shoulders, while a magic circle hovered above his palm. "This way, even if they cause a huge commotion, it won't affect anything outside the academy."
"As for the damages within the academy, we Fallen Angels will fully cover it."
Azazel's words instantly made Michael, Sirzechs, and the others relax considerably.
"Brother..."
Rias, however, gave her brother a worried glance.
"Relax," Sirzechs clearly understood his sister's thoughts and reassured her. "Even if his opponent is the White Dragon Emperor who inherited the bloodline of the original Satan, he'll have no problems."
"The Kaiser you've seen before was merely the tip of the iceberg of his full strength."
"Take this opportunity to clearly witness his true power, Rias."
Hearing this, Rias silently nodded.
Outside the old school building, on Kuoh Academy's sports field, two enormous auras began to rise, confronting each other fiercely, with swords drawn and bows bent.
...
"Whoosh—"
Like a white meteor, Vali, with his Divine Dividing spread behind him, flew above the sports field, stopping mid-air and looking down from above, his eyes flashing with an emotion that could only be described as joy.
"Swish—"
Kaiser's figure appeared on the sports field like a gust of wind, swiftly entering Vali's line of sight.
He still said nothing, but the aura rising from his body was fierce like flames, proving he was also anticipating the coming battle.
Not to be outdone, Vali released his aura, colliding with Kaiser's, creating a scene of evenly matched strength.
Seeing this, Vali was not at all displeased; instead, he grew excited.
"Indeed, just as Azazel said, you're strong," Vali remarked. "You should know the abilities of my Sacred Gear, Divine Dividing, right?"
"Of course," Kaiser replied calmly. "Whether it's the Red Dragon or the White Dragon, both represent the crystallization of dragon-kind's greatest power."
"The Red Dragon's ability is to double its wielder's power and transfer it to other objects."
"The White Dragon's ability, on the other hand, can seize the opponent's power and make it its own."
"Siegfried's twice critical can also double his own power, but compared to the Sacred Gear sealing the Red Dragon Emperor, it's merely its lowest version."
The Boosted Gear of the Red Dragon has no upper limit. As long as its wielder can endure it, it can continuously double the user's power until they match gods and Maous.
Similarly, the White Dragon is the same.
"My Sacred Gear, Divine Dividing, has the ability to halve the power of anyone I touch every ten seconds."
Vali revealed his ability without hesitation.
"And I can absorb that portion of power, turning it into my nourishment."
Halving the opponent's strength every ten seconds—
Just hearing of such an ability, one could tell how terrifying it was.
"Thanks for your kind explanation," Kaiser said with a faint smile, "So, what's your purpose in deliberately explaining this?"
"For fairness, of course," Vali gazed intently, "I've already heard about your Sacred Gear's ability from Azazel."
"Therefore, I won't hide my own powers either."
"Let's have an all-out fight."
"Both of us, using our full strength."
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