"Boom!"
As the visible battle aura clashed violently with the pure white flames, the fiercest battleground in Kuoh Academy saw Kaiser and Vali simultaneously land heavy punches on each other's bodies, sending both of them flying.
The shockwave swept through like a hurricane.
Dust and smoke billowed in layers across the air.
After exchanging a single blow, one skidded across the ground, while the other was sent soaring high into the sky. Both barely stabilized their stances, standing separately—one on the ground, the other in the air—glaring at each other across a distance.
Clap clap…
Kaiser dusted off the fist imprint left on his chest and called out to the airborne Vali.
"You've gotten stronger, Vali."
That was the first thought Kaiser had after engaging Vali in battle once more.
"I've lost to you once before. I don't intend to lose a second time. I've been training hard these past days," Vali replied with a low laugh, brimming with fighting spirit. "You've improved too. You managed to land a blow before even drawing your weapon. I didn't see that coming."
Kaiser smiled faintly, silently acknowledging the point.
Indeed, he had grown stronger recently.
Although he hadn't undergone harsh training like Vali, perhaps due to the immense draconic power contained within the two ultimate dragon-type Sacred Gears affecting his body, Kaiser discovered that through continuous battles with various mythological powers, he had further unlocked his physical potential, entering a state of growing stronger with every fight.
Not only had his physical abilities improved with each battle, but his battle aura had also increased dramatically. Even without any weapons, he could now rival high-tier beings like ten-winged angels, demons, or fallen angels.
In such a state, even when facing Vali in his Balance Breaker form, Kaiser dared to fight him head-on, barehanded.
"Unfortunately, I still can't do anything to you," Kaiser said, noting how Vali remained completely unscathed after taking his full-force punch—the armor on his body didn't even leave a mark. "The day I defeat you without using a Sacred Gear, that's the day I can truly be proud."
"Dream on," Vali replied without hesitation. "You think you can beat me without going all out? I'll never let that happen!"
If Kaiser managed to accomplish that, it would be the ultimate blow to Vali.
"Come on, go all out, Kaiser." Vali's tone was impatient and eager. "I've been looking forward to this fight for a long time now."
"You're being unreasonable." Kaiser shook his head. "I'm not your destined rival. I'm not the current Red Dragon Emperor. If you want to obsess over someone, it should be Issei Hyoudou, not me."
"Issei Hyoudou?" Vali sighed in disappointment. "No good. He's too weak. Even though he's a regular human like you, with no heroic bloodline, no training in magic or sorcery, he can't compare to you at all."
"I once had high hopes for him, hoping he could grow into a worthy rival. But he's too mediocre—no, outright feeble. He doesn't even have the slightest talent. Even after months of training, with Azazel's guidance, he still can't properly activate his Balance Breaker."
"How could someone like that be my opponent, my destined enemy?"
It was clear from Vali's tone that he was deeply disappointed—perhaps even utterly disillusioned.
As a battle maniac who longed for strong opponents, Vali had felt excitement rather than fear upon learning he had a fated rival.
The Red Dragon Emperor, counterpart to the White Dragon Emperor that resided in him, was a being formed from the crystallization of power—an existence capable of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with gods, second only to the two Dragon Gods.
The Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet, just like his own Divine Dividing wings, was one of the strongest dragon-type Sacred Gears.
Surely, the wielder of such a Sacred Gear would be powerful, right?
But upon meeting Issei Hyoudou, all of Vali's expectations crumbled into disappointment.
As the strongest White Dragon Emperor in history, Vali had ended up with the weakest Red Dragon Emperor in history as his rival. What cruel irony for a battle maniac!
And so, Vali lost all interest in this generation's Red Dragon Emperor. He had no desire to fight Issei anymore. As a result, though the two dragons had been eternal rivals since ancient times, this generation's Two Heavenly Dragons could now coexist under one roof—shocking everyone who knew their history.
Only those familiar with Vali understood that this wasn't necessarily a good thing—it meant he truly no longer regarded Issei as a rival.
On the surface, they may have seemed to be in the same faction now, but in truth, the distance between them was greater than ever.
"But you're different."
Vali's tone shifted from disappointment to one of intense anticipation.
"When I heard that you had challenged multiple mythological factions, even gods, and came out unscathed—forcing them to retreat—I can't describe how thrilled I was."
"The one I vowed to defeat had already faced gods before me. What could be more exciting than that?"
"That just gives me one more reason to defeat you."
Vali's entire body erupted in a far more powerful aura than during their last fight. The pure white flames burst forth like a volcanic eruption, sweeping away fighters from all factions within hundreds of meters.
"Come, Kaiser! Show me the God-Slaying Spear again!" Vali shouted. "This time, I won't bow to the will of the gods!"
It seemed Vali remained deeply affected by his last defeat at the hands of divine will.
Understandably so. Since he aimed to defeat gods, the fact that he couldn't even overcome a god's mere will was a bitter pill to swallow.
This time, he vowed to overcome that willpower, to defeat that divine force, and show a completely different version of himself.
Unfortunately…
"This time, I won't be using the Holy Spear."
Kaiser said this calmly.
"What?"
Vali froze in shock.
Kaiser looked at him, a mysterious smile gradually appearing on his face.
"Remember what I told you last time?" Kaiser said unhurriedly. "I said when you became stronger and still wanted to challenge me, I'd show you something interesting."
As he spoke, to Vali's disbelief, a pair of light wings unfolded behind Kaiser.
Wings identical to those of Vali's Divine Dividing.
"Let me show you now."
Bathed in the glow of those elegant wings, Kaiser slowly rose into the air, coming face-to-face with Vali.
"Let's see whose Divine Dividing is stronger—yours or mine."
This declaration didn't just reach Vali's ears. Everyone present heard it loud and clear.
And then, everyone saw it—a pair of wings that shouldn't have existed, now clearly unfurled behind Kaiser.
"What?"
"Divine Dividing?!"
"He—he…?!"
"How is this possible?!"
Everyone's eyes widened in shock, confusion, and disbelief.
"A second pair of Divine Dividing wings?!"
Even Azazel, clad in golden dragon armor in his simulated Balance Breaker state, was stunned speechless.
"How could this be?"
Even Issei Hyoudou, locked in combat with the Khaos Brigade, saw it and cried out in disbelief.
No one had ever told him there was a second Divine Dividing in the world!
What did this mean? Was Vali not his only rival? Was Kaiser also his enemy? Another White Dragon Emperor?
This had to be a joke!
"...A fake?"
Vali stared at the familiar wings behind Kaiser, eventually muttering in disbelief.
"No, that's not a fake," came a low voice from Vali's own wings.
"I don't know how it happened, but that is indeed Divine Dividing. I can feel my power within that pair of wings—and not just a trace. It's equal in scale to mine… no, perhaps even greater!"
Albion, too, sounded confused and overwhelmed.
Then—
"That surprised you?" Kaiser's voice rang out again. "Don't be so quick to panic. The real show's just getting started."
A burst of pure white aura, even more immense and potent than Vali's, erupted from Kaiser's body, sweeping across the battlefield.
"Balance Breaker!"
With a powerful cry, though no second dragon voice echoed from within the Sacred Gear, the pure white flames still transformed into immaculate armor, appearing with a flash of white light and gradually equipping Kaiser's body.
In the next moment, his entire body was covered in holy, flawless white armor. A dragon tail swayed in the air, and the radiant wings spread wide. His form shone like the morning star, once again illuminating the skies above Kuoh Academy.
Two White Dragons now faced each other—their appearances identical, their auras identical. The only difference was that one was stronger, the other weaker. Aside from that, they were indistinguishable.
"—"
Vali, staring at this mirror-like image of himself, fell into a rare moment of daze and vulnerability.
So did everyone else present. Some even halted their battles, frozen in voiceless awe as they stared at Kaiser, now transformed into the White Dragon Emperor.
"What is this feeling…"
Only Issei Hyoudou trembled all over.
"It's like I'm facing a natural enemy… My entire body is shaking, just like when I first encountered Vali. No—this feels even stronger, even scarier than Vali!"
"What… what is going on?"
"What the hell is happening, Ddraig?!"
Just as Issei's trembling voice fell, the jewel embedded in his Boosted Gear lit up.
"It seems Albion's power has been reproduced through some unknown method using the Holy Spear."
The voice came from the Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet.
Undoubtedly, it was the voice of Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor, Albion's equal among the Two Heavenly Dragons.
"This energy… it feels exactly like Albion's."
"But why, when I sense that power, do I feel like I'm facing a higher-tier being?"
"What… exactly is that…?"
Ddraig's voice faded as if deep in thought.
At the same time, Albion issued a warning to Vali.
"Though it's the same power as mine, there is something of a higher order hidden within it."
"Be careful, Vali."
"A draconic force more powerful than the Two Heavenly Dragons… is coming for you."
Upon hearing this, Vali realized that the familiar figure before him had disappeared.
Whoosh!
A familiar streak of light suddenly flashed through the air as the white figure burst forth at an incredible speed.
"Not good!"
Vali finally realized this was no time to be stunned. He flared his wings and launched himself skyward like a shooting star.
But no sooner had he taken flight than an identical light trail curved in midair and caught up with him at full speed.
Bang!
A white-armored fist smashed into his back, detonating on impact.
"Guh…!"
Vali felt like he'd been hit by a speeding train. The force pierced through his armor and struck his body, sending him crashing into the barrier surrounding Kuoh Academy.
His back armor shattered, revealing his wounded body.
Boom!
Before Vali could catch his breath, the white figure appeared again at his side and, with a sonic boom, delivered a powerful kick that sent him flying.
"Damn it!"
Blood spilled from Vali's lips as his armor fractured in multiple places. But he ignored the pain, quickly stabilizing himself and flaring his wings to unleash countless magic circles toward his doppelgänger.
Magic surged from the circles, raining down a barrage of energy blasts like a storm, engulfing the white figure.
"Half Dimension!"
The figure's wings spread wide, releasing a warped energy field that met the oncoming blasts.
The power to halve the size of anything within range reduced the incoming energy blasts again and again until, by the time they reached the figure, they were completely neutralized—vanishing without a trace.
"He can even use that move?!"
Vali was shaken, then gritted his teeth. While channeling magic to repair his armor, he charged straight at the identical figure again.
Seeing this, the figure didn't move—only raised a hand.
"Divide!"
Draconic energy formed in the extended hand.
Vali's speed was instantly halved.
"My power…!"
Vali's expression twisted.
His strength—had been halved.
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Author's Note: Sorry for delay... 200 stones and I release the remaining 4 chapter of this volume today.
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