Chapter 303 - Wake Up Sleeping Dragon
As Vali challenged him to a body-count contest, Mahiro silently pinged the system in his head.
'Yo, does winning this side bet with Vali count for the 'Defeat the White Dragon Emperor' quest?'
[Negative. The mission requires defeating Vali Lucifer himself. Alternative competitions do not qualify.]
Mahiro's lips twitched. Figures. The quest was locked on taking Vali down directly—strategy or force, didn't matter, but it had to be him.
No shortcuts.
Unlike Issei, Mahiro wasn't some hotheaded brawler obsessed with dragon rivalries.
If the system hadn't dropped this quest, he might've played along with Vali's "fated battle" nonsense for kicks.
But with a mission on the line—complete with a Sacred Gear Fusion Card reward—he was all about results.
So, he'd taken a swing at Vali's back, hoping to catch him off guard and maybe check the quest box early.
Deep down, he knew it was a long shot.
Vali was the strongest White Dragon Emperor ever.
His reflexes, and combat smarts were off the charts, especially in Balance Breaker mode.
A spur-of-the-moment stab wasn't gonna cut it unless Mahiro had planned a full-on assassination.
Still, the attack wasn't just about the quest.
"Red Dragon Emperor, you trying to kick off our big fight early?" Vali's voice was low, icy, as he turned to face Mahiro.
His white armor gleamed, blood and ice dripping from the gash on his shoulder.
The wound's chill bit deep, but he played it off like it was nothing.
The room froze. Rias, Sona, and the faction leaders stared, jaws practically on the floor. Mahiro's sneak attack had flipped the script.
"Care to explain, Red Dragon Emperor?" Azazel's grin was gone, his eyes hard. "Why the hell are you stabbing Vali when we've got enemies outside?"
Michael's usual calm faltered, his halo dimming slightly. "I'd like an answer too. This isn't the time for friendly fire."
"Mahiro, what's going on?" Serafall's tone was sharp, her gaze drilling into him.
Sirzechs raised a hand, his voice steady. "Let's hear him out. Mahiro's been working hard to make these talks happen. He wouldn't pull this without a reason."
Mahiro met Vali's stare, his red armor humming with power.
Hyōrinmaru's blade glinted in his hand, ice trailing from its edge.
"The enemy's not just outside. We've got one right here. Isn't that right, Vali—Khaos Brigade?"
The room went dead silent.
All eyes bounced between Mahiro and Vali, the air thick with shock.
Vali's cool facade cracked, his eyes narrowing. "How'd you figure it out? I'm damn sure I never slipped up around you."
Mahiro smirked, leaning on his plot knowledge.
"Ran into Cao Cao a while back. He let a few things spill."
It was a half-truth, enough to throw Vali off.
"Cao Cao, that bastard," Vali growled, buying it hook, line, and sinker.
"Always playing dirty tricks."
He and Cao Cao had bad blood, and Vali wouldn't put it past the Hero Faction leader to sell him out.
Mahiro's jab hit home, stoking Vali's grudge.
"Vali, you really joined the Khaos Brigade?" Azazel's face was unreadable, but his voice carried a mix of disappointment and grim acceptance, like he'd half-expected this.
"Khaos Brigade?" Sona frowned, glancing at Rias. "What's that?"
Toujou Koneko and Himejima Akeno looked just as lost. The name sounded like bad news.
"It's a terrorist group," Sirzechs said, his tone heavy. "They're a mix of renegades from all three factions, pulling off attacks worldwide. Big threat to peace."
Serafall crossed her arms. "Word is, their boss is Ophis."
"Ophis?!" Rias's eyes went wide. "The infinite Dragon God?"
"Yup, the strongest dragon out there," Akeno said, her voice shaky. "Above even the Red and White Dragon Emperors."
"Only someone like Ophis could wrangle that many crazies," Azazel said, nodding. He turned back to Vali. "So, when'd you sign up?"
Vali didn't bother hiding it anymore, his grin cocky. "They reached out a while back. I joined for real after you sent me to deal with Kokabiel."
Azazel let out a bitter laugh. "Figures. I've been chasing Khaos Brigade's tail, and one of their guys was right under my nose. My bad."
"Don't beat yourself up," Vali said, shrugging. "Your peace talk's cute, but Khaos Brigade's more my speed. I get to fight strong guys whenever I want. You know how we Heavenly Dragons roll—chaos is our thing."
"Speak for yourself," Mahiro shot back, rolling his eyes. "I'm not some battle junkie."
Unlike most Red Dragon Emperors, Mahiro kept Ddraig on a leash, treating Boosted Gear like a tool, not his identity. The dragon was practically napping in the Sacred Gear's depths.
Vali burst out laughing, magic flaring around him. "You're the Red Dragon Emperor and you're denying it? Fine, I'll wake that dragon blood up myself!"
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