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The battle between Azazel and Katerea immediately captivated everyone's attention.
They were both truly Satan-class beings.
And a duel between two such powerful individuals, one a Fallen Angel, the other a Devil, was a rare sight, something that hadn't been seen in years.
"This isn't good…" Sirzechs murmured, his gaze fixed on the swirling vortex of energy above. "If those two fight at their full power, the collateral damage will be immense."
This was Kuoh Academy, Devil territory. Any damage sustained here would be their responsibility. And as a Satan, Sirzechs had a duty to minimize such losses.
"Are you really concerned about collateral damage at a time like this, Satan?" Vali sneered. He had been standing silently behind Azazel, showing no intention of joining the fight.
But now, hearing Sirzechs's words, he couldn't resist a little challenge.
He, too, opposed a truce. As for the consequences of mocking a Satan, Vali wasn't concerned. In his eyes, Sirzechs wasn't his equal.
Vali turned and flew towards the window, following Azazel and Katerea into the sky, transforming into the White Dragon Emperor and unleashing his fury upon the unsuspecting Magicians below.
———
"It seems we'll need to re-evaluate the threat posed by the Khaos Brigade,"
Sirzechs said softly, watching Vali's departure. While he hadn't said it directly, everyone understood his meaning: Vali was likely affiliated with the Khaos Brigade.
"Mika, Michael and I need to maintain the barrier, to prevent the damage from spreading. Can I entrust the remaining enemies to you and Rias's peerage?" Sirzechs asked, turning to Mika.
"Leave it to me." Mika smiled and nodded, then turned to Akeno and the others. "Let's go. I trust you're not afraid of a little action."
"Of course not, Mika!" Issei exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.
It wasn't the impending battle that excited him; he wasn't particularly fond of fighting.
It was the sheer scale of the event!
According to Mika, his strength was already at High-Class Devil level.
If he could distinguish himself in this battle, perhaps he would finally receive his promotion. Then, he could acquire his own Evil Pieces and begin building his harem—
The thought filled him with a renewed sense of determination. He grinned, his earlier apprehension forgotten.
Though his smile was rather lewd.
"I think I know what he's thinking," Koneko said, her voice filled with disdain.
"Me too..." Kiba added.
"It's not exactly a secret, is it?" Akeno chuckled.
They had all been together for quite some time now and were well aware of Issei's unconventional motivations. He had never bothered concealing his desires. He was a man driven by his passions.
"It's not a bad thing. For Issei, desire is a powerful motivator. The stronger his desires, the stronger he becomes—" Mika said with a wry smile, shaking his head. He then led Akeno and the others out the window, joining the battle raging on the school grounds.
The Occult Research Club had officially entered the fray.
———
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions echoed through the air, accompanied by screams of pain and the clash of magic against steel.
Akeno, Issei, and the others were a whirlwind of destruction, their attacks tearing through the Magicians' ranks.
Though outnumbered, they were unfazed.
Akeno, whose power now rivaled that of an Ultimate-Class Devil, unleashed a torrent of lightning, striking down the Magicians in the sky.
And on the ground, Issei and Kiba were equally devastating.
Kiba, his strength now at High-Class Devil level, summoned a barrage of Holy and Demonic swords, his Sword Birth ability perfectly suited for large-scale battles.
And Issei, his power continuously multiplying, was a one-man wrecking crew, his attacks tearing through the enemy lines.
Together, they were unstoppable.
Even when the Magicians managed to land a blow, inflicting wounds, Asia's Twilight Healing instantly mended their injuries, rendering their attacks useless.
Consequently, many of the Magicians targeted Asia, hoping to eliminate their healer. However, Koneko, her own power now formidable, protected her, her enhanced senses and reflexes making her an impenetrable shield.
The Occult Research Club was dominating the battlefield.
Mika, however, remained on the sidelines, observing their battle, a thoughtful expression on his face.
While he enjoyed a good fight, these Magicians weren't worthy of his attention. They were mere fodder.
Under normal circumstances, even against such weak opponents, Mika would have found a way to amuse himself.
But not this time.
He had sensed a dangerous presence, a powerful aura lurking in the shadows.
Cosmo, a versatile power, had enhanced not only his combat abilities but also his senses.
Having mastered the Gold Saint techniques of the Twelve Temples, his understanding of Cosmo had reached an extraordinary level, his senses now incredibly attuned to the subtle shifts in energy, the hidden currents of power that permeated the world.
And moments ago, as he stepped out of the new school building, he had felt it: A chilling premonition of danger, a threat that made his very soul tremble.
An entity capable of inflicting true harm upon him was observing the battlefield.
He instantly knew who it was:
Ophis, the Infinite Dragon God.
She was the only one who matched his mental profile.
"I didn't expect to encounter her so soon—" He touched the Ascalon, Yahweh's gift, now resting at his side, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
———
Mika's knowledge of Ophis came primarily from fanfiction and the anime. He didn't know much about her.
According to fanfiction, she would eventually join the protagonist's side.
But how? He didn't know.
Thus, facing one of the strongest beings, he had to be cautious, to avoid any missteps that could lead to his demise.
As his enemies grew stronger, his margin for error decreased.
The Starry Expanse within his mind could transport him to other worlds instantly, but that required conscious effort, a deliberate command. And a human's reaction time, while fast, wasn't instantaneous.
In weaker worlds, this hadn't been a concern. Even if his opponents were stronger, he always had time to escape.
However, as he ventured into more dangerous worlds, this safety net was becoming increasingly unreliable.
In the Saint Seiya world, for instance, if he hadn't achieved the Seventh Sense before facing the Gold Saints, their light-speed attacks would have obliterated him before he could even react.
And as he continued his journey, encountering even more powerful beings, this threat would only grow.
Thus, his greatest fear wasn't a straightforward confrontation, but a surprise attack, a hidden enemy wielding a one-hit-kill ability, or an opponent whose power so far surpassed his own that he wouldn't even have time to react.
He could no longer afford to be reckless. He had to be cautious, especially now, facing Ophis.
"Yahweh must have anticipated this when she reforged Ascalon for me," Mika mused, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
He was grateful for his Cosmo, not just for its combat applications, but for its ability to enhance his reaction time, his senses, his very perception of reality.
Having surpassed the Seventh Sense, his reflexes were now light-speed. He could react to almost anything.
And then there was his Gold Cloth. While he had once complained about Cosmo being a pay-to-win system, its only drawback being its cost, he now understood that this "drawback" was, in fact, its greatest strength.
With his Gold Cloth, he no longer had to worry about being killed in a single blow. And in the future, with his God Cloth, his defenses would be even more formidable.
"Therefore, I can still escape this world instantly. And she doesn't even know I possess such an ability."
"Perhaps… I could even spar with her?" The thought filled him with a surge of excitement.
"While our power levels are vastly different, with that…I might be able to exchange a few blows." He recalled his hidden trump card, his confidence growing.
He made his decision: He would fight Ophis.
———
He ceased concealing his presence, his senses expanding outwards, searching for her.
He found her quickly.
And she, in turn, sensed his gaze.
Their eyes met.
Ophis sat on the rooftop of a nearby building, her legs dangling over the edge, observing the battlefield.
No one had noticed her.
She looked first at Issei, sensing a familiar draconic aura. "The Red Dragon Emperor of this generation?" As a Dragon God, she felt a natural affinity with other dragons.
This was why she was close to Vali. She had come here today to see Issei. Vali had mentioned his rival's rapid growth, his potential.
This had piqued Ophis's curiosity. However, her gaze quickly shifted, landing on Mika. And it remained there.
"Strange… He carries the scent of another world."
Ophis, born in the Dimensional Gap—longed to return, to reclaim her home, to defeat Great Red and restore the tranquility she had once known...
And the Dimensional Gap lay beyond this world.
Thus, Ophis, having originated from that realm, instantly recognized Mika as a fellow traveler.
Her heart surged with excitement.
She had become the Khaos Brigade's leader because they had promised to help her defeat Great Red.
However, she was inherently naive, trusting, and hadn't truly considered the likelihood of their success.
But she knew the basics. And compared to the Khaos Brigade, who hadn't even ventured beyond this world, Mika, a traveler from another dimension, seemed more promising.
While residing in the Dimensional Gap, she had encountered other otherworldly beings, all of them incredibly powerful. Though she had defeated them, preventing them from entering this world, some had been formidable opponents, pushing her to her limits.
And Great Red, who now occupied her home, was even stronger than her.
Thus, Mika, who had presumably bypassed Great Red's defenses to reach this world, might be even more powerful than she had imagined.
The thought filled her with anticipation.
Their gazes met, and in that instant, a silent understanding passed between them.
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