MThe training field behind the Occult Research Club building was alive with activity. Issei pushed through a series of punches against a wooden post, his movements sharp but still developing. Nearby, Rias observed while making notes, and Akeno stretched lazily in the sun.
Andrew stood apart, running through controlled kata—movements fluid and precise. His power was leashed, but present. Palpable.
Koneko watched from the sidelines, a juice box in hand.
Rias: "Issei, you're tensing your shoulders too much. Relax into the movement."
Issei: "Got it, President."
He's doing it again, Issei thought, glancing toward Andrew. Making everything look so easy. The way he moves… like he's barely trying.
It wasn't resentment. It was something more complicated. Admiration mixed with this gnawing hunger. Andrew had always been strong, but lately, it felt like the gap between them was widening instead of closing.
A shadow fell across the training ground.
Everyone turned.
A silver-haired young man stood at the edge of the field, hands in his pockets. His aura carried weight—controlled, dangerous, deliberate. His eyes found Andrew immediately, and his expression shifted into something like recognition.
???: "Well, well. Never thought I'd find you here, of all places."
Andrew's eyes widened for just a moment before recognition settled into a grin.
Andrew: "Vali. It's been a while."
The name meant nothing to the ORC members. They exchanged confused glances.
Rias: "Issei, do you know him?"
Issei: (shaking his head, but staring) "No idea, President."
But Andrew does. And the way Andrew's looking at him… like he's seeing an old rival.
Vali walked forward, his movements casual but with an underlying confidence that made the air feel heavier. He stopped a few feet from Andrew, and Issei noticed something—the way both of them stood, the subtle shift in their postures. They were evaluating each other.
Vali: "Three years. You disappear into space, and I get recruited into a whole new world. And now I find you here, casually training with devils."
Andrew: "Life takes interesting turns. How've you been?"
Vali: "Strong. Stronger than when we last sparred, I'd wager."
They sparred before? Issei's mind raced. When? How often? What's their actual dynamic?
A knowing smile crossed Vali's face. He raised his hand, and the transformation began.
White light erupted around him—not flames like a typical devil, but crystalline energy that coalesced into armor. Wings of pure white light unfurled from his back, casting everything beneath them in pallid brilliance. The power in the air spiked dramatically, and Issei felt it like a physical weight pressing down on his chest.
Vali: "Balance Breaker: Scale Mail."
The ORC members gasped. Akeno's casual demeanor shifted to alert. Koneko sat up straight, her juice box forgotten.
Rias: (quietly, recognizing the power signature) "That's… the White Dragon Emperor. A Sacred Gear user."
Issei: (breathless) "Sacred Gear?"
Balance Breaker. He's using a Sacred Gear. That's what Rias said I have… the Boosted Gear. So if he's got Balance Breaker already…
Andrew: (nodding appreciatively) "Not bad. You've come a long way since our last match."
Vali: "So have you. I want to see just how far."
Issei's eyes locked on Andrew. His brother hadn't moved. Hadn't transformed. Hadn't changed his stance.
He's going to fight him like that? In his base form against a Sacred Gear user in Balance Breaker?
Then Issei remembered. Years ago, before Andrew left for space. A whispered legend shared between two kids obsessed with martial arts. Andrew's voice, serious in a way that made young Issei believe every word.
"There are warriors out there, Issei. Saiyans. They can transform. Push past their limits in ways normal humans never could. I think… I think maybe I'm one of them. I don't know how many forms there are yet, but I'm going to find out."
Issei had believed him then, in the way only kids could—absolutely, without question. But as he grew up, he started to wonder if it was just Andrew being dramatic.
Now, watching Andrew stand calm and collected against someone in Balance Breaker form, Issei wondered if that story was about to become real.
[The Challenge]
Akeno: "I'll referee. First one to clearly dominate or yields loses."
Andrew nodded, stepping into the center of the field. Vali descended, his white armor gleaming in the afternoon sun. The temperature around him seemed to drop, the air crystallizing with his draconic presence.
Rias: "Begin!"
[Round One: Base Form + Kaioken]
Vali shot forward at incredible speed, his Balance Breaker form giving him mobility that was beyond typical devil standards. Andrew sidestepped with minimal movement, letting the first strike pass within inches of his face.
They clashed in the center of the field—fists meeting with controlled power. The impact sent out a small shockwave that made Issei stumble backward.
That was just the first exchange. If this keeps escalating…
Neither was going all out yet. This was reconnaissance. Andrew threw a series of test strikes—a jab, a cross, a hook—each one precise and measured. Vali countered with equal precision, his armored form allowing him to absorb blows that would have thrown an unprotected opponent backward.
Andrew was faster than Issei expected. But Vali was also faster than anything Issei had ever seen a devil do.
They moved across the training ground in a blur of motion, footsteps barely touching the earth before they pivoted into the next exchange. It was like watching two predators dance around each other, each one learning the other's rhythms.
Issei: (whispering to himself) "Come on, Andrew… show me."
Andrew decided to escalate.
His aura flared—a faint red shimmer that surrounded his body. Issei felt the shift immediately. His brother's movements became sharper, more aggressive. His speed increased noticeably.
Andrew: "Kaioken."
The red aura intensified, crackling around him like barely contained energy. His power doubled, then tripled.
Koneko: (to Rias) "His power… it went up. A lot."
Rias: "Some kind of technique. Not a sacred gear, but… something."
Andrew caught Vali's next strike and immediately countered with a sharp knee strike aimed at his ribs. Vali twisted, taking it on his armored side—the white armor absorbing the impact without giving ground—and launched a spinning kick that Andrew blocked with crossed arms.
The collision sent tremors across the training ground. Cracks spider-webbed across the concrete.
He's using some kind of multiplier technique. Andrew mentioned something like this before… Kaioken, he called it.
But even with Kaioken active, Issei could see that Andrew wasn't dominating. Vali was reading his movements, predicting his angles, countering with his own draconic techniques. The Sacred Gear user was skilled—genuinely skilled.
Andrew pressed harder, his strikes becoming more rapid. Kaioken was working—his speed was definitely increased—but Vali's Balance Breaker form was keeping pace. If anything, Vali seemed to be adapting, his defense becoming tighter, his counters more precise.
He's not just strong. He's tactical. He's studying Andrew the way Andrew's studying him.
Then—a subtle shift in Vali's expression. His hand raised, and white light gathered around Andrew's body. A strange sensation seemed to ripple outward through the training ground, and Issei watched as something changed in Andrew's movements.
Vali: "Divide."
Andrew's movements stuttered. Just slightly, but noticeably. His speed dropped, his power flickered—like someone had turned down the volume on his presence.
Issei's breath caught.
Rias: (impressed and concerned) "His ability… it affects his opponent's power directly. He's dividing Andrew's strength and making it his own."
Vali's movements became more fluid. More confident. His strikes came faster, pressing Andrew backward now. The White Dragon Emperor was gaining ground.
He's getting stronger as the fight goes on. Every time he uses that ability, he's stealing Andrew's power and adding it to his own.
Andrew threw up his guard, absorbing a series of rapid strikes from Vali. Each one hit like a hammer blow. Andrew was being pushed back, forced to defend rather than attack. His Kaioken aura flickered, straining under the assault.
But then—Andrew broke through the combination with a sharp elbow strike, creating distance. He was breathing harder now. His Kaioken aura dimmed slightly.
Andrew: (audibly thinking it through) "Not enough. Not yet."
He deactivated Kaioken.
Issei leaned forward, every muscle tense.
What's he doing? Vali was starting to get the upper hand. Why would he drop the technique?
Then it happened.
[Round Two: Super Saiyan]
The transformation was sudden and absolute.
Golden light erupted around Andrew's body like a miniature sun. His black hair stood on end, turned brilliant blonde, and now it seemed to glow with its own radiance. His eyes became harder, sharper—no longer just his eyes but his entire gaze intensified by an inner fire. An aura of raw, untamed power radiated outward in waves, and Issei felt it like a physical force pushing against his chest, making it hard to breathe.
For a moment, the entire training ground went silent.
Andrew: "Super Saiyan."
Issei's legs nearly buckled.
The legend. The story Andrew had told him so many years ago—told him like it was gospel, like he knew something the world didn't. Issei had half-believed it even then, but seeing it now, watching his brother literally transform into a being of pure golden power…
It's real. All of it's real. The Saiyan thing. The transformations. Everything.
His fists clenched involuntarily. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might break his ribs. It wasn't fear. It was something else entirely. Something that burned in his chest like hunger.
Issei: (breathless, barely audible) "He actually did it… the legend is real…"
Akeno: (eyes wide, voice uncertain) "What… what is that power? I've never seen anything like it."
Rias: (studying Andrew with new intensity) "A transformation. Like Balance Breaker, but… different. It's not tied to a Sacred Gear."
Koneko: (quiet) "Saiyan."
Issei couldn't look away. This was what Andrew had been holding back. This was what three years in space had cultivated. This wasn't just strength—it was transformation. It was the physical manifestation of pushing past your limits.
That's what I need. That's what Balance Breaker is supposed to be for me. The ultimate form of my Sacred Gear.
Vali paused for only a moment, evaluating the sudden power shift. His expression shifted to something more serious, more calculated. Then he nodded—acknowledging what he was seeing.
Vali: "There it is. That's the power I remember."
Issei: (thinking) But wait… if Andrew's already that strong, why is he still training? He said earlier he was working on something else. There's… there's more, isn't there? More forms beyond Super Saiyan?
[Round Three: The Match]
Andrew moved with precision and control.
With Super Saiyan active—his base power multiplied significantly—Andrew's attacks became devastatingly efficient. Each strike was measured for maximum impact. He wasn't throwing wild punches; he was executing techniques refined through countless battles. But despite the power boost, he wasn't unstoppable. Vali had also leveled up with his Balance Breaker form.
Vali countered with precision—his armor design allowing him to tank hits that would cripple most opponents. The White Dragon Emperor's form was built for durability as much as offense. His wings gave him three-dimensional mobility that Andrew had to account for.
They traded blows across the field in rapid succession:
Andrew threw a sharp cross aimed at Vali's jaw. Vali slipped it and countered with a spinning backfist. Andrew rolled with the impact, pivoting into a low sweep that Vali vaulted over. Both fighters landed simultaneously and came at each other again.
The collisions sent visible shockwaves through the air now. Each impact cracked the earth beneath them.
Vali launched into the air, using his wings for elevation, and rained down a series of diving strikes. Andrew tracked him, jumping to meet him mid-air. They clashed in the space above the training ground—fist against armored fist, kick against kick, each exchange a calculated chess move.
Then Vali used Divide again.
White light surrounded Andrew. The power redistribution hit, and Issei watched Andrew's golden aura flicker. But even with half his strength stolen and added to Vali's reserves, Andrew was still holding his own. Super Saiyan was enough to keep him competitive.
Issei: (thinking frantically) He's at Super Saiyan and he's still being matched. That means Vali's stronger than I thought. And Andrew said he's still working on reaching the next level… what does that even mean? How many forms are there?
Andrew pressed forward, driving Vali backward through the air. A spinning backfist caught Vali across the face—not hard enough to break him, but hard enough to send him tumbling. Vali recovered mid-air, white wings catching him, but he was clearly being pushed now.
They locked eyes for a moment—mid-air, mid-fight, both breathing hard. Both assessing. Vali's armor was showing strain from the repeated impacts. Andrew's golden form was steady but his breathing was heavier than before.
Vali came at him again with everything he had. He combined his draconic power with his martial technique, using Divide preemptively to weaken Andrew before attacking. The timing was good. The execution was clean.
It almost worked.
But Andrew had trained alone in the void of space for three years. He'd pushed past limits Vali had never touched. His instincts, his training, his discipline—all of it flowed together in perfect harmony.
Andrew sidestepped a final desperate combination—a left hook, a right cross, a spinning back kick—each one powerful enough to shake the earth if it connected. He moved like water, letting the attacks pass around him.
Then he moved inside Vali's guard.
The White Dragon Emperor couldn't react fast enough. Andrew was too close, too fast, his movements refined by countless sparring sessions and solo training. Andrew drove a precise strike toward Vali's midsection—controlled, measured. Not meant to break him. Meant to end it.
Vali blocked with his forearm, but the force behind it was undeniable. The impact sent a shockwave across the training ground. Vali skidded backward across the grass, his feet digging trenches into the earth, his armor flickering and then stabilizing—barely holding.
Both fighters stood there, breathing hard. Sweat dripped from Andrew's brow. His Super Saiyan form held steady, golden aura still crackling around him. Vali's armor shimmered, showing clear signs of strain.
Akeno: "Winner: Andrew."
Andrew powered down, his golden form dissolving back to his normal state. His blonde hair faded to black, his eyes returning to normal. He still radiated power, but it was controlled now. Leashed.
Vali deactivated his Balance Breaker, his armor dissolving into light. Beneath it, he was marked with impact bruises—evidence of just how intense the fight had been.
Vali was breathing heavily, but he was grinning—genuine, respectful. Not a smile of mockery, but of true recognition.
[Issei's Internal Reaction]
As Andrew and Vali walked toward the building, Issei remained frozen.
His brother had just transformed into a legendary warrior form and beaten the White Dragon Emperor.
Scale Mail. Balance Breaker. That's the sacred gear user's ultimate form. And Andrew… he's doing it without a sacred gear. He's just a Saiyan.
But there was something else. Andrew wasn't at his peak. He'd said earlier he was still working on reaching something beyond Super Saiyan. Which meant there were more forms. More power levels.
How many transformations are there? What's he aiming for?
His fists were trembling.
Not from fear. From determination.
Issei: (quietly, to himself) "I'm getting Balance Breaker. I don't care how long it takes. I'm not staying behind."
Koneko: (turning to him, nodding slightly) "Good. You shouldn't."
Rias: (observing Issei with new understanding) "So that's what you needed to see. A real example of what it means to push past your limits."
Issei's eyes were still on Andrew, watching his brother laugh with Vali like they'd just finished a casual training session instead of a battle that had shaken the entire training ground.
That transformation. That power. And there's more beyond that. I need to find my own path. I need to earn Balance Breaker.
[Later - Inside the ORC Building]
Andrew and Vali sat on opposite sides of a table, nursing glasses of water. The ORC pretended not to eavesdrop while staying close enough to hear.
Vali: "So you've been here the whole time? Living a normal life?"
Andrew: "Mostly. Issei's my brother. Figured I should check in on him, see how he was doing."
Vali: "And he didn't know about… any of it? The Saiyan thing?"
Andrew: "I told him about the legend years ago. The transformation, the concept of breaking past your limits. But seeing it is different than hearing about it."
Vali: "Fair enough. You looked different in that form. More controlled than I remember."
Andrew: "Three years of training does that. You learn what works and what doesn't. You refine everything."
Vali: "The space training?"
Andrew: "Pushed gravity, pushed my limits. Fought opponents I had no business fighting and somehow survived. That kind of thing changes you."
Vali nodded, understanding the weight of that statement.
Vali: "You held back at the end, didn't you? In the transformation."
Andrew: (leaning back) "Yeah. You were starting to adapt to my rhythm. If I'd pushed harder, you would've gotten hurt worse than necessary."
Vali: "Respecting your opponent."
Andrew: "You're still my friend, Vali. Just because we're rivals doesn't mean I want to actually break you. And besides…" He paused, considering his words carefully. "I'm still perfecting this form. I've got work to do before I'm where I want to be."
Issei's ears perked up at that. Still perfecting it? So Super Saiyan isn't his final form.
Vali: "How much further do you think you can go?"
Andrew: (carefully) "That's something I need to figure out on my own. But I know there's more. I can feel it."
Vali: "Well, you've got time. And I've got time to get stronger too."
Andrew: "You're still training with your people?"
Vali: "Yeah. But between you and me?" He lowered his voice. "I'm starting to wonder if I'm on the right path. Seeing you, seeing what you've accomplished through pure discipline and training… it makes you think."
Andrew studied Vali for a moment, then nodded.
Andrew: "Whatever path you choose, make sure it's yours. Not someone else's."
Vali: "Solid advice." He paused. "Next time I'm not going to hold back, you know. I'm going to be stronger."
Andrew: "Good. I'm counting on it."
Vali: "You working with the devils now? That gravity chamber setup?"
Andrew: "Rias helped me set something up in the Underworld. Been using it for the past month. That's half of why I'm stronger than when we last met."
Vali: "So you're using devil resources now."
Andrew: "It made sense. Issei's part of this world now. I want to be able to protect it if something happens."
Vali studied Andrew for a moment, as if reassessing him.
Vali: "You've changed. More responsible."
Andrew: "Yeah, well. Three years alone in space does that. You think about what matters. Who matters."
Vali: "I get that. I've been doing some thinking too. About strength, about what it's for." He paused. "The people I work for now… they have different ideas about that than I do."
Andrew didn't push further. He understood the weight of that kind of internal conflict.
Andrew: "Well, whenever you want another spar, you know where to find me."
Vali: "Count on it. And next time, I'm bringing everything. My techniques will be sharper, my form will be more refined."
Andrew: "I'll be waiting. And I'll be stronger too."
They shook hands again—that warrior's grip that meant understanding, respect, and the promise of future battles.
As Vali left the building, Issei watched him go, then immediately turned to Andrew.
Issei: "Bro. That form. Super Saiyan. How long did it take you to master it?"
Andrew's expression shifted. For a moment, something darker passed across his face—a memory surfacing that he didn't often let himself dwell on.
Andrew: "Years of training. But you don't need that specific form. You need Balance Breaker. That's your legend to unlock, not mine."
[Flashback - A Planet Far Away, Three Years Ago]
A cruel laugh echoed across the desolate landscape.
Andrew knelt beside a fallen figure—a young woman whose power had been bright, vital just moments ago. Now she was still. Her body lay broken on the scorched earth.
The tyrant's voice boomed from above, dripping with arrogance and malice.
"Did you really think you could challenge me, Saiyan? You're nothing but a child playing with powers you don't understand."
Andrew's fists clenched. His entire body trembled—not from fear, but from something deeper. A rage that burned hotter than any flame. A helplessness he'd never known before.
He'd trained. He'd pushed himself to limits he didn't think existed. And it still wasn't enough.
The tyrant raised his hand, gathering power for a finishing blow.
And something in Andrew broke.
The scream that tore from his throat was primal—a sound that came from somewhere ancient in his Saiyan blood. Golden light erupted around him, consuming everything. His power multiplied exponentially, ascending to a level he'd never touched before.
Super Saiyan.
The tyrant's laugh died in his throat.
What followed wasn't a battle. It was retribution. Andrew moved with purpose, with precision, with the weight of loss driving every strike. The tyrant who had laughed—who had killed someone Andrew cared about—didn't last long against that transformed power.
When it was over, Andrew knelt beside the fallen figure again, golden hair slowly fading back to black. He'd won. But the victory felt hollow.
Because no amount of power could bring her back.
[Back to Present - ORC Building]
Issei watched Andrew's face, noticing the shift. Something had changed in his expression—a brief darkness before it faded.
Issei: (quietly) "Andrew…?"
Andrew: (coming back to the present) "The first time I transformed… it wasn't planned. It wasn't something I trained for deliberately. It happened because I had to. Because someone I cared about…" He paused, collecting himself. "Because I couldn't accept powerlessness."
Issei: "What happened?"
Andrew: "I learned that power isn't just about numbers or technique. It's about having something worth protecting. Something worth fighting for." He met Issei's eyes. "That's why I'm telling you—don't rush toward transformations just to catch up with me. Find what you're fighting for. Then Balance Breaker will come naturally."
Issei nodded slowly, understanding that Andrew wasn't going to say more about that particular memory. But he heard the weight in those words.
Issei: "But you said you're still working on something beyond it. There's more, right? More forms?"
Andrew: (smiling slightly) "Yeah. There's more. But that's my journey to take. Yours is different. You focus on your Sacred Gear. Become the best Red Dragon Emperor you can be."
Issei: "But how many forms are there? How far can a Saiyan go?"
Andrew: (leaning back, mysterious) "That's something I intend to find out. One step at a time."
Issei nodded, understanding he wasn't going to get more answers than that. But the hunger in his chest only grew stronger.
Balance Breaker. I'm getting it. And I'm going to push beyond that too.