Chapter 38 – Age of Babylon – The Wisdom of the People! Body Transformation!
But once the laughter subsided, the expressions on Rias Gremory and Himejima Akeno's faces gradually turned serious.
This was no longer a time for jokes.
A battle—no matter how friendly—was never a game. Treat it lightly, and sooner or later, someone would pay a painful price for that arrogance.
Suddenly, the sky trembled. A crackling surge of divine energy tore through the air like a whip, as lightning forked violently from the heavens.
Akeno was the first to make a move. With a graceful yet deadly flick of her hand, she called forth a brilliant thunderbolt that streaked downward like a spear of light.
"Lightning, huh...? Sorry, but if that's all you've got, it won't work on someone who also wields Thunder."
Akira stepped forward calmly. As if responding to Akeno's challenge, he raised one hand, summoning forth his own lightning—one bathed in brilliant shades of gold and azure.
Blue Lightning Light.
His thunderclap roared into existence, colliding head-on with Akeno's. The two forces met midair, erupting in a cascade of explosive energy that rippled outward, shattering much of the training field and turning parts of the terrain into scorched ruin.
"Well then—let me see for myself how strong you really are, Shin Akira!"
With that declaration, Rias—who had remained silent until now—joined the fray. A glowing crimson magic circle, the symbol of the Gremory Clan, materialized around her hand.
Then, in a violent burst of red light, her Power of Destruction surged outward, unleashed in the form of a sweeping wave of pure annihilation aimed at Akira.
But just before it struck him, something shimmered in the air.
Chains.
Radiant, golden chains erupted from nothingness, coiling around and deflecting the destructive wave. In the same moment, Akira leapt into the air and landed gracefully atop one of the floating chains, avoiding the attack with fluid precision.
At the same time, the residual lightning from Akeno was shattered by the overwhelming surge of Akira's Blue Lightning. Now airborne, his body was surrounded by an orbiting array of divine chains that rotated around him like a celestial defense system.
Seeing this, Rias and Akeno exchanged glances. Without a word, they unfurled their devil wings and ascended into the air to face him.
Akira himself had the ability to fly. It wasn't even categorized as a skill in his status—it felt as natural as breathing.
"You're not going to use your Boosted Gear?"
Rias posed the question calmly, her eyes narrowing with interest. After all, Boosted Gear was one of the legendary Sacred Gears ranked among the Longinus—a Divine-Class artifact. Who wouldn't want to see its power firsthand?
"There's no need. This is enough."
"…Confident, aren't you?"
Her tone was level, but his words pricked at her pride.
Rias had always been at the top. Since childhood, she strove for perfection in everything. So to have someone suggest that they could defeat her without even using their trump card… it was borderline insulting.
"Akeno, let's coordinate."
"Yes, Buchou."
In an instant, thunder roared again. Countless bolts rained down from the clouds, lighting up the sky in blinding arcs. The entire area was engulfed in electrified fury.
Akira's space of movement was restricted as Akeno's bombardment closed in from above.
At that very moment, Rias moved in.
Her Power of Destruction took on a new form—concentrated into sharp, blade-like projectiles that flew at high speed toward Akira's blind spot.
"Impressive coordination… but it's not enough!"
With a single motion, Akira summoned even more chains from his body. They lashed out like golden serpents, dancing through the air with incredible speed.
Each bolt of lightning that came close was absorbed or deflected by the heavenly chains. Since the chains weren't directly connected to his body, the electricity couldn't conduct through them to harm him.
Then, Akira's body blurred into motion.
He shot forward like an arrow released from a divine bow, closing the distance to Rias in the blink of an eye.
This was where he truly excelled—aerial combat.
Even without wings, Akira's speed and reflexes were far superior to Rias's. She was strong, but air maneuvering had never been her specialty.
In an instant, he was right in front of her.
With a swift grab, he seized Rias's wrist and slammed her downward, sending her crashing into the ground below.
"Rias!"
Akeno shouted, unleashing another barrage of lightning. But once again, Akira's Blue Lightning surged to life, neutralizing her attack effortlessly.
No matter how fast or sudden her strikes, Akira's body moved as if guided by pure instinct. It wasn't human anymore—he reacted like a seasoned warrior with decades of combat experience burned into his very soul.
With her ranged offense shattered, Akeno—whose greatest strength was long-distance magical attacks—was suddenly vulnerable.
On the ground, Rias tried to rise, but chains wrapped around her body like divine serpents, binding her before she could act.
Meanwhile, Akira unleashed another wave of lightning, blasting Akeno back and encasing her in the Chains of Heaven as well.
Of course, this was a friendly match—not a fight to the death. Neither Rias nor Akeno had fought with everything they had.
Even so, the outcome stung.
Rias, who had always stood at the top, was brought down with such ease… it left a bitter taste in her mouth.
"…You win."
With a subdued expression, Rias admitted defeat. As prideful as she was, she wasn't the type to deny reality.
Akeno, on the other hand, had never taken the fight seriously to begin with. Her expression barely changed from start to finish.
[Ding]
[You have gained 3% Synchronization with Inherited Template]
[Ding]
[You have gained 5% Synchronization with Inherited Template]
[Ding]
[Congratulations! New Skill Unlocked: Wisdom of the People's!]
— — —
[Age of Babylon – The Wisdom of the People]
A Noble Phantasm that draws upon the accumulated ingenuity of mankind.
By shaping idealized weapons from the surrounding earth—swords, spears, chains—it unleashes a large-scale barrage reflecting the wisdom and craftsmanship of humanity across eras.
Though unlike the Gate of Babylon which houses royal treasures, this ability manifests weapons born from the hands of common folk.
It is a counterpart to divine or kingly authority—an earth-born arsenal shaped not by bloodline, but by the will of the people.
— — —
[Ding]
[Congratulations! New Talent Acquired: Body Transformation!]
— — —
[Body Transformation]
Grants the ability to reallocate total stats based on situational needs.
The higher the user's rank, the more stats they can freely redistribute. For example: increase strength during offense, raise defense during damage intake, or switch focus depending on the battle scenario.
— — —
Akira's power instantly broke through the barrier of a High-Class, rising into the realm of Ultimate-Class.
Not only that—he had gained a new skill and a new talent.
And it left him genuinely excited.
Age of Babylon – The Wisdom of the People—this was a Noble Phantasm wielded by Enkidu during his clash with Gilgamesh. A true counterpart to the Gate of Babylon, it channeled the earth-born ingenuity of mankind, manifesting not royal treasures, but weapons forged from human struggle and survival.
But Body Transformation was arguably even more terrifying.
Even if the total stat value stayed the same, Akira could now rearrange his parameters depending on the situation.
He could go all-out in strength for offense, maximize defense when being attacked, or shift his stats to speed when he needed agility.
It felt like turning into Ultraman Tiga—with a strong form, a fast form, and a balanced form. He could switch depending on what the situation demanded.
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