[Perspective: Kiba Yuto]
"I see... You really intend to keep mastering your path endlessly, don't you?"
Valus let out a small, amused huff.
It wasn't just Issei. He wasn't the only one carrying the weight of the past. He wasn't the only one living with regret.
Maurice felt it too. He harbored resentment toward his own powerlessness—toward his failure to save someone.
To ensure he never loses anyone again, he aims for greater heights. Simply to protect what is precious. To make sure that this time, he holds onto it.
He doesn't let himself be swallowed by grudges or regret; instead, he looks beyond them. He swings his sword to protect.
I know just how difficult that is.
In this swordsman standing before me, I felt as though I was witnessing the true ideal of what a knight should be.
Maurice lowered his sword and addressed Valus.
"So, what's the plan, brother? I don't mind keeping this up, you know. The only real firepower Qlippoth has here is that scary-looking lady over there. This fight's effectively over even if I don't lift a finger."
Although we had anticipated interference from Qlippoth, their military strength was far beyond our imagination. Mass-produced Evil Dragons, clones of the Red Dragon Emperor, and even that new model of giant Evil Dragon.
Without the barrier Rossweisse constructed and Maurice's assistance, we would have been in grave danger. Even if we had managed to push them back, the casualties would have been catastrophic.
...Well, truth be told, Maurice's absurdity stole the show from start to finish.
Who could have imagined it? Slashing the dimensional field itself—it was an act of utter nonsense.
I feel the urge to ask him one more time: Are you actually human?
There is a limit to being an anomaly, and he has long since passed it.
Suddenly, a terrifying thought crossed my mind.
Former President Rias seemed to be thinking the exact same thing.
"...If Maurice were to become a member of Issei's peerage, I wonder what would happen? Lisha, too... I get the feeling the game balance of the Rating Games would completely collapse."
"Y-Yes..." Akeno followed up, sounding equally apprehensive. "Unless it were under special rules, if we're talking about standard rules, they might be unrivaled."
Issei had mentioned before that he had several candidates in mind for his peerage. The probability that Maurice and Lisha are those candidates is extremely high.
Our current members are already extraordinary, but if those two were to join? What would happen then? If we ever had to fight a Red Dragon Emperor team led by Issei, could we even win?
"You like fighting strong guys, don't you? I'm pretty strong right now, you know. I'm confident I could cut down a god. Hell, want me to try cutting the whole world? ...No, that might be a bit of a stretch even for me. Hahahaha!"
...I feel like even if we all attacked at once, we wouldn't be able to lay a finger on this single knight.
And what do you mean, "cut the whole world"?! What kind of situation would require that?! The scary part is, coming from you, I feel like you could actually pull it off!
While Maurice laughed cheerfully, everyone around him turned pale.
"...Well, he is one of Issei's masters. It's only natural that he's... weird in various ways," Raynare muttered, causing the Occult Research Club members to nod in unison.
There was one other thing on my mind. If Maurice and the others really did join Issei's peerage, what Evil Pieces would they be? From what I've seen, Maurice is a swordsman, but his style differs from my own, which relies on mobility. He plants his feet firmly, parries the opponent's attacks, and drives his blade home.
If that's the case...
Well, that's entirely up to Issei.
As Maurice and Valus resumed their exchange of blows, there was one person watching with a smirk. It was Walburga, who had been staring daggers at Maurice earlier.
"Ufufu, while Valus-kins is keeping him busy, perhaps I should take my leave-n? Things look like they're about to get scary if I stay."
She intends to flee while Maurice is occupied with Valus!
Walburga deployed a teleportation magic circle at her feet, attempting to escape.
...However, the circle lost its glow and vanished.
"...It won't activate? Is teleportation being blocked?" Walburga murmured, looking suspicious.
At that moment—
"—No. I just severed every single route."
A male voice.
When we turned toward the source, we saw Ikuse Tobio, the Slash Dog, accompanied by a black hound.
Walburga looked astounded at his appearance.
"—The Slash Dog!"
"Yo. Long time no see, Purple Flame Witch. How's that Holy Cross you inherited treating you? Sorry, but I took the liberty of cutting the formulas for every escape circle you prepared outside the field."
Following his gaze, I looked up at the ceiling—and saw countless black blades jutting out like icicles.
...Are there blades protruding from the entire ceiling of this massive field...?
The distorted blades emitted a sinister shine, and the blades themselves seemed imbued with powerful cursed energy.
Seeing this, Walburga was visibly shaken.
"Y-You have to be joking! I set up tens of thousands of random formulas! And in the short time since I entered—"
"Yeah, I cut them all. I'm just part of the support crew, you see. I do my job."
"...Are you really human...?!"
He severed tens of thousands of formulas...
Just how abnormal is that?
So this is a glimpse of the true power of the Slash Dog, one of Azazel-sensei's trump cards...
Today has been nothing but shocks.
She has lost her hand of Evil Dragons, the Red Dragon Emperor clones, and the new model Evil Dragon. And now, her retreat has been cut off.
"Fufufu... Hahahaha! So this is the Sword Saint! You just keep getting me more and more excited!"
"Hah! Looks like you're having fun, brother!"
Valus, who was supposed to be her ally, seemed to be enjoying his duel with Maurice from the bottom of his heart. He clearly had no intention of helping Walburga.
From what I can tell, the relationship between Valus and Walburga—between the faction of the otherworldly god Assem and the Rizevim faction—isn't that deep. They seem to be cooperating, but they are fundamentally different. At the very least, Assem's faction doesn't view Rizevim's group as true comrades... Watching them now, I get that distinct impression.
Suddenly, Walburga placed a hand over her chest.
"It's still in the prototype phase... I really didn't want to use this, but I suppose I have no choice-n."
In an instant, a black aura erupted from Walburga, enveloping her body! The black aura mixed with her purple flames, transforming into a truly sinister color!
She still has a card to play?!
Looking closely, her physical body was changing. Veins bulged, and ominous markings surfaced on her cheeks.
...I remember seeing a similar phenomenon.
The Chaos Break used by Siegfried and Jeanne of the Hero Faction. It looked very similar to when they used that Sacred Gear doping agent made from Demon Lord blood.
That substance drastically increases the user's power. I was nearly killed by Siegfried when he used Chaos Break.
But there is a difference. Walburga isn't using that syringe-like device. If anything, it resembles when the Old Leviathan—Katerea Leviathan—used Ophis's snake during the terrorist attack on the Peace Conference.
Qlippoth has Lilith, the clone of Ophis, with them, so it wouldn't be strange for them to possess the Hero Faction's research data, but...
"Ohohoho! Ahh, the power is overflowing! Now, who shall I burn to a crisp first-n?!"
A gigantic cross of purple flame appeared behind Walburga.
The heat and the shockwaves were scorching our skin! The intensity was incredible despite the distance! A strengthened Holy Relic... if we take those flames head-on, as devils, we won't stand a chance!
Just as we braced ourselves—
A massive tear ripped through the space some distance away.
With a sound like shattering glass, fragments of space rained down upon the ground. Beyond the rift was the kaleidoscope-like scenery of the Dimensional Gap, and—a heat that enveloped the entire field.
A heat that far surpassed Walburga's purple flames.
This warm aura is—
"—Looks like we barely made it in time!"
Issei and the Red Dragon Emperor's peerage had returned.
[Perspective: Kiba Out]
[Perspective: Issei]
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