Katerea's words landed like a thunderclap. For a heartbeat, the room froze in disbelief—then Vali stepped forward from the rear of the assembly, calm and unhurried, until he stood at Katerea's side.
"Hey, Vali—you're not serious, are you?"
Azazel's tone was light as ever, but a dangerous glint flickered behind his glasses.
Vali's lips curled into a cold, almost mocking smile. "Sorry, Azazel. But I have to admit—this side is a lot more interesting."
Katerea threw back her head and laughed, savoring her triumph. "How pathetic, Azazel! Your precious White Dragon Emperor's been working for us all along!"
The mood in the room soured instantly. Sirzechs, Michael, and the others wore grim expressions; the White Dragon Emperor, a supposed ally of the Fallen Angels, had switched sides at the worst possible moment.
Azazel pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "I swear, my subordinates are all rebels. Sorry, everyone."
First Kokabiel, now Vali—one headache after another. Was it his leadership style? Azazel thought he'd been doing alright, but maybe he needed to rethink some things.
"Vali, let me ask you something. Our Vice-Governor Shemhazai's picked up intel on a group gathering dangerous elements from all three factions. Khaos Brigade, right?"
Vali smirked. "That's the name."
"To lead that kind of mob, you'd need serious power," Azazel pressed, his gaze sharp.
"Of course. Word is, their boss is the Infinite Dragon God—Ophis," Vali replied coolly.
A ripple of shock swept through the room.
"O-Ophis?!"
"The Infinite Dragon God? Even gods are afraid of that monster!"
If the crowd had been stunned before, now they were outright shaken. Ophis—the being that even Maou and gods dreaded.
Vali shrugged. "Yeah, I'm working with Ophis. But neither of us cares about world domination. It's just that all these people wanting to use us keep flocking around. Like this boring woman here." He jerked his thumb at Katerea.
Katerea's eyes narrowed, her face darkening. If she didn't need Vali right now, she'd have killed him where he stood.
Azazel nodded, piecing things together. "So, Vali, what's your real goal? Why reveal yourself now?"
Vali's smile sharpened. "Isn't it obvious, Azazel? I just want to fight strong opponents. That's all I've ever wanted."
As he spoke, pale blue wings of light unfurled behind him. Slowly, Vali rose off the ground, his presence swelling with raw power.
"Vanishing Dragon—Balance Breaker!"
With a roar, silver-white armor enveloped his body, shining with an otherworldly brilliance. The White Dragon Emperor's Scale Mail—his Forbidden Move—had appeared.
"So that's the White Dragon Emperor's Balance Breaker…"
"Such overwhelming power…"
Even Sirzechs, Serafall, and Michael tensed, wary of the magic radiating from Vali.
Vali's voice turned icy. "Useless weaklings shouldn't get in my way."
He gathered a sphere of energy in his hand and carelessly tossed it skyward. In an instant, it fragmented into a storm of crackling lightning, detonating across the battlefield.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Hundreds of combatants—angels, fallen angels, devils, magicians—were vaporized before they could even scream.
Rias and the girls stared, numb with shock. One casual attack, and so many lives erased—just how strong was this White Dragon Emperor?
Katerea flashed into the air, fury twisting her features. "White Dragon Emperor! Why are you attacking my forces too?!"
Vali didn't even look at her. "Move, woman. Or I'll erase you with them."
He raised a gauntleted hand, and Katerea felt a killing intent so sharp it made her blood run cold. She retreated instantly, putting distance between them.
"Damn you, White Dragon Emperor… you'll pay for this," she spat under her breath. But for now, she still needed his strength.
More magicians poured in through teleportation circles, but at Katerea's command, they halted their attack and regrouped behind her.
Sirzechs and the other leaders ordered their battered guards to fall back and regroup. Now, all eyes were fixed on the lone, arrogant figure hanging in the sky—waiting for his next move.
"Red Dragon Emperor—how long are you going to stand there watching?"
Vali's gaze locked onto Tenra.
"Tenra."
"Tenra-san…"
Rias, Asia, and the others looked on anxiously, but Tenra gave them a reassuring glance before stepping forward.
Ddraig's voice echoed from the jewel in Tenra's gauntlet, which had materialized on his arm. "Partner, I'm so excited I can barely stand it!"
"Hold on a little longer, Ddraig."
A faint smile played at Tenra's lips as he strode forward, meeting Vali's eyes high above.
"So this is what you wanted, White Dragon Emperor?"
Vali's lips twitched. "Angels, fallen angels, devils—the stage is set, the audience is here. Everything's perfect."
"Red Dragon Emperor—it's time for our duel!"
Everyone had guessed Vali's intent, but hearing him declare it sent a fresh wave of tension through the crowd. The destined clash of the Two Heavenly Dragons—was it really about to begin?
Instead of answering Vali directly, Tenra turned to Sirzechs, Serafall, and the others.
"Sirzechs-sama, I know this is selfish, but please understand—this is a battle I can't refuse."
Sirzechs nodded. "With the White Dragon Emperor siding with our enemies, there's no choice. Go, Tenra-kun. We're counting on you."
Michael and the others voiced their assent. No one could object—if anyone could face the White Dragon Emperor, it was the Red.
Tenra's mouth curved into a faint grin. Suddenly, a torrent of energy erupted from his body.
"Welsh Dragon—Balance Breaker!"
Crimson armor wrapped around Tenra, majestic wings unfurling behind him. The Red Dragon Emperor's Scale Mail—his own Forbidden Move—blazed in the sunlight.
Red and white—Two Heavenly Dragons, face to face. Fate itself seemed to hold its breath as their destined battle finally began.
🔥 Want to read the next 20 chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]