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(Image: Asia using her Balance Breaker)
"Wooo~~"
Wrapped in crimson-gold radiance, Asia's voluptuous figure was plated piece by piece in crimson-gold armor!
A few seconds later, what appeared before Xenovia and the others was a slender, lithe suit of crimson-gold armor—obviously tailored for a woman at a single glance!
"The Loving Garden Embraced by the Holy Dragon Princess" is the Balance Breaker of the Sacred Gear "Smile of the Holy Mother."
Once she activates [Holy Dragon Princess's Loving Garden], Asia's already formidable healing surges even higher. Most importantly, her defense skyrockets—she can unfurl a defensive domain that is practically invincible.
In the original timeline, Asia only awakened her Balance Breaker when Issei's parents were kidnapped by Rizevim.
Freshly awakened, Asia used the absolute defense of "Holy Dragon Princess's Loving Garden" to withstand all of Rizevim's attacks!
Keep in mind—no matter how "weak" you call him, Rizevim isn't just anyone. He's a Transcendent, at least Super Devil-class in power!
To block a Transcendent's assault the instant she awakens the Balance Breaker—never mind the lack of offense—even just that invincible defense alone is enough to stand proud above the masses!
On Akuto's side, Asia didn't awaken out of some sudden outburst of will to protect others.
Asia's Balance Breaker came purely from Akuto's resource stacking and Asia's own diligent training!
In the original story, Asia's Balance Breaker armor is gold. Yet the Asia standing before Akuto now wears crimson-gold.
The reason is simple.
Originally, it was called "Holy Dragon Princess's Loving Garden" because it was blessed by the Golden Dragon King, Fafnir.
But now, Asia hasn't made any "panty-for-dragon-help" contract with Fafnir, so her armor's tint has become a fusion of Akuto's Red Dragon Emperor and Asia's own holy power—thus, crimson-gold.
No doubt about it: the soul of the "True Red Dragon Emperor," having surpassed the Heavenly Dragons, is far stronger than the Dragon King Fafnir.
Which means Asia's future ceiling may be much higher than in the original plot!
Forget the future—for now alone, Asia has already reached a height countless people can never touch in their entire lives!
Boom!
Crimson-gold aura erupted. From sheer aura alone, Asia blasted Xenovia and Irina dozens of meters away!
"Huh? This pressure is… Maou-class? Impossible!?"
Xenovia was shaken by the power Asia displayed.
A Church Holy Sword-wielder is usually around High-class Devil in combat power—and that's with their holy sword! If we talk base physique alone, most Holy Sword-wielders don't even reach High-class.
Even if her "Holy Sword of Destruction" is special and can erupt with blade-light at Ultimate-class levels, that's still a far cry from matching a Maou-class master!
Compared to the previous generation bearer of Durandal, she's still way behind!
"But! Power alone… isn't enough to convince me!"
"Come out, Durandal!"
Crack-crack-crack-crack—
Space fractured. A noble blue holy sword rimmed in gold tore open the void!
In the next instant, Xenovia reached into the rift and drew the holy sword forth—offering Asia a "greeting gift" the moment it appeared!
BOOM!!
With Asia's aura felt, Xenovia had no intention of holding back.
BOOM!!
Asia didn't dodge; raging holy sword aura engulfed her in an instant!
The earth split; the ground detonated and blew apart; yet the crimson-gold figure standing righteous between heaven and earth remained unscathed!
A dozen seconds later, Asia reappeared within her crimson-gold domain, body unchanged from before.
Meeting Xenovia's stunned gaze, Asia said calmly:
"Xenovia-san, you're mistaken. What I wished to show isn't power, but rather… the possibilities of the Sacred Gear system."
"If bestowing me a Sacred Gear and then letting me wander was a trial from the Lord…"
"Then the fact that this Sacred Gear has evolved—doesn't that suggest the Lord wishes to see me grow? Otherwise, He could have simply severed any chance for my Gear to evolve at all, could He not?"
"Hmph! Sophistry!"
"Irina, what are you staring at? Don't tell me you're being charmed by a man!"
"If I'm not mistaken, the heretic devil Akuto has already turned the witch Asia into a devil."
"Thanks to a holy sword's nature, as long as we leave one wound on her, victory will be ours!"
"Eh? O-oh… oh oh oh! I'm coming!"
Although Irina felt that even if Xenovia lost, Akuto would bail her out, still—slacking off right in front of Xenovia really wasn't okay.
While your partner fights, you loaf around? As a Church-raised good girl, Irina can't betray her teammate like that.
"Akuto-kun, I'll apologize on Xenovia's behalf for losing."
"But a fight is a fight, so I'll use my sacred tools to help beat Xenovia down!"
"Mm, go on, Irina. Either way—whether you join in or not—you two still won't be able to defeat Asia." Akuto smiled and nodded.
"Hmph! Akuto-kun, you really don't know how to sweet-talk a girl!"
Irina puffed her cheeks. What she wanted to hear was something like "be careful in the fight," not a demoralizing "you definitely can't win"!
"Xenovia, I'm coming!"
With a crisp shout, Irina swung her Holy Sword of Mimicry, tall and straight like a pine on a mountain, and dove into the fray.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!
Metallic rings echoed non-stop as slender Mimicry met burly Durandal, the two holy swords hammering again and again upon Asia's Balance Breaker armor.
But before armor that even Transcendents struggle to pierce, Xenovia and Irina felt a powerlessness unlike any they'd ever known.
How did Asia suddenly get so strong? I feel like even that Ten-Winged Fallen Angel, Kokabiel, wouldn't be able to break through Asia's defense… Irina thought, flustered.
Xenovia and Irina were perfectly in sync and highly coordinated.
The biggest problem was… they couldn't break it. They simply couldn't.
Asia's defense was too solid. That crimson-gold barrier felt like a heavenly gorge, utterly separating Asia from the two of them.
Even so, Xenovia didn't give up.
"Irina, we'll switch to a kiting tactic."
"Normally, a Sacred Gear's Balance Breaker can't be maintained for too long. If we just hang on until her time runs out, victory will be ours!"
As soon as she spoke, their attack frequency dropped sharply, and their strategy shifted to pure stalling and self-preservation.
Seeing their stubbornness, Akuto shook his head.
"Asia, if the Balance Breaker alone can't persuade them, we'll have to change methods."
"Mm, I understand, Akuto-kun."
At first, Asia had hoped to convince Xenovia with just her Balance Breaker.
Beating someone into submission is one approach, but Asia knew it well—people enthralled by the Church won't yield in spirit even if they're subdued physically.
If you want to truly break them—you have to break their hearts.
And so…
"Woom—"
The crimson-gold armor dissolved into motes of light.
Asia stood where she was, hands joined in prayer.
Whoosh—
Eight white angelic wings slowly unfurled from her back, while a snow of white feathers spread to cover the sky.
"W-What!?"
At the sight of Asia's wings, Xenovia stopped in place, eyes filled with disbelief.
How could this be!?
The "witch" Asia whom they believed had been reincarnated as a devil… had sprouted angel wings!?
"Mm. Eight wings already—pretty impressive, right?" Akuto clearly approved of Asia's present strength.
Generally speaking, the stronger the fate of the one absorbed by a Transcendent Pawn, the greater the boost gained.
Worthy of a main heroine, once Asia absorbed a Second-Stage Transcendent Pawn just over a month ago, she immediately sprouted six angelic wings, with her power leaping from Low-class Devil post-normal-pawn absorption straight up to High-class Devil.
After a bit more than a month in DxD time (half a year in the instance), Asia's wings had increased to eight, and her strength had climbed to Ultimate-class.
Seeing that, Akuto nodded in satisfaction.
At this rate, Asia should reach Ten-Winged Angel within a month (five months in-instance). With a little push, even Seraph isn't a dream.
Over on Xenovia's side—
Ever since she saw Asia's angel wings, she could no longer raise the holy sword in her hand.
"Could it be the heretic devil Akuto has cast an illusion? Are we trapped in his controlled mirage!?" Xenovia all but refused to accept reality.
"No, Xenovia-san. You know very well—these are angel wings."
Asia lifted her fair hand, pure holy power gathering slowly at her fingertips.
Watching Asia wield holy power with her own eyes, Xenovia lost all strength at once and collapsed onto the ground.
Irina wasn't doing much better. With her mind shaken loose, the moisture in her eyes trembled; the Holy Sword of Mimicry in her hand reverted to its base form.
"These wings are truly those of an angel, and the power in your hand is truly holy power, but… how is this possible?"
Xenovia's holy sword clattered to the ground. She clutched her head and curled into a defensive squat.
Seeing this, Akuto glanced over their luggage, then stretched a hand toward it.
Shwoop—
From afar, a holy cross infused with sacred energy flew out from their bags into Akuto's hand.
"Irina, this is your communicator with the Church, isn't it?"
"Eh? Akuto-kun, how did you know? And why are you taking out the cross?" Irina tilted her head—then realized what Akuto meant.
"Wait—Akuto-kun, you're going to—!"
"That's right. I'm going to contact the Church directly."
Right in front of Xenovia and Irina, Akuto inverted the channel and sent a transmission to the Church.
(End of Chapter)
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