"Boom!"
High above Kuoh Academy, a violent impact finally erupted, sending a circular shockwave ripping outward.
The gusts kicked up by Kokabiel's sudden movement collided with the air burst created by that figure's lightning-fast arrival. The two forces slammed together a beat too late, exploding into a roaring ring of pressure that swept across the area.
"Who...?!"
Kokabiel felt a powerful grip clamp around his wrist. The strength alone was bad enough, but the aura behind it was what truly set off his alarm bells. He barked out an angry shout.
Then he heard a light chuckle.
"Relax. You're a big-name figure from the mythological era, someone bold enough to deliberately spark another war between the three factions. When something unexpected happens, shouldn't you show a little more composure? It'd suit that overblown reputation of yours a lot better, wouldn't it?"
As the voice spoke, the hand gripping Kokabiel's wrist slowly tightened. Bones creaked under the pressure.
"Bang!"
Kokabiel's expression changed again. He abruptly surged with power, tearing himself free with a muffled blast and riding the wind to put distance between them.
Only then did he finally get a clear look at his opponent.
The newcomer wore dark casual clothes and looked far younger than Kokabiel, seventeen or eighteen at most. Yet from his back spread ten wings, the same number as Kokabiel's own. Unlike the crow-like wings of a fallen angel, however, these were sharp-edged, batlike wings.
It was a face Kokabiel was certain he'd never seen before.
And that made no sense.
A ten-winged devil, an existence on the same level as himself. Across the entire history of the Underworld, there were only a handful. How could a fallen angel executive who'd survived since the mythological era not recognize him?
Kokabiel felt shock, anger, and confusion all at once.
The members of the Gremory servant group, however, felt none of that confusion.
They knew exactly who it was.
"Leo!"
Lying on the ground, Rias cried out his name.
"Leo-sama!"
"It's him?!"
"How is this possible…?"
Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko were also sprawled across the ground, battered and wounded. Staring at the ten-winged devil who had appeared in the sky, every single one of them was frozen in disbelief.
"Who is that?"
Only the blue-haired girl and the blonde girl, having never met Leo before, were completely clueless.
As for Issei, he was buried in a crater of shattered rubble, apparently unconscious.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Suddenly, three more figures burst through a quietly opened barrier entrance, wings spread wide as they descended and landed beside the Gremory group.
"Are you okay, Rias-sama?"
Ravel landed next to Rias and hurriedly helped her up.
"Can you stand, Akeno-san?"
Yukino moved to Akeno's side and supported her.
"You're badly hurt, Toujou-san."
Mahiru's face paled when she saw Koneko covered in blood. She immediately released her demonic power, pressing a softly glowing green hand against Koneko's body.
"I-I can help too!"
Seeing this, the blonde girl who hadn't joined the fight rushed over to Rias. She raised both hands, a brilliant green light flaring to life, far brighter than Mahiru's. Under Mahiru's startled gaze, she began healing Rias.
"What are you all doing here?"
Rias was still stunned, clearly never expecting Leo and the others to appear at a moment like this.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the time for explanations.
Seeing Ravel and the others tending to the injured, Leo finally let out a small breath of relief. Then he turned away and looked back at Kokabiel.
"Hello there, fallen angel executive."
There was no fear or tension in Leo's voice, as if he were greeting an old friend instead of a legendary figure from the mythological era. "Nice to meet you. I'm Leo Eligos. Please take care of me."
Kokabiel, who had been twisting his wrist, froze.
"Leo… Eligos…"
His face darkened, cold light gathering in his eyes.
"I know you. The last descendant of the extinct Eligos family of the Seventy-Two Pillars. Because you carry half human blood, you qualified to become a Sacred Gear wielder, the current holder of Zenith Tempest."
At last, Kokabiel understood why the face had been unfamiliar.
This wasn't some ancient powerhouse he knew.
This was a new-generation devil.
"To have a fallen angel executive remember my name, and in such detail... should I feel honored?"
Leo smiled calmly, completely unfazed by the oppressive stare bearing down on him.
That composure alone told Kokabiel everything he needed to know.
Those ten wings weren't for show.
Even if he was a new-generation devil, the boy standing before him was undeniably an existence on the same level.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not particularly interested in you. If Azazel hadn't been going on about you lately, I wouldn't even know your name."
Kokabiel curled his lips into a grin, one that looked downright vicious.
"Of course, that was only true until today."
Things were different now.
"It seems my friends have received quite a bit of attention from you."
Leo glanced at the Gremory group on the ground, his tone unhurried. "And we've received plenty as well. I have to say, I'm impressed you managed to bring so many Cerberus out of the Underworld. You even brought the Cerberus King."
"Oh? So you've already met my pets?"
Kokabiel raised an eyebrow and sneered. "Looks like they've been dealt with. They were supposed to intercept some trash the Underworld might send. To think they couldn't even stop a bunch of new-generation devils. Useless."
His target was a Maou, not insignificant nobodies.
That was why he'd released the Cerberus pack in Kuoh Town, to weed out fools who didn't know their place.
"Well, if even the Cerberus King couldn't stop you, then the world's second-strongest Longinus really does live up to its reputation."
Kokabiel spread his arms, smiling. "If it's you, maybe you can help me kill some of this boredom."
"So you're bored, huh."
Leo nodded in understanding, then smiled. "In that case, you can relax. After today, you probably won't have another chance to feel bored again."
Not won't be bored, but won't have the chance to feel boredom at all.
There was no way Kokabiel missed the meaning behind those words.
"Just you?"
He burst out laughing, then abruptly stopped, growling, "You've got a big mouth. What, do you think you're a Maou?!"
As he roared, an immense light power exploded from his body.
That dusk-colored radiance instantly condensed under his control into an enormous spear of light. Kokabiel grabbed it and hurled it at Leo with all his might.
"Th-That spear…!"
Supporting Akeno, Yukino's pupils shrank.
The only fallen angel she'd ever seen before was Varden—the one who had killed her. He'd also formed a spear of light back then, but compared to Kokabiel's, Varden's looked like a toothpick.
Which was only natural.
Varden had been a mere two-winged lower fallen angel. Compared to a ten-winged fallen angel executive like Kokabiel, the gap was absurd.
With a difference of at least four ranks, comparing Kokabiel and Varden was an insult to Kokabiel. Calling it fireflies versus the moon would've been generous.
The spear Kokabiel formed was like a pillar from the heavens, over ten meters long and three or four meters wide. Even several adults together would struggle to wrap their arms around it.
When it was thrown, the atmosphere shrieked. Shockwaves rippled outward from the tip, one after another, its presence utterly terrifying.
No one doubted that if struck by it, not just a person, but even a mountain would be erased in an instant.
If Kokabiel had used that spear against the Gremory group earlier, they wouldn't have stood a chance. Kuoh Academy itself would have been completely destroyed.
And light was poison to devils. With a spear of that scale, even a Maou-Class devil would think twice.
Yet facing a weapon capable of erasing any devil below Maou-Class, Leo didn't dodge.
Under countless horrified gazes, he simply reached out and raised his hand toward it.
"Bzzzz!!!"
The moment the spear's tip touched Leo's palm, a piercing hum rang out.
It was as if the weapon had slammed into an indestructible barrier. The massive spear strained forward, grinding violently against his hand, sparks of light flying like fireworks.
Bang, bang, bang!
Dull explosions rang out from Leo's palm as the spear desperately tried to push through.
But it failed.
"Boom!!!"
With one final, thunderous blast, Leo flicked his arm and sent the gigantic spear hurtling skyward.
It struck the barrier enveloping Kuoh Academy, rippling across its surface before slowly dispersing.
"Hiss…"
Thin wisps of smoke rose from Leo's upturned palm.
Aside from that sound, the entire battlefield fell silent.
A deathly silence.
"That's impossible!"
Kokabiel finally roared in disbelief.
Rias and the others were completely stunned. Even Yukino and the rest stared in shock, eyes slowly widening.
A light spear thrown with full force by a ten-winged fallen angel executive… caught and thrown away with one hand?
That was a weapon capable of threatening even a Maou-Class devil!
"That seriously hurt."
Bathed in stunned gazes, Leo shook his smoking hand, baring his teeth in pain.
"As expected of a fallen angel executive. That spear nearly ruined my hand."
If he hadn't already become a perfect devil, no longer restrained by light, then trying to catch Kokabiel's spear like that wouldn't have just cost him a hand.
Half his body would've been vaporized.
Now that light no longer countered him, with demonic power on the same level and a body far stronger than before, he could withstand Kokabiel's attacks.
Even if it was dangerous.
"Impossible! How could something this ridiculous exist?!"
Kokabiel couldn't accept what he was seeing. It felt absurd, utterly insane.
"Feel like you're dreaming?"
Leo didn't care how Kokabiel felt. He lowered his smoking hand and smiled again.
This time, the smile was dangerous.
"Then let me wake you up."
Just like Kokabiel earlier, Leo raised his hand high.
Blinding lightning erupted from his body, arcs of electricity dancing wildly around him. One by one, they converged into his palm, forming a massive spear of lightning before everyone's eyes.
Aside from being forged of lightning and glowing with an azure light, it was identical to the spear Kokabiel had created.
Just as massive. Just as overwhelming.
Under Kokabiel's sharply constricting pupils, Leo hurled it.
The lightning spear screamed through the air, shockwaves rippling outward from its tip just like before.
"Rrrrraaaaaaahhh!!!"
Kokabiel roared, gritting his teeth as he thrust out his hand, just like Leo had, and tried to catch it head-on.
Unfortunately for Kokabiel, he wasn't him.
"BOOOOM!!!"
The lightning spear slammed into Kokabiel and detonated, unleashing a world-shaking explosion.
Countless bolts of lightning rampaged through the sky, branching wildly as they illuminated the night.
On the ground, people cried out, their voices swallowed by the thunderous roar. Blinding light stole their vision, forcing them to raise their arms and shield their faces.
Kuoh Academy was bathed in searing brilliance...
as if the night itself had turned into day.
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You can read up to chapter 212 on patreon.com/NiaXD.