The air around Kuoh Academy was thick with tension.
The night had grown darker, a testament to the chaos looming ahead. Kokabiel's eyes gleamed with malevolent excitement as he stood, his black wings spread wide behind him.
His grin was twisted, utterly pleased with the fear he was instilling.
The Fallen Angel's ambition was clear: to reignite the war between the Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels. And to do that, he had to destroy Kuoh Academy and the devils protecting it.
But Izashi was unfazed. His eyes, cold and unyielding, remained fixed on Kokabiel.
Despite the overwhelming aura that Kokabiel emitted, Izashi didn't so much as flinch.
In fact, his expression remained irritatingly calm, as if he wasn't standing before one of the most notorious Fallen Angels in existence.
"Oh, really… was that your whole plan?" Izashi's voice cut through the tension, carrying a weight of sarcasm that made Kokabiel's grin falter for a split second.
Kokabiel's eyes narrowed. "To raise war between the factions, you three need to die. Hahahaha!" His laugh echoed in the air, cruel and mocking. "And of course, I'll kill the humans in that school. Just a little extra fun for the evening."
Izashi raised an eyebrow at that statement, the gears in his mind turning. 'Humans? He couldn't mean the students…
He must have hired stray exorcists to do the dirty work.' His thoughts drifted back to Freed, the reckless stray exorcist he'd already killed. 'If Freed's gone, there must be someone stronger in his place. A little more interesting, then.'
Kokabiel's expression became crazier, almost feral. He raised his hand, and dark energy began swirling around it. The atmosphere shifted immediately as Kokabiel's power surged, creating a massive, pulsating ball of light. It was blinding, a potent energy infused with Fallen Angel magic. Its very presence distorted the air, making it clear that it was designed to annihilate everything in its path.
Izashi turned his gaze toward Sona's peerage, who stood nearby, frozen at the sight of the attack.
"Go back and raise a barrier around the school," Izashi commanded, his voice steady. "If you don't, this fight will tear the entire town apart."
Without hesitation, Sona and her peerage snapped into action, realizing the gravity of the situation. They turned and sprinted toward Kuoh Academy, aiming to protect the school at all costs. The barrier was their only hope of keeping the human world from witnessing the supernatural chaos about to unfold.
Seeing his prey run, Kokabiel's eyes gleamed. With a wicked grin, he redirected his massive light blast towards Sona's group, intending to destroy them before they could reach the school. The attack flew faster than any of them could react to, the energy roaring through the air.
Sona's peerage could only close their eyes in despair, bracing for the inevitable.
But just as the blast was about to hit, a wall of vermillion flames erupted between them and the attack. Izashi's fiery aura absorbed the blast, reducing it to nothing more than a flicker before disappearing entirely.
Izashi stood tall, his phoenix wings blazing behind him. He smirked, casting a disdainful look at Kokabiel. "If that's the power you plan to confront Michael with, your war will be over before it even begins. You're weaker than I thought, Kokabiel. Pathetic."
Kokabiel's smile twisted into a snarl, his red eyes burning with fury. Being compared to Michael, his superior, was salt in the wound. Michael, the Archangel who stood at the pinnacle of Heaven's power, was everything Kokabiel despised. And hearing that from a devil? Unforgivable.
"You insolent brat!" Kokabiel roared, charging at Izashi with incredible speed. His wings beat violently against the air, his eyes filled with murderous rage. The distance between them closed rapidly, and for a moment, it looked like Kokabiel would crush Izashi under his wrath.
But Izashi didn't move. His eyes calmly shut as Kokabiel approached, as if he was simply waiting.
"You just signed your death contract!" Kokabiel screamed as he neared, raising his hand to strike.
At the last second, Izashi's eyes snapped open, cold and calculating. His body ignited in a fiery blaze of destruction magic. Just as Kokabiel reached him, Izashi threw a punch, his fist glowing with the raw power of annihilation. The flaming red aura surrounded his body like an impenetrable shield, one that could destroy any magic it touched.
Kokabiel's eyes widened in shock as his own light magic shattered on contact with Izashi's aura. He barely managed to twist his body away, but not without sustaining deep burns to his abdomen.
Though the injury wasn't life-threatening, it was enough to enrage the Fallen Angel further. Kokabiel gritted his teeth, his wings flapping furiously as he flew back into the sky, away from Izashi's devastating magic.
"Return to the school!" Izashi shouted down to Sona and Rias. "His accomplices are on the move. You need to protect the school now!"
Sona and Rias nodded, their faces grim with understanding. Without wasting a second, they rushed back toward Kuoh Academy, leaving Izashi alone with Kokabiel.
Upon arriving at the school, Sona and Rias immediately began constructing a powerful barrier. The energy shimmered in the air as it expanded, covering the entire area in a protective dome. It separated the battlefield from the human world, ensuring that the chaos within would remain hidden from the public eye.
As the barrier locked into place, Sona's peerage could feel a sinister aura approaching from the other side of the school. The moment they turned around, they were met with the sight of a tall figure, standing with five glowing swords in hand.
Kiba's eyes widened in recognition. "Valor…" he whispered, his voice trembling. "So, you've joined forces with Kokabiel."
Valor was infamous, even in the Underworld. His skill with holy swords was unparalleled, and his reputation for hunting devils was well known. He had once been a revered exorcist, but after being denied the chance to wield Excalibur, he had turned his back on the church. Now, he sought revenge against all who had wronged him.
Rias narrowed her eyes. "You think Kokabiel's plan will succeed? Even if you start a war, you'll be hunted down by all three factions."
Valor smirked. "I don't care about survival. I care about power. And Kokabiel has promised me Excalibur. With that sword, I'll be able to challenge anyone, even the Satans themselves."
Kiba stepped forward, his gaze locked on Valor's swords. "That sword in your hand… It's a holy sword, isn't it?"
Valor didn't respond immediately. Instead, he glanced at the gleaming blade in his hand, its aura pulsating with pure, holy energy. "This sword is nothing compared to what I'll have once Excalibur is mine."
Kiba clenched his fists. The hatred he harbored for holy swords was evident in his trembling voice. "I won't let you raise that sword against my friends."
Before Kiba could make his move, Issei stepped forward, his eyes burning with fury. "What did you do to Irina?!"
Valor looked at Issei, his lips curling into a sinister grin. "Your little friend? She's still alive… for now. But don't worry, I'm sure she'll make a fine sacrifice in the war we're about to start."
Issei's blood boiled at the mention of Irina. The Boosted Gear appeared on his arm, its green gem glowing with power. His voice was low, trembling with anger. "If you've harmed her, I'll destroy you!"
Valor wasn't impressed. "You? Destroy me? With that weak sacred gear? Don't make me laugh."
Issei's expression darkened. The air around him began to crackle with power as his red dragon armor materialized over his body. The Boosted Gear roared to life, its energy pulsing with an intensity that sent shockwaves through the area.
"Balance Breaker: Overboost!" Issei's voice was deep, echoing with the power of the Red Dragon Emperor.
Valor's eyes widened in surprise as Issei's power skyrocketed. In an instant, Issei's aura had grown to nearly a quarter of Valor's strength, an astonishing feat for someone who had only recently unlocked his Balance Breaker.
Kiba glanced at Issei, shocked by the surge of power. Even he could feel the raw hatred pouring from Issei's heart, a hatred that matched his own.
Valor's smirk faded as he realized he might have underestimated the young devil before him.
~~
A/N: I hope you all liked this long chapter.
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