Chapter 164 - Partner, did you feel that?
Roy couldn't find the right words to express his feelings at that moment.
In the end, Ddraig settled on a single word to convey his admiration for Roy. "Beautiful," he said, his voice heavy with respect.
"Ddraig, are you sure you're not mocking me?" Roy responded in his mind, raising an eyebrow.
"No, I mean it. I admire you," Ddraig said, his tone deep and unusually serious.
"Asking Ophis to bear your child? That's unprecedented."
As the second strongest in the world, far surpassing other powerhouses, Ophis commanded respect wherever she went.
On the surface, everyone treated her with caution. After all, only Great Red could handle her in a fight. Others could only revere her.
Roy's bold words would be an insult to any other powerhouse.
Ddraig had never heard of anyone daring to suggest that the Infinite Dragon God bear their child.
"Take it as a compliment, then," Roy said with a helpless smile.
"Honestly, I've wanted to be a dragon knight since I was a kid."
Ddraig fell silent, knowing his host was teasing again, this time with suggestive remarks about Ophis.
Suddenly, Ddraig sensed a familiar presence nearby, though it vanished quickly.
"Partner, did you feel that?" he asked, his voice serious.
"That soul-stirring sensation… the White Dragon Emperor, right?" Roy said, nodding slightly.
He had once dismissed the idea of a "fated rival" as mere inherited enmity or a destined mission.
But now, he understood its weight.
The conflict between the Red Dragon Emperor and the White Dragon Emperor began when they were Heavenly Dragons, continuing even after they were sealed into sacred gears.
The flames of their war had burned for millennia, etched into their souls.
As hosts of these sacred gears, Roy and his counterpart inherited this rivalry, woven into their instincts.
When they drew near, it triggered a visceral reaction, like a spark igniting.
"Yes, he was nearby just now," Ddraig confirmed.
"Ophis's visit to Kuoh Town must be connected to him," Roy said, piecing it together.
Ophis's "passing by" likely meant she was with Vali.
By this point in the anime, Vali had likely joined the Khaos Brigade.
In the story, Vali and Ophis shared a closer bond within the group, while others treated her as a mascot.
"I wonder why the White Dragon Emperor didn't come to meet us and just left," Ddraig mused.
"He'll show up eventually," Roy said, shaking his head.
Vali's hesitation was likely due to his position. Though part of the Khaos Brigade, he was still publicly aligned with the fallen angels and wouldn't want to expose his ties to the group.
"But you're confident enough to face him now, right?" Ddraig asked, his tone serious.
"When we get back, I'll try the Balance Breaker. I should be able to use it without issue now," Roy said, walking toward Kuoh Academy.
When he last left, Roy had been on the cusp of achieving the Balance Breaker but lacked something crucial, preventing him from fully activating it.
Ddraig had estimated that reaching ultimate class strength would allow Roy to unlock the mode effortlessly.
After his time in Danmachi world, Roy's strength had grown significantly, reaching the level of a satan class and surpassing Ddraig's requirements.
If he could activate the Balance Breaker, unless Vali had mastered the Juggernaut Drive, he'd likely be outmatched.
Ten minutes later, Roy arrived at Kuoh Academy.
It was the final class before lunch break, so Roy didn't head to the classroom.
Instead, he went to ORC.
After texting Rias and the others to let them know he was back, he waited there.
Soon, the bell rang, and the campus buzzed with activity.
Rias and the others hurried to the clubroom to meet him.
"Roy, didn't you say you were leaving to train? Why are you back so soon?" Rias asked, sitting beside him, a hint of concern in her voice.
She worried something had gone wrong during his training, prompting his quick return.
Roy had been gone for only a day, far too short for meaningful progress.
"It's fine," Roy said, smiling slightly.
"My goal was to better master the Boosted Gear. I got lucky, hit no roadblocks, and achieved it quickly. So I came back without delay."
Though he had spent over two months in Danmachi world, Roy had used system points to adjust the time flow between worlds.
In DxD world, less than a day had passed.
"That's a relief," Rias said. "You rushed back, so you probably haven't eaten yet, right?"
Roy nodded.
"Come eat with us, then," Rias said warmly.
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