The spear pulsed as if receiving a divine blessing, sending ripples of sacred aura through the air. Starting from me, the light expanded across the entire battlefield. In a heartbeat, the Evil Dragons Georg and the others were fighting were vaporized by the brilliance. Those further away fled in terror, unable to withstand the pressure.
The radiance reached Apophis as well. He lurched back, clutching his head as the light burned into him. He was forced to release his grip on the Holy Grail.
"Wh-what is this…! The majesty… of the God of the Bible?! My consciousness… it's being eclipsed…!"
Apophis recoiled, drifting away from both me and Trihexa. He was now completely isolated.
With Apophis forced away, the Holy Grail—the Sephiroth Graal—floated aimlessly in the air. I caught it in my hand and gave a small, wry smile.
"It seems you've finally decided to answer me this time."
O legacy of the God of the Bible dwelling within this spear. Last time, you rejected me and chose Issei Hyoudou as the victor. Does your compliance now mean you've finally acknowledged me, even just a little?
"Now then… I'll leave this part to you. Gremory Peerage!"
I held the Grail out toward Rias Gremory. She looked at her Rook, Rossweisse, and her Bishop, Gasper Vladi. They exchanged nods.
I tossed the Grail toward them. Gasper Vladi, currently in his beast-like form, turned his red eyes toward me.
"I still don't completely trust you… but I will thank you for getting Valerie's Grail back."
"I don't need your thanks. I did this for myself. I have no desire to see the world end. If you have a way to stop that thing, do it quickly."
Gasper's eyes flashed crimson for a moment before he turned and retreated toward the rear lines. He was heading for Valerie Tepes, the former vampire princess currently being protected by Asia Argento.
If my information was correct, they were the only ones who could put the Grail into stasis. With the Grail reclaimed, the production of mass-produced Evil Dragons would finally cease. At least on this front.
I looked back at Rias. She and Rossweisse were closing in on Trihexa, while Kiba Yuuto and the rest of the peerage formed a defensive perimeter to keep the remaining dragons at bay.
Rossweisse deployed a massive magic circle that covered the entire area and shouted:
"We're stopping Trihexa now!"
She activated the spell, and a massive field of energy expanded. Dozens of smaller binding circles manifested around Trihexa, wrapping the beast in layers of shimmering light. Trihexa let out a muffled roar of agony as the seals locked into place.
And then—Trihexa stopped.
Just before reaching the Gate to the human world, the Beast of the Apocalypse was frozen in its tracks.
In that instant—
"WE DID ITTTTTTTTT!"
A deafening cheer erupted from the warriors on the front lines. They had managed to halt a beast that treated gods like children. In a situation of absolute despair, a ray of hope had finally broken through.
Though, I felt it was too early to celebrate. Even with Trihexa and the Grail halted, the sky was still choked with mass-produced dragons and clones of the Red Dragon Emperor.
The battle was far from over.
"I suppose I can't claim victory until you're dealt with, can I? But you're cornered, Apophis. Check."
Apophis, finally free from the agonizing influence of Truth Idea, shrugged his shoulders.
"Heh. I suppose after being scorched by that light, I have no choice but to retreat for now… You've taken the Grail and Trihexa from me. How interesting."
Suddenly, a pressure beyond anything I'd felt before erupted from him. The shadows seeping from his body expanded exponentially, swallowing the surrounding space.
"This is bad…! Cao Cao!" Perseus's voice was full of panic.
It happened in the blink of an eye. I was sealed inside a barrier of absolute darkness.
Pitch black. Complete darkness.
The shadows surrounding me pulsed with an eerie, rhythmic vibration.
The darkness in front of me surged upward where Apophis had been standing. The shadows shifted, manifesting a gargantuan form. A thin, ring-like corona of light, resembling a total eclipse, appeared in the "sky" behind him.
The creature that emerged from the void was a serpentine dragon, over a hundred meters long. He was the color of a starless night, dotted with silver-glowing orbs like distant stars. Three silver eyes blinked on his head, staring down at me.
"So, this is your true form."
"Indeed. Our exchange has convinced me that you are an opponent worthy of my full strength."
"I'm honored."
To be recognized by one of the strongest Evil Dragons, a being who surpassed the gods… those were words I was happy to hear.
I spoke my honest feelings. "I know the situation is dire, but I can't help but feel a thrill facing a foe like you."
"The feeling is mutual, Holy Spear. Our battle will be something special. The chosen of the Spear vs. the Evil Dragon. And you, a descendant of the Hero… don't you think this fight feels like destiny?"
A descendant of a Hero with the Holy Spear versus an Evil Dragon. Put like that, it did feel fate-bound.
Only Apophis and I existed in this realm of shadow. He had forced a perfect one-on-one duel. I wondered just how long I could last against him at his best.
As I pondered my strategy, Apophis asked me a question.
"Tell me, wielder of the Spear. Are you not curious about the world beyond?"
"You mean the world Issei Hyoudou came from?"
"That, and more. There are multiple, distinct worlds in existence. Unknown realms that neither I nor the gods have ever seen. Does that not tempt you?"
An otherworldly realm… a place that didn't fit into any of this world's mythologies. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious. What kind of world was it? What existed there? What kind of people lived there?
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see it. But I told you—my goal is to surpass Issei Hyoudou. As a human and as a warrior. I can't achieve that with half-baked resolve. For now, my curiosity isn't enough to make me want to destroy this world."
Apophis gave a small laugh.
"That, too, is an ambition. I won't deny it. Whether we reach that other world or you stop us—everything will be decided in this battle."
"Yeah. And we are going to win."
"I see. Then let us begin."
Our killing intent collided, and the fierce battle against the Primordial Eclipse Dragon began.
I swung the Holy Spear in a wide arc, releasing a wave of sacred energy. As the ultimate Longinus, the spear's holy power was absolute. In this Balance Breaker state, I was confident I could deal lethal damage to even a Satan-class Devil.
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