The moment Shuo forced Vali back with a single swing of Excalibur, he calmly sheathed the blade. His eyes locked onto a distant point in the sky. Without warning, he called out, voice ringing with challenge:
"Are you really going to keep hiding after watching all this? Come out, Red Dragon Emperor—Lux!"
"Red Dragon Emperor?!"
"The other Heavenly Dragon is here too?!"
Shock rippled through the leaders and Rias's group.
A crimson streak flashed across the sky, coming to a sudden halt—now forming a tense triangle with Shuo and Vali.
Red Dragon Emperor Lux had arrived.
Lux's gaze swept over Vali, taking in the battered armor and wild aura. He clicked his tongue in disbelief.
"Tsk, tsk. Vali, you're really going all out—Juggernaut Drive already? Desperate much?"
But Lux's attention quickly shifted to Shuo, his own fighting spirit flaring.
"I knew you were the real deal, Shuo Nangong. Watching you fight Vali… I can't hold back anymore. Let's see what you're made of!"
Before Shuo could answer, Vali snapped, bristling with irritation.
"Hey! Lux, you bastard—this is my fight! If anyone's taking him on, it's me. Stay out of it!"
Lux just rolled his eyes, waving a dismissive hand.
"Look at yourself. You're a mess. Do everyone a favor and sit this one out—let me show you how it's done."
Vali's temper boiled over. Without another word, he lunged at Lux.
Lux met him head-on, chanting in a low, resonant voice:
I awaken—
One of the Two Heavenly Dragons who stole the principle of domination from God—
I mock the infinite, I grieve for the impossible—
I shall become the Red Dragon of Supremacy—
And drag you into the crimson purgatory!
I awaken—
The Red Dragon Emperor who raises the king's truth to the heavens—
With infinite hope and undying dreams, I walk the path of kings—
I become the Emperor of Red Dragons—
And lead you into a future of blazing crimson light!
Red Dragon Emperor's Armor—Juggernaut Drive!
Red light exploded from Lux's body, his armor morphing into its ultimate form. In an instant, red and white figures collided in midair, the sky echoing with the clash of "Boost!" and "Divide!"
On the ground, Azazel, Michael, Sirzechs, and the others could only gape in utter disbelief.
What the hell is happening?!
Wasn't this supposed to be Shuo versus Vali? Now the Two Heavenly Dragons were beating the hell out of each other—ignoring Shuo entirely.
No one looked more exasperated than Shuo himself, left standing awkwardly as the dragons brawled. The corner of his mouth twitched.
Seriously, Vali, did you forget what you were doing?
How did one taunt from Lux turn you into a musclehead?
Is this what they call "Heavenly Dragon bromance" or something?
Unbelievable… This was the perfect chance to finish my mission!
Fed up, Shuo raised his hand. A bolt of lightning—enough to vaporize even a Satan-class being—crashed down between the two dragons, breaking up their melee.
"If you're both so eager to fight me, then come at me together!"
As he spoke, Shuo unleashed his full Transcendent aura. The pressure was instant and overwhelming—Vali and Lux crashed to the ground, barely able to stay conscious.
Vali gasped, eyes wide with disbelief.
"This… this can't be. That dragon aura—why does it feel so familiar? Albion, do you sense it too?"
Within Vali's soul, Albion's voice trembled.
"I do… It's just like back then, when we were—"
Ddraig, inside Lux, finished the thought, his own voice shaking.
"Albion, you feel it too? It's the same as… as when we were—"
Neither dragon dared say it aloud, but both were shuddering with primal fear.
"A Transcendent?! Shuo-kun actually has Transcendent-level power!!"
Sirzechs's voice rang out, stunned beyond words.
"What?!"
"Shuo-kun is a Transcendent? Big Brother, you can't be serious!"
Rias's disbelief was echoed by Akeno, Xenovia, and every other onlooker. Even Michael, Azazel, and Serafall stared in shock, unable to process what they were feeling.
Sirzechs nodded, his expression grave.
"That's right. Azazel, Michael—you both know what this means. This is the kind of power only a Transcendent possesses. And… to be honest—"
He paused, then continued in a lower voice.
"I've never felt a presence this terrifying. Not even Shiva—currently the world's second strongest—comes close to what Shuo is radiating right now."
"This aura… it could rival the Biblical God himself!"
Sirzechs's words sent a chill through the crowd.
God.
Rias and the others covered their mouths, eyes wide. The idea that Shuo could possess the power of a god shattered everything they thought they knew about him.
Azazel stood frozen, mouth agape.
"How is this possible? Just two nights ago, I fought Shuo myself—he was only at Satan-class strength then. How could he possibly…?"
He rubbed his eyes, half-convinced he was dreaming.
Then, someone noticed Michael—standing there, eyes unfocused, lips moving in a daze.
"God… Shuo-kun…"
Azazel snapped out of his trance, shooting Michael a look.
"Hey, Michael! I know you're shocked, but snap out of it already!"
Michael turned, his face pale.
"Feel that dragon aura from Shuo-kun. Doesn't it seem… familiar?"
"Dragon aura? Familiar?"
Azazel, Sirzechs, and Serafall exchanged glances, then closed their eyes, focusing.
Suddenly, all three recoiled, stumbling back several steps as the realization hit them like a freight train.
Rias and the others watched, speechless.
What could possibly frighten the Maou and the Governor of the Fallen Angels to this extent?
After a moment, Michael broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You haven't forgotten that scene, have you?"
Azazel's voice was shaky, almost pleading.
"Don't tell me… Michael, you can't mean Shuo is that human from back then. That's not even funny—"
Sirzechs cut him off, voice low and haunted.
"Then explain this dragon aura. Don't tell me it's just 'similar'—that excuse doesn't work anymore."
He paused, then continued, each word heavy with memory.
"You know as well as I do—back in that great war, that human annihilated the Two Heavenly Dragons in an instant, then vanished without a trace. No one's found even a clue since."
"And now, the aura from Shuo-kun's body is almost identical. It can't be coincidence. There's only one truth."
All three leaders turned to stare at Shuo, their gazes filled with a mixture of awe and fear.
In their hearts, the same question thundered:
Could it really be Shuo?!
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