The magical barrier shattered like glass, fragments dissolving into sparkling motes of light as they fell. Standing in the sky above us, pristine white wings spread wide against the night, was the White Dragon Emperor in his Balance Breaker armor.
Vali's silver and white form descended slowly, his armored gaze fixed specifically on me as I stood beside Kokabeil's lifeless body. The fallen angel's blood still stained my hands, and I could feel everyone's tension ratchet up another notch.
"Oh no, not him too!" Issei's voice cracked as he stumbled backward. "First Kokabiel, now this white armored dude or maybe a girl hehe...Can't we catch a break?!"
"This is bad," Rias muttered, crimson energy already flickering around her fingers despite her exhaustion. "If they fight here, the entire academy could be destroyed."
Akeno's usual playful demeanor had completely vanished, replaced by grim calculation. "Ara... this is troublesome. After that display of power, if these two clash..."
Even Koneko, normally stoic, took an unconscious step back. "The destruction would be immeasurable."
Vali's armored boots touched the ground with barely a sound. His helm turned toward the Kokabeil's corpse, then back to me. Despite the armor concealing his features, I could sense his assessment.
"Looks like I was late," he said casually, reaching down to hoist Kokabeil's lifeless form under his arm like a sack of grain. The casual disrespect for the fallen angel's corpse was somehow more chilling than any threat.
He straightened and faced me directly. "I'm not interested in fighting you right now." There was something almost amused in his tone. "But it will be sooner than you think."
I met his gaze through the armor's visor. "I'll be ready to face you anytime, any place."
A smirk was audible in his voice as he prepared to launch skyward, but Ddraig's ancient rumble stopped him cold.
"Albion," the Red Dragon Emperor's voice echoed from Issei's gauntlet, heavy with centuries of rivalry. "Are you ignoring me?"
The response came not from Vali, but from within him—Albion's voice, cold and dismissive. "I think your current host is far too weak, Ddraig. He should get stronger quickly, or I'm shifting my rivalry from you to this human."
Wait, what?* I thought, sweatdropping internally. *I didn't agree to be anyone's rival. One dragon-related headache is enough.*
"Later," Vali said simply, gathering the stray exorcist's body as well before his white wings spread wide. In a flash of silver light, he was gone, leaving only the lingering scent of ozone and the weight of his unspoken promise.
Back at home, I found myself in the familiar warmth of my living room, the chaos of the academy battle feeling like a distant nightmare. Valerie sat cross-legged on the floor while Asia perched nervously on the edge of the couch.
"You both handled everything well tonight," I said, settling into my favorite chair. The exhaustion was starting to catch up with me now that the adrenaline had faded.
Asia's eyes widened with surprise and pleasure. "R-really? I barely did anything..."
"You kept everyone healed and provided crucial support," I reached over and patted her head gently. "That takes real courage when everything around you is falling apart."
Her face lit up with a radiant smile, but I caught Valerie's envious glance out of the corner of my eye.
"What about me?" Valerie asked with exaggerated casualness, though her fidgeting betrayed her. "I did well too, didn't I?"
I chuckled and extended my other hand to pat her head as well. "I'm proud to see you act so courageously. You handled those Cerberus like a true knight of my peerage."
Her smile was brilliant as she leaned into the gentle touch.
Retracting my hands, I stretched my arms high above my head. "Alright, I want to get some rest after such a tiresome fight."
Valerie deadpanned. "You fought for like a minute."
"Fighting makes me hungry," I said with a theatrical sigh.
"I'll cook something!" Asia immediately jumped up, ever eager to help. Ingvild's sword form began bouncing excitedly around her as she headed toward the kitchen, the blade somehow managing to convey pure joy through its movements.
Once we were alone, I turned to Valerie with a knowing look. "Alright, ask whatever you're having trouble with."
She sighed deeply. "You know me too well."
"Let me guess—it's about me killing one of the Fallen Angel leaders, and my deal with Azazel?"
She nodded profusely. "Won't Azazel come after you now? I mean, you did just kill one of his cadre..."
I stretched out on the couch, letting my body finally relax. "Azazel won't give an order to attack a devil's base while claiming to be at peace. If he wanted to start a war, he wouldn't have just sent Kokabiel alone, and then had Vali avoid fighting us directly." I closed my eyes. "Kokabiel acted on his own, so you don't need to worry about Azazel troubling me. Relax."
Relief flooded her features as she settled beside me on the couch. "I was worried you might end up fighting Azazel because of all this."
"Even if that happens," I said quietly, "I won't step back if it means protecting you." Her face flushed beautifully. "And Asia too."
She twitched slightly at the addition, shooting me a look that suggested she knew exactly what I was doing.
"You're cute when you're easy to tease," I said, reaching over to pat her head again.
She blushed deeper but didn't pull away, clearly enjoying the affection despite her embarrassment.
Later, alone in my room, I reflected on the night's events. The academy battle felt like a turning point—not just for the supernatural world, but for my own people. Valerie and Asia had both shown real growth tonight. Valerie's confidence in combat, her ability to multitask with Chastiefol in different forms, the way she'd stepped up when it mattered most. And Asia, despite her shattered faith, had found the courage to keep supporting everyone even when her entire worldview crumbled around her.
They're becoming stronger. More confident. This is what I wanted to see.*
A familiar blue screen materialized in front of me, glowing softly in the darkness.
[GACHA SYSTEM ACTIVATED*
[RANK 9 GACHA TICKET ACQUIRED - KOKABIEL ELIMINATION REWARD*
I raised an eyebrow. *Rank 9? That's higher than usual.* My finger hovered over the activation button before pressing it.
The screen flashed, and my eyes widened at the result.
[SAGE'S EYE ACQUIRED*
The Sage's Eye? From The God of High School?* My heart rate picked up as I read the description. *This is... incredible. But...*
A new notification appeared:
[INSTALLATION OPTIONS*
[1. FOREHEAD PLACEMENT - THIRD EYE CONFIGURATION*
[2. OCULAR REPLACEMENT - SUBSTITUTE EXISTING EYE*
I frowned, weighing the options. *Having a third eye on my forehead would be impossible to walk around without explaining how I got it. I'd have to wear a bandana for the rest of my life, and that's just asking for unwanted attention, cause how long can I possibly hide it* The choice was obvious, even if it felt daunting.
Replace one of my existing eyes it is.*
I selected the second option, and immediately felt a cool sensation wash over my right eye. Then the pain hit.
It was like someone was carving into my skull with a molten blade. I dropped to my knees, clutching my face as waves of agony crashed over me. Sweat poured down my face as I bit back screams that would wake the entire house.
When it finally subsided, I stumbled to the mirror with shaking hands. My reflection showed my right eye had completely transformed—the iris is now a deep crimson with white omega symbol pupil within it. It's easier to say it's a side effect of using my sacred gear too much as it will be hard to come with an explanation for another eye popping up on my forehead.
Despite the lingering pain, I couldn't help but smile with excitement as information flooded my mind.
Creation abilities... healing... barrier construction... nature manipulation...* The list went on. *But the real prize is the fundamental forces manipulation. Gravity, strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force, attraction and repulsion, inertia... The possibilities are endless*
I flexed my fingers experimentally, feeling the new power thrumming beneath my skin. Then the warning hit me like a bucket of cold water.
Using too much Wisdom of the Sage at once without the King's Body will shorten my lifespan.* I sobered quickly. *The intensity of the power determines how much life I lose.*
Fortunately, I had a substantial supply of Holy Water of Life. Still, this was a serious consideration. *I'll need to contact Chysis about increasing my supply when she comes for her next refill. Better to be over-prepared or else I might die before my attack reaches my opponent*
I tested the power carefully, creating a small gravitational field around a pencil on my desk. It worked perfectly and it lifted it up in the air. I didn't feel the subtle drain or anything, as the magnitude of usage was too low.
What's my next move?* I wondered, dismissing the power and letting the pencil drop. *I have two peerage members now, and the Hero Faction could show up at any moment. With the Sage's Eye, I'm more confident about handling them, but...*
A troubling thought occurred to me. *Did Queen Carmilla tell Cao Cao about my identity? He hasn't made any moves yet, which could mean several things. Either he doesn't know, he's planning something, or he's waiting for the right moment.*
I made a decision. *I need to visit Romania myself. Get a firsthand look at the situation and act accordingly.* The thought of confronting that particular problem made my new eye throb slightly in excitement.
But first, I need sleep.* The combination of the battle, the eye replacement, and the strategic planning had left me completely drained. Tomorrow would bring new challenges and journeys in my life, but tonight, I just wanted to rest.
As I settled into bed, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the darkened window—one normal eye and one burning with ancient power. *Things are about to get very interesting.*
. . .
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