In a split second, an incredibly blinding white light erupted from Rhode's entire body. Its intensity was at least a hundred times brighter than direct sunlight.
Because Azazel had been concentrating with all his might, his eyes were wide open, taking in every bit of the overwhelming glare.
In that moment, even someone as powerful as Azazel let out a piercing scream. "Agh! My eyes! My eyes!"
He dropped to his knees, the Light Power flowing through his body stilled. All his focus was now pinned on the agonizing pain in his eyes.
While the "element" of a Fallen Angel was "Light," it was Holy Light, which had nothing to do with solar radiation. Even a master of light like Azazel was left temporarily blinded by the move. It was only thanks to his status as Governor General that his retinas weren't permanently scorched off; a normal person would have been blinded for life.
Azazel wasn't physically injured, but he couldn't open his eyes, and the Solar Flare had scrambled his sensory perception. More than that, however, he was shocked by Rhode's sheer lack of shame.
Rhode didn't care. Taking advantage of Azazel's vulnerability, he reactivated his super-acceleration and began beating the "fallen" dog. Though Azazel still had some strength left, his reactions were far slower than before, and he quickly found himself covered in several dusty footprints.
Rhode could have used the Demonic Sword to wound him, but he had his own standards. Azazel managed to endure for a few more seconds, but he was ultimately no match for the onslaught. A straight punch caught him in the right eye, sending him flying and bringing the sudden battle to a close.
At that exact moment, the one-minute timer hit zero.
"I win, Azazel. That was a truly pleasant duel."
Yeah! You won! But pleasant my ass! Azazel thought. Rhode might be happy, but Azazel felt like punching someone.
"You said you were using an ultimate move! What the hell was that high-powered lightbulb act? Where was the 'ultimate move'?"
"You actually used words to trick me into staring at you... Have you no shame at all?!"
"That's on you," Rhode said, sighing and shaking his head. "The Solar Flare is my ultimate move. You're the one who insisted on keeping your eyes wide open. How is that my fault?"
Rhode spoke with a tone of disappointment, as if it were a tragedy that a Governor General couldn't grasp such a simple concept and was instead blaming him for using the "wrong" move.
"You..." Azazel was too fuming to speak. His vision was still blurry, and with a fresh shiner on his right eye, his head was spinning.
"Fine, you win. But don't let me catch you slipping next time, you brat!"
With that, Azazel unfurled his twelve wings and took off. If any other spectators saw him like this, his reputation as Governor General would be gone for good. Fortunately, Rhode had taken photos earlier, so even if Azazel tried to deny the loss later, the evidence was already secured.
Meanwhile, the system notification chimed.
[You have successfully defeated Azazel, Governor General of the Fallen Angels.]
[Reward: Skill - Shining Rider Kick]
[Skill: An enhanced version of the Rider Kick. Concentrates all energy into the leg to deliver a powerful strike. Striking a pose increases the destructive power.]
[Note: The power of this move scales with the user's strength. (Warning: Not for use by those with leg injuries.)]
As the notification faded, a new power flowed into Rhode's body. He reviewed it in his mind and realized it was the "authentic" version of the Rider Kick, and better yet, it was a growth-type skill that wouldn't become obsolete in the late game.
"Not bad," Rhode muttered, a smile crossing his face. "Super-acceleration plus a Rider Kick... all I need is a mask and I can officially cosplay as a Kamen Rider."
It had been a simple quest, but this skill was a welcome surprise. "Half my childhood dream of being a Kamen Rider is fulfilled. Now I just need a Gundam and a Spark Lens."
As for Super Sentai? He didn't know them. Not his style.
After he'd mastered the kick, Lavinia and the others teleported back. Lavinia had noticed Azazel's presence vanish from the barrier and correctly assumed the fight was over.
"Rhode, what was the result? Who won?"
"Where's that wicked Fallen Angel Governor? Where did he go? You didn't kill him, did you?!"
"I won. He's not dead; he just ran off because he was too embarrassed by the loss. How rude," Rhode shrugged, casually badmouthing Azazel behind his back while sharing the "unflattering" photos of the defeated Governor General for the girls to see.
With photographic evidence, Xenovia and Irina finally accepted the outcome, though they were deeply shocked by Rhode's power. How had they never noticed he was this strong? Back when they first met, Rhode hadn't even been as strong as them. Only a few years had passed, yet he had surged so far ahead.
If Rhode knew what they were thinking, he'd surely tell them his success was built entirely on his own "hard work and sweat."
Shortly after, the group left the area. Because Rhode had defeated Azazel, everyone was in high spirits. Xenovia and Irina suggested eating out and even "popping some champagne" to celebrate.
Rhode agreed to the dinner, but he drew the line at the champagne. Some things had to wait until everything was truly finished. You never pop the champagne before the final battle is over—that's just asking for a "flag."After returning home, Rhode shared the good news with the trio of Fallen Angels staying at his place.
Initially, they didn't believe him. To the Fallen Angels, Azazel was the ultimate existence—the strongest of their kind. However, when Rhode pulled out the photo of Azazel sporting a fresh black eye, they had no choice but to believe it.
At the same time, the weight on their hearts finally lifted. They had been terrified that the Governor General would come looking for trouble. But since their new master, Rhode, was apparently stronger than the Governor General, there seemed to be nothing left to worry about.
Rhode, however, delivered a blunt reality check. He told them that even if he hadn't fought Azazel, the Governor wouldn't have bothered with them. To the high-ranking officials, lower-class Fallen Angels like Raynare were merely pawns. Once they were no longer in their hands, no one cared enough to track them down.
Hearing this made the girls feel a strange mix of relief and crushing insignificance. Rhode didn't dwell on it, leaving them to process their feelings on their own.
Shortly after getting home, Rias called him personally to ask about the incident in the outskirts.
"Huh? How did you know I beat Azazel to a pulp? You don't believe me? Here, let me send you a photo."
Rias was left utterly speechless on the other end. Wait... I haven't even asked anything yet.
────────────────────────────────────────
Support me here: https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (239 Chapters – Ongoing)
Join the journey and become part of the story!
────────────────────────────────────────