Alright, now we're picking up some speed. I honestly wanted to skip writing this part so much since this is basically my fourth time writing this part, when I think about it. I seriously wanted to skip and just get to the part that I wanted to write, but for the sake of continuity, I didn't do it. Honestly, I think I'm losing my edge, so I'm working on trying to get it back. That, and I'm trying to pick the jokes I want to use since that was one of the things I incorporated with the original story. Some of them are crap, and some of them I want to use, but want to save too.

I also saw that a lot of people weren't too into the cliffhanger. Lol, that was something I used to do kind of often. I know it's cruel and suspenseful, but I couldn't help it. I won't promise that I'll never do it again, since it has its uses. It's no secret that it raises hype. However, I promise not to do it too often.

Also, I want to say thank you to BeastGod, who is a guest reviewer. I'm glad that you're still feeling suspense and I'll try to keep delivering. I'll also make it clear that I am a man, that way it's less complicated if someone wants to address me with gender terms like dude or bro.


Chapter 7: A Taste of True Power

Smoke, embers, and ashes rose into the sky as Kuoh Academy went up in flames. Grey clouds rose into the air for miles as the entire area was quarantined by a massive magic circle. Escape was impossible for anyone inside, sans the one who'd cast the barrier.

Punching and flying out of the debris, everyone who from the meeting, emerged from the rubble with only minor cuts and scrapes. With quick thinking, Azazel, Michael, Sirzechs, and Rizevim erected barriers, shielding everyone from the blast.

"Well, I'm not surprised." Azazel sighed, dismayed.

"Tell me why you brought that warmonger again?" Rizevim asked.

"Cus, I thought it'd speed things up." The fallen angel Governor shrugged.

Simultaneously, thousands upon thousands of magic circle sprung into the air. Emerging from them, were mages, fallen angels, and devils, all sporting outfits that weren't affiliated with the Three Factions.

"So, I take it you buddied up with the Khaos Brigade?" Azazel turned to his treacherous subordinate.

"Isn't it obvious? Besides, 'buddy up' is a strong word. I call it temporary symbiosis." Kokabiel sneered.

"And why did you do that? I'll tell you, it'd be boring if it was just for the hell of it. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten tired of hearing the same old crap."

"Because, we'd have won the damn war if you hadn't pulled out. Why should we have retreated? We were ready to unleash our weapons on the angels and devils. We could've turned the tide. God and the Satans had died. Bahamut and the Heavenly Dragons had been sealed. Yet, you decided to be a coward! You ran!" Kokabiel jabbed an accusational finger at Azazel.

"Several centuries and you still haven't grown one bit. It's because of your blood lust ad hunger for battle that caused your fall, Kokabiel. Honestly, have you ever given a thought to the entire big picture?" Azazel raised a brow.

Before Kokabiel could reply, Azazel cut him off.

"No, this proves it. Centuries, and you haven't learned a thing. Always wanting to be better, to be stronger than others. You're just like our damned siblings. You wanted domination. You wanted to relish what it's like to be superior. That's where you went wrong. When you want to be better than other people, that's when you fall below them. You devote everything to trying to be better, but in the end, you're going to go anywhere. That's why I pulled out of the war. It was pointless. It was just a bunch of egomaniacs unable to apologize to each other and being able to accept that everyone can do different things and be different. That was why the whole war happened and why everything went to shit. It's because we all became fuck-ups that couldn't accept that we were less than what we expected to be and that others were less than we expected. We were all too busy thinking that we, ourselves, were right and the other was wrong and that they needed to pay for it."

Michael, Gabriel, Ezagyra, and Rizevim went silent. He had a point.

"I'd hoped that all these years would be good for you, that you'd see the good in it all. I was wrong. You're still stuck in the past. I guess this means that you should've been buried there."

Kokabiel's teeth grit in a dark grimace. This insult to his intelligence and the clear fact that Azazel, his own brother, had cast him aside, made it all too clear to Kokabiel. They were too different to even continue talking.

"Then let's end this. I'll do what I should've done all those years ago and kill you now. The fallen angels don't need a pacifist."

Creating spears of light in their hands, the two charged right at each other.

Meanwhile, the others had problems of their own to deal with.

"I'm counting at least 200." Asia noted, spreading her wings.

"Kokabiel isn't the only big piece on this chess board." Sirzechs sighed.

Manifesting in the sky, several unique magic circles appeared in the sky. Each of them bearing symbols from devil origins.

"Hello, Sirzechs." A sophisticated, yet condescending tone spoke.

"Who's that?" Asia asked.

"Katerea Leviathan." Sirzechs nodded, showing some respect for his adversary.

"She's the last known descendent of the original Leviathan. She sided with the Old Satan Faction in our Civil War. When they lost, she was banished alongside her peers and disappeared." Vali answered Asia.

"And now, they're back to stir the pot and be brats, again." Rizevim sighed, scratching his ear.

"Says you, Rizevim. To think you'd devolve into such a sorry state. A mere rat in squalor without a drop of power in your mind or body. Does the name of Lucifer mean so little that you'd betray our founders' beliefs, including your father's?" Katera asked.

Her hand tightened into a fist, shaking with rage.

"First of all, I never shared his beliefs. Second, you all weren't there when your ancestors were alive; I was. I lived amongst them. Don't take what you like and twist them to your logic so you can win arguments. It shames the ones that spawned you. The sad thing is that your parents were too busy trying to look all-mighty. They ended up making filthy abominations like you and your two friends. All you three care about is destruction, ruling, and tyranny. That's cliché and boring, if you ask me and it also reflects what non-existent wisdom and little foresight that you have." Rizevim smirked.

Katerea's eyes flashed murderously.

"How dar- !"

"And before you start going off about how superior devils are and why you deserve to rule over this world, then shove it. I'm getting tired of hearing that crap too. Let me tell you one thing: the time for those thoughts are dead. If you believe that your philosophies are so correct, then look around." Rizevim spread his arms wide.

"Exactly, those beliefs never came true. Where are your peers that supported you decrepit heirs?" Rizevim asked again after hearing nothing but silence.

Katerea merely sneered.

"Exactly. They're dead. The people that shared your goals are all dead because they didn't have the proper will to see them through. They lost because their dreams meant nothing. Imperial rule and dictatorship are just delusions made by weak-willed people who couldn't accept their weak minds or bodies and grow to improve themselves. In short, you're all too self-entitled and arrogant to understand what it means to become better through devotion, hard-work, and wisdom. You don't understand the finer things in life. That's why you're where you are." Rizevim stepped forward.

"Now, let this old man lecture you some more. Why did our government change? It's because we needed to, in order to survive. The idea to conquer was what got us into that extinction line in the first place. We were lining up to die because we were too busy with our greed and lust for power. The Evil Piece system was a factor that helped stabilize our falling population. The shift to building a proper society with a balance and divide in power also ensured that the leader wouldn't grow corrupted by their own power. There were so many flaws with the original government that I'm ashamed for ever having taken the helm." Rizevim crossed his arms.

"Now that that's out of the way, tell me, what do you think of yourself now? This time, try to actually understand what I'm saying to you and not just letting it go in one ear and out the other."

Katerea maintained her glare.

"Yes, you have a few points, but that doesn't change a thing. I've come too far to let all of my sacrifice and hard work go to waste. My family is gone, leaving me as the last to realize the dream of my forebears. I won't drop it just because you tell me to. I refuse to let it all go to waste. To have crawled in the darkness without any knowledge of your existence, is something you won't ever understand, Rizevim. That's why I'll make you taste my pain. I want you to watch as I exterminate your family, just as you did mine." Katerea hefted her staff.

Rizevim narrowed his eyes, slightly irritated.

"All these years, and no progress. What would Uncle Leviathan think?" He muttered to himself.

"Grandpa, I'll go." Vali stepped forward.

"No, Vali." Rizevim shook his head, extending a hand to stop her.

The entire time, Katerea glared at Vali. Every single movement she made, every twitch and glance made it clear that she desired Vali's death.

"Grandpa, she wants me, clearly. Besides, I want to show her that she's wrong. I'm going to show her how strong our new ideals are and why we're succeeding." Vali smiled.

Ezagyra put a hand on her husband's shoulder.

"Give her a chance. She's been working towards a day like this. Have faith."

Rizevim stood still for a few moments, contemplating.

"Fine. Give her hell." He made a small reluctant smile.

Vali nodded reassuringly before flying up into the air to face Katerea.

"I'll assume you'll refuse joining us again?" The Leviathan heir raised a brow.

"You already know it. I'm not going to help you. On the other hand, you don't have to do this. You can stop this and come home. There's a place for you. I'll make sure of it." Vali said.

"Just like what I said the old windbag, I'm not coming back to that trap. I'll topple all of you and claim my throne." Katera flashed a confident smirk.

Realizing that talk was pointless, Vali readied herself.

"Balance Break." She softly spoke.

"Divine Dividing, Balance Breaker! Scale Mail!" Albion echoed.

At that instant, white light enveloped Vali. Ivory particles began showering her before forming white armor with sapphire orbs embedded in her form. Her wings of light spread to their fullest extent as her majesty was finally shown to Katerea.

Her armor covered her head-to-toe, with her pauldrons being slender, not being oversized, and her thigh armor was slightly exposed, giving her more ease of movement. Over it, was armor that had glowing petals of light, almost looking like a metal skirt with transparent hems.

"You're not the only one that has the power of a dragon helping you." Katerea deviously chuckled.

Vali was slightly perplexed. Slowly, a purple aura enveloped Katerea, shrouding her in coils of snakes that gently wrapped around her. They were clearly energy, but at the same time, they seemed to be alive, seeping into Katerea's skin as they moved.

As if in the throes of adrenaline, Katerea smiled, relishing the new surge of power in her.

"Now, let's begin." She snickered.

"Don't underestimate her, Vali. She was already High-Class to begin with. I don't know what she did, but she just made her power skyrocket. Fight carefully." Albion warned his host.

(Re:Creators OST: Code Babylon. Play Song.)

Aiming her staff, Katerea volleyed a gigantic beam of demonic power. With a flap of her wings, Vali ascended above it, charging right at Katerea. Firing an orb of blue and white energy at her, Vali readied her fist.

With a simple wave of her staff, she brushed the attack aside, cleaving the orb in half. With only a few seconds to dodge, Katerea avoided Vali's fist. With a flexible kick, Vali's attack was blocked with the Leviathan's staff. Spinning around, Vali went for another kick, but was blocked again.

Flapping her wings, Vali blew Katerea backwards with a gust of energy. Disoriented, Katerea took a few moments to gain her bearings, but when she looked in front of her, Vali was gone. Looking to the side, she merely saw the glow of Vali's helmed yellow eye before a powerful fist rammed into her face. She could feel her flesh flattening as she was thrown backwards again.

"[Divide!]"

Through the power of Divine Dividing, Vali was able to start shifting the flow of the duel to her control. The reason was the fact that Divine Dividing could decrease an opponent's energy and add that power to her own after establishing physical contact.

Not letting up, Vali volleyed two more shots of magic at Katerea. With swift swings of her staff, she opened her palm, firing a stream of water at Vali. Shielding herself with a magic circle, Vali felt a small drop of water land on her pauldrons. Much to her slight surprise, the water hissed, bubbling as a putrid and metallic smell filled her nostrils.

"Poison." She concluded.

Looking at her right pauldrons, the white metal had a patch of grey there, being no larger than a tiny speck.

"She's infused her water magic with poison. From what it seems, there's dragon-slayer magic as the source. Don't let her touch you." Albion warned her.

Maneuvering around, a snake of water hissed at her from the rear. Backflipping, Vali backed up, blasting at the water with a shockwave from her wings.

"[Divide]"

Katerea felt a numbness quake through her, stifling the uncomfortable feeling through clenched teeth. Shaking off the division of her power, Katerea resumed her attack. Snapping her fingers, water droplets in the air became visible, circling around Vali.

"My water has been specifically infused with the power to melt away whatever it touches. Can you endure it from all fronts?" Katerea asked.

"Feel free to try me." Vali responded.

Dodging back and forth, weaving through rivers of poison that Katerea created, Vali remained untouched. Like a fairy, she danced through the sky, firing blasts of demonic power at Katerea while avoiding her poison with grace and ease.

Meanwhile, Azazel and Kokabiel continued their clash. Firing away at each other with beams, spears, and swords of light, the two fallen angels remained in a stalemate.

"For a pacifist, you've still got enough power to give me some fun." Kokabiel grinned.

"For a mad dog, your bark is stronger than your bite." Azazel scoffed.

Almost the entire time, Azazel looked slightly bored, infuriating Kokabiel subtly.

"I'll wipe that damned grin off your face."

Spreading his wings, Kokabiel held both arms into the sky, creating a gigantic orb of yellow light.

"Oh?" Azazel raised a brow curiously.

"It was a mistake electing a scientist like you as our leader."

Throwing the orb, Kokabiel watched as it rapidly darted at Azazel, who was only 1/16th its size.

"Get behind me." Michael instructed everyone, forming a barrier alongside Sirzechs and Rizevim.

As the sphere collided with Azazels' barrier, light blinded all vision as Kuoh Academy was reduced into a desert wasteland.

"What's it looking like, right now?" Bikou asked, trying to see past the ash clouds.

(Re:Creators OST: Code Babylon. END SONG.)

While the two duels were going on, everyone else was occupied with eliminating the never-ending waves of enemies. Thanks to Michael's intervention, everyone managed to escape Kokabiel's attack.

"Not exactly bad or good. However, we need to find a way to destroy that gate in the sky. This fight will never end if we don't stop the enemy's infantry from coming through." Michael concluded.

"Wait, what's that?" Kuroka asked.

Looking closely, the gigantic magic circle in the sky was giving off new light, attracting all attention.

"Something's coming." Sirzechs sighed, exasperated.

"Something's always coming." Rizevim bitterly growled.

Slowly, something protruded from the circle. As it did, everyone felt the air in the atmosphere shift. Chills ran down several spines, as a slight tinge of fear spread through the battlefield.

"I've got a bad feeling about this one. We're in for a real fight now." Rizevim sighed.

At first, it was a tail, then two legs, then four arms, and finally, the creature's head was revealed. It was a dragon. It had pale-yellow scales, a serpentine body that was long and slender. Two wings protruded from its back, with a long blade attached to its forehead. Coursing across its body, were emerald markings, zig-zagging across its form.

"A wyrm." Ezagyra clicked her tongue.

"Wait, I thought wyrms didn't have wings." Kuroka looked at her in confusion.

"That's just human misconception in this world. There are different brands of dragons. Wyrms, drakes, wyverns, are all mere hierarchy classifications of dragons in our realm. Wyrms are ancient, being some of the first dragons to exist. Drakes are young dragons, the power of their heritage having been diluted with generations. Wyverns are serpents that have yet to fully become dragons, stuck between the border of mortal and mystical might. Luckily for you all, you were born long after the Wyrms had nearly died out in wars." Ezagyra explained.

Yes, in this world, dragons were not classified only by physical features, but with age and power.

"By the looks of it, this Wyrm's not from the first generation of dragons. I'd say it's closer to the end of the Wyrm era." Michael mused.

"How do you even know that?" Rizevim squinted.

"Because Ancient Wyrms have a crest on their torsos and they have more than one pair of wings. Don't you remember anything?" Michael sighed, exasperated.

"Needless to say, we'll take care of it. The rest of you need to help tear down the enemy's numbers. Lefay, can you do something about that magic circle?" Ezagyra asked.

"Yeah, but it'll take time to analyze and break it down." Lefay nodded.

"Fine. Bikou, Kuroka, Arthur, Asia, you four protect her while she does that. Rizevim and I will deal with the Wyrm. Sirzechs, Grayfia, and Ezagyra will keep their numbers under control" Michael declared.

Without a second thought, they all flew off to do as told. No time for arguments or debates.


Lefay, Bikou, Arthur, Asia, and Kuroka flew off into a safer corner of the area. Pointing at the magic circle in the sky with her wand, she began dissecting the spell, looking for a weakness. Around her, Arthur used his Excalibur Ruler to fend off attackers, blitzing across the area and slashing away. As the Knight of Vali, he was granted superhuman speed, being nearly a blur for the naked eye to see.

Alongside him, Bikou was gifted with enhanced strength and durability as a Rook of Vali. With his replica of Ruyi Jingu Bang, the staff of the original Sun Wukong, he extended it for several yards, swinging around like a weed-whacker. The red and golden staff was like a skyscraper, sending foes flying as if they were mere specks of dust.

Close to Lefay, Kuroka defended the young witch with magic while blasting away at the Khaos Brigade with rings of white fire. As she did that, she covered the vicinity with purple mist, obscuring their presence. With a mastery of ki and magic, Kuroka used spell after spell to incinerate and obliterate her foes masterfully. With a small flick of her wrist, she released an ocean of white flame into the sky, killing a new wave of mages that'd yet to attack.

In the air, Asia rained down beams of light from her hands, homing them in as her targets futilely attempted to dodge the attacks. Not only that, but with her defensive magic, she created barrier after barrier to deflect attacks, ensuring Lefay's safety.

"Lefay, please don't take too long. We're starting to lose the edge here." She gently warned.


Rizevim and Michael hovered across from the Wyrm, staring it down. Roaring, the Wyrm's soundwave sent a sea of lightning across the area, barely missing the Alliance's members.

(Final Fantasy XV OST: Omnis Lacrima. Play Song.)

"Like the old days." He chuckled.

"Indeed. I never thought I'd see a wyrm again." Michael nodded.

"I hope you're not too rusty, Michael."

"I could say the same to you. I see you've become a doting grandfather now. Hopefully, that hasn't made you too soft, Super Devil." Michael smirked.

Raising their hands, Rizevim and Michael combined light and demonic magic to unleash a vortex that swarmed the Wyrm. Completely covered in the swirl, Michael and Rizevim waited, watching for any movements.

That was when they smelled a nauseating amount of ozone, combined with the sound of crackles and pops. Darting to the sides, they dodged a stream of electricity, which would've struck them had they been a second slower.

Pressing their offensive, Rizevim went straight for the Wyrm's snout. Opening its mouth, it prepared to use its breath, but Michael volleyed it with a rain of spears of light. Distracted, Rizevim took his chance.

With a mighty crash of his fist, the Wyrm was knocked back several feet as the shockwave sent countless mages out of the sky. The ground cracked and the air boomed as Michael followed up. Holding his hand high, he summoned a sword of light that grew to a ludicrous length, nearly 40 feet. With one controlled swing, the sword came down on the Wyrm's head. Before it could make contact, the Wyrm opened its mouth, firing a cyclone of lightning that obliterated all of the mages that were close by. Clearly, the Wyrm had no concept of friend or foe, for it was ready to destroy all in its way.

With a spin, its tail collided with Rizevim, who managed to block the attack, but not without being hurled into the ground, along with a few bruises on his arm.

"Well, that's some déjà vu. I just remembered that I really hate wyrms." He brushed himself off.

He looked up and saw that the dragon had flow into the air, gathering its power. The blade on its head began glowing light-green, shimmering dangerously as bolts began crackling.

"Michael, we need to stop that thing right now. I mean, right now!" Rizevim's eyes widened in realization.

Flying down, the Archangel and Super Devil began amassing their power. Their auras flared as the ground broke apart and the quality of the air changed. It became harder for others to breath and the light of their power overshadowed those around them.

Despite having been enemies in the past, the two understood the other's powers well. It was enough so that they'd avoided being picked off by the Wyrm.

Raising their hands, Michael and Rizevim let out another burst of demonic and angelic power, creating a gold and blue beam. In response, the Wyrm pointed the blade on its head at them, firing a torrent of lightning that was equally sized. Needless to say, the resulting blast sent everyone inside the barrier flying, sans the elders that fought in the War.

"Holy shit!" Bikou cried out as he held onto his staff, with Lefay, Kuroka, and Arthur clinging onto him.

Even with this attack, the barrier still maintained itself. It baffled Lefay. Even with the power of a Super Devil, an Archangel, a Wyrm, and other Satan-level entities all fighting in here, the barrier was still holding up. What made it?

Down on the ground, Michael and Rizevim were still struggling against the Wyrm. It may not have been a legendary creature, but its natural power was still unbelievable. Looking around, a lightning storm was taking place, striking the ground hundreds of times every few seconds.

"At this rate, we're all going to be struck into ashes. We can't exactly go all out with the kids here either." Rizevim growled.

It was true. Lefay, Arthur, Kuroka, Asia, and Bikou didn't have the same level of power or protection that the others had. In all likelihood, they'd get caught up in the chaos and end up as collateral damage.

"Then we're killing this thing in one final go. Can't say we'll be in the best shape once we're done though." Michael stated.

"What've you got planned?"

"One shot that'll kill it if it hits. I'll need your power too, though. First, I need Vali to bring Katerea here." Michael said.


Vali and Katerea had pushed their fight the very edges of the campus, near the Old School Building. So far, it was almost a stalemate.

Vali backflipped a stream of poisonous water from Katerea, kicking her in the face.

"Grgh!" She grunted.

Following up with it, Vali barraged her with two spheres of demonic power, bashing Katerea to the ground. Despite that Katerea merely healed from her wounds before getting back up.

"With how I am now, you're not a challenge, little girl. I'm at Satan-level now." Katerea boasted.

"Then I'll just have to knock you down a peg." Vali growled.

"Vali." Rizevim's voice reached her via magic circle.

"Kind of busy here."

"Vali, bring Katerea here. We've got a plan. No questions, just do it." Rizevim ordered.

Looking back at Katerea, Vali moved into action.

"[Divide]"

Once again, Katerea's energy was sapped, replenishing Vali's own.

"You're getting really annoying with that, mongrel. If that's all you want, then take as much as you like."

Raising her staff, Katerea created more poisoned water, hurling snakes right at her. Dodging again and again, Vali flew back towards the main campus, with Katerea right on her trail.

Upon arriving there, she saw why Katerea was needed.

"A wyrm?!" She exclaimed.

"I've got you now, bitch!" Katerea could be heard behind her.

Dodging to the side, the poisoned water missed Vali, striking the Wyrm. Upon contact, its skin began to sear, causing it to howl in pain. A sickly purple mist hissed from the Wyrm's wounds as the tainted water dripped down its body.

"That's it." Vali understood now.

Turning around, she fired back at Katerea, who knocked Vali's orb aside.

"I'm growing a bit tired of this, little girl. How about you make this more entertaining for me?"

Gathering all the water around her, Katerea began tainting it with her dark magic. Converting water into poison, the sheer amount of it was looking daunting. The amount she collected was easily four times her size and could fill a deep lake.

"Are you going to get a little more serious now?" Albion asked.

"Quite a bit." Vali answered.

Katerea set the tides loose, unleashing snakes of water right at her. Vali covered her right arm in her white aura, forming a blade of pure magic. Pouring all of the power she'd taken from Katerea, she thrust her hand forward.

"[Division Slicer]"

With a blade of pure magic energy, she cut through the water, standing in place as the liquid rushed past her. Moving continuously because of Katerea, the water didn't dissipate, instead, it continued as a split Jetstream.

"Yes." Rizevim smirked.

The water enveloped the Wyrm, paralyzing it with pain as the poisonous water drenched it completely.

"Now!" Michael said.

Combining their powers for a third time, the two unleashed a vortex of blue and gold, now packing enough power to dispatch the Wyrm. Shredding it apart, the vortex tore the Wyrm to pieces before disintegrating it into atoms, leaving nothing behind. The resulting shockwave caused a tremor in the barrier that lasted for five minutes, disorienting the lesser fighters trapped inside.

(Final Fantasy XV OST: Omnis Lacrima. End Song.)


"I told that bitch not to bring that thing." Kokabiel growled as he noticed the Wyrm's death.

The cause for his irritation was the fact that it had cut down a large portion of their man-power. In truth, they were to be mere fodder to weaken the leaders of the Three Factions, so they never mattered much in the first place. Still, it was essential that the enemy be weakened as much as possible to make it easier to secure the kill.

"Oh? I thought you were all buddies." Azazel taunted.

"This is only temporary. Once you're all dead, we can resume history."

"Then you're not making much progress." Azazel smirked.

"Yes, well, I'll be sure to fix that."

"That reminds me, how did you manage to kiss up to Ophis?" Azazel scratched his beard.

At first, Kokabiel made a displeasured face before scoffing.

"I've met her enough times to know when she's had a hand in something, Kokabiel. Ophis is the god of dragons in this plane. She can create dragons at her whim. That, and the fact that this barrier's managed to stay here for so long without breaking is something that not even a legion of mages could do. Also, I'd now her energy signature anywhere. No one in this world could mistake her power."

"You'd be surprised with how easy it is to get all this, Azazel. I'm sure that if you knew her personally, you'd be siding with her too." Kokabiel shrugged.

"Well, look where it's landed you. Most of your forces are gone, and Katerea isn't in the best shape either. Let's not mention the gashes in your arm, leg, and torso, plus the hole in your left foot." Azazel grinned even bigger.

It wasn't that he was being arrogant. No, he was employing a classic tactic. Kokabiel had always maintained a horrid temper, so a train of taunts was enough to make him slip up.

"Laugh all you want, Azazel, but we've got the trump card in our hands."

At his signal, Katerea and his forces returned to his side with those mere words. Snapping his fingers, a magic circle manifested next to Kokabiel.

"No…" Azazel gasped.

Arriving was Issei, who was bound by magical chains that were crafted from the magic circle. Covered in cuts and bruises, clearly, Issei had been tortured.

"What've you bastards done to him?" Vali demanded as soon as she saw him.

Her words permeated with anger, her fist trembling.

"The boy's been incapacitated and we've been at work with putting him under our control. Think you can stand up to the host of Bahamut?" Kokabiel's signature grin grew larger than ever before. The mad gleam in his eyes shone brighter than before.

In his hands, was his mightiest trump card, which struck fear into all present. Azazel immediately took action. Bringing out a dagger with a purple gem at the pommel from his coat, Azazel raised it high.

"Not on my watch. Let's end this. Balance Break."

It brought chills down everyone's spines when he spoke. His tone shifted, dropping all pretense of jovial carefreeness that defined him. His eyes narrowed and a dangerous glint shimmered in his eyes.

(Highschool DxD - NEW OST: Yuushi. Play Song.)

Golden light enveloped him, his power overflowing across the campus.

"Downfall Dragon Spear, Another Armor." Azazel declared.

"Balance Break?" Kokabiel exclaimed.

For the first time, he was at a loss for words.

"My secret project and greatest achievement. With a pact I made and extensive research on Sacred Gears, I managed to make this nifty little thing. Now, I'll have your head before I waste more precious time." Azazel materialized a spear of light.

Before Kokabiel could even prepare to parry, he felt a gust of wind rush past him. His eyes bugged and he gasped as his body jerked around on its own, spasming. Blood rushed out of his mouth as he then realized what had just happened. Looking down, he already had a deep gash across his chest, deep enough to warrant a retreat.

Before Azazel could go in for the killing blow, Kokabiel dodged, though Azazel's spear of light would've decapitated him if he hadn't. Taking out a small bottle of red liquid, Kokabiel downed it and immediately, steam hissed from his wounds as they immediately closed, restoring his body.

"Phoenix tears." Azazel confirmed.

"Tch!"

"Don't do it, you fool! She want him alive!" Katerea barked.

"Shut the hell up! I won't die here! I'll use whatever means I have to in order to secure victory! This is the end for all of you! You can die right here and now as you should have eons ago!" Kokabiel roared.

"RUN NOW!" Azazel yelled.

The young ones were thrown for a loop. Why was Azazel so panicked? Why was everyone starting to run?

"Lefay, are you finished yet?!" Ezagyra turned to the witch.

"I-I'm 92% done!" Lefay stammered, terrified.

Everyone's frantic behavior was starting to freak her out. For almost no reason, sweat was dripping down her back like never before. Panic was starting to encroach her as she tried to finish analyzing the magic circle.

At that instant, the chains binding Issei snapped. Kokabiel smiled, eagerly awaiting Issei to rampage directly under his control. That was the purpose of the barrier. He couldn't allow the others to get to him first. Not only that, but if everything went awry for him, then Issei would've been a good weapon to use against the others. Bahamut's power was more than enough to rid him of their presence. To control that ancient wyrm, was to control the tide of victory. After several moments, disappointment slowly breached his face. Issei was merely floating there, undisturbed and showing no signs of consciousness.

(Highschool DxD – New OST: Yuushi. End Song.)

"Impossible. What the hell's happened?" Kokabiel demanded, turning to Katerea.

"I don't know." The Leviathan snapped.

"If that's how it's going to be, then I'll finish them myself."

Kokabiel took out a vial from his pocket and drank its contents. What seemed to have been inside was a serpent that wriggled slowly and it was much like the one that Katerea used. In that instant, a burst of power erupted from Kokabiel, a violet aura shrouding him like fog.

"Hehahahahaha!" He cackled.

"Oh, this really is the best! To think that she'd offer this much power with such little care! I didn't need the boy after all." Kokabiel snickered.

Raising his hand, he let out a burst of light that swallowed all of his enemies, blasting them backwards. Smashed into the ground from the force of the attack, Azazel's Balance Breaker was shattered from the impact as he rolled along the dirt. Following suit, was everyone else. Even Vali's armor was destroyed upon impact.

"Now, let's end this!" Kokabiel raised both arms.

All at once, pillars of light erupted around everyone, blasting them from below. It was stunning. With a mere snap of his fingers, he could manifest light far away from himself, not requiring it to be directly from him or near him. Not only that, but his power had been elevated to even greater heights, enough to rival Azazel with his Balance Breaker. The aftershocks of the attacks were so strong that all the debris in the area had been destroyed even further into even more dust, pushing it to the very edges of the barrier.

"Gaaaah!" Vali and her Peerage screamed, having had no time to defend themselves.

Light was especially painful for them since they were all devils, making the attack twice as effective than it was for the angels and fallen angels.

"To think he'd get stronger just off of one snake." Azazel dropped to his knees, smoke trailing off him.

"Ophis is one of the strongest beings in creation, of course, this is a given." Kokabiel folded his arms.

"Now, one more blast should be fun."

Snapping his fingers, another series of geysers erupted underneath the Alliance, blasting them again with light.

"I'll make sure not to kill you. I'll make sure to do this nice and slow. The fodder did their job and weakened you. Now, we take our sweet time tearing you apart." Kokabiel continued to laugh.

"I am disappointed, though. None of you have proven to be the challenge that I wanted. I was partly looking forward to seeing how the boy would perform but he's clearly just an empty shell now. Dead in mind and body, I've no use for him anymore."

"Issei…" Vali looked up, still writhing in pain.

She couldn't move a muscle. Every inch of her was burning from the pain of light striking her. At this point, Kokabiel was probably as strong as her grandfather in his prime. Not only that, but his destructive capabilities and range had expanded greatly. To add to that, she was already tired from fighting an enhanced Katarea, who was around Satan-level. That was lower on her list of problems, however. Right now, Issei was a captive in the Khaos Brigades' clutches. She had failed to protect him, much less, help him. She was growing angrier and angrier. She had to do something. She had to get Issei out of this and she had to do something to save her family.

'Albion, let's go all out.' Vali demanded.

'…Very well. You've got 10 minutes.' Albion responded, though he sounded reluctant.

"I, who shall awaken…" Vali whispered.

"Vali, don't do it." Ezagyra snapped at her.


While the situation neared its climax, deep within Issei's mind, his consciousness drifted. He was afloat in some empty space, with no light nor sound to disturb him.

"Pitiful. To think that this is what will become of us. To remain protected and weak to the very end." Someone's voice spoke.

"They're going to die, Issei. They're all going to die unless you take action."

"They're going to die…" Issei repeated, almost as if in a trance.

"You have the power to stop these fools. You need only take the key to unlock the door in your path. You will find your answers and you will finally be strong enough to destroy what stands in your way. You need only have the bravery to take that step." The voice continued.

Issei felt himself being lulled into a different state. He felt different. He felt cold, like someone had put a block of ice in his chest. Now, that ice was beginning to freeze him and burn.

"Do not falter. Do not hesitate. Do what must be done. Allow that power to carry you to victory. Destroy those loathsome worms. They desire the downfall of all. They deserve no chances at life. They have proven it. All you need, is the will to take your birthright and do what must be done. If you hesitate, all that you love will be destroyed. Vali will die. Rizevim will die. Ezagyra will die. Your friends will die. Your parents will die. Your life will be shattered for eternity. Can you allow that to happen when you have the might to stop it?" The voice then went silent, as if finishing all that needed to be said.

Slowly, Issei's subconscious began to fade once more.

"I need to save them. I need to protect them for all that they've done for me. I can't let them die. If I have the power to save them, then yes, give me the power. Give me all that I can have, no matter the cost. Even if I'm to become a monster...then so be it." He spoke, with whatever emotion and willpower he could manifest.

"Then it shall be yours."

Vali and the others had taken him in and sheltered him. The entire time, it seemed as if he was able to watch all that had occurred around him. He saw the destruction, the terror that it inspired and the kinds of foes that Vali and the others were fighting. If he could stop them, if he could protect the ones who'd grown close to his heart, then by all means, he'd sacrifice whatever he had to protect them. Enough was enough. And just like that, Issei's subconscious faded to black as silence fell.


In the real world, just as Kokabiel was about to attack once more, he stopped. The reason was because they felt an invisible shockwave erupt. It was so powerful that the entire land inside the barrier shook, cracking the ground. What was even more unsettling, was that the shockwave sounded like…a heartbeat.

"What was that?" Kataerea looked around, trying to find the source.

Vali stopped chanting, feeling her wings burn with a new, different sensation.

"It's happening." Albion spoke.

"What's happening?" Vali asked.

"The ancient wyrm is stirring." Albion announced.

"Oh?" Kokabiel snickered.

"The mages did say that his conditioning and the brainwashing would take time to work. Still, what has you so excited, Kokabiel?" Katerea asked.

"It's something that expired before you were ever born. A catastrophe that happened eons ago. The boy plays host to that abomination which sends fear down to the core of even gods of old. Now, that anomaly is mine to control."

"Yours?" Katera looked at him, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Bahamut, destroy all of them."

Issei began moving, correcting his posture.

"Issei, don't do it! Snap out of it!" Vali cried out.

She didn't want to see him become a puppet of Kokabiel. The kind and earnest Issei that she'd grown to care about as a friend…she didn't want to see him become a tool. That was when another pulse erupted around Issei, this time, it felt stronger and this time, it didn't sound like a heartbeat. It was an inhuman growl.

"Kokabiel should've known better. Bahamut can't be controlled. He can only be unleashed." Azazel sighed, as if resigned.

"D-Do you guys feel that?" Bikou slightly whimpered.

"We need to go, now." Ezagyra slowly stood up, still recovering from the intense attacks done to her.

Everyone could feel Issei's power rapidly rising. It was like a rapidly flooding dam that was overflowing onto the area around it. Vali could feel her entire body go into cold sweat as her breathing became slightly harder to control.

Issei slowly turned around towards Kokabiel and the Khaos Brigade. Floating around, were at least 300 mages who'd arrived as reinforcements. Slowly, a navy aura began shrouding around Issei, like a blanket of fire.

"What's going on?" Katerea looked puzzled.

"Bahamut, destroy them." Kokabiel demanded once more.

(Hiroyuki Sawano: Three Five Nine Four. Play Song.)

Instantly, Issei's aura flared, forming the shape of a dragon with eight wings, a bladed tail, two arms and two legs, and a crowned head. Issei remained still as he disappeared into the torso of his dragon aura. It was as if he'd become the ghostly dragon itself. Most unsettling of all, his eyes were glowing crimson. With one glance, it felt as if he were piercing into the soul with his eyes that were like swords.

Kokabiel retreated backwards. It was then when he felt sweat collecting on his palms and back. For the first time in a very long time, he felt fear. Before he could move, Issei took action. With a roar that sounded like doom incarnate, he generated a shockwave so powerful that the blast completely destroyed the barrier around Kuoh Academy. With that one heaven-striking roar, all 300 mages that were in the sky were vaporized by its sheer force. The barrier didn't even stand a chance, shattering like cheap, thin plastic. It amazed Vali and her Peerage. With one small action, he did what nobody else was able to do. For the others, however, it was like reliving a nightmare.

Kokabiel's face contorted. There was no trace of arrogance or victory on his face anymore. Only unrivalled fear and regret was plastered upon his face. It was ironic that he seemed so victorious mere moments ago and now, he was helpless before the threat that he'd just unleashed.

"Bahamut, please, have mercy!" He cried.

Unfortunately for him, Issei wasn't in control. There was no mercy to be given. Only the instinct to destroy drove his actions; the instinct to destroy the enemy was all that moved him.

The dragon aura around Issei flapped its wings, creating a gust so powerful that it blew the debris that was once Kuoh Academy, miles high into the sky. They were launched with so much force that when they came down, they were like meteorites, smashing craters into the ground all around the town. That was the least of it, for the gust itself had eradicated much of the mountain range that was outside of Kuoh, tearing the tops of the stone away into the distance.

As intended, Kokabiel was launched into the sky from the sheer force, for he was the target of Issei's ire. Katerea looked at the destruction caused and was left quaking where she was floating. With one roar, he'd shattered Ophis' barrier and killed every single reinforcement that the Khaos Brigade sent. With one beat of his wings, he'd literally left Kuoh Academy and its surroundings a mere flat wasteland. Kokabiel wasn't even able to fight back since he'd been flung into the sky without any resistance. His smug expressions were gone and he was left a begging mess, paralyzed by fear. She needed to leave before she was killed as well. Simply being near Issei was sparking primordial fear in her heart. With no one to notice her, she slipped through a magic circle, free to escape unscathed.

"I'll see you all soon. Count yourselves lucky." She glared one last time at Rizevim and the other devils.

Kokabiel had managed to regain his posture but when he looked down, it was already too late. The dragon aura around Issei had opened its maw and gathered mana from the very air. Glowing with a blue aura that was so bright, it was like a miniature sun. Unleashing the beam, it erupted with the force of a nuclear bomb, blasting away at his surroundings, sending stone and ash everywhere as the beam sailed right at Kokabiel.

In one last desperate attempt at retaliation, he used all of his power to fire back with a stream of light, pouring his very soul into it. In the face of Bahamut's breath, however, the ray of light was like a weak faucet in comparison to a geyser. The beam devoured Kokabiel, disintegrating him into nothing within one instant as it soared into the sky.

When it faded, everyone got a good look at the destruction that had been left behind. Kuoh was a total wasteland. There was literally nothing but a crater where the town and its surrounding greenery once was. Not a single trace of civilization or life remained. Even the clouds in the sky had parted. If one looked closely, the location where the Bahamut's beam went, had no stars anymore. The beam had actually dissipated the stars in space.

The younger generation's jaws dropped. It took only three actions for all this destruction to happen and it all transpired within seven minutes. Now it made sense as to why the elders were so terrified of Bahamut. It earned its title as the Dragon of Calamity for a reason. It was terrifying to imagine the dragon at full power in its original form.

"Do you understand why I didn't want to say anything about his Sacred Gear now?" Rizevim went next to Vali.

"This is the smallest possible taste of the destruction that Bahamut can bring. If I'd told Issei the full story, he'd never sleep. He'd open the floodgates to a past that he's better off not knowing."

(Hiroyuki Sawano: Three Five Nine Four. End Song.)

Vali barely paid attention as she saw Issei floating in the air, the dragon aura around him disappearing.

"Issei!" She called out to him.

He didn't respond. Instead, he began plummeting straight towards the ground, unconscious.

"Issei!" Vali screamed as she dove after him.

If he crashed from his current height, he'd die on impact as a bloody puddle. With all her speed, she flew as fast as she could, catching him on time just as he was about to smash into the ground.

She looked at him and noticed his wounds. He had a hole in his side, with deep puncture in his legs and he even had a hole in his hand. She felt a small rupture of rage inside her. The Khaos Brigade must've tortured him before Kokabiel brought him here. It made her enraged. She should've been there to protect him from all this. Just then, she looked closer. All of his wounds were regenerating. All of his cuts were sealing themselves and his bruises were fading. Was this a result of Bahamut?

Around her, Rizevim, Michael, and the others landed. Gabriel took a close look at him, inspecting his health.

"I don't know what's going on with him right now. His life force keeps waning from being weak to nearly being snuffed out. Whether he's about to recover or die, I don't know. Also…his mental state is in complete disarray." Gabriel had a hand on his forehead, trying to see into his mind.

"What's happening exactly? Is Bahamut going to awaken?" Azazel asked.

"I don't know. The possibility is quite low concerning Bahamut. I think it was their survival instinct that caused that assault. I can't say anything for certain until I've had more time." Gabriel stood up.

"What about Kuoh?" Sirzechs looked at the apocalyptic wasteland.

"Finally, I got through!" A magic circle appeared in front of Azazel.

"Shemhazai?"

"I spent hours trying to reach you. I even sent troops to investigate. Then we saw the barrier around the Academy. I had a bad feeling, so I had everyone in Kuoh evacuated in case the worst happened. I'd say I cleared 50 miles outside of Kuoh as well. What happened?"

"Meticulous as always." Azazel grinned.

After Azazel explained what had happened, Shemhazai sighed in relief.

"At the very least, we can simply rebuild everything that was lost. Is everyone alright?" He asked.

"Yeah. Things were going according to plan, but I didn't expect Ophis to have been involved." Azazel ruffled his own hair in frustration.

"Ophis?!" Shemhazai exclaimed in shock.

"Yeah. Anyways, get a team down here. We need to repair this mess before the humans see it. Also, prepare the med center. We've got a patient incoming for the ER." Azazel turned towards Issei.

"Grandpa, what's all this about? What's the story behind Bahamut?" Vali demanded.

"Patience. I'll tell you soon. First, we need to try and save Issei."

The boy simply lay limp in Vali's arms, almost resembling a corpse. There were far too many questions to be answered now. All that could now be done, was to wait for time to deliver their answers and for them to see how close to death Issei truly was.


Now, I'm sure that some of you have concerns as to what is happening. I did get some unhappy comments in the original story as to when Issei was turned into Vali's Pawn. Well, here's the thing:

That had to happen because it would've been so forced if he just decided to fight for her all of a sudden after recovering. I made that mistake in "The Dragonic Will" and I didn't intend to do that again. In the original story, Issei was dying and needed to be healed. Through the Evil Pieces, Vali did that. Asia wasn't in the original story, either. I mean, it would've been weird if he just went to the Underworld and started living there just because he's a friend. He needed to become a servant to Vali in order for the Tournament Arc to be relevant and to help introduce other characters. He had to be close and he had to be there to experience things with the characters. He also needed to start establishing romantic connections and moments with Vali. It was all for the sake of establishing relationships between characters for the sake of the story. I didn't do it because it was done in canon or because other people did it. It had a very important use to make sure that the story flowed smoother. Sometimes, you've gotta think from a writer's perspective too and see what makes sense. It's not as easy as some people think it is and sometimes, you've gotta make logical decisions instead of choosing the decisions that you want. Sometimes, it's okay to make a choice that others have made. It just depends on how you use that choice to shape how your story will go.

I can't tell you all how many story drafts and chapters I've made for all my stories because of one decision. A lot of times, it was all because of one thing that I didn't want to do that others did and it all turned to crap because it didn't make sense or it was forced.

As for Issei's fate in this story, it's still up in the air. I'm trying to work on "Dragonic Will" and "The Grim Herald" too, so that I can keep the juices in my brain flowing. I never said that events would change or stay the same, so beware of that. I just wanted to make things more detailed and to expand relationships in this story. To me, after reviewing it, the original story was just way too fast. I also wanted to update everything so that it would have my current writing style and so that there was better grammar. God, I cringed so hard with my older chapters.

Now, if it's incredibly demanded and you all really, really, really, want it, then I can carry over certain things and remove certain things from the original story. HOWEVER, I won't do it, if it jeopardizes my vision for how the reboot goes. In the end, I'm still the one writing the story and I am responsible for it because it's my creation. I never finished the original story, so I can promise you that a ton of things have changed for how the story would've ended. I've also gone ahead and removed characters because their roles were not large at all and there're even story arcs that I've removed because they were pointless.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not flaming, raging, calling anyone out, or angry. I just want you all to try and understand where I'm coming from and why I did certain things. The same goes for when you read someone else's stories. When I read other stories, certain readers don't think deeper, and they take it as it comes and they don't try to see why something happened. Some writers like to slowly build their plots and do Call-Backs so that it can answer questions and cause a plot-twist. So, before you comment or review anyone's stories on this site, try and understand why something happened and the importance that it may have further down the line of the plot. If you still dislike it, that's perfectly fine. Everyone has their own opinions, but at least try and understand and then make up your mind and what you want to say.

For my fellow writers out there who are just starting out, just ignore the haters and trolls. If they just post a few words that criticize your story to a crazy extent with no evidence or they don't offer any advice on improving, then they're just doing it to get you down. Don't let them do that because they're going to win if you do. BUT, that doesn't mean you ignore everyone. You have to understand that you did something wrong or admit that you screwed up and try to learn and improve from it. Can't tell you how many pointers I got about my grammar and how much advice I needed from people I know in order to improve. I have no problems with saying that the original story was a trainwreck. It is no secret that my level of work has gotten bad over the years after reviewing it. However, I'm trying to get it back to normal, whatever normal for me was.

One final note, I may repost the original version of this story, but it'll be a while before it comes back up or when I consider doing it.