AN: Recommended listening: Super - Death Battle 2024 Remaster
[WELSH DRAGON BALANCE BREAKER]
[VANISHING DRAGON BALANCE BREAKER]
With a shining flash of crimson and white auras, both Issei and Vali's figured were covered by Scale Mail. The completed armored form of their Longinus.
BOOM!
Instantly the two Heavenly Dragon wielders met in the middle of the sky over the sea, each one had threw their forearms, trying to ram into the other.
They were locked in place in the sky, strength pushing against strength. That first clash had cause a visible shockwave.
The two pushed each other away, flew back and circled for another clash.
Loud smashing booms echoed across the sky, over and over again. The exploding boom and accompanying shockwaves started happening faster and faster as the two Dragon Emperors clashed.
[DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE]
[BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST]
The announcement of the Longinus Sacred Gears rang out, each power canceling the effect of the other. At least it seemed so.
"That trick with using Boost without summoning the Sacred Gear was good, but let me show you how a Longinus is used when mastered!" Vali grinned behind his helmet, as every attack he launched it was either to counter, or parry one of Issei's attacks. Even now the pressure of his opponent's assault didn't wane.
"Hey Vali, if anyone ever tell you you're not funny, do know that they're wrong." Issei was equally grinned back.
They both attacked at the same time, their fists crash meeting knuckles to knuckles.
BOOM!
"Oh really?" Vali said back.
"Do you honestly think learning how to use Balance Breaker and Juggernaut Drive consistently counts as mastery?" Issei asked.
"Then why don't you show me!" Vali shouted as the two flew away from each other.
While Vali was still confident in winning this fight, he did feel a slight worry. It had only been a few minutes since the fight began, yet he had already reached his absorption limit with Divine Dividing, now having to expel the excess stored power from his wings.
Once more the two flew and clashed across the sky, as their Longinus announced their power of Boost and Divide in the background.
After one such exchanged, just as the two began to fly away from each other to build momentum, Issei gathered his power and pulled his hand back.
"Dragon Shot." Issei shouted and punched forward. A red beam of draconic magical energy burst forward straight toward Vali.
[DIVID—]
Vali extended a hand forward, a Divide on his lips, yet he found he couldn't fully use his ability. The tank was full.
The energy beam slammed into his arm, and Vali used his excess power reinforcing his hand and diverting attack away.
It flew into the distance and landed on the ocean, causing an explosion comparable to 2000kg of C4.
Magic barriers were visible around Vali's arm. Yet even so many were cracked, with his armed singed a bit. His actual arm under the armor felt sore from the hit.
That attack had a surprising amount of power, for something made so quickly.
"So hit the limit already? Need a break." Issei joked.
"Oh I can still go much more. You shouldn't be so flippant. You can't Boost forever, soon enough I'll end up devouring all your strength." Vali said back.
The announcement of Divide ended for now, as Vali needed to cycle and use the energy he had before trying to absorb more energy again.
Thankfully Issei had stopped his Boosts as well. Although rather than his stamina taking a hit, he seemed to be waiting for something.
"Nah," Issei casually said back. "If you could actually absorb energy endlessly, then you might have been a semi-unstoppable opponent." He took a stance to ready another attack. "Ddraig told me about how he had lost a lot of memories due to being sealed for so long, as long with so many techniques he used to have. Working together, we recovered a lot of them. But more importantly," Issei smirked behind his helmet. "I made a few of my own."
[Regained Ddraig's memories, huh. I wonder which techniques he'll show off.] Albion spoke, but the words for Vali were clear. Bring out the big guns already.
Vali tensed and mentally nodded, readying himself quickly for the next attack.
Issei launched gathered energy for another Dragon Shot.
[BOOSTBOOSTBOOSTBOOSTBOOST]-[TRANSFER]
Vali's eyes widened as the tennis ball of red energy suddenly the size of a demolition ball and much more intense and hot in aura.
It sounded like five Ddraigs spoke at once, followed by a very quick sixth.
"DRAGON SHOT!" Issei roared and punched forward, the red beam launched forward was size of a building, its heat making a whining sound as it burned air and seemed too bright to look at.
"[HALF DIMENSION]"
Vali shouted along with Albion in reflexive fear, as he followed his combat instinct and moved away from the mighty dragon attack.
The space around the beam and everything in it shrunk in size, allowing Vali to barely dodge the lightning fast laser.
The red beam continued forward, breaking through the area wide barrier by Le Fay and continued on into the distance. Once the beam hit the ocean, the explosion that followed seemed like it could take down a mountain.
After a moment the shockwave reached them, the wind pushing against the flying combatant, and those further away watching from the ground also felt it a bit.
"What the hell?" Vali uttered. "How did he make it that fast?"
[Tsk. Concurrent Boosts.] Albion said, clicking his tongue.
"You're familiar with it." Vali noted.
[An annoying trick. Uses multiple Boosts all made at the same time, rather than sequentially, and instantly, seamlessly Transfer it into another attack. Magic users benefited from it the most.] Albion explained. [Thought he forgot that one. So annoying to deal with because you need an equal number of Divides to cancel it out. Only good thing is, Ddraig made the technique need Transfer to function, so he can't use it for self-strengthening, but even a basic spell would turn deadly.]
"What was your counter?" Vali asked, sure that his dragon partner would have made a counter for his rival.
[Half Dimension.] Albion deadpanned.
"Ah." Vali said before he smirked. "So he just managed to reach an equal field with us, that's all."
[Vali, don't be overconfident. Ddraig's partner managed to help him regain lost memories. That's not something to dismiss.] Albion warned.
"I'm not." Vali replied. "It means I just don't have to be gradual in going all out."
"So warm-up done?" Issei asked.
"Here I come." Vali exploded with energy.
"Good." Issei did the same, and Vali noticed how the link he had to his opponent was now broke, not that he needed it in Balance Breaker as he could Divide at a distance.
But given that his opponent was his rival, the Red Dragon Emperor, that made things far more difficult.
The two dashed at once another. Instantly Issei's aura and heat seemed to get sucked into his armor.
Vali didn't have time to contemplate what that meant, as now the best form of defense was blitzing offense.
[HALF DIMENSION]
Vali used that ability once more, however he wasn't targeting Issei who began to dodge, but rather the space between them.
Issei coughed as Vali had seemingly teleported across the distance, to bury his fist into his rival's stomach.
"URRGH!" However it was Vali who cried out in pain and jumped back from his opponent. He looked at his fist, finding it singed and smoking. Even his actual hand felt a bit burned. "What?"
Vali looked back at Issei to see dragon scales made of red energy and heat forming along where Vali had struck before they vanished.
[RED SCALES] The Boosted Gear announced.
"Albion?" Vali quickly inquired.
[I've never seen that technique before.] He answered back with haste and surprise.
The mystery didn't last long as Issei answered their queries.
"I ended facing a lot of insanely overpowered opponents when I first awakened Ddraig. Even if I had a strong body, durability-wise the people I fought were just too strong. I need a defensive technique to ensure I can actually survive and face those enemies, rather than turn every fight into a life or death match within the first few minutes." Issei explained, as he looked on with a bit of nostalgia.
"You... created your own technique from the Boosted Gear?" Vali asked with an awe and pleased smile full of curiosity.
"Red Scales was what I came up with. All of the excess energy and heat produced by the Sacred Gear taken back and turned into hundred of energy scales that would stop and even burn the enemy attacks." Issei met Vali's eyes. "That is what I meant by mastery. Learning how to use everything the Sacred Gear has isn't enough. Balance Breaker? JD? That's just a natural learning progression. Making your own techniques from Ddraig or Albion's powers is when you come into your own as a Dragon Emperor."
Vali felt his heart soar at those words. He thought he couldn't be more hyped for this fight, but it felt like he wouldn't be able to completely enjoy his destined battle in only one match.
They would have to fight each other again and again till they reach endless heights, where only the world united could hope to stop them, like Albion and Ddraig had done before them.
"Fine!" Issei could feel Vali's feral teethful grin behind his helmet. "Then show me more, Hyoudou Issei!" The power that exploded this time from Vali had a more palpable weigh to it. The feel of a Heavenly Dragon's power arriving in full.
"I, who am about to awaken,
"Am the Heavenly Dragon who lost all to the principles of supremacy."
Vali chanted and the spirit remnants of past users appeared and trumpet the end.
"Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait! Is Vali serious? I barely managed to repair the barriers from the Red Dragon Emperor's attack, and now he's going Juggernaut Drive!?" Le Fay cried out.
"I don't think anyone of us had expected the Red Dragon Emperor to have been this strong when he had only a appeared on the supernatural scene a short while ago." Arthur commented, his gaze focused on the match. "What do you think, Bikou?"
"...Vali's gonna lose." The Monkey King descendant said back, almost disbelievingly.
"Truly?" Arthur asked, sound surprised.
"That red guy, yeah, he's fighting seriously, but... I can barely feel him bringing his killing intent. Vali is using the White Dragon's power. Hyoudou... feels like he is a Red Dragon. If not in body then definitely in spirit."
"Why would he bring his killing intent to a spar?" Arthur asked.
"It doesn't matter if its a spar or a real fight, anyone, even you, releases bits of killing intent when they fight, depending on how serious they are. He's fighting seriously, putting effort yes, but his killing intent is so low, there is no doubt in his mind that he could beat Vali without resorting to lethal moves." Bikou clarified. "If he had been fighting with killing intent, this battle would have been over in five moves or less."
"Wait, you're saying he'd above Ultimate Class?" Le Fay asked in worry.
"No..." Bikou drew out the word. "He can definitely fight at the level of gods."
"Waaaaaah!? How I am gonna be able to stop the collateral damage then!?" Le Fay cried out.
The blonde magician felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked to the side to see Kuroka smiling at her.
"Just give up." Kuroka gave her useless advice.
"YOU'RE NOT HELPING!"
"Oh he's really serious." Issei joked, before he took a ready stance, a more serious look in his eyes. "Well, time to show him that Juggernaut Drive isn't enough."
[Issei.] Ddraig spoke up. [Let me go next.]
"Eh?" Issei blinked at that.
"I envy the 'infinite' and I pursue the 'dream',"
"But I promised him that I'd show him a JD move if he robbed Azazel. I don't want to go back on my word."
[Well this one counts.] Ddraig said back. [It's my turn now.]
"Okay, okay." Issei sighed. "No need to whine at me."
[I'm not whining!]
Issei could almost imaging the Red Dragon pouting.
[I'm not pouting either!]
"Didn't say anything."
[You were thinking it.]
"I shall become the White Dragon of Supremacy
And I shall take you to the limits of innocence."
As Vali finished his chant, his body completed its metamorphosis as it grew larger into a more draconic form.
The power the White Dragon Emperor exuded seemed to choke the world with its presence.
"Hey, Ddraig."
[Yeah?]
"Is it me, or is his chant just a little bit odd?"
[How so?]
"'Take you to the limits of innocence'? Sounds, you know, predatory."
[We're dragons. We are the apex predators.]
"Sexual predatory."
[We're dragons. We are the apex sexual predators.]
"Wha...? You're fucking with me." Issei deadpanned as he realized what his friend was doing.
[Quite. Almost as much as his fist is going to do to you for focusing on dumb shit.]
BOOM!
Issei reacted just in time, not that he took his attention off his opponent, but that the speed the large White Dragon Emperor moved at surpassed what Issei expected.
The two were hurdled through the sky, Issei's arm crossed stopping the blow of Vali's giant fist.
[DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE]
Issei felt weakened to the level of when he didn't have Scale Mail activated.
And now it seemed that Vali's capacity to absorb power was much higher than before. His speed rose to a level that pushed Issei to keep up, and his strength seemed to break through the Red Scales and crack Issei's armor.
[BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST]
Issei pushes on the Boosts speed to surpass that of Vali's divide. He could feel his stamina start to fall below the halfway mark. Soon he'll actually be tired.
"Hey Vali!" Issei cried out.
[BOOSTBOOSTBOOSTBOOSTBOOSTBOOSTBOOSTBOOSTBOOSTBOOST]-[TRANSFER]
[RED SCALES]
The Red Scales reformed and now were all visible upon Issei's body rather than reactive appear once attacked. It looked like a shroud of flames.
"You better focus, Hyoudou Issei! You can no longer afford to carry on that joking attitude." Vali commented as he began to rain blows upon Issei.
Issei answered back by meeting each punch head on with his own.
Vali began to gather energy for a laser breath attack.
"That movement trick you used was pretty cool. Let me show you mine!" Issei said back.
Vali opened his mouth and fired a concentrated beam of energy.
[PENETRATE]
Issei disappeared. He appeared over Vali, his hands clamps together and raised up.
He brought his hands down and slammed into Vali's back launching him toward the sea.
The blow was strong, but it only shook Vali off slightly in his Juggernaut Drive state.
[PENETRATE]
Issei appeared in front of Vali slamming an elbow into his face.
Then disappeared again and came from his side with a flying kick.
Over and over Issei would seemingly teleport around Vali delivering lightning fast attacks.
Issei was using the ability of Penetrate to pierce through any defense, and turned it into being able to pierce through space and skip the distance to just arrive at his destination.
Vali tried to hit Issei or grab him, yet the Red Dragon Emperor was too slippery.
[HALF DIMENSION]
Vali fired his technique omnidirectionally all around him, the second Issei landed another hit on him.
"Got you!" Vali cried out in victory as Issei suddenly found himself with a miniscle amount of space to move, even while flying at his blazing speeds.
"Yeah," Issei said as Vali reached to grab him with his claws. Only for Issei push forward and get into Vali's guard, grabbing his biceps so he can't move his arms.
"Fool!" He shouted as his power slammed into his rival.
[DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE] [DIVIDE]
"All yours, Ddraig."
From Issei's hand an Bounded Field swiftly expanded outward, covering Vali and a small area around them before being forcibly halted.
[Nega-Supremacy]
Vali found himself back in his normal body. He blinked in confusion, not processing what happened.
Juggernaut Drive, all the draconic might of the White Dragon, it all vanished.
[What?!] Albion shouted in surprise.
Vali was back in his normal body, his Longinus wasn't even out in its basic form.
Vali found himself grabbed and launched down toward the ocean.
The two warriors hit the water, and Vali felt a mighty fist slam into his face and they dived down and hit the sea floor.
The hand then grabbed his face, and no matter how much he struggled, he was forcibly grabbed across the sea floor underwater till they slammed into cliff walls.
Vali couldn't call on his Sacred Gear. He felt like, like...
His eyes widened as fear gripped his heart.
Like fighting that bastard! His damnable grandfather.
Then Vali was dragged up through the cliff walls. He tried to fight back, but the pain and damage he accumulated knocked him out by the time they reached the cliff grounds.
His last thought was about how frightening his rival turned out to be.
But in his heart Vali was also thankful.
For it meant his rival was the perfect opponent to train against for the day when he would eventually face Rizevim Livan Lucifer.
And with that, everything turned black.
AN: Next chapter should be posted on the 25th.