Chapter 54: Kael vs. Kokabiel

The air crackled with tension as Kokabiel's presence loomed over the battlefield. His malevolent aura spread like a suffocating blanket, and his dark wings spread wide against the ruined cathedral's backdrop. Rias and her peerage stood battered and bruised, their efforts barely enough to hold the fallen angel back.

Kael Drakos stood apart from the others, his golden eyes fixed on Kokabiel with an unsettling calm. Lyra, perched atop a broken pillar nearby, crossed her arms and watched her brother intently.

"You're late to the party, Kael," Kokabiel taunted, his voice dripping with arrogance. "I was starting to think you'd let your precious devils die."

Kael remained silent, his expression unreadable. Slowly, he stepped forward, his boots crunching against the debris-strewn ground.

The Warning

"Kael…" Rias called weakly, her voice tinged with both relief and concern. "Don't—"

Kael raised a hand, silencing her. "Rest, Rias. You and your peerage have done enough."

"But—"

"I'll handle this."

The finality in his tone left no room for argument. Akeno, struggling to stand, placed a hand on Rias' shoulder. "Let him," she whispered. "He's... different."

The First Clash

Kokabiel grinned as Kael approached. "You think you can stand against me, boy? Do you even know who you're dealing with?"

Kael's lips twitched into a faint smirk. "I could ask you the same question."

Without warning, Kokabiel launched a barrage of light spears, each one crackling with destructive energy. Kael raised his hand, a ripple of golden flames surging forth to intercept the attack. The spears dissolved into nothingness upon contact, their power snuffed out as if they were mere embers.

Kokabiel's grin faltered. "Interesting. But let's see how long you can keep that up."

He charged, his wings propelling him forward at blinding speed. Kael didn't move until the last moment, sidestepping Kokabiel's strike with ease. As Kokabiel spun around for another attack, Kael raised his hand.

The air grew heavy, and an ominous crimson glow began to gather around him.

The Condensed Marble

Kokabiel halted mid-flight as the glow intensified. A sphere of dense, swirling energy formed above Kael's hand, its surface crackling with dark red lightning.

"What... is that?" Kokabiel hissed, his eyes narrowing.

"This," Kael said calmly, "is the pinnacle of my bloodline. A condensed marble born from the flames and destruction of the Drakos lineage."

He raised the sphere higher, and the night sky seemed to respond, darkening as if the stars themselves were being consumed by its presence.

Kokabiel's confidence wavered. "You think a fancy light show is enough to scare me?"

Kael's smirk returned, colder this time. "You'll see."

The Hell Blade

Kael lifted his other hand, and the crimson sphere pulsed violently. From its depths, a blade began to form, forged from the pure essence of destruction. The weapon was unlike any sword Kokabiel had ever seen—a monstrous greatsword with a jagged edge that seemed to shimmer with the very flames of hell. Its surface was black as the void, veined with glowing red cracks that pulsed like a heartbeat.

Kael grasped the hilt, and the ground beneath him cracked under the weight of its power.

Lyra watched with an approving nod. "He's serious now."

Kokabiel sneered, masking his unease. "A sword? That's your grand power?"

Kael didn't respond. Instead, he vanished.

The Duel

Kokabiel barely had time to react before Kael appeared before him, the Hell Blade swinging down with devastating force. He raised a light spear to block, but the impact shattered his weapon instantly, sending him hurtling into the ground.

The fallen angel groaned, pushing himself up. "You... You're holding back!"

Kael stood over him, the Hell Blade resting on his shoulder. "Of course I am. If I used my full strength, you wouldn't even have a body left to bury."

Kokabiel roared in frustration, summoning a massive spear of light. He launched it with all his might, the attack splitting the air as it hurtled toward Kael.

Kael swung the Hell Blade, cleaving the spear in two with a single motion. The halves disintegrated before they could touch him.

"You're wasting my time," Kael said coldly. "If this is all you have, then you're not worth the effort."

The Final Strike

Kokabiel, now desperate, unleashed a torrent of light spears, each one aimed with deadly precision. Kael stepped forward, the crimson marble hovering above his shoulder glowing brighter with each step.

"Enough."

Kael raised the marble, and the Hell Blade began to glow in response. He swung the sword in a wide arc, releasing a wave of destructive energy that consumed Kokabiel's attacks effortlessly.

The wave continued, striking Kokabiel head-on. The fallen angel screamed as the energy engulfed him, tearing through his defenses and sending him crashing into the ground.

When the dust settled, Kokabiel lay motionless, his body battered and broken. Kael approached slowly, the Hell Blade dissipating into crimson embers.

"I told you," Kael said, his voice low and menacing. "You're not worth the effort."

Aftermath

Kael turned away from Kokabiel, his gaze shifting to the ORC. They stared at him in a mixture of awe and fear, the true extent of his power now laid bare.

"Rest," Kael said simply. "You've earned it."

With that, he vanished into the night, leaving behind a battlefield and a peerage forever changed.