249.
Shalba, completely annihilated by the Crimson Blaster.
As if the power was too much for him, Issei kept catching his breath. It was a natural recoil after awakening new power and immediately delivering a finishing blow. The Gremory servants approached such an Issei, who lowered his visor, gave a bitter smile, and said he was okay.
"You keep surprising me, Hyodo Issei."
A man appeared before them.
"Vali."
Vali Lucifer.
The current White Dragon Emperor crossed dimensions and stood before Issei along with his comrades. In any case, Vali was a member of the terrorists. As Issei stood up to be on guard, Vali stretched out his hand to stop him, as if he had no intention of fighting.
"Stop. I have no intention of fighting right now."
"......Are you also aiming for the position of Satan?"
"I have no interest in such a position. I might take it if given, but I have no intention of being obsessed like the fallen old Satans. My interest isn't in such lust for power."
Vali shook his head.
In his view, the actions of the old Satan bloodlines were the epitome of foolishness.
"More interesting. Is that form the perfected version of the power you used against me?"
"Yes."
"Applying the Evil Pieces' Promotion to a Sacred Gear.... No, the base might be Promotion, but seeing what you just showed, it's no exaggeration to call it completely separate. Himejima Akeno's lightning, the swordsmanship and holy sword aptitude of the Holy Demon Sword and Durandal wielders, the bombardment using Asia Argento's magical talent, and finally Rias Gremory's destructive magical power.... Literally beyond specification, Hyodo Issei. An evolution incomparable to any Sacred Gear user until now."
"It's not my power alone."
Issei shook his head.
"It's everyone's power."
"Everyone's power, is it."
That was true. Each one of those powers was the power and bonds of the same Gremory servants, a power born from the mixture of the Sacred Gear and all sorts of things. A different potential unreachable through one's own efforts alone.
Vali made a peculiar expression at those words.
After looking at Issei like that, Vali suddenly turned his gaze.
The Gremory servants naturally followed his gaze, and everyone's eyes widened at the divine presence they saw there.
Step, step.
"......"
Pitch-black eyes.
Those pupils were as deep as an abyss, looking like an unfathomable abyss. Fluttering black hair, the girl in a simple outfit took small but sure steps and arrived before them.
And then she directed her gaze toward Issei.
"Ophis...."
Rias swallowed her saliva and said the name.
Ophis had revealed herself.
But Ophis, as if uninterested in Rias's muttering, murmured indifferently.
"Me, a little impressed."
"...."
"That is the possibility of dreams, the possibility of bonds, a royal road walking the righteous path, not the heretical way of the Pawns. A completely new possibility different from all previous Two Heavenly Dragons. A singularity manifested based on Red's power, as the God of the Bible hoped."
Ophis showed a rare, albeit slight, surprised expression.
She must have been that surprised by the evolution Issei showed.
Ophis's gaze swept over the Gremory servants.
"You, I will spare."
"What...!"
"You have the qualification to live in the world to come."
Then Ophis turned her back.
"S-stop."
Clunk.
A voice that halted her footsteps. Ophis stopped and turned her head to see Issei standing up and meeting her gaze.
"Why?"
"What are you trying to do?"
"Devils without qualification are unnecessary for the world to come."
A declaration to massacre devils openly.
An absolute declaration close to a notice. A statement possible only for an absolute being. Though just words, they carried immense weight.
"....Then I will stop you."
Issei slowly assumed a stance. Everyone was shocked at that sight.
Even Vali.
The opponent was Ophis. The strongest existence that existed even before this world was born, equal to the apocalyptic beast that destroyed Olympus in the past, the strongest dragon feared by all gods.
"?"
Ophis tilted her head.
"Red Dragon Emperor, stop me?"
"I'll stop you."
"Why?"
"Because if I don't stop you, a lot of blood will flow."
"If I do nothing, more blood will flow."
Calmly.
And coldly, Ophis said.
"Gods, devils, angels, fallen angels, youkai, dragons...... Countless races live on this planet. And they just run wild with their own power, not knowing how futile the current peace is, not knowing who they owe this peace to."
"That is...."
"Those who must be deceived will be deceived. That leads to future peace, to a future prepared against otherworldly invasion."
As if unable to speak rashly, Issei bit his lip.
It was a radical but understandable statement. Wasn't the current Old Satan Faction's terrorism exactly such a problem? Considering the countless lives lost due to those clinging only to past glory, Ophis's words were valid.
But.
"So you'll kill them all?! Even Sirzechs and the other devils?! Even the young devils who still know nothing?!"
"Devils who idly watched are unnecessary. Beings who harm the world for their own race are also unnecessary. If the devil race perishes, that too is one conclusion."
Their perspectives were far too different.
Literally, one who sees the world.
"I understand what you're saying...."
"...."
"But, but that's not right. To kill them all just because they don't meet the standard.... No matter how I think about it, that's not right."
"There will be no reversal."
"Ophis!!!"
As if in anger, Issei's fist shot toward Ophis. Ophis's gaze followed the attack indifferently.
"!!!"
Ophis blocked Issei's straight punch 'with a single finger,' completely unfazed. Contrary to her fragile appearance, what Issei felt from that single finger was like a massive mountain. Just as a single human cannot push a mountain, he felt an immovable, colossal mountain.
And then.
Tap.
"Kuh-aaaaaah?!"
Lightly.
It seemed like just a light tap, but Issei was sent rolling across the ground several times. Unlike a child's playful action, Issei's armor was half-destroyed as he received an unbelievable impact.
"Wh, what the...."
Facing an immense wall he had never felt before, Issei muttered in astonishment.
<Stop it, partner. I think you could have a decent fight against most opponents in your current state....>
"Kuh...!"
<That one is literally an opponent of a different level, a different dimension. An existence that existed before this world existed. The strongest existence that Albion and I at our peak aimed for.... The true monster.>
The Dragon God of Infinity.
Ouroboros Dragon.
"Impossible. As the Red Dragon Emperor, you cannot stop me."
Ophis.
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