Fantasy Library, Ch 126-130

Chapter 126: Ready Whenever You Are

“————”

In the fairly spacious hall, Kaiser and Azazel had been staring at each other. Even though neither had used any supernatural power, the surrounding air grew heavy, as if killing intent were spreading.

Kuroka pulled Asia back a few steps, her gaze toward Azazel filled with caution.

The opponent was the Governor-General of the Fallen Angels, a top-ranked Twelve-Winged Fallen Angel. His strength had to be at least on the level of a Maou. Even though she could rival an Ultimate-Class Devil, she wouldn’t last a single exchange against him.

If Kaiser weren’t standing in front of her, she definitely would’ve taken Asia, used Senjutsu to hide their presence, cast an illusion with Youjutsu, and then immediately activated spatial transfer to flee as fast as she could.

There was no helping it—the gap was simply too vast.

In the world of Fallen Angels, an Eight-Winged Fallen Angel was already equivalent to an Ultimate-Class Devil.

As a Reincarnated Devil at the Ultimate-Class level, Kuroka was roughly on par with an Eight-Winged Fallen Angel.

Above her were the Ten-Winged Fallen Angels who could serve as executive members of their leadership, followed by the absolute top—Twelve-Winged Fallen Angels.

In other words, if you calculated it properly, she was nearly two whole tiers below Azazel.

It had been said before: with a gap of two tiers in strength, the stronger party could crush the weaker one with a single finger.

So in front of Azazel, even if Kuroka wouldn’t be literally crushed with a single finger, she definitely wouldn’t last a minute—perhaps not even thirty seconds.

Given that, Kuroka was naturally on high alert.

Only Kaiser bore the full pressure emanating from Azazel.

“Incredible.”

Looking at Kaiser, whose expression remained calm, Azazel suddenly let out a sigh of admiration.

“To think the wielder of the strongest Longinus could grow to this level without any of us noticing… It seems we need to strengthen our surveillance of Sacred Gear users.”

Hearing that, Kaiser chuckled.

“The Fallen Angels are known for placing the most importance on Sacred Gears and exerting the greatest influence over Sacred Gear users. Isn’t that a bit hypocritical coming from you?”

Among the Fallen Angels, there was a well-known central organization called the Sacred Gear Watchers.

Also known as Grigori, the Sacred Gear Watchers were the core institution of the Fallen Angels. They not only conducted research on Sacred Gears but were also responsible for locating valuable ones, recruiting or seizing them from their wielders—or eliminating them altogether.

The “Sacred Children” in the name referred to Sacred Gear users.

Most of the executives in this organization were former Angels who fell after leaking Heaven’s precious knowledge to humans. They not only continued researching Sacred Gears but also nurtured promising users, even establishing special schools for children with Sacred Gears.

Thanks to this system, the Fallen Angels possessed the most Sacred Gear users and the rarest Sacred Gears among the various factions.

Among these Sacred Gear users, some even wielded Longinus.

Kaiser vaguely remembered that among the thirteen known Longinus confirmed to exist, one was in the Church, one among the Devils, and a full three resided with the Fallen Angels—making them the faction with the most.

Of course, the Hero Faction also had a fair number of Longinus users. Even excluding Kaiser, they still had two more, nearly catching up to the Fallen Angels.

As for the remaining five Longinus, none had been confirmed to have appeared yet.

Thus, among all factions, the Fallen Angels held the most Sacred Gear users and Longinus wielders.

And yet, the very Governor-General who had orchestrated this state of affairs was now claiming their surveillance had been lacking?

If that’s not hypocritical, what is?

“But we didn’t find you,” Azazel said, staring directly at Kaiser. “Although after you lost control and fled the Church, several among the Sacred Gear Watchers suspected you might be a Longinus wielder, there simply wasn’t enough evidence for us to act.”

“Myself included, many of the executives felt it was better to observe you a while longer. I’m sure the Church and the Devils felt the same.”

“Who would’ve thought that not only are you a Longinus wielder, you're also a wielder of the Holy Spear, and you reached this level all on your own, without anyone noticing.”

“Really, we thought our Longinus users were already exceptional and extraordinary, but now it seems you’re no less remarkable.”

As he spoke, Azazel stood up.

“When did you join the Khaos Brigade?” Azazel asked. “Was it after you fled the Church? Did they secretly teach you how to use the Holy Spear?”

Great minds think alike—Cao Cao believed Kaiser had support from another faction, which is how he had gained his current strength and intelligence network. Azazel thought the same.

He believed that someone in the Khaos Brigade had secretly taught Kaiser how to use the Holy Spear and handled everything behind the scenes, allowing a Longinus wielder of his caliber to grow undetected by the Sacred Gear Watchers.

In a way, Azazel wasn’t wrong.

Thanks to the Khaos Brigade, the Hero Faction’s Longinus users were able to grow without being discovered. Otherwise, those like Georg, who held Dimension Lost, and the other top-tier Longinus wielder, certainly would have drawn attention from organizations like the Sacred Gear Watchers.

Unfortunately, Kaiser wasn’t one of them.

“Did you come all the way here just to interrogate me, Governor-General?” Kaiser smiled. “I don’t recall being obligated to answer your questions.”

“How could you not be?” Azazel shrugged. “You destroyed one of our temporary bases and wiped out an organization of Stray Exorcists. Don’t you think we deserve an explanation?”

“Even so, I only need to explain why I did that—not how I got this strong or why I joined the Khaos Brigade,” Kaiser replied calmly. “Or is it that you already know the reason and are just trying to steer the conversation toward what really interests you?”

Without a doubt, the reason Azazel had found this place was due to Raynare’s escape.

That female Fallen Angel had likely reported everything to the higher-ups, drawing Azazel’s attention.

She probably revealed that Kaiser was the wielder of the Holy Spear and the strongest Longinus user.

In that case, everything Kaiser had done here, and the fact that he possessed the True Longinus, would already be known to Azazel.

So there was no need to ask.

What Azazel truly cared about were the things Kaiser hadn’t revealed yet—information on the Khaos Brigade.

“Then let me tell you one thing.”

Blocked by Kaiser’s words, Azazel didn’t seem discouraged. Instead, he grinned.

“Because of you, the Three Great Factions now all know about the Khaos Brigade—and about Ophis.”

“I didn’t come alone this time. Representatives from both the Angels and Devils are here.”

“Current Maou, Sirzechs Lucifer.”

“Current Maou, Serafall Leviathan.”

“And two of the Four Great Seraphs from Heaven—the highest-ranking Angels with twelve wings—Michael, the leader, and Gabriel, the strongest female Angel.”

Azazel pointed at Kaiser as he spoke.

“All of them are currently gathered here in Kuoh Town.”

As those words fell, not only did Kuroka widen her eyes, even Asia covered her mouth in shock.

Two current Maou from the Devils!

Two of the highest-ranking Angels!

And the Governor-General of the Fallen Angels!

The top leaders of all three factions—five of them—had gathered in this small Kuoh Town!

This was...

“You can probably guess why we’re all here, can’t you?” Azazel smiled confidently. “We’ve come for the Khaos Brigade, for the Infinite Dragon God, and for you.”

“Kaiser, was it?”

“Do you think you can escape alive, surrounded by this level of power?”

The air in the hall was no longer just heavy—it had become suffocating.

Kuroka and Asia trembled internally, as if they were sinking into a swamp, struggling to breathe.

“Trying to scare me?”

Only Kaiser remained utterly calm, not shaken in the slightest.

“If I were really their target, then the Devils would’ve sent Beelzebub of the Astaroth House, not Lucifer and Leviathan, right?”

“If I were really their target, you wouldn’t show up alone. You wouldn’t need to drag in the Angels and Devils either—you’d just bring your Fallen Angel executives or Longinus wielders to corner me directly, wouldn’t you?”

“Or are you all afraid?”

Kaiser looked at Azazel with a mocking expression.

“The True Longinus may not be especially effective against Fallen Angels, but it’s still the absolute spear that can pierce through gods.”

“If I can unleash its true power, I imagine you who have betrayed God would still fear what it could do to you, right?”

“You came here alone, didn’t you? Just in case, acting as the vanguard to test the waters?”

Kaiser’s words wiped the confident grin off Azazel’s face.

Azazel looked at Kaiser meaningfully and sighed.

“Michael really dropped the ball. To think someone like you was in the Church, and they still let something happen to you.”

Clearly, that was a form of praise.

If nothing had happened to Kaiser and he had remained in the Church, he surely would’ve become a powerful asset to both the Church and the Angels.

Though that wouldn’t benefit the Fallen Angels, at least Kaiser wouldn’t have joined the Khaos Brigade and become a terrorist.

“As you said, I came to test the waters—to see what you’re capable of.”

Azazel grinned wildly, and with a gust, twelve pitch-black wings suddenly spread from his back.

“So, would you be willing to spar with this old man a bit?”

Faced with Azazel’s provocation, Kaiser merely responded with a smile.

“Ready whenever you are.”

Chapter 127: Clash! The Doomsday Battle!

Outside Kuoh Town, in a desolate and uninhabited area.

Kaiser and Azazel appeared here, standing across from each other at a distance.

The kimono on Azazel's body had vanished, replaced by a sleek, intricately adorned black robe. Behind him, six pairs of jet-black wings spread open. Though his body wasn't particularly large, the oppressive presence he exuded felt as if it could blot out the sky and sun—his presence was overwhelmingly powerful.

Standing before him, Kaiser faced the wind, gripping the True Longinus in his hand. The sacred aura emitted by the spear was so intense it could dispel the approaching darkness, illuminating the entire world in brilliance. His momentum was in no way inferior to Azazel's.

“The True Longinus…”

Azazel’s gaze immediately fell upon the holy spear in Kaiser’s hand. After staring at it for a moment, he muttered to himself.

“It’s been a long time since I last saw that spear.”

As one of the original Fallen Angels, born in an era so ancient it's hard to fathom, and having survived for thousands of years in the human world, Azazel had naturally seen the True Longinus before.

Since its creation, the Sacred Gear had circulated among humans for many years. As someone from the ancient era, Azazel had witnessed many generations of Longinus wielders.

The True Longinus—this primordial and strongest of all Longinus—was something Azazel had seen wielded by several of its previous users.

Now, seeing this spear once more, so closely tied to the divine, Azazel could only feel one thing.

“It seems to have grown stronger.”

Azazel shifted his gaze to Kaiser.

“Has it evolved along with its host?”

Sacred Gears have the trait of evolving by feeding on the user's thoughts and desires.

In Azazel’s view, if the True Longinus had become stronger, then it could only mean its wielder had undergone significant growth, thereby causing the Sacred Gear to evolve as well and gain even greater power.

“If possible, I’d love to invite you to the Grigori and ask you to let me thoroughly study that spear.”

Azazel said this with a smile, sounding very much like a mad scientist, making it hard not to associate him with the archetype of a villainous scientific maniac.

Fortunately, Kuroka and Asia weren’t here. Kaiser had arranged for them to be stationed far away, away from the heart of the battlefield. Otherwise, upon hearing Azazel’s words, they would surely suspect he was secretly plotting something shady.

“I’ve long heard that the Governor of the Fallen Angels, along with most of the high-ranking members, are extremely interested in Sacred Gears and have been researching them extensively.” Kaiser lifted his eyes to look at Azazel and said calmly, “It seems the rumors were true. At the very least, your passion for Sacred Gears isn’t fake.”

“Because they’re fascinating,” Azazel said with a burning gaze. “Although most Sacred Gears are neither particularly useful nor completely worthless, they can evolve continuously, changing in response to the user’s will. They practically possess limitless potential.”

“You never know if an ordinary-looking Sacred Gear will end up a joke in the supernatural world—or suddenly soar into the heavens, unleashing power that even gods and devils would fear.”

“Especially the phenomenon of Balance Breaker—it completely destroys the balance. Once someone reaches that point, no matter how ordinary the Sacred Gear was, it can display unfathomable abilities.”

“That’s how the thirteen Longinus came to be. It’s hard not to be interested in them.”

Longinus—Sacred Gears capable of rivaling gods and Maou—didn’t exist as a concept from the beginning.

The gods merely created Sacred Gears. Longinus is a name humans later gave to the subset of Sacred Gears that possessed terrifying power, to distinguish them from the rest.

At first, there was only one Longinus—the True Longinus.

Later, more powerful Sacred Gears were born, some with abilities so overwhelming they were thought to break the rules. These were gradually identified and separated from ordinary Sacred Gears, becoming what are now known as Longinus.

Some Longinus appeared suddenly in certain eras, born with immense power. Others were ordinary Sacred Gears that evolved through repeated transformations.

In other words, there weren’t always thirteen Longinus. It’s only in recent times that their number reached thirteen—and in the future, there may be more.

These things, capable of constant evolution, possessing endless possibilities, and always on the verge of unpredictable change, naturally attracted the attention of many.

Azazel was simply the most fanatical among them.

“Why did God create Sacred Gears at all? Why grant humans power?”

“Why would something like Longinus, capable of threatening even gods, be allowed to exist? Could it be that God wanted to create humans capable of slaying gods? Or intended to strike at other mythological factions?”

“These are questions many have pondered.”

Azazel pointed toward the holy spear in Kaiser’s hand.

“The spear in your hand is the most iconic Longinus—a true Sacred Gear that even God’s Will can reside within.”

“It's said to rival gods and Maou, even capable of slaying them. If any Sacred Gear can truly accomplish that, without a doubt, it would be this spear.”

“To grant such a weapon to a human… what was God thinking? No one knows the answer to that question!”

As his words ended, a fearsome aura erupted from Azazel’s body.

Like a raging storm, his aura shook the very air.

“As the current wielder of the True Longinus—the human most likely to threaten both gods and Maou—you actually joined the Khaos Brigade, a terrorist organization. Was that also within God’s foresight?”

“If God foresaw a day when the strongest Sacred Gear capable of threatening gods and Maou would stand in opposition to all mythologies, does that mean He was also dissatisfied with the current state of things and wanted to bring about change?”

“These questions… I’ve always wanted to answer them, but I never could.”

“So let me see… if you can offer me a new perspective.”

After concluding his long self-reflection, Azazel raised his hand.

“Buzz—”

With a hum, a tremendous amount of Light Power gathered in Azazel’s hand.

Fallen Angels, like Raynare and the others, had once used Light Power to form spears in front of Kaiser—but Azazel’s level was completely beyond these lower-ranked Fallen Angels.

A terrifying concentration of Light Power formed into a massive spear, thick as a pillar, as if it could shatter the earth itself. Azazel hurled it toward Kaiser.

“Boom!”

In an instant, the atmosphere exploded, producing a thunderous sonic boom.

The giant spear of light, like a beam of destruction, shot down from the heavens with terrifying speed, aimed directly at Kaiser. The momentum was so immense, it truly looked capable of breaking the land apart.

Compared to the enormous spear of light, Kaiser’s figure seemed minuscule—like an ant.

But Kaiser showed no fear. He raised the holy spear and, without hesitation, thrust it forward. The True Longinus extended at lightning speed like a flash, meeting the incoming spear head-on.

“BOOM!!!”

The impact sounded like a nuclear blast, and the shockwave turned into a storm, sweeping out in all directions.

The True Longinus, extended at high speed, met the giant spear of light tip-to-tip. It was like needle against needlepoint, or two stars colliding—an explosion of blinding light and powerful shockwaves erupted.

The sky above this battlefield looked as if a miniature planet had exploded, releasing a burst of dazzling brilliance.

The True Longinus and the spear of light clashed and held for a moment before the balance broke.

In terms of sheer size, Azazel’s light spear was undoubtedly far larger—by many times.

If the light spear was a pillar, then the True Longinus was a needle—there was no comparison.

Yet in the clash, the one that prevailed—the one that claimed victory—was the smaller True Longinus.

Its razor-sharp tip, pulsing with divine power, pierced through the light spear like it was glass, shattering it layer by layer until it was utterly destroyed.

“Hiss!”

The holy spear, having pierced the light spear, didn’t stop—it continued to extend, aiming its point directly at Azazel.

“Hahaha! Incredible! My light spear is no match for the holy spear!”

Just as the spear, like a flash of light, was about to strike him, Azazel suddenly beat his twelve wings, narrowly dodging the piercing tip. The spear grazed the edge of his wings, slicing off several feathers.

“If power isn’t enough, then I’ll make up for it with numbers!”

Having dodged the holy spear’s thrust, Azazel raised his hand again and gathered a massive amount of Light Power, forming countless spears of light that filled the entire sky.

This time, the spears were much smaller, but there were so many they couldn’t be counted—dense, overwhelming, covering the heavens.

“Go!”

As Azazel swung down his raised hand, the countless spears of light rained down like a storm upon Kaiser.

“Spears, huh…”

Kaiser took 0.1 seconds to retract the holy spear, returning it to its original length. Then he opened the spear's tip, gathering divine power and unleashing it in a single flash aimed at the sky.

“RUMBLE—”

The flash vanished in an instant, yet it was as if it detonated the entire rain of spears in the sky, shattering them all.

“Even that didn’t work?”

It was as if Azazel were testing something. Seeing Kaiser fend off that wave of attacks with energy to spare, he actually laughed.

“Then let’s try close combat!”

With that, Azazel formed a long halberd of light in his hand. Flapping his wings, he shot toward Kaiser like a streak of black light.

“CLANG!!!”

Soon, the holy spear and halberd clashed, producing a loud metallic crash and dazzling sparks.

Both Kaiser and Azazel thrust their weapons forward—one surging with Touki, the other engulfed in Aura—their power overwhelming.

“Come now, let’s have a true doomsday battle.”

Azazel laughed wildly and fearlessly.

In response, Kaiser said what he always did.

“I’m always ready.”

Not long after, the roar of battle echoed throughout the heavens and earth.

A vision of the apocalypse truly unfolded here.

Chapter 128: “Artificial Sacred Gear”

“Boom—!”

In the desolate wilderness, thunderous explosions echoed continuously. Dust storms spiraled up one after another, resembling a natural disaster sweeping through the land—a breathtaking sight.

Far from the battlefield, at a considerable distance, two girls stood watching the combat from afar, each with a different expression.

Kuroka stared intently, her tail swaying back and forth behind her, fully revealing the turmoil in her heart.

In contrast, Asia, after watching for a moment, clasped her hands over her chest and began praying earnestly.

“Do you really think praying here will help?” Kuroka, upon seeing this, spoke with a tone that was either mocking or teasing. “The opponent is a Fallen Angel who has abandoned God, and our boss is wielding a spear capable of piercing God Himself. Even if you, a witch, pray here, do you think God will cast His gaze upon us?”

Asia didn’t open her eyes, nor did she stop praying. Instead, she responded in a devout voice.

“I don’t know if the Lord will look upon this place, but I will still ask Him to bless His messenger. Even if I, a witch, am unworthy.”

As she spoke, her demeanor was wholly sincere. Her praying figure, with eyes closed, was so pure and holy that it gave the title “witch” an ironic twist.

“I’ve told you so many times already, haven’t I? Our boss isn’t the messenger or incarnation of the God you believe in.”

Kuroka seemed to be deliberately provoking Asia, intentionally saying things to upset her for amusement.

“No, Kaiser-san is definitely the Lord’s messenger,” Asia said with unwavering conviction. “The Lord’s will is with him. The Lord’s grace is upon him. The Holy Spear is also a divine relic bestowed by the Lord to humanity. That Kaiser-san has obtained all of this must be due to the Lord’s favor.”

“Someone like me aside, Kaiser-san is surely someone who can draw the Lord’s attention and cause Him to cast His gaze here.”

“So, even if the opponent is the Governor of the Fallen Angels, I must pray—for Kaiser-san's victory.”

On one side is a man wielding a divine relic, one in whom God’s Will resides.

On the other is a Fallen Angel who betrayed God and chose to fall.

There was no doubt in Asia’s mind about which side she should support.

To her, this was practically a holy war—a holy war in which Kaiser, blessed by the Will of God, was confronting the highest-ranking Fallen Angel.

She couldn’t help Kaiser in battle. All she could do was support him in this way—by praying for him, by offering her devotion.

Seeing Asia’s devout and resolute appearance, a trace of pity—subtle and easily overlooked—flashed through Kuroka’s eyes.

She suddenly felt inclined to agree with something Azazel had said before.

“Michael really dropped the ball. To think someone like you was in the Church, and yet you still ended up getting hurt.”

Wasn’t that line perfectly suited for Asia?

This child had such firm faith, such sincerity and purity—she could rightfully be called a natural-born saint. And yet the Church, simply because her Sacred Gear could heal Devils, treated her as a heretic and exiled her?

What a loss—what a grave failure.

Wasn’t that Sacred Gear created by God?

Wasn’t it a gift from God?

God gave such a gift to His follower, only for them to be rejected, labeled a heretic and a witch?

What kind of twisted logic was that?

“Good thing I’m a Reincarnated Devil, nya~~~”

Kuroka stopped teasing Asia and instead made fun of herself.

Devils were called enemies of God, and their stance had always been irreconcilable with the Church.

Not having to worship such a God, and even opposing Him, was actually a blessing in Kuroka’s eyes.

But remembering what Azazel had said earlier, Kuroka couldn’t help but grow anxious again.

“The highest-ranking beings of the Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels have all gathered in Kuoh Town. What’s going to happen next?”

In such a situation, what would the future hold for people like them?

Would her dumb little sister… end up getting dragged into something terrible?

“What a hopeless, always-worrying-me idiot of a sister…”

Kuroka’s murmurs drifted with the wind, unheard by anyone.

“Boom—!”

On the battlefield ahead, another deafening explosion rang out, shaking the very earth.

…………

“Hiss!”

Amid the soft sound of slicing wind, the tip of the Holy Spear—radiant like condensed light—shot through the air like a flash of lightning. Breaking the sound barrier and tearing through the storm of dust, it launched skyward.

Azazel’s six black wings beat behind him as his form flickered like a phantom, dodging the incoming Holy Spears while hurling massive light spears down below, each as thick as a pillar. His attacks rained like a storm.

“Boom—Boom—Boom—Boom—!”

Each light spear crashed to the ground like a meteor strike. Upon impact, they destroyed everything within dozens of meters, blasting up clouds of dust.

Kaiser was shrouded in surging white light. Like Azazel, he flickered through the battlefield at high speed—running, leaping, flying, teleporting—nimbly evading every single light spear.

“Incredible. To think you could train in Touki as a Human, without using Senjutsu—you really are worthy of that spear!”

Azazel dodged another thrust from the extended Holy Spear and laughed heartily. Gripping a long halberd formed from condensed Light Power, he suddenly dove down, swinging the weapon at Kaiser, who had leaped onto a boulder.

“Bang!”

The light halberd shattered the boulder, reducing the human-sized rock to a spray of rubble.

Kaiser twisted his body mid-air to dodge the slash, then extended the spear’s tip, gathering Holy Power to transform the spearhead into a blade of light—swinging it down at Azazel.

“Clang!”

Azazel raised the shaft of his halberd to block the strike, only for the spearhead of the Holy Spear to slice clean through it.

“Whoa, that was close!”

Azazel barely tilted his head back in time to avoid the next slash of the Holy Spear, but the smile on his face never faded.

“As expected of the Holy Spear—its sharpness far surpasses that of Holy Swords or Demonic Swords. Probably only Emperor-class swords like the Demonic Emperor Sword or the Holy King Sword could go toe-to-toe with it.”

“A weapon formed purely from Light Power trying to clash with a legendary spear like that? Totally unrealistic.”

“And the spear’s extension speed is amazing. Even if it doesn’t reach the speed of light, it easily exceeds the speed of sound.”

“Of course, the most troublesome part is still that Holy Power. If I weren’t a Fallen Angel—if I were a Devil or some other demonic being—just grazing it would cause serious damage.”

“Yeah… in all aspects, its capabilities exceed previously recorded data. The True Longinus really has become stronger in your hands.”

Azazel spoke like a researcher, listing off observations—not so much conversing with Kaiser as confirming data and solidifying his own thoughts.

Kaiser narrowed his eyes, then, without hesitation, opened the spear’s tip and fired a beam of Holy Power at Azazel.

“…!”

Azazel snapped back to reality, his face changing as he shot backward like a bullet.

“BOOM!!!”

The Holy beam exploded across the ground, advancing with thunderous force and obliterating everything in its path. It left behind a trench dozens of meters wide and nearly a kilometer long.

“Whoa, whoa, you’re really going all out, huh?”

Azazel rose into the sky, his smile turning wry. One of his wings was smoking—clearly grazed by the beam.

“Weren’t you the one who said you wanted an doomsday battle?”

Kaiser spun the Holy Spear once and slung it across his back, looking up at Azazel with a slight smirk.

“Since you're the opponent, there's no need for me to hold back. Didn’t you want to study the Holy Spear? Then bring out your full strength!”

Hearing those words, Azazel narrowed his eyes.

“I am going all out, you know?”

At that, Kaiser curled his lip.

“Who are you trying to fool?” he said, resting the Holy Spear on his shoulder as he spoke lazily. “You're still hiding a trump card, aren’t you?”

“I’ve heard about it.”

“Artificial Sacred Gear… that’s what it’s called, right?”

Azazel's narrowed eyes snapped wide open.

“You even know about that?”

He was genuinely shocked, his smile vanishing.

Gazing deeply at Kaiser, Azazel muttered:

“Has the Khaos Brigade’s intelligence network infiltrated the Grigori?”

The existence of Artificial Sacred Gears was still classified.

Aside from members of the Grigori, no outsider should know about them.

Azazel, a lover of Sacred Gear research, was the only one who had successfully deployed an Artificial Sacred Gear in actual combat.

He had kept this trump card well hidden—yet Kaiser had just called it out.

Had the Khaos Brigade infiltrated the Grigori?

Or… was there a traitor among them?

As Azazel pondered this, his hands didn’t slow.

He pulled out a device from within his robes.

It was shaped like a short staff, topped with a gemstone, and entirely golden—a cylindrical short spear.

“That’s the Artificial Sacred Gear?”

Kaiser’s gaze was instantly drawn to it.

“That’s right.” Azazel nodded, introducing it like a proud parent. “This is the Down Fall Dragon Spear. Among all the Artificial Sacred Gears I’ve made, it’s the only one currently combat-ready.”

“Its prototype is based on all dragon-type Sacred Gears, including Longinus-class ones. Sealed within is one of the Five Dragon Kings—the Golden Dragon King, Fafnir.”

Sealing a dragon’s soul within a Sacred Gear to create a weapon imbued with dragon power was not uncommon, but each one was an extremely high-end artifact.

“It passed all field tests without issue. Now, let me try it in real battle.”

Azazel raised the short spear in his hand.

“Balance Breaker…”

Light burst forth from the Sacred Gear.

Chapter 129: Fierce Clash! Interception!

“Zheng—”

As a blinding flash erupted from the short spear in Azazel’s hand, the surrounding air fell into silence.

The balance of the world was shattered, the true power of the Sacred Gear was unleashed, and the radiance enveloped not only the surrounding area but also Azazel himself, making him appear dazzling and brilliant.

When the light finally faded, Azazel emerged—his appearance had undergone a massive transformation.

He was now fully clad in radiant golden armor, the type that covered the entire body including helmet, greaves, and boots. The armor subtly outlined the form of a creature.

That creature was a dragon.

“Pa!”

Six pairs of pitch-black wings unfurled from the back of the golden armor. Black feathers scattered in all directions, and in his hand, he wielded a massive spear of light.

“[Down Fall Dragon Another Armor]”

A somewhat distorted voice came from within the armor, making Azazel’s voice lose its usual flippancy, replaced by a sense of solemn authority.

“Although it’s just a forced Balance Breaker awakened by overclocking an artificial Sacred Gear, and the entire Sacred Gear will be destroyed afterward, it’s still valuable as a disposable trump card, right?”

Azazel smiled arrogantly from above.

“If it were a true Sacred Gear, as long as the wielder isn’t dead, no matter how many times it’s damaged, it can restore itself. But artificial Sacred Gears can't do that—once broken, they’re broken unless you create a new one."

“In that regard, I really have to admire God. Just how did He create these Sacred Gears?”

“However, artificial Sacred Gears do have an advantage over real ones—even if they’re stolen, it’s no big deal. Unlike true Sacred Gears, where if they’re taken through a special ritual, the owner might die.”

“So? If you're interested, how about leaving the Khaos Brigade? I can even give you one for free.”

Though he said this flippantly, Azazel was already ablaze with aura.

That aura was at least several times stronger than before—its turbulence had surpassed the level of a storm and reached the magnitude of a flood or tsunami.

The power of the highest-ranked Twelve-Winged Fallen Angel, combined with the strength of a Dragon King—together they created the current Azazel.

Even if he hadn't yet surpassed the level of a Maou, he likely wasn't far off.

“Come.”

Kaiser’s eyes shone like torches. Facing Azazel clad in golden dragon armor, he didn’t feel fear. Instead, he smiled from the heart.

“Let me witness the strength of the strongest Fallen Angel!”

As soon as the words fell, Kaiser poured a massive amount of aura into the True Longinus, activating its holy power and making the spearhead glow.

“Boom!”

A wave of light burst forth from the spear’s tip, resembling a cannon blast as it streaked across the battlefield, tearing through the air as it descended upon Azazel.

“Why are all Longinus wielders so battle-crazed? Can’t any of you take up research like I do and cultivate your tastes?”

Azazel spoke with mock helplessness, but his actions were anything but lenient. He raised the spear of light in his hand and brought it down upon the incoming holy wave.

“Pshhh!”

The light spear, infused with the power of a dragon, cleaved into the holy radiance. After a burst of sparks, it forcibly split the beam in half.

Azazel bathed in the scattering light, flapped his wings, and transformed into a golden meteor, abruptly charging toward Kaiser.

His speed had more than doubled compared to before.

“Clang!!!”

The golden meteor slammed into Kaiser, who blocked it with his raised Holy Spear. A bell-like metallic clang rang out, and Kaiser was sent flying along with the shockwave.

“Boom—boom—boom—”

Kaiser flew backward like a launched cannonball, shattering rock after rock before crashing into a small mountain, which then collapsed and buried him in rubble.

“It’s not over yet!”

Azazel emerged from the golden meteor and hurled his light spear, which transformed into another meteor and shot toward the small mountain.

“Rumble—!”

It was as if a nuclear warhead had struck. The mountain exploded instantly, and the dust and debris rose like a mushroom cloud, violent and terrifying.

“Boom!”

Suddenly, from within the mushroom cloud and shockwave, a sacred surge burst forth again—turning into a pillar of light that pierced the sky and earth. It blew away the dust and shot directly at Azazel, catching him off guard and blasting him away.

“Crack… crack…”

As Azazel flew backward, the golden armor on his body emitted a series of cracking sounds, indicating significant damage.

“Thank goodness for the armor...”

Azazel felt like he had been struck by a mountain. The impact was absorbed by the armor, keeping his body unharmed, but he could still feel the immense force behind it.

Without this armor, he would have been seriously injured.

“Whoosh!”

At that moment, a figure wreathed in holy white light tore through the air, with the True Longinus in hand, lunging toward Azazel like a flash of light.

“Clang!”

Azazel quickly generated another light spear in his hand, using the power of the dragon to deflect the incoming sharp spear tip.

“Swish swish swish…!”

Kaiser, refusing to relent, launched a flurry of rapid, precise thrusts with the Holy Spear, each strike swift and from tricky angles—like a torrential downpour of pear blossoms, relentless and continuous.

“Clang—clang—clang—clang—”

Azazel spun his spear, using expert long weapon techniques to deflect each of the incoming blows, focusing on clashing with the spear shaft rather than the tip.

In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged dozens of blows. Each clash generated shockwaves that scattered debris, shook the earth, and left traces of destruction across the battlefield.

Throughout the duel, their figures continuously blurred and intertwined, never pausing, leaving aftershocks and battle scars wherever they moved.

“Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom…!”

Suddenly, Azazel, who was being suppressed in close combat, raised his hand and conjured a barrage of light spears in midair, raining them down fiercely upon Kaiser.

The sacred white light surrounding Kaiser was violently disrupted by the light spears, quickly thinning.

“Boom!”

Just as the light spears were about to pierce through his Touki and hit his body, Kaiser unleashed a shockwave of holy power from the True Longinus, shattering all the incoming spears.

“Pshhh!”

In the next instant, the Holy Spear slashed down, its sharp tip slicing through Azazel’s armor. Shards flew as the spear tore into his chest.

“Pshhh!”

But Azazel’s other hand had already summoned a light sword, which cut through Kaiser’s Touki and slashed his side, drawing a stream of blood.

“Pshhh!” “Pshhh!” “Pshhh!”...

The two of them fought with reckless abandon, exchanging over a dozen strikes in less than half a second. Each landed blow opened wounds and spilled blood across the battlefield.

"This is bad…!"

Azazel, his armor now tattered and his weapons damaged, flew back in disarray.

“Boom!”

Kaiser, equally bloodied and battered, still had a fierce gleam in his eyes. Seeing Azazel retreat, he immediately unleashed holy power, blasting Azazel away with a beam of light.

“Rumble rumble…!”

Their escalating battle was wreaking havoc on the battlefield. The surrounding land for several kilometers shattered, collapsed, and sank, raising massive clouds of dust and debris.

It looked like the end of the world—a terrifying sight.

“Azazel!”

In the crumbling underground, Kaiser’s body once again ignited with Touki. With a violent aura, he charged toward Azazel.

“You’re a wielder of the Holy Spear—don’t go turning into a berserker like the kids I mentor!”

Azazel’s helmet had been half-destroyed, revealing part of his bloodstained face, but he still laughed wildly with unyielding arrogance.

The Holy Spear and Light Spear simultaneously radiated brilliance.

Kaiser, surging with white light, and Azazel, flapping his black wings, shot toward each other like two meteors—one white, one gold—in the collapsing underground.

This was the final strike.

This was the moment to decide the victor.

Kaiser unleashed all the holy power within the True Longinus, while Azazel released all of his light power and the dragon power of his artificial Sacred Gear. With an impact like colliding meteors, they created shockwaves and sonic booms, shattering every falling boulder as they rushed at each other.

Just as they were about to clash in the most terrifying, most intense, and most brutal strike of the entire battle—

“Whoosh!”

“Whoosh!”

Two figures suddenly appeared in the underground space, blocking the paths of the two fighters.

“Stop! Azazel!”

Standing in front of Azazel was an angel dressed in a majestic golden robe, with long golden hair flowing to his waist, a golden halo floating above his head, and six pairs of golden wings unfurled from his back.

He radiated an incredibly rich, pure, and sacred light power, which enveloped Azazel entirely and froze him in place.

“This ends now.”

Standing in front of Kaiser was a red-haired man who bore an 80% resemblance to Rias Gremory, also dressed in a solemn robe.

The power he released wasn’t light, but Destruction-type demonic power like Rias’s—only denser, more dangerous, and deeper.

The Destruction power transformed into a magic blast and violently clashed with Kaiser’s holy power.

In the collision, the magic blast was purified by the holy power, but the resulting shockwave still sent Kaiser flying backward, where he landed on a protruding boulder.

“Rumble rumble…”

The battlefield continued collapsing, the ground constantly shaking, without end.

Chapter 130 – The Pinnacle of the Three Factions

“Boom!”

From the collapsed ground, the falling rubble suddenly exploded outward, and four figures shot out from the debris.

The four figures landed in different directions, each keeping some distance from the others. However, it was clear that two of them were blocking the other two, and three of them stood relatively close together, indicating they were likely from the same faction.

“Cough…”

Azazel coughed up a mouthful of blood, wiped the corner of his mouth, and let out a wry smile.

“Thought I was going to die this time.”

Whether the Governor of the Fallen Angels was joking or being serious, it was hard to tell.

Opposite him, facing Azazel, Kaiser frowned, his gaze sharp like blades as it pierced toward the two figures standing between him and Azazel.

Among the two, the most eye-catching was undoubtedly the twelve-winged Angel. The radiance emanating from his body was dazzling and brilliant, making it impossible not to notice him first.

However, Kaiser paid more attention to the red-haired man who was comparatively low-key.

And for good reason.

“Sirzechs Lucifer.”

Kaiser called out the man’s name.

“One of the current Four Great Satans of the Underworld, the strongest Satan who inherited the name of Lucifer.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“So, you were nearby too.”

Kaiser spoke with a calm and emotionless expression.

“Kaiser… was it?”

Sirzechs also looked at Kaiser, particularly at the spear in his hand, which radiated a holy aura that made his entire body feel as if it were being pierced. He couldn’t help but glance at it a few more times.

So that’s the legendary Holy Spear?

It truly lives up to its name...

Recalling the scene just moments ago when the destructive magic blast he released was effortlessly purified by the spear’s holy power, Sirzechs actually chuckled.

“My sister’s spoken of you more than once in front of me. Thank you for looking after her.”

Sirzechs said sincerely.

“Rias, huh?”

Kaiser raised an eyebrow slightly.

Sirzechs Lucifer—that was his current name.

But before he inherited the name “Lucifer,” he was known as Sirzechs Gremory.

The world knows the Four Great Satans as Lucifer, Leviathan, Beelzebub, and Astaroth, but few realize that the original four legendary Demon Kings had long since perished.

In the great wars of the past, the Four Great Satans each suffered fatal injuries and passed away one after another, leaving only their bloodline descendants in the human world while they themselves departed early from this world.

Logically, their bloodline descendants should have inherited their titles and become the new Demon Kings.

However, most of the original Satans’ descendants were hardliners who insisted on annihilating Angels and Fallen Angels at all costs, regardless of the casualties among Devils. As a result, Sirzechs Gremory and a group of like-minded Devils raised the banner of revolution. They expelled the descendants of the Old Satan Faction from the Devil territory and elected new Satans to inherit the names of the Four Great Satans.

Sirzechs Gremory became the new Satan who inherited the name Lucifer.

Since then, he has gone by Sirzechs Lucifer, separating himself from the Gremory family.

Rias is Sirzechs’ younger sister. Both siblings inherited the destructive trait from their mother's side and possess the Power of Destruction.

Of course, their destructive power is not on the same level.

Rias, at the end of the day, is merely a High-Class Devil—not even an Ultimate-Class Devil, let alone a Satan.

But Sirzechs, as the most powerful Satan and the strongest among the current Devils, has long surpassed the level of a typical Satan.

Kaiser’s attention was first drawn to Sirzechs precisely because his power was the greatest among everyone present.

As for the other person...

“You were too reckless, Azazel.”

The angel with six pairs of golden wings spoke gently to Azazel.

“Sorry, sorry. I kind of got carried away.”

Azazel shrugged, dismissing the tattered armor on his body, reverting it back into its original form—a golden short spear, an artificial Sacred Gear.

However, the moment it returned to its original form, the artificial Sacred Gear shattered, leaving behind only the jewel that sealed the Dragon King, which fell into Azazel’s hand.

“Looks like it’s reached its limit. If you two hadn’t stepped in just now, I might’ve lost.”

Azazel held the jewel and smiled at the angel.

“Thanks, Michael.”

He was none other than one of the four Seraphs of Heaven, the angelic leader with twelve golden wings—Michael.

In mythology, he was the right hand of God, standing at His right side, known as the likeness of God.

In reality, he was the de facto leader of Heaven, recognized by the Angels as their highest authority.

Aside from God, he was the most exalted being in Heaven.

The Church, which is part of and managed by Heaven, was also under his command.

Michael seemed rather unimpressed with Azazel’s brazen attitude—perhaps because Azazel, despite being once his comrade, had forsaken God and fallen.

After shaking his head at Azazel, Michael turned to Kaiser.

His gaze toward Kaiser was complicated, and when he looked at the Holy Spear in Kaiser’s hand, his eyes were filled with indescribable emotion.

“I've wanted to meet you for a long time, Kaiser.”

He spoke with a voice that seemed capable of granting salvation.

If Asia were here and heard that voice, she’d probably be very emotional.

Unfortunately, Kaiser was no devout believer.

“Then it’s truly my honor.”

Kaiser’s expression didn’t change in the slightest, causing Michael’s expression to dim a little.

“I’ve heard everything about what happened to you,” Michael said. “I’m deeply sorry for the way you were treated.”

He was, of course, referring to how Kaiser was nearly treated as a test subject by the Church and sent to a lab table.

“That kind of thing doesn’t matter anymore.”

Kaiser naturally didn’t dwell on it.

After all, it was just a background setup in terms of life experience. Although Kaiser retained full memories of it, he hadn’t lived through it himself, so it lacked real emotional impact.

Because of that, he never really cared. Otherwise, with his personality, how could he not have gone after the Church for revenge?

Unaware of this, Michael assumed Kaiser was trying to distance himself from the Church, and his expression grew gloomier.

“What’s done is done. No use dwelling on it, you bleeding heart.”

Azazel, now dressed in a kimono, was still covered in injuries, but his demeanor remained as carefree as ever.

“…I just wanted to do something—anything—to make up for it.”

Michael sighed as he spoke.

“Hmm… probably won’t work, though?” Azazel replied bluntly. “That kid doesn’t seem like someone who needs a belated apology. You’d just be wasting your time.”

“Sigh…” Michael sighed again.

“You truly don’t care about the past anymore?” Sirzechs looked straight at Kaiser and asked, “Then why did you join the Khaos Brigade?”

It wasn’t an accusation.

At the very least, Sirzechs didn’t show any hostility. Instead, he looked earnest, like someone simply seeking to understand.

It was clear he didn’t harbor animosity toward Kaiser.

Even though Kaiser was a member of the Khaos Brigade, even though he had killed the heir of the Astaroth clan, this current Lucifer did not seem to view Kaiser as an enemy.

Perhaps they believed Kaiser still had a chance to return to their side?

Little did they know, this was simply the choice most aligned with Kaiser’s own interests.

“I thought the Fallen Angel Governor was just trying to intimidate me with his words,” Kaiser said with a calm smile, raising the Holy Spear and pointing it toward the three of them, “but I didn’t expect the true pinnacles of the three factions to all show up here.”

“So, my next opponents… are all three of you?”

Despite facing the apex of the three major factions and being covered in wounds, there wasn’t the slightest trace of fear on Kaiser’s face.

“Don’t be like that.” Michael shook his head and advised, “You’re already injured all over. There’s no way you can take on the three of us. Let’s just talk.”

Surprisingly, the one who objected to Michael’s words wasn’t Kaiser, but Azazel.

“Whether he can fight the three of us… that’s not certain.” Azazel smiled. “That wasn’t even his full strength just now, was it?”

“Don’t forget—he hasn’t even used his Balance Breaker yet.”

“For someone who could fight me to this extent using only the normal state of the Holy Spear—and nearly win—I don’t believe he hasn’t achieved Balance Breaker.”

Upon hearing that, Sirzechs and Michael’s eyes narrowed slightly, and their gazes toward Kaiser grew more cautious.

“Why didn’t you activate your Balance Breaker?” Azazel asked curiously. “If you had, you probably wouldn’t be this badly injured, right?”

Kaiser met Azazel’s gaze and replied in a flat tone.

“No particular reason. I just thought I could defeat you in this state.”

That was all.

As for the injuries, with Asia around, he could be healed in a matter of seconds, so Kaiser didn’t really care.

And if push came to shove, he had other means as well.

Simply put, it wasn’t that Kaiser didn’t want to use it—Azazel just hadn’t pushed him far enough.

“That’s really embarrassing.” Azazel mocked himself. “I’m the Governor of the Fallen Angels, and I couldn’t even force a human to go all out. Maybe someone like me should just stay in the lab and study Sacred Gears. Being Governor might suit Shemhazai better.”

Shemhazai, the Vice-Governor of the Fallen Angels, was also a top-tier Fallen Angel like Azazel. It was said his strength was on par with Azazel’s, and the two were considered the twin pillars of the Fallen Angels.

“Let’s talk this through.”

Sirzechs echoed Michael’s sentiment.

“After that, if you still want to fight, I’ll entertain you.”