The battlefield crackled with tension as the massive humanoid figure loomed above Izashi, its piercing eyes locked onto Vali's Juggernaut Drive form. A deep, oppressive aura spread across the area, sending shivers down the spines of even the most powerful beings present. Izashi, his face calm and unreadable, stood beneath the towering figure of destructive energy, his crimson aura flickering like a deadly flame.
From the ground, Sirzechs Lucifer could only stare, his eyes wide with astonishment. "I never imagined Iza-tan would grow this powerful…" His voice, usually calm and composed, trembled slightly. He turned to Serafall, who was just as stunned, her lips pressed into a thin line.
"I knew he was strong, but this…" Serafall murmured, her usual playful demeanor replaced by a rare seriousness. Her gaze was fixed on the humanoid figure. The sheer presence of it made her doubt her own strength. "If I were to face him now... I don't think I'd stand a chance unless I used my forbidden techniques."
Michael, standing nearby, watched with measured composure, though the faint flicker of surprise in his eyes betrayed his thoughts. Azazel, engaged in a heated skirmish, smirked faintly as he evaded another attack from an enemy. "I had a hunch he was something special when he took down Kokabiel," Azazel muttered under his breath. "But this? This is on another level."
Up above, Vali's narrowed eyes gleamed with frustration. The Juggernaut Drive's power coursed through him, amplifying his strength and anger. His immense blue wings flared out behind him as he prepared his next move. "You think you can look down on me, Izashi?" he growled, his voice distorted with power.
Without waiting for a reply, Vali unleashed a blinding white beam of energy, aiming directly for Izashi. The humanoid figure above Izashi moved with a fluid grace, its enormous arm slicing through the beam effortlessly. The resulting shockwave was so powerful that it reverberated through the air, forcing Vali back slightly.
The blow didn't just stop Vali—it humiliated him. "Why aren't you using that power?" Vali snarled, his control over his emotions slipping. "Are you mocking me by relying on your Devil power instead of the Dragon God's?"
Inside Vali's mind, Albion's voice rang out in alarm. "Vali, listen to me. You need to retreat. You can't win against him—not like this!"
Vali clenched his fists, his pride refusing to accept the truth. "No," he muttered, his voice seething with determination. "I refuse to run. I'll end this fight here and now."
Izashi's crimson eyes glinted with indifference as he raised his hand. The humanoid figure mirrored his movements, extending its massive arm as five spheres of swirling destruction and flames began to form on its fingertips. The sheer energy emanating from them made the air vibrate. Each orb was a masterpiece of annihilation, a Rasengan infused with the chaotic essence of destruction magic.
"Go," Izashi said calmly, his voice cutting through the chaos. The five spheres shot forward with blistering speed, locking onto Vali.
Vali's eyes widened as the projectiles closed in on him. With his large body, evasion was almost impossible, so he decided to divide their power instead. The ability of his Sacred Gear activated, and the words echoed in the air. [Divide! Divide! Divide!]
The spheres split into smaller, less threatening orbs. Vali smirked, confident that he had neutralized their danger. But as they struck his armor, a sharp, searing pain coursed through his body. His smirk vanished, replaced by a grimace of confusion and agony.
"What… What did you do?" Vali demanded, his voice tinged with desperation. "I divided the power! Why are they still—"
Izashi's expression remained neutral as he interrupted. "Divide all you want. It won't work against my attacks."
The pain surged through Vali's body again, forcing him to suppress a groan. Albion's voice returned, its tone grim. "Vali, he's right. Those attacks aren't normal—they're bypassing the effects of your Sacred Gear. He's playing on a level far beyond ours."
Vali roared in frustration, his wings beating furiously as he charged forward. "I refuse to lose!" His massive fists, glowing with power, swung toward Izashi.
Izashi didn't flinch. The humanoid figure above him glowed brighter, its aura intensifying. With a flick of its wrist, it summoned another set of Rasengans—this time, glowing with an eerie, swirling black-and-purple energy. These were different, infused with a destructive gravitational pull that seemed to distort the space around them.
Izashi hurled the Rasengans with precision, forcing Vali into a desperate defensive stance. Vali unleashed another wave of Divides, but each attempt left him more drained, his body slowing under the constant assault.
Sirzechs observed the battle, his analytical mind piecing together Izashi's strategy. "He's controlling the flow of his power," Sirzechs murmured. "He's only releasing enough to overwhelm Vali incrementally, never letting him divide a significant amount. It's brilliant... and ruthless."
Beside him, Serafall crossed her arms, watching with a frown on her face. "But how long can he keep this up?" she asked. "He needs a huge reservoir of power, probably something on our level, to maintain this for so long."
Sirzechs didn't answer immediately. His eyes narrowed as he focused on Izashi's every move. He could feel his own curiosity building. Just how deep did Izashi's power run? What kind of reserves did he have? As the battle progressed, it seemed that Izashi was getting more aggressive, as if he had grown tired of the incremental strategy and was preparing for something bigger.
Suddenly, without warning, Izashi lashed out, kicking Vali away with such force that it sent the White Dragon flying across the sky, skidding through the air like a ragdoll. Vali grunted as he regained his bearings midair, barely able to steady himself from the brutal impact. Izashi, on the other hand, floated high above, his eyes locking onto his opponent with an eerie calm.
With a flick of his wrist, Izashi conjured a massive ball of fire in his hands, his fingers weaving intricate seals of destruction. The fiery sphere expanded, its flames roaring with an intensity that threatened to consume everything in its path. A crimson aura surrounded the ball, its power pulsating as though it had a life of its own. Izashi smirked slightly as the fire began to shift and take shape, the flames twisting and contorting as they formed the figure of a majestic Phoenix.
The fiery bird soared upward, its wings igniting as it grew stronger with every meter it flew. The heat emanating from it was unbearable, the air itself shimmering with the intensity of the flames. The Phoenix, as if guided by its creator's will, rocketed toward Vali with an almost predatory speed.
Vali, who had been preparing for a counterattack, barely had time to react. His instincts screamed at him to move, but before he could even brace himself, the Phoenix struck him dead-on, the explosion of fire and destruction ripping through his armor. The impact was so forceful that the protective layer around his abdomen shattered, exposing the skin beneath. The searing heat of the flames licked at his body, causing him to stagger back, his breath catching in his throat.
Vali grit his teeth, the taste of ash and blood lingering in his mouth as he stared up at Izashi, who hovered in the sky with an air of complete control. His eyes burned with determination, but his mind was clouded with confusion. How could Izashi summon such an overwhelming attack with so little apparent effort?
Izashi was unbothered, his face expressionless as he pointed two fingers at Vali, as though he were signaling for something much greater. With a casual flick of his wrist, Izashi began to snap his fingers repeatedly, each motion giving birth to another Phoenix. The firebirds erupted into existence, one after another, each as powerful and relentless as the last. Izashi didn't even break a sweat.
Vali's heart skipped a beat. He looked at the approaching firebirds, each one trailing a wake of fiery destruction. He quickly touched the skin around the area where he had been hit, realizing that if he didn't act fast, he would be overwhelmed. There was no way he could survive being struck by all of these Phoenixes.
His wings flared as he shot into the air, his form a blur as he shot higher, narrowly avoiding one of the Phoenixes that dove toward him. His mind raced. He knew Izashi wouldn't be able to control all the Phoenixes at once. If he could just outmaneuver them, he could turn the tide of the battle.
Vali's wings beat furiously as he dodged another Phoenix, its fiery tail brushing the edges of his armor. He cursed under his breath, hoping his calculations were correct. "If I can just get close enough to him—"
But Izashi's expression remained unchanged. He was waiting. Watching. And when Vali thought he had the advantage, Izashi made his move.
Vali's eyes widened in disbelief as Izashi flicked his hand again. A new Phoenix materialized, its flames even fiercer than before, crackling with destructive power. It was smaller than the others but still packed a punch. Vali tried to divide the Phoenix's power, but the moment he did, the flames began to surge again, regaining their strength almost immediately.
"No way!" Vali yelled, panic creeping into his voice. "That shouldn't be possible!" His mind raced as he repeatedly activated his Sacred Gear, Divide, in a desperate attempt to weaken the Phoenix. Each time, the power was halved—but no matter what he did, the flames would return to full strength after a few meters of flight.
He continued to divide the Phoenix's power, each attempt more frantic than the last. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he struggled to keep the fire under control, but no matter how many times he halved its power, it was relentless. It was as though the flames were being fed by something beyond his understanding, an inexhaustible source of energy.
Izashi's voice cut through the chaos, his tone as calm as ever. "You think dividing my power will help you? Pathetic. You can't escape the inevitable."
Vali's breath came in shallow gasps as he tried to keep up with the Phoenixes that relentlessly pursued him. His wings beat faster, the air around him growing hotter with every passing second. He could feel the pressure mounting, the weight of Izashi's power bearing down on him like a vice.
"I will not lose to you!" Vali snarled, his eyes flashing with defiance. With a roar, he summoned the full might of his Sacred Gear, using Divide more desperately than ever. But it was futile. The Phoenixes closed in around him, their flames licking at his body, their power surging with every second.
As the final Phoenix hurtled toward him, Vali could feel his energy draining. His wings faltered, and for a moment, he was sure he wouldn't be able to avoid the attack. He didn't have the strength left to divide it any further.
~~
A/N: I hope you all liked this long chapter.
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