High School DxD: Return of the Crimson Dragon Emperor

Chapter 299: Chapter 289 Showdown with the Evil God!

I’ve gone and done it now...!

I’ve finally gone and done it...!

Crashing lightning, swirling whirlwinds.

A storm of power raged with me at its center.

This is my strongest form at the current stage, proposed by Ignis and finally realized—the EXA Form.

It combines the powers of three forms—Sky Wing (E), Sky Weapon (X), and Sky Strike (A)—while harboring Rias’s Power of Destruction and Alice’s White Lightning.

This form boasts an output high enough to annihilate twenty of my clones instantly.

Currently, Asem possesses enough power to easily intervene in the ’System’ left behind by the God of the Bible. If that’s the case, this is the only thing that can stand against him.

Asem looked at my form and smiled.

”I see. You really did advance to a new stage in our last battle. I thought you might be able to pull something off, but—”

Asem deployed a magic circle at his fingertips. As the circle glowed, an image was projected into the air.

My eyes widened.

What was projected there was—

’Nnn...! W-wait, Issei! You’re sucking too hard... ahhn!’

’I-Issei... Ah, kneading my butt that much is... haaaahn!’

Rias and Alice, leaking sensual voices.

And there was me, absolutely obsessed with their breasts.

My mouth was on their breasts, my hands kneading their buttocks—

”Oiiiiiiiiii! Why were you recording thaaaaat?!”

”Ahahaha♪ Because it’s too funny, right? You know how hard it was to film this? I was desperate trying to suppress my laughter.”

Ah, I can hear a faint trace of Asem’s voice in the audio!

You bastard, you were seriously laughing while recording?! Even though we were desperate trying to survive that situation!

”What are you planning to do with that video?! Don’t tell me you’re going to do something insidious like leaking it everywhere?!”

”No, no, I wouldn’t do something that mean. I’m just going to send it to your Azazel-kun.”

”That is OUUUUUUTTTT!”

**~ Meanwhile, with Azazel-kun ~**

”Governor... and Coach!”

”Oi, oi, the Governor-General is Shemhaza now, remember? Get used to it already. So, what’s up?”

”A package has arrived for Azazel-sama.”

”For me? What is this... a videotape? Who on earth sent it...”

”Shall we see what is inside?”

”I suppose. Watching it might be the quickest way to find out.”

Azazel inserted the tape into the deck and pressed play—.

**~ Meanwhile, End ~**

”You sent it to the one person in the universe who definitely shouldn’t see itttttttt!”

My scream echoed through the Garden of Eden!

Because it’s true! Sending it to Azazel-sensei? That’s premeditated murder of my social life!

”Yup! I have high hopes for Azazel-kun’s habit of leaking things ☆”

”Yes, exactly! It will be a sight to see how the ’Oppai Dragon’ produced by Azazel-kun performs! We might even get new merchandise!”

”Right~?”

Asem and Ignis were in perfect sync!

These guys are idiots!

They’re sadists!

And why is Ignis on that side?!

I’m terrified that they’ll actually develop new products! That man would absolutely do it!

”By the way, I own all the Oppai Dragon goods ☆”

Asem pulled out Oppai Dragon merchandise—can badges, hats, and more—from out of nowhere!

”You bought them?!”

”Of course! It was hard getting my hands on them, you know.”

”Why are you collecting them?!”

”It’s a hobby! Or rather, the Oppai Dragon is just too funny. We’re genuinely fans, you know.”

Guh... this guy is an Oppai Dragon fan too?!

They are way too free-spirited!

Between Ignis, Asem, and my Master, aren’t the gods of Ast-Arde a little too unrestrained?!

Wait... hold on a second.

Just now, he said—.

”We...?”

When I asked that, Asem replied as if just remembering, ”Ah, right.”

”Our Bell-chan watches it every week, you know? She even records it. The other three don’t really watch it specifically. Razzle watches martial arts, Valse watches anime, and Vica watches dramas, I think. Ah, but basically, they yield the TV to Bell.”

”...Is that so.”

I felt a deep sense of relief just now.

Thank god... I’m glad it wasn’t Razzle or Valse.

Bell looks like... or rather, is basically a child on the inside, so... it’s still acceptable... right?

But wait, so Bell basically controls the TV?

What a thoroughly domestic bunch.

”By the way, Bell and Valse often watch anime together.”

”I didn’t ask for that info!”

[You guys, fight already!]

Ddraig’s retort exploded perfectly.

▽

Pulling myself together, I faced Asem.

I am in my strongest form at the current stage.

Asem remained in the form of a young boy, as always.

...He’s releasing an eerie, dense aura.

He created such powerful servants and can even intervene in the power of the God of the Bible. Earlier, he showed movement that even I, inside the Zone, couldn’t perceive.

It’s like looking into a bottomless pit.

To put it bluntly, Asem’s power is an unknown variable.

That is exactly why—

”I’m going full throttle... full power right from the start!”

Feather bits shot out forcefully from the wings of the Sky Wing.

At the same time, I launched myself toward Asem!

His abilities and capacity are unknown.

I shouldn’t be engaging in a head-on contest with a guy like that.

So, I moved to confuse Asem by creating afterimages with my aura. I closed in on him accompanied by multiple clones!

Yet, Asem kept smiling.

”I’ll wipe that smug look off your face!”

I closed the distance and unleashed a fist!

It was a strike like a storm, churning the surrounding atmosphere! It was even clad in the Power of Destruction, making it incredibly potent!

”Aha ♪ Scary, scary ♪”

Asem retreated backward, smile still intact.

I chased after him.

”You don’t look scared at all! Stop acting so composed!”

”No, no~ it is scary, you know? Your soul’s flame, that is ♪ It’s burning so hot I feel like I’d get burned just touching it.”

”That just means the attack itself isn’t scary!”

”Yup ☆”

He’s giving me a peace sign!

Are you seriously this relaxed, you bastard?!

But, it is true that he’s keeping up with my speed effortlessly.

Even when I close the gap and unleash a punch, he dodges it nonchalantly.

In that case—

”I’ll increase the number of attacks!”

I arranged the deployed feather bits to surround Asem.

All ports fired at once!

Eight bits moving freely in all directions.

Bombardments and slashes unleashed from every angle assaulted Asem.

...But, with only minimal movements, Asem evaded all of them!

His body control is too good!

Moreover, his movements...

”You... that movement technique!”

”Ah, you noticed? It’s your movement~♪ Amazing, isn’t it?”

”You stole someone’s moves?!”

”What are you saying? The transmission of martial arts begins with imitation, doesn’t it?”

”I guess that’s true!”

I had no choice but to agree with Asem’s opinion!

But this guy isn’t just imitating. He’s clearly refining my movements even further!

I’m the only one attacking, yet Asem is parrying every single strike just by shifting his body.

It’s frustrating, but even in close quarters, this guy is strong...!

Ddraig, we’re doing that!

I’m leaving the control of the bits to you!

[Hoh, that technique. Now that you mention it, you did receive instruction from Rias Gremory.]

Yeah!

Rias’s technique is nasty, after all!

I handed all control of the bits to Ddraig and began charging the Power of Destruction in my hand.

I became able to handle Rias’s destruction as a secondary effect of embodying the power theory proposed by Ignis—the T (Twin) O (Oppai) S (System).

Even so, I can’t handle the Power of Destruction like Rias does.

Well, I had zero talent for magic originally, and Rias has been using the Power of Destruction for years. That much is obvious.

In both magic manipulation and the power of destruction, Rias is far superior.

If I tried to use Rias’s technique normally, it would take too long and the power would be too low to be useful.

But, I am the Red Dragon Emperor.

”If I force it up, I can make it work!”

[BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBoost!!]

[Transfer!!]

I transferred the amplified power into the Power of Destruction in my hand!

The sphere of destruction I created grew gigantic, emitting a denser aura of ruin!

I slammed the sphere of destruction forward!

”Rias! I’m borrowing your move! —Extinguish Star!!”

The unleashed mass of destruction closed in on Asem, swallowing up the surroundings with powerful gravitational force!

Because this technique is slower than normal attacks, there’s a high chance it can be dodged.

”Ddraig!”

[Leave it to me!]

The five bits formed a pyramid-shaped field, trapping both Asem and the sphere of destruction inside!

There is no escape!

As the aura of red and black magic swirled inside the sphere, the gravitational pull increased further, trying to consume Asem.

Asem’s body was being dragged toward the sphere.

”Heeh, I’m surprised you can even use the Ruin Princess’s signature move. If this keeps up, will I be sucked in and annihilated? Well, but—”

Asem coated his right hand in aura and swept it horizontally—

BAM!

With a bursting sound, the sphere of destruction was blown away!

The bits’ barrier was blown apart too!

He erased it with just that motion?!

”Is that a cheat code or what...”

”No, no, not nearly as much as the Primordial Goddess attached to you. Besides, the current you is sufficiently strong. It’s just that I am stronger than you.”

Saying that, Asem—closed the distance to right before my eyes.

It happened in an instant.

”Now then, is it my turn?”

Black aura gathered in Asem’s right hand, creating a long sword!

The sword formed of black aura was swung toward my neck!

”Aha ♪ You dodged it!”

”You bastard...!”

I leaned my upper body back, dodging by a hair’s breadth.

At the same time, I switched two bits to Sword Mode and gripped the hilts.

Blades of red aura formed.

While parrying the blow Asem swung, I launched an attack with the other blade.

There isn’t much weight to his strike.

But, it’s fast.

He’s swinging the sword at a speed where the blade is invisible!

And the worst part is, Asem still isn’t getting serious.

”Come on, come on, you can’t win against me just by defending, you know?”

”You’re right. In that case—”

Bachi Bachi-chi-chi

White lightning crackled from various parts of my armor.

I channeled it onto the blade—

”Get paralyzed!”

I swung down with full force!

White lightning burst forth with tremendous momentum!

The lightning strike covered the entire area!

Where the lightning struck became charred black, and black smoke rose up.

Asem was nowhere to be seen.

He is—

”Above!”

Sensing a presence overhead, I looked up at the sky.

However, Asem wasn’t there either.

Then,

”Too bad ♪ Behind you~”

”Wha—?!”

At the same moment I turned around—

”Gah... Hah...!”

I was slashed deeply from my shoulder to my stomach.

I saw my shattered armor and fresh red blood scattering into the air.

I leaped backward to create distance and fell to one knee.

”Tch... way too fast...!”

Blood flowing from the wound stained the grass and flowers red.

Severe pain shot through my chest when I breathed.

This definitely reached the bone.

While assessing my body’s condition, I turned my gaze to Asem.

He spun the sword in a figure-eight and rested it on his shoulder.

”There’s less bleeding than I thought. I expected to cut a bit deeper, but... Ah, I see. One of the techniques you use involves hardening the surface of the body with Chi. Yep, yep, to be able to do that in that split second—as expected.”

He looked at me with amusement and interest.

...As expected of whom?

He saw right through the fact that I defended with Koukikou (Chi Hardening) the moment I was slashed.

No, I can’t say I fully defended it.

I got slashed right through the Koukikou, after all.

Still, thanks to activating it just in time, I managed to reduce the damage, however slightly.

Quantization... I could have done it at that timing, but using that drains my stamina and mental strength all at once.

Thinking about what comes next, I shouldn’t use it now.

That really is only for the critical moment.

Asem asked.

”Now then, what will you do? Shall we continue? Defeating you right here would be easy, but that wouldn’t be interesting. I want to see what lies beyond for you.”

”...There’s something I’ve been wondering about.”

”What is it?”

”What are you expecting from me? Your eyes aren’t looking down on me or underestimating me. Those are the eyes of someone waiting for something.”

Before, Asem said he had been watching me the whole time.

Ever since I was blown to Ast-Arde, up until now.

If he wanted to kill me, he could have done it anytime.

If he wanted to make me a pawn for invading another world, he could have captured and brainwashed me somewhere along the line.

Asem stared at his empty palm.

He opened and closed it a few times.

”There is expectation, and there is jealousy. You became what I could not. You didn’t break. You moved forward. —To me, you are basically ’Possibility’ itself.”

”What does that mean...”

”No, it’s nothing. Telling you now won’t change anything. Besides, right now, what you should be focusing on is how to handle this situation, right? Have you come up with a solution?”

Yeah, he’s right.

I’m being overwhelmingly pushed back in this situation.

Running away... is also an option.

[However, that would be...]

Yeah, if things stay like this, he plans to pick a fight with the gods of every faction.

I can’t let him do that.

Truthfully, I should pull back and regroup... but I can’t say that now.

I repaired my armor and slowly stood up.

The difference in strength is clear.

I don’t feel like I can win if we keep going like this.

In that case, I’ll have to use a somewhat... actually, a very forceful method.

”Oh, still eager to fight?”

”Sorry, but I—don’t know when to give up.”

I focused my consciousness inward.

I cycled and compressed the Chi inside my body at high speed.

—Let’s do this.

[H-hey, Partner! Don’t tell me you intend to use that?!]

Well, yeah.

I can’t let him escape here.

[But the adjustments aren’t finished yet! And to use it in this form, which is already unstable...!]

”Sorry, Ddraig! We don’t have time to argue! Promotion to ’Queen’! Followed by Promotion Enhancement!”

The Evil Piece switched to ’Queen’, synchronizing with the power of EXA!

Furthermore, it merged with the Chi I had raised to the limit!

Just as thick streaks of red light ran across every part of the armor, my entire body began to glow crimson!

[BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB!!]

[BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB!!]

[BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB!!]

[BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB!!]

A chaotic cacophony of voices erupted from the gems all over my body as power was charged to their absolute capacity!

[Full Charge!!]

[Full Boost!!]

And then—

[Trans-am Drive!!!!]

The moment that voice rang out, a light intense enough to illuminate the entire Garden of Eden was unleashed!

My wings increased from two to four, and the boosters on my shoulders and legs expanded significantly, scattering massive amounts of red particles!

”Now, let’s continue! Asem!”

The Trump Card appears! (Or rather, I just wanted to do it!)

Promotion Enhancement ’Queen’!

A combination of powers where adjustments haven’t caught up to the instability!

Now, what will happen!

-------------------------------

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