High School DxD: Return of the Crimson Dragon Emperor

Chapter 85: Chapter 83: The Looming Crisis

I knelt on the ground, clutching my searing abdomen. The wound was deep, bleeding uncontrollably. Vali was in the same state.

Our sudden crisis drew everyone’s stunned gazes. Eyes wide, they stared in shock.

Sure, our predicament was part of it.

But their shock likely stemmed from something else.

Their eyes fixed on the Loki collapsed behind me and the one standing before me, gripping Laevateinn.

Pressing my throbbing wound, I sprinkled Phoenix Tears on it. Smoke rose as the gash closed.

Glancing at it, my mind raced.

The Loki who cut me is probably the real one. So who was the Loki we fought? My Renkankeikikou should’ve sensed a fake. Did I misread his aura?

No, that’s impossible. The fallen Loki radiates the same aura as the real one. I’ve never heard of multiple beings with identical auras.

As if reading my thoughts, Loki smirked. ”Confused, Red Dragon Emperor? Wondering who you were fighting?”

He’s right. I’m thrown.

”Since you cornered me this far, I’ll let you in on it,” he said. ”The one on the ground is my clone, crafted with layered forbidden techniques. I meant to save it for Ragnarök, but you forced my hand. Its only flaw is that excessive power use breaks it down. Still, I’m impressed. It’s nearly my equal, yet you defeated it.”

I clicked my tongue. Damn it... that’s how it is!

”No wonder I couldn’t tell,” I muttered.

”No shame in that. It shares my exact wavelength and power,” Loki said, scanning the battlefield, his gaze landing on Fenrir.

He spread his arms. ”Slightly lesser, but—”

GRRRRRR!

Space warped on both sides of him.

Two massive wolves emerged, gray-furred with red visages, sharp fangs, and claws.

No way...!

’AROOOOOOOOO!’

’AROOOOOOOOO!’

The wolves howled.

”Meet Sköll and Hati, Fenrir’s offspring,” Loki said. ”Lesser than their parent, but their fangs can still slay gods—and you.”

Are you kidding me!? Nobody said Fenrir had kids! These monsters show up at the worst possible time!

Loki pointed at Barakiel and the others. ”Sköll, Hati, those are the ones who bound your father. Tear them apart!”

The wolves charged, one toward Barakiel and Vali’s team, the other at Tannin-ossan and Kiba’s group.

This is bad!

I tried to chase them, pain be damned, but Loki blocked me. ”Not so fast.”

Damn it! My friends are in danger!

”Vali, you good?” I asked.

Vali, healed by Phoenix Tears, nodded. ”Lost some blood, but I’m fine.”

”Alright, let’s take this bastard down quick.”

I flared crimson aura. The blood loss made me shaky, but we could still fight.

The problem: how to beat Loki. He’s seen our moves, and he’ll be wary of Vali’s new technique.

”Figured out how to defeat me yet?” Loki taunted, eyeing us like he was eager to see our next move.

Cocky bastard...

Then, his shadow spread.

”If you won’t come, I’ll start,” he said.

From the shadow emerged giant serpents—no, slender dragons! Familiar ones, smaller but unmistakable.

”Tch! Mass-produced Midgardsormrs too!?” Tia spat, glaring while battling Hel.

Dozens of dragon-like creatures, Tannin-ossan’s size, appeared.

”Time to exterminate,” Loki said. ”Hel, do it.”

”Understood, Father,” Hel grinned, retreating from Tia. A massive purple magic circle, fifty meters wide, formed around her.

No way...!

”Issei! Stop Hel! We can’t let her summon more!” Vali shouted.

”Got it! Vali, Miu, help out!”

The president and Akeno-san unleashed their full-power attacks on Hel, each capable of reducing most foes to dust.

But—

”Think I’ll let you?” Loki blocked them with layered defensive magic circles.

We broke a few, but none reached Hel.

Her circle completed. Chanting, she cried gleefully, ”Come, my darling minions! Crush these fools!”

’ROOOOAR!’

’GRAAAAH!’

Monsters flooded the battlefield, over a thousand strong.

We were too late!

But they’re not individually strong. We can wipe them out!

”Vali, Tia, Miu and I will handle the monsters. Cover us! President, help Kiba’s group!” I ordered.

”Got it. Loki, round two,” Vali said.

”Hel, you’re mine!” Tia roared.

I shifted to Eclipse mode as Vali and Tia charged Loki and Hel. The president’s group joined Tannin-ossan to fight the child Fenrirs and clone Midgardsormrs.

”No problem!” Tannin-ossan’s flames and Barakiel’s lightning blasted the clone Midgardsormrs. Dragon King and fallen angel elite—no joke!

”Hya!” ”Yuto, pin the Fenrir! Xenovia, strike the opening!” Biken and the president shouted.

The Occult Research Club and Vali’s team battled the child Fenrirs fiercely.

”Bloom, Holy-Demonic Sword!” Kiba stabbed the ground, summoning countless swords to pierce a child Fenrir.

As it staggered, Xenovia fired her Durandal Cannon, followed by Akeno-san’s lightning, Irina’s light spears, and Reina’s gunfire.

The Fenrir’s gray fur stained red with its blood. Our teamwork was landing hits!

But the child Fenrir counterattacked as if unscathed. What a beast...

BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOM!

Explosions echoed. Vali unleashed layered magical and Norse attacks, undeterred by his exhaustion. His power’s unreal.

”Well done mastering Norse magic so quickly, White Dragon Emperor! But it’s not enough!” Loki slashed through Vali’s attacks with Laevateinn, countering with his own Norse magic.

”Magic’s your forte, huh? Then—!” Vali switched to close combat, dodging Laevateinn and landing punches.

Nearby, Tia and Hel clashed fiercely.

”Hmph!” Tia, now in dragon form, shattered Hel’s magic circles with her fists.

”Magic’s a waste on you. Fists it is,” Tia growled.

”Think you can win?” Hel retorted, firing dense magical bullets from a glowing purple circle. Even a graze would hurt bad.

”You won’t beat me with that!” Tia’s breath canceled every bullet.

Neither landed nor took significant damage. Tia can handle Hel alone.

I need to clear these monsters and help Kiba’s group, then we’ll take down Loki and Hel together!

”Let’s do this, Miu!”

”Yeah!”

I deployed all cannons; Miu summoned countless magic circles. We ascended, overlooking the monster horde. The clone fight drained us, but no choice!

’GRAAAH!’

Hel’s winged monsters charged me, some heading for Kiba’s group, Vali, and Tia.

Ddraig, can we minimize power per shot for rapid fire?

’Yes, I’ve adjusted for that scenario.’

Nice!

Let’s do it!

’Understood.’

My cannons split into Gatling-style barrels, optimized for rapid fire. Less power, less strain, and safer for allies.

”Here we go! Revolving Full Burst!!”

’Full Throttle Blast!!’

My cannons spun, raining aura bullets on the monsters like a storm. Each shot was weaker but enough to kill.

I weaved through the air, shooting down monsters swarming my allies.

”Wind, lend me your power!” Miu raised her palm.

Wind swirled, forming three massive tornadoes around her, sucking in over a hundred monsters, shredding them to dust.

Miu’s magic keeps getting stronger!

We’re thinning them out, but there are too many.

”We’ll get overwhelmed!” I shouted.

”I know!” Miu replied.

Their sheer numbers pinned us down. We don’t have time for this!

”Issei-kun, dodge!” Kiba yelled.

Sensing danger, I turned.

Fenrir lunged from the side, its jaws piercing my armor.

”Gah!” I spat blood.

How!? It was bound by Gleipnir!

I glanced at its binding spot—one child Fenrir was chewing through Gleipnir, freeing it.

They got caught off guard while fighting the clones and the other child Fenrir!

Fenrir thrashed, slamming me into the rocky ground. Unbearable pain surged as its fangs dug deeper.

Blood poured out. I’ll pass out from blood loss soon!

I tried prying its jaws open, but my strength failed.

”Let go of Onii-chan!” Miu slashed Fenrir with wind blades, but it didn’t flinch.

She kept attacking, undeterred.

Annoyed, Fenrir swiped, tearing into Miu. She collapsed, blood spraying.

”You bastard!” I roared.

I won’t forgive you!

My grip on its fangs cracked them.

”RAAAAH!!”

I forced its jaws open.

’BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBoost!!’

”Point-blank! Take this!!”

I formed an aura blast in its mouth, detonating it. The explosion let me break free, tumbling across the ground.

Huge holes in my back and abdomen gushed blood. This is bad... I overdid it.

No time to worry about myself! Miu needs help!

”Haa... Miu, I’m coming!”

Trembling, I pulled out another Phoenix Tears vial. Lucky we front-liners got multiple.

Asia was busy healing Xenovia and the president. She couldn’t reach Miu.

I poured the tears on Miu. Smoke rose as her wounds closed.

”Ugh...” she groaned.

”You okay, Miu?”

”Y-Yeah, thanks... But your wounds! Heal them!”

”Right.”

I reached for another vial, but—

’AROOOOO!’

Fenrir, stunned from my attack, howled and glared at me, furious. Guess even it couldn’t block a mouth blast, but it’s still moving.

I could barely stand.

Miu stepped in front of me. ”Miu!?”

”Heal quick! I’ll hold it off!”

”Idiot! Run!”

”No way I’m leaving you!”

Damn it... what do I do? We’ll both die!

Fenrir charged.

I’ll protect Miu at least!

I yanked her behind me as Fenrir’s jaws loomed.

’I won’t let you!’

Black mist enveloped us, blocking Fenrir’s attack, shielding us from its fangs.

Fenrir recoiled, startled. Miu and I stood frozen, confused.

’God-slaying wolf, no matter your power, I won’t let you kill them!’

A deep male voice addressed Fenrir.

’Begone!’

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