High School DxD: Return of the Crimson Dragon Emperor

Chapter 154: Chapter 150: Full Power vs. Full Power

Rias and I stood on a vast, empty plain—the final team battle’s field. Nothing around. Perfect for going all out.

The announcer’s voice boomed, ”The Bael vs. Gremory youth showdown reaches its climax! A team battle, proposed by Sairaorg! Bael’s King Sairaorg and the mysterious masked Soldier, Regulus! Gremory’s true Switch Princess, Rias, and the Oppai Dragon—er, Red Dragon Emperor, Issei Hyoudou!”

Our intro’s awful! Rias’s face turned red.

”Oppai Dragon... they slipped up,” Ddraig sobbed.

Guess Oppai Dragon’s stuck. Kids cheered, ”Zum-zum!” ”Oppai!” Miu and others shouted support, though Irina’s ”heaven’s blessing” was off—we’re devils.

Asia stayed behind. As a healer, she’d be targeted first. Sairaorg wouldn’t aim for her, but stray attacks could hit. Her defense magic can’t handle Sairaorg or his Soldier (7 pieces). Sorry, Asia, sit this out.

”Final match, begin!” the referee signaled.

Our gazes locked, tension rising. Sairaorg chuckled, ”Rias, your servants are incredible, fiercely loyal. They were formidable.”

His praise meant Kiba’s team’s sacrifices weren’t in vain.

”Only Kings and Soldiers remain. The end’s near,” he said, facing me. ”Issei Hyoudou, we’ve made it.”

”Since our spar in Gremory Castle’s basement,” I replied. That time, we held back.

”Let’s go all out,” Sairaorg said.

”Planned to. Rias, step back,” I said.

”Regulus, you too,” Sairaorg ordered.

We grinned, ”Let’s pick up where we left off!”

BOOM! My red aura and Sairaorg’s white battle aura erupted, cratering the ground, cracking the earth. The clashing auras whipped up a windstorm, forcing Rias and Regulus back.

”What a clash! They’re testing strength with raw aura!” the announcer shouted.

”Those dense auras would burn weaker foes just by proximity,” Azazel added.

I pushed hard, but Sairaorg stood unfazed. ”You’ve grown since our spar. Tannin’s training paid off,” Azazel noted.

He’s bottomless. Time to move!

We dropped our auras, taking stances. A brief stare-down, then we charged.

”HAAA!” ”RAAA!” Our right straights collided, shaking the air, cratering the ground. His power surged through my fist.

We stepped back. I kicked the ground, using Renkan Keikikou to boost speed, weaving around. Sairaorg matched me, closing in. Our fists, cloaked in aura, unleashed a flurry—dodging, parrying, striking.

”Your attacks are sharper! Even I’d take heavy damage!” Sairaorg said.

”Your unshackled power’s insane!” I shot back.

His punches tore my clothes with their force. I absorbed ambient energy, channeling it into my right fist, and swung.

He dodged, my punch carving a trench far into the distance. Damn, he’s fast!

Sairaorg flanked my right, elbow poised. I pivoted, kicking, but he shifted, grabbing my leg to slam me. I fired a zero-range energy blast, forcing him to release and retreat.

We paused, catching our breath. His power was unreal.

Then, Regulus caught my eye, unmasking—a boy our age, transforming with a CRACK! His body swelled, sprouting golden fur, fangs, a tail, becoming a massive lion, 5-6 meters tall, with a forehead jewel.

”What?!” I gasped.

”Bael’s mystery Soldier—a giant lion!” the announcer exclaimed.

”That’s... the Nemean Lion? No, that jewel...” Azazel muttered, realizing something.

”What is it?” the announcer asked.

”The Nemean Lion from Hercules’s trials, sealed by the Biblical God as a Longinus, ’Regulus Nemea.’ It can split the earth and take lion form. Its owner vanished years ago... but it’s Bael’s Soldier?!” Azazel said.

A Longinus as a devil?! How?!

Sairaorg explained, ”Its original owner was killed by shady figures. I found the axe, the Longinus, alone. Normally, it’d fade without an owner, but it transformed into a lion, annihilating the killers.”

A Longinus acting independently? ”Ddraig, ever heard of this?” I asked.

”Never. When my hosts die, I lose consciousness until the next,” Ddraig replied.

”I made it my servant then. My mother’s lion-taming Vapula bloodline called to it,” Sairaorg said.

”A sentient Longinus, reborn as a devil! Either the lion’s power or the Evil Piece’s doing. Rare!” Azazel grinned, eyes gleaming. ”Sairaorg, bring it to my lab!”

So, it’s unstable, uncontrollable without Sairaorg, explaining Kuisha’s solo fight.

”That’s my opponent, then,” Rias said, summoning her Ruin Extinct Dragon, a dragon-shaped aura of destruction, like Akeno’s.

Why dragons? ”Akeno said it’s your influence, Issei,” Ignis teased.

We charged—my fists at Sairaorg, Rias’s dragon at Regulus.

Our close-range brawl intensified, faster, sharper, stronger. Sairaorg’s punch grazed my cheek, drawing blood. I parried, grabbed his arm, and kicked, cracking the air.

”Guh!” Sairaorg grimaced—blood seeped from his arm, where Kiba and Xenovia struck.

I grinned. ”Kiba, Xenovia, Rossweisse—your baton’s received!”

I ducked, driving an elbow into Sairaorg’s gut. BOOM! He staggered. I twisted, kicking his jaw, launching him upward. Chasing, I unleashed a seven-hit combo of punches and kicks, bending him midair.

Wings spread, I overtook him, ”This is for my fallen comrades!” A full-swing roundhouse sent him crashing, forming a massive crater.

”Did it land?! Issei’s flurry hit! Can Sairaorg stand?!” the announcer yelled.

Normally, no one would. I poured everything into that.

But—CRASH! Sairaorg rose, dusting off. ”Strong... incredible!” He wiped blood, grinning.

He’d focused his aura to lessen the damage. Masterful.

Rias screamed. She knelt, bloodied, breathing heavily. Regulus, smoking but standing, loomed over her.

”Rias!” I fired a shockwave, blowing Regulus back. He landed unfazed, but I’d separated them.

Catching Rias, I asked, ”You okay?”

”Yes...” she gasped, bleeding heavily. She’d retire from blood loss soon, costing us the match.

I grabbed a vial from her pocket. ”Using this.”

”Sorry... I’m dragging you down,” she said.

”No. That Longinus is a beast,” I replied, applying Phenix Tears to heal her wounds.

One less trump card.

”Sairaorg-sama! Wear me! With that Balance Breaker, you can—” Regulus roared.

Wear him? Balance Breaker?

”Silence! That power’s for the Underworld’s crises only! I’ll face this man with my body alone!” Sairaorg snapped.

Ddraig’s voice boomed, ”You demand others’ full power but hold back? Pathetic!”

”Easy, Ddraig,” I said, but I agreed. ”My comrades and yours gave everything! Bring it all, Sairaorg, and I’ll answer in kind!”

No holding back. We clash with everything.

Sairaorg paused. ”I was wrong. Demanding your all while restraining mine is dishonorable. I’ve shamed my servants.” His power surged. ”I want to defeat you! For my dream, for my fallen comrades! Regulus!”

”Yes!” Regulus glowed golden, merging into Sairaorg.

”This is a death match!” Sairaorg declared, cloaked in light. ”My lion, Nemean King! Become my armor!”

The field shook, unable to withstand the power. Light faded, revealing Sairaorg in golden lion armor, mane-like fur on the helm.

”Regulus Nemea’s Balance Breaker—Regulus Rey Leather Rex! I’ll kill you, Issei Hyoudou!”

I grinned, armoring up, sparking into Tenbu Zenon. ”Round two, full power!”

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