High School DxD: Return of the Crimson Dragon Emperor

Chapter 167: Chapter 162: The One Cursed by God

[Kiba Side]

”Vali, quite the dramatic entrance,” Cao Cao said with a wry smile.

Vali teleported in, swapping places with Fenrir?

Lefay, drawing a circle in the air with her magic wand, explained, ”We summoned Vali-sama using a teleportation method by swapping with Fenrir-chan.”

As expected.

Vali continued, ”Fenrir’s fighting Bikou and the Hero Faction’s secondary team in my place. I anticipated this and set up insurance. Now, shall we settle this, Cao Cao? Just you and Georg—bold move.”

Cao Cao smirked. ”Not bold. Just confident we’re enough.”

”Cocky,” Vali replied. ”This involves the ’Dragon Eater,’ right? A Sacred Gear holder specialized in dragon-slaying, or perhaps a new Longinus user?”

Cao Cao shook his head. ”No. ’Dragon Eater’ is a codename we gave an existing entity, not our creation. It was made by the ’God of the Bible.’”

Georg spoke up, ”Cao Cao, is this okay?”

”It’s time, Georg. No Red Dragon Emperor, but Ophis, Vali, Azazel, and the strongest young devil team are here. Perfect audience. Let’s open the gates of hell.”

”Got it. Time to devour the infinite,” Georg said, summoning a massive magic circle.

ZOOOOOOM!

The hotel shook violently. A dark, sinister aura seeped from the circle, chilling me to the core. Even Azazel and Vali were sweating. What is this?

A massive figure emerged from the circle, crucified on a cross. Restraints bound its body, inscribed with eerie symbols. Blood tears streamed from covered eyes.

Is that... a dragon? Black wings like a fallen angel’s, a serpentine lower body with scales, and countless nails driven into its hands, tail, and wings. A punishment fit for a heinous sinner.

[”OOOOOOOOOHHH...”]

Its eerie wail echoed, dripping blood and saliva onto the floor—a voice filled with pain, envy, and hatred.

Azazel’s face twisted with rage. ”You... unleashed this thing from Cocytus’s seal!?”

Cao Cao stepped forward, raising a finger. ”Known as ’God’s Poison,’ ’God’s Malice.’ The forbidden being who tempted Adam and Eve with the fruit of knowledge. Cursed by the now-dead God of the Bible, the original sin—Samael, the Dragon Eater.”

Shock rippled through us.

Samael. I know the name. The serpent who tricked Adam and Eve, incurring God’s wrath. It’s why dragons are depicted as evil in church texts. God’s malice, impossible for a holy being, was poured into Samael.

Azazel continued, ”Samael affects more than dragons and could extinct them, so it was sealed in Cocytus’s depths. Its curse is the ultimate dragon-slayer, too dangerous to exist. You... worked with Hades!?”

”Correct,” Cao Cao said. ”We negotiated with Hades, setting multiple restrictions to summon Samael.”

”You bastard! All factions agreed to keep Samael sealed! Did Zeus’s cooperation with us piss Hades off that much!?” Azazel spat.

Hades aiding the Hero Faction? This could spark chaos among factions!

Cao Cao twirled his Holy Spear, pointing it at us. ”Samael’s curse devours and kills dragons. It’s far beyond dragon-slaying holy swords like Ascalon—a toothpick in comparison.”

Even Ascalon, capable of killing Dragon Kings, is nothing to Samael?

”What’s your plan? Exterminate dragons? Or... target Ophis?” Azazel demanded.

Cao Cao grinned wickedly and snapped his fingers. ”Devour.”

WHOOSH!

Something shot past us.

CRUNCH!

A bizarre swallowing sound echoed. A black mass formed where Ophis stood, sprouting tentacles from Samael’s tongue.

”Ophis! Answer me!” Azazel shouted. No response.

”Yuuto, cut it!” Buchou ordered.

I summoned a holy-demonic sword and slashed the mass, but the blade’s tip vanished on contact. Did it erase my attack?

I recreated the sword and struck again—same result. The blade split in two.

”Half Dimension!” Vali activated his Divine Dividing wings, warping space to halve everything. The black mass and tentacles were unaffected.

”Then this!” Vali fired a massive magic wave. The mass swallowed it.

”Destruction magic!” Buchou unleashed her Power of Destruction, joined by Akeno and Xenovia. The mass didn’t budge.

Is it indestructible, or does it nullify all attacks?

Samael’s tentacles pulsed, feeding something to its mouth, as if draining Ophis.

Vali donned his white armor. ”Samael, plus two top-tier Longinus users. No shortage of foes.”

Kuroka and Lefay readied for battle. Azazel donned golden armor, I summoned another sword, and Buchou and Akeno surged with magic. We were all in combat mode.

Cao Cao laughed maniacally. ”With this lineup, I need to get serious. Hades only allowed one use of Samael. If we fail, our plan’s done. Georg, control Samael. I’ll handle them.”

”Can you take on Vali, Azazel, and the Gremory team alone?” Georg asked.

”I planned for the Red Dragon Emperor too. This is easier,” Cao Cao replied, his spear glowing. ”Balance Break.”

A radiant halo appeared behind him, surrounded by seven bowling-ball-sized orbs. ”This is my True Longinus’s Balance Breaker, Polar Night Longinus Chakravartin—still incomplete.”

Azazel shouted, ”A subspecies!? Past True Longinus users had True Longinus Götterdämmerung! You’re claiming to be a Chakravartin? Those orbs—I don’t know them!”

”I swapped ’Chakra’ for ’Ten’ (heaven). Cooler, right?” Cao Cao smirked, tapping his spear.

The ultimate Longinus’s subspecies Balance Breaker.

Vali warned, ”Careful. It’s called Seven Treasures, with seven abilities, one per orb. Five are known, all deadly. The strongest Longinus, wielded by the strongest human.”

Even Vali acknowledges him.

In Kyoto, Ise beat Cao Cao without his Sacred Gear, but it was close. A surprise attack saved him; otherwise, he’d have lost, even with his gear.

Cao Cao extended his hand. An orb moved forward. ”First treasure—Ratna.”

The orb vanished. CRASH! A shattering sound echoed. Xenovia’s Ex-Durandal broke—Excalibur’s sheath scattered, and Durandal’s blade was damaged.

”Ratna destroys weapons. Only the most skilled can resist,” Cao Cao said.

BOOM! Blood sprayed from Xenovia’s abdomen—a hole pierced through.

She collapsed, spitting blood, clearly fatal.

”I morphed Chandra into a spear to pierce her. If you didn’t see it, you can’t beat me, Durandal user,” Cao Cao said.

We scattered. ”Heal Xenovia, Asia!” Buchou ordered.

Asia, stunned, snapped to and rushed to Xenovia. ”Nooo!” she cried, starting healing.

Damn you, Cao Cao!

”I won’t forgive you!” I charged with my sword.

He parried effortlessly with his spear, pulling another orb. ”Natha.”

The orb shot toward Buchou and Akeno. They tried to attack, but—

”Burst!” Cao Cao commanded. The orb glowed, enveloping them.

They tried to counter, but no attacks came. They stared at their hands, confused.

”Natha seals the powers of women with special abilities for a time. Only the strongest can resist. That’s three,” Cao Cao said.

Even Buchou and Akeno were neutralized. Xenovia, Irina, and Asia are likely vulnerable too, especially Asia, healing Xenovia.

Cao Cao laughed, reveling in the fight. ”In this confined space, I’ll take you all down with minimal moves to protect Samael and Georg. A high-difficulty mission!”

Azazel and Vali charged in golden and white armor. ”Vali, sync with me!” Azazel yelled.

”I prefer solo, but fine!” Vali replied.

Their spear and fist struck, but Cao Cao dodged effortlessly. ”He’s in his Zone,” I realized. Like Ise, he sees everything in slow motion.

”Know about Evil Eyes?” Cao Cao said. ”I transplanted one to replace what the Red Dragon Emperor took. My new eye.”

Azazel’s feet began to petrify. ”Medusa’s Eye!?” he shouted.

CRASH! Cao Cao shattered Azazel’s armor, piercing his abdomen.

”What... absurd strength!” Azazel collapsed, blood pouring.

”I fought you before, so I prepared. Without your Zone, you can’t touch me, right, Vali?” Cao Cao said, pulling his spear.

”Cao Cao!” Vali roared, firing a massive magic blast.

An orb flew forward. ”Mani—redirects attacks,” Cao Cao said. A black vortex swallowed Vali’s magic.

BOOM! An explosion rocked behind me. Kuroka, shielding Koneko, was battered.

”Sister... why!?” Koneko cried.

”I’m your big sis...” Kuroka collapsed, bleeding.

”Cao Cao, you hurt my team!” Vali roared, aura surging.

”You care too much about your comrades. Your weakness,” Cao Cao taunted. ”Now only you know all seven treasures.”

”I’ll show you! I, who shall awaken, am the White Dragon Emperor who—”

Vali began his Juggernaut Drive chant.

Here!?

Cao Cao shouted, ”Georg! Juggernaut Drive could destroy this space!”

”Got it! Samael!” Georg extended his hand, activating a magic circle. Samael’s right arm restraint broke.

[”OOOOOOOOOHHH!”]

Samael’s hand targeted Vali, enveloping him in a black mass like Ophis’s.

BOOM! The mass exploded, shattering Vali’s armor and spraying blood.

”Gah!” Vali collapsed.

”How’s God’s poison, Vali? Tasty for dragons? I can’t let you rampage in Juggernaut Drive. I’m just a weak human, hitting weak points,” Cao Cao mocked.

”Cao Cao!” Vali glared.

”Even Ophis is helpless before Samael—her natural enemy. Our theory was right,” Cao Cao said, tapping his spear.

The black mass around Ophis writhed, draining her.

Cao Cao counted us. ”Vali and Azazel down. Threats left: Kiba’s holy-demonic sword, Michael’s angel, and Lefay.”

Lefay froze, unsure. Honestly, I’m at a loss too. Anger burns, but rushing in means instant death. My other Balance Breaker...?

Then—

”You hurt Xenovia! My friends!” Irina charged with her light sword, blinded by rage.

”Irina, no! You’ll die!” Buchou shouted.

I ran to stop her, but I wouldn’t make it.

Cao Cao twirled his spear, exasperated. ”Another one down?”

Then—

”Charging a stronger foe is reckless, Irina. Didn’t I say that before?” A figure intercepted, grabbing Irina and landing before us.

”Sorry I’m late,” Ise said.

”Ise... kun?” Irina whispered, held in his arms.

He set her down, patting her head. ”You okay, Irina? Looks like you had fun, Cao Cao.”

”Been waiting, Red Dragon Emperor,” Cao Cao replied.

[Kiba Side Out]

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