High School DxD: Return of the Crimson Dragon Emperor

Chapter 443: Chapter 433 In terms of sheer destructive power

In terms of sheer destructive power, she was filling the hole left by Issei-kun’s absence. It was almost absurd.

Her movement had evolved as well. She moved with a wild, formless freedom, dodging the dragons’ claws by hair’s breadths before delivering crushing counterattacks.

Dragon fire and heavy blows whistled past her, never finding their mark. Even when surrounded on all four sides and subjected to a synchronized assault, she evaded everything. It wasn’t just speed; it was pure, refined instinct.

She was reading the battlefield through her sword and her skin. She had stepped into that realm where she was truly ”one” with her partners, Durandal and Excalibur.

Unlike her previous style, which was raw and reckless, there was a certain grace to her violence now. It was almost beautiful.

Xenovia crossed the two holy swords above her head. A massive, quietly burning blue aura coalesced around the blades.

Her eyes glowed with an ethereal blue light as she spoke:

”—Cross Crisis.”

The twin holy swords, wrapped in an impossibly heightened aura, swung down in a silent flash.

”Incredible... she’s on a completely different level than before,” Akeno-san murmured.

Her gaze was fixed on the space Xenovia had just struck—or rather, what was left of it. The very fabric of the dimension had fractured like shattered glass, revealing the void of the Dimensional Gap beyond the cracks.

Xenovia’s powered-up Cross Crisis hadn’t just annihilated thousands of dragons; it had torn a hole in the sky.

This wasn’t just an improvement; it was a total transformation. She had become a one-woman army.

Irina puffed out her chest proudly. ”That’s Xenovia’s new power! The ultimate evolution of a meathead!”

Even from a distance, Xenovia’s voice drifted back to us.

”I can hear you, Irina! You could at least find a nicer way to say it! More importantly, did you see that? Me, Durandal, and Excalibur—we’ve reached a whole new summit!”

Xenovia thrust Durandal toward the sky and laughed triumphantly.

Well... I have to agree with Irina on the ’meathead’ part, I thought. Her power and movement were unrecognizable, but deep down... she was still the same Xenovia.

Maurice-san chuckled as he continued to mop up the remaining dragons.

”Eh, let her have it. If you refine ’meathead’ enough, that’s the result you get.”

”I... I suppose so,” Rias-senpai said, sounding a bit dazed. ”I’m thrilled she’s grown so strong. But is it just me, or has her ’power-over-everything’ mindset actually gotten worse?”

”Rias-san, I’m sure Xenovia is going to cause plenty of trouble from here on out, so please forgive her in advance. She doesn’t mean any harm,” Irina said, offering a small apologetic bow.

The rest of the group seemed to be sharing a similar mix of joy and concern...

”I’m going to cry! I’m seriously going to start crying! Doesn’t anyone have anything else to say about my performance!?” Xenovia shouted.

Thanks to Xenovia’s breakthrough, tens of thousands of Evil Dragons had been purged. It looked like the path to the ’Gate’ was finally clear, but...

”Naturally, the enemy won’t make it that easy,” Rias-senpai said, her expression hardening as she looked toward the Gate.

Xenovia’s Cross Crisis had cleared the way, but as if to undo her work, a fresh legion of dragons began pouring out of the Gate like a flood. Xenovia could likely handle them, but she couldn’t keep that pace up forever.

”Fufu, well then, I suppose I should show off the results of my training too! I can’t let Xenovia have all the glory!”

Irina leaped away from our side and landed next to Xenovia.

”Ready?” Xenovia asked.

”You bet! I’m going to go all out—for my Darlin’s sake, too!”

Irina looked up at the sky and clasped her hands in prayer. She closed her eyes, her spirit focusing into a silent, powerful plea.

In the next instant, a blinding light enveloped her. Her pure white wings—the proof of her status as an angel—and the halo above her head began to pulse with a golden radiance. The light intensified until her physical form began to shift.

The golden light gathered at her back, manifesting into wings. Four pairs—eight wings in total—shimmered into existence, spreading wide behind her.

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