High School DxD: Return of the Crimson Dragon Emperor

Chapter 529: Chapter 519 Grasping Ignis’s hilt with both hands

Grasping Ignis’s hilt with both hands, I used my forward momentum to deliver a heavy slash! Asem blocked Ignis’s blade with the shaft of his scythe and remarked smoothly:

”I see. The sword that defeated Losward could certainly slay me as well. Well, assuming that blade can actually reach me.”

He was right. No matter how superior a weapon might be, it meant nothing if it couldn’t land a strike. The gap in sheer power separating us was absolute. Unless I bridged that divide, Ignis would never touch him.

—Then I just have to break past it!

Swinging Ignis to push Asem back, I unleashed a radiant aura of rainbow light from every pore of my body.

This was going to be reckless as hell...! If this failed, I’d truly be out of options!

”I have to bet everything on this! Haaaaaaaah...!”

I activated the Reiterative Circulation Ki Method at absolute maximum output. Absorbing energy far beyond my normal limits from the surroundings, I funneled it through my entire body. Channeling ki into my brain as well, I forced my mind into the Zone.

”...?! What is this...?!”

Asem uttered a rare gasp of shock at the explosive surge in my power. Even as he spoke, my strength multiplied exponentially—fivefold, sixfold, sevenfold, eightfold! With every stage of amplification, my body screamed in agony...

Discarding any thought of a prolonged fight, this was a form built purely for instantaneous high-output combat...! Using the ultimate secret of the Reiterative Circulation Ki Method far beyond its absolute limit while in the Reformer state...!

”Fufu... Ahahaha...! To unleash this level of power at the absolute brink...! I’m thrilled, Hero-kun!”

With a ecstatic grin, Asem voiced his delight. But in that exact instant, I appeared right beside him.

Using my high-speed movement, I launched a right high kick. Yet my strike was caught by Asem’s arm—

”Too soft...!”

Infusing my voice with raw force, I drove the kick through his guard with everything I had. The moment I swung through, I caught a glimpse of cracks forming across his armor—

”What—”

Blown sideways by the impact, Asem crashed through the tower wall and burst out into the open sky once more. He flipped mid-air, attempting to stabilize his posture—but by then, I was already directly beneath him.

Driving upward, I launched a brutal upper-cut aimed straight at Asem’s jaw.

A deafening shockwave shattered the air as Asem was launched straight up into the clouds. Still, the fact that he managed to launch an attack back at me even while airborne showed just how formidable he was. Constructing a massive, dense spear of energy in his hand, he hurled it down at me!

Raising Ignis, I unleashed the True Crimson Flame that burns away all creation. Red-hot fire swept through the area, incinerating Asem’s spear into nothingness!

As Ignis’s flames dominated the sky, Asem charged straight through the inferno. Kicking upward at my wrist, he knocked Ignis out of my grip.

”Tch...!”

Grabbing Asem by the leg, I hurled him toward the tower with all my strength. As he slammed into the wall spread-eagled, I closed in on his position—

”Take this...!”

I buried my fist deep into Asem’s abdomen. Alongside a thunderous blast that shook the very atmosphere, the impact of my punch shattered the wall of the giant tower. Asem crashed through the structure’s interior and burst out through the opposite wall—

”Oooohaaaaaaaaah!”

I unleashed a barrage of rapid-fire punches.

My body was already at its absolute limit...! If I didn’t bring him down right here, there wouldn’t be a next time...!

Wreathed in concentrated aura, I channeled every remaining drop of strength into a final, decisive strike—only for it to be stopped just before reaching Asem. Before I realized it, Asem’s left hand had clamped down on my right wrist—followed by the horrific sound of bones shattering into pieces.

”Guaaaaaaaaaagh!”

An agonizing pain tore through my right arm. As I stumbled backward, a devastating shockwave struck me square in the stomach. I was sent sliding across the desert terrain on my back.

”Guh... ah, ugh...!”

Letting out a pained groan, I somehow managed to push my upper body up. My right hand burned like it was on fire. Looking down, my hand hung limply from the wrist. The joint had been completely crushed—it looked as though it was held together by nothing more than skin.

”That was a splendid display of power.”

Hearing that voice, I looked up toward the sky to see Asem floating calmly. Wings of light fully extended, he descended with effortless grace, showing not a single trace of damage.

Then, as if reading my thoughts, Asem added:

”Oh, I took damage. But it wasn’t enough to defeat me.”

...Give me a break. That’s another piece of news I really didn’t want to hear. Even after taking that continuous barrage head-on, that’s all he has to say? I used up every last drop of my remaining stamina and ki! And it still wasn’t enough to take him down?!

The chances of turning this around from here were practically zero. My trump card was gone, and my right hand was completely destroyed. I knew it myself: if that assault failed, there was no coming back. To anyone watching, it was obvious I had no path to victory left.

And yet—

”Like hell... I’m... giving up...!”

With my battered, broken body, I forced myself to stand. Even like this, my body could still move. If I could move, I could still fight. The chances of winning were close to zero—but they weren’t zero.

”You’re still standing? Your body shouldn’t even be capable of fighting anymore. Even your rainbow radiance has faded.”

Following Asem’s observation, I looked down at myself. Just as he said, the rainbow light had vanished, and I had reverted from my Reformer form back to normal.

”Shall we end this?”

”...Don’t go deciding things on your own. I’m still standing, aren’t I?”

Glaring at Asem, I spat back through the pain. Hearing my response, Asem spread his butterfly wings wide.

”Unlike before, I won’t hold back in this fight. Allow me to face you with my full strength until the very end.”

Asem spoke in a quiet, solemn tone. At that exact moment, his ominously colored butterfly wings fluttered, scattering black particles into the surrounding air like a cloud of toxic scales. The dark dust swirled around me, coalescing into a jet-black sphere that trapped me inside.

”What is... this...?”

Reaching out with my left hand to touch the inner wall of the sphere—my fingertips immediately dissolved into dust. Before I knew it, my toes and shoulders were suffering the same fate; the swirling forces within the sphere were decomposing my body at the cellular level.

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