[Kiba Side]

Sairaorg Bael ordered his massive lion, Regulus, to stay put and shed his jacket.

His chiseled, muscular frame came into view, radiating an intense battle aura.

"I'd just finished cleaning up the Old Demon Faction remnants rampaging in the capital when I spotted Saji Genshirou transformed into a black dragon from afar. I sensed a powerful force emerging too… That was you, wasn't it, Kiba Yuuto? You've changed quite a bit since we last met. Have you gained new power?"

Sairaorg Bael studied me with a grin.

Well, changed is an understatement—my outfit's completely different.

Gone was the Kuoh Academy uniform. Now, I wore a black coat and dark clothes, accented with white lines, nearly pitch-black from head to toe.

By the way, my demonic swords are sheathed and stored in my personal pocket dimension.

I returned his smile. "Yes. Thanks to Issei-kun… and everyone else, I gained this power."

"I see. Next time we spar, I might need to use the Lion's Mantle against you."

Haha…

That'd be tough, wouldn't it?

I can't imagine beating you at full strength, someone who can go toe-to-toe with a serious Issei-kun.

Hercules grinned gleefully at Sairaorg's arrival. "The heir of House Bael, huh? The Great King Bael family, famed for their Power of Destruction, and you're the dud born without it. A devil who only fights with his fists? Hahaha, never heard of anything so ridiculous!"

Sairaorg's expression didn't waver at Hercules's taunts.

Given his life, those words were probably just a drop in the bucket of insults he's endured.

"You, who inherited the soul of the hero Hercules," Sairaorg said.

"Yeah, that's me, Bael-san," Hercules replied.

Sairaorg stepped toward him, his voice resolute. "—As Kiba Yuuto said, a weakling like you could never be a hero."

Hercules's forehead twitched, his pride clearly stung.

"That's rich! Alright, Georg, Jeanne! This guy's mine!"

"Sure, I'll take on the holy-demonic sword guy then," Jeanne said, eyeing me. "He looks like he's got an interesting transformation going on."

Georg closed his eyes, silently agreeing to their choices.

So, Jeanne's my opponent…

She fixed me with a fearless smirk. "I can't believe you took down Siegfried. He had that, didn't he?"

"You mean the 'Demonification' drug?" I asked.

"Oh, so you know about it. Don't tell me you beat him after he used it?"

"What if I did?"

"—! …Guess I can't hold back either, then. Fine."

Jeanne pulled a pistol-shaped syringe from her pocket and jabbed it into her neck.

Her body pulsed violently! A crushing pressure radiated from her, veins bulging across her face!

She staggered slightly but flashed a sinister grin. "Perfect. I can feel the power surging!"

As she roared, countless blades sprouted from the ground—holy swords created by her "Holy Sword Creation"!

She was supposed to have a subspecies Forbidden Hand that forms a dragon from holy swords.

But instead of a dragon, the swords enveloped her body—

A massive serpent, forged from holy swords, materialized before me!

Jeanne's upper body protruded from its head, her lower half fused with the serpent.

It almost resembled a lamia, a serpentine female monster.

"Hehe, not my favorite look, but the power's undeniable. Let's carve you up!"

Her voice was low and menacing.

The pressure she exuded had skyrocketed, a dangerous aura hitting me like Siegfried's had.

The old me might've been overwhelmed.

But now—

"If you think you can win, come at me," I said, pointing my holy-demonic sword at her. "No matter how much power you have, I'll surpass it all."

With everyone's feelings behind me, this form fears no enemy.

Her swords lack conviction. They can't beat me.

Jeanne's grin turned feral as she summoned a massive holy sword. "Fine! If you're that confident, let's see it!"

With a shout, she slithered forward at blinding speed, her serpent's coils writhing.

Fast.

I'd glimpsed her Forbidden Hand fighting Irina in Kyoto, but this was far quicker.

The "Demonification" drug's power-up was no joke!

She swung her giant holy sword while lashing out with the serpent's tail!

I dodged, and the attack cratered the ground with ease!

Her speed and power were on another level!

"Hahaha! All that big talk, and you can't even fight back! Here comes more!"

Jeanne laughed, ramping up her assault.

Holy sword attacks, boosted by her Gear's enhanced output under "Demonification."

As a devil, one hit could finish me.

But—

I swung my holy-demonic sword, aiming for the flat of her giant blade.

The moment my sword met hers—

Clang!

A sharp sound rang out as her massive holy sword split clean in two!

The hilt burst into flames, while the blade froze and shattered into fragile pieces upon hitting the ground.

"…!?"

Jeanne frantically tossed the flaming hilt, speechless at the result.

My Forbidden Hand Second Layer isn't just about boosted speed or power.

It condenses every sword I can create into one, wielding all attributes—fire, ice, lightning, you name it—in a single strike.

Normally, I'd need to recreate a sword to change attributes, but now? No delay, no reshaping, and I can use multiple attributes at once.

That includes a sword focused purely on destructive force.

Before Kokabiel's Excalibur fiasco, when I fought Xenovia, I was so heated I created a massive, sturdy demonic sword prioritizing raw power.

…It killed my speed, and Xenovia beat me.

But now, I can unleash that destructive force while maintaining my speed.

It's not on Ex-Durandal's absurd level, but it's more than enough to cleave Siegfried's enhanced body or snap Jeanne's holy sword in one strike.

I'm not yet worthy of the "Knight King" title, but with training, I'll get there.

"Your power and speed are up… but you're full of openings," I said.

"—!"

Nearby, Sairaorg Bael faced off against Hercules.

"They say you've got the Gear of the Nemean Lion, slain by the original Hercules," Hercules taunted. "—Ironic, huh, meeting me? You'll need it to stand a chance!"

"I won't use it," Sairaorg replied.

"What?"

Hercules's temple twitched.

"I said I won't use it," Sairaorg repeated. "I don't need the Lion's Mantle for the likes of you."

Hercules burst into laughter, as if he'd heard a joke. "Hahaha! You've got guts! My Gear can blow up anything! Even your battle aura won't save you!"

He lunged, both hands glowing with dangerous energy, grabbing Sairaorg's arms—

BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM!

Explosive attacks from his Gear erupted, smoke billowing around them.

Hercules's Gear ability triggers explosions with every hit. I'd seen its power in Kyoto—nothing to scoff at.

But—

"This all you've got?" Sairaorg said as the smoke cleared, standing unscathed.

Unharmed after taking those explosions point-blank…

Hercules, now fully enraged, amped up his power. "You're asking for it!"

He unleashed a flurry of punches, each triggering massive explosions that engulfed Sairaorg!

The force was so intense it covered the entire area!

When the explosions stopped, the street was reduced to rubble.

Hercules laughed triumphantly. "Hahahaha! See that?! Blown to bits in a second! Just a defective devil after all, relying on measly martial arts—"

He stopped, his voice catching.

His face twisted in shock.

Sairaorg Bael stood there, completely fine.

A bit of blood trickled from him, but that was it after those blasts.

Sairaorg sighed, looking at the stunned Hercules. "I had some hopes for a human inheriting the soul of hero Hercules… but you've thoroughly disappointed me."

He stepped closer, each stride exuding overwhelming pressure.

Hercules raised his hands, but Sairaorg closed the distance in an instant.

Purely head-on. His fighting style was awe-inspiring!

Hercules couldn't react, frozen as—

"My turn," Sairaorg said.

THUD!

A heavy, precise punch sank deep into Hercules's abdomen, the impact shattering a building wall behind him!

"—!?"

Hercules's face contorted in agony as he collapsed to his knees, spitting blood.

That was no minor hit.

Having taken one of Sairaorg's punches, I knew—no one walks away from that unscathed.

Sairaorg looked down at him. "What's wrong? That was just a punch."

Hercules, face twisted in fury, staggered to his feet. "Don't mock me… DON'T MOCK ME, YOU DAMN DEVIL!"

His body glowed, sprouting countless protrusions—his Forbidden Hand!

In Kyoto, its insane destructive power had overwhelmed Rossweisse!

Missiles launched across the city, obliterating everything they hit!

One flew straight at Sairaorg, but—

"Hmph!"

WHAM!

Sairaorg didn't dodge, knocking the missile away with a single punch!

Every missile that followed was swatted down effortlessly!

What a fist…

I knew his strength, but seeing it up close was staggering.

As I marveled at Sairaorg's power, Jeanne moved.

Maybe spurred by Hercules or frustrated at landing no hits, she aimed her serpent's belly at me, unleashing a storm of holy swords!

"Try this! Dodge, and you die! Don't, and your friends behind you die!"

Clever.

If I dodge, the swords will hit everyone else—or worse, the kids beyond them.

Then—

"HAAAAA!"

CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANG!

I swung my sword at blinding speed, striking down every holy sword!

My holy-demonic sword's black-and-white aura traced arcs of light, sparks flying with each deflected blade!

—If anything happens to those kids, we'll never chase Issei-kun's back again.

Exactly, Saji!

I feel the same!

I won't let these bastards take another step forward!

I knocked down the last holy sword and exhaled.

Some of Hercules's missiles had veered toward the kids, but Rossweisse's powerful defensive magic array blocked them completely.

Her trip to the Norse realms was to enhance her "Rook" traits, bolstering her defense with sturdy magic.

The Gremory familia keeps getting stronger.

As I admired our team's growth, cheers from the kids reached us.

"Lion-san! Keep it up!"

"Don't lose, Darkness Knight Fang!"

The cheers were for me and Sairaorg, facing the Hero Faction leaders.

Caught off guard, we both blinked in surprise.

"Hahaha! Not bad, Kiba Yuuto!" Sairaorg laughed.

"Absolutely!" I agreed.

This is the power kids' cheers give us!

I get how Issei-kun feels now.

Strength surged from deep within my body and soul!

"Now there's no way we'll lose to you," Sairaorg declared.

"Just because some brats cheer—" Hercules started.

"Don't get cocky!" Jeanne roared.

But in that moment—

A battle-aura-charged fist slammed into Hercules's face, and a dense aura-wreathed slash struck Jeanne—

Hercules and Jeanne collapsed, bleeding heavily.

Looking down at them, Sairaorg and I spoke in unison:

"'Those who can't even earn kids' cheers don't deserve to call themselves heroes!'"

Our auras surged even stronger, while despair clouded Hercules and Jeanne's faces.

Hercules reached into his pocket, pulling out a pistol-shaped syringe and a Phoenix Tear.

He plans to heal with the tear and then "Demonify"!

Jeanne's voice lit up. "Yes, Hercules! Use it! With 'Demonification,' you can blow this whole place apart!"

"Damn it all!" Hercules cursed, raising the syringe to his neck, but his hand trembled with hesitation.

Sairaorg challenged him. "What's the holdup? You can power up like her, right? Go ahead and use it. I don't care! If it makes you stronger, I'll gladly take you on and surpass you!"

His presence was majestic, unyielding.

Hercules's eyes welled with frustrated tears.

"Damn it all!" he roared, throwing the syringe and Phoenix Tear to the ground!

"Hercules!?" Jeanne shouted, stunned by his actions.

Ignoring her, Hercules raised his fists and charged at Sairaorg.

Sairaorg, seeing this, took a fighting stance for the first time. "Regaining your pride as a hero at the last moment? Not bad."

Hercules's charge, fueled by pride rekindled by Sairaorg's resolve…

Not bad at all.

I readied my holy-demonic sword and turned to Jeanne. "Looks like he's got more heroic pride left than you. What about you?"

"Shut up!"

Jeanne lunged at me, her face twisted in madness.

She'd lost all pride, driven half-insane by being cornered by me alone.

Sairaorg charged his fist with battle aura, and I sheathed my holy-demonic sword, lowering my stance.

And then—

"This one strike—"

"—ends it!"

A tremendous shockwave shook the air, and a flash of light blazed.

[Kiba Side Out]

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