Chapter 99 – Katerea's Arrogance!
A sharp metallic shudder split the air.
From every direction, golden chains emerged—Chains of Heaven—cutting through space like divine spears tearing through the seams of reality.
"Is that... his second Sacred Gear?" Serafall narrowed her eyes.
It was her first time witnessing Akira in action, and even more so, seeing the mysterious chains that radiated divine authority.
But those who had truly seen their might… knew the truth.
These weren't just symbols of restraint. They were weapons powerful enough to pierce even the Juggernaut Drive of the White Dragon Emperor with a single blow.
Deadly didn't even begin to describe them.
"Hmph. Pathetic tricks," Katerea sneered.
She waved her hand and conjured a layered magic circle. Dozens of dark, dense magic bullets erupted from it, slamming into the chains one by one and scattering them with thunderous force.
The divine chains were flung back, trembling in the air like living things recoiling from impact.
Even if her power came from Ophis's Snake and had its "gaps" or flaws, Katerea had still reached Maou-class. That alone made her a terrifying threat.
"Blue Lightning Light... Thunder Dragon!"
A roar split the heavens.
A massive dragon composed of pure blue-silver lightning descended from the clouds, howling with destructive power as it dove toward Katerea.
"Tch. Just lightning? Break it."
Katerea's expression didn't waver. Layered magic circles expanded before her, stacking defense over defense.
The Thunder Dragon crashed into the barrier like a meteor, shattering one layer after another.
But on the final layer, its power was spent. The lightning faded, and the last barrier held firm.
Not even a scratch.
Katerea stood proud, untouched, looking down on Akira with scorn.
Two attacks. Two failures.
To her, the Red Dragon Emperor was nothing more than a title with no teeth.
"So that's the Snake of Ophis… Huh. Interesting."
Akira's voice was calm. Not a trace of frustration on his face. Only quiet curiosity as his eyes focused on the ∞ symbol glowing on Katerea's palm.
A power that could shatter the devil ranking system itself—allowing a High-Class Devil to leap straight to Maou-class.
In the Khaos Brigade, Ophis's Snake wasn't rare. Many of its members had access to that fragment of the Infinite Dragon's might.
Yet to Ophis, these "gifts" were nothing more than scraps. Tiny fragments of a power so vast it defied reason.
[Transformation – Active]
Akira's body pulsed. Without a word, he activated his transformation.
His physical stats surged instantly.
The ground beneath his feet collapsed—fractures splintering outward like a spiderweb. A crater formed just from the sheer pressure of his aura.
Katerea's eyes flickered with alarm.
She reacted immediately, compressing a mass of devil magic into her palm and firing it point-blank at Akira's face—who had already closed the distance in the blink of an eye.
But—
The Chains of Heaven returned.
They spiraled through the air like divine whips, sweeping aside her barrage of dark magic as though it were nothing more than smoke.
Her eyes widened.
"N-No way...!"
Her disbelief was short-lived.
A brutal punch crashed into her abdomen.
Her body folded inward with a snap, blood spraying from her mouth as she was launched backward like a ragdoll.
She didn't even scream.
She just flew—smashed through the air—and vanished into the distance.
The entire battlefield froze.
Even Vali Lucifer stared, wide-eyed.
He had once lost to the combined force of Boosted Gear and the Chains of Heaven. But this…
He never imagined that Akira's raw physical power could reach such devastating levels.
And now, he understood.
Albion's Divine Dividing could weaken any opponent—but only with direct contact. In close-quarters combat, fighting Akira was like throwing yourself into a meat grinder.
A bad idea.
A very bad idea.
"Go to hell," Akira muttered.
He followed up with a mid-air roundhouse kick, driving his heel straight into Katerea's torso from above.
Her body shot downward like a meteor.
She crashed through the Academy's lower garden, shattering the sculptures, fountains, and everything else in her path.
Katerea groaned, pushing herself up, her mouth bloody and hair disheveled.
"Y-You... damn human!" she snarled. "How dare you touch my beautiful face?!"
For someone like Katerea—who prided herself on her beauty—this was unforgivable.
The punch hadn't even struck her face directly.
But the impact, the humiliation, and the blood—especially in front of Sirzechs Lucifer and all these VIPs—was a disgrace she couldn't tolerate.
"You'll regret that. You'll die! Taste the wrath of a true Maou!"
Magic circles began forming in every direction—layered and glowing with ominous red light.
Pressure surged across the battlefield. Katerea's magic condensed, compressed, and prepared to explode.
A moment later, dozens of light pillars erupted skyward—devastating spells strong enough to annihilate entire mid-class devil squadrons.
[Boost!]
A voice echoed sharply.
The crimson gauntlet materialized around Akira's arm.
The [Boosted Gear] had reawakened.
The legendary Sacred Gear of the Red Dragon Emperor, Ddraig.
The spells struck.
Explosions filled the air, smoke swallowing everything.
Not a soul moved.
"Ha... ha ha ha! That's it! He's dead!" Katerea laughed, eyes wide and crazed. "Did you really think a human could beat me? The rightful heir to the name Leviathan?"
In the distance, Serafall Leviathan simply sighed.
She had once hoped to make peace with Katerea. Even after the Old Maou Faction's fall, she hadn't wanted to erase Katerea's existence.
After all, the name Leviathan had once belonged to her.
Serafall always thought she was just a substitute—chosen out of necessity. She had offered goodwill. Diplomacy. A bridge.
But none of it mattered now.
Katerea wasn't after peace.
She was obsessed with the throne.
And as long as that obsession remained, they could never be allies.
[Boost!]
The sound echoed again.
Katerea's laughter stopped mid-breath.
Like a bird caught mid-song, her face froze.
The smoke began to clear.
Akira stood there—completely unharmed.
The [Boosted Gear] on his arm glowed a deep crimson.
[Boost!]
Again.
And again.
Power surged.
Silver lightning began crackling behind him, dancing in the air like a living tempest.
The arcs converged—forming the shape of a colossal dragon looming behind his back.
The dragon's head lifted to the sky and released a silent roar, its very presence warping the space around it.
A wave of killing intent washed over the battlefield.
Everyone present—no matter their rank—felt it.
Even Vali clenched his fists.
A Maou-class fighter, wielding Boosted Gear, and stacking power every ten seconds?
That was no longer within the realm of a normal Sacred Gear user.
This... was monstrous.
And the countdown had only just begun.
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