Chapter 108 – Fierce Battle!
The moment Akira raised the holy blade in his hand—Ascalon, the Dragon-Slaying Sword—a surge of overwhelming magic burst from his body.
Silver light spiraled around the blade, crackling like arcs of lightning. It wrapped Akira in a wild, intimidating aura… the kind that made the air feel heavy, as if some ancient beast had just awakened.
Tannin's eyes narrowed.
As a dragon, he could feel it instantly.
This wasn't just magic.
It was something older… something far more primal.
It was the influence of Enkidu, the Beast King. When Akira entered a true combat state, he resonated with the battle essence of that mythical entity—an existence that once shook the foundations of ancient Mesopotamia.
It was a presence even the gods themselves would think twice before facing head-on.
In the blink of an eye, Akira's form vanished.
He reappeared at Tannin's blind spot—and swung Ascalon without hesitation.
A flash of silver split the air.
A deep gash carved itself across the Former Dragon King's chest, crimson dragon blood spilling freely from the wound.
Tannin growled, his massive form twisting as his claws lashed out in retaliation.
Akira brought Ascalon up in a cross-guard, bracing for impact.
The force of the blow sent him hurtling backward through the air, armor groaning under the pressure.
But he landed on his feet—just in time to see Tannin open his massive jaws.
A torrent of dragonfire roared forth.
This time, unlike when he fought Rias and her team, the flames weren't just wide—they were impossibly dense, swallowing the sky and earth in a wall of blazing hell.
Akira's figure disappeared within the inferno.
"Akira!" Rias and Akeno cried out in unison, faces pale.
But beside them, Azazel only gave a faint smirk.
"No need to panic. This isn't even serious yet. The real fight hasn't started."
"…That's just the warm-up?" Xenovia muttered, staring at the boiling sea of flames. "If that's warming up, I wouldn't last a second in there."
Such was the scale of a Maou-class battle—an existence far beyond the limits of ordinary beings.
Then… from within the blaze, a gust of wind burst outward.
『Boost!』
Through the shimmering heat, a crimson silhouette stepped forward.
Akira, clad in his Balance Breaker armor, walked calmly through the fire, untouched by the heat.
He stood like a dragon king in human form—untouched, unshaken.
The flames seemed almost ornamental around him.
No wounds. No falter.
Without warning, he vanished again—closing the distance to Tannin in an instant.
Claws, fangs, and tail met the holy edge of the dragon-slaying blade.
『Boost!』
Akira's strike came down from above, Ascalon's edge glowing as it tore a second wound across Tannin's chest.
This time, the cut was deeper—holy power and dragon-slaying essence biting through scale and flesh alike.
The effect was undeniable.
Without the slayer's attribute, breaking a Dragon King's natural armor was nearly impossible. But this was the true nature of a weapon born to kill dragons.
"Impressive," Tannin said, hovering back as he inspected the new wound. "That sword truly is our natural enemy. In a battle between equals, a weapon like that decides the outcome."
Akira gave a small smile. "Not my fault. The world made swords like this because dragons were too strong. Without a countermeasure, you'd have ruled everything long ago."
"Hmph… Fair enough. The world… is fair, then."
In countless myths and legends, dragons stood at the top of the food chain. Even here, beings like Great Red and Ophis—supreme existences—were dragons.
『Boost!』
『Boost!』
The Boosted Gear's chant echoed again and again, each call multiplying Akira's strength and magic.
But… Akira knew.
He was already pressing against his limits.
Any further, and his body would begin to break.
Muscles, bones, even his organs would fail under the strain.
"How about we end this with one last strike?" Akira suggested, voice steady.
"Agreed," Tannin replied without hesitation.
Akira raised Ascalon high. Silver lightning gathered around him, swirling into a vortex that made the very air tremble.
Tannin lifted his head, his magic flaring to its peak—blending with the demonic power that flowed in his veins as a reincarnated devil.
"Zantetsu Raijin – Heavenly Thunder Slash!"
"Infernal Breath!"
The silver slash tore through the sky, illuminating the crimson skies of the Underworld.
From the other side, a deep-red dragon's breath surged forth—infused with both devil magic and draconic essence, a technique only possible for a dragon that had transcended into devilhood.
The two attacks collided midair.
The impact wasn't just an explosion—it was a magical catastrophe. Two opposing forces clashed violently, their rejection of each other birthing a storm of pure destruction.
A shockwave ripped the air apart, sweeping the battlefield in a cyclone of annihilation.
Azazel moved instantly, raising a barrier to shield Rias and the others.
If that blast hit them directly, none would walk away alive.
Compared to Akira's earlier clash with Vali in Kuoh, this was on a completely different scale.
Back then, even with the Noble Phantasm Chains of Heaven, Akira had held back—limited by the presence of civilians.
Here in the uninhabited lands of the Underworld, there were no restraints.
No holding back.
No hesitation.
When the chaos faded and the magical haze dispersed, the battlefield lay in ruin.
A massive crater sprawled across the center, and from it, a deep scar split the earth far into the distance.
The scar—that was Akira's slash.
The crater—the result of their destructive clash.
Two figures emerged from the haze.
Tannin stood tall, his body battered and bleeding, breath heavy—but his gaze was still sharp. His body was wounded, but his spirit was unbroken.
Across the crater, Akira stood with his armor intact, no visible injuries, and his energy stable.
Then Tannin threw back his head and laughed—deep and loud.
"Ha ha ha! I've lost this one. Well done, Shin Akira."
There was no regret in his voice. For a dragon, for a warrior, nothing was more satisfying than a true battle. And today, he had found it again.
[Ding!]
[Template transfer progress increased by 3%!]
Akira exhaled, smiling faintly.
It hadn't been a fight to the death—just a duel.
And for him, the result was more than enough.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Join my Patreon here:
🔗 patreon.com/FaaanzKun
✅ Enjoy 105+ chapters ahead of WebNovel
✅ Get 2 new chapters every day exclusively on Patreon
✅ Be the first to enjoy the new season before anyone else
Thank you for your amazing support! 💖
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —