Azazel's agreement to battle sent a ripple of anxiety through Rias. He wasn't just any opponent—he was the Governor of the Fallen Angels, a legend who'd survived the ancient wars, standing shoulder to shoulder with her brother in power and reputation.
Rias turned to Sirzechs, her voice taut.
"Brother… Shuo's about to fight Azazel. This—"
Sirzechs, though surprised, kept his composure. He offered Rias a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Rias. With me here, nothing will go wrong."
Relief flooded her face.
To avoid collateral damage, the group relocated to the outskirts of the city. Sirzechs and Serafall, the two Maou, joined forces to erect a powerful barrier, sealing off the battlefield from the outside world.
Everyone retreated to a safe distance, eyes locked on Shuo and Azazel as the duel began.
Shuo wasted no words. He summoned his strongest weapon—his trump card.
A surge of golden light erupted around him, coalescing into a radiant Holy Sword that blazed in his grip.
Azazel's eyes widened in disbelief.
"A Holy Sword? And… is that the Star Holy Sword?"
He'd heard the legends, but to see it in the hands of a human—impossible. Yet here it was.
Shuo grinned.
"That's right—the Star Holy Sword. But now's not the time to gawk. Ready yourself!"
He raised the sword high and swung. A slash of golden energy tore through the air, surging toward Azazel with unstoppable force. The shockwave ripped open the earth, a storm of sword energy swirling in its wake.
Azazel reacted instantly, conjuring several magical light spears that streaked through the air to intercept the attack.
"Boom—!"
The golden slash collided with the light spears, flooding the sky with blinding brilliance. When the light faded, Azazel hovered, untouched, before Shuo.
Shuo nodded, impressed.
"Governor of the Fallen Angels, huh? You shrugged off my attack like it was nothing. But—let's see you handle this."
He raised the Star Holy Sword again. Golden particles swirled around him, pouring into the blade until it shone with blinding intensity.
Shuo's gaze locked onto Azazel.
"EX—calibur!"
A beam of pure light exploded from the sword, cannoning toward Azazel at breakneck speed.
Azazel felt a chill—death, close and real. He hastily erected a defensive barrier, pouring his power into it.
The beam smashed into the shield, carving a bottomless trench in the earth. The impact hurled Azazel and his barrier hundreds of meters back before finally coming to a halt.
Shuo didn't let up. He launched himself forward, sword flashing, sending Azazel flying again.
Azazel recovered midair, summoning a light sword of his own and splitting Shuo's next attack in two.
With ranged attacks losing their edge, Shuo shifted gears—charging in for close combat.
Steel rang against light as the two clashed, shockwaves rippling out and shredding what remained of the battlefield. The ground beneath them crumbled, reduced to ruin.
Minutes ticked by. Shuo could feel himself slipping, Azazel's skill pushing him closer to defeat.
Not good.
He broke away, drawing a deep breath—and unleashed [Dragon's Breath]. A torrent of crimson flame erupted from his mouth, catching Azazel off guard and forcing him back. Azazel's hair nearly singed, and he stared at Shuo in shock.
"You… That was dragon's aura. How? Aren't you human?"
Shuo just smiled, offering no explanation. The secret lay in his blood—after merging with pure dragon essence, he'd unlocked abilities far beyond human limits.
He calmed himself, letting the Holy Sword dissolve in his hand.
Azazel watched, curiosity burning in his eyes.
"Done with the Holy Sword? So you've got something else up your sleeve?"
He nodded to himself. "Makes sense. The Holy Sword was enough for Kokabiel, but it wouldn't be enough for me."
Shuo's lips curled into a smirk.
"This next move is a first for me, Azazel. I hope you're ready."
He activated [Gate of Babylon].
Golden vortexes bloomed in the sky and behind Shuo, swirling with energy. Weapons—hundreds, thousands—materialized within the portals, each one gleaming with deadly promise.
Azazel's jaw dropped. The sky within the barrier turned pure gold, awash with the light of countless treasures.
Suddenly—
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"
A storm of golden weapons erupted from the vortexes, streaking toward Azazel like lightning, raining down in a relentless barrage.
Azazel broke out in a cold sweat.
"Hey, hey! You're not kidding—are all these Sacred Gears?!"
He had no choice but to dodge and defend, weaving through the golden hail as best he could.
Shuo watched from above, satisfaction in his eyes. The [Gate of Babylon] showed no sign of slowing; the storm of treasures continued, unrelenting.
Azazel cursed under his breath.
"Damn! Does this kid have infinite weapons? It's been ages and he's not letting up!"
Then, at last, Shuo heard the system's chime—mission complete.
He called off the attack. The vortexes faded, the sky returned to normal.
Shuo hovered overhead, looking down at Azazel—who was battered, bleeding, and barely standing.
Silence fell, heavy and absolute.
When the crowd finally snapped out of their shock, pandemonium erupted.
"Unbelievable! That was a one-sided slaughter!"
"Shuo-kun actually pushed Azazel this far!"
"This is insane…"
Rias stared, wide-eyed, frozen in disbelief. The other girls, even Sirzechs and Serafall, were left speechless.
Akeno managed to whisper,
"So this is Shuo-chan's true power?"
Serafall's voice shook with awe.
"He actually beat Azazel down like that… What a monster!"
Even Sirzechs, a Transcendent himself, couldn't hide the shock in his eyes.
🔥 Want to read the next 20 chapters RIGHT NOW?
💎 Patreon members get instant access!
⚡ Limited-time offer currently running...
👉 [Join on - patreon.com/GoldenLong]