Badr stepped forward, prepared to intercept, but his instincts screamed a warning. He turned sharply and appeared beside Asia in an instant, summoning the [King Sword] with a swift gesture.
With a decisive swing, his blade clashed against an incoming green magical attack, nullifying it mid-air.
The sudden assault revealed a figure emerging from the shadows: a dark-haired youth with cold, calculating eyes and the unmistakable wings of a devil.
"Diodora!?" Rias's voice was laced with fury. "You're conspiring with the Khaos Brigade? You wretched coward, how dare you desecrate the tournament!"
"Hmph, I'm only here to take Asia," Diodora sneered, his tone dripping with malice. "As for the rest of you... you'll die here."
His gaze shifted to Badr, filled with venom. "And you... a lowly Pawn who dares to obstruct my plans repeatedly. Today, I'll devour your very soul!"
"Bold words," Badr replied with an icy smile, positioning himself protectively in front of Asia. Koneko and Xenovia swiftly flanked him, ready for battle.
"Badr, give me Ascalon," Xenovia demanded, her eyes resolute.
With a flick of his wrist, Badr summoned the legendary dragon-slaying sword and tossed it to Xenovia. "Don't hold back."
She caught the blade with practiced ease, its holy energy radiating brightly. Meanwhile, Badr stretched his arms casually, his demeanor calm yet dangerous.
"You've made your choice, Diodora. Don't blame anyone else for the consequences."
In a blink, Badr vanished from his position, reappearing beside Diodora. His [King Sword] descended in a brilliant arc, void of any noticeable magical fluctuation, yet its sheer force caused the surrounding space to tremble and crack.
Diodora reacted quickly, erecting a robust magical barrier just in time to block the attack.
Badr paused, mildly surprised. Though he hadn't used his full power, the strike should have been overwhelming for someone of Diodora's caliber.
Meanwhile, Rias eliminated several Old Maou devils with bursts of destructive power but couldn't ignore the surge in Diodora's energy. "What's going on? His power... it's suddenly much stronger."
Even the ever-calm Badr could tell this was no ordinary strength. His perceptive senses quickly identified the foreign origin of Diodora's newfound might.
"You're relying on borrowed power, aren't you?" Badr said, his voice laced with disdain. "I wonder, does it feel satisfying to wield strength that isn't yours?"
Diodora smirked, his confidence bolstered by his mysterious enhancement. "You're perceptive, I'll give you that. Yes, this is the power of the Infinite Dragon God, Ophis. With her blessing, I've transcended your pathetic level."
The mention of Ophis sent a ripple of tension through the group.
"Hand over Asia now," Diodora demanded, his voice tinged with conceit. "Otherwise, I'll savor the slow agony of your demise. Though, to be fair, I never intended to let you leave alive."
Badr chuckled, his gaze turning cold as ice. "You've made a fatal mistake, thinking you could intimidate me."
With that, Badr activated his Promotion to [Queen], his aura surging dramatically. The transformation granted him unparalleled speed, defense, and magic amplification. His power now rivaled that of a Maou.
Diodora flinched, the overwhelming pressure forcing him to reevaluate his bravado. "Impossible... this can't be..."
"Enough talking," Badr said, his tone sharp. Channeling his magic into the [King Sword], he unleashed a devastating slash that shattered Diodora's barrier with ease.
Before Diodora could react, Badr's leg struck his face with a brutal roundhouse kick, sending him crashing into a stone pillar.
"Your self-righteous smugness is nauseating," Badr muttered, his tone dripping with contempt.
"Argh... how is this possible? I have Ophis's power... How can a Pawn defeat me!?" Diodora howled in disbelief.
Ignoring his outburst, Badr advanced methodically, deflecting Diodora's desperate magical attacks with the passive shield effect of his [King Shield].
"Pathetic," Badr scoffed, closing the distance. He struck Diodora again and again, each blow landing with calculated precision, sending the devil careening through the air like a ragdoll.
Finally, with a swift, decisive motion, Badr delivered a crushing kick to Diodora's groin.
A sickening crunch echoed through the ruined temple as Diodora's eyes widened in abject horror, his pained expression frozen in place.
"Let that be a lesson," Badr said, his voice devoid of sympathy.
...
Support & Read 12 Advanced Chapters. Ahead of the rest!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
There is 8 Exciting Fanfics already available on my Patreon!
avataravatar
Chapter 173: Odin, the Chief God!
There's a kind of pain that hurts just to watch, and Badr's final blow to Diodora exemplified it perfectly.
The once-proud devil's eyes rolled back as his expression froze in sheer agony, his mind overwhelmed by the excruciating torment.
For several moments, Diodora was incapable of movement or thought. But his loyal female devils, his peerage, soon arrived, their shocked cries piercing the tense silence.
"Master!"
They rushed forward, only to find their once-dignified King reduced to an unrecognizable mess, battered and broken beyond recognition. If not for his attire, they wouldn't have known it was Diodora at all.
Intent on saving him, they moved to his side. But Badr, ever vigilant, wasn't about to give them the chance. With a flick of his hand, a surge of magic bound Diodora tightly, immobilizing him.
While Badr would have preferred to end the arrogant devil's life, he held back. Diodora, after all, was a relative of a Maou. Though Badr's instincts screamed to deliver the final blow, he refrained, for Rias's sake.
Meanwhile, Rias and the others were still locked in battle with the Old Maou faction devils. Seeing Badr successfully subdue Diodora, a satisfied smile spread across Rias's face.
"Well done! Now, let's finish off these pests!" she declared with renewed determination.
Badr, dragging Diodora like a discarded ragdoll, turned back to the others. "Coming," he replied with a smile.
Addressing Diodora's peerage, he spoke with chilling calm. "Your master is captured. Fight to the death or surrender, it's your choice."
With that, he returned to Rias's side, nonchalantly swinging his sword and obliterating three devils in a single strike. Their bodies disintegrated in a flash of light, leaving no trace.
"You handle him," Badr said, motioning toward the bound Diodora. "I'll take care of the rest."
Raising his [King Sword] Badr infused it with an immense surge of [Sacred Demonic] Power, its blade glowing brilliantly. Across the battlefield, the remaining devils, oblivious to the danger, charged forward.
"To think they still don't understand..." Rias murmured, shaking her head.
With a swift motion, Badr raised his sword high, then brought it down with crushing force. A terrifying wave of energy erupted, spiraling outward in a destructive arc.
The ground trembled violently as the energy ripped through everything in its path, obliterating hundreds of devils in an instant.
The battlefield fell silent, save for the whispers of dissipating energy. Badr's strike had decimated nearly the entire Old Maou faction force, leaving only a handful of survivors.
"Well, well. Looks like the job's already done. Now, who might you be to wield such power?"
An aged yet commanding voice echoed through the ruined space. Out of nowhere, a figure materialized, a grizzled old man with a wild white beard and unkempt hair. Despite his shabby appearance, his presence radiated an overwhelming Sacred power.
"Who's there?" Badr turned to face the newcomer.
The man exuded an air of wisdom and strength, yet his demeanor was oddly relaxed. Rias's eyes widened in shock as she recognized him. "Odin-sama!? Why are you here?"
"Hahaha! I'm Odin, Chief God of the Norse Pantheon," the old man replied, laughing heartily. "I was invited to help deal with these Old Maou rebels, but it seems I wasn't needed after all."
Odin's gaze lingered on Rias and Akeno, a sly grin spreading across his face. "Ah, as expected of the Gremory family, beauties, every one of them."
Badr sighed, stepping in front of Rias and Akeno. "If there are still a few stragglers left, we'll gladly let you handle them. After all, it'd be a shame for you to make the trip for nothing."
Odin chuckled. "You're a bold one, aren't you? A reincarnated devil named Badr, yes? Not much respect for your elders, I see."
"On the contrary, I respect you greatly, Odin-sama. In fact, I'm sure someone of your caliber could go toe-to-toe with a Maou," Badr quipped, his tone laced with polite flattery.
The old god's grin widened. "Hah! You're quite the smooth talker, aren't you? Fine, I'll take care of these leftovers."
Odin clapped his hands, summoning a glowing spear from thin air. With a single swing, he unleashed a burst of Sacred energy, reducing dozens of devils to ash in an instant.
"Efficient as ever," Badr remarked casually, unimpressed by the display. "How's the situation outside?"
"Ah, the Khaos Brigade launched a coordinated assault on the arena," Odin replied, his tone light despite the gravity of the situation. "It's been dealt with, though. Azazel sent me to deliver these to you."
Odin handed over several magical communicators, grumbling all the while. "Imagine using an old man like me as a courier. That Azazel, I swear..."
Activating the communicator, Badr and the others heard Azazel's voice. "Testing, testing. Can you hear me? Good. Sit tight; we're almost done wrapping things up on our end."
"Quick work, as usual, Azazel. Did you have advance warning?" Badr asked, his suspicions piqued.
"Sharp as always. Yes, we had intel, so we laid a trap for them."
"...So we were bait," Rias said, her voice tinged with irritation.
"More or less," Azazel admitted with a chuckle. "The Old Maou faction has been targeting young devils lately, and we needed to draw them out. This was the perfect opportunity."
The implications were clear: the attack wasn't just random. It was part of a calculated effort to destabilize the Underworld's next generation of leaders.
"Diodora is captured, and his peerage has surrendered. Can we return now?" Rias asked, her tone firm.
"Yes, you've done enough. Come back with Odin-sama," Azazel replied.
...
Support & Read 12 Advanced Chapters. Ahead of the rest!
https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx
(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)
There is 8 Exciting Fanfics already available on my Patreon!
avataravatar
Chapter 174: Naughty Little Devil
The Rating Games had been abruptly interrupted by the Khaos Brigade's interference, leading to a hasty postponement of the final championship rounds. After deliberation, the Maou agreed to push the remainder of the competition back by two days.
This decision wasn't made lightly, plans were underway to finalize an alliance with the Norse Pantheon during Odin's visit. Compared to that monumental task, the rookie tournament seemed secondary.
Having emerged victorious against Diodora, Rias naturally advanced to the final round. The remaining contenders, Rias, Sairaorg, and Seekvaira, would vie for the championship.
Yet, Rias focus was far from the games; her thoughts lingered on the looming negotiations.
Given the recent disruptions from the Khaos Brigade and the Old Maou faction, it was unlikely the alliance discussions would proceed smoothly. Rias was certain another attempt to sabotage the talks was imminent.
"Rias," Sirzechs called firmly, interrupting her thoughts. "Bring your peerage and follow me."
When the Maou gives an order, there's no room for hesitation. Rias quickly rallied her group and followed Sirzechs to the grand meeting hall.
Inside, the atmosphere was heavy with importance. Gathered in the room were figures of immense influence, Governor Azazel of the Fallen Angels, Archangel Michael of Heaven, Chief God Odin of the Norse Pantheon, and, of course, the Four Maou themselves.
The sheer weight of the gathering left Rias momentarily stunned. She quickly composed herself, bowing respectfully to each individual.
"Let's skip the formalities," Sirzechs said, cutting to the chase. "Rias, I have a mission for you."
He wasted no time explaining.
"While you were dealing with Diodora, the Norse God Loki launched an attack here. Ajuka managed to repel and seal him temporarily, but the seal will only hold for a day. Tomorrow, I need you and your peerage to confront and neutralize him."
Though Sirzechs spoke to Rias, his gaze was unmistakably directed at Badr. His confidence in his sister's abilities was unwavering, but he knew that with Badr, a fighter whose strength had reached Maou levels, there was far more certainty of success.
"Yes, Brother!" Rias responded immediately, her determination evident.
Loki's strength, combined with the power of his summoned beast Fenrir, was daunting. Yet Rias, like Sirzechs, placed her trust in Badr.
Serafall Leviathan added with a sigh, "Loki's goal is to incite Ragnarok. If we Maou intervene directly, it will escalate into a full-scale world war. That's why we must rely on the younger generation."
"This is my fault," Odin said, his tone carrying a hint of guilt.
"If you and your peers handle this," Sirzechs continued, "the old powers will have no justification to act. The success of this alliance rests entirely on your shoulders."
Badr, listening quietly, couldn't help but feel a pang of irony. Wasn't I just here for the promotion exam? How did it escalate to saving the world?
To bolster their chances, Serafall suggested additional reinforcements. "Sona and her peerage will join you for support."
"Thank you, Leviathan-sama," Rias said gratefully.
Michael also stepped forward, introducing a familiar figure. "We'll lend you someone as well. Irina, come forward."
Irina Shidou stepped into the room with a cheerful smile. "Long time no see, everyone!"
Xenovia's eyes narrowed. "Irina..."
Since their last meeting, Irina had changed. She now radiated Sacred power, proof of her growth and her current position as a "Trump Ace" angel under Michael.
Odin, not to be outdone, added his own contribution. "Well, if everyone's sending support, I can't be left out. Rose, step forward."
From Odin's side emerged a stunning woman with long silver hair, wearing a sleek female suit. Her striking features and dignified presence marked her as a Valkyrie.
