Valper worked very hard. After obtaining the Holy Sword, he poured all his effort into researching the new "Holy Sword factor."
Following the deaths of numerous stray priests, Freed stood out among them.
Having had the Holy Sword factor injected into his body, he was able to wield the power of multiple Holy Swords at once. Even within the Church, that would make him a first-rate warrior, on par with a high-class devil or a fallen angel.
But this newcomer had dispatched Freed as easily as slaughtering a chicken, so Kokabiel was naturally surprised. Beyond that initial shock, however, he had no other particular thoughts. He'd encountered many geniuses before, and the only ones who could truly compare to him were those few among the Three Factions. Even the "heroes" of the Hero Faction were just a bunch of hotheaded kids playing hero games.
Hikaru was unknown, though his name did appear in the Bible. But the fact that Hikaru was human piqued Kokabiel's curiosity.
"You, boy. A human—why side with the devils?"
Hikaru's expression remained calm.
"Why should I need to explain my actions to you?"
"Not bad. Up till now, no human has ever dared to speak to me like that. You're the first. If you manage to survive tonight, perhaps you'll have the honor of making it into the Bible."
Kokabiel narrowed his eyes.
"The only opponents worthy of me are the Maou of the Underworld and Michael and his ilk in Heaven. But while we wait for them, I suppose I'll enjoy a little pre-show with you."
"Hey, you kids from the Gremory and Sitri families—when are your elders coming?"
No one replied. All the girls simply glared at him in anger.
In fact, before Rias could act, Sona Sitri had already secretly contacted the Underworld once Kokabiel's barrier was undone. The response was that her older sister would arrive soon, bringing an army. Although she disliked troubling her family, the situation had gone far beyond what she and Rias could handle alone.
Rias and Sona stepped up behind Hikaru.
"Hikaru, we'll help you. Kokabiel's power is on par with Maou. If we all fight together, we can hold out until the Underworld's reinforcements arrive."
"Heh heh heh, I can hear you all quite well. If reinforcements are coming, maybe I'll take my time killing you."
Kokabiel burst into laughter, the power radiating from him shaking the space around them. As he moved, and at Rias's and Sona's orders, all of their servants gathered behind Hikaru.
They were aware that Hikaru had a Longinus and could access its Balance Breaker. Their plan was to give Hikaru every ounce of support until help arrived from the Underworld. As long as no one died before then, it would count as a victory.
"To be honest, your courage and faith nearly bring tears to my eyes…" Kokabiel rested his right hand on the throne's armrest as he spoke in a leisurely tone, his expression swiftly twisting into something icy and ferocious.
"You must be kidding. Filthy devils should all be killed. The sight of you putting on such faces makes me sick!"
"But you won't have to suffer much longer."
While he spoke, Xenovia slowly came to.
Noticing that Kokabiel's attention was elsewhere, she struggled upright with a pained expression, sprinted forward in a few quick steps, and leapt up. Tapping into the holy power within her, she drew forth a massive, wild-looking sword from thin air.
—The Holy Sword Durandal.
Although the Sword of the King had been taken in the previous battle, the Holy Sword Durandal was the true trump card she had hidden away.
Buzzzz—!
Durandal, raised high in the girl's hands, seemed to slice the very atmosphere in two, the shockwave creating a ringing in everyone's ears. Kokabiel turned to face it, yet showed no alarm.
"Durandal, is it? Unlike that King's Sword that was destroyed, this sword has genuine holy light. But…"
He casually bent a finger in a flicking motion, and an invisible force sent Xenovia flying backward.
"No matter how strong the sword, it depends on the wielder. Girl, you can't handle Durandal at all. Compared to you, its previous owner was the real deal."
Xenovia, flung through the air, was caught by the newly awakened Irina. They tumbled together in a heap, completely out of the fight. Kokabiel shifted his gaze back to Rias, Sona, and the others, who stood ready and alert.
"You've got some courage to challenge me. That alone is praiseworthy—if nothing else."
At those words, the terrifying aura of a fallen angel Cadre crashed over them like a tidal wave.
The devil girls felt it most intensely—uncontrollable tremors ran through their limbs, a biological fear of being faced with a top predator. The surroundings fell silent, as if only Kokabiel's voice existed. Only now did they truly grasp the terrifying reality of Kokabiel's power when he grew serious.
Yet in that eerie hush, Hikaru's expression remained unchanged as he took a step forward.
"Hikaru? We should face him togeth—"
Before Sona could finish, Hikaru's voice rang out, still turned away from them.
"Stay where you are. You're too weak. If you try to help, you'll just drag me down."
~~~
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