Chapter 89: The Endless Dusk Ascends! Going All-Out!
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They were simply individuals with greater power.
Badr's nonchalant thoughts had yielded valuable information: with enough strength, even gods could be killed.
Though he remained unfazed, the revelation had dealt a heavy blow to Asia and Xenovia.
They were devout believers in God.
Especially Asia. Even after her reincarnation as a devil, she still held a deep reverence for God. It was a peculiar contradiction, and the news had struck her particularly hard.
Xenovia hung her head in despair, her holy sword clattering to the ground as she slumped to her knees.
"If God is dead, then what was the love and power He bestowed upon us...? What meaning does anything have anymore...?"
Even Kokabiel hadn't anticipated that a single piece of information would cripple two of his opponents.
He was ecstatic at the sight of Asia and Xenovia's shattered faith, his laughter echoing through the air.
"Hahahahaha... This is too much! Look at yourselves! Why didn't I reveal this sooner?!"
His laughter was unrestrained, but Asia was already in tears.
"Pull yourself together, Asia," Koneko whispered, comforting her.
She understood the depth and purity of the young nun's faith.
Rias and Akeno sighed, feeling a sense of helplessness.
The current situation had left them unsure of what to do.
"Why is this happening...? Why wasn't there any news before?" Rias wondered aloud, a hint of panic in her voice.
She couldn't help but wonder how much the higher-ups were hiding from them. What was the true state of each faction?
"Heh, well, we can't talk about this without mentioning Michael. That guy is truly remarkable. He took over God's duties, managing both angels and humans. After all, the [System] that God used is still operational, and the power of prayer and faith is still being distributed."
But then, a mischievous glint appeared in Kokabiel's eyes.
"However, this has led to an increasing number of abandoned believers, those beyond his reach. Consequently, the balance of power has been completely disrupted. Just like now, the line between holy and demonic has vanished."
He glanced at Asia, the implication clear.
God was dead, which was why Asia could maintain her pure faith while using a demonic power. Otherwise, God would never have allowed such a situation to occur.
"So, Sir Michael is acting in God's stead..." Xenovia murmured. "No wonder. I was wondering why we haven't fallen apart."
Kokabiel, unfazed by their solemn expressions, raised his fist in excitement.
"I will seize this opportunity to raise the banner of war once more! And your heads will be the perfect gifts to mark the occasion! Even if I'm alone, I will continue the previous war and achieve victory! I'll show Sirzechs and Michael that we Fallen Angels are the strongest!"
His words were filled with fervent excitement, as if he could already see his victory.
Suddenly, a calm and serene voice cut through the air.
"Don't delude yourself. Your ambition will never be realized."
"What?" Kokabiel immediately turned towards the source of the voice. It was Rias devil servant.
Badr calmly looked at the war-obsessed Fallen Angel, his voice steady and unhurried.
"If ambition were so easily achieved, your previous war wouldn't have dragged on for millennia without a clear victor. There will always be unexpected individuals who appear at crucial moments, disrupting all plans."
"Shut up! What do you know?! War is inherently unpredictable! That's what makes victory through meticulous planning so exquisite! We were on the verge of winning! Victory belongs to us Fallen Angels!"
Kokabiel's outburst suggested that Badr's words had struck a nerve.
Badr simply smiled faintly.
"You've probably held onto that 'we're about to win' mentality since the beginning of the war, haven't you? Yet, countless years have passed, and reality has proven that it's nothing more than an illusion."
It's nothing more than an illusion...
Those simple words pierced Kokabiel's heart like a dagger...
They held no particular malice, yet they were incredibly cutting...
Because Badr had spoken the truth.
"...Damn you!"
Kokabiel was enraged.
Rias and the others exchanged speechless glances.
There it was, the "Never Lost an Argument" Skill...
They couldn't comprehend how he could infuriate someone so thoroughly with such a calm tone, but Badr had done it again...
In his anger, Kokabiel launched an attack at Badr.
But Badr had mostly recovered by now. His earlier taunts had been a way to buy time to regain his strength. Time was of the essence. Even if Kokabiel hadn't attacked, he would have initiated the offense soon.
Seeing Kokabiel charge forward, Badr showed no fear. [King Shield], which had been with his clone, vanished and reappeared before his main body.
Badr raised his head, his black eyes blazing with a brilliant golden light!
The heavens trembled as an aura of ancient power filled the air!
[King Shield] before Badr radiated with intense light!
Facing Kokabiel, a Fallen Angel whose power surpassed that of a high-class devil, Badr finally unleashed his ultimate move!
The Endless Dusk City!
Hum~~~
The air vibrated, ripples spreading outwards!
Rias and the others stared wide-eyed, hope flickering in their gazes.
He had activated it!
Badr's [Balance Breaker]!!
It seemed their only hope now rested on this technique!
Kokabiel's Sacred power surged towards Badr in the form of a massive spear of light. Badr extended his left hand, his fingers morphing into claws.
He would meet the attack head-on!
Boom!!
Sacred light and flames erupted as the spear of light struck Badr's palm and exploded. For a moment, Badr vanished from sight.
As the light faded, Badr reappeared, completely unharmed.
His devil wings unfurled behind him as he hovered in mid-air, [King Sword] gleaming in his right hand. [King Shield] floated beside him, slowly rotating around his body.
The young man raised his head, his black eyes now completely gold, with vertical black slits in the center. Though his gaze was calm, it held an undeniable aura of authority and power, captivating and intimidating.
Above him, the ripples in the air intensified, culminating in the manifestation of a colossal, ancient city that filled the entire sky. Its vast expanse stretched endlessly towards the horizon, its limits beyond sight.
What was even more terrifying was that the portion visible to them seemed to be only a fraction of its true size. An unknown portion remained hidden within the void, unable to fully manifest!
In the distance, Sona Sitri and the others, who were maintaining the barrier, stared in awe.
Anyone who faced such a colossal entity would feel a sense of their own insignificance deep within their hearts.
"It's... even larger than before..."
Tsubaki Shinra's voice was hoarse. Standing beneath the shadow of the city, her legs trembled involuntarily. her fear of gigantic objects was acting up...
"President, can... can Badr really defeat Kokabiel?" Genshirou Saji couldn't help but ask.
"...I'm not sure."
Sona shook her head.
After all, Kokabiel was a Cadre of the Fallen Angels, whose power surpassed that of a high-class devil. Who could guarantee victory against such a formidable opponent?
But... Sona couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for Badr.
She didn't know why, but every time she saw him, his calm and composed demeanor instilled a strange confidence in her.
She felt that if it were him, he might actually be able to pull off a miracle...
...
The black city hung in the sky, its buildings clearly visible, yet eerily empty.
The silent city, carrying the weight of countless ages, dominated the heavens, making everyone below feel a suffocating pressure.
Badr felt the power surging within him. He was currently in both the [Stasis] and [Amplification] states. [King Sword's] amplification had increased even further, reaching an astonishing fifteen times!
A glint of killing intent flashed in his eyes as he vanished without warning, reappearing instantly before Kokabiel!
[King Sword] slashed downwards, carrying a torrent of demonic power that sent shivers down everyone's spines.
The sheer might of this attack had also surpassed the level of a high-class devil!
Rias and the others were overjoyed. They hadn't expected Badr's power to reach such heights!
For the first time, Kokabiel's expression turned serious. He flapped his Fallen Angel wings with all his might, raising them like Sacred swords to block [King Sword's] attack.
Sacred and demonic power clashed violently. Aside from Badr and Kokabiel, who were locked in a fierce exchange, everyone else was sent flying by the tremendous shockwave.
Badr pressed his attack, unleashing a relentless barrage of blows upon Kokabiel.
The Fallen Angel, his heart filled with frustration, could only defend against Badr's relentless assault.
Kokabiel had never imagined that this boy could reach such a level of power!
And what was even more bizarre was that Badr completely disregarded his own defense, focusing solely on offense!
Did he think he was some easy target?!
This enraged Kokabiel beyond measure.
He finally lost his patience, deciding to land a blow on Badr even if it meant taking a hit himself!
He unleashed a deadly attack, his light blade slashing towards Badr's neck!
But what happened next shocked him to his core. Badr took the hit head-on, his flesh and blood resisting the Sacred blade. His neck, which should have been severed, somehow withstood the attack!
Not even a scratch!
What the hell was going on?!
Kokabiel had participated in countless battles, but he had never encountered an ability like this.
His full-powered attack, as a Cadre of the Fallen Angels, hadn't even broken his opponent's skin. Who would believe such a thing...?
As the price for tanking the attack, Badr's sword slammed into Kokabiel's shoulder, nearly severing his arm!
The Endless Dusk City had been successfully activated. In this state, Badr was invincible. His body was in [Stasis], eternally frozen in his current condition. He couldn't be injured, but his existing wounds wouldn't heal either.
Without the need for defense, Badr could focus entirely on offense. For the duration of the Endless Dusk City, all he needed to do was attack relentlessly.
With his increased demonic power, he could maintain this state for fifteen minutes. This was the most crucial period!
Badr soared into the sky, clashing with Kokabiel high above the ground.
Their bodies became streaks of light, trailing long tails of demonic and Sacred energy as they exchanged blows at incredible speeds.
Badr attacked relentlessly, while Kokabiel's attacks were rendered useless, forcing him to constantly defend.
This battle was incredibly frustrating for Kokabiel!
"Damn it... how can there be such a unreasonable ability?!"
He spread his hands, Sacred power surging around him and forming a massive wave that crashed towards Badr, attempting to halt his advance.
But it was all in vain. Badr ignored the attack completely, his body withstanding the impact as he emerged from the wave, [King Sword] slashing downwards.
Thud!
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