Destiny Of The Heavenly Dragons

Izashi turned his head, locking eyes with Koneko, giving her a subtle nod. It wasn't much—just a small, quiet signal—but it conveyed everything she needed to know. Koneko, in return, gave a slight nod back, then slowly walked towards Kuroka. Her footsteps were hesitant at first, but once she was close enough, Koneko's emotions surged. Without warning, she hugged her sister tightly.

Kuroka's surprised expression softened when she felt the warmth of Koneko's embrace. She glanced over at Izashi, watching for his reaction. His smile was calm and reassuring, and with a simple nod, he gave her the green light to let her feelings show. She had waited so long for this moment, and now she didn't need to hold back.

She wrapped her arms around Koneko, squeezing her little sister gently before whispering in her ear, "I'm so sorry, Shirone, nya~! I never wanted to leave you back then. I had no choice." Her voice cracked a bit, emotions rising to the surface. "The devils were hunting me because I killed our master. They would've gone after you, too. I wasn't strong enough to protect you from them."

Koneko froze as she heard Kuroka's words. For so long, she had believed her sister had abandoned her, that Kuroka didn't care. But hearing this, knowing the real reason—it hit her hard. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she stayed quiet, wanting to listen.

"I was relieved when I heard you were taken in by the Gremory family," Kuroka continued, her voice soothing and filled with regret. "They're good people, and they could keep you safe in a way I never could. Especially since you're a Nekoshou like me, nya~. You were always in danger just because of that."

Izashi had advised Kuroka to spill everything, to let Koneko know the truth about why she had left. He knew it was a conversation that needed to happen now, not later. Koneko needed to understand her sister's motives, and hearing it directly from Kuroka would heal the rift that had grown between them.

As Kuroka explained herself, Koneko's heart ached. The more she heard, the more foolish she felt for harboring so much hatred towards her sister. Kuroka hadn't betrayed her—she had sacrificed their time together to keep her safe. Koneko cursed herself for not considering the bigger picture before, for allowing her emotions to blind her to the truth.

Meanwhile, Izashi stayed out of their reunion, giving them the space they needed. His attention shifted to Issei, who was kneeling on the ground, tears streaming down his face. The sight of Asia's lifeless body in his arms was too much for him to bear. Izashi approached slowly, hands in his pockets, his tone surprisingly lighthearted given the situation.

"Why the tears?" Izashi asked, smirking slightly. "It's not like she's gone forever. I mean, there's a way to bring her back." He paused, rubbing his chin as if deep in thought. "Though, I wonder if she'd be happy about becoming a devil."

Issei's head snapped up, his eyes wide. The idea of turning Asia into a devil hadn't crossed his mind before, but he realized it might be the only way to save her. He wasn't sure how she'd feel about it, considering how deeply she believed in God. But he couldn't let her die. Not like this.

Without hesitation, Issei bowed his head to Izashi, desperation in his voice. "Please, Izashi! Please revive her! I'll do anything—just bring her back!"

Izashi tilted his head, thinking for a moment before responding, "Alright, alright. But I'm not going to do it myself." He raised a finger, wagging it as if scolding Issei playfully. "Rias-chan will do the honors. Asia will be one of her servants."

Issei didn't care who did it, as long as Asia was alive again. His head bobbed up and down eagerly. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Izashi grinned, satisfied with Issei's reaction. "Alright then," he said, lifting Asia's body carefully into his arms. "Let's head back."

With a wave of his hand, a large red teleportation circle appeared beneath them. A moment later, the entire group—Kuroka, Koneko, Kiba, Issei, and Izashi—were transported back to the Occult Research Club. Once inside, Izashi gently laid Asia's body on the couch, standing next to Issei.

He stretched, glancing around the familiar room before addressing the group. "You guys wait here. I'll go get Rias to handle the revival."

Issei's hands were clenched into fists as he sat down in a nearby chair. He could barely stay still, his mind racing with worry. Inside his head, he heard Ddraig's voice suddenly rumble.

'The White One has awakened... His host is too powerful to confront right now,' Ddraig said, a hint of frustration in his tone.

Issei blinked in confusion, his brow furrowing. 'White One? What are you talking about, Ddraig?'

There was a moment of silence before Ddraig sighed. 'Just like you have the Boosted Gear, there's another sacred gear out there. It's called the Divine Dividing. It houses the other Heavenly Dragon—Albion. His host has also awakened, and I'm sensing his power. It's possible he's already achieved Balance Breaker.'

The gravity of the situation started to sink in, and Issei felt a cold sweat run down his back. 'Wait, hold up! And how exactly does this affect me?'

Ddraig's voice was grim. 'It affects you a lot, partner. The wielders of the Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing are destined to fight. It's in our very nature. One of you will have to die.'

Issei's heart pounded in his chest, fear creeping into his mind. He didn't want to be a part of some ancient rivalry, fighting to the death with someone he didn't even know. 'That's ridiculous! I don't believe in destiny! I won't fight!'

Ddraig chuckled, though it was without humor. 'You can deny it all you want, but destiny doesn't care about your beliefs. If you don't fight, you'll just die without a chance. Think it over, partner.'

As Ddraig spoke, his thoughts turned inward. Albion's presence had been palpable back at the church, but strangely enough, he hadn't made a move. Why hadn't Albion's host confronted them? He couldn't shake the embarrassing thought that maybe Albion's host didn't see Issei as a worthy opponent yet. Ddraig gritted his teeth in frustration, resolving to push Issei harder in his training. There was no way he'd allow his host to be looked down on by his rival.

Far above the church, the figure of Vali Lucifer floated in the sky, his light blue wings glowing faintly against the night. His gaze was focused, calculating as he observed the aftermath of the battle.

"Albion," Vali murmured, his expression serious. "Was that really the wielder of the Boosted Gear down there?"

Albion's voice rumbled from within Vali, filled with disappointment. 'It was... But this generation's user of the Boosted Gear is weak. Barely a match for a two-winged Fallen Angel even after boosting. Pathetic.'

Vali sighed, running a hand through his silver hair. "So, Izashi Gremory was right. This generation's Boosted Gear user is... underwhelming." He couldn't help but smirk at the irony. "And another thing—Izashi didn't even show his true strength when we fought. He was holding back. His control over his power is impressive. He's toying with us, sending a clear message: Next time, it's going to be serious."

Meanwhile, back at the Gremory mansion, Rias lay exhausted in her room. Her body was weary from the earlier fight, but when Izashi entered and mentioned reviving Asia, curiosity piqued her interest.

"Why don't you do it yourself?" she asked, a bit of confusion in her voice.

Izashi smiled. "Because I think she'll be a good addition to your peerage, Rias-chan. Besides, she's a healer with the Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing. You could use someone like her."

Rias nodded, understanding his reasoning. She stood up, summoning a bishop piece from her collection. Walking over to Asia's still form, she placed the piece gently on the young girl's chest. Closing her eyes, Rias channeled her magic.

"I, Rias Gremory, command you to live on as a servant under the house of Gremory," she said, her voice soft but filled with authority. "With my power as King, I bestow upon you the Bishop piece."

A radiant red light enveloped Asia's body, pulsating softly as the magic worked. For several long minutes, the light flickered, then slowly dimmed. Once it faded completely, Asia remained still, her chest rising and falling gently with her new breath of life.

Rias sighed, utterly drained, and sank back onto her bed. Izashi approached her, giving her a gentle pat on the head. "Good work, Rias-chan," he said softly, his voice warm. "And don't worry—I'll handle the Riser problem for you."

A/N: I hope you all liked this long chapter.

(I want to request you guys to support me on my p.atreon and continue to read 12 advance chapters ahead over there.

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