Chapter 51

Vali was the first one to step through, a big smirk on his face, and hunger in his eyes.

Really starting to wish Vali was a girl here. Would make the look he keeps giving me far less creepy.

Also, he looks far too excited for someone who's about to get their ass kicked with their friends, but that's fine.

He'll learn. Eventually.

Bikou is next, following right behind his team leader without a care, his crimson red polearm held on his shoulders casually.

Unlike his team leader, he looks significantly less enthusiastic about this.

I can only wonder why, hmm?

Arthur quickly follows, the circle fading away as he comes through.

Though, I can sense Le Fay practically clinging to his back.

Poor girl. Seriously, is she okay?

Contrasting Vali beautifully though, Arthur looks focused, his stoic glare doing little to hide the fire in his gaze directed at me on sight as soon as he made it through.

Curious. He had two swords on him the other day, Caliburn was one, and though he didn't draw the second I could guess that it was probably Excalibur Ruler.

Now, though, he is not armed at all.

It wouldn't shock me if he could summon Caliburn to his hand at any moment, the thing can cut space after all, but leaving Ruler back at base?

I was kind of considering taking the sword for shits and giggles.

I couldn't take Caliburn, because it's much more important to people I'd rather not piss off and probably wouldn't work for me, but Ruler is free game.

Shame that.

Oh well! I'll have to settle for humiliating the Brit instead. That'll be enough, for now.

You don't get to be an ass for little to no explained reason and then get a gentle ass beating, after all.

I give them a lazy smile as I take in their appearance, before finally saying, "Not even a second late, huh?"

Vali's smile only grows, somehow, "Wouldn't miss it for anything else."

Bikou opens his mouth as though he's about to disclaim that, but Arthur giving a firm nod at their leader's statement shuts him down before he can even try to begin.

I hum in acknowledgment, and hold up the ofuda talisman, "Then I assume everyone's ready and we can get this started, yeah? No one needs to use the bathroom or something!"

Bikou, quickly, holds up a finger, "I could take a leak real quick?"

Vali, and Arthur, slowly turn toward the new Monkey King with the stalest of expressions I've ever seen.

"...on second thought, I'm good." The youkai amends with a nervous chuckle.

I give a dry snort at the three and throw the talisman down.

As soon as it hits the ground, a bright flash roars from the paper like a flashbang, and as the light clears, we suddenly find ourselves elsewhere.

Underground, specifically. Hard brown slate covers and juts out from the walls, floor, and ceiling of the frankly ridiculously oversized cave.

Seriously, the place looks like it could fit Godzilla or some similar oversized monster.

Despite there being no natural light, the entire place is lit up nicely, a part of the slew of wards and barriers I can feel placed around the area.

Bikou, of course, had something to say though, as he looked around before giving his tongue a loud click.

"Place is a little bland, don't you think?"

Vali was quick to wave him off, "Who cares about decoration? It's wide open to allow for fighting on the ground and in the air, yet contained to keep the fighting in one place."

Arthur nodded, before chiming in himself, "There's no distractions. A perfect battlefield."

The monkey youkai looked between the two, before giving a long, tired sigh, verging nearly on a groan.

"What's up with you two lately…?" He seems to wonder aloud, not receiving any response to that from the two.

I could probably figure the answer out for you, Bikou! They both want my ass!

One more than the other, one for very different reasons…if Vali's eyes are anything to go by, holy hell…

And you're along for the ride!

Don't worry, I'll make it quick! For you, anyway. Not for them, I'll be taking my time with them.

…Not in that way. I'd rather bang the Loli oni than touch a dude in that way.

I shake my head of all those thoughts, and speak up, "So!" I clap once, drawing their attention, "How do you all wanna do this? I can fight you all at the same time, 3 separate one-on-one matches...I'll let you decide."

Vali doesn't even hesitate, with his smirk unmoving, he takes a step or two back, waving at the other two, "I'd rather nobody else get in the way, especially when it comes to Juggernaut Drive…so I'll let these two go first."

"Eh? Really!?" The newbie Monkey King exclaims, only for his surprise to be further cut off by Arthur stepping forward.

"Fine by me," the blond man begins, staring me down, "stay out of my way Bikou, I'll go first."

"Uhhh! Hey now!" Bikou shakes his staff at Arthur, "I didn't agree to this! Who says I want to fight him myself!?"

I tilt my head at that, "...didn't you say you wanted to hit me though?"

"Well, yeah!" Bikou agrees, easily, pointing the red stick at me, "But I thought it'd be more of a team effort! Especially after…" Bikou trails off with a gulp.

Ah. After I showed my power, right?

He's pretty good with senjutsu, so he probably understands just how badly they're fucked from that little flex alone.

"Do not be a coward," Arthur admonishes, nearly scoffing, "stand your ground, Bikou."

"I'm not being a coward!" The youkai fires back, "I'm being practical! We don't stand a chance individually!"

Arthur frowned at that, "Not with that attitude." He states with conviction, before holding his hand out to the side.

Space glowed golden, before rupturing with a flash of holy power, light pouring from the slice like water from a cracked dam.

Within his hand, all of a sudden, rested the Holy King Sword Caliburn as the light faded and space sealed itself shut.

…Okay. Despite the sword looking rather goofy, that was pretty cool.

Vali nodded and hummed in agreement, while Bikou just groaned.

"...We're screwed." He added as his groan subsided, completely defeated.

At least someone understands

Still, if Bikou has already accepted defeat, I may as well give it to him already.

Plus, it'll solve their little argument quickly!

So I'll try to be gentle!

"Very." I state with a smile on my face.

Then, I move.

To Bikou's credit, though I don't think he saw me coming, he certainly sensed me, as the moment I took a step forward, his eyes widened.

I was barely through the next step before his staff suddenly extended, one end elongating toward me like a rod from god.

It was extending at such a speed that if I didn't have my eyes activated, it probably would have given me a glancing blow.

Yet, unfortunately, I did, and the staff shot past my side harmless as I turned slightly to avoid it.

Unlike his senses though, Bikou's physical body was simply not up to the same level. His staff was fast, but him? Not so much.

I was in his face before he even saw me, he felt the back of my sword's sheath slam into his chest before then too.

He never did get to see me, as he rocketed straight up into the ceiling like a comet.

Arthur blinked at the sound of the monkey youkai becoming an astrological phenomenon, turning his head slowly to find me standing practically right next to him.

His expression hardens, and he grits his teeth as he turns to me fully.

"Le Fay." He states plainly, prompting the girl that was at his back to go flying off quickly to the sidelines.

Vali meanwhile blinked, then smirked harder, and intoned.

"I, who am about to awaken."

I turn to Arthur, a small smirk tracing itself across my lips, as I draw Odoru Taiyōkō-sen from his sheath.

"Well, Mr. Pendragon." I start, sarcastically, "I believe I am owed an explanation, and you a beating. So, which are we going to do first?"

Arthur points Caliburn my way, and then enters a very traditional, medieval knight-looking stance, before stating, "Neither."

I gain a lazy smile as I hear his answer.

"Beating it is then." I confirm easily.

Neither of us even flinch when the monkey youkai falls from the ceiling, ragdolling into the ground with a pained groan.

~ A New Sun ~

Vali Lucifer couldn't help himself. He couldn't help the excitement welling up inside, and the smirk that showed it.

Finally. Finally, a good fight for once! With an opponent whose growth is, rather frankly, insane.

Albion was sure to inform him of that much, at least, and try to caution against it.

[And I still do, by the way.]

Vali rolled his eyes internally, of course, the Vanishing Dragon still disagrees.

[Gods are already not normal, Vali! This one is even less so!]

That's what makes it so exciting, doesn't it?

The white one merely sighed in the recesses of his mind and pulled back.

Truth be told, after the Red One up and got himself felled early, Vali didn't think he'd have a good fight for another generation or two.

Hell, not even that. Whenever the next Red Dragon Emperor appears, Vali will have already surpassed the strongest on both sides.

It's only a matter of time.

Frankly, Vali had given up hope of ever having anyone resembling a rival again.

Noriaki Kusanagi's power when they first met hadn't truly done much to change that idea.

But now? This growth? A couple of months, and he can soundly manhandle an Evil God?

Granted, Loki certainly isn't the strongest of them, but he's not weak. He's certainly stronger than the Noriaki that Vali had fought in the past.

Maybe…just maybe…he could replace the Red Dragon for him after all.

This is why, as much as he wants to immediately jump into the fight right away, he chooses to take a step back.

He wants, no, needs to see more, first.

[...It is slightly concerning the way you're thinking about him, Vali.]

…As though you have any right to talk like that considering your rivalry with the Red One.

[It's a dragon thing!] Albion fired back, defensively.

Right. Right.

Regardless, he has a fight to watch…and from the way he brutalized Bikou, it'll probably be a quick one.

"Am the Heavenly Dragon who lost all to the Principles of Supremacy." He continues the chant, unperturbed.

His words seem to be their starting shot, as Arthur dashes forward.

Noriaki remains unmoving, even as Arthur vanishes in a streak of golden light, appearing above the strange god in a similar light show, sword already swinging down.

His eyes barely flicker up as he raises his sword almost casually, its aura humming to life as it connects with Caliburn…

…and promptly sends the British blond and his sword flying back, from that lazy strike back alone.

Arthur clicks his tongue as he lands, skidding across the ground, only to disappear once more in a streak of golden light.

Vali, meanwhile, was less focused on his teammate and instead…

[The Dragon Slayer power within his sword has gotten significantly stronger.]

Vali nods internally at Albion's note. Not only that but unlike the last time they fought, Noriaki's sword seemed more…colorful. Even without that strange state of his, that borrows power from the sun.

Interesting.

Noriaki continued standing perfectly still, even as Arthur changed up his method of attack.

This time, Arthur himself didn't appear, but Caliburn's blade did.

A small cut would suddenly appear in the space around Noriaki, with Caliburn's blade lancing out with it to strike him, and yet…

His eyes would flicker in the direction of where the cut in space would appear before they even did, and his sword would already be arcing up to meet him.

A cut aimed at his neck? Deflected.

A lancing blow poised to strike up at his thigh? Blocked.

A long cut aimed at his back? Noriaki twirled his blade and parried it by slashing behind him, without even looking.

Quickly after, Arthur appears again, looking far more frustrated than he did a moment ago.

Noriaki's comment didn't help, either.

"Gonna cry?"

…Vali almost snorted at that. Albion however, did.

Arthur gave him a rather unknightly growl, before charging back into the fray.

No more fancy spatial tricks, the blond seemed to decide, he simply started swinging.

Which was meant with much the same results.

A downward slice was easily batted off course with the edge of Noriaki's blade.

A decapitating blow was ducked by him all the same.

When Arthur stabbed forward, attempting to pierce the son of the sun's chest, only then did Noriaki step forward, blocking and diverting Caliburn away with his weapon while stepping straight into Arthur's guard.

With the most absolute bored expression on his face, Noriaki stated rather plainly, "I will now fight back."

It took a moment for both Arthur, and Vali, to realize, but…yes.

Noriaki hasn't fought back yet.

With that, Noriaki vanished.

Arthur's eyes rapidly widened as the sound of metal bashing metal wrung out, and Arthur suddenly found himself mid-air, sword, and arms raised wildly up high.

Noriaki appeared beside Arthur, his sword swinging down, and Arthur barely had to try and bring his sword down to meet him.

He didn't manage completely. Instead, Vali watched as Arthur was forced to use Caliburn's oversized hilt to block, the blond gritting his teeth, entire body trembling against the blow before he was finally knocked down to the ground, back skidding against as he slid away.

Noriaki didn't even look like he particularly tried with that blow.

Regardless, he didn't even give Arthur a chance to rest, vanishing and reappearing upon him once more.

The next downward strike Arthur managed to use his actual blade's edge to block, but the force of the blow stopped his slide and pinned him into the ground in a small crater around himself.

Caliburn thrummed with holy power, and Arthur's form flickered with it, becoming a streak of light and-

Noriaki's hand blurred down, grabbing the British young man by his suit's tie, and pulled, yanking him out of the light.

Huh. He caught him before he could teleport using Caliburn.

No, rather…he was in the middle of teleporting, and Noriaki pulled him back out.

Vali…didn't know what exactly to say about that.

Neither did Arthur, as he looked upon his fellow young man in abject shock and twinge of horror.

"None of that now." Noriaki stated, almost chastising him, before raising Arthur high up…and throwing him straight back down into the ground.

Right back down into his crater.

The force which Vali could feel caused the entire cavern, or at least their little section, to rumble as though an earthquake was passing through it.

It took a moment, before the cloud of dust and debris that was kicked up settled, but when it did, he wasn't exactly surprised at the sight.

Arthur, laying there on the ground, letting out a low groan, yet still he held Caliburn tightly in his hand, his glare although pained, still filled with fire he aimed it up at Noriaki.

Noriaki sighed, stabbed his sword into the ground, and leaned on it as he looked down at Arthur in sheer and utter disappointment.

"Honestly?" Noriaki began, "You fight like you've got a stick up your ass."

This time, Vali did snort aloud.

Arthur's glare only intensified at that, but Noriaki wasn't done.

"Like seriously." He huffs, "The hell was any of that? Never go into any fights pissed, ever again. It makes every single other weakness of yours way more plain to see."

Arthur slowly struggles to sit up, "Really now…" he practically hisses out, "and what would those be?"

"You're an immature hardass." Noriaki doesn't even hesitate to go straight for the throat, verbally, anyway, "You're talented. You wield the strongest Holy Sword I've ever seen, but holy fuck, are you vain about it."

"Vain…?" Arthur echoes, raising to his feet at last with a huff of pain, "Immature? You…know nothing." He slides weakly into a ready stance.

Noriaki deadpans at him, then bats his sword lazily with his own, knocking Arthur out of his stance and nearly back onto the ground.

"Exactly what I'm talking about." Noriaki scoffed, "Even if you weren't pissy. I'd still kick your ass. Easily, at that. Your immaturity shows with not being able to take advice from someone better than you…and also your attitude.

"Seriously. What the hell's up with that? Are you ready to explain that yet, Pendragon?" Noriski asked with a raised eyebrow.

Arthur huffs with pain and refuses to meet his gaze anymore.

Noriaki simply shrugs. "Well, alright then. Guess I'll ask who I'm guessing this is all about."

"You-!" Arthur tries to raise his sword again, only to be cut off entirely by Noriaki pulling his sword's sheath from his back and slapping him over the back of the head with it.

The British young man hits the ground and stays there this time, twitching.

…Well. Vali didn't exactly expect that ending. Nor Noriaki trying to help Arthur, sort of, in his own way. Maybe it's a swordsman thing?

"I envy the 'infinite', and I pursue the 'dream'."

Regardless, Vali continued the chant, though Noriaki didn't seem to care.

Instead, the golden-eyed young man turned and looked over in...Le Fay's direction.

"EEEEEKK!"

Prompting the girl to make this horrendous squeaking noise as soon as she realized what was going on, like that of a distressed mouse.

Something Vali had never heard from her before, and so wasn't expecting, just as much as Noriaki seemed to.

Both of their eyes widened, then Noriaki more so, as a magic circle appeared above him.

And from it? A colossal fist of bronze came arcing down, straight into Noriaki, punching him into the ground…in much the same way as Arthur before him.

Ah…Gogmagog. The gigantic golem was created and left behind by the Old Gods in the Dimensional Gap, its original purpose? Destruction.

They had managed to find it while exploring the place around a month or so ago after Ophis recalled a giant that wandered it.

Still, isn't calling it in like that a bit of an overreaction?

Light pulses from beneath the fist, and flames suddenly wrap around the forearm, before the entire thing just seems to fall apart, in three even slices.

The little remaining stump of the golem's arm jerks back into the circle, as the massive slabs of arm crash to the ground around a now airborne Noriaki.

Who doesn't even look hurt, just covered in dust and rocks, and mildly miffed.

Several more magical circles appear, including a much larger one, but this time Noriaki is quick to react.

His sword ignites with flames, and with his free hand, he forms what Vali recognizes as one of those eastern magic hand seals.

Or at least he's pretty sure it is, because next he sees Noriaki take a deep breath in, only to exhale a torrent of flames into the sky, washing over and breaking apart most of the smaller magic circles.

He blurs straight into the now burning 'sky', which quickly parts and disperses as new flames forming a massive plus sign that cuts the gigantic magic circle apart.

As the light from the circles fades, and Noriaki's flames disperse, Vali can finally see that Noriaki has managed to grab Le Fay, holding the witch girl up by her collar and off her flying broomstick.

The girl quickly covers her face with her oversized hat as he tries to say something to her, when it doesn't seem like she's responding, he takes off her hat too.

…Vali is very glad they were far enough away so he couldn't hear what they were talking about.

Pointless drama. Not worth his time or effort to think about.

His thoughts were only confirmed when Noriaki suddenly exclaimed loud enough for him to hear, "Fucking Kuroka!?"

The blonde witch's rapid nodding only seemed to draw a groan from Noriaki.

Ah, yes. The cat. When it comes to the cat, he'd rather not even think about it.

It's why he hasn't put up much of a fuss with her essentially leaving the team. Her role as the senjutsu user could easily be filled by Bikou, after all.

Soon thereafter, Noriaki comes floating back down, palm firmly in his face, and rubbing the bridge between his eyes.

"That fucking cat, I swear to me…" He grumbles, Le Fay quickly following behind him.

She teleports Arthur, Bikou, and herself away from them, back to the far corner of the cavern where she just was.

Her face never stopped holding its pure crimson color, even though she didn't look at Noriaki once.

Though, before she left, Noriaki put her hat back on her head.

That only made her blush worse though.

With that all done though, Noriaki sighed before finally looking at him.

"So," he started, head tilted with a lopsided smirk, "I assume you enjoyed the show so far?"

"...It's been going about as well as I thought it was." He answered honestly, "But I am getting kind of sick being stuck on the side here…I thought you were going to finish up faster, truth be told."

Noriaki chuckled at that, "Well, I do want to have some fun myself at least, you know? After all, you lot…" his chuckle turned significantly darker, "aren't all that strong."

Vali's smirk twitched, "...I don't think you'll hold that opinion for long."

"On the contrary," Noriaki waves him off, "I think I'll keep it, Chuuni Dragon." His smirk turned into a mocking grin, "Now…you gonna cough out some stuff from your books or are we gonna get this started?"

Vali's eye twitched at that, but he didn't dare entertain him with a response.

Instead, he simply continued.

"I shall become the White Dragon of Supremacy."

"So you are then? Not gonna lie, Vali. Kid you came up with some kinda racist shit, huh?"

Unfortunately, so did Noriaki.

Ignore it. Ignore the burning desire to Half Dimension him out of existence right this second.

"And I shall take you to the Limits of Innocence…!"

At that, Noriaki visibly cringed and took a step back.

"Fucking…! Hell, man? I'm not into that! Besides! I already lost my innocence a long time ago!" He exclaimed.

Alright. Vali can not.

"No! That's not what it means you-! Tch!" He pushes that aside, for now, posing as he calls, "Balance, Break!", his divine-given wings erupt from his back, sparkling with blue and white power.

As one, the jewels ingrained upon his wings' spine announce—

[Vanishing Dragon Balance Breaker!]

Brilliant white draconic metal shines into existence around him, forming across his body like a second skin.

Except, it doesn't stop there.

Blue and white draconic aura mixed with demonic power explodes out from his form, which starts to grow.

Noriaki watches this all without care, arms crossed, a small lackadaisical grin as he waits patiently for him to finish.

Somehow, that pisses him off more.

[Control yourself, Vali!] Albion's voice breaks through the building haze of rage, [Or the Juggernaut Drive will control you instead!]

Ah, right.

Is that Noriaki's game here, or is he being infuriating just how he is?

Recalling the end of their first encounter, both seem likely.

Regardless, Vali maintains his mind as his armor becomes larger and more beastial, he can feel the moment the form completes, and his demonic power starts rapidly draining to sustain it.

And so, Vali and Albion announce.

["JUGGERNAUT DRIVE."]

Noriaki stands before an armored dragon, easily doubles his size, and smiles.

"There we go…still not as strong as Susanoo, but hey! That's still pretty good! You're stronger than Ibaraki…but then again, so am I now."

He takes a single step forward, "We're somewhere in between there."

And then, his power exploded off him, in much the same manner as Vadi's did.

Except, unlike Vali, of course, his form didn't grow.

Rather, all that happened visually was the golden flame-like lines that spread up across his face.

But Vali wasn't thinking about that.

No, he was currently enamored by being compared…or contrasted, in this case, to Susanoo.

Why Susanoo? What has Noriaki been up to since their last encounter?

Golden light counterbalances the blue light let off from his power as both fill the cavern.

"Oh! And, one more thing, Vali!" Noriaki suddenly perks up and adds, before smiling a wide cocky grin, almost a perfect mirror of his own from before.

He points his blade at him and states, almost matter-of-factly, "I hope you're not counting on using Divide this time. Because trust me, you won't be able to land a single hit to make it work."

Vali doesn't think there needs to be anything said to that.

Instead, he merely charges forward in a blur of speed and blue light, intent on proving the provocation wrong.