16 Chapter 16: Grigori's Leader

Chapter 16:

"___" - Speech

(___) - Thoughts

{___} - Internal Voice(s)

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"Wha-what the hell is that?" The former Leviathan instinctively stepped backwards as the scene unfolding before her filled her with dread. 

"This? It's just a hobby of mine." 

The Governor had become clad entirely in gilded armor with dark-violet jewels implanted into its framework. In his hand was a two-pronged spear composed entirely of light that looked ready to shatter the earth itself. 

"Tsk, you're not the only one who can power-up." From within his helmet, Azazel's brow quipped as what looked like snakes started to wrap around Katerea's body. 

(Oh? That's quite the power she's got there, but I can tell it's foreign.) 

A dark, all-encompassing aura enveloped her as the leaders, Azazel included, felt obligated to pay her some heed. 

(But, even with all that might, you're still going to die here.) 

"It was a good attempt, Governor, but I'm afraid my strength now eclipses yours." Her open palm faced the armored Fallen Angel as the latter was already preparing to end the fight. 

Not that he really considered it one. 

Boom! 

A rush of Demonic Power, enhanced by the strange aura came hurling towards Azazel. Instantly covering where he stood in sure-death. 

"Woah, that's some power you have there. However, it's definitely not the power of any old descendant. Who's backing you?" 

But, all that strength bore little fruit if it couldn't hit the Governor to begin with.

"Why would I answer that?" Though she tried to prepare another attack, this time, he was ready. 

"You all love saying the same things don't you?" He swiftly clasped his hand around her wrist as he primed his spear. 

"Oh well, I'll find out eventually, I always do." His eyes gleamed as he tore right through her abdomen, mercilessly. 

Katerea's eyes seized as she tried to call upon her strength, but it was to no avail. 

"You're trying to self-destruct aren't you? Did you forget? Holy Power is poison to Devils like you." As he pushed the weapon further into her body, all she could do was let out a last-ditch scream before perishing. 

He sighed as his [Balance Breaker] disengaged, returning to a simple spherical-jewel in the palm of his hands. 

"I guess there's still some room for improvement, stay with me a little longer, Fafnir." His senses perked up as he noticed two presences headed his way. 

"Azazel-sama, I've retrieved him." He smiled upon seeing his [Gold General] safe in his assistant's arms. 

"Good work, looks like he's having one hell of a first week huh?" Once more, Jin had ended up utterly exhausted. 

"You could say that." Azazel tilted his head upon noticing that Oron seemed rather, down. And it didn't take much to guess the reason as to why. 

"Wishing you could've done more?" It didn't surprise Oron that the Governor had seen through him, all he could offer in turn was a slow nod. 

Azazel scratched his goatee as he thought how best to handle him. 

"The thing is, I've been planning a little 'training retreat' for our sound-asleep friend over here. Would you like something similar?" 

Oron wasn't the type to be uplifted by sweet nothings, only self-improvement could saitate his endless need for excellence. 

"I would." Though his voice remained calm, deep down, he was ecstatic. 

"Good." His head perked up as he noticed something darting towards him, at rather shocking speeds to boot. 

Crash! 

A dark-blue comet of light struck down on the Governor's back, planting him into a crater of dirt as a dust cloud kicked up from the sediment below. 

"Azazel-sama!" Oron called out, rushing to the aid of his leader. 

"That hurt a little. What do you think you're doing, Vali?" Up above, loomed a menacing figure clad entirely in white mecha-like scale mail, with bright yellow eyes peering down at everything under them. 

"Sorry Azazel, but this side seemed far more interesting." The Governor brought all twelve of his wings out as he leveled with the hovering Dragon. 

"This side huh? The thing is my Vice-Governor noticed that rebels from our factions have been banding together as of late. 'Khaos Brigade' was it?" Vali shrugged his plated-shoulders as he breathed a dry chuckle. 

"What can I say? You're well informed as always. Governor-General of Grigori." 

"And your leader is, the Ouroboros Dragon —Ophis." 

"Ophis!?" Oron blurted out. 

That name, one belonging to the Dragon God himself, was more than enough to stress even the strongest of each faction. 

"That's right, I am indeed working with him. But, neither of us share any interest in domination, revolution, or ruling for that matter." 

"Then, what are you after?" 

"My objectives haven't changed at all, Azazel. I simply want to fight strong people, and I'll have plenty of them on this side. And more importantly—" 

The Vanishing Dragon's sights shifted towards the still conscious brown haired youth below him. 

"Issei, now you have more of a reason to fight me don't you?" 

"Huh? You betrayed us just for that? Vali, have you lost your mind!?" His laughter continued as Issei struggled to make heads or tails of his rival. 

"If you think about it, you're the weird one here. We're fated rivals, yet you haven't even attacked me once. Would it help if I offered you a little motivation?" 

"What?" 

"You're parents, if I killed them, would that suffice?" 

"The fuck —did you just say?" His fist clenched together as he stared at Vali with bloodshot sclera. 

"Hm, I thought I was pretty clear?" 

"My parents have nothing to do with our fight, Vali." His tone dropped as the very thought of something happening to his parents was more than enough to set him ablaze. 

"You have a point, but you're going to need quite a bit of motivation to even stand a chance against me. After all, the hands fate has dealt us are hardly balanced."

Azazel groaned as the amount of explaining he was going to have to do was about to double. 

Flutter! 

All of a sudden, eight-bat like wings extended from the White Dragon Emperor's back as the eyes of the Satan's present shook. 

"My name is Vali Lucifer. I am a descendant of the previous Satan, sired by the grandson of a pure-blooded Satan, and birthed by a human woman." 

Sacred Gear's weren't a concept exclusive only to humans, even halflings shared the possibility to be blessed by them.

"...Lucifer." Issei muttered. 

"Whereas you were born as a mere human, even with the aid of reincarnation your power hardly exceeds that of a normal person. You should understand by now, that the gap between us is larger than you could ever imagine." 

The Welsh Dragon seethed as his heart swelled with the inevitable sensation of envy, Vali was right. Fate had favored him considerably more than it had Issei, they were not equals, not by a long shot. 

"So what if he's a Lucifer?" Oron's attention swerved as Jin had somehow already come to his senses. 

"Jin-sama, stop moving, you need rest." 

"Nonsense." He limped towards Issei as he put a hand on his shoulder. 

"Jin?" He questioned. 

"I was having a chat with a new friend of mine, but I still heard everything nonetheless. He threatened your family, didn't he?" With a clear scowl on his face, Issei nodded. 

"Well, you're not just going to let that stand are you?" 

"Of course not." 

"Then, why haven't you attacked him yet? Are your own parents not worth your rage?" Motivation wasn't a problem for the [Pawn], but, fear was. 

"Azazel gave you something didn't he?" Issei's sights shifted towards the dark-silver bracelet fastened onto his arm, its jewel had already begun to emit a faint glow, as if it were already responding to his will.

"I can tell, you're itching to beat the shit out of him aren't you?" The violet-hue intensified as his nails dug into his palm. 

"I am." 

"Then, do it." As the draconic energy in the air swelled, Jin took a few steps back as he left the Red Dragon Emperor to his own devices. 

(I hope I did the right thing, otherwise I'm going to have his blood on my hands. Good luck, [Pawn] of Rias Gremory.) 

"Hoh, that's quite the pep-talk you gave him just now. Got a favorite?" 

"I don't, but she seems to." The Governor's eyes flashed with curiosity as Jin held up his hand. 

"You spoke to it?" 

"More like she spoke to me, but yes, I did." Jin's head dipped as a barrage of insults were thrown at him within his own mind. 

"But from now on, try not to call her 'it'. She's giving me a brain freeze at the moment." 

"Haha, my bad. Any chance she'll be down to have a conversation with me some time soon?" 

(Alright alright I get it, could you stop trying to turn my brain into a mini-arctic already?) 

"According to her, not a million years." 

"What a shame." Obviously, that wasn't nearly enough to make the endlessly curious Fallen Angel give up. 

"But I have to ask, is there any reason in particular she favors Issei? Or should I say Ddraig?" 

"She doesn't." 

"Huh?" 

"She wants Albion to win, apparently she has some sort of grudge against Red Dragons in general. Don't ask me why, because she didn't tell me." 

"Interesting, she have a name?" 

"She does." 

"And do you have any plans on telling me said name?" 

"I could, but she'd stop my blood-flow if I did. So I think I'm going to have to take a hard-pass on that." 

"Whew, that's one scary partner you've got yourself there. Is she responsible for that also?" He pointed towards Jin's left eye as the latter gestured affirmatively. 

Though its color remained in-tact, his pupil had become slit, as if he was some sort of reptile. 

"She wants to watch, I don't mind." 

"You weren't unconscious for very long. But, you seem to already trust her enough to let her use your body like this, a little hasty no?" 

Jin chuckled as he shook his head. 

"Our goals align, and neither of us are physically capable of lying to each other. If she wants to hitch a ride, so be it." 

"Even if she can't lie to you, don't you think it's possible she could be withholding something?" 

"Oh, she definitely is." He replied nonchalantly. 

"Then?" 

"[Twice Critical] is a part of my body, whether I enjoy her presence or not doesn't really matter, because she'll remain there regardless. Why brood over something that can't be changed?" 

"I suppose you have a point. But, do you find her presence a bother?" Jin's left eye twitched as it eagerly awaited a response. 

"Nope, if it weren't for her existence, you wouldn't have found me right?" 

"Perhaps, but at the same time. You probably wouldn't have died if it weren't for the fact you had a Sacred Gear." 

He scoffed as he folded his arms together. 

"With the way I was living, I was probably better off dead. There was nothing for me in that life, but there's plenty in this one. I have nothing but gratitude for her existence." 

{Shut up, traitor.} 

(Haha, sure.)

"Now then, let's stop talking about my Dragon shall we? Our eyes should be on the two in front of us."