Heading to the underground shelter's meeting room for strategy, I met a couple in the corridor—likely parents. The woman looked familiar.
The man approached, anxious: "What'll happen to this school?"
I placed a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be fine. Mages are building a teleportation circle. We'll protect everyone. You'll escape."
They softened, relieved.
Then I remembered: "You're Rilencus's mom, right?"
"Yes. You remember my son?"
"Yeah. Saw him practicing magic hard."
She smiled, surprised.
The dad murmured, "He smiled."
"Smiled?"
"Yes. Born with low magic, unlike other kids. Noticed the gap, stopped smiling."
Like Sairaorg—magicless devil, feeling inferior.
Tears in eyes, he continued: "But here, at this school, he smiled. First since Boob Dragon. This school must stay—for him, for us."
Parents of a magicless child, carrying unseen burdens. This school: their hope.
Footsteps. Rilencus and Rossweisse approached.
Rilencus leapt into parents' arms: "Dad, Mom, look!"
He thrust out his hand—a faint flame flickered briefly.
"Fire magic! Look!"
Parents, stunned, hugged him, tears streaming.
"Well done!"
"You did it, Rilencus!"
A moment they longed for. Devils' norm, finally reached.
I patted his head. "Great job, Rilencus."
"I'll keep going! Be strong like Boob Dragon!"
"You'll surpass me. Right, Rossweisse?"
She nodded, smiling. "Yes. Challenging at his age is amazing. Keep it up, Rilencus. I'll help."
"Yes, Rossweisse-sensei!"
He replied brightly, leaving with parents for the shelter.
Rossweisse said, "Every spell aids someone; no magic's meaningless—Grandma's words. I thought I understood, but now I feel their truth."
Her expression: clear, radiant.
Thirty minutes to Rizevim's three-hour deadline.
Post-strategy meeting, we prepped for battle.
Plan: simple. Defend school—kids, residents in shelter—until teleportation circle's done. No one dies, as Sairaorg said.
Walking corridor, I saw messages and drawings from trial students on walls.
"Rating Game champ!"
"Join this school!"
"Met Boob Dragon!"
"Come back!"
"Enroll!"
Heart-wrenching. Must protect their smiles, their school. Can't lose.
Others saw it, morale rising.
Men in soldier armor approached—not town guards, but dads.
"We'll fight."
"Few combatants here, no stationed soldiers."
"We'll help—search for stragglers."
Only we're combat-ready. Stragglers possible; flames disrupt ki detection.
Rias, stern: "Opponents are mass-produced evil dragons. Not trivial. Legendary ones too. It's a deathmatch."
They smiled, undeterred.
"Let us go."
"We lack great power, but want to protect our kids."
"This school's our hope. Worth our lives."
For kids' dreams, family hope—they'd die.
No combat experience, yet aware of the enemy's might. Still, they'd fight.
Alice smirked: "Won't listen, huh?"
Rias: "Fine. One promise: don't die. You must see your kids' futures."
"Yes!"
Sky above Auros Academy: black with evil dragons. Like Agreas—hundreds, maybe thousands.
Daunting.
Brave dads trembled at the sight.
Sona stepped forward: "As planned, spread eight directions from school. Two-man cells, engage enemies."
We disperse, intercepting dragons in pairs—front and rear guard.
Sona, Gasper: schoolyard. Darkened Gasper mass-produces beasts, directed by Sona.
Dads check houses for stragglers, engaging dragons minimally, prioritizing escape.
We Red Dragon trio—me, Alice, Miu—have a unique role.
"If Asem's minions show, we handle them. Tough, but you'd struggle. Even Knight King Kiba's barely enough."
They'll likely target me. Four-on-one's impossible. Others can't match them.
So, we three counter Vika and co. If dire, Kiba or Gasper backs us.
Sona nodded: "Wise. Vika beat Alice—too strong for us. Prioritize them. We'll handle dragons, join when free."
"Got it."
I summoned my familiar—ship-sized Ryuteimaru.
Rias to Asia: "Ride this, roam battlefield."
"Yes!"
"But healers are targets, so escort—"
Rossweisse stepped forward: "Me. I'll shield Asia, snipe from rear."
Perfect—defensive magic, long-range attacks from Ryuteimaru.
Sitri's newbies, Bennier and Lugal, spoke.
Bennier: "Joined, now constant battles. Unlucky."
Lugal: "Fate."
True. Rough start, but our norm. Get used to it.
Final checks done, a magic circle glowed in the yard—communication type.
A woman appeared: purple gothic lolita, twirling a matching parasol.
Alice muttered: "Bad taste."
Ophis wears gothic lolita, but different vibe.
Woman smiled: "Greetings, devils. I'm Valburga, Hexen Nacht cadre. Pleased to meet you♪"
Purple Flame Valburga, Incinerate Anthem's wielder.
Heard from Gendul, but greeting us?
Valburga continued: "Rizevim-ojisama ordered me and dragons to burn you cutely. Get fired up, I'll enjoy it."
Annoying voice, aura pure malice.
Alice to Miu: "That speech common here?"
"No…"
Alice, it's just her!
Valburga: "Ready for battle soon?"
We glared. She feigned fear: "Scary! Devils mad♪ This'll be fun!"
Ugly smirk. She'd kill without hesitation.
No mercy, even for a woman.
Valburga scanned: "Rossweisse?"
Why her?
Rossweisse: "Me. What?"
"Just so you know, you're to be taken alive."
"By who?"
"Eugrid. He wants you. Jealous of the hot guy's pick♪"
Eugrid's obsessed. Not just talent—likely more.
Rossweisse shook head: "Not going. I'll fight."
"Expected♪ Let's have a good battle."
Valburga curtsied; circle vanished.
That's her. Enjoys seeing her prey's face. No mercy.
I addressed all: "It's starting. Be careful—they're unpredictable. Stay sharp."
Occult Club, Student Council, dads nodded tensely.
Rizevim, Asem, legendary dragons, Valburga—they'll do anything to crush us.
We must win. Not just a fight—a defense for kids' futures.
No defeat.
"Let's protect them!"
"Yes!"
We scattered to positions.
Me, Alice, Miu: school's south—most dragons.
"ROOOOAAAAAR!"
Dragons roared—three-hour mark.
Countless dragons swooped!
Red aura flared; I shifted armor: "Balance Breaker Second Tier—Sky Strike Eclipse!!"
Six cannons—wings, gauntlets, waist—deployed!
Perfect for this!
"BBBBBBBBBBBBBoost!!"
Charged cannons with magic, ki.
"Vanish! Dragon Full Blaster!!"
"Highmat Full Blast!!!!"
Massive beams stretched skyward, swallowing dragons!
Took out tons!
"Let's go!"
"Time to clean!"
Miu and Alice sprang.
Miu's magic circles spawned tornadoes—multiple—tearing grounded dragons, slashing airborne ones.
Alice, white lightning-clad, pierced escapees' heads with her spear, a white flash slaughtering mass-produced dragons.
Storm raged, thunder roared.
These two—battle beasts!
Explosions echoed—others raging too.
Agreas: countless blasts. Sairaorg's fighting.
From our shadows, dark beasts emerged—Gasper's work—attacking dragons!
His town-covering darkness from Romania's too draining. Beasts are efficient.
Miu and I clear hundreds; Alice, Gasper's beasts amplify.
But… too many.
"Wanna join others, but this'll take time," Miu said, controlling tornadoes.
Numbers overwhelm. Asia heals, but injuries could tip us.
Wait—easier way.
"Miu, make a huge, strong barrier."
"Okay… Got a plan?"
"Yeah. Someone's due for action."
"?"
Miu, puzzled, deployed a massive circle—four clear-blue walls rose.
"Four-Wall Seal. Can't do much else maintaining it. Sure?"
"Yeah. Traps dragons. Now—goddess's fire."
"Won't we get hit?"
"Stay behind me."
Switched to Sky Wing Aios, summoned Ignis.
Time to shine, Ignis!
"Fine, but no Longinus Raiser. It'd erase the town—maybe others."
No way! I'd collapse too! Don't need full power for these!
Don't say "erase"!
"It's true!"
Miu, Alice outside barrier. I moved to center—dragon swarm.
Trapped, they charged me.
Grinned: "Waited for this! Ignis!"
"Let's do it!"
Plunged Ignis's blade into ground.
"INFERNO!!"
Blazing flames erupted, spreading wide—Inferno, inspired by Xenovia's spar with Kiba.
Gleaming fire grazed dragons, reducing them to ash.
Ignis's flames obliterated all trapped dragons.
Miu's barrier, Ignis's flames cleared southside dragons fast.
But…
"Overdid it?" Alice scanned.
Burnt wasteland stretched wide—scorched, heated earth.
"Won't this be trouble? Nothing'll grow," I said, touching ash-like soil.
"It's fine! Can't farm, but kids' playground!"
"Sona'll kill me!" I groaned.
Sona via earpiece: "Issei-kun? Problem?"
"Uh, kinda… But south dragons are gone!"
"In that time? Impressive. Glad you're here."
Guilt hit. Burned a field…
Slumping, Alice patted me, smiling: "Know a way to fix this?"
"How?"
She scanned: "Blame dragons."
"Fraud!?"
"Sometimes needed."
"You ran a country like that!?"
"Maurice's idea."
"What's that guy teaching!?"
Meanwhile, Maurice
"Hey, Lisha. Day off?"
"Yes, covered a holiday shift."
"Know Alice's diary? Nina found it."
"Travel diary on Issei? Read it secretly. Cute stuff: 'Issei poked my chest. Idiot, I'll hit him again!' 'He princess-carried me! Embarrassing but thrilled!'"
"Memorized it all?"
"Totally☆" Lisha winked.
Maurice smirked at big sis's memory.
End
Area cleared. Time to join others.
"Split up. I'll go to Rias. Miu, Kiba. Alice, Koneko."
"Okay. Stay in contact?" Alice said.
"Yeah. Mass-produced dragons are quick. Problem is—"
Sudden pressure hit—beastly, intense.
Familiar ki!
"GAHAHA! Small-fry dragons done?"
Loud voice shook air.
There—a three-meter giant.
He met my eyes, grinning: "Yo! Been a bit! Remember me?"
Asem's minion—Razul, 'Variant Breaker'—laughed heartily.
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