"We're the heirs of the Gremory Clan and the Sitri Clan of the Underworld. Something this big has happened—and it's in the territory we're responsible for. There's no way we can just ignore it.
"You may be our peerage, but we don't have the right to send you to your deaths. So all of you… go back."
Even without a reminder from Ddraig, despite the distance, Rias and Sona could already feel it—the air itself had grown thick with magic power, so dense it was suffocating.
This kind of terrifying energy… forget new-generation devils like them—even veteran Ultimate-class devils would likely be no match.
And yet—
Even so, they had no choice but to go.
Ren Kuroda was a teacher at Kuoh Academy, with deep ties to the yokai factions of Kyoto. Meanwhile, Vali was both a devil and a representative of the fallen angel side.
Their identities were far too complicated—and their strength far too great. If this wasn't handled properly, it could escalate into a full-scale conflict between multiple factions.
"In that case, I'm going with you, President!" Issei declared, stepping forward. "Yeah, I still don't fully get all this stuff about fallen angels, devils, and Sacred Gears… but based on what you said, the Sacred Gear I have is on the same level as that smug white-haired guy, right?
"He's a half-devil, half-human, and I'm a reincarnated devil. He's got the 'Divine Dividing,' and I've got the 'Boosted Gear.' So theoretically, I should be just as strong as him, right?"
Hearing Issei's "perfectly logical" reasoning, everyone fell silent, their expressions turning awkward. Even Kiba, who was carrying him, felt compelled to explain gently:
"Issei… there's actually a difference between you and him.
"As Sacred Gears of the same tier, Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing are indeed equal in rank, and their abilities are comparable. But even Sacred Gears depend on how well their user has mastered them.
"You haven't fully understood your Boosted Gear yet… while he's already capable of using Balance Breaker."
Balance Breaker—the ultimate domain of Sacred Gears.
A state where the user draws upon their emotions as fuel, pushing the Sacred Gear to its absolute limits. It evolves according to the user's will, transforming into something entirely new.
Because activating it feels like "breaking the balance of the world," it's known as a forbidden, sealed power.
There are many Sacred Gear users—
But fewer than ten percent ever reach Balance Breaker.
In other words, achieving it means the user has completely mastered their Sacred Gear and made it their own.
"Exactly," Koneko added flatly. "Senpai isn't even in the same league.
"You're both devils, sure—but he's a descendant of a Demon King. A true Ultimate-class devil, stronger than even the President. Meanwhile, Senpai doesn't even have enough magic to properly activate a teleportation circle."
"…That hurts."
"Either way," Issei said stubbornly, clenching his fists, "my life was saved by the President. There's no way I'm just going to walk away now!"
It was a textbook protagonist line—
But it still struck a chord.
Whether it was Akeno and the others from Rias's side, or the members of Sona's student council, not a single person chose to leave.
Meanwhile, the terrifying yokai energy continued to surge. The surrounding terrain kept collapsing outward, the area of destruction expanding further and further.
Watching Ren—his hair now blazing crimson, fangs bared, and oni horns protruding—Vali's expression grew increasingly excited.
Compared to Vali's excitement, however, Albion spoke up with urgency:
"Vali, I strongly advise you to retreat.
"His power has already completely surpassed yours. He's reached a level comparable to a Dragon King.
"Even if you've achieved Balance Breaker, your chances of defeating him at your current strength are extremely low."
Vali ignored the warning.
Fixing his gaze on Ren—now fully transformed in his Half-Oni state—his body shot forward at incredible speed. His white armor carved a streak across the sky, like a comet falling from the heavens.
"Low odds? That still means there's a chance, doesn't it?
"And the kind of opponent I've been searching for… is exactly someone like this. If victory were guaranteed, what would be the point of fighting?"
Balance Breaker consumed an enormous amount of magical power.
For ordinary human hosts, even if they learned it, their bodies would quickly be drained dry.
But Vali was different.
As a descendant of Lucifer and an Ultimate-class devil, his magical reserves were immense. He could maintain Balance Breaker for an entire day and night.
Without holding anything back, the White Dragon Emperor Armor amplified his physical abilities and destructive power dozens—if not hundreds—of times over.
A single high-speed flying kick, empowered by that force, could pierce the earth itself and devastate everything within several kilometers.
And yet—
Facing Vali's descending kick from the sky, Ren simply smiled.
He didn't dodge.
Instead—
He threw a punch.
"BOOOOOOM—!"
The instant fist and foot collided, the ground at the point of impact churned like a boiling cauldron. The earth split apart, massive chunks of rock and soil blasted outward like bullets.
A shockwave followed, expanding outward in a circular blast that swept across the surroundings.
Rias and the others—still thousands of meters away and flying toward the battlefield—were instantly blown back over a hundred meters by the aftershock alone.
They were still kilometers away—
And yet the mere aftermath of the clash was this devastating.
It was enough to show just how absurdly powerful the two combatants had become.
At the center of it all, Ren and Vali remained locked in a brief deadlock.
Before the clash, Vali had been brimming with confidence and battle lust.
But the moment their bodies collided—
He understood.
Just how much stronger Ren had become.
The scale of that increase… was comparable to his own Balance Breaker.
In that instant, the gap between them became painfully clear.
The stalemate didn't last long.
Ren planted his feet, driving force into the ground and causing it to bulge upward beneath him. Then, with a sudden surge of power through his arm—
Vali was blasted backward, completely unable to resist.
"Divide!"
"Divide!"
Albion's voice echoed repeatedly from the jewels embedded in the armor.
And yet—
Even as Vali continuously halved Ren's power—
He could still feel it.
That overwhelming force—
Even reduced again and again—
Was still far beyond what he could withstand.