[Kiba POV]
Black, white, and... red. The same color as his wraps around me.
Within me reside two Sacred Gears: one, the innate power to create demonic swords; the other, the power to craft holy swords granted by my fallen comrades. Two opposing forces, Holy and Demonic, coexisting in a single body—a phenomenon Azazel-sensei attributed to the absence of both God and the Four Great Satans.
Attaining Balance Breaker with both was already a massive anomaly, but through my training with the Sword Saint, I have pushed them into a higher realm. I've grown stronger. Guided by Rias, walking alongside Issei—I have come so far.
But it's not enough. I can go higher.
Wreathed in a crimson aura, I step forward.
"I've always wondered if I could wield both powers simultaneously. I tried and failed countless times."
Achieving the Holy Sword's Balance Breaker was fine, but I couldn't manifest the Holy-Demonic Sword alongside it. Conversely, summoning the Holy-Demonic Sword meant I couldn't materialize my Dragon Knights. The reason was simple: my physical body couldn't endure the immense destructive force born from colliding opposing powers. My Sacred Gears knew it.
Until now.
"In this very moment... I have reached it."
Black and white auras envelope me in the mantle of the Knight King. As a crimson light washes over the attire, the black coat turns blood-red. My calves and forearms blaze violently as crimson greaves and gauntlets lock into place—identical to those worn by the Red Dragon Knight.
"This is both Sacred Gears activated as one—Sacred Gear Fusion: Crimson-Clad Dual Overlord Knight."
The clone of Valus observes my new form. "A Crimson Knight King... The scale of this power is on an entirely different level. I see... the opposing forces inside you are clashing, competing, and elevating each other to coexist. I thought Xenovia-dono was reckless, but you are no different, Kiba Yuto-dono."
"As a Gremory knight, I can't stay down here. I'm taking you down right now. For real this time."
I take another step. The crimson aura leaks out involuntarily; the storm of power raging inside me is too massive to control completely. Just like Xenovia's Deep Blue form, this won't last long.
As I tense my legs to spring, Maurice calls out from behind. "Finish it, Yuto. Settling it here—that's what makes a real man, right?"
He grins with eyes that hold absolute faith in our victory. Without turning back, I give a single response:
"—I'll bring back the win."
I burst forward at full speed with zero wind-up!
The moment I exert force, vents open on the calves of my greaves, blasting crimson aura. I move faster than I ever have in my life, cutting a chaotic trajectory straight into Valus's blind spot and driving an ascending diagonal slash from a low stance!
Valus dodges by a hair's breadth and throws a counter, but his blade cuts empty air.
"What—?!"
Seizing his moment of shock, I unleash a flurry of thrusts high, mid, and low. True to his skill, he parries them all, but the tides have turned. The more our blades clash, the closer my sword gets to his. The faster we run, the closer my legs get to catching him. Sweating now, Valus realizes it too.
As our swords collide, my gauntlets expand, venting aura to accelerate my strike and force his blade back!
The instant his posture breaks, I drive home that nine-consecutive strike! I shatter his conjured magic sword and pierce his shoulder, arms, legs, and chest!
"Ngh...!"
Taking the full brunt of the assault, Valus leaps backward and traces the cut on his cheek. Looking at his blood-stained fingers, he lets out a wry smile. "Frightening... This power of yours grows faster the more you run, and stronger the more you swing, doesn't it?"
He's right. That is the nature of this form. The more I sprint, the faster my legs become. The more I swing, the sharper my blade strikes. As long as I don't stop, my power accelerates infinitely.
It sounds absolute, but every power carries a flaw.
Valus voices it immediately. "Infinitely scaling power. A magnificent ability, but a double-edged sword. The relentless swell of energy will corrode and break your own body."
"Regrettably, you're right. I can't maintain this for long."
Even as we speak, my body screams in agony. Combined with past exhaustion and cumulative wounds, I passed my limit long ago.
Even so—
"I can endure this much pain! For my master, for my precious comrades, and to defeat you—this is a small price to pay!"
Xenovia and Irina step up to flank me. Both are battered, bloody, and deeply wounded, yet their spirits burn undiminished.
"Valus, I told you," Xenovia growls. "We are going to beat you and move forward."
"We're winning this and heading to Darling," Irina adds. "We've overcome every obstacle together, and that isn't changing today."
Valus presses a hand to his forehead and chuckles softly, almost happily. A magic circle forms, drawing forth a new blade. "Saying anything more would be uncouth. You have surpassed your limits to reach this realm. As fellow swordsmen, let us settle this with everything we have."
His gaze sharpens, releasing a crushing pressure—a cold, freezing wave of aura so sharp it feels like it could cut on contact.
Truthfully, we are terrified. But fear won't make us freeze. We will defeat him and reach Issei!
Our clashing auras grind against each other, cracking the earth beneath us. The moment a nearby mound of debris shatters from the pressure—
"RAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
Roaring at the top of our lungs, we surge forward, venting raw aura into the air!
The pain is blinding, and my body feels ready to collapse. But if I have the breath to worry about that, I have the breath to take another step! To swing another strike!
If we lose here, we lose everything. He has broken through his limits time and time again to protect what matters—so he would never lose it again!
Our three-way combination attack unfolds once more. A continuous barrage giving him no room to counter. It was broken before, but this time, it reaches him. Our swords are evolving!
"HAH!" Valus brings his sword down in a brutal overhead strike. The sheer weight behind it feels like a falling mountain. The muscles in his arm bulge as the force doubles—he's trying to crush me!
"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!"
Xenovia charges like a comet from the flank, her Deep Blue-wreathed Excalibur severing Valus's left arm!
Yet Valus doesn't falter. Catching the hilt of his flying sword with his teeth mid-air, he spins and thrusts it straight into Xenovia's abdomen, following through with a spinning backkick that slams her into the dirt!
In a single fluid motion, he slashes across my chest and plants a devastating kick into my ribs, sending me tumbling across the ground.
Blood gushes from my chest. To deliver that much damage in a split second...!
"Ghh...!" The Deep Blue aura fades from Xenovia. She has nothing left.
Valus raises his remaining arm, pointing the blade down at her—only to stop inches before the strike connects.
"I said I'd protect my partner!" Irina screams, her Autoclare extended into an aura whip, tightly binding Valus's right arm.
Coughing up blood, Xenovia roars with everything she has: "KIBAAAAAAA! GOOOOO!"
"Kiba-kun, please! We can't hold on any longer!"
Irina strains with all her strength, slowly being dragged forward by Valus's raw power.
I grip the crimson Holy-Demonic sword with both hands. I have almost no strength left either. This is the only opening I'll get!
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