Issei remained very calm as he stared at a furious Kokabiel. The man's pride was clearly wounded after being provoked.
"Kneel or die?? Do you really think a Balance Breaker is capable of doing that to me??" Kokabiel spat.
Issei smiled at those words. He was certain of a few things, and one was that there was no one more powerful than him on this battlefield right now.
"Yes, I am stronger than you. Much stronger," Issei replied.
"That's my disciple," Qin added in his mind.
Kokabiel lunged fiercely at Issei's head with his light sword, his blade vibrating with even more force as his wrath energized his magical power for the attack.
"Monkey King Style: Right Arm of King Kong," Issei declared.
Issei's right arm became much stronger than before, significantly more muscular and shrouded in an extremely powerful aura—a mixture of Ki and demonic power. His only move was to punch Kokabiel's sword directly.
"You're going to lose your hand!!" Kokabiel screamed.
Issei's right arm shattered the light sword and plowed forward into Kokabiel's chest. The fallen angel was sent flying a great distance, coughing up a significant amount of blood.
"The Balance Breaker isn't just a change of clothes; my martial arts advance to a higher level with it. I have finally reached the second stage of my powers: the Mythical Arts!" Issei explained.
Issei dropped back into a combat stance, watching Kokabiel fiercely spit out blood from the impact. Having learned to endure his opponent's pain, Issei only let out a small groan of discomfort.
"Do you want to continue, Cadre??" Issei asked.
"They were almost evenly matched before, but now there is an abysmal difference between the two," Rias noted.
Rias was stunned by Issei's power. His strength had advanced to another level entirely, placing him near the very top of High-Class Devils.
"It seems Kokabiel has found someone difficult to handle," Kiba added, laughing at Kokabiel's misfortune. The angel deserved it after the destruction he tried to cause.
"Why is he wounded??" Xenovia asked.
Xenovia looked at Issei and noticed the young man was somewhat injured, despite not having taken any visible hits from the angel.
"Do you know why Issei wears a blindfold??" Akeno asked.
This caught the attention of both Xenovia and Irina. They were dying to know the reason.
"Is it eighth-grade syndrome??" Irina guessed.
"It would be better if it were, but the reason he wears a blindfold is because of a tragic condition: he absorbs the pain of those he sees. Issei wears it to avoid absorbing the suffering of everyone around him," Akeno explained.
Xenovia and Irina were incredulous. They never imagined that the arrogant, blindfolded man was actually carrying such a burden. A blindfold might look cool, but not when it's used to mask a condition like that.
"So you feel the pain of others?? What a terrible disgrace... but it's fitting for a worm like you," Kokabiel mocked.
Issei smiled as he looked at Kokabiel, wagging his finger to dismiss the idea that he was cursed or worthy of pity.
"It's not a curse; it's a gift given to me. Feeling the pain of others is what made me better than someone who only wants disgrace and war, like you," Issei said.
Issei remembered Qin's lessons about this ability. He had come to understand that it wasn't a defect, but a way to get closer to and understand others. Qin smiled in Issei's mind; he had worked hard to teach his pupil that his eyes were a gift, not a burden.
"Then die with that shitty 'gift'!" Kokabiel roared.
In his fury, Kokabiel summoned hundreds of light spears to attack Issei. The disciple of Qin Shi Huang didn't flinch. He simply smiled and prepared his hands for a new technique.
"Azure Dragon Style: Rain of Fists," Issei shouted.
Issei countered the hundreds of spears with a barrage of high-speed punches. His fists generated shockwaves that acted as projectiles, striking down the angel's attacks.
"Die!!" Kokabiel screamed.
Kokabiel's light spears illuminated the entire battlefield like powerful stars falling from the sky. Issei's fists traveled to destroy them as if they were intense raindrops hitting the ground.
"You can't change the fact that I'm stronger, Kokabiel!" Issei declared.
Issei's fists gained dominance over the Cadre. Kokabiel grew nervous as his most powerful attack was suppressed. He couldn't even think of retreating; the "rain" had already reached him, striking him painfully.
"Dammit!!!!" Kokabiel screamed.
Dozens of fist-shaped shockwaves pummeled him. He fell to the ground, nearly unconscious, looking up at the man in Chinese robes with hatred.
"I told you I was much stronger..." Issei said calmly.
"You bastard!!" Kokabiel tried to move, but his strength was spent. He fell limp on the ground.
"That was a good warm-up," Issei remarked.
Issei took his blindfold and placed it back over his eyes, though he didn't deactivate his Balance Breaker. He looked toward an empty spot on the battlefield as if something were there.
"Aren't you going to show up to collect this trash??" Issei asked.
Everyone was surprised. An unknown person was there, and only Issei had noticed. The presence revealed itself as its aura increased, shattering the barrier to enter.
"A pleasure to see you, King of the Dead," Issei said.
"The pleasure is all mine, Lost King," Vali replied.
A man in luxurious white clothing appeared. He wore a detailed white suit, white pants with a fabric that shimmered like moonlight, and mythical white leather shoes. One of his eyes had a special accessory over it. He carried a powerful weapon few knew existed: a bidente.
"Did you come to get him??" Issei asked.
"Orders from Azazel, leader of the Fallen. This guy caused too much trouble and needs punishment," Vali explained.
"It seems this man was even going against his own kind," Issei noted.
"He was a fool chasing nonsense," Vali agreed.
"True."
Issei and Vali stared at each other for a moment before disappearing in a blur. A powerful shockwave erupted between them. Vali attacked with a wind projectile created by the force of his bidente, and Hyoudou countered with a punch that formed a wind projectile of equal strength.
The two attacks collided and dissolved in a massive explosion. Issei and Vali stood impassive until Issei walked over to Kokabiel with a smile.
"Take him."
Issei tossed Kokabiel like trash for Vali to catch. The white-haired man didn't touch the fallen angel; he used his bidente to snag him as he said goodbye to his destined rival.
"Until later," Vali said.
Vali left the encounter with such speed that his exit was almost imperceptible. He was terrifyingly strong.
"I'm not used to the Balance Breaker yet. I used only a few moves and I'm almost completely exhausted," Issei thought.
"Yes, your body isn't accustomed to the power of the Mythical style; it drains you quickly," Qin confirmed.
"I have to train more to increase my time, or I won't be able to fight that guy," Issei realized.
"His Balance Breaker is likely already mastered. He is at a higher level than us, since we just reached level two," Qin noted.
"That makes me excited," Issei said.
"Our strength is now at the top of High-Class Devils," Qin added.
"Yes, soon we'll reach the Ultimate level," Issei agreed.
"But there are people even more powerful than you. Vali was just one of them," Qin reminded him.
"I know."
Issei turned his gaze back to the Gremory group and the exorcists. He walked calmly toward his friends, smiling cockily.
"That guy is definitely at the level of a High-Class Devil, almost at the top, but still far from the Ultimate class," Issei analyzed.
"Are you disappointed??" Rias asked.
"Yes, I wanted a challenge that would push my Balance Breaker beyond its limits, but it was something I could handle," Issei replied.
"There will be more powerful enemies to face," Rias promised.
"I hope so."
Issei felt a bit sad as he deactivated his Balance Breaker and returned to his luxurious black clothes. His body ached from the force he exerted, and he felt the lingering pain of the damage he had dealt to Kokabiel.
"I'm going to sleep; I'm exhausted," Issei said.
"I need some sleep too," Rias agreed.
Rias went home with Issei. The brown-haired boy had to carry a fainted Asia, telling his parents she was just tired after a long afternoon of fun. Rias, Issei, and Asia ended up sleeping in the same bed. There was no way for the boy to have privacy; both girls felt they needed the powerful, shining presence he emanated.
"God is dead..." Issei thought.
"What shitty news..." Qin replied.
"Think of the mess it would cause if it leaked," Issei added.
"Absolute chaos."
"Exactly."
Issei fell asleep after discussing these matters with his master, needing a good night's rest to process everything and recover his strength.
Issei woke up as usual, but Asia still seemed to be in a state of shock over the news. She would need time, and Hyoudou would be there to help her.
The walk to school was normal, accompanied by an insecure Asia and a nervous Rias, who was worried about the friction this would cause between factions. However, all those worries vanished when a man in a gray suit appeared in front of them.
"King of the Dead," Issei acknowledged.
"Lost King," Vali replied.
Issei and Vali evaluated each other as Kiba, Akeno, Koneko, and Xenovia—now wearing a school uniform—arrived.
"I'm happy that you are my rival; I find you worthy," Vali said.
"I feel the same about you," Issei replied.
"It seems they are going to try for peace between the three factions," Vali noted.
"That's interesting."
"Yes, I want to see how it unfolds."
Vali and Issei headed in opposite directions, smiling as they parted.
"Xenovia..." Issei started.
"Yes," she replied. She knew she was likely the source of his confusion.
"It was supposed to be a surprise, but that man ruined it. Xenovia Quarta is the newest member of our devil group," Rias announced.
"I hope to get along with all of you," Xenovia added.
Issei was happy. That meant one more woman to flirt with in the club and at school. He only felt a little bad that Irina didn't come along in the package.
"Irina went back to the Church after the truth was revealed. She seems to be having a crisis and went to seek help to resolve it," Xenovia explained.
Issei took Xenovia's hands when he sensed she was sad about her friend leaving. The blue-haired woman didn't know how to react.
"Don't worry about Irina, she'll be fine. But let's worry about you now. I'll make you feel better in just a few moments..."
"Man... you have to stop with these pick-up lines," Qin groaned.
"Shut up!!" Issei shot back.
"How embarrassing," Qin muttered.
Issei tried to lean in for a kiss, but Rias pulled him back by the ear.
"You're hopeless!" Rias scolded.
"Of course I'm not hopeless, because I am the solution itself!" Issei joked.
Rias wondered how much of a headache this man would give her this semester. He was problematic, but he made her life happy.
"I'm going to kiss him again. I want to kiss him again," Xenovia thought.
"What must it be like to kiss him??" Akeno wondered.
"I need some time alone with Issei-san," Asia sighed.
"Pervert," Koneko muttered.
"Issei might be incredible, but he's still a huge, problematic womanizer," Kiba thought with a smile.
Everyone was laughing as Rias dragged Issei by the ear toward the classroom, making sure he wouldn't flirt with anyone else on the way.