Chapter 189: Juggernaut Drive & Extinguished Star
"Akeno, deploy the barrier. Yuuto, Koneko, evacuate the civilians."
Rias commanded with a grave expression: "Asia and the others will stay with me here to support Haruto."
"Yes. ×7"
The intense tremors lasted only a few seconds. After Azazel recovered, his combat experience as a veteran powerhouse allowed him to quickly break free from Haruto's onslaught.
This being Haruto's first time using such powerful amplification, his control over the power wasn't perfect. Otherwise, Azazel wouldn't have been able to escape so easily.
Realizing he was no match for Haruto in close combat, Azazel seized the opportunity to create distance.
Flapping his wings to ascend from underground toward the sky, he simultaneously unleashed various powerful magic attacks against Haruto to prevent him from closing in.
Terrifying energy surged in all directions, the aftermath of the battle forming ripples that continuously expanded through the air.
Rias watched Haruto's figure with concern, silently counting the seconds in her heart.
The side effects of the Sacred Gear were severe. If Haruto pushed himself too hard, he might suffer irreparable damage.
To prevent this, she planned to rush forward and stop the fight herself if Haruto didn't cease within three minutes.
"President, their power is too immense. I need someone to help me maintain the barrier."
On the other side, Akeno looked pale, sweat pouring down her face. Merely blocking the battle's aftermath with a barrier had nearly drained all her magical power.
"Yuuma, Mittelt, Warna—all three of you, go assist Akeno in maintaining the barrier."
As time passed, the intensity of the battle would only increase. Rias decisively sent Yuuma and the others to help reinforce the barrier, keeping only Asia by her side, ready to treat Haruto immediately after the fight ended.
Mid-air, Haruto grew increasingly frustrated after failing to gain the upper hand. Initially, he had held back some power and avoided particularly destructive techniques out of concern for the school grounds. But now, it seemed killing...
No, killing appeared impossible, but he at least needed to wound Azazel.
Unless Azazel felt genuine danger, he would never abandon his plans and retreat voluntarily.
Haruto's eyes flickered with uncertainty as he pondered his next move.
"Truly worthy of the Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet—to grant a high-class devil the combat power of a Satan."
Seeing Haruto halt his movements, Azazel also paused mid-air, brushing dirt off his clothes with a cold laugh. "But how much longer can you last? It seems the lesson I taught you last time wasn't harsh enough. This time, I'll make sure you remember it for eternity."
With Rias watching, Azazel couldn't kill Haruto, but there were many torments worse than death.
Haruto wasn't one for banter during battle. Facing Azazel's taunts, he took a deep breath and finally resolved to use that technique.
"I, who am awakened as the two heavenly dragons, seizing the principles of supremacy from God—
Deriding the infinite, worrying about the dream—
I, shall become the True Crimson Dragon—
And sink you into a crimson purgatory!
Juggernaut Drive!"
Haruto roared, his eyes glowing with ominous red light as his already frenzied power completely boiled over.
Sensing the terrifying aura, Azazel's expression changed drastically, and he rapidly retreated. "Juggernaut Drive?! Are you trying to perish together with me?!"
The ultimate realm of Sacred Gears was the Balance Breaker. Haruto still couldn't achieve it, no matter how hard he tried.
The Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet normally draws power from its sealed state for the user. For the Sacred Gears of the Two Heavenly Dragons, the seal can be forcibly and temporarily lifted to release the sealed power—that is Juggernaut Drive.
After activating Juggernaut Drive, Haruto gains god-like power for a short period, but the risks are immense.
Not only does it drain his life force, drastically reducing his lifespan, but it also causes him to lose his rationality.
Haruto's mastery over the Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet is still insufficient, and his Juggernaut Drive mode is incomplete. The dragon-shaped armor that should envelop his entire body fails to materialize.
Although Juggernaut Drive can theoretically be used until death if the user fears nothing, Haruto can only maintain it for about ten seconds.
10...
"Penetrate, Blazing Inferno."
Haruto, feeling the divine power only gods possess, unhesitatingly activated two other abilities of the Sacred Gear. A crimson steel dragon claw emerged, wreathed in ultimate flames capable of incinerating all things.
Once ignited, these flames would never extinguish—even a god would turn to ashes within them.
9...
Haruto transformed into a red lightning bolt, catching up to Azazel, who had become a distant black speck.
8...
The crimson steel dragon claw easily pierced through Azazel's defenses, and the red ultimate flames began spreading from his back across his entire body.
7...
Azazel's agonized screams echoed through the sky. He tried every means to save himself, summoning and dismissing various strange Sacred Gears, but nothing worked.
6...
Azazel gave up struggling. Gathering all his power, he formed a massive, terrifying black beam of magical energy and shot it toward Haruto, who had nearly lost all reason.
5...
Haruto was sent flying backward, the red glow in his eyes fading slowly. He had overestimated himself—only five seconds had passed, just half of the ten-second limit.
As this thought faded, he fell completely unconscious.
The Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet dissolved into particles of light, reverting to a glove. The divine power vanished from his body, and the all-consuming flames dissipated on their own.
Azazel, who had believed he was doomed, was both shocked and overjoyed. Clinging to his last breath, he staggered toward the direction where Haruto had fallen.
He needed to confirm whether Haruto was dead—and if not, deliver a final blow.
Having nearly had his soul burned away, Azazel wouldn't miss this opportunity, even if it meant fully offending Rias.
If Haruto recovered and activated Juggernaut Drive again, Azazel doubted he'd be so lucky a second time.
When Azazel found Haruto, he was cradled in Rias's arms, while the golden-haired little nun knelt nearby, tearfully trying to heal his battered body.
"You're still alive..."
Seeing Azazel, Rias gently laid Haruto on the ground and stepped forward, shielding both him and Asia behind her.
"Rias... step aside..."
A Satan-level powerhouse wasn't so easy to kill. In this short time, Azazel had already recovered from the brink of death.
But further recovery wouldn't be possible through his own regenerative abilities alone.
There was no way Rias would step aside. She assumed a combat stance and demanded, "What do you intend to do?"
"Though I'm severely wounded now..." Azazel's eyes flashed with anger as he sneered, "But someone like you... can't stop me."
"Oh really?"
Rias's crimson hair billowed as a resolute gleam flashed in her eyes. Blackish-red magical energy brimming with destructive aura converged toward her chest.
"Darkness, eternal darkness, respond to the demon of destruction..."
As Rias began chanting the incantation, Azazel suddenly felt a pang of dread. No longer caring whether he might harm Rias, he unleashed an incredibly powerful attack with his remaining strength.
But it was too late.
"Extinguished Star!"
Rias shouted the final incantation, and a mass of magical energy filled with ominous aura shot forth from the magic circle on her chest.
This power annihilated Azazel's attack, then continued forward without pause until it turned Azazel and everything in its path to dust.
After using this attack, Rias slowly collapsed to the ground, completely exhausted.
'Annihilation Maker' was Rias's exclusive ultimate technique. Unrelated to resistances or weaknesses, it was a concentrated mass of magical energy capable of erasing all matter, something only she with her destruction-type magic could use.
Against Azazel at his peak, it wouldn't have been very effective. Not only was this move easy to dodge, but even if it cost ten times more magic than Rias possessed, Azazel had enough magical power to neutralize it.
Asia watched Rias collapse anxiously, but Haruto needed her healing. This time, the little nun was so worried she started crying.
Tearfully, she looked at Rias and asked, "President, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. How is Haruto?"
Rias's voice was tired, but her spirit seemed quite good, which slightly reassured Asia.