The sudden manifestation of White Dragon Emperor wings not only left Vali stunned, it also shocked the spectators to their core. This reversal was simply too outrageous.
But it wasn't over yet. Raize even entered Balance Breaker with ease, using the halving power more smoothly than Vali himself, and actually turned around and beat Vali down.
Kuroka's eyes sparkled as she looked up at the White Dragon Emperor representing Raize. Replaying the "blackout" moment in her mind and analyzing it carefully, she spoke:
"That Raize Yotsuki probably used time-based powers. During the time stop, he did something to Vali and obtained his power."
Time powers!?
The others thought back to that blackout-like moment. If it was time manipulation, it did fit what they had experienced.
But another question remained—how did he take Vali's power?
Could it be the effect of some unknown Sacred Gear?
Even Vali himself was confused, but Raize's relentless attacks left him no room to think beyond the fight.
As his stamina and demonic power were constantly drained, Vali activated the White Dragon Emperor wings' halving ability as well, engaging Raize in a fierce tug-of-war.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom…
Two silver auroras soared across the sky, colliding violently and releasing shockwaves that shook the atmosphere. Having lost the halving advantage of his wings, Vali couldn't keep up with Raize's ever-increasing speed and gradually fell into a losing position.
In close combat, Raize held the upper hand every time. Vali's attacks and demonic blasts were perfectly blocked by Royalguard, sometimes even reflected back at him, making him suffer in silence.
Facing Raize's almost shameless defense, Vali felt it was downright bug-like.
Raize suddenly accelerated again, appearing above Vali almost like teleportation. Clasping his hands together, he swung them down like a massive hammer, smashing Vali straight into the shattered ground like a cannonball.
Then Raize pressed the attack, unleashing another White Dragon Emperor power.
"[Half Dimension]!!!"
The cold, emotionless voice emerging from Raize's armor made Vali's eyes widen. This move was far too familiar.
The White Dragon Emperor's Half Dimension could halve the volume of targets within a certain range—even space itself!
As Vali flew at high speed, the surrounding space began to shrink. He felt crushing pressure as the area turned into a prison about to be devoured.
"Damn it, don't get too cocky!!!"
Vali roared in rage. Being defeated by his own power—what kind of joke was that? It was too humiliating.
Using my power to beat me, Raize—are you mocking me!?
"I don't know how you got the White Dragon Emperor's power, but can you use this!?"
[Vali, are you going to use that? It seems another peer capable of forcing you to use Juggernaut has appeared. The guy in front of you is absolutely the most troublesome one yet.]
Focused on battle, Vali didn't answer Albion. His wings flared as he shot into the sky, raising his arms high overhead.
Clang—!
In that instant, the jewels across Vali's armor shone with blinding silver light, bathing him completely.
At the same time, the dragon power within him began to surge violently.
The unleashed dragon power shattered the compressed space, completely breaking the Half Dimension.
Sacred Gears capable of sealing monsters possessed power beyond Balance Breaker. Such Gears were bound by heavy seals, and forcibly releasing that sealed power was known as [Juggernaut].
The risk was immense—it would drain the user's life force, and if uncontrollable, lead to a rampage that only ended with the host's death.
For dragons, this was called [Juggernaut Drive].
It was a cursed power that inevitably consumed the user's lifespan. However, as a descendant of the original Satan Lucifer, Vali could temporarily substitute lifespan loss with massive demonic power.
Raize had pushed Vali to the limit. His Balance Breaker power could no longer gain any advantage.
If this continued, defeat was inevitable—but Vali refused to accept an ending where he was beaten by his own power.
In that state, Vali began to chant in a low voice:
"I… awaken as…"
A vast, curse-like voice filled with resentment and hatred rose, shrouded by his overwhelming demonic power.
Raize could feel the atmosphere itself descend into chaotic, berserk turbulence.
"Vali's been forced to use the 'Juggernaut Drive' power. Let's pull back a bit."
Sensing the roaring demonic and dragon power, Arthur was the first to retreat, with the others following.
They all knew how terrifying Vali's Juggernaut Drive was. None of them had expected Raize would force him to this point.
Given the special traits the other side had just displayed, it was only natural that Vali would take Raize so seriously.
"Two Heavenly Dragons who have been robbed of everything by the law of Juggernaut—"
"Envy boundless, the heart seeking illusion—"
"I shall walk the path of the Extreme White Dragon's tyranny—"
Countless points of light flowed across his white armor. The surroundings dimmed, as if all existence were merely embellishing his form.
The ferocious white gauntlets on Vali's body tore apart his armor, resembling truly savage dragon claws, while his body continued to swell.
The armor around his face began to crack. Sharp fangs revealed terrifying biting power, his lengthening neck deepening the dragon's silhouette. His beautiful light wings grew larger and larger, blotting out the sky.
Massive dragon feet crushed the already-ruined ground. Scorching, terrifying pressure spread outward, its force field blasting surrounding rubble into the sky as if gravity no longer existed.
"Join me in entering the immaculate extreme—"
The instant the final incantation fell, overwhelming brilliance erupted from Vali's drastically transformed body.
"Juggernaut Drive————!!!"
"ROOOOAAAARRRRR——!!!"
The earth-shaking dragon roar tore through the heavens, scattering clouds as berserk aura surged outward from the blinding light engulfing his entire body. The gravity field of the mountain forest was completely thrown into chaos.
In the distance, Arthur activated a bubble-like barrier with his holy sword. Boulders and trees flung up by the violent airflow smashed relentlessly against it.
From Raize's vantage point in the sky, Vali was still clad in pure white armor, but his size had increased severalfold.
The armor itself had grown far more feral, like a living dragon, sending chills down the spine. The wings, vast enough to cover the sky, pierced through the clouds with their radiance until not a single cloud remained in the blue sky.
"Come on! Let me show you the difference between the genuine article and a fake!!"
The white dragon opened its savage maw. Enormous power gathered within, instantly forming a massive beam that roared toward Raize's position in the sky.
After Vali entered Juggernaut Drive, the word "danger" flashed blood-red in Raize's mind. But he wasn't afraid in the slightest, sneering at Vali's words.
"The difference between fake and real? You've got guts saying that."
If we're talking about the White Dragon Emperor itself, then yes—you're the genuine one. But the White Dragon Emperor's power Raize obtained was absolutely not counterfeit.
Juggernaut Drive was strong, sure. But it was useless against the current Raize.
"Divide—— Divide—— Divide—— Divide————!!"
Repeated halving weakened the incoming demonic cannon. Seeing this, Vali snorted coldly and began pouring demonic power into the beam at a speed surpassing the halving effect.
The silver demonic cannon's power continued to grow unabated. Raize calmly opened a silver crystal panel before him—something that drove Vali nearly mad.
White Dragon Emperor Ability: Reflect — reflects enemy energy attacks.
A counterpart to the Red Dragon Emperor's Penetrate, equally powerful.
The terrifying demonic cannon struck the reflective panel and flew straight back where it came from.
"Damn it! Are you addicted to using my abilities or what!?"
Vali roared in frustration. Juggernaut Drive time was limited, though its speed and power were terrifyingly amplified. His savage wings slammed downward.
The pure white dragon dodged the reflected cannon, letting it crash into the ground, then roared as it charged straight at Raize.
Boom————!!
A deafening explosion obliterated everything around, hurling sandstorms and debris skyward.
"Wow~ how scary."
Using a deliberately infuriating tone, Raize spoke words that sounded like pure provocation, raising his hand as newly mutated, ferocious flames manifested.
"Reduce————!"
The same mechanical, low voice as when activating a Sacred Gear rang out from the jewel.
From the Two Heavenly Dragons, he had obtained truly terrifying power.
Red Dragon Emperor Ddraig's flames: ultimate fire capable of burning all things to nothing. Once ignited, it never goes out—even gods would be reduced to ashes.
White Dragon Emperor's Reduce: a poison that annihilates all existence except inorganic matter. Blood, bones, organs, souls—everything of a living being is reduced bit by bit. Even transcendent beings can have the very substance of their bodies reduced.
Vali himself had never used this poison. It was hard to imagine that Albion's pure white dragon form was actually a poisonous dragon.
Now, the ultimate abilities of the Two Heavenly Dragons were combined in Raize's hands. His flames carried the White Dragon Emperor's reduction poison.
[Style 108: Shiki Yami Barai!]
Still blue flames, but now shrouded in a chilling mist that inspired dread. Though burning nothing, it exuded ominous danger.
With a forward swing of his arm, Raize fired a one-meter-wide blue flame rotary blade.
ROAR!!
The savage white dragon responded with a dragon breath blast.
But the blue flame blade that Vali believed would be swallowed by his demonic cannon instead mercilessly devoured it, slicing through the beam like cutting tofu.
[This is—damn it!! That bastard copied even the power I sealed myself!? Vali, dodge now!!!]
Albion's furious voice echoed in Vali's mind. He never imagined that Raize would steal even his sealed poison. Seeing Raize hadn't entered Juggernaut Drive, Albion thought he'd only taken basic White Dragon Emperor power.
Who would've thought that this scoundrel would be so vicious, using even Albion's ultimate poison against them? Albion finally understood just how suffocating Vali felt.
If his most prized host died to the poison he himself had hidden, even Albion would find it unbearable.
It was the first time Vali had heard Albion so furious. This strange flame couldn't be blocked head-on.
Dispersing the power sustaining his demonic cannon, Vali dodged Raize's attack.
Shiki Yami Barai slammed into the ground, causing a massive explosion. But the aftermath stunned Vali.
The ground seemed soaked in oil. The moment the flames touched it, they spread at terrifying speed.
Before Vali's eyes, everything on the ground began melting. The mountain forest collapsed into a basin-like landscape.
Undying flames infused with reduce caused the earth to dissolve and collapse. Even Bikou's group far away was affected.
"What the hell is this cursed flame!? Run!!"
The invisible poison wiped out their protective bubble instantly. Sensing death's approach, they fled at top speed.