-------------------------------
Read upto 30 advanced Chapters on www.---patreon.com/Regulus_dragneel
Starting at $5 Remove "---" from link
-------------------------------
A few days later.
A vast expanse stretched beyond the limits of sight.
A green plain rolled endlessly beneath the sky, dotted with scattered trees and distant mountain ridges that blurred into the horizon. The wind carried the scent of grass and ash — a strange combination born from quiet nature and recent destruction.
Standing at the center of that field was a seventeen-year-old boy.
Golden hair shimmered beneath the sunlight like molten gold. Crimson eyes — slit and sharp — gleamed like polished rubies stained with blood. He wore a simple white short-sleeved shirt, black pants, and black sneakers, his appearance deceptively ordinary.
Gilgamesh.
The King of Heroes.
The current Sekiryuutei.
Yet what drew the most attention was his left arm.
Encasing it was a crimson gauntlet adorned with emerald gems and ten golden spikes, covering the entirety of his arm.
The gauntlet was one of the Thirteen Sacred Gears — a Longinus.
Boosted Gear.
The Gauntlet of the Red Dragon Emperor.
Within it resided the soul of Ddraig, one of the Two Celestial Dragons.
But that was not all.
Gripped in his hand was an axe.
A weapon predominantly gold, its single silver blade gleaming with quiet menace. The center bore the engraved image of Regulus Nemea in lion form. Along its opposite side, three curved silver protrusions ran from bottom to top. A golden diamond crowned the axe's head, housing a silver gem at its core, while additional diamond-shaped extensions decorated the base.
Another Longinus.
The Lion King's Battle Axe — Regulus Nemea.
Two weapons capable of killing gods.
Two forces able to shatter the balance of the world.
Both held by one person.
Gilgamesh gazed over the forest he had just annihilated — then back to the gauntlet and axe in his hands.
Before him lay the charred corpse of a dragon.
The surrounding forest burned in crimson purgatory flames. The heat wrapped around him like comforting warmth — similar to drinking hot chocolate on a cold day — yet within a hundred yards, all life had already been erased by that same warmth.
"How was it?" Gilgamesh asked calmly.
"Excellent, Master," Regulus replied — the spirit of the Nemean Lion dwelling within the axe.
[Outstanding, partner,] Ddraig added with satisfaction from within Boosted Gear.
Gilgamesh was training.
Balancing the simultaneous use of Ddraig and Regulus.
Even for him, wielding two Sacred Gears at once placed immense strain on both body and soul.
It had been several days since his confrontation with Rias.
The anger remained.
Not toward her.
But toward himself.
Toward what he had done to Koneko.
Perhaps… he should apologize.
[Partner — behind you.]
Ddraig's warning came a fraction of a second before Gilgamesh turned.
A massive Western dragon descended from the sky — its body divided between white and crimson scales.
It stared at him as one might stare at an insect.
Gilgamesh did not react.
The dragon inhaled deeply — then unleashed a torrent of red and white flame.
The inferno devoured everything in its path. The temperature was so extreme that even the air distorted and burned. When the flames reached Gilgamesh, the ground beneath him began to melt.
The dragon watched with arrogant confidence.
Gilgamesh simply swung the axe.
The flames parted.
He stood completely unharmed.
Not even his clothes were scorched.
As the fire dispersed, the temperature plummeted violently — freezing the residual flames midair and leaving the dragon visibly shaken.
[Boost!!]
Ddraig's voice echoed from the gauntlet.
Gilgamesh's power doubled instantly.
The technique was terrifying — the ability to exponentially increase strength without limit as long as stamina endured.
And endurance was something Gilgamesh possessed in abundance.
Demigod physiology.
Relentless training.
A will that refused collapse.
[Transfer!!]
The aura flooding Gilgamesh surged outward and poured directly into Regulus' axe. Golden and violet energy spiraled around the weapon like a storm.
With a single swing, a beam of compressed energy tore forward.
The dragon could not react.
One wing was severed instantly.
Its body plummeted toward the ground.
Gilgamesh inhaled.
Then released destruction.
"Roar of the Dragon of Purgatory."
Crimson flames erupted forward — devouring everything ahead. The moment they touched the dragon, its existence was erased completely.
Not even ash remained.
Such was the power of Purgatory Dragon Slayer Magic.
Even Ddraig felt impressed.
At Dragon Force, Gilgamesh could likely kill Dragon King-class dragons and even threaten those approaching Celestial Dragon level.
Gilgamesh exhaled slowly.
Then his thoughts shifted.
Asia.
Raynare's fear had prevented the girl from wandering Kuoh and encountering Issei. The timeline had already diverged.
Which meant intervention was necessary.
He decided to clear the remaining dungeon and proceed with Asia's rescue.
.................
Later — Kuoh City
An abandoned church stood atop a quiet hill at the city's edge.
Its isolation was deliberate.
Kuoh was devil territory.
A functioning church within close proximity would be interpreted as provocation — and after the Great War, neither Heaven nor the Fallen desired another conflict that could lead to mutual destruction.
Gilgamesh rarely visited churches.
Even during his time among angels.
Why pray to a god who was already dead?
He dismissed the thought and stepped into the church garden.
His senses expanded outward.
Dragon Slayer instincts sharpened his perception beyond human limits.
Dozens of scents drifted through the building.
Four belonged to Fallen Angels.
The rest were human.
Among them, one scent carried the faint metallic tang of blood.
Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed slightly.
The hunt had begun.