◉◉◉◉◉
Although Forbidden Heaven had killed Apollo last time, its main purpose during that battle had been to seal him inside.
The endless forbidden spells within it, spells that could supposedly be combined in limitless ways, had not yet displayed their true destructive power.
Only now did Anos truly understand just how much Ophis had increased his capabilities.
The energy consumption of Forbidden Heaven was simply terrifying.
Using his own power to sustain it...
As expected, borrowing someone else's power felt much better.
"Anos!"
Ingvild flew toward Anos.
After seeing him take control of the battle so easily, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As expected, Anos was both reliable and incredibly powerful.
"Mm, Ingvild. Your song was beautiful."
Anos praised Ingvild's efforts.
At the very least, whenever he used only dragon-related powers, Ingvild's enhancement was genuine.
Although...
That enhancement had been excessive.
The power Albion originally provided would already have been enough for Anos to settle everything.
"I am glad that I could help you..."
Ingvild lowered her head and spoke with a trace of shyness.
Although she had stepped forward without hesitation to help Anos at the time, she still felt embarrassed afterward.
"Right, Lavinia. You still have not answered my earlier question. Would you like to watch the live broadcast?"
Anos turned to the weakened Lavinia.
After having her strength divided so many times, Lavinia's current condition was not much different from being completely drained by Savior Star Dragon.
It was only natural that she lacked energy.
"Of course... I want to watch."
How could Lavinia not want to know Tobio's current condition?
He had entered what was very likely an enemy trap without hesitation, all because she had been captured.
How could she not care about what happened to him?
Moreover, she was curious.
Once Anos captured her, he could have simply ordered Tobio to stop fighting.
Why had he insisted on giving Tobio some so-called trial?
Could it be...
Was this simply his twisted sense of amusement?
"Then let us watch together. It will not take very long."
"What do you mean it will not take very long?"
Lavinia immediately asked.
"It means I will have to go inside and fish him out soon."
Anos smiled.
"Did you think I meant he would be able to come out by himself soon?"
Anos mercilessly crushed the final trace of hope in her heart.
"I believe he will definitely make it out."
That was the only way Lavinia could respond.
...
Kuoh Academy.
After all the students had left for the day, Baraqiel returned to the academy.
The old school building was where his daughter should have spent most of the day.
He knew Akeno had already left.
At this hour, she was probably at the shrine.
However, he still had not prepared himself to meet his daughter.
After hesitating for a long time, he returned to the old school building instead.
At the very least, he could look at the place and think of her.
"It is almost... time to return."
Looking at the darkening sky, Baraqiel sighed.
Should he really do what the Red Dragon Emperor had suggested?
"Forget it..."
After thinking for a long time, he gave up once again.
He had only been told today that apologizing to his daughter might allow them to reconcile.
Putting those words into practice on the very same day was simply too difficult for him.
"Mr. Baraqiel?"
Just as he prepared to return to Azazel and the fallen angel faction's temporary base, he heard someone call out to him.
He was extremely familiar with that voice.
It belonged to the young man who had told him earlier today to reconcile with his daughter.
However, how had that boy approached him without Baraqiel sensing anything?
He was one of the highest-ranking fighters among the fallen angels, yet he had been completely unable to detect the young man's presence.
But when Baraqiel turned toward the voice, he saw something even more shocking.
The young man carried a black-haired boy under his left arm and a blond-haired girl under his right, while a violet-haired girl followed behind him.
What kind of situation was this?
Wait.
Why did the black-haired boy and blond-haired girl look so familiar?
Baraqiel finally noticed what he should have noticed first.
"These two should belong to your side, correct?"
"It seems they still require some training, Mr. Baraqiel."
Anos smiled, then tossed the two unconscious figures toward Baraqiel.
Tobio had unquestionably collapsed during the trial.
As for Lavinia, Anos had known from the beginning that she still intended to resist. Once the live broadcast ended, he had simply knocked her unconscious with a single chop to the neck.
"Tobio and Lavinia?"
"Did they come after you because of Vali?"
Looking at his two fallen students, Baraqiel could basically infer what had happened.
It could only have been related to Vali.
Otherwise, Tobio and Lavinia had no connection to Anos at all.
"That is why Vali and these two all require more training."
Anos dusted off his hands.
If they had attacked him directly inside Kuoh Town, it would have caused him a moderate amount of trouble.
Fortunately, they had the habit of introducing themselves first, so Anos had been able to transfer the battlefield elsewhere.
At the very least, he could not allow them to further disturb the hidden powder keg that Kuoh Town had become.
"I apologize. They were far too impulsive."
This time, Baraqiel apologized very directly.
After all, apologizing to Anos and apologizing to his daughter Akeno were two completely different matters.
Tobio and Lavinia could both be considered his students. As their teacher, it was only right that he apologize for their actions.
He could also tell that Anos did not intend to hold the matter against them.
Otherwise, Anos would not have returned them in one piece.
Since that was the case, giving both sides a graceful way to end the matter was the best choice.
"I know they were impulsive. That is why, for a while, they probably will not feel any impulse to attack me again."
Anos smiled.
Compared to Jin, Tobio was naturally the more fragile one.
But Jin had been tormented by Forbidden Heaven until it submitted enough to satisfy the treasure chest condition.
From that alone, one could imagine what Tobio had endured.
Therefore...
For a very long time, perhaps even for the rest of his life, Tobio probably would not have any desire to attack Anos again.
"I... understand."
Baraqiel swallowed.
He was actually extremely curious about what Anos had done to them, but it did not seem appropriate to ask.
"I still have something to do. I will leave these two in your care, Lord Baraqiel."
After saying that, Anos left with Ingvild.
"I will see you again at the meeting. I will make sure to discipline them properly."
That was the only response Baraqiel could give.
As he watched Anos leave with Ingvild beside him, Baraqiel inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, only to grow slightly nervous immediately afterward.
It took him a while to understand the reason behind those conflicting emotions.
Anos appeared to have a girlfriend.
That meant he probably would not make a move on Akeno, which allowed Baraqiel to relax.
But Anos was far too outstanding.
It would be perfectly natural for Akeno to fall for such an exceptional man.
If that happened, how was he supposed to deal with it?
That thought made him nervous all over again.
◉◉◉◉◉
~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◉◉◉◉◉
For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
(Just remove the - hyphen to access normally)
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!