Eight O'clock, though I usually head there early in order to see if there are any clubs that need my help." Shirou admitted, eyeing the silver-haired devil warily "Why do you ask? Don't tell me you're planning to enrol there too?"
"As if I'd waste my time with something so trivial." Vali scoffed "I just thought I'd tag along to see what the big deal is…" his smile turned predatory "that, and I think it's time I properly introduced myself to my rival."
"Vali." Azazel warned, his words carrying an undertone of power that sent shivers down Shirou's spine, reminding all those present that he wasn't the Governor General of the Grigori for nothing.
"Relax, I'm not going to fight him as he is now." Vali scoffed, waving a hand dismissively "He and I are destined to battle one day, I'm more than content to wait for his skills to catch up to mine." He smirked at Shirou knowingly "Especially considering there are other, riper fruit to experience first."
Shirou said nothing, having grown used to such comments from the silver-haired Longinus User ever since they'd been introduced.
At first, he'd compared the teen to Gilgamesh, and true enough Vali did tend to give off an air of cold arrogance, caring little for the trappings of a mundane life and supremely confident in his ability to crush any foe beneath his heel. However, unlike Gilgamesh, who viewed even fellow 'Kings' to be beneath his regard, Vali seemed to take an inordinate amount of joy in seeking out strong opponents to challenge, not out of a desire to prove his superiority, but to surpass his own limitations.
Setting aside his arrogance and general disdain for modern society, Shirou couldn't help but draw comparisons between Vali and Lancer, to the point he actually found it easy to get along with him. Both were battle junkies obsessed with fighting worthy foes, proud warriors that would gladly accept death provided it was to a superior opponent, and would just as happily share a drink with their rivals the night before their final battle.
That being said, while it was actually rather refreshing to find someone so brutally honest after dealing with the various political machinations of the other Factions, if Vali tried to start anything in the middle of town Shirou wouldn't hesitate to cut him down. A fact that Vali not only knew, but actually seemed eager to put to the test.
"Just what is your deal with Issei anyway?" the Faker asked the silver-haired devil "You keep calling him your 'rival', does it have something to do with your Sacred Gears?"
"It's a little more complicated than that." Azazel interposed, drawing the faker's attention to him "It actually dates back to the start of the Great War between the three factions, back when the lines were being drawn in the sand." He scoffed bitterly "You see, Humanity weren't the only ones caught up in that clusterfuck, the other races, Fairies, Spirits, Phantasmal Beasts and even the Eastern Youkai, all of them were forced to pick a side…save for one race."
"The Dragons." Shirou deduced, earning a nod of approval from Azazel and a proud smirk from Vali, the Faker completely unsurprised by this revelation given what little he knew of Dragon Kind.
As the pinnacle of Phantasmal Species, Dragons were more than just 'Magical Creatures', they were extensions of the world itself, created in a form independent from nature, yet possessed of intelligence that surpassed human understanding. So tightly intertwined were Dragons with human folklore from the Age of Gods that it was not surprising for them to appear as both allies and enemies depending on their temperament.
While typically incompatible with humankind, conflicts between the two races were typically the result of human action or hubris. With that in mind, he could understand why none of the Three Factions dared to try and force the Dragons to choose a side. Much like how man could not command the Tide, there was nothing that anybody, God, Devil or what have you, could say that could force a Dragon to do anything it didn't want to.
"Got it in one." Azazel applauded with a smirk "See, while a few of the Dragons did end up siding with God or Lucifer for some reason or other, the vast majority didn't believe the war had anything to do with them and were content to ignore it and live as they pleased." He chuckled darkly "I'd almost envy them if it weren't for what happened next. See, partway into the war, Two Dragons with powers comparable to God and the Four Original Satans decided to have a pissing contest of their own, and like any contest between Dragons, it quickly devolved into a clusterfuck for everyone around them."
"I can imagine." Shirou shivered, recalling all-too-well the sheer overwhelming presence one of his alternate selves had been exposed to during a ritual to ignite Saber's magical core "So just what were they fighting about anyway?"
"Who knows?" Azazel shrugged, glancing towards Vali for confirmation, only for the silver haired teen to return the gesture "Hell, it's been so long I doubt the dragons themselves even truly remember what set them off in the first place. Not that Dragons need a reason to fight mind you, for all we know they probably just didn't like each other and happened to make eye contact."
'What are they, delinquents?' Shirou deadpanned, a sentiment clearly shared by Xenovia, the two of them glancing at Vali for verification, only for the silver haired devil to scoff, clearly uninterested in the 'why'.
"In any case, the conflict between the two Dragons eventually spilled onto the battlefields of the Three Factions, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides." Azazel continued "Needless to say, neither Faction particularly appreciated the interference, so a cease-fire was called to get them out of the picture."
"I think I remember reading about that." Xenovia opined "If memory serves, King Lludd of Britain lured the Dragons into a pit filled with mead, then buried them alive as they slumbered."
-----------
🚨 Want to read more?
The next 40+ chapters are already available on my Patreon!
By joining, you'll get:
📖 Early access to future chapters
🗳️ Polls to shape the story
🎁 Exclusive content for Patrons
🔥 Bonus adult-themed pictures & scenes you won't find anywhere else(adult only 😉)
Don't fall behind—others are already ahead! 👀
👉Patreon.com/c/Playerfanfic( please search this link on Google Chrome)