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Dusk.
Minato and Artoria were strolling along a quiet path under the setting sun.
"How's the little kitten doing lately?"
"She's making fast progress. She's pretty gifted," Artoria nodded. "Give her some time, and she's gonna be a real powerhouse."
"Well, that's to be expected. After all, her bloodline is—"
"What is it, Master? Why'd you stop mid-sentence?"
Artoria paused, then turned to follow Minato's gaze.
Bathed in golden sunset light, a man was walking toward them from the other end of the path.
He had long silver hair and a strikingly handsome face, exuding a heroic aura.
"A demon?" Artoria's brows furrowed as she sensed the man's presence.
This guy…
He had that unmistakable demonic aura.
Besides Minato, this was the strongest demon she'd ever come across.
But there was more—she could sense the power of a dragon within him?
A demon… with the aura of a dragon? That felt totally off.
"He's not just a demon. He's the White Dragon Emperor, one of the Two Heavenly Dragons."
"What?" Artoria's eyes narrowed. "He's that fallen angel's White Dragon Emperor?"
"But… he's clearly a demon. Why would he join the fallen angels?"
Minato shook his head. "It's complicated. I'll explain it to you another time."
Artoria nodded. "Either way, there's a chance he's our enemy, right?"
Her expression lit up with anticipation.
Ever since becoming a demon, her strength had shot up—especially after gaining her divine protection.
She was dying to find a worthy opponent.
So just how strong was this White Dragon Emperor?
"You're the seventh King of Earth, right?"
The silver-haired man locked eyes with Minato, his gaze intense. "Finally. I've been waiting for you."
With his voice came a heavy, invisible pressure that made the air feel thick with tension.
Artoria instantly took a guarded stance.
That battle aura…
It was intense.
Only someone forged in countless battles could have such a focused and overwhelming will to fight.
"Vali, the White Dragon Emperor."
Minato looked calm as he said, "I'm guessing you came here on purpose to wait for me?"
"Exactly. A god-slayer born from the demons? That's way too interesting to pass up."
Vali grinned. "Come on, let's fight, God-Slaying King."
"To me, meeting a strong opponent and not duking it out is worse than dying without regrets."
The moment he finished speaking, a wave of terrifying magical energy erupted like a tsunami, shaking the entire area.
"White Dragon Emperor!" Artoria shouted, stepping in front of Minato with her sword drawn. "I don't care who you are—you're not laying a finger on my Master."
Just her movement alone seemed to blow away the crushing pressure in the air.
"I see now… you're quite the impressive warrior yourself."
Vali's pupils contracted, filled with fighting spirit. "Tell me your name."
"Knight King, Artoria."
"So you're that legendary spirit."
Vali stared her down. "If you want to protect your Master, then I'll just take you out first."
Artoria didn't reply. She simply raised her invisible sword.
"Guess this doesn't concern me for now?" Minato said playfully. "But if you two are gonna fight, this isn't the place for it."
As he spoke, a massive magic circle spread out, surrounding all three of them.
Fwoosh!
In a flash of light, the three figures vanished.
When they reappeared, they were in a remote, open field.
"Ha ha ha! Now this is a proper battlefield," Vali laughed, his voice brimming with excitement. "Legendary Knight King, let me defeat you first—then I'll take on the god-slayer."
Boom!
As his words fell, the two figures collided mid-air in an instant.
At the same time—
Vali raised his right fist, bent his arm, and unleashed a punch charged with raging magical energy.
Whoosh!
Artoria's invisible sword, wrapped in the Wind King Barrier, tore through the air.
In that split-second, Artoria had already adjusted her stance for the perfect counterstrike, her sword slicing straight toward Vali's fist.
BOOM!
Sword and fist clashed.
A thunderous boom echoed across the sky.
A tangible hurricane-like shockwave exploded out, uprooting trees in every direction.
Even the ground split open with deep cracks—like it had been cleaved by a legendary holy sword.
The wild shockwaves kept spreading endlessly, even starting to head toward Kuoh Town.
"Tch… this is getting out of hand. If this mess reaches Rias, I'll never hear the end of it."
Minato let out a helpless smile, then turned serious. "O wind, in my name—become an invisible barrier and seal off this battlefield."
With his incantation, the air thousands of meters around them began to harden, forming a massive barrier.
RUMBLE!
Despite the devastating shockwaves, the barrier stood firm—like a giant dam holding back a raging tide.
"I'm actually bleeding… That sword of yours—is it the legendary Sword of Victory?"
Vali looked at the blood dripping from his fist and quickly backed off.
"I should be the surprised one," Artoria said, her guard still up. "You blocked my full-power strike with just your body and only got a scratch."
"That's nothing. Since you've earned my respect, I'll fight you at full power."
As Vali spoke, a pair of glowing wings spread wide from his back—gorgeous and radiant, like a piece of living art.
At the same time—
Heavy, ornate white armor materialized and covered his body from head to toe in magical energy.
"What is that?" Artoria's expression changed. The air around her suddenly felt suffocatingly heavy.
Vali's whole presence had changed.
He didn't just feel like a dragon anymore—he was one.
"That's the forbidden move of the White Dragon Emperor's Light Wings," Minato explained calmly. "'Forbidden Move' is the ultimate form of a Sacred Gear."
"When a Sacred Gear user reaches that level, they can unleash its power in ways that defy imagination."
"....."