Perhaps he had finally realized just how much endurance the Evil Dragon possessed.
He flashed the creature a defiant smile. “But you’re nothing I can’t beat. If the Red Dragon Emperor and I combine our fists, we can send you flying!”
Right. Exactly! Grendel was just as tough as when we last met, but for whatever reason, he didn’t seem quite so threatening this time around!
Why? Because I had the offensive power of the next Great Prince by my side. He possessed immense destructive power—of a different kind to Rias. I had experienced it firsthand, which was how I knew—together, he and I could push through!
Grendel continued to wear that creepy grin of his. He cracked his neck—then lunged at us again! A full-frontal attack, as always! It was almost comical! Yet we dived forward in exactly the same way!
Just before we could collide head-on, Grendel leaped into the air in an effort to pass over us, unleashing a massive blast of flames! But Sairaorg and I didn’t let that stop us. We shot up into the air, not caring about the fire! I wasn’t afraid! I couldn’t afford to be! After all, it wouldn’t do to let Sairaorg see me hesitating!
I couldn’t put in any less than he was, not when the two of us had beat each other bloody last time!
We burst through the flames and slammed our fists into Grendel’s stomach! For my part, I boosted my punch with my Solid Impact ability, while Sairaorg poured all his fighting spirit into his strike!
The moment we hit, the collision sent a shock wave ricocheting through the surrounding area, so loud it seemed to ring through the very sky!
A huge gush of blue blood spurted from the dragon’s mouth!
Now that had to be a fatal blow! No matter how sturdy he was, there was no withstanding that hit!
This time, I was taking him down!
But just as victory began to seem like a real possibility—
A massive pillar of purple fire in the shape of a cross erupted beside me…
When at last it ceased, Sairaorg stood there scorched and smoldering.
“…”
Without so much as a single word, he collapsed to the ground!
…An ambush?! How?! What was going on?!
I had been caught off guard—as too had Koneko and Nimura! I raced to scan my surroundings!
A high-pitched laugh sounded in my ears. It was coming from above! When I glanced up, there she was—a figure standing on a magic square suspended in the sky!
“Oh-ho-ho! My apologies. I couldn’t help myself, I just had to throw out a superstrong crucifix.”
Valburga of the Purple Flame?! What was that mage doing here?! Wasn’t she supposed to be fighting Rias and the others on the north side of the school?!
I had so many questions—but at that moment, Grendel pulled himself up from the ground and shouted to Valburga above. “Hey, hey, hey! Cut it out, you damn mage!”
“Oh dear. And here I thought you were having a hard time down there? You should be grateful.”
…Seriously?! They were getting into an argument now?!
Sairaorg still lay unmoving on the ground, smoke billowing from his body… That crucifix was a Holy Relic! It wasn’t just a potent poison to us demons—it was practically a finishing move! Sairaorg’s heightened qi energy from his fighting spirit had helped him avoid being annihilated outright, but the attack had still caused serious damage! That hit had probably been even more powerful than the flames crisscrossing the town. If he wasn’t healed soon…
A jet-black image flew into my field of vision. At first, I thought it might be another Evil Dragon—but it was Gasper, shrouded in darkness!
“Sorry, Issei! She started flying around, causing chaos across the battlefield!” he called.
Talk about a pain. So she was using that magic square to stir up trouble all over the school? If she could cast that holy crucifix attack at our people from a distance, our defensive strategy was shot!
“Oh-ho. Hello there, pretty vampire boy. Let’s play!” Valburga said in challenge, skipping away like they were in the middle of some child’s game!
“Gasper!” I called after him. “Sairaorg and I are tied up, so you’re the only one who can stop her! Please!”
“Got it! I’m not sure how much good they’ll be, but I’ll leave a few beasts behind…! You, with the True Cross, wait for me!”
Exactly as promised, he set a few of his darkness-wrought beasts on the ground and chased after Valburga.
Grendel repositioned himself. “Gah! Whatever. At least that should slow things down a little!”
Out of nowhere, he lunged forward—stomping over Sairaorg, still lying on the ground!
“Damn yooouuu!” I cried in fury, but he kept on stomping on Sairaorg again and again!
“I like a good old bloody showdown—but sometimes a torture kill is what you really need! Gwa-ha-ha! What’s wrong? Get up and punch me again, why don’t you?! Hah!”
Unable to hold back my rage any longer, I charged at the dragon ready to kick him into the horizon—but he jumped away before I could reach him!
I rushed over to Sairaorg, mortified at what I found… His face was badly burned, both legs crushed from that stomp attack, his left arm bent at an unnatural angle, and blood oozed from all over his body.
…They were fatal wounds. He wouldn’t be able to fight anymore… Damn it all! To think he would have to suffer all this because of a chain of cowardly attacks…!
I held him in my arms, tears streaming down my face.
“…Don’t cry,” sounded a voice.
Startled, I watched as he opened his eyes.
—.
He was trying to push me out of the way and climb to his feet.
His armor was shattered, his body broken, his pride crumbling—yet still he forced his quivering body upright.
Blood gushing from his wounds as he spat clumps of some dark red substance from his mouth, this future Great Prince slowly stepped forward—because ahead was a foe he absolutely had to defeat.
Seeing the fierce, unwavering look in his eyes, what he had said to me earlier came rushing back.
These big, rough, misshapen fists have just been tools for throwing punches, all so I could get where I am…
“I can’t afford to fall…!”
…Teaching those kids, I finally understood something…
Grendel snorted in laughter. “Does this building really mean so much to you? The future Great Prince is going to put his life on the line for that?! You’re out of your mind!”
Nonetheless, Sairaorg pushed forward, step after bloody step.
“That school is worth risking my life over…!” he shouted, his voice rich with fighting spirit.
Maybe I was born to do this. I came into this world without my family’s powers of destruction.
“…I’ve…sacrificed a lot…to get here… But I’ve had enough… No one else needs to go through what I did.”
At last, he reached the Evil Dragon and prepared to throw one more punch.
“Those days of beating my fists bloody are over…now that we have teachers and students.”
The next moment, his fists came back to life in brilliant white.
“…My fists might lack my family’s destructive powers, but they’ll still lead you to your demise…! My name is Sairaorg Bael…! And I’m the heir to the princely House of Bael!”
A second ago, he could barely move—and now he had hit the ground running!
Grendel couldn’t have had much strength left, either, but he confronted his challenger head-on! Sairaorg poured his remaining fighting spirit into his right arm and took a swing at the dragon! Left with no time to dodge, Grendel took the hit then quickly countered, slamming Sairaorg to the ground!
Sairaorg collapsed once again, while Grendel swayed unsteadily on his feet.
Realizing he had taken more damage than he first thought, the Evil Dragon shook his head and broke into a maniacal grin.
“…Tch! You’re hopeless! Gwa-ha-ha!”
The next moment, a Communication-type magic square unfolded next to his ear—and Grendel’s expression shifted to one of unbridled rage.
“You’re telling me to hightail it…?! Get lost…! That’s why I told you not to use that Holy Grail as your shield…!”
…Was Euclid ordering him to retreat?
Within seconds, a magic square unfolded beside him—a Dragon Gate! He was planning to escape!
“I’m getting out of here!” Grendel snorted as he strode toward the gate. “I’m gonna get me a new body, you hear? And then I’ll be back to pick up where we’ve left off! Gwa-ha-ha! So long as we have the Holy Grail, we can keep doing this forever!”
I leaped forward in an effort to stop him from escaping.
“Wait, Grendel!”
The Dragon Gate, however, lit up as he prepared to make the jump.
Dammit…! Damn it all…! We were going to let him slip away again?! How many times were we going to have to fight this guy?!
But before he could reach the Dragon Gate, he came to a sudden halt.
Why? Because someone had grabbed him by the tail.