After watg Kiryuu Aika disappear from sight, I made up my mind.

  She was actually quite tall, but her presence was often overshadowed by the likes of Rias, Akeno, and Sona, making her seem less promi. But if she dressed up a bit, she would definitely be a school beauty.

  If I could purify the Vritra's Sacred Gears and give it to her, then vince her to bee Sona's peerage member, I could not only plete the system task but also gain a beautiful wife.

  It would be killing two birds with oone!

  But there was no hurry. I could wait for the right opportunity.

  My mood was excellent, almost as if I were enjoying air ditioning and an ice-cold Sprite on a hot summer day.

  ...

  Just then, I noticed two young men in stylish outfits standing on a nearby bridge.

  My pupils tracted. Both of them had bck, system-issued task markers above their heads!

  "Bck Grade Tasks, and two of them at once...?"

  I froze, staring at them, muttering under my breath.

  Why? Why were there beings of this level in Kuoh Town? Acc to the inal story, Asia hadn't even arrived yet, and the whole Fallen Angel cadre Kokabiel i was still a long way off.

  Bck Grade characters were the stro I had entered so far. Bck correspoo Ultimate-css, and for two of them to appear at once was pletely ued. I had no idea what they were doing here.

  As I approached, I reized one of them. It was her than the popur character from the inal story, the White Dragon Emperor—Vali Lucifer.

  He was the desdant of the inal Maou Lucifer, born from the union of Lucifer's grandson and a human.

  He was born with the Divine Dividing, one of the thirteen Longinus, and he was a battle maniac with an insatiable thirst for bat.

  [Ding! Discovered target character: White Dragon Emperor Vali. Task Grade: Bck. Task ditio him in a direct frontation and make him aowledge you.]

  [Ding! Discovered target character: Red Dragon Emperor Lux. Task Grade: Bck. Task ditio him in a direct frontation and make him aowledge you.]

  Note: Due to the host's arrival, the world has corrected itself, and Lux is the new host of the Red Dragon Emperor.

  ....

  "What the hell? I was w where Hyoudou Issei went, and what happeo the Red Dragon Emperor, so it was this!"

  After hearing the system's notification, I froze, rooted to the spot...

  A new Red Dragon Emperor? And he's already Ultimate-css from the get-go? Are you kidding me!

  I've been struggling just to reach Peak High-css, and you throw this at me? And he's with Vali, of all people. Aren't they supposed to be sworn enemies?

  You wao fight two Ultimate-css oppos, both likely possessing the Juggernaut Drive, right now?

  Do you want me dead? Not only I not fully utilize the [Rinnegan] power yet, but my magic reserves are also insuffit.

  My only ce of winning would be to use my trump card—the Azure Dragon power. Its aura alone would probably be enough to kill them instantly.

  But then I'd have no trump card left, and if someone discovered my weakness while I was still vulnerable, I'd be irouble...

  After much deliberation, I decided to the task for now. There was no time limit anyway.

  I could wait until the peace fereween the Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils to reveal my trump card and deal with them. By then, my strength would have reached the top tiers of this world, and I'd be much safer.

  ....

  So, I strode fidently across the street and approached the two.

  "I sensed you staring at us earlier. You seem to knoe are. Care to chat?" Vali said, a hint of amusement in his eyes as I approached.

  Hearing Vali's words, I had a sudden thought and decided to probe. "Of course. After all, who wouldn't reize the renowned White Dragon Emperor and Red Dragon Emperor? I'm just curious why you two, sworn enemies, are here together."

  The ess of the Red Dragon Emperor, Lux, shattered, aared at me in astonishment. "Huh? That's iing. I've never heard of you, never even seen you before, yet you know who I am! Impressive!"

  "So, why are you two...?"

  "Lux and I have known each other for a while. We just happeo run into each other on the way here, so we came together."

  Vali answered my question before I could finish.

  "I see," I nodded.

  That expined why they were getting along so well. Normally, the White Dragon Emperor and the Red Dragon Emperor would fight to the death whehey met.

  But sihey knew each other, even if they did fight because of their rivalry, it probably wouldn't be a fight to the death like before.

  After thinking for a moment, I asked again, "I'm curious. Why have the two Heavenly Dragons e to this city? What could have brought you here together?"

  "You live here and you don't know? A few days ago, something happened in this city that shook the entire world."

  Lux seemed a little surprised, then tinued in a low voice.

  "Something that shook the world? How e I don't know about it?" I frowned. I couldn't recall anything like that happening.

  "Maybe you didn't notice. It happened very quickly," Lux tinued.

  Meanwhile, Vali's expression turned serious as he expined, "A few days ago, a giant dragon's phantom appeared in the sky above Kuoh Town. Its aura alone was enough to make the world tremble. It could be clearly seen from Heaven, Hell, the Underworld, Pantheons and everywhere else. So, obviously, many fas have sent people to iigate..."

  "...."

  No wohey had e to iigate.

  Although I maintained a surprised expression oside, Vali caught the fsh of uanding and helplessness in my eyes.

  Vali was incredibly surprised, but he didn't question me about it.

  But he was almost certain that I knew something about the dragon's phantom, and might even be ected to it.