Vali smiled and shook his head. "Don't worry. If we don't find any clues, we'll be leaving in a few days. But you seem pretty strong. We should spar sometime."

  "Hey, hey, hey, Vali! If anyone's going to fight him, it's me! Unless you want to fight me first!" Lux excimed, practically vibrating with excitement.

  "You're such a pain, Lux..." Vali sighed, already regretting this enter.

  He kly what Lux wanted: a fight with him.

  This geion's Red Dragon Emperor was even more of a battle maniac than he was.

  "If that's what you both want, then so be it. As for sparring, we'll have time ter!"

  I had figured it out by now. This geion's Heavenly Dragons were both battle-crazed.

  After chatting with them for a bit, I couldn't stand the Red Dragon Emperor's stant challenges anymore, so I made my exit.

  ...

  As I disappeared dowreet, a deep voice echoed in Lux's mind, the voice of the Red Dragon Emperor, Ddraig.

  "What do you think of him?"

  The two remained silent for a while, then Lux said with a grin, "He's not as simple as he seems. On the surface, he appears to have the physical strength of a peak Mid-css, but he emanates an aura that makes me feel a sense of awe, even a hint of mortal danger."

  "Oh? You felt it too? It seems it wasn't just my imagination. Even though he knoe are, he remained pletely calm. He even gave me the impression that he could kill us at any moment. Albion, Ddraig, what did you two sense?"

  "Indeed, I felt the same way. The feeling of unease and instinctive reverence has bee ever since we met him."

  The voice of one of the Two Heavenly Dragons residing within Vali, Albion, the White Dragon Emperor, responded.

  "It's quite astonishing, isn't it? To think that something like this could happen! It's surprising that you both experienced such a strange sensation." Ddraig's clear voice rang out.

  "Even though he seemed surprised when he heard about the dragon's phantom, I still detected a different kind of emotional shift on his face. What do you think that means?"

  Vali spoke meaningfully, causing the Two Heavenly Dragons and Lux to narrow their eyes in shock, even fear.

  "Vali, are you suggesting that he's ected to that dragon's phantom...?"

  Lux asked, his expression still one of shock, a little uain.

  "It's just a guess, but based on his behavior, it's a very real possibility," Vali said, his gaze distant.

  "After all… if it were just his surface-level strength, he wouldn't have been so fident in fag us. But if he really is ected to that dragon's phantom, thehing makes sense. Unless he's hiding an unfathomable amount of power, there's no way he'd be so posed."

  After a moment of ption, Vali shared his bold dedu.

  "If that's true, thehing adds up. But this information would probably send shockwaves throughout the entire world. Even so, it makes me want to fight him even more. I want to see what it is that surpasses eve Red and the Infinite Dragon God!" Lux's eyes were filled with a burning iy.

  "What an unbelievable truth. But if that's the case, it seems you've found a new oppo."

  "Indeed..."

  Vali also looked in the dire I had disappeared, his eyes full of anticipation.

  "We won't have to wait long for ht. Wheime es, I'll definitely have a good, long battle with him!"

  "Sigh, that poor boy..."

  Albion and Ddraig couldn't help but feel sorry for me. They were both very satisfied with their current hosts. However, their only fw was their excessive love for battle.

  They were plete and utter battle maniacs!

  Aargeted by such battle-hungry individuals would have a massive headache.

  ...

  After leaving, I immediately headed to the Occult Research Club.

  As soon as I pushed open the door, I saw that the lights in the living room were already on.

  Akeno was brewing tea, and Koneko was sitting on the couch, snag.

  Surprisingly, Rias and Sona were sitting across from each other, seemingly discussing something, while Kiba and Tsubaki stood behind them, respectively.

  "Ara~ Kyoya-kun, you're here!"

  "Mm, I felt it was necessary to inform Rias of something."

  Seeier, Akeno stopped what she was doing and gave me a big smile.

  I her with a smile, then sat dowo Koneko and couldn't resist patting her head.

  Koneko g me, then swatted my hand away, her expression cold. "Pervert-senpai. Gross. I hate you."

  "Haha, I just 't help it. Koneko- is just too cute!" I chuckled awkwardly, knowing that Koneko robably still upset about the earlier i.

  "Ara ara~ Kyoya-kun, that's sexual harassment, you know. And Koneko- is still underage. If you really want to do something naughty, you do it with me. After all, I'm yirlfriend, remember?"

  Akeno leaned in close, her ample bosom almost pressing against me, her voice a seductive whisper.

  Hearing Akeno's entig words, anyone else would have beehe moon.

  But I knew about her sadistidencies, and I caught the mischievous glint in her eyes. I might have fallen for it otherwise.

  "Tsk, I do indeed want to do something naughty. How about it, Akeno? Are you free ter?" I met Akeno's gaze with a pyful smile, turning the tables and teasing her back.

  "Ara ara~ how forward of you. I'm certainly intrigued." Akeno was slightly taken aback. She hadn't expected me to so boldly flirt back. She responded with a blush, feigning shyness.

  Rias and the others watched us with strange expressions. Sona and Tsubaki decided it was best to excuse themselves, as this rivate matter between me and Rias's group.

  "Sona-kaichou, Tsubaki-san, there's o leave. I was inally pnning to tell you something through Rias, so this saves me the trouble." I quickly got up and stopped them, smiling faintly.

  Hearing my words, Sona and Tsubaki exged a ghen sat back down, curious to hear what I had to say.