Chapter 259 Before the Duel

By the time Yuuto, Irina, and I arrived where Issei and the others were fighting, the battlefield had already fallen silent.

The Church warriors on the opposing side had seemingly lost their will to fight, mesmerized by the soap bubbles still drifting through the air. Not a single sound of combat remained.

“How very beautiful… such lovely bubbles.”

Only one man, Vasco Strada, stood there, gazing at the scene with clear delight, as if appreciating a piece of art born from Dulio’s kindness.

Just as Rias-senpai murmured, “Are these bubbles from our side?” we reached the center of the battlefield, and Yuuto spoke up from behind her.

“Yes. These bubbles were created by Joker. It seems they cause those affected to relive their most cherished memories.”

“Yuuto! And IkkI, Irina too! I see… so this is Joker’s ability. How very like him.”

Seeing that our forces had regrouped, Strada—standing further back—removed his ceremonial robes from his upper body.

No one seeing him for the first time would ever mistake him for a clergyman.

His muscles were absurdly massive—his arms thicker than the broad blade of Durandal itself.

…Yeah, no thanks. If my training had gone a different way, I might’ve ended up built like that… I’ll pass.

He slowly approached, his enormous frame swaying with each step.

Then he stopped, spread his arms wide, and smiled through his deeply wrinkled face.

“Now then… it is time for doctrine. Children—learn well.”

“I’ll go first!”

Yuuto charged forward.

Perhaps emboldened by his newly evolved Holy Demonic Sword, his movements were sharp—but…

His strike was effortlessly stopped. Barehanded.

“Hm. A fine swing. No hesitation, even against a human opponent. And your aura is far more refined than when I saw you recently.”

Though he praised him, Yuuto couldn’t possibly appreciate it—his blade was being gripped tightly in Strada’s hand.

Then—

CRACK!

Strada clenched the hilt of Durandal and struck the Holy Demonic Sword from the side with his fist and snapped it clean in half.

Well, he did say this was a “lesson.” Might as well give Yuuto a push too.

As Yuuto stepped back and recreated his sword, I called out to him.

“Yuuto. Now that you’ve unlocked your Holy Demonic Sword, don’t keep swinging it the same way as before. That’s just wasting it.”

“…What do you mean?”

“When you first awakened it, you only had one fragment of a Sacred Sword inside you. But now? You’re carrying four. Before, if you released too much power, your sword would collapse—so you unconsciously held back. But now, you should be able to reach that same enhanced state you had when you absorbed Excalibur’s holy aura.”

Yuuto closed his eyes, focusing inward.

Then—

Light began pouring into the blade in his hand.

“My comrades’ souls within me… sorry for the wait. Now, let us become one sword!”

A massive wave of holy energy erupted from the raised blade.

This was a Holy Demonic Sword unique to this Yuuto.

“Oh… what a beautiful and powerful blade. Yes… I’d injure myself if I tried to take that barehanded.”

At last, the strongest wielder of Durandal raised his sword.

What followed was a storm.

The Occult Research Club unleashed a relentless assault and Strada handled it all.

Yuuto and Irina’s sword strikes were deflected with pure technique.

Ravel and Rossweisse’s magic was disrupted with a single finger, striking the gaps in their formulas.

Gasper’s shadow cloak was blown away by sheer pressure.

Akeno’s lightning dragons were shredded instantly.

Koneko and Issei’s physical attacks were met head-on—and pushed back.

“Are you kidding me!? This is the power of an 87-year-old man!? That’s straight-up cheating!”

Issei’s shout echoed everyone’s thoughts.

After everything we’d fought through… to have nearly all our attacks stopped without a scratch, with just a replica holy sword—

Yeah, that stung.

But even as everyone reeled, Xenovia alone charged forward.

Strada’s smile deepened.

“Yes! Xenovia! Even fused with Excalibur, Durandal’s essence is destruction! That is the resolve its wielder must possess!”

He caught her strike and continued.

“However, power takes many forms. Tell me, Xenovia… is this truly the form of power you desire?”

She faltered, unable to answer.

Strada pushed her back with brute force and at that moment, Rias’s ultimate attack, which she had been charging all this time, was complete.

“Extinguishing Star—Extinguish Star! If you don’t dodge, you’ll be obliterated!!”

With a minimal warning, she unleashed it—

A dark star capable of annihilating even the mighty Grendel in a single blow.

“Oh my… this may be a bit much for an old man.”

Facing it head-on, Strada infused his replica Durandal with explosive aura.

The light was blinding.

CLANG!

His overhead slash fell and the black star split clean in two.

Then it vanished.

Rias could only stare, her lips twitching.

“…At times like this… I suppose all you can do is laugh?”

“Hah… Hah… understand this well. Durandal can cut anything. Even the destruction of Bael itself—there are no exceptions.”

…That’s insane.

Even exhausted, he had done that with a replica at less than a fifth of its power.

Which meant—

With the real Durandal?

He could probably cut down multiple Extinguishing Stars in succession.

…Yeah, that sword isn’t just strong. It’s absurd.

“Arima Ikki. You’re not joining the fight?”

Arthur approached me, hand resting on his holy sword.

“I’ve already had my turn. Fought Strada, and earlier the strongest Excalibur wielder. That’s enough for me.”

And I should conserve strength… just in case the Qliphoth move next.

“I see. Then… it is my turn to receive guidance from that old master.”

A faint smile appeared on Arthur’s usually composed face as he drew his blade.

“Oh… to witness that sword at my age…”

Strada’s eyes narrowed with delight.

“It may not be the original, but I wish to experience your technique.”

“Very well, take your stance.”

They both raised their holy swords and vanished.

CLASH!!

Their first collision happened midair.

Even as they fell, neither stopped swinging.

The moment they touched the ground they exploded into motion, racing across the battlefield at blinding speed.

Their blades never ceased.

Not for a single moment.

“…Amazing.”

“…Frustrating. We’re still not at that level.”

Xenovia murmured.

Yuuto clenched his teeth.

Their weapons had caught up but their skill hadn’t.

Don’t worry, Yuuto. The next step of your ‘upgrade plan’ is still waiting.

“You know… both of them are insane, but earlier, Sensei and Arima were doing the same thing. Why are so many of the top fighters here human?”

“Well… I’m not sure about the exact rankings, but four of the top five are probably the people Irina-senpai mentioned earlier. The last one, Joker, is an angel. but he was already the Church’s strongest Church warrior even before becoming one…”

“…Honestly, it feels like there’s no place left for us non-humans.”