The morning sun rose over Kuoh, casting golden light over the town. But within the walls of the Occult Research Club, shadows clung to the edges of every conversation.
Azazel had remained after their strategy meeting the night before. Rias, Akeno, and Issei now sat before him, their faces betraying a mix of curiosity and dread. Kiba and Xenovia stood near the windows, silent observers.
"We're being played," Azazel stated flatly, pacing in front of the desk. "Amon is weaving something bigger than any of us anticipated."
Issei frowned. "What do you mean? He already targeted Riser. Now Vali. Isn't that part of his plan to break us down?"
"Not exactly," Azazel replied. "He's not just testing us—he's mapping us. Our reactions, our emotions, our alliances. And most importantly... our faith in one another."
Rias leaned forward. "You think he's trying to make us distrust each other?"
Azazel gave a tired nod. "Or simply fracture our cohesion. Even a hairline crack can splinter the strongest foundation when pressure is applied."
Xenovia crossed her arms. "So we're being baited."
"Not baited. Invited," Azazel corrected. "Amon wants us to come to him. He wants to orchestrate the terms of battle."
Issei looked confused. "But why? Wouldn't it be better for him to keep using pawns?"
Azazel turned toward him. "Because he's grown bored of pawns. He wants queens and kings now. And he's found his next target."
"Vali?" Rias guessed.
"Vali," Azazel confirmed. "And Vali knows it."
In a secluded mountain base, Vali stood on a stone balcony, overlooking a fog-drenched forest. His cloak billowed in the wind as he stared toward the eastern horizon.
"He's accelerating," he muttered.
Bikou approached behind him. "What did Azazel say?"
Vali didn't look back. "That Amon wants me."
Bikou raised an eyebrow. "Well, yeah, that much we already guessed."
"No. He wants me to break first," Vali replied, eyes narrowing. "To stop trusting my allies. To lash out. To lose control."
Bikou rested his staff on his shoulder. "So... we don't let him."
Vali smiled faintly. "Exactly."
Back at Kuoh Academy, Issei trained in the courtyard under Kiba's supervision. Crimson gauntlets flared to life as he focused his energy.
[Your resolve is firm today,] Ddraig noted.
"It has to be," Issei replied, dodging Kiba's swift thrusts. "If Amon's pushing the pace, we can't afford to lag behind."
Kiba lunged again, and Issei countered with a burst of raw draconic energy. The clash sent dust swirling around them.
From the trees nearby, Xenovia and Irina watched in silence. Irina's eyes never left Issei.
"He's stronger than before," she commented softly.
Xenovia nodded. "Amon's threat... it's waking something up in all of us."
Inside the clubroom, Rias spoke with Azazel in hushed tones.
"You said Amon wants kings and queens now. That implies he's setting the stage for an open confrontation."
Azazel crossed his arms. "He is. But not a traditional war. A challenge of ideology, presence, and manipulation. He wants to see who bends and who breaks."
"And who remains silent," Rias murmured.
That evening, while the rest of the town slept, a tremor shook the spirit barrier Azazel had placed around Kuoh. A rip in space blinked open above the school's rooftop, and from it descended a single figure: a humanoid wrapped in ribbons of shifting text and code.
It hovered over the rooftop until a blast of white energy knocked it off-course. Vali arrived in a streak of light, his wings spread, Divine Dividing armor fully manifested.
"You again," he hissed, staring at the figure. "Or rather, your vessel."
The puppet jerked upright, its features blank except for shifting symbols across its face.
"You are a convergence," it intoned. "A paradox in need of resolution."
Vali didn't hesitate. He surged forward, delivering a brutal punch that sent the puppet crashing through three layers of magical barriers. Before it could recover, Vali followed up with a spiral of compressed aura.
The puppet absorbed the blow, then twisted unnaturally to strike back. Vali countered with precise movements, his training under Azazel showing in his quick adaptability.
Within seconds, the rooftop was a war zone of light and shadow.
Suddenly, Issei and Kiba arrived, drawn by the energy signature.
"Vali?!" Issei shouted.
"Stay back!" Vali snapped. "This one's mine."
The puppet shuddered, then let out a pulse of data that warped the air. Amon's presence flickered through.
"Azazel's favored son... let us see how deep your rebellion goes."
Vali's eyes flared. "I don't belong to him. Or anyone."
He released a charged wave of Divine Dividing energy that sliced through the puppet. For a moment, silence fell.
Then, the puppet cracked and disintegrated, symbols scattering like digital snowflakes.
Issei rushed forward. "You okay?"
Vali turned to him, breathing hard. "That wasn't even a fragment. Just a whisper. He's watching through eyes we don't see."
Kiba looked toward the sky. "Then he's testing how far we're willing to go."
Vali nodded. "And I'm willing to go further than him."
Unseen to them, in a distant realm stitched between timelines, Amon observed. His expression unreadable, his thoughts echoing.
"The White Dragon bares its fangs. But even dragons bleed."