Deus.Ex.Machina Chapter 71

Juggernaut Drive.

The forbidden technique that temporarily removed the seal on the Twin Dragon Longinus, granting power that rivaled gods at the cost of sanity and life force.

Sona has read about this once in the archives of the Sitri family library, but witnessing it was an entirely different experience.

She couldn't help but grasp the railings where she stood as waves of draconic power—mixed with raw demonic energy—washed over the stadium like a crushing tide.

Beside her, Tsubaki had gone rigid.

"This is..." she whispered, her voice barely audible above the roar of unleashed power.

Beside her, Tsubaki had gone completely rigid, her knuckles white as she gripped her own section of the barrier.

"Kaichou," Tsubaki breathed, her usual composure cracking. "The pressure... it's overwhelming, should we prepare barriers?"

Sona adjusted her glasses—a habit that helped her focus when analyzing complex situations. "Our barriers wouldn't last seconds against that level of power. This fight is beyond our intervention."

She watched Leon standing calmly in his golden armor, sacred fire spear gleaming like captured sunlight, seeing him face down a Juggernaut Drive transformation without flinching...

"Leon," she murmured, her facade cracking slightly to reveal genuine concern.

Still, deep inside, there was anticipation and excitent.

This was the White Dragon Emperor—a notorious being throughout history that many gods feared. And this wasn't just any normal White Dragon Emperor. This was the strongest White Dragon Emperor in existence.

Vali Lucifer's birthright was well known. He was the grandson of the original Lucifer, possessing both human and demonic heritage. Being the grandson of the original Lucifer, Vali's demonic power surpassed even hers by far.

And now her beloved had managed to drive the White Dragon Emperor to this point.

"How incredible," she thought, a surge of pride swelling in her chest. Leon was everything she had ever wished for in a man—strong, handso, elegant, and caring.

True, there might be other girls vying for his attention, but that couldn't be helped. A man of Leon's caliber would naturally attract admirers. But she was the first, and she was the main wife. She would make sure the others understood that.

Her eyes glead with both affection and quiet determination. No matter how many others might co, her position at his side was unshakeable.

"My Leon," Sona whispered, her grip tightening on the railing as she watched the battle unfold.

She turned back her attention to the fight.

Vali vanished from her sight, only to reappear directly in front of Leon, who easily blocked Vali's attack.

The pace of the battle was so intense that she was having trouble following their movents. It really showed how much stronger she still needed to beco.

And it was not just her, even various spectators are also having trouble keeping track of their movents.

She glanced at her queen, and Tsubaki was also struggling to follow the battle, her eyes darting frantically as she tried to keep up with their lightning-fast movents.

"Lady Sona," Tsubaki said breathlessly, "I can barely see them. They're moving too fast."

"I know," Sona replied quietly, a mix of awe and frustration in her voice. "This is the level we need to reach."

She gripped her knuckles.

The realization hit her like a cold wave—she truly understood how weak she still was.

A heavy feeling settled in her chest as doubt crept into her thoughts. "Am I... not enough for Leon?" she wondered, her confidence wavering for the first ti in years.

The gap between their power levels seed impossibly vast. How could she ever stand as his equal when she couldn't even follow his movents in battle?

But then she shook her head firmly, dispelling those dark thoughts.

She straightened her shoulders, watching Leon's combat with renewed resolve. "I'll beco stronger. I'll train harder than ever before." Her voice grew steadier with each word. "I will stand beside him as his equal, not behind him, but beside him."

Tsubaki noticed the shift in her lady's deanor and smiled quietly. This was the Sona Sitri she knew, never one to accept defeat, even against her own limitations.

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On another part of the stadium stood the Archangel Michael, his golden wings folded gracefully behind him. He couldn't help but marvel at Leon's incredible strength, his usually composed expression showing genuine amazent.

"Such power from one so young," Michael murmured, his deep voice carrying centuries of wisdom. "This Leon truly is extraordinary."

Beside him stood his sister, Gabriel, her pristine white wings shimring with divine light. Where Michael was known for his role as Heaven's greatest warrior and strategist, Gabriel had always been the ssenger—the one who brought hope and guidance to those in need. Yet both siblings shared the sa unwavering dedication to protecting the balance between the three factions.

"Brother," Gabriel said softly, her lodic voice filled with wonder, "do you think he could be the key to lasting peace we've been seeking?"

Michael's sharp blue eyes never left the battle below. "Perhaps, sister. His strength alone could rival the original Satan-class beings."

He paused, watching Leon effortlessly counter another of Vali's devastating attacks.

"No wonder Azazel recomnded him and the Mishima Corporation to serve as the neutral third party for our upcoming peace negotiations," Michael said thoughtfully. "He really is perfect for it."

Gabriel nodded, her expression growing more serious. "The peace talks will be delicate, brother. After centuries of mistrust between Heaven, the Underworld, and the Fallen Angels, finding common ground won't be easy."

"Indeed," Michael replied, his strategic mind already analyzing the challenges ahead. "The Devils are still recovering from the civil war. The Old Satan faction may be defeated, but their supporters still harbor resentnt. Many young devils question whether peace with Heaven is even possible after so much bloodshed."

"And our own people aren't entirely convinced either," Gabriel added with a sigh. "So angels still view all devils as inherently evil, regardless of the new leadership under the Four Great Satan."

Michael's jaw tightened slightly. "The political landscape has shifted dramatically. Sirzechs Lucifer and Ajuka Beelzebub represent a new generation of devil leadership—one focused on progress rather than destruction. But convincing the older factions on all sides will require careful diplomacy."

"Which is precisely why soone like him is so valuable." Gabriel said

"But can we trust him completely?" Michael asked. "He's human, after all. Humans have their own interests, their own limitations."

"Perhaps that's what makes him ideal."

Michael kept silent at that.

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????

Far from the stadium, in a place that existed between dinsions, a figure sat quietly.

The space around her was void—not darkness, not emptiness, but simple nothingness. A realm where normal rules didn't apply, where ti moved at its own pace, where reality adjusted to her presence.

She looked young: a girl with long black hair and a simple dark dress that flowed around her small fra. Her eyes, though, were different. Old. Much older than her appearance suggested.

She watched.

Using thods beyond normal understanding, she observed the battle at the distant stadium. The White Dragon Emperor in his powered-up state. The human who was keeping up with him.

"Leon Mishima…," she said quietly, keeping that na in her mind.

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???

Another location entirely, hidden away from the public eye, a different figure watched.

"How interesting."

The figure swirled the wine cup lazily in his hands, his eyes glead with amusent as a smile spread across his face. It was the kind that promised nothing good for whoever had caught his attention.

It had been such a long ti since he'd found soone worth watching. After all these centuries of mind-numbing boredom, sothing had finally sparked his curiosity.

"Hmm~" he humd softly, taking a slow sip of his wine.

Mishima.

It stirred sothing from his mory. Decades ago, a certain Longinus user had sohow managed to stir up quite the storm back then.

Astrid Mishima…or Astrid Larsen, as she was known then.

"Now that brings back mories." He thought as his smile widened.

He leaned back in his chair, eyes distant as he recalled events from decades past. The mory was crystal clear despite the passage of ti.

His foolish son Razevan was once smitten with that woman.

It had been quite the spectacle, really. Watching his son reduced to a bumbling fool by a human woman. No matter how powerful that human happened to be.

The humiliation had been exquisite as his son spent ti trying to win her attention only to be rejected.

Only to lose to a re human mortal.

Looking back it was perhaps where the disappointnt in his son started.

It had been a slow descent. Razevan had thrown himself into pursuits of power and status, constantly comparing himself to others, constantly finding himself lacking. When he'd finally found a human woman willing to bear his child, the old insecurities had festered into sothing truly ugly.

And when his Grandson Vali was born with his Sacred Gear, his son saw Astrid's rejection all over again. A human bloodline producing sothing you couldn't. Sothing that made your 'pure devil heritage' seem... inadequate."

The fear had consud Razevan completely. Fear that his own son would surpass him. Fear that he would be seen as the weak link in the Lucifer lineage. Fear that everyone would whisper about how even his half-human son was more powerful than he was.

And so Razevan had co to him, begging for advice on how to handle his problem child.

The advice given had been casual, almost offhand. If Razevan was so terrified of his own son, then perhaps he should ensure the boy would never be brave enough to challenge him. Make him afraid. Broken things don't bite back.

He had never expected Razevan to take the suggestion so literally. Or so brutally.

But his son had done exactly that. He had broken that boy so thoroughly Vali had run away rather than fight back. And then, when the child didn't co crawling back for forgiveness, Razevan had broken himself with terror that he might return for revenge.

The final conversation with his son remained clear in mory. Razevan, shaking with fear, begging for protection from a grandson who had never even threatened him directly.

He had killed Razevan for his cowardice. Not for what he did to Vali—he couldn't care less about that. But because his son had beco so utterly pathetic that keeping him alive was embarrassing to the family na.

The watcher raised his wine glass in a silent mock toast. To Razevan Lucifer, who had learned too late that so rejections leave scars that never heal.

The wine sparkled as he drank, and his attention returned to the viewing screen showing Leon's battle.

But now, the bloodline that had humbled his son had produced sothing truly fascinating. The question remained whether Leon Mishima would prove as troubleso to his plans as his grandmother had been to his son's heart.

And for the first ti in years, Rizevim Livan Lucifer had sothing to look forward to.

His smile widened into sothing that would have made angels and devils alike weep.

It had been far too long since he'd had proper entertainnt.

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