Chapter 90

Dragon King Juntan fell silent.

His game had been completely seen through in just a few seconds. He'd never encountered anything like this before. On top of that, Riku's mysterious origins and formidable strength made Juntan sigh inwardly. It seemed this time, he'd truly run into a remarkable figure.

Give him enough time, and Riku would surely become famous across Little Garden.

"Absolutely correct," Juntan finally said, his eyes on Riku, admiration clear in his voice. "Human hero, your wisdom is truly extraordinary."

He paused, then spoke in a serious tone.

"Still, saying it all out loud isn't wise; it lowers your own chance of victory."

"If I'm willing to say it, it means I already have absolute confidence in my chances of winning this Gift Game." Riku smiled, relaxed and unhurried, his confidence almost overflowing.

It might have seemed arrogant, but to Juntan it felt oddly convincing, as if Riku's words were nothing less than the truth.

This only made Juntan take things even more seriously.

"Of the three methods to clear this game, the first and third are troublesome. And I hate trouble. I don't want to waste time, so I'll go with the second method." Riku's gaze sharpened, his aura surging to the heavens, shattering the clouds with sheer presence. "Come, Dragon King Juntan, let me see just how powerful a Three-Digit really is."

"Hahaha! Human hero, you are truly interesting!" Juntan was briefly stunned, but then burst out laughing, his voice rippling outward in sonic waves that could burst the eardrums of ordinary gods.

"In that case, let's continue to enjoy this battle!" Juntan's aura exploded upward, heavy and unyielding, clashing with Riku's as neither backed down.

ROAR!

 With a furious howl, Juntan opened his enormous jaws, gathering searing energy, clearly preparing to unleash his signature move: Dragon Breath.

At the same time, Juntan's obsidian-black horns flashed with an astonishing black light.

Suddenly, the gravity around Riku intensified once more. The ground and mountains were crushed and began splitting apart under the pressure even space itself started to destabilise.

"Haha, now that's more like it!" Riku grinned, facing gravity that could crush even gods, his fighting spirit blazing.

He stepped into the air with a thunderous sound, and before the echo faded, he had already charged headlong at Juntan.

Even under this terrifying gravity, Riku's speed was beyond imagination.

But this opponent was anything but ordinary. Though Riku's speed was great, to Juntan, it was still plain as day.

ROAR!

 Without hesitation, Juntan unleashed his most powerful attack. A dragon's breath, thousands of meters wide, ripped through space and shot toward Riku. This time, Riku didn't take it head-on; instead, his eyes flashed, and he vanished on the spot, activating [Heavenly Shift].

BOOM!

The attack missed, detonating deep in the Juntan Mountains, sending up clouds of black smoke and explosions, carving out a massive crater.

Luckily, this was Little Garden, especially the host's game field, where space and land were massively reinforced. Otherwise, that attack might have blown up countless planets in the outside world.

But after unleashing his ultimate move, Juntan was not pleased; instead, his pupils shrank in alarm.

At that moment, Riku suddenly appeared above Juntan's head. Compared to Juntan's island-sized body, Riku was like an ant.

BAM!

Without a hint of hesitation, Riku punched down on Juntan's head. A dull thud sounded, Juntan's scales were blasted apart, and a deep dent formed, and blood sprayed out.

But because of their relative size, this was little more than a sharp sting to Juntan, causing pain but not serious injury.

"A spatial-type Gift?!" The pain on his head made Juntan realise at once how Riku had dodged his previous attack.

Spatial Gifts were rare even in Little Garden, and those who possessed them were not to be trifled with. Juntan hadn't expected Riku to have one as well.

His eyes narrowed. Regular tricks wouldn't work against someone with spatial powers. In that case, he'd just have to twist all of space itself with gravity.

"In that case, Authority Release!"

With a thunderous roar, Juntan unleashed his full Authority.

In an instant, his aura and strength skyrocketed. If before he had only touched the threshold of the Three-Digit realm, now he was fully in the Three-Digit omnipotence domain.

In Little Garden, Authority was the best way to increase a god's or an asura's strength. The stronger the Authority, the higher the life form's rank. Releasing one's full Authority brought a massive power boost.

Now, as Juntan released his Authority, the gravity around them soared. His horns flashed with blinding black light.

Even the very fabric of space in this region of Little Garden was warped and blurred by gravity. Using spatial movement here was no longer realistic unless you had a supremely advanced spatial Gift.

Riku's [Heavenly Shift] was impressive, but in this world of gods and legends, it wasn't considered high-level. In this field, he could no longer use spatial movement.

With Juntan's Authority unleashed, even Riku felt his body growing so heavy he could barely move, as if the weight of a world pressed down on him.

"Incredible gravity, just what I'd expect from a pure-blooded dragon, an exceptional Four-Digit," Riku praised. "And your battle smarts are top notch."

"Hmph. Human hero, you still look like you're in control. In that case, let me put some real pressure on you," Juntan growled.

As he spoke, the gravity in Riku's area spiked even higher. Clearly, for Juntan, manipulating localised gravity was child's play…

Even under the crushing weight of overwhelming gravity so intense that moving was nearly impossible, Riku smiled.

"Sorry, but my body happens to have the mass of a star," he said with a crooked grin. "So, your gravity is actually helping me out."

"What?!" Juntan's pupils contracted in shock.

Before he could even process this, Riku unleashed his own power, drawing on the effects of the World Fruit he'd consumed, his body now possessed the mass of a star.

Under this force, which could crush anything, Riku's mass multiplied many times over.

For a moment, Juntan felt as though a world had dropped onto him; he could barely hold his head up, his neck threatening to snap, his vision going black. Even his massive body began to plummet toward the ground, and if he crashed, the damage would be severe.

"That human… is too strong!"

"Even after Dragon King Juntan released his Authority, he's still being suppressed!"

The distant drakes, wyverns, and phantasmal beasts watching could only stare in shock.

They didn't know exactly what was happening, but it was obvious enough: Dragon King Juntan, even as the host of this Gift Game and having released his Authority fully at the Three-Digit level, was still being forced down by a human.

ROAR!

In this critical moment, Juntan snapped back to awareness and roared.

In an instant, the surrounding gravity reversed into a pulling force, flinging Riku away. Juntan himself felt lighter, barely managing to steady his battered body.

"As expected of a gravity master so quick to resolve a crisis," Riku said with admiration as he righted himself.

Gravity and attraction are two sides of the same force. By instantly switching from gravity to attraction, Juntan had created an immense pull. Only Riku's monstrous body kept him from being ripped apart.

"Human hero, are you truly human?" Juntan asked, voice deep, staring up at Riku in the sky.

"What do you think?" Riku replied. "You already know the answer."

Juntan fell silent. He'd already determined Riku was human, but that only made it more incredible. A human who could withstand his gravity… a body with the mass of a star…

He hadn't even sensed any Authority from Riku, yet the man's strength was beyond belief. There were mysteries everywhere.

"I've experienced your gravity firsthand," Riku said. "Honestly, in my normal state, just enduring this much is a challenge; moving at all is a struggle. The constant switching between gravity and attraction is pretty tricky, too."

"But in Little Garden, exposing your trump cards carelessly is never wise. So, I'll just say sorry about what comes next." Riku looked down at Juntan, utterly calm.

"Hm?" Juntan's eyes narrowed. He understood what Riku meant. Revealing his most powerful trump card was off-limits, but using a standard one was still fair game. And that, in itself, was enough to defeat him.

It made Juntan angry, but remembering the value of Riku's Gift, the fact that it might even surpass his own, his anger faded, replaced by grave seriousness.

"Human hero, I won't give you a single chance!" Juntan suddenly declared.

His twin horns flared, wild gravity and attraction twisting space around Riku, as if trying to tear him apart.

But after witnessing Riku's resilience, Juntan knew that it was nearly impossible. So he aimed to immobilise Riku instead, and he succeeded. With Riku's current strength, even moving a finger was impossible under the terrifying forces binding his space.

Still, Riku appeared unfazed. In truth, he hadn't even tried to resist or dodge.

This made Juntan even more uneasy.

Suddenly, Juntan opened his jaws wide and began to gather power, channelling his full Authority into this one attack, no holding back.

At the same time, a crimson gauntlet appeared on Riku's right hand, radiating a pure dragon aura.

But now, it was infused with the powers of Dream and Infinity.

That's right: after contracting with Ophis and Yurina, Riku had acquired "Infinity" and "Dream" powers, two of the highest-level abilities from the High School DxD world. By merging them into the Emperor Dragon Gauntlet, the artefact evolved to a whole new level, its potential now truly incomparable. Even now, it could amplify Riku's power several times more than before!

"That's…!" Juntan's pupils shrank in shock, recognising the crimson gauntlet on Riku's hand.

The three dragon auras swirling around it weren't just powerful, they were of an Authority equal to that of a pure-blooded dragon.

"Human hero, is this your trump card? To combine the Gifts of three pure-blooded dragons into one… truly eye-opening!" Juntan's voice thundered, his fighting spirit burning. "Then, take my strongest attack!"

Without hesitation, Juntan unleashed his ultimate move. A beam of black dragon breath, tens of kilometres wide, blazing hot and carrying a raging gravity wave, tore through the air toward Riku enough to destroy a galaxy.

"Balance Breaker," Riku said calmly, just before the attack landed.

[Paradox of the Earth Dragon!]

At that moment, the golden jewel in the Emperor Dragon Gauntlet flared with power.

A raging crimson aura burst from Riku, soaring into the sky and shaking the entire Juntan Mountain Range. Rifts opened everywhere, and even gravity itself began to destabilise…

The eruption of crimson energy shook the very heavens, sending the distant wyverns and phantasmal beasts scrambling back in terror.

At the same time, Juntan's searing black dragon breath, laced with a furious gravity wave, blasted toward Riku.

BOOM!

The moment the burning black dragon's breath and gravity wave collided with the crimson aura, they were instantly split and thrown into chaos, the overwhelming heat rendered unstable by the gravity's interference.

Yet, even such a terrifying attack couldn't reach Riku at the centre; it was held at bay.

"So strong!" Juntan had to admit, Riku's explosive power was overwhelming. To face his multi-layered assault head-on and stop it regardless of whether he was hurt was nothing short of astonishing.

In the eye of the attack, Riku stood encased in his dazzling crimson armour, powerful red energy swirling all around and blocking out the heat and gravity.

But even for Riku, blocking a full-force Three-Digit assault head-on was a challenge.

"Fourth Eternal Ward!" Riku called out.

A dozen shimmering transparent barriers appeared, stacking atop one another to shield Riku.

The [Fourth Eternal Ward], the Disboard elves' supreme defensive and sealing spell, which Riku had refined many times (especially after gaining thousands of magic formulas from the God of the Bible), now possessed defensive strength on a completely different level.

With Balance Breaker and a dozen Eternal Wards layered together, not even Juntan's all-out attack could harm Riku.

All attacks must end eventually. After more than ten seconds of deadlock, Juntan could no longer sustain such a wild output and detonated his own power.

BOOM—!

A deafening explosion erupted in the sky, obliterating everything in its path. The shockwave shredded mountains and forests, leaving smoke and ruin in its wake.

"Hah… human, after taking that head-on, you must be feeling it now," Juntan panted, his massive dragon eyes locked onto the sky above.

"It was certainly powerful. If I hadn't used my defences, I'd have been hurt for sure," Riku's voice rang out from above. With that, he burst through the haze, his figure visible to all.

He hovered in the sky, wrapped in splendid crimson armour, a single transparent barrier remaining after the explosion had broken through the others.

"No injuries…?" Juntan groaned. To have his attack blocked without even a scratch was a blow to his pride.

Riku's number of trump cards was just ridiculous.

On the sidelines, even the flying beasts were stunned. That last blow could have torn the sky asunder, yet this was the result. "Rough estimate, you'd need to boost your power thirtyfold to do this. No wonder you can't underestimate any Three-Digit omnipotent opponent," Riku commented from midair, looking down at Juntan.

By now, the surrounding gravity hardly affected Riku. His body still felt heavy, but it was nowhere near as restrictive as before.

"Now that I've increased my level, it's time to finish this," Riku grinned.

BOOM!

He exploded forward, rocketing toward Juntan.

Juntan, startled, desperately manipulated gravity waves, blasts, and dragon breath, all firing at Riku. But most of Riku's attacks missed, and those that didn't, he simply smashed aside with brute force.

BOOM!

The next moment, Riku landed atop Juntan's head and slammed his fist down. A low, thunderous impact rang out, wild and unstoppable, like a meteor strike.

BOOM!

Hit dead-on, Juntan's head caved in, scales and blood flying. His island-sized body was smashed down from the heavens, plummeting like a meteor, smashing a vast crater into the earth below, which continued to sink and crack from the impact.

Juntan was left reeling, dazed by the sheer force. That punch had really done damage.

"Your massive body is tough, but it limits your speed; you just can't avoid my attacks!" Riku declared, standing atop Juntan's battered head.

"So admit defeat!"

Riku's fist blazed again, wild crimson energy roaring with destructive power, forming a tiger's shape as it crashed down on Juntan.

Juntan tried desperately to twist gravity and defend, but Riku's attack was simply too much. Even under the crushing force, his blow landed.

CRACK—!

A faint sound of bone breaking, a shower of blood, another huge dent, the crater widening, the mountains trembling.

Worse, Riku's destructive aura gnawed at Juntan's Authority itself, like maggots on bone, impossible to fend off.

Just as Riku prepared to punch again, Juntan mustered his strength and blasted Riku away.

Then, his body shrank down, transforming into a black-haired youth in a dark robe with twin horns bloodied and battered, a sorry sight.

"Cough… mighty human, you're relentless. You nearly killed me," Juntan muttered wearily, staring at Riku.

"But you're not dead, are you?" Riku replied nonchalantly.

"As you said, my huge body was a giant target against you. But in human form, I can't use my full power, gravity's already weakened," Juntan admitted.

"So, do you surrender?" Riku asked casually.

"Even in defeat, I'll see it through with dignity. We fight until one of us is down for the count," Juntan replied resolutely.

The Juntan Mountains echoed with thunderous booms as Riku and Dragon King Juntan clashed again and again.

Each collision ended with Juntan getting overpowered and knocked down, only to grit his teeth and charge back in a cycle that repeated over and over.

Even Riku had to respect his opponent's determination, and so he didn't hold back, meeting force with force.

The distant wyverns and phantasmal beasts watching could barely bear to look; it was a brutal sight.

Finally, with another heavy punch, Riku sent Juntan flying deep into the mountains, where he finally couldn't get up.

"Surely you'll admit defeat this time. You really are one stubborn dragon," Riku said, flying over to where Juntan was half-buried in the rocks.

"Cough… I suppose there's nothing for it. Losing a head-on fight is just hard to accept," Juntan said, his entire body bruised and battered, his breath weak.

He'd hoped to win by sheer endurance, but as a pure-blooded dragon, he was completely outclassed. Riku's strength hadn't faded in the slightest. In fact, it only seemed to increase as the fight went on.

That was just bizarre. How could someone's power keep rising the more they fought? Was Riku not expending any stamina at all?

Juntan was left both frustrated and awed.

"But I suppose this is my loss," Juntan finally conceded, thoroughly convinced.

"Fighting you was a blast," Riku said with a real smile. At the heights he'd reached in DxD and Disboard, there was no one who could take even a single punch from him in his normal state. There was no joy to be found in battle, but this fight was different genuinely enjoyed it.

"Is that so? That makes me happy to hear," Juntan replied with a smile of his own.

Just then, the parchment appeared once more, transforming into a contract and recording the result.

Gift Game: PlayingGravity

Winner: Participant [Disboard] Riku Dola

Loser: Host [The King of the Dragon] Dragon King Juntan

With these results, the game has ended.

On the back of Juntan's right hand, a mark appeared: a perfect dodecahedron, the shape of the Star Grail.

"Juntan, welcome to my community, [Disboard]," Riku said, offering his hand.

"Community [Disboard]? Never heard of it, but with you as leader, I expect that name will be famous across Little Garden soon enough," Juntan replied, shaking Riku's hand.

"That's a given." Riku shrugged, casual as ever. "After all, my ambitions don't end with just making [Disboard] famous."

"Haha, that sounds exciting," Juntan said with a wry grin. He clearly wasn't the type to settle down quietly then again, few dragons were.

Suddenly, a bright and lively woman's voice rang out, surprising both Riku and Juntan. They turned sharply to look.

Whoever had approached without either of them noticing had to be no ordinary figure.

When they saw the figure nearby, though, their reactions were completely different.

Juntan looked as if he'd seen a primordial beast genuine terror and deep wariness in his eyes.

Riku, on the other hand, narrowed his gaze, his eyes shining with sharp intent as he sized up the newcomer.

The woman before them was an exceptionally beautiful figure with dazzling silver hair. Silver hairpins adorned with bells decorated her hair, and she wore a violet kimono over snow-white skin, looking as if she'd stepped out of a painting.

She held a folding fan in her hand and watched Riku with keen interest.

Even though she wasn't releasing any pressure intentionally, the sense of overwhelming strength she exuded was unmistakable.

"[The Final Trial of Humanity—Heliocentric Theory]." Riku exhaled softly, stating her identity outright.

That's right, her dress and face, combined with the connection between the Solar Authorities, let Riku immediately deduce who she was. The very being once feared by all the gods of Little Garden, who repelled millions of gods, the Lord of the White Night, the Final Trial of Humanity: Heliocentric Theory.

"My, my, I didn't expect anyone to call me by that title anymore." The Lord of the White Night opened her folding fan, marked with the emblems of [The Sun Never Sets] and [The Twin Goddesses], and looked at Riku in surprise, her golden eyes full of interest.

To call her so casually by that old title, few dared to do so in Little Garden. Among the divine, almost no one would even dare mention her former name. "But I'm a benevolent god now, so you'd best call me 'Lord of the White Night'," she said nonchalantly, a complex flicker passing through her gaze.

Gulp… Juntan stared at the Lord of the White Night in fear, swallowing hard. He couldn't imagine why she'd shown up here.

"And just look at you! How are you supposed to face the gods with me acting like this?" Riku scolded, smacking Juntan's head in exasperation.

Juntan could only roll his eyes in silent misery. Boss, that's not someone you want to provoke!

The Lord of the White Night, however, narrowed her eyes, focusing on Riku. So he intends to face the gods… This kid's ambitions are anything but ordinary.

"A benevolent god now? Seems like the 'Lord of the White Night' has fallen far," Riku said, meeting her gaze with complete composure.

Juntan was so terrified he froze. Boss, are you trying to get us killed, saying something like that to her?

"Well, aren't you bold?" the Lord of the White Night chuckled, locking eyes with Riku.

"It's just the truth," Riku shrugged, unfazed.

"I'm here for both personal and business matters. Let's talk elsewhere." The Lord of the White Night gave Riku a meaningful look.

She clapped her hands, and Riku's vision swam. The world shifted around him.

No longer the ruined mountains, but a golden field of waving grain, white hills, and forests, and a frozen lake by a snowy plain, where the sun rolled along the horizon.

This was the world of the White Night.

"Now that's an enthusiastic welcome. Dragging me here all at once, are you so angry you want to kill me?" Riku joked.

"You really are annoyingly calm," the Lord of the White Night replied, frowning behind her fan.