Erza and Vali were both locked in visual combat as they stood on the large balcony, the unconscious bodies of Juvia and Loke were behind Erza, and in the far corner was Lucy. 

She watched this with great intensity; she knew Erza was strong, but she also knew that Vali was stronger than even Drake. This was going to be quite the battle.

Erza: Tell me, where are the others? Wendy, Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, Levy and all the others.

Vali: You'll be with them soon enough, I can guarantee you that.

Erza: Don't be so confident.

Erza glowed and requipped into her Heaven's Wheel Armor.

Erza: I will defeat you. Not just for my guild's sake, but for Drake's as well.

Vali: We shall see. (placed a hand on his sheathed Katana)

Erza leaped towards Vali and she crossed her swords with Yamato. Vali jumped back just as Erza ascended into the air.

Erza: Heaven's Wheel: Circle Swords!

Erza summoned at least a dozen swords and, while in the air, sent them all speeding towards Vali like arrows.

Vali: Summoned Swords!

Vali created more swords from demonic energy and sent them forward to intercept Erza's swords. Each one was able to cut through the other and speed towards Erza, who was able to intercept all of them with slashes of her own swords.

Vali suddenly appeared behind her and gave her a kick, knocking her back, while also sending an energy wave from his sword, which struck Erza in the back and shattered her armor. They both landed on the ground on their feet.

Lucy: Erza be careful! He's not playing around!

Erza: I'm well aware of that. He is no Drake.

Vali: If you believe just because he and I are twins, I'm anything like him, you are sorely mistaken.

Erza's body glowed again and she requipped into her Black Wing armor. She flew directly towards Vali and gave an upward slash, which he was able to block with Yamato. 

Vali gave her a kick in the chest, forcing her back, but she flew back towards Vali and began to slash in every direction possible. 

Vali was able to intercept every bladed strike with his own sword. When their blades collided again, the area around them suddenly shook and looked like it was scratched with massive blades.

Erza gave a kick towards Vali's face, but he caught her foot in his hand before throwing her back. As she back flipped, she requipped again, this time in her Flame Empress Armor.

She yelled as she sent a massive flaming wave towards Vali, who vanished as soon as it exploded on the ground. When the smoke cleared, she was surprised to see Vali no longer there.

Lucy: ERZA!!! Behind you!

Erza looked behind just in time of Lucy's warning to see a blade heading in her direction, which she was able to barley block with her own flaming sword. Vali slid back as she forced him off of him.

Vali: Impressive. Quick and resourceful, you're every bit as strong as I led to believe, Erza Scarlet.

Erza: You say you are the brother to Drake, and also the son to Sparda? Then explain why you have taken all these actions? Kidnapping my friends, attempting to take Drake's life, stealing his amulet...

Vali: Power. Everything I do, is to gain more power.

Erza: Why? How can you say you have the same blood as your brother and father and still do all these things?!

Vali: You think just because we are of blood relation that I'm like them? My father was indeed strong, but his resolve was weak. He was a fool, as is my brother.

Erza: You are absolutely despicable! To think you would tarnish all they stood for.

Vali: I'm not interested in my father's legacy, I only seek to make my own. One of power and strength, free from weakness.

Erza: Damn you!

Erza requipped into her Flight Armor, and bore a sword in each hand. She soared towards Vali and he soared towards her. His speed matched hers, even in this armor. 

Lucy looked in awe at this fight. The two zipped from one spot to the next as they continued to clash swords, like they were both blurs. 

And their swords clashed at even faster rates than they moved. It looked as if they were both on equal footing.

A crater formed when they collided again and Vali was able to use Erza's own momentum to flip her over himself and send her rolling back.

Vali: Beowulf!

Vali now quipped into his demonic gauntlets and grieves and flew towards Erza as she recovered. He planted one punch in her abs, causing her to scream as she flew from his blow. Lucy winced at Erza's scream.

Vali jumped forward, getting an increase in speed from the grieves in Beowulf and readied a punch. There was a glow from Erza just as Vali connected the punch.

He felt that he made contact, though it was to a strong metal. Vali stepped back one step and saw a massive shield, Erza was now in her Adamantium Armor.

Vali: Aw, I've heard of your Adamantium armor. It's evident that you have both a strong offense and a solid defense. However, there's still lies one flaw.

Erza: And what is that?

Vali vanished. Before she could react she felt a strong pain on her back, Vali had kicked her with Beowulf and sent her flying to the wall, making a large hole as she crashed into it.

Vali: Your front is obviously covered, yet you leave your back vulnerable. That armor is ineffective against an opponent who is both strong and fast.

Lucy could only look at this battle with wide eyes.

Lucy's mind: I don't believe it. I know that he's strong but... I can't imagine... Erza losing like this.

Erza was able to walk out of the hole and glare at Vali. Vali appears in front her and was about to slash when an ice shield protected her. 

???: Mind if I tag along? 

The two then looks at Ur who stops next to Erza.

Lucy and Erza: Ur!

Ur: (glares at Vali) So you're Vali, Drake's older brother? 

Vali: Indeed, and you must be Ur Milkovich. How are you alive after being dead for so long? 

Ur: Sorry, but I'm not gonna tell you anything. (looks at Erza) Looks likes you could use hand. How about I'll help you on this one. 

Erza: (smiles) I appreciate it, careful, he's strong. 

Ur: I know. Ice-Make: Lance!

Ur creates creates multiple lances made of ice that they direct towards Vali. 

Vali: Summoned Swords!

Vali created more swords from demonic energy and sent them forward to intercept Ur's ice lances. 

Ur: Ice-Make: Ice Hammer!

Ur creates a giant spiked hammer made out of ice and hammers it onto Vali.

Vali: Beowulf!

Vali equips with his dark gauntlets and grieves as he thrusted a fist which broke the hammer into pieces, shocking Ur. 

Erza: (thoughts) We can't win just by speed and raw power since he's stronger than me in both ways. (smirk) Perhaps I can use that to take advantage. (speaking) Ur, I an idea. Cause a distraction first!

Ur: You got it. Ice-Make: Smokescreen!

Ur creates a blue icy smokescreen around the area, making Vali looking around the smoke. Erza then requipped into her Giant Armor and charged at him with her spear.

Vali: (sees her charging) It's useless. 

Vali sends a powerful punch with Beowulf into her stomach, sending her into ceiling. But, this is what Erza hopes for.

Erza: Thanks for the idea. 

Vali: (cocks a brow) Hm? 

Erza requips into Flight armor, using the speed of her Flight armor and the force from Vali's punch, she bounce from the ceiling with extreme high speed than change into her Purgatory armor.

Vali: (surprised) What?

Ur touches Vali's shoulder as felt Drake's demonic power inside her which surprised him even more.

Ur: Freeze!

His body was then completely covered in ice as Ur jumped back. Using Purgatory armor large power and high speed of Flight armor when bounce from the ceiling, Erza lands a huge hit at Vali and he don't have enough time to defend against it, sending him to the wall.

Lucy: (shocked) No way! She was able to hit him using both speed from her Flight armor and strength from her Purgatory armor at once!

Erza land on her feet as Vali was able to walk out of the wall. Vali felt something dripping from his head as he put two fingers on it and saw the liquid was blood which made him widen his eyes. It might not be enough to defeat him, but it was able to draw a blood from him.

Vali: I'm very impressed. (waves the blood of his head) The only person who has ever able draw blood from me is Drake, making you the second. How interesting. (gave a slight chuckle)

Erza: Care to tell me what you find so amusing, Vali?

Vali: I have learned much of the mighty Titania, and I admit that for a human you are indeed strong as this has proven to be an exciting battle. But I know you can do better than this. Why are you holding back?

Erza: I could ask the same of you.

Ur: (confused) Say what? 

Lucy's mind: Wait, he's holding back this whole time?!

Erza: You are the son of Sparda, and you claim to have inherited his power. I admit that even as you are holding back, you are a strong opponent, but why do you hold back? When you've already defeated the likes of both Mirajane and Drake much earlier.

Vali: It's simple, I test my opponent's strength, and see if they are indeed worthy to witness my true power. It's only on the rarest of occasions that I do.

Erza: Why are you so obsessed with gaining power Vali? You and Drake both lost your mother and your father, I don't know what exactly went on between you two; but you are both of the same family. You must have some mutual concern for your brother.

Vali: (sighed and rolled his eyes) How many times do I have to explain this to your guild? Yes he is my brother, but concern and compassion are human weaknesses that I choose not to experience.

Ur: How can you hope to say all of that?!

Lucy: No kidding! He seems like a laidback guy, but don't you care about all the suffering your own brother had to face?! Are you really that heartless?!

Vali: Emotions are a human weakness. In order to gain strength, you must learn to sever your weaknesses. In the end, power is the only thing that matters. Compassion, willpower, hope, love, all of those, they are insignificant and pointless.

Erza: You couldn't possibly be more wrong.

Vali: I'm actually surprised you disagree with me on this. Surely you of all people should understand the importance of gaining power, with what you experienced in the Tower of Heaven.

Erza's pose weakened, her eyes widened once Vali had said those words; even Lucy was caught off guard.

Erza: The Tower... How do you know about that?

Vali: I do my research. You and many of your friends spent your childhood in that tower. You lost your grandfather during a rebellion, and a weak friend of yours ended up becoming one of your worst enemies; what was his name again? Oh yes, Jellal.

Erza's eyes widened even further at that name's mention.

Vali: Because of his weakness, he allowed himself to be manipulated and became the very thing he dread. Now look at him; For all the power he currently wields, his human emotions have left him in a pit of his own despair.

Erza's hands clenched with anger as Vali continued to speak.

Vali: A few of your friends even fell victim at his hands, and even those in a Dark Guild, the Oracion Seis, were in that tower as well; you take the blame for all of it. You claim you we're not strong enough to protect them. So surely, you can understand my goal.

Erza: Shut your mouth!

Erza lunged forward with a blade, which Vali blocked. He was able to slip and she fell from her own momentum as she was letting the anger get the better of her, just as Vali anticipated.

Lucy: Erza, he's only trying to get in your head! Don't listen to him, and don't give up!

Erza: You are correct Vali. I do blame myself for not having strength back then. But, what you desire is for completely different reasons! I only become stronger so I can protect those I love, those who may be weak but they just want to find happiness! You seek power for only yourself!

Vali: What's the difference?

Erza: The power you seek, how you hope to obtain it, can only be done by hurting those who can't defend themselves! You claim that humans are weak, but you are part human as well! Your father was Sparda, a demon; but you had a human mother. Human blood runs through your veins!

Vali: I am aware of that. I know that I am physically part human.

Erza: What do you mean, 'physically'?

Vali: I only carry physical human traits, not emotional. When I learned that power is the only important thing in life, I knew I had to make a choice. You see, I have chosen to sever my humanity from my being.

Both Erza and Lucy were shocked at Vali's words.

Lucy: You... did... what?

Ur: You sacrificed your own humanity to gain power?

Vali: Yes, that is correct. And I do not regret my decision, nor will I ever will.

Erza: YOU COWARD!!! (surrounds her with a magenta aura) You desire power?! I'll show you power! You'll regret your arrogance here and now Vali!

Erza yelled as she swung her massive blade at Vali, which he was able to block with Yamato. A wind blew back from their impact, but neither combatant moved an inch.

Vali: You think of me as a coward. But I only did what was necessary.

Erza yelled as she slammed her giant blade down towards him, which he jumped to avoid. He slid his katana along her blade while it was down, and leaped behind her to deliver a powerful slash to her back; causing her armor to shatter as she screamed and rolled back.

Ur: Erza!

Lucy: Erza... no...

Lucy could not believe what she was seeing as Erza struggled to get up.

Vali: (sigh) I was hopping for a battle, not a lecture. If this is really all you will provide me, then I will end this.

Erza: (trying to stand up) You haven't... won yet.

Vali: Let me show you something. Let me show you, the power I wield.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. A dark blue wind began to blow around and circle Vali. A dark aura formed around him and it glow larger and larger. He opened his eyes to a red glow, and then came a large flash of blue light forcing both Erza and Lucy to close their eyes. Lucy, still tied up, was blown back by the shockwave, as were the unconscious bodies of Loke and Juvia.

When the flash subsided, both looked with their own shocked expressions. Lucy was one of complete and total terror, where as Ur's and Erza's were mixed with absolute shock and fear.

His body was all blue; save for some black stripes near his legs. His body appeared to be covered in scales. He had blue, clawed feet. His hands were black claws. He had four black, bat-like wings pointed downward at the lower end of his back. His katana, Yamato, was sheathed and the sheath looked like it was attached to his right arm. His face was black with silver horns with dark blue eyes; his Devil Trigger.

Vali: This is my true power. This is my strength at it's fullest.

Erza and Ur were completely speechless. The next thing they knew Vali was in front of them, Vali punched Ur at the gut which send her flying into a wall while he gave Erza a kick to the jaw that sent her soaring into the air. Vergil flapped his wings and took off after her.

Erza was able to requip into her Heaven's Wheel Armor again and stabilize herself. She saw Vali in front of her, with the unsheathed, black, blade of Yamato. He stared at Erza, who conjured a pair of swords and swung them at Vali, but he vanished with the blink of an eye. 

He appeared behind her and gave her a slap which sent her flying down to the balcony. The force of the impact sent Lucy rolling back. Vali landed gracefully to see Erza struggle to get up. He then kicked her across the face, causing her to roll back.

Vali: Had you used your full strength before, you would be standing more of a chance now, but you now are too weak to continue much longer, you only hastened your defeat.

Ur: (gets up) Don't think so little of us! Ice-Make: Armor!

Ur then creates a suit of armor made of her Ice-Make magic.

Ur: And now Ice-Make Rebellion!

Ur formed two ice-swords in her hands, but they weren't any ordinary swords, these sword were exact ice-copy of Drake's signature blade: Rebellion.

Vali: So, you can create your version of Drake's Rebellion.

Ur: (smirk) What can I say? He rubbed off on me.

Erza glowed and requipped from her current armor into one that resembled a pink knight with fairy-like symbols over it. 

Erza: Armadura Fairy! My strongest armor! It's named after my guild, because it embodies all that I love about Fairy Tail! You'll never defeat us so easily!

Vali: Very well, come! Show me your resolve! 

Erza and Ur charged at Vali as they three began clashing in a two on one sword fight. Vali was blocking this opponents attacks so easily while countering back at high speed. 

Lucy couldn't believe her eyes as she see was seeing blurs in her point of view. Vali pushed Erza and Ur back with his sword coat in his demonic power as the two female wizards started panting.  

Ur: Damn it, we can't hit him at this rate! He blocking us from one opponent to the next!

Erza: Then let's unleash our attacks at once, he won't able to block them! 

Ur: Right! Ice-Make: Rose Garden!

Ur releases chunks of ice in the form of roses and thorns towards while Erza thrusted forward with one of her swords, channeling her own magic energy as it surged with strong green magic energy like a horizontal meteor on reentry as shot straight at Vali. 

Vali: Darkslayer!

Vali's katana glowed blood red as did a dark blue light aura around him. Vali unleashes his powerful technique, Judgement Cut End. 

The girls screamed in agony as Ur's was sent flying before crashing onto a wall, knocking her out. Erza's armor was completely shattered. 

She stabilized herself and reached into a magenta magic seal, pulling out a massive, twelve-foot, blade. She yelled as she lunged it at Vali, who quickly slipped out of the way.

Vali: This fight has been entertaining, but not as much as I had hopped. Perhaps Natsu, or maybe even my brother, will give me a proper challenge.

Erza: YOU WILL NOT HURT ANYONE ELSE VALI!!!

Erza jumped and tried to bring her massive blade down on top of him, but he caught it in one clawed hand with no effort; much to Lucy and Erza's shock.

Vali: I do not recall giving you a choice.

Vali squeezed his hand and the massive blade shattered to pieces in an explosion, which sent Erza flying to the wall. She then slid to the ground, finally unconscious.

Lucy could only stare as she shook in terror; the Devil Trigger Vali gave her a slight glance, causing the bound Celestial Wizard to loose what was left of her courage. 

Large vents of blue steam rose from Vali as he returned to his human-based appearance. He slowly walked towards her.

Lucy: (scared) You... you... what are you?

Vali now stood over her.

Vali: I am, what I am. I am a True Devil.

Vali brought his foot down on her face, knocking her out completely.

Chapter 25 ended.