That person's hair, it was beautiful and attractive.
That's what I thought when I was covered with blood—A bright blonde color
More brilliant than the light, much warmer than the sun…
Hyoudou Issei is my name but my friends call me Ise. I'm currently experiencing the time of my youth, being surrounded with friends and being a teenager that always hangs out with them which are mostly girls. Students with whom I'm not familiar with often say "Isn't that Ise-san?", and make me wonder how they knew my name.
The answer was simple, that's because I, Hyoudou Issei is one of the two prince of the school. I don't really know why I was proclaimed as prince like that Yuuto Kiba-san, I'm not like him, I do not own a super handsome face and attractive aura but the people around me would always say that I just think that.
One of the things that I was well known of was, I am the most diligent and nicest guy on the campus. I don't also know how I got that title but I'm alright with that, because a certain someone once taught me to be a good and forgiving person. My life was pretty normal, but it changed when it happened.
"Please go out with me!"
A confession from a girl, the very first one that I've accepted.
Though many girls tried to confess to me, I didn't returned their feelings, but somehow I failed to reject this girl in front of me, Yuuma Amano. I have seen many cute girls, but I've never felt this way before. My heart experienced for the very first time the feeling that was called love.
On our first date I gathered all of my knowledge on how to make a girl happy, by accompanying her shopping, strolling around in the mall and eating at a restaurant. I really managed to have fun, being with Yuuma-chan was very enjoyable, I never had the thought of anything negative. We had fun throughout the day, and in a blink of an eye, it was already getting dark.
"Issei-kun I want to go somewhere!"
Being the oblivious guy, I went with her in a park that was away from the town. The park was empty, besides from us, there were no one on the said place, but I didn't really mind that part since I was walking alongside Yuuma-chan.
"Today was really fun, ne Issei-kun?"
Yuuma-chan said while hastening her pace, I slowly caught to her and I kept my distance while following her. Somehow, a part of me was yelling that I should run, but I didn't obey nor thought of running.
"Hey Issei-kun….? Could you please die for me?"
"….Huh?"
"I said, could you die for me?"
She said it again with a laugh, I was thinking that it was a joke but my body was sweating heavily. There was no doubt that her words had killing intent on them.
-BASA-
That moment, a pair of black wings grew out on Yuuma-chan's back. They were absolutely darker than the night sky and it gave me the chills while staring at them, instead of admiring them, I feel disgusted while staring at her black wings. Yuuma's eyes also changed and it was really scary, the atmosphere in the park dropped it's temperature and I my body froze, the sweat in my body added the coldness, I tried to run but my feet wouldn't move.
"I had fun with you; you're just like a child who got a great toy."
In her hands, a bright energy appeared in the form of spear, it was releasing buzzing sounds heavier than those games in the arcade centre.
Then there was a sound of wind with a nasty noise. It felt like something was pierced through by a super sharp object, then I realized that the spear that Yuuma-chan was holding was embedded into my stomach. The pain was excruciating and I followed what my mind told me, I tried to remove the spear that was struck into my stomach. My head became dizzy and my vision became blurry. I heard light footsteps walking towards me, but I don't even have the strength to move my head.
"Sorry. You were a threat to us so we decided to get rid of you early. If you want to hold a grudge, then hate the God who put the Sacred Gear inside you."
I heard the footsteps walking away, but it was replaces by a flapping sound, the sound of wings being used. I collapsed in the ground while catching my breath, my hands were still trying to grab the spear that was embed in me. I used the remaining strength left in my body to pull the spear away, that moment, I felt a strength I never had rushed into my hands. The spear was removed and I felt a pair of hands was supporting me.
"It seems that I made it in time. But you have one nasty wound there. Tell me, have you been cheating on a fallen angel Ise? Fufufu."
I heard a familiar voice, and I tried to open my eyes. Despite the blurry vision, I saw a blonde hair; the color was the same just like back then. The prettiest hair that I always caress when I was younger. The hair of the girl who taught me about being nice and understanding to others.
"Gabriel…san?"
"Fufu, I'm glad that you remember me. But you must rest now, that dragon will talk to you later…"
Before I lost consciousness, I felt a warm feeling taking over my lips.
Life 1: Throwing away humanity!
The place was full of flowers and butterflies along with some dragonflies that were flying. A little kid with brown hair was chasing them while giving a hearty smile on his young face, he was about to catch one but he suddenly tripped.
The boy started to cry while holding his knee. That moment, a woman with a bright curly blond hair walked towards him and patted his head. The boy slowly stopped crying as he wept the tears on his eyes.
"It's okay Ise, there were no wounds…"
The woman said in a gentle comforting tone and the boy named Ise looked at his knee. The wound that was there earlier suddenly disappeared without leaving a trace.
I remember this… This happened when I was a kid.
This was definitely a dream. Because those memories were stored in the deepest parts of my brain, and even if I imagine it, it will never be this realistic.
Just as I thought of that, the place around me disappeared taking all of my senses. Instead, it was replaced by a fiery place with a giant silhouette. That's very strange, since the fire wasn't hurting me despite the fact that I was touching it.
[So, you finally awakened huh?]
I heard a mysterious voice within my head. It was an intense voice with low volume. I don't recall this voice. But somehow I felt that I knew this person...
[I'm over here.]
Suddenly, the gigantic silhouette moved closer to me, it had big scary eyes. The color of its eyes were blood-red with a jaw that comes up to it's ears where a lot of sharp fangs were growing out. There was a thick horn lining up on its forehead, and the scales which covered its body were red like magma. It had thick arms and legs like those of a gigantic tree. The claws were very sharp and curvy which made it look terrifying. And on top of that, it seemed really gigantic because of its two pairs of wings which were spread to the sides.
I know this appearance; it was the one of dragons.
[That's it. That's the right deduction. I have been trying to talk to you for the whole time. But, because your powers were sealed, my words didn't reach you. Finally. Finally I am able to appear in front of you.]
I don't get what he said, but he was trying to talk to me? What is he saying? Why am I here in the first place? I was on a date with Yuuma-chan and….
[That's right, you were almost dead. But thanks to whatever reason, you're still alive.]
"Huh!? That was real? Yuuma-chan was a black angel that kills people?"
[They are called fallen angels. From the name alone you can tell that they were former angels. They probably thought that you were a Sacred Gear possessor that why they killed you before you even get persuaded by devils nor angels…]
The dragon told me as I stopped my current thoughts. Angels? Devils? Fallen Angels? What is this? Do such beings exist? But seeing this dragon-san in front of me somehow makes me believe it! But, why am I here in the first place? And who is this Dragon!?
[You already know about me… That woman told you about the beginning when you were still a child correct? Well then, let's meet again partner.]
Just when the dragon disappeared, I felt something changed in my body. My left arm was replaced by something that was covered by red scales with very sharp claws.
When I woke up, I found my self staring at the familiar ceiling. So it was a dream! Apparently I had a weird dream, a dragon talking to me and Gabriel-san appearing in my memories. By the way, I wonder what happened with my date with…. Yuuma-chan.
When I remembered the happenings last night, I quickly sprung out of bed and looked at my stomach. There was no trace of any wounds nor any pain, but the memory of Yuuma-chan with the spear was quite clear in my head. But then I saw the weird changes in my left arm, the scaled arm were there and the feeling was real.
"Waah!"
I tried to get it off to no avail. The thing on my left arm seems like it was a part of my body, this thing was giving a pulse and I can clearly feel everything with it. No way! That was real!? Yuuma-chan and the spear were real!?
Just when I was panicking on how to explain this to my friends, I noticed a thick diary that was placed in the top of my desk. It was the first time that I saw it, but it looks dusty and old, I slowly walked towards the diary and opened it. The owner of this diary was none other than Gabriel-san who took care of me when I was younger.
Since I was abandoned when I was baby, Gabriel-san was the one who took care of me. She was the one who raised me until I was ten years old, all the money, furniture and this house that I lived in was owned by Gabriel-san. She was like an angel, she was very beautiful and in those ten years that I was with her, I never remember her aging even a little. It's just like she was timeless. But six years ago, Gabriel-san suddenly disappeared leaving me all of her teachings and beliefs.
I don't know where she is nor how to contact her, but every month, she still sends me money for my daily necessities. I have tried to ask the bank where she was sending money, but the bank never told me anything about her. I also grew up with knowledge about domestic chores and basic manners, never a day in my life did I forget about Gabriel-san and her teachings.
"….Her teachings…"
She always told me stories about angels and other races like devils and dragons. She also told me that a God never exists anymore, but I was a kid back then, I never thought that all of those were true.
"Then... you must be Ddraig?"
[Right you are partner. All of her stories were real, and now you have discovered that you're this generations Sekiryuutei.]
Hearing what the dragon said, I looked at my left arm as I remembered what Gabriel-san said to me when I was younger.
'Ise, in time you will realize that you're the Sekiryuutei. It is up to you whether you will take the path of light or the path of destruction, but I believe that you will be the greatest Sekiryuutei that will exist.'
"Gabriel-san…"
[I'll tell you everything you want to know. But I think that you might be late for something.]
I looked in the clock and it was already 8:30 and I was going to be late in school! I took my uniform but I remembered that my arm was still in the dragon form.
[Yes yes, I'll make it disappear. If you want it to appear just say it to me.]
With his words the dragon arm disappeared and I managed to get in my uniform and eat some bread that the aunt was selling in the bakery. I ran at the direction towards school, and I couldn't help but notice that my speed was unnatural. I was even faster than the train that was running on the tracks.
[Yes, since you have awakened your power it's natural for you to be stronger than ordinary humans.]
I ignored Ddraig's words as I slow down when I was near the Kuoh Academy. I tried to act normal as I greeted the familiar faces that were waving their hands at me, I tried to search for the fallen angel but I couldn't see her anywhere. It also seems that my friends lost their memories about Yuuma-chan.
Just when I'm about to walk towards my class, I happened to pass by a little kid with white hair and dark gold eyes. The school's mascot, Koneko Toujou-san. I don't know why but my body reacted and shivered and I felt the dragons arm almost summoned itself. I looked at Toujou-san and I was surprised to see that she was already 10 meters away from and she was forming a fighting stance.
"….Dragon…."
She said in a low voice as she suddenly disappeared and reappeared behind me. Because of my heightened senses I managed to evade her attack and jump out of the window. By the way, I'm on the third floor that's why it couldn't be helped that I landed while smashing my body hardly in the ground. Normally I should have broken bones, but just like what the Dragon said to me earlier, not only my senses but also my body is getting stronger.
With all of my strength, I ran towards the old school building hoping to hide from Toujou-san who wants to attack me for some reason. But when I arrived at the area where a lot of trees were growing, I felt the same sensation when I was with Toujou-san. But this time, there are more of them. I shivered in fear because this feeling was very uncomfortable and a part of my was saying that I should run… again.
"Ara ara what do we have here? The second prince of Kuoh Academy, Hyoudou Issei-kun?"
The first one to appear was the black haired beauty, Himejima-sempai. Then after a few seconds, the ones who arrived at the spot were Toujou-san, Kiba-kun and lastly, the crimson haired princess of the school, Gremory-sempai.
"To think that this boy is a dragon, why didn't we sensed it earlier?"
Gremory-sempai said as she stared at me with amusement, though she was smiling, I can't helped but to feel terrified by her beautiful face. It's just like Gabriel-san's when she was about to scold me for stealing a candy from another kid.
"Rias, I can sense a strong existence within this boy. It's stronger that all of us combined; do you think that he's one of the Dragon kings? Or is he a Heavenly dragon?"
"We'll find that out. Yuuto, attack him but don't inflict a critical injury or kill him."
"Understood Buchou!"
That moment, Kiba-kun moved like a flash, I didn't saw him nor his trajectory but I heard his movements. I predicted his trajectory and gathered all of my strength in my left hand, I used the power in my feet to leap on his direction and released the power gathered in my hand and punched it towards him.
*DOGUN*
My punch blew off a gust of wind and destroyed many trees on the path, I looked at the damage that I have done and I was very surprised…
…I was surprised because Kiba-kun wasn't anywhere near the spot.
"Such a power, but it's useless if you can't hit me!"
I felt a hard thing being smashed at my back, but the force wasn't enough to knock me down. I again used my inhuman speed to get away but Kiba-kun who was faster than me caught up and slashed me with his sword. I told Ddraig to summon the dragon's arm and I used it to block the sword that Kiba-kun was swinging.
"Red Dragon Emperor's gauntlet… It's the first time that I've seen it…"
Gremory-sempai said and all of the people around her gasped. Even Kiba-kun who was attacking me suddenly retreated and stood in front of Gremory-sempai as if to protect her.
[Partner, they are devils… I don't sense any killing intent or hostility from them, they must've been alerted since a dragon entered their territory without permission. Try to speak with them, since you've just awakened you cannot defeat them in your state.]
Nice idea dragon-san! That way I can clear the misunderstandings and probably live in this situation!
"…Umm, I think we have a misunderstanding…"
I said as I made the dragon's arm disappear and sit down on the ground, declaring that I don't want to fight. Surprisingly, Gremory-sempai nodded and ordered Kiba-kun to lower his sword. The other people also stopped their battle formation and looked at me with an intrigue face.
"If that's the case, let's talk in the club room. I will have to ask a lot of questions…"
With that I was dragged into the old school building by the devils.
"So, you've just recently discovered that you were the Sekiryuutei? That must be very surprising."
I nodded my head at Gremory-sempai's question as I sip the tea that Himejima-sempai prepared. Surely this oolong tea can match Gabriel-san's earl gray, but that's not the point. Right now I'm inside the old school building and I'm currently surrounded by devils, I was now really convinced that Toujou-san and Kiba-kun were devils because of the wings growing on their back. Also, I've never expected the two "Onee-sama" of the school to be actual devils.
"Then, is there anyone else in your family that owns a sacred gear or something?"
Gremory sempai asked and I stopped drinking my tea while looking at the window with depressed eyes. I smiled bitterly as I put the cup of tea in the table silently.
"I was abandoned as a baby, I don't know if I have any family."
"If that's the case, how did you live till now?"
"I was raised by this woman… "
I said as Gremory-sempai showed an intrigue expression. Even if she ask, I don't know any information about Gabriel-san, I don't even know her last name.
[This boy was raised by one of the Seraphs, Gabriel…]
The red dragon arm appeared and said those words. Silence filled the room as Gremory-sempai and the others looked at me with an unimaginable expression taking on their faces. What? What is it? Is there something wrong with Gabriel-san….. Wait a minute….
"EH!? THE GABRIEL FROM THE BIBLE RAISED ME!?"
I yelled out my surprise, never in my life did I thought that Gabriel-san was the great archangel that was mentioned in the bible! I was raised by an important angel next to Michael! And I didn't even know that!
[…So you really thought that the woman who raised you wasn't an angel? Then how do you explain your wounds that always heal? Including the wound that you got from that fallen angel last night…]
"So, Gabriel-san was the one who healed me from that wound?"
[Right you are partner. But seriously, don't acquire another injury like that; Gabriel cannot heal something beyond that. She might really fall you know~]
The dragon-san said the last part with a mischievous voice and Gremory-sempai showed a cute blush when she heard that. Seriously, what's going on here? I couldn't understand anything right now!
[I meant to say that Gabriel used her body to heal you overnight. I'm really surprised that she didn't fall, but I'm sure that if she did that again she won't be so lucky, that's why you better start learning about healing medicine.]
"…."
Now it was my turn to blush madly, if what this dragon said was true, I don't know how to face Gabriel-san when I meet her again. Seriously, I need to learn about healing medicine just like Ddraig said. But right now, there's a more important task to do.
"That's right… I was attacked by a fallen angel yesterday. She was saying something about Sacred Gears. Does Gremory-sempai know anything?"
"Yeah, it has been rumored that the fallen angels were killing humans with Sacred Gears. Since you don't know about them, let me explain, Sacred Gears were an irregular power which is bestowed to certain humans. For example most of the people whose name is recorded in the history are said to be possessors of Sacred Gears. They used the power of their Sacred Gear to record their name in the history."
"Presently there are people who have Sacred Gear within their body. You know those people who play an important role worldwide? Most of those people possess Sacred Gear within their body." Himejima-sempai continued with Gremory-sempai's explanation.
"Most of the Sacred Gears have functions that are only usable in the human society. But there are exceptional Sacred Gears which are a threat to the devils and fallen angels. Just like yours, but having the red dragon emperor inside will be very fortunate to them, so maybe they've failed to recognize your Sacred Gear that's why they tried to dispose you."
S-Scary! So fallen angels are like that? To be expected from evil angels, even I feel that the devils are a lot nicer than them. Based on my perspective with Gremory-sempai and the other devils.
"But now, you've known about out existence it will be a pressure for you."
"What do you mean sempai?"
"It won't be long until the fallen angels discover that you're the Sekiryuutei. They will try to persuade you to join their organization, as devils we might also try to do that, but it is up to you to choose in which faction you will join. Since you were raised by the archangel Gabriel, the chance of you joining the Heavens is high, and we devils are enemies with the angels, that's why I will warn you that you should not go in certain places when you've joined them…"
She was correct, as a human/dragon, I will be forced to join one of those factions. Though I certainly won't join the fallen angels side, I will not also join the devils side. The chances of me joining the angels are high. But if that's what Gabriel-san wanted, she should've trained me when I was a kid to slay devils and join them but she did not.
"Gabriel-san wanted me to have a normal life…"
But that's not possible now that I've discovered the fact that I am the Sekiryuutei. Though I also want a normal life, that won't be possible, especially since the Vanishing Dragon is surely awake like me. That's what Gabriel-san always told me, that the opposite of the Welsh dragon is also awake.
[Our destiny to fight will never change. That's why it will be better for you to get stronger while the white one isn't aware yet…]
But what should I do? If I had the choice I will join Gabriel-san but…
She raised me to be a normal human, she doesn't want me to get involve but she also knows that I will discover this. But she still tried to make me feel normal, and now that I discovered the truth, what will I do? I don't want crush her expectations but there's nothing I could do now.
"Then… I won't join any factions…"
"Huh?"
"I will remain in the human's as a dragon. I won't assist anyone and I will not also declare hostility in anyone except those who threatened me."
As if being amused by my statement, Gremory-sempai showed a smile.
"Then as long as you keep that resolve, you are free to do anything. But if you want help, we will come to your aid, but please don't act rashly and kill our kinds because we are simply called devils."
"I know that there are some devils who are good while others are bad. Just like fallen angels, I will train myself to be stronger and my only goal is to stay alive and defeat the Vanishing Dragon with my power."
I declared as I stood and looked at my red dragon arm.
[What a promising host. Then let's work hard and not get killed, partner.]
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