Chapter1: The Fall Dragon God: Ophis

For you who born between January 20 and February 18, you're unstoppable Aquarius, no matter what happens, be it in love, business, or luck! No matter what you do, there will always be a good result, so go buy a lottery ticket! However, don't go playing 3-D or 4-D games just because you're popular with girls, and...

"Alright, alright I get it, I get it." Issei sighed with his hand on his head.

July 20, the first day of summer vacation.

Within a certain one-room dormitory in Academy City the air conditioning is shot. Nothing but hot air flowing through the enclosed space, rendering Issei Hyoudou unable to do anything.

The reason seemed to be a lightning strike that rendered more than 80% of the city's electrical appliances inert, including the freezer that stored all of his food.

He made himself a bowl of instant noodles, only to spill the contents into the basin. Afterwards he decided to go out and eat, but stepped on his ATM card while looking for his wallet, breaking it.

He decided to go back to sleep, only to receive an affectionate call from his homeroom teacher and hear, "Stupid Hyoudou-chan, it's time for remedial lessons~"

He knew that the horoscope that had flashed past the edge of the weather report on the television screen wouldn't be accurate. But no one could laugh at such a huge difference.

"I knew it, I knew this would be the result... but can't I complain about it?"

The horoscope was never accurate. He could never get any of the little magic.

This is the daily life of Hyoudou Issei.

At first, he had thought this bad luck ran in the family, only to find out that his dad got the fourth-place prize of a lottery before (to the tune of ~100,000 yen). His mom once had a winning streak at the vending machines and ended up playing them nonstop.

He entertained the idea that he wasn't related to them by blood, but after thinking it through he remembered he didn't have a sister, and there wasn't any line of succession to choose from.

How would they deal with it anyway?

The point was Hyoudou Issei is a very unlucky person.

So unlucky that his life was an utter joke. However, Hyoudou Issei wouldn't be pessimistic forever.

"Alright. Right now, I need to deal with the ATM card and the fridge." Issei scratched his head, looking around the room.

He could replace the ATM card as long as he had an account. The most troublesome thing to replace would be the fridge. The most pressing issue to him at the moment, though, was getting his breakfast.

Those supplementary lessons were just power development programs anyway, so he'd be forced to eat some tablets or the like; they wouldn't go down well when he's hungry.

Issei removed the T-shirt he'd been wearing as pajamas, and begins changing into his summer uniform as he looked at the calendar that had crimson heart-shaped spotted on it, "Maybe I should go to a convenience store and buy something." He muttered as he walked toward his bed.

"The weather is good right now, so I might as well air out my futon..." Issei muttered to himself as he musters up a positive mood, and opened the sliding door to the balcony. If he let it bask in the sunlight now, the futon would be nice and soft when he came back from remedial.

Looking carefully, the wall of the neighboring block was only two meters away from this seventh-floor balcony.

Issei can't help but sing to himself. "Why is the sky so blue~? Why is the future so dark~?"

So depressing.

He originally intended to cheer himself up, so he decided to air out the futon. This only made him even more depressed.

Besides, he was the only one making jokes: There was no straight man beside himself. Such loneliness was truly incomprehensible. However, Issei still folded up his futon and carried it out to the balcony.

If he couldn't even carry out a futon, he would truly be a waste.

At that moment, Issei stepped on something soft and squishy. Upon closer examination, he saw that it was plastic-wrapped yakisoba bread. Since it was taken out of the fridge, it was probably spoiled by now.

"I hope it doesn't start raining all of a sudden..." He muttered while looking at the sky.

This bad premonition comes from his heart, yet Issei still carries the futon to the balcony.

But there was black sheet on his balcony.

"-?"Though he lived in a student dormitory, the structure of the building was similar to that of an ordinary, high-rise apartment. Issei was living in a single room dorm, which meant there couldn't possibly be anyone else who would air out a futon on his balcony.

Looking carefully, he realized the thing on his balcony, the thing being aired out, wasn't a black sheet.

It was a girl dressed in black clothes and black hair.

"What!?"

The futon slipped out of his hands and fell onto the floor.

It was weird, and totally ridiculous. The girl appeared to be in a coma as her waist rests on the edge of the balcony, her body bent in halves and her limbs hanging down.

The girl was… Younger than him, maybe twelve or fourteen at most. But at least Issei could tell that she was younger than him. She has a very black long silky hair, white-paled skin like foreigner and her ears….. Is that pointed ears? But what stood most that the fact she was wearing a Gothic Lolita clothes.

"A loli!?" He exclaimed surprised.

How can he didn't surprise? He just found a Loli in his balcony out from nowhere!

As if hearing his shouting before, the girl's finger twitched. "I, awake." She said emotionless as she slowly opened her eyes and showed her gray-emotionless eyes, making Issei wondering what happened to her to make the black haired loli showing eyes like that.

But that wasn't the only thing that occupied his head, right now…

He was currently panicking because it looks like she was a foreigner. Issei's English ability was of such quality that his English teacher told him, "You should stay in this country forever!"‖

If the girl from whichever country she was from was a saleslady selling feathers or some other contraption, it was likely Issei would unwillingly spend some money.

But still, he couldn't help, but getting interest. "Umm…" Issei started, but he didn't know what to say as she only looked at him with that unimpressive eyes. "How did you arrive here?"

"I, fall, crash, fainted here."

'Wuaaah! Simple answer and thankfully Japanese!' Issei thought in his mind surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I felt Ddraig's aura." She said emotionlessly as Issei eyes widened.

"Y-You know Ddraig?" Issei asked cautiously as she only nodded. Issei inadvertently takes two steps back, and again steps on the yakisoba bread.

"By the way, I'm hungry." She said as her stomach growled.

Issei looked at the spoiled, stepped-on yakisoba bread at his feet.

He decided that, no matter where this girl is from, he should not get involved with her. 'Why don't I help her reach happiness in a far, far away place?' He thought as he brought the just squished yakisoba bread, complete with the plastic wrapping, near the girl's mouth.

Issei thinks, after smelling this, even a madman would run far, far away. His strategy was similar to one used in Kyoto: If the owner poured tea into the rice, he meant to send the visitor away…

The girl merely looked at the yakisoba and opened her mouth widely which made him surprised that full of fangs and…

BITE

The bread and its plastic wrapper, along with Issei's hand, disappeared into the girl's mouth.

With a cry of misfortune, Hyoudou Issei started another day of his life.

-xXx-

"My name is Ophis."

"... Alright Ophis-san, then why don't you explain why you were hanging on my balcony?"

"I, fall."

"I know about that!"

"I, come from English and found Ddraig's aura."

"I already know about!"

Right now, Issei should be preparing to head to school to attend the summer remedial, but he didn't want to leave this unfamiliar and mysterious girl alone in his room.

The worst part to him was that the silver-haired girl in front of him, who called herself Ophis, seems to like the room she was in. The look on her face made her look like she wanted to roll around on the floor.

Was this another misfortune, Issei seemed to attract so much? If so, it isn't good.

"Second please," Ophis said with her hand asked for another cup-noodle.

"The hell! Why should I do that? What's the point of me improving your view of me? If I'm to start some weird event and get on the 'Ophis-route', I might as well restart!"

"But I, hungry."

"That's none of my business!"

"Then I, will tell Judgment about you."

"Wha…"

"I, will tell them about my clothes and you molest me here."

"YOU DARE THREATEN ME?!"

"-?" Ophis tilted her head in confusion. To Issei, she looked like a kitten who's just seen a mirror for the first time.

'I have to hand it to her. Why do I feel like I'm the only one getting burned in the stomach?' He thought grabbing his stomach. 'Just wait! You want to eat, right?!' Issei angrily stormed into the kitchen.

The food inside the fridge was definitely spoiled by now, so he might as well save himself the trouble of throwing it away and stuff her mouth with it. It wouldn't hurt Issei one bit. He poured what food was in his fridge into the wok, and fried them like vegetables.

If he heated it up, at least no one would die, right?

Now that he thought about it, where did this girl come from?

There were foreigners in Academy City, but this girl doesn't have the aura that even a foreign resident of Academy City would have. If she was from outside the city, then that would be even weirder.

Though Academy City is, in name, the city of a thousand schools, in reality it was closer to the school with a thousand student dormitories. It occupied one-third of Tokyo's geography, and the city boundaries were surrounded by walls like the Great Wall of China. Though not as closely guarded as a prison, it was not easy to enter.

Though there didn't seem to be anything controlling what entered or exited the city, the Industrial University had launched three satellites to constantly monitor Academy City under the guise of an experiment.

Every person within the city could and would be monitored and investigated.

If the satellites found someone that did not exist in their records, Anti-Skill and Judgment would be mobilized...

'Ah…' Issei thought as he remembered about something. 'Maybe she hasn't been discovered because the thunderstorm brought about by that electricity girl knocked out the satellites?' He wondered as he looked at Ophis who was rolling on his floor. "By the way, why did you fall on my room?"

"I, wanted to jump from the roof of the other building to the roof of this one, but I, fell."

'Roof?' Issei looked at the ceiling.

This was a small corner of the budget student dormitory, and the eight-story high-rise apartments were neatly arranged together.

Just by looking out at the balcony it was easy to tell that the distance between the buildings was only about two meters. It wasn't impossible jump from one roof to the other, but...

"Are you serious?! The roof's eight stories tall! You'll die if you're not careful!"

"I, was running."

"R-Running?"

Hearing the word running, which always had dangerous implications behind it, Issei inadvertently frowns.

"Someone is going to kill me… Again."

The right hand that was shaking the frying pan stopped on its own.

"I, was running and fell on your balcony accidentally, sorry Ddraig."

[You sure bring trouble with you, Ophis or rather Misfortune to us.] Ddraig suddenly said from Issei right hand.

"Ddraig?" Issei shouted clearly surprised that the usual-sleeping dragon suddenly woke up.

"As I, thought you are here." Ophis said as Issei looked between his right hand and the black haired girl.

Was the girl's story true?

If so, who attacked her?

Issei began to ponder the possibilities.

[So are you come here for our protection or just staying here, freeloading?] Ddraig asked, cutting all of his thought.

"I don't know." Ophis said much to Ddraig and Issei surprised. "I just found Ddraig and wanted to ask his help."

"…"

A silent occurred as Ddraig was the first to break it, [Oh, then you heard it right, partner? She is yours.]

"The hell! And she wanted to talk with you!?"

[Tch]

"Don't 'tch' me you damn dragon!?"

[But she is already getting interest with you.]

"And she wanted to talk to you, damn dragon!?"

"I'm hungry." Ophis suddenly cutting the two talking, making Issei shouted loudly.

"SUCH A MISFORTUNE!"

-xXx-

Ophis was eating her 100 noodle-cup with emotionless look, much to Issei's dismay.

'Damn it… What should I eat starting now?' He cursed his bad-luck as Ddraig sighed.

[Don't worry, partner. Dragon-god is here and you can count on her for your luck now.] Ddraig said as if he was putting his thumb-up to Issei.

"Like hell!" Issei quickly shouted as he remembered about something. "Oh, yeah, you said someone was trying to kill you. Who is it?"

Ophis tilted her head, "I, don't know." She said as Issei raised his eyebrows.

"Huh? You don't know who after you?"

"There are too many of them." Ophis simply said as Issei just hung his head down.

["Them?"] Ddraig and Issei repeated in a confused manner. 'She's being targeted by an organization? A group?'

[So do you know, generally who are after you?] Ddraig quickly asked.

"Magic side."

...

"What's that? Are you talking about some new organization that uses some new mysterious religion to preach to others, saying 'Those who do not believe will suffer the wrath of God,' and force them to eat some weird medicine before brainwashing them?"

Ophis who heard it merely tilted her head to side, making Issei sighed.

If it were an ordinary person who firmly believed science could solve everything, he'd be shouting loudly, "THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS WORLD THAT SCIENCE CAN'T PROVE!"

Issei's weird gauntlet really did have a certain special ability. So long as he had the abnormal special ability called the [Imagine Gear], even the miracles that sprung up in mythology would be erased.

Supernatural powers within Academy City were quite normal. By injecting drugs into the veins, letting electricity flow up the neck, and hearing some special rhythm from some headsets, any brain could develop.

Everything could be explained by science. Who could deny its existence?

"I don't understand."

"See even you don't understand it." Issei said while looking up in desperation.

What was different between her saying that and being a fake power user that says, "The camera will distract me, so I can't bend the spoon?"

Issei's thoughts were rather complicated as well.

Though he said that there was no such thing as magic, Issei didn't completely understand the ability in his right hand, the [Imagine Gear]. How does it work? What was the force at work in the invisible space?

Even Academy City, the highest authority on developing Esper powers, was unable to analyze Issei's ability through a body check. So they labeled him a Level 0.

He didn't even acquire [Imagine Gear] as a result of the science development program either. It was some ability inherent to his right hand.

Though he always said "There can't possibly be magic in this world", he himself possessed an unrealistic power that defied all logic.

He couldn't just make a baseless conclusion like, "Since there's such an inexplicable force in the world maybe magic really exists"

Looking at the confused Ophis, Issei merely sighed. "Alright just assume that I believe that magic is exist then why are you being chased by people that used the so-called magic?"

"… It's because I, am [Ophis]."

"Huh?"

"I, am Ophis the Ourobrous Dragon, the one who hold unlimited magic knowledge and power."

"... Why am I getting even more confused?"

"I have all kinds of information in this world." Ophis explained. "Grimoires, Future, Past, Another World and many more."

"Um… I still don't understand what you said." Issei wanted to add, 'they're just nonsense anyway,' but forced himself to swallow those words. "If you are that strong, then why don't you use your almighty power to chase them out?"

He had to make this clear. If Ddraig said that she was Dragon God then she should be able to chase whoever coming to her in one swept.

"I can't as my power is being sealed."

"Huh?" Issei frowned. "You are not going to say that 'I'm walking cheat-code so the author or my game maker banned my power' famous line, right?"

"I don't know what that means? But I guess you are right."

"Haaaa…." Issei, who has been entertaining Ophis's fantasies, finally couldn't take it anymore.

Perhaps this 'someone is chasing after me' scenario was just her own wild imagination? If so, and she really jumped from the eighth story, came up short, and landed on rail of his balcony... well, it was better to not get involved with her.

[Hey Partner, maybe we should help Ophis.]

"Huh? Why did you say that, Ddraig?" Issei said, looking at his right hand.

[Even though it's hard to believe, but magic is actually exist.]

"So you believe that story?"

[Why not? When you have ability that can negate any spiritual being and living strong dragon in your right hand, I guess believing magic is not really hard, right?]

"Well… I understand about that, but…" Issei lowered his head, looking at his right hand.

His right hand couldn't shoot flames or electricity, couldn't release light, and couldn't emit sound. And of course, there wouldn't be any weird lines appearing on his wrists. But Issei's right hand can dispel any supernatural power.

Regardless of their nature or intended purpose, even the miracles that appeared in myths were destroyed.

"Eh…" Ophis suddenly said, cutting Issei's thought, making him to look at her surprised-emotionless face. "Ddraig, your power… Isn't that adding power?" She asked in confused tone as Ddraig make sound realized.

[Ah! I guess I don't explain it.] Ddraig said as red-dragon-like arm gauntlet formed in Issei's right hand and Ddraig started. [For some reason, when I come into my newest host which is this boy, suddenly my power changed from 'adding' to 'negating' power.]

"Negating…" Ophis said as she looked at Issei.

"... what's with that expression? It's like you've seen a shopping catalog for buying some wonderful lucky crys-" Issei couldn't finish her word as suddenly Ophis put his hand into her breast. "H-Hey! What are you doing?" He asked as his eyes widened.

He felt a really strange feeling... like he was trying to catch clouds. It was like all the impact was being absorbed by a soft sponge.

"… Wait hold on…" Issei started as he thought about something.

If Ophis is really Dragon-God, then she was an embodiment with abnormal power, then what would happen?

If that abnormal power is destroyed, isn't that means she will be getting killed?

"WAIT OPHIS-SAN, WA-"

PRANG

The usual sound of mirror breaking reverberated in that room and Issei closed his eyes, couldn't bear to look at the gore-scene where her body will be scattered with blood splattered around…

PAFU-PAFU

'Eh…' Issei thought as he suddenly felt some bouncy feeling and slowly he opened his eyes, much to his horror.

It's not the gore-scene where some girl is destroyed, but a beautiful black haired naked girl… And his hand is squeezing her breasts.

"O-Ophis-san…"

"Hm?" Ophis looked at her body. "Ah! What I should say again? Oh, Kyaaaaaa."

"What's with that late timing!"

-xXx-

"―Hai~ Sensei made some materials, so I'm going to pass them forward~ This will be today's lessons contents~"‖

It's been a semester since he was in this class, but even now, Issei still feels intrigued.

The homeroom teacher of Year 1 Class 7, Tsukuyomi Komoe is standing behind the table. The students can only see the top of this teacher.

She's 135 cm tall, and it's said that she wanted to ride a roller coaster, but was rejected due to safety concerns. No matter who's looking at this, anyone would feel that she's a twelve-year-old student who should wear a yellow safety helmet and carry a red backpack and a recorder.

Believe it or not, this kid-like teacher really is one of the seven great mysteries of the school.

"Though Sensei won't forbid everyone from talking, everyone here must listen to whatever Sensei's saying, okay~? Sensei has already worked hard to prepare all the questions for a quiz. If you fail, you have to play a punishment game~"

"Sensei, are you talking about playing poker blindfolded? That's an X-ray vision course! To win ten consecutive times even when I can't see anything, or I can't go home. I feels that I can't go home even by tomorrow morning!"‖

"Yes~ but Issei-kun, your marks for power development aren't enough. So you have to play this X-ray vision game, right?"‖

Issei feels that he really can't handle the professional smile of this working teacher.

"It seems you are being loved by, Komoe-sensei. Hyoudou-san?"

Sitting beside Issei is a handsome male with short blonde hair, grey eyes and a mole under his right eye.

"Don't you feel that that teacher who's happily tiptoeing and dabbling on the blackboard is being somewhat antagonistic to me…?"

"Really, but isn't love is in that way, too?" Kiba easily said with his handsome smile.

"…. Kiba, I don't know that you are into that thing."

"E-Eh, what do you mean by that? I don't interest into that."

"Those two over there! You're going to play 'Columbus's Egg' if you continue talking!"‖

This Columbus's Egg requires a person to balance a raw egg upside-down on a table without any support. Even a student who studies telekinesis has to work so hard that the blood vessels in their brain would explode in order to prevent the egg from falling; this is because if the force is too great, the egg will break. Also, those who fail will have to stay until the next morning.

Issei and Yuuto Kiba can only stare at Tsukuyomi Komoe, who's standing at the stage, even nearly forgetting to breathe.

Such a terrifying smile.

"Such Misfortune…" Issei sighed, and looks out the window.

If he had known that remedial lessons would be so boring, he would have accompanied Ophis in his home.

Though he already demanded the Dragon-God to stay in his home, he still can't help but getting anxious about it.

Issei sighed again. Instead of being stuck in this classroom that doesn't have any air conditioning, he might as well follow Ophis into a fantasy world of magic and swords and find it more interesting. And if he's to take part in the activity, there might also be a cute-it's a bit forced to call her pretty-female lead.

"…"

Issei looked to his right hand.

If that was by any chance happened, is his power can protect them? Issei didn't understand this, but when he saw the Dragon-God's eyes, he couldn't help but getting fixated on it.

It was just so beautiful in his opinion.

And for some another reason too, deep inside himself, he started to feel afraid that she'll vanish between his fingers like a phantom.

Issei's just afraid of this.

'…What's going on?' Issei, who's getting romantic, suddenly realizes something.

Issei was rather vicious in his words to this girl who'd been hanging on the balcony railing, but he really doesn't hate that girl. He certainly feels a bit regretful that he might not see her again in the future.

"…Ah… damn it!"‖Issei gives a 'tch' inside his mouth. If he knew that he'd regret it now, he would have stayed with that girl now.

"Sensei, Hyoudou is looking at the Rias-senpai who is swimming below."

Hearing someone said that Issei lets out an "Ah" as his consciousness is pulled back to the classroom.

"…"‖ Komoe-sensei is silent.

Seems like Komoe-sensei is really shocked and sad that this student called Hyoudou Issei isn't paying attention to the lesson. Her expression is like a twelve-year-old girl who realized on a winter day that Santa Claus was a lie.

Just as Issei's thinking about this, the entire class glares at him. Seems like they're members of the Protection of Children's Rights Association.

It's supposed to be summer remedial, yet Issei was detained until normal dismissal time before he's released.

"…Such misfortune."

-xXx-‖

Issei looks at the three-bladed windmill as he mutters to himself. Since the schools forbid anyone from going out at night, the last buses and trains in Academy City would basically be when school's dismissed.

Issei, who didn't manage to catch the bus, can only walk down the hot shopping street.

A security robot passes by Issei, and it's also designed such that it looks like a metal container with wheels installed underneath. It functions like a mobile criminal surveillance device. At first, it was designed as a puppy robot, but the puppy robots attract children's attention too easily, making it hard for them to move about.

Thus, every one of them was modified into metal cylinders.

'Hm, this reason is really rather funny.' He joked inside his mind as he continued his way.

"AH! Finally found you, you! Oi… hold up! Stop! I'm calling you! Hurry up and stop!" A female voice shouted as he turned back.

A middle-school-aged girl is standing behind him. The shoulder-length tea hair looks like it's giving off a burning red light. The girl's face is all red as well. A gray pleated skirt, a short sleeved blouse, and a thin summer jacket… after staring at her for quite a while, Issei finally recognizes her.

"…Ah… you again, the biri-biri middle school student."‖

"Stop calling me Biri-biri! My name is Misaka Mikoto! Why haven't you remembered this? I remembered you called me Biribiri the first time we met!"‖

"The first time I met you…?" Issei said as his eyes widened. "Hm, that's right."

The first time he met her, she was being harassed by some delinquents. Wanting to display the spirit of Urashima Tarou by advising them not to snatch a weak girl's purse, he was only rewarded with the girl violently reacting, "YOU'RE TOO NOISY, STOP INTERFERING!" and attacking him with a lightning bolt.

Of course, Issei neutralized her attack with his right hand, but the girl was stunned… "Eh? What happened? Why isn't it effective? Then how about this… eh? Ineffective…"

In the end, it ended up how it is right now.

"…Eh? Why? I'm not so sad, but why am I so sad, mommy?"‖

"Why are you staring far away…"‖

Issei's rather tired as he just finished his lessons, so he decides to look away from this Biri-biri in front of him.

"A girl is staring at Issei. This girl was the Railgun girl from yesterday. She's extremely unhappy with losing to others, so she would come to Issei for revenge, but would always end up frustrated."‖

"Who are you talking to now…?"‖

"This girl has a tough attitude and doesn't admit her loss, but she's really scared of being alone, as she's the leader of a group of animals."‖

"Stop designating people as weird!"‖

Misaka Mikoto's so frustrated that she's swinging her arms about, and the pedestrians on the streets inadvertently turn to stare at her.

This is to be expected, as the ordinary-looking summer attire that Mikoto's wearing belongs to Tokiwadai Middle School, one of the five top ranked schools in Academy City.

The Tokiwadai Middle School's princesses who give such a refined feeling are obvious even inside a crowded train, but this girl's mannerisms give that feeling that she's the type of student that would play with her cellphone on the floor of a bus.

Of course the passersby would be surprised.

"Eh? Oh, ya, what's up, Biribiri? Isn't it the 20th of July? Why are you still wearing your uniform? Did you go for supplementary lessons?"‖

"Ugh… you… IGNORE THAT!"‖

"I got it, you don't feel that the bunnies in the animal breeding area are safe enough?"

"STOP PUTTING ANIMALS INTO MY PERSONALITY! YOU RASCAL, I'LL MAKE YOU PAY! YOU'LL BE TREMBLING ON YOUR LEGS LIKE AN ELECTROCUTED FROG! HURRY UP AND PREPARE YOUR WILL AND INHERITANCE NOW!"‖

"No."‖

"WHY?"‖

"Because I'm not a leader of animals."‖

"YOU… RASCAL CONTINUES TO MAKE FUN OF ME?!"‖

THOMP!

The middle school girl stamps hard on the red bricks of the pedestrian walkway. In that instant, the phones of the passersby let out a breaking sound. The cable television on the shopping streets are immediately cut off, and even the security robots nearby let out a weird cracking sound.

The hair of the middle school girl lets out a cracking sound that's like static electricity.

She's of flesh and blood, but this Level 5 power user that can fire a Railgun gives a scary smile like a beast baring her fangs.

"HUMPH! HOW'S THIS? DOES THIS CLEAR YOUR MIND- Mmm…!" Issei frantically uses his hand to cover Misaka Mikoto's whole mouth.

"Shut… shut up! Please don't say anything! Don't you see those people with their cellphones damaged emitting killing intent!? If they finds out that you did it, you have to pay them, not to mention the cable TVs- who knows how much we have to pay!"

Issei prays to the God that he would only think of on Christmas, and at the same time thinks of that Dragon-God

Maybe his prayer worked, as no one approached Issei and Mikoto.

Just as Issei heaves a sigh of relief (while Mikoto's suffocating from his hand), "Alert! Alert! Error Number 100231-YF. Detected an offensive electromagnetic wave that defies the laws of electromagnetism. Confirming system abnormality. May be an electrical terrorist attack; please don't use any electronic equipment."‖

The Imagine Gear and the Railgun tremble as they turn around.

The huge metal cylinder on the side of the streets is smoking as it lets out some signal that no one seems to be able to understand.

The next moment, the security robot lets out a loud and shrill siren.

Of course, they have to run.

Running down an alley, kicking a plastic water can, scaring a black cat, continuing to run forward. Issei thinks as he continues to run, 'Wait a second, I didn't do anything wrong, why am I running as well?' But his legs can only continue to run even as he thinks this.

He remembers a television program mentioning that one security robot costs 1.2 million yen.

"Uuu… SUCH MISFORTUNE! ALL BECAUSE I GOT INVOLVED WITH THIS SORT OF PERSON!"‖

"STOP CALLING ME 'THIS SORT OF PERSON!' MY NAME IS MISAKA MIKOTO!"‖

After running to somewhere deep in the deepest part of an alley, both of them finally stop.

This place is a rectangular plaza that was most likely formed when one of the buildings here got removed. It's really suitable for a 3-on-3 bullfight.

"YOU'RE TOO NOISY, BIRIBIRI! THANKS TO THAT LIGHTNING STRIKE YOU SUMMONED, MY HOUSE'S ELECTRIC APPLIANCES ARE ALL DAMAGED! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW!?"‖

"WHO ASKED YOU TO BE SO IRRITATING!?"

"WHAT ARE YOU BEING ANGRY ABOUT!? HAVE I EVEN LAID A FINGER ON YOU!?"‖

Yesterday, Issei used his ability to block every single one of Mikoto's attacks, including the Railgun, a whip sword formed by iron sand, a powerful electromagnetic pulse that targets the organs, and the final move: real lightning.

But every single move was unable to hurt Issei.

As long as it's a supernatural power, Hyoudou Issei can negate every single one of them.

"YOU TIRED YOURSELF OUT BECAUSE YOU KEPT ATTACKING, RIGHT? YOUR STAMINA'S INADEQUATE; STOP BLAMING ME FOR IT!"‖

"…Ugh…!"‖ Mikoto grits her teeth with anger, and says, "THAT… THAT'S NOT CONSIDERED MY LOSS! I… I DIDN'T EVEN GET HIT ONCE! THAT SHOULD BE A DRAW!"‖

"Sigh, no need for that. It's your win. Even if I'm to take you out in frustration, the faulty air conditioner can't be repaired."‖

"UGH…! YOU… STAY RIGHT THERE! HURRY UP AND FIGHT ME WITH ALL YOU'VE GOT!"‖

Seeing Mikoto wave her arms wildly as she roars, Issei sighs, "Are you sure I can go all-out?"‖

Mikoto can't say anything.

Issei gently tightens his fist, and releases it again. This simple action is enough to make Misaka Mikoto break out in cold sweat. She can't even take a step back; she can only remain rooted to the spot.

It's expected that Mikoto would be afraid, since Issei Hyoudou is the man who managed to block Mikoto's barrage of attacks for over two hours and remain unharmed. The thought that 'who knows how strong he'd be if he gets serious' makes Mikoto fearful of it.

After a while, Issei sighs, and looks away.

Mikoto seems like she finally managed to break free of her bonds as she finally takes a few steps back from him, one by one.

"…Why am I… so unfortunate…?"‖

Seeing Mikoto so afraid, Issei, however, looks a bit depressed, and continues, "The electrical appliances in my room got wrecked, I met a phony Dragon-God this morning, and I end up meeting Biribiri at night…"

"Dragon God…? What's that…?"‖

"…"‖

Issei ponders for a while, and says, "Hm, what's that…?"‖

-xXx-

320 yen… Looks like he can't go get a big bowl of gyuudon.

"…Medium-sized, huh…?"‖

For the girls who normally would eat food that's as much as a light novel in a civilized manner, maybe they can't understand, but for boys who are undergoing puberty, a medium-sized gyuudon can only be called a snack.

After wasting time with Misaka Mikoto by entering the gyuudon house to finish off the snack, Issei takes his remaining fortune of 30 yen (including taxes), and returns to the front of his dorm under the sunset.

Not a single person is around.

Maybe everyone's gone crazy playing around, as it's the start of summer vacation.

The exterior of the dormitory looks just like a typical apartment. Inside this rectangular building, there's a row of doors on the wall along the corridor. There is no no peeping toms sign attached to a metal pole besides the metal handle, since this is a boys' dormitory.

The student dormitories are arranged in a vertical manner, extending out to the front. From the road, which is also the gap between the dormitories, the corridor and the balcony on the other side looks like the side.

Though there's an auto-lock system on the door, the neighboring dormitories are only two meters apart. Invading this place is easy. Like what Ophis did this morning, one only needs to jump over from another place.

Entering the door, and passing through what's supposed to be the administrator's storeroom, Issei takes the elevator up. The elevator here is a lot more narrow and dirtier than those used to move goods about in a construction yard.

The R alphabet that symbolizes the roof is sealed off with a metal plate, and this is to prevent the Romeos and Juliets who'd go up to the rooftop.

Like a microwave oven, the elevator lets out a 'ding' as it stops at the seventh level.

The doors of the elevator let out a creaking sound, and slowly divide in halves. Being impatient, Issei pushes the elevator door aside. Even though it's the seventh level, there's no wind.

Maybe it's the suppressing feeling of the neighboring block being so close that makes Issei feel a lot hotter than usual.

"Hm?"

Issei finally notices that at the far end of the corridor, at the door of his room, there are three cleaning robots gathered there. It's rare for three of these to gather at one spot. There should be only five of these cleaning robots assigned to this dormitory.

These three robots are moving back and forth in a definite frequency, and it seems like it's dirty down there.

…For some reason, Issei has a bad premonition.

These large cleaning robots are able to remove even chewing gum that's stuck on the floor. What kind of dirt is stuck over there such that even three machines are having difficulty removing it?

"What on earth is…?"

Issei's unable to control himself as he takes the first step forward, then another. Finally, he sees that thing.

Ophis was laying there.

"…Umm…"‖

Though some parts are blocked by the robots, anyone can tell that this Dragon God is sleeping or maybe fainted there.

The three robots continue to knock against Ophis, but she doesn't move at all. This really looks eerily similar to crows pecking at food in a city- really pitiful. Actually, the cleaning robots should be able to avoid pedestrians and obstacles.

This means that the robots aren't even treating Ophis as creature-how sad.

"…I'm really… unfortunate…"‖

Though he says this, if there's a mirror in front of him, Issei Hyoudou would be shocked by his expression. Anyone would say that he's smiling.

"Oi! What are you doing here again?"‖ He shouted as he begins to run forward. Just this scene alone makes Issei looks like an elementary school student who didn't sleep for one day.

He approaches her, step by step, and this feeling is like running happily to buy an RPG on the day it's released. Even Issei himself doesn't understand why he's so excited.

Ophis still hasn't realized that Issei's here.

On seeing Ophis like this, Hyoudou Issei thinks, This really suits you, and really finds it funny.

After that, Issei finds that Ophis's lying in a pool of blood.

"…Ah…?"‖

In an instant, Issei isn't shocked, but puzzled.

He was blocked by the cleaning robots, so he didn't see it. Ophis, who's lying on the floor, has a streamlined cut near her waist. The wound's really straight; it's basically like using a ruler and a blade to cut a corrugated board. Also, the front tip of the black hair was also neatly cut. Even this black hair is dyed red by the blood that's oozing out of the wound.

At this moment, Issei didn't even think that it was human blood.

A minute ago and a minute later, the huge difference in reality makes Issei confused.

This red thing…is it tomato sauce? Did Ophis get too hungry that she used her last ounce of strength to squeeze out some tomato sauce? This image is really funny, and Issei really wants to laugh.

But he can't.

How can he?

The three robots let out some cracking sounds, moving back and forth. They're still cleaning the mess on the floor; the red fluid that's continuing to ooze out of Ophis's body and spreading on the floor.

Seems like they're using a dirty cloth and flipping it on the wound, trying to suck the contents out of Ophis.

"Stop…stop it! STOP IT! DAMN IT!" Issei finally recognizes reality as he frantically carries one of the cleaning robots that are gathered around a heavily injured Ophis. But the cleaning robots are already made heavy to prevent them from being stolen. And with their strength, it's hard to pull them out.

Of course, the cleaning robots are only cleaning the dirt that's spreading on the floor', and aren't really touching Ophis's wound.

But to Issei's vision, these cleaning robots are not much different from flies gathering on a rotting wound.

Though Issei tries his best, but it's hard to pull even one cleaning robot that's heavy and strong, let alone three. And the moment he removes one, the other two would move towards the mess.

Even the boy who can kill God can't do anything.

He can't even handle these toys.

But Issei's not mocking him.

The lips that slowly have gone purple due to a heavy loss of blood aren't moving. And one might even wonder whether she's breathing.

"Damn it! Damn it!" Issei shouted as his mind is all muddled up as he wonders, "What's going on? Are you kidding! TELL ME WHO DID THIS!"‖

"Oh? We magicians are the ones who did this, huh?"