"Hello again, Ddraig."

Issei opened his eyes after having the strangest dream. Just as most other dreams, most of it he couldn't recall. He remembered walking along Kuoh, stopping to chat with a few others, but most of the things they shared had been forgotten. He did remember meeting with the Vampire, with Sona, with Ayame, and then…

Ddraig. He had a conversation with Ddraig. Yes, that's right. Now things were starting to come back to him.

"Did you sleep well?" Tiamat asked while sprawling herself over the lavish bed he slept in. The bed alone was the size of his room back home— and the room itself was the size of his house. Everything within looked expensive… enough so he was too scared to touch anything.

Now, this wasn't just some guest room. This was Tiamat's private room. And she took no shame in sleeping at his side, curling herself against his chest and snoring away as the nights came. There wasn't anything sensual about it as she never took advantage of him or tried anything indecent. Even her nightwear was something modest, though it wrapped around her in such a way he couldn't help but stare at her alluring form.

Tiamat was something new. She had the maturity of a grown woman with the body to match. She had the full breasts and wide hips that called for him to devour her. But she was also pure athleticism and power with the amount of muscle packed in her. And no matter what she done— from walking across the room, to pouring his tea, to even sprawling lazily across the bed— she had the posture and grace of a predator.

She was a creature who knew she was the pinnacle of beauty combined with the instinct of a carnivorous hunter. She was something so primal and raw there was none else like her in the modern age. Age hadn't rotted her like most in the world; it had matured her like the finest of wines.

Issei wanted desperately to have a taste of her… and knew at the same time it was a poison that would kill him.

"As well as I can…" he said with a nervous smile. His instincts as a Predator told him there was little to nothing for him to be worried about. But he still remembered the thrashing she gave him when she… transformed, for lack of a better word. He was walking on glass with her around. "Had something of a weird dream."

She blinked and rolled over, lying on her stomach with her legs crossed. "A dream? Had I not known of your irregularities I'd have called you a liar. What is it like to dream within a Dream?"

He didn't know what to make of her question. He did feel the importance of the way she capitalized Dream. It almost sounded like something of authority such as whenever he announced himself as a Predator.

"This would be the second time since I became a Predator…" he muttered while trying to scratch his cheek. It was a habit of his but under his current situation he couldn't. "I sleep, sure. But because of the constant awareness from the World, I never get to dream. I'm always aware of my surroundings or of distant threats. The first time I dreamed was when I was talking to Vorpal and the previous wielders of the Boosted Gear."

She looked upset whenever he mentioned anything about being a Predator. "Why do you serve in such an unrewarding occupation? You are clearly dissatisfied with it. Why not quit as this troubles you so deeply?"

She had been like this since their battle. She talked to him as she would address Ddraig but knew very well he was Hyoudou Issei. It hurt his head trying to understand her logic.

"That's not something you can just quit," he argued. "Besides, even if I could, I don't think I should. Yeah, I do hate it. I don't want to be a Predator. But there are a lot of responsibilities that I need to take care of. My friends. The World. I have to protect it from the enemy."

"The enemy," she sighed. "This… Khaos Brigade you told me about? I do not understand. Is this still a game to you, Ddraig? Or are you serious? Are you aware if this is a threat as you believe them to be, then why not destroy them all?"

"This isn't a game," his anger was rising at her dismissive tone. "They want to awaken something all of us together don't have a means to defeat. It is a monster among monsters. The Brigade want to break it free from its prison. If I could destroy them all then I would. But the World keeps telling me even with all of us together it still isn't enough…"

Tiamat studied him for a moment. Her head tilted slightly while resting her cheek to her palm. Her legs began to kick up and down as she lay there. "The Triangular Beast, you mean? Or, rather, as these denizens call it, Trihexa? That is not your problem, Ddraig. That is something beyond the measures of the defenders of the planet. That is the duty of a Guardian."

"A what?"

She frowned, "Never you mind. This topic is poisonous. Please, tell me more about this dream. I've never had one and would like to know more. What is it like?"

He scowled at her. She was treating his duties as a Predator as secondhand importance. As a defender of the planet, it was he who was tasked with protecting the World and its Ruler. That also included everyone who lived here. If the Khaos Brigade succeeded in resurrecting Trihexa, then all life on this planet was over. It was the World constantly screaming at Issei to do something.

Ever since becoming a Predator, the screaming wails of the impending doom have been growing louder.

There was no point in trying to convince her just as how she was trying to convince him. They could argue about it until the Evensong approached. Instead, he decided to indulge her in her request just so they could start the day and continue with his… lessons.

"It's like…" he looked up, trying to think of how to explain something as abstract as the concept of a dream. "Watching a movie? Or living through a memory? Something like that."

"Then it is not as different as now…" she muttered while looking around her surroundings. "Interesting. You live in there as we live in here. Were you also Ddraig in that dream? Or did you play the part of another role?"

"I was me…" he spoke slowly, half trying to recall and the other half trying to ignore her strange ramblings. "I met with someone I still hate to this day. I met with what was once my best friend. I met my sister…"

…He decided it would be best to leave out Ddraig. That would have been a headache and a half to tell her about it.

"They each talked to me and shared with me some advice," he went on. "Things I already know myself so I can move on with my life. Things I do regret but need to get over them. It was also strange how they kept chanting the same thing my predecessors sang. But, I guess it makes sense since the time I dreamed before was when I met them."

"Did they share you should remember me?" she asked with bated breath.

"N-No…" he had difficulty looking at her, especially when the temperature plummeted. "Just some personal stuff. Hey, you know a lot about Ddraig, yeah? Do you know what Zoom, Zoom, Iyaaan means? That's all my predecessors—"

"Why don't you tell me more about this Khaos Brigade?" she sat up abruptly and leaned close to him. She was practically lying on top of him. "Is it any fun being a Predator? If you are so enthralled with this game then perhaps I may join you as well, Ddraig?"

Women was something he'll never understand and accepted that. But, while he may admit to not being the smartest of the male species, he knew the bare minimum to realize she had changed the subject on purpose. A topic she had called poisonous, at that.

"What does it mean?" he tried again. "Honestly, whenever they chanted it, Vorpal would start crying. If I focus I can hear it sobbing away… eating tubs of ice cream. How in the world…?"

~I am the Dream Devourer!~ he heard Vorpal cry inside his head. ~I'm not faaaaaaaat!~

"It's nothing," she snapped, nearly snarling with her fangs making her mouth click. "A waste of time, that's all it was. It amounted to nothing more than you being sealed away by a lowly Incarnation. I will not lose you to this once again."

Her hand resting against his chest began to tighten on the silk pajama shirt she had dressed him in. He was fully clothed on the day before, for the record. It wasn't unusual for him to lose consciousness after extensive exercises from his lessons with her.

"It can't be that bad," he tried to get some answers out of her. "I thought it was God who sealed Ddraig and Albion away after they were fighting. That's what Sona told…"

He sniffed. If he had the strength he would be in the corner sobbing his eyes out just as how Vorpal was binging inside his head. Merely muttering that name brought back a horrible memory and made him depressed. His only means of comfort was the doll he crafted in her likeness. But it was out of his reach.

…Mainly because Tiamat had tied him to the bed while he was asleep.

"That was in the script, yes," Tiamat sighed and let her head rest against his chest. She dragged a sharp nail across his shirt without tearing the fabric. "And here I thought you were starting to remember. Ddraig, my dearest brother, why do you not remember me? To call your brother Albion; is there nothing more I can do to have you remember who you are…?

"Very well. After the Black Sun, we all traversed the realms of the Dreamers in search of a new home. You were determined to find this one… prophecy. You claimed to have been conjured by an Outsider who told you of a boy that shall be our salvation. This boy would bring life to all the realms once more, bring order to the Originals and tame the Abyss, and make things as they were meant to. You chased after this… song. A song you claimed to hear.

"When we told you it was enough…" her voice dropped as she climbed up. She rested her head against his shoulder while playing with his bound hand. "You argued with us and came here without us. You broke my heart when you abandoned me, assuming the name of Ddraig. Your brother [Entropy] pursued you. When words could not distill you, he took the name of Albion and challenged you with might. Before either of you could game, it was the Incarnation of the Heavens who bound you to your vessels and sealed you in these… Sacred Gears. Blasphemous lot of Phenomenon…

"Does this jar your memory at all…?" she asked with an almost pleading tone.

He was quiet for the most part. He didn't know what to believe in the story nor what to think. Ddraig was some sort of… alien? Some being that came elsewhere and not originating from this planet? And Ddraig wasn't really Ddraig, according to Tiamat. Now all of her comments were starting to make some bit of sense.

[Potential] was his real name and he became the character named Ddraig. Like an actor assuming a role.

He supposed that's how it all began. How God came to seal their souls into Sacred Gears, which would eventually be passed down to Issei. Which would then lead to the Vampire arriving…

…And then Issei confronting 'Ddraig' for power.

His Gift of Flight twitched at his back.

While this may have answered a lot of things, most of them were things he had learned to ignore. He had gone a long time without learning anything new about the Dragon. Yes, all of this information was amazing to him but not really necessary. Also, it didn't answer his original question.

"It's part of a song?" he raised his voice. "What was this song about?"

She scowled at him. Her hand froze as it was winding its fingers through his. She dropped her hand. Her voice was disgruntled, "I do not understand it myself. I see no power in those words. Nor do I understand your enthusiasm for it. Such is a Mundane Work, the lowest of the low in the grand scheme. If you truly favor such a thing then will you not take pleasure in mine, brother?"

She pressed herself harder against him. His mouth fell open as he felt her breast ride up against his ribs. Her torso was wiggling around, making them slide up and down against him to the point where they were exciting her nipples. His mind had already calculated the dimensions of her breasts and could give an accurate guess on their cup size.

They were almost as perfect as Rias'!

[Zoom, zoom, iyaan~] a chorus of voices sang in his head.

"B-Breasts?!" he gasped. "Boobs?! There's no way… You mean… That chant is all about boobs?!"

"At last you see the mediocrity of it," she sighed with relief and went to lie flat on her back at his side. She propped one leg up while flicking a finger on the ethereal ropes keeping him from fleeing. "Honestly, the legend of the Oppai Dragon? And what has such a legend brought you? Nothing but ruin."

"Eh… Tiamat-san…" he was trying his luck at this point. "Exactly how does this legend go?"

She eyed him with the glare of a hawk. It made him feel like a mouse in open field.

"I-I mean… Ddraig must have heard something if he came here even if it meant getting away from you," he sputtered quickly. Her eyes narrowed when he chose his words poorly. "L-Listen! I'm sure there's a reason why he did it! When I first met Ddraig, he was a really serious Dragon. He used a lot of big words I didn't understand at the time but I knew he wouldn't have abandoned you for a pair of breasts. I just want to know what he was after."

Because, seriously, there was a legend of an Oppai Dragon? Issei loved breasts as much, if not greater than, the next guy. But, really, a Dragon who might be an alien from another dimension coming across an intergalactic highway in pursuit of them? That was the start of some of the craziest doujinshi— and usually the alien was female or a tentacle monster.

Tiamat didn't answer him. An annoyed expression was on her face when she rolled over a few times to get out of the bed. She brushed a few locks of hair over her shoulder while crossing over the carpet to stand at the head of the bed. Her hands were at her waist while her pale blue eyes pierced through his.

And then, his mind did a double take as he soaked it in, she began to… sing and dance.

"There is a breast-loving Dragon living in the edge of a certain city~

"The Dragon goes for a walk when the weather is good~

"Dragon, Dragon, Oppai Dragon~"

The way she moved around the room, sashaying her hips and popping out her chest, forcing his eyes to capture the bounce of her breasts whenever she moved… She was a goddess of the steps as everything she did in the choreography exhibited pure sexuality and allure. While it was something that did capture the eye of the healthy male, it could also draw in the female populace for the grace it presented and the strength it announced. There was also an innocence to it that could, dare he say, have children cheering without being aware of the physical appeal of the dance.

…If only the words were just as innocent.

"Grope-grope, Suck-suck, Pafu-pafu~

"There are so many types of breasts~

"But he like the big ones the best~

"The Oppai Dragon flies today~"

He felt something from these words. There was something magical about them. Something about them brought tears to his eyes and made his heart sway. Yes, this was the love and respect he had for breasts that he had always failed to explain to others. This song told the hidden truth. But what was more, it really was magical as there was a flourish of power in them.

He could feel the energy in the room start to gradually rise. This song was an incantation to something greater. More than just magic, more than just some authority, more than the power enforced by the Laws of the World, it was a truth. He could feel it resonate in his core.

"In an edge of a certain town, the Oppai Dragon was laughing~

"Even on a stormy day, the Oppai Dragon becomes happy by pressing breasts~

"Dragon, Dragon, Oppai Dragon~

"Click-Click—"

[ZOOM, ZOOM, IYAAAN!] roared the predecessors of his Sacred Gear in the exact same time as Tiamat.

"He has seen lots of breasts, but he likes big ones the best~

"The Oppai Dragon also pushes today…"

She finished. Tiamat put her hands down to her side and let loose a short puff of air. The dance was over and her sharp eyes were locked on with his, studying his reaction.

If he could use his hands, he would be clapping for an encore. Whoever this Oppai Dragon was, he had great taste in music.

"Does this satisfy your curiosity?" she asked with a bit of a peeved tone. Her eyes were as sharp as usual but the cold atmosphere of the room added pressure to the gaze. She wasn't happy one bit about performing the song and dance.

"Y-Yes," he said in a weak voice. "Thank you, Tiamat-san. I think I understand now."

She cocked a brow. The expression shifted immediately into one of skepticism and annoyance. "Is that so? Then will you share with me your insight? What could have driven you to turn your back on our union? Why did you betray me, brother mine?"

He could hear the amount of hurt slipping out of her voice unintentionally. Ddraig had seriously hurt her over such a song.

Issei raised his head and said boldly, "It's more than just a prophecy about breasts! It's about truth and love! Sure, most people probably look at it as a perverted song about a Dragon who only loves breasts. But as a pervert and breast connoisseur I can tell there's more to the song than just that. It's about a journey to the furthest reaches in search of perfection.

"The Oppai Dragon likes the biggest pair? Ha! They just being large doesn't mean anything. The little ones deserve just as much attention for the amount of potential they inherit. That's why I call bullshit on this prophecy. There's a lot more to the picture! There's a hidden truth to this song! I can hear it. Ddraig must have heard it."

"…What folly," she snarled. Her arms were crossed and her claws were tearing the fabric of her sleeves. Hoarfrost breathed through her lips as she sneered, "You said the exact same thing when you left me. Potential? You are [Potential]! What other source is there other than your own? Do not spit such nonsense to me. Not now. Not when I've finally found you."

"Don't you dare mock me or Ddraig!" he spat with defiance. His power leaked out enough to crush the bed underneath him and counter her cold with thick heat.

Her eyes widened slightly in both surprise and anger.

He had enough. With minimal effort, he pulled his arms free. The ethereal chains broke and he climbed himself out of bed.

"Tiamat," he said with a voice filled with heated ferocity. He could feel his skin turn to scales and eyes glow with draconian essence. "Call me whatever you want. I am a pervert. I love breasts. But they're more to me than just body parts. They are the things I live for. They are the reason I love women so much. They are the reason why I became a hero, why I ventured to gain power against the Vampire, and why I continue to be a Predator.

"Yeah, breasts are fun to look at. Even better to cop a feel. But they're a symbol to me. To see a pair of breasts means there's a babe attached to them. And that person has a heart, has hopes and dreams, has life. I am what I am to protect that. Even if it means I have to bear the mantle of an Ultimate Killer. Even if it means the entire world is against me. Even if it means… someone I love very much is against me."

He paused to take a breath.

"I'm done here," he said after a moment. "I only stayed because you seemed to know about Ddraig. I didn't get to talk to him much. But he was a strong hearted guy. He handed me his power after hearing me. He believed in me. That's all I need. I don't need you to do the same."

"…You're mad," she said in a low voice. Her hand was to her heart with her eyes wide. She looked as if he had slapped her. The physical blow would have done nothing to her. The sheer shock of it did more damage instead. "Breasts? Breasts?! You would continue playing your role as a slave to the World over something so physical?! Something so mundane?! You are a Lawmaker! Ddraig— [Potential], I do not understand! Tell me what you see in this!"

She… looked scared. It hurt him to see her like this. She had been so strong during the past few days since their battle. She had been filled with confidence he couldn't help but look up to her. His eyes had been opened when she revealed her true power as [Twilight] and more so when she shared her stories about Ddraig.

But now? Now she was scared. She looked like an animal that had been backed into a corner. She looked desperate enough to attack him if he so much as twitched. At the same time, she looked on the verge of crying.

Someone as strong as her shouldn't look like this.

"…Love," he answered. It had come out of his mouth before his mind could process it. "I do it for love. Nothing else."

Tiamat looked stunned. She didn't move from her spot as she blinked over his answer. To be fair… he had no idea what it meant either. It could have been the first thing he could come up with. But it also felt right. He could keep his head up high over the answer.

"Do you not love me?" she asked in a low voice. It was as soft as a whisper.

He wanted to say he didn't know her enough to have an answer. But his instincts as a Predator warned him against it. She would have lashed out at him for it. Instead, he took in a deep breath to think of a better answer.

"I do not understand," she said before he could come up with anything. One of her nails went through the collar of her gown and glided down her midriff. "But if love is what you see, then see how much I love you. Let me love you, brother."

…There were so many things wrong with that. Those were the lines of too many doujinshi he's read.

His mouth dried as heat flushed his face. Her eyes became pleading and hungry when she shirked off the two halves of her gown. The silken fabric cascaded down into a small pile at her feet. Her alabaster skin shone in the dim lighting of the morning sun. Her skin was as smooth and flawless as the marble carvings of Greek statues.

But her beauty went beyond the mere mortal speculation. The Greeks had been way off with their math for the Golden Ratio.

Tiamat was more than just beauty. She was something pried directly out of a dream, corrected through every detail, and projected with a glamour. Her body was shapely with fine lines of muscle in all the right places. Her curves were copious. Her stance was open, welcoming, and craving to be embraced.

Her breasts made him want to cry.

He could feel the primal urge to take her back to the bed and wrestle with her. He would take her. He would claim her, have her struggle and put up a good fight, but he would dominate her in the end and have his fill. He would make love to her for days until they were both satisfied. He would take his time, getting to learn every corner of her body and every weak point. He would fill her with ecstasy just as she would deplete his cravings.

She was a Dragon. He was a Dragon. Not a Dragon and a human. Not a Dragon and a Devil or a Reincarnated Devil. A Dragon and a Dragon. They were one in the same. They needed each other.

…He almost gave into it.

Something struck his senses. It was nothing significant. He could have ignored it with how little it was. It was nothing but information the World continuously fed him. It was so much like a stream of water that endlessly turned a wheel.

He caught one single drop of water in that metaphorical stream. No, not water. There was blood in it.

"…I need to leave," he said with his voice shaking. His heart was beating on both the urge to mate with Tiamat as well as shocked nerves from the news. His vision was starting to spin but he pushed the nausea back. "Now!"

For a moment, he saw hurt in her eyes. He was denying her in her most desperate of times. But a fire burned quickly. Cold determination returned to her expression.

"Do you think I will permit you to leave me so soon, Ddraig?" she said in the same cold tone as when they first met.

"I don't have time for this!" he roared. "Come with me if you want then! Just don't stop me! I need to get back to the surface world as soon as possible! My friends are in danger!"

Her eyes flashed once. He didn't know what to make of it. "What is it the World has told you, Predator?"

"…I am Sixth," he said with a voice of power fueled by the World.

He didn't want to believe it. His mind reached out to the nexus that was the World and called upon the knowledge on every Predator. He could located all of them except for two. Archibald was in a business meeting in China. Ludwig was on a Harley on his way to Kuoh with his Knights in tow. Rolan was in the Fae Lands occupied in Europe; he blinked once, looked back at Issei with eyes narrowing in curiosity, and then widening with realization. And Li Qin was… traversing dimensions.

Predator Philips could not be found. That was common. Issei could never find the stealth specialist of the Predators, hence why he was the stealth specialist.

…He also couldn't find Amelia.

"It happens," she offered with no concern. "The world continues to grow, brother. Betters will arise. Fangs tend to dull over the ages. I have seen every one of your kind be surpassed, wilt, or be betrayed by one of your own. Did you yourself not slay one not so long ago?"

"I'm leaving," he snarled, baring his fangs. "Get out of my way or I'm never coming back!"

Her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "I will not let you leave."

"Then I will never love you. I will hate you for all eternity if you let my friends die!"

His words reached her. Her lips twitched once as her face turned frozen. He could almost see the cogs in her head turn.

She turned her body towards the corner of the room, raised her hand, and released a bit of her power. A glyph appeared at her palm with five sigils in five different colors. A matching magic circle sprouted near the fireplace. It was large enough to fit the entire Occult Research Club. It was a strange sort of magic— far different than Devilry, Miracles like Amelia's, and even Ludwig's or Richard's spells. It felt like she had commanded nature to obey just as one would breathe out to create a tiny gust of wind.

Nature had obeyed her command. This was the power of a Dragon, a force of nature given corporeal form.

"Go, before I change my mind," she said in a low and strained voice. She crossed her arms as if to restrain herself. "I will come for you once again."

"…Thank you," he said. Neither of them met another's gaze.

He rushed forward as the magic circle began to spin and brighten the room. Power oozed out of it the closer he got.

He did not need to shout for his Balance Breaker. The armor sprouted from his draconian essence with a mental command. The crimson metal formed around him just as the light reached a crescendo. He felt his body being tugged through the Dimensional Gap, connecting the Underworld to the surface world.

0-0-0

"That's three heads I can deliver to McCain!" shouted Manuel.

Issei was the one who rushed in first. His wings blazed as he leapt forward as fast as the concept of thought. He was more than a blink, faster than light— he was the living embodiment to the idea of instantiation.

He was caught in a net as he was but a grain of sand short of plowing his fist through the Acolyte's face. A pressure he could not describe batted against him, keeping him back from unleashing his strength. It would not allow him to close the miniscule distance. Even with his Gift of Flight could he not press forward. He felt himself flying forward. He could feel the grand distance of lightyears and then some traverse past him.

Yet he could not move. It was as though Manuel was endlessly creating space between them to keep him from getting closer.

Worse, Issei could feel time itself go by him. He could feel time stretch the harder he pressed and the harder Manuel oppressed him. Days, weeks, years, centuries, eons flowed, came, went, and repeated in an almost random loop. He felt himself going forward in time just as much as going back.

He roared and bore his fangs beneath the helm. He put more power into his efforts. But he would not budge.

"Issei!" shouted Yuuto as he sprang forward. He was agonizingly slow compared to Issei's instantaneous speed, but he was faster than human possibility with his agility as a Knight.

"No!" cried Ludwig. "Pull back! Don't let him catch you in his field!"

"I can cut it!" Yuuto argued and kept up with his charge.

Manuel looked from Issei to Yuuto and raised his hand, palm facing Yuuto. The Siege Perilous Predator readied his weapon. He could feel the net of disturbing energy coming for him just like the last time. He raised Excalibur and brought it down. The blade spliced the technique before it could touch him, dispelling it into nothingness and ending it before it could touch him.

There was a second wave behind the first. And a third. And a fourth. And a fifth… and a hundred others. Yuuto had only cut one tiny string compared to a nexus of a thousand. It was a masterful weave fabricated with the utmost intention of negating his strike. He would have to cut through all thousand of them at the exact same time.

"Multiply!" Ludwig beckoned with a hoarse voice fit for his age. A dull power hummed from his body. It was nothing compared to the potency of Issei's oceanic draconian essence or even the presence of Manuel's abyssal Aura.

But it was of a class of its own.

Dust smaller than the point of a needle formed out of nothing. They sparkled like the specks of cut moonlight picked from the rays of the night itself. They did not so much as float in the air around Yuuto as they set themselves perfectly still in the open space. They refused to budge as they took formation around him.

The will of Manuel's technique could not get through them. Nor could it slip through the gaps left wide open. An invisible force was at the works in keeping Manuel's technique at bay.

It was what kept Yuuto from getting caught in the trap. He didn't have Issei's ridiculous endurance. He wasn't sure what would have happened if he was enraptured by it.

"Dragon Shot!" howled Issei. His fist glowed white hot until crimson sparks began to ignite. It was as if his fist was traveling at Mach speed, igniting the air with the amount of friction he was gathering in his still position. His draconian essence bled out, slipping up his arm as though he was traveling too fast for it gather around his fist.

It only took half a second for him to focus, recalibrate his efforts, and transfer all the energy of his technique forward. It also took Manuel half a second to defend himself against it.

He dismissed Yuuto and put his other hand up towards Issei. The Dragon Shot crashed against another invisible layer and splashed everywhere. Crimson streams of draconian energy tore into everything.

"Multiply! Multiply!" shouted Ludwig as he put his arms up in defense.

The same moonlit diamond dust appeared around him. They compressed a little closer at his front, acting as a shield to protect himself. Issei's attack left dents in his makeshift shield, turning some of the crystal red and leaving pockmarks.

A second defense had been erected in front of those they had sworn to protect. Yuuto's heart lurched when he saw Issei's attack splinter the area around them. Had it not been for Ludwig's immediate reaction, they would have been caught in the crossfire.

"Leave at once!" Ludwig shouted to them. "I cannot protect you from here!"

There were pained expressions from all of them. They wanted to help in any way they could. But they already knew they were outclassed by a large margin. They had survived by a fluke and a miracle and probably something more. It hadn't been because of their arduous training.

Yuuto shared a glance with his King. Her eyes were hardened. She gave him a silent command through that gaze. His orders were to put down the enemy and come back alive.

He nodded in complete understanding.

Akeno finished the teleportation circle right after that. They disappeared in a flash of light.

It was then Issei lost his struggle against Manuel. His head snapped back as his body was flown backwards faster than Yuuto could see. A sonic boom burst his ears as a shockwave crashed against the barrier Ludwig had created around him. Issei's body all but vanished; the only evidence he had been tossed was the trail of carnage he left in his wake.

"Master Kiba! At front!" shouted Ludwig. He raised his cane like a rapier and pointed his free hand with the palm facing Manuel. "Do not look away from him! Do not look into his eyes!"

…If he had never heard of an oxymoron before…

[Papa! Your hand is bleeding too much. I can keep it back but the more you use this form the more you're cut yourself. You may lose your hands.]

"I don't exactly have a choice," Yuuto growled. He raised his sword and coiled his fingers around the edge where the hilt should be. The blade dug further into his skin and he did his best to ignore the pain. "I can't get through their defense with my other Balance Breaker. This is the only form that'll allow me to cut through their techniques."

"Together then, Master Kiba!" barked Ludwig. "Lead and I shall support!"

Yuuto did not like Sir Ludwig any more than he had liked Serene of Finland. He was sorry for her death and what it meant to Asia and Issei… but he couldn't like her on a personal level. They were Predators who had admitted to have played a role in the Holy Sword Project those years ago. Ludwig had said it to his face without any remorse.

And now he was going to have to put his faith and trust in this man. Confliction arose. He wanted to believe this was all an act to get better acquainted with Issei. The man had his orders to do such.

The conflict could only afford to last for a split second. His call of duty overshadowed it. This man, Manuel, had invaded his King's territory and had spilt blood. He could not be permitted to leave unpunished.

In the name of duty, he listened to his most base instincts. He was going to survive to serve his King and deliver her justice. He would put down his hatred for Ludwig.

For now.

"Multiply!" commanded Ludwig as he directed his cane forward. More diamond dust appeared within his vicinity. But rather than spreading out, they compressed together into congealed mass. They took on the shape of stakes and blades, each one pointed at Manuel.

Manuel wasn't going to wait for Ludwig to finish his preparations. He brought his foot forward as he punched the air. An invisible force swept forward, rippling the space in front of him and sending a wave in every direction. It was as though he dropped a rock onto the surface of water. However, it affected space itself and had the wave spreading out in all three dimensions. He was covered in a dome of the invisible unstoppable force. A pocket crater was being created with him floating in the center.

The dome continued to expand quickly, soon to reach the two of them.

Yuuto shot forward with Excalibur's tip pointed in front of him. He was going to lunge straight for Manuel's body after piercing through the dome. His instincts were telling him of the conditions of his Balance Breaker as well as the amount of resistance he would receive in his attack. He did not hesitate even when his mind was screaming at him to stop. He would be pulverized if he continued on with his charge.

He put all his faith in Ludwig. His newfound Predator instincts told him of the potential of the Dragon Slayer and how it could benefit him. Alone, Yuuto would have died. But should Ludwig interact…

"Multiply!" shouted Ludwig again as a secondary signature buzzed. He did nothing more than swipe his hand across the air… and flick a finger.

The crystalized weapons he created shot forward like rockets. The pikes stabbed into the expanding field. Manuel's gravitational dome stopped in its tracks. The blades that came afterwards cut into the dome, weakening its power and creating tears as if it were fabric.

Yuuto thrust Excalibur forward, tore through the dome, and entered the field without hindrance.

Pain nearly made him blank out.

It felt like he was crossing through the void of the cosmos and the impossible weight of the ocean at the same time. He felt his skin start to peel off as a great force was making every corner of himself expand. His blood vessels felt ready to burst with every heartbeat. He couldn't breathe. His bones were ready to shatter into dust with the amount of pressure each step of his took.

It was the brilliance of Excalibur's protection that kept him going. The Corrupted Blade of Imminent Demise was the alternative Balance Breaker he achieved due to the holy influence of Excalibur. It was the polar opposite of the Betrayer Hilt of Absolute Victory. While his first Balance Breaker allowed him to cut through ideally anything… it still had its restrictions.

The Corrupted Blade of Imminent Demise didn't grant victory like its counterpart. It wasn't promised. But it did guarantee someone would die.

It could cut through that which its counterpart could not. The Corrupted Blade sank into those that defied the Laws of the World.

This field of Manuel's was one such thing. I should not have been something that should be happening. He was creating his own gravitational field with himself at the center. He was turning himself into something of a micro-planet and warping reality to revolve around him. Everything caught in this field was being disintegrated into dust that constantly bombarded Yuuto.

The radiance of Excalibur was cutting through this field, negating its impossible properties from touching him. He was creating a hole through Manuel's defiant technique.

It wasn't enough to stop the field entirely. If anything, Yuuto would have said it was like taking a dive through a pool of gelatin. He could sink into it and claw his way around, but he wouldn't be able to make it collapse on itself through this method.

He roared out. No sound came from his voice through this damp field. He brought Excalibur back to hack at Manuel.

Manuel's hand lashed out like a viper's. His fingers coiled around Excalibur's blade from the back, catching the flat of the blade between the tips of his fingers and his palm in a vice grip. He had no such problems moving in his own territory.

Yuuto dismissed the blade, summoned another one in his opposite hand, and lifted it up to shield himself from Manuel's retaliation. The Acolyte brought his other fist around in a quick jab towards his solar plexus. His fist slammed against the flat of the blade hard enough to have Yuuto reeling back.

The strange markings on Manuel's brow lit up. Yuuto's left fist tore open enough for the bone to seep through. He gritted his teeth at the pain but it was the shock that made him waver.

Manuel spun in a twist that shouldn't have been possible for someone his size. He brought his shin around and struck Yuuto's hip despite his instincts and his reaction time as a Knight. Even when Yuuto knew the attack was coming, his body had failed to react in time. This field was hindering his movement worse than how he could predict. The World was failing to coordinate things properly so long as he remained in here.

He heard something snap from the initial contact. Pain came afterwards. His hipbone must have snapped.

[Promotion: Knight Juggernaut Overdrive!]

A red blur swept through the field without any such restriction. It tackled Manuel, knocking him to the ground for only a brief instant. Manuel immediately recovered, pried his hands free, and slammed them both down onto Issei's back.

Draconian plating snapped and shattered by the impact. Issei's scaled flesh was exposed before the armor began to reform. He stumbled to recover himself with the wind knocked out of him, spun, and lashed his claws at Manuel.

The field crumbled when they both engaged against the other. Yuuto's wings kept him from falling into the vast pit Manuel's technique had created.

He watched as Issei and Manuel went at another. Issei was a flurry of motions that far surpassed Yuuto's speed as a Knight. His body was nothing but a blur with how fast he moved. Limbs were flying everywhere in retaliation and in defense. He was switching between the Assaulter and Defender stances too quick for Yuuto to count.

Manuel was also just as impossibly fast. His body flickered to match Issei's speed. But with that speed was also strength. Every strike returned from Manuel had a sort of power behind it that made Issei's armor break. Shrapnel of red metal flew everywhere, reformed, and shattered once more in rapid succession.

They flickered around the quad, destroying their surroundings with every contact. They never remained in the same place for too long.

[Papa! Make more of me! Use the Dragon Slayer!]

He didn't realize he was panting until he needed get Ludwig's attention. "Sir Siegfried! Launch when I'm done!"

It was a very vague directive. But Ludwig nodded. He shut his eyes briefly to gather his will and magic.

Yuuto had to do the same. His demonic energy was starting to make him woozy. And the pain throbbing throughout his body was agonizing. Excalibur was doing well to keep it as a dull ache and keep him standing, but it was accumulating too quickly. He only spent a few seconds in that field but it felt like his body had just been tossed into a blender.

"Blade Blacksmith!" he shouted and channeled as much power as he could into it. He brought Excalibur down into the ground. His head began to spin as his demonic energy surged down the blade and into the ground.

Hiltless blades popped out of the ground and flew up into the air. There were only a few dozen of them.

It was all that was needed. They stopped in their tracks, repositioned themselves to be pointing at Manuel, and vibrated with power.

"Multiply!" shouted Ludwig as he flicked a finger.

The blades fired off as Ludwig's magic brought them forward. Silver streaks filled the air as they whistled for Manuel's back.

Issei knew what was coming before Manuel did. He purposely took in a few hits to adjust himself. His claw grabbed a hold of Manuel's wrist, effectively receiving a sharp blow to his waist in response, and twisted the arm against its wielder. He tried to pry it off, but something from Manuel's abilities kept it in place.

Manuel fought against the pain, twisted his body and dislocating his arm from Issei's grip, and swept his arm and leg around. He managed to deflect half of the blades, dodge a few others, and minimalize the damage to only a few cuts. The deepest cut was a gash tearing through his thigh.

Pain swept through Yuuto as soon as the mark glowed. It felt like his leg was on fire. He collapsed to the ground, unable to stand. A pool of blood began to soak his pants coming from his leg… at the same exact spot where one of his blades had pierced Manuel.

He checked his body quickly. Several gashes had appeared over his skin. It was as though his own blades had turned against him and cut into him as well. And there were nasty black and purple bruises where Manuel had deflected them with his forearm and shin.

"That mark!" he heard Ludwig gasp. The Dragon Slayer was also on his knees with his cane keeping him upright. Blood soaked his suit as sweat permeated his brow. "It's his mark! He should be dead!"

Yuuto didn't understand.

Issei reached out for one of the blades. Steam sizzled from where the blade and his claw touched it. It could have been through Excalibur's holy properties or the influence from Ludwig's dragon slaying magic. But Issei let loose a growl, his power spiking in response, and brought the blade down to Manuel.

"Hyoudou, don't!" shouted Ludwig in panic.

"Transfer!" Issei shouted over Ludwig's voice. The spike in power had gone from Issei to the hiltless sword. It shimmered in crimson aura as it swept down.

Manuel reached over his shoulder and caught the blade in his palm, letting it bite into his skin before it could stab into his back. Power erupted. A wave of red burst outwards in an explosion. Shrapnel flew everywhere from both the Excalibur blade and from Issei's armor.

Yuuto heard Excalibur screaming in his head.

Manuel broke out of the cloud of dirt and dust first. His arms were hanging limply, one bruised and twisted from Issei's grip and the other bleeding and shredded from the sword. His mask shimmered and squirmed while the marks glowed fiercely.

A gust of red wind split the cloud. Issei's body hunched forward in pain before he steadied himself. His right arm was torn beyond recognition. Fingers were missing and the muscle was peeled back with bone and sinew pried forth. His armor did not replenish itself and the shredded chunks lining his shoulder had been turned black.

It didn't stop him from letting out a feral growl and increasing his power through the Boosted Gear. His arm twitched. Flesh started to mend itself in rapid succession.

"…You can survive the Mark," Manuel's voice was a low growl. "Death will not stop you, Dragon."

"Nothing will stop me from tearing you apart," Issei's voice was feral and consumed with rage. "You attacked my home. You hurt my friends. You killed my Queen. I don't see why I would stop."

His once dead arm curled up into a fist. Blackened flesh began to color. Scales began to form. The armor lit up and began to manifest.

"Then… I will drag you down with me," Manuel said. "All of you. You will not stop the Evensong from being fulfilled!"

Manuel spread his hands out. His power focused through each tip. Reality warped around him, blinked, and something came out of nowhere in a split second.

Heads floated around him with fresh blood dripping from spliced necks. They were the heads of his brothers.

With a few more twitches of his fingers, the heads disappeared. The only thing that remained were their eyes.

Manuel opened up his mouth, his jaw expanding wider than humanly possible, and inhaled with a moan that didn't belong in a human voice. Every single eye fell into his maw and swam down his throat.

His body began to spasm. The vessels squirmed. His neck snapped and limbs jerked. His mask flashed every conceivable emotion as well as those found only on the divine breed. His Aura became visible— it stretched out like black smoke and shone in the light.

"Do you know what I am?" he asked with a voice of power fueled by the World.

His Aura slunk down to coat his arms. It became solid to form black coating. He wiggled his fingers around and flexed his arms, testing out his newfound abilities.

His mask sank into his skin, becoming the skull hidden behind his face… exactly like the Vampire's true form.

His eyes were completely black. They did not reflect the light. Rather, they soaked in the light, no, they warped reality like that of a black hole. Everything seemed to be drawn towards him. Even Issei had to plant his feet down as he felt a tug pull him forward. Even his draconian essence began to dwindle as it was being drank.

"I am a Hunter," Manuel stated so calmly in the same fashion one would share their boring profession. His eyes looked at Issei no more as a threat… but as a nuisance. A pest that needed to be exterminated.

A second Manuel appeared at his side, stepping out of his shadow. He wore the same exact clothes… but they were not ruined and his body was at its prime. He pulled down his cuffs and looked towards Yuuto.

A third came out in the exact same manner. But this one was rolling up his sleeves as he was taking cautious steps towards Ludwig.

The original Manuel raised his hands and curled his fingers. He took on a fighter's stance with dead eyes glaring at Issei. He nodded in professional respect… He was merely sharing formalities.

[Promotion: Rook Juggernaut—]

His transformation needed more time. The armor was starting to reform. It was in the midst of folding over for absolute defense when Manuel struck. He closed the distance without disturbing a single air molecule… and brought his fist across Issei's face.

It felt like he had been struck with the weight of the planet itself.

0-0-0

They had relocated to the church. No one was present since services weren't being held. It was the only place Akeno could think of where the enemy was least likely to find them. It was located on the outskirts of the city on an isolated little hill. The strange crossbreed of Miracles and Devilry lingered in the air, granting blessings of the Biblical God while permitting the acceptance of the Devils.

It was here where they licked their wounds and waited for the Predators to accomplish what they could not. A pregnant silence hung as they reflected on the engagement. They had thought they were winning. They had believed their training had paid off. They thought they could withstand anything Issei had to deal with long enough for him to arrive.

Josh and Manuel had crushed their beliefs.

There was also the death of Serene of Finland on their minds. It rattled them how one of the invincible Predators had fallen in battle. They had thought only one of their own kind could kill another. They had always been a force above and beyond measurement.

They felt out of their class by her death. The words of Josh rang. He said there was no way to train against those of their kind. There was no way to gradual grow a resistance. There is only is and isn't. Do or don't. Kill or be killed.

The one who had been most disturbed by this was Rias.

She fought to let it show. Her face was as hardened as one befitting of a King as she stared out the doorway. Her senses were extended to focus on her servants fighting, Issei and Yuuto. But her body language told another story. Her arms were folded around her waist, holding on tightly in cold comfort. Her shoulders were stiff while she shuffled her balance between each leg.

Waiting was possibly the worst part of it all.

"What a King I am…" the words slipped out of her voice before she could try to keep them back. They rolled out below her breath.

"This is something beyond your control, Rias," Sona said. She had been pacing back and forth near the doorway. Her glasses hung in a tightened grip, a sign she was stressed beyond words.

"There has to be something I can do," Rias almost snapped. She bit her lip and tightened her grip around her arms. "I hate being like this. I don't want to be able to do nothing. I am King and this is my peerage. I have to be able to support my servants somehow…"

Sona stopped walking. Her voice was sharp, "Rias, it's because he is your servant did this happen."

Rias spun around, her eyes wide. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. "Sona… You don't mean that, do you? How could you say that about him?"

"I warned you," Sona's voice spiked with a fury she struggled to keep down. "I told you when you resurrected him it was something beyond your means to control. Nothing but chaos has followed you since he became your servant. He hasn't been a Devil for half a year and look at what's happened."

"…You offered a trade," Rias countered. "You can't say any of that when all of this would have happened to you."

"This has happened to me!" Sona snapped. "My peerage was attacked and I don't know if they're dead or dying! I'm trapped here waiting for the battle to finish when they might need immediate aid! I can't go to them! I washed my hands of Issei and look what happened still. His presence alone brought danger and cost all of us dearly."

Rias opened her mouth to retort.

"I watched you die, Rias," but Sona cut her off. "How did it feel when your heart was torn out of its chest and there was nothing you could do about it? Do you know how I felt? How I couldn't save my friend from dying? How I couldn't save my peerage? How I'm here and not by their side?"

Sona shuddered as she closed her eyes. She took a moment to recollect herself.

Her eyes threatened to break into tears when she looked back at Rias.

"I can't do this. I can't handle this. Rias, either he leaves or I do. I doubt he will leave Kuoh so… I will be going elsewhere."

Rias was quiet. Her mind failed to find the words wanting to express her feelings. She was caught dumbfounded by something she never believed her dearest friend would dare to say.

Sona had been closer to Issei than Rias ever had. She knew Issei far longer and had gotten to know him at a more intimate level. She understood Issei better than Rias did. It hurt to admit it.

"He's going to fight for you," Rias said quietly. "He's going to fight against one of his biggest fears for your sake. You couldn't have forgotten about the Rating Game against Rolan. Sona, even if you leave, you're still a part of his life. You mean that much to him."

"…I haven't forgotten," Sona looked away. Her voice sounded tired. "It's because he thinks so much about me I'm in this position. Rolan would have never looked my way if I hadn't been there for Issei. I would have been the sister of the Leviathan at best. He's only after my hand because I meant something to Issei."

Rias was starting to feel betrayed. Sona had been her childhood friend. They practically lived together. They fought over the smallest of things and their squabbles had been over who had the nicer things. They constantly battled over who had the better peerage.

This wasn't one of their regular arguments. Sona was stepping down. She was giving up. She wasn't trying to compete with Rias. She was genuinely trying to walk away as if Issei was a disaster. Trouble, yes. A handful, yes. But Issei had baggage. He had his own problems. He was a person.

And Sona was treating him like a catastrophe.

"So that's it then?" Rias' voice shook with a mix of emotions. "You have a duty as an overseer of the city. You're going to abandon that because of something like this?"

Sona met her gaze and did not waver. "There was a time when the most we had to stress over was how to get you out of your engagement. We are not qualified to deal with forces of this magnitude. If it were anything else, I could call for my sister's aid. But something like this is over her head just as much. We are dealing with the world's Ultimate Killers and those who can match them."

"…I believe in Issei," Rias argued. "I believe in him. It doesn't matter where you go, Sona. People like him are never going to go away. You can't turn your head and pretend otherwise. You can't hide. They exist. I believe he will protect us all. My heart belongs to him. But I will not stand idly while he carries me. It's more than the duty as his King. It is my pride as a woman and as his lover. I will not become a burden for him!"

"Who are you trying to convince, Rias? Me? Issei? Or yourself?"

Rias didn't have an answer to give.

She blinked as she felt something tug at the back of her mind. She turned around with her senses reaching out towards Kuoh Academy. She felt it before she saw it.

Issei planted his feet on the ground and deactivated his Gift of Flight. He stumbled forward, dismissing his armor just the same.

He looked battered and tired. His eyes were still sharp and wired with adrenaline. His face was bruised and bloodied and Rias could see the wounds visibly heal shut. He shrugged them off just as he would remove a coat that had been battered by a storm.

"I-Ise…" Rias whispered and rushed towards him. "Is it over? Where's Kiba?"

His eyes were full of purpose. He reached her with a voice full of urgency.

"Rias! Quick! There's no time to explain! I need to touch your breasts!"

She wasn't sure what it was that made her mind come to a fierce halt. Her consciousness reeled back as if her thoughts had been in a cross collision. She wasn't sure if it was his ridiculous request made so open in front of everyone present, or the timing of it, or the sheer volume of seriousness in his tone.

"…I'm going to need something," she said once her mind came back to reality. "You did win, right? This is a morale booster? A reward for your victory?"

"Gah!" Issei pulled his head back and tugged at his head. "Rias, there's really no time to explain! Look, Ludwig and that damn handsome are still fighting that guy. There's three of him now and they're fighting each of him at the same time. The voices in my head keep chanting something and the prophecy about this Oppai Dragon Tiamat told me has something to do with it. I need to embrace the best pair of breasts and I can't think of any better breasts than yours. Please!"

"Hyoudou…" Sona called out in a tired voice. She opened her mouth to let out what she wanted, paused, and shut her mouth. She sighed, shook her head, and looked away.

Issei watched her for a moment. His eyes remained focused on his task but the twitch in his lips gave him away. He didn't respond to Sona and instead returned to Rias.

Rias had approached him with concern and worry in her eyes. She lifted her hands, cupped the side of his head, and started to channel a healing spell.

"I-I'm serious!" Issei stammered. He clasped her hands and held them in a firm and tender grasp only the likes of a lover could. "Rias, I really can't explain it any further. I don't really get what's going on either. But I need this. Please."

Rias looked into his eyes and was lost in his determination. There was passion in his gaze. He meant every word. This was no deception. This wasn't a trick for him to cop a feel. He was asking her because he loved her and trusted her. He was asking her to do the same to him.

…It was the audacity of the request that had her thinking twice, though.

"Alright," she found herself saying. "It's only because I believe in you. And… I can't believe I'm actually doing this…"

Her fingers fumbled to undo the buttons of her blouse. Some of the buttons had already been torn off due to the battle. Getting it off wasn't the difficult part. Finding the fortitude to not change her mind was what made her fingers nearly impossible to move.

Her face was as scarlet as her hair by the time she pulled her blouse apart. Her back was to the doorway and only Issei was the only one to see. Her bra had been torn off when her heart had been ripped out. That was something she didn't have to worry about at least. She also didn't know whether he needed to feel her breasts through her clothes or without them.

"H-Hurry up," her voice shook with embarrassment. "Even if it's you… doing something like this is…"

Issei gulped. His eyes blinked a number of times while he took in the sight of her exposed breasts. It only made her heart race faster.

"S-Sorry…" he bumbled as he caught himself. "It's just… they're so awesome."

She scowled at him. Her face took on a deeper shade of red.

"R-Right then…" he nodded, stepped forward, and brought his hands up.

Electricity swept through him at his touch. His hands were rough with both callouses and scales. But she knew his touch. Her body remembered his touch intimately. When his hands cupped over her mounds it took everything in her power to not let loose the gasp.

His eyes were closed with deep focus. His fingers twitched, adjusting the grip and making tingles crawl up her spine. When he opened them again, his eyes had turned green. His wounds had sealed shut. His complexion had taken a new color as if he had taken a long rest.

"I love you, Rias," he said suddenly.

He moved backwards. His Gift of Flight lit up out of his back, pulling him away from her. His armor materialized next without a word. Their eyes never looked away until the helm covered his head. He turned and was gone in a flash.

"…I love you too," she said softly after him. Her heart was still racing from his touch as well as the deep confusion of the situation. While she knew Issei was a colossal pervert, he wouldn't have pulled something like this when lives were at stake.

She believed in him. And she believed whatever she had done had been enough to support him.

A small smile slipped as she covered herself. She didn't realize how ruined her blouse was until she tried to put it back on. The top half of her buttons had been gone. The blouse hung around her breasts, exposing a hefty sum of cleavage and midriff.

"…Zoom, Zoom, Iyaaan?" questioned Sona.

Rias blinked and turned her head over her shoulder. "What's that now? Did you say something?"

"That chorus singing just now. Any clue what it was?"

"What chorus? What are you talking about?"

"You didn't hear that? None of that? It was practically screaming right in my ear."

0-0-0

"Hold him off, he says," snarled Ludwig in frustration. "One is easy. Three is difficult. But five? The prat better have an adequate plan."

Yuuto grunted as he brought Excalibur around to intercept another copy of Manuel. His vision was hindered with the amount of blood running down his eyes. He was running on nothing but instinct provided by his own senses and through the telling from the World. It saved his life multiple times. But he couldn't escape unscathed. As the battle went on both he and Ludwig were accumulating damages.

Ludwig had been forced to reveal his Gram Mk VII. The cane he constantly carried had three-quarters of its staff turned to shrapnel when he activated the magic of the blade. The cane itself was the container to his trademark spell. It combined his technique to create diamond dust of solidified moonlight and his concussion force (via finger flicking).

The blade itself was invisible. Rather, there was no blade. It was a spiral of diamond dust and kinetic energy rotating too fast to be seen. It carved through anything it touched. Even Manuel's techniques were bounced back as soon as Ludwig brought the tip of his cane around. Any gravitational attack was deflected as if he had swatted aside a rubber ball.

"Multiply, Multiply, Multiply!"

Spikes of diamond dust swept through the field. The ground circling Ludwig was no longer traversable as his spell spread out. Specks of dust floated in the air, protecting his vicinity in a net of moonlit crystal.

It wouldn't stop Manuel. It merely hindered his movements.

[Papa! Pull back!]

Yuuto didn't need the warning when everything within him and then some were screaming at him anyways. His body flickered just as two Manuels rushed him. Both moved to match his speed. The crystals under his feet parted as Ludwig allowed him entry in his retreat. The field of nails and spikes did little to stop the two copies from continuing their charge. Their feet crushed down on the crystal and tore their flesh, but they kept going.

It was fortunate only the original Manuel had the Mark. Yuuto would have lost his feet if these two could copy it as well.

"Excalibur!" he shouted and channeled his power through the blade. He was starting to lose his balance with how much blood he had lost. And his grip with the blade was faltering. He had cut through some of the tendons of his fingers.

"Multiply!" called Ludwig as he leapt forward. His own technique pushed him forward as diamond dust clasped onto his frame. The crystalized moonlight shimmered as he was propelled forward, protecting him from the shock of his own technique.

Ludwig slammed into the side of one Manuel with his cane pointed outward. Gram bit against the shield of the Gravity Acolyte and managed to push him back.

Yuuto unleashed a wave of holy-demonic energy fused by his Devilry and Excalibur. It slammed against the ground and swept forward. The second Manuel put his arms up in defense. The wave tore into his arms as the Corrupted Blade did its wonders and ate away at his techniques. But it would not cut all the way through to his chest.

[PAPA!] screamed Excalibur in his head.

He created another blade and brought it up to his flank just in time for another Manuel to nearly tear his head off. The large arm swept across the air and would have decapitated Yuuto with another gravity technique hadn't he reacted in time. Excalibur clashed against the layer of the manipulated gravitational field wrapping around his arm.

The force of the blow knocked Excalibur aside. Yuuto stumbled as the blade was retched out of his hand from dead fingers.

"Multiply!" shouted Ludwig.

A grand force of gravitational force struck at Yuuto's chest. Manuel had brought his knee up in a combo. A compressed layer of diamond dust covered Yuuto's shirt instead, absorbing the sorcerous ability of the Acolyte. However, he was still knocked off his feet from the impact. Ludwig's spell might have negated the gravitational technique that would have disintegrated Yuuto, but it couldn't absorb everything.

Such as Manuel's impossible strength parallel to Issei's.

The world was a blur as Yuuto was flung back. White pain tore at his consciousness as soon as he slammed through something hard enough to break his bones. He couldn't see and it was the World screaming in his head to get back up that kept him aware of his surroundings.

He spat out a curse with blood as he willed himself out of the side of the school building. Everything in his body screamed in agony. He had to ignore it just as another Manuel was upon him. His hands were spread with fingers flexed. Dark energy surged from the tips.

The space Yuuto had been at had compressed into a size of a game marble. A whole wall of his school and the layers of earth underground had been gathered into a tightly packed sphere in an instant.

Yuuto felt the skin at his back peel off as he dashed away from that technique. Something wet, sticky, and hot was rolling down his back. His own blood, the back of his mind mused. He couldn't focus on it. He had to press forward.

[Papa, we can't do this any longer!] Excalibur pleaded with him. [You're too hurt. I can't focus on both attacking and maintaining your injuries. The enemy performed a burst evolution mid-battle! I can't keep up with his constantly changing algorithmic patterns!]

"We have to," Yuuto said through grinding teeth. He created another Corrupted Blade. It nearly fell out of his hands when he struggled to curl his fingers around it. "We have to stall at least until Issei returns. I can't turn back and flee just because this guy is tough. I am the Knight of Rias Gremory. I am her Siege Perilous! I won't be able to face her if I run away now."

"Your honor is admirable," said one Manuel as he came out of the back of another.

"But it holds no merit in the hunt!" said another from within Yuuto's flank.

Yuuto spun and swung Excalibur around. The blade did not have the speed or strength as he had earlier. This Manuel had been able to catch it with a pinch of his fingers and palm.

The World stopped supporting him suddenly. The echoing screams of the beast at the end was silenced as well as the whisperings of his opponent's ploys.

He was shoved back by a burst of holy magic. The Corrupted Blade sparkled and transformed. The little girl that was Excalibur manifested instead with her palm pointed at Yuuto. Energy buzzed out of her palm from the blast she had used to get him away.

Her dress was torn and she looked as bruised and bloodied as he felt. Still, her eyes were full of tears and she held a small smile.

He felt something tear inside of him when he watched Manuel swing her around by the hem of her dress and slam her to the ground. The sickening sound of muscle and organs squishing and bones cracking reached Yuuto. Blood splattered and flesh parted by the pressure of the impact.

Excalibur's body faded.

Yuuto tried to reach out to her. She was there within him still. Their connection hadn't been terminated… but it had been weakened. Excalibur was badly hurt. She didn't have the means to hold her physical form nor would she be able to help him in this fight.

"That honor has made you helpless, Siege Perilous!" Manuel roared. He spread his arms out and gathered his energy. Pours of gravitational influence warped reality at his command. Black energy wrapped over his hands like gloves.

He punched the air in front of him.

Yuuto raised a hand and demanded the presence of a magical shield. It might as well have been made out of paper with how easily it was penetrated. It did nothing to dampen the blow. The full force of the strike had hit his body. He remembered spinning, blinking in and out of consciousness and pain, and the world turning red.

He was on his side when next he realized. He tried to get up. He fell back to the ground when his arm had failed him.

No. His right arm was missing.

He struggled to get up. Pain lanced through him. He couldn't breathe. Something was digging through his right lung. He coughed up blood through a mouth that couldn't shut. His jaw was hanging open. He couldn't see out of his right eye— he wasn't even sure if the organ was even there.

Three Manuels towered over him.

One of them put the heel of his boot to Yuuto's head, pressing down and applying agonizing pressure. All it would take was a thought to crush him.

In the back, Ludwig was being overwhelmed by another half-dozen Manuels. He fought ferociously to get to Yuuto but was endlessly being held back. His spells were flying everywhere, countering and pushing the gravitational obstructions. But they continued to push him back just the same.

He wouldn't be able to make it in time.

"That's one head," the three Manuels said at once.

Yuuto felt unbelievable pressure… and then nothing.

He almost thought he was dead until the dull throbbing of his previous pains reached his mind. His heart was still beating. He was still alive.

[Usurpation: Queen Alice Hunter!]

"How about three instead?!" Issei roared in defiance as he swept through all three Manuels simultaneously.

His armor had vanished as soon as he flew in. Replacing it was… crimson fabric. A coat hung over his shoulders trimmed with black and emerald gems. Leather gloves and boots donned his hands and feet with jasmine plating over his joints. A crimson and black mask covered his face, exposing all else.

His power did not wane. His presence alone felt as magnanimous as it always was. He was a walking force of nature just as the sun was a brilliance in the sky. But no matter how hard Yuuto would try, he could not feel the draconian energy from Issei that normally poured out of his body. He did not feel the rampaging wanton of destruction ready to be let loose.

This… felt like the eye of the storm. It was the most calm and center of his power.

Every copy of Manuel turned around to gaze at Issei. More began to appear from his return. Techniques were being crafted while others started to pace forward to pummel him in hand-to-hand combat.

Issei took a step forward. His foot slid inches across the concrete.

In the next instant, thirteen Manuels were gone. There was no fancy footwork, maneuverability, flashy dragon attack, or even a single punch thrown.

Issei… had simply walked through them. His presence alone dismissed them, making them disappear. He had traversed through them, ignoring their attacks. Nothing they did could touch him.

"Vorpal… you're almost unfair," Issei gave something between a sigh and a bitter chuckle.

Issei moved again. His body wasn't a blur with heightened speed. He was more of a phantom, constantly appearing and vanishing faster than the blink of an eye. Every copy of Manuel on the field was disrupted. Not a single one of them remained within the span of a few microseconds.

The only one that remained was the original Manuel. His eyes were wide but not in shock or fear. He glowered as he recognized a challenge— someone who dared to oppose him rather than a sport.

"I'm back, you damn fuck!" Issei shouted and came at Manuel.

The impact of the first blow sent Manuel stumbling backwards. The Mark branded on his forehead lit up bright enough to leave spots in vision… but nothing happened. There was no retaliation. Whatever curse sent by the Mark did not touch Issei.

That was when Manuel's eyes shifted from glowering to genuine shock.

Issei came at him again. Manuel surged out his energy to stop him. His limbs lashed out as his gravitational manipulation warped the space around them. But they were stopped before they could be unleashed.

Issei's hand caught Manuel's fist. All of the power the Gravity Acolyte had gathered simply vanished into nothingness. It was as if it never existed in the first place.

"This is for my friends!"

He brought his fist around. Manuel's head snapped to the side as blood and teeth flew out. His body hunched sideways. He spun back around for a counter, but was parried by Issei before the attack could gain momentum.

"This is for my Queen!"

He brought his fist upwards, forcing Manuel's head to snap back. More blood flew. He stumbled back but was kept in place by the grip of Issei's hand against his.

His face was ruined. He spat blood as his skin began to chip away like paint. His mask was poking through with cracks starting to adorn.

Issei drew his fist back. Crimson energy began to spike at the tip of his knuckles.

"And this is for—"

His crimson garments fell apart. He stood in nothing more than a pair of silk pajamas.

He looked up at Manuel through dumbfounded eyes. His fingers were still gripping around Manuel's fist but lacked the strength he had before.

"…You talk too much," was all Manuel said as he peered down.

Issei tried to get away. His wings lit up. His body jerked back.

But Manuel had reversed the grip on his hand. He wasn't willing to let go.

Issei's body crashed to the floor by an invisible force. His legs snapped in two when trying to fight against it. The ground cratered as his body was forced down flat.

Manuel let loose a howl of challenge as he brought his fist down onto Issei. The ground erupted with concrete shrapnel and blood. Issei's body jerked after the audible crunch of his broken body.

The Gravity Acolyte continued, swinging his fists down hard enough to quake the earth.

"Multi—"

"I've had enough of you, magus!" roared Manuel as he swiped his hand across the air.

Ludwig's spell was halfway completed before the space around him compressed. The diamond dust could not set in time. Crystalized moonlight was pressed against his body. Ludwig let out a silent roar of agony as he struggled to keep himself upright. Blood oozed out of his nostrils as his halfhearted spell began to fail him.

Crimson flames lashed out from where Issei lay. They swirled around Manuel's form but could not reach him. His own power was keeping it at bay.

"Why will you not die?!" Manuel snarled and brought his boot down.

The earth shook once more as he repeatedly stomped on Issei's body. He didn't stop. His face twisted to outrage with every repeated motion.

"Why won't you die?! Your body is no more! Your power has failed you! What is it that keeps you intact?! This is more than the nature of a Dragon!"

What happened next was… indescribable.

Ludwig held… nothing. It had once been his cane but now all that remained was nothing. He lifted it over his head with Manuel's gravitational field disappearing. The air became stale. Reality became stagnant. The World could be heard screaming even without the access of a Predator's perk.

"Do you know who I am?!" Ludwig shouted with a cry of fury. He stood up with his feet firmly planted. The handicap of his limp did not bother him for this instance. "I am Ludwig von Siegfried. I will be the one to vanquish Master Hyoudou! If I cannot, then I will take you to the Abyss with me, wretched Hunter!"

He paced forward. A pace became a dash. He moved sloppily from his wounds and his weak leg. But he moved forward with the full intent to kill. He moved with a purpose.

He moved as a man ready to destroy himself to kill the enemy.

Manuel's head snapped around as Ludwig approached. He brought his hands up and channeled his power forwards. That which doesn't exist, held in Ludwig's hands, removed the assault from existence.

"[BALMUNG]!" Ludwig shouted and thrusted his instrument forward.

Everything that existed between the two of them no longer was. There wasn't even a gap made as Ludwig's instrument traveled forward. There wasn't nothingness just as there wasn't existence. There wasn't was.

There was only the brief flash of light made by Manuel's Mark. But then it faded out. Its curse did not travel through.

Just as with existence, so too was Manuel removed.

…And with him was…

…Who had just used that attack?

There was no evidence to prove there had been anyone else other than Issei and Yuuto.

0-0-0

"Hey, so, uh, thanks for saving my ass back there," Gabe said.

Vali turned to look over his shoulder. He waved a hand dispassionately, "It wasn't really my call so don't say thanks to me. Sinner said you could be of some use in the future. I was only doing what I was told."

"Sinner, huh?" Gabe made a note of the name for later. "So what's this all about? And, uh, sup with the kid?"

"…She wanted to see the notorious Red Blur again," Vali found it hard to say those words.

"I, wished to observe his recent growth," Ophis stated in her monotone voice. "He has yet to achieve… Potential. Tiamat failed to properly instruct him. Perhaps, I, shall instruct him instead."

Gabe felt incredulously creeped out by this little girl. Never mind her outrageous attire. He wasn't into little girls and he wanted to take his shirt off to cover her. She was dressed in a frilly white and black gothic dress with her chest completely exposed save for two strips of black tape over her nips.

He blinked. He could have sworn he saw her wearing a crimson jacket instead. But when he looked again, she was back in her black, white, and, oh look, lavender ribbons.

He was creeped out by this girl because… she didn't feel right. Her eyes had no soul in them. Fuck, even the soulless fucks his brothers had summoned had more life than her. She was really more so a walking mass of raw energy too high in frequency for him to sense. His Aura detection skills couldn't get a read on her.

She also made mention of a few words with capitals. Potential, Predator, Twilight, Nothing, Sinner, and such others. Gabe could hear the capital letters in each of them. And every word had a unique gravitas to them.

"I thought you said he was the enemy," Vali said to her.

She continued to lead them both through the vast open nothingness. Gabe couldn't see anything beyond the girl leading them. He also felt if he lagged behind he would be swept away to be forgotten for all eternity.

"He, is not my enemy," she blinked slowly. "They, are not the enemy. Chase and his… friends… are reminders."

"Reminders to what?" Vali asked.

She looked up at him with her ageless eyes. "Why I am no longer Queen."

Vali frowned. He didn't understand it other than it had something to do with her grudge against Great Red. This whole talk about Primordial and Original Lawmakers was certainly a breakthrough to him. And here he had thought the Predators were the greatest fighting force. Ophis was practically a Predator to the Predators on the food chain.

But they were the reason why she was demoted to second best? How could something so low in the status quo could bring someone like her down a peg?

"You, refused the Mark," she stated next. Her eyes lifted up to his brow.

Vali shook his head and put his hands into his jacket pocket. "It's not my style to rely on others like that. It's the same reason why I didn't accept your snake. I plan on getting stronger through my own merits. If what you said is true… then I am just as powerful as the Red Dragon Emperor."

"That, is for Entropy to decide," she stated simply and resumed her walk.

Gabe cocked a brow. It was a conversation he couldn't understand because he wasn't a part of the picture. But he memorized everything shared for future reference.

He had his own means of finding things out.

0-0-0

"I don't understand!" bellowed Breast Lover.

"Face it," Rump Smacker, her ever so baneful rival and archenemy, was the first to criticize her. He jabbed a finger across the table in her direction. "You. Were. Wrong."

"No," she growled. "I wasn't! Even you admitted to the merits of my research. Look here, I have proof my investigation is accurate!"

It was evidence she had discovered beforehand and had presented it to the other Lords of the Debauch in an earlier session. High School DxD, the testaments written by the prophet Ishibumi, lay sprawled across the table. The sacred texts had been found in a dimension belonging to the 3x3 Kings' ream, the realm in which her latest inquiry had lived among.

She picked up three of the books, pulled them open with tabs kept, and pointed at each section. "Look here! In his battle against Kuroka does the first sign appear! He achieves his [Balance Break]. In this one here, against the Hero Faction in Kyoto he unlocks the [Illegal Move Triana]! And in this volume against the Grim Reapers does he find the energy to spam his Bishop Dragon Shot!"

"We've seen these before," Novella stated. For someone of his office, he had only gotten past the first volume and refused to read further on. He claimed it was below his palette. "You said all this a while back. Does that realm not have something relating to infinite possibilities? Perhaps you simply have the wrong child of legend."

"I am not wrong," she argued. She took a deep breath to recollect her thoughts. "I ventured into his dreams and conversed with him personally. He has heard the prophecy. His heart resonates with it. He is the Oppai Dragon."

Fertility raised a hand to stop her. "Your interference alone contaminated the experiment. His recent ascension was a byproduct of your influence. Had he been the real Oppai Dragon then he would have maintained his form without restriction or achieve a new level of existence entirely."

She bit her lip and sat back down. "Lord Fertility, I will not stop my investigation. But it appears I will not have the support of any of you any further. Therefore, I am taking a leave of absence until I return with something that will convince you otherwise."

"Breast Lover," Bender leaned forward with his voice on edge. "Think about what you're doing. This is just some story we told the kids. The Oppai Dragon isn't real. These books you found? They're probably just stories like ours. Don't throw away everything chasing after a dream."

"It's more than just a dream, Bender. You've all seen it but are too afraid to admit it. This is what we've been looking for! And now that it's here you're all going to turn a blind eye and pretend it's all a sparse. I cannot work with a staff that does not believe in me."

Silence spread throughout the table.

She was entirely sure this boy, Issei Hyoudou, this Issei Hyoudou, was the Oppai Dragon of legend. This was to be their salvation. But even legends need a little help, it would seem.

Her calculations were precise. All the evidence pointed towards him. It was more than scientific fact. It was a feeling deep within her core that told her he was the one.

Whatever Fertility said was wrong. She hadn't done anything to contaminate his mind or fiddle with his Quantum Identity Cortex. She merely lulled him into a dream, let his own mind create the world, and recited the sacred oath whenever she could.

She was astounded when she discovered he had already heard it. He was familiar with it! His heart resonated with it! He was the Oppai Dragon.

But what confused her the most was his Switch Princess. According to legend, the Oppai Dragon could not achieve his full potential without needing to draw strength from his Switch Princess. This maiden would act as a key. Her investigation had pointed her towards Rias Gremory.

Issei loved her breasts. He always compared others to hers. And he loved her dearly.

The holy texts according to Ishibumi only solidified her suspicions.

The Lords of the Debauch had watched when Issei performed the rite. She knew she was right when everything was in the green. Issei had unlocked his potential and had achieved a new set of power.

…But why did it all come crashing down so suddenly? He hadn't access to it longer than ten seconds when it all fell apart. It crashed so hard he couldn't even draw anything out of his Boosted Gear at its base setting.

It meant Rias Gremory wasn't the Switch Princess.

But that couldn't make sense. Everything pointed to her being the Switch Princess. And if she couldn't… then who was?

With or without the support of her coworkers, Breast Lover was going to find out.

0-0-0

It was a fine morning. [Chronicle] had the morning paper, the screams of the damned echoed in his chambers, the numbers in the reports were in the positives (for once), and the newest intern had made a better brew of coffee than the last one.

It was a fine morning, he repeated.

"Your Most Dubiousness! Look what came in the mail today!"

…Until his personal secretary kicked open the door to his office (literally kicking and breaking it again) with a large box in her small arms.

"Pluto!" he snarled and threw the paper at her. "What have I told you about the door?!"

"But! Look! Mail!" the former Original lifted the box over her head and dumped the contents onto his desk. Everywhere. They knocked over his knickknacks and spilt his coffee over the reports.

[Chronicle] tried to fight back the migraine threatening to burst. Oh how he missed the other Pluto so much. The god of death might not have known how to properly fill out the boxes in his reports… or punch in his timecard, but at least he didn't ruin the morning every single time.

He scolded himself once more. Oh how he regretted purchasing the contract of this little shit. He thought since she was once an Original she would have been a great asset to his workings. He should have dug into it a little deeper and found out why she was no longer an Original.

Pluto, the Planetary Representative to all things Mischief, had 'accidentally' let loose an evil so grand not even the mightiest of the omniverse could oppose him… save one. And that one guy ended up getting sealed into the same prison after the conflict.

"Don't worry, I can fix this!" she said while fidgeting around after watching the mess she made grow. She looked around, found the drapes, and flung the box over her shoulder to fetch them.

[Chronicle] watched as the box landed on his shelf and crushed the jars of souls of his prized victims. Without such a vessel to keep them sustained, the ethereal material dispersed into nothingness. The souls of the most genius, benevolent, wicked, and (a guilty pleasure) comedic were lost. Forever.

"You've done enough!" he said and caught the little girl by the nape of her neck. He lifted her off the ground and flung her back over his desk. "What in damnation did you bring me? The mail?! Couldn't it have waited until a little longer? I haven't had my first round of torturing yet…"

He grumbled and reached for his mug of coffee. Oh. Wait. The mug was shattered and its contents were getting all over his computer.

It was a good morning too…

"I bring you souls, sir!" Pluto said cheekily. She gestured to the desk and he almost feared that gesture alone would bring about a new calamity.

He growled and flicked his hand through the contents with his bony fingers. Souls, she said. They weren't really but it was so much better than saying Quantum Identity Cortex. Even QIC was more winded than souls.

There was a difference between the two. A soul was a flimsy substance made out of raw energy. It had the full consciousness and memories of those who owned them. Most beings of any World would claim the soul was the most vital part of the body. What folly. They were only a combination of knowledge and power. Books and batteries, specifically.

These, however, were Quantum Identity Cortexes. These were harder to come by. They weren't just mere books and batteries. They were the operating system of anything that existed within the 3x3 Kings Realm. It was a processor that analyzed, replicated, recorded, and shared information between the host, the World they dwelled upon, and the entirety of the omniverse.

Still, [Chronicle] didn't fully care for the plebian QIC Pluto had brought. Most of them belonged to worthless Devils and humans. Victims to some school attack in Japan, he acknowledged. There were a few Acolytes as well; the instigators of the assault.

…But… hold on… This one right here…

He lifted the device up to his eye. Or at least where an eye should have been if his vessel had any flesh to begin with.

"Amelia Rosewood…" he breathed out in delight. "Good. Very good."

He waved a hand. Pluto obeyed the silent command on bouncing feet, just as happy he had been pleased. She scooped up the rest of the QIC in her arms and hurried out of the room to deposit them in their rightful reserves.

[Chronicle] eyed the device a little longer before opening the secret compartment and placing Amelia Rosewood with… the others.