A month after Asia's attempted kidnapping, Issei's life was going surprisingly well and he could comfortably say…it was rather enjoyable.

School was going well, he was able to sleep much better with Asia in his room, and he was getting to know Asia and Akeno better. Akeno had been occasionally flirtatious with him, but that was how usually the girl acted, so Issei didn't think much of it. After all, you don't just randomly get the title 'The Seductress' in a place like Kuoh Academy.

On account of getting closer to the raven-haired beauty, Issei was able to introduce her to Aika, Katase and Murayma. The group was pretty happy to have another girl to talk with, especially about Issei's health issues, much to the boy's horror. Akeno, thankfully, seemed to understand his reluctance and always tried to sway the topic of the conversation from that direction whenever he was around them.

Issei was also being trained by his dad whenever he could spare the time, given that he was now active again. Though, he was pretty sure he needed someone else to help him train.

Asia also would need some training as well, as she had not taken being the lump on a log well at all. He wasn't sure whom to trust with this.

While he considered asking Rias and her bunch to help out with the training process, he dismissed the thought after weighing up the possibility of a stable arrangement between the two of them forming. At the moment, Rias Gremory was at the very least wary of him and even though he had befriended her closest friend, he doubted that would sway her opinion enough to completely trust him. Issei could not blame her for that. He knew what she had seen him as…

Then, during PE, an idea struck the young man.

Naima Ima was just finishing putting away her items when she heard the basketball court doors open, causing her to look up to see Issei and Asia coming inside. She was curious as to why they were here when the last bell rang before both bowed to her, confusing her even more.

"Sensei," Both said at the same time, "please teach us."

"Uhm…what?" Naima muttered, her eyes blinking once. "Teach you what? Can you be a little more, I dunno, specific?"

As if Naima's questions fell on deaf ears, Asia looked up at her, pleading with her innocent puppy-dog eyes, "Please Sensei, we need to get stronger and to be able to defend ourselves."

Issei nodded, "After the fallen angels, I've been trying to train with my dad, but he's busy with 'Guardian' duties and being a father and also a husband, so me and Asia came to you…given that you're the Red Dragon Empress."

"Ah…okay, I see what this is." Naima looked at them before sighing, "Come on you two, follow me to my car."

"Wha…just like that?" Issei asked, seemingly taken aback by the quick acceptance. He looked ready to inquire more, but Naima shushed him with a raised index finger.

"You two know about the Supernatural and are obviously abnormal entities yourselves. I wouldn't not consider helping you out with supernatural business." she explained, then gave a slight awkward smile, while pushing a strand of hair back. "Besides, you two know my secret, but have never used that to reap any benefits during my classes. I appreciate that."

She motioned for them to follow and walked off. She could sense the shared look of momentary puzzlement before they both dropped it and just went along with her. Her smile grew a little. Those two had a very easy-going nature, despite some factors suggesting otherwise.

Asia and Issei helped carry her stuff to the rather nice and expensive car before climbing inside it as she got into the driver seat. Turning the car on and making sure that both of her students were buckled in, she drove off to her private dojo. The trip allowed her to think about what the pair said, given that she was well versed in the going ons in most of the supernatural world.

Naima wasn't one to take on students as apprentices, not like a swordmaster would, being that she was the Red Dragon Empress. That would be hard enough on her learners, not to mention all the enemies Ddraig's hosts had created. But, these two had clearly wanted to do more than just sit around and wait for someone to come along. They came to her, and as much as she disliked that, she felt as if it was no longer her choice to make.

She pulled into a single car garage before getting out, looking at the pair, "Come on."

Both quickly got out and helped her carry her stuff inside before she turned on the lights, making both of her PE students stare in shock at the room. It was massive, full of exercising equipment and even a boxing ring. Both looked at her in shock as the questions were in their eyes.

"I'm a rather well-off woman," Naima said before tossing her bag onto a chair, "anyway, you want me to train you? First off, I may be the host of Ddraig, but how does that automatically mean I have any experience in fighting?"

Issei blnked, before saying, "So you don't know how to fight?"

Naima slapped her forehead, "Issei, I know you are really smart, but that was a dense question to ask."

Issei flushed as Asia said, "So you do know, can you teach us?"

Naima groaned, "Look, why in the world would you want to fight at all? Especially you, Miss Argento. You look like the type of person who wouldn't even kill a fly."

Issei answered, "Because if I don't, I can't defend those closest to me. I nearly lost Asia because of my lack of fighting experience and training."

Asia nodded, "I want to learn how to fight so I don't have to be a damsel in distress, I want to be able to take care of myself so Issei can focus on his own battle instead of worrying about me all the time and getting hurt for it!"

Naima looked at them both, taking in their extremely determined expressions. There was something about the little sparkles in their innocent eyes that evoked a pleasant sense of deja vu in her. Almost like an old memory. She could feel the self-contained cheeky quip that was edging on that stupid red dragon's lips.

Naima groaned before sighing in defeat "Fine, fine, fine, fine. Tomorrow, after school. Be here, we'll start with the basics."

"Yes, Sensei!"

Naima couldn't believe it, after a month of training, both of her new students were rather impressive.

Of course, after she had shown them one of her dense titanium balls that she crushed in her hand to relieve stress, she was pretty sure they'd pass out from the feat of strength. Of course, that was in her regular body, given her rather unusual training to stay alive as long as she had.

She would boost herself once, then hold onto that boost for a month. At the end of the month, she'd boost again, starting the process over. Rinse, repeat. That's what she had been doing for the past eleven to twelve years, meaning her body was now ridiculously powerful. So, she had to learn how to control her strength as well. That had been a rather tedious regime to go through, but she had done it.

Issei was busy punching at a training dummy while Asia had taken up kick boxing, something Naima was rather well-versed in, but never studied further due to the teacher being into her body more than her training. As she watched the pair, she quickly corrected Asia as she made a very severe mistake.

"Don't allow your leg to overextend," She instructed, holding Asia's leg at the correct distance, "It goes this far and no further or someone can grab your leg and use it against you."

As the young girl nodded, she turned to see Issei sending the dummy at her. She punched it right back, knocking him flat on his back with a groan.

"Don't forget, Issei," Naima commented as she walked over and pulled the rather heavy dummy off him, "That your opponent can punch the object right back and with even greater force."

"I-I noticed, Sensei," Issei hissed, rolling over onto his hands and knees, "why are these things so heavy?"

Naima sighed then pulled herself into the ring before slamming her fist into the dummy, causing a dull thud to echo through the dojo as the dummy flew up then crashed to the floor. Imprinted on the dummy's belly was Naima's fist, causing Issei to look up at her in shock.

"Being so strong makes it harder for me to train properly," She said casually, rolling her shoulders, "That was a metal dummy, with a rather soft core. Heavy for you to hit, but for me? It's like hitting a putty - a rather cold, metallic putty."

Issei got up and grimaced as his ruptured and split skin repaired itself, something Naima had learned from a previous experience.

Issei had been punching one of the more durable dummies until his hands were nothing but fleshy messes, before Issei simply told Naima to cut them off. She had and was expecting Asia to heal him when his hands regrew from their stumps. It had not been a pretty sight to see Issei's face as his hands regrew, he looked absolutely in Hell.

Naima then refocused Issei, having him dodge and weave through several workouts before calling a halt on everything.

"Given that in another month," She said, "We are heading to Aiichi Academy, I wanted to make sure you both were ready to deal with what is going to happen there."

Asia looked at Issei before returning her gaze to Naima, "I believe so."

Issei shrugged, "Not much else could still really hurt me. Sure, I've gotten stronger, but I have a monster in my body that refuses to let me die anyway."

Naima sighed, "We really need to work on your positivity, Issei."

Asia nodded, "Not everything is doom and gloom, Issei. You got me, Mom and Dad, Akeno, Aika, Katase and Murayma!"

Issei smiled at that reminder before Naima coughed, getting their attention, "Again, same time tomorrow. I expect you both to have something ready before we leave for Kyoto, in case you both fall under the scrutiny of one of the Five Swords at Aiichi."

"Yes Sensei!"