The burning field.
Issei was walking on it, again. How many times had it happen? How many times does he needs to suffer trough this?
He looked around. He was standing in the middle of a field. The field, which once had been a magnificent forest, now was burning crimson.
The life that the forest held was now changed into blood and dead bodies.
He was limping.
He could barely move, at all.
His head was spinning, everything was a blur.
He stopped and looked down. The only piece of cloth that was on him was pants, that were so tattered that they had become shorts. He was covered in blood.
He was holding onto something. He held it up and looked at it.
It was an arm. It looked like something had chewed it off.
At the end of the stump, the bone was sticking out in a wrong way.
He released the stump and looked at the sky. The moon was looking down on him.
He stared back at it.
Bile backed up in his throat.
He wanted to cry.
He wanted to break down.
He wanted to die.
HE WANTED TO SCREAM.
So he did.
He howled at the full moon.
Only one thought span around in his head.
That he was insane.
[..tner.]
[Partner]
[PARTNER!]
Issei was startled awake. He was drenched in sweat. He grabbed the knife hidden in his boot.
He exhaled heavily.
Again that nightmare.
It was nightime. He looked at the sky.
Of course, it was full moon. Why else would the nightmare haunt him?
He put the knife away. The motion of bringing it out was just a relfex.
[Keep it together, partner.]
''Yeah. Thanks for waking me, Ddraig.''
He tried to sleep, but couldn't. The moon didn't allow him to. The moonlight was like a giant lamp. The night wasn't dark, it was blue.
He went over to the simple pull-up bar he had made earlier. Even though he felt dizzy, he started to exercise.
It helped him not think about stuff.
10 pullups. He couldn't do even 10 back when he joined the zero army.
20 pull-ups.
30 pull-ups.
40 pull-ups.
50 pull-ups. – This was about his limit in pullups without stopping when he was a human.
60 pull-ups
70 pull-ups
80 pull-ups
90 pull-ups
100 pull-ups.
He stopped. He jumped down and exhaled.
He got bored from doing it.
He hanged upside down from it and started doing crunches.
''Ddraig, tell me about the past hosts.'' – He spoke, into silence.
[What do you want to know?]
''Anything. How they died, the strongest, how they became strongest.''
[..Most hosts perished under the strain of Juggernaut Drive. Many others died in fights against the White One. ]
He went quit for a while.
[There were two. One was named Belzard. The strongest wielder there ever was. He even killed the White one 2 times.]
''Tell me about him.''
[He was a tall man, he towered at about 6foot4. He had a massive build and a was covered in scars. Well, not nearly as much as you. He was talanted and he trained. He used raw power to dominate.]
''..I see.''
[The other, was a women.]
He went silent for a while.
[What, you didn't even widened your eyes from me saying this.]
''Partner, I was taught by Margit. And you saw it. You saw Margit. Do you really think I would be suprised by strong women?''
[..Point taken. Anyways, her name was Elsha. She was a very powerful magician and a bit perverted. You might meet them, ya know.]
''What the hell do you mean?''
[Close your eyes, partner.]
He did that.
He opened them just to find himself in a white dome. There were tables and chairs everywhere. In said chairs sat people.
[The previous owners.] Two green eyes looked at him from above.
''Ah, right, this is your space in my mind.''
He walked around as he looked at them.
Unmoving, unresponsive shadows.
[They are just memories.] – As Issei walked past a young girl Ddraig spoke. [There, put your hand on her head.]
The silent dome became a whirlpool of screams. Issei almost fell to his knees from the sadness that was seeping trough the walls.
A downpour. A destroyed scenery. A girl in the Balance Break armor of Boosted Gear and on the other side – A man in a white armor.
White One.
It was as if Issei was connected with the girl. She was crying. She was angry. She was screaming.
''WHY? WHY? DID YOU HAVE TO KILL MY PARENTS? THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU. THIS WAS BETWEEN YOU AND ME! YOU SON OF A FUCK!'' –The girl didn't stop wailing.
The man from the White Armor spoke back. – ''Because you are weak. Too weak. Pathetic. Unworthy. Nothing.'' – He laughed.- ''I wanted to have fun. To have a great fight. SHOW ME TRUE SPIRIT, SHOW ME HOW I DIDN'T KILL YOUR PARENTS FOR NOTHING!''
The man laughed and laughed, maniacally.
She was boiling.
She was about to blow up.
She was about to break.
A cold voice, emotionless came from the armor.
''You want power? I'll show you power.''
As the chant began, different voices could be heard from the armor. Screams, laughter, monotones.
''I, who is about to awaken''
[it started][IT STARTED.]
''Am the Heavenly Dragon who has stolen the principles of domination from God''
[They always end up][they always should end up here.]
''I laugh at the "infinite", and I grieve at the "dream"
[Yes, come to us][we shall end your suffering.]
''I shall become the Red Dragon of Domination''
[We will end everyone!][We will rampage!]
The armor that the girl had been wearing changed form. Dragon wings appeared on its back. Fangs, claws and aura sink into his skin.
''And I shall sink you to the depths of the crimson purgatory!''
The voices screamed in pleasure and agony.
In hapiness and sadness.
Young and old.
[JUGGERNAUT DRIVE]
''AAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!''
The beast that had lost the voice of a girl, leaped at the white one. He didn't even get enough time to dodge as he was smashed into the ground.
The dragon proceeded to chew off his leg.
He freed himself, as he cried in agony.
He was afraid, he tried to run away.
[BOOOST BOOOST BOOOST BOOOST BOOOST BOOOST BOOOST BOOOST BOOOST BOOOST BOOOST BOOOOST]
[LONGINUS SMASHER]
The chestplate opened as a giant beam of destruction flied in the direction of the white one. The ground, the sky and white one was caught in it. The mountains behind him disappearedwithout a trace.
The sky was split in half.
She had changed the scenery.
She just stood there on the ground, in a crater, she had created.
Crying.
As the armor dispersed
And the girl, bathed in blood, fell to the ground
Lifeless.
Issei was overwhelmed by emotion, sadness and anger.
He stood back in the white space, crying.
[...]
''...''
Issei stood there, in the white space and thought about what he saw.
About what he heard.
''I, who is about to awe-''- He had started to chant the chant.
Everyone of the past holder shadows turned their head towards him.
They stared at him. With white eyes that held no pupils, but they still stared at him.
He froze in fear. The past owners scared him
Issei was pushed out of the white dome as he fell to the ground from the pullup bar.
[Fool.]
''...Sorry. And thank you for showing that to me.''
Issei struggled to get back up, the time he spent hanging from the bar made his blood rush to his brain.
His stomach growled.
''Ya think there's a bear or a boar here?''
[...Boar maybe.]
So he spent the next 4 hours running around and looking for bear.
But he found a boar.
''..This is disappointing.''
[Why the hell do you want to find a bear?]
''Ah ya see, Gilgamesh told me he killed a bear with his bare hands. I wanted to do it, so he would stop bragging.''
[...Kill the damn boar.]
He chuckled. Ddraig was a lot more friendly than you would expect from one of the strongest beings in the universe.
There was a thing about stealth he had learned from his teacher. He pushed out magical energy from his feet. It didn't require much magical energy – so Issei could use it.
The energy was like water. It poured around his feet as he stepped ahead. It was soundless.
The technique was simple. The magic formed a small, dense area in which you could step on, soundlessly.
He took the knife from his boot and killed the boar by stabbing it into his neck.
It was as quick and as painless as he could do.
Animals didn't deserve cruelty and pain, unlike some people.
And if you kill them for food, you should respect them.
He skinned the boar and cooked the meat.
He spent the day reading another book. He had read books to become smarter, to know many things like history – the real worlds and underworlds, physics, biology, and survival. But now, he was just reading for fun. Detective novels and such. Margit's favorites.
When evening came, he decided to head back to the Gremory house.
He wanted to train Koneko.
As he stepped back out of the wild, he put on a shirt.
He found them outside. Koneko was fighting Kiba.
And the swordsmen was actually loosing.
Rias and Akeno were onlooking this duel.
Koneko sidestepped and backhanded Kiba in the face, as he was visibly angry. He slid to the side, almost falling over. He created an another sword, as he slashed at her with both.
Rias widened her eyes, as Koneko brought her leg up and pulled out a knife while dodging one of the swords. She blocked the other one as she span around while pulling Kiba in and kicking him in the side.
He let go of the swords and that was the only opening Koneko needed.
She latched on one his hands, she kicked Kiba's feet from below, and he fell, she got his arm in a armbar.
''Victory for Koneko.'' – Rias said.
They both got up.
''How is this possible?'' – Kiba, bewildered, asked.
''..Issei trained me.'' – She said, as she put the knife in her boot.
''I see. So that was the reason for you never being in the club room?'' – Rias smiled at her.
''Yo.'' – Issei said, nonchalantly. – ''The knife in the boot thing was really nice.''
Everyone span around to notice Issei. They were bewildered, but not because of him showing up, because he had to, eventually, but because no one sensed him.
''Ara, Issei, welcome back.'' – Rias said, as she flashed him a smile.
The Gremory girl seemed odd for Issei. She was always kind, she always smiled and she didn't act like her pieces were her's.
She referred to them by their names and acted like their friends.
Something had to be up with her.
[Not all devils are the same.]
He touched his hair as he pushed Ddraig's voice out.
''..Where were you?'' – Koneko spoke, when she came to him.
''In the forest, I read some books.''
''You didn't train?'' – Kiba spoke.
''No.''- Issei responded, with a goofy smile.
''Why? While we are here, training as hard as we can, you lazied around?''- He shouted, angry.
''Yes. And I came back, to train Koneko. She is strong, but not strong enough.''
''Then you are saying that I'm weak?''
''No. You are strong enough to fight the Phenex's harem, but not the Phenex himself. We could spar so you could become stronger. I'm by no means a sword guy, but I can use them.''
He smiled at Kiba.
''..No need. I'll train by myself.''
''No, Yuuto, you should train with Issei. He is a mercenary, after all.''
He flashed an angry grin as he looked at Issei.
''..Yes, buchou.''
The day before the Rating game.
It was early morning as Rias looked at the two boys sparring. One held a serious expression, the other was simply smiling.
Kiba, was the serious one. Her graceful knight, some days earlier got angry and even used his sacred gear against her rook, and still lost.
Turned out, she was trained by Issei for a month, and she became this strong.
''..How strong really is Issei?'' – Akeno asked.
''I have no idea, actually. We know nothing at all about him. He was trained for 3 years, right? So Imagine how he had to train to beat devils as a human.''
''Fu fu fu, do you think he could beat Raiser?'' – Akeno asked, as she licked her finger.
''I'll have to talk to him.''
The knife Issei had taken from his boot shattered as Kiba used two blades to attack. He swung them down from above. Issei kicked of the ground as he span around midair and inhaled deeply.
What he exhaled wasn't air. It was fire. Kiba retreated and dashed away.
As Issei expected. He slid out of the fumes and knocked Kiba off his feet and pinned him to the ground.
He helped him get up.
''Ara, Issei, didn't know anyone could use fire like that. How did you do that?''
He had screwed up. He gulped.
''Ahahaha, I have no idea actually. I guess I have an affinity with fire or something.''
A swing from a sword came down to his neck.
He dodged by sidestepping and punched the knight in the gut.
''..You're lying.'' – He was right.
They were having a stare down as Koneko interrupted.
''..Issei, I want you to train me now.'' – Koneko spoke, apathetically.
''Sure, Koneko-chan.'''
''...'' – She frowned.
They were on the ground, training in Brazilian Jui-Jutsu. The art had a lot of skin contact and you could always smell the scent of the one you are sparring with.
Of course, if it was a guy, you might not like it, but Issei liked it with Margit.
Koneko wrapped her legs around Issei's stomach from behind and made Issei roll backwards, as she tried to get headlock.
Issei pushed off and rolled backwards, right on Koneko, as she released, he kicked around and tried to get a wristlock, as Koneko kicked him in the stomach and wrapped her thighs around his neck, successfully suffocating him.
He tapped out.
''I wouldn't mind dying like this. You are good at this. Now we only need to spar and you will improve steadily.'' He turned around and spoke to Kiba that was drinking water. – ''The same is with you. You need to improve your speed and spar more often. Train. I know devils train rarely, but you should train every day.''
''...''- Kiba didn't respond.
He still held anger for him, but nothing like before.
Issei walked in the Gremory Vacation house, he was called by Rias. They stood in an empty room.
''Issei, what level of competence can you promise me tomorrow?'' – She asked, as she crossed her arms under her large chest.
''..I could rip the whole peerage including Raiser to shreds. I could use weapons, dirty tricks. I could use my fists and win. I could use an exorcists sword and behead them. I could drown them in holy water. I could set the whole playing field on fire. I could kidnap his mother and blackmail him into loosing the game.'' – He spoke, in a cold tone, as he watched Rias's smile turn into a frown. –''But don't worry, I won't do anything like that. I will pretend to be an above average pawn who can use tonfas well. I will not get into your way of glory for defeating Raiser himself.''
''As much I don't want to admit, I don't think I can defeat him. His regeneration skill is powerfull. Plus, I currently don't have a bishop. I don't have a support.''
In Issei's mind, the blond nun flashed in front of his eyes.
If he had saved her, she could have been a useful bishop.
But he didn't regret it.
''..Get to the point, please.''
She widened her eyes.
''We will do as you say. But, on my word, be ready to destroy him.''
''I am always ready.'' – He smirked. – ''Is this all?''
''It is. But before you go, please tell me, do you dislike me? Did I do anything wrong?''
''..What do you mean?'' – Issei asked, pretending to not understand.
''Don't pretend. You are never in the club room. You never speak to me or Akeno for that matter and you always pass on opportunities to bond as a team. But you do talk with Koneko. It's almost like you're a caring brother for her.''
''..Ah, you caught on. It's nothing personal, I just dislike spoiled people.'' – As she tried to rebute him, he knew he had to shut her up. ''About Koneko – I'm friends with her sister.''
''...What?'' – She exclaimed. She couldn't believe the words coming out of her servants mouth.
''Yes, I am friends with Kuroka. The SS-level stray devil and a terrorist. That Kuroka.''
'''...How do you know about it?''
''..Kuroka is a loving sister. I talked with her a lot and she told me about it. She treasures Koneko a lot. She had reasons for becoming a stray.''
''..Do you know where she is now?''
'In my bedroom.'
''No, I don't. I don't know anything about anything since I quit being a terrorist.'' – He exhaled and looked into her eyes. –''Can I go now, master?
''...Yes.''- She exhaled, sounding disappointed.
When he was about to leave the room, he spoke to her. – ''And please, don't tell anything about this to Koneko. I'll be the one to do it, in do time.''
About 6 months after the torture.
He sat in the barracks cafeteria. For an army, the food was extraordinary tasty. He was eating soup as the catgirl across from him sat and ate fish. She was purring as her face clearly showed happiness.
He smiled. There weren't many people to smile like that in here.
It was a good change of atmosphere.
''So, Dragonboy-nya, what is your story?''
''..I'm Issei. What is your name?''
''Kuroka-nya.''
''..I was forced to join the Suicide squad because I hold the Boosted Gear.''
''So that's where the scars came from-nyaa.''
He gave her a sad smile. – ''Yeah, what about you? Tell me about yourself.''
''I like sleeping and eating. I like milk and fish. I'm doing these jobs because I need money-nyaa.'' – She purred, as she drank the milk glass on her table. –''Oh, and I like sleeping around, Issei-nyaa~'' – She flashed him a seductive smile as she narrowed her eyes.
Issei flushed and stuttered. –'''W-What?''
''Nyahaha, I love teasing cute boys. I mean I like to sleep, pervert-nyaa.''
Issei started to laugh, loudly. He had not done that for a long time. He knew, that with such energetic catgirl, his life would become even more erratic.
Yo, readers, it is I , Blueprints.
This was supposed to go up yesterday, but there were trouble with the file manager and what not.
Fight with Raiser is next chapter, I didn't want to rush things too much.
And yes, Koneko is stronger. She is really downplayed in the novel for being in the original four, so I decided to give her a spotlight.
Don't expect the game to go as the one in the original DxD went.
Remember, no Asia.
See ya next time, and If you like it, please leave a review, I always read them and enjoy them.