Hello Readers! Gambler here again with another update to Crash Course! Finally found a better way to get these typed out, so more will be coming at you soon. Already have chapter 3 written.

Anyway, on to some other stuff. I forgot in my previous chapters to put a disclaimer, so I'll put it here so moronic lawyers can't sue me. More A/N stuff at the end.

I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING BUT THE WORDS I'VE WRITTEN. AKAME GA KILL AND HIGHSCHOOL DXD BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.

[LINE BREAK]

The first seven years of Tatsumi's new life were spent in the same cave he was born in, learning from Tiamat about the new world in which he found himself. She taught him about devils, angels, fallen angels, various religious pantheons, and the dragon race. In return, he regaled the stories of his previous life as a Night Raid assassin, which she found highly entertaining.

Being raised as a dragon was equal parts enjoyable and awkward. For the first full year he remained immobile and could only eat food that was either already soft enough to consume, or pre-chewed by his surrogate mother. He got over the embarrassment and disgust relatively fast, but still found it hard to ask her to feed him. Nothing could compare to the elation he felt once his first two rows of teeth (painfully) grew in, allowing him to eat without assistance. Tiamat, however, still teased him once every few meals.

Alongside the new teeth came draconic scales that sprouted in patches at first, but eventually spread out to cover his entire body. They were reminiscent of Incursio's armor, comprised of a reflective silver that made him fit in perfectly with Tiamat's hoard of riches. The dragoness even took to fondly calling him her "little treasure" during moments of relaxation. Tatsumi was just happy that they protected him from the heat and cold that often settled in their home.

We rejoin our protagonist on his seventh birthday. By now. He had grown to the size of a large lion. His claws on both his front and back legs had developed and sharpened to the point where they could easily slice through bone, as did his teeth. The cross-slit red eyes he'd become used to seeing in his reflection now held more intelligence that complimented his war-torn wisdom. His tail was now half as long as the rest of his body and lazily curled around his sleeping form. The only part of him that seemed to not grow proportionately was his wings. They did extend a good two feet off his body on either side, but it was obvious to anyone with eyes that they wouldn't be able to support his weight.

At the moment, he was resting inside the small hill of gems and coins Tiamat gifted to him last year as his own personal bed. Unlike the dragoness who slept atop her massive stash of gold and diamonds, the young dragon found solace in being surrounded on all side by his precious jewels. Tiamat had explained to him the dragon race's age old passion for collecting rare treasures, so it was no surprise to either that his own instincts stayed true to the tradition. The best way he could describe it was a longing for the comforts of silver and gold clinking against his scales.

Tiamat looked upon her adoptive son's sleeping form lovingly. Over the years, maternal instincts she didn't even know she possessed made themselves known in her everyday life. She wasn't exactly what you would call a "doting mother,' but the signs were still unmistakable: the serenity in her soul when he smiled at her; the worry that plagued her on her weekly food runs upon leaving him alone; the desire to protect him from any threat that dared to crawl within a hundred yards of her cave's entrance. He was her son now. To hell with blood relations.

"Tatsumi~," she cooed, nudging his buried form with her snout. "It's time to wake up, my little treasure."

A ripple could be seen in the small hill, shaking some coins loose. "Noooooooo…" came the reply as the former assassin curled in tighter around himself.

Holding back a squeal at how adorable he was, the Chaos-Karma dragon bumped him again. "Come on, Tatsumi. It's almost noon already."

"Five more minutes. Gotta…kill Ogre…bastard…"

"Fufufu," she chuckled. He was dreaming about his assassinations again. So cute! "I think the captain can wait. It's your birthday, after all, and I have a special surprise planned."

"Just let me cut his head off."

"No, you need to wake up."

"But he's right therrrrrrrrre," he moaned pathetically as he rolled over.

Tiamat frowned. This was getting old really quick. "Tatsumi, if you aren't up by the time I could to three I will carry you to the mouth of this cave and drop you outside."

Normally this threat would be enough to make the boy do anything to avoid he wrath. Especially after the first few times she followed on similar threats. Both of them knew his small wings wouldn't stand a chance in saving him from the mile-high fall. The impact with the ground wouldn't kill him, but it would cause a truckload of pain. Despite all of this knowledge, the boy saw it fit to respond with a low growl.

"One…"

"Two…"

"Grrrrrr…"

"Three!"

Without further hesitation, the dragoness opened up her jaws and roughly latched them around her adoptive son's neck. He let out a yip as she dragged him out of his "bed" and proceeded to march over to the large opening that separated the cave from the outside world. He squirmed as his brain was jolted into overdrive, trying to think of what was going on. The young dragon could only vaguely recall a dream of one of his favorite kills. Then…

His blood ran cold when the reality of the situation hit him like a train. "T-T-Tia?" No answer. "Tia I'm sorry." Still nothing. "For fuck's sake Tiamat! Are you really throwing me out there?!"

'Yes,' she thought angrily at him.

"But I can't fly!"

'You really should've thought about that before ignoring me.'

"I was asleep!"

'Don't care.'

By then they reached the edge of the sheer drop that was the cave's entrance. He briefly looked down to see the treetops of the Familiar Forest far below. If he didn't find a way out of this, he'd be in a world of pain for the next few days. It was time to pull out the big guns.

Using the most pitiful voice he could muster, he stopped struggling and begged. "Please don't drop me, Mom. I'm sorry."

The dragon king froze upon hearing those words. Not once in the seven years she'd raised him had Tatsumi addressed her as anything other than "Tiamat" or "Tia." Yet now he finally called her his mother, a secret wish she'd kept hidden from her adoptive son. The shock she felt was so great that her jaw dropped…and released the son she loved so much. In a Looney Toons fashion, time stood still for the small dragon as a single thought raced through his head.

'Well…shit,' he internally sighed before screaming in terror as he fell.

It wasn't until ten seconds later that Tiamat regained her senses. Noticing a sudden lack of child between her jaws, she slowly looked down. Two words were all she needed to sum up the realization of her blunder. "Oh fuck."

Back with Tatsumi, he flailed as he plummeted to the unforgiving ground below. Flapping his wings to slow his decent quickly proved useless, but that didn't stop him from continuously trying. His voice died in his throat after the first few hundred feet, leaving him to silently dread the incoming impact.

'I know she chose to live high up so nobody could bother her, but this is fucking ridiculous!' He thought as he spun around.

Panic turned into desperation once he'd reached the halfway mark. If he didn't come up with a plan fast, a few broken bones would be the best case scenario. "Why are my wings so goddamn worthless?!" he screamed as he tried flapping the flapping the appendages again. "For the love of all that's good and evil…FLY!"

In that exact moment, the world slowed to a crawl around the former assassin. All he could think about were his wings. Those stupid, underdeveloped wings that refused to save him from his impending doom. He wished that they were larger, longer, and reliable.

Within his mind's eye, countless images of wings filled his brain. Everything from birds, to bats, to danger beasts he recognized from the empire surrounded him in a stream of what appeared to be blueprints. They began to filter in and out as he imagined the kind of wings he needed, subconsciously selecting the best traits from the immense selection he was provided. His eyes glazed over as Instinct overrode conscious thought.

"Strong…durable…light…adjustable…" he mumbled as the appendages on his back began to morph. They extended to three times their original size, bones and muscles alike rapidly growing beneath the surface. Tough scales layered themselves around the edges as leathery skin coated the thin webbing. Tissues ripped and fused back together, cells multiplied at exponential rates, and the very DNA that defined the young dragon shifted in response to a single command screamed by his soul.

SURVIVE!

Tatsumi snapped out of his trance when time finally resumed its ruthless march forward. The fear of falling was gone, replaced by a clear understanding that he was no longer in any danger. Without waiting a single second longer, he spread his new fully developed wings. They perfectly caught the air, allowing him to glide over the treetops of the forest.

"This…" he whispered to himself, the wind soothingly flowing over his airborne body. "…is amazing!"

Never in either of his previous lives had the boy experienced anything like this. As the Tyrant, there wasn't a need as there was plenty of prey on the ground and he'd grown large enough to snap up any low-flyers. As Tatsumi, the closest he came to achieving flight were the immensely powerful leaps he made while clad in Incursio. Now that he was an amalgamation of both the human and Ultimate-Class danger beast, he achieved a new height neither would've reached alone. Pun intended.

Realizing his speed and altitude were dropping, the dragon game his wings an experimental flap. With a single strong beat, he accelerated through the air and rose higher. It was exhilarating. He felt the need to try more, so he did. A lowering of his left wing sent him into a downward spiral which he stopped just before hitting the foliage. Two more powerful strokes and he gained enough velocity to make a loop in the air. This wasn't enough for the thrill seeker, though. He needed a challenge.

At the peak of another loop, Tatsumi folded his wings and allowed himself to drop like a stone. He angled his body toward a small clearing in the forest. Extending his wings once again, he swopped over the grass and into the dense gathering of trees that was the Familiar Forest. The small Tyrant weaved around trunks, through leaves, over and under branches that seemed to want to end his adrenaline rush. He wouldn't permit such an affront to his joyride, so he used his lithe form to dodge every obstacle in his way.

"What a rush!" he shouted in glee, performing a barrel-roll through a tunnel of green and brown. "How did I ever live without this? I haven't felt this happy since-"

It was then that Tatsumi learned the most important lesson to know when flying in any location: Never close your eyes. This was brought to his attention in the form of possibly the most unforgiving teaches of all, for his sentence was interrupted by a mouthful of bark as the draconic daredevil crashed through a large, thick tree. And another. And another. And another. Pain arched through his body as wood splintered and gradually slowed him down. By the time he managed to hit the ground, trailing a trench through the dirt, a total of seventeen trees had become casualties of his catastrophic failure.

"Ouch," the downed dragon groaned, shifting his sore muscles in an attempt to assess the damage. From what he could tell, none of his bones were broken, nor was his skin pierced. If his observations were accurate, all he suffered from was some chipped scales, a few sore joints, and a bruised sense of pride. 'Please tell me nobody saw that,' he mentally begged whatever gods would listen as he opened his eyes and spit out a mixture of wood, leaves, and dirt.

Light from the underworld's artificial sun barely broke through the canopy about his landing spot, giving the gnarled trees surrounding him a sinister aura. Thankfully, Tatsumi confirmed that he was, in fact, alone. Not even the familiars who called the forest home entered the area. All that could be seen were the trees, grass, and the long trail of upturned earth behind him.

"Phew," he sighed in relief. He rose to his feet, roughly shaking off the loose debris that clung to his scales. He would definitely need a bath later. "I swear, when I see Tia again I'm taking her horns and shoving them up her-"

Before the dragon could finish his rant and possibly make a promise that he couldn't follow through with, his draconic hearing picked something up. It was soft, almost enough to be drowned out by the leaves swaying in the breeze, but Tatsumi heard it clearly. It was a sound that reached the depths of his human heart; one which he'd heard countless times from people of both genders and all ages throughout the war for the Empire. This voice was full of sadness, sorrow, and misery that drove them to an act of pure despair.

Someone was crying.

Tatsumi hadn't heard someone cry since before he was reborn into this world. Tiamat refused to show weakness in front of him so the sound was practically foreign in this life. Yet, it drew him in with reminders of his past that were impossible to ignore. The night Sheele died and Akame bore her heart; his own breakdowns at Bulat, Chelsea, and Mine's deaths; tears shed by the Empire's strongest warrior as he impaled her with Neuntote. In his time as an assassin, tears always followed blood and sacrifice.

He found himself making his way through the foliage, subconsciously searching for the source of the sorrow. The sobs begged for help in a way mere words couldn't, urging him to keep moving. As he drew closer, the voice became clearer. He even made out a few scattered words between the sobs.

"Mommy…Daddy…I'm scared…I wanna…go home."

Pushing one final bush out of the way, the silver dragon came upon a sight that nearly broke his heart. In the hollow of a large tree sat a little girl. Her face was buried in her knees, which were covered by a fancy pink dress, and her arms were wrapped around her legs. Blond hair cascaded down her trembling shoulders and over her pale white skin. She couldn't have been older than six.

Today was an absolute disaster for the small girl. It began so nicely, too. Her mom and dad surprised her older brother with a trip to the Familiar forest to contract his first familiar. Being so attached to him, she begged their parents to take her too. They conceded with the only condition being that she'd stay near them at all times.

That plan flew hopelessly out the window when, an hour into their trip, an enormous tiger-like beast appeared out of nowhere and scared the poor girl half to death. She took off running, trying to put as much distance between her and that monster as possible. It wasn't until she was deep in the woods that she realized she had no idea where she was or where her parents were.

So there she sat, curled into a ball and bawling as her emotions swirled within her heart. Loneliness, fear, despair, and the bone-chilling notion that she'd never be found. She pleaded to whatever entity that watched over devils to send someone to save her, like the knights in shining armor from the stories her mother read to her at night. Little did she know, she was about to have her wish granted.

A rustling of leaves alerted her to something approaching. She tried to make herself look smaller, hiding in the trunk of the tree. Shifting her knee to the side, she peeked out at whoever, or whatever, had discovered her hiding spot. What caught her attention first were the scales. All of those beautiful scales were a magnificent silver that shined in the few rays of sunlight that managed to break through to the forest floor. It gave the creature an air of magnificence that caused the girl to lower her guard to take a better look.

The next thing that left her breathless was when her dark sapphire orbs met scarlet red. On any other animal those cross-slit pupils surrounded by pools of red would've been sinister and frightening. With the beast approaching her, they held no malcontent whatsoever. They only spoke of curiosity and…something else she couldn't decipher. When it was finally in full view, she recognized the kind of creature standing before her. After all, its kin were also present in her bedtime stories.

"Dragon," she whispered fearfully through her tears.

Hearing the small girl's tone, Tatsumi stopped. He gazed into the terrified pools of blue with a heavy heart. He desperately wanted to help her, to end the tears that brought back all of his most scarring memories, but it was apparent that his appearance was doing the exact opposite. Tiamat had yet to teach him the art of shapeshifting, so nothing could be done about that. He decided to do the next best thing.

He laid down on the soft grass, gave the best smile he could manage without flashing his razor sharp teeth, and spoke. "Hi."

The little devil was surprised. She completely expected the bear-sized reptile to attack and try to eat her, but it greeted her instead. None of her stories had talking dragons, and this one's voice sounded really young. The conundrum unexpectedly distracted her from her sadness as the lessons of politeness taught by the mother kicked in. "Hi," she quietly echoed."

'So far, so good,' Tatsumi thought. "My name is Tyrant." he said. This was the name he and Tiamat decided on using for him as long as he remained in his dragon form. It wasn't technically a lie.

"Tyrant?" she asked, wiping off her cheeks with one of her dress's sleeves. "That's a weird name."

A tick-mark appeared on his forehead. "Oh yeah? What's yours, Miss High-and-Mighty?" he fired back in indignation.

Once again, her noble conditioning kicked in. "I am Ravel Phenex of the Phenex Clan, one of the 72 Pillars of the devil community."

Tatsumi raised an eyebrow. "Ha! And you called my name weird."

"What's wrong with mine?!" Ravel demanded as she puffed out her tear-stained cheeks.

"I don't know. It just seems a bit long. What kind of name is 'Ravel-Phenex-of-the-Phenex-Clan-one-of-the-72-Pillars-of-the-devil-community?' Talk about a mouthful. Though, it does explain why you smell like a bird and devil at the same time."

Of course, Tatsumi had been educated on devil society. Tiamat made sure he knew the powers and status of every noteworthy family in the underworld, seeing as said devils used the two dragons' home forest frequently. If his memory was correct, the House of Phenex had an elemental affinity for fire and wind magic, and inherited the gift of immortality from the legendary Phoenix. They were also rich as hell.

Ravel was fuming as she shot to her feet and stomped one foot. "No, no, no! It's just Ravel Phenex you stupid dragon!"

"I'd rather be a stupid dragon than a scaredy-bird," he taunted.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not times infinity!"

"Chicken!"

"Lizard!"

The two children were now eye-to-eye. Ravel had taken a step toward the infuriating reptile with every response she fired back. They glared at each other, neither willing to back down in this test of wills. The staring contest lasted for a solid minute before cracks appeared in Ravel's iron defense. She tried to remain strong, but seeing such an intense expression on what she now realized was a young dragon was too much. Simultaneously, the hard-fought battle's combatants broke down into fits of laughter.

It took a few minutes for Ravel to recover from the ridiculousness of their situation. I mean, a fair princess having an argument with a ferocious dragon? It sounded like the plot of one of her father's comedy shows. She ended up falling back on her butt, barely managing to stop herself from rolling around on the ground. No telling what her mom would do to her if she ruined her dress. Tatsumi had no such reservations and was tossing and turning on the grass.

Finally calming down, the young dragon let loose a few final chuckles before asking the question that previously plagued his mind. "So, princess," he said, adjusting himself back into an upright position. "What was it that could make a fair maiden such as yourself cry like you were?"

The reality of her situation struck Ravel once again like a truck, bringing down her cheerful mood. "I…I'm lost," she frown, tears starting to appear in the corners of her eyes. "My brother was getting a familiar and I wanted to come too…but I got scared and ran away. I *sob* don't know *sob* where they are."

Seeing the beginnings of another breakdown, Tatsumi did the only thing he could think of to comfort her. He stood up, slowly so as not to frighten her, and came closer. Walking around her in a circle a few times, he found a comfortable position and lied down. No his body surrounded her on all sides, his head resting on her lap as the rest of him curled around her. Not tight enough to crush her, but enough for her to feel the warmth of his smooth scales as well as the soft, relaxed muscles beneath them.

"Hey," he said softly, drawing her attention away from her sadness. "Don't cry. A beautiful princess shouldn't be shedding tears. You're not alone now. I'll keep you safe until your family finds you."

The Phenex clan's only daughter was surprised for multiple reasons. First, this "Tyrant" she just met was comforting her; second, he called her beautiful, which made her cheeks heat up and her heart beat faster; and third, she really felt safe with him. Though his scales appeared to be hard as steel, they somehow felt soft and inviting as she rested her head against his stomach. Her eyes met his, a small piece of her still reluctant to accept the feeling of warmth spreading through her body.

"Do you promise?" she asked timidly.

"I swear on my name as Tyrant, the Evolving Dragon," he declared. It may not have meant much to other beings, but to a dragon swearing on one's title was a sacred oath that couldn't be broken. The title Tatsumi used was self-given in this life, which would make many of his kin mock him, seeing as titles were supposed to be given by a dragon's peers as a result of their accomplishments or displays of power, but that didn't matter to him. Some day he would regain his draconic fame from his previous life, so he might as well start with this one promise. "That I will protect you from all dangers in this forest."

Hearing the conviction and power in her new friend's voice, all of Ravel's doubt faded away. She sank deep into the dragon's embrace, rapping her arms around his neck and allowing a small smile to appear on her face. She no longer cared about the outside world that terrified her just moments ago. All that mattered now was how safe she felt in the hands (or claws?) of the mighty silver beast protecting her.

Tatsumi listened closely to the little devil as her breathing slowed and her eyes closed. All the adrenaline keeping her going must've worn her out, leaving her to fall asleep in his embrace. Feeling her hands still clutching him tightly, he resigned to follow her example and take a nap. He didn't want to wake her, after all.

[LINE BREAK]

Time flowed around the resting children without any interruptions to their slumber. Ravel remained fast asleep, her smile never once leaving, while Tatsumi maintained a state of half-consciousness. He wouldn't be a good guardian if he went completely under and couldn't respond to any incoming threats, would he? They both remained in a state of bliss…

…until a loud voice pierced the dragon's eardrums.

"What the hell are you doing to Riser's sister, you filthy creature?!"

Groaning, Tatsumi slowly opened his eyes to observe whoever had the balls to wake a sleeping dragon. He was met by a pissed off teenager whose blonde hair and dark blue eyes were reminiscent of the girl being guarded. He was dressed like a wannabe pimp, complete with black dress shoes, a slightly unbuttoned white shirt, red over-shirt that remained open in the front, and pants with multiple chains and diamond studs.

'Dear god, he looks like a tool!' he thought in annoyance, closing his eyes again.

"Don't ignore Riser you over-glorified lizard!" the intruder yelled. "If you don't let her go this instant, Riser will be forced to kill you!"

Tatsumi just continued to curl a bit more tightly around his charge, making sure not to hurt her. This tool was obviously not worth his time, as was evident by the first look the former assassin got of him. Not only was he about as intimidating as a bag of kittens, but he was blatantly ignoring Ravel's peaceful smile. If this was her brother, she obviously inherited the good genes in her family.

"Fine! If you choose to ignore Riser, he will just have to show you the wrath of the Phenex clan and burn you to ashes!"

'Wow. This guy isn't just a tool. He's the whole toolbox,' Tatsumi mused idly.

He cracked his eyes open again when he felt the temperature of the air steadily climb. What stood before him now was the same pompous prick, only this time he was on fire. He glared at Tatsumi as he raised his right hand, the flames dancing harmlessly along his skin and clothes. A large ethereal circle with a crest in the center and odd runic symbols throughout it appeared in his outstretched palm, its orange glow aimed directly at the resting dragon.

"Now die!" he shouted, releasing a torrent of flames from the magic circle.

At the last second, Tatsumi lowered his wing to shield Ravel, completely sealing out the intense heat. It surprised him that she hadn't woken up from her brother's loud threats, only shifting deeper into his embrace to block out the noise. The fire engulfed the former assassin, doing its best to incinerate every inch of the powerful reptile. However, to the surprise of nobody who had at least half a brain in their skull, all it managed to do was bounce off his scales and make him slightly warmer.

"Yeah. Keep throwing fire at a dragon, you freaking idiot," he muttered. "I'm sure it'll work eventually."

This comment only served to further infuriate the devil. Three more magic circles materialized before him and added more streams of magical embers to the first. The heat became sweltering as the grass burned and trees that were more than twenty feet from the fire spontaneously combusted. A small amount of discomfort washed over Tatsumi, but not enough to make him fight back.

There was, however, a faint itch at the edge of his consciousness that bothered him as the flames continued their assault. It was like something was tugging at his mind, something both instinctual and foreign. The urge to explore it grew with the temperature until it was more of a need than a simple desire. Without questioning it any further, he gave in.

Just like when he was falling from the sky, time slowed around him. His mind accelerated to the point where the fire surrounding him was almost stationary, giving him a perfect view of the ravenous plasma. Tatsumi, or rather the Tyrant, was intimately familiar with this distorted reality. This had been its method of adaptation over the millennia it had survived. A personal pocket in time where a second could last as long as an hour and endless possibilities could be explored. It even existed as it lived in its armor form, unknown to even the scientist who crafted it.

This was the Tyrant's true trump card: the [Evolutionary Workshop].

Tatsumi had first accessed it when his wings failed to save him, but its true potential was lost in his frantic need for change. Now, his the Tyrant's instincts were not just forcing a hasty evolution, but guiding him to create his own. Through the holes in his armor where few scales had chipped away, his skin briefly allowed the flames in. They stung, but were quickly contained and analyzed to their very core before they could dissipate.

Blueprints once again assailed Tatsumi's mind, but this time he knew their origin. They were in-depth observations of every living being the Tyrant ever fought, consumed, or studied throughout its long life. Everything from how their various personal adaptations functioned in battle, all the way down to the genetic coding that made each bone, tissue, and organ function. It was a magnificent gallery of the deviations life could make, and all of them belonged to him.

His Instincts led him to a specific danger beast that had been a tough, but delicious, kill. It lived in a volcano and had diamond-hard scales that could both withstand heat that would incinerate the most resilient of beasts, and absorb the heat, converting the energy into fuel for a specialized organ that lowered its internal temperature. It was as if his body was asking permission to make the necessary changes and incorporate the new organ.

'I approve,' he thought.

As his body began to rapidly shift and evolve, his organs moving and scales becoming thicker and more durable, another twinge in his Instincts drew his attention away. It was almost as if he had another person in his head with him, constantly giving him directions and pointers. Maybe it was the remnants of the Tyrant's consciousness, relegated to being a subconscious entity after its memories and personality were fused with Tatsumi's? Whatever it was, the Instinct brought his attention to an unfamiliar part of the [Workshop].

Instead of a stream of creatures and body parts flying by his eyes, he was treated to a single image. It was the ember he'd absorbed and it seemed that theInstinct examined it in its entirety. Information on its origin, demonic sub-element, and structure flooded his mind in a torrent of data that left him with a surprising realization.

This was magic. The reason this aspect of the [Evolutionary Workshop] was so alien was because the original Tyrant never had it. The Empire had Teigus, but each one was rooted in science and could easily be explained. In this new world where magic existed in many forms, the new Tyrant needed a new evolutionary advantage.

As Tatsumi reviewed the observations his Instinct mad of the demonic fire, he came to another important conclusion. This [Ethereal Foundry], as he decided to name it, had a purpose that differed from its evolutionary counterpart. Whereas the latter gathered information that turned the strengths of others into the Tyrant's own, the former did the exact opposite. The data gathered on the unholy flame wasn't meant to make it usable. It was meant to develop a countermeasure of greater power.

Time resumed its normal flow as Tatsumi's eyes flashed open. His DNA had completed its mutation and he glared at the arrogant teen who had no idea what was coming. With his internal homeostasis stabilized, the dragon was able to focus on more important matters.

In the lessons Tiamat had given him on the dragon race, the subject of the dragons' relationship with magic was elaborated. Dragons in this world were both immune to and unable to use magic. It came with being an ancient race that predated most pantheons and concepts of the mystic arts. A dragon's power came from its aura, the very essence of who and what they were. Their powers, be it breathing fire or summoning lightning, stemmed from the definition of their very being. For Tiamat, her aura was that of simultaneous spontaneity and control, making her powers random and often hazardous. It was how she was named the "Chaos-Karma Dragon."

Luckily, Tatsumi's aura was unique. Tiamat described it as a colorless, formless mass that seemed to reach out to the world around it. It held no elemental or conceptual affinities the dragon king could decipher. When he posed an insightful possibility, it all clicked together. Just as the Tyrant evolved and adapted to the world, so too did its newly obtained aura.

Tatsumi gathered a significant amount of aura in his chest as he raised his head. He used the information given by the toolbox's flames, imbuing the force with characteristics that would put him in his place. The essence of life gained a physical form and filled the cavity in his ribcage to the point where it threatened to burst.

Riser watched the dragon's preparation and had the gall to laugh. "Do you honestly think your petty flames will be able to match up to the mighty phoenix's? I commend you on your efforts, but a mere dragon is no match for-"

The self-righteous rant of an overconfident devil was silenced when Tatsumi opened his mouth. It wasn't fire that rushed from the young dragon's lungs, but water. A horizontal waterfall blasted forth, shattering the Phenex's magic circles and pinning him to a large tree trunk. Not a single drop strayed off course in the quest to punish the asshole who assaulted the peaceful dragon. When the torrent finally ended, the newly formed clearing was filled with a new sound.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!' Riser screamed as steam rolled off his body. Holes had formed in his clothing, skin, and bones, and the flames of regeneration weren't fixing them. Or, if they were they were working agonizingly slow. "WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY DOES IT BURN?! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

Tatsumi smirked at the writhing boy. "Holy water," he responded, though Riser probably couldn't hear him through his screams of agony.

Indeed, it was holy water. Instead of just analyzing the fire element of the Phenex boy's magic, the dragon's Instinct also deconstructed the demonic sub-element as well and created an antithesis. The once-proud devil was soaked in one of the hazardous liquids know to devil-kind. It nearly brought a tear to Tatsumi's eye with its divine retribution.

Unfortunately, Riser's cries drew not only the dragon's amusement, but also the attention of two others. A magic circle with the Phenex crest appeared on the ground next to the writhing teen, bringing two new arrivals into the clearing. The first was a tall man in regal attire, which included a cape with the Phenex Clan crest in all its glory. His blonde hair was slicked back, his brown eyes hard, and he held a sword at the ready.

Standing next to him was a woman who looked like a fully grown version of Ravel. Her hair cascaded over her thin shoulders and her blue eyes were dazzling. The elegant dress she wore was orange and hugged her figure in ways that made Tatsumi question how she could wear it in public without feeling embarrassed. I mean, her chest was outrageous and her ass competed with it in size. Hourglass figure: confirmed.

He shook his head to dismiss the thoughts. 'I'm turning into Lubbock.'

The two adults, whom Tatsumi correctly assumed to be Lord and Lady Phenex, gazed down at their son; the former in anger, the latter in worry. By now, he passed out from the pain, leaving his motionless body to bleed onto the scorched grass. His mother reached into her purse and pulled out a vial of red liquid, kneeling to administer the healing serum to her son. However, the moment her hand came into contact with his drenched clothing, she hissed in pain and backed off.

"Holy water," she said in wonder. "What's holy water doing here? Who would do this to my baby boy?"

Lord Phenex turned abruptly toward Tatsumi, a dangerous glint in his eye. "Did you do this?" he asked in a deceptively calm voice.

"Yes," Tatsumi replied cautiously. "But I only did-"

"BURN!" The patriarch roared, summoning at least fifty magic circles and attacking with his blade as they all released fire.

Unwilling to be assaulted over another misunderstanding, the dragon let loose another torrent of holy water, this time more powerful. The blindly charging devil collided with the flying river and ended up suffering the same fate as his son. Now there were two injured Phenexes bleeding out onto the forest floor. Honestly, it was both pitiful and anticlimactic.

Tatsumi looked at the last devil standing as she stared at her son and husband. A mixture of horror and disbelief was evident on her face. He couldn't blame her, though, seeing as a dragon just took out her spouse in a single shot.

"Can I ask you a question?" he inquired calmly.

Lady Phenex jumped in surprise, almost dropping the Phoenix Tear in her hand. "Y-y-yes?" she responded shakily.

"Are all of the men in your family completely fucking retarded?"

"…"

"…"

"…what?"

"I am honestly curious if the stupidity exhibited by these two dumbasses is hereditary or not," the dragon stated.

The Phenex matriarch looked taken aback. "Why would you ask that?"

"Let me count the reason. Exhibit A: your moronic son stumbles upon a dragon protectively coiled around his little sister and automatically assumes I'm holding her hostage. Exhibit B: said idiot decides that it's perfectly a perfectly logical idea to shoot FIRE at the DRAGON. Exhibit C: through some herculean leap in logic that is beyond my mortal mind to comprehend, your genius of a husband disregards my attempts at diplomatic resolution in favor of attacking me and somehow thinks he's suddenly immune to holy water. Need I really say more?"

Well…when he put it that way, she really began to question the intelligence of the unconscious males. Enough to want to kick her husband while he was down. He was the head of their entire clan, for Satan's sake! They would definitely have a talk about thinking through one's actions when they got home.

Something then clicked in her head about what the dragon said. "Wait, you say 'little sister,' didn't you?" she inquired, receiving a nod. "Then you know where my precious daughter is?!"

In response, Tatsumi lifted his wing, revealing the slumbering girl in his care. Her peaceful smile was still in place as she basked in the warmth provided by the dragon. A shiver ran through her as the comparatively cold air touched her skin, causing her to shift uncomfortably. Tatsumi smiled as he lowered his wing again. This time, he only covered up to her neck.

"I found her while…exploring earlier," he explained, though he omitted the part about crashing. "She was crying, so I decided to keep her safe until someone came to find her. Too bad the first to show was her useless brother. As if trying to burn a dragon wasn't dumb enough, he made the attempt while I was holding her. I know your family has an affinity for fire and unreal regeneration, but that careless attack could've hurt Ravel if I didn't shield her."

Lady Phenex approached her sleeping child, stepping over the morons who were slowly recovering from the drying holy water. They deserved their punishment for endangering her only daughter. Reaching the silver dragon, she observed the unconscious girl who used the leathering wing covering her like a blanket. She looked so happy that her mother couldn't find the willpower to wake her up.

Turns out, she didn't have to. In a turn of events Tatsumi had literally been waiting hours for, a second dragon dropped into the clearing. The pale blue behemoth's grey eyes scanned the area, only briefly pausing on the KO'd Phenex men, and locked onto the silver dragon. Relief spread through Tiamat's body at the sight of her adopted son, especially considering he didn't appear to have any injuries. If it wasn't for the obvious presence of the high-class devil next to him, she would've tackled him then and there.

Instead, she settled for a verbal expression as she rubbed her face all over him. "Tyrant! Thank Ophis you're okay! I thought you'd have at least ten broken bones when I dropped you! I'm so sorry! You aren't hurt are you? No fever? Cramps? Muscle spasms?"

The former assassin sighed and tried to shoo her way with minimal movements. "I'm fine, Tia! Stop it or you'll wake-"

Too late. Tatsumi was interrupted by one of the most adorable yawns he'd heard in any of his lives. All heads turned to Ravel as she sleepily opened her eyes and looked at her surroundings. The first thing she saw was Tatsumi, which made her grin from ear to ear. She wordlessly reached out to hug the dragon's face, earning him surprised looks from the two motherly figures.

"Wow. I'm impressed, Tyrant. Barely out of the nest and already capturing princesses? You little playboy," Tiamat playfully chided.

Lady Phenex couldn't hold herself back, either. "Oh, but don't they look so cute together? I always thought my little Ravel would fall for a knight in shining armor, but here I find her cuddling a ferocious dragon like a stuffed animal."

Tatsumi was lucky his scales could cover his blush. Ravel, on the other hand, wasn't so fortunate and tried to hide her reddening face in her new friend's neck. It didn't even register that her mother had found her and she could go home. All that existed was the intense embarrassment and the silver guardian who would undoubtedly protect her from it. He did his best to oblige.

"On as side note," Tiamat smiled, diverting her gaze to the Phenex matriarch. "It's good to see you again, Layla."

"Likewise. I assume this young dragon is yours? I wasn't aware that you had acquired a worthy mate."

"Well, you're half right. Tyrant is mine, but only in that I discovered his egg in this very forest and raised him as my own son. Am I correct in assuming this fair princess he's kidnapped is the same you were pregnant with on your last trip through my domain?"

"Yes. Ravel is my first and only daughter, and if today is any indication, she may be the only intelligent person in my household other than myself."

Tiamat's eyebrow raised as Layla's eyes shifted to the unconscious males. "I was wondering what happened to those two. I don't see any noticeable injuries, but they stink of holy water. Did they piss off an undine or something?"

Layla sighed and shook her head. "If only it were that simple," she muttered. "It was actually your child that left them in this sorry state."

"Oh really?" the dragoness mused, glancing at Tatsumi with pride.

Noticing her eyes on him, he immediately fell back on an age-old childish excuse which, if it came from anyone else, would be completely unconvincing. "They started it!"

"I don't doubt that," his adoptive mother chuckled. "Men of the Phenex family, no matter their age, have always been hot headed and prone to senseless violence, despite their noble lineage. I'm actually impressed that you were able to not only defend against the head of the house and his son, but incapacitate them as well. Good job."

Tatsumi gave a small smile at the praise.

It was around then that Ravel finally took in the situation. "Mommy?" she asked as if she was unsure if the woman standing beside Tyrant was real or not.

"Yes, honey," was the simple reply that came from the smiling mother.

The dam burst as Ravel launched herself at her mom, tears streaming from her eyes as she hugged her. "Mommy! I was so scared! I was alone and this place was full of so many scary monsters and sounds and I thought I'd never see you again and…and…"

"Shhhh," Lady Phenex shushed as she patted her daughter's head. "Don't worry. I'm here now. You're safe."

Wiping her tears off on her mom's dress, Ravel looked up at her. "Where are Daddy and big brother?" she questioned, to which Layla pointed to the still bodies not far off. Ravel immediately ran over to Riser, her face awash in concern. "What happened?!"

"To make a long story short: those two decided to attack your dragon friend for no good reason and wound up wishing they hadn't," the matriarch replied, nudging her husband with her foot. "Rest assured, they deserved it for putting you in danger as well."

The Phenex heiress considered her mother's words for a few seconds. Coming to a conclusion that bother her dad and brother were idiots, she proceeded with a series of actions that shocked all present. She glared at Riser, kicked him in the head hard enough to receive a groan from the teen, and dashed back to the silver dragon to hug him possessively.

Layla was the first to recover, walking up to Tatsumi again with a pleased grin. "It seems she agrees. I thank you, Tyrant, for protecting my daughter in her time of need. I owe you a debt of gratitude," she bowed.

"No worries," Tatsumi chuckled as Ravel returned to her mother's side. "I've never been able to refuse a person in need."

"A worthy code to live by," Lady Phenex nodded, a magic circle appearing below the whole family. "We must be going now. My husband and son need a lesson in forethought, and Ravel has had enough adventure for one day. Until we meet again, Tyrant."

A flash filled the clearing, leaving only the two dragons. Tatsumi sighed as he finally stood up after hours of serving as Ravel's makeshift pillow. His joints cracked as he stretched them out and shook off all the soot and debris that clung to his scales. Once he'd gotten the stiffness out of his muscles, he turned to glare at the dragoness who raised him.

"What?" she inquired with fake innocence. "What did I do?"

"You dropped me off a fucking mountain!"

"Well, you made a friend, so I wouldn't say it was all that bad."

The roar of frustration that Tatsumi let loose could be heard from every corner of the forest.

So, I received some interesting suggestions on the various races of the former Night Raid members and Jaegers. I'm still open for more thoughts, so give them if you want. Btw, this chapter is 7804 words without the A/N sections. Longest chapter so far.

If you see any typos, let me know via PM.

Gambler out!