"What do you think?"
Issei asked proudly, with a big smile on his face, as he showed Cynthia the wooden hut he had improvised.
They were currently in a clearing, in the middle of a dense forest of trees with light purple leaves.
Cynthia had a bead of sweat running down her forehead and a weak smile on her mouth. Apple, the red snake that Issei had gotten as a companion years ago, was on the blonde's shoulder, and shared the same reaction.
The reason being that the hut, so proudly displayed by Issei, was made up of just a few logs of wood that clearly were barely being able to stood up together.
"Yeah, Ise, well... I'm glad we brought our tents… this thing won't stand for more than five minutes."
She admitted, resisting the urge to poke at the cabin. Cynthia knew that a single touch would bring everything down, and she was curious to see how much longer the mount of wood piled together by her boyfriend, would be able to stay upright.
"Tsc, no one else knows how to appreciate art."
Issei said, feigning disappointment.
Cynthia rolls her eyes, grabs his right arm and pulls him closer.
"Forget about this. First, let's get something to eat, then..."
She doesn't say anything, and just smiles at him. It was all the motivation Issei needed.
Apple jumped off Cynthia's shoulders, told them she was going out to look around and hunt, and headed off into the woods.
"And cooking is on you."
The blonde said.
"But it always is."
Issei responded while crossing his arms.
"And you never complain."
Cynthia replied with a mischievous smile.
Issei stares at her for a few seconds, and then gives her a big smile as well. At the same time the blonde feels a slap on her ass. In response she pulls Issei's cheek, who starts laughing and hugs her.
"Pervert."
"A lot."
The sekiryuutei responds without thinking twice, and then pulls her in for a kiss, which Cynthia promptly answers to.
...
That place, no, it wasn't right to refer to that as a place. It was a vast space, almost like a world of its own, but there was no life there.
That space was made up of many different colors, which seemed to represent different forms of energy. Lightning constantly formed out of it, it felt like it was an unstable amount space.
The Straw Hats would recognize such space as a gap between dimensions, which they have already passed through hundreds of thousands of times, going from one world to another. However, this one in particular seemed especially unstable.
GUGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
An excruciating scream could be heard in that interdimensional rift, coming from a monster that moved at high speed, and that didn't seem to be affected by the lightning and unstable forms of energy. In reality, they seemed to go to him, entering his body, as if that energy was being assimilated, eaten, by the monster.
Said monster was actually a dragon. Not a particularly large one like Issei in his full transformation. This dragon also didn't look organic, in reality it looked more like it was some kind of machine, as its appearance was almost the same as that of an armor. If any of the Straw Hats were there, they would judge that this dragon vaguely resembled Issei in his Balance Breaker.
The dragon seemed to sense something, as if it were drawn to a specific thing or direction. Once again giving his excruciating scream, he proceeded.
...
"We should have gone to get food already..."
"No hurry."
Cynthia said lazily, to which Issei responded casually and without concern.
Having given up the "hut" made by Issei, they took a tent from the Boosted Gear storage space, one of the gauntlet's most convenient abilities. Issei placed many of his possessions, such as weapons or pornographic magazines, there.
While the original idea was that after setting up the tent they would go hunting straight away, one thing led to another, and now they were both naked, with Cynthia on top of Issei. She was red, sweaty and tired, and there was still some semen left between her legs.
"Wipe that silly smile off your face."
She told Issei, picking up and stretching his cheeks.
"Chichichi, I refuse."
The brunette speaks, obviously he was in a great mood.
Cynthia rolls her eyes and rolls onto her side, getting off of Issei.
"Well, because of you, I can't feel my legs, so you better go get some food, and do your best for me!"
She said as she crossed her arms, trying to sound demanding.
"Leave it to me, princess."
Issei spoke the last part with intonation, mocking her. Even so, he got up, kissed her on the forehead, put his clothes back on and left the tent.
A peaceful smile formed on Cynthia's face as she rubbed her fingers across her forehead.
She tried to move to get more comfortable, but felt a slight discomfort between her legs.
'Tsk, obviously he wants a harem. He's worse than a horse and never gets tired. I'll have to make sure he will be careful with my sisters in the future.'
The blonde thought to herself, turning on her side and closing her eyes. She needed to rest.
Meanwhile, Issei was hunting.
'Do you think this guy's flesh will taste good?'
The user of Leviathan's fruit questioned the dragon in his head, while he himself smelled the flesh of the animal he had killed, trying to figure out if it tasted decent.
[It seems so. This thing reminds of a wild boar, so it shouldn't be much different from one's taste. Besides, nothing fire and spices can't fix.]
Ddraig spoke. If, while he still was in his previous wielder, someone told him that in the next user of the Boosted Gear, he, the great Red Dragon Emperor, would give opinions on cooking, he would judge them as crazy.
And here he was now.
'Hmmmm, you are probably right.'
Shrugging Issei placed the boar-like animal in his gear and continued walking. On the way he picked some fruits, after tasting them to make sure they weren't poisonous. He didn't mind doing that, as poison didn't affect him.
As he could also sense the presence of animals, and by applying aura he was able to see through the dense forest to find the exact location of the ones he was hunting, in less than five minutes he already had three more that he threw into the Boosted Gear.
"I think this should be enough."
Issei thought to himself, stopping at the top of a tree, one that looked like one of the biggest in the forest. He watched the sun, which was beginning to set in that world.
'Hey, Ddraig, isn't this boring for you?'
He randomly asked the red dragon this question.
[Huh? Ah, so you were thinking about that, huh. My duel with the White One, is that what you are referring to?]
Issei nodded.
[Surprisingly, no. Even though, for the first time, I might never meet the White One again, I don't think that's a bad thing. I was able to see worlds and events that I never imagined I would with my previous wielders; besides, we fought all kinds of enemies, didn't we?]
The satisfaction in Ddraig's voice was noticeable.
'Chichichi, that's right. Even guys who had anti-dragon powers. Remember old George? That guy was amazing!'
Issei exclaimed, showing respect to an old opponent, as he looked up at the sky, where the stars were beginning to appear.
[It was just a pity that the moon didn't last long. The tales that would emerge from that battle would be even more epic if it all took place in space.]
Issei nodded his head strongly.
'There was also that time in the labyrinth...'
[Those four really deserved the title of legendary monsters...]
'The pillars were harder to knock down than I thought they would be...'
They were remembering the different battles they had in different worlds, and were having a lot of fun with it, like friends bringing back good old memories. Before they noticed it, it had already gotten completely dark.
[Anyways partner, I'm satisfied with how things are now. For the first time, I have something much more interesting than fighting the White One. Watching you.]
There was a second of silence before Issei answered.
'You know Ddraig, if it was another guy saying that, I would have run away already. But that's how much I value our friendship.'
Issei finished saying, with his arms crossed and with an expression that showed he thought like he had just done something amazing.
Within the space of his soul, Ddraig had a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead.
[You can't run away from me.]
There was another moment of silence.
"Yeah, there's that too."
...
Basic cooking equipment, a fire and some spices were all Issei needed to prepare dinner. The smell of cooking spread throughout the clearing, leaving both him and Cynthia with constantly growling stomachs.
"Apple? Back already?"
The red snake returned to the clearing shortly after Issei started cooking. She still had remnants of her preys in her mouth.
"The smell was very attractive."
She explained, to which only Issei could understand.
A loud roar is heard, and both dragon and serpent look at Cynthia, who looks back at them with a smile.
"Don't say anything."
Was all the blonde needed to say.
Issei and Apple gulped, and didn't dare to make a comment. A few minutes later the food was ready.
"Looks delicious."
Cynthia commented, after smelling the finished product.
"It sure is! Your father would kill me if I made a bad dish!"
Issei replied laughing, even though it was true.
Apple was already devouring the plate that had been laid out for her.
Issei and Cynthia were about to try the food, they had just put their fork down on their plate. But it was then that...
On the horizon, far away from where they were, but still visible from naked eye, above some mountains, a crack formed in the sky. It appeared out of nowhere and was at first small, but as quickly as it appeared, it grew and in the blink of an eye it was already dozens of meters tall and it had just as much width.
Issei was the first to notice that something was wrong. He got up from the table and stared at the crack that formed in the sky. Cynthia got up soon after, and looked in the same direction. Both now had serious looks.
Apple turned the entire plate into her mouth, swallowing it all at once, and then climbed onto Issei's shoulders, joining them.
"Ddraig, this presence is..."
[Yes, it's a dragon, but...]
Besides sensing a draconic presence coming from the rift, they also sensed something else, something familiar yet completely foreign at the same time.
GEGOGYUUGA-GYHUGOHAAA! GUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
First, they heard a scream that could only be described as coming from an aberration, and then they finally saw the creature.
It was a dark dragon, and as a dragon it could only be considered medium in size, but otherwise it was almost the same as any usual dragon. Except that...
"Hey, Ise, why does that look like you?"
It bore an uncanny resemblance to the Boosted Gear's Balance Breaker.
[IT CAN NOT BE! HOW? WHAT IS THAT?]
And for the first time, they both heard Ddraig looking confused, almost scared.
"Ddraig? What' the problem? Do you know what that thing is?"
Issei questioned, taking out his Boosted Gear so he could face the green gem in it.
During the short period the dark dragon appeared, Issei noticed something. Everything around him, for hundreds of meters, seemed to have its life energy devoured. Issei could sense it, seeing the energy rushing from the ground to the dragon, though he didn't know if the dragon was doing it consciously or not.
[No, I have no idea what that dragon is, but...] Ddraig started to say, looking a bit calmer. [But I'm sure... that's the Juggernaut Drive!]
Issei and Cynthia's eyes widened, but before they had a chance to say anything, the dark dragon screamed again.
GUGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
And started flying towards them.
This is the final mini arc before going back to the DxD world.
