Volume 0 - The Fool
A couple of things about this fic, first and foremost this is very much an Issei x Irina fic and she will be the main girl so if you don't like that then just stop here. There will be a harem of give or take 5 girls, 3 I've already decided for sure but I won't be adding more as I've not written a harem before and don't like the idea of a large one both from the perspective of me handling character development as well as just the idea of Issei managing being with that many girls. Final thing before we begin, Issei won't exactly be having a peerage in this fic. He will have a team of sorts all I will say is that this group of characters will be 20 members as 2 spots are taken by Issei and a certain being but I won't spoil the details on that one.
One last thing, I've switched up the format a little for this fic, honestly this is for my peace of mind as it will make editing this far far easier. Without further adieu here is Dragon of Infinite Hope Vol. 0 - The Fool.
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
['Sacred Gear speaking in mind']
["Sacred Gear speaking out loud"]
Spell/Ability
Highschool DXD belongs to Ichiei Ishibumi, Fujimi Shobo and TNK I'm just telling my own story in his world.
Life 0 - A Human Number
The ground was covered in craters and fissures as the battle raged on. Flashes of lights of every colour could be seen flying through the sky towards the beast, almost none even causing it a reaction. The beast that god sealed had finally been trapped in a barrier on a small atoll in the Pacific, the shallows of the atoll frozen solid with ice magic as the land burned in unending flames.
The warriors of the alliance were all feeling the fatigue of the battle that seemed to have no end, even the gods were feeling exhaustion setting in as they began to rotate fighters. Issei looked to his right and saw Vali collapse against a crumbling wall in exhaustion
Vali : "You're up Hyoudou! Even I can't enjoy this anymore" his words slow as his eyes drifted shut.
As he looked around Issei could see Vali wasn't the only one in this state, Serafall was barely awake as an angel attended her wounds, Tobio had most of one of his legs wrapped in bandages just to keep him alive and Dulio had almost lost his wings as he lay there smoke still rising from his ruined feathers. As he stood Issei looked around at his companions, the Gremory peerage with the exception of him and Rossweisse had long since been evacuated from the battle. Clenching his fist Issei made his decision, the dragon in his soul steeling himself in agreement as they prepared for death.
Issei: "Ophis … we're doing it, whatever it takes." his voice full of conviction.
Sirzechs looked towards the source of the voice wondering what the boy he saw as a little brother was thinking. Watching as Issei released his wings and began to rise over their camp eyes began to turn towards Issei, Sirzechs noticed something strange as a large Issei activated his balance breaker.
Issei: "The Crimson Red Dragon dwelling within me, awaken from your dominance" his voice sounded across the battlefield as everything seemed to become silent around them, even the Imperial Beast seemed to be watching them.
Ophis: "The Crimson Heavenly Dragon I possess within me, rise up to become a King and roar" the voice of the Infinite Dragon God coming from the armour, as the gems emitted a pitch black aura, before it continued, "The jet-black God of Infinity". A crimson aura exploding from the armour as it enveloped Issei.
Issei: "The glorious God of Dreams" a jet black aura now enveloped and began to merge with the crimson one.
Issei & Ophis: "Watch over the [true] forbidden existence we shall become that transcends the boundaries" the voices blending together as they seemed to echo each other. "Thou shall dance within our [perfected] radiant inferno!" The crimson armour was now covered with black patterns and trimmed in gold as infinity symbols began to appear on each gem.
["D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!D∞D!DD!DD! Dragon ∞ Drive - DIABOLOS DRAGON TRUE DRAGON DIAFICATION"]
Most of them looked on in awe as the gems emitted a brilliant crimson light, blinding almost everyone there as an aura was felt that hadn't been since the great war.
Michael: "It.. can't be '' looking up the archangel couldn't hide his shock as something that he once saw among his greatest fears flapped it's wings above them.
Behind Issei a great red dragon flew, red and golden spikes covering his body before flying straight at the beast with Issei. Brilliant flames shooting from the dragon's maw as the beast screeched and let loose a torrent of flames towards the dragon. As the dragon and beast engaged in a literal firefight four cannons deployed from Issei's armour and seemed to absorb the black crimson aura, as infinity symbols formed on all the amour's gems a booming voice sounded across the battlefield.
[∞ Blaster!]
The dragon seemed to instinctually move out of the way as four blasts of crimson and black energy sped towards the Imperial Beast at a speed almost none of the fighters could match before impacting the beast in the side. The beast roaring in pain as before it could regenerate the dragon shot a torrent of flames into the open wound. For the first time the alliance seemed to have hope they could defeat the Beast of the Apocalypse.
Issei: "Ddraig we won't be able to keep this up for long, we need to get the core" his voice sombre as those in the camp finally realised who that dragon was.
Ddraig: "I know partner, get close to the beast and go in through the hole we made, I'll keep it open for you"
Issei flew towards the beast with reckless abandon as the rest of the fighters for this shift took to the air, watching in shock as the second the flames ended Issei shot inside the beast, the hole sealing behind him as Ddraig started wrestling with one of the heads of Trihexa.
Irina: "ISSEI!" her voice sounding desperate as she charged at the beast with a group of angels throwing lightspears at one of the heads.
Seconds turned to minutes as the battle raged on and Issei had yet to emerge from the body of the Imperial Beast. The only sign he was alive was the constant bursts of black and crimson barely visible through the flesh of Trihexa. After a gruelling forty five minutes they all heard a tearing of flesh as the beast seemed to collapse. From the top of the beast's back two figures emerged locked in a brutal melee. The first was Issei, his armour covered in cracks with a blade extended from each gauntlet, kicking the second figure in the chest to completely dislodge it from the body. The second was a young boy seemingly made of pure light, a crown of ten horns on his head and six wings extending from his back, one from a bird, one from a bat, one from a dragon, one from an insect, one from some kind of aquatic creature and the final wing from some extinct creature.
Issei seemed relieved for a second before the boy punched him in the gut, making him cough up blood, the pair trading blows as Issei seemed to begin to lag behind. Despite the constant blows Issei was delivering to the boy he seemed unharmed, unrelenting in his attack on the Sekiryuutei as the pair began moving faster and faster. Soon all but the most powerful gods and beings there couldn't even keep track of them save for the constant shockwaves emitting from the gold and black/crimson lights darting through the air. Ddraig watched on in both pride and regret as his partner fought the core of the beast, whoever this boy was he was the core of the Imperial Beast.
?: "So even you cannot defeat me? With both my siblings' power in you I thought you would be the one to finally end me… but I guess you're too weak" the boy said in a sad tone shocking all those present.
Issei: "So that's your dream.. To die?" his voice questioning as he looked at the boy.
? "That's right, God couldn't do it and sealed me out of fear. My siblings squabble over the dimensional gap for their freedom or silence respectively… Forgetting their little brother, the infinite, the dream… and the end"
Issei: "So your name is the end huh? And you want nothing but the end?"
? "No… my name huh? My name is Nero, the embodiment of the end of all things, so I seek my own end"
Issei: "To stop you from killing your siblings?" His voice full of emotions as everyone froze, not daring the make a sound as they heard the voice of the beast.
Nero: "You might not be able to defeat me… but I am glad one finally understood me" his voice full of regret as he took a battle stance once again, it seemed this is where the battle would end.
As Nero cocked back his hand to punch the Sekiryuutei a pressure was felt across the battlefield, Ddraig stared at his partner with wide eyes as something began to happen that had not been seen in millenia.
Issei: "I who am about to awaken".
A yellow aura slowly rose out of the boy as his armour shattered completely.
"Am the Dragon who has cast off the shackles of Domination".
Rain slowly fell over the battlefield as Issei became enveloped in this strange yellow aura as it began to shine almost like liquid gold.
"I am born from the infinite, and the dream"
Even Nero began to back away from Issei as pressure rolled off the boy as he continued in his trance-like state.
"I shall become a new Heavenly Dragon"
The rainfall began to get heavier as the fires of the battlefield slowly began to die down around them. Warriors from every faction watched on in fascination as the Gods, Seraphs and Maou smiled up at the boy that had become so important to them.
"As I claim the principles of Hope from God!"
At this point the now golden aura extended from his body, the light seeming to form into two pairs of golden Dragon wings.
"I shall become the Golden Dragon of Infinite Hope
And raise you all in golden light!"
As he finished Ddraig let out a roar that echoed throughout the supernatural world. The roar echoing as Issei's aura formed around him in the form of a massive Western Dragon, the head forming similar to that of an Eastern Dragon with long whiskers and antler-like horns. The body taking on a slightly more humanoid form with shorter and skinnier front legs and longer more muscular rear legs, his four wings spread wide and a ranseur-like tail protruding behind him.
In a flash Nero and the dragon began to clash, both golden forms moving faster than even before. The warriors of the alliance had to retreat back to their camp to keep out of the crossfire as the new dragon battled Nero. Minutes turned to hours, hours to days as the battle raged on. All they could do was watch as Issei and Nero fought. The ice of the shallows was completely shattered from the impacts of each of them throwing the other into the ground until finally there was silence. The golden dragon standing over a crater in the ground as he breathed heavily, slowly collapsing into the crater himself as darkness overtook him…