AN: Hey guys and welcome to the thirteenth chapter of "Switching Sides."

I want to thank everyone who Favorited, Followed, and Reviewed! :)

Now, this chapter will introduce yet another member to the harem and will also focus on character developing that would have high importance in the future of the story. This chapter would also answer some questions you had since the first chapter and some questions from the recent ones.

I used the LN's translation at the first part of the chapter because it fit well with the plans I have for the future of the story although I changed it so it would fit the story, so I want to thank the translators who worked hard on this awesome translation to the LN!

This story still have a long way to it and many arcs and new characters are to come (Not OC) and I hope you are excited to see them like I am to write them :) I also used this chapter like a few before it to give hints about the future arcs and such in the story so look out for those.

Now, without further ado here is the chapter. Enjoy!

"..." Talking

'...' Thoughts

"..." Quotations

*...* Actions i.e., Yawning and Sighing

(...) Flashback and time skips

["..."] Talking through the Sacred Gear

['...'] Talking in the Host mind

[...] Sacred Gear Actions and modes

The next time Issei woke up he was clueless.

Clueless about what time it was, how long he has been awake, and why he awoke to the feeling of being poked on his forehead. When he thought about the last thing, he quickly turned his head to scan the room only to find a little girl sitting by his bedside with a stoic expression.

He stared intently at the girl with a strained expression as he tried to search his mind as to where he has seen her before, but ended up having a frown grace his face as he couldn't find it; making him frustrated.

'I know this girl! I just don't remember who she is...' Issei thought to himself in frustration.

['Uhh partner, this is...'] Ddraig started to say only to get interjected by Issei.

'Shut up Ddraig! I can figure this out myself,' Issei told his partner; trying to scavenge the last remains of his pride as he tried his hardest to figure out the girl's identity.

As he continued to stare at her the more familiar, she was to him, but still, he couldn't put a name to her.

She looked to be a young girl with black hair that cascaded down to her hips and had gray eyes and an overall look of a Gothic Lolita.

He rubbed his chin as he continued to study the girl while a bit of his hope to find out her identity was lost with each passing second until...

'This is Ophis, the Ouroboros Dragon and the leader of the Khaos Brigade,' He remembered Vali telling him after their fight with Diodora at the rating game they were supposed to have, moments before he passed out from his Incomplete Juggernaut Drive Transformation.

*poke poke* He felt his forehead being poked by the girl he now recognized as Ophis once again; her eyes showing curiosity as she continued to poke him several times.

"Is Ddraig ok?" She asked him before getting deep into Issei's personal space to investigate his, or Ddraig as she referred to him, condition.

"Y...You're Ophis! What are you doing here?!" Issei asked in bewilderment and shock after finding the voice to speak the feelings of shock and utter confusion at what Ophis, the Ouroboros Dragon and the strongest entity in the universe along Great Red, is doing in his room.

"I want to talk" Ophis replied nonchalantly making Issei sweatdrop at how carefree and void of any emotions she looked.

["What is it Ophis?"] Ddraig asked as a bright light shone before the Boosted Gear appeared at the brunette's left hand; it's jewel blinking as the Dragon within it continued to speak.

"Ddraig. Do you want to quit being a Heavenly Dragon?" Ophis question caused the brunette to become perplexed; cocking his eyebrow in confusion as he looked carefully at the girl, not understanding the meaning of her question.

"I...I don't understand Ophis,"

"The human who is the host. He's been having a different sense of growth up until now. I think this is very strange. Very different from previous Heavenly Dragons. Vali is also the same. Strange. Very strange." Ophis explained, but her explanation only seemed to make Issei more confused than he was before.

"Mine and Vali's growth?" Issei asked; finding this to be weird.

"The fight against the redhead. The fight against Cao Cao. Ddraig has different evolutions. Armor turned crimson colored. Intense feelings trigger hidden powers. It's the first time. The first time I know of..." Ophis conclusion caused Issei to understand a little bit of what the girl in front of him meant.

"That's why I want to ask. Ddraig. What will you become?" Ophis asked while twitching her neck which Issei found as cute in his opinion.

["I don't know Ophis. I don't know what this guy wants to become. I don't know but… It's certain that he has an interesting growth,"] Ddraig replied instead of Issei who looked to be searching for an answer but thanked internally for the Dragon for answering instead of him.

"Two-heavenly dragons mixed, I, as the "infinite" and Great Red as the "dream" into the chant. Ddraig, why did you think of becoming the king of domination?"

["It must be the result of seeking strength. Because of that, I was eliminated. I couldn't become strong beside increasing the power of "domination." I never thought that my red color could turn to crimson,"] Ddraig answered Ophis question with honesty.

"I don't understand "domination." Those from "Khaos Brigade" seek domination. I don't understand. Great-Red isn't "domination." I also am not "domination.""

["There is no way for a being that has been strong from the beginning would be able to understand the reasons for "domination." You who was born from the "nothingness" of "infinite" and Great-Red who was born from "illusions" from "dream" must have been from a different dimension. Ophis. You appeared in this World getting out from the dimensional gap. What have you attained from this World, and why did you think of returning to your homeland?"] Ddraig told Ophis.

"I also want to question you. Ddraig. Why do you try to become a different being? Will you discard "domination"? What is ahead after that?" She asked although her voice wouldn't show any hint of curiosity in it.

While Ddraig and Ophis were conversing Issei found himself completely dumbfounded about their conversation, not understanding a thing the two Dragons were saying, but the next question Ophis asked caught both Issei and Ddraig by surprise.

"Ddraig, will you become the Chichiryutei? Can you surpass a Heavenly-dragon by groping tits? Ddraig, will you become a dragon that represents tits?" Issei found himself snickering hard from this question while Ddraig inhaled some air before he spoke.

["Ugg….Even Ophis ends up saying that… Uuu! Haahaa…"] Ddraig cried in anguish; making Issei worry that Ddraig was about to break down from the mental damage he received.

"Ddraig relax! Remember the promise I made you!" Issei told his partner as he tried to calm him down; hoping the Dragon would remember the promise he made to restore his title as the Dragon Of Domination.

["Ah...Yeah, S-sorry... Thanks, partner,"]

"I want to look. Ddraig. I want to look at this possessor even more." Ophis said while staring at Issei who nervously gulped in response.

["Well, you could spend more time with him so you could learn more about him,"] Ddraig advised Ophis who nodded in response, accepting Ddraig proposition.

"Very well... I shall spend more time with your possessor... But, I'm not done, there's more I want to talk about," The Ouroboros Dragon said now turning serious.

"Unlike Vali you do not possess two power sources, not anymore, but it seemed like your potential to develop a new evolution for your Longinus is very high. I want to help you, so I'll give you my blessing, but it will not be enough for the new evolution, and my snakes wouldn't suffice since this evolution requires more power than they can ever provide. For now, know that achieving this powerful evolution is very close to being possible, but you'll have to be patient until you can achieve it," Ophis told Issei who looked at her with his mouth agape.

"W...What do you mean?" He asked but received no answer. Instead, Ophis used her blessing on Issei and told him one more thing before she would leave the room.

"The bond you two share grow strong with each passing day, I can sense it. Soon, the two of you shall become one, and for the first time the world shall witness powers like never before," Ophis said before she jumped from her chair and left the room without looking back at Issei who stretched his hand as he tried to stop her from leaving before she answered the questions that plagued his mind, questions that only multiplied in number after the vague statement Ophis made.

Issei stayed in his bed, gazing at his left hand that hosted the Boosted Gear while he was deep in thought.

It has been fifteen minutes since Ophis has left his room and since then Issei continued to stare at the red gauntlet while his mind was elsewhere trying to make sense of the things the Dragon said.

"I don't understand...What the hell did she mean?" Issei voiced the question that burned in his mind with a whisper full of perplexion.

["I don't understand it all too partner, but Ophis was right about one thing, you do seem to have incredible growth in your power and your utilization of the Boosted Gear. The way the Boosted Gear reacted to your emotions in your fight against Cao Cao was something both me, and Ophis has never seen, and that's why she got interested in you, this along with many other things as Ophis told you,"] Ddraig interjected his partner's thought, shedding his opinion on the matter.

"I guess so...But what about the thing she told me right before she left?"

["I don't know the meaning behind what she told you before nor do I know who was the another person Ophis talked about, perhaps she referred to the bond we share after she learned of what happened in the fight with Cao Cao? For now, I'm afraid the only thing we can do is guess,"] The Welsh Dragon told his partner as he as well was dumbfounded after the talk with Ophis just like his partner.

Issei just nodded at his partner words and resumed to stare at the red gauntlet while his mind tried to make sense of the many things that plagued it.

(Two Days Later...)

It has been two days since the talk Issei, Ddraig and Ophis had and so far Issei seems to cope well with the information Ophis provided to him after spending ample time to try and comprehend it.

It wasn't every day that a being like Ophis came to talk to you and Issei knew that so he knew that whatever she told him vague or not had great importance, and he didn't try to neglect that fact even one bit.

The brunette spent the next two days training hard with his Longinus as he tried to improve his strength and durability during a fight with and without his scale mail, but most of all he wanted to learn about the Longinus that kept surprising him.

The thing that happened during the fight with Cao Cao never left his mind even for a second. How he cheated certain death thanks to the Boosted Gear that adorned his left hand.

While Ddraig did explain Issei exactly what happened, the Dragon also told him that none of his past possessors ever reached the same level he did with the Longinus and the way it corresponds to its possessor emotions like with Issei, and it made the brunette feel both pride and confusion as to why he was the first to achieve this level.

After Issei had finished his long and hard training, he ended up collapsing on the ground with his hands stretched out while his chest continued to rise and fall repeatedly with each pant.

"That was exhausting," Issei said to no one between his panting.

['So it seems, but you made great progress today and if you continue to do so then I'm sure you'll get much stronger, and in time, maybe even achieve the evolution Ophis mentioned,'] Ddraig praised his partner within the latter subconscious; happy with the effort and progress the brunette is making.

To be able to valiantly protect those he cared. That was the main purpose behind Issei's tremendous effort behind his training and Ddraig considered it to be a noble thought he knew that's just how Issei acted naturally, always willing to risk his life for those he cared.

The other reason behind Issei's training brought tears to the Dragon eyes, and that reason was to get stronger so they could restore their lost title as the Dragon Of Domination. At first, Ddraig believed with all his heart that Issei promise to restore the title was genuine, but as time went by he thought that Issei forgot about it and he gave up on ever being the mighty Dragon Of Domination again, so when he found out about this reason for Issei's training it brought tears to his eyes along with a great amount of respect for Issei. He always considered Issei to be the best partner he had, but now he was sure of it more than before because none of the former possessors cared for him as a being like Issei did. No, they all cared for the power he brought them and nothing else.

"You look like shit," Issei snapped his head to the direction the voice came from to find Vali standing there with her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face as she scanned Issei's body with interest that made Issei blush furiously.

"Yeah...Thanks, Vali," Issei sarcastically replied after huffing in annoyance.

"So...What do you want Vali?"

"Nothing really, I came to talk to you about something," Vali answered as she took a seat on the ground near the lying form of Issei.

"Huh? What you want to talk about then?" He asked in wonder as he turned his head to Vali who just had her gaze set in front of her.

"Why did you spare her?" Vali suddenly asked in a voice that had a hint of sadness that tried hard to be concealed but to no avail.

"What are you talking about Vali?" Issei asked in confusion as he started to sit, but he didn't need her to specify, he already knew who she talked about since he asked himself the same question ever since this happened as well and it took him a long time to reach a definitive answer.

"You know who...I'm talking about that blonde girl from your old peerage, Asia I think her name was?"

"To be honest I asked myself the same question ever since it happened," Issei told her.

"And?" She asked in slight annoyance from how Issei took his time to speak.

"I don't know how to explain this. I guess that when I looked at her seconds before my fist connected with her face I didn't see the girl who caused me great pain alongside Rias and the rest, I saw the good times we both had with each other and the things we've been through like how I saved her from Raynare and became her first friend, the kiss she gave me when I woke up from the coma I was in after Rias forced me out of my incomplete Juggernaut Drive, and many other moments we shared just the two of us or with the peerage," Issei told her before he sighed in sadness from the once good memories that for him, were now nothing more than a cold reminder to the pain Asia and the rest caused him.

Vali frowned after hearing what Issei said. Many emotions were storming within the silver-haired girl right now, feelings she wished never to feel.

'Is he still have feelings for them?' She asked herself in sorrow as she thought of the possibility of her loved one slipping right through her fingers once again.

When she saw the kiss Issei and Yasaka shared that night at Kyoto, she felt her heart beginning to crack, but she would never show this side of her to anyone, the side she considered to be nothing more than a weakness. But Vali glued the cracks together when she plagued her mind with positive thoughts, that her chance with Issei didn't waver nor decreased after that kiss. She knew Issei once had a big enough heart to love more than one person in it, that he'll treat them equally and would never love the other more than the rest because that's just how he is, or at least was before Rias and the rest crushed the big heart that beat vigorously in his chest, filled with love and compassion towards the girls in his old peerage, love that was replaced with great amount of pain, and because of that Vali wasn't sure anymore that Issei would be able to actually love more than one person, but that didn't mean she couldn't continue to think and hope for it.

She knew that the next thing she was about to do was probably the most awkward thing she has ever done, but she knew she had to do it; she had to do it so she could be at peace, she had to do it, so the hurtful doubt and negative thoughts that continued to linger will be replaced with certainly.

"D...Do you still love them?" She weakly asked Issei in a hesitant tone.

Issei scowled at the question Vali asked him. He closed his eyes and started to think about his feelings towards the girls in his peerage; something that made Vali slightly worried.

After several minutes Issei finally broke the silence that lingered after Vali's question.

"To answer your question no, I don't love them, but sadly it's more complicated than that. Despite the pain the Rias and the girls caused me, pain that haunts me to this day, the fond memories we shared together continues to exist in my mind, and because of those memories, I guess I have a very small spot for them in my heart. After all, Rias was the one that saved me after Raynare killed me, but does that mean I'll forgive them for what they've done to me? No, even if I wanted to forgive them I couldn't find it in my too because the pain I felt at that moment far exceeded the happiness I felt from all our time together," Issei truthfully answered Vali as he looked her in the eyes.

Of course, he wanted to say more. He wanted to say how she, Yasaka, Kuroka, and Le Fay started to slowly fill the empty void that Rias and the others left, how they made him to slowly start thinking that he can love once again without fearing for betrayal, but he decided against it since he still had doubts, doubts that were made by both his old peerage and Raynare. He knew that even though he started to slowly believe that he could find it in him to love again, it would take him some time before he could fully do that, he wanted to be careful about it even though Vali and the rest had completely earned his trust. He wanted to tell them what he felt towards them, the great affection he had towards all of them, an affection that he slowly started to consider as pure love, but he couldn't, not now at least, and he didn't know when he would be able too.

Vali looked at Issei, a smile now adorning her face. She was filled with relief and joy when Issei told her he would never love the girls in his peerage again nor he'll forgive them. She thought to herself that now when the doubts had been cleared and were replaced she had to do something, she had to act so Issei would know of her feelings towards him, but she didn't want to say it out loud, so she did the only thing that came to her mind that hopefully will show Issei that she had feelings for him.

She crawled to Issei and gave him a kiss on the lips, a kiss that she hoped would give the brunette a small peak at the feelings she felt towards him every single day.

The brunette widened his eyes in response to the point where they threaten to burst out of their socket after what Vali did. Many thoughts flooded his mind as he comprehended the feelings he felt from that kiss but decided to push them for later in favor of deepening the kiss with Vali.

The warmness her pink, full lips provided was something he never felt before. Their tenderness, the passion, the vigor. Those were things he felt before but never to the extent he was feeling right now which greatly surprised him.

'Since when...Vali?' He asked himself before his line of thoughts was snapped when the warmth on his lips disappeared.

When he opened his eyes, he saw that Vali was no longer beside him and was now half way towards the door.

His eyes continued to follow Vali while his mind tried to make sense of what transpired just now.

He had sighed before he fell on his back once again, his eyes closed as his mind worked extra.

'This is going to be a long night...' Issei thought to himself as he realized that sleep wouldn't be something he will get today, not after what happened.

He stayed on the ground of the training field for a long time before he got up and went to his room where he would continue his train of thoughts.

AN: Don't forget to Follow, Favorite, and Review!