High above in the skies of Kuoh Town, floated a silver-haired Half-Devil, observing the home of the Red Dragon Emperor.
Vali Lucifer, holder of the White Dragon Emperor, watched as his adopted father, Azazel, made a fool of himself, then escape his rival's home.
[You really will not go confront the Red One? Even with him bearing his fighting spirit so readily against the Scapegoat?] Albion Gwiber, the White Dragon, asked.
"There was no need, Albion." Vali replied. "Even though he began his Juggernaut Drive, there was not an ounce of killing intent in his actions. Had Azazel not panicked he would have noticed the control, Hyoudou Issei conducted himself with." He said. "Haven't you noticed? His control was so precise, even his parents standing mere feets away didn't even feel his energy. The power of Juggernaut Drive isn't something you can just wield calmly. It's pure rampage and savagery. No, Hyoudou Issei only intended to scare Azazel, and he fell for his bluff."
[Heh. The boy used his own lifespan to bluff. Ddraig's host this time is much crazier than I expected.] Albion chuckled.
"So it seems." Vali smiled back, yet sadly he had to put a lit on his excitement. As much as he wanted to fight his destined rival, it didn't seem like now would be the time, with his friends and family's get together. There would be other chances. Vali was not in a hurry.
He watched as his rival's mother conversed with the Gremory devils. Vali snorted in amusement upon see the shotgun she strapped to her hips. He saw as Hyoudou's father talk with the devils, showing no fear, and only trust in his son's judgement.
Vali's smile turned wistful, if but for a moment. His rival came from nothing. Just as ordinarily human family. But maybe that was the best origin of all, if it allowed him to grow to such heights of strength so quickly.
Then Vali's gaze turned back to Hyoudou, and the familiar battle excitement returned. If his rival was this strong after two weeks, how about longer? How strong would Issei Hyoudou be in a month? Three months? A year? He really wanted to see that power.
I don't think I could wait a year. A month is plenty, given his strength growth, so two more weeks. That should be enough right? Or will his strength plateau soon? That last thought made him worry a bit.
Vali watched the gathering of humans and devils a little bit longer, ignoring Azazel's texts to his phone asking where he was, or why he never showed up to the Hyoudou house.
The human family and nun were playing host to group of devils. It almost seemed like the start of a joke, yet it simply looked like a happy gathering.
[I wonder though, Hyoudou using Juggernaut Drive as a bluff, is he really reckless or was he desperate?] Albion thought out loud.
"He didn't look afraid. Then again he didn't look like he wanted to fight. Do you think he might have had a back-up plan rather than use Juggernaut Drive?" Vali asked his dragon.
[There is no back-up plan if you initiate Juggernaut Drive.] Albion stated as matter of fact.
Vali frown slightly in worry. He really hoped that Hyoudou really was that strong, and not just someone weak but struggling and using everything in his arsenal. Not that, that would be bad, but it meant he would wait longer for his rival to grow into his strength.
"Truthfully if he actually stuck around that long, I would have just switched to Balance Breaker at the last second. He didn't feel that strong as to warrant using JD."
Shock swept through Vali and Albion. Vali's eyes widened as he quickly spun around to see his rival floating a few feet behind him, with red draconic wings, with the "skin" between the wing's finger segments replaced with fire.
"Hyoudou Issei." Vali said his rival's name fiercely in a show of strength and as a manner of greeting.
"White Dragon Emperor, right?" Issei however just had a cheerful smile on his face. "Hyoudou Issei. So you know me, but I don't know you. Although I have to say, I'm surprised someone like you is working for that sleazy magic car salesman, Azazel."
Vali had to hold back a snort at that description of Azazel. It was too apt.
"Vali Lucifer." He said confidently as he crossed his arms. "You are strong." He couldn't help but say, almost in relief. This close, he could feel that power lying in his rival under the surface. It seemed like Albion's assessment was wrong. Hyoudou threaten Azazel with the Juggernaut Drive simply because he could afford to. "And I do not work for Azazel, we merely have aligned common interests."
"Lucifer'?" Issei caught onto that piece of information. "Hilariously unfortunate family name, or actually related to the guy?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I am one of the bloodline of the original Satan Lucifer." He said back. "Does me having inhumane blood and yet usrping one of God's Longinus offends you?" He grinned back, challengingly.
"Nah, just curious." Issei shook his head. "Although the Sacred Gear System is either busted, or it considers anyone with even some human blood to be human enough. Which I guess is kind neat."
"Thus far in recent history, there have been many examples of those who are Half-Human, being born with Sacred Gears." Vali confirmed as he nodded. "Although there has yet to be a Quarter-Human born with a Sacred Gear, so that's the cut off as far as I'm aware."
"Neat," Issei nodded. "So, I'm guessing you were Azazel's back-up. Thanks for not busting into my house, repairing it would have been a pain."
"And slam into that obvious barrier?" Vali smirked. "Although testing its strength would have been interesting. I wonder how it would hold up to direct confrontation? It had already marked Azazel from what I noticed."
"Against you?" Issei cross his arm as well, giving Vali a once over, evaluating his opponent's strength. "Probably break, but should give me enough time to react. " Issei said. "And you know how restaurants and service places have ban lists? That's basically what Azazel is to the barrier now. Also the mark is to get a read on his location and where his home is in turn."
"His home is in the Grigori Headquarters in the heart of one of the most densely populated cities in the Underworld." Vali said back with a smile. "You won't be able to reach him without fighting every Fallen within the Underworld."
"Then it's a fair fight." Issei smile back, before frown. "No, wait, they'd still be at a disadvantage. Oh well, not my problem."
Vali couldn't help but smile at his rival's attitude. Yes, that's how his dragon rival should be.
Before Vali could demand a fight, his dragon couldn't hold back cutting in.
[So, you have awakened quite quickly this time, Ddraig.] Albion said. One could almost see the grin in his voice. [Usually even when your host awakens the Boosted Gear, it take you a while to arise from your slumber. Is the boy that talented, or were you still enraged at your last user's loss?]
[Ha! That was a draw and you know it, Albion.] Ddraig said, chuckling. [Yours seem strong too.] He took note of Vali, making the Half-Devil smirk briefly. [As for my boy, well... in a manner of speaking you can consider him talentless, but you can also consider him a genius.]
"Oi! Are you on my side or not?!" Issei said back.
[Haha, well, he did have the smallest starting potential of all my wielders, but he has the greatest growth potential of them all.] Ddraig just continued. [So you can say he's the perfect wielder for me. One that embodies all my strengths.]
"Aww," Issei rubbing the back of his head, looking aside. "Thanks."
[You sound proud there, Ddraig.] Albion noted. [Almost like a doting father. How unlike you to grow so attached to your wielder and so quickly.]
[Yeah. Quickly.] Ddraig said, as if voicing away from the conversation, not elaborating.
"So, are you here to battle me, Hyoudou Issei?" Vali said, getting right to the point.
"No, no, no," Issei waved his hands in front of him. "My house has guests here, I can't stick that long." He said. "Besides, if you fight me, wouldn't that be like a statement from the Grigori declaring official hostilities against me?"
"Hmm. That would be annoying." Vali held his chin in thought. "We could always say it's a spar. As long as no one kills the other it should be fine. And if one of us ends up dying, welp, the winner deals with the consequences then."
"Oi, treat your death more seriously, won't you?" Issei said worryingly at Vali's flippant attitude.
A smirk grew on Vali's face.
"'My death'? Do you really think you can defeat me, Hyoudou Issei?" Vali said.
"Dude, call me Issei. Saying my full name all the time, like you're from the government, isn't menacing, it's annoying." Issei said back, before gaining a more somber look. "And if we fought, you wouldn't die. Because I am that strong to ensure you live. I don't think I can defeat you, I know I can."
Vali grinned back viciously, his aura and power rising almost as if he couldn't contain himself.
"Why don't we find out?" He said, forgetting that they had agreed to postpone their battle.
[You should hold back your wielder, Albion.] Ddragi spoke up. [This close to the Hyoudou's home, partner won't hold back.]
[Then why don't we fly up?] Albion said back. [It will be like our battles of old.]
Tension began to rise, as it seemed like the inevitable battle of when two dragons meet, was about to occur. A clash of wills that could not be overturned.
[No.] And yet, one of the Heavenly Dragon did turn away. [Let's us meet at a later date as agreed.]
It felt like a storm was going to begin before it stopped prematurely. Vali feeling Albion's shock through their bond took the winds out of his sails, long enough to calm down and be patient.
[...I expected your wielder to be the one to suggest that as he's looks like level headed one. But not you.] Albion stated in shocked overcome by intrigue. [Normally I would just say you've grown soft.] Albion said. That usually would be his taunt to his rival, but he could feel the Red Dragon's aura. An aura as familiar to him as his own, from how many times they, or the wielders of Divine Dividing and Boosted Gear have clashed over the eons and eras.
Ddraig's aura was sharp. Sharper and more dense and vicious that he could ever recall it, except maybe when they were still alive, before they were slain and sealed.
[How did this wielder affect him this much?] Albion wondered. [Or did something else happen?]
[I guess I'm not in a rush.] Ddraig said. [Or maybe I'm not seeing the point in our battles as I used to.]
[What does that mean, Ddraig?] Albion demanded, yet his rival was silent this time.
"Phone number." Issei said as the silence stretched for a while.
"What?"
"We need each other's contacts, so we can plan that fight away from everyone and not cause a mess." Issei said.
"Ah, right." Vali replied.
The two Dragon Emperor exchanged contact, with Issei casually waving Vali off, so he can return to his family lunch, without seeming to have been gone for too long.
"I'll call you at Golden Week, let's see if we can plan something for then." Issei said with a wave as he began turned to fly back down.
"Somehow our destined clash suddenly doesn't feel as epic anymore." Vali said as he looked at his phone.
[Ddraig.] Albion spoke one last time. [You changed. It's not even like your were taunting as you usually would. All our battle, even with our wielder inheriting our spirits and destiny, and you're saying it's all amounted to nothing!] Albion roared toward the end.
Vali found himself very interested in the Red Dragon's reply. Why would the Welsh Dragon turn away from the Vanishing Dragon? It felt like the destined battle of the Heavenly Dragon successors wouldn't be right, if the Red Dragon wasn't giving it his all along with his wielder.
[Tell me, Albion...] Ddraig finally spoke, and his words left Albion struck stunned into silence. [When was the last time you sought strength?]