Eyelids swaying, Issei stood. Then fell. Then stood again, mentally empty.

He had used most of his focus recasting High-God-Class barrier magic. His parents were sleeping peacefully on the sofa, having felt the weak pull on their own meagre reserves. The atmosphere had almost returned to its normal concentration, but the lingering effects could be felt by him, even contained within the barrier. It had an extremely strong presence of holy energy, even stronger than what he felt during Michael and Metatron's last moments. To the devils, it would be worse than putrid.

He wouldn't have to worry about that though, since he wanted to rest. That pestering fucking beam of sunlight piercing his eyelids through his kitchen window refused to cease.

'Should I just destroy the Sun? No, that'd kill Lady Amaterasu and kill my fire. And all life on Earth, I guess. Ugh, fine.'

Raising his hand to shield himself from the unrelenting onslaught on his corneas, he slowly opened his eyes to glance at the calendar adorning the wall.

September 4th, 2016. Three years before he had died. He had very limited time to get as strong as possible and prevent the machine uprising. It was also-

"8:44" read the digital clock to his right. He was sprawled out atop his family's kitchen workspace. If it was September 4th, it would be the day he started his first year at Kuoh Academy. If it was 8:44...

Issei had 16 minutes to get dressed and make a 30 minute journey.

Without magic.

His brain was slamming bricks against its confines, each swaying step felt like a vicious strike from Hercules to his poor human skull.

He began crawling up the stairs, eyes closed. Found his uniform through clenched teeth and eyelids, wiped some toothpaste over his still clenched teeth with his finger before falling down the same stairs he had struggled with.

His shoulder felt funny.

Eh.

Issei had the route memorised, without mentioning his greater-than-superhuman senses. Although those were still recovering from his previous behaviours. With a wicked headache, he walked calmly.

As in, he sprinted as fast as his pitiful human legs would carry his sad lump of flesh called a body. No doubt people were staring.

After a long hard fight against his own will to live, Issei didn't bother staring up at the gates closing behind him, having fallen over for what must've been the fiftieth time on his journey. Someone was talking to him, but he was going to kill that someone if he had to listen to them for one more minute.

Walking through the filled corridors of Kuoh Academy, Issei glared at everyone staring at him. Well, glanced at them, but with his current mental state it was akin to a rabid dog looking to kill a small animal.

Slumping in a taken chair, he slammed his head onto the desk with as much grace as a jackhammer trying to soothe a baby's cries.

Taken. As in, he had sat on some poor girl's lap and abused her desk with his forehead.

"Uhh, excu-"
"If anyone talks to me, I'm going to throw their eyeless carcass through that window."

From Hakiko Moriyama's perspective, he was getting his class ready for introductions as it was their first day of their first year. He was. Then the door ripped open and a brown haired hooligan covered in dirt, clothing rips, bleeding cuts and—

Was that a dislocated shoulder? And did he just sit on the lap of a fellow student? The poor girl looked mortified, and all the other students were being extremely discreet about their blatant staring. Then, with a loud crack of bone against wood, any whispering was silenced.

Well, as a teacher, he should speak up.

..

Nevermind. He may be 16 or thereabouts, but he's fucking scary. That seemed like the general consensus among his students as well, including the delinquent's chair.

Issei shot his head up, eyes blaring open. The light stung, and his various egos were screaming at him. Oh, he was sat on someone.

"Oops, sorry."

"..it's okay." The girl meekly replied, just wanting him to stop crushing her legs and to stop the staring from her new peers.

He stood up looking at his vaguely familiar classmates who weren't keen on making eye contact, and moved to an empty seat.

"If that's all, I'll begin the le-"

Another crack, much harder this time, silenced the teacher.

"...I'll begin the lesson. My name is Hakiko Moriyama, and I'll be your homeroom teacher for the next 3 years. I'll go through..."

Issei drowned his boring preachings out. He just wanted to sleep.

So sleep he did.

Until this grating alarm sound told him it was time for lunch.

He was considering forgoing any kind of pretence of being limited to human capabilities and punching a hole through it with magic, before just settling for a covert illusion on himself to remove his sense of hearing. It took so little magic that it was one of the few things he could do, even if it only made him more tired.

Issei knew his classmates were staring at him, and was physically incapable of caring any less than he did. He rested until he felt better. And when he opened his eyes and undid the illusion, he gripped a hand that was about to touch his shoulder again. Not quite bone crushing, but enough to really hurt Aika Kiryuu.

She had seen his dramatic self introduction and had seen the dried blood staining his cracked desk, but the final class had ended an hour ago. Aika was alone in the room with him, and was staring to see if he'd wake up at first, then she started to stare at his body. Perverts are as perverts do.

After an hour, she had gotten bored and went to wake him up, before he beheld her hand in his. It would've been really cute if it didn't hurt so fucking much. She could've sworn she heard a small crack in her hand too. He turned his head to look at her eyes.

He had really lovely brown eyes. Minus the blood permeating his sclera.

"Can I help you?"

"PLEASELETGOOFMYHANDITREALLYfuckinghurtsohthankyou. Class is over."

"I see that."

"God, I think you broke something. Fucking hell. I've been trying to wake you up for half an hour now."

"Sorry about that."

Well wasn't he talkative. And terrifying. Maybe that was just the liquid coating him though.

"Gonna wash up? You're covered in blood, and still bleeding."

"Oh. Right. I'll go do that."

He stood up, towering over her slightly. She was average height for a woman her age, but he must've been around 5'10. Pretty tall considering he looks to be Japanese. It was kinda hot.

Looking down at Aika's weird face with various shades of disgust, he walked out the door of the classroom towards the bathroom.

"Do I not even get your name? I'm Aika Kiryuu"

"Issei Hyoudou."

Great.

One look in the mirror and he saw how ravaged he looked. Flaking mud glued parts of his hair together, dried blood joining the rest of it. His shoulder looked all kinds of fucked up too. His clothes were torn all over and a nasty cut on his eyebrow had been dripping blood beneath his eyelid for hours.

It was weird being fragile again. If he healed his wounds now, the various devils would sense the magic usage, not to mention Aika would question how his cuts were closed. He'd do it on the way home, settling for just snapping his shoulder back into place.

It isn't recommended to attempt to relocate a dislocation without a medical professional's assistance.

Issei isn't a medical professional, but the amount of times his joints had snapped mid battle meant he knew how to do it semi-professionally and quickly. Following a sharp crack, he almost doubled over from the pain. He wasn't as durable as he used to be. Or would be?

This whole time travel thing was weird. His soul had switched, but the pain tolerance he had developed did not switch with it. It didn't help that his healing magic was already unbelievably inefficient and slow. Just enough to keep his body moving and organs from spilling out.

A problem for later. He washed his hair, dried it slightly with paper towels, cleaned his cuts and left the bathroom. Aika was waiting outside with a familiar smirk on her face. Also shamelessly staring at him. Unsurprisingly.

He just thanked her and brushed past her in slow pursuit of the exit. He did not fail to notice the white haired middle schooler staring at him from behind. Aika just followed beside him, trying to make one sided small talk. By the time he was standing outside his home, it was decided that she just wanted to follow him home.

"So this is where you live? Pretty average on the outside, can I see the inside?"

"Bye."

"Heh, see you tomorrow!"

Issei didn't get a chance to heal his wounds. The cat had watched him all the way from school along with Aika. She didn't seem inclined to come any closer to the more-than-holy barrier he had placed down though. Rias knew the culprit now. Oops.

He walked through the door with Aika and Koneko staring at his back, briefly glancing at his still sleeping parents in the living room before moving upstairs while healing himself. It was slow and it burned through the atmospheric magic like almost nothing else, but it worked.

With his face no longer hosting glimpses of flesh beneath skin, he got to work with repairing his clothes. Tomorrow would be a long day. For today, he had to prepare.

He would commune with Ddraig and the agonised souls, train his physical condition with various magics to assist and mentally prepare too. To see the family that was taken from him. He had contained himself when it was just Koneko, but facing all of them as he is now? Unlikely to end well.

So for hours he sat meditating, gathering his various energies and mimicking extreme exercise with magic, causing microtears within his muscles and immediately healing them, forcing them to grow stronger.

Within this frame of silence, Issei felt the pull on his soul from Ddraig, who was interlinked with him. Following this pull would lead to his companion.

He missed his partner. When he entered his mind's scape, he didn't expect to see Ddraig's towering draconic form hibernating. Well, there was only one way Issei had proven to awaken him. And as he was within his soul's confines, he could utilise any technique engraved onto his soul.

He decided to be kind enough to his partner, choosing not to throw the magical equivalent of a thermonuclear device at his face.

"Penance, Obsolete, Eternity. Descending Ladder of Jacob, heed my summons. Philokalia."

Swiping crossed arms outwards, a blinding and deafening white pillar of light consumed Ddraig's entire form. This was one of the techniques he had inherited from the Greek Pantheon, designed to fully counter any regenerative immortal being. By obliterating every molecule comprising their existence, they would have nothing to recover from and cease to exist.

Of course, he powered it down for Ddraig, and as a Heavenly Dragon, it wasn't likely to do much damage even at full power. It would really hurt though, evident by the sudden roar and expression of harsh maleficent aura. The earth beneath them trembled and shook, failing to contain the being's presence.

"It's good to see you again partner."

[WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? I WILL INCINERATE-]

"...-Do you not remember? Ophis said-"

[The Ouroboros? What does It have to do with anything? Who are you?]

It seems just a mention of Infinity had calmed Ddraig's initial rage. Despite being a Heavenly Dragon, a being ranked within the top ten strongest existences, the distance between the top two and the third were like an ant gazing at the birth of the universe. Inconceivably colossal.

"Come here partner, I will remind you of our duties."

Resting his hand atop Ddraig's snout, he whispered.

"Nightmare, Ambition. Left to die under The Sun. Behold my being, in all its twisted beauty."

A technique to share his memories. It could only share small segments, and few at that, but it was enough to show him of the horrors they had faced together. The visions of numerous battles of a time passed. Ddraig could not refute them, he had seen his partner's soul. It was like looking at an ancient evil sealed long ago.

[I see. It's been a long while, partner. Did we find a fitting end?]

"Not yet. There is work to be done, we have more time to prepare now. Are Belzard and Elsha present?"

[You want to use that tainted power? I won't stop you, if you deem it necessary.]

"Well, that and I missed them too. That power can wait, it feels horrible on my skin anyway."

[It looks horrible too. Why use it anyway?]

"Sometimes people need to feel rage to understand the consequences of their actions. Plus, what motive for strength is stronger than Hatred?"

[Good point. It's lovely to see you again, but my scales still burn thanks to that. Prick.]

"Love you too Scaly. I'm guessing the Second Liberation is free to use now, right? How's the progress on Balance Breaker?"

[Second Liberation is yours to activate. Balance Breaker won't be possible right now since you've only just awoken me. It should be free for use in a week's time or so.]

"Thanks partner. I'll be heading back to my training now."

Opening his eyes, he found his room and clothes in tatters. He had been using magic a bit too much without the necessary focus. There was also a deep throbbing ache in his swelled muscles.

His method of physical conditioning had this side effect. First order of business now was cleaning his room up before his parents woke up.

Elsewhere, Rias Gremory was making contact with her brother about a potential disguised Seraph within Kuoh. Being the definitely-not-overprotective brother he is, he would be there by tomorrow at the latest. Having shared the location of the barrier with Sona, it's likely Sirzechs would be accompanied by Serafall Leviathan.

While Rias and Sona were generally very autonomous as holders of the Kuoh territory, a Seraph-Class angel being present meant war was imminent. And while young and foolish, they were not foolish enough to think they would not be obliterated in less than an instant.

And this 'Seraph-Class angel' was still mending the cracks in the walls and ceiling with a crimson gauntlet adorning his left arm.

Tomorrow could not come later, no matter how much he wished it would. Waking up was normal, getting ready and dressed was far better than yesterday.

Issei's parents were downstairs to greet him with breakfast, his mother fawning over his appearance. Neither remembered falling asleep the day prior. Good.

Leaving on time, he immediately noticed the massive unholy presence outside of the barrier. With someone of this level, it could only be a High-Ultimate-Class devil, or one of the Maou. Fuck.

He fucked up.

Ignoring every screaming instinct and reflex pointing at the shadows in the alleys he walked past, he made it to the familiar gates surrounded by a wave of students. Passing through, he felt the second warning sign. A barrier, inconspicuous at first glance, that wards off those aligned with God. Thank Lucifer he wasn't an angel.

Weaving through the crowds in the corridors to make it to his classroom, he walked through the open door to face unreadable stares from everyone present. He might have made a scene yesterday.

Issei just took a seat, resting his head on his hand. That unholy presence was even more pungent now. At the very least, two or more Super-Devil-Class entities were present. He would likely get summoned to the Occult Research Club or the Student Council Room.

As predicted, after an hour or so of his teacher's babbling, a familiar handsome face walked through the door to his classroom.

Kiba Yuuto, once akin to a brother to him, was now openly requesting his presence at the ORC with caution and fear evident in his facial expressions. Having agreed, drawing even more unwanted attention from his classmates, he now had a timer on his consequences. Six hours.

Six hours until school ended and he was due for a meeting with his family, with a few extras. He had to prepare physically.

Once his final classes had ended with no attention paid to them and Aika bothering him for all of them, he discreetly cast a few reinforcing spells and prepared the chants on certain barriers he could cast immediately if anything went wrong.

Now was a test of his ability to deceive.

Gazing at the door he had trounced through with such joy so many times in the past, he knew who was waiting on the other side for him.

Issei could feel them. Their souls, their presences. The smell of burning ozone, the slight chill in the air.

The door was swung open to reveal a simple dimly lit community room, of simple gothic design. Two sofas laid in front of him, separated by a coffee table. On one sofa laid Rias Gremory, Sirzechs Lucifer, Sona Sitri and Grayfia Lucifuge. The other sofa was left bare, a clear invitation. The other peerage members were dotted around the room, clearly ready to pounce on him should the threat be posed.

"Ah, Issei was it? My name is Sirzechs Lucifer, I'm the brother of Rias Gremory here. Please come and take a seat."

Gesturing to the sofa, Sirzechs Lucifer took the lead on negotiations for his future.

"Thank you. Was there something you needed me for?"

"Just one. Who are you?"

"What do you mea-"
A malevolent aura filled the room, suffocating its residents. Issei had immediately cast the barrier he had prepared, and decided against revealing his own presence.

"Issei Hyoudou. Who are you."

Issei slid one leg under the sofa and placed his forehead atop his knee in a respectful gesture to the keeper of the throne of Hell. Conflict was not his desire, especially not with his brother-in-law.

"I'm this generation's host to the Red Dragon Emperor."

Not a satisfactory answer, judging by the introduction of a new aura, just as strong. The coffee table that had been splintered and fractured by the previous presence had now been frozen solid.

"That's neither here, nor there. Who sent you."

"No one sent me. You're choking Rias and her peerage, Sirzechs."

Upon realising his sister and her best friend were, in fact, choking on his atmosphere, he reluctantly released it. With that, both manifestations of will were extinguished.

"Just so you know, I'm thinking about disintegrating you where you kneel. Which Seraphim do you serve?"

"I don't serve any angel. I'm a human magician, I just happen to manipulate holy and unholy magics."

"At your level? You'd be the strongest magician to exist. I don't believe you."

"Then I will prove my humanity to you."

With a slight focus, the Boosted Gear manifested on the arm held over his heart. It grew yellow spikes and gained a secondary green jewel to show its identity. Ddraig's declaration also backed his words.

[Boosted Gear: Second Liberation]

Their guards were not lowered, but he could feel the difference in hostility with this. He remained kneeling. Only humans can inherit Sacred Gears after all. While devils had a known method of reincarnation, angels did not. Well, not yet.

"The magic filling the atmosphere outside is not dissimilar to that of Michael or Uriel. Are you an exorcist?"

"Should I curse towards God, then?"

A stinging pain ran through the weaker members of this conference, namely everyone except Sirzechs and Grayfia.

"Fair enough. Then, Issei, do you pose a threat to my sister?"

"I just want to go to school, I'm neutral towards your sister. I haven't seen her until now."

"And how strong are you really?"

"May I release my aura?"

"You may."

.

not alone

..

"Bear Witness."

Issei stood. Raised his foot, then slammed it into the wooden boards beneath.

.

!

DEATH

Sirzechs felt the cold chill of his intent to kill wrapping around his neck. Grayfia remained still. All the other devils present had passed out immediately. If his aura was like a hammer, Issei's was like a surgeon's scalpel. Less destructive, but with an unspoken promise of the end underlaid.

At his current level, he was stronger than Issei. He knew this, but that aura felt...

Filthy. Like a survivor of the Great War. Someone who had met Death and embraced it.

The only way to have an understanding of Death that potent was to have killed millions, and faced it yourself. Sirzechs did not have that understanding, despite his overwhelming power. He had no desire for genocide, after all.

The pressure stopped, the invisible blade of ice shifted away from his neck. Issei's strength mainly came in three forms. His overwhelming spirit, his versatile magics and his main strength, his close quarters ability. Magic did not work well against a mirage after all.

"I see."

"I possess no threat to anyone within Kuoh's bounds, especially not your sister."

[King of Hell, The Crimson Ruination. At current, Issei only desires to live a quiet life. However, if you infringe on this desire, I promise you this. Upon the name of Y Ddraig Goch, The Dragon of Domination, I will end your species with my own claws. He will protect Kuoh, as he has done long before Rias Gremory and her servants ruled.]

"I did not realise you two were so well acquainted. It would not do well for my kind to make a lifelong enemy of a Heavenly Dragon, after all. We will not be hostile with you, you will not find an enemy of the devils."

"If anything, I would prefer for cooperation. We both seek the protection of Kuoh after all."

"That would be something to discuss with my sister, once she wakes up. Grayfia, I believe our business here is done."

The silent maid simply nodded, before preparing the teleportation circle.

"I hope you take care of my sister, Issei Hyoudou. I would not like a war to start, after all. I'm also most curious about how you control divine energies without the necessary requisites. I'll be visiting soon enough."

Issei just watched them leave, before gathering the fallen members of the Occult Research Club onto the sofas, and laid some of them out gently on the floor with some cushions.

'I think our acting was near perfect, partner.'

[Agreed. With this, we will have avoided most suspicion.] Ddraig spoke within his mind, so as not to awaken his family.

Healing any discreet wounds they sustained from falling over, he looked down at these strangers and servants. He would get to join them soon. For now, he had to play his part.

They would not understand the truth, not yet.