His head pounded a wicked drum melody against his skull. He couldn't even stand. Fatigue draped his every movement and every muscle he possessed was torn.

Issei's own fault of course, he had overestimated himself and had died for it. Ddraig had healed him, yes, but that was mainly the self-inflicted brain damage, sensory overload and the gaping hole around his heart. The shredded muscles would have to wait for when he could stand to use magic again.

He would thank any god out there that it was the weekend, but he had business at school. It seemed like that had slipped the minds of the four Maou as well since they had called him in today, under the impression he would be skipping classes again.

Regardless, Issei wasn't on a time limit this time. He could crawl like an earthworm to school and the only consequences would be peculiar looks from bystanders. Gathering himself mentally and preparing for the agony, he had inched himself up and while falling over had decided his desk chair would make for a lovely walking stick.

The marks had spread across his entire shell now. The slight mishap yesterday must have finalised his engravings. The soul was the body, and the body was the soul after all. He couldn't cover it up with a technique, so he would have to settle for looking like a particularly mediocre villain roaming around Kuoh.

While admiring how intricate his etchings were, he caught a whiff.

Issei fucking stank. He didn't get a chance to shower after dying yesterday, and had just gone to rest immediately. He, still grabbing the walls and mirror just to stand, couldn't shower like this. Then, his genius struck. An idea had taken root in his head, and he internally embraced himself for his intelligence.

He slumped into the bathtub, face down, and turned the shower on. After plugging the drain, it would fill up with water and he wouldn't need to stand at all, nor bear the headache from the window's light piercing and lobotomising him through his retinas. It was a stroke of brilliance, until Issei was choking and drowning in a bathtub. He didn't even fit properly, and the position of keeping his feet and legs pointed upwards had doomed him.

Why did he not take his clothes off. The weight, small as it was, had stopped him from being able to push himself up. Every muscle and tendon he had was frayed twine and he was human. Humans tended to need air. To breathe.

Twenty minutes later, his mother had woken up to the extremely loud banging coming from the bathroom prior. Upon getting dressed and walking to the bathroom to brush her teeth and take her medication, she saw her pitiful son in the dirtied, torn and now soaked clothes she had seen him wearing yesterday. He was performing a walk of shame back to his room while hacking up concerning amounts of red-tinged water. As he passed by, she caught a faint smell of him and almost gagged.

Just trying to comprehend what just occurred gave her an even deeper headache, so she settled for completely ignoring it and continuing her daily morning rituals.

Issei was a complete and utter moron. Ddraig was practically throwing up cackling at the thought of the strongest Red Dragon Emperor almost drowning in a bathtub. By himself. Said Dragon Emperor couldn't stand the loud booming laughter from a dragon stupid enough to forget why he had started a blood feud with another dragon even after both getting sealed. His headache had gotten worse.

He couldn't even stand at this point, he was just lying flat on his floor trying to dry himself off with a dirty towel. Dousing himself in a cheap cologne lying somewhere on a pile of worn clothes, it would somewhat mask the smell.

Grayfia Lucifuge was slightly embarrassed. Herself and Lady Serafall had forgotten that the Red Dragon Emperor didn't have school scheduled today. Regardless, he could come so she figured he would make it there eventually.

She had lost every sense indicating hope after the time passed into the afternoon. Waiting four hours was enough to test her patience, and there was only so many cups of tea she could produce before it was too much. Finally, the door to the clubroom opened and her mask of polite nonchalance slipped onto her face.

He looked...pitiful. It was like she was looking at a stray dog covered in infected wounds. Issei was currently using a practice sword stolen from the kendo club as a walking stick. The pungent stench of cheap cologne and sweat flooded her nose. Why was he wet?

Regardless of his current physical condition, they had a meeting to attend. It was only after Grayfia had arrived to the meeting within Hell alone that she internally scolded herself. Magic from other people didn't work very well on him.

Teleporting back, she had to practically cast the spell for him using his own magic. He barely had enough for the one incantation, and it raised a few flags in her mind. She could bring it up in the meeting though.

Issei was face to ground. After Tannin lifted him by the scruff of his collar, he was face to face with the four Maou yet again. Having been placed in his seat at the humbly expensive table, the meeting could begin.

"You look worse for wear, Issei."

"I almost drowned this morning. Can we try our best to keep it quick? My head really fucking hurts."

[HAHAHAHAHA, HE ALMOST DIED IN A BATHTUB. FULLY CLOTHED TOO. MY OWN HOST, THE STRONGEST RED DRAGON EMPEROR-]

Issei's eyes had glossed over the second Ddraig started speaking to them, and the Welsh Dragon had been cut off. Of course, Issei went into his Boosted Gear while his partner was distracted and had struck him in the side with an empowered stab from Ascalon. Then he had kicked the blade in deeper between the scales. Then he had used a full-powered Philokalia, following up with a colossal spear of light that pierced Ddraig's essence. He kicked the spear of light in deeper too.

While a cripple on the outside for now, he was more than capable on the inside. Combining the dragonslayer aspect of Ascalon with a vicious immortal-neutralising technique and a massive holy blow directly to the soul, Ddraig was in worse than a writhing agony. It wasn't enough to stop him from laughing at his partner in his own mind at least.

"Ahem, what is it you wanted to know?"

"Is Ddraig telling the truth? Did you seriously almost drown in a bathtub this morning?"

He was about to attack his brother-in-law too. It felt like there was a familiar closeness between them since yesterday, and he probably wouldn't mind as long as he survived. Right?

"Shut up, Sirzechs. Why am I in a meeting exactly?"

"We wanted to know more about the mirages, as you and Sirzechs had called them. How big of a threat are they? How many do they number? What weapons do they possess? What tactics do they use? Where are they based?"

"How did you cast circle-less magic that strong?"

"Ajuka, be quiet. Later."

Falbium was taking charge in the current round of questions. As the military tactician of Hell, he knew every detail they would need. Issei was impressed with the thoroughness.

"An Extinction-Class threat. They numbered in the hundreds of millions of units, and they had many different weapons. There are two notable variants and they use swarm hit-and-run tactics. I don't know where they originated, but by the time we were aware of the problem and took action, they had killed sixty percent of humanity. We became aware after they toppled Heaven. It didn't even take a single day."

It wasn't looking good. The number of Extinction-Class threats could be counted on a single hand, and all three were currently still present were sealed or unavailable through other means.

"Hundreds of millions? They outnumber all supernatural entities by a factor of a hundred."

"Each was at the level of Prime Ddraig by the time I had died."

Everyone's faces paled. Hundreds of millions of Heavenly Dragons spelled the end of any existing society. Just two was enough to threaten the three Biblical Factions. Issei saw their faces and sought to comfort them, if only slightly.

"They gather strength through those they've slain and those slain from their own. When I had died, only a hundred were left and they had gathered the strength of every other living being in existence."

It was slightly comforting. This meant that as long as they could find them quickly and kill all of them before they could adapt and grow stronger, they wouldn't become a threat big enough to end every species of conscious beings on Earth.

"We'll need to communicate with Heaven and the Grigori, along with every faction we know of. Big or small, friendly or enemy. We need intelligence on them before they build their numbers high enough."

"That's not a great idea. Not every faction will believe you, and some of them had sided with the mirages. It's a safer bet to leave them to me, an independent party."

"If you almost drowned in a bathtub, how will you-"

Sirzechs was cut off by a sudden sharp and burning pain in his hand. He looked down to see a single nail of light pierced through his limb. Issei hadn't even moved, or chanted. The nail had vanished the instant it pierced him, so he was left with an aching sensation in his chest and extremity. He couldn't help but laugh at Issei's expense despite it.

"The next one won't disappear, prick."

"Like you can cast any more magic."

"Ugh, whatever. Leave the mirages to me, you guys just focus on peace talks between the Biblical Factions."

"One last question, then. How did you travel through time?"

Ajuka had asked an actually decent question.

"Ophis had sent me back. Time doesn't exist in the Dimensional Gap after all."

Everyone flinched. Ophis was frightening, like a boogeyman if it was instead an ancient Dragon God.

"Why would the Ouroboros send you back?"

"Not sure. I just received the offer and took it. It chose me because I was the last one alive, I suppose."

"Alright. That should be all of the information we need about them. I believe Ajuka has a few more questions for you, but we'll all take our leave before then. Thank you, Issei Hyoudou."

Falbium had never spoken much in his past life, so it was nice to get to know him a little bit. Ajuka was staring at him with almost begging eyes to ask his burning questions. Sirzechs had an absolutely stupid smile on his face as he left alongside Grayfia and Falbium. Serafall had given him a cheerful passing comment to say hi to her sister for her. Ajuka and Tannin were the only ones left in the room. And the questions flooded in.

"How is it you use circle-less magic? Do you use your body as the medium? Is there a more efficient way of doing it? Can you show me? How does it affect the Law of Magical Flux? What about the Law of Convergence? Did you finally get to solve the problem about self-sustaining barriers in translational motion? What about rotational? How is it you can use holy energy? Can you use demonic too? Do you have any tools from the future? Can I see them? Why do you have such little magic, but you're capable of High-God-Class barrier magic? Where did you learn it? Did you fuse any other barriers to it? What are the markings on your body? Do they help with magical flow? Why does magic from others not work on you? Is it also a type of barrier? What balances and ratios do you use when comprising attribute-less magic? Can you show-"

"Ajuka, enough. You're giving me a headache, let alone Issei. Write everything down and let him answer later, I want to show him to my territory."

Once again, Tannin had saved him. He was blessed to see him agai-

"I get to go and see the drakes?"

"We have permission, so yes. I'll keep you for the night too, give you a chance to heal yourself properly. Also, did you actually almost dro-"

"Tannin, shut up. Thank you, but shut up. I already tore Ddraig's scales off for that comment, I can do worse."

"Do worse? You practically need a wheelchair."

Issei just grumbled. This was bullying. Worst, Ddraig was still laughing.

Ajuka handed him a few pages covered in questions, then they went their separate ways. Tannin took him by his collar outside, then took his dragon form. He got to ride a dragon again, it was always so fucking cool. It didn't matter if he had wings or not, dragons were the coolest creatures out there.

Of course, he had to expend every slither of energy he could healing himself to a degree to withstand it. Thankfully, he had also received a gift from Ajuka in the form of a vial of Phoenix Tears, which definitely helped.

The ride was over far too quickly. He had spent so long admiring everything that they had already reached their destination. Tannin had taken him to a valley filled with alcoves small and large, all atop a mountain. Smoke bellowed from a large bonfire they were using to cook, and it smelled wonderful. Some dragons were watching from their caves, others had come to greet their returning leader. All had noticed the human that came alongside him.

Dismounting his ride, Issei realised how small he was in the face of all these creatures. There were some children that were around his size, but most were far larger. Regardless of age or size, he had a staring audience. An audience had to be entertained, right? He felt slightly better anyway, so it was perfect for a small performance.

They were all speaking quietly to each other in the draconic tongue, and Ddraig was lending him translations. Then they fell silent as an emerald light blinded them for just a second. Tannin didn't even get to introduce him, so he would introduce himself.

[BALANCE BREAKER]

Issei's body was enshrouded in his familiar red adornments. With his face kept unwreathed, his tail swayed gently behind him as his wings manifested. Thrice the size of him with the same colour palette, it made him out to be an imposing figure. Taking to the skies, he had a better view of his spectators, and them him.

The quiet continued to reign, before Tannin let fly a roar that shook the valley. The dragons under him followed suit, joining in the chorus. Issei almost felt left out. Almost.

Black markings spread over his throat, before he too joined them. With Ddraig overlapping alongside his magically enhanced outburst, he had drowned out every outspoken viewer. They did not fail to notice the cry shaping their perception of the environment behind it with pressure. He had joined them as a fellow, and would follow their customs.

They seemed a lot more welcoming after his spectacle. Ddraig could not keep up with the translations of each dragon that approached him, so he temporarily lent his partner the gift to hear and speak draconic. It wouldn't last longer than two days, but they were only spending one here.

That small use of magic had exhausted him anyhow. He could keep Balance Breaker maintained for as long as he liked, being considered the Master of the Boosted Gear, but summoning it had exhausted him even further mentally.

Some of the more eager and welcoming dragons had offered to show him around, with many asking him about being the Red Dragon Emperor. They admired Ddraig and they greatly respected any of his hosts.

Before long, he was seated at an unreasonably long and tall table of stone. Well, seated upon one of the more fatherly dragons' shoulder. Said creature was just happy to be able to help, and had to verbally fight off many contenders for the spot. They all looked upon jealously.

He was handed slabs of meat larger than himself, impossibly large combinations of various different cuts of flesh. Settling for a simple dragon apple, they had even fawned over his respectful choice. It warmed Issei's heart to see all of this kindness, he missed all of them.

Granted, he could not remember their names, but they seemed a lot more shy last time. Regardless, he loved the company.

His family was great, but getting to talk to anyone else without hostilities or lies was refreshing. Some of the more battle-thirsty dragons had left to a clearing to spar, and he was keen to join. Tannin had quite a bit of energy and wanted to feel Issei's strength first hand, so he had also joined.

With the rest barring a few coming to watch the Red Dragon himself fight them, there was a fair bit of excitement in the air.

Everyone besides Tannin wanted to fight him too, it seemed. He would have enough energy, since these dragons weren't higher than High-Class, and that was only one of them.

His first opponent was decided to be a larger, bronze dragon. Very polite and respectful no less.

With his Balance Breaker active, Issei got to work in systematically dismantling his other with less violent methods. Dodging an airborne stomp and taking flight himself, he weaved effortlessly between beams of fire. When the bronze dragon had cooled down and realised his superior was missing, he felt a sharp pain in both of his wings. Before even hitting the floor, the Red Dragon had disabled his legs, wings and had him in a vicious chokehold. Scales shifting and cracking under the pressure, he submitted.

All to a weaponless, magicless Longinus user. It was almost scary, but it didn't deter any of the others from wanting to also duel him. Issei had to work his way through sixteen opponents of various strengths, specialisations and size. Only one had managed to land a 'hit', and that was by him blocking with his arms. Weirdly, all this fighting and warming up drained him of the remnants of his earlier fatigue.

Now came the challenge, however. The Blaze Meteor versus the current Red Dragon Emperor.

Tannin had given him permission to use everything besides Ascalon in his arsenal, so he did. He threw everything he could manage at the towering might. Using the notion that he couldn't use magic right now to his advantage, he already had a colossal rune system forming above the clouds.

The Former Dragon King had given him the first hit, and he intended to make full use of it.

"Tenbre Rosso Sangue, Terra Tremuit, Miraculum Inferni."

With his chant almost completed, Issei threw himself directly into the chest of the scaled tower and with a vicious punch that shredded scale into razorblades and embedded them within flesh, the fight was begun. Tannin was expecting magic, received a feint but he wouldn't find the truth until it boiled his blood dry.

"Bear Witness."

His malicious aura had entombed his friend, and using the slight opening created, he was upon the dragon once more. A hailstorm of blows piercing his natural armour and trailing down his underbelly let Tannin take to the skies, conjuring small meteors countless in number.

'They'll follow me, I need to destroy them.'

[Fourteen, Temperance.]

With Ddraig supporting his cast, he coated the atmosphere in the aftershocks of his powerful punches aimed at the skies. His audience watched amazed as the pressure alone had obliterated certain sectors of coverage in the sky. With the few remaining meteors, he had a plan. Tannin was already on top of him, however.

With a vicious stomp into the ground, the Red One had disappeared.

A minute had passed, before the devil-dragon hybrid felt an excruciating pain in his leg. Not the one crushing the Red Dragon Host, the other one. Taking flight once more, he flew right into the circle's range. The last thing he saw before being engulfed in fire was Issei where his leg was, unharmed and having broken every bone he could reach. His hand was held out and he was mouthing something.

"Shift the Paradigm of the World, Aberration."

The host to Ddraig had his arm outstretched, hand weaving unseen orange magics. He had twisted it facing down, gripped his hands around the energy and following his action, a beam of heat and light fully encased Tannin. A brutal roar could be heard before he had to cut the technique short. His ears were ringing and he was close to passing out himself. He also knew that if he cut it here, Tannin would counterattack as his last action, hence he had Ddraig multiplying his own reserves in preparation for one last incantation.

The Blaze Meteor had emerged from the magical furnace, having suffered significant damages despite every advantage being in his favour. It was time.

A simple outburst of noise, a flood of-
DEATH.

His own fire filled the sky, concentrated into a vicious beam aimed directly at Issei. The Red One might struggle with his strongest attack. He didn't even have a second to react after all.

[OVERTUNE]

[SEVENTEEN, THE STAR]

It was enamouring to the onlookers. If their leader's attack was power incarnate, his opponent's counter was skill defined. A small, dark blue sphere was launched into the sky and swallowed everything, leaving nothing. The stars of the night warped around it not unlike a black hole, before it vanished alongside the remnants of Tannin's technique.

Issei breathed. Breathed again. Then dived backwards as his mentor fell from the sky devoid of most magical reserves.

"Incredible, Issei Hyoudou."

"Stalemate? I can't be bothered to finish you."

The Devil Dragon Saint just cackled. It was a wonderful fight, he hadn't been this excited in decades. He knew it was his loss, but he wished it could've lasted forever. It didn't even take three minutes for the Strongest Red Dragon Emperor in History to utterly decimate him, with his former weaknesses being the only reason he didn't win. All without leaving the ground, and without his sword.

"I know I lost, Red. How did you do so much damage to me with one attack, though? Let alone being a Rook, I'm a Former Dragon King attuned to fire. Not only did you burn me through my scales, you completely negated my strongest attack."

"I didn't use normal fire, despite what it looked and felt like. What I used was the Sun in particular. It's a part of Lady Amaterasu's arsenal, and a vicious trump card against fire-resistant opponents. They never expect it after all."

"And the portal? How on earth did you conjure it with such little magic?"

"Ddraig helped me out. He was boosting my power ever since the fight started, focused purely on my reserves. He had to activate the technique, unfortunately. It's a magic Odin showed me, using tarot cards as their base. Temperance increases my physical capabilities to unmatched levels, and The Star creates that nullification effect."

"Truly spectacular. I hope we can spar again when you're recovered properly. I may have to put some restrictions in place if you can kill me that easily though."

Tannin was chuckling, he was starstruck at the display. Even if he was a time-traveller, it was incredible to see Ddraig's strongest host.

Following their post-match conversation and injury review from the audience, Issei just wanted to sleep. Telling all of the dragons that they could ask him any questions tomorrow, he left to get some rest.

Later, a certain bronze dragon would find him laying down beneath their apple trees, and invite him to share a den for tonight.

Issei had the best sleep in too many years under the wing of that friendly dragon, surrounded by his younger kin. He had dreams filled of his Eternal Flame, and of peace.

Elsewhere, a mother and father could be seen frantically calling their missing son, to no answer. They would wait until tomorrow.