I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*

M for mature topics. No children allowed. *

The Broken Boosted Gear

By Try Another Time

Earth has many places that few to no human will ever witness with their eyes. For a race that believed that they reigned supreme in the world, they lacked awareness of their planet's many secrets. One such secret is located deep within a particular region within the Asian continent, or at least what remained of it as most of its mass now floated across the sky with many other human nations.

"The Misty Jade Valley, a region where time seemed to not advance like the rest of the world, a place frozen within an era before humanity," Tosca said as she read a small green book. "Is this even possible?" She wore her official alliance uniform alongside her father.

She turns to face her father, who is sitting by her side on top of her mother, who has been transformed into her real form.

"It is, although it is a bit complicated to explain. Yu Long has been far more protective over his territory than any other dragon from our generation." Ddraig explains as he looks at the dense walls of fog, which hides the valley from human eyes.

One could try to pass through the fog, but any attempt would be useless. Regardless of the technology or maps they used, any human would get lost and appear in one of the many exits.

For centuries, many tried, but without Yu-Long's interference, all attempts failed as the region remained untouched by human hands—a truly untouched region that no human would ever reach on their own.

"I'm far more amazed by his invitation. I expected to hear from him much later." Tiamat admits.

"I don't know why we didn't recruit him much earlier," Tosca argues.

"... We forgot about him." Both parents admit.

"Wow, talk about being rude to your fellow dragon." Tosca looks surprised as she wasn't expecting such an answer.

"We have been busy with other things. Remember? I was away for a whole month, and then I was unconscious for a while." Ddraig begins.

"And I was busy with Shangri La. Taking care of a city is not an easy task, sweetheart." Tiamat joins in.

"I hope that the gifts we brought will appease his anger once he learns that Fafnir-san was recruited before he was," Tosca says, making her parents even more ashamed about taking so long to visit the Jade Dragon.

As Tiamat's body approached the dense foggy walls surrounding the area, the group felt they were being watched as they got closer to their destination. The dense walls of fog broke apart until they had a clear path into a land untouched by human hands.

"Amazing…" Tosca's eyes brimmed with excitement as she witnessed the sight before her.

Lustrous waterfalls and greenish pastures extended in several directions, while tall, blackened monoliths with draconic symbols enclosed the entire valley. Animals known as extinct for many eons walked around and lived in open fields, while a Jade palace stood as its most prominent feature.

"Here we are, Yu-Long's dominion, his beloved Jade Valley. It seems that he finally completed his palace. I have to say that is far more amazing than what I ever envisioned." Ddraig comments as he sees the palace.

The tall structure seemed to be made of precious materials such as marble, jade, and many others that couldn't be easily mined, yet Yu-Long had achieved the vision he sought to create. The whole building seemed almost like a crown, with four towers reaching the sky. The influence of Chinese culture was there, but not as prominent as that from other places. The whole building could be comparable in size to the Roman Colosseum.

As they approached the structure, they noticed several fields of farmland surrounding the outside of the castle. Surprisingly, none of the animals running free around the valley touched them.

"They don't seem attracted to their crops; is that normal?" Tosca asks.

"Animals within this place must know the pyramid. Yu-Long and his people stand on the top, likely hunting animals with extreme control so as not to disrupt the ecosystem they have going in here. Gaia likely helped him create this enclosed paradise." Tiamat says as she looks for a place to descend.

Once she locates a small open space inside the palace's walls, she approaches it.

As soon as Tiamat reaches the floor, many of Yu-Long's descendants, including one female, welcome the group.

Her black hair was long and lustrous, while her eyes seemed like ambers. Her expression denoted her maturity, although she looked no younger than 17 or 18. Her attire was qipao, but one was made of pelts and skin from the prey she had hunted, and her hands were not those of a lady from a palace but a huntress.

Those who surrounded her wore attires made of similar materials, but none seemed like a half-assed job, as each one was well made by what seemed to be the hands of a master of their craft. Most were females, with a few males in the group.

"It is an honor to welcome you to our home, True Dragon King Tiamat, Alliance Enforcer Ddraig, and Aegis Dragon Tosca. My name is Jing of Jade, matriarch of this family." The female says as she greets the group.

Her family greets them with the same energy as they stand by her side. One could tell they were related to her as many of their facial attributes and hair colors resembled hers, although their horns and eyes resembled those of the Jade dragon.

Tiamat waits until Ddraig and Tosca hop off from her before she takes her other form.

The trio reciprocates the welcome as each one kneels before pulling the multiple presents they brought with them.

"It is an honor to be invited into your abode. We sincerely apologize for not reaching out any sooner. Please accept these gifts as a sign of our apology." Tiamat says as she takes the lead.

Jing shakes her head. "There's nothing to apologize for. If anything, we understand how busy you must have been. Gaia-sama has been telling us things have been tense within the Alliance. Enemies do tend to show up when another power shows up and disturbs the scale, be it humans or supernatural beings; things never change. Children take those gifts from our visitor's hands, and let's guide them inside. Yu-Long must be almost done with our meal."

Her family quickly grabs the gifts before leading the group to stand up and follow them inside.

"Yu-Long is the cook? Isn't he the dragon king?" Tosca asks.

Jing chuckles. "My dear, dragon families don't follow human trends. He might be the dragon king, but he's no tyrant who just sits around doing nothing. Everyone in our home has their jobs and tasks to do. I hunt our proteins or work in the farmland, while Yu-Long is our best chef, in-house builder, and primary protector. Everyone aids in the sustenance of our home."

"Sorry, I guess that because of this palace, he would be closer to the classic human king," Tosca admits.

Ddraig pats her shoulder. "Is alright. Anyone would think like that if they saw the palace for the first time."

Jing and her family nod in agreement. Some laughs were even heard amongst the group as they spoke about Yu-Long.

"I myself expected something similar when I first laid my eyes on the palace back then. A human princess escaped her father into a land that no human had ever reached. I was surprised that I was even allowed entrance into the valley. Yu-Long told me that he felt pity for a child who looked like she had no way out, but he offered no more help as he let me figure out how to survive amongst the beasts that craved to chew me up." Jing comments as she remembers the past.

"He left you to fend for yourself? Isn't that a bit cruel?" Tosca asks.

Jing touches her right shoulder. Under her attire, a large scar remained as a sign of her struggles. "It was, but it made me realize I could do much more. I was no princess in this land; I was another creature looking to survive. I hunted and fought for my life until my efforts captured Yu-Long's attention. He approached me with small gifts when he no longer saw me as a child. Medicine to heal my injuries, a knife made from one of his fangs, a coat made from the skin of one of his prey; he sought me out with things like that once he acknowledged me as worthy of his attention. It was rather cute as he seemed to maintain his distance. If I remember well, he would keep an eye on me even when he claimed he had no interest in whatever happened to me."

"Oh, that's so cute from our great-grandfather." A few cheerful voices are heard amongst the group.

"Classic Yu-Long. He's not one known for taking a step forward so easily. Some might call him a coward, but he's far more careful about his actions. He likely wanted to ensure he could trust you before he dropped his guard around you." Ddraig comments. "If anything, he has always been a smart dragon compared to the rest of us."

Tiamat nods as she agrees with his statement. "There's no denying his intellect. If anything, this palace and its domain are examples of Yu-Long's mind. He has always thought a step ahead."

Yu-Long's family is surprised to hear such comments from fellow dragons. If anything, none of them expected other dragons to share such high praise for their patriarch.

"Thanks for praising him. I never expected dragons such as yourselves to think so highly about my beloved. If anything, I felt we were too isolated from the rest of the world due to his actions." Jing admits.

Tiamat shakes her head. "His careful steps kept this place safe for many eras. Before you came into existence, many came to this planet searching to slay a dragon while Gaia was asleep. The dragon hunting season was brutal, as dragon hunters searched for each of us, and few of us could easily evade them. Tannin had a hard time when he became a parent as those hunters targeted his family. Luckily for all of you, Yu-Long created a near-unbreakable barrier that kept hunters away in times of danger."

Ddraig places a hand on Tosca's head. "If this restless girl were born back then, it would have been rather horrible to raise her in peace. I don't want to imagine what hunters would have done to her while Tiamat and I were facing their hordes."

"Old man, stop. You'll mess up my hair, and then Mom will have to start from scratch." Tosca says as she tries to remove his hand. Her hairstyle resembled a French Twist.

"Dear, listen to her. I finally found a hairstyle that suited her." Tiamat adds with a happy expression on her face.

Tosca gets annoyed as her father doesn't let go; thus, she opens her jaws and sinks her sharp fangs into his hand to stop him.

"Hey! Who bites their father's hand like that?" Ddraig asks as he lifts the girl who holds onto his hand.

The Aegis dragon glares and growls at her father as she tries to sink her fangs deeper but is unable to due to the hard skin of the older dragon.

"Tosca, be nice with your father. He was just showing you his affection." Tiamat tickles Tosca's sides as she tries to make her release Ddraig's hand.

The Aegis dragon tries to hold onto the hand but quickly gives up as the tickling becomes unbearable. "Mom, stop it! I give up."

Jing can't help but smile at the interaction between the three dragons. "I'm glad to see that the rumors were true. She's your daughter regardless of the methods used to bring her to life. The firstborn of the Welsh Dragon and Chaos Karma Dragon."

Her descendants feel the same way when they see the trio laughing together as if it were just another day in their lives.

A couple of minutes later. The main dining area of the palace.

Ddraig, Tiamat, and Tosca were brought into a massive dining room with several long tables.

"Wow, this place is massive. It is comparable to the dining area in our second residence. How much marble did he have to gather for all of this? Are the tables made from minerals? What about these crystalline silverware and plates?" Tosca asks as she approaches one.

Jing nods. "Like I said, he's our in-house builder. He carefully made all of this with his own hands. I helped with the final touches to the palace, but most of it was all him. Let's take a seat. The others are bound to come in very soon."

The trio follows Jing and her descendants. After the entire group is seated, the table is almost at full capacity. Tosca counts at least 30 heads, including her and her parents.

Three other tables are left empty for the remainder of the members of the Jade household.

Tosca raises her hand to gain Jing's attention. "Sorry for the question, but just how many people live in this palace?"

The Jade Matriarch ponders for a bit while she caresses her chin. "Let's see, my children are twelve. My grandchildren are close to 48, wait, 50 by now, and my sons and daughters-in-law are close to 29."

"Great-grandmother, you're forgetting about your great-grandchildren and many others." One of the girls says.

"Right…. I'll say around 150 or more people. I lost the count after the 50-year mark. My children usually stay here and have never left the nest for too long, but my grandchildren and their descendants are another story. They come and go with the seasons; most live in other realms, while a few others can be found amongst the humans, but they keep visiting regularly. We always have an influx of visitors all year round." Jing admits with a silly smile.

"150? But how?" Tosca raises her eyebrows in surprise.

"I can explain," A girl with a tomboyish attitude who seems to be in her 30s says as she stands up. She's wearing an unbuttoned shirt, bandages covering her breasts, and a pair of long pants. Two small dragon horns rested on top of her head. Another two girls summon a small green board for her to write in."My name is Xia Jade, and I'm the 29th great-grandchild. As our family kept growing, Great-grandpa started going down to extend the palace's capacity. Although the castle seems impressive from the outside, the lower levels are far more surprising. A long and complex maze of tunnels acts as our extended home underground. We have storerooms, rooms, baths, and anything we could ever need under the surface. As a dragon, you must know that caverns and underground areas will be your friends as you seek to settle down. Your family is bound to grow past your initial plans, and as an ageless being, you'll have to make changes to accommodate all of your family. We always stay close, no matter how far we go. Even if you go away when you get older, you will return home as no dragon that respects themselves will stay away from their parental home for long."

Xia says as she draws and writes a detailed explanation of the expanding maze of the Jade Palace under the surface.

Tosca's head starts to hurt as she sees so much information on the board. "Mighty Gaia, not even school has given me such a bad headache."

Xia smirks as she points her chalk at Tosca. "As the daughter of the mighty couple that are your parents, you'll need to consider this if you decide to leave the nest. Your future mate will likely want many children, and those children will have their own mates. You'll need to build a home in which they can settle when they choose to visit. Maybe in five years from now?"

Ddraig and Tiamat shake their heads in disagreement. "Tosca won't get married until she's at least 18."

"Huh? She's a dragon; how could she wait so long to get married off? I left the nest by the time I was fourteen and found a mate shortly after." Xia questions the pair.

Ddraig and Tiamat quickly hug Tosca from each side as they shake their heads.

"How can we give her off to that bastard so soon?"-Ddraig

"She's our first child. We want to have time to cherish her while she's still young. Dragons age much slowly these years."-Tiamat

"Look at her precious face. How can I just let her go so easily? She's just a baby."

"I'm not ready to let her go on her own just yet. There's so much I have yet to teach her."

The couple continues while ignoring Tosca's embarrassed face.

The descendants of the Jade dragon held back their laughs as they witnessed the embarrassing situation in which the Aegis dragon found herself. Jing did the same, but after seeing how close Tosca was to bursting into flames, she intervened.

"Xia, thanks for the explanation, but be mindful that not every dragon ages at the same speed. As my eldest son, Fu didn't leave the nest until he was twenty. He didn't feel ready, and we understood that. Tosca will be ready when her time comes regardless of whether it takes 18 or 30 years; Ddraig and Tiamat will know that it is time to let her go when that time comes. Now, you two, let go of her; Tosca will likely burn a piece of the palace if you embarrass her anymore." Jing says as she points her finger at the couple.

Ddraig and Tiamat don't feel threatened at first by the 'human' huntress, but as they feel her glaring eyes, they slowly let go of Tosca.

"Good," Jing says as she sees this.

"... Thank you," Tosca says as she feels more at ease.

"Don't worry. I just know when we parents can be a bit too annoying, but keep this in mind, young dragoness. These two genuinely cherish you more than any human could ever understand. I wished my own parents had been like them when I was still an average human. If things had been different, I might have stayed at that place, but their actions pushed me away. Now, I no longer hold any attachments to my life as a princess of a long-forgotten dynasty." Jing admits as she recalls her young self in Tosca.

A human that stopped being human to walk a different path alongside dragons.

"... Do you regret it?" Tosca asks. "Do you regret leaving that life behind?"

Jing shrugs her shoulders. "What is a life that just involves being a piece in a chess game to be used according to others' plans? I had no future than to be married off according to my father's plans. My mother saw me as a failure, as I wasn't a boy who could inherit the throne. I had no parental love given to me; no amount of dresses and toys can repair a life of solitude in which your every day involves preparing yourself to be given away as a bargaining chip to a general or future ally. I saw a way to escape and have never returned to human society. I prefer this path to whatever fate awaited me back then. Do you regret becoming a dragon?"

Tosca quickly shakes her head. "I love being one; this current me is the one I want to be. I never dreamed of it, but it was the thing that saved me and allowed me to remain who I am. I might have been born a human once, but I wasn't truly me until I was awoken to the embrace of these two. I… can't thank my parents enough times for everything. I find them annoying sometimes, but I love being their daughter because I had nothing besides fellow orphans who were as lost as me. We believed the lies of researchers, and we almost lost everything, but those of us who survived couldn't be any happier about the homes that welcome each of us in."

Several orphans, including Isaiah, smiled in other places, knowing they had found their true homes regardless of the past, whether alongside a master swordsman, fallen angels, or their descendants who were now their families.

Tiamat starts to tear up as she listens to her daughter speak. "Sweetheart, oh, how can I ever let you go." Tiamat quickly embraces her as she can't help but be deeply touched by her daughter.

"Mom, come on. There has to be a limit to how many hugs you can give me," Tosca struggles as the crying Tiamat continues to hug her. "Old man, help me."

"I can't, my child. I'm struggling to find the words to describe how touched I am. Issei would also be crying if he was here to listen to this." Ddraig says as he covers his face to hide his tears. "We have such a precious child as our daughter, partner."

Meanwhile, in Gautama's dream.

Issei, the Burning Buddha, stopped his everlasting pilgrimage amongst the corpses of his failed attempts.

As his hand touched his chest, he felt a warm sensation.

"...Tosca…."

"Issei?" Gautama asked as he saw his expression lost in the distance.

"Let's continue," Issei shakes his head as he embarks on his mission to slay the beast once more.

Back with Ddraig and the rest.

"Sorry for the delay…." A tall-haired man with a full beard stopped himself while he carried a large pot. A pair of large yellow horns stretched from his forehead. He wore an outfit that resembled a chef's uniform.

"Father?" A similar-looking girl who held another pot stopped right behind him alongside many others of her family members.

They saw a rather charming sight as they poked their heads from the sides of their patriarch.

A room full of crying family members while a young girl tried to fend off a blue-haired woman who was trying to hug her.

"Sweetheart!" The woman screamed.

"Stop it, Mom." The girl replied.

It was a curious sight to behold, and Yu-Long couldn't help but worry about what made his beloved bride cry.

A couple of minutes later.

The room was packed as the entire family gathered for a meal. A massive meal composed of stew, fresh bread, rice dishes, meat, and even multiple salads was shared around as the descendants of the Jade dragon ate to the heart's delight.

"So you're the daughter that I heard so much about? You're a bit smaller than the rumors said." Yu-Long joked as he watched Tosca eat his food with a gleaming expression.

"If the food weren't so good, I would have been mad at you." Tosca thought while she continued to devour her food.

"Look at her eating; that's what you call eating like a dragon. She's truly one of us." Xia jokes before she receives a swift smack from an older-looking man.

"Be nice to her. She's still a growing dragon, and you're not better at eating." The man said.

"Eat more, young Aegis. You need to be as strong as your parents." Another woman said.

Ddraig and Tiamat couldn't help but enjoy the sight of Tosca being welcomed by Yu-Long's family. The pair couldn't help but wish for the day when their own home would be so packed with their descendants.

It was nearly impossible for any dragon not to wish for something similar as they isolated themselves for safety, but deep inside, they hoped to make connections that could fill the void of their lives.

"Hey, you two. Eat before the food gets cold," Yu-Long says, pointing his spoon at the couple. "I invited you to my home; the least you can do is enjoy my food. Since you saw the need to reach out to Fafnir before you did me."

A drop of sweat appears on Ddraig and Tiamat's faces as they feel ashamed of ignoring Yu-Long for so long.

"Sorry." The couple admits before they start eating.

"Yu, come on. Don't be too hard on them. Things surely got in the way." Jing tries to reason with her beloved dragon.

"No. If anything, this was an outrageous act. Of all the dragons, Fafnir is close to the last spot in who to trust. The bastard has lived a life of excess and carelessness for eons. Ddraig and Albion might have gone to war against gods, but Fafnir gained the ire of many by just going around romancing women and leaving tabs on the names of others. When did I sneak out to Alfheim and leave a tab open with my name? When have I romanced someone's bride-to-be? Fafnir just had to put my name out there and expect me to take the blame." Yu-Long's yellow eyes glow with anger as he recalls the many problems Fafnir caused him.

"We're sorry." Tiamat and Ddraig continue as they feel the rising anger of their fellow dragon.

"Yu, honey, sweet pie. You need to calm down. Your anger is understandable, but you mustn't let it cloud your eyes. Tiamat and Ddraig were likely too busy to come to us. The Alliance has its own problems; if they had their way, you would be the first choice they reached out to. Right?" Jing asks the couple.

Tiamat and Ddraig quickly nod in agreement.

"See? They are truly sorry about this. For now, let's eat in peace and discuss this after our meal. Okay?"

"Jing, I can't-"

"Okay?" Jing's expression turns colder as she quickly grabs Yu-Long's neck before choking the life out of him. Her eyes resemble those of a huntress who awaits in the shadows to slay her prey.

The dragon sweats as he feels the inhuman grip of her bride's hand."I understand, my love. Stop choking me." Yu-Long pleads for his life as his bride's darker side threatens him.

Everyone stops eating and talking as they witness the sight. Not a single soul feels safe as a mere 'human' can threaten a dragon king with such ease.

"So this might be the reason Yu-Long has one single bride. She's far scarier than I imagine," Tosca told herself before returning her attention to her plate.

"Alright. Back to eating." Jing releases him and returns to her usual self. "I love to eat fresh meat after hunting the entire morning."

Nobody objected as they decided not to interrupt the meal anymore.

After the meal. Outside the palace's walls.

The two couples watch as Tosca flies around alongside the many descendants of the Jade dragon. The girl seemed to enjoy herself as she shared time with those who resembled her and could keep up with her strength.

"She's amazing for a child her age. I can tell she'll be as strong as us at that age." Yu-Long expresses.

Tiamat shakes her head. "She might even surpass us with the right training. She's still on edge about training under Athena, but she'll come around."

Jing turns to the dragons. "Do you want her to fight?"

Ddraig shakes his head. "If possible, I wish that wasn't the case, but none of us has the freedom to keep her away from the front lines when everyone else is preparing their own children for what is to come. Those who can fight are cursed to take weapons to protect the weak. We don't get to run away when everything is at risk. I will have to face that thing even if I don't know if I can truly win."

Yu-Long takes a deep breath. "So, Gaia was right. Shiva had such visions. We… will have to face the curse of the Gods. Damn it….. I don't want to lead them to such a fight. They have lived in peace for so long, Ddraig."

"... We're sorry. We can't ask you to force your descendants to fight, but we need you." Tiamat says.

Jing shakes her head. "If Yu-Long is going, so are we. As a family, we need to stand together. If the threat is this big, we'll face it together. Earth won't be safe if everything is at risk. I have seen ages come and go. I want to see many more alongside Yu-Long, as does every single one of them." Jing grabs Yu-Long's right hand.

"Jing, are you sure about this? I can't promise you that it will be pretty." Yu-Long turns to his bride. "I created this place as a safe paradise, a place that no harm will reach. You and all of them can stay here. Only I need to fight."

Jing shakes her head. "If you go, I will do the same. I'm here because of you. They exist because we met; without you, nothing else has meaning. I promised to stay with you until the very end, and I will stand by such a promise."

*Daisuke Ishiwatari ft NAOKI- Icarus*

"Jing…." The Jade Dragon embraces her as he can't help but worry about his family's safety. It had been such a long, peaceful run, and now that peace was being threatened by something that saw no reason, no good or evil, just pure destruction. "... We'll join the Alliance. Just promise me something, Ddraig."

"What do you want me to promise?" Ddraig questions Yu-Long.

"Finish the job. Regardless of Shiva's visions, you must finish that thing for the sake of all of us. If you fail, I won't forgive you." Yu-Long threatens the Welsh Dragon.

Ddraig says nothing momentarily as his eyes turn to Tosca, who still flies without care alongside the others. "... How can I fail when her life and that of everyone I care about is at stake?"

Tiamat holds his hand as she also looks at their child, who smiles with freedom and joy.

With Issei.

"I can't fail any of them. For they are the only thing that matters to me." The Burning Buddha says as he continues to discard the remnants of his humanity until he becomes a force to protect the future.

Letting go of pain.

The past.

His memories.

His former self.

His identity.

Most of his feelings.

Burning his entire self until he no longer resembles what he once was.

Countdown:... 1

There's no turning back.

As I walk the path with no return, I want to leave a mark on what my life meant.

To those that I cherish, to the ones I wished to protect.

This is my final dance as I face eyes filled with hypocrisy, eyes that can't accept the guilt they carry.

I hope you will carry on my feelings, my memories, and the dreams I once held. Remain who you are and even the darker parts that make us all.

To you, partner. Carry on this weight when I'm no longer here.

-...