Ichigo stepped through space and onto one of the many busy pedestrian streets of Grevex, and as soon as he had, someone yelled out angrily.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going, asshole! This is a no teleport zone!”

Ichigo rolled his eyes as he walked into the shop before him. “It’s my street! I can do whatever I want!”

Shaking his head, he swept his gaze through the busy VR café where Rias’ only Pawn worked. He easily found his brown-haired fellow countryman as the boy smiled easy at a customer and thanked them for their patronage.

It was rather impressive, Ichigo thought to himself, how even sealed away, the Welsh Emperor’s presence bled into the surroundings. Every step Issei took dragged the warp and weft of space around him as Ddraig’s mythic weight pressed reality itself. Even diminished, Ddraig was a terrifying being to behold.

Ichigo smoothly walked up to the counter and, as they locked eyes, the young teenage boy froze on the spot and pointed rather melodramatically.

“Gah! It’s Satan!” And as everyone suddenly looked at his exclamation, Issei started fumbling as he awkwardly tried to make for a bow. “Uhh… wait, how did Akeno-san say I was supposed to place my hands?”

Ichigo let out an amused chuckle and waved the boy off. “It’s fine, I’m not really into the whole bowing and scraping thing.”

Issei stood back up and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. “Oh, cool. I mean, thank you… er, sir. Sorry, I’m really not good with this formal stuff. Even though Buchou and Akeno-san say it’s really important and are always giving me lessons, but I can never just focus on it. I mean, it’s kind of hard to when they’re touching me and trying to get me to fix my posture and then their oppai accidentally brush against me and-”

“Yeah, hold that thought,” Ichigo said swiftly, cutting the boy off mid tangent. At the same time, he held back a deeply resigned sigh. According to Issei’s files, though he hadn’t been clinically diagnosed, the Pawn exhibited many symptoms in common with those of ADHD. Unfortunately, his neurodivergence, for some inexplicable reason, manifested with a baffling fixation on beautiful women and their breasts.

Ichigo had seen plenty of wild things in his life, but this was certainly one of the odder ones.

If he was still a pre-med major like he had been in his initial enrollment in university, he might have had some professional interest in the boy. But as of right now, Ichigo assumed that at some point in his youth, the kid had somehow been exposed to Sera in some fashion or another.

All that being said though…

“I’m actually here to bring you to your next training session.”

And as soon as the words came out of his mouth, Issei went deathly pale, much to Ichigo’s amusement.

“Ah, crap,” Issei muttered. “…do I have to? I really don’t want to get my ass beat by a giant wolf the size of a semi-truck!”

Holding back an amused laugh, Ichigo merely shook his head. “No, Saviġuk won’t be joining us this evening.” 

“Oh, thank Satan… err, I mean you?” Issei then scratched his head. “Huh, this is kinda confusing.”

“Don’t think too hard about it,” Ichigo said dryly. “Trust me, you’ll be doing us both a favor.”

“Sure! Oh, but can I go tell my boss I have to leave real quick? I don’t want him thinking I suddenly abandoned my shift.”

“No need for that, I heard everything.” And both of them turned towards the sudden third voice. An elderly Devil with rosy cheeks and snow-white hair and beard walked into view. If Ichigo hadn’t known any better, he’d have thought Santa Claus was suddenly in his territory.

The old Devil gave him a crisp bow. “Greetings, my Lord Wrath. I am honored that you have graced my humble shop with your presence.”

Ichigo inclined his head. “Archmage Gewell – I’ll be taking your employee for a while.”

He had been surprised to learn that Rias’ Pawn had managed to gain employment with the Archmage: an accomplished and highly respected sorcerer and one of Ajuka’s former apprentices. However, rather than use his considerable arcane knowledge to further research in the Ministry of Magic, Gewell had decided to go private and create his own corporation that focused on creating magical games and experiences for children. He was something of a minor celebrity within the Empire.

At some point, the old Devil had stepped away from the everyday management of his entertainment conglomerate and opened up this VR Café instead.

“But, of course,” Gewell said with another bow. He then turned towards Issei and said, “Do be on your best behavior, young man. I’d hate to have to find a replacement for you.”

Issei beamed and gave a sharp salute. “You got it, boss!”

And with a nod and one final bow, the Archmage disappeared back into the employee-only backroom.

Issei then turned towards him nervously. “So, uh… training?”

Without a word, Ichigo snapped his fingers and teleported both of them away, to which Issei let out an ‘oof’ as he landed face-first in the dirt.

With a groan, the boy stood up and Ichigo watched bemused as he muttered, “Every single time…”

Ignoring him, Ichigo cast his gaze to the surrounding environment.

It was a region dominated by black, jagged mountains that rose steeply from the ground, their cliffs narrow and uneven, making passage difficult. Strong winds moved constantly through the terrain, forcing their way between rock formations and producing long, hollow sounds that would at times resemble wailing screams.

The air felt cold and dry, carrying a persistent sense of unease. There were no signs of life, and the stillness between gusts made the landscape feel empty in a way that suggested something was off, even if nothing visible explained it.

Issei looked around, his neck snapping to and fro, before casting Ichigo a nervous glance. “Uhh... where are we?”

“The Shigraasna Mountain Range, just south of the City of Calgrizand.” Ichigo said as he looked appreciatively at the foreboding mountains. These peaks were ancient, having existed even before the first Demons colonized the Underworld. They were also rich with numerous magical minerals and metals, making for some of the most lucrative mining operations within Infernity.

“As for what we’re doing here,” he said, returning his attention to Issei, “well, this is where your personal training is going to happen.”

Issei blinked in confusion. “My training? But wait, where is Buchou and everyone else!”

Ichigo gave a casual shrug. “They have their own training going on. You guys have had enough team building exercises. It’s time to work on your individual growth. But before that…”

Ichigo reached out and tapped Issei on his forehead, and suddenly, both he and the boy were surrounded by an endless black. But quick enough, the dark gave way and they were unexpectedly inside of a Japanese-style home kitchen.

Issei looked surprised as he exclaimed, “Hey! This is my parents’ house!”

“It’s not,” Ichigo said as he crossed his arms. “Take a closer look.”

The boy gave him a momentarily confused look before gazing out at the rest of the house suspiciously. And, while the kitchen was ordinary at a glance, (clean counters, neatly arranged utensils), there were dozens upon dozens of adjoining hallways that seemingly stretched far beyond the eye’s view, their lengths fading into dim distances. Ichigo then pointed and looked out the windows, and as Issei followed his gaze, they observed nothing but a faint blue light; there was no actual outdoors.

Issei took a nervous step back as his gaze darted from corner to corner in wild uncertainty. “W-what’s going on?”

“We’re inside your soul,” Ichigo said plainly.

Issei gave him a wild look as his eyes widened. “Huh? What?”

“Yeah,” Ichigo said, before quickly adding, “try not to think too hard about it and just accept it.”

But the young Devil just gave him a strange look. “Dude, you can’t just bring me inside of my soul and then not expect me to ask questions! Err, your Sataness, sir.”

Ichigo rolled his eyes. “Alright, fine. I’ll skip over some of the more esoteric metaphysical explanations, but, essentially, your soul – also called your inner world – is a reflection of yourself. It’s a visual and physical manifestation of who you are at your core. For you, in particular, it seems to express itself as your parents’ house. Or rather, a never-ending sense of home.” Ichigo then gave the teenager a profound look with a touch of appreciation. “As far as souls go, yours is actually quite admirable.”

Issei blinked at him. “Really? Doesn’t really seem all the impressive to me! It’s totally empty! My ideal home should be filled with beautiful women!”

Ichigo let out a sigh. “…like I said, it’s a reflection of you. There’s not even a shadow of a woman here because there isn’t one in your life.”

“Gah!” And Issei stumbled back and put a hand over his heart as if someone stabbed him.

“And it’s not empty, but never mind that,” Ichigo said, ignoring Issei’s sudden downcast mood, “Let’s get a move on. It’s not exactly a good idea to have Satan lingering inside your soul for too long.”

“Huh?!” Issei exclaimed, suddenly quite alarmed. “What’s that supposed to mean?!”

But Ichigo just shook his head and replied, “Just walk, we’re wasting time.”

“Walk where?! And don’t brush off what sounded like an existential threat!” The boy said angrily while pointing at him with an accusatory finger.

“Walk. Now.”

And it was the iron in his tone that caused Issei to jump and begin marching in no direction in particular. “Yes, sir!”

Ichigo walked behind Issei through the endless halls lined with equally endless doors; his gaze steady even as his awareness turned outward, brushing against the boy’s soul. Emotions flitted through Ichigo’s mind at once - bursts of crude desire and impulsive lust. Yet, not unexpectedly, they rang hollow against something deeper. Beneath all that wanton desire for sex and carnal pleasure, he felt a persistent longing, a quiet ache for companionship, for warmth, and for reciprocated love. How very human of the young Pawn. Then again, he had only been a Devil for a few months now.

It was unsurprising that his thoughts still churned with a human’s perspective and desires.

But then, Ichigo’s expression tightened slightly as he sensed something deeper still, something darker.

Ah, there it was. The shadow of a gripping betrayal and a pervasive, lingering fear of rejection. He had read Issei’s file, just as he had the others’, but unlike the others, Rias had literally brought Issei back from death with her Pieces. Because Issei had been betrayed most intimately, killed by the first girl who he thought had reciprocated his affections.

He felt a pang of empathy for the hyper-perverse boy – murdered by his first love. How tragic.

But they continued in silence for several minutes, with Issei sometimes pausing every now and then in front one of the countless doors, his expression turning pensive before he shook himself and continued walking on. But eventually, they came to a complete stop as one broke the pattern of identical doors, its foreign design glowing with a deep, unsettling crimson.

“Weird…,” Issei mumbled to himself. “Why does this door smell like Buchou?”

Ichigo briefly considered asking why he knew what Rias smelled like, but thought better of it.

“Open it and find out,” Ichigo suggested.

Issei gave a careless shrug and did just that, and Ichigo followed behind him as they stepped into a large room covered all over with alternating black and white tiles. But more striking than that were the eight human-sized Pawn pieces that floated in the air, giving off a red radiance.

Issei stood shocked as he said, “Whoa… are those…?”

“Rias’ Pawn Pieces? Yeah.”

But then they both noticed the opposite end of the large room, where stood another red door, but this one unmistakably covered in dragon scales.

“Oh…” Issei said dumbly as he slowly turned towards Ichigo. “Is that…?”

“Remember when I said your soul isn’t empty?” Ichigo asked with a raised eyebrow.

But even as he said the words, Ichigo himself understood the gravity, Hell, he felt it.

Of what existed on the other side of that door. The near immeasurable presence of the legendary dragon who rested within Issei’s soul.

Ichigo then gave an encouraging nod and Issei tentatively walked through the room, under the floating Pawn Pieces, and put a hand towards the door.

Issei’s hand froze for a fraction of a second, his fingers hovering just shy of the scaled surface as his gaze flicked back towards Ichigo.

Ichigo could see that the boy was looking for some sort of reassurance because even the easily distracted Pawn could sense the sheer pull of power that lay beyond the door. And slowly, the young Pawn’s fingers gingerly brushed against the scaled door and suddenly it exploded in a torrent of crimson fire that swallowed them whole.

And though Issei gave a startled yell that was quickly engulfed by the roar of fire, Ichigo himself didn’t so much as flinch. After all, there wasn’t a flame or source of heat in existence that could so much as inconvenience him, enhanced that he was by the most powerful flame of all: Hell itself. As for Issei… well, Ichigo was quite confident the boy would never come to harm inside of his own soul.

And yet, just as suddenly as the raging inferno appeared, it was gone.

Ichigo lowered his gaze slightly as everything around him abruptly shifted. The confines of the room had vanished, replaced by a vast, open cosmos filled with distant, multicolored stars that stretched endlessly in every direction.

And as he stared out onto the incredibly stunning cosmic canvas, his eyes narrowed faintly as something unbelievably large loomed and took shape within the multihued stardust. The galaxies’ worth of celestial light became a sprawling nebula of deep red, its form coiling into a great crimson eye.

And it blinked.

And even Ichigo, even Satan himself, had to let out a wonder-filled breath as the mythical Dragon took form.

The rippling draconic coils stretched before him, formed of jagged, overlapping crimson scales that rose like blades along his frame. Pinions studded with ruby-starlight spread far and angular, their edges sharp and segmented, while his limbs ended in blood red talons. A long, muscular neck supported a broad, multi-horned head, his jaws lined with dense rows of fangs as a deep scarlet glow burned in his maw. His tail trailed behind him in a thick, armored length, each segment ridged and uneven, completing a form built entirely for power and… and…

The word roared into Ichigo’s mind –

Domination.

And for the first time in a very, very long time, Ichigo felt small.

Because the disparity between him and the Heavenly Dragon was impossible to overstate. He was so utterly outclassed here it wasn’t even funny. Even Ajuka and Sirzechs couldn’t measure to the near unlimited might that was the being before him.

A lone eye fell upon him and Ichigo was instantly overwhelmed.

Demon of the New World.

Ward-Guardian of My Prison.

I am the Lord of Domination.

The King in Crimson Purgatory.

I am Ddraig.

And You Have My Undivided Attention.

=======

Akeno lay on her bed, her forearm resting on her forehead, as she stared listlessly at the shoddy wooden ceiling of the house in Grevex. The same house that was owned by the Crown Prince who had so artlessly pulled out all her past insecurities and thrown them in her face.

But they’re not past insecurities, a treacherous voice whispered in her mind.

She let out a deep huff.

And honestly? She had no idea what she was even currently feeling. Angry? Sure. Sad? Definitely. But also a heavy mix of confusion and plain despondence. She didn’t want to think about the family-abandoning, child-ignoring, war-mongering ancient asshole that was her father.

The Fallen Angel who had seduced her mother, fathered her, and then abandoned both to the endless hordes of his enemies. The same miserable douchebag who had left her to the murderous and treacherous ‘family’ who wanted nothing to do with her. Worse, they wanted her dead.

She hated her family, all of them. Aside from her own mother, everyone she had blood relations with ended up being complete disappointment or an outright enemy. And at the top of her list was her father.

Then again, what else could she expect from Baraqiel the Thunderer?

There were few myths about her father – unlike the other Fallen Lords, he was rather subdued and quieter. More reasonable, some of the ancient texts claimed. A devout follower of and trusted Captain of War within the Grigori, but rarely ever the ambitious leader or commander pursuing his own goals beyond those of general Fallen.

Most of the modern world only remembered him as nothing more than the Cadre who unquestionably obeyed Azazel. But for those well versed in the old lore knew the truth: that Baraqiel obeyed another once before. Because once upon a time, long before Azazel commanded the Grigori, they had all bent knee to the First of the Fallen – to the Morningstar himself.

Her father had been one Lucifer’s stoutest supporters.

Long before he became a King of Demons, freshly bereft of Grace, Lucifer had reigned over the Fallen as the mightiest of them, and Baraqiel sat staunchly in his inner council. And it had been Baraqiel that secretly oversaw Lucifer’s experiments that served to create a new race outside the reach of the Heavenly Father.

The precursors to the Devil race, the Nephilim.

Mingled blood of Fallen Lords and mortal women, abominations of the highest order. They were mindless, wild monsters that brought disaster and destruction wherever they tread. So vile was their existence, not just the Angels, but even the later come Demons also hunted them to extinction.

No one tolerated their existence.

And it was that great crime which truly damned her father, which saw him labeled from Baraqiel the Thunderer to Baraqiel the Befouler.

Slowly, Akeno grasped the fabric of her shirt and tightened her fingers into a crushing fist. It was her greatest fear, the resounding terror that had pulsed through her veins ever since her grandmother cruelly taunted her and revealed to her the full extent of her father’s vile crimes…

It had been why the Himejima clan had tried to kill her. They feared she was another one of his spawned monsters, rather than a genuine child born of a biological union. And when her mother had stood up to protect her, they had killed her in their vehemence to rid the earth of potential Nephilim.

Her mother died because of her, because her literal existence put her in danger. It was her fault.

And her father’s. Because he hadn’t been there to protect them… protect them from the very fears and paranoia he had planted into the minds of humanity thousands of years ago through Lucifer’s monstrous commands.

So Akeno ran.

She ran from the Himejima and she ran from her father. She ran from her fanatical family and the father who left both her and her mother to die. She ran resenting her Fallen blood that held the potential to turn her into an ancient monster, and absolutely loathing her human blood, the same blood she shared with those that fanatically murdered her mother.

Which is why she so readily and eagerly took the hand that promised her a life as neither. Akeno had all but thrown herself into Rias’ arms; Rias who used the Gremory clan’s reach and the behemoth shadow cast by Lord Sirzechs to cower the Himejima Clan.

Rias…

Akeno’s thoughts shifted to her best friend, her sister, her master.

That hopelessly romantic idiot who always saw the hidden potential in the downtrodden and less fortunate. Rias who never failed to hold out her hand with a smile on her lips and her heart on her sleeve. It wasn’t at all of an exaggeration to say that Akeno owed that remarkable young Devil her life. And everything else too; from the clothes on her back to the food that she ate. For years, Rias, and the Gremory family by extension, had provided everything for her without question.

She owed everything to Rias.

Did she really fail her best friend? Fail the only person in the world who she genuinely accepted as family when her actual relatives either abandoned or actively tried to kill her? Was her inability to deal with her past, her refusal to wield her inherited powers, the reason that Riser had won the Rating Games? Of course, much to everyone’s shock, young master Millicas had so theatrically ended Rias’ engagement to the Phenex boor. But that hadn’t been his responsibility, had it?

No. It had been hers.

Akeno was Rias’ Queen, her right hand, her closest confidant and advisor. And the more she thought about it, the more she came to accept that yes, she had self-sabotaged the Rating Game. Her Holy power would have been the deciding edge. She could have eliminated Yubelluna, putting Riser’s Queen out of the game and eliminating the threat of the Phenex Tears simultaneously. And then she and the others, along with Rias, could have overwhelmed Riser and won the Game.

‘Unfortunately, the people around you get caught up.’

As those warm brown eyes and that boyish smile flashed into her mind, Akeno dropped her forearm over her eyes and let out an audible curse.

“Fuck.”

Damn that man.

Intellectually, she knew that Lord Ichigo was trying to help her. But again… she didn’t want this help. She didn’t want to think about the filth that was her father’s blood. She didn’t want to be Fallen or Human.

Because both of those were why her mother was so callously murdered.

Yet it seemed, despite her wishes, Lord Ichigo had different views and saw a different path for her. As Satan was want to do. Did he need to respect her wishes and traumas? Hell no. But then, again, she knew he was only speaking from a genuine desire to make her stronger. For all the torment and tribulations that annoyingly good-looking Demon threw onto them for the last several months, the results spoke for themselves. They had grown stronger.

And not just magically.

While Akeno was no stranger to working to meet end’s meet - indeed, it’s how she survived when she was on the run as a child: working for food, for survival – but she now had a much greater appreciation for society and its function within the Devil Empire. She always thought that magical prowess and the ability to crush any enemy would be enough to ensure Rias’ success as a future Pillar Lord. But the actual everyday burdens of the countless souls within the Empire and their needs that must be addressed by their sovereign? She had never once given them thought.

She had a much clearer view now of what role she would serve as Rias’ right hand far into the future.

‘Stop holding back’

She let out a vexed breath.

Provided she could overcome this most recent hurdle in her life. Well, not exactly recent. But according to Lord Ichigo, Akeno was stifling her own personal growth by denying her own heritage.

And loathe as she was to admit, the Demon Lord was most likely right.

Her thoughts drifted back to Satan… and his demon sword with its monstrous presence. Akeno thought her existence would unravel beneath the fierce aura of the sword. In fact, in her panic and terror, she had tried to push back against energies unleashed by Lord Ichigo’s sword with her magic, only to find her power instantly vaporized and burned away.

Akeno had raised her voice in anger against the literal embodiment of anger and thought she would be executed on the spot.

The worst part was, it wasn’t even Lord Ichigo himself, it had been just his sword. If the weapon was that powerful, she couldn’t even begin to imagine how powerful the wielder himself was. Rias and Sona were right, the Satans really were in a league of their own.

All that power, all that unbridled demonic might, and for some inexplicable reason he had decided to lower himself to deal with her personal issues. It was one thing for him to help Sona and Rias and their peerages, given that the two High-class Kings were the younger siblings of his fellow Satans. But her? In the grand scheme of things, she was a nobody.

She was just…

Akeno shut her eyes tightly and rolled over to her side, hugging her pillow to her body.Baraqiel’s daughter.

Was that what this was? Was Lord Ichigo giving her his personal attention for some diplomatic stratagem? Were the Satans planning something against the Fallen and her relationship to one of their leading Cadre being leveraged?

Was… was she being used?

But her mind flashed back to those brown eyes and the easy, kind smile. The way he had reached out and helped her to her feet and the warmth of his fingers spreading against the back of her palm.

Akeno buried her face into the pillow and let out a stifled groan.

This would be so much easier if he wasn’t so damn hot!

=======

Ichigo rolled his jaw as he stared back at the Red Emperor, both of their gazes locked as their powerful wills touched. Though there was no actual tension of conflict, they were both too aware a contest of wills between them would tear poor Issei apart.

Speaking of the teenage boy…

“Unholy crap! Ddraig! You’re huge!” The boy exclaimed wide-eyed and amazed.

Rippling scaled muscles moved across Ddraig’s neck as he turned to look down at his host, and Ichigo couldn’t help but note the hint of bemusement in the ancient dragon’s red gaze.

“Issei…” and the boy stood straighter as the great wyrm’s deep voice reverberated through the soul, “Be silent for once.”

And instantly the young Pawn deflated. “Getting bossed around in my own soul,” Issei muttered petulantly.

Ddraig returned his eyes towards him, and Ichigo could see the mirth within recede behind a curious regard. Several seconds of silence passed and then Ddraig slightly raised his chin, a defiant and arrogant poise he had seen Tiamat take countless times.

“The last Satan who stood before me burned in my fire,” the Welsh Emperor said.

Ichigo gave a careless shrug in response. “Good thing I can’t be burned.”

“Indeed,” Ddraig said, sounding equally as indifferent as Ichigo did. “Pray tell, what then does the Lord of Anger seek from the Lord of Domination?”

Ichigo slipped his hands into the pockets of jeans and peered up at Ddraig. “Well, I have to admit, everywhere I go I hear legends about you and Albion. Hell, in an indirect way, I would never have been born if it weren’t for what you two did to Izanami. So, I decided it’s high-time I met living legend in the flesh, so to speak.”

Ddraig made a rumbling noise in the back of his throat, his head tilting so a lone eye came close, a hand’s reach from where Ichigo stood. “And yet, I surmise you did not cross the boundaries of the spirit realm and dive into the boy’s depraved self purely for curiosity’s sake.”

“Hey!” Issei immediately protested in mild outrage, but his outcry went totally unheeded by the two powerhouses.

Ichigo gave a lone nod as he jabbed a thumb at the offended looking teenager, “Partly true. I wanted to talk to you about his training. But I also had something I wanted to ask you; some ancient history that apparently involves you.”

Ddraig let out a huff of searing hot air through his nose, but then the mighty wyrm pulled back and sat down, folding his claws before him in a dignified and regal manner despite his gargantuan size.

“Very well,” Ddraig said. “I have lacked intelligent conversation for some time now; I shall not be ungrateful for this fortuitous opportunity. Speak your questions, young Demon.”

“Lack of intelligent conversation?” Issei stated crossly. “Now hold on a minute!”

But before he could get another word in, Ichigo and Ddraig turned and glared at him together, a single word falling daunting through both their voices.

“Quiet.”

And not just Issei, but for a brief second, Time and Space obeyed the combined command of Wrath and Domination, and everything went perfectly still.

Ichigo then turned back to Ddraig and said in a crisp voice, “Arthur Pendragon.”

Ddraig gave him a sharp look and even Issei’s irritation melted away at the name of one of humanity’s greatest legends.

“I heard from certain someones that King Arthur is your and Albion’s joint legacy,” Ichigo continued. “Was hoping to get some clarification on that.”

Ddraig appraised him quietly for a moment before saying, “And you believe them?”

“They have no reason to lie to me.” Regardless of what he thought of the numerous manipulations Hades and the Soul King had wrought throughout his life, in the deepest corners of his soul, Ichigo knew that conversation was the unfiltered absolute truth. “Besides, Pendragon. Pen is Welsh for war-chief and Dragon, of course, is Greco-Latin. Just like how Ddraig is Welsh and Albion is Latin.”

The Red Emperor let out a snort, a burst of brilliant flames escaping from his nostrils. “I did not know the Demons of this Age were also scholars of language.”

Ichigo let out a low laugh. “Yeah, well, I spent a good chunk of my teenage years learning Shakespeare and the history and evolution of English as a personal hobby.”

The great wyrm turned towards Issei with a very judgmental look. “You see how others spend their time? Edifying the mind instead of futilely judging the merits of normalizing nudist beaches?”

Issei angrily pointed back and forth between both him and Ddraig. “Okay, that’s it! I am being bullied and I want everyone to know I’m not for it!”

Ichigo shook his head amused and the dragon ignored Issei as he returned his attention to the conversation they were having. In fairness, they were being a little too mean to the boy inside of his own soul… but such was the purview of the ultra-powerful. To have a little fun at the expense of those much less powerful.

“Your etymology is not without merit,” Ddraig then said. “But the names Albion and Ddraig are younger than their bearers. We are older than language and we have borne numerous titles over the eons. A fate you too will one day encounter - far off in the distant future when your own name is no longer for you but for what allegories you represent in the myths of mortals.”

Ichigo frowned slightly, but then again, he had assumed as much. The Heavenly Emperors were ancient by all accounts. Ddraig and Albion were already battling in the skies of the Primordium, back when Tiamat and her kin were still freely walking the stars.

“But yes,” Ddraig then said. “Arthur’s origin is intrinsically tied with Albion and I. But of the matter, I shall say no more. The Once and Future King’s story is not yours, Dark Lord. You have other legends to contend with.”

And even as the Scaled Emperor spoke, Ichigo felt Destiny tremble at the words. He let out a deep sigh at the realization that he wouldn’t be able to satisfy his curiosity in full. But Ichigo knew better than to force the matter; he’d only be inviting heaps of trouble onto himself if he tried to forcefully break through the immense weight of King Arthur’s existence.

“Alright then,” he said, fighting to keep the disappointment out of his voice. “I figured I wasn’t gonna get much, but it was worth a shot. But anyways, back to the kid. I plan on pushing him to unlock Boosted Gear’s Balance Breaker. Was hoping to get some feedback from you, since, well, no one would have a better idea than you on how to do so.”

Ddraig gave Issei a quick look before saying, “To my immense surprise, your methods of training the whelp have proven remarkably effective. He is on the cusp of achieving it on his own.”

“Training my ass!” Issei exclaimed. “Giant mythical wolves! Poison-filled swamps! Rampaging frogs the size of trucks! And a house without wifi! I’ve been through Hell!”

Ddraig fixed Issei with a pointed stare. “And such is the path for all those who seek power. A hatchling sharpens its claws against the hide of its prey, it strengthens the stretch of its wings against the high gale, it tempers its flame against the greater hunter that would make it a meal. Only through overcoming adversity will you gain strength. And it is only through strength can you bear the weight of my power.”

Issei closed his mouth, the aggravation in his eyes cooling and, after a quick moment, he nodded to himself as he crossed his arms. “No, you’re right Ddraig. You have to grind and get EXP to level up! It’s common sense. Err… sorry, sir.”

Ichigo withheld the chuckle at the video game analogy, but he found it rather apt. Regardless of the Pawn’s eccentricities, at the very least he was quick to accept good advice when given to him. Which was more than he could say about the previous two members of Rias’ peerage he had interacted with. That being said, they had much deeper traumas.

Speaking of trauma…

Throughout his conversation with Ddraig, his Sin was tugging on the faint echoes of distant rage hidden somewhere deep within Issei’s soul. And it somewhat mystified Ichigo when he realized that none of it actually belonged to the kid. In fact, if Ichigo didn’t know any better, he would think that Issei was somehow possessed by numerous evil spirits. However, Ichigo could faintly sense the… remnants, for lack of a better word, were also attached to the Ddraig himself.

What could it be?

“Juggernaut Drive.”

Ichigo blinked in surprise as he turned to see Ddraig giving him a penetrating gaze.

“I’m sorry?” He asked the ancient dragon.

“What you are sensing is the curse of the Boosted Gear,” Ddraig said with a touch of disdain. “Many of the previous wielders of the Longinus were driven to madness by power they could not control” And then he turned to Issei. “The fate of those who do not have the strength to wield my power. Even now, their madness and rage linger within, bound in the chains of the Heavenly Father, even as I am. A fate you would do well to avoid, whelp.”

He was slightly taken aback that Ddraig had caught on to what he was sensing, and Ichigo noted to himself just how frighteningly perceptive the legendary dragon was. But then, Amaterasu had said something to the same effect all those years ago when she recanted the tale of Izanami’s demise to him: their wisdom and breadth of knowledge is what garnered them the titles of the Heavenly Two.

He’d have to be more self-aware in future encounters with Ddraig. His level of discernment was disconcerting. 

“Yessir!” Issei said smartly before turning towards Ichigo. “So, what’s the next challenge for me to overcome? It’s not a fetch quest is it…?”

Ichigo gave Ddraig an inquisitive glance and asked, “You said he was already on the cusp of achieving Balance Breaker.”

The dragon let out a deep, guttural hum which Ichigo recognized as a sign of agreement. “He need only take the plunge. To dive off the cliff and spread his wings.”

Ichigo switched his gaze over to Issei and rubbed his jaw. “A cliff, huh? Would another dragon qualify?”

There was a heavy moment when Ddraig fixed him with narrowed eyes. “I assume you possess the wisdom to keep him removed from her.”

“Huh? Who?” Issei asked, perking up. “Is she hot?”

Ichigo let out a derisive snort even as he ignored Issei. “Hell no, I would never do that. That’d be a nightmare for everyone involved. No, I have something far less dramatic – not to mention sane - in mind.”

Ddraig continued to stare at him and this time Ichigo could feel the shifting threads of fate as the dragon’s own prescience wound through his own. “Yes, I see. That one would prove adequate.”

Ichigo gave a deft nod. “Glad you agree.” He then turned towards Issei and said, “Alright kid, field trip is over. Back to the waking world for us.”

Issei blinked at him and said, “Oh, damn. I wanted to talk to Ddraig some more!”

And Ichigo had a sneaking suspicion that the Welsh Emperor was straining his dignity to the max to refrain from rolling his eyes. “We can speak whenever you wish.”

“Yeah, but that’s different,” Issei said shaking his head. “It’s nice to talk to friends face to face!”

Ddraig seemed to pause for a moment, and Ichigo wondered if the ancient dragon was taken off guard at being called a friend. He had to hand it Issei though, history had consistently recorded the Welsh Emperor as being to be feared and fled from. Ichigo very much doubted someone like Ddraig had many people calling him friend… especially given his centuries of imprisonment.

But then Ddraig gave a snort of that held a hint of contempt and the great wyrm said, “I will teach you to Soul Dive in the future. It is a useful technique when tempering one’s sense of self and will. Which is a paramount endeavor for Devils. Doubly so for you with the haunting curse of Juggernaut Drive.”

Issei beamed. “Cool! Looking forward to it! Thanks, Ddraig!” And as Issei turned to him, he scratched the back of his in question. “So uhh… how do we leave?”

“Yeah, before that,” Ichigo gave Ddraig a meaningful look and said plainly, “There’s actually a third thing I wanted to tell you. This generation’s Divine Dividing host? I’m actively hunting him and will probably – okay, most certainly – blow him to smithereens. Hope you don’t mind me interfering with the ancient rivalry between Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing.”

Ddraig snapped his jaws and shook his wings in a dismissive manner. “I care nothing for Albion’s prisons. So long as mine own does not fall to his.”

“You have my complete blessing!” Issei said enthusiastically. “I don’t want some rival chasing after me trying to kill me! I mean, maybe if it was a really hot girl… is she a really hot girl?”

“It’s a dude.”

“All yours!”

Shaking his head half-amused, half exasperated, Ichigo lifted a hand and snapped his fingers. And in the next second, he and Issei were once again standing in the dry air of the Shigraasna Mountains. Issei briefly wobbled in place as his senses were slammed back into physical reality, but for Ichigo, who had gone through the phenomenon more times than he could count – it wasn’t even a noticeable difference.

Spreading his arms for balance, Issei gave him a briefly puzzled look before taking a deep breath and widened his stance.

“Alright! Straight to training! I need to get Balance Breaker as soon as possible! So that way I can help Buchou win her Rating Games and then claim her virginity!”

And Ichigo instantly froze in place as his brain began to shut down, failing to reconcile the two statements from the perverted boy.

“I’m sorry… what?”

Issei crossed his arms and gave a sage nod. “Yeah! It’s my promise to her! I’m going to help her win all her Rating Games so that she’ll fall in love with me and then give me her virginity! Like we agreed!”

“She agreed!?” Ichigo asked incredulously; suddenly wondering if he should contact Gremory and tell her to forego the magical training and just have her beat common sense into her granddaughter instead.

Issei nodded vigorously. “Uh-huh! Buchou said she’d do her best to make my dreams come true in the future once she’s on top of the Rating Games! And my dream is to claim her’s, Akeno-san’s, Asia-chan’s, Xenovia-chan’s and Koneko-chan’s virginities!”

Ichigo stood there, the corner of his eye twitching as he looked at the boy with a combination of disgust and contempt. He didn’t think it was possible, but he may have just met someone as irredeemable as Serafall.

“Eh? What do you mean, Ddraig? Of course that’s what Buchou meant by helping make my dreams come true! …huh? No! I’m not being delusional!”

For a brief moment, as Ichigo watched the boy have an utterly nonsensical argument with the behemoth in his soul, Ichigo briefly contemplated doing the universe a favor by incinerating the boy on the spot. But no, dammit. Killing someone he had personally agreed to take charge of and be guardian to would leave a bitter taste in his mouth. Damn his sensibilities. However….

“I’m going to enjoy this more than I should,” he said to himself, and then raised his hand into the air.

Instantly, the sky darkened rapidly as thick, black clouds gathered and began to churn in a vast, circular motion that stretched for dozens of miles in every direction. The wind rose from a steady pull into a violent gale, then into full hurricane force, tearing through the land with relentless pressure. Dead trees were ripped from the ground and hurled aside while dust and debris lifted in dense sheets, obscuring the terrain. Within the roiling mass above, arcs of deep purple lightning split the sky, lancing downward with explosive force as they struck distant peaks and shattered entire sections of the mountains.

“What the!” Issei raised his arms over his face to shield himself from the flying stone pelting across the ravines of the mountains.

And far above, through the howling wind, a chilling and malicious cry ripped through the sky, sending what little life that existed in these accursed mountains fleeing for their lives.

Ichigo stood impassive even as Issei’s eyes jerked skyward and a giant coil of black scales dipped through the churning clouds. And then another coil broke though, followed by another. And soon enough, five clawed hands tore across the sky as lightning passed over the gargantuan serpentine body that slithered through the ashen clouds.

And Ichigo watched with some minor satisfaction as Issei’s expression turned horrified as Japanese dragon the length of mountains, with scales darker than the night and a pair of hateful violet eyes glared down at the boy.

“Kid, meet a Dragon of Hell.”

And So’unga roared.

========

A/N: Early release for this chapter because I'm about to get on a plane and will be gone for the weekend!

After some 60+ chapters, So'unga makes his triumphant return! The scene with Ddraig ended up much, much longer than I thought it would initially be, but I ended up enjoying writing Ichigo interactign with him and Issei. Unfortunately, that meant that chapter 75 got split into two chapters now. Also, I did not expect to enjoy writing Akeno as much as I have.

Anyways, I will see you all next week! Have a lovely weekend!