Morning gently blanketed the city of Kuoh.
The sun had just begun to rise, its light softly touching the leaves and rooftops. Yet beneath that tranquility, an unseen tension began to flow in the air.
Occult Research Club Room – Before Class Begins
Inside the quiet clubroom, the scent of warm tea wafted from freshly brewed cups. Rias sat gracefully on the long sofa, a teacup in her hand while her gaze was fixed on Akeno sitting across from her.
"Akeno," Rias said softly, looking at her friend. "How was last night? Was there anything strange about Issei-kun?"
Akeno let out a long sigh, her shoulders slightly drooping. Her usual cheerful expression was gone, replaced by a faint furrow on her brow. "Issei-kun... has changed, Rias-sama. When I met him in the kitchen, he ignored me. Even when we interacted, it felt... like a stranger." Her voice was flat, almost hurt.
Kiba Yuuto, who was leaning elegantly against the wall with arms crossed, added, "Amnesia? That doesn't make sense to me."
Akeno nodded slowly. "Yes. That's what's strange. When I was helping him wash the dishes, his mother, Misa-san, told me. She said, 'I don't know why Issei-kun suddenly lost his memory since yesterday. He... seems sad.'"
Rias' eyes widened. Koneko Toujou, who had been munching on manju, stopped chewing. Kiba straightened his posture, his face showing confusion.
Akeno continued, her voice trembling, barely audible, "And... for some reason, I felt comfortable being near him."
A flush of pink spread across her usually confident cheeks, making her look like a young girl confused about her own feelings.
Koneko, whose cat ears twitched in sensitivity, immediately picked up on the emotional shift. Rias was shocked once more; seeing Akeno—the ever-flirtatious Queen—suddenly act like a girl in love was a rare sight. Kiba could only sigh, as if surrendering to a situation that grew more confusing by the second.
Rias, her curiosity peaking, leaned forward. "Seriously? Are you... falling for him in this state?"
Akeno just gave a faint smile. "I don't know... but I want to see him again."
But before Rias could respond, the room suddenly shook.
Suddenly, the entire room shook violently. Books fell from the shelves, glasses on the table rattled, and the lights swayed. A massive surge of magical energy slammed into the protective barrier surrounding Kuoh City. Although Kuoh's defenses were known to be strong, this wave of energy felt like a tsunami crashing into a concrete wall—a force ancient and unstoppable.
Rias, Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko immediately stood on alert, their faces turning pale. They had never felt energy this massive and pure. Rias and Akeno, both high-ranking Devils, felt a heavy pressure covering their bodies, like the weight of a mountain. Kiba leaned on his sword to endure the weight.
But the most affected was Koneko. Her nekomata traits manifested instantly, fur standing up on her tail and ears. She leapt agilely and hid behind the sofa, her small body trembling uncontrollably.
"T-this... is a Dragon," she whispered, her voice shaking with fear. "This is Issei-senpai... without a doubt."
Akeno, Rias, and Kiba turned toward Koneko at the same time, their eyes filled with disbelief. Before anyone could speak, the massive magic wave disappeared just as suddenly, as if it had never existed, leaving behind a piercing silence and an overwhelming sense of dread.
However, as quickly as it had come, the pressure vanished. As if it had never been. The room returned to calm, but their breathing remained heavy, their bodies still trembling.
Student Council Room – A Few Seconds Earlier
Sona Sitri was writing a report neatly. Even during rare free time, she maintained her discipline. Across from her, Tsubaki stood silently as usual.
"Tsubaki," said Sona without turning her head, "after Issei-kun returned yesterday... was there anything strange?"
Tsubaki replied calmly. "Nothing suspicious, Sona-sama. Just normal activity. But... he was seen walking in the evening with Akeno-san. They had dinner together."
Saji, who was sitting in the corner of the room, immediately jumped up from his seat.
"WHAT?! Hyoudou... walking with Akeno-san? That's a bad omen!"
Momo Hanakai tried to calm him. "Maybe they were just talking... don't overthink it."
But before the tension could ease, the tremor hit.
Suddenly, without warning, the same energy slammed into the Student Council room. Sona instantly dropped her pen. Tsubaki stepped forward, instinctively shielding Sona. Momo, Tsubasa, Tomoe, Reya, and the other members of the Student Council felt an overwhelming pressure unlike anything they had experienced before—a sense of absolute helplessness. But the worst was...
Saji let out a choked cry, clutching his chest.
"Argh...!"
From his body, thick black aura like heavy fog burst out, resonating with the dragon energy that had just passed, as if responding to the 'Awakening of a Dragon'. That black smoke swirled wildly, filled with restrained power. And then...
Sona and the others were shocked. The pressure had forced Saji's Sacred Gear to react out of control, triggering an unstable forced 'Balance Breaker.'
A deep, dignified voice echoed in Saji's mind, coming from the fragment of Vritra's awakened consciousness:
"The Will of the True Dragon, one who can subdue the sky. Ddraig."
Saji, panting, was stunned. It was the first time he had ever heard the voice directly from his Sacred Gear.
The voice continued,
"You have touched the Dragon's Breath... I will awaken soon..."
Then, just like before, the massive magic wave disappeared. The pressure vanished, leaving behind a wrecked room and Student Council members still trembling. Saji managed to catch his breath—though only for a few seconds, the moment had felt like eternity. The black aura of Vritra faded and disappeared.
Sona quickly approached him. "Saji, are you alright?"
Saji nodded slowly. "I'm fine... it's just... my chest felt heavy..."
Everyone was still in panic. Tsubaki, with a weary expression, offered a suggestion.
"Sona-sama... perhaps we should speak with Rias and the others. And... classes today should be canceled for safety."
Sona nodded quickly. "Let's go to the Occult Research Club. Now."
Sona and her group arrived in front of the clubroom. As soon as the door opened, they were greeted by a tense scene. Koneko was still hiding behind the sofa, and Akeno was kneeling beside her, gently stroking the nekomata girl's head to calm her, just like an older sister comforting her frightened little sister.
Akeno turned and smiled.
"Ara~ we have guests. Looks like you all were panicking too, huh?"
Sona took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
"A massive magical wave... and also... it seemed to be Dragon magic. Saji's Sacred Gear reacted on its own."
"What?" Rias, Kiba, and Akeno were equally shocked.
Sona stepped forward. "Do you know what caused it?"
Rias, Akeno, and Kiba looked at each other. Rias then stepped forward. "It... came from Issei-kun. I don't know why it suddenly happened like that. But, Koneko-chan, who's the most sensitive, confirmed it was his energy."
Sona frowned. "I don't care about that. What I want to know is, how could he, a regular human, release energy that powerful? Even for a high-ranking Devil, that's not normal."
But before she could continue—
Suddenly, a bright red teleportation magic circle appeared in the middle of the room. From it, Sirzechs Lucifer and Grayfia Lucifuge emerged. Sirzechs's usually relaxed face looked slightly tense.
"Rias, are you alright?" he asked quickly.
"I'm fine, Onii-sama. Just felt a bit of pressure earlier," Rias replied.
Grayfia stepped forward, her face still professional but alert. "This incident is extremely dangerous, Rias-sama. The awakening of a True Dragon is not an ordinary event. All factions—Angels, Fallen Angels, Devils, even other groups—are monitoring this situation. Kuoh Town has now become the center of attention due to the massive magical surge."
Sona stepped forward. "Grayfia-san, did you say... a Dragon awakening?"
Grayfia nodded. "Yes. The awakening of a True Dragon, not through a Sacred Gear, but as a Dragon existence itself rising from its slumber. That's an event bordering on myth."
Sona turned to Saji. "So that's why... Vritra's Sacred Gear reacted..."
Sirzechs stepped forward. "What kind of reaction?"
Saji slowly explained, "My Sacred Gear activated on its own... releasing black smoke. I heard a voice."
Silence filled the air.
Saji spoke softly.
"The Will of the True Dragon... one who can subdue the sky. Ddraig. You have touched the Dragon's Breath... I will awaken soon."
The room fell into complete silence. Only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard, emphasizing how tense the moment was.
Sirzechs looked seriously at Rias. "Do you know who caused this?"
Rias looked at her brother... and finally nodded.
"It was... Issei-kun. Onii-sama."
Grayfia was surprised. "Is that true? And what triggered the awakening?"
"Yes, Grayfia," Rias answered. "And he... used to be just a perverted human at this school."
Sona, Saji, Tsubaki, and the rest of the Student Council were stunned. Their memories drifted to Issei, who just yesterday claimed to be a 'wizard' while having a fever. Now, the truth was far more fantastical and terrifying: he was a Dragon.
Sona approached Rias, her voice filled with confusion. "Rias, wait! You mean Issei-kun became a Dragon? Boosted Gear can reach Balance Breaker, but turning the user's race into an actual Dragon... that's impossible!"
"I don't understand either, Sona," Rias replied, equally confused. "But Koneko-chan's senses are never wrong. She can accurately smell someone's race."
All eyes turned to Koneko, still in Akeno's arms. In a small voice, Koneko explained, "Issei-senpai... ever since he came to school after the fever, his scent has been strange. Not perverted like before, his fever was high, and... he once sneezed, and a small flame came out of his mouth."
Sirzechs immediately picked up on the clue. "He can manifest dragon elements even while unconscious. Now, the important thing is—where is he now?"
Sona replied, "He's sick at home. But... does Sirzechs-sama intend to visit?"
"Yes, but not with everyone. Just a few representatives," Sirzechs suggested.
Sona sighed and looked around. "Tsubaki, come with me. The others, stay here. And Saji... your condition isn't stable yet. Please rest here."
Saji nodded obediently. "Understood, Kaichou."
Tsubaki bowed respectfully. "Yes, Sona-sama."
Rias looked at Koneko, who was still weak. "Akeno, you come with me. Kiba, you and Koneko stay here."
Kiba nodded, his sword already drawn beside him, on full alert. "We'll hold the position here. If anything happens, contact us immediately."
Koneko, in a weak voice, said, "I'm sorry, Buchou."
Akeno stood, her teasing smile slowly returning. "Ara~, I'm the one chosen in the end. How interesting."
Rias immediately prepared a teleportation magic circle to Issei's house. But strangely, the circle flickered and went out. "Weird... The teleportation failed."
Sirzechs, experienced, became alert. "Is there a problem?"
"Yes, I can't lock onto the coordinates exactly at his house. It's as if something's rejecting it," Rias complained.
Sona tried as well. Her blue circle appeared, then immediately vanished. "I can't either. A very strong anti-teleportation field."
Sirzechs pondered for a moment. "In that case, don't force entry into his house. Just teleport to a safe distance. I'm sure teleportation will be rejected by the power surrounding that place."
Rias nodded and adjusted the coordinates. In an instant, Sirzechs, Grayfia, Sona, Tsubaki, Akeno, and Rias disappeared from the clubroom.
They appeared at the end of the street, not far from the Hyoudou family home. The air around them felt heavy and dense, filled with lingering dragon energy. As they walked cautiously, they saw Miki Hyoudou walking while carrying several full shopping bags.
Sona, taking the initiative, said, "That's... Issei-kun's mother. We'd better approach as visiting guests, not intruders." Everyone nodded in agreement.
Sona walked forward. "Excuse me, are you Miki Hyoudou?"
Miki turned and smiled kindly when she saw the Kuoh uniforms and a few familiar faces. "Yes, that's right. Oh, you're from Issei's school? Can I help you with something?"
"I'm Sona Sitri, Student Council President. We're here to check on Issei-kun, and ask about his condition," Sona replied politely.
Miki smiled even wider. "Oh, how kind of you. It's fine. Want to join for lunch? I just went shopping and there are a few other guests at home."
Akeno, recognizing the usual scene at Issei's house, asked, "Is it Irina-san and Xenovia-san from yesterday, Auntie?"
Miki shook her head. "No, dear. But Tiamat-san and Ophis-chan. Oh, and by the way, Ophis-chan is very cute! She just quietly sits and eats the cake I gave her."
Immediately, the faces of everyone—Sona, Tsubaki, Rias, Akeno, Sirzechs, and Grayfia—turned pale. Two of the Five Great Dragons, two entities whose powers neared that of gods, were currently at Issei's humble home. They all hesitated, the question of whether or not to enter echoed in each of their minds.
Rias looked at Akeno in panic. "Akeno, since when have Tiamat and... Ophis been at his house? And she calls her 'Ophis-chan'?"
Akeno, though surprised, tried to stay calm. "They weren't there last night, Rias. They must've arrived suddenly, maybe after sensing the energy wave earlier. I... I'm really curious now. Is the Infinite Dragon God really that cute?"
Sona adjusted her glasses, a habit when she was nervous. "This... is very unexpected. Lucky I didn't bring Saji."
Tsubaki sighed in relief. "If Saji had come, the power of those two Great Dragons might've thrown [Vritra] into chaos and knocked him out."
Rias also sighed. "And thank goodness Koneko didn't come. Her senses might not have withstood it."
Grayfia turned to Sirzechs, awaiting instructions. "Sir, what's your decision? Do we proceed?"
Sirzechs, after thinking for a moment with a serious expression, finally made a decision. "We continue. Our goal is diplomacy and understanding, not confrontation."
Miki, noticing them whispering, smiled warmly. "Don't worry, dears. They're perfectly fine. And they're not fighting, rest assured. Come, follow me."
With mixed feelings of curiosity and anxiety, they followed Miki Hyoudou toward her home. Every step felt heavy, filled with the premonition that something very big, something that would change everything, was waiting behind that humble door.