"Partner! How on earth are you going to fix this mess now?"
"Don't ask me; I don't have a clue either."
"..." Ddraig fell silent, patiently waiting for Ophis's reaction.
"Ddraig, why are you so nervous?"
"Eh? Ophis, aren't you angry after what this man did to you?"
"Angry?" Ophis tilted her small head, looking incredibly cute and adorable. "No. It felt quite nice at first, though it eventually became boring."
"..." Ddraig remained speechless, completely at a loss for words.
Issei didn't know what to say either, but deep down, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
"Partner, you're lucky Ophis is so innocent. Don't go playing with death like that ever again," Ddraig warned, his voice heavy with gravity.
Gulp...
Issei swallowed hard and nodded with a dead-serious expression. "I'll keep that warning in mind."
[The reward is ready to be opened. Would you like to claim it now or later?]
The system notification caught Issei's attention.
"Now!"
[Command received. The Super Upgrade reward has been granted.]
"Super Upgrade?" Issei tilted his head, confused.
In the very next second, Issei felt an explosive, overwhelming surge of power erupting from within his body.
"This is..." Issei's voice trailed off in disbelief as he stared at his body, which was now radiating an extraordinary purple glow.
Ophis widened her eyes, appearing impressed by Issei's sudden spike in strength.
"How did you do that?" Ophis asked.
"Ahem! It's thanks to you. Thank you, Ophis," Issei replied, his voice slightly slurred because of his injured tongue.
Ophis touched her cheek and then her lips. "Can I increase someone's power just by doing that?"
"Ahem! Ophis, don't take it too seriously. The reason this man's power increased after pinching your cheeks and kissing your lips is because he is special," Ddraig explained carefully, making sure not to offend the loli Dragon God standing before them.
"Hmm. If we do it again, will your strength increase even more?" Ophis stared at Issei with her large, innocent eyes.
"Not right now, but in the future... I don't know."
"..." Ophis was silent for a moment before speaking in her usual monotone. "If you ever need me to increase your strength, just call my name. I will come and help you with my body."
Even though Ophis's tone was flat and emotionless, Issei felt a surge of excitement at such an offer from a Dragon God.
'Ophis is way too innocent. No wonder the Khaos Brigade exploited her,' Issei sighed, muttering to himself.
'Should I save her now? No, if a terrorist leader suddenly showed up at my house, everyone else would lose their minds.' With that thought, Issei suppressed the urge to rescue Ophis immediately.
There was still time before Ophis's eventual fall; Issei just needed to save her before that moment arrived.
"Are you leaving already?" Issei asked.
"Hmm. See you later." Ophis vanished instantly, leaving no trace behind.
Her movements were so fluid that if he hadn't been looking right at her, Issei wouldn't even have noticed she was gone.
"Is this the power of a Dragon God? Terrifying." A cold sweat rolled down Issei's cheek, dripping onto the red gauntlet of the Welsh Dragon.
"Partner, now that you're on par with a Super Devil, my presence might not even be necessary anymore," Ddraig said, his tone sounding uncharacteristically melancholic.
"What are you talking about? Our adventure is only just beginning!"
"...Hahaha! You're right. We haven't even visited other worlds yet. Of course our journey isn't over." Ddraig's spirit returned, sounding even more fired up than before.
Issei gave a small smile, glancing at the Underworld sky before heading back to the Gremory estate.
...
"Issei-san, what happened to your tongue?" Asia asked, her voice laced with worry.
Rias blinked her sapphire-blue eyes and took the initiative to step closer, sniffing Issei's scent. Her gaze sharpened, locking onto Issei's face.
Issei suddenly had a very bad feeling.
"Ise... which woman did you get close to this time?" Rias smiled, but her body was radiating the palpable aura of the Power of Destruction.
"Ahem! I'll explain later. For now, please take care of me, Asia."
Asia gave a small nod and immediately began healing Issei's tongue.
Rias waited patiently, though her mind was clearly racing. Her gaze shifted toward Akeno, Koneko, Xenovia, and Irina. When her eyes landed on Irina, Rias sighed as she realized something, then she cast a secret glance toward Rossweisse.
'Irina might be difficult, but if it's Rossweisse, I can probably convince her to join my Peerage and make her Issei's.'
Based on Rias's internal monologue, her goal was clear. Rather than letting Issei seek out strangers, she preferred to help him build a harem with women she personally approved of. That way, she wouldn't have to worry about her own future with him.
A faint, knowing smile bloomed on Rias's beautiful face.
"I've decided! Starting today, all the women of my Peerage must live at Issei's house!"
"Eh?"
Everyone was stunned—including Issei himself.
To be continued...
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