Issei looked completely shocked, his face caught somewhere between confusion and disbelief.
"Wait… so you're telling me Adrien became even stronger?!"
"Something like that," Tannin replied, his voice calm but serious. "His combat ability should have increased considerably."
Issei slowly turned his attention toward Adrien.
From Issei's point of view, Adrien had already been a monster. He was the kind of person who could stand in front of enemies far above Issei's level and still act like everything was under control. But Issei's understanding of strength was still shallow, so he couldn't properly imagine how much more dangerous Adrien had become after gaining the power of a Primordial Phoenix.
Still, he knew one thing very clearly.
He knew how terrifying Phenex flames were. He had fought against them firsthand, and the memory of those flames was still burned into his mind. And now Adrien was saying his flames were even more potent than theirs.
Issei stared at him for a few seconds, then swallowed.
"That's just unfair… You were already broken before."
"There is no limit to strength. The stronger we become, the easier the future will be. And the stronger you get, the more time you'll have to spend with beautiful women. So grow stronger and achieve your dreams, young man."
As he said that, Adrien struck a dramatic pose and flexed his muscles like All Might himself, the Symbol of Peace.
Tears gathered at the corners of Issei's eyes.
He looked at Adrien as if he had just witnessed the arrival of a god. The kind of god he should follow, worship, and maybe build a shrine for. His whole body trembled with renewed motivation.
"Adrien…" Issei whispered, his voice full of emotion. "You really understand me…"
Adrien lowered his arms after finishing his dramatic pose, then shifted his gaze toward Tannin.
The old dragon was simply staring at the scene in silence. His massive eyes moved between Adrien and Issei, but he didn't say anything—it was more like he didn't know what to say.
Adrien noticed the look in his eyes and sighed.
"You're probably gonna tell Sirzechs, right?"
"You know I cannot hide something like this, boy."
Adrien placed a hand on his hip and glanced toward Issei. "Yeah, figured. Alright then, you can leave. I'll handle Issei's training for the remaining time."
"Very well. But do not take this lightly. The boy still has much to learn."
A mischievous, almost evil smile slowly spread across Adrien's face.
"Oh, don't worry. Before long, he'll be begging for you to come back, Tannin."
Adrien casually rolled his shoulders "I still need to train with my new powers, after all. So helping him out at the same time works perfectly for me."
Issei's face went pale almost instantly. For the first time, training with Tannin no longer sounded like the worst possible outcome.
--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>
Rias and her Familia were currently riding on Tannin's back, with the mighty dragon giving them a lift to the venue at Issei's request. He had seen the boy two days earlier when he went to visit him and Adrien.
'How the hell can someone change so much in just a few weeks?' Tannin wondered. 'What kind of hellish torture did the Agares boy put him through?'
"Thank you, Tannin, for taking us to the venue," Rias said politely.
"It was a request from the Red Dragon Emperor," Tannin replied, a smile forming on his draconic face. "Lady Rias, you look splendid, by the way."
"Thank you," Rias answered with a small smile.
Asia looked down at the Gremory territory as they flew above it, her eyes shining with wonder.
"It's so beautiful…"
Below them, forests stretched endlessly across the land, broken only by rivers, roads, and distant settlements glowing under the light of the Underworld sky.
"Ha-ha-ha! It is an indescribable feeling, is it not? Sadly, there are likely no more than three mighty dragons still active, myself included. Though, I suppose I am a reincarnated devil now, so that leaves only Ophis and Tiamat. The rest have either been defeated and sealed away, or they have withdrawn into seclusion. Even Yulong and Midgardsormr have not shown themselves in ages."
Kiba, who had been listening quietly, looked toward the old dragon with polite curiosity.
"Now that you mention it, how did you become reincarnated as a devil?"
"Part of the reason is that there are no great battles left for me to fight. I thought that by becoming a devil, I would be able to participate in Rating Games. However, I had another reason as well…"
"Another reason?"
Tannin's eyes softened slightly. "…Have you ever heard of a dragon apple?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"There is a race of dragons that can only survive by consuming dragon apples," Tannin explained. "Those fruits once grew in the human world, but due to drastic environmental changes, they eventually went extinct there. Now, dragon apples can only be found here in the Underworld. But dragons have long been despised by both devils and fallen angels. There was no chance either faction would simply hand over such fruit for free. That is why I chose to become a devil. I needed to earn land of my own, land where I could grow dragon apples freely."
Asia's expression softened with sympathy.
"Attaining the rank of high-class devil meant receiving territory from the Demon King," Tannin said. "That was my goal."
"So that race of dragons lives in your territory now?" Kiba asked.
"Yes," Tannin replied. "It is the only reason they have not gone extinct."
Rias asked, glanced around expecting to see someone flying behind them. "By the way, Tannin, Where is Issei? Why hasn't he arrived yet?"
Tannin let out a low rumble, almost like a chuckle. "He will be here soon, he is still with the Agares boy. Which means they will most likely arrive late."
A short silence passed over the group. Akeno smiled knowingly, while Kiba gave a small, awkward chuckle.
Rias sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Of course, I should have expected that."
Soon, they arrived at their destination.
The luxurious high-rise hotel chosen for the banquet stood in a wide clearing deep within the massive forest at the edge of Gremory territory. Even from a distance, the building looked grand and expensive, its lights shining brightly against the dark trees surrounding it.
The dragons ferrying the guests descended toward what looked like a large sports concourse beside the hotel. One after another, they landed with heavy thuds, their wings stirring powerful gusts of wind across the open ground. Several lights immediately focused on Tannin, illuminating his massive body.
"My Familia and I will be making our way to the area set aside for oversized devils," Tannin said.
Rias gave him a polite smile. "Thank you, Tannin."
After Tannin departed, a group of hotel staff appeared on the sports ground to receive them. They bowed respectfully before leading Rias and her peerage toward a waiting limousine.
"This hotel has many facilities," Rias explained as they walked. "And since it is located away from the cities, security is much stricter here. The military is stationed nearby as well, so all of you need to be careful and behave properly. Do you understand?"
"What about Azazel?" Kiba asked as they approached the hotel. "Will he be joining us?"
"He'll meet us later. Apparently, he's meeting my brother and the others on the way here. It sounds like they've formed something of a friendship…"
Their limousine soon arrived in front of the hotel. The moment they stepped out, a group of neatly dressed staff members greeted them with deep, respectful bows.
Akeno handled the check-in at the front desk, speaking calmly with the hotel staff while the others looked around. The lobby was enormous and beautifully decorated.
Once everything was settled, they made their way toward the elevator.
"The party is being held on the top floor," Rias explained. "If anyone from a distinguished family approaches you, make sure to greet them properly, all right?"
Asia was still looking around at the luxurious surroundings with wide eyes. "O-okay. But, President… the Demon King organized all of this, right? For the young devils?"
"That is only the official reason," she said. "We are not really the stars tonight. In truth, this is an annual custom among the noble families. Think of it more like a regular family gathering for the older generation. My father and the other leaders probably decided to invite us so they could handle two things at once. But they are mainly here to enjoy themselves. Knowing them, they have likely already planned four or five afterparties. The fact that they came by themselves only makes that more obvious."
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Yo, when we reach 100 Power Stones I'll drop a bonus chapter.