Issei slipped out of bed just before dawn, careful not to wake Rias or Asia. The house was silent, the only sound was the soft rhythm of their breathing. He donned his black tracksuit. He grabbed a small backpack and crept downstairs.
Scarlet's chibi form appeared beside him as he stepped outside.
"Are you ready for your first real hunt, Host?"
"Yeah," Issei whispered. His eyes gleamed with determination. "Let's do this!"
The system map glowed in front of him, a pulsing red marker leading straight toward the mountain peak he had felt calling to him. He mounted his bike and pedaled hard in the pre-dawn darkness.
The towering mountain loomed ahead as the sun began to rise. The pull grew stronger with every meter closer. Deep in his chest, as if the land itself was whispering his name.
Scarlet floated beside him.
"There are two medium-rank threats detected to your left. Shadow Stalkers first. Be careful, they excel in ambush and shadow manipulation."
The mountain air smelled of ash and wet stone.
Every breath burned faintly in his lungs.
The Shadow Stalkers circled soundlessly through the trees, their violet eyes appearing and vanishing between the trunks like ghost lights.
The first attack came without warning.
Two sleek, wolverine-like beasts erupted from the shadows, black fur rippling with darkness, eyes glowing sickly violet. They moved like liquid night, claws extended, aiming for Issei's throat and back in perfect sync.
Issei twisted mid-air, Dragon Claw flashing into existence.
"Boost!"
The first stalker's claws raked across his arm, drawing blood. Pain flared down his arm, but it only ignited something deeper. His pupils narrowed into low vertical slits. A deep growl escaped his throat. Crimson-black aura erupted around him, scorching the ground.
Scarlet's voice was urgent.
"Host, control yourself! Don't let your rage control you!"
But Issei was already moving.
The dragon inside him wanted out. It wanted this fight.
He met the second stalker head-on. Their claws clashed head-on as shadow met scale. The beast tried to melt into the darkness, but Issei's aura burned the shadows away. He grabbed it by the throat and choke slammed it into the rocky ground, cracking nearby stone.
The first stalker lunged again.
Issei spun again, this time faster, as he grasped their combat pattern. His eyes glowed gold.
Heat raged in his chest as something primal was fighting its way out.
He inhaled sharply as a deep plume of Dragon's Breath was unleashed.
A concentrated blast of crimson-black fire erupted from his mouth.
The beam tore through both Shadow Stalkers, incinerating them mid-leap. Their bodies hit the ground as charred husks.
Issei stood panting, smoke curling from his lips.
The taste of smoke and iron coated his tongue.
His throat burned, but deep inside his chest, something ancient purred with satisfaction.
Scarlet floated closer, eyes wide.
"…Holy crap, Host. That was your first successful hunt. Congratulations."
Ddraig rumbled with deep approval.
"Not bad, whelp. Not bad at all."
Scarlet guided him through butchering.
"Cut here to retain the meat high fire resistance. The cores are the real prize. Absorb them later to strengthen your affinity."
The old dragon's voice turned smug.
"Now, hurry up and get stronger and recruit some subordinates like a true dragon. A proper dragon needs more than claws and fire. He needs a lair, a hoard, and those willing to stand beneath his wings."
Issei stored the materials, feeling the weight of his first true hunt settle in his bones.
But he wasn't done yet as the map pulsed again.
A stronger signature Magma Komodo Dragon.
The beast was massive, twice the size of a normal komodo, scales glowing like molten rock, eyes burning with feral intelligence. It roared as Issei approached, the ground trembling beneath its claws.
The fight was brutal.
The komodo was faster than expected, lunging with lava-coated jaws. Issei dodged, but a tail swipe caught his side, burning through his tracksuit and searing flesh. Pain exploded.
Ddraig's voice roared in excitement.
"Yes! Feel it, partner! That's what it means to be a dragon!"
Issei's aura flared wildly. His eyes turned full dragon slits. Scales spread further across his arms and chest. He countered with boosted Dragon Claw, tearing deep gashes into the beast's side.
The komodo roared in fury, breathing a stream of molten rock.
Issei met it with another Dragon's Breath.
The two flames collided in an explosion of heat and light.
At that moment, something clicked between Issei and Ddraig.
A deeper bond.
A shared understanding.
Issei roared and charged through the flames.
His claw drove straight into the komodo's throat with a final, decisive blow.
The beast collapsed with a thunderous crash.
Issei stood over it, chest heaving, covered in sweat, blood, and soot.
He felt… alive.
Scarlet cheered.
"Amazing! That's two high-quality kills on your first hunt!"
Ddraig chuckled.
"You're starting to feel like a real dragon now, kid."
Issei butchered the komodo quickly, storing the meat and its glowing core. The fire essence inside it called to him strongly.
As he made his way down the mountain, the ground vibrated faintly beneath his feet.
The lair's call grew louder.
When he returned home, the sun was high in the sky.
Rias was waiting at the door like a wife whose husband had spent the whole night out. Her arms were crossed, but her eyes softened the moment she saw his injuries and torn tracksuit.
"You went hunting alone," her voice was a mix of worry and exasperation.
Before he could answer, she stepped forward and placed her hands on him. Warm crimson energy flowed into his wounds, healing them rapidly. Her hands lingered on his chest, tracing his newly hardened scales.
"You're getting stronger," she whispered, almost to herself.
Her fingers pressed a little firmer.
"But next time… take me with you."
Issei blushed, feeling the heat of her touch.
"Yeah… I will."
Inside, Asia was already preparing breakfast, the scent of fresh lava bird meat filling the house.
During breakfast, Issei placed the glowing crimson core and butchered meat on the kitchen table.
The fire crystal pulsed like a second heartbeat.
The meat from the Shadow Stalkers and Magma Komodo Dragon glowed with faint magical power.
Rias's eyes widened slightly. "You killed these beasts alone?"
Issei scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, Ddraig and Scarlet said it was a good first hunt."
Asia gasped.
Scarlet floated proudly beside him. "Our young dragon unlocked Dragon's Breath."
Asia's eyes widened.
"D-Dragon's Breath…? You mean Issei-senpai can really breathe fire?"
Scarlet nodded proudly. "Crimson-black dragonfire. Very impressive for a first hunt."
Asia looked at Issei with a mix of awe and worry.
"…You really are a dragon."
But far away, in the Phenex estate, Ravel Phenex stared at the latest report on her desk.
Her fingers tightened.
"The dragon is growing faster than expected…"
Her blue eyes narrowed with cold calculation.
Later that morning, the three of them walked to Kuoh Academy together. Issei carried his bag over one shoulder, still buzzing with leftover adrenaline from the hunt.
As they approached the school gates, whispers had already begun spreading.
"Is that Hyoudou?"
"The pervert?"
"Why is he walking with Rias-senpai and the new girl?"
"Did he somehow get even more popular?!"
Issei could practically feel the jealousy in the air.
A few boys looked like they wanted to throw themselves off the roof.
Somewhere behind him, Motohama screamed, "It should have been me!"
Asia stayed close to his side, nervous.
Rias, meanwhile, looked completely unbothered. If anything, she moved a little closer to him on purpose.
A familiar figure adjusted her glasses under the morning sun.
Sona Sitri stood waiting, arms crossed, looking as composed as ever.
"Rias," she greeted coolly, then glanced at Issei. "And the Red Dragon Emperor. You're looking… more energetic than usual."
Rias smiled. "Sona. Let me guess, you're here to finalize the familiar contest?"
"Correct." Sona pushed up her glasses. "The sports matches between our groups will determine which side earns the right to choose new familiars first. The student council has already prepared the fields."
Rias's eyes gleamed with competitive fire. "Then let's settle this the old-fashioned way."
Issei blinked. "Wait… we're doing sports matches for familiars?"
Asia tilted her head cutely. "It sounds fun!"
The afternoon turned into a full-blown sports festival between the Occult Research Club and the Student Council.
Dodgeball was chosen as the decisive event.
The match was intense. Rias's team fought with demonic grace and power. Sona's side countered with precise strategy and flawless teamwork. Issei threw himself into the game with everything he had, boosting his strength and dodging with draconic reflexes.
But numbers and coordination eventually overwhelmed him.
A perfectly aimed ball from Tsubaki caught him square in the chest, knocking him out of bounds.
"Damn it…" Issei muttered, sitting on the sidelines, breathing heavily.
As the match continued without him, Ddraig's earlier words from the mountain echoed in his mind:
"A proper dragon needs more than claws and fire. He needs a lair… a hoard… and those willing to stand beneath his wings."
Issei stared at the ground, lost in thought.
Subordinates…
Who would even want to follow someone like him? A former pervert who only recently stopped being useless? What kind of people would willingly stand under a dragon's shadow?
He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice someone approaching until a soft, elegant voice spoke beside him.
"Ara ara~ You look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, Issei-kun."
Akeno sat down gracefully next to him on the bench, her long black hair swaying gently. She tilted her head with a gentle, knowing smile.
"You've been spacing out since you got eliminated. Is something wrong?"
Issei scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed. "Ah… yeah. I've just been thinking about what Ddraig said earlier. About how a real dragon needs subordinates. People who'd actually want to follow me."
He let out a self-deprecating laugh. "I mean… who would want to serve under a guy like me? I'm still figuring everything out. Being the Red Dragon Emperor… being the son of dragons… It's a lot heavier than I thought."
Akeno was quiet for a moment, her usual playful smile softening into something more genuine.
"You know… we're not so different," she said softly. "I'm a hybrid too. My mother was human. My father… was a fallen angel. For a long time, I hated that part of myself. I felt like I didn't belong anywhere, too demonic for humans, too human for fallen angels."
She looked at him, her violet eyes warm and understanding.
"So I understand how heavy it feels… carrying something inside you that you didn't ask for. But Issei-kun…" She placed a gentle hand on his arm. When she squeezed it, a tiny spark of violet lightning danced across her fingertips. "You don't have to carry it alone. And the people who choose to stand with you… They won't do it because you're perfect. They'll do it because they believe in you."
"Besides," she said with a teasing smile, "a dragon king will eventually need a queen of storms, won't he?"
Issei stared at her, face heating instantly.
"Q-Queen?!"
Akeno only giggled softly, looking far too pleased with herself.
Warmth bloomed in his chest.
"…Thanks, Akeno-san."
She smiled, bright and beautiful. "Anytime. We hybrids have to support each other, right?"
On the field, the match was reaching its climax. But for a brief moment, Issei felt a little lighter.
The dragon inside him rumbled approvingly.
Far beneath the mountain, ancient stone cracked.
Molten-gold eyes opened fully in the darkness.
The creature beneath the earth had felt the young dragon's first hunt.
And for the first time in centuries...
It smiled.