Issei Hyoudou groaned as he regained consciousness.
His head pounded like he'd been hit by a truck. He blinked, squinting at the familiar ceiling above him as morning light filtered through the curtains.
"What a nightmare," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "Getting stabbed by a hot girl on a date? Yeah, right. Must've eaten bad ramen or something."
He shifted under the covers, feeling oddly… exposed. Wait, why was he naked? And why did the bed feel heavier than usual?
His heart skipped a beat. Issei turned his head to the right and froze. There, lying beside him, was Rias Gremory, the crimson-haired bombshell from school, her bare shoulders peeking out from under the sheet. Holy oppai! Is this still the dream? His eyes drifted downward, zeroing in on the curve of her breasts just barely covered.
DING!
A sharp, mechanical chime echoed in his head, snapping him out of it. Issei bolted upright, clutching the blanket. "What the? Am I going crazy now?" Before his eyes, a translucent red screen materialized, hovering like a video game interface:
[Dragon Infinity System Activated]
Host: Issei Hyoudou
Status: Reincarnated
Race: Devil Dragon
Dragon Essence: 1 percent
Synchronization: Unstable
Initial Protocol: Guardian Awakening
Next to the screen, a small figure popped into existence, a chibi dragon that looked like a miniature milf with curvaceous scales, flowing red hair, and a mischievous smirk. She floated there, hands on her hips, looking way too cute for something draconic.
"Yo, kid! About time you woke up," the chibi dragon said, her voice sultry and teasing. "Name's Scarlet, your personal guide to all things dragon. Your birth parents are Ophis, the Infinite Dragon God, and Great Red, the Apocalypse Dragon. Your dad left me in your blood to help awaken your powers. You're their lost son, hidden away during the Great War, and look at that, you're a rare devil dragon now! Reincarnated with demonic energy fused into your draconic blood. Cool, huh? Now, let's get this party started!"
Issei's mouth hung open. "B-Birth parents? Dragons? Devil dragon? This is nuts! I must be hallucinating from that stab wound."
The system chimed again: [Awakening Ddraig: Complete]
A deep, grandiose voice boomed from Issei's left arm, where a red gauntlet emerged. "I, Ddraig, the Red Dragon Emperor, awaken from my slumber! Who dares summon me?" The voice cut off as if it had noticed something. "This aura… it reeks of the Apocalypse Dragon. Boy, who are you?"
Scarlet grinned, floating over. "Oh, Ddraig, you big lug. You're looking at the only son of Ophis and Great Red."
Ddraig's voice stammered in utter shock. "T-the son of Ophis and Great Red?!" The glow on Issei's arm pulsed erratically, as if the dragon inside was reeling. "Impossible! Those two primordial monsters had a kid?!"
Scarlet chuckled. "Yup! And now he's your host. Up for training him into a proud dragon, big guy?"
Ddraig huffed. "I am the Heavenly Dragon! Not some babysitter for a whelp!"
Scarlet leaned in, whispering conspiratorially. "C'mon, think about it, you could train him to crush Albion's new host. Imagine the glory!"
Ddraig paused, tapping a scale on his chin. "…Fine. For the sake of rivalry, I'll mold this boy into something worthy."
With a wave of her tiny claw, Scarlet "pulled" Issei out of the Sacred Gear's mental space, snapping him back to his room. "Great! Now, as a welcome gift…" She conjured a glowing package, floating it into his hands. "Open it, kid. Items perfect for a young devil dragon like you."
Issei unwrapped it eagerly, revealing:
Dragon Scales Level 1
Passive reinforcement of skin and bones. Minor resistance to physical and magical damage. Growth tied to Dragon Essence.
Draconic Core Seed
Dormant. Accelerates dragon blood growth through combat and emotional stress.
Contract Authority: Locked
Condition: Dragon Essence 10%.
Devil Dragon Hormone Amplifier
Boosts allure and stamina; enhances charm for… social pursuits. (Perfect for harem dreams, kid—use wisely!)
Scarlet turned to Issei. "Power should be earned, not handed over. Your body would shatter otherwise."
Issei exhaled shakily. "…That makes sense."
With a spark of warmth spreading through him, his new devil dragon hormones kicked in, filling the room with a subtle, alluring scent. Behind him, Rias stirred, her eyes fluttering open. "Mmm… what is that smell?" she murmured, sitting up, the sheet slipping just enough to make Issei blush furiously.
After a frantic scramble to get dressed, with Issei sneaking peeks, Rias explained everything. "A fallen angel is the one who killed you, Issei. I revived you as a devil using my Evil Pieces. You're now the newest member of my peerage."
Issei blinked. "Peerage? Like chess? Who else is in it? And what piece did you use on me?"
Rias smiled teasingly, turning her back to him as she fastened her bra. "Help me with this clasp? My current peerage has four members, including you. My queen is Akeno, my knight is Kiba, and my cute rook is Koneko.
To reincarnate you, I had to use all eight of my pawns and spent the whole night healing you." Her fingers brushed his as he fumbled with the hook, his face burning. "Now get up and get dressed. You need to eat something."
Issei nodded, mind racing with devils, dragons, and… oppai. His harem dream was alive and weirder than ever. But as Scarlet winked from the system screen, he knew the real adventure was just beginning.