The morning light pierced through Issei's curtains like a spotlight, dragging him unwillingly from sleep.
Issei stirred himself awake and noticed he was back in his room naked. The sheets tangled around him as if he'd been through a war. Wait, how did I get here?
The last thing he remembered was clawing off that fedora freak's wing before collapsing.
As he started to gain his bearings, a familiar chime rang in his head.
Scarlet appeared in the translucent system window, hovering with an exaggeratedly sweet smile.
"Good morning, Host."
He grumbled as he wiped the sleep from his eyes, "Morning to you, too, Scarlet. Do you mind telling me what happened after I passed out?"
Scarlet clasped her hands behind her back, rocking midair. "Oh, nothing dramatic. Your pretty redhead met your big bad dragon mother."
Issei blinked.
"My… what?"
"Your mother. Ophis. Infinite Dragon God. Void incarnate. Petite. Emotionless. Slightly possessive."
His brain stalled.
"Wait." He shot upright. "She was here? With Rias? Did she hurt her? Where is she?"
Scarlet's grin sharpened. "Relax. No one died. Though Ophis did ask if Rias was your mate."
He could feel a light nosebleed as he thought of Rias' curves, the way the sheet had slipped in his dream, revealing soft skin and perfect proportions. Mate? With Rias? Oppai heaven… Blood trickled from his nose, and he wiped it hastily, but not before Scarlet noticed.
"Host, your drooling." She shook her head, clearly exasperated with Issei.
"Wipe your face, Host."
He grabbed a tissue. "Shut up."
She sighed. "Your priorities require recalibration."
The scent of something rich and savory hit him. There was an undercurrent of something wild and ancient, like roasted meat infused with fire and mystery. His stomach growled ferociously, but more than hunger, his dragon blood stirred, drawn to it like a moth to flame. "What… what is that? It smells like power… and barbecue."
He swung his legs out of bed, still slightly sore, and pulled on a black tracksuit. The fabric clung to his shoulders and chest, not because he was muscular yet, but because his body felt denser somehow. Coiled. Pressurized.
"Seriously, what's that smell? It's driving me crazy. It feels like it's calling to me."
Scarlet smirked. "Wyrm meat. A gift from your mother. Prepared by Rias using Chysis's instructions. Congratulations, hatchling. You're about to ingest primordial protein."
She clasped her arms behind her back. "Of course it does," Scarlet said. "Dragon Essence responds to draconic sources. Which brings us to something important."
A new system panel materialized.
[Dragon Essence Progression: Overview]
Current Awakening: 2%
Growth Stage: Hatchling
At 10% – Scaled Body Reinforcement
At 25% – Wing Manifestation (Temporary)
At 50% – Partial True Dragon Form
At 75% – Domain Establishment
At 100% – Sovereign Awakening
Requirement Notice: Advancement beyond 25% will require territorial anchoring. A dragon without a lair cannot ascend.
Issei stared.
"…Territorial anchoring?"
Scarlet's tone shifted, losing some of its teasing edge.
"Dragons don't just grow stronger. They mature. Essence progression coincides with growth stages. Hatchling. Wyrmling. Young Dragon. Elder. Sovereign."
She floated closer.
"You can't reach your next major stage without claiming territory. A lair. A place that recognizes you as its apex."
Issei blinked. "You're telling me I need a dragon cave?"
"Eventually," Scarlet replied. "Not today. But you should start thinking about where you intend to plant your flag. Power without territory stagnates."
He swallowed.
That sounded… serious.
A quiet instinct whispered: Claim. Protect. Grow.
The clubroom? His bedroom? Kuoh Academy itself?
Ridiculous.
…But not entirely wrong.
A chime interrupted the moment.
[Daily Dragon Trial Issued: Forge the Body – Day 1]
• 50 Push-Ups
• 50 Sit-Ups
• 50 Squats
• 10km Run
• Meditate 10 Minutes (No Pervy Thoughts!)
Complete by Midnight.
Reward: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance
Dragon Vitality Phase I (Locked until 7 consecutive completions)
Penalty (Failure):
• Dragon Essence Instability (−1% Temporary Suppression)
• Silence Zone (1 Hour)
Warning: Trial difficulty scales with Essence growth.
"These are your dailies, kid," Scarlet explained. "Build that hatchling body into something worthy of your parents. Do 'em every day, no skips, or you'll regret it. Think of it as leveling up for your harem king quest."
Scarlet's voice took a stern tone, "Before you complain, little hatchling, if you skip a day, your Essence will destabilize. Your body will slowly reject the growth. Headaches. Fatigue. Power regression."
Issei groaned but felt a spark of determination. The system made everything feel like a game, and he was ready to grind. "Fine… after food."
He headed downstairs as the aroma grew more intoxicating, pulling him like a siren song. In the kitchen, Rias stood at the stove, apron tied over her uniform. Her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, exposing the elegant line of her neck as she stirred the pan.
The meat sizzled golden-brown with faint crimson veins pulsing beneath the surface. Dragon herbs released a spicy, smoky aroma that made the air feel charged.
Miki wasn't home.
Rias turned, smiling. "Good. You're awake."
She ladled a portion into a bowl. Steam curled upward like faint dragonfire.
"This was your mother's gift," she said calmly. "Chysis sent the herbs. Apparently, this is how one properly feeds a hatchling."
Hatchling.
That word again.
Issei sat.
He took a bite.
The flavor exploded across his tongue, savory, rich, layered with heat that wasn't just spice. It burned down his throat like controlled fire.
Warmth spread through his chest.
Not explosive.
Not overwhelming.
Dense.
Heavy.
Grounded.
A faint system notification pulsed.
[Dragon Essence Increased: 2% → 3%]
His fingers tightened around the bowl.
"…I feel stronger."
"Good," Rias said softly. "You nearly died last night."
That grounded him more than the food did.
He finished the meal quickly, heat lingering in his veins, not overwhelming, but steady.
Scarlet's voice returned.
"Energy levels elevated. Trial window optimal."
Issei groaned. "Right. Torture time."
Back upstairs, he dropped to the floor and began push-ups.
One.
Two.
Three.
By ten, his arms trembled.
By fifteen, his breathing turned ragged.
"This… sucks," he muttered, collapsing briefly.
Rias leaned against the doorway, watching quietly.
"Get up," she said gently. "You endured a fallen angel. You can endure this."
He pushed himself back into position.
The wyrm meat's warmth pulsed in his muscles, not removing the strain, but stabilizing it. The reps didn't become easy.
They became possible.
Scarlet monitored silently.
After push-ups came squats.
Then sit-ups.
Each set forced him closer to failure.
By the time he laced his shoes for the run, sweat soaked through his tracksuit, and his legs felt like lead.
Scarlet's final reminder echoed:
"Remember, Host. Essence growth without discipline leads to collapse. Hatchlings who rush fracture. Sovereigns are built slowly."
After finishing his squats, he laced up his shoes and stepped outside for the run.
The morning air felt different.
He didn't just want power.
He wanted to grow into it.
And somewhere in the back of his mind.
A quiet thought lingered.
Where would a dragon like him build a lair?
A faint ripple brushed his senses, like distant eyes watching from far away.
Ophis or something else?
The void was listening.
And it was patient.