Side Story 45: The Makings Of A True Dragon

While the servants and the two peerages are training in the middle of nowhere. At Kuoh, the fallen angels that the devils were ignoring have begun to move. And they found their target after losing Asia.

"So that's the disgusting human that has a sacred gear eh? I need to kill him soon, or those bats will get him." A female fallen angel with long black hair and wearing a dominatrix outfit squinted her eyes.

"Raynare, I think we should be getting the hell out of here. Kokabiel-sama doesn't know what the fuck he's doing. Those three blondes that annihilated a city in the underworld are here. Are you so inclined to die? Because I'm not suicidal." A blue haired voluptuous fallen angel tried convincing her.

"Have you watched their video Kalawarner? If we don't do anything to them. They won't necessarily attack us. Asia Argento just got lucky, being adopted by them. This Issei Hyoudou? Not so much." Raynare snorted and she would start her plan.

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After school, one Issei Hyoudou who is a horndog was thinking of once again whacking his meat when he goes home. It is non-stop nut November after all.

"Guhehehe, I'll definitely be thinking of those new 3rd years and Morgan-chan. Woohoo! Viva Kuoh academy! So many beauties are here!" He cheered and was pretty stoked.

Someone walked up to him and it was a pretty girl with long black hair. Wearing a different school uniform. "Ummm. Hello, are you Issei Hyoudou?" The girl was acting shy.

'Ugh, why'd I have to do this. I'll definitely kill this piece of trash later.' Raynare thought in her head as she acted perfectly in her mind. It just worked because Issei was such a starved pervert.

"Huh, me? You're looking for me?" Issei looked behind him and was confused that the beauty was looking for him.

"Yes, I'm Amano Yuuma. Ummm, Issei-san. I've actually been watching you for some time now. And I think I really like you." Raynare twiddled her thumbs, acting as a girl in love.

"Wait, what? Me!? Are... Are you sure? This isn't a prank or something right? I'm not being tricked and this isn't a bet?" Issei was understandably suspicious. But he was over cloud 9.

"Of course, I've liked you for a long time now. And I've mustered the courage to confess today. I want to date you, do you agree?" She bowed and Issei was stunned for a whole minute.

"O-of course Yuuma-chan! Let's go on a date then!" He was so happy, he had a goofy grin on his face. Not noticing the slight smirk Raynare had on her face.

"Great! That was nerve wracking... This is my number, let's meet up tomorrow. There's no school after all." Raynare swapped numbers with him and he looked at his phone and Raynare as she said goodbye.

"Am I dreaming?" He pinched himself and did not wake up. "Fuck yeah! I'm not! Shit, this is the best day ever. God! I wanna thank you!" He prayed and he thought he was hallucinating, as he heard a voice saying sure thang.

Up in another building, Ein was watching their exchange and he shook his head. "What a poor bastard. He's just a lonely guy that wants a girlfriend. Based on just how happy he was and how he treated Raynare on their date. He'll never cheat or look towards other women. He didn't even have any perversive thoughts on her." Ein took pity on him.

He remembered the times where young men back in his old world just wanted to have a romantic relationship. And he would practically die later because Rias is preoccupied with training.

"Hmmm, I guess I can turn him into someone competent. His drive will be sky high after this little incident. Maybe his childhood friend Irina can fix him up later." He put a tracker on him and would wait for him to get killed later, it will be a sobering experience for him not to trust people blindly and usher him into the supernatural.

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Issei prepared extensively for their date, staying up all night in excitement as he researched on eroges for how the date will go.

He had a pep in his steps and was happy like never before. Thinking that he'll finally have a girlfriend to spend time with. "Hehehe~ But Motohama and Matsuda will surely beat me up. Though it doesn't matter! I have a girlfriend now!" Issei went out of his house and was really psyched up.

He met with Raynare and she was wearing casual clothes. He admired her beauty and thought he was one lucky bastard. But truth is stranger than fiction. And the girl he thought was his new girlfriend wanted to murder him really badly.

The two started their date and Ein sighed. "Her killing intent is leaking really badly. Tough luck, kid. I'll at least build you up into a man. If I remember correctly, Odin was the one who turned him like that when he was just a wee kid. Hmmm, maybe I should steal his secretary or something. So Yasaka could have some help."

Issei was clueless and just enjoyed the date with a goofy expression on his face. Even buying a scrunchie for his new girlfriend/murderer.

They were about to end the date and the two arrived at a park with a fountain. Issei smiling at Raynare and thought he was going to get lucky with a kiss.

"Issei-kun, I really enjoyed our date. It was so nice." Raynare smiled at him that was bordering into a smirk.

"Ahhh, yeah. I had a great time too, Yuuma-chan." Issei scratched his head sheepishly. Raynare then went up to him. Making his heart beat faster.

"Un, and as a reward. I'll give you sweet release, death." Raynare smirked and transformed into her fallen angel form after putting up a barrier around them so no one could see them.

"W-what?" Issei was shocked out of his mind, seeing Raynare transform. "Fufufu~ Sorry, but my name is Raynare, Issei-kun. And if you want to blame someone. Blame god who has put a sacred gear in you." Raynare suddenly stabbed him on the chest with a spear of light.

"B-but why? I... I thought you were." He kneeled on the ground, ignoring the pain and blood loss as he looked at her with dazed eyes.

"You have a sacred gear, and you will be a threat to our faction. Now byebye~" Raynare flew away, leaving him behind as he started to bleed to death. His consciousness starting to darken second by second.

He then heard a chuckle, but he has no strength to look at the person. "What's wrong kid? A girl stabbed you or something?" Ein squatted beside him and poked him with a stick.

"S-she did. And she had... Black wings, wearing a fucking sexy outfit." Issei coughed up blood, getting weaker and weaker.

"So, are you satisfied with how you died?" Ein asked him as he won't really heal him up if he was. That was disrespectful of one's wishes.

"S-satisfied huh? I'll die because I just wanted to be happy. Maybe touch some boobs and lose my virginity. But I was murdered in cold blood. And I don't even understand why..." He coughed once again and was going to lose his consciousness any second now.

"Then blink if you wanna live, do you want do whatever you want? Live a happy life? Give your parents a reason to be proud of you? Amazing people will be in awe at your prowess and strength?" Ein smiled at him and Issei mustered the streng to look at him and nod. The boosted gear appearing at his left hand from his newfound will.

"Good answer." Ein snapped his fingers and healed him up, the hole in his chest repairing itself at visible rate.

He then coughed up blood once again and immediately put a hand on his chest. Gasping for air, sitting up while looking at Ein with confusion. Thinking it was a hallucination.

"You up now, kid? You must be confused eh? Then how about we let your little partner talk with you." Ein pointed at the red gauntlet at his left hand and he gave it some energy to awaken Ddraig. As Issei's pitiful mana reserves were too lacking.

"Nice to meet you partner, I'm Y Ddraig Goch." The gauntlet glowed and a deep voice resounded from it, surprising Issei.

"Wait, can you explain what happened first? Why did... Yuuma kill me. And what's this thing on my hand?" Issei was mighty confused and Ein gestured for Ddraig to explain.

Issei's dragon partner started explaining things to him and he understood. Albeit at a surface level, as he needed a lot of time to truly digest the information.

"Kid, don't disappoint me. Your life is not normal from now on. That thing on you is a god slaying weapon. Even the abrahamic god didn't want to fight Ddraig one on one. Though Longinuses never killed a god." Ein shrugged and thought that their title is a bit too exaggerated.

"A what!? This thing can kill a god?" Issei looked at it with awe and Ddraig laughed. "No, it helps you kill one. That scary guy over there is right. No matter how it helps you. If you just can't then you won't be able to." Ddraig explained and Issei looked at him.

"So, what's its power anyway mister?" Issei was curious and Ein snorted. "It helps you double your strength. Energy, physical strength, all that jazz. But when I mess with g's system. Could I double your mental strength? Mental faculties? Basically everything. I think it would be a good experiment." Ein smirked and thought that's an interesting thought.

Issei went quiet and just stared at him, basically asking what's next. A bit downtrodden because he thought he was finally going to have a girlfriend and be happy.

"You're weak kid, you know that right?" Ein raised a brow at him and Issei gritted his teeth. Slowly understanding that there are more things out there that will want to kill him because he has Ddraig in him.

"Yeah... I'm a huge target huh? And I'm just ripe for picking. That fallen angel was basically a mob in their faction right?" Issei got an explanation from Ddraig that angels and fallen have more wings the stronger they are.

"Umu, that crow was basically the trash of their faction. And even if you have Ddraig with you, she'd still kill you 10 times out of 10." Ein shrugged and Issei frowned heavily.

"Mister... No, master... Please make me stronger, I want to live. A life in which I can do whatever I want. Just like you, Ddraig told me that you're the strongest being he has ever seen. And people like you can do whatever they want." Issei prostrated and Ein nodded in satisfaction at his determination.

"I guess I did save your ass, so I can't stop here. Call me Ein, kid. And as for your very first task. It is to know your enemy. Knowledge is power, this world is big Issei. We have plenty of time to work on your physical body." Ein sent a message to Metatron and she was to hack into 7th heaven. Change the boosted gear's abilities a bit.

"Y-yes." Issei hated studying, but it was his best shot to be under Ein so he could at least have a fighting chance. "Kid, you better not waste your chance. Agree to everything he says, you'll definitely be my strongest wielder if you do." Ddraig advised and Issei agreed.

"Okay, let's wait for my subordinate to change heaven's system so you'll be smarter with the boosted gear. And brace yourself kid, it'll be hella painful." Ein shrugged and Issei nodded slowly.

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At 7th heaven Metatron and Laplus arrived. With the angels none the wiser. "Ein-sama wants us to hack this so called system?" Laplus looked at it and raised a brow. For her, it was so simple that Laplace could make one on her own after a few days of tinkering.

"It is not a surprise that they will be proud of this Laplus. He might have been the most famous god of this world. But he was no true God like Ein-sama and the outer gods. This dingy system is basically magic for them." Metatron explained to Laplus.

Laplus thought it was pretty shit. As the divine keys were more complicated than it. As trillions upon trillions of nanobots that have their own coding made up a single weapon. Taking honkai energy from the imaginary space via their herrscher cores.

While the sacred gears while impressive. They are basically crutches that just randomly appear on someone through a cycle using the pre established reincarnation of the souls handled by heaven. One divine key is more complicated than the whole system of the sacred gears. It was just more magical in nature.

And it was super limited due to the will of the honkai not giving it unlimited energy. Now that it's complete, wielders of the divine key will basically become the apex in what the weapon controls.

Because why double your strength until you can't anymore when you could just point the pointy end of the 3rd divine key at someone and watch anything with a physical form melt into goop and bathe the world in lightning. Or unleash the flames of the 7th divine key and bathe the world in heat that could evaporate entire star systems instantly.

"Anyways, just get it over with Metatron. Overwrite the coding of boosted gear and make it how Ein-sama wants it to be." Laplus whipped her phone out and started playing games. Gotta grind those daily missions after all.

Metatron raised her hands and Soulium began to seep into Yahweh's system. Metatron's eyes glowed and she started to look for the boosted gear in the system.

"Found you, this will be easy. The firewall of the system is a piece of his soul that was left behind. Interestingly, he left a will. He wishes humans to have a fighting chance against the supernatural beings. How ironic, he just put a bigger target on humans. He has no idea how much stronger humanity can grow on their own." Metatron snorted.

By bestowing sacred gears to humans. Devils, fallen angels, and even his own messengers. The angels have been more wary of humanity as a whole. The devils enslaved them with the evil pieces, fallen killed or stole sacred gears which kills them too.

The previous era of humanity in their world could wage worldwide wars in DxD with technology alone. What's a basic mook that could use some magic will do against orbital weapons that can erase entire countries in less than an hour?

And everybody can learn magic, humans have limitless potential as a race. They'll find things that magical races would have never thought of with magic. They will incorporate it into their weapons, their bodies, their infrastructure. And they will resist down to the last man if it's against a common enemy.

Humans are extremely good at making things to kill and wage wars. They aren't going to be afraid to use it against the magical races when push comes to shove.

"Go and change it quickly Metatron, erase that guy or something if it goes against you." Laplus rolled her eyes and Metatron did erase the soul of Yahweh that was still lingering in the system of heaven.

"There, done." Metatron took back her Soulium, except she put in a bug in it as a replacement for Yahweh's will. A back door, basically giving her full control of heaven's system. Turning her into the new abrahamic god in all intents and purposes.

"Let's go, I've already told Ein-sama that the gauntlet can do what he wants." Laplus pulled her and they left 7th heaven.

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Back at the park, Ein and Issei were sitting on a bench. Drinking some milk tea, the brunette did just experience death. Not something a lot could brag that they went through.

"Ahhh, my subordinates just took over heaven. Now let's see if we can make it do this. Go and shout out boost." Ein egged him on and Ddraig was shocked to his core.

"Wait, did I hear you right? Your subordinates just took over heaven?" Ddraig was apprehensive and couldn't believe it. He had to hear it again.

"Yup, one of my subordinates is now the new abrahamic god. She controls heaven's system now. So we can make new angels or make them fall or something, anything we want that was made by heaven really." Ein shrugged and Ddraig went quiet.

"So... I just shout out boost?" Issei looked at him weirdly and was trying to ask Ddraig if that's what it took. But the dragon was losing his mind and didn't reply.

"Yup, and think that you're boosting your mental faculties. I'm sure it will work, now do it quickly. I'm a busy man, I need to have dinner with my kids." Ein squinted his eyes at him and he immediately shouted out boost.

He then felt that his mind was sharper. Things were processed much faster in his mind. "Good, it worked. I can see the shock in your face. Boost a couple of more times and read all of this. I expect you to memorize everything here by tomorrow. Then we'll make you stronger." Ein gave him a stack of books and Issei nodded with determination.

Now that he knew that it worked, he was going to really train harder. Still having some trauma about women. Raynare had a big impact on his teenage mind.

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After school, Issei refused watching porn with his best friends and immediately waited at the front of the school.

He suddenly teleported into somewhere and went face to face with Scàthach. "Gremory-san!? Sitori-san?" He was surprised, seeing one of the onee-san's of Kuoh and the student council president.

"Really? You can't even think of a good substitute for your surname? And you used Sitori? Whatever, your training with me. Starts today." Scàthach smiled at them, but they definitely weren't thrilled at her apparent desire to run them ragged down on the ground.

"I'll teach you how to be warriors. Your training will be 24/7. Ein-sama has given me some pretty nice things to make you go on perpetually." Scàthach grinned. Thankful that they have some potions that will restore their stamina and magic. While a regeneration potion will restore their muscles and bones to tip top shape. Allowing for perpetual training.

They gulped, the peerages of Rias and Sona shivering in fear with their kings. While Issei was anxious. But he was determined to wield Ddraig to his limits.

He tried experimenting with the supposedly new functions with Ddraig. And he could also accelerate his healing. Meaning he can strengthen himself much more efficiently.

"After one hour of training, you will be downing these potions. And eat until you can't anymore. Then you'll start all over again. I assure you, you won't get full for weeks." Scàthach threw them some vests and it was gravity exo-suit that will burden them to their utmost physical limit.

"A strong magical talent is nothing with a body to accompany it. You maggots have physiques that would topple at just a well placed punch or kick. Now train like you mean it and run!" Scàthach took out a whip and whipped Rias who was mumbling and whining.

"Ahhhh!" Rias writhed on the ground as the whip has a specific enchantment on it given by Jeanne. It was imbued with the holy element. Everybody trembled in fear as they saw Rias twitch on the ground while screaming.

"If you don't keep on running! I'll definitely show you a reason to! Now get up you red headed maggot!" Scàthach whipped her once again and Rias cried like a baby on the ground.

"I'll give you 3 seconds to stand and run or I'll whip you again!" Scàthach poised for another strike and Rias immediately started running. But she was sloppy and was slowing down immediately because she wasn't really athletic.

"What'd I tell you!?" Scàthach whipped her ass again and she face planted on the ground. "No more, please!" Rias begged for mercy and Scàthach was not amused.

"Weak, I'll have to double down on you I see. Then every second you don't stand up and run in your position. I'll be giving a lashing to your friends over there. It was five and still counting." Scàthach just stared at her and Rias was shocked.

She immediately stood up and started running, but it was too late. "I counted 12 seconds, your friends will pay the price for your incompetence. That's what it means to be responsible for your subordinates." Scàthach made the two peerages stand in front of her with their backs facing Scàthach.

"Take your shirts off. Go topless, now. Anybody who second guesses will have double the lashings." Scàthach ordered and they immediately went topless.

They didn't know who was going to go first, shivering in embarrassment at being seen naked and in fear.

The first who got whipped was Sona. As she immediately gasped from the searing pain. Making her kneel on the ground, the lashing taking her breath away.

"Sona!" Rias gritted her teeth and cried once again. Seeing her best friend getting punished because of her.

"That's one down, 11 more to go." Scàthach was ruthless, whipping down her back at the same exact spot for 11 more times. Every single one of them, even their mascot Koneko and Gasper. The half vampire trap.

"See how your friends and subordinates suffer from your failure?" Scàthach crossed her arms and Rias watched in horror as her friends groaned in pain on the ground.

"Now run, slow down and you get it. Do you understand?" Scàthach whipped the ground and they immediately nodded. Running for their lives or experience pain that attacked their very concept as devils.

"As for you, good job. You continued your run and didn't watch on like a stupid idiot. Now eat, drink, and do it all over again." Scàthach nodded at Issei in satisfaction that was panting.

He didn't get distracted and limped his way to the dining table that had tons of food. He immediately started eating like a starved animal and didn't notice the others who arrived there.

"Hoh? This is the pervert in our class right?" Morgan scoffed, she then squinted her eyes. Noticing now what she felt inside of him that was similar to Artoria. It was a dragon.

"I'm watching you, perv. If you even try to look inappropriately, you'll definitely receiving my arrows." Atalanta huffed at him but Issei took a look at them and ignored them.

He was having a moment. A mindset that Ein gave him once he understood the world's higher echelons with the information from Ein. It was a kill or get killed world that valued only strength and intelligence.

His newly awakened dragon instincts flared up and he cannot accept that he was weak. Only focusing on one thing. To become strong and live how he wants to live.

"Sorry, I'm training. I'm full now and I need to digest it so I can build up strength." Issei downed his potions and boosted his healing. He then started running again to build up his basic stats.

"Wow. What happened to that kid? He has that look in his eyes." Achilles was surprised and even they didn't train that hard with Chiron.

"He's got something to prove. Geez Ein-sama probably did something to him. That guy's crazy charimastic. I can't believe that perv received that kind of drive." Mordred commented and they watched him go.

After 12 hours of continuous muscle tearing and bone breaking exercises. They immediately started to feel the effects. Losing their resentment at Scàthach that ran them through the wringer.

"Hi~ I'm Quetzalcoatl dayo. I'm going to be your sparring partner! Scàthach will teach you how to wield weapons later. As she had her fun, now it's time for me to teach you how to fight with your own body. And what's the best teacher besides experience?" Kuku cheered and cracked her knuckles.

They immediately understood the assignment and of course she went with the weakest ones first. The mages and unathletic ones. Sona and Rias.

Kuku slugged Rias on the face and her neck snapped from the force of her punch. Everybody froze and thought it was just a spar, but she clearly killed her.

"Oops, sorry. I forgot to tell you, you'll revive here once you die. Ein made this field and everyone who dies here will heal up back to full. And all of you will be fighting me until you improve so you won't die, okay~" Kuku smirked, showing her sharp teeth.

Rias gasped and her broken neck and spine aligned once again as she patted all over her body. Breathing heavily, experiencing sudden death.

"Lookie there, she's already up and running. But of course it won't be good if I don't kill all of you too." Kuku smiled and lunged at Sona. She gave a kick at her chin as her head swung to her back. Her body went limp and she fell to the ground. Making her peerage scream.

"Holy fuck! She's gonna fucking kill us here! And we can't use magic! Attack!" Morgan immediately called upon her meagre knowledge about close quarters combat. But Kuku just dodged her blows and kicked her on the chest, caving it in as she skipped on the ground like a pebble.

Shakespeare stood his ground and watched Kuku do her move. But she just threw a pebble right at his head and his head exploded.

"Nuh uh, you can't just wait~" Kuku smirked at them and she began her massacre. The trainees experienced her Lucha Libre. Being ragdolled around the training field for hours before they even were able to try to parry or dodge.

And when all of them were at that level at least. She called upon Lucoa for their mana training. So they could rest their minds from the intense physical training with her lax personality.

"Hi~ I'm Lucoa. You guys have been through a lot, but you need to control your mana as much as you can control your bodies~ But I won't run you ragged okay?" Lucoa waved her hands nonchalantly and everybody sighed in relief.

They then went to a hot spring that relaxed them to the max while pumping their bodies with pure and adulterated mana.

"You'll be able to relax, but this is training you know? I'll let you feel how to have complete control over your mana, but you need to try and reign in the mana that will be going inside of you in this spring, or you'll explode~" Lucoa informed them and they were horrified.

They were put in swimsuits and were dumped inside the hot spring. They immediately felt their mana lose control. Their circuits being forcibly widened by the raging energy entering their bodies.

Everyone was in both heaven and hell. Feeling very relaxed, but they were sweating heavily as they tried to control their energy to perfection.

"Yosh, good going everyone. Keep that up and you won't explode okay?" Lucoa was just taking a relaxed dip. And she'll adjust the mana that they will be receiving if they have the sufficient control.

And she really was lax, because if she wanted to. She could overload their bodies and make them forcibly adapt. If they couldn't, they'd explode into a million pieces. Turning into a mana bomb.

They cycled their energy and of course the mages did better. But if they even slip for a second, they'll definitely lose their momentum.

"Okay, you guys are done. Now onto practical magic, I hope this will help you against Tohru and Elma." Lucoa waved them goodbye and the two tsundere friends were waiting for them.

"Ummm, we don't know how to use magic." Issei raised his hand, Mordred, Shakespeare, Jeanne, and Fran nodded at his words.

"Doesn't matter, you trained with Lucoa-san. That means you can cast spells with your mana and that's enough. Use your imagination to bend your mana to your will. Create spells of your own without relying on casting it. Or you will never be a good magic user." Elma shot them down and Tohru nodded.

"You received guidance and teachings from one of the most prolific magic users ever. I'll be disappointed if you can't even surpass half baked magicians in our world. Now attack and defend with all you've got, magic is the name of the game right now." Tohru and Elma charged up a pretty laid back breath attack, but they started panicking.

The trainees saw Alfia, Morgan, and Aria create a shield and they immediately went behind them to block the attack.

But Tohru teleported them, scattering them to their lonesome. Their breath attacks then split and the ones who couldn't defend or had low magic resistance got pierced by their magic.

"Rule number 1 of fighting. You don't rely on others, that will get you killed quickly." Tohru didn't wait for them to heal and started conjuring magic once again.

Magic circles appeared in front of them and fireballs rained from the sky like a meteor shower. The trainees immediately fired their magic to counter. The devils and the ones from Orario having a better time.

While the servants who can't use magic fumbled and made rough shields of mana to stave off the barrage.

"Good, you managed to protect yourselves from a low class spell. Good job." Tohru was dripping sarcasm and she decided to kick it up a notch.

"Elma, how about let's show them how real mages should fight, yeah?" Tohru looked at Elma. And while she was conversing with her friend. Morgan released Rhongomyniad with the time frame she was given.

A bright, spear of light came down to their position. But Tohru snorted and opened a portal. It entered the portal and she closed it up with her hand.

"Lesson number 2, mages fight with quick spells. Your enemies won't let you use big ones like that kiddo." Tohru's eyes locked on to Morgan and she seized up at Tohru's mana that sprung to life.

Her wings flapped and she immediately appeared right at Morgan's immediate vicinity. Tohru's throat burning up with heat as Morgan couldn't shield herself in time.

Tohru released a breath attack right at her midsection and the proud fairy got cut clean in two at her waist.

Everyone sucked in a cold breath. Especially the servants who knew how strong Morgan is.

"And lesson 3, every spell you use should be to incapacitate your enemy or kill them. Case and point." Tohru pointed at Morgan who was having trouble casting any more spells. She was still alive, but because of her mortal injury. Spells and magecraft were off the table.

"Now that you guys can at least throw some mana arrows and put up shields. We'll train in earnest." Elma took out her trident and spun it around. Magic circles appearing everywhere as Mana bombs started to get created from them.

They were tested to the limit. Tohru and Elma fighting them with both magic and physical blows. The trainees needed to combine all the lessons they've learned or they will get slaughtered again and again. And the two dragons have no aversion whatsoever in trying to kill them. They were dragons for a reason. Even young children of their race are forced to live on their own.

So they trained until they can hold their own to an acceptable level. While the leaders and Issei also received some academic and political training from Semiramis. Politics is a big thing in high class society after all.

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Thanks for reading everyone, anyways. Ciao.