The week of intense training had passed in a blur. Everyone felt the improvement coursing through their bodies. Their strength had noticeably increased, and their instincts sharpened. They moved quicker, thought faster, and reacted in battle without hesitation. It was as if their very senses had been enhanced, bringing them closer to the level they would need to face Riser Phenex in the upcoming Rating Game.
Issei was the most vocal about his improvements, constantly chatting with Kiba and Koneko, showing off his newly built muscles and increased stamina. "You see this, Kiba? I can probably take you on now! No more of you showing off with your fancy sword skills!" Issei flexed dramatically, his excitement palpable.
Kiba chuckled, shaking his head. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Issei. You've definitely improved, but you're still a few boosts away from giving me a real challenge."
"Boosts or not, I've closed the gap," Issei insisted. "I'm not that weakling who got smacked around by Raynare anymore."
Koneko, who had been sitting nearby munching on some snacks, gave Issei a blank stare. "You're still pretty weak," she said bluntly, popping another chip into her mouth.
Issei groaned, deflated. "Thanks for the encouragement, Koneko-chan..."
While the rest of the peerage continued their training, far from them, Izashi finally opened his eyes after his intense week of isolation. His red eyes, which once held an aura of mystery, had now transformed into a striking gold. The moment he opened them, the world seemed to shift around him, as if his mere gaze could pierce through reality itself.
He looked down at himself, noticing the bright golden aura surrounding him, swirling like a living entity. He smirked, the corners of his mouth curving up in satisfaction. "So, this is the power of the Golden Energy. Strong... stronger than I expected. No doubt about it, this is the Bloodline of the Dragon God of Chaos."
Feeling the energy thrumming through him, Izashi decided to test his newfound power. Casually, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers in a direction far from the Gremory mansion. The result? A distant mountain—barely visible to the naked eye—shattered into pieces. The sound of the destruction echoed through the air, but back at the mansion, Rias and the others remained unaware, the powerful barrier around him concealing his aura and actions.
Izashi's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "A single snap... and a mountain's gone. This power... it's insane. Much stronger than I thought. I guess I wasn't wrong when I said it was linked to the Dragon God of Chaos." He marveled at the raw strength coursing through him, his body vibrating with untapped potential.
As he stood there, feeling the immense power under his control, Izashi's mind wandered to other possibilities. The clarity with which he could sense the surrounding energy amazed him. He could feel the Senjutsu Chakra embedded within the Golden Energy, its presence so obvious now that he wondered how he had missed it before.
"Hm… if it's really chakra-based, I wonder if I can pull off a Rasengan." He grinned, already imagining the swirling sphere of energy in his hand. "I guess I'll need to find some balloons and train in the classic way, huh? Shouldn't take me too long with this level of control."
Excited by the idea, Izashi's thoughts then drifted to other potential uses of his power. He contemplated trying to slash the air with his full strength, curious if he could tear a rift in space-time itself. But he held back.
"No… better not try that here. I don't need Ophis or the Great Red showing up for a friendly chat. I'm strong, but I'm not that strong yet." The mere thought of those two beings made him pause. They were the only ones he knew who could rival the kind of raw power he now held.
With a determined look, Izashi refocused his thoughts. His mind swirled with ideas for techniques and abilities he could create using this Golden Energy. Being from another world had its perks—he had a vast repository of knowledge from anime, manga, and comics that most people in this world couldn't even begin to comprehend. His head was full of possibilities, and his excitement grew as he thought about what he could achieve.
He began experimenting with the shape of the golden aura surrounding him, molding it into different forms. First, a star, then a lotus, then something more intricate—a dragon swirling around him, its eyes gleaming with the same golden energy. After several minutes of shaping and reshaping the aura, Izashi finally nodded in satisfaction. His control was near perfect.
With a snap of his fingers, the Golden Energy swirled outward, devouring the magical barrier that had been concealing him. The barrier dissolved into nothingness, and for the first time in a week, his presence was fully felt.
Back at the mansion, Kuroka's eyes snapped open, her whole body tensing as she sensed the sudden surge of power. Her heart raced. "What the... This power... It's Izashi's, isn't it?"
Kuroka had never felt such raw energy before. Not even the Crimson Satan himself could compare to this overwhelming force. Izashi's draconic aura was so intense that it made her feel like a kitten in comparison. "This is the power I sensed in that Evil Piece," she murmured, her ears twitching in astonishment.
Then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, Izashi's aura vanished. Kuroka blinked in confusion. "He... disappeared? How is that possible?"
In reality, Izashi was testing his speed. Without even trying to unleash his full power, he had propelled himself thousands of kilometers away with a single leap. The sheer strength of the Golden Energy had caught him off guard.
"Damn," he muttered, looking around at his new surroundings. "I've gone way further than I intended. I wasn't even trying that hard."
A smile spread across his face as he stared up at the sun, its warm rays bathing him in light. "Finally... I'm ready."
Without wasting any more time, Izashi turned back toward the Gremory household. This time, he used his full control to limit the Golden Energy, allowing him to move at a more reasonable speed. In a flash, he was back within the Gremory territory. No one had noticed his absence, which suited him just fine.
Walking into the mansion, he was greeted by none other than Kuroka, who pounced on him playfully. "Master's back, nya~!" she purred, her golden eyes sparkling with mischief.
Izashi smirked, gently patting her head. "Yeah, I'm back. And this time, I won't be disappearing for more training."
Kuroka's eyes widened in surprise, though her face quickly lit up with joy. "Really? You're done with your training?" The relief in her voice was unmistakable.
Izashi leaned in, capturing her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. Kuroka's body melted into his, her arms wrapping around his neck as their tongues danced together. They stayed like that for a minute or two, completely lost in the moment, before finally pulling away, breathless but satisfied.
Izashi chuckled, wiping a strand of hair from her face. "Let's go see Rias and Akeno. They've been waiting long enough."
With Kuroka at his side, Izashi made his way through the mansion. His first stop was Akeno's room. He slipped in quietly, not wanting to disturb her. Akeno, lying on her bed with her back turned, didn't even notice his presence until she felt the warmth of his breath on her ear.
"Miss me?" Izashi whispered playfully, his lips brushing against her skin.
Akeno gasped, turning to see Izashi lying beside her with a devilish grin on his face. Without a word, she threw herself into his arms, pressing her body tightly against his. "Of course I missed you," she whispered, her voice soft and filled with longing. "You've been gone for a whole week."
Izashi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "A whole week? I didn't realize it had been that long. Guess I got a little too wrapped up in my training."
Akeno rested her head against his chest, her fingers tracing the muscles beneath his shirt. "I don't care how long it took," she murmured. "I'm just glad you're back."
Izashi smiled, running his hand through her silky hair. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere now. My training's done, and I'm here to stay."
Akeno sighed in contentment, snuggling closer to him. She had missed this—the simple comfort of being in his arms, the safety and warmth he provided without even trying. For a while, they just lay there, wrapped up in each other's presence.
Eventually, though, Izashi gently pulled away, much to Akeno's dismay. "I need to see Rias," he said, smiling apologetically. "But you can come with me if you want."
Akeno pouted, but she agreed, following Izashi as they made their way to Rias's room. The rest of the day passed in a blur, filled with laughter, conversation, and stolen moments of affection. Kiba, Koneko, and Issei had long since retired to their rooms, exhausted from their own training.
Issei, in particular, felt a sense of pride as he lay in bed. He was finally starting to close the gap between himself and Kiba, something that had once seemed impossible. Even Ddraig had praised his progress, which was no small feat.
As he drifted off to sleep, Issei couldn't help but smile. Things were finally looking up for him. And with the Rating Game against Riser just around the corner, he knew they were going to need every bit of strength they could muster.
~~
A/N: I hope you all liked this long chapter.
(I want to request you guys to support me on my p.atreon and continue to read 12 advance chapters ahead over there.
P.A.T.R.E.O.N link: https://bit.ly/evildragon)