Chapter 65 - Human Meets Dragon Emperor

{POV: Issei}

The world in front of me was complete empty darkness. No matter where I looked I would always see the same scene over and over again without end. This wasn't the first time I found myself in this situation, for the past few months I've been coming and going from this place in my dreams without knowing why.

At first, I thought I was going crazy and thought of consulting Aniki about it but never really got the chance to. While I do love Aniki like I do everyone else in my family when it comes to Aniki I feel like there's a wall separating him from me and this sort of made me feel inferior to him.

However, this was all just random thoughts in my head since Aniki never really acted superior to me, sure he may have scolded me at times, but that was only when I was in the wrong. He may seem cruel to those who piss him off but, deep down I knew that Aniki was a nice guy, it was just that invisible barrier stopping me from getting too close to him.

In the end, since I couldn't consult Aniki with my problems I decided to talk about this wit Kiriyuu. Before we started dating we were just normal friends joking around with each other, and I won't lie even before entering high school I knew she was way smarter than everyone in our grade. One of her specialties was analyzing things so I felt that she might be able to help me understand what was wrong.

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For months we would have small therapy sessions since I didn't feel comfortable talking about my problems with some stranger. In the beginning, we spent a full month trying to find out the cause of these strange dreams but came up with nothing. After some time I start to think of this empty space as something normal and no longer started to worry about it.

Instead, I would try to calm my mind and do the same thing I did when I was young and meditate something I stopped doing in middle school. Even I wasn't sure why I did this but when I did I would feel some heat spread throughout my body. This feeling would grow and grow before I eventually woke up with that feeling still lingering around my ċhėst.

A normal person might be suspicious about this development but, for me, I didn't think much about it. Instead, I began to wonder what that feeling was and if there was any benefit of having it. In the end, I decided to keep this a secret since I had a feeling that I couldn't reveal this or it might cause more problems than I already had.

Once that was over I still had my therapy sessions with Kiriyuu since it was nice to have someone to talk to about my feeling. It wasn't that I couldn't talk about this to Katse and Murayama it was just that they weren't really used to counseling people so sometimes their, advise was wrong. Even they talked to Kiriyuu about their problems which was something I didn't know until I meet them during one of my therapy sessions.

Eventually, time passed and a lot of stuff happened. Kiriyuu became my girlfriend, Aniki started living with us again, and I got to meet Aniki's girlfriends. While these events went on I continued to meditate in my dreams and while these happened besides the strange feeling in my body getting stronger I could feel someone trying to talk to me. Who that was I couldn't tell but I wanted to know even if I could talk with them.

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Just like any usual night, I found myself in this empty space and I was going to start meditating but before I could I fire started to engulf the space around me.

Issei - !!!!What the hell! What's going on!?!?

??? - Stop screaming like a child it's pathetic.

Issei - !!!

When I asked my question I didn't expect to get an answer, but when I did my body froze from fear. The voice was deep and calm but it carried a lot of pressure. All I could do was slowly turn my head to get a look at who was speaking. When I did, however, I felt my face go pale.

Issei - ...Oh my god...

??? - So you're this generation's host ... you don't seem like much.

Issei - Host?... What do you mean host! I don't understand! Who are you?! Are you the reason I've been having these dreams?!

When I started asking a question I couldn't stop. Even if I was scared I had to know what was going on.

??? - Hmm~ Commendable even while shaking in fear you still have the strength to question me very commendable for a human.

Issei - [Is that supposed to be praise or an insult]

Issei - Boosted Gear? When did I get something like that?

Ddraig - It was something you were born with and it is a Sacred Gear crafted by the Biblical God using my soul.

Issei - This is crazy dragons gods they are supposed to be fiction just story how can they be real.

Ddraig - Oh they're real and you will be seeing them soon.

Issei - What do you mean?

Ddraig - Sacred Gears are rare but they aren't hard to find. They are found in normal humans and give them mysterious powers. This may be thought of as a blessing but it is anything but a blessing. You will found out soon that this world isn't as safe as you once believed, devils, angels everything you once thought was nothing but fairy tails and myths are real. Some of them might even come to kill you to eliminate you as a threat or enslave you to make you a useful pawn. That is something I would say if you weren't targeted already.

Issei - WHAT!!!

When I heard Ddraig's last sentence I instantly fell to my knees. I mean what else could I do, I was targeted by some supernatural monster.

Ddraig - Calm down *Sigh* To think that my partner would end up like this...

Issei - How can I not panic I'm being targetted!?!?!?!?

Ddraig - I said you were targeted but think clearly I said targeted but not apprehended. From what I can sense in your body there is a barrier surrounding it preventing any of my mana from escaping into the world. It seems like the person who found you doesn't want you dead but wants you to live. For what I don't know but you don't have much time.

Issei - Time? I don't understand.

Ddraig - The barrier surrounding you is running on a small power source from the looks of it it's been here for around a year but the energy powering the barrier is weakening. I'd say you have about 4 months before the barrier disappears.

Issei - What'll happen when that happens?

Ddraig - All the mana stuck in your body will be released and your identity as the wielder of the Boosted Gear will be revealed.

Issei - You make it sound like it's not your problem but shouldn't you be panicking right now I mean you are inside my body.

Ddraig - Kid I've had to go through this many times for many years. You aren't the first host to experience these kinds of problems. I've seen worse and even then that host wasn't a panicking baby like you.

Issei - Okay so! That's them not me! Not every human is the same all of us are different with different personalities, and dreams. You're nothing but an oversized lizard who doesn't know how hard human life it.

Ddraig - You have some guts talking to me like that with your measly strength how hilarious.

Issei - So what if I'm weak what are you going to do kill me if I die then you die. You're part of my body right so that means were connected my death is the same as yours.

Shouting I ended off my speech by pointing my finger at him.

Ddraig - ...

Issei -...

After my speech, neither of us spoke Ddraig just looked at me and I continued to point my finger at him. To be fair though I was beyond scared now, I just insulted a very powerful dragon who could kill me, and now that I think about it what I said might have been stupid. He said he's experienced many hosts in the past which means even if the host dies he'll survive. So he can kill me and then move onto a new host, without even giving me a second thought. Realizing this I started to breakdown into a cold sweat.

Ddraig - ...Ha...Ha...Hahahahahaha

Issei - Huh

Issei - [Why's he laughing? Has he decided he's going to kill me?!?!]

Ddraig - You're a brave kid I'll give you that it's been centuries since someone has called me a lizard. But you've piqued my interest.

Issei - [T-that's a good thing right?]

Ddraig - As of right now you bȧrėly meet the requirements needed to hold the title of Red Dragon Emperor so there's that to talk into account so how about a test.

Issei - A test?

Ddraig - Ya, a test to see if you can survive in the world of Devils, Angels, and Gods. If you pass then you live, but if you fail I recommend preparing for an early funeral.

Issei - *Gulp* W-what's that test

Ddraig - 4 months that how much time the barrier masking my mana will continue to stay up. In that time you will train to get stronger enough to not lose to low-level grunts of the supernatural world. But don't worry since you are my partner I'll help you out the best I can it's your job, however, to see if you're worthy of my powers

Issei - How will I know if I'm worthy?

Ddraig - You will know soon enough, get stronger for the days to come. I will grant you some of my power any time you want. However, keep it in your mind that it will come with a sacrifice of something great but, I will give you something that is worth the sacrifice. {A/N: This phrase isn't mine I got it from the actual novel. I don't want to be hit with a plagiarism notice so keep in mind this phrase isn't mine.}

Issei - *Gulp*

Ddraig - Tell me Issei Hyoudou what is your dream your one goal in life.

Since childhood, my dream has always been the same, even if it was something people frowned upon I didn't care. Even if I'm already so blessed with what I have, mankind has always been a greedy race, and I'm not the only one. He might not be striving for the same goal as me but, he's already achieved more than me. However, I'll never stop trying to pursue this dream of mine even if it kills me. When asked what my dream was all I could do was shout.

Issei - OBVIOUSLY, I WANT TO BE A HAREM KING!!!!