DxD: DO System Chapter 44

Chapter 44: You’ll train with … 

[Evening — Somewhere in the Underworld]

“You impress me, Issei.”

Issei didn't expect to hear such praise during a random walk, and certainly not from Sirzechs Lucifer himself.

“Your praise is wasted on me, Lord Lucifer,” Issei tried his best to be humble. “I am just trying to survive out here.”

Sirzechs gave a pleased smile, seeing that the boy wasn't boastful.

“You admit it too, don't you, Ddraig?” the man asked, walking beside the boy. “Only a handful of your previous hosts achieved such feats in mere days of awakening you.”

“He is… special,” Ddraig agreed, “but I wouldn't praise him so much that it would get to his head.”

The man’s smile turned playful. “You seem attached to him.”

This made the dragon grumble a little but say nothing. He knew that the Devil King was trying to annoy him, and he had no intention of dancing to his tune.

“I didn't expect you to invite me on a walk, Lord Lucifer,” Issei admitted, still confused as to why Satan had asked him out on a walk.

And in a place like this.

Mountains—rocky ones—and along a very narrow path that barely allowed one person to walk through.

He wondered if the man wanted to push him off a cliff to kill him, but the dragon in his arm immediately called him an idiot.

‘You can fly, idiot.’

“Issei.”

Having walked a fair bit, Sirzechs caught his attention with a question.

“What are your plans with my sister?”

This made Issei freeze in his tracks. The question had caught him by surprise. “I don't think I understand, Lord Lucifer.”

Sirzechs gave a comforting smile. “Don't worry, I am not trying to intimidate you. But I am curious—what are your plans?”

Issei hesitated, wondering if the man had ulterior motives.

‘He won't harm you,’ surprisingly, it was Ddraig who reassured him. ‘Unless you decide to attack him.’

Issei was curious about how the dragon could be so certain, but he recalled that while his memories came from the show and were limited, Ddraig had seen and maybe even fought the Satan in the past.

He rightfully knew better.

“I plan to help her,” Issei answered, “but I do not want to remain bound. I am someone who has always loved my freedom. Even Ddraig—he hates servitude.”

Lucifer listened calmly, letting the boy speak honestly.

Issei still felt a little apprehensive, but he decided to trust his dragon companion. He was well aware that being on the Satan's bad side was a nightmare scenario.

“So, I made a pact with Rias. I won't be taking orders, but I will be taking requests,” he said, pausing briefly. “If they don't risk my goals. And in return, she will be helping me with promotions to climb the Devil ladder—of course, not without merit. I will be providing enough merit, which is why I have been taking a ridiculous number of contracts on Rias’ behalf.”

The Devil King waited for a few seconds, making sure that Issei wasn't hiding anything—or perhaps hoping that, if there was something more, Issei would reveal it.

And he did.

“But I made a promise—a condition that I added myself,” Issei said, looking directly into the Devil's eyes, his confidence unwavering. “I gave her the right to make one order that I cannot refuse. And I plan to keep that, although it cannot be anything that would ruin my chances at a promotion or freedom, nor could it ruin my name as the Red Dragon Emperor. Beyond that… it can be anything.”

Sirzechs stared at Issei for a solid minute, trying to discern any expression that might indicate he was lying.

Surprisingly—or perhaps not—he found none. Issei was startled to see the man smiling at his answer.

“Issei,” Sirzechs said, crossing his hands behind him as he walked, continuing along the narrow path. “You know, I prefer a truthful man to be part of her peerage, even if he doesn't want to follow her around, over a liar who stays attached like a tail.”

Issei stared at his back, following behind him.

“Don’t get it wrong; she is my sister. I love her to death, and I spoil her whenever I can,” he stated without looking back. “But that has also caused harm, even though I don't like to talk about it.”

Issei wondered why he was revealing these things to a boy who had only recently become part of her peerage.

But he also realized it was necessary. He had joined her recently, but he was still part of her peerage, and that would remain so for a while.

It was necessary.

“She is weak,” Ddraig finally spoke up. “She doesn't understand the consequences, believes the supernatural is just a playground, and thinks she’ll always be safe because she has been sheltered her entire life.”

Issei realized that Sirzechs wasn’t just speaking to him but to Ddraig as well. He was aware that Ddraig was bound to follow Issei’s commands, but his words carried different implications.

The Satan was trying to change his mind if he had ill intentions for Rias.

That was what Sirzechs meant. Because if Sirzechs were to become an enemy, it wouldn’t end with just Issei’s death—he would hunt down every Red Dragon Emperor that comes after Issei.

And that was not something Ddraig could afford. Irrespective of potential, if Sirzechs found the hosts before they could reach the peak of the Sacred Gear’s powers, they wouldn’t survive.

“That was harsh, Ddraig.” The Satan chuckled, though it wasn’t a happy one. “She is naive.”

‘She is,’ Ddraig and Issei both agreed internally.

“But I hope you know she isn’t a bad person,” Sirzechs took a deep breath. “She’s just… desperate. She had everything her whole life, got whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. But now, even after begging everyone… she isn’t able to achieve even her basic freedom.”

Issei didn’t really blame Rias. Sure, there were times when she seemed opportunistic—like the situation with the Fallen.

If she truly wanted, she could have cracked down on the Fallen a long time ago, but she didn’t.

She was lazy, and she was hoping it would lead her to some opportunities—like with Issei.

But that didn’t make her a bad person. She’s a devil; what she did was, at the very least, expected of her.

Even humans—even Issei—would have done the same. If he had no other choice, if his situation were hopeless, he wouldn’t mind taking advantage of opportunities or using people if he could.

And if he said otherwise, called himself better than Rias, or held her responsible—he would be nothing but a hypocrite.

“Her never training for this is also my fault.”

Issei could sense the guilt in Sirzechs’ words.

“She was always protected by me, and even now, she was—or is—expecting that I will protect her,” the Satan revealed. “She never expected to have to fight for her freedom. Until the last moment, she has been hoping that I would help her like I always did. That’s why she has been slow, inefficient in her training and with her peerage.”

“Only because she sees the light of hope fading is she starting to train,” Ddraig muttered, amused. “When it’s already very late.”

“Which is why I want to ask you, Issei.” The man finally turned, stopping near the edge of a cliff. “If Rias asks, if she uses her one order, will you be able to protect her freedom?”

The moment he said those words, a crimson parchment materialized in his hand.

“If she uses this one offer that you made?”

Issei’s eyes widened at the sight of the parchment. It was the same one where Rias and he had signed the contract.

‘How?’

‘Where do you think these official contracts go?’ Ddraig chuckled in amusement. ‘Did you think there was some magical power that ensured these contracts were enforced? That breaking them would result in punishment by the supernatural forces of the world?’

Issei was embarrassed to admit it, but he had believed exactly that. Like those fantasy books he read, where breaking a magical pact caused one to lose their powers or suffer some mystical penalty.

Now, realizing that most of the devil world functioned much like the human one, he felt foolish.

“Beelzebub oversees these peerage-related matters. When a contract with my sister's name came across his desk, he forwarded it to me,” Sirzechs explained, giving a genuinely amused chuckle. “I have to admit, this was bold of you. And I respect it.”

“You know that freedom is the most important thing to the Heavenly Dragons,” Ddraig stated. “He was ensuring that our freedom would be preserved.”

“I’m not angry, Ddraig,” Sirzechs responded. “I’m pleased to see that he wouldn’t harm her or cause trouble for her. This isn’t just proof that she will support him when needed, but that he, too, will support her—at least once. It’s an assurance.”

Ddraig couldn’t deny it. The contract bound both parties, not just one.

“So, I will ask again, Issei.” Sirzechs looked directly at him. “Will you be able to help Rias when she uses this order—when she asks you to secure her freedom?”

“It will be difficult,” Issei answered honestly. “But not impossible. I will do it.”

“You are aware of the Phenex bloodline ability, correct?” Sirzechs asked, curious.

“I am. Immortality,” Issei replied. “However, I also understand that their immortality and advanced regeneration don’t make them invincible. If that were the case, Riser would be a Satan, not you.”

This brought a smile to Sirzechs’ face. “Good. That’s the assurance I needed.”

The devil folded his arms. “But to keep that promise, you need to become stronger—far stronger than you are now—if you want to overcome the Phenex immortality.”

Issei’s eyes widened, a spark of hope flickering in them. He dared to believe—hoped desperately—that Sirzechs would be the one to train him.

But hopes, as they often do, weren’t meant to be fulfilled.

“I won’t be training you,” Sirzechs stated, as though reading his mind. “As laid-back as I might seem, I can’t afford to leave my office or my duties for long.”

The spark died as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by disappointment. Noticing this, Sirzechs smiled.

“But worry not. The one I’ve chosen to train you will be a far better teacher than I could ever be,” he said confidently. “And he’s here. I can feel his presence.”

This immediately made Issei look around, but it wasn’t until Ddraig directed him where to look that he found the being.

“Look up, kid,” the dragon said, amused. “I didn’t expect to see him here of all people.”

‘Huh?’ Issei wondered, but as he glanced upward, realization struck him.

Purple and beige, massive and terrifying.

A tail longer than most large trees, horns that curved downward, and a body unlike any traditional dragon he’d seen.

He didn’t know much about the being, but he knew enough.

“Is this the kid I’m supposed to train?” a booming voice asked, loud and clear as the figure descended. His landing caused the surrounding rocks to crumble and crack, shaking the ground like an earthquake.

“The new host of Ddraig?”

Issei immediately activated his Draconic Eyes.

<Race: Dragon-Devil Hybrid>

<Rank: Peak Ultimate Class (sealed)>

<Warning: Being is capable of exerting power beyond his class.>

“I appreciate you coming here,” Sirzechs said with a smile. “Despite being busy with your own matters.”

Issei knew exactly who it was.

Purple scales, a beige underbelly and lower body, and lavender eyes.

Terrifying horns and a stance unlike any dragon he’d seen—he stood on two feet like a humanoid, which greatly amused Issei.

But there was no doubt in his mind who this was.

And Ddraig’s greeting only confirmed it.

“It’s been a while,” Ddraig said. “Blaze Meteor Tannin.”