Night slowly crept over the roof of the Hyoudou household. The room lights had been turned off, with only the moonlight softly slipping through the curtains and illuminating Issei's face.
He was sitting on the bed, gazing at the night sky filled with stars. The cold air felt soothing, brushing his face as if offering a blessing.
Issei slowly pulled his blanket and lay down.
'Ddraig…' he whispered in his heart.
'One year of training… let's start now. I'm already feeling better.'
A soft voice echoed in his mind.
{Are you sure? How about tomorrow morning instead, you could sleep more soundly.}
Issei closed his eyes, smiling faintly.
'I can't wait. Besides… I want to be stronger. Stronger than anyone… even greater than Great Red.'
A moment of silence.
{Hmph… prepare yourself. This training will be long and torturous. For a human, one year is a long time. But for me—it's just a blink of an eye.}
"I know…" Issei whispered softly.
And with one deep breath, he let his mind sink… into his own consciousness.
[INTERNAL CONSCIOUSNESS – TRAINING DOMAIN]
A cool breeze greeted Issei's face. He stood upon a vast grassland gently swaying in the wind. The sky above was clear, painted in pale blue with thin clouds stretched out like a living painting.
Unknown birds flew by, and the sound of a flowing river could be heard from afar. This place—calm, peaceful, yet majestic.
From the air before him, a large dragon silhouette slowly took form. Ddraig, in a semi-astral form, stood with a glowing red body like burning embers, but not intimidating—instead, wise.
"Welcome… to the place you imagined."
Issei smiled. "This place… feels like home."
"Because this is part of your soul. A place to learn. A place where your will takes root."
"Now listen carefully. This isn't magic. Not muscle power. But… Will."
Issei remained silent. Focused.
"'Will of the Dragon' — is the core source of a dragon's strength. Not spells. Not magic circles. But Intent. The highest form of intent."
"All dragons… possess a will that refuses to submit to reality. Even when the world rejects their existence, their will still sets the world ablaze."
"However… Sacred Gears weren't created to listen to human will. They submit to the heavenly system. But you… are different."
Ddraig looked straight at him.
"Issei, you are the first—who doesn't use Boosted Gear… but controls it. You didn't inherit a dragon's power. You became the dragon itself."
Issei fell silent. His body trembled.
"Since that night… Boosted Gear is no longer just a Sacred Gear. But… a manifestation of your will."
Issei clenched his fist.
A faint red glow enveloped his right arm. A soft thump echoed.
"…Then, Ddraig," asked Issei. "If I followed the usual system, like Balance Breaker… what would that path look like?"
Ddraig nodded.
"The first stage is Boosted Gear — you know this. Each time you Boost, your power doubles."
"After that, with enough emotion, you enter Balance Breaker. It gives you a dragon armor form."
"Ah," Issei responded, "like Kamen Rider, right?"
"NOT THAT!!"
Ddraig's voice boomed loud and made Issei jump.
"Sorry, sorry," Issei chuckled while covering his ears. "Reflex."
"Hmph… after Balance Breaker, there's the next stage: Juggernaut Drive. Here, your power will break all limits… but you will lose your sanity. You could become a monster. Even destroy the people you want to protect."
Issei paused, thinking.
"But there is one final stage… a full synchronization between host and Sacred Gear. But that path has rarely been reached."
Ddraig sighed deeply.
"It's a bloody path. But you have the right to choose your own way. Not Heaven's. Not the dragon's. But… yours."
Issei nodded slowly… then raised his hand.
"Oh yeah, Ddraig. I just remembered. You already removed the stamina limit, right? Does that also apply to Boost?"
Ddraig furrowed his brow.
"What do you mean?"
Issei pointed at himself. "If Boost no longer has stamina limits, doesn't that mean I can turn my Boost into a passive effect? But only 2x or 4x. That way I can keep training without getting tired, like having a massive battery non-stop."
Ddraig froze.
"…"
"…Ddraig?" asked Issei softly.
"WHY ARE YOU ONLY SAYING THIS NOW?! AND YOU WANT PASSIVE BOOST?! YOU'RE CRAZY!"
Issei covered his ears while laughing. "I just thought of it! But isn't it cool? Imagine—boosted stamina, never tired, and I can train endlessly!"
"ALBION WOULD BE TRAUMATIZED IF HE HEARD THIS!!"
Issei laughed proudly, standing in the middle of the grassland. The artificial sunlight shone on his body, and the breeze felt like it was welcoming his grand decision.