The Greedy Frog
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DxD: DO System 7
🕑 Added 2024-12-31 14:02:23 +0000 UTCChapter 7: The New Host (2/2)
<Boost: Allows the user to double their strength and supernatural abilities with each cast. Boosts can be stacked. The limit depends on the user’s capacity to handle the strain. Current cooldown between casts: 10 Seconds.>
The explanation caught Issei by surprise. The system had never provided this level of detail for any previous ability.
“As you know,” Ddraig began, “Boost is my most powerful ability. It lets one surpass their current limits, pushing strength and power far beyond the ordinary.”
Issei felt energy materializing around him like a tangible presence.
“May I?” he asked, glancing at the dragon, who gave an approving nod.
<You are free to cast and utilize all abilities within this dimension. The Boosted Gear's physical manifestation is not required here.>
With both confirmations, Issei stepped forward, his posture steadying as he closed his eyes. He stilled his thoughts and body, focusing entirely on the moment. Then, with a resolute voice, he declared, “Boost.”
[Boost]
A rush of power surged through him. His strength, speed, and every aspect of his physical being doubled instantaneously. The sensation was exhilarating, a transformation beyond anything he'd experienced before.
But he felt there was more. He could push further.
[Boost]
Another surge hit him, more intense than the first. His muscles hummed with an overwhelming force, his senses sharpened to a razor's edge. It felt absurd—no, it felt unstoppable. He clenched his fists, certain he could pulverize a concrete wall with ease.
And yet, he wasn't done.
[Boost]
“This is... unreal,” he murmured, staring at his trembling hands. The power coursing through him was incredible, but it came at a cost. His hands were quivering, and there was a faint unease in his muscles.
“I wouldn't push it any further if I were you, kid,” Ddraig warned, his voice firm and steady.
Issei glanced at his hands again. The tremor hadn’t stopped.
“I don’t know how you’ve managed it,” the dragon continued, “but you can handle three boosts already—and that’s without unlocking the other abilities. The boy from your memories couldn’t even manage two boosts without the devil physique he gained by sacrificing his humanity.”
Issei had no explanation, but he suspected it had something to do with his recent training and the innate Draconic Physique he had inherited.
“Which brings me to an important question…” Ddraig’s massive face leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. “What do you think of the devils?”
Issei fell silent. It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about them—it was that he didn’t know what to think.
“How do you feel about me becoming a devil?” issei asked at last, his voice steady but uncertain.
The question seemed to catch the dragon off guard. “Why are you asking me?”
“I mean… doesn’t changing my race affect the Boosted Gear too?”
The dragon nodded. “It does. Becoming a devil certainly comes with a lot of benefits.”
An extremely long lifespan.
A resilient body.
Immunity to everyday diseases.
Wings.
“But it also comes with some disadvantages, doesn’t it?” Issei asked.
Sure enough, the dragon nodded again. “It’s not about being a devil, per se. The real issue is the sacrifice of humanity.”
That explanation only left Issei more confused. “What do you mean?”
Ddraig’s emerald eyes gleamed as he asked, “Do you know what the greatest ability of a human is?”
“Imagination,” Issei blurted out without hesitation.
“True, but useless.” The dragon’s tone was calm but firm. “Unlike devils, who need imagination to cast magic, humans rely on calculations. Imagination alone doesn’t accomplish much for them.”
Issei went silent, processing the unexpected reply.
“The answer,” Ddraig continued, “is evolution.”
The word hung in the air as Issei listened more closely.
“Unlike devils, angels, or even dragons, whose evolution is predetermined, humans have limitless potential for growth.”
Issei’s brow furrowed as he tried to wrap his head around the statement.
“Humans aren’t just capable of evolving—they must evolve. It’s in their nature,” Ddraig said with a chuckle. “They’re like ants: small, fragile, but incredibly resilient. They don’t give up, and that makes them dangerous.”
The dragon began clawing simple images into the white ground beneath them.
“A human,” he said, sketching a stick figure, “adapts. Throughout history, humanity has faced countless threats. If their bodies couldn’t evolve to survive, their minds did, leading to the creation of tools and strategies that allowed them to endure.”
Ddraig added wings and fins to the stick figure. “While ordinary humans evolve slowly, those with Sacred Gears evolve at a remarkable rate.”
Issei stared at the drawings, thinking about the truth behind the dragon’s words. In his memories, he’d seen how other races were either born with immense strength or exceptional talent. Their growth depended entirely on those traits.
Someone like Rias, for example, had both power and potential, climbing the ladder with ease. But many devils, no matter how hard they tried, couldn’t reach the same heights.
“Humans with Sacred Gears have absurd growth potential,” Ddraig said, “and you’ve seen it yourself. Even the weakest Gears enable their wielders to grow faster than any other race, at least until they reach their Gear’s limits. No race matches that rate of progression, not even those born with innate magic.”
The truth of it hit home.
“Becoming a devil would cost you that growth.”
The weight of those words made Issei grimace. The idea of sacrificing such potential left a bitter taste.
But then Ddraig’s voice broke through his thoughts, calm and reassuring.
“As the Red Dragon Emperor and the wielder of the Boosted Gear, however, it doesn’t affect you.”
Issei blinked in surprise. “What?”
“With your devil blood, the Boosted Gear, and whatever this dimensional power you’ve acquired, the issue of evolution and growth is irrelevant for you,” Ddraig explained.
It took a moment for Issei to absorb the revelation. “So, I don’t really lose anything by becoming a devil?”
The dragon shook his head. “Not in your case, no.”
“Not physically, at least,” the dragon said, his tone heavy with meaning.
Issei understood immediately. “I’ll start at the absolute bottom of the power chain, forced to obey my King’s orders, and it might take an eternity to gain freedom.” He glanced at Ddraig. “Does that sum it up?”
“Pride,” the dragon added, his deep voice carrying a tinge of bitterness. “It wounds my pride.”
Issei couldn’t argue with that. Even though he wasn’t the original soul, he had pride now—and the thought of becoming someone’s pawn made him uneasy.
No matter how gloriously they framed it, being a servant was still being a servant.
Rias and Sona might be decent kings, but Issei knew not every devil shared their morals. Even if he joined one of their peerages, there was always the risk of being humiliated by other devils.
“Is that a sacrifice we’re willing to make?” Issei asked, surprising the dragon.
“We?”
“I mean, you live inside this dimension, and my soul is basically trapped here too. So, I think we share this decision.”
Ddraig’s golden eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “You have a point,” he muttered. “You’re afraid you’d be ordered to act against your will, aren’t you?”
Issei didn’t answer. That fear was the root of his reluctance to become a devil.
He hated taking orders.
The dragon laughed, the sound rumbling like thunder. “I’d rather obliterate myself than bow to some snot-nosed brat.”
“But the power boost we’d gain,” Issei countered, “and if we manage to climb the ranks, the benefits are hard to ignore.”
Ddraig nodded solemnly. “True. And we can’t forget—once your power is revealed, every supernatural being will flock to you. After all, there’s only one Red Dragon Emperor at a time.”
That was another problem. Growing stronger meant training, and training would undoubtedly draw attention.
“What do I do?” Issei asked, his voice laced with uncertainty.
On one hand, he’d lose his freedom for a long time. On the other, he’d gain immediate strength and a chance to become a High-Class Devil with his own peerage.
“But it’s not guaranteed,” he muttered. “Reaching High-Class isn’t just about strength. It’s about power—political or otherwise. They wouldn’t promote me, even with god-like strength, without the right connections.”
The two fell silent, the weight of the decision pressing down on them.
Finally, Issei broke the quiet. “I’d rather strangle myself than slave away for the devils.”
The declaration piqued Ddraig’s interest.
“Are you truly willing to risk your life—your years—if it means freeing yourself from servitude?”
Issei nodded firmly. “I didn’t get a second chance at life just to become someone’s servant. I’d rather die.”
To his surprise, the dragon grinned—a fierce, almost predatory expression.
“Say, boy,” Ddraig said, his voice tinged with mischief. “You remember what a Juggernaut Drive is, don’t you? Don’t bother lying—I’ve seen it in your memories.”
Issei nodded cautiously. “I do. And yes, I know it eats away the user’s lifespan. But what does that have to do with this?”
The dragon’s grin didn’t waver. “The Juggernaut Drive isn’t the only way to drain your lifespan. Trying to wield my full might—my true essence—also takes its toll on you.”
Issei’s eyes widened, the revelation leaving him speechless.
He didn’t recall anything like that.
Issei couldn't recall his predecessor ever using anything like what Ddraig was describing.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked, his brow furrowed.
“The Evil Pieces link themselves to the bearer’s body, adapting to their power and potential. The stronger the individual and the greater their potential, the more pieces are required for reincarnation,” Ddraig explained. “Of course, the effectiveness of the pieces also scales with the power of the king. But we’re not talking about someone like the Devil Kings here.”
“That much I know,” Issei replied. “But don’t forget—the pieces evolve alongside the host. Even the Juggernaut Drive didn’t damage them.”
“That’s because your predecessor’s potential was lower than yours,” Ddraig countered. “His Juggernaut Drive never reached the level required to strain the Evil Pieces.”
Issei hadn’t considered this before. Now, as he thought about it, Ddraig’s words started to make sense.
“Your potential already surpasses the previous host’s,” Ddraig continued. “It’s highly likely that eight pawn pieces won’t be sufficient to reincarnate you. They might need a queen piece.”
“Which they don’t have…” Issei muttered, realization dawning on him.
“Exactly. But here’s the critical point—you’ll be able to draw out far more power than your predecessor. If you attempt to channel my full essence all at once, the strain could exceed the adaptive capabilities of the Evil Pieces, and—”
“They’d shatter,” Issei finished, his eyes widening.
Ddraig nodded solemnly. “Yes. But channeling my full might comes at a price. Every second you hold it will burn away your lifespan. By the time you’ve freed yourself from the pieces, you could lose half your life.”
Issei bit his lip, grappling with the weight of this revelation.
“Of course,” Ddraig said with a laugh, “that’s the worst-case scenario. You could still rise to High-Class status, with your own servants, rather than being one yourself. It all depends on the choices you make.”
For the first time, Issei felt he had real options. He could choose to become a devil and, if necessary, sacrifice part of his lifespan to regain his humanity.
“I have a question,” he said after a moment. “If I burn away my lifespan, will it count against my devil lifespan or my human one?”
Ddraig chuckled. “Good question, but it’s not that simple. The process burns your mind, body, and soul. You don’t get to choose.”
“Tch.” Issei clicked his tongue but didn’t let it bother him too much. “At least it’s still an option.”
“Indeed,” Ddraig agreed. “So, what’s your decision?”
Issei smiled faintly. “I’ll decide when the time comes.”
Ddraig huffed in amusement. “You can be insufferable, kid.”
Issei shrugged. “Maybe. But so can you. You’ve been holding out on me, haven’t you? There are abilities you could’ve shared by now.”
The dragon’s grin widened. “I was wondering when you’d bring that up.”
Ddraig’s claws glowed golden as he pointed at Issei. A warm sensation washed over him.
<Dragon Shot: Harness your draconic energy to unleash a powerful, explosive attack.>
<Penetrate: Focus your draconic power to bypass objects and certain defenses.>
<Dragon Breath: Release a fiery beam of draconic energy from your mouth, capable of severe destruction.>
Issei’s eyes lit up as he processed the new abilities. The last one, in particular, caught his attention.
“Dragon Breath… That’s new. I don’t think even the previous Issei had this,” he noted with a grin.
“If you’re going to be a better host, it’s only fair you get better tools,” Ddraig said, clearly pleased.
Issei smirked. “In that case, I’ve got a lot to show you, Ddraig.”
The dragon chuckled deeply. “You do, kid. You do.”
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[[A/N: Yes, Dragon Breath is an OG skill, well not OG it’s inspired from Pokemon.]]
