The birds in the sky danced gracefully, chirping their songs as the gentle rays of sunlight entered the world in gentle footsteps. Water ran from a faucet as a young man with brown hair gently opened an oven, letting the scent of fresh bread embrace the entire living room. 

A soft chirp by his side caught his attention. A small bundle of green scales the size of a small dog lying on the nearby countertop looked at him, crimson eyes looking at his brown orbs. 

"Yeah, I know, buddy. Not the same as back in Lore but," 

Growls escaped the bundle of scales while Issei smiled, gently patting the dragon's head. Hard to believe that Drago himself is already more than a decade old but he is still a child. 

"Issei, honey?" 

"Hey, mom!" Issei greeted with a smile. 

"AH!" 

"Oops. I did forget to tell her... hehe..." 

A soft growl escaped the dragon's mouth as it looked at him. It's pupilless red eyes look at him with a bored expression. 

"I told you to tell them," A floating spirit colored like ice said with a grin. Armor covered its arms and lower legs while a helmet framed its face. 

"A GHOST!" 

"Mom, calm down. Aegis isn't a ghost." 

"A LIZARD!" 

A high-pitched growl escaped the child dragon's mouth as it looked at Issei's mother. opening its mouth as growls and chirps escaped its mouth. 

"Draco... she's not calling you a Tog," Issei replied with a sigh as he saw his father enter the living room. "I can explain." 

-=-=-=-=-=-

"Let me get this straight. You went missing for half a month during your summer break," 

"Yes," Issei said with a shrug as a free hand rubbed the scaled back of the green-scaled baby dragon on his lap with a cup of coffee on the other. Floating lazily by his side, Aegis read a book nonchalantly.

"Then you got sent to another world, living your life there for almost a decade and a half?" 

"Well, technically it was only around a decade or so," 

"It took you five years to get free from Jaania's spell," Aegis replied, followed by a soft chirp from the dragon on his lap as smoke came out of its nostrils with a huff. 

"And you became a hero there and learned magic," 

"Yes, and yes. But I'm not really a mage, more of a spellcaster than anything," Issei replied to his parents, lowering the cup of now empty coffee on the table. "I know this is hard to believe, but I was already used to having Drago with me... and I forgot to tell you." 

"Is this why you were sneaking out every night?" 

"Yeah... Kuoh has a lot of magical signatures and I went to investigate." 

"You mean magic, monsters, Yokai?" 

"Yeah, a friend of mine who is also from Earth that I met on Lore told me," Issei replied with a shrug. "I can tell you if you want but it would be better not to." 

"Issei, are you okay?" His mother, Miki Hyoudou, asked, noticing how her son looked. 

"Issei, I know this is all a lot that has happened to you but thank you. Thank you for telling us, son. I... no, we are proud of you," Goro Hyoudou said with a smile, looking at his son. His son, a regular 16-year-old incoming second-year high school student was sent to another world and he became a hero, helping others... he was proud but what he told him...

"It... it was rough at first. An old Dragonlord took me in and trained me before he passed away. Then... on that day on that cliff..." A small smile formed on his face as his sights focused on the bundle of green scales on his lap. 

Seeing the expression on his face and how the Dragon looked up at their only son with love. The love that their son always gave them, even more so when he was younger... The unbreakable bond between parent and child. 

'He... he has been through a lot... and both he and that dragon... heh. My first grandchild is a dragon,' Miki thought as a soft smile appeared on her face. 

"I... I wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for both Draco and Aegis," Issei turned to the floating spirit with a smile. 

"Say, What is Aegis-san? I know you said he wasn't a ghost earlier." 

"Aegis is an Elemental spirit. A former human and soul weaver who died. He is my Soul Ally and one of my best friends." 

"Greetings, Issei's parents. I am Aegis, the elemental spirit of Valor," The Elemental spirit introduced with a smile to the parents of his Soulally. "I am Issei's Soulally. Issei has told me a lot about you two. Thank you for raising my Soulally as an honest young man... even if he has some... issues."

Soft chirps and growls of approval escaped the child dragon's mouth. 

"HEY! I HEARD THAT!" 

"I know, we wanted you to hear," Aegis nonchalantly replied while the child dragon nodded. 

Seeing their son so full of life, so happy... so fulfilled brought out smiles from the parents. 

"Is he still a pervert, Aegis-san, Draco-chan?" Miki asked. 

"Does he have any girlfriends, yet?" Goro asked. "He wanted to be a harem—,"

"Don't you dare corrupt my baby!" Issei shouted, cutting his father off with a blush as memories of his youth and early to mid-teenage years assaulted his mind. His hands blurred and covered the child dragon's ears. 

"Why not? You were the one shouting about having a harem, right? Harem King?" 

"!" 

"Oh dear! I still remember how you would always cry out, 'I WILL BE A HAREM KING AND ALL BOOBIES WILL BE MINE!'"

"MOM!" 

"He tried to but failed!" 

"AEGIS!" 

"He flirted a lot with his female friends... even with Princess Victoria," The elemental spirit of Valor added, enjoying the gasp from his Soulally's mother. 

Chirps and growls escaped the dragon. While the rest of the family did not understand what the dragon meant. 

"I so did not do that!" 

"Issei, we all know how you accidentally flirted with a lot. A LOT of women in your travels." 

"Tell me, Aegis!" 

"Aegis, no!" 

"There's Vilmor, a fellow Dragonlord of his. It did not work out well... then there's Valencia Surehunter. They have this weird thing going on," 

"Oh my!" 

"You asshole!"

"It's true! She wants to put you in a museum and you don't even try to stop her!" 

"I so did not do that!" 

"Then there's the Empress," 

"WHAT!? I only flirted with Alz'ein!" 

"Not the Atealan empress!" 

"Oh... Oh... OH!" 

"Who is this empress, Aegis?" 

Excited chirps and happy growls escaped the green dragon on the Dragonlord's lap at the mention of the empress. 

"Are you crazy?! You do know she is pissed off at me?" 

"Oh, now Aegis, be a dear and tell us!" 

"Yes, buddy! Come on, tell us about this lady my son and his dragon are so excited about!" 

"DAD! MOM!  AEGIS! DON'T YOU DARE!"

0-0-0-0-0-0

"Gonna embarrass me too, huh?" Issei asked as he looked at the spirit by his side. A masculine spirit as red as blood.

"Perhaps I will, perhaps I will not." 

"You, Aegis, Drago, and Elpis followed me here. I have the scars but my body is the same as before I arrived in Lore." 

"Indeed. As you are now, you are only a pale imitation of your prime, hero of Falconreach." 

"You will be able to do it, my friend," Another spirit said with a smile. It was a spirit as white as snow with a scar on its nose that made his heartache. Six arms decorated the body of the spirit with the middle arms holding a cube of sorts. 

Elpis, the elemental Spirit of hope and an unofficial Soulally of his. 

"Thank you, Elpis. My parents know about me now. Can you... can you watch over them for me? My dad usually works all day and mom stays at home a lot." 

"I will, my friend. I don't mind." 

"Then if you do not need me, I shall return to the plane of elemental spirits," The blood red spirit said as it disappeared. 

"I do not like him, Issei," Elpis whispered with a frown. "The way he weaves..." 

"It's fine, Elpis," Issei said with a sigh. "You know, you can still bond with me,"

"As much as I would love to, you already have two Soulallies. Your soul will be weakened far too much and with your current state, even using your spells will be tough and the process of bonding with more than one Elemental Spirit is burdening," The elemental spirit of hope gently floated in a graceful way reminding Issei of a certain Elemental Spirit of Woe bonded to his best friend. "But I will always be by your side, my friend," 

"Thank you... Elpis," 

"So, why didn't you tell them you were also trying to investigate if the others already got back?" 

"YOU TOO?!"

"Come on, say it. I know you miss... oh no! You're going to be late, Issei!" 

"Oh shit!" Panicking, the hero of Falconreach started to put on his uniform with a soul-woven white shirt he had made a while back after he got back from Lore. The elemental spirit of hope took the school bag of the young man and handed it to him. 

"Mom! Dad! I'm going to school! Behave, Draco!" 

The baby dragon released a chirp as Issei finished putting on his shoes. "I'm heading out!" He shouted, turning around to face the living room, only to see the faces of friends he had made. A small smile formed on his face. 

"Take care! I'll take care of Draco,"

"Take care, son!" Without missing a beat, the young man blinked out of existence, appearing outside the house. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking about, Elpis?"

"It's risky. There's a lot of camera things out there." 

A small grin formed on Issei's face as a soft glow formed around his body. 

"Go!" Invisible Cyan streaks pierced through walls and buildings as Issei Hyoudou ran as fast as he could, stopping by a nearby park near his school. 

"By the avatars... I forgot... how weak... my cardio... was," Issei whispered as heavy breaths escaped his lungs. 

"Well, more training for you then!" Chucking to himself, the young dragonlord took one deep breath and opened his eyes, revealing a pair of focused orbs. "We're close, Issei." 

"I know," he replied as he stepped out of the woods, dusting off some dust that fell to his shoulder. Closing his eyes once more, the young man focused, synchronizing his soul to the beat of the world, a unique skill he picked up after a meeting with a great dragon and one of the abilities he gained after holding an elemental orb. Dragon magic, his favored brand of magic next to Soulweaving. It was more robust and applicable to his own unique position as a dragonlord. 

Magical energy filled his entire body, circulating through each veins and bones, a technique he saw a friend used while training his apprentice and a daughter of a friend of his. He can feel his magical reserves refill themselves with each breath as he focused at the light and darkness deep inside his body. 

'Balance the scales,' He thought as both elements healed his body. For a split second, his eyes turned a sickly green to red before settling back to their original color. 

"I still find it fascinating. How you balanced the scales," Elpis whispered with a smile. "Well, I should go and protect your father, stay safe, Issei," 

"You too, Elpis." Turning around to face the Academy, the young Dragonlord smiled, humming a song as he walked, unaware that a pair of widened amber eyes gazed where he stood. A little form trembled in the shadows as the Dragonlord walked away from the area. 

-=-=-=-

"Issei!" 

"Moto, Matsu!" 

"Great... the perverted trio are reunited again," 

"Ugh, gross." 

"You went missing, bro! where were you?!"

"I was around." 

"You missed the new releases!" 

"No, enough of that! Wanna come with us to get some new... candies?" 

"Nah, I don't want to," Issei said with a shrug, while he is still a pervert.  Oh, Aegis and Elpis can agree on that along with the numerous terrabytes of 'goods' on his computer, he had to train a lot. The information his friend on Lore gave him made him more... open-minded at the things to come. With his body as weak as this... he needed a lot of training and powering up. 

"Impossible," 

"This is a dream, right?" 

"No way..." 

"Issei, are you sick?!" 

"Don't die on me!" 

'Man, I'm old now..' He thought to himself. A decade ago, he would have gladly peeked with his friends but due to countless battles and experiences in another world, his mind tempered itself. His body ached as he felt the subtle shifts in magic in the air as numerous magical entities roamed the school like the members of the student council. 'I also need to check up on those chess pieces things,' 

"Look, I am still the same but I have a lot of things to do," Issei explained to his friends, one of them was to be a good model for his dragon to emulate. If he had to stop his vices then he would do it, for his dragon! 

"Man... oh yeah, did you hear? The old church is getting rebuilt!" 

"Man, I can't wait to see if there's going to be a sexy nun!" 

"You guys do know most nuns (or priestess) are old?" 'Well, not all of them' An image of a young woman around his age dressed in white and gold, giggling like silver bells appeared in his mind. he can still taste the smell of the tea she made and how his Dragon played with the other hatchlings inside the Sunbreeze Grove. 

Another reminder of a place he wanted to protect. A reason to get stronger. 

"Oh, come on, Issei! Let us dream a little!" 

"Yeah! Don't be a partypooper!" 

"Pfft, IF a nun or a sister of the church there is a hot young lady then I'll give you a copy of my goods," Issei said with a scoff. There was no way that it would happen. "Look, as I was saying. There is little to no way of that happening." 

"Fuck off, Issei!" 

"Having fun, you three?" 

"The She Devil!" 

"Hid your junks!" 

"Hey, Aika," Issei greeted with a smile. Seeing the girl that once struck fear into his heart was kind of a nice surprise since that fear has long been replaced by a lot more terrifying things. WAY MORE terrifying things than a girl that can tell the size of your junk. 

"Hyoudou, hmm... oh my?" The bespectacled Brunette whispered, looking at the young man in front of her. "You... you naughty boy," 

"What are you talking about?" 

"You're no longer a virgin, aren't you?" 

"... so what?" 

"NO WAY! THIS ISN'T REAL!" 

"ISSEI! YOU TRAITOR!" 

"NO! NO FAIR!" 

Ignoring the screams of despair around him, the young Dragonlord gave the bespectacled young woman a look. He can hear a sort of familiar mocking laughter in the distance, the same mockingly playful laugh of the companion and friend he traveled with the longest. 

"Hyoudou, you have a letter," Genshirou Saji, a new member of the student council said. 

"Huh, that's new..." Hints of Energy magic invisible to novices in the arts of Dragon magic wafted from the letter. Taking the letter, the residue of energy magic mixed with innate attunement for the ice and fire elements with ease. Opening the letter, the young man's eyes widened as he read the contents written in neat cursive roman alphabet but by pushing small amounts of dragon magic in his eyes... 

Found you, Doomed Dragonlord

'It can only be her, one of the few who held the wind orb other than him.' 

After the first day of classes, Issei Hyoudou confidently walked across the academy with a single purpose in mind and into one destination. His friends, while not a part of the supernatural, followed him. 

"What's going on?" 

Raising a hand, the young Dragonlord caught a wooden spear as purple eyes opened inside the Kendo club's dojo. Numerous Kendo club members sat on the side as a young woman clad in Kendo gear save for the helmet, patiently sat in Seiza. 

Her presence was like a storm capable of uprooting everything in its path. 

'After all, it's because of that presence you gained that title, empress of the storms.' Issei thought to himself as he entered the Dojo after taking his shoes off. 

"Issei Hyoudou, a shadow of the wind," The young woman announced as she held her wooden sword and put her helmet on.

"Sheesh, can't wait for a single day? Weren't you supposed to be the mature one?" Issei teased, spinning the wooden spear with ease. 'The fact she tossed a spear at me...' "How fun, you wouldn't happen to be willing to take me out for dinner," 

"If you win," She said with a smile under the helmet, only visible to his eyes enhanced by Dragon magic. "Shall we dance, Kazekage?" 

"Please give me the honor of showing your technique," 

"Yeah beat his perverted ass up!"

"Death to the perv!" 

"BEAT HIS ASS!" 

Crack

Wooden spear met the wooden sword as the two clashed. The Dragonlord of Doom and Sovereign of Storms' wooden arms clashed over and over again with surprising skill and grace as if they were dancing. A dance of winds and storms. 

The members of the Female Kendo club could only watch as the pervert used his wooden spear to easily deflect and parry away each blow the mysterious armored young woman did while she used her speed and skill to try and nibble at his defenses away. 

"No way... this is unreal..." 

"They... they are in a realm on their own," The instructor whispered as they saw how the profound knowledge and experience of each one clashed with each other in this dance.  

As the minutes passed by, the dance of wooden arms continued until. 

Snap

Crack. 

"Tch!" With deep heavy breathing, Issei grinned as he looked at the wooden spear on the ground and at the wooden sword pointed at his throat. "You... win,"

A resounding applause filled the training halls as the young Dragonlord and swordswoman looked at each other with a gauntlet-covered hand removing the helmet she wore. A flushed face of a beautiful young woman with purple hair and eyes. Her hair clung onto her face with sweat as a grin formed on her face. 

"Your defense is as tough as ever, Issei-kun," She said with a smile while lowering the wooden sword. "It's a shame your stamina is a bit... lacking," 

"Give me a break. I already told you guys, remember." The young dragonlord said with a pout through his deep breaths. "That moron already teased me a lot and now... you too?!" 

Soft, bell-like giggles escaped her mouth. The sovereign of storms gently approached the Dragonlord with a hum. "Well it's not a bad thing. You two are closer than we are," 

"Is that jealousy I hear?" 

"Nope, just stating the facts." 

"You dare use my own spells against me?"