Returning Welsh Dragon Hero - Chapters 5.2 & 6

And so after the arrival of Asia Argento to Kuoh, things eventually calmed down and fell into new norm.

Days passed for Issei as usual with nothing thankfully happening.

It was just another usual day in school, just a math class with Issei writing along the day's lesson.

Suddenly Issei blinked and sat up. His eyes narrowing into a glare.

He abruptly stood up, surprising the other students at the sound of his chair scrapping against the floor, and cutting through the flow of the lesson.

"Mr. Hyoudou?" The math teacher blinked in confusion.

Issei was already heading to the door.

"Sorry an emergency came up." Issei just said, as he passed the confused Asia, he gave her a reassuring smile, that everything was fine, and went on his way.

Issei was walking down the hall, heading into a straight line into the direction of his home.

"Hyoudou-san, what do you think you're doing outside of class?" Sona Shitori, the Student Council President, and more importantly, Sona Sitri, the other devil supervising Kuoh Town with Rias, came up in his path. She was there with her ever present Queen, Tsubaki Shinra.

"Family emergency, had to leave." Issei didn't stop walking, almost walking right into Sona if she didn't move out of the way. Issei could have said that she was also outside of class, but didn't feel like bantering.

"Hyoudou-san, I'm sure it's something that can wait--" Sona began to say with an annoyed sigh, since Issei's disruptive action, caused her to leave her own class, to go check out the commotion.

"Family. Emergency." Issei's emerald eyes sent a shiver down Sona's spine, even her Queen who wasn't the target of his gaze felt a sudden bout of fright. "There's a Fallen at my home." Issei said, his alarm barrier had tripped up and alerted him.

"Wha--" Sona's eyes widened.

She didn't have time to react as Issei finally reached a window, opened it and jumped straight out. From the third floor.

Then fire erupted from his shoulder blades, as he rocked out in the sky toward his home.

Sona straight at Issei's blatant use of magical powers without any thought to secrecy in disbelief.

The she turned to see the few students who peaked out their class to check the commotion, and were now staring at the whole scene with wide-eyes.

"Dammit." Sona sighed. She's gonna have to spend all day, hypnotizing students to forget this little fuss.

===x===

A few seconds later Issei landed at his house's entrance.

[It's the Scapegoat of God. Be careful of that one, he likes to talk.] Ddraig at told him on the way there.

Isssi entered his house to find his parents entertaining a guest. A tall man in business suit made from a mix of dark colors, with black and blond hair.

"Issei, you're back early." His mom asked him looking surprised.

"Hey, Issei, um, this is Mr. Azazel. He's a guidance councilor for students with special talents. He stopped by to ask about you." His father said.

"Yo, nice to meet you, Issei-kun." Azazel said cheerfully as he held a tea cup and saucer his mom had served him. "I've been wanting to talk to you. I figured we'd meet when school's finished, but this works out better." He said with an easy going attitude, as if Issei ditching school and coming home right away, was something he calculated for.

This barrier is much more advanced than I expected. I mean, I genuinely entered without any hostile intent, so I wonder what triggered it. Azazel thought to himself.

Issei however, completely ignored the Leader of the Fallen Angels, and went to his parents, placing a hand on their shoulders.

He frowned as he realized something the barrier protection missed by, still alerted him on just to be on the safe side. Something he should have accounted for.

Yes, people don't steal from Dragons without heavy consequences, and can't do anything to a dragon's treasures till the dragon is dealt with. However messing with a treasure without taking it was hazy territory, since the treasure technically wasn't stolen.

Azazel used magic on his parents. Standard hypnosis. Nothing that big or harmful. Something that would go under the radar.

Likeability and normality. Just making himself seem like someone trust-worthy and already in the know about the supernatural, thus if his parents mention something about Issei's magical side of things off hand, they don't think they made an error.

With a hand on his parents' shoulder Issei sent a small pulse of magical energy and broke the hypnosis. It wasn't something strong enough to stand under scrutiny anyways. Just knowing one was hypnotized would break this minor hypnosis.

"Huh? Issei, is everything alright?" Miki asked in confusion, suddenly feeling a rush of energy like she drank some coffee.

"Son," Goro asked with a more serious tone, picking up on Issei's aggression, even if his son had a dead calm face. "Something came up?"

"Yeah could you guys come here for a second?" Issei moved his parents behind the couch to cover them, and took their seat, facing Azazel.

"Oh! My bad. Most teens I know tend to want to hide their magical powers from their parents. I'm sorry, I kinda assumed you were the same." Azazel sat up, leaning forward with interest in his expression.

"So you lied about being a guidance councilor?" Miki asked with furrowed brows, as Goro stood next to her, with his arm around her shoulders.

"Actually I am a guidance councilor for my own academy for those with Sacred Gears." Azazel said as he pointed at Miki's question. He sounded jovial and light-hearted. "The real reason I came here is because one of my subordinates causes some trouble for Issei-kun here. I wished to right that wrong, so here I am." He finished with a wide smile.

"Oh. I see." Goro said, and the Hyoudou elders relaxed a bit.

Issei however sitting down facing Azazel, while leaning forward like a punk, with his arms resting on his knees, didn't react positively to Azazel's--in his own opinion--heartfelt apology.

"You know, for someone that wants to make amends, your first move, rather than say, contact me directly, send a message for Rias or Sona of wanting a meeting, since I don't know you." Issei began. "Rather than do any of that, you came to my parent's home while I wasn't here and hypnotized them to gather information on me."

"What?" Goro hissed out, as Miki gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Woah, I did not do anything that drastic." Azazel held his hand up. "As I said, most teens don't tell their parents about magic and the supernatural. I just assumed you did the same. It would have more insulting and problematic to you, if I was the one to inform them of the supernatural world." Azazel tried to argue. He could see that the Red Dragon Emperor was more aggressive and distrustful than he expected, coming in rather strongly at the perceived slight, but Azazel could still work with this. And if worse comes to worse, he could always call Vali to interject if things turned rough.

"I... suppose that makes sense." Miki said slowly, trying to instinctively play peacemaker.

"No, it doesn't." Goro said, deciding not to be nice to this--Not a guest--intruder. "Issei's right, you could have used other methods to contact us that didn't feel so scummy. You could have called that Gremory girl."

"I'm the Leader of the Grigori. Can't really be seen asking a little girl for permission to talk to someone unrelated to her." Azazel shrugged playful as he explained that.

"Then you could have just called us like a normal person." Miki said this time, starting to get annoyed with the fallen's playboy attitude.

"Haha, I guess I forgot in my old age." Azazel smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

For a few moment, things then just feel into silence, as Issei's quietness was causing the conversation to die off. Azazel just waited for the boy's response. He could easily deal with whatever tantrum the teen acted out, by being a reasonable adult.

"You're old, right?" Issei finally said.

"Ouch, that's kinda hurtful--"

"And as a being that's thousands of years old at minimum and the leader of a group that rebelled against Heaven," Issei continued, not bothering to acknowledge Azazel's response. "I'm guessing you're an expert at persuading people with difficult and uncooperative personalities to listen to you, and follow your lead."

"Well, I don't wanna brag, but--"

"So," Issei's now glowing emerald eyes, put Azazel's danger sense on alarm. "You have exactly one minute to convince me not to kill you, then proceed to go out and genocide the Fallen race. Or get the fuck out of my house. Ddraig, start the countdown."

"What 'countdown'?--"

[I,]

It was one word. Just one syllable, but the sheer presence and weight behind the word, and the energy build up that began sent Azazel into panic.

"Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait! You gotta be kidding me! Isn't this a little bit of an overreaction?" Azazel said with a shaky smile as he held his hands in front of him.

[Who is about to awaken,]

===x===

Azazel paled. This was not as planned.

OH FUCK, HE IS NOT JOKING!

NOT AS PLANNED! The thought was stuck on loop in Azazel's head for a little while.

Azazel was not one to panic. The Leader of the Grigori rarely did, so while he usually acted goofy, making people underestimate him, he was confident in doing so.

Because people did underestimate him. That under the joking relaxed exterior, was a schemer that held up a whole faction during the Great War and made it a viable threat.

But right now however, for the first time in a long time, he was panicking. Because how the hell could he have accounted for a newly awakened Red Dragon Emperor that could and would use fucking Juggernaut Drive as his opening move?

Alright, step one, send emergency magical signal to Vali that "the meeting's fucked". Step two, dissuade him from using it by pointing the obvious. Azazel thought before for glazing at Miki and Goro Hyoudou for an instant. Use the parents.

"Okay, seriously, calm down! That power will make you rampage, it's not something you can just control. Issei-kun, your parents are right here, if you lose control they're in the splash zone, you could end up killing them in your rage." Azazel said before gesturing at the Hyoudou elders. "Hell, that power is literally fueled by your lifespan, and won't stop till it's all gone. Miki, Goro, I understand that you have no reason to trust me, but at least stop your son for his own sake."

At this information, the Hyoudou parents looked concerned for their son.

"Issei, is what he saying true?" Goro asked.

"Son, if what he's saying is real, then please, maybe we can solve this in another way." Miki pleaded.

Issei turned his head and gave his parents a calm smile, reassuring them that everything was fine, that this whole thing wasn't putting him in danger.

"Mom, dad, I know what I'm doing. This won't harm me, and I won't let you come to harm." Issei gave his father a pointed look. "Trust me."

The two locked eyes, a look of understanding that passed between them from their bond as father and son. Goro nodded to Issei.

"Alright." Goro said. "I'm leaving it to Issei."

"Goro?" Miki asked questioningly.

"Seriously?" Azazel asked surprised. "I'm literally the foremost expert on Sacred Gears. I've been studying them for literally millennia."

"I'm gonna put my faith in my son." Goro said with determination in his eyes.

Miki saw this and her gaze hardened with resolve as well. "Welp, guess we're doing the suicidal thing."

Issei held back a snort at his mother's show of support. Goro didn't.

Ooookay! Very stupidly supportive parents.

[Am the Guardian Dragon of Humanity,]

And that's still here! Also, wait, I have never heard that re-edition of the Juggernaut Drive chant. Azazel wasn't sure. It's not like he could remember every recorded version of the berserker move chant. Generally they were either the standard one, or a more personalized one for the user, but the Fallen Leader couldn't recall one that had "guardian" or "humanity" in them. Either way, really not the time!

Alright, Plan B.

"Okay, you guys trust your son, over the literally thousands years old Fallen here." Azazel rolled his eyes.

"Is he sulking?" Miki asked confused.

"I think he's sulking." Goro nodded.

"I'm not sulking." Azazel's eyebrow twitched. I WILL FUCK UP YOUR MARRIAGE! DO NOT TEST ME! He shook his head, and focused back on the conversation. "Alright, so you can somehow used Juggernaut Drive without the, literal, suicide effects, a few weeks after awakening your Sacred Gear. Fine. But if we fight, your parents are still there, your house will be a wreck, if it's still standing after we're done." Azazel pointed out.

"Honey, Issei, he has a point." Miki hesitantly said, much to the relief of Azazel.

Thank fuck for women and their sensibilities. Now you boys follow along her honeyed words. Azazel thought.

"We can't exactly afford another house." Miki finished her thought.

"Really? That's your concern!" Azazel couldn't help but say.

"Houses aren't cheap. What do you think the housing market is like these days?" Miki said heatedly.

"Ah. Right," Azazel nodded while holding his chin with a confident smile. "Money is a thing humans have to worry about." Goro's eyebrow twitched. "You know, that is something I can help with. You never have to have financial worries again, if we just talk normally, like I originally planned." A sly look came to Azazel's eyes. "Not sure if I should do so after this hostile reception."

"Miki, we'll figure something out." Goro said while side hugging his wife. "Also I think I remember you eyeing my wife, while we were under hypnosis, and just dismissed it as 'my wife's beauty being appreciated'." He narrowed his eyes.

"I just thought she looked beautiful for a woman her age." Azazel quickly said, as there concerns in this serious situation was a bit more lax than he expected.

"Ew. Gross." Miki deadpanned.

BITCH! Azazel wanted to scream.

"Fuck him up, son!" Miki gave Azazel a thumbs down.

Why the hell did she turn gangster all of a sudden?! Azazel looked gob-smacked.

"I'm glad you guys are so supportive of your son--even if the motive is a bit effy--but seriously!"

[Who has overtaken and overcome God's Principle of Domination.]

I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS!

"Hyoudou Issei," Azazel decided to just force himself to be formal and polite, while calculating how long it would take Vali to arrive, after he pressed the magical panic button. He's likely to arrive just as Issei finishes his chant and begin transforming. I'd have to hightail it outta here either way. He thought remembering the boy's conditions. "I understand that you hold some animosity toward the Fallen due to Raynare being a bad first impression of our race, but you can't simply paint us all with that brush. Do you really want to fight and entire faction that has lasted eons, and has fought in supernatural Great War? You'd end up making enemies out of the Devil Race and other factions by default if you prove too powerful." Azazel tried to reason. "Seriously, I just came to apologize and reach a peaceful accord here--"

"So her name was Raynare, huh?" Issei nodded to himself, a bit glad that little trivia was answered. "My first impression of the supernatural world, specifically your race, was being tricked into going on a date with a girl who said she liked me, for some reason, but I'm a teenager, so I didn't question it. And after making me think she was happy the whole time and was glad to be besides me, she stabbed me in the stomach and left me to die, after ending the date at a spot usually young couples or lovers end up." He explained. "And the funny thing is, she didn't kill me because she knew I had the Boosted Gear. She just thought I had a regular common Sacred Gear, which shouldn't have been something that's a danger to her or your faction, beyond something to be noted, or hold some basic interest.

"Instead, she took me on a date, made it seem like she was falling in love with me, then killed me for the lulz basically. She literally could have achieved the same result, by sniping me while I was walking on my way home from school, it's not like you Fallen Angels really care about human life or secrecy all that much, from what I've seen. No, she went about it the way she did for the hell of it."

Those fucking dumbasses! Azazel wanted to facepalm.

"But yeah, you're right. Maybe not all Fallen Angels are that casually cruel." Issei continued.

"Yes, that's what I'm saying--"

"So then, their leader, decides that the best way to approach me is to invade my home uninvited and lay his hands on my parents. It doesn't matter that you think the hypnosis you used is inconsequential because it's weak and wouldn't have lasting impact, from my point of view it's a threat and I'm responding accordingly."

Azazel internally winched, seeing how the things he--and literally anyone else in the supernatural world--did casually could be seen as a threat, when it's not intended to be. It was more of a social lubricant to move things along.

"Alright, I can see how that looks bad, but--" Azazel began.

"Honey," Goro said through gritted teeth, with a voice barely held back from shouting. "Get the shotgun." He glared at the Grigori Leader, enraged by what he just heard his son had went through.

Miki left.

"I understand that you guys are angry, but there's a reason why--Wait, you have a shotgun?"

Click-clack.

Miki returned.

With a shotgun. Pointed at Azazel.

"Aren't... the laws of Japan insanely strict on guns?" Azazel asked.

"Hunting shotgun." Miki answered.

"Huh. Okay. But still, that's not gonna do anything to me--"

Issei pointed behind him.

[Transfer]

The shotgun transformed. Turning into some kind of fantasy revised red shotgun.

"Okay, how? That's not how Boosted Gear's Gift works, nor it being able to enchant items being one of it's functions!" Azazel nearly shouted from curiosity.

[I swear,]

"Wait, it's still on!" Azazel shouted at the 'countdown'. Shouldn't it have been interrupted with him using another ability mid-chant?

"Thanks, son."

"No problem, mom."

"Okay, this is all lovely, and it's nice how you're all supportive of each other, but can you please calm down, so we can talk like civilized people?" Azazel asked.

""No."" The Hyoudou household answered together.

"How about your dream? I heard you wanted a harem--" Azazel tried a different angle.

"Nah, I don't really want that anymore. I'm going the monogamous route from now on." Issei shook his head.

"Seriously!?" Azazel cried out.

"SERIOUSLY!?" His parents shouted in more shock than the Grigori leader.

"Asia really is a good girl." Goro said in tears.

"She really was the answer to our prayers." Miki echoed her husband's sentiments.

"Guys, really? Also, that's not really the case." Issei sighed in embarrassment but never took his eyes off Azazel.

"I swear to god, I'm going to fucking kill who ever was on information gathering." Azazel said to himself before taking one last look at the resolute looks of the Hyoudou household once they focused on him again.

Azazel sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Alright. Negotiation have broken down. At the very least I should make sure he doesn't reach out to other factions. Scare him a bit so he'd turtle up, before working on politically isolating him.

"You know, just become you have the power of the Red Dragon, doesn't mean you should act like him. Appearing hostile to any perceived threat can be used against you. It can cause other faction leaders to be wary of you, and even see you as a threat to pre-emptively deal with. You want to live in peace, don't you? You can't do that if you have the reputation of a rampaging dragon while just being on your own, with no faction supporting you. You'd just be a thug to be put down." Azazel raised his hands up, placatingly. "Since you want me to leave, I'll leave, but you really need to think on how you want to interact with the wider world. You can't just attack any problem you end facing."

Issei gave a small smile.

[In my heart,]

"How many Fallen Angels are there? Ten million? More?" The Welsh Dragon Hero asked.

Azazel snorted. "I'm not telling you that."

"Oh, less. Good. Then fighting your faction is manageable." Issei sighed in relief, as he nodded to himself.

Azazel raised an eyebrow, looked bewildered.

"Your heartrate beat differently just now. So I could tell. Of course, your numbers are likely far less than ten million. You guys did fight a Great War after all, and it's not like you can replenish your numbers that easy, given that normal Angels aren't gonna be Falling left and right after the war anymore." Issei said.

"Oh please, out of the Three Factions, the Grigori have the easiest time replenishing our numbers. Unlike the Devils we don't need evil piece, we can have kids the normal way. And as for Heaven? You'd be surprised at how many Angels still Fall." Azazel smirked, then blink in confusion at Issei's expression of surprise.

"Again, your heartrate, along with other stuff. I became quite good at catching lies. And I have to say, I was just shooting in the dark that last bit, didn't realize I got lucky." Issei said to himself.

"What are you talking about?" Azazel asked, raising an eyebrow, feeling a bit confused on the inside.

"Yes, you guys have the easiest time replenishing your numbers, but I'm guessing that's in theory. In practicality you guys probably don't have enough cohesion or cooperation to look after or care about Half-Fallen children as your people. Heck, you guys are too independent to stick together more than necessary. After all, you all rebelled for your freedom to do whatever you wanted, right? And as for Angels, I caught that lie, not many Fall anymore. Things reached an equilibrium." Issei smiled cheekily.

...This kid is dangerous. He's not just a muscle head. He's like Vali. Azazel's eyes widened for a second. Oh fuck, he and Vali are the same.

For Azazel, it seemed like this generation's Heavenly Dragons are more talented and more dangerous that any of those that came before. They might not be the strongest yet, but given their ages, that would change in time.

"I see." Azazel sighed as the conversation reached its conclusion. "I guess there's only one thing left to do."

Tension was at an all time high in the Hyoudou household.

And the countdown continued.

[Shall blaze--]

Azazel jumped out of his seat. His six pair of black wings unfolding from his back.

And he flew out of the front door, nearly breaking it.

After a few seconds the Hyoudou elders let out a breath in relief.

"Dear, Issei, he's gone." Miki said, lowering the magic dragonic shotgun.

"Oh good. I don't know what we would have done if the house was destroyed." Goro sighed as his shoulders fell.

"Wait, you said it would have been fine?" Miki blinked.

"I was acting brave." Goro gave a sheepish smile.

"Awww, dear! You looked so cool." The husband and wife hugged.

Issei smiled at the scene, and he reigned in his energy back, stood up and stretched. Issei blinked at he noticed several familiar auras approaching his home.

"Mom, dad, we're gonna have guests soon. Don't worry, these ones are okay." Issei said.

And no sooner did the words leave his mouth did Rias, her Peerage and Asia burst through the door.

"Issei! Mr. & Mrs. Hyoudou, are you all okay?" Asia cried out in Italian, running into Issei's arms, as he hugged her and reassured her that everything's fine.

"Issei, what happened?! Why is the General Governor of the Grigori running out of your house? And what is that that?" Rias asked many rapid question, in surprise, given the situation before focusing and pointing at the shotgun still in Miki's hands.

The three Hyoudous' looked at the enchanted weapon, then at each other, then back to Rias.

"It's a hunting shotgun." Goro said plainly.

"I have several questions." Rias found herself saying numbly.

"Well," Miki spoke up, the Hyoudou matriarch taking control of the situation. "Why don't you all join us for lunch, and we can figure out what's going on about this whole situation."

"Miki?" Goro looked at her, the question of 'are you sure' in his eyes.

"If Issei says they're good people, I'll trust him. And Asia here seems to like them just fine." Miki explained.

"They're good people." Issei nodded, which made the devils stand a bit straighter, feeling prideful yet bashful at the praise.

Lunch at the Hyoudou house that day was a larger affair than usual.