Returning to the room, Rias soon said goodbye. Issei's eyes followed her as she closed the door.
The graceful figure of his president, full of voluptuous curves and a splendid scent, slowly leaving his room.
Issei then took a deep breath and threw himself onto the bed again, his mind wandering through today's events.
'Everything feels so strange and so natural at the same time…'
He sighed.
'I stole the life of someone else completely, everyone thinks I am him and barely questions it.'
He then recalled the talk with Rias, where she clearly noticed his change.
'Maybe the problem isn't that they didn't notice… it's just that everyone considers me a better version of him.'
He couldn't help but smile at the thought.
'Asia must have noticed, but she didn't dislike the idea of me hitting on her. Rias didn't complain about me being stronger either.'
He laughed, proud of himself.
'Issei had potential, but he wasn't as strong as he could be.'
He then clenched his fists and promised to himself.
"I will be the best version of myself, the strongest Issei of all."
As if answering the call, he felt a burning in the hand of the gauntlet.It seemed like he had forgotten someone and this person decided to remind him
"That's what I wanted to hear, my partner!" Draig suddenly replied.
"Ddraig?" Issei stammered, hearing the dragon's voice.
"Women and riches matter, but first you must be strong to win them all."
The dragon laughed joyfully.He was the most interested in making Issei as strong as possible.
"Do you already have a training routine in mind?" Ddraig asked.
"I can create one that will make you strong as a god in just a few days."
"And what would this routine be like?" Issei was confused but accepted the reality.
"Nothing much. We just need a volcano and a stormy day, you climb to the top when the lightning is at its peak."
"W-what?" He stammered again.
"It's simple, train while the lightning shocks you and lava burns you. You'll get strong really fast."
Issei heard all of it as nonsense for an instant, but then reconsidered.
"Isn't it dangerous though?" He asked once more.
"Of course it's dangerous, it's dangerous becoming so powerful that women only think of you." Ddraig pushed him to accept the training.
"And why specifically a volcano and a lightning storm?"
"Because it hurts more, pain will teach you."
Issei reflected for a few seconds on that phrase, he didn't know if that training would really work, but why not give it a chance?
"Is there a storm nearby?" He quickly teleported outside the house and flew into the sky.
His eyes scanned the horizon for dark clouds, and when he found none he quickly shot farther away.
"Ddraig, if we get lost you know where our house is, right?"
"No."
"Well, whatever, there's still the phone for that."
"You didn't bring your phone."
"In that case… I'll think about it later."
He kept traveling across Japan at ever higher speeds during the night.
His figure like that of a bat passing unnoticed by everyone around. Until finally he found a storm.
The lightning moved through the clouds like worms travel through soil, giving a powerful impression to the storm.
"And now?"
"Just dive into the clouds and relax, I'm sure your skin will grow tougher from this."
"I'm almost sure that's the opposite of relaxing, but you're the boss."
He soon entered the clouds and then, amid the lightning, simply sat down. The thunderclaps striking his ears with crushing, oppressive force.
And still he just remained there, until the first bolt came.
The bolt struck him hard, making him grit his teeth. His eyes rolled from the pain, his flesh giving off a roasted smell.
That was the longest instant of his life, and even so he survived. He then took a deep breath, the pain still vivid and fresh in memory.
"So? Think you can take another one?"
Draig questioned him.
"Is that even a question? Of course I can take a hundred more of those!"
Ddraig laughed at the reply.
"Of course you can, that's what I expected from my partner!"