Chapter 3 : Dimensional Gap (Low-Key Training)

Four long years of training had passed for the now 14-year-old Issei Hyoudou. In that time, he managed to progress exponentially at an almost alarming rate. Much to Ddraig's approval, training and teaching a child was far easier than a teenager or an adult, and that made Issei a much better learner than his previous hosts.

He had actually come to like his host a considerable amount despite only knowing him for four years. During their time together, Ddraig had managed to teach Issei all about the different mythologies and dangerous beings of the world. He trained the boy in proper use of the Boosted Gear, and much to his astonishment, Issei had fully mastered Balance Breaker, and was even able to activate his Juggernaut Drive. Unfortunately, he lacked proficiency in the latter because it was impossible to actually train with Juggernaut Drive without drawing unwanted attention from the widespread destruction.

He and Ddraig had debated for months on how to deal with this problem until one day, Issei got an idea.

Sitting on the edge of a high-rise building in the city, the brown-haired boy spoke, "I think I know where I can train the Juggernaut Drive, Ddraig."

"Really? What do you have in mind?" his good friend asked.

"You remember that place you talked about where the Great Red Dragon lives? The Dimensional Gap? I was thinking we could try there. It's removed from Earth, Heaven, and Hell and would be a great place to get some much-needed practice without having to worry about toning my power back," Issei explained his logic.

Ddraig let out a low grunt of disapproval, "That is not a good idea. The Dimensional Gap is a realm of chaos and entropy. It would tear you apart to go in there without any sort of protection. Not to mention, not even we are a match for the Dragon of Dragons. If he sees you in there, he'll kill you."

"Why would he kill us? We're both dragons, aren't we? Not to mention, if he's able to fly around in there, why can't I? You're telling me there's no way I can fly though there safely?" Issei wondered.

"Well…it theoretically could be done, but it would take a great deal of effort to even get into the Dimensional Gap, let alone resist its entropy for long periods of time," Ddraig sighed.

"Don't you think that would be a great place to train? If my body is constantly fighting to stay intact, I could up the intensity and really test the limits of my boosting. Plus, it would be a good place to spend my afterschool hours you know?" Issei said eagerly.

Ddraig chuckled, "I admire your enthusiasm to train, Issei, but to be honest, getting there would be the most difficult part. There are only a few ways I can think that we can do it. The most obvious one would be finding Ophis and convincing her to take us there. I would rather we avoided that option lest we risk revealing the return of the Red Dragon Emperor prematurely. The only benefit to that option is Ophis can protect you from Great Red should you encounter him within the Dimensional Gap."

"Ophis should be our last option then. What are the other routes we could take? I'm surprised you weren't able to just go into the Dimensional Gap yourself. Is there any reason why I can't?" Issei asked.

"Technically I could pass into it, but it required a great deal of power. If you wished to do so without causing a lot of destruction, then you would need to refine your power into a proper ability to penetrate the veil of this world. Obviously, that would require more training. The only other options are to go through Ophis or seek out a weapon that can cut through space and time. Both of which would only draw unwanted attention," he sighed.

"This might be off-topic, but how long do I have to keep my powers a secret? I find it strange that nobody has noticed me yet. Is all of this sneaking around really necessary?" Issei asked.

"I am taking special precautions with you, boy. The various factions always have a way with tracking down dragon hosts early on in their lives. Many become their allies or lackeys. I have seen it countless times and it only serves to annoy me. You should reveal yourself when the time is right. For when you do…the white one will seek you out. Enjoy this peace of yours while it lasts. It's the only semblance of a peaceful life you'll ever have," the dragon said authoritatively.

"Well let's get to training then…I'll figure out a way to tear open a rift into the Dimensional Gap." Issei said as he stood up eagerly.