Like most of the time, my main limitation was materials.
But this time I REALLY wanted to get this done. It would be the best way for me to become strong without altering myself, or having some serious drawbacks.
Honestly I never really understood all those MC that wants to change race. Could I become a dragon, a chimera, or other mythical creature ? Sure, but it comes with all the advantage AND handicaps. And who wants to become a giant dragon ? From what I read, they can take the form of a human, but it's not natural. They simply don't like it that much, so why would I do that to myself ?
No, for this plan I needed a material of utmost resistance to be able to take the strain of a super runic formation compacted in the form of a tattoo, almost indestructible actually. Furthermore, the material must be able to have a compatibility with the world as a whole. So something linked to a concept would be the best.
I though of phoenix, but their feather are not resistant enough, and haven't seen one for 700 years or so. Some incredible metal would not do either since they had no compatibility to life force. I looked for several materials during an entire week and ended up with three possible solutions. Two of which I had no idea were to look for.
And so I decided to contact one of the most dangerous existence in the DxD world : Ophis, the Ouroboros Dragon also know as the Infinite Dragon God.
A scale of that thing would totally do the trick. furthermore, with Ophis concept being the infinity, it would allow me to store life energy without limit, and since it used to live in the dimensional gap, Ophis scales would be somehow resistant to corruption, and so the purification array linked to the tattoo would work faster.
You may be wandering why I talk of it like an thing, that's because Ophis is NOT a little girl. It doesn't even have a gender from what I read. Apparently it took that form in the late 700 when some fallen angel told it that by looking like a child, people would do what it want more often. The record are not really clear, but since then, it look like a little girl. Ophis is more of an established part of the World.
The only problem was acquiring such a scale.
I know that in the anime the MC talk to her like she's a kid and Ophis's OK with it, but there's a reason for which most of the strongest being in this world fear it. From the story I heard, Ophis is super unpredictable. It can be patient, but sometimes would kill someone if he doesn't have what it wants on the spot. And there's a lot of similar story.
But I also know it likes cookies, and has a very down to earth mentality. So if I give him something he wants, he shouldn't bother me more.
So I prepared three things. The first, was a single cookie of utmost quality. This one would be used as the summoning payment. Basically, even if I summoned it for nothing, he would have gotten a cookie, so my life should be spared for not wasting his time.
The second was a bag of 100 'ultra premium dragon god's special' cookies. I would try to trade that bag for the number of scales he's OK with. I had no idea if it valued his shed scales or not, and I was not gonna waste an opportunity to have two if I could. It would allow me to buff Celina even more.
The last thing was a schematic. I had no way to create it without some scales, blood and bones from Ophis, but it was conceptually a way to create a ring that would boost his wearer of 3% of his total strength. It may sound super lame, but it would work even for something like Ophis. And since that thing has an obsession of becoming stronger to beat his rival the great red, then it should work.
As for the summoning itself ? Using heart seeker in the ritual, I would be able to send a specific magical pulse at the precise coordinate of Ophis. The pulse would contain the coordinate of my magical summoning ritual. Basically, I send her a mail with my address saying 'please come, I'm waiting here'. There are variants to forcibly summon people, but these things rarely work on a individual with magic since they can just cut the flow of magic easily.
This is why I was in the middle of nowhere in Peru, drawing a nice summoning ritual on the ground. I told Celina to wait at the hotel, no need to risk her safety.
After making the 'summon' I waited a few seconds and here it was, in all it's loli glory. It looked like a small girl with very long black hair and a weird exhibitionist getup.
Ophis : "..." She was just looking at me without saying a word, it was scary, AND creepy.
Alexander : "Well met Ophis, Ouroboros dragon, my name is Alexander Gremory. First of all, please accept this offering as thanks for accepting to meet me." I told her showing the cookie in a plate.
Ophis : "..." She looked at the cookie and started to eat it while looking at me.
Alexander : "hum... I hoped for your presence to ask for a trade. If it would be agreeable with you I'd request for some of your shed scales." Still not a single reaction. "I'm willing to give a bag of cookies of the same quality as the one you are eating. I call these cookies 'ultra premium dragon god's special'. Would that be... OK ?"
Ophis : *munch munch*
In the end I decided to wait a bit.
Ophis : "I, want more. Give me."
And I gave her my bag of cookies, hoping for the best. After looking at the bag she simply made a bunch of scales appear. She then looked at me, and teleported elsewhere.
Scales of a mythical dragon god, GET.
There are some of you that seemed unsatisfied with the MC not being an overpowered being. I did put some restrictions for a reason. If he could transform into a god by using a cookie made of flour and water, it is my personnal belief that the story would be less interesting.
The focus is on creating stuff depending on his situation. He's not intent to dominate the world, but living his life leisurly as a devil. Of course it won't happen, but the mentality is here.
Thank you for reading !