Gacha Harem King DXD Remastered Chapter 3 Time to Train (Patreon)

Morning, Hyoudou Residence

The warm rays of morning sunlight slanted through the quiet guest room of the Hyoudou household, dancing across Issei’s face. Outside, birds chirped with a cheerful ignorance, utterly unaware of the eldritch, world-bending chaos currently curled around the boy in the bed.

Issei Hyoudou stirred with a low, gravelly groan, one eye cracking open to find the room swimming in light. “Ughhh… morning already? Feels like I barely slept…”

He blinked, trying to shake off a dream about him having a harem of women with big oppai, when he realized his body’s mobility was at zero as something heavy, warm, and remarkably soft was pinning him to the mattress.

“…Oh right,” He muttered, his voice cracking. He didn't need to look to know. Issei Hyoudou was completely, hopelessly trapped.

Resting against his side was Nyaruko, wrapped around him like an affectionate, silver-haired octopus. Her long, silken tresses spilled across his legs. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck, her steady, rhythmic breath puffing warm against his skin. One slender leg was hooked possessively across his hip, and both her arms were locked around his right bicep. She was still wearing her frilly, lace-edged pajamas, and worst of all for Issei’s fragile sanity? Her oppai were smushed against his arm like two soft, heavenly cushions.

‘Okay. Breathe. Just breathe. This is fine.’ Issei thought as he stared at the ceiling. ‘A girl is cuddling next to me. That’s a win. This is… the harem experience I have always wanted to get. Yeah. Nothing to be afraid of, I am a Harem King in the making!’

But then Nyaruko nuzzled into his chest with a sleepy sigh, her lips brushing against his collarbone.

A bolt of electricity shot down Issei’s spine. He felt his face get red as he panicked, he tried to shift his lower half, desperately hoping to hide the "tent" that had suddenly pitched itself under the covers.

Nyaruko let out a soft, protestive whine and tightened her grip, her fingers digging into his arm. “Hmm… morning, darling Let’s stay in bed all day… just you, me, and snuggles”

Issei’s soul nearly vibrated right out of his body, but a cold splash of reality hit him as he remembered that he has to go to school. “W-WAIT, NO!” Issei squirmed, his face a frantic shade of red as he tried to pry his arm free. “I have to get up! I have school, Nyaruko!”

Nyaruko pouted, her eyes still closed, and nuzzled deeper into him like a stubborn cat. Her long ahoge wiggled slightly above her head, acting like a mood ring for her sleepiness. “School? Isn’t it better to lie here in the arms of your beloved? We could skip… and cuddle together all day long~.” She pressed in just a little closer, the thin fabric of her pajamas doing absolutely nothing to dampen the sensation of her curves.

‘Soft. So incredibly soft.’ Issei’s mind and rationality began to melt. ‘I'm touching them. Actual, living, non-imaginary oppai. This is the dream. This is why I was born... maybe skipping one day wouldn't hurt...’ A dopey, blissful smile started to spread across his face.

Then, a mental image shattered the fantasy: Souna Shitori. The Student Council President stood in his mind’s eye, her glasses glinting with a cold, blue light as she adjusted them and then gave a piercing, judgmental stare. “Hyoudou… tardy again, I see,” her imaginary voice echoed, dripping with judgment. “Shall I notify your parents about your repeated absences and your... indecent record?”

Issei let out a strangled yelp. He bolted upright—or tried to. Nyaruko clung to his torso like a koala. “Nyaruko, please! I need to go! Souna-kaichou will literally execute me!”

“Let her try~” Nyaruko mumbled into his ribs, her grip remaining iron-clad as it didn’t loosen.

Issei flailed his free arm for a moment before groaning in defeat. “Wh-What do I have to do to get you to let go?!”

Nyaruko finally cracked one eye open, a sliver of emerald mischief shining through. Her lips curled into a slow, triumphant smile. “…A date.”

Issei froze, his heart skipping a beat. “A… what?”

“A date!” she chirped, suddenly wide awake. She sat up in a blur of silver hair, her cheeks faintly pink and her ahoge wagging like the tail of an excited puppy. “You and me, going somewhere nice! Holding hands, eating snacks, possibly feeding each other bites of crepes while blushing like total lovebirds! A classic rom-com scenario!”

Issei’s face turned a shade of red that would make a tomato look pale. “A d-date?! Y-You… You actually want to go on a date? With a guy like me!?”

Nyaruko leaned in close, her eyes wide and sparkling with genuine affection. “Of course! Unless you’d prefer we stay right here and perform some ‘couple exercises’ under the sheets?”

“DATE IT IS!” Issei shouted, the words leaving his throat before he could think. He cleared his throat loudly, trying to reclaim some shred of dignity. “I-I mean… f-fine. We can go on a date. A simple, totally normal one.”

Nyaruko squealed with pure delight and threw herself back into his arms, tackling him with enough force to send them both crashing onto the pillows again. “YAAAAY~! I knew you loved me, darling!”

His heart pounded against his ribs like a drum. ‘She’s warm. She's soft. She smells like strawberry shampoo. I am not going to survive this.’

“But!” Issei said quickly, managing to hold her at arm's length with trembling hands.  “Not today! I have school, remember?”

“Boooo” Nyaruko pouted, puffing her cheeks out in an adorable display of frustration. “Fine. I’ll wait. Patiently But I expect extra-long cuddles tonight as a down payment!” She finally released her hold, rolling onto her back and grinning like she’d just won the lottery.

Issei staggered to his feet, his brain a whirlwind of excitement and terror. ‘A date. A real date. With a girl who actually likes me. It’s happening. I’M GOING ON A—’ He caught sight of the clock and realized he had a few minutes to get ready. He quickly grabbed his uniform, throwing it half-on, and ran a hand through his hair to flatten the bedhead.

“I’m heading out!” he called over his shoulder, lunging for the door.

“Love you~!” Nyaruko’s voice floated back, sweet and dangerously sincere.

Issei tripped over his own shoe in the hallway, performed a desperate, stumbling recovery, and sprinted for the stairs. He was exhausted, confused, and his heart was racing, but as he ran, he couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face.

—-----------------------------------------

Downstairs, The Hyoudou Kitchen

The morning air downstairs was thick with the aroma of dark roast coffee. Unlike the chaos of the guest room, the kitchen was calm and peaceful. Kaguya sat with regal poise, using her chopsticks to navigate a bowl of rice. Beside her, Evangeline stared into her teacup with a look of profound boredom.

The peace lasted exactly until the stairs began to groan under the weight of a stampede.

Issei practically flew into the kitchen, his blazer unbuttoned, revealing his red t-shirt. He skidded across the floor, narrowly avoiding a collision with the refrigerator, and snatched a piece of golden-brown toast straight from the toaster with the speed of a starving predator.

Miki blinked, her spatula frozen mid-air over a pan of eggs. “Good morning, honey—!”

“Caff-tawk!” Issei garbled through a mouthful of dry bread, his eyes wide and frantic as he shoved his feet into his loafers. “Got to go, runnin’ late! Souna-kaichou’s gonna have my head! Nyaruko wants a date! Tell the girls I’ll be home for dinner! Love you Mom, bye!”

The front door slammed with a force that rattled the breakfast dishes.

Silence reclaimed the room.

Miki turned slowly to Gorou, who was hidden behind the morning paper, calmly sipping his coffee without a care in the world. She then glanced at the couch, where Kaguya had paused mid-bite, her eyes narrowing at the mention of the word "date," while Evangeline’s teacup frosted over slightly in her hand.

“...Gorou?” Miki asked, her brow furrowing with a mix of maternal pride and genuine terror. “Do you think we should be worried? Our son just mentioned having a date.”

Gorou didn't even lower his newspaper. He simply took another slow, meditative sip of his coffee and shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Gorou’s voice drifted from behind the sports section. “At this point, I’m just happy he’s finally got a girlfriend. At least we might finally have grandchildren.”

Kaguya’s chopsticks snapped.

Evangeline’s tea cracked as it froze solid.

Miki sighed, looking at her two "daughter-in-laws" whose auras were beginning to warp the kitchen's gravity. “Well... maybe we should focus on the 'grandchildren' part later, dear. I think the house is about to get very cold again.”

—---------------------------------------------

Kuoh Academy, Class 2-B

The final bell rang at Kuoh Academy, and Class 2-B was thick with the usual after-school buzz. Students chatted, packed their bags, zippers zipping, chairs scraping, and heated debates over which café had the best seasonal parfait. 

At the back of the classroom, Issei Hyoudou sat with his hands laced behind his head, staring out the window at the syrupy afternoon sun. A wide, dopey, and dangerously glazed grin was plastered across his face.He didn’t even realize class had ended. ‘Oppai… soft, warm, life-changing oppai… I have a date. A real one. With a beautiful girl who actually likes me. Is this what it feels like to be a protagonist? Is this the power of the Gacha?’ He let out a dreamy, long-winded sigh that sounded suspiciously like air escaping a punctured tire.

This did not go unnoticed as during class, the teachers had given him wide berths. For the first time in recorded history, Issei Hyoudou had been quiet, attentive and smiling like a man who had just found a winning lottery ticket.

The rest of the class noticed too, however, they were less forgiving.

“Is that Hyoudou… smiling?” A girl whispered to her friend, clutching her bag to her chest. “It looks… wrong. Like a predator who just found a loophole in the law.”

“What’s wrong with him, did he get possessed?” Another asked, leaning away. “He looks way too happy for a pervert like him.”

Even Murayama and Katase, the Kendo Club’s self-appointed "Pervert Policing Task Force," were watching him from a distance, their hands hovering near their kendo swords by reflex.

“Is it just me,” Murayama whispered warily, “or is the Perverted Beast actually… behaving today?”

“He smiled at me in the hall this morning,” Katase replied, her voice trembling slightly. “He didn't even look at my chest. He looked me in the eye and said ‘Good morning.’ I thought he was having a stroke.”

Meanwhile, the other two members of the Pervert Trio, Matsuda and Motohama crept up to his desk like detectives approaching a crime scene.

“Hey…” Matsuda whispered, nudging Issei’s ribs. “What’s with the face, man? You find a secret stash of high-res pornos?”

Issei slowly turned toward them. His gaze didn't have its usual frantic, thirsty gaze. Instead, he looked at them with the calm, pitying grace of a victorious war general surveying his troops. “Boys,” He said, his voice oozing a smugness so thick you could carve it. “I’ve done it. I have crossed the boundary."

Motohama adjusted his glasses, which glinted with suspicion. “Done what, exactly? Did you finally learn how to use a VPN?”

Issei crossed his arms, leaned back until his chair creaked, and delivered the line he'd been waiting his whole life to say. “I. Have. A girlfriend.”

The classroom froze.

A loud gasp echoed from across the room, someone dropped a heavy textbook with a resounding thud and a chair squeaked in the silence.

“……What?” Aika Kiryuu, who had been lazily scrolling through her phone, pulled out an earbud and squinted. “Wait. Did the pervert just say ‘girlfriend’? As in, a real human woman?”

Matsuda’s jaw hit the desk. “You’re lying. You’re lying to cope with the stress of the kendo clubs beating from yesterday.”

Motohama reeled as if Issei had physically slapped him with a glove. “You?! Of all people?!”

Murayama and Katase turned in unison, eyes wide with pure, unadulterated disbelief.

“No way,” Murayama snorted, recovering first. “He’s clearly blackmailing some poor girl. Or he found a way to hypnotize people.”

“It’s probably imaginary,” Katase added, crossing her arms. “A coping mechanism for his lonely, lonely life.”

Aika stood up, leaning against a desk as she scrutinized Issei’s face. “Are you being catfished, Hyoudou? Did you get trick into sending money to some foreigner?”

Issei stood up proudly, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “You can say whatever you want. Disbelieve me. Doubt me. Mock me from your pedestals of singleness. But the truth remains…” He smirked, pausing for dramatic effect as the entire class hung on his next word. “I, Issei Hyoudou, have a girlfriend. She’s cute, she’s clingy, and she is, as the legends say, stacked! A real, cute, oppai-blessed girlfriend!”

Matsuda stumbled back a step, like he’d been physically struck. “This… this changes everything.”

“Reality has betrayed us,” Motohama whispered, his glasses fogging up from his heavy breathing.

“How could you, Issei?!” Matsuda shouted, pointing a dramatic finger. “We were in this together!”

“We were supposed to suffer forever!” Motohama wailed. “Together!”

Aika squinted suspiciously. “Alright then, Casanova. If she’s real, what’s her name?”

Issei didn't even hesitate. “…Nyaruko.”

“That sounds made up,” Katase deadpanned.

“She’s totally real!” Issei protested, his face heating up. “Silver hair, green eyes, wiggles her hair like a puppy when she’s happy, and she’s a bit… intense. But in a good way!”

“So she’s insane,” Aika summarized with a nod. “That explains why she’d date you.”

“Shut up! She’s awesome!”

“Where’d you meet her?” Murayama asked, probing for the lie.

“...My house,” Issei said with perfect sincerity.

Everyone blinked.

Matsuda squinted. “Wait. You didn’t order her off the ‘Dark Web,’ did you? Is she a high-end robot?”

Issei snapped. “NO! She just… showed up and started living with me!”

“Well, how dare you get a girlfriend first?!” Motohama cried, grabbing Issei’s shoulders and shaking him. “We had a pact! The Pervert Trinity! Die alone together in a pile of magazines! You broke the law of the universe!”

“I didn’t plan this, it just happened!” Issei shouted, unable to keep the smug grin off his face.

“Traitor!” Matsuda shouted.

“Enjoy your blissful hell, you normie!” Motohama wailed, falling to his knees.

Issei merely adjusted his bag, looking down at his fallen comrades with a look of supreme triumph. “Cry about it,” He said, and strolled out the classroom door with the swagger of a King.

Aika leaned back in her chair, watching his departing back. “…He’s definitely hiding something.”

Murayama nodded. “Or someone’s planning to kill him when they find the perfect chance.”

As Issei walked out of the building, his inner monologue was practically shouting.

‘They can doubt me all they want! They didn’t feel what I felt this morning. That soft warmth… cosmic oppai.’ His hand clenched into a heroic fist. ‘This is the beginning of my rise to greatness! Today, a girlfriend. Tomorrow, the Harem King!’

Then he paused. ‘…Wait. I’ve never actually been on a date. How do I plan a date with an alien?’ His proud stride slowed. ‘…Do I need money? Should I pick a park? A theme café? What if she wants to watch a movie instead? What if she wants to eat something that isn't on a normal menu? Do space girls like crepes or... human flesh?’’ A bead of sweat slid down his cheek. ‘Oh crap. I’m in over my head. What do space girls want?’’ Still, he shook it off and kept walking, his steps quickening again. ‘No. I can handle this. I’m sure dating sims have prepared me for this …Probably.’

—-----------------------------------

The sun hung high in the afternoon sky, casting long shadows across the stone path leading away from Kuoh Academy’s main gate. Students filed out in casual clusters, buzzing with the usual chatter of club meetings and part-time job plans.

Issei walked with a bounce in his step and a smug grin that still clung to his face like glue. Behind him, Matsuda and Motohama were the picture of misery, trudging through the shadows like condemned men.

“C’mon, Issei!” Matsuda wailed, his voice cracking with desperation. “At least tell us where she came from!”

“Yeah!” Motohama added, his glasses glinting with a mix of envy and detective-level scrutiny. “Is she rich? Is she blind? Is she a student from a different school?Is she a figment of your fractured, lonely mind?!”

“I told you,” Issei said proudly, not even looking back as he adjusted his bag strap. “She’s real, she’s beautiful, and I’ve got a date with her soon. That’s all you need to know.”

The two grumbled, but as they approached the final stretch of the stone path, a soft, melodic voice cut through their bickering.

“Excuse me… Are you Issei Hyoudou?”

The three boys stopped as standing a few feet ahead was a cute girl. Long, raven-black hair that shimmered in the light, framing a face with soft violet eyes and an aura of pure, untouched innocence, wearing a uniform that distinctly wasn’t from Kuoh. Her posture was shy, almost delicate, with her hands nervously clasped in front of her skirt.

“Uh… yeah? That’s me.” Issei’s brain skipped a beat as he saw the cute Bishoujo.  ‘Do I know her? She’s cute. Wait, did I accidentally peep on her and forget?! Is she here to serve me a lawsuit? Oh god, how much money will I owe her?!’

Matsuda’s elbow found Issei’s ribs with the force of a jackhammer. “You know her?!” He hissed, his eyes bulging.

“No! I swear I’ve never seen her in my life!”

The mysterious girl stepped forward, her cheeks tinged with a bashful pink blush. She bowed her head slightly, her voice dropping to a shy whisper. “My name is Yuuma Amano.” She said softly. “I’ve been watching you… for a while now. I know this is sudden, but… I’ve always admired you from afar.”

Issei’s jaw dropped so far it was a miracle it stayed attached and his brain short-circuited. Behind him, Matsuda audibly choked on his own saliva, and Motohama’s glasses fogged up so instantly he was effectively blinded. “W-Wait, what?” Issei asked, frozen in place.

Yuuma looked up and smiled, her violet eyes swimming with a mixture of hope and vulnerability. She twisted the hem of her skirt with her fingers. “I know it’s sudden,” She repeated, her voice trembling just enough to pull at Issei’s heartstrings. “But… I wanted to be honest. So… Issei-kun, will you be my boyfriend?”

Time. Stopped.

The wind died down. The distant sounds of the town faded. Issei’s heart hammered against his ribs and nearly burst out of his chest. ‘IS THIS MY LUCK DAY?! First Nyaruko, now this?! I didn’t even roll the gacha this morning!’

Matsuda and Motohama were left staring like statues.

“I—uh—wha—?” Issei managed, his Japanese failing completely.

“S-Sorry if it’s too sudden.” Yuuma tilted her head, a single strand of black hair falling over her face. “I just… I didn’t want to have any regrets. If… you don’t mind, that is.”

Before Issei could respond and before his stunned brain could form words—

“DAAARLIIING~!” A shrilled, excited voice shattered the moment causing everyone to bolt upright.

“Wha—?!” Issei barely had time to turn his head before a silver-and-white blur tackled with the force of a small meteor.

“ISSEEEIIII~!”

“GAAAH!”

The world spun as Issei hit the pavement with a heavy impact, the wind knocked out of him. When his vision cleared, he was staring up into a pair of emerald eyes sparkling with terrifying levels of affection.

Nyaruko was straddling his chest, her ahoge twitching like a radar dish. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and she was nuzzling into his cheek with the fervor of a starving puppy. “There you are~! I missed you soooo much! What took you so long?!”

Issei blinked, his lungs finally remembering how to work. “I—I missed you too! But Nyaruko, we’re in public and why are you here?!”

She pulled back, pouting with her lower lip out. “You were gone for hours! What took you so long? Did you forget about your adorable alien waifu~?”

“I’m sorry. School went long.” He laughed nervously, his hand instinctively reaching up to pat her head. She leaned into the touch with a purr

Matsuda and Motohama looked like their brains had just been rebooted.

“She’s real,” Motohama whispered, his world-view finally disintegrating.

“She’s real and she’s currently sitting on him,” Matsuda added, his voice hollow and traumatized.

Nyaruko beamed at Issei, completely ignoring the stunned crowd. “Come on, darling! Let’s go home and plan our date! I’ve already bought the ingredients for me to help cook dinner and practice feeding you!”

“I-Isn’t that too fast?!” Issei stammered, blushing furiously. But Nyaruko simply hauled him to his feet, her hand interlocking with his in a grip that felt surprisingly firm. That’s when Issei remembered the girl standing behind them. “Ah—wait!”

He turned, his expression shifting from frantic to genuinely apologetic. He saw Yuuma Amano standing there, her hands still folded, her face a mask of bashful shock. “I… I’m really sorry, Yuuma-san,” Issei said, bowing slightly. “But I can’t accept your feelings.”

Yuuma blinked, her violet eyes wide and her expression unreadable.

“I-I mean, you’re really pretty, and it was super brave of you to say that,” Issei continued, scratching his cheek awkwardly as he felt Nyaruko’s possessive grip tighten on his arm. “But I—uh—I already have someone.” He looked over his shoulder at Nyaruko, who was proudly latching onto his arm, humming happily and not the least bit shy about the close contact.

Yuuma didn't speak. She stood perfectly still, her hands now clenched behind her back. Her smile remained, but as the sun dipped further below the horizon, the light in her eyes seemed to vanish. The warmth of the "innocent girl" evaporated, replaced by a cold, sharpened stillness as her lips tightened and her eyes darkened. Unfortunately Issei failed to notice.

“I see…” Yuuma said, her voice still sweet, but now carrying a metallic edge. “That’s… really too bad for me, isn't it?”

Issei, again oblivious to the shift in the atmosphere, gave one last sheepish wave. “Sorry again! Good luck with… everything!”

Nyaruko tugged his hand hard. “Bye, random NPC girl! Let’s gooooo home, darling~!”

He stumbled after her, waving awkwardly as the "Crawling Chaos" led him away toward his home, hand-in-hand. 

Behind them, Yuuma Amano remained at the gate. The shadows of the trees lengthened, swallowing her figure. Her polite smile twitched, just enough to reveal a flicker of something jagged and predatory. She watched them until they were nothing but silhouettes. Her violet eyes turned a cold, murderous shade of lavender. “…Interesting,” She murmured.

—-----------------------------------

Hyoudou Residence

The late afternoon sun cast golden rays across the quiet suburban streets as Issei and Nyaruko walked hand in hand toward the Hyoudou household.

Nyaruko was humming an upbeat, high-tempo love tune that sounded like a mix of a J-pop idol song and something that would drive a normal man to madness. She swung their linked arms as if they'd just returned from a honeymoon instead of a ten-minute walk.

“I missed this little human house already” She chirped, her silver ahoge wagging like a puppy’s tail. “It smells like you, darling!”

Issei blushed. “H-Hey, I don’t smell weird, do I? I didn't sweat that much in PE!”

“You smell like testosterone~!” She giggled, leaning her head on his shoulder.

Issei wasn’t entirely sure if that was a compliment… but given that she was currently rubbing her cheek against his sleeve, he figured it was probably a win.

As they stepped through the gate and approached the front door, they didn’t even need to open it, because it slid open ominously before they touched the handle.

Standing on the other side were two very unimpressed girls.

Kaguya stood dead center, her arms tucked into her voluminous sleeves, her eyes narrowed like a noblewoman  preparing for a scolding. To her left, Evangeline was sitting atop the low wall by the door, legs crossed and sipping from a fresh cup of tea, stared at them with the expression of someone watching an incompetent soap opera unfold.

“You’re late,” Kaguya said flatly.

Issei winced. “Sorry! I—I was just walking home and my friends, they, uh… they kept asking questions…”

Kaguya arched a thin, regal brow. “For an hour and a half? Your 'peasant' friends must have the linguistic speed of a tortoise.”

Issei scratched his cheek nervously, his eyes darting away. “T-There was also this... weird girl. She stopped me at the gate and confessed to me out of nowhere.”

Both girls blinked.

“…A girl confessed?” Evangeline echoed, her red eyes gleaming with a dangerous, predatory light.

Nyaruko chimed in, her voice brimming with smug victory. “Don’t worry! I tackled that situation—literally! I marked my territory! The silver-haired alien wins again~!”

Kaguya let out a long sigh, closing her eyes in exasperation. “As expected. Troublesome women are attracted to you like moths to flame.”

“I still don’t know why she confessed to me?” Issei muttered, genuinely baffled and confused.

Evangeline groaned, dragging a hand down her pale face. “Ugh… I, thank the Mother of a Thousand Young, that I no longer have to endure the banality of school life. Humans and their hormone-driven impulses are exhausting.”

“Hey, school’s not that bad…” Issei mumbled, though even he didn't sound convinced.

Evangeline’s gaze snapped back to him as she slid off the wall, landing silently on the pavement without a sound. “Now that your little romantic detour is over…” She stepped into Issei’s personal space, the air around her dropping twenty degrees. “It’s time to train.”

Issei blinked, his heart doing a panicked somersault. “Wait. Right now?!”

Kaguya stepped forward, her tone sharp but regal. “Yes. You heard us yesterday, husband. And we wasted enough time. You are not an ordinary human, no matter how much you act like a bumbling peasant. There is a sleeping dragon inside you, and your spiritual potential is still completely untapped. We’re not letting another day pass without awakening it.”

“But I just got home…” Issei whined, though his protest died as he saw the flicker of crimson in Evangeline’s eyes.

“And now you are leaving again,” Kaguya said sharply and with finality.

Evangeline cracked her knuckles. “Unless you want to discover your hidden power by accident from me beating your body into the dirt.”

Issei felt a cold sweat begin to build. ‘Why does this feel like I’m about to be enrolled in the boot camp from hell…?’

Still, he knew they were right. Whatever was inside him, he was really curious about it. “Alright… give me five minutes to change,” He said, going inside his house and turning toward the stairs.

“Make it three,” Kaguya called after him, her voice echoing with a regal authority that brooked no argument.

Issei grumbled and cursed under his breath all the way to his room. ‘How did I go from ‘pervert with no game’ to being bossed around by magical girls?’ But beneath the grumbling… was a flicker of excitement.

He yanked open his closet and pulled out his old tracksuit, the one with the slightly worn knees and a red stripe down the arms. It was baggy, faded, and smelled faintly of laundry detergent but it was still reliable.

As he zipped it up and checked himself in the mirror, he nodded. “Alright, let’s do this.”

—---------------------------------

Evening, Kouh Park

The sun had dipped low by the time they arrived at the nearby public park, bleeding a deep, bruised orange across the horizon. Long shadows stretched over the grassy fields and quiet walking paths, painting the empty playground in a warm, fading light that felt strangely heavy.

To Issei’s surprise, the place was deserted. Not a single jogger, no elderly men feeding birds, or couples sneaking a kiss on the bench in sight. It was as if the world had been muted.

“Uh… is it just me, or is this place… too peaceful?” Issei whispered, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. “It’s like a ghost town.”

Evangeline, standing a few paces ahead, tilted her head. A faint smile played on her lips. “That’s because I made sure it would be,” She said as she raised a single hand and snapped her fingers. A faint glow shimmered through the air as a wide dome-like magic circle flashed briefly around them then vanished into transparency

“There. A layered silence and distortion barrier.” Evangeline explained, her blue eyes glowing with a faint, predatory light in the deepening gloom. “To the outside world, this park is currently under 'maintenance.' No one can see us. No one can hear us. And,” she stepped closer, her voice dropping to a chilling silk, “you can scream all you want, and not a soul will come to help you. We have all the privacy we need.”

“...That’s not comforting,” Issei muttered, his knees feeling a bit like jelly.

Nyaruko, however, gave a joyous squeal and spun in a circle, her silver hair whipping around her. “Oooh~! It’s gonna be like a secret training arc! I can already see the montage! The sweat! The tears! The dramatic mid-season power-up!”

Kaguya stood beside her, looking profoundly bored as she adjusted her long, flowing sleeves, her elegant kimono fluttering slightly in the breeze. “Let us proceed then. The sooner he stops being useless, the better.”

Issei blinked, trying to find a shred of dignity. “Thanks for the encouragement, what are we training in? Magic? Combat?”

Evangeline smiled—but it was the kind of smile that promised regret. “No. We start with the basics: physical conditioning. You're a human sack of pudding right now. That has to change.” She stepped aside, gesturing toward the long, winding paved trail that circled the darkening park.

“What?!” Issei asked, not understanding what she was talking about.

“Run,” She commanded, her voice snapping like a whip.

Issei stared at the trail, then back at her. “Wait, like… how far? Give me a number. Three laps? Five?”

“Until I say stop,” Evangeline replied. “Or until your heart stops. Whichever comes first.”

Issei let out a long, suffering sigh, but he didn’t argue. He stepped onto the dirt path, the gravel crunching under his shoes, and started a slow, rhythmic jog.

‘I can do this,’ he told himself, his chest already feeling a bit tight. ‘It’s just running. I’ve run from the Kendo Club plenty of times. This is—’

“Wait for me, darling~!” A silver blur streaked past him and then settled into a perfect pace right at his shoulder. Nyaruko had somehow swapped her clothes for a tight-fitting, dangerously short gym outfit, complete with a headband that her ahoge poked through.

“I’ll run with you~!” she chirped, not even breathing hard. “We can burn calories together! It’s like a fitness date! If you faint, I’ll give you mouth-to-mouth for an hour!”

With no other choice and not wanting to look like a wimp in front of his harem, Issei groaned and continued jogging.

—---------------------------------

Thirty minutes later…

Issei, covered in sweat, collapsed onto the grass with a thud, his limbs splayed out like a discarded marionette. Every breath was a ragged, burning wheeze that felt like swallowing sandpaper.

He had done:

10 Laps (The last three were more of a delirious crawl).

20 Push-ups (If you counted the ones where his nose touched the dirt and stayed there).

20 Sit-ups (Accompanied by sounds usually reserved for a dying whale).

3 Pull-up attempts (The swing set had creaked in mockery as he dangled there, motionless).

“Gaaahhh… kill me… just end it now…” Issei groaned facedown into the dirt, too exhausted to move and panting like he’d just run a marathon. His uniform clung to him with sweat, his hair stuck to his forehead, and his face was red. 

Beside him, Nyaruko was practically vibrating. She hadn't just finished the workout; she looked like she was ready to go ten more rounds. She hadn't broken a single bead of sweat, her silver hair still smelling like strawberries. “Wow~! That was such a great bonding experience, darling! I feel so refreshed! Should we do a victory lap? Maybe while holding hands? Or while I carry you bridal style?”

“Kill… me…” Issei wheezed into a blade of grass.

A pair of small, black gothic boots appeared in his line of vision. Evangeline looked down at him, her expression shifting from boredom to genuine disappointment. “Pathetic,” she muttered, tapping her chin. “That was just a warm-up.”

Issei rolled onto his back, his eyes unfocused as he looked up at her face. “I can’t move…”

“That’s fine,” Evangeline said flatly, her blue eyes glinting with a cruel sort of efficiency. “We prepared for your lack of constitution.” She turned toward Kaguya. “Princess. If you would.”

Kaguya gave a graceful, almost pitying nod. “Indeed.”

Issei blinked. “What are–?”

He didn't get to finish. With a soft flutter of silk signaled Kaguya’s approach. She didn’t say a word as she just stepped onto his stomach like she was mounting a royal palanquin and sat down gently.

“Wait—G-Gah! Kaguya?!”

Before he could protest the indignity of being a chair, a soft, ethereal glow spread through his muscles. It felt like a wave of cool water washing over his body. Within seconds, the heavy, suffocating fog of exhaustion lifted from his brain, the frantic pounding in his ears smoothed out and his lungs expanded with effortless air.

“I—I feel… better?” Issei pushed himself up on his elbows, confusion warring with relief. The soreness was still there, a deep, heavy ache in his biceps and thighs, but the crushing fatigue had vanished. It was like his body had been reset.

“You’re welcome, peasant,” Kaguya said smugly, adjusting her sleeves as she remained perched comfortably on his stomach. “I simply manipulated the 'instant' of your fatigue. I reverted your body to a temporal state just before it reached physical collapse. You are refreshed, but I carefully preserved the physiological strain from your prior exertion. That way, the muscles still 'remember' the pain and grow accordingly.”

Issei blinked, his brain trying to keep up with her logic. “So basically… you gave me a full stamina refill, but kept the 'gains'?”

“Precisely.” Kaguya added with a sharp, regal smile. “Convenient, isn't it?”

Issei groaned, his face heating up as he realized his current position. “It sounds awesome, until I remember that you’re sitting on me like a spoiled cat.”

“I am a princess,” She said, her voice dripping with aristocratic pride. “I shall motivate my husband however I see fit. Consider the weight of my person an extra layer of resistance training.”

“Can’t you at least get off? I'm getting dirt on my hair!”

“No. I find the view from here quite satisfactory.”

Evangeline stepped back into his field of vision, cracking her knuckles. The shadow of a smirk played on her fangs. “Enough stalling. Since the Princess has been so 'generous' with her magic... Get up and repeat the process. From the top.”

Issei’s eyes bugged out. “Wha—again?!”

“Yes,” Evangeline said calmly, her voice like ice. “And you’ll do ten more. And then ten more after that. Do you think your enemies are going to let you take naps between fights?”

Nyaruko gave him a double-thumbs up, her ahoge spinning like a propeller. “You got this, darling~! Think of the cool things you’ll be able to do after this! Maybe you’ll shoot laser eyes! Or breathe fire! Or give you a cool transformation sequence where you lose your shirt! OHHH! I’ll be waiting with the camera!

Issei whimpered, his arms shaking as he forced himself to stand up, Kaguya’s light weight shifting as he rose. He took a deep breath, his renewed stamina surging through him. “Okay… okay! Let’s go again! Bring it on!”

—--------------------------------------

Two hours later…

Issei collapsed again as his knees gave out, hitting the dirt with a dull thud, followed by his chest, and finally his forehead. He lay there, twitching like a bug that had been sprayed with pesticide. His shirt was soaked, clinging to him like it was a second skin. His arms felt like lead as if it had been disconnected from his shoulders, and his spine felt like it had been used as a speed bump for a freight train.

“I… see… the light…” He croaked, a single bubble of spit forming at the corner of his mouth. “It’s… it’s a giant pair of oppai in the sky… calling me home…”

Once again, the faint, ethereal scent of bamboo and silk filled the air as Kaguya stepped over his prone form, her eyes reflecting the silver of the rising moon. With a flick of her wrist, the familiar emerald glow washed over him.

Soon the suffocating weight of fatigue vanished instantly. His lungs stopped burning; his heart stopped trying to kick its way out of his ribs. But as he sat up, his face immediately contorted into a mask of pure agony.

“AUGH! My everything! It still hurts! It hurts more!” He shrieked, his limbs trembling so violently he looked like he was vibrating. “Kaguya! My legs feel like they’re being stabbed by a thousand heated needles!”

Kaguya tilted her head, watching him with a mix of fascination and mild pity. “The temporal reset restores the 'state' of the fiber, but the nervous system retains the memory of the trauma,” she explained, her hand glowing with a softer, warmer light. “I could take away the pain as well, if you truly wish it. It would be a simple matter of—”

“No, let him keep the pain.” The words were a cold, sharp blade that cut through the night air. Evangeline stood a few paces away, her silhouette framed by the moonlight. She looked less like a teacher and more like a high-tier boss encounter.

Kaguya raised a slender brow, her hand pausing mid-spell. “Are you sure? It will only slow him down.”

“Let him whimper,” Evangeline interrupted sharply, her blue eyes locking onto Issei with an intensity that made his blood run cold. “Pain is a teacher. If you strip it away, you’re just giving him a drug. He needs to learn how to fight through the agony, to ignore the screaming of his nerves so he can focus on what matters.”

She stepped closer, the grass frosting over beneath her boots. “Growth isn't just about bigger muscles, Issei. It’s about the cost. If you don't feel what it costs to get stronger, you’ll never value the power once you have it. You’ll be a warrior who breaks at the first sign of a real struggle.”

Issei let out a pathetic whimper, his head lolling back as he stared at the stars. ‘Why?!’ he screamed internally. ‘Why couldn’t I have summoned a soft-spoken nurse-type girl? Someone with warm healing hands, a gentle voice, and a plate of homemade cookies?!’

“I believe in you, darling~!”

A pair of soft, cool hands cupped his face. Nyaruko leaned over him, her emerald eyes wide and brimming with a terrifyingly upbeat devotion. She began gently patting his head, her long ahoge swaying in a rhythmic, hypnotic pattern.

“I know you can do it! My darling is the strongest, most resilient, most perverted protagonist in all of space-time!” She cheered, her voice a bright contrast to the dark atmosphere. “Just think! Every muscle tear is just more room for me to hug you tighter! It’s like you’re expanding your capacity for love~!”

Issei looked at Nyaruko’s beaming face, then at Kaguya’s regal indifference, and finally at Evangeline’s cold, demanding stare. He grit his teeth, the pain in his legs still throbbing like a heartbeat. He forced his shaking hands into the dirt and pushed. “Fine!” He barked, his voice cracked but determined. “Again! Let’s go again!”

—-----------------------------------------

The sun had long since surrendered to the horizon, leaving the park bathed in the cold, silver radiance of a rising moon. Inside Evangeline’s distortion barrier, the silence was heavy and unnatural, broken only by the ragged, rhythmic gasps of Issei Hyoudou.

Issei sat cross-legged on the damp grass with a towel draped over his head. He was drenched in a fresh layer of sweat, his skin steaming slightly in the night air.

“Alright,” Evangeline said, her boots crunching softly on the grass as she stepped into his line of sight. She folded her arms behind her back, her posture rigid and unforgiving. “You’ve successfully stretched your physical shell to its current pathetic limit. Now, we begin testing the weight of your soul and the focus of your mind.”

Issei perked up, his eyes widening beneath the towel. “Wait… soul and mind? You mean magic training? Finally! No more laps?!”

Evangeline gave him a look so deadpan it could have withered a forest. “Don’t act excited, Issei. It only makes the eventual embarrassment harder to watch.”

Nyaruko leaned into Issei’s personal space from the side, her ahoge twitching with vicarious thrill. “Oooh~! Are you going to be teaching him how to shoot sparkly fireballs? Or those cool 'death-from-above' laser beams? Maybe a magical detection spell so he can find the best local sales on limited edition figures?!”

“No,” Evangeline said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “We start with sensing and drawing out internal energy. Basic circulation. Only a fool tries to cast a spell before they understand the flow of energy within their own veins.”

She then sat across from Issei, her expression unusually serious. “Focus,” She commanded. “Close your eyes. Direct your breathing to your diaphragm. Feel your heartbeat, but don't follow its rhythm. Imagine a small, stubborn ember in the center of your core. That is your spark. Your goal is to find it, stir it into a flame, and guide that warmth through your limbs.”

Issei obeyed, shutting his eyes tight. He tried to filter out the distractions. From Nyaruko humming the theme to Sailor Moon, Kaguya muttering to herself about the "cluttered and barbaric" nature of his chi lines, his own racing intrusive thoughts about whether he'd ever be good at this and oppai. Issei determinedly shut his eyes, sat straighter, and started to breathe. 

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

‘Okay… ember… warmth… flowing through my limbs…’

Minutes ticked by. The air in the barrier seemed to hum with the Evangeline's power, making Issei feel like a candle trying to stay lit in a hurricane. Sweat gathered on his forehead as he mentally poked and prodded at the darkness inside him.

Evangeline narrowed her eyes, watching him like a hawk. “…Anything?” she asked flatly.

Issei opened one eye, looking hopeful. “I think I felt a flicker! It was like… a warm, bubbling sensation!”

Nyaruko tilted her head, her emerald eyes wide. “Really?! Is it your hidden power?! Where did you feel it, darling?!”

Issei rubbed his stomach sheepishly. “…Right around here. But honestly? It might’ve just been the leftover chicken from breakfast.”

Evangeline let out a loud, theatrical groan, throwing her head back. “You’re hopeless. Truly, remarkably hopeless.”

“I’m trying!” Issei protested, closing his eye again. “It’s not like there’s a manual for this!”

He went back to the breathing. More mental poking. More searching through the internal void. He looked for a spark, a flame, a drop of water—anything. But it was like trying to start a fire with wet matches in a rainstorm.

“…How long does this usually take?” He asked after another five minutes of silence.

“For a prodigy? Seconds,” Evangeline replied, her voice dripping with salt. “For an average person? A few minutes of meditation. For you…” She trailed off, staring at him. “Issei, you’re not even glowing. A highly intelligent monkey could be emitting a faint bioluminescence by now.”

Kaguya, who had been watching from the sidelines with her chin resting on her palm, spoke up calmly. “Perhaps his talent simply does not lie in the traditional arts of Mana.”

“No,” Evangeline snapped, standing up and dusting off her skirt. “He has magic. It’s just terrible. His reserves are pitifully low, his control is nonexistent, and his spiritual pathways are sloppy.”

“That bad?” Issei muttered, his shoulders slumping.

“Yes, that bad,” Evangeline confirmed, her blue eyes locking onto his. “You have just enough potential to be disappointing.”

Nyaruko immediately leaned in and patted his head, her touch surprisingly gentle. “Don’t worry, darling You’re still better than any other man in this solar system to me! Quality is subjective!”

Issei sighed, feeling the weight of his own mediocre talent. “Is there any way to improve? Or am I stuck being a 'human sack of pudding' with no mana?”

“There is always a way,” Evangeline said, her tone clipping the air. “Like a muscle, mana pathways grow when they are torn and repaired. You would have to overextend your reserves constantly. Drain yourself to the point of collapse, refill, and repeat. But that is a slow, agonizing process. It would take days—weeks—before you saw even a minor spark.”

“Days…?” Issei’s face fell.

“At minimum.” Evangeline turned away, her hands clenching into fists as she did a quick neck crack. “Come. If your soul is going to be stubborn, let’s see if your fists work better than your brain. We’re going to be shifting gears.”

Issei blinked, a sense of impending doom rising in his chest. “Wait, what? Shifting to what?”

“Self-defense,” Evangeline said, a sharp, dangerous smirk finally tugging at the corner of her lips. “If you can't blast them with magic, you'll have to learn how to survive when they get in close.”

Nyaruko’s eyes lit up, and she somehow produced a bucket of popcorn from behind her back. “Ooooh! Fight training! This is where the protagonist gets his first cool scar!”

Issei scrambled to his feet, his muscles screaming in protest. “Wait! You’re the one who’s going to be hitting me, aren't you?!”

Evangeline didn't answer. she just beckoned him forward with one finger. “Come on, 'Husband.' Show me what you're capable of in a fight.”

—-----------------------------

Twenty minutes later…

Evangeline stood behind Issei like a silent, judgmental shadow, physically wrenching his shoulders into alignment. “Lower your center of gravity, you bumbling amateur. Shift your weight through the hips. Now grab me and try to throw me to the ground.”

Nearby, Kaguya demonstrated a fluid, high-tier throw. With a flick of her wrist, she sent Nyaruko airborne, only for the silver-haired alien to giggle mid-air and land on her feet with the silent grace of a cat.

Issei tried to copy the motion as he grabbed Evangeline but instead grabbed nothing but air. He was then twisted as Evagiline reversed the throw, and heard a pop.  “Ow! I think I fell on my shoulder.”

Evangeline then stood over him, posture perfect, adjusting her dress like she hadn’t just thrown him into the Earth.

“That was Aiki-jūjutsu 101: the redirection of force,” she stated, looking down at him. “Your balance is laughable.”

“I thought I was the one that was supposed to throw you!” Issei barked from the dirt, clutching his arm.

“Then try harder next time. I never said I would let you throw me.”

“Remember to keep your stance low, husband. You looked like a frightened goose just now.” Kaguya now called out from a park bench, delicately sipping tea.

Issei let out a long, suffering groan but was quick to get up.

“Now,” Evangeline said, stepping into his personal space, her red eyes gleaming. “Punch me.”

“...What?”

“Punch me.”

“Evangeline, I can’t just hit you!”

She stepped closer, her aura suddenly flaring with a cold, sharp pressure. “Do it. You need to learn a proper striking form.”

Issei raised his fists awkwardly. His legs were too wide, his elbows were flared out like a startled chicken, and his knuckles were white.

“No,” Evangeline said instantly. “That is not a punch.”

“Gah! Fine! You asked for it!”

He swung with everything he had. Evangeline didn't even move her feet; she simply leaned her head an inch to the left, the gust of his fist ruffling her hair. Before Issei could even register the miss, she grabbed his wrist mid-swing, stepped into his guard, and pivoted.

SLAM.

Once again, Issei lay flat on his back, staring up at the moon. The stars were spinning, and he was pretty sure he could hear little birds whistling a funeral march around his head.

Nyaruko clapped her hands politely from the sidelines. “Ten outta ten! Lovely form, Evageline!”

Evangeline sighed as she dusted her hands off and looked toward Kaguya. “Still no reaction from his soul. His mana is stagnant. No awakening or surges. That dormant power is still sealed under a mountain of mediocrity.”

Kaguya nodded solemnly, her fan obscuring the lower half of her face. “Perhaps the dragon in his soul is as lazy as the boy himself.”

“Or maybe we’re going about this the wrong way…” Evangeline murmured, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

Meanwhile, Issei groaned from the dirt, raising a shaky hand. “...Can someone rearrange my spine first?” His entire body ached from the brutal drills, his spirit was crushed by his failure at magic, and he was currently trying to muster enough strength to stand without sounding like a stepped-on puppy.

Nyaruko crouched beside him, her long silver hair draping over his chest as she poked his cheek cheerfully. "Ne, ne, darling~! Maybe you're just overthinking it."

Issei cracked one eye open, warily. "Overthinking what? My body's spaghetti right now..."

She grinned, her emerald eyes flashing with chaotic wisdom. "Your dragon powers~! Maybe it doesn't need all that boring magic discipline stuff. Maybe… you just gotta really want it, y’know? Like, really, really want it, y’know?"

He blinked. "...That's your grand solution? Just wish for it?"

Evangeline paused, arms crossed over her chest. Her blue eyes narrowed. "...As absurd as it sounds," She muttered, "emotional catalysts are a valid awakening trigger in many cases. And so far, logic, technique, and pain have failed to move the needle."

Kaguya tapped her finger against her palm. "Desire-driven manifestation… a classic 'Will-to-Power' archetype. It has happened before, particularly in emotionally volatile or... single-minded beings."

"Gee, thanks," Issei groaned, finally rolling onto his stomach. "Glad to know I’m 'volatile.'"

Evangeline ignored the sarcasm. "Alright then, Hyoudou. Get up. This is your last chance for the night."

With a series of cracks and groans, Issei managed to sit upright.

"Try it," Evangeline commanded. "Don't focus on the 'flow.' Focus on your deepest, most primal desire. Pour every ounce of your soul into it. Force the power out through the sheer weight of your greed."

"Deepest desire?" Issei moped, closing his eyes. ‘Okay… deepest desire. I want to be strong. I want to impress these girls so they stop calling me weak. I want to not die... I want—’ His mental image shifted. He saw the way Nyaruko’s track suit hugged her curves. He remembered the soft smush against his arm that morning. ‘...Oppai!!’ His face turned a dangerous shade of red.

Nyaruko gasped dramatically, her eyes sparkling like she’d just read the final page of a masterpiece. “Oh! I got it~!”

Everyone turned to her.

“If you manage to summon your powers right now,” She paused for effect, winked a shimmering green eye, and cupped her own chest playfully, “—I’ll let you touch them! Just for a second! A full, unrestricted grope as a reward for your hard work~!”

The park went dead silent. Even the wind seemed to stop.

Issei’s eyes slowly widened. His pupils dilated until they were like saucers. “...You’re serious?”

“Yup! Groping privilege: one time offer!”

Kaguya’s tea dropped an inch. Evangeline’s expression froze, her mouth slightly agape. “…You’re literally bribing him with your breasts,” Evangeline said flatly.

Nyaruko nodded cheerfully. “Absolutely! Positive reinforcement is the key to any successful training arc!”

Issei stared at her… then slowly, with the mechanical precision of a mountain rising from the sea, he stood up. His legs were wobbling. His arms were shaking. But his expression? It was pure, unfiltered, terrifying Determination. ‘This is it. This is what I have been preparing for. This is what I was BORN for. All my suffering... all my training... leads to this.’

He clenched his left fist and raised it toward the moon, his teeth gritted so hard they might have cracked. He let out a roar from the very depths of his soul.

"OPPAI...!!!"

A pulse of violent, crimson light exploded from his left arm. The shockwave was so sudden that Kaguya and Evangeline both flinched back, shielding their eyes.

With a surge of raw, draconic power, a red armored glove burst forth from his hand. Crimson scales gleamed under the moonlight, an emerald gem pulsed with a steady green light, and golden claws extended from the fingertips. Coiling around the gauntlet was a shimmering red aura that hummed like a beast finally awakening from a thousand-year slumber.

Issei stood perfectly still, his breath hitching as he stared at the glowing weapon fused to his hand. “…Huh.”

Evangeline stepped forward, her eyes narrowed to slits. “An armored glove.”

Kaguya’s voice was tight, her aristocratic composure shaken. “I do feel the aura of a dragon.”

Nyaruko’s ahoge twitched happily. “Wow~! I didn’t think he’d actually do it! The power of a pervert truly knows no bounds!”

Issei slowly turned to her, his face a bright, pulsating red, his voice trembling with the weight of destiny. “D-Does this mean... I get to—”

“Yup~!”

He didn’t celebrate. He didn't shout. He simply collapsed to his knees in a state of silent, exhausted victory, staring at the grass with tears of joy in his eyes.

Kaguya groaned, her face flushed with a furious, embarrassed blush. “He actually did it for that… Unbelievable. My husband is a degenerate of cosmic proportions.”

Evangeline pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a long, weary sigh. “I don’t know whether to laugh or start crying. We spent hours on spiritual discipline, and he just needed a bribe.”

The faint hum of the red aura lingered in the air even after the gauntlet vanished from Issei’s hand. The entire construct faded in a flash of red particles, returning to the depths of his soul.

Issei remained kneeling, breathing hard, his shoulders slumped as the adrenaline began to bleed out of him. He felt hollowed out, but now there was a strange, buzzing rush humming through his veins.

Across from him, Evangeline let out a soft sigh—not exasperated, but grudgingly impressed. “Well,” she said, brushing her hair over her shoulder, “I hate to admit it… but I didn’t expect that actually to work.”

Kaguya raised an eyebrow. “You doubted Nyaruko’s motivational technique?”

“I doubted the idea that someone would actually awaken something through sheer perverted willpower,” Eva muttered. “But I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. This is our summoner, we’re talking about.”

“I resent that,” Issei wheezed.

Nyaruko clapped her hands and skipped in place, visibly thrilled. “My darling! You did it! You summoned your weird glowy dragon glove! I'm so proud!”

“Thanks…?” he muttered, blinking up at her dazedly.

Evangeline turned to Kaguya, flicking her hand dismissively. “He’s spent. Get him up. Let’s go home.”

Kaguya walked over to Issei and crouched down beside him. With the dignity of royalty and the grace of someone who very rarely offered help, she gently took his arm and hoisted him to his feet and brought his body back to a better state. “Stand, husband. You’ve earned your rest.”

Issei stumbled upright, swaying.

The gauntlet had faded completely now, leaving behind only a dull ache in his bones and a strange tingling sensation in his left hand. ‘So that’s what’s been inside me all along... Why the hell do I have something that insane sealed in my soul?!’

He didn’t have the answers. But he had a strong suspicion things were only going to get weirder from here.

The four of them began to walk out of the barrier and down the darkened path toward the city lights.

Evangeline trailed a few steps behind, quietly dispelling the magic field with a wave of her hand. The park faded back into normality, as if nothing had happened.

“Tomorrow,” Evangeline said, “we start testing just what that thing can do.”

Issei chuckled weakly. “Can I rest first?”

Kaguya sniffed, adjusting her sleeves. “You’ll have to recover properly if you expect your body to adapt.”

Nyaruko hummed happily, linking arms with Issei as they walked. “You did amazing today~! When we get home I’ll let you play with my girls.”

A genuine, goofy smile finally broke across Issei’s face. Exhausted, beaten, and mentally drained as he was, he had a feeling his rise to Harem King had finally, officially begun.

Done with the remastered. Tell me what you think and what I should improve.

Host: Issei Hyoudou 

Title: Aspiring Harem King / The Dragon’s Vessel / "Pillow" (Temporary) 

Current "Luck" Modifier: D-Rank (Slightly improved due to surviving the resonance scan)

—-----------------------------------------

Host Statistics

Vitality: 10/100 (Completely drained. Mentally and physically exhausted; currently being carried home like a sack of potatoes).

Mana/Energy: STIRRING (Sacred Gear: Boosted Gear discovered. While active, it remains in its base state due to the Host's abysmal stamina reserves).

Aura: Perverted, with a lingering emerald heat leaking from his left arm.

—-----------------------------------

The Summoned Harem (Current Roster)

1. NYARUKO (The Crawling Chaos)

Origin: Haiyore! Nyaruko-san

Class: Eldritch Alien Cop

Love Meter: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ (105% - Maximum Fixation / OBSESSIVE)

Specialty: Space-time manipulation, Close combat, Extreme physical affection.

Current Status: Riding a high from Issei’s "Boob-Powered" awakening; currently preparing her "reward" and humming a wedding march.

Note: Is 100% consensual, but 200% terrifying.

2. KAGUYA HOURAISAN (The Eternal Princess)

Origin: Touhou Project

Class: Immortal Lunarian Aristocrat 

Love Meter: ❤️🖤🖤🖤🖤 (19% - Bonding)

Specialty: Manipulation of the "Eternity and the Instant."

Current Status: Deeply exasperated. She is struggling to reconcile her status as a Moon Princess with the fact that her husband’s "Inner Dragon" is fueled by lechery.

Note: Extremely smug about being "Immortalized" in Japanese folklore; currently acting as a magical battery for Issei’s broken body.

3. EVANGELINE A.K. McDOWELL (The Calamity Witch)

Origin: Mahou Sensei Negima! / UQ Holder!

Class: Shinso Vampire / Witch / Master of Ice

Love Meter: ❤️🖤🖤🖤🖤 (15% - FLUSTERED)

Specialty: High-tier Ice Magic, Puppet-mastery, Centuries of combat experience.

Current Status: Mentally drained by the sheer ridiculousness of the situation. Despite her icy exterior, she feels a strange sense of accomplishment—even if the "catalyst" was disgraceful.

Note: Secretly impressed by Issei's survival instincts; still intends to beat him into a finer paste tomorrow.