Chapter 40

"Koneko chan shhh!!"

Shoyo quickly reached out and covered Koneko's mouth.

"My body isn’t feeling well, so I accidentally teleported to the wrong place just now"

Though he had successfully completed his task, being mistaken for a pervert seemed like an undeserved reputation. While covering Koneko’s mouth, he also took the opportunity to complete her sign-in task.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations to the host for completing a daily location sign-in!]
[Sign-in level: Bronze!]
[Sign-in location: The top of Koneko's head.]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the reward: Elementary Magic Aptitude!]

[Elementary Magic Aptitude: When using magic, mana consumption is reduced by 5%, and effectiveness is increased by 5%!]

The reward wasn’t bad, but Shoyo valued his reputation more.

"It's okay..."

Koneko stopped struggling and calmly transmitted her voice using magic. Since they were currently in the girls’ restroom, if anyone found out a boy was inside, it would be a disaster. Seeing her calm down, Shoyo sighed in relief and released her.

"I believe you senpai, Are you feeling better now? I heard you were training with Ajuka sama before."

Koneko turned her head, her golden eyes locking onto Shoyo.

The information she had received was that Shoyo had overexerted himself during training with Ajuka in his rush to grow stronger.

Of course, Ajuka would never admit: "Actually, I arranged for Shoyo to have a combat test against the Dragon King."

"Hmm, much better, but there’s still a slight issue, so I messed up the teleportation just now."

His original destination had been next door, the boys’ restroom.

"That’s good, By the way could senpai step outside for a moment? I need to leave too."

Koneko lowered her head, speaking softly.

"Oh, right! I’ll go now"

Shoyo took a deep breath and activated [Vamana the Dwarf] once more. With a light step, he vanished from Koneko’s sight, this time making sure to land in the alley outside the school.

"Hah!"

Koneko exhaled as she watched him disappear.

"Senpai..."

As if suddenly remembering something, her clear eyes drifted downward. Her long lashes fluttered, and a faint blush spread across her flawless skin.

A few minutes later Koneko, finally composed, walked out of the restroom.

---

Meanwhile, Shoyo arrived safely in his classroom without further mishaps. The moment he entered, his eyes met Issei Hyoudou’s. Issei seemed restless, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

"Hyoudou-kun, come with me for a moment."

Seeing Issei’s reaction, Shoyo guessed Ddraig had already explained much to him. He transmitted his words using magic.

"Huh?!"

Issei jolted up from his seat, clearly startled by the sudden telepathic message. Shoyo stepped out first, and soon, Issei followed.

"Master.... Shoyo sama....Shoyo."

Ddraig’s warnings had left him conflicted. Calling someone "master" after years of egalitarian education felt awkward, but addressing him casually seemed disrespectful.

"Just call me ‘boss’ or ‘Shoyo-bro.’"

Shoyo chuckled. Honestly, being called "master" by another guy was uncomfortable.

"Boss, is what happened to me... real?"

Issei swallowed hard. Even after a day, he still struggled to accept that his ordinary world had been overtaken by the supernatural.

"Yeah, it’s real. Didn’t the dragon inside you already tell you?"

Shoyo nodded. This reaction mirrored his own when he first learned he lived in Kuoh Town, a place teeming with devils and angels.

"The dragon inside me."

Issei stared at his left hand. Unlike the original timeline, where he needed meditation and external stimulation to awaken his Sacred Gear, he had materialized it effortlessly yesterday.

Because his body had already been transformed by the God Piece.

Originally, Shoyo hadn’t planned to use the piece on Issei. Wouldn’t collecting girls in the anime world be better? But after reading the detailed information, "Peerage members can only be collected in the High School DxD world and summoned in others", he abandoned the idea.

A single God Piece had elevated Issei’s talent to rival Vali’s.

Yes, comparing a human to a half-devil, half-human like Vali!

"Actually, you should be happy. With power, you can crush prejudices and build that ‘harem of blue dreams’ you always wanted, right?"

Shoyo smirked. Issei was his friend, the one who’d cultivated his appreciation for men, after all.

"Ohhh~~~~"

Issei’s jaw dropped. So that’s how it worked!

As they spoke, Ddraig’s voice echoed in Shoyo’s mind.

"Shoyo sama, may I ask... is there something special about the familiar pieces you grant your partners? I sense tremendous changes in my host’s body after receiving one."

"Tremendous changes?"

Issei inspected himself. What changes?

"Indeed. Beyond enhanced potential and physique, your race is evolving, gradually shifting toward dragons."

Evolving into a dragon, that was the "tremendous change" Ddraig referred to.

"The pieces I gave Issei do alter race alongside boosting potential, but I don’t control which race it leans toward."

"The host evolves toward the race best suited for them. Given your attributes, Ddraig, it’s no surprise, dragons wield draconic power best."

"I see."

Ddraig nodded. As expected of Shoyo sama, such miraculous artifacts! But he wasn’t foolish enough to ask how Shoyo obtained them. That would be suicidal.

"Wait! Ddraig, you said my potential increased? All because of Boss?!"

Issei’s eyes widened. As a hardcore gamer, he knew how crucial talent was. And his talent had skyrocketed thanks to Shoyo?

Ahhh! Thank you, Boss! I’ll follow you forever!

Issei’s heart swelled with gratitude.

"It’s nothing major. More importantly..."

Shoyo grinned and pulled out a photo, using illusion magic to project an image of the White Dragon Emperor, Vali.

"The current White Dragon Emperor is a rare, top-tier pretty boy~~ Definitely your type."

"Hiss~~~Ohhhh~~"

Issei clutched his nose, Shoyo knew that reaction.

Nosebleed.

The White Dragon Emperor’s handsome face had struck hard.

"There’s actually someone this handsome in the world?!"

Issei’s voice trembled with awe.

---