Lucas woke up, the sound of a woman's voice echoing in his ears.
"Issei, did you agree?"
He opened his eyes and was met with the plain ceiling of a room that wasn't his. The bed, the toys scattered on the floor… everything felt so familiar, yet so strange.
A beautiful lady with brown hair and worried eyes looked at him nervously.
"Issei, are you okay? They told me you fell and hit your head while playing at school."
Sitting up, feeling disoriented, his head ached badly. Before he could think straight, the words came out all at once.
"I'm fine, Mom. Just my head hurts a little."
"Okay, rest for a while. I'll make dinner. Come down when you're feeling better," said the woman, still with worried eyes. After looking at him for a moment longer, she left the room.
That's when he finally managed to organize the new memories in his mind.
"So I reincarnated in another world? And as Issei Hyoudou, no less? Looks like when I hit my head, the memories of my previous life came back. Incredible to be in this world, with angels, dragons, and demons everywhere… at least I won't be completely powerless, right?"
He looked at his small hands. The body of an eight-year-old child. Still, he felt a strange energy inside him, as if something was waiting.
"As far as I remember, the plot of this world only starts in the second year of high school. I've got time… I should try waking Ddraig up soon. He must know how I can train to get stronger."
Excitement started boiling inside him. A world full of adventure, supernatural powers, magic… everything was possible.
"Not to mention the magic! Shaping reality with just thought… As far as I know, human magic in this world is done through calculations and formulas. Hopefully, Ddraig has information on that."
As his thoughts spiraled out of control, reality began to distort. A strange sensation took over his body. Suddenly, he was pulled into another place. A space filled with stars, swirling galaxies, and indescribable cores.
He was confused, amazed, with a faint sense of belonging.
The stars, however, were covered by a dark curtain, as if something was separating him from them. His eyes focused on a particularly bright galaxy. Without thinking, he reached out.
The moment he touched that light, he was engulfed by an explosion of energy.
When the brightness faded, he felt the wind on his skin again. He was in a completely different place.
Thick green grass, a clear blue sky, and in front of him… a giant tree that seemed to touch the clouds. In the background, he could hear the sound of a waterfall.
"Did I… transmigrate again?"
He was amazed, but also alarmed. This wasn't the world of High School DxD. It was something new. Another universe.
"This doesn't make any sense! I can… travel between worlds?"
The idea shocked him. It was terrifying and exciting at the same time. He started walking, exploring the surroundings, when he heard footsteps coming from the forest. Many footsteps.
Panicking, he tried to hide behind the giant tree. He peeked carefully — wolves. An entire pack. They seemed to be hunting something, but they hadn't noticed him.
"This could be dangerous…" he remembered he was still a child, without any combat power.
In a hurry, he focused on the feeling he had used before, trying to return safely to his room. The world around him began to shatter like glass. In the blink of an eye, he was back in the safety of the messy bedroom.
"Whew…"
In the following days, he tried to better understand his new ability. Every night, after dinner and a bath, he would sit in his room and meditate. It was hard, but little by little, he learned to access that space between worlds more easily.
At school, the routine was tedious.
"I gotta say, elementary school is so boring…" he said, throwing his arms over the classroom desk.
"Issei, you can't just throw yourself like that. What if the teacher sees you?" said a small "boy" next to him — actually Irina Shidou, who at that stage of life still dressed like a boy.
"It's fine. Class is almost over anyway…"
He looked at Irina, who would one day become one of the most powerful angels under Michael. But for now, she was just an energetic child. Even so, she seemed to have a special affection for him.
*TRRRIIIMMMM!*
The sound of the bell was like music. Issei grabbed his backpack and ran out of the classroom.
"Bye, Irina-chan! I'm off!"
Irina stood there, cheeks blushing.
"What happened to him?" she murmured.
Already at home, Issei closed the bedroom door, sat on the floor, and concentrated. Soon, he was in that starry space again. But this time, the disturbances came from other galaxies. He let his instincts guide him.
He was engulfed by a new light.
When his eyes opened, the scenery had completely changed.
This time, he was in the middle of a peaceful village. Small wooden houses, fields around, people in simple clothes and a medieval air.
But something was odd… suddenly, a blond boy with whisker-like marks on his cheeks ran past him.
"Wait… that was…"
"No way… I'm in Naruto?"
He looked around, observing the architecture, the faces, especially the clothing. It was the Hidden Leaf Village! He was really in another anime universe.
He quickly hid to avoid drawing attention. He couldn't interfere too much here.
"This universe is full of shinobi. What if they sense my strange chakra? Is my chakra different?"
Cautious, he tried walking a bit, observing. He realized he was in an earlier era, before the main story. Hiruzen was still Hokage, young and strong.
He tried feeling the energy around him, imitating the hand signs ninjas used.
But without being able to mold chakra, it was impossible to use ninjutsu.
"Damn… this world is really hard to learn anything in. Ninjas are cautious and will notice if I sneak around."
"If they realize I have no background, they might capture me. And if they think I'm a spy from another village, I could end up dead."
Disappointed but fascinated, he decided to go back. He didn't want to take risks.
As he closed his eyes, he tried pulling back the energy of the galaxy he knew. Once again, he returned to his room.
Tired, he collapsed onto the bed.
"Interesting…" a familiar voice echoed in his mind. "What a fascinating power. That wasn't this universe, I could feel the different rules."
"Ddraig? You're awake?"
"A little. But you can't use the Boosted Gear, you're too weak and it could shatter your body. But I can feel your soul. What you did… it's not normal. The dimensional shock woke me up."
"I see… I was actually trying to wake you."
"Interesting, you knew about me?"
I went silent. After all, how do you tell someone their life was just a story where you came from? Is it a good idea to tell him?
"Should I tell him?"
"We'll be partners. If you don't want to say, you can keep it to yourself."
Hearing that, thinking deeply, I took a deep breath and said:
"I'm a reincarnated person. Where I came from, this world was told through stories."
" "
"I see, that's amazing. So you know what awaits you."
"You're not nervous? I just told you your world was fiction."
"After living so long, fighting, destroying, then dying only to end up in an artifact… you grow numb. All I want is a bit of entertainment."
"Incredible reaction."
"Hahahahahaha! Why do you think I keep fighting the white one? Even though we don't remember how it even started?"
"I see. So, what do we do now?"
"You train. Learn. Get stronger. And above all, keep this power hidden until the right time. Including the Boosted Gear. It's still too early to awaken my power… and your enemies are many."
Those words made him reflect.
In the following days, he tried to live normally. School, play, study. But at night, he trained: push-ups, sit-ups, and all the knowledge Ddraig could offer. After all, to use the Boosted Gear, a strong body is essential, and knowledge is necessary to learn magic.
Though human magic wasn't something he had mastered yet.
He didn't have strength or full control yet. But one thing was certain: he was preparing for something far greater than himself.
And it all began with a simple fall… and the return of his memories.
The following week, an unexpected visit happened.
While Lucas — or rather, Issei — was having breakfast with his mother, the doorbell rang. The woman got up to answer and soon returned with a smile.
"Issei, Irina-chan came to play with you!"
The boy looked up and saw his friend entering. But this time, she wasn't alone.
Behind her, a tall man in plain clothes with a serious expression watched everything carefully. His eyes locked on Issei for a moment longer than necessary.
"This is my dad!" said Irina, smiling. "He's picking me up later, so he came to meet your mom."
Irina's father… Touji Shidou. A hunter of supernatural beings. From the Church.
Issei's heart raced. He had to stay calm. He was just a normal child now, right?
"Hello, Issei, right?" said Touji, approaching. "Irina talks about you a lot."
"Ah, yes… nice to meet you." Issei tried to smile, controlling the tension.
"You can play in the backyard," said his mother cheerfully, unsuspecting, as she went to talk with Touji.
Outside, Irina excitedly pulled Issei to build something with rocks and sticks. But he still felt Touji's gaze on him. Disguised, investigative. Had he noticed something strange in his energy? Was the visit just a coincidence?
Later, back in his room, Issei collapsed on the bed.
"Ddraig… did you feel it?"
"Yes. The man who was here. His aura… is of someone who's hunted many beings for the Church."
"Does he suspect me?"
"Not yet. He was probably just watching you because of Irina. She seems to like you, after all. But be cautious. This world is full of greater forces, and you're just beginning to scratch the surface."
"Could he sense the Boosted Gear in me?"
"Not yet. The Boosted Gear hasn't fully awakened and he's not strong enough. But if it were someone at least on the level of a high-class demon, you would've been discovered."
He sighed, feeling the weight of this new life. He was no longer just a reincarnated person. He was someone with a rare gift: the ability to travel between worlds and the Boosted Gear. And worse — now he knew his secret might already be on the radar of great powers.
In the following days, he intensified his training.
Ddraig guided him through physical exercises, but also forced him to meditate, feel his own body, control his inner energy. A preparation to use the Boosted Gear, as well as to eventually use magic.
"You still can't activate the Boosted Gear. But I can help strengthen your body. And… I can show you an ancient technique. A secret of former wielders."
"What technique?"
"Soul Domination. A practice that directly strengthens your spirit. When your body is ready… your spirit will already be indomitable."
"Created centuries ago by one of the strongest Boosted Gear wielders, Kael, the Crimson Fist, the Soul Domination Technique was born out of the need to resist the insane corruption brought by the Juggernaut Drive. During the activation of its supreme form, the emotions, desires, and memories of previous wielders can invade and consume the current mind. Kael was the first to almost lose himself completely… that's why he developed this practice — to maintain his sanity and expand his spiritual control."
Issei listened carefully, feeling the weight of the words.
"But not everyone can use this technique," Ddraig explained, his voice deeper. "It demands more than willpower. The main requirements are: high magical affinity — since the technique uses mana to stabilize the soul —, elevated spiritual resistance, and an unshakable determination. Additionally, one must possess a naturally strong soul. The slightest mistake can lead to mental self-destruction."
Issei swallowed hard. He knew he wasn't strong yet. But he also felt something inside him… something that could grow: the determination to become more powerful.
"You're not ready to use it yet," Ddraig concluded. "You still need some magical control to activate it. But your soul is strong… and very compatible with it. Once you start training it, this technique will be your most powerful weapon. A true shield against madness. And perhaps… it will help a lot in your travels."
Issei closed his eyes, determined.
"I don't know if I'm capable yet. But I'll train. Until there's no doubt."
At that moment, a new flame ignited in his heart. He was no longer just a child adapting.
He was the heir to immense power… and perhaps, to the legacy of Kael, the Crimson Fist.