I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Ichiei Ishibumi*

M for mature topics. No children allowed. *

The Broken Boosted Gear

By Try Another Time

The waves clash against each other as a battle rage on. Amongst the night sky covered in storm clouds, two adversaries faced each other head-on with all they got.

A red warrior and a white one clashed against each other with no remorse or care. Time after time, these two opponents faced each other while partnered up with different humans. The identity of these adversaries was that of the Welsh Dragon, Y DDraig Goch, the crimson emperor of domination, and his rival, the Vanishing Dragon, Albion Gwiber, the white emperor of supremacy. These are two creatures that, after losing their bodies, continue to test their strength through different human hosts. Ages have come and gone as the fight between these two continued with no definite winner.

Their fights were gruesome affairs that had caused incalculable damage to families, cities, and even nations over time. A bloody rivalry that had gone too far and now was nothing more than an accursed cycle of death and sorrow.

"Albion!" Screams the host of Ddraig. The red armor warrior, driven mad by his desire to defeat the white armored warrior, continues to fight his opponent while wielding a great sword. His body was no longer that of a human. The effects of the sacred gears had twisted his appearance beyond recognition.

"Ddraig!" Screams the host of Albion, finding himself in the same situation. The white armored warrior held a spear as he clashed with his opponent.

Both opponents continued to fight in this violent and harsh storm without caring about their own lives. Their bodies push to their limits and their minds beyond salvation.

The rivals continued to clash repeatedly as their sacred gears powered their bodies up. Both continued to exchange attacks such as punches, kicks, and massive fireballs without a second to breathe.

"BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!" The voice coming out of the Boosted gear continued to repeat.

"DIVIDE! DIVIDE! DIVIDE! DIVIDE! DIVIDE! DIVIDE!" Said the voice coming out of the Divine Dividing gear.

Blood dripped from the armors as the fight raged on while deep within the boosted gear, the soul of Ddraig felt the pain of his host. How many times had he repeated the same scenario alongside Albion? How many hosts had been driven mad by the gears and their powers? Ddraig had lost count after so many centuries of endless battles without an actual winner. No matter how strong the host was, the armies they dragged into their conflict, or the tools and strategies they used against each other, the fight always led to the same end.

Nobody truly won. Both dragons always ended with their human hosts dying one way or another. Although humans such as Belzard, one of his previous hosts, had survived two fights against different White Dragon Emperors, he had lost himself in the end. He had become a husk of his former self.

"This has become meaningless." Ddraig thought as he tried to communicate with his host. "Mikhail?" Ddraig's voice tried to reach his partner, but Mikhail didn't reply. "Even you are gone. You promised to return to her after this fight, and here you are. We have yet to use the Juggernaut Drive, yet you lost to the desire to defeat Albion." The dragon told himself in a depressed tone.

Ddraig looks through the eyes of Mikhail and sees the state of the current White Dragon Emperor. The armor was severely damaged, and the amount of blood dripping from it was insane.

"He must be gone like Mikhail. How many lives have I sacrificed for this rivalry, Albion? I think I can't endure this weight on my shoulders anymore. I don't think I can continue like this, Albion, my eternal rival." It had taken years for him to realize how far he had gone, but his sins finally caught up to him. "I know there is only one way to stop this, and it has to start with me." Ddraig stops powering his partner's body, leaving the current Red Dragon Emperor defenseless. The body of the warrior begins to fall to the ocean below.

The White Dragon Emperor sees this as a chance to use his ultimate attack, Compression Divider, to eliminate his adversary. The human quickly powers up and releases a wave of energy against his opponent.

As the attack connects, Ddraig feels all the pain his host is feeling. "I'm sorry, partner. Mikhail, this will be our last dance. I pray that the person who comes after can choose a different path than this nightmare I created for myself."

Something happens as the attack of the White Dragon Emperor continues to erase the body of the current wielder of the boosted gear, something happens. Such an amount of power and the lack of defense leads to an unexpected effect on the sacred gear. The attack begins to affect the gear, which had never happened before. As the body of the current Red Dragon Emperor is erased from existence, the jewel of the boosted gear cracks, but this time, the damage is not something just physical.

Without realizing what he has done, Albion and his current host set a chain of events that will change many people's futures.

The beginning of a different path had begun.

Many years after, Location: Japan.

A young child with unruly spike brown hair and light brown eyes awake in his room to another one of his unusual dreams. The name of this child is Issei Hyoudou, and he was feeling drained physically and mentally; the child grabbed his head as he tried to understand what was happening to him.

He was only six years old, but he continued having these weird dreams for some unknown reason. These dreams felt strange to him, and yet they were so real; they almost felt like memories of what seemed to be the past. Wars, fights, and places he had never visited consume his nights.

His parents took him to doctors and psychologists to figure out what was happening to their son, but nobody could figure out what was happening. His parents began to be affected by the lack of answers. They discussed the possibility of a possible possession. Unfortunately, the heavy amounts of medicine and treatments didn't help improve their lives since they weren't rich, nor could they afford many expenses.

All of this led to the child deciding to hide his dreams for the sake of his family. He began to lie about them and created a fake smile to conceal his fears. He didn't want to see them sad, and he didn't want to hear them fighting anymore; he just wanted them to be happy, so he decided to hide everything.

He smiled and laughed more for them while feeling sad, even lying to his friend Irina to ensure that nobody knew what was happening to him. Inside, his insecurities and fears continued to pile up.

Issei got up from his bed and approached his mirror. While other people would probably see their reflection in a mirror, Issei could only see a giant red reptile with wings sleeping. It wasn't always like this, but he couldn't see his reflection for the past week anymore. He was scared and wanted to cry but feared what his problems could do to his family once more. "I need to be strong. All of this is just my imagination. Is not real."

The boy tried closing his eyes and denying what was in front of him, but once he looked in the mirror again, he continued to see the same dragon. The same sleeping behemoth continued to sleep deep within him without anyone, including him, knowing.

"No, please stop this. I don't want this." Issei said as tears began to appear.

Issei continued to sob while ensuring his parents didn't hear him. He was losing his sanity but couldn't let those around him see it.

Next day.

A young girl with short light brown hair and violet eyes walks alongside Issei from school. This girl was named Irina, and she was his closest friend. She cares deeply about him as his friend, but the girl feels he hides things from her. The dark marks below his eyes, his lack of energy, and the fake smile were signs of something wrong with Issei, but he evaded any questions.

She wanted to help him, but he kept denying his problems and pushing her away, but she wasn't willing to give up. Not on Issei, not on her first and most important friend. She grabs his hand and talks to him. "Issei, let's go to the park."

Issei turns to look at her. "But we have homework, and our parents are waiting for us."

"Just follow me, dummy." Irina begins to drag the boy against his will towards the park.

Issei tries to escape her hold, but Irina doesn't let go. She is determined to help him even if she doesn't know what is happening to him. Issei tries to escape her clutches for several minutes until he just gives up. The lack of sleep wasn't helping his stamina, and Irina was consistently more potent than most children her age, although she was a girl.

Most kids claimed that Irina was a boy due to her tomboyish attitude, but Issei knew she wasn't one. Blame the weird dreams that showed him strange things that no child should see or that he had taken baths with her, which confirmed the differences between them; he knew that Irina was no boy.

After some time, both arrived at the park. The place was spacious, with many trees to hide from the sun and a small lake to fish in. Irina wasted no time dragging him to one of the trees closest to the lake.

"Why are we here?" Issei asks.

"Just keep quiet and trust me." Irina forces him to sit down under the tree before she does the same.

Issei looks at her with curiosity. "Are you going to tell me why we came here now?"

Irina smiles and grabs his head before forcing him to rest on her legs. "We have been friends since I can remember my own name, Issei. I don't know what's happening to you, but I want to try to help you. So just close your eyes and rest. Forget about everything and just focus on my voice." Irina starts singing.

Her voice is charming, unlike anyone, and like a snake charmer, it hypnotizes Issei. The boy slowly closes his eyes and clears his mind. Issei stops thinking about his dreams, his fears disappear, and just for that afternoon, he feels released from the things that had been invading his mind for many years.

The minutes go by until Irina realizes that Issei has fallen asleep. She stops singing and looks at the boy. "We have been together for many years. You have been my most precious friend. I wish we never separated from each other." Irina approaches his face and gives him a little kiss. This small sign of affection wasn't the first kiss she had given to the boy.

"When you fall in love with someone, a kiss demonstrates your feelings for that person. That's why I kiss your mom so much." Those were her father's words when she asked about the continuous kisses between her parents. She was only six years old and didn't fully understand what love meant, but she was sure that what she felt for Issei was love. When he was happy, she felt pleased. In those moments when she felt sad, he supported her and made her smile once more. She was deeply attached to him, and her parents knew it.

She had enjoyed birthdays, holidays, vacations, and everything else alongside Issei. Their connection was strong, and they might be fated to be together. Yet, this connection was also making it hard for Irina's parents to break the news regarding their departure for England. The girl wasn't going to be happy about it, and the fact that she was so worried about him wasn't going to make it any easier for them.

But fate has a way of causing events that could lead to separations that nobody could see coming.

Later that day, Issei's home.

"Darling, are you sure we should wait until tomorrow to fix that gas tank?" Ask Issei's mom as she takes care of the dishes.

"Dear, trust me. I called the company this afternoon. They're going to come tomorrow and check it out. I'm sure that everything is going to be alright. You haven't smelled any more gas since I last checked it out?" Issei's dad replied.

"No, but you never know what could happen." Issei's mom seemed worried about it.

"Dear, just trust me this once. The tank is ok. The gas company will come tomorrow, and they will take care of it. So don't stress yourself out, and let's just enjoy a quiet afternoon together." Issei's dad got up and approached his mother before kissing her.

Issei was sitting on the couch while he read a book for school. Then, out of the corner of his eyes, he could see the affectionate interaction between his parents; the boy couldn't hide a sincere smile that formed on his face. Although he had to endure the weird dreams and fears he had developed, he was happy that his parents were fighting less. Since he stopped talking about them, his parents had returned to their cheerful attitudes, and he was okay with it.

He was okay with not knowing what to do to stop the dreams and not knowing how to see his reflection instead of a sleeping dragon. He was willing to hide all of it for the sake of his happy family. Maybe one day, everything was going to stop, and he would be able to go back to normal.

The night progressed with no problems or disturbances. So Issei and his parents went to sleep knowing everything would be alright, but fate can be a cruel mistress who destroys even the most innocent lives.

While the family slept in their rooms, a particular figure entered the home without using the front door or windows. "So, this is where the new Red Dragon Emperor has been born." The figure holds some tool in his hand, allowing him to track a particular sacred gear he has been afraid of for a long time. "Ddraig, the Welsh Dragon, you have been a troublesome piece in the battlefield just like Albion. If I eliminate your current host before he has the chance to learn how to use you, I'll be saving myself from facing you soon." A small fireball appears in his right hand. "So please die for the sake of my plans."

Issei's Point of View.

For the child, it was hard to sleep each night, but today it felt even more challenging. He twists and turns in his bed while trying to find a way to relax. His parents were just a few steps away from his room, but he knew they were already deeply asleep. His father had an early workday tomorrow, and his mom needed to be awake for the appointment with the gas company.

Issei sat down on his bed and looked through the window like any other night. "Reading the rest of the book might help me to sleep."

The boy got up and walked towards his bookstand, but he stopped when a specific smell invaded his nose. "Smoke?" The boy turns his sights toward the door. A dim light was visible under it, and not even three seconds passed before the flames started to consume the door. "A fire? But how? Dad said the gas tank was fine!"

Issei backs away from the door as the flames continue to spread.

"Mom! Dad!" Issei began to scream.

"Issei!" The boy was able to hear the voices of his parents.

"Mom! Dad! Save me! There is fire. I can't escape my room." So he started inhaling the smoke, and breathing became more difficult. He began to cough.

"Issei, drop down and get closer to the window. You need to escape. We can't-" The explosion cut his dad's voice. The gas tank located closer to their room seemed to have exploded due to the fire.

"Dad? Mom? Dad! Mom!" Issei screamed after not being able to hear their voices anymore. The boy drops to the floor and tries to approach the window, but luck doesn't seem to be on his side. The flames had spread around the house even more. The fire had even begun to reach his window preventing him from trying to jump away from the fire.

POV: Outside the house.

The being responsible for the fire that was consuming Issei's home watched the carnage from the sky. His dark feathered wings flapped in joy as he saw what he had done.

"Die, child. Die for the sake of the war that I'm going to start. You and the White Dragon Emperor shouldn't even exist. You're monsters that can drastically affect the battlefield, and I don't need you interfering in my plans. So just die." The fallen angel said before disappearing with a smile on his face.

He was sure that this was going to be enough to kill the brat, and there was no way in hell in which he could activate the sacred gear at this age. It was a common occurrence amongst those humans blessed which such powers as a young body seemed unable to endure the strain such powers could put on the user. All previous holders of the booster gear had shown their abilities around the age of 14 at the earliest, and this child was very young, so he knew there was no way the boy could save himself.

But how wrong he was to expect the same situation when he didn't even know what had happened to the current host of Ddraig.

Deep within Issei.

Ddraig sleeps peacefully without a care in the world, like any other time after his host dies. The boosted gear was his container and his prison. His soul couldn't escape from it, or that was what he believed.

"I don't want to die."

Ddraig began to hear a voice.

"Mom, Dad. I need you. I can't escape."

The voice of a child started to disturb his slumber. The boy's screams became louder and more apparent as the seconds passed until Ddraig had enough.

The Welsh Dragon opened his eyes and found a massive crack in the void in front of him. "What is this?" Ddraig didn't seem to have a clue of what this crack was. The inside of the booster gear was usually an abyss of dark green mist while the gear wasn't awake, but now, he found a massive crack of light through which one could hear a child's voice.

The dragon approaches the crack with interest. His soul seemed drawn into it, but something stopped him in his tracks before he could move another centimeter.

Ddraig turned his sight towards his back, and he saw them. The husks of his previous hosts, souls that had been driven mad by the rivalry with Albion. Their hands were like chains attached to his body, preventing him from escaping from this place. "All of you are as trapped as me inside of this place. Never knowing the afterlife or what happened to those you left behind. I'm sorry for everything that happened to all of you, but we can't let this opportunity go away. I'll drag all of you alongside me if that's what I have to do, but we are going there." Ddraig's soul spread his wings and flew into the crack while dragging the husks of his previous partners alongside him.

He didn't know what to expect from this, but he was willing to do what was necessary for an opportunity to escape this prison.

POV: Back in the real world.

Issei lay on the floor of his room. The flames had spread all around, and he didn't see any way out of this inferno. The smoke made it hard for him to breathe. The fire continued getting closer to him, and the boy lost all hope with each second that went by. "Mom, Dad, Irina… I don't want to die."

The boy closes his eyes and awaits his end. No amount of tears was going to save him now, and he couldn't lift a single limb. The flames finally reached the boy's body, and he began to feel the insane pain that being burned alive meant. First was his legs, and shortly after, the rest of his body.

"Make it stop. Please, somebody, make it all stop!" The boy prays for a miracle, and shortly after, It happens but not in the way he was expecting.

His chest began to hurt; his heart was beating even faster. His ribs crack and readjust themselves around like many other parts of his body. The boy's body stood up while still burning, thanks to an unknown force.

"Let's fly away." A voice deep within his mind said.

His eyes changed shape and color. Instead of looking human, they turn into reptilian eyes. A pair of fleshy wings grew from his back within seconds.

Before Issei couldn't even understand what was happening to him, his mind began to hear the voices of other beings.

"Sleep…... let us take care…. Sleep." The cracked and paranormal voices said in unison.

Issei felt how many hands began to drag him into the depths of his subconscious. The pain started to disappear while somebody else took over for him as the driver behind his body. The boy couldn't say a word as he sank deep and lost sight of himself, falling deeper into unconsciousness.

With Issei no longer in control, Ddraig assumes full charge of this infantile and broken body. The dragon was used to the pain and didn't mind the flames much, but he knew this wasn't a situation where he could relax.

His wings flapped a few times before he pierced the house's ceiling and flew as high as this body allowed him to. "This body won't last any longer. It is too weak, and my power is too strong for it. I need a place in which I can shred this skin." Ddraig thought before he made a choice.

There was only one place where nobody could approach him without paying the consequences. Ddraig uses a small amount of his power and opens a small rift in space, allowing him to reach the Dimensional Gap.

The realm of the void in which few could survive.

"I hope he accepts," Ddraig says as he leaves the human world behind.

POV: Great Red.

Within the vast void of the dimensional gap, a massive red western dragon continued to fly around. This beast was as big as a continent. It also was as dangerous as the most feared beings within all of the realms of Yggradssil. Its name was Great Red. This behemoth was acknowledged as the strongest being in all creation, and this also meant that only the biggest of idiots would dare to invade his home.

Suddenly, the massive winged creature felt a disturbance. A small number of beings could reach this place, and an even smaller number had the guts to do it willingly. The Dimensional Gap was his territory, and everyone knew the risk of crossing it.

But Red knew this presence all too well. A presence Red never expected to feel in all of his might ever again. It had been so long since Great Red met him in person.

The massive dragon approaches the being that had entered his territory. Its body was nothing like his previous one, but Red knew who he was. "Ddraig, what are you doing here? No better yet, tell me why I can feel all of your power and no seal holding you back. Your soul is supposed to be inside the boosted gear."

Ddraig watched the massive dragon before him and lowered his head in respect. "Great Red, I don't have all the answers you are looking for right now, but I need your help. As you can see, my current body won't resist much longer if I wait. I ask for asylum within your territory until I can shred this skin and make this body into something capable of holding my soul and the one of my current host."

"Current host? Are you telling me you are controlling the body of your current host? Something like this has never happened before. How did this happen? Did that child surrender his whole body to the power of the booster gear?"

"I don't know it myself, but I'll answer your questions as soon as I can change this body. I ask you once more for asylum, and in exchange, I'll pay any price you ask for, but I need your protection right now."

Great red sees how Ddraig lowers his head. It knew how prideful he used to be many millennia ago, but Ddraig had changed a lot since then. They weren't friends, but they weren't enemies either. Their relationship was far too complex to be defined in just a few words. The dragon showed interest in its fellow dragon's current condition, so it made a choice. "I accept, but you better be ready to answer all my questions and pay the price for this. So go ahead and do what you have to do. It'll prevent any harm from coming to you for as long as necessary."

"Thank you, Great Red," Ddraig says before using his power again. Green crystals sprout from under his skin. These crystals grow and spread out as they take shape around the body. It takes a short time until a large green cristal egg is completed.

Great Red looks at the egg and pays attention to the beating heart of the body inside it. "Truly unexpected. I don't think any other version of myself has ever seen something similar within their timelines and realities. Maybe this can help me in the future, but I can't be watching this egg all of the time." Great Red thinks of how to take care of this for some time until it remembers a particular blueish-pale dragon who also owes it a debt.

Great red roars in a specific frequency across the dimensional gap. This roar crosses the realms and reaches out for its intended target.

Meanwhile, Underworld.

A pale blue-haired girl was drinking tea alongside a well-dressed young man with greenish hair. She was wearing a blue navy skirt with a matching jacket and blouse. Her body could capture any male's attention, but the dangerous aura that usually surrounded her advised them against making any approach. Her deep blue draconic eyes were enough to tell anyone what her identity was.

The name of this beauty was Tiamat, one of the five great dragon kings, a being feared and respected all over the underworld due to her strength.

The girl was calmly enjoying her time, but before she could continue with her tea, she heard the roar of the apocalypse dragon.

The man looks at her in surprise. "Tiamat, was that what I think it was?"

Tiamat gulps and nods. "Yes. That was Great red, and that frequency was just for me. Ajuka, I'm sorry, but I need to leave. I might be gone for quite some time so look for a temporary replacement for me."

"Understood. Good luck, and please ensure you don't ignite Great Red's anger. I don't want to go to your funeral." Ajuka says.

"I won't. I'm smart enough to know my limits." Tiamat says before she opens a rift in space and jumps into it.

Ajuka looks at her before he sighs and hopes for the best. He knows that Tiamat owed Great Red a debt even more significant than the one she had with him. Great Red wasn't a being you could easily evade after gaining a debt with him, and he had heard the legends of what happened to those who tried to escape from him. "Best of luck, my dear friend."

Back with Tiamat.

Tiamat appears before Great Red, but her eyes quickly turn toward the crystal egg next to him. She knew that smell and power all too well, but she couldn't believe what she saw. "Great Red, is that Ddraig? How is this possible?"

"I have as many questions as you do. Ddraig appeared before me and asked for asylum. He promised answers as soon as the shredding process gets completed. That body was far too weak to endure all of his power."

"You agreed to help him? I'm sorry, Great Red, but we know you can't trust Ddraig. He has yet to pay the debt he owes me. You truly believe that he won't do the same to you?"

Great red laughs. "Ddraig knows what I can do to him if he tries to escape or evade his debt with me. I told you what you should have done with him and that debt. He isn't going to find a replacement for any of the objects he lost during his fight with Albion. So ask him to sign a contract for his life as payment. Once you have that contract, he is as good as yours, but let's talk about why I asked you to come here. I need you to take care of that egg until he gets out of it."

"What? I can't do that. I despise Ddraig, and you know it." Tiamat says before she sees the anger in Great Red's eyes.

"You owe me a debt; this is how you will pay for it. I once saved your life, and now you have to pay that debt. I don't care about your feelings regarding Ddraig, so you better do what I say. I eliminated worlds, nations, and more for debts some beings couldn't settle, so don't push your luck. So do what I'm asking you, and that will settle your debt to me. So, Tiamat, what is your answer?"

Tiamat gulps and lowers her head. Her instincts advised her against any actions that could anger Great Red even more. She had a good relationship with the dragon and knew it was best to keep it that way. "I accept. I will protect Ddraig's egg until he comes out of it." She transforms into her dragon form. She was another Western dragon, but her color was similar to a pale jewel's. Her large wings wrap around the whole egg and protect it as if it was her own.

"Good, don't leave the dimensional gap without telling me first. I have plans for Ddraig, so don't kill him when he comes out." Great Red says before he leaves Tiamat and the egg behind.

Tiamat sighs before turning her eyes towards the egg. "Such a small body for a heavenly dragon. How long is it going to take you? And what sort of thing happened for you to escape from the boosted gear?"

So many questions and no answers until Ddraig exited the egg.

Meanwhile, the faction of Heaven.

The angels were in chaos. They were trying to figure out how something like this happened. When their former leader, the God of the Bible, created the sacred gears, he also developed a system that would tell the angels all the information regarding the gears.

Now that same system sounded an alarm across heaven, telling them something terrible had happened.

"Alert: Boosted gear is severely damaged. The signal has been cut. The seal has possibly been broken. Ddraig has likely been released from his prison."

This one message could lead to a war, and the angels didn't know what to do. Nobody could repair such a complicated item, and they didn't even know where he was.

This whole situation was just the beginning of their problems.