Ophis

It turns out, those fanfiction novels from her past life made a lot of assumptions about Great Red.

Who decided that a mighty, dignified dragon god in her true form would automatically turn into a fiery, voluptuous lady when she took human form?

Now renamed "Scarlet" by Eriri, Great Red struggled in Eriri's arms for a moment. When she found she couldn't break free, she finally gave up resisting.

"Release me. The Dimensional Gap is my home. I will not leave it," Scarlet said resolutely, tilting her head up to face Eriri.

"What's so fun about staying in the Dimensional Gap? Alone—well, alone for a dragon anyway—stuck in there by yourself? It must get terribly boring. You'd be much better off coming with me to experience the wonders across the multiverse," Eriri said as she smoothed down Scarlet's long, scarlet hair draped over her back.

"The multiverse? So you really are from another world?" Scarlet's expression turned serious.

She knew something of other worlds; she had flown through the Dimensional Gap for years, as it was both her natural habitat and a place to monitor interdimensional entities.

"That's right. I do come from another universe. And while you may be the strongest on this planet, you're nowhere near the most powerful in the multiverse," Eriri replied. She continued, "Plus, in one of the worlds adjacent to this one, there are beings far stronger than you. Not too many years from now, they'll cross the Dimensional Gap and launch an attack. In the future I know, you end up defeated, decapitated by an evil god from that world."

The notion of such a fate darkened Scarlet's expression.

"Can you truly foresee the future?"

"It might not be quite what you're thinking, but it's close enough. So, how about it? Want to be my dragon companion? I'll help you become even stronger than you are now," Eriri's words were gentle but unmistakably persuasive.

Eriri had no intention of traveling to the EXE world to handle those evil gods. Besides, the EXE invasion wouldn't occur until a few decades into the future. By then, Rias might already be a cosmic-level powerhouse herself. When the time came, the EXE forces would just be storming in to face defeat.

After some careful consideration, Scarlet finally nodded, accepting Eriri's offer.

"Very well. In that case, I shall accept."

As a dragon god born from fantasy, Scarlet's power had been fixed at its peak since her creation, and her strength couldn't improve any further through training alone. If she did nothing, her future demise would be inevitable.

Though she was unafraid of death, Scarlet wasn't the type to simply accept it without seeking a way to change her fate.

A short while later, the rift in the Dimensional Gap opened once more, and two figures, one tall and one small, stepped out hand-in-hand.

...

Inside a grand palace, a throne stood at the far end. Sitting on it was a black-haired loli in a black dress, her cuteness rivaling Scarlet's.

Her long black hair didn't quite reach the floor like Scarlet's, but it flowed down to her thighs.

There was no expression on her face as she sat on the throne, still as a delicate doll.

Suddenly, the black-haired loli raised her head, her gaze fixed on the distant sky.

The moment Scarlet and Eriri emerged from the Dimensional Gap, the black-haired loli sensed Scarlet's presence.

That familiar, dreamlike aura—there was no mistaking it. The memory of being driven from the Dimensional Gap all those years ago remained fresh in her mind.

"Great Red..." the black-haired loli murmured softly.

This black-haired loli was none other than Ophis, the other dragon god besides Scarlet. Known as the Infinite Dragon God, she was the Ouroboros, the symbol of eternal reincarnation, and possessed infinite power. She was born from the void of the Dimensional Gap and was one of the most formidable beings in the DxD world.

Years ago, Ophis had been defeated by Scarlet and driven from her home in the Dimensional Gap, leaving her to wander the earth ever since. To reclaim the stillness of her original home, Ophis became the leader of a dangerous organization known as the Khaos Brigade.

But before she could gather the strength to confront Scarlet again, her adversary seemed to have taken the lead in leaving the Dimensional Gap.

Though Ophis had existed for a very long time, her personality remained pure and innocent, like a child's. She never realized that those who joined the Khaos Brigade only pretended to support her goal, when in truth, they wanted to use the power she granted them. To them, Ophis was nothing more than a "dragon tool."

The next moment, Eriri and Scarlet appeared right before Ophis.

Ophis wasn't surprised by their sudden arrival; her face remained expressionless as she kept her gaze firmly on Scarlet.

"Great Red, it's been a while," Ophis said in her usual flat tone.

As she spoke, Ophis rose from her throne, appearing before Eriri and Scarlet.

Seeing Scarlet in loli form didn't surprise Ophis, nor did she seem eager to fight. She knew from experience that she wasn't strong enough to defeat Scarlet.

"Hello, Ophis. I didn't expect Eriri to bring me here to see you." Scarlet gave Eriri a pointed look, already guessing her intentions.

Her guess was correct. Having brought Great Red along, it was only natural that Eriri would also want to recruit the Infinite Dragon God. After all, she'd always been a fan of this "infinite cute dragon" in her previous life.

Eriri let go of Scarlet's hand, stepping forward to playfully ruffle Ophis's hair.

"Yes, excellent texture," Eriri murmured with a smile as she pinched Ophis's slightly pointed ears and ran her fingers over her smooth, white cheeks.

The blank-faced Ophis didn't react to Eriri's touches, though her attention now shifted to Eriri.

Perhaps because the two dragon gods couldn't gauge human beauty standards, they hadn't been struck by Eriri's looks.

"You are strong," Ophis said in a calm voice, looking at Eriri.

Like Scarlet, Ophis couldn't see through Eriri's nature or sense her power. But as one of Earth's top combatants, she was attuned to matters of strength and instinctively knew that Eriri was far beyond her. Without hesitation, she sought Eriri's help, even though Scarlet stood right there.

"Will you help me defeat Great Red and reclaim my peaceful solitude?"

Before Eriri could answer, Scarlet replied first, addressing Ophis's question. "Ophis, you don't need to fight me anymore. I've decided to leave the Dimensional Gap and follow Eriri to explore the multiverse."

Scarlet didn't mind Ophis's naive attitude and openly shared her new plans.

With a faint smile, she continued, "So now, you're free to return to the Dimensional Gap and enjoy your quiet life."

"Really? Though it's not how I'd planned to reclaim the Dimensional Gap, I don't mind. I only wanted to restore the silence," Ophis replied without any hint of resentment.

Despite being driven out by Scarlet, Ophis harbored no anger or hatred. Her goal was simply to return to the Dimensional Gap, and if Scarlet was willing to leave voluntarily, her mission was complete.

"But that won't do, Ophis. Why not come with me instead? The Dimensional Gap may be quiet, but the outside world is so much more exciting," Eriri said, placing a gentle hand on Ophis's head to keep her from returning to the Dimensional Gap.

"I was born from the void of the Dimensional Gap. All I seek is the silence and emptiness," Ophis muttered, trying to wriggle free. But no matter how she struggled, she found herself powerless, as though Eriri's hand was a solid barrier holding her back.

"That won't do." Eriri wagged a finger at her with a feigned look of regret. "Looks like I'll have to be a bit more forceful."

With a light tap to Ophis's head, Eriri severed her link to the Dimensional Gap. From now on, the Dimensional Gap would actively repel her, meaning Ophis would be unable to enter it even if she wanted to.

"Now, try going back to the Dimensional Gap," Eriri said with a delighted smile as she removed her hand from Ophis's head.

Ophis gave Eriri a questioning look, but saying nothing, she waved her hand to open a rift in the Dimensional Gap, revealing its familiar scenery.

Upon seeing her home once more, the smallest of smiles appeared on Ophis's usually blank face, making her look even cuter.

"I can finally return home," she whispered.

But just as she tried to step forward, her expression froze. Her face, typically so calm, showed a flicker of emotion.

"What's happening? Why can't I enter the Dimensional Gap? My home is right there!" Ophis looked back and forth between the Dimensional Gap and her own hands, her face full of disbelief.

In a desperate attempt, she reached out for the rift, but her hand couldn't pass through. It was as though her body and the rift belonged to two separate worlds with no point of intersection.

Scarlet, taken aback by what she saw, tried opening a rift of her own and, unlike Ophis, had no trouble entering the Dimensional Gap.

"Eriri, how did you do that?" Scarlet asked in amazement after she exited the Dimensional Gap.

Meanwhile, Ophis quickly reached for Eriri's hand, her face showing a rare expression of urgency.

This was entirely different from being driven out before. Back then, she'd only encountered Scarlet's opposition, and defeating her would have let her reclaim her dominion over the Dimensional Gap.

But now, it was as if she'd been cut off from her home entirely.

If this situation couldn't be resolved, she would forever lose hope of returning to her homeland. No matter how much help she sought, it would be futile.

"As you can see, Ophis-chan, I placed a small barrier on you, which is why you can't enter the Dimensional Gap," Eriri said casually, as if she didn't think she'd just done something terribly unfair to Ophis.

"How about this: stay with me for thirty years, and then I'll remove the restriction and guarantee that you'll never be driven out again. How does that sound?"

To get Ophis on board, Eriri was truly pulling out all the stops. There were countless ways to get Ophis to follow her without any resistance, but that would be too dull. Eriri was certain that after thirty years with her, Ophis would have no desire to return to the Dimensional Gap to live in isolation.

Ophis thought quietly for a moment before ultimately agreeing to Eriri's terms, officially becoming her second dragon companion.

Seeing that she now held the hands of a red-haired and a black-haired little loli on either side, Eriri's face broke into a satisfied smile.

At that moment, someone else entered the palace where Eriri, Scarlet, and Ophis were.

A young man with a spear strolled into the hall. He wore a blue-gray outfit with a white cloak draped over it, which was casually unbuttoned and hung loosely from his waist.

"Hey, hey, hey! Just where do you think you're taking our leader?" he asked in a cocky tone, his face full of arrogance.

But the three inside the hall showed no inclination to respond, and Eriri turned to face him with a look of utter disbelief, as though staring at a fool.

She'd recognized him at once from his spear. This was none other than the head of the Hero Faction of the Khaos Brigade, a direct descendant of the legendary warlord Cao Cao of the Three Kingdoms period.

This descendant not only bore his ancestor's name but was considered one of the most powerful humans in the DxD world. The unusual spear he wielded was none other than the original and strongest Sacred Gear, the Holy Spear of the Setting Sun.

Cao Cao was visibly startled the moment he laid eyes on Eriri. He'd always prided himself on being indifferent to matters of love, but at the sight of Eriri, he found all his previous notions to be utter nonsense.

"I am the leader of the Hero Faction, Cao Cao, wielder of the Sacred Gear 'True Longinus.'"

Cao Cao introduced himself eagerly, as if he feared Eriri might overlook his greatness.

"Such a beautiful lady, may I ask your name?" he said, bowing slightly with a hand on his chest, abandoning his prior arrogance.

But Eriri only cast a disdainful look at Cao Cao. She held no goodwill toward this schemer who had caused countless misdeeds. Now, to top it off, he was trying to show off in front of her? Was he asking for trouble?

With an expressionless face and too lazy to speak, she simply waved her hand. In an instant, Cao Cao vanished from the palace, leaving only the Holy Spear lying quietly on the floor.

Eriri made a beckoning gesture with her finger, and the spear floated over to her, now a masterless weapon. Holding the Holy Spear, Eriri quickly sensed a faint soul resting within it, emanating a weak, sacred aura.

It was unmistakably the remnant soul of the God of the Bible. Judging by its vague shape, the God of the Bible was also a loli!

Great Red, Ophis, and now the God of the Bible. The top three existences in the DxD world were all lolis. Who knew, maybe even Trihexa 666 was also a loli!

In ancient times, the God of the Bible expended great energy sealing away the apocalyptic beast 666, otherwise known as Trihexa, to prevent the world's destruction. In her weakened state, she had ultimately faced the Four Great Satans alone, perishing in the battle alongside them.

No one had expected that the God of the Bible would survive, leaving a remnant of her soul hidden within the Holy Spear. She had likely foreseen her fate and prepared this as a safeguard.

But for the God of the Bible to revive herself with only this soul fragment was virtually hopeless. For Eriri, however, restoring her would be a trivial task.

Not planning to address it immediately, Eriri simply stowed the Holy Spear in her inventory.

Neither Scarlet nor Ophis reacted to Cao Cao's death as if he were nothing more than a ant.

Soon, Eriri brought her two dragon lolis, one red and one black, back to the Occult Research Club's headquarters at Kuoh Academy.

…

The school bell rang, and the students of Kuoh Academy poured out of their classrooms, filling the air with chatter. Most students headed off to their club activities, while a few of the "Go-Home Club" members eagerly rushed out of the school.

Originally an all-girls school, Kuoh Academy had only transitioned to a coed private school last spring, so more than eighty percent of its students were still female, making male students a rare sight.

The president of the student council at Kuoh Academy was none other than Rias's childhood friend, another pure-blooded devil, Sona Sitri.

Her real name was Sona Sitri, heiress of the powerful Sitri family and younger sister to the current Leviathan, one of the Four Great Satans.

With her black, short hair and round glasses, Sona may have had a petite frame, but she was still quite beautiful.

At the moment, she was sitting at her desk in the student council office, a thoughtful frown on her face.

She had just received news that Rias would soon be facing her fiancé in a Rating Game to determine the fate of her engagement. Sona was well aware of Rias's resentment toward the arranged marriage, so she could only wish Rias victory in the game so she could be freed from this unwanted obligation.

In pure-blood devil society, the engagement between the House of Gremory and the House of Phoenix was a matter of common knowledge, and Sona was no exception.

Unlike Rias, who had only four pawns, Riser boasted a full set of fifteen, giving him a significant numerical advantage. His previous Rating Games had left him with an impressive near-perfect win record.

To Sona, it seemed Rias's chances of victory were slim. She couldn't understand why Rias was so eager to rush into a Rating Game; if she gathered more pawns first, her chances would improve.

But this was due to a lack of information. In the Underworld, Riser Phoenix might well be laughing at Rias's recklessness. If he knew she now possessed powers beyond a Super Devils, he'd likely be too shocked to speak.

…

Back at the Occult Research Club headquarters, Rias, Akeno, and the others looked at Scarlet and Ophis with stunned expressions as they returned to the club after classes.

"Eriri, I never expected you'd bring both the True Red Dragon Emperor and the Infinite Dragon God back with you..."

While Rias was taken aback by their appearance, she wasn't overly shocked; perhaps just a little surprised to see the True Red Dragon Emperor had taken on the form of a little loli.

After watching Eriri's memory footage, she'd expected the True Red Dragon Emperor's human form to resemble an old man, and the contrast was jarring.

Having already witnessed Eriri's power firsthand, the star-level powers of Scarlet and Ophis no longer instilled the same awe as they once might have.

"Well? Aren't they cute?" Eriri said, sitting on the sofa with a loli on each side. One was full of dignity, the other innocence, and it was clear Rias and the others were feeling a little envious.

"They're definitely adorable."

"Hmm, hmm. I'll accept your compliment," Scarlet said with a satisfied nod, arms crossed, as she addressed Rias and the others.

Ophis, on the other hand, blinked her big, black eyes, quietly observing everyone.

Despite having lived on Earth for quite a while after leaving the Dimensional Gap, this was her first time experiencing such a friendly atmosphere.

At first, she'd wandered alone without contact, and even as the leader of the Khaos Brigade, she'd spent most of her time silently seated on her throne. Any visitors came solely to ask her for more power.

This setting was something new, but it wasn't an unpleasant change.

"As expected of Eriri-sama. Even legendary dragon gods seem to fall effortlessly under her sway," thought Koneko, glancing at Eriri with eyes full of admiration.

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