Rias Gremory, High-Class devil and person in charge of the administration of Kuoh Town sighed as she set her pen down, finally finished with the paperwork she had to do as overseer of the city. She reached back and rubbed the back of her neck with a soft groan as she relaxed.

She was alone in the old school building that was the base of the Occult Research Club. If you didn't count Gasper in his sealed room, at least. Everybody else was out fulfilling contracts, leaving her to do her own work with some tea Akeno had left her, which had unfortunately gone cold.

She looked out the window and blinked, surprised by how early it was. She thought she'd spent more time on the paperwork than she actually had, but it was only just getting to be time for the school clubs of Kuoh Academy to finish their activities for the day.

Getting up in order to stretch her legs she made her way to the window, pushing it open so she could look out over the school grounds that were visible from her position, absently brushing some of her long crimson hair out of her eyes. Taking a deep breath she enjoyed the clear air and the light breeze. Gazing around her blue eyes stopped when they caught sight of somebody seated under a tree nearby, apparently wanting the relative solitude that came from being this far from the main school area. One of Rias' eyebrows rose when she realized it was Hyoudou Issei.

Gaining a reputation during his first year at Kuoh Academy as a member of the Perverted Trio, the three most unrepentantly lecherous male members of the student body, the boy had always amused Rias with his antics. She found his honesty with his desires refreshing. It wasn't as though nearly everybody else in the student body didn't have the same sorts of urges, after all. Rias wasn't ashamed to admit she found more than a few of the staff and students of Kuoh attractive, even if she'd personally be unlikely to act on those impulses, for multiple reasons. And seeing the three get chased around campus by enraged students they'd been peeping on was entertaining.

Of course, things had changed once the summer break came around.

One day shortly after the end of the school year Hyoudou Issei simply seemed to vanish from the face of the earth. One night he had gone out with his friends, but he never arrived back home. The police had been called in short order, quickly beginning to investigate. Kuoh Town was a relatively quiet city, thanks in part due to the efforts of Rias and her friend/rival/coruler Sona's peerages, but that didn't mean the police force wasn't competent. They had begun searching within hours of Issei's disappearance, with no luck. They were only able to ascertain a last known location after talking to the other members of the trio, Matsuda and Motohama, which was a store that specialized adult doujinshi and eroge. After that the trail went cold.

Rias and Sona performed their own investigation, of course. Not only was there the possibility of something of the supernatural variety being involved, but Sona took her responsibilities as Student Council President extremely seriously. Unfortunately they didn't end up having much more luck than the police, not finding hide nor hair of Issei.

It had been an extremely harrowing time for the elder Hyoudous. Their precious son had disappeared, and nobody could tell them why or how. Anybody who saw them could read the stress that lined their faces, both of them spending quite a bit of time at one of the shrines that called Kuoh home. Unfortunately, as the days passed, it seemed as though they would be doomed to never know what became of their only child.

Then, out of nowhere, a week before the new school term was about to begin, a frantic 110 call led to his discovery in a random alley in town. According to the police and medical reports Rias and Sona had been able to get their hands on after the fact, Issei had been an absolute mess. When first responders arrived they thought he'd been dunked in red paint, he was covered in so much blood. Ninety percent of his body was covered in either wounds of various sizes and shapes, or extensive scarring indication previous, now healed over injuries from things such as blades, gunshots, animal fangs and claws. To say it was a miracle he was alive was a severe understatement.

Rias and Sona had surreptitiously visited his hospital room once he was determined to be in stable condition in order to see if they could find out anything the more mundane authorities wouldn't be able to. Unfortunately they were unable to determine anything overtly supernatural about his condition, though there were a few things that stood out.

First of all, as would be noted in the medical report, the scarring seemed to be older and more healed than it should be. He had only been gone a little over a couple of months, and many of the scars appeared to be older than that.

Second, and possibly related, Issei was in better physical shape than would be expected. Under the scars and wounds he was well muscled and toned, not like a body builder, more like a mixed martial arts fighter. Like somebody that trained their entire body in combat. But, again, not enough time had passed to allow for his physique considering his former, somewhat average level of physical fitness.

Third, he was healing too fast. Not at an absurd rate like something out of an anime, but his wounds were definitely closing a bit faster than they should, even if he'd still be in the hospital for weeks. Yet another mystery to add to the growing pile.

When Issei woke up it was to joyous parents and confused police. He was questioned extensively, but he professed to not remember anything about the time he was missing, nor about how he'd gotten so horrifically injured. Eventually the police gave up on getting anything out of him, but this strengthened two devils' belief that something supernatural had occurred to Hyoudou. Only magic would be able to so completely erase memories like that. If he was telling the truth, that is. They would later find reasons to believe he wasn't.

When Issei had finally returned to school it had been to mixed reactions. Despite his previous reputation people were glad that he was alive, several saying so outright to him when he arrived. On the other hand, the Japanese people were not culturally accepting of scars in general, and Issei's visage was not as inviting now. He had several large scars on his face, including one that looked like whatever made it had almost taken his left eye, and another long one reaching most of the way from his right ear to the corner of his mouth.

When he'd first walked through the school gates Rias and Sona had been there to greet him. Sona in her position as Kaichou of the school, Rias as a concerned senpai. Both had been struck by the difference in his attitude from the way he was previously.

Both girls were highly attractive, if in different ways, and they knew it. But whereas the old Issei probably would have been nervous talking to some of the most popular girls in school, if he could focus on what they said instead of on Rias' rather large bust, this new Issei glanced at her breasts for a moment before focusing on the conversation at hand and speaking to them in a calm and friendly manner, a small smile on his lips.

The conversation was basic, the two girls offering their support to help Issei adjust to being back, with Sona also informing him that she'd see to it that any medical necessities he had were catered to, within reason. He'd thanked them and told them he'd let them know if anything came up before he made his way to class with only another brief glance at their chests as he left.

Since then Rias had kept an eye on him using her bat familiar. However nothing much seemed to happen for the next few weeks. He hung out with his friends, spent time with his understandably protective parents, occasionally went to the adult store the police had traced his steps to before, and otherwise lived normally.

In fact, the biggest change so far was the fact that he'd stopped peeping with the other members of the perverted trio, much to the relief of the female segment of the school population. He was definitely still interested in the female form, but it was as though he didn't feel the need to peep anymore. She'd almost believe that he'd found himself a girlfriend that would cater to his desires, but she hadn't seen any evidence of that.

Of course, things had changed when it came to her estimation of him upon Koneko's report on what had happened during the afternoon two days before…

Toujou Koneko walked home after stopping at a sweets shop to buy herself some treats. She'd just finished her day's duties and was looking forward to some quiet time curled up on her favorite armchair, enjoying her purchases.

It was as the loli was walking by an alley near the shop she'd just left that she heard someone talk to her. "Hey there, girly. What's a cute little thing like you doing around here?"

The white haired girl glanced into the alley, wondering who had used such a pathetically cliche line. She saw that it was a group of stereotypical delinquents, probably third years in highschool, going by their non-Kuoh Academy uniforms.

Determining that they weren't a threat, or even interesting, Koneko decided to ignore them and continue on her way. Unfortunately, displaying the intelligence one would expect of them, the toughs moved closer, one of them grabbing her and dragging her into the alley, much to her annoyance.

"Hey, we were talking to you." The delinquent leader said with an unpleasant smirk on his face, a hand on her shoulder. "No need for you to leave when you could have some fun with us." When the girl didn't say anything, simply staring at him flatly, he seemed to take that as her being too intimidated to speak. "Don't worry, we won't hurt you. Too much, that is…" As his underlings chuckled and Koneko's frown grew he took the paper bag from her hands. "What's this? Got enough to share, girlie?"

Koneko was already pretty irritated, but having her sweets taken was enough to break her self control. She was about to pick the irritating little bastard up and turn him into a pretzel, laying low be damned, when a new voice interrupted the impending violence. "What are you jackasses doing with my kouhai?"

All seven people in the alley turned to look at who had spoken, momentarily distracted. At the mouth of the alley stood Hyoudou Issei, looking suitably intimidating with his scarred face and hands, uniform jacket open to reveal a red t-shirt with a black tribal design of a western broadsword that hid packed muscle.

One of the delinquents, a particularly large and stupid looking one, moved to intercept. "Stay outta this, kid." He rumbled. "We're just going to have some fun with the girl."

Issei's eyes darkened. "Oh, I see. In that case…" Without warning his leg shot up between the older boy's legs, who's eyes bulged open, a strangled wheeze escaping him as he unceremoniously dropped to the floor in a fetal position, clutching at his family jewels.

"Yama!" One of the others cried as he saw what happened. "You're going to pay for that, you fucking punk!" He shouted, grabbing a rusty pipe from a pile of remains from a renovation nearby and stalking forward. He swung down at Issei's head, but the other boy sidestepped, letting the pipe move harmlessly beside him. The delinquent blinked in confusion, apparently having expected Issei to stay still and let his skull get cracked.

The scarred young man reached down and grabbed the pipe with both hands, wrenching it from his assailant's grip, before bringing it around to strike the boy's stomach after a brief moment to adjust his hold, making the delinquent lose his breath with a cough. Then he grabbed the side of his head and drove it into the brick wall, making the wannabe gangster drop to the ground, concussed.

"Next." Issei said blandly as he watched the other four delinquents glance at each other, the leader having let Koneko go. The loli had retrieved her sweets and stepped back, watching intently so she could report what she saw to her King.

The leader looked at his subordinates before pointing at Issei angrily. "Get the bastard!" The other three boys each grabbed a weapon from the pile before advancing, though one slipped on some brass knuckles, their faces angry over the defeat of their comrades.

One armed a two by four rushed Issei with a roar he apparently thought was intimidating. Issei disagreed, as without flinching he took two steps forward into the other boy's reach and swung the pipe still in his hand at his attacker's leg. The wood wielder yelped and stumbled, Issei helping him along by moving to the side and tripping him with a foot, sending him to the ground.

Before Issei could take advantage of two by four being down the one with the brass knuckles got into range to start punching. Issei turned and deflected the first punch with a move Koneko recognized as that of someone proficient in martial arts, brushing it aside with almost contemptuous ease. The next punch he dodged entirely, the fist missing his cheek by an inch. Now that the puncher was open Issei threw his own much like a boxer would, slamming the heavy blows right into the thug's solar plexus. The brawler stumbled back, wheezing, but he didn't get to recover before Issei slammed an uppercut into his chin. The battered boy dropped, instantly unconscious.

Two by four had recovered by now, standing up with plank of wood in hand. The last of the underlings, a boy with a shaved head and a heavy chain as a weapon, stood at Issei's other side, so that he was surrounded. He glanced from one to the other, eyes narrowed and body ready to move. Then the two toughs charged at him simultaneously, yelling at the top of their lungs.

Issei rolled his eyes before stepping towards wood plank, reaching up as the older boy swung the board down, the wood slapping into his palm. He used his grip to turn and dodge behind his assailant, smacking his backside with the pipe still in his hand, making him once again stumble forward. Of course, unlike last time, this time one of his comrades was swinging a chain at head height. He didn't stand a chance, joining his comrades on the ground in short order.

Chains stopped, shocked at what he'd just done. He didn't notice Issei throw his pipe at his face till after it had already impacted with a crunch, prompting him to join the rest of the delinquents on the floor, moaning in pain and out of the fight, leaving only the boss.

Issei slowly turned to said boss, cracking his neck as he calmly began walking. Shaken, the leader of the thugs stepped back before scrambling to pull a switchblade out of his pocket. "S-stay back!" He barked, a tremor in his voice. "Don't you fucking come near me, you son of a bitch!"

Issei ignored him, walking closer till he was only barely out of striking range. His brown eyes bored into the shaking hooligan, his scarred visage adding to the intimidation factor considerably. "Let my kouhai go, and you remain conscious. Capice?"

The boy glanced from Issei, to his defeated underlings, to Koneko, and back. "Fine!" He whined. "Take the little bitch. She's not worth the trouble."

Nodding Issei motioned to Koneko, who quickly stepped forward beside him. Her senpai turned and began to walk out of the alley, the small girl following, but he paused, turning his head to glare at the last delinquent standing. "Let me make myself abundantly clear. I ever hear of you harassing a girl, any girl, again, I'll come back and make sure all of your hospital stays are… extensive…" When the shaking boy nodded frantically he smiled with satisfaction before continuing to make his way out.

Issei waited till they were a couple of blocks from the alley before turning to Koneko. "Are you alright, Toujou-chan?"

"...Hai, senpai…" Koneko said softly in her customary soft monotone. "Thank you for your help."

Issei patted her head, which Koneko allowed. "That's good. If anybody like that bothers you again let me know and I'll take care of it." When the loli nodded he stretched, popping his back. "Alright, head on home then. I'll see you at school." Turning he began to leave. "Bye!"

Koneko waved lightly as he left before turning to begin walking away. But instead of heading home she made her way back to school, knowing her King would want to hear about what had just happened.

There was definitely more to Issei than met the eye, considering what Koneko had told Rias. She'd made him out to be very competent and skilled, seemingly dealing with the delinquents without really trying. It made the crimson haired devil wonder how good he'd be in a real fight, and what his capabilities would be as, say, a rook.

As she watched Issei shifted and stretched, yawning before standing up, twisting to get the kinks out. Then he looked over in her direction, his eyes landing on her before he smiled, raising a hand in greeting.

Rias smiled warmly as well, waving back. When he left after a quick nod she closed the window and moved back to her seat.

She hoped she'd be able to learn more about Issei soon. The mystery of it all was getting to her, and she was definitely intrigued. She wondered just what the answers would end up being. And a small, treacherous part of her wondered how she'd be able to use it to her advantage against a certain puffed up peacock.

Issei smiled as he headed up to his room after dinner with his parents. The two were still so protective of him, eager to have him nearby at all times. Not that he could really blame him. He had given them quite a scare.

As he walked into his room, shutting the door behind him, the girl sitting on his bed reading a manga spoke, her voice high pitched yet pleasant. "Boss, I know you want us to lay low until we've determined who's watching us with that little bat thing outside, but I'm bored out of my freaking skull! Yeah, I have plenty of games to play and anime to watch, but I miss being outside."

Issei waited till after he'd removed his coat before responding. "Shouldn't be long now, Bell-chan. I've narrowed it down to somebody at school. Once I have a definitive answer we'll be able to determine the best course of action."

The girl he was addressing got off the bed and flew over to hover in front of him. She was small, slightly taller than the length of his forearm, with ice blue hair styled in upwards spikes and mischievous blue eyes, wings similar to a dragonfly's, except more angular, emerging from her back. She wore a purple leotard over tight black leggings, which was itself covered by a form fitting armor plate which covered her stomach and breasts, with odd studs in the positions her nipples were. Purple boots covered her feet, while gloves of the same color came up to her upper arms, almost to her shoulders. Crystal earrings hung from her long, pointed ears and a gorget covered her neck and a bit of her upper chest.

"That better be soon, boss. Seriously, I'm going stir crazy. I'm going through your collection of stuff way too fast." She huffed before moving to sit on the edge of his desk. "Even all your eroge is losing its appeal. I never thought that would happen!"

Issei chuckled as he removed his shirt and tossed it aside, revealing his scarred and toned upper body. "Well then, perhaps you need something more physically demanding to burn some of that excess energy?" He gave her a crooked smile.

Bell grinned lecherously, eyes raking lustfully along Issei's form. "Ooh… I like the way you think, boss." She began to shed her own clothes almost frantically, and when she was finally nude, revealing pale nipples and small patch of blue pubic hair, she launched herself at him, the much larger one of the pair laughing as he caught her and held her close, his actions displaying his care for her.

"Eager, aren't you?" He said with a grin, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Shut up and get naked, boss." She ordered playfully, prompting him to laugh again and do as told before heading to bed, all thoughts of surveillance bats and potential confrontations forgotten as they lost themselves in each other.

Welcome to the rewrite of Dragon Walking With Demons!

I just want to say Happy Holidays to my readers, first of all. This is meant to be a present from me to those of you who have stuck with me since my first amateurish attempts at writing in the original version of this concept. Huge thanks to all of you.

I know a lot of those that read the original are probably thinking 'about fucking time, jackass'. That is completely fair.

I've only recently reached the point in the light novel where I feel comfortable restarting. I'm sure there are more retcons and revelations after the point I stopped, but I reached the volume who's events would indicate the end of this fic and the beginning of the prequel, so I figured I had what I needed. I won't say which volume that was though.

I intend for there to be some differences between this version and the old one, mainly in things that I did wrong or were unnecessary in the original.

For example, the honestly rather cringy concept of Issei being so powerful he makes devil women all lusty is gone. It didn't make sense, served no purpose, and was basically my attempts to make Issei 'cooler'. In the end it got in the way more than anything else.

I'll also try to avoid sticking to canon so closely again. Certain things need to stay the same, such as some of the overarching conflicts in certain volumes, because they're necessary for my endgame. But the details, and how they're resolved, will be different. This Issei is powerful, experienced, and has some clue what he's doing. That changes things. Especially since he doesn't need to power up using boobs. Should save Rias some embarrassment.

I'll also try to sprinkle in some original content between the events of the volumes, if they fit. Much like what you saw with the Bell and Elena centric chaps in the original.

I think that's all I have to say at the moment, so I'll take this moment to state that you can have a say in what I write if you donate to my Pat A Ron. Each dollar you donate equals a vote in my monthly poll of fics to update, and this story will be added to next month's so you can vote for it if you want to see it get updated soon. So that's at Pat A Ron dotcom /athanmortis.

Till next time, thank you for reading, please review, and Happy Holidays.