Ancient Forest – Tannin
The wind that usually only whispered through the giant leaves now roared fiercely through the Ancient Forest. Animals ran scared, birds flew away in panic from their nests. The atmosphere was eerie, filled with an invisible yet physically felt pressure.
Tannin, the former Dragon King, who was meditating in the center of an ancient stone circle, slowly opened his eyes. The dark green scales on his body vibrated faintly.
"This pressure..." he murmured, his voice deep and resonant. "Unmistakable."
He stood up, his large and mighty body moving with restrained power. His sharp eyes gazed far to the east, as if they could penetrate the trees and continents.
"Great Red, Tiamat, even... Ophis." Each name was spoken with deep respect and wariness.
He looked towards Kuoh once more, as if he could see the invisible vortex of energy disrupting the balance of nature. "I hope other Dragons are not reckless enough to provoke that area. Especially with Great Red descending to the underworld..."
"That is not a common occurrence," he whispered to the wind.
He closed his eyes again, trying to continue his meditation. However, the tranquility was already broken. Although the world was in turmoil, he forced himself to remain calm, to be the silent guardian of balance.
"I hope we can meet again soon... Ddraig," he murmured, remembering his old rival and brother who had now awakened in an unexpected way.
The Depths of the Ocean - Midgardsormr
In the lightless depths of the ocean, where water pressure could crush modern submarines, something far larger moved.
The World Serpent, Midgardsormr, opened his eyes for the second time in a short span. His glowing blue eyes, as large as ships, lit up in the eternal darkness.
The waves on the surface immediately split. A giant whirlpool formed without natural cause, creating irregular waves that weather satellites worldwide recorded as anomalies.
His whispers, in an ancient, extinct language, resonated through the water. This time, his tone was far more serious.
"Great Red has descended. Even Ophis and Tiamat have gathered." His unimaginably long body moved slowly, stirring the ocean floor.
"I'm sure other Dragons will be on full alert. Those who act recklessly... could disappear. Not just die."
This time, his century-long sleep was truly disturbed. His sleep would not be peaceful again for a long time.
The Roots of Yggdrasil - Níðhöggr
Deep beneath the roots of the World Tree Yggdrasil, in darkness denser than night, a large black dragon stirred restlessly. Its pitch-black scales creaked like giant iron chains.
Níðhöggr, the Root Gnawer, sensed it earlier than the others. This pressure was different—so absolute that it made him, the dragon feared for his cruelty, feel submissive without being able to do anything.
"ARGHHHH!" His roar thundered in the underground chamber, making the roots of Yggdrasil tremble. "Great Red, Tiamat... even Ophis! They disgust me!"
His body writhed, not from physical pain, but from pent-up frustration and anger. He knew: trying to devour them was akin to challenging absolute death. Especially Ophis, whose existence surpassed his understanding.
"Tch, annoying!" he hissed finally, before trying to calm down. But he knew the bitter truth: if he faced them, his defeat was certain.
Peak of a Remote Mountain – Yu-Long
Atop a mountain far from civilization, the air, usually cool and fresh, suddenly felt heavy, like molten iron.
"Why... my body..." Yu-Long, the youngest Dragon King, stood frozen. His breath was rapid, even though he hadn't fought a single move.
He stared to the east, towards Kuoh. The sky there vibrated with a vortex of energy visible to his eyes—a mix of Great Red's red, Ophis's black, Tiamat's blue, and a dark void he couldn't identify.
"This isn't... ordinary dragon pressure..." he whispered, his voice trembling. "Even Crom Cruach never emitted pressure like this..."
His knees buckled unconsciously. Not from injury, but because his dragon instinct—an ancient instinct embedded in his DNA—forced him to bow. An undeniable gesture of respect and submission.
Though he was a Dragon King, his body knew one absolute truth: the beings fighting there were in a completely different league. They were not entities he could challenge, even in his wildest dreams.
Peak of an Icy Mountain Range - Crom Cruach
Atop a nameless icy mountain peak, upon a stone altar that had endured for millennia, Crom Cruach—the Crescent Moon Dragon—was meditating.
When the pressure from the four dragons struck, his jet-black wings reflexively spread. The ice around him cracked and shattered.
"Hmph..." his voice echoed, shattering the frozen silence. "Ddraig... you finally return. And that aura—Great Red, Ophis, Tiamat... all gathered at once?"
He stood, his mighty body reflecting the moonlight. His eyes glowed with a purplish-red light. Without hesitation, he raised one hand and punched the sky.
BOOM!
An explosion of his personal pressure soared into the heavens, replying to and challenging the echoes of the great dragons in the distance. This wasn't an attack, but a statement—an invitation.
"If this is an invitation to fight..." he said, a thin smile appearing on his usually cold face. "I'm coming."
Mountainside near Kuoh - Bova Tannin
The sky above Kuoh Town might look normal to human eyes—just a dark, quiet night. But for Bova Tannin, the young pink dragon hovering on the mountainside, the world felt like it was about to crumble.
"...T-That's… not… not a normal aura…"
His voice broke, echoing on the mountainside. Usually, he was a spirited dragon, always seeking challenges. But now...
Four points of pressure on the horizon exploded like spiritual supernovas. The air around him seemed to refuse to move closer to the city center.
Bova trembled. His knees shook uncontrollably.
"No way… why can't my body move?!"
He wanted to fly, to see up close. But his body refused. The deepest instinct in his dragon blood screamed loudly:
"DON'T! THAT'S DISASTER! THAT'S NOT A PLACE FOR US!"
His breath caught. Around him, wildlife ran away. The sky began to lose its color—not because of night, but because local reality was being twisted by those four entities.
Memories of his father, Tannin, flashed by.
"You must know, Bova," Tannin had said once.
"There are dragons you cannot face, even if the whole world supports you. And if one day you see them… don't be arrogant. Even looking at them could shatter your soul."
Bova had laughed back then. Now...
"...Forgive me, Father. I… I was too arrogant…"
The pressure began to subside, but its effect remained. The scales on his back felt burned. His vision flickered. His head felt dizzy.
Bova groaned, not from physical pain, but from his new awareness of how small he was. His entire ego as a mighty dragon crumbled in an instant.
"I'm not even worthy of being called a dragon… compared to them."
The wind calmed again. But Bova's heart… still pounded rapidly, filled with the bitter lesson of true submission.
Saji Genshirou's House - Bedroom
The clock showed 10 PM. Saji had just made sure his two younger brothers and sisters were fast asleep. He himself wanted to rest immediately; tomorrow was a school holiday, and his mind was full of questions about Vitra and Issei's drastic changes.
As his finger almost touched the light switch, a tremendous pressure slammed into him.
THUD!
He immediately fell to his knees, as if pulled by gravity that had suddenly become ten times stronger.
"Wha… what is this?"
His chest tightened, aching as if struck by a sledgehammer. Before he could get up, thick black smoke billowed from his body. The Sacred Gear [Vitra] awakened on its own.
From within the smoke, an ancient, deep voice resonated. "Great Red, Ophis, Tiamat, and Ddraig again. It seems it's time for me to awaken from my slumber."
Saji, still under pressure, pleaded, "Vitra, can you help me? This pressure… is suffocating."
Vitra responded. The pressure from the four dragons suddenly decreased drastically around Saji, though not completely gone. "Are you my Host?" the voice asked.
"S-Saji Genshirou," he answered, slowly standing up.
"Good, Saji," Vitra said, his tone deep and purposeful. "Seek my other fragments. So that I may rise completely."
Saji was surprised. "Huh? Look for other Sacred Gear fragments?"
"Yes," Vitra confirmed. "I am still shackled by the Heaven's artifact system within this Sacred Gear. And…"
His voice sounded almost like a promise, "I will guide you to become a True Dragon. Not through Balance Breaker, but through existential and biological transformation. Like them."
Saji tilted his head, confused. "Them? The ones you mentioned earlier? Great Red, Tiamat, Ophis, and Ddraig?"
"Exactly," Vitra answered. "Ddraig is still imprisoned in Boosted Gear, but his True Dragon pressure is genuine. Juggernaut Drive won't be enough—that's just a metal coating. Real Dragon scales are stronger. You don't need to follow the Balance Breaker system. It's junk, because True Dragons don't require it."
Saji was stunned. His hands trembled. "So… you mean, I will become a Dragon? Truly?"
"Yes," Vitra affirmed. "Becoming a Dragon is not easy or trivial. Reality will bow to your will. Meaning? The world will follow your desire."
Saji's breath became irregular, his heart pounding fast. Vitra had not only awakened—he was offering transformation into the Dragon race, completely surpassing the Sacred Gear system.
Roof of a Tall Building, Kuoh - Vali Lucifer
Kuoh's peaceful sky was suddenly filled with rolling black clouds. The wind stopped. Time felt slowed.
On the roof of a tall building, Vali Lucifer suddenly halted his steps. His sharp eyes narrowed.
"What is this…? Ddraig's aura… but not like usual…"
Beside him, Albion appeared in spiritual form, his silver eyes shining brightly. "This is impossible… The auras of Ddraig, Great Red, Ophis… and another one… is that… TIAMAT?!" His voice sounded surprised, even a little… worried.
"And their power isn't just present. They are clashing—in the same place."
Vali stared towards the city center, where the sky seemed split like cracked glass. Spiritual pressure pressed on his chest even from this distance.
Kuroka, who was usually relaxed, now sat with cold sweat soaking her fur. Her tail and ears drooped in fear.
"Nya~... I can't move… What is this? It feels like I'll be destroyed just by standing here…"
Le Fay bit her lip until it almost bled, her body trembling. Her magic wand shook violently, almost slipping from her grip. "This… existential pressure… Even my magic can't flow properly…"
Vali clenched his fist, wanting to activate Balance Breaker. But Albion immediately stopped him.
"Don't be reckless, Vali! We will be annihilated even before getting close if you force your way into the radius of that clash! Their pressure isn't just energy—it's power twisting reality itself! They are altering the laws of nature around them!"
Suddenly, a wave of magic crackle emerged from a different direction, as if a forgotten Sacred Gear was responding to a call from the past.
Albion froze. "...Impossible. That's… Vitra?"
Vali turned his face. "Vitra? He's been sealed in Saji's Sacred Gear for a long time."
"Not entirely," Albion countered, his voice serious. "I sense… fragments of his core consciousness… He's awakening. Responding to the clash of us all."
"This is bad, Vali. If Vitra truly breaks free… and transforms his host into a dragon, or influences him with the emotions of an ancient dragon… the balance of this world will collapse."
Kuroka looked seriously. "We must—"
Vali raised a hand, cutting her off. "No. We cannot approach now. We can only… observe." His eyes shone coldly.
"And prepare if Kuoh becomes the greatest dragon battlefield in history."
The Divine Plains of Kailash - Shiva's Main Temple
In a realm beyond the mortal world, atop the eternal mountains of Kailash, the sky suddenly cracked from an invisible wave. The white clouds, usually untouched by time, vibrated like a shattered illusion. Spiritual vibrations pierced dimensions, touching the realm of the gods.
Shiva, the Destroyer, sitting in lotus position on his meditation stone, slowly opened his eyes. His three eyes gazed towards the human world.
"...Four dragons. Not an ordinary clash. They aren't just exchanging blows… they are touching the very foundations of that world's order."
His voice was calm, yet at his fingertips, faint blue light began to circle. It was a sign: tension, high-level alertness.
Beside him, Parvati looked on with deep concern. "Kuoh again?"
Shiva nodded slowly. But that wasn't what made his expression turn more serious.
"Ddraig, Great Red, Ophis, and… Tiamat. But not just them."
He paused for a moment, sensing something deeper. "I sense… Vitra. He… is stirring back to life from the belly of a Sacred Gear."
The hand holding the Trishula clenched slightly.
"...If Vitra awakens again in his true dragon form… then the entire balance system among the dragons will be shaken. And that means…"
He didn't finish the sentence. But Parvati understood. Her face paled.
The Heavenly Palace of Devaloka - Indra's Throne
In the heavenly realm of Devaloka, the dazzling light that usually soothed suddenly vibrated. The minor gods filling the heavenly palace hall suddenly fell silent, many falling to their knees from the pressure coming from outside their world.
Indra, the King of Heaven, stood on the crystal balcony of his palace. Small lightning flashes danced in his eyes as he gazed sharply towards the human world.
"My thunder will not be enough to repel dragons like that."
He clenched his fist. Vajra, his lightning weapon, vibrated beside him as if sensing its master's anger.
"I could accept if it was just Great Red or Ddraig. But all four? In one location? And… Vitra awakening…"
His voice hardened, full of suppressed emotion. Wild lightning began to flicker in the sky of Devaloka, reflecting Indra's explosive feelings.
"Do they want to repeat the Ancient Dragon War era?!" he roared, his voice echoing throughout the hall.
A war god approached hesitantly. "My lord… will we intervene—"
"NOT YET!" Indra cut him off, yet his eyes still held steely determination. "But if Kuoh truly becomes an exploding 'dragon hole'…"
He raised Vajra, the weapon glowing with deadly light. "...I will descend myself. With the full might of Vajra."
Mount Huaguo – The Hermitage of the Monkey King
Amidst the sound of flowing water and bamboo dancing softly, Sun Wukong sat under a cherry blossom tree that somehow grew in the mountains of China. A small monkey brought a watermelon, but Wukong let it roll away instead.
He turned his head towards the sky.
"Hah! You see that? That's not a storm, that's some kind of… retired dragons' party!"
His booming laughter echoed through the mountains.
"Heh… In the past, just two dragons made the sky tremble. Now all four at once? Plus Vitra who was sealed before? Insane!"
He stood up while spinning his legendary golden staff, Ruyi Jingu Bang, on his index finger.
"If I go there, the chaos would definitely increase by one level. But it would be fun too. The world needs chaos once in a while so it doesn't rust!"
Wukong grinned widely, then looked towards the southwest—towards Kuoh.
"You dragons… such drama queens. But I like it."
The world, from the depths of the forest to the peaks of the sky, from the ocean floor to the realm of gods, all felt the spiritual earthquake originating from a small town called Kuoh.
The fragile balance maintained for thousands of years was now shaken by the awakening and clash of living legends. And all eyes—human, devil, angel, god, and dragon—were now focused on the same single point.