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A wooden ladle hit his head. Natela smirked. “Focus on the toast, boy. To friendship. To fire. To the flame that never dies—even in the Caucasus snow.”
A towering man in a chokha —a traditional wool coat adorned with powder flasks—helped him up. “Welcome, boy, to the land of the Golden Fleece. I am Kote, a descendant of the Amirani —our Prometheus, chained for giving fire to mortals.”
Issei’s Sacred Gear, Boosted Gear , pulsed red on his left hand. But something was different. The dragon inside, Ddraig, spoke with a rumbling echo: “This land is old, partner. Older than the Three Factions. The local pantheon—the Ghvtismshobeli —sleeps, but their magic lingers in the blood of these people.” Highschool Dxd Qartulad
Rias, Akeno, and Kiba—who had tracked Issei through the rift—arrived just in time for the feast. Kiba tried chakhokhbili and wept tears of joy. Akeno became oddly fascinated by the polyphonic singing.
Ddraig chuckled: “I like her.”
“Then you will learn.” She raised a horn cup. “The first toast: to the dead who guard this land. Drink.”
Natela snarled. “You mistake strength for arrogance.” A wooden ladle hit his head
Issei blushed. “I mean, Natela-san is pretty...”
Kokabiel screamed. “This isn’t your world, boy!” To friendship
Issei blinked. “I... I’m seventeen.”