Using my wings to fly for the first time came with the ease of sliding on an old pair of shoes.

  There was no learning curve. I spread my wings, and I took off. That was all there was to it. Flying was the prerogative of both dragons and devils. It was a form of magic that came instinctively to us. Humans did not have to learn how to think, and I did not have to learn how to fly.

  I shot across the clear sky of Japan at blinding speeds. It did not take long until I left behind the island that had been my home for over a decade fully and found myself soaring over the vast blue sea of the Pacific Ocean.

  I was familiar enough with the world map to remember that all I had to do to make the trip from Japan over to the United States was continue heading east in a straight line. With that in mind, I carefully pinpointed the direction from which the sun had risen when I set off from Tokyo.

  Since then, I have not strayed from the path.

  My flight across the ocean was the first time that I was properly able to test the true limits of my speed.

  It was just as glorious as I had hoped it would be.

  What I had failed to consider, however, was the boredom that set in after long periods of sustained and uninterrupted flight.

  I was fast, but not faster than a plane. Not yet. I flew for hours. At first, I kept close to the ocean and amused myself by scaring the marine life. After even that had lost its appeal, I ascended towards the sky and plunged myself into the multitude of different-shaped clouds.

  My only companions during that time period were the occasional passenger planes that passed by me. The first time I saw one of them draw closer, I scoffed at my own recklessness.

  I truly could not fault the humans who choose to trade away their very freedom for the mere chance at devil magic. Not when it was that same magic that once again let me escape the consequences of my own carelessness.

  A simple exertion of will and demonic energy, coupled with a clear image of what I wished to achieve in my head, was all it took. I became invisible to all forms of mortal detection long before the plane was even close to catching sight of me. The spell took hold without any complications, and the plane flew past me without issue.

  —————-

  I had never before felt the existence of time zones as vividly as I did throughout the first half of my flight. I could not be completely certain, but I was reasonably sure that I had been flying across the open ocean for no more than six hours. With that timeframe in mind, the sight in front of me should have been impossible.

  The sun shone down from up high on its zenith. I had practically watched the white star climb across the sky as I traveled with inhuman speed from one corner of the world to the other.

  It was at that moment that I decided that enough was enough, and I got creative.

  Just as I had done in my battle against the ghoul, I allowed my draconic nature to rise up to the surface. A shuddering breath escaped me when my face elongated into a reptilian snout. My arms and legs extended into heavily muscled limbs, and my body grew and grew until I towered at a size at least twice my previous height. My bat-like wings hardened into scaled wings, and a tail grew from my collarbone.

  Once my transformation was complete, I felt more comfortable in my own body than I ever did before. It was like I had finally dropped a mask I had unknowingly worn all my life.

  A booming roar thundered across the sky as my speed increased even further. With my elevated velocity, I was confident that I could easily overtake any plane I came across with ease now. Unlike my humanoid form, this body was made for flight.

  Each of my mighty appendages served only one unified purpose: to turn me into the sole sovereign of the sky.

  A reverberating laugh burst out of me as my speed ramped up to previously unthinkable levels. I was sure that if it were not for my magic and my strong body, moving at that speed would have killed me.

  From there on, it took only a few more hours of flight for the scenery to change and a different view than the ever-present blue to make itself known.

  The first clue that I had finally reached my destination was a small, unassuming dot in the far distance on the horizon. With my enhanced speed, the dot did not remain in that shape for long and quickly enlarged until it revealed a sprawling coastline.

  Relief crashed into me as my long hours of boredom were finally reaching their end.

  I approached the United States with a smile on my face.

  If I was not completely mistaken and managed to stay true to my course, the approaching land was California. I observed the topography as it grew closer. There was no beach. The sea transitioned seamlessly into rocky ground. The only sign that civilization had reached these parts at all was a long highway cutting through otherwise untouched nature.

  I slowed my trajectory well before reaching land and came to a halt at the very edge of the country. I hovered in place a hundred meters above the earth and appraised the realm I would call home for the next few years.

  All I could see was an endless expanse of trees.

  I sighed and prepared myself for my landing.

  Are these really the United States? There is not a single McDonald's in sight…how suspicious. Has social media lied to me?… Well, I guess these are the early 2000s…maybe fast food is not popular yet? Hell if I know…

  I severed my connection to my draconic nature and donned my human guise once more.

  I crashed into the grass-covered ground like a meteor. The resounding noise was easily a match for the rolling rival thunder clapping across the sky above. Naturally, I did my best to land in a superhero pose.

  To my surprise, despite my enhanced physique, the pose really was murder on the knees.

  I was torn out of my brief moment of levity when a bright golden light blinded my eyes. I quickly averted my gaze and only shifted it back to the source when the harsh glow had abated.

  Standing before me with a solemn air surrounding them were three female figures, dressed in pure white cloaks.

  They looked rather striking. One of them was a young girl with wide eyes and long black hair. The second woman was an old hag with white hair and a diminutive height.

  However, it was the figure between them that immediately drew most of my attention. Even if I had tried to, which I did not, I could not have prevented it.

  Every part of my being was attracted to beautiful things. The side of me that was all devil desired it to possess it, and my inner dragon craved to hoard it. Not even my comparatively restrained human half was immune to the temptation of beauty.

  The woman appeared like a mature woman in the prime of her life. In line with what I had come to expect of this world, her figure was voluptuous in a way that was almost too perfect. Silky hair the color of a raven's wings flowed down her back like a waterfall.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Matching her siblings beside her, her eyes were a milky white, which would usually have been associated with sightlessness. A presumption that was immediately proven incorrect when, as one, they glared at me. The echoing voices they addressed me in were grave.

  Truth be told, if their lofty appearance had not already forced me to take them seriously and stop playing around, I would have undoubtedly compared what came next to triplets orchestrating a prank by completing each other's sentences. It was the young-looking one who opened the curtains to the following spectacle.

  "You are far from home, little devil.“

  "Little devil.“

  "Little human.“

  "You have intruded upon our domain.“

  "Creatures like you are not welcome here!"

  "This realm is not yours to despoil with your presence.“

  A brief moment of bafflement kept me from responding to their convoluted way of talking. Could they not have just appointed one of them to be their designated spokesperson? This was beyond eerie to witness. Maybe that was why they did it?

  "You…will have to excuse me, my ladies. You see, I did not know that there was an…immigration policy for the supernatural side of this country. Had I known…rest assured that I would have surely called first." I ended my speech with a smile. My expression, the very picture of boyish charm.

  "Do not joke with us, boy!“

  "There are forces at bay greater than you can even begin to imagine.“

  "We will not let a foolish child ruin the delicate web we have woven!“

  This was precisely why I never liked the concept of Fate, nor the idea that there were gods who claimed dominion over it.

  The web they have woven.

  How utterly arrogant. How unbelievably pretentious.

  How did they have the face to stand in front of me with such pride if all it took to threaten their designs was someone like me stepping foot on the very edge of their territory? I was not even that strong yet!

  What the hell kind of mess could I even cause?

  Be that as it may, I could clearly see that a more delicate approach was needed if I wished to succeed here. My usual attitude would not do.

  It was time for humble Ladora to make an appearance!

  "Who says that I have to disturb anything?… All I want is a place to live without disturbances for a mere handful of years. I desire to train in peace and do battle with a few of your pantheon's monsters…. That cannot be too much to ask for, can it? Besides...“

  While I was loath to do so, I was not bullheaded enough not to steal some of Ddraig's street cred when it benefited me.

  Today, the Heavenly Dragon would finally earn his keep!

  "…You would not turn away the Red Dragon Emperor, would you?…Not after all the effort I went through to visit your side of the world...“

  I unleashed the Boosted Gear in all of its glory. The shining jewel on the back of the crimson gauntlet shone with an emerald glow. Ddraig was listening in on our conversation and had successfully deduced my intent.

  The three ladies of Fate kept silent for a long moment. Eventually, they turned away from me and spoke amongst themselves in a language that I knew was not English, yet still understood nonetheless. It truly was good to be a devil.

  "It is the Red Dragon Emperor.“

  "A born dragon, no less.“

  "A Buné pillar devil wielding a Longinus!“

  "It is unprecedented...“

  "We can make use of him.“

  "Yes…we shall not turn the boy away.“

  They pivoted towards me in a completely synchronized set of movements. When they addressed me again, they spoke in English once more. Did they not know that I could understand them no matter the language they chose? They must know…. Was this some form of power play that I was too green to understand?

  "We will permit you to stay in our realm.“

  "We will weave you into our web.“

  "We will not punish your impertinence.“

  "But do not be mistaken!“

  "While you reside in our domain…“

  "…you will act only within the bounds..."

  "…of what we have sanctioned.“

  I suppressed a snort at the old women’s words. Did they really think that they could control me? I wasn’t even part of their mythology! What right did they have to speak of altering the course of my fate?

  The Moirai were deluding themselves if they thought they had any claim at all to my destiny. Sure, they could choose to attack and kill me at any moment. There was little I could do to stop them if that was their desire. Naturally, I would rage against it, but…it was an outcome that I could accept. Dying in battle was not a shameful end.

  However, what I could never accept was to be treated as nothing but a puppet that they pulled around by its strings.

  The immediate revulsion that rushed through me was undoubtedly the result of my recently awoken devilish instincts whispering into my ears.

  I discarded the desire to let my displeasure be known with no small amount of reluctance.

  I would play along. If nothing else, the next few years would undoubtedly prove to be entertaining.

  "Very well then…there is one thing I must ask before I agree to anything. I have quite recently discovered the…pleasure of a certain thing called mind magic. It is so very useful when it comes to getting mortals to do what I want them to…. You would not hold it against me if I used it to amuse myself a little bit, would you? After all, I do need a place to stay. You did not expect me to work a mortal job or sleep on the streets, did you?“

  The Moirai glared at me with their milky eyes.

  "You shall do no such thing, devil!“

  "The mortals of these lands belong to the Olympian Pantheon.“

  "They worship us, and in turn they are under our protection.“

  "You will not play with them!“

  "You will not use your magic to bend their minds!“

  "We have permitted you to stay here.“

  "Under the condition that you will only fight monsters.“

  "And the enemies of Olympus.“

  Their divine presence expanded until it enveloped the countryside in all directions. Their will to see me submit pierced through my very being…but I had endured the undivided attention of the Red Dragon Emperor himself. These women, no matter how mighty they may be in their own pantheon, did not scare me.

  "And if we find out that you used that abominable invention your kind calls Evil Pieces.“

  "To turn a member of our pantheon into one of your servants.“

  "Into one of your slaves!“

  "We will bring the full wrath of Olympus down upon you.“

  Their threats barely registered in my mind. I didn’t even have my Evil Pieces yet. At present, I wouldn’t be able to steal their best from them, like they feared, even if I wanted to.

  Whether I choose to do so in the future would depend entirely on my own mood and the…quality of the people residing within these lands. Maybe I would make them mine, maybe I wouldn’t. In the end, it was my decision to make, not theirs.

  "Oh my. How scary…I will do as you say…but answer me this…Where will I live? What will I eat? What will I wear? Do you expect me to live off the land like a common animal?“

  Their divine presence receded. The glares that they had directed at me shifted into more tolerant stares.

  "We will provide you with appropriate accommodations of our choosing.“

  "We will call upon you when the time is right.“

  "Until then, you are free to do as you please."

  "As long as you heed the warnings we have given you.“

  My own draconic presence that had risen in response to their posturing ramped up abruptly. Ddraig, guessing my intentions, made the Boosted Gear shine with a stark jade light.

  "Do you take me for a fool? Do not mistake my youth for naivety!…You want me to live in accommodations of your choosing? What…so that you can spy on me at your leisure and monitor my every move?“

  The Moirai‘s widened eyes blinked in response to my words. It was like the very idea that somebody would take offense at their constant attention was alien to them.

  "…Very well.“

  "We…will heed your…concerns.“

  "However, be aware that nothing that transpires within these lands is beyond our sight!“

  "We acknowledge that you are not part of our pantheon, and as such, some…discretion should be permitted.“

  "We hereby swear that we shall…avert our sight from the residence we have chosen for you.“

  "The only divine workings we shall leave in place will be to ensure that no additional foreign supernaturals can enter.“

  "On that…we will not compromise.“

  I nodded and reined in my aura. To be honest, I had mostly just been playing that up for theatrics. I did not want them to think that I was too agreeable after all. Who knew what they would ask of me if they thought that that was the case?

  "I have heard your conditions…I, Ladora Buné of House Buné, the Red Dragon Emperor of this generation, will accept them. Now, show me that place you have found for me.“

  The Fate's cloudy eyes grew unfocused for a moment.

  …Were they stunned by the gravitas of my words? Good, they should be. In my own humble opinion, any pantheon would be lucky to boast that it was their lands in which someone like me had first sharpen his claws.

  The most striking of the Moirai retrieved a single blue pearl from Satan knows where and threw it on the ground in front of me.

  I stared at the jewel with a hint of confusion until I realized what they wanted me to do here. I did not hesitate any longer and crushed the pear beneath my foot. From the shattered fragments rose a blue mist that quickly encompassed me whole.

  Shortly after, I was carried away by the wind.

  —————————

  The Fates watched as the prideful young devil was transported away. They did not foresee his arrival into their side of the world…. Such was the danger of interacting with foreign supernaturals. It was the reason why most Pantheons tended to be isolationists. However, what they could see very clearly were the benefits his presence would bring them.

  It was the physically eldest amongst them that opened another exchange between them. Her words spoke of caution.

  "We will have to remain vigilant.“

  "He might be weak now…but we have already seen that that will change in the future.“

  "He will attempt to resist our control.“

  "He is arrogant.“

  "He is a devil…It is their way.“

  "It will be his downfall.“

  "It will."

  "Let us make sure to drain as much use out of him as we can before that day comes.“

  They shared one last look between them before the tiny fraction of their consciousness that they had placed into the mortal realm disappeared from the coastline.

  The land turned quiet with their departure. The only remaining sound was the crash of waves breaking against the rocky cliffs.

  The three sisters of Fate had left, utterly unaware of the monster that they had just invited into their homes. But they would learn.

  Beware of making deals with the Devil.