While Kisuke was having a 'staring' contest with Ex's gauntlet, the young man woke up with a start and hurriedly jumped back. But when he realized that he was alright and Kisuke had already stopped his flood of bloodlust, he was able to let out a sigh of relief.
Although something terrible had been done to him, strangely enough, his mind felt clearer than it ever had, as if a heavy weight on his shoulders had lightened.
"Feeling better?"
Ex looked at him, confused, but he nodded.
"While it wasn't a real situation, you still 'survived'." Kisuke found a suitable rock and sat back down. "It feels nice getting out of a dangerous situation, doesn't it?"
Ex couldn't deny it. And with a much clearer mind, he asked, "Am I weak?"
Kisuke, contrary to Ex's expectations, shook his head. "No. You're strong. You're actually as strong as Issei Hyoudou was when he was around your age."
Ex stayed silent because, knowing him from their short exchange, he expected Kisuke to have more to say.
"But your experience was backwards compared to his. Back then, the Draconic Deus wasn't as united as it is now, and various individuals wanted to vie for supremacy. Issei Hyoudou had to survive those times, watch the horrors of war, and it was only later on that he was able to properly enjoy himself in battles.
"You, on the other hand, started with the Rating Games, which is probably still the main source of your experience, with a few real battles sprinkled in here and there.
"It's not actually a bad thing... You're just a kid... Well, you are, but it ticks me off that you're known as the 'young ace' when you're far from being the 'soldier' you should be before earning that sort of nickname. Right now, you're nothing but a fancy conceptual weapon that can't be used on an actual battlefield." Kisuke was about to say more but decided to hold back. "You know what? Forget it. I'm very biased in my views, and I'll only end up confusing you. That can only hurt you more in the long run."
Kisuke then stood up, intending to leave the training grounds. "I apologize for suddenly exploding like that. Please take your time and do as you please here."
Naturally, Ex couldn't just let him go like that. "Ah, hey! Wait! Please don't stop now!"
"No. If I continue, I'll only contradict your teachers. I'm not wrong, but neither are they. The biggest difference between them and me is that I'm just a stranger to you, and it's not my place to step in."
"But I can understand what you're saying! It even resonated with me! I can see where I'm lacking now!" Ex wanted to hear more because he felt it was a perspective he hadn't considered before—a way of thinking that was 'unacceptable' because it was too violent.
Kisuke smirked at him and said, "One of my talents is convincing people and making them think that I have irrefutable arguments." He finally turned around and began walking away. "Just carry on, and you have a bright future as long as you don't forget yourself. 'You're not a copy, and you can never be' is the only sentence you have to remember."
Ex became silent. He didn't know what to say anymore. He wanted to learn more about Kisuke, but as he said, he was technically just a stranger to him, and when it really came down to it, he could never trust him. For all he knew, what Kisuke said today might be a ploy to confuse and 'destroy' him. He couldn't learn from someone who was impossible to vet. That's the sort of world they were living in now, the reality for someone who carries the blood of the [Red Dragon Emperor].
That problem, however, would soon solve itself. Be it fate or destiny, the lady of fortune smiled on Ex today.
[Hold on, Boss.] The green gem on Ex's gauntlet started shining brightly, accompanied by the sudden deep voice of an old man.
Kisuke hurriedly turned around, his eyes widening at the gauntlet, because although the voice was very unfamiliar, its tone was eerily familiar. Most importantly, out of all the people he knew, only one would call him 'Boss,' and he didn't like where this was going.
Ex, meanwhile, was also deeply stunned. The only time he had heard this voice was when they signed the contract, and he became the host of the [Boosted Gear Diabolus]. As of now, only a few people knew who was sealed within this Artificial Longinus—excluding him, his father and mother, Issei and Rias, Azazel, Ajuka, Kurenai, and Ophis. It was a well-kept secret, one that would be detrimental to the whole Draconic Deus if revealed before Ex was ready to take on Issei's mantle.
"H-hey!" Ex blocked the gem, thinking it might stop him. Just letting his voice be heard was already a huge hazard, yet he was revealing himself to an unknown person. 'This guy knows his existence needs to be hidden! What is he up to now? And 'Boss'? Was he referring to Kisuke Urahara?'
Kisuke stared at it for a few more moments before turning around again. "I don't want to hear it."
[I'll become an even bigger pain in the ass later.] The voice threatened.
It was a silly threat from Ex's perspective, but it was very effective, immediately freezing Kisuke on the spot.
Kisuke struggled and hesitated before eventually scratching his head and sighing, then turning around and asking, "...How did you know?"
[It's my first time meeting you like this, but the face you made just now was very amusing. That handshake with my counterpart was a good souvenir.]
At that moment, Kisuke recalled Ophis, Lilith, and Flanna holding his hands one last time before he left, feeling their energy merge with him. "...Since when?" He figured that those Dragons had injected their memories and experiences into their energies.
[I wasn't sure at first, but the moment you patted this boy's shoulder and knee-kicked his chin, I inherited it all.]
"Physical contact, huh... Should I be careful?"
[You want Blacky to sulk? She won't forgive you if she finds out you're purposely avoiding her.]
Kisuke tightened his face because a sulking Ophis would not leave him alone. "...Let's set that conversation aside for now. First, what should I call you?"
[I'm different from that one, but I also like that name. Call me Flanna.]
'That's feminine, though,' Kisuke wanted to retort because it didn't match his voice but chose to let it go. 'He's technically genderless, so it doesn't really matter.'
"Then let's move on to what you want to say. You didn't call out to me just to reminisce, did you? That's fine, but first, you have to separate yourself temporarily from Ex-san."
[That would be great. But let's do that another time. I'd like to ask you a favor.]
"...And that is?" Kisuke already had an idea but still asked.
[Give this boy a proper beating. He needs it.]
"Yaaay..." Kisuke's voice became flat. "What a violent Dragon."
Even if he wanted to, Ex couldn't keep up with their conversation, as he was very preoccupied with questions about how the two of them knew each other, much less the nonsensical content of their exchange.
[Boy.] The voice of Great Red, now also known as Flanna, called out to him.
"H-huh?"
[Aside from your parents, believe me when I say he's the man you can trust the most in this entire dimension. If that's hard for you to accept, then go ask Ophis for her opinion. Though, I'm sure she'll say the same thing as me.]