Spar
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"So, you're saying I can do anything in this town except have contact with the Church?" I asked while sitting in Cleria Belial's mansion.
"Yes. Well, not anything, but you get the gist of it," Cleria nodded. I smirked internally. I should poke her a little.
"And why is that? Is there something important in the Church? Or… someone important?"
The teasing smile on my face said it all.
Cleria's eyes widened, and in that moment, I knew she understood—I knew her secret. Her expression darkened, as did the expression of her Queen standing beside her.
Garp stood behind me, his massive form fully unleashed, while Yato remained outside the room. If things went south, we could leave relatively unharmed.
Umbra was in my shadow, while Mochi remained in the Familiar Forest.
Cleria seemed at a loss for words, so I continued, my tone lighthearted.
"Oh, don't worry, Lady Cleria. I'll follow your orders and stay away from the Church."
Cleria's eyes lit up with hope. "Really?"
I nodded. "Yup. Don't worry. Though, I might cash in a favor or two."
Using [Storage Magic], I pulled out a pamphlet—a small white paper engraved with the Beleth Clan's Magic Circle.
I flicked my wrist, sending it toward her with a precise amount of demonic power. The flyer landed perfectly in front of her.
Cleria picked it up, confused. "Your… flyer?"
"If you're ever in dire need of help, summon me."
Before she could respond, I turned toward the exit. "I'll be taking my leave now, Lady Cleria. Take care!"
As we left the mansion, Garp grinned at Yato.
"How does it feel being the Left-Hand Man, waiting outside while I get to be with Lord?" he teased, jabbing a thumb at himself.
"Shut up," Yato grumbled.
Despite their constant bickering, these two were some of the strongest devils of our generation. At only eight years old, they trained relentlessly. Their progress was remarkable.
I had even introduced them to [Life-Force]—or [Senjutsu]—and they were slowly beginning to grasp it. Once they awakened [Touki], it would be a game-changer.
"Let's finish today's training first," I said.
They both nodded excitedly.
The training ground was a large open space beside the mansion, filled with pre-made [Magic Circles]. Some of these arrays contained defensive barriers, while others were traps, enhancing the challenge of our spars.
I activated a spell derived from [Storage Magic]—
[Requip]
I wasn't as proficient in this as I was with [Storage Magic], so I still needed [Magic Circles] for each outfit I wanted to equip.
As my attire changed, I caught Garp and Yato staring.
"I should start learning magic," Garp muttered.
"Me too," Yato added.
At least they agreed on something.
"So, who's first?" I asked.
"I am!" Garp stepped forward with a wide grin.
Garp stood opposite me, his stance firm, eyes gleaming with excitement.
I smirked.
My demonic sword materialized in my grip. Yoru was not only capable of harming beings of light but also an excellent conductor of demonic power. Two [Magic Circles] were already inscribed on its blade—[Wind Slash] and [Hell Flames].
[Hell Flames] was a branch of [Fire Magic], denser and hotter than normal flames, making it far harder to control.
"No clan powers, alright?" Garp said.
I chuckled. If I used them, this would be over instantly.
"Sure."
Yato called out, "One… two… three! Fight!"
Garp charged at me. He wasn't as fast as Yato or me, but for someone of his size, his speed was impressive.
I poured demonic power into my blade and swung.
[Wind Slash]
A sharp gust of compressed air howled toward Garp, but he remained steady. I already knew what he'd do—
Unfurl.
Spreading my wings, I shot forward. Just as I predicted, Garp leaped into the air to dodge the attack.
But I was ready.
[Touki]
A bright white aura enveloped my body. Using my wings and the enhanced physical power, I slashed downward—
Garp smirked.
He had already prepared a punch, predicting my prediction.
'He's learning.'
[Hell Flames]
With a flick of my wrist, black flames erupted from my sword, engulfing Garp mid-air.
He threw a punch, creating a burst of wind that slightly dissipated the flames. If it had been normal fire, it would've been extinguished completely.
"Arghh!" Garp gritted his teeth through the pain. At least he wasn't screaming like he used to.
Flick.
I willed the flames away. Garp kneeled on the ground, his body covered in burns.
[Storage Magic]
A healing potion appeared in my hand. I made him drink it, and his burns healed, even his charred hair beginning to regrow.
'Pain is the best teacher. That's how I unlocked [Touki] so early.'
Garp and Yato would, too. Eventually.
"It's my turn now," Yato said, stepping forward with a grin.
Yato summoned a sword. His biggest weakness? His slow summoning speed. It took him at least two seconds to bring out a weapon.
While his hand-to-hand combat was decent, it wasn't enough to challenge me—or even Garp—for long.
For this spar, I focused on ranged combat.
"Begin!"
I overwhelmed him instantly.
One of my favorite combos was [Barrier Magic] and [Zoltraak].
[Zoltraak] was a name I had given my own custom spell. In this world, Demonic Power wasn't an element on its own—it was a fuel source. You couldn't just shoot raw Demonic Power at someone and call it a 'Magic Blast.' You needed an element.
I used [Lightning Magic], controlling up to four small Magic Circles to fire bolts of lightning.
And thanks to my mother, I had learned [Barrier Magic]—one of the strongest defenses in the Underworld. Her notes, written by my uncle himself—Falbium Asmodeus, the best [Barrier Magic] user—were invaluable.
"You two have been getting stronger," I praised.
"Yeah, and the gap between us just keeps getting bigger," Garp grumbled.
I chuckled. "It's not that the gap is growing—I'm just holding back less now."
Yato frowned. "How strong are you?"
I smirked. "Not enough."
I turned serious. "You two should start training in spellcasting. I'll be calling Vivar to train you both in [Life-Force]. Once you do that, you'll awaken [Touki] within a year or so."
They nodded.
"Alright, enough training. Let's hit the arcades."
Their grins returned.
As we walked through the streets, I felt Mochi calling me through our bond.
'Looks like my little Slime has finished his training.'
His training involved hunting down other slimes, defeating them, and absorbing their abilities.
I had even asked Zatouji to guide him—but speaking of Zatouji…
Why is he still refusing to become my Pawn?
"It looks like you two will be getting familiars today," I said, glancing at Garp and Yato.
They both perked up. Today was going to be interesting.
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Author's Note: Do you want a chapter on Vael's power and just his research on Magic and his training in general?
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