The ten-minute break passed far too quickly for the exhausted group. Their breathing had steadied, their bodies no longer trembling from the earlier torment, but the memory of running under Malrik's merciless command still weighed heavily on them.
I clapped my hands, standing tall in front of them. "Alright, time to train your weapons."
There was a slight shift in energy. Even though they were still recovering, the thought of actual combat training lit a spark of interest in their eyes. Kiba, Tsubasa, and Koneko straightened, clearly prepared. Even Issei perked up slightly—though it was hard to tell if it was genuine excitement or desperation to get better after suffering so much.
But before anyone could get too comfortable, I continued.
"And that includes you, mages."
Silence.
Rias, Akeno, Momo, Reya, and Sona all blinked at me, their expressions a mix of confusion and mild offense.
Sona adjusted her glasses. "Why would a magic user need a weapon?"
I smirked, crossing my arms. "Because if someone closes the distance, your spells won't mean jack. Always have a backup."
With a casual wave of my hand, I activated my Sacred Gear. A shimmer of energy flickered in the air before a set of customized daggers materialized in front of me. I tossed one to each of the magic users.
They caught them, inspecting their new weapons curiously. The daggers weren't flashy, but they were perfectly balanced, designed for swift counterattacks if a mage found themselves in a close-quarters fight.
Rias twirled hers in her fingers, testing the weight. "Huh… not bad."
Momo frowned slightly, shifting the dagger in her grip. "I've never used a weapon before…"
"It's just a precaution," I said, stretching. "You don't need to be a master, but knowing the basics could save your life."
That should have been the end of it. But then—
Akeno suddenly let out a soft giggle, tilting her head to the side. Her smile was deceptively sweet, her violet eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Ara~ Malrik-kun, I'd rather use a whip instead~."
I paused.
Slowly, I turned to her, raising an eyebrow.
A long silence stretched between us.
I exhaled through my nose, rubbing my temple. "Of course you do."
With a dramatic sigh, I waved my hand again. This time, a sleek, enchanted whip shimmered into existence. The handle was engraved with intricate runes, the length of the whip reinforced with mana to ensure durability.
I tossed it to Akeno.
She caught it effortlessly, her fingers running along the handle with an almost sensual appreciation. Then, with a single flick of her wrist, the whip lashed forward with a sharp crack in the air.
I was impressed despite myself. She handled it like a natural.
"Figures you'd say that," I muttered under my breath.
Standing off to the side, Issei visibly paled as he watched Akeno's delighted expression.
His eyes darted between the whip and her playful smirk, and I could practically see the flash of torment playing in his mind.
"Oh no…" he whispered, voice trembling. "She's definitely gonna use that on me…"
Akeno twirled the whip gracefully, her smile widening.
"Ara~ such fine craftsmanship~," she purred.
I rolled my eyes but smirked. "Just don't break it, okay?"
She giggled, and I had a feeling she wasn't listening.
Sona sighed. "Can we move on now?"
I clapped my hands again. "Alright, listen up! Whether you're a mage or a frontline fighter, you're going to learn how to handle a weapon. I'll be giving each of you personalized training based on your combat style. So get ready."
Their training had only just begun.
————————
The sun hung lower in the sky, casting a warm glow over the freshly restored training grounds as everyone prepared for the next phase of training.
I stood at the center, arms crossed, scanning the group. "Alright, we're going to split up. Each of you has different fighting styles, so I'll be tailoring my lessons to fit."
Rias raised an eyebrow. "You really know how to teach every weapon type?"
I grinned. "I am a man of many talents."
Akeno chuckled, twirling her whip lazily. "Ara~ so modest."
Ignoring her teasing, I got to work.
I handed Rias a longsword infused with demonic energy, watching as she adjusted her grip. Despite her raw magical power, she had little experience with melee combat.
"Hold it like this." I stepped closer, adjusting her hand placement on the hilt.
She huffed. "I know how to hold a sword, Malrik."
I smirked. "Oh, do you? Then why are you gripping it like you're trying to crush it?"
Her brows twitched, but she stayed silent. She hated being corrected.
I stepped behind her, guiding her stance. "Relax your shoulders. Tighten your grip just enough to control the weight, not fight against it."
She followed my instructions begrudgingly, adjusting her footing. After a few practice swings, her movements started looking less clumsy.
"Huh…" Rias muttered, almost to herself. "This feels… easier."
I grinned. "Told you. I'm a great teacher."
She rolled her eyes but didn't argue.
Akeno had been having way too much fun with her whip training.
With each crack of the whip, she perfected her control, slicing through the air with almost unnatural precision.
"That's impressive," I admitted. "You're a natural at this."
She smiled sweetly. "Oh? You like watching me work, Malrik-kun?"
I narrowed my eyes. "I have a feeling you're way too into this…"
Just as I turned to instruct someone else—
CRACK.
A loud yelp echoed through the field.
"GAH! MY BUTT!"
All eyes snapped to Issei, who had leaped into the air, clutching his backside.
Akeno tilted her head, an innocent smile on her lips. "Ara~ my hand slipped~."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Sure it did."
Issei whimpered, still rubbing his fresh whip mark. "I KNEW this was gonna happen…"
Akeno twirled the whip again, humming a cheerful tune. "Perhaps I should practice a bit more~."
Kiba and Tsubasa took their training far more seriously.
I sparred with both, their swords clashing against mine in a blur of speed.
Tsubasa grinned, sweat dripping from her brow. "You're holding back."
I smirked. "Maybe."
She lunged, her sword flashing in the evening light, but I effortlessly countered, twisting my blade and knocking her weapon aside.
Kiba watched, his eyes gleaming. "You're more of a warrior than I expected."
I shrugged. "Comes with experience."
We continued sparring, each exchange getting faster, sharper. The watching group had to step back just to avoid the sheer wind pressure from our strikes.
Koneko wasn't interested in weapons.
Instead, I created a pair of customized gauntlets infused with energy, perfect for someone with her raw strength.
She tested them, throwing a few punches into the air.
I nodded approvingly. "Good. Now try them out on a target."
Koneko turned her gaze to Issei.
Issei froze. "W-Wait—"
Before he could escape, Koneko punched a nearby training dummy—shattering it into pieces.
Issei visibly paled.
"…I-I'll just stay over here…"
Koneko smirked. "Tch. Coward."
For Momo and Reya, I focused on basic self-defense techniques.
They were mages, so they wouldn't be relying on their weapons often—but if they got cornered, they needed a backup plan.
I handed each of them a dagger, showing them how to hold it correctly.
"Keep your movements tight and precise. If someone gets too close, you don't have time for fancy swings—just strike and retreat."
Reya nodded, adjusting her stance. "Like this?"
I corrected her grip slightly. "Exactly."
Momo pouted. "Why do I feel like this is just an excuse to touch our hands?"
I smirked. "Caught me."
She giggled, rolling her eyes.
Throughout the training, I couldn't help but flirt casually, especially with the more playful members of the group.
Momo and Akeno flirted right back, clearly enjoying the banter.
"Ara~ Malrik-kun," Akeno purred. "You're such a strict instructor. I wonder if I should call you Sensei~."
I raised an eyebrow. "If you call me that, I expect you to listen when I give you instructions."
She giggled. "No promises~."
Meanwhile, Sona sighed repeatedly, muttering about the "lack of professionalism."
Rias, however, pretended not to care—but I caught her watching me closely more than once.
Was she studying my teaching methods? Or something else?
Either way, I was enjoying myself.
——————
The sun had begun its descent, casting a warm golden hue over the training grounds as the final echoes of clashing weapons and exhausted grunts faded into silence.
The air was thick with sweat, fatigue, and mild resentment—mostly directed at me.
I stretched, rolling my shoulders as I surveyed the damage.
The once-pristine training grounds were littered with discarded weapons, broken dummies, and the bodies of several exhausted devils.
Rias was leaning against a nearby boulder, looking dignified despite her clear exhaustion. Akeno, as always, still managed to look flawless, though I could tell she was a little more drained than she let on.
Kiba was stretching his arms, cooling down after our sparring session, while Koneko had gone full cat mode, lying flat on her stomach like she had no intention of ever getting up again.
Issei?
Face down. Motionless. Probably questioning his entire existence.
I clapped my hands together, drawing everyone's attention. "Alright, that's enough for today."
A collective groan of relief spread through the group.
Issei barely lifted his head. "We're gonna die…"
I grinned, completely unfazed by their suffering. "Oh, come on. That was just the warm-up."
A horrified silence followed.
Even Rias, who had been calmly sipping water, stopped mid-motion to glance at me in disbelief.
Akeno giggled, resting her cheek on her palm. "Ara~ Malrik-kun, you truly enjoy pushing us to our limits."
I smirked, not denying it. "What can I say? I take my job seriously."
Sona sighed, adjusting her glasses. "I can't tell if you're a brilliant instructor or just a sadist."
"Why not both?" I grinned, tossing my spear over my shoulder.
Momo chuckled. "You certainly make things interesting, I'll give you that."
I shot her a wink. "Glad to know I leave an impression."
She giggled, while Akeno playfully twirled her whip between her fingers.
"Rest up, ladies," I added smoothly, flashing my best confident smirk. "Don't miss me too much~."
Rias rolled her eyes but said nothing.
Sona muttered something about professionalism under her breath.
And with that, I casually strolled off, hands behind my head—completely satisfied with my work.
Behind me?
A battlefield of tired, suffering devils and one traumatized pervert, lying in the dirt, contemplating his life choices.