Here's the next chapter, everyone! I'm surprised I got this one done so fast, but I was on a bit of a roll for a few days despite having to work late for a couple of them. This chapter marks the beginning of the training camp, but before that is going to be a pretty damn lewd scene. I apologize in advance if it goes too far, but I've been watching the anime adaptation of World's End Harem and I feel like it's raised how far I'm willing to take lewd scenes. There's also something at the end of this chapter that I've been wanting to get to since I started writing this story. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!
Back at the main Gremory residence inside a spacious living room, the Gremory group all informed Karlel of what happened during the audience with the Great Satans.
"So, you're first opponent will be the girl from the Sitri family, eh?" Karlel stroked her chin. "It's still July 28th in the human world, so that leaves us with twenty days if we start tomorrow."
"You're talking our training, right?" Luke asked.
"Yep." Karlel nodded. "I already have full regimens for all of you, including Kayoko even though she won't be participating in the game."
"Thank you very much, Karlel-sensei." Kayoko said.
"I-Isn't it un-unfair to the other teams f-f-for the daughter of the Fallen Angels' governor to give us a-advice?" Fumiko questioned.
"Nah, my old man will be giving all teams plenty of info. And apparently the Angels also have a backup system in place. The rest is all up to you kids. If you genuinely want to become stronger, you need to accept help whenever you can. Anyway, we'll be meeting in the garden tomorrow morning and we can get started on your individual training programs then."
"Okay!" Everyone spoke in unison.
I'm probably expected to attain Balance Breaker during the training. Luke thought. Can I really pull that off in twenty days?
Grayfia entered the room. "Everyone, the hot spring is ready for you all now."
"Sounds good to me!" Karlel stretched as she sat up. "A nice, relaxing soak just before some intensive training will really hit the spot."
As everyone got out of their seats and stepped outside, Karlel realized that one person wasn't walking with them, so she went back inside the living room and saw that Luke was still sitting in the chair he occupied during their talk.
"Aren't you going to join Kiba and Gasper in the hot spring and do some male bonding?" Karlel asked him.
"I-I was just lost in thought." Luke replied nervously.
"Hmm… What's the real reason?"
"What?"
"Are you afraid they'll think your body's too wimpy? Don't get so discouraged, I'm sure the training Rias put you through gave you a little more muscle than Kiba."
"I-It's not that." Luke rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I… I just don't like seeing other men naked."
"Ah, I see now…"
"That's why I'm just going to wait until Kiba and Gasper are done."
"Or…"
Luke watched a mischievous and playful grin creep onto Karlel's face.
"You could join us in the women's bath."
His mind going completely blank and his face becoming bright red, Luke felt like he was being fooled.
"Y… You're joking… right? There's no way the girls will consent to this."
In a corner of the main Gremory residence was a Japanese-style, open air hot spring and most of the women in the Gremory peerage went into the water after changing out of their clothes.
"Ahhhhhhh…" Rias let out a large sigh of relief and content. "I can already feel my stress melting away…"
"My, my, Rias, have your breasts gotten bigger?" Akeno teased as she tried to cop a feel of Rias's bosom.
"Akeno, stop that!" Rias yelped as she pulled herself back. "Besides, haven't yours gone up a size, too?"
"My old bras are a little tight, but they still fit. Although, I've been thinking of getting new ones that shows them off more and emphasizes their volume. Rias, I'm sure you've realized how bold a woman when she has someone she wants to admire her chest."
"Iyah!" Fumiko exclaimed as she suddenly found her breasts getting fondled by Xenovia.
"Yours are not only large, but very soft, Fumiko." Xenovia stated. "I wish mine had this same sensation. So, this is what men like."
"Heheh…" Kayoko giggled at their antics. "I'm glad I became your retainer, Rias-dono. There's never a dull moment."
Meanwhile, Koneko was sitting in the water with the same vacant stare she had for the past few days.
"Koneko-chan, aren't you enjoying the water?" Kayoko asked the white-haired girl.
Immediately after asking that, Kayoko heard the sound of bare footsteps walk out from the changing room.
"Pyra-san, come on in. The water's great." Kayoko turned her head toward the sound with her eyes closed.
However, when she opened them, everyone was a little surprised to see Mythra with a towel wrapped around her.
"Huh? Mythra?" Rias couldn't help but utter.
"Is there a… problem?" Mythra questioned with what felt like a glare.
"No, we just didn't expect to see you."
Xenovia couldn't help but have her eyes drawn to Mythra's curvaceous figure.
"Your body is spectacular." Xenovia complimented. "I guess that's to be expected from a weapon forged by the Greek gods."
"Thanks."
A light briefly enveloped Mythra and her form shifted back to Pyra.
"It's been thousands of years since Mythra's been in a hot spring, so when I told her there would be one here, she was dead set on trying it out." Pyra explained before changing back to Mythra.
"So… here I am." Mythra then removed her towel and submerged her body in the water.
Mythra's breasts are quite large, too. Xenovia thought. Looks like I'll need to step up my game if I'm going to compete.
The young women were enjoying their hot bath until they heard a commotion coming from the changing room.
"Karlel, let me go!"
"Hm? Is that Luke?" Rias turned her head toward the curtain leading to the changing room.
"Come on, Naughty Boy, you know you want to!" Karlel's voice also came from inside. "But first, you gotta lose those clothes. Don't want 'em getting wet, do ya?"
"Hey! Stop-Stop! Stop it!"
"I see they don't call you 'Bokkiko' for nothing!"
A vein of anger appeared on Mythra's head, facing away from the changing room.
"What the hell is going on?!" Mythra grumbled.
Suddenly, something was thrown out of the changing room and flew right over Mythra's head before landing in the water, but not before she caught a glimpse of something that made her face turn completely red. A couple of seconds after the splash, a stark naked Luke popped his head and upper torso out from the water and took a deep gasp of air. Just as Luke opened his eyes and was about to likely shout back at Karlel, his expression went blank upon seeing Mythra's reddened face and one second later his face turned the same shade of red, immediately covering his face upon realizing where he was.
"I'M SORRY!" Luke screamed through his hands covering his face.
Mythra looked like she was about to beat the shit out of Luke until Rias got in front of her and shielded him.
"Mythra, there's no need to get violent." Rias intervened. "Karlel threw Luke in here."
Luke felt someone's hands touch his shoulders and turn his body around to face away from Mythra.
"There, that should fine."
Based on the voice, Luke knew it was Rias that had turned him around.
"My, my, you're so daring, Luke-kun."
Just as Luke heard the sound of Akeno's voice, he felt something soft press against his bare skin and instinctively opened his eyes to see Akeno embracing him from the front. He wasn't sure if his head was feeling hot due to the water, Akeno's naked body pressing against his own or both.
"No need to be shy with me." Akeno teased. "You can look at my body as much as you want."
Akeno, if you keep saying things like that… Luke could barely think and he suddenly felt a certain part of his body touch Akeno. Fuck!
"Oh my, I can tell you're happy to see me." Akeno giggled as she had an amorous glow in her eyes.
Before anything else could happen with Akeno, Luke felt another soft sensation from behind him and a pair of arms wrap around his neck that tried to pull him away from Akeno.
"Let go of my precious Luke, Akeno!"
And now President is behind me?! I can… feel her breasts against my back!
"Oh, I think Luke got happier, Rias." Akeno smiled.
This whole situation was becoming increasingly embarrassing for Luke.
"Looks like we'll have to wait for our chance another day, Fumiko." Xenovia said.
"I don't think anyone can break up Rias-buchou and Akeno-senpai once they get their hands on Luke." Fumiko spoke dejectedly.
Without even thinking, Luke turned his head toward Fumiko and Xenovia after hearing them speak and immediately looked away with an increasingly redder face.
Why aren't you ladies covering up?!
"We don't mind if you see us naked, Luke." Xenovia expressed as if she read Luke's mind.
"If-if I'm going to compete, I need to be more confident in my body around Luke." Fumiko muttered to herself.
"You should be proud of your body, Fumiko. Your bust is very large for your age and your hips are excellent for childbearing."
"No man has ever seen me naked until tonight." Kayoko said. "But since it's Luke-san, I don't feel ashamed."
Luke's attention was brought back to the tug of war between Rias and Akeno.
"Luke is mine, Akeno!"
"I've decided to spend time with Luke-kun in the hot spring!"
An aggravated Mythra was watching the chaos unfold while hiding her breasts under the water and covering them with her arm.
"I was really hoping to have a relaxing bath…" Mythra muttered under her breath.
I'll try to enjoy it for you. Pyra's voice spoke inside Mythra.
Mythra changed into Pyra and her body relaxed as she let out a deep sigh.
"All right, girls, stop fighting. You need to start learning how to share Luke."
Rias and Akeno stopped as a voice called out from the direction of the changing room. Everyone's heads turned toward the direction of the voice as they heard a pair of bare feet step outside. The sight before them left Luke completely awestruck.
"Oh, right, this is your first time seeing me naked, Naughty Boy."
Luke could only ever have an idea of what Karlel would look like without her clothes on, but her actual figure exceeded any and all expectations. From her curvaceous hips and legs to her sumptuous and huge breasts and nipples to her loose and flowing hair, Karlel's nude form was the personification of perfection.
"Wooooowww…" Fumiko stared in amazement. "Karlel-sensei, you're so beautiful!"
"I know." Karlel smirked before turning her attention to Luke and pushing up her breasts with her arm, completely unashamed that she was naked in front of him. "What do you think, Naughty Boy? I bet you want to motorboat, suck, and fuck these tits of mine right now."
Luke tried to speak, but only gibberish came out of his lips.
"Hahahaha! Maybe another day!" Karlel laughed and placing her hands on her hips. "Ladies, listen up! I'm going to be giving you all a crash course! Washing the back of the opposite sex is a surefire way to strengthen your relationship!"
"That's an amazing idea, Karlel." Xenovia applauded.
"Indeed." Karlel looked to Luke again. "What do you say, Naughty Boy?"
"… Huh?" Luke was slightly confused on what Karlel was suggesting.
"Were you that distracted by my body? Well, I don't blame you. You're going to be washing my back first."
Karlel walked toward the small bathing seats near several buckets of water and bottles of shampoo and body wash. Luke's eyes were unable to resist looking at Karlel's bare behind as she headed over.
Even her ass is perfect…
Karlel sat down on one of the seats and rinsed herself off as Luke headed over to her, covering his private parts with his hands along the way. Rias, Akeno, and Xenovia watched from the water's edge with varying degrees of envy, with Fumiko and Kayoko observing with great interest. Pyra hesitated to join in the viewing, but her curiosity got the better of her.
"You don't have to be shy around me." Karlel assured him with a large grin. "Actually, I really want to see your junk."
This woman is crazy… and yet… Luke briefly felt a warm sensation in his heart before he uncovered himself.
"Here."
Karlel handed Luke a bottle of body wash and he accepted it.
"Uh, wh-where's the washcloth?" Luke stuttered.
"They're holding the body wash right now."
I don't see… Oh… Luke realized that his hands were the washcloth she was referring to.
Feeling flustered, Luke squeezed some of the body wash into his palm and lathered his hands. As Karlel moved her hair so Luke got a full view of her back, he gulped before moving his hands toward her and gently touched her back. He started moving his hands up and down her back, being careful not to touch anything beyond those boundaries.
"That's very nice…" Karlel smiled. "You're a natural at this, but you need to be bolder."
Suddenly, Karlel grabbed both of Luke's hands and firmly placed them against her thighs, shocking both him and the girls watching.
"It's my duty as your teacher to guide you."
The seductive tone in Karlel's voice made Luke's brain start to melt if it wasn't already doing so from touching her body. She then started to slowly guide his hands up along her body, from her waist all the way up to her breasts and before he knew it she had his hands feeling her up.
Not only are Karlel's breasts huge, but the softness… the firmness… the elasticity… and the bounciness… Everything about them is perfection!
"It feels so good being felt up by a younger man." Karlel cooed in a sultry manner.
"I think that's enough, Karlel!" Rias's eyebrow twitched.
"Yeah." Karlel agreed. "Anymore and he won't be able to hold himself back, not that I'd mind, of course."
"Luke-kun, wash me next!" Akeno eagerly stood up and raised her hand.
"Luke is my servant, Akeno!" Rias protested. "He's going to wash me next!"
"Keep fighting over him and he'll wash neither of you!" Karlel tried to break up their argument as she stood up.
Even though Rias and Akeno quieted down, sparks could still be felt between them.
"Besides, I think Luke deserves a little break." Karlel continued. "The poor boy hasn't even been cleaned yet. So, how about one of you washes him?"
Rias, Akeno, Xenovia, and Kayoko all quickly raise their hands like eager children while Fumiko meekly tries to raise hers.
"Hmmmm…" Karlel tapped her chin as she thought about who to pick. "How about… you?"
"Me?!" Pyra became flustered when Karlel pointed to her.
"As Luke's partner, this is a good way to bond and become stronger." Karlel explained as she pulled Pyra out of the water. "Being shy won't get you anywhere."
"If-if it makes you more comfortable, Pyra… I could just look away." Luke suggested after having turned around when Karlel pulled out his partner.
"Baby steps, I guess…" Karlel seemed a bit disappointed. "Was hoping things would progress with you two…"
"W-well… okay…" Although Pyra was incredibly hesitant but started walking forward while keeping her arms close to her torso.
Since Luke was looking in the opposite direction as he took a seat, he didn't see how Pyra was blushing so much that it was difficult to distinguish her face from her hair. Pyra knelt down and started lathering the body wash onto her hands.
"Come on!"
Pyra looked at Karlel in confusion and Luke almost did the same thing before quickly remembering that Pyra was right behind him.
"You're using your hands?" Karlel questioned Pyra before pushing up her breasts.
"Bah-!"
Pyra nearly exclaimed from embarrassment before her knee slipped and she could feel her body fall over. She wrapped her arms around Luke since he was the closest thing to a stable object she could use to stop her fall, but instead he fell down with her.
"Oof…" Karlel winced before noticing something. "Oh?"
As Luke raised himself up, he felt a bit disoriented but was sure there was something soft underneath him.
"Ugh… Are you okay, Pyra?" Luke asked with his eyes closed.
However, when he opened his eyes he saw Pyra's bright red face right in front of his own and realized that his naked body was hovering over her naked body, prompting his face to turn bright red as well. To make matters worse, he felt a certain part of his body touching a certain part of her body and it was taking every last ounce of willpower to not succumb to his primal instincts.
"Well, this is a fun turn of events!" Karlel watched the display in amusement.
"U-u-uummm… Luke?" Pyra stammered. "Could you please… get off of me?"
Suddenly, Luke's body fell back on top of Pyra's and Rias immediately got out of the water.
"Luke, if you-!" Rias was about to lose her cool until she noticed something about Luke. "Oh, he's out cold."
Just as Rias said, Luke was unconscious and Pyra gently pushed his body off of her.
"He must have fainted from everything going on." Karlel guessed. "At the very least his virginity is still yours for the taking, Rias."
It was a few minutes until Luke regained consciousness and he found himself in the open air bath.
"Welcome back, Luke-kun."
When Luke looked toward the sound of the voice, he saw Yuuto and Gasper in the water with no women to be found. At that moment he realized that he was now in the men's bath.
… This was inevitable, wasn't it?
The next morning, the entire peerage gathered in another corner of the garden surrounding the main Gremory residence. Everyone, even Karlel, were wearing jerseys and sitting at a table as their pre-training meeting began.
"Before we begin, I need to make this clear." Karlel started. "This training regimen is meant to lay the foundations for your future growth. Some of you will see the fruits of your training pretty quickly, but others might struggle to achieve the same results in the same amount of time. That said, you're all still growing. As long as you don't screw up on the way, you'll continue making good progress." She then turned to Rias. "Rias, you're up first. In terms of talent, specs and demonic power, you're at a high level and they'll only keep getting stronger even if you continue going about your life as normal. By the time you're a full adult, you'll be at the level of an Ultimate-Class Devil. But I'm guessing you want to get stronger now and not sometime in the far off future."
"Yes." Rias nodded without hesitation. "In the Rating Game against Riser, we would have if Luke didn't pull off that miracle when he did."
President is right. Luke thought. If I didn't give up some of my life force when I did, she'd be engaged to Riser right now and be miserable.
"Then follow this entire schedule up until the day of the match." Karlel handed Rias a slip of paper.
When Rias read what was on the paper, she tilted her head in slight confusion. "There's nothing out of the ordinary here. It's just standard training."
"Correct. That's all you need. In your case, if you want to get stronger you need to practice the basics. The real hurdle for you is the essential qualities of a King. Over time, Kings start to favor brains over brawn. I'm sure you're aware there are a lot of Devils who rose in the ranks despite their lacking demonic power and strength thanks to their knowledge and wits. Your real training is in that department. Learn everything you can about the Rating Game, even match recordings, to gather as much data as possible and drill it into your head. A King needs to be flexible and resourceful if they want to come out on top. Use your servants' abilities to the fullest. And remember that no matter how much research you do on your opponents, you'll never know for sure how the match will go. That's true in both the Rating Game and the battlefield."
Rias nodded with a hum.
"Next is Akeno." Karlel then turned to the peerage's Queen.
"… Yes." Akeno responded as if she didn't want to speak with Karlel.
Akeno is still not used to being around Karlel, huh?
"You need to accept your Fallen Angel half." Karlel put it bluntly which made Akeno frown. "Don't think I didn't watch the recording of your match against Phenex. You could have easily defeated the enemy Queen if you used your full Fallen Angel powers. Regular lightning magic can only take you so far. If you don't learn to combine light and lightning, you'll never realize your full potential."
"… I don't need to rely on that power." Akeno grumbled as her expression tightened.
"You can't deny who you are. If you don't learn to accept that, how can you expect others to accept you? When you get down to it, the only thing you can rely on is your own power and refusing that will only weaken you. It might be hard, but you need to do this. Right now, you're the only thing holding yourself back. Your goal is to accept who you are before the match. If you can't manage that, you'll only drag down your friends in future battles. You need to evolve into the Priestess of Holy Lightning."
Akeno remained silent at her lecture, but deep down she knew Karlel was right.
"Don't worry, Akeno." Luke spoke to her in a soft voice. "I'll always accept you for who you are."
Luke's words of encouragement made Akeno smile.
"Thank you, Luke-kun…"
"Kiba, Fumiko." Karlel then looked at Yuuto.
"Yes." Yuuto and Fumiko readied themselves.
"I want you to be able to maintain your Balance Breakers for a full day. You need to get used to them, especially during battles. After that, basic training should be enough. Also, Fumiko, your Balance Breaker is especially unique in that it is both a powerful support tool as well as an effective offensive weapon."
"B-but… I don't want to hurt anyone…" Fumiko appeared reluctant.
"If my theory is correct, then you'll be able to go on the offensive without needing to harm anyone."
"Huh?"
"I think we should keep it a surprise for everyone later. Anyway, Kiba, you're going to be training with your old teacher again, right?"
"Yes, I plan to start over from scratch." Yuuto confirmed.
I didn't know Yuuto had a sword teacher.
"Xenovia." Karlel moved on. "You'll need to learn how to better wield Durandal, as well as another Holy Sword."
"Another Holy Sword?" Xenovia parroted as she tilted her head.
"Yep, a special one." Karlel smiled before looking at Gasper. "Your turn."
"O… okaaaaay!" Gasper flinched in terror.
"That's your biggest flaw. You need to train your body and mind to be resistant to your fears. Your vampiric heritage and Sacred Gear would make you a formidable opponent if not for your nature. I've put together a regimen specifically made to help you overcome your fear. At the very least, you need to be able to withstand it enough so that it doesn't hinder your movements in combat."
"… Yaaaaaaaaaaah! I'll do it!" Gasper roared as best as he could.
If that psyches him up…
"You're up, Koneko."
"All right." Koneko appeared pumped.
What's going on with Koneko? She's been distant the last few days, but right now she's unusually energetic.
"You've got all the key traits of a Rook, including powerful offense and rock hard defense." Karlel stated. "Physically speaking, there's nothing wrong with you… but there are others in this peerage who are better at offense."
"I know…" Koneko said in frustration.
"Right now, the best offensive fighters are Kiba and Xenovia. Not only do they have the Knight's mobility, but Kiba has his Holy Demon Sword and Xenovia has Durandal. Even Luke has the near limitless possibilities of Art Creation and the Aegis. Once he unlocks Balance Breaker, I don't doubt he'll become one of the most powerful members of this group."
Balance Breaker will bring me up to that high of a level?
"You'll also need basic training like everyone else, but what you need most is the power you've sealed off. Just like Akeno, you won't become stronger if you can't accept yourself."
Koneko remained quiet and the fighting spirit she had a few seconds ago dissipated.
What's Karlel talking about? Is Koneko hiding some kind of power I've never seen before? "… Koneko?"
"It's none of your business." Koneko quickly shot down Luke's concern.
She doesn't want to tell me about it…
"I know you're not participating in the games, but I do have a regimen for you, Kayoko."
"I need to learn a new technique, as well as my ki control." Kayoko said as she held up a ninjutsu scroll.
"Yep. Do that and basic training and you'll be able to protect Rias in actual combat." Karlel finally looked to Luke and Pyra. "Luke, you have a varied set of skills and your regimen reflects that. For the first few days, you'll be training to unlock your Balance Breaker. After that, you'll be trained to improve your swordsmanship."
"So, at that point I'll be training with Yuuto?" Luke asked.
"No, I have someone else in mind to train you. The third phase is focused on raising your demonic power. And lastly, I accepted Grimm Red's proposal and he is willing to train you in how to use Pyra and Mythra effectively. No matter how powerful a weapon or ability is, an unskilled user won't get anywhere."
"I understand." Luke agreed.
"And Pyra? Or rather, Mythra? You boast tremendous power, but it can cause a lot of unnecessary damage. Some Rating Games will have stipulations in which destroying too much of the battlefield will result in an immediate boot from the match. In addition to your basic training, you need to regulate Mythra's power so that only the required amount is output."
Pyra was looking down at her lap, her eyes obscured from everyone else and her hands visibly shaking.
"… All right." Pyra eventually said.
Why did Pyra react like that?
"That covers everyone!" Karlel stood up and clapped her hands. "Now, off to your training!"
Nearly everyone else left to their own regimens leaving only Luke, Pyra, and Karlel.
"Pyra, are you able to fly?" Karlel asked. "And if so, how fast?"
"I can't fly, but Mythra can, and very fast." Pyra answered.
"Perfect!" Karlel then walked over to Luke, picked him up and carried him bridal-style. "Hold on tight!"
"What?"
Before Luke could process what was going on, Karlel unfurled her twelve wings and took off into the skies at breakneck speeds, with Pyra transforming into Mythra and following right behind them with ease.
"AAAAAAAHAAHAAAAAHAAAAHAAAAA!" Luke screamed like crazy as he found himself high in the sky and moving so fast he was afraid of falling out of Karlel's grip and painting the ground below.
Karlel laughed. "Ahahaha, relax. I won't let you fall. Just focus on my face."
Luke could feel Karlel's grip on him was tight and firm and as soon as he looked directly at her face, he immediately blushed and couldn't avert his eyes from her. His unease disappeared as if they were never flying high in the sky in the first place. Before he knew it, Karlel and Mythra had landed on top of a giant stone mountain surrounded in mist. As soon as Karlel let Luke down, he looked around to gauge where they were.
"What is this place?" Luke asked.
"What better place for a dragon to train than here?"
The mist started dissipating and Luke could see massive creatures in the chasms far below giving off powerful aura. There was no mistaking what they were.
"Welcome to the Dragon Mountain."
Large numbers of dragons of various shapes and sizes littered the forests below. Luke looked around in wonder and couldn't contain his awe.
"Amazing… I didn't think there was a place like this here in the Underworld."
"You can thank a former Dragon King for that." Karlel said. "Speaking of, I think we got here before him."
"Huh? 'Him'?"
Far off in the distance, Luke could make out an airborne object approaching them fast. As it got closer, he could make it out as a huge and imposing purple dragon heading right toward them.
"Ah, there he is now." Karlel turned around and casually said.
The dragon landed on the mountain they were on with its thick hind legs.
"Spawn of Azazel, what makes you think you can just enter this territory unannounced?" The purple dragon asked the Fallen Angel.
"Come on, Sirzechs told you I'd be coming here." Karlel spoke to him without an ounce of fear.
"I didn't expect to see you here of all places, Tannin." Mythra said.
"'Tannin'? As in, the 'Tannin from the Bible' Tannin?!" Luke gasped in shock.
"Nor did I expect to see the Aegis in the Underworld." The dragon named Tannin retorted before looking directly at Luke. "Or someone harboring Opheria."
Suddenly, Luke's Falchion materialized in his hand.
It must have been a long two thousand years, Tannin. Opheria's voice echoed from the jewel embedded in Falchion. As someone who has been asleep this whole time, it only felt like mere months ago.
"Hey, Luke."
A deadpan voice spoke up and Luke spotted a person in one of Tannin's hands.
"Issei? What are you doing in a dragon's hand?" Luke asked.
"Ah, yeah." Karlel rubbed the back of her neck. "I forgot to tell you that my old man would also have Issei training here during these next few weeks. Tannin will be your teacher."
Luke didn't immediately respond as he was trying to process what Karlel had just said.
"… I'm sorry, I think the wind up here affected my hearing." Luke gave a false smile. "It sounded like you said Tannin was going to be my teacher."
"I did."
… I'm dead!
To be trained by a former Dragon King? This is an excellent opportunity, indeed.
"Dragon King?"
The Six Great Dragon Kings, or rather it's now five ever since Tannin reincarnated into a Devil. They are dragons with power rivaling that of Ultimate-Class Devils, even the Four Great Satans themselves.
"Tannin and the other Dragon Kings are that strong?!" Luke exclaimed.
"If Tannin is your teacher, you'll definitely become stronger." Mythra stated.
"Tannin earned the nickname 'Blaze Meteor Dragon'." Karlel added. "His fireballs are so powerful, it's like getting hit with a meteor."
"Won't that kill me?!" Luke shouted.
"That's why I had this set up." Karlel pointed directly at Luke with a serious expression. "I've seen not only your battle against Riser Phenex, but also Kokabiel. When push comes to shove, you stand your ground for those you care about and that's good, but you need to push back sooner. Part of that stems from your fear of the unknown."
"Well, yeah. I've only been a Devil for a few months now and there's still a lot I don't know about the supernatural world."
"That might be a good excuse for now, but you'll need to overcome it sooner or later. And the sooner, the better. You have two objectives here: attaining Balance Breaker and strengthening your physical and mental fortitude. While it would be for the best if you could complete both but achieving one of them will mean this training was a success."
"Is that why Azazel made this training regimen for me?" Issei inquired.
"No, I'm pretty sure in your case my old man only did has you doing this because he's a dick." Karlel replied in a matter of fact tone.
"Aw, come the fuck on!" Issei shouted.
Karlel then turned to Mythra. "You'll be doing your training around here as well."
"Right." Mythra nodded.
"Best of luck to you, Naughty Boy!" Karlel waved to Luke.
Luke then found himself grabbed by Tannin's other hand as he flew off with him and Issei to another part of the mountain range.
"HEEEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEEE!" Issei cried.
Don't let this calm demeanor fool you, Issei… I'm terrified, too.
As Karlel stopped waving, she look toward her feet a little and Mythra took notice.
"Worried about something?" Mythra asked.
"I'm not worried…" Karlel then took a bit of a long pause. "I'm just wondering if they will finally meet here."
BOOOM!
Issei and Luke were dodging massive explosions being caused by Tannin's powerful fireballs. Only a smoldering crater was left where it landed, reminding the young men why he is called 'Blaze Meteor Dragon'. They were in a region of the mountains far from where the other dragons frequented, meaning there wasn't anyone that would interrupt their training.
THIS IS INSANE! No matter how you look at it, spending twenty days trying to survive against a Dragon King is complete fucking insanity! I only have to spend five days here, but Issei has to do this for all twenty?! I feel really bad for him!
One of Tannin's fireballs nearly hit Luke dead on, but thankfully he jumped out of the way in time. However, the shockwave from the blast sent him flying and his body started rolling down a nearby slope as Tannin continued chasing after Issei. It felt like a good long while before he finally stopped and hit the bottom.
"Aaaaaah…" Luke groaned as he got up and held his ribcage. "I hope nothing's broken… How far did I fall?"
Luke looked up the slope and saw that he fell a good way down the mountain.
"Shit…" He sighed.
You're clearly stressed out. Are you going to take this chance to run away?
"I could… but it wouldn't feel right leaving Issei to fend for himself. This is one instance where running away will only make me weaker. If I'm going to get stronger, I need to see this through to the end."
Luke tried to climb his way back up the slope, but he slipped partway through and fell back to where he started.
"… Looks like we're going to have to take the long way around."
Luke wandered around for several minutes trying to find a way back up the mountain.
"There's got to be a way up besides climbing or flying." Luke muttered aloud to himself.
As he continued walking, he saw a small river in his path.
"A river? President did say that there are lakes here, so there are probably rivers coming from them.
Splash!
Luke's ears perked up upon hearing a splashing sound coming from somewhere nearby.
"What was that?"
Luke lightly ran toward the source of the sound until he came across a large waterfall oasis.
"Whooooa…" Luke gazed at the waterfall. "This place is amazing… I'll have to remember this place so the entire club can come here… if it's okay with the dragons, obviously."
Suddenly, something rose from underwater that was the last thing Luke expected to see, a young woman of unparalleled beauty with long green hair and a serene, calming air about her. It was impossible for him to take his eyes off of her, even though he knew he should because she was completely nude. The woman sensed his presence, turned to him, and opened her eyes, revealing their mesmerizing jade coloring. Even though he was aware that she might lash out at him for seeing her naked, merely looking at her was like being under a hypnotic spell. There was no anxiety or lust, just admiration. Instead of the slightest embarrassment or anger, she seemed to be looking at back at him with great curiosity.
A/N: That's the end of the chapter! The next one is going to have a major revelation that some of you may have figured out by now, but I can't say anything more than that.
Holy shit! That hot spring scene is probably the most erotic thing I've ever written without going full lemon! You can tell I had fun writing that bit and I'm sure it'll get a few laughs. Although, I feel like I might have taken it a little too far. Let me know if you think I overstepped any boundaries.
As for why Luke has four different parts to his training, it's because he has multiple areas in which he needs to train in since one of his most valuable traits is flexibility. And unlike Azazel, who had Issei rough it in the mountains while everyone else got to sleep in actual beds just to be an asshole, Karlel has a sensible reason for putting Luke through the same ordeal.
As for the woman at the end of this chapter, I can't say who she is just yet, but she's an OC I've wanted to introduce since the story began.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! Stay tuned for next time!