After having the conversation with Mordred, we decided to go back to Tiamat, Kuroka and Shirone.
The reunion between Mordred and Tiamat was not particularly friendly, but at least it was acceptable.
The rest of the day passed relatively quietly. We didn't do much, because it was Mordred's first day on this earth.
When she was summoned, she received information about the world today, but only from human society. Tiamat took advantage of that moment to explain to me, Shirone, Kuroka, and Mordred. However, I knew I had to pretend otherwise.
From the underworld to Heaven, through the various pantheons, Sacred Gears, levels of power, etc ...
Tiamat spent about three hours detailing all the essential information we should know to survive in this world.
What Mordred said when she heard all that was:
"How complicated this world is, it was easier to follow father in Britain."
I thought she hated Artoria, but apparently, she doesn't. Her relationship with her father would be closer to love-hate than pure hate.
....
One day had passed since I summoned Mordred. It was time to begin my specific training.
Training that did not involve killing living beings. This training may not raise my stats, but it will increase my skill level.
Increasing my skill level, no matter what category, translates into more power or defense for me.
Increasing my skills is one of my goals, but so is getting new skills.
One of these skills is archery or precision. I don't care what the system calls it, but I need that skill. Both of my Noble Phantasms are related to archery, so I need to learn how to use it.
I don't remember any DxD character using the bow as their primary weapon. So I can't ask Tiamat to take me to train with that person.
Looks like I'm gonna have to learn on my own.
That's why I'm here, 30 feet from a tree in the middle of the woods. I've separated myself from the rest of the group because I want to concentrate on this task.
In the tree in front of me, I've drawn a kind of target. It's not the perfect target, but I think it can serve as basic training.
I have in my hands Gandiva, Arjuna's bow.
The problem now is that I have no arrows to practice with.
"Why don't you try creating magic arrows?"
Hey, man. You could at least say hello before you say anything.
"Shut up. Just do what I said."
It's okay.
Let's see, I just have to create an arrow out of my magic energy, right?
"That's right."
Okay, now I just have to focus.
Focus, focus, focus.
…
….
Man, I don't know how to do this. I don't even know how to use magic in the first place.
"Mmh... Makes sense, you've never had a magic training. Okay, for now, I'll tell you the steps you have to follow to create an arrow. Okay, I'm going to be your teacher for once."
"First, you have to feel the magical energy within you."
Feeling the magic energy inside me...
"You better sit down and relax."
It's okay.
I have to feel the magic inside me...
Am I supposed to feel something special?
"It's not like you can feel it instantly. This isn't like the skills of the system, where it helps you use them. You just have to concentrate and feel your own inner self, sooner or later you'll achieve your goal."
Sooner or later...
"Magic is an essence that resides in the body of every living being, but not everyone is capable of using it. The magic used in this world is based on equations. It's not bad, but it's not the most powerful."
Which is the most powerful?
"Magic energy is ethereal energy that comes from inside your own body. If you can learn to use it, you will become a mighty magician. Physical abilities of a dragon, and a very powerful magician, doesn't that sound very appealing?"
Of course!
"Then shut up and feel the damn magic essence inside you! You already used it, remember? When you healed that human girl. You just have to find out what made you able to heal her."
Feel the magic, Draco. Feel the magic, feel the magic.
The magic essence is somewhere inside me...
It is ethereal energy that resides within me...
Something ethereal is intangible or ill-defined and at the same time subtle or sublime. How am I going to find something like that?
Or maybe I don't need to find it? What if the magical essence has been accompanying me at all times?
The heart is what gives magical energy to the Servants, and gives life to living beings.
Isn't life the greatest miracle ever created? Isn't magic the creator of miracles?
Then the essence has to be close to my heart!
Badump! Badump!
What is this? My heart is racing.
There's something strange there, something I've never noticed before.
I feel I can control this to my liking. Can I take it outside?
I'm going to try.
I guide it through my blood vessels into the palm of my hands and out through the pores of my fingertips.
"Open your eyes and see what you've achieved, Draco."
Yeah, old man.
Dark light is surrounding my hands. It's similar to when I use [Numbing Darkness claws], but I feel it's different.
"Of course, [Numbing Darkness claws] was a magic skill that the system helped you use, whereas now you're using magic on your own."
Does that mean I don't need the system for these things anymore?
"Don't be silly, the system is something I created. As long as you have a skill, the system will help you use it most efficiently. Otherwise, you'll end up wasting your MP, and your skills will have less effect."
I see. The system is truly impressive.
"Master!"
Looks like Mordred's calling me. She speaks to me by mental message.
"I'm here."
I hear footsteps approaching, and Mordred appears.
"Do you need anything?"
"That old hag told me to call you for lunch. Really, who does she think she is? Only Master can give me orders, and even from him I don't have to accept them."
Looks like Mordred still doesn't get along with Tia.
"Is it lunchtime already?"
"Yes, you've been training for over four hours, Master. Haven't you noticed? You've even returned to your dragon form."
"Huh?"
Going down to the third position. I don't know if I'm happy or sad right now...
Just kidding.
After lunch, I decided to rest to replace the MP I had spent during the morning. I had long since discovered that sleep was the fastest way to get my MP back.
With another four hours of sleep, I was able to get back all the MP I had spent in the morning.
Apparently, the time I can stay in my semi-human form is the same time it takes me to get my MP back.
I don't know if it's a good speed or not, I think it's at least acceptable.
Now that I'm at my maximum MP reserve, I'm going to keep training. For now, I'm going to train with my dragon form as I don't want to waste MP and time. I've spent a whole morning, and I've barely learned how to materialize the manna out of my body.
I've spent a lot of time on such a small breakthrough.
"I wouldn't consider it that way, Drako. You've already achieved the hardest part, now you just have to shape your arrows. Getting your magic energy to materialize in just four hours is a pretty good result."
(From now on I will call him Drako, instead of Draco. There's not much difference, but I like it better that way."
How long did it take you to get that?
"I've known how to use magic since I've had a conscience, kid."
There's a reason you were almost omnipotent...
I can already materialize magic, what do I do now?
"Simple, you just have to make that magic take the form of an arrow. You just have to use your imagination."
I see.
"First, you have to take the Gandiva, and aim at the target as if you had a real arrow."
I take Gandiva out of the system and do as the old man tells me.
"Now you have to materialize the magic energy and imagine it taking the form of an arrow."
Okay.
I concentrate and follow the same steps as before.
The black "fog" appears in my hands again. In my mind, I imagine how that fog takes the shape of an arrow.
Little by little, the "fog" changes its shape, I even feel that it has weight.
The "fog" soon takes the shape of an arrow. This one is black as coal, just like my scales.
"This is because of your [Darkness Atribute], your magic essence is dark by nature."
So my evolution even affects the essence of my magic.
"That's right."
The arrow is already between my fingers. Now all that's left is to stretch the rope and shoot.
[Normal Skill [Arrow Creation: Lv1] acquired]
…
Hey, hey.
"Tell me."
Isn't this rope too hard? I'm having a hard time pulling it, even in my dragon form.
"Are you stupid? It's normal to have trouble pulling the rope. Gandiva is not a normal bow. To begin with, this one was created to be used by celestial beings. Even with your strength as a dragon, you still find it hard to use."
I guess you're right, man.
"Of course I'm right, do you forget who I am?"
Yes, yes. You're an old pervert.
"Fucking..."
I think I'll ignore the old man for a moment.
This is the first shot I'm going to make, and I have high expectations for it.
I place the arrow carefully. With one arm holding the main body of the bow, with the other arm tightening the string as much as possible.
The target is ten meters away. It's not much, but I've never used a bow before.
I'm aiming.
And loose.
Swoooooshhhh
The arrow shoots out with enormous power and goes through a tree, two trees, three...
I've already lost count of the number of trees I've shot through with the arrow.
There is no doubt that the bow is powerful. But my arrow could be much, much better.
But the problem right now is not the arrow.
"Although I didn't expect much from your first shot... I have to say that your aim is pitiful."
Your comments don't help at all, you old fuck.
But I guess you're right since the arrow hasn't come close to hitting the target. In fact, I haven't even hit the tree where the objective is.
"Just keep practising, kid. Sooner or later, you'll get better."
If you say so...
.................
"Yes!"
I can't help but jump for joy.
The reason is simple, I finally managed to hit the centre of the target once.
After a hundred attempts, I have finally achieved the first goal.
"Not bad, kid. But you're starting to run out of MPs."
My current PM is as follows: 27/127
Each one costs me a point of MP, which is quite a high consumption.
I still have 27 more attempts.
Come on, one more time.
I think I've improved when it comes to creating arrows because every time I make one, I feel that the process is much smoother.
This arrow would be number 101.
[Level of normal skill [Arrow Creation] was increased from 1 to 2]
These are the typical things you don't expect but always receive with open hands.
Swooosh!
I shoot the 101st arrow.
"Sigh... Looks like the previous hit was just a fluke."
This arrow did hit the target, but it's still far from a perfect shot.
"It's a start, kid. Even Achilles had to train for nine years with Chiron to become the strongest warrior of his time. You just need patience, persistence and dedication, those three things will accomplish everything you set out to do."
I know, man.
.........…
26 arrows later, I'm already out of MPs.
I'm going to stop my training here. It's time to go back with the rest.
The place where I'm training is not far from where we live.
"Old hag, I said I'm hungry!"
Sigh...
We've already started with the problems.
Mordred is looking with an angry face at Tiamat, who is keeping calm.
"And I have told you to go hunting for yourself."
"Damn... You're telling the next King of Knights to hunt his own food?"
"That's exactly what I said."
Mordred has only been in this world for two days, and so far she's only known how to make trouble.
I'm heading to Kuroka and Shirone who are sitting watching the discussion between Mordred and Tiamat. Kuroka is watching the discussion with disinterested eyes, while Shirone seemed still a little scared.
"Hello"
"Drako-nii!" "Drako!"
I sit next to them and watch the discussion between my Servant and my "mother".
"Why are they arguing now?"
I'm interested to know what stupid reason Mordred has for fighting Tiamat. I won't deny that seeing two beautiful women is a pleasant sight.
In fact, I'm really enjoying it right now!
"Mo-san is hungry." Answer Shirone.
"Mo-san?"
I hear a sigh from Kuroka.
"Your so-called Servant, Mordred. Shirone likes to call nick names."
Does she like to do that sort of thing? Is this one of her facets that don't show up on DxD?
"You say Mordred is hungry, but why are you arguing?"
Kuroka shrugs.
"Because she wants Tiamat to prepare it for her."
Sigh...
What a troublesome Servant.
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