Chapter 40: Growth State
Falling back with a bloody nose, I winced slightly as I wiped it away. I'll admit, I probably deserved that one, I did after all let Issei get turned into a Devil. Ingrid wasn't aware of that part, she just blamed me for not intervening quick enough. I was glad she didn't know the truth, but honestly, if she wanted to blame anyone, why not herself? She is after all, much stronger than me, so why couldn't she do anything?
Though I will admit, it was very disconcerting to be able to see the punch coming towards my face but not be able to avoid it in time. "You done?" I asked, looking towards Ingrid to see the anger radiating off of her.
She was not happy in the slightest.
After returning to the Hyoudou household with Sona and her Peerage, plus Saeko who I contacted just as a little buffer, an impromptu meeting had been held. Honestly, it confirmed a few things and cleared up a few misunderstandings, but overall was a pretty dull and boring affair.
Right now, Rias was still healing Issei, Akeno, Saeko, Sona and her Peerage were gone and as for me, Ingrid, we're in the usual clearing that I train in. It was out in the borders of the city, off the usual trodden trail so rarely visited by people. The various magical barriers placed up around it also ensured that no one would enter inside while we were here.
A good thing too because looking around at the clearing, it was a mess.
Ingrid in response to the question took a quick step forward and I reflexively raised my guard, but no strike came. It was weird, being able to see everything like this, useful in a fight, absolutely. But in a real-world environment, it was incredibly strange.
Though I did wonder what it would be like if I utilised Fallen Demon.
"Thank you." I lowered my guard after a few moments, just to make sure she wasn't waiting for me to lower my guard. "Now, we know that Issei's now a Devil, there's nothing we can do to change that. Quite frankly, if we look at the positives, this works out for both of us. Rias is related to the Lucifer, after all, that puts us under not only the protection of the Gremory family but also the strongest Satan."
I have to admit, this plan of mine worked out pretty well.
There's been a few bumps in the road, and it's been a little more boring than I expected, but ultimately, I got what I wanted. Honestly, in shows and films, they always showcase the planning and the action. But they always leave out the waiting that takes place in between, I wish they did because perhaps I could have prepared myself mentally for it.
"But it also means that it paints a target on our backs." Ingrid retorted. "The Old Satan Faction would like nothing more than to take out the New Satan Faction, which we are now connected to. To get to the Lucifer, they'll target Rias, to get to Rias, they'll target Issei and to get to Issei, they'll target us."
I scoffed. "I know that, but I also know that they've had plenty of opportunity before this and haven't done so." There was a lot of enemies that would target me in the future for one reason or another, that much I knew, but that was okay. It was something I had accepted a long time ago, I just needed to get stronger in preparation. "That's why I want to take advantage of my adaptive ability."
Ingrid rose a brow. "Adaptive ability?"
"Yeah, mid-fight against the Fallen, I was able to not only see but track their Light Spears," I told her. "My eyesight adapted and I want to see if there are other parts of me that can also adapt in response to a need."
I already suspected that was the case and had proof to back this up.
My strength before Kouh had stagnated massively.
I had reached a plateau and was unable to push past those limits.
However, while subtle, since coming to Kouh, I had grown stronger, breaking past those limits. For starters, the most obvious was my ability to utilise magic, slow as it may be and as little as I possessed, it was a massive difference compared to previously. But the things that had at first escaped my notice, were the improvements of Fallen Demon, Possessing Spirit and the combination of the two, Divine Demon.
Before, I could barely hold either of them individually for a few minutes, combined even less so. Each time I used it put an immense strain on my body and mind, rapidly draining my body of its stamina.
Now though, I could use it for a similar amount of time, comfortably. It no longer put an immense strain on my body as it had done in the past and certainly, the longer I used it, the more strain it put on me. But the time span in which I could use it was a massive indicator of the growth I had undergone.
Just like how my eyesight had adapted to seeing the Light Spears.
My mind and body were adapting to the strain that those three techniques put upon my body.
"You're going through a Growth State?" There was a question there, a tinge of jealousy that piqued my interest.
"Growth State?" I repeated, uncertain of its meaning.
Though considering the name, it was probably self-explanatory.
"Supernatural beings have numerous advantages over humanity. Not only is magic an intrinsic part of who they are, enabling them to use it instinctively. They also possess the natural ability to grow stronger." Ingrid began. "Each living being possesses a limit that they cannot go beyond. However, supernatural beings possess the ability to surpass this limit. This is known as the Growth State, but some call it Limit Break, Awakening, Evolution and other names."
So that was why humanity was so weak in comparison to the supernatural world. It was also probably the reason that those three Fallen were so weak, they had reached that limit, but not been able to enter this Growth State.
"So, does this mean my limit has been broken then?" Ingrid nodded her head in response and I could feel my smile growing wider. It was beyond the point of me being able to hide the feeling of joy within me, this was such good news for me.
The slow progress of my powers had been frustrating, to say the least.
Scratch that, it was pissing me off.
But if I really had entered a Growth State, then my power should skyrocket from this point on.
"It depends." Ingrid popped that bubble though straight away. I appreciated that, but at the same time, I didn't. "It varies from person to person. For some, a Growth State can last no more than a few days, their limit being shattered very easily. This often indicates a low limit and therefore, not producing someone very strong. On the other hand, some can last years and is often an indication of a stronger person."
"Often, but not always," I noted.
Ingrid nodded her head. "There are a few irregularities. Some whose Growth State lasts no more than a few days but can produce someone stronger than those who have been in one longer than a few years. Others who have been it for years, but produce someone weak." Ingrid explained. "It's impossible to generalise them, it's often just a luck of the draw."
"But the longer it lasts, is linked more to someone stronger than those whose lasts less?" I pressed, Ingrid nodding her head. "Okay, well I guess that means we need to see how long this lasts."
"The best thing to do is not to get your hopes up," Ingrid told me. "It's not a common thing, a Growth State that is. It's not uncommon either, but more often than not, those who do undergo a Growth State, only ever reach the level of a High-Class Devil at most. It's only the truly unnatural that go beyond that point."
I didn't care about that.
Up until this point, I had been training purely within the limits of a human. Since I had become a supernatural being also, I had been able to go beyond that and now I had broken through my limit even more so. The sky was the limit for me and even if it didn't take me all the way to the top, I would keep going.
If something could be broken once, who's to say it can't be broken twice?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Carrots123
Carrots123 So, the Growth State is effectively my explanation for the Plot Armour of Anime/Manga. This isn't a story to take seriously, but one thing I do like is power progression, I love weak to strong stories and that's reflected in the stories I write. Now, I will try my best to avoid PIS and also Plot Armour as best as I can, but I can't say for definite that there won't be moments of that because there will. When it comes to power, the Growth State is effectively an explanation for when a sudden growth in power enables a character to beat someone they shouldn't have been able to. Which won't happen every time, don't worry. Plot Armour won't save the day every day.
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