Chapter 21: Shadow Step
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Three days had gone by since the Gremory peerage had departed on their 10 days of training to prepare against Riser Phenex.
"What's with that technique? It's… creepy."
Raynare raised a brow as she watched Takauji perform some sort of strange movement technique from within their underground training area.
"It's called [Shadow Step], right now I'm in the process of fusing [Mana Step] with my affinity."
"Sounds… complicated… I think?"
She scratched her temple as she tried to make sense of what he had just said.
"It could be worse," he thought of his failure to master [Vacio]. "I already have the building blocks to create the technique, so now it's just a matter of putting them together."
Once completed, he would be able to perform [Mana Step] without having his movements detected whatsoever.
Unless his opponent had a technique suited to detecting it of course.
"I see," she shrugged. Deciding to loot some of the refreshments he had left around.
"What about you? I trust you've been making progress with [Licht Vene] as I've instructed."
She smiled, confidence all over her face.
"Hehe, indeed I have."
Then let's put that to the test.
Without warning, he used [Shadow Step] to close the distance between them.
Grabbing his sword and performing a horizontal slash towards her neck.
CLANG!
"Wha… WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"
She yelled with bleary eyes, the edge of the blade being stopped by the toughness of her neck.
"It looks like you weren't lying."
The veins on her neck had been highlighted with Light Mana, covering the area of impact as if to absorb the damage that had been done.
"You… DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I ACTIVATED IT TOO LATE!?"
Steam practically exploded from her ears, but her master simply continued to look at her with an impassive expression.
"Yeah, but you activated it on time didn't you? Which means you've been training well. Good job."
He attempted to pat her on the head, but she quickly pushed his hand aside with anger oozing out of her.
"Don't touch me! Idiot! Abuser! Smelly! Baka!"
She stormed off, to which he shrugged and returned his attention back to his training.
She probably hasn't realized it just yet, but she activated it on instinct alone. At this rate I might actually manage to awaken her [Balance Breaker] before the Gremory's have their Rating Game.
On second thought, maybe I shouldn't jynx it...
One of the "problems" he had encountered with learning [Shadow Step], was that adding his Darkness Mana to it had caused the speed of the technique to increase.
Meaning, he would need to return to learning how to control the ability in directions other than a straight line again for the time-being.
However, this would only be an issue in the short term, and a benefit in the long term.
For someone of his skillset to possess a masked movement technique, would turn him into nothing but a terrifying opponent to have the misfortune of fighting.
Takauji spent roughly 2 more hours chipping away at [Shadow Step], about to return back to his bedroom until he caught a glimpse of Raynare.
She's still going at it… not bad. Not bad at all.
Not wanting to get in her way, he simply let out a pleased smile and continued as he was.
Now then… time to put my mind through the ringer once again…
He groaned as he sat down at his desk, pulling out his study notes on [Vacio] and resigning himself to the torturous fate of trying to understand them.
From what I "understand", [Vacio] is basically the act of diving space by your own Mana. Or more specifically diving it by Darkness Mana.
The problem I'm facing with it, is that my mind goes blank after performing about 13% of the necessary calculations to pull off that tear.
Which leads to two possibilities; either the calculations I'm doing themselves are wrong to begin with, which I find unlikely seeing as I'm actually able to create a tear to begin with.
Or two, my human brain does not have the processing power necessary to use this technique.
Most of the recorded Darkness users were Vampires, so this technique must have been created with their level of brain power in mind. Not that of a human's.
Actually, are there even any other living human Darkness users other than me to begin with? I might want to research that at a later date.
Takauji exhaled, sliding his notes aside upon realizing he wouldn't be able to tackle this technique with his current prowess.
Though the human brain didn't fully mature until one was 25, even then there was little guarantee he would make any headway.
He absolutely had to get his hands on the Cursed Eyes, no matter what.
I really am being held back by my own humanity… how unfortunate.
He ran his fingers through his hair before walking towards the opposite side of the room, flipping over a classroom-sized whiteboard that had a strange set of drawings on it.
This was part of his plan to awaken Raynare's [Balance Breaker], or at least a prototype of it.
The goal was to get the strongest emotional response out of Raynare as possible, one that involved her using [Twilight Healing] as it happened.
Stress, fear, and determination.
These were the three emotions he wanted to invoke out of her, planning to push the desire to survive he knew boiled within Raynare to its absolute limit.
To the point where she was tethering on the absolute brink of desperation, which would then lead to the strength of her emotions becoming her strength.
None of these simulations seem adequate to me… she needs every facet of her mind to be redlining during the eternity of her awakening process for this to work.
No, her mind won't be enough. Azazel's notes made that abundantly clear.
Her heart, and her spirit. I'll have to include those as well.
He continued to work on the project, causing him to come to a striking realization after a certain amount of time.
Wait… if she keeps progressing at the rate she is then she shouldn't have any problems enduring this but…
I will.
Damn, the only somewhat feasible method includes me putting myself on the line. My human body will be at even more risk than hers if I decide to go through with this…
His grip on the marker tightened, a small sense of concern hitting him for once.
No, I can't falter here.
Takauji mustered up his courage, continuing to jot down everything that came to mind with a steeled expression.
If I can't do this much, then not only will I not be qualified to expect anything of her, I will not be worthy to obtain the eyes.
Ranyare would achieve [Balance Breaker], he would accept no other outcome.
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Night had already fallen over the Ashikaga household, and Raynare had finished up her daily routine of training her overclocking ability alongside [Licht Vene].
"What a slavedriver for a master I have…"
Her entire body was drenched in sweat from head to toe, making her feel as if she were a wax figure at a museum.
"But…"
She looked down at her open palms, watching the potent energy coursing through their veins with a grin.
"I guess it's all worth it in the end," if she could get Azazel to acknowledge her even a little bit. She would put up with whatever Takauji threw at her.
A fatigued yawn soon left her lips, followed by her stretching her arms as her muscles started to relax.
"Now then, let's go check up on that blockhead."
She walked up the stairs towards his bedroom, looking around for any sight of Takauji.
"Oh, there are you. I'm surprised you're still… up?"
Though he was still standing in front of the white board, something seemed off about him.
"Takauji… sama?"
She walked closer to him, shocked to see that he was currently hunched over with his eyelids firmly shut.
"He fell asleep…? And while standing up?" There really was no other conclusion to be made.
Raynare spared a glance towards the board, not able to discern the full meaning of what had been written but able to infer the premise.
"This is for… my [Balance Breaker] isn't?"
She turned back towards her master in shock, wondering just how long he had been working on this.
"I mean, Azazel-sama did say he wouldn't give him that strange blob without me achieving [Balance Breaker]..."
From the glint in his eyes back then, it was clear how bad he wanted to get his hands on it.
But even so, she had to appreciate his efforts. Even if her growth was only an indirect product of his work.
She lightly nudged his shoulders, causing him to nearly tumble over from the sudden sensation of being jolted awake.
"Huh…? Wha… Oh, it's you."
Thankfully, Raynare caught him before he could fall.
"Yes, it's me. Just how long have you been working on this for?"
Takauji scratched his temple with a half-asleep look on his face.
"Uh, what time is it again?"
"It's 3 in the morning."
He had left the underground training area at 3:00 PM, 12 hours ago.
"Oh… not that long I think."
She could only shake her head and sigh.
The dark circles under his eyes and redlining in his cornea made him less believable than the boy who cried wolf.
"Alright, let's get you to bed."
She picked him up with little effort, carrying his human body to bed as she gently laid his head down on the pillow. Scooting up right next to him as she comforted his head with her chest.
And with the level of fatigue he was under, it hardly took him a minute to fall asleep.
"You probably would've been in that position until sunrise if I wasn't here. Hmph, you really are fortunate to have such a stunning young woman like myself looking after you."
She wrapped one hand around his waist, and used the other to gently stroke his hair.
"You're a strange one, you know that? I can't tell whether you like or hate me at times, it's like your mood switches every other day."
Little did she know, she was one of the only people around who he had shown his true colors to of his own volition.
"You've made me stronger… that's for sure…"
The her from when they had met back in the abandoned church, and the her now were in completely different leagues.
She could probably defeat her old self blindfolded if she really wanted to.
"And you've even given me a chance to prove myself to Azazel-sama…"
Raynare didn't even notice her hold on him getting stronger.
"That's why I also… want to make you stronger…"
"What are you talking about?" She flinched, noticing that Takauji had in fact been awake the whole time.
"T-Takauji-sama?" Her cheeks were bright red.
"Have you forgotten what I said when we first made the pact?"
Raynare blinked repeatedly, trying to recall his words from that time.
"Then I'll repeat myself, you are an extension of me. If you are weak, then so am I. If you are unhappy, then so am I. That's why I cannot allow you to feel, or embody either of these things."
He reached out with his arms, hugging her just as closely.
"If you want to make me stronger, then there's only one thing you can do. Surpass me."
Her eyes widened, having not expected such a statement from him.
"If you surpass me, then you will have repaid your debt to me with interest."
Her lips quivered, unable to contain the burning emotion his words were giving her.
"Yes… Takauji-sama…"
She grabbed his cheeks, and proceeded to kiss him deeper than she ever had before. Hoping that her actions could convey her feelings to him better than her words.
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Raynare do be progressin'.
10+ Advance Chapters: patreon.com/Accel14
Discord Link: KQAtTw9u7x
Word Count: 2027
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