บท 337: Blocked Breakthrough
After giving the girls their pets, Bloed took them to the training hall so they could get used to using them in combat.
Bloed had made the entire fifth floor of the tower a training hall. It was equipped with everything he could think of; from workout equipment to some new machines he created with the purpose to aid mana training.
But the main attraction of the training hall was the battle simulator.
Half of the floor was dedicated exclusively to it.
It was designed using titanium walls reinforced with a film of energy fueled by the generator of the tower. Thanks to that, the people training inside it could release their abilities without worry.
Bloed was confident the battle simulator could endure A-Grade attacks without a problem.
Of course, that was without taking into account special attacks like Bloed's [Molecular Disintegration].
The battle simulator was much more than that.
Using highly advanced technology, the battle simulator could generate 'illusions' that could be used as sparring partners. These illusions lacked attack power, but they could move even as fast as A-Rank practitioners specialized in speed or simulate hundreds of different combat styles, including a variety of magic.
Plus, because they were illusions, there was no need to worry about damaging them.
Thanks to that, besides the fact that the battle simulator was useless to practice defensive techniques and could not train your sense of danger, using it was almost as effective as sparring with real people.
When Bloed and the others arrived at the training hall, they found that Regina and Liu Ying were already there. Regina seemed to be meditating on the ground, and Liu Ying was using the battle simulator to simulate ten peak B-Rank practitioners and fight them.
Regina opened her eyes as soon as she felt Bloed's presence.
"Master, you are here. Did you already finish the mechanical pets?"
"I just did. We came here to test their performance and train the girl's control over the pets." Bloed pointed to Sara, Gina, and Aya who were walking towards the battle simulator. "They need to get used to them as quickly as possible to prepare for the War of Clubs. By the way, why are you here? It's rare to see you training."
Regina was a Valkyrie, and her strength was fixed. Moreover, as a weapon, her performance would be perfect as long as she was in perfect condition.
In other words, she did not need to train. That was the reason Bloed was surprised to see her meditating.
Of course, her strength had been passively growing since the first time she slept with Bloed, but that was something completely unrelated to training.
Just at that moment, Liu Ying finished her training and left the battle simulator.
"I was wondering the same. It's the first time I see Regina training."
Regina fell silent for a moment before speaking up with a hesitating expression.
"… Actually, I have been feeling… different, recently."
"Different?" Bloed and Liu Ying looked at each other in confusion.
"I'm not sure either." Regina frowned confusedly. "However, I feel as though my control over my ESP ability is becoming smoother. As though it is about to advance to the next grade."
Bloed and Liu Ying were stunned.
Regina was about to breakthrough?
In other words, she was about to reach SSS-Grade, the equivalent to an Apotheosis Demigod.
No, because Regina was a Valkyrie, her combat strength was higher than her grade. After a breakthrough, she would become as strong as a peak SSS-Grade ESPer or perhaps even as strong as the legendary beyond SSS-Grade ESPers!
However, Regina soon dashed Bloed's hopes.
"Unfortunately, I can't breakthrough."
"You can't?" Bloed and Liu Ying were stunned. "Do you have any idea of the reason?"
"I don't know." Regina shook her head. "I feel as I should be able to breakthrough right now, but something is stopping me from taking the next step."
Bloed furrowed his brows in confusion. He looked at Liu Ying to see if she had any idea of what was happening, but she seemed just as confused as him.
But then, they heard a voice coming from behind them.
"… I think I know the reason."
Startled, the three of them looked hurriedly in the direction of the voice, finding a fox girl observing the workout equipment with a curious expression.
"Eve? How long have you been here?"
"Just a moment ago. I was bored so I came to see if I could find something interesting here. Hey, how do you use this?"
Bloed was speechless.
It seemed that this ex-saintess was just as willful as always.
Bloed did not care much about it, though. He had already gotten used to Eve appearing and disappearing suddenly.
Instead, he was more curious about what she said just now.
"You know what is happening to Regina?"
"I think so." Eve looked at Regina expressionlessly and nodded. "If I'm not wrong, it's due to her soul."
"My soul?" Regina was stunned.
Eve nodded.
"Miss Regina's soul is incomplete. I don't know the reason, but her problem should be related to that. The flaw in her soul means that her soul power can't grow, and that is stopping her from advancing to the next rank."
Bloed and Regina were surprised.
However, when they thought about it, they found Eve's guess reasonable.
Actually, Regina was a Valkyrie. In the first place, her strength should not be able to improve.
The fact it was improving was already abnormal.
"Do you have a solution?" Bloed asked.
Eve shook her head. "I don't. Actually, I still don't understand how Miss Regina achieved her current strength with an incomplete soul. That should be impossible. How did she breakthrough before this?"
Bloed and Regina smiled bitterly.
Regina was a Valkyrie. She had her current strength since the day she was created.
Of course, they were not going to reveal that to Eve. Although they considered her a friend and ally, their relationship was not close enough to reveal Regina's origins.
In fact, the only one of Bloed's acquaintances who knew a bit about Regina's origins was Liu Ying.
Eve did not insist when she saw Bloed and Regina did not plan to explain it, and instead, she put on a pensive expression.
"… Now that I think about it, perhaps there is another way."
"Huh?" Bloed and Regina looked at each other. "What is it?" Regina asked.
"Last time, your soul became more complete when the two of you had intercourse for the first time. You should use it as a reference."
Regina was stunned. Immediately, she stared at Bloed strangely.
Her gaze seemed to be saying 'Master, should do it more often then?'
Bloed did not know whether to laugh or to cry.
Regina and he had sex practically every night except for the nights when Bloed was busy with an experiment. Unless they wanted to spend the entire day mating as rabbits, doing it more often was impossible.
Plus, he remembered Eve saying that the reason Regina's soul became more complete was not due to the intercourse in itself, but due to the new and intense emotions that Regina felt back then.
However, how in the hell could he make Regina experience new emotions? And what emotions were new to her?
[Perhaps trying new positions could work?] Regina's voice was transmitted to his mind.
Bloed rolled his eyes. That definitively was not going to work.
… Although there was no problem in trying.
"We should do that." Bloed murmured.
"Understood, master. We'll start tonight." Regina smiled and licked her lips.
"… Hey, I have a feeling that your conversation just now was strange."
Facing Liu Ying's sharp eyes, Bleod decided to feign ignorance.
Regina, however, smiled smugly.
"You are still too young to know about this topic, demon."
Liu Ying twitched her lips.
"… Damn you."
"Anyway, we should try to find a way to help Regina to breakthrough." Bloed shifted the topic before his two girlfriends started to quarrel. "We should be able to think in a method before long."
"… I have an idea. How about having a spar?" Eve suddenly raised her hand.
"A spar?"
"Yes. Sometimes, fighting can help to achieve breakthroughs. If Miss Regina and I fight, it could help her to take the step she needs."
Regina hesitated and looked at Bloed. Although she was interested, sparring against Eve was not something she could do nearby.
At the very least, Eve and she would need to fly several kilometers away unless they wanted to cause a commotion in the city. However, it meant she could not protect Bloed if a powerful enemy suddenly appeared
Understanding her worries, Bloed smiled.
"Don't worry about that. Nothing will happen. Plus, if you manage to break through, you will be able to protect me even better than now.
Regina hesitated slightly before nodding.
"Okay. Please be careful, master. I'll be back as soon as possible."
"Let's go then." Eve nodded before pulling Regina outside the training hall.
Before leaving, though, Bloed saw Eve glancing at Liu Ying with a blank gaze.
'Hm?'
Before Bloed could understand what was happening, he felt Liu Ying pulling his shirt.
"Hey Bloed, do you have time today? There is something I need to do in the city."
...
Three more chapters coming tonight, hopefully...
Please have a bit of patience with the releases. I'm so busy with real life that the only days I can focus on writing are the weekends. Don't worry, this situation will not last much longer (I hope)...
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