บท 23: Chapter 23

"So the outside threats are foreign gods. I don't suppose you are willing to tell us about the inside threat, are you," Sun Wukong asked, full well knowing Ryuu won't be telling him anymore which make him shake his head in bitterness.

He couldn't force the brat either so he decided to move on and deal with this newly acquired information later. "Let's just suppose you are right, why should I put my bet on you of all people (devil)," he asked, narrowing his eyes which made Yu-Long's eyes light up in interest.

Knowing this old wrinkled monkey, he probably already decided on taking him in as an apprentice the moment he showed them his skill in demonic energy manipulation, so he was curious about the show the monkey was putting on.

Having enough of the games Ryuu just closed his eyes and brought his hands before his chest and started gathering energy in the form of a ball, not unlike a slightly bigger version of the Rasengan. That in itself wasn't all that impressive despite his control.

What was though, was the fact that his demonic energy now contained a trace of light in it, and not just any light. Both the Great Sage and Yu-Long would forever remember this energy signature making them cry out in fright, "no way!"

Ryuu just looked at them and said cooly, "because God Himself has put His bet on me," making their jaws drop and leaving Ryuu satisfied considering how bullied he felt before.

Though he'd come to regret feeling so smug about it later on during the training.

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While Yu-Long was busy chasing Ryuu, Wukong got himself some monkey wine he created through the use of Ryuu's cask. He found the existence of the cask to be a miracle, but also an insult.

Countless people have tried to mesh together different runic systems and only God was successful in doing so. Now this brat, who happens to be His successor takes one of God's life's work and turns it into a mere wine maker just to gain a bargaining chip during negotiations.

Needless to say, the Monkey King was impressed by the brats' audacity. He reminded him a bit of his younger self, just a tad smarter than he had been. Thinking about the good old days had him become a bit sentimental and got him lost in his old memories.

Shaking his head slightly to bring himself out of his reverie, he brought his attention back to the running Ryuu. He was rather impressed of the level he reached from considering he had no one to instruct him or guide him.

This was the seventh and last day he will have Yu-Long testing the brat. The monkey youkai now had a good grasp on Ryuu's current limits and will be able to tailor a trainings plan accordingly.

"Alright Yu-Long, enough. Let the brat rest for the rest of the day," the old monkey youkai said before taking a puff out of his pipe. Yu-Long just gave him a toothy grin before he retired in a cave.

Under the Great Sages' eyes, Ryuu was left on the ground sweaty and dirty. The last seven days of his life were much more difficult than the past ten years combined.

It wasn't all that suprising considering that, he wouldn't be able to reach the heights he so desperately desired, if he asked to be coddled.

Lying there, huffing and puffing on a red sand mountain in the middle of nowhere, Ryuu tried to stabilise his breathing. It took some time but eventually he calmed down enough to cast a cleansing charm (A/N: modified Harry Potter version;a full cleansing spell (sweat grim dust etc.)) on himself.

It didn't really help though, since his body was still overheating and thus sweating again to cool down. At least the dust, dirt and grime was gone, there was also some blood here and there that was cleansed as well.

Sun Wukong watched him with no small amount of amusement. The brat that has proclaimed he'd become the guardian of the world was reduced to such a state. Regardless of his current state and achievements, the old monkey youkai decided to take matters seriously.

Given his position as Indras' vanguard he couldn't be there all day every day to supervise and guide Ryuu in his training. But he'd leave him with instructions and various sparring partners, who happen to be people that owe the former Monkey King a favor.

He'd have to start from the very basics given that Ryuus' control over his vital energy was atrocious to say the least. It wasn't all that suprising though since he went from feeling nearly nothing to dealing with a strong stream of energy.

Not that the Monkey King bothered with excuses like these. After all his demonic energy was under the same conditions, but he managed to get a feel for it rather quickly.

A rough estimate for Ryuu's training, considering his own situation, was a hundred and fifty years. He wanted to become the legacy disciple of the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, which means learning everything useful and worthwhile that Sun Wukong acquired over the years.

On top of that there was a severe need to sharpen Ryuus' battle instincts. He was fighting like a skilled human, rather than a powerful supernatural being, limiting his raw power output and narrowing his mind to other possibilities during battle.

While looking at the patheticaly panting Ryuu Wukong thought, 'this brat will be a natural at Senjutsu (vital energy manipulation/ki manipulation), I can feel it. At the same time he has an ingenious mind and enormous talent for magic.

The things he has come up until now are astonoshing, to say the least. It is a rather sad thing that Gods' successor will be a figther before he'll be a mage due to his natural disposition. Not that I mind.'

Ryuu had also shared his love for swords with him and expressed his desire to learn their use once he was finished with the monkey king's training so he'd need to lay down the foundation for that one as well.

While he did learn how to wield a myriad of weapons during his journey, Sun Wukong decided to not teach him anything beyond the bare basics. He'd have someone with superior skills in the art of the swords teach him.

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During a rather humble dinner together the old monkey youkai looked at Ryuu and asked suddenly, "young Ryuu, do you have any plans for afterwards? Anything you want to do or achieve once you are done taking care of whatever threat you believe there to be?"

Ryuu was just about to put some rice into his mouth when he heard the Great Sage speaking to him. Hearing his question made him freeze up. Shortly after he put his chopsticks back into the rice bowl cleaned up his mouth with a tissue and answered, "I want a family; a person I can come back home to. I'd love to have at least two children, a boy and a girl each."

One could practicually hear the old monkey youkai's jaw drop and see his eyes widen to almost comical levels in astonishment. Sun Wukong expected to hear many things, but never did he consider such a small matter to be of importance for the young guardian.

He looked him straight in the eyes and only saw longing and seriousness in it which made him smile. Thinking about it for a bit he shook his head and continued to eat.

Ryuu following after him in silence.