Everyone sat down for lunch. For the peerage, it was a simple bowl of beans and rice. In contrast, Bill had a full plate of ribs with mac and cheese and cornbread, while Grayfia dined elegantly on steak and potatoes. Rias sighed quietly but began to eat without complaint.
Between bites, Bill leaned back and said casually, "Those three did well. How'd those two do?"
Grayfia dabbed her mouth with a napkin before replying. "There was some definite improvement. Akeno's control has always been good, but thanks to you, she seems more willing to use her fallen angel abilities and has begun to truly master them. However," she continued, folding her hands neatly on the table, "since she's only just started embracing that side of herself, she's starting from the bottom and working her way up."
She paused before her tone hardened slightly. "Lady Rias, meanwhile, needs far more work than I realized. I should have taken her to task years ago. She's been coddled far too much. The only reason I haven't helped her until now was because she never asked for it—which I took to mean she was doing fine. But apparently, the reality was that she was just being extremely stubborn."
Bill chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. "Oh well, we've got plenty of time. By your estimation, do you think they'll be strong enough to defeat that—" he snapped his fingers, thinking, "ah, damn, I forgot his name. The blonde-haired boy with fire powers?"
Grayfia gave a small, knowing smile. "You mean Riser? Yes, I believe they can grow strong enough to defeat him within the time you've given them. He's only High-Class, after all. If he were Ultimate-Class, I'd be concerned."
"So basically," Bill said with a grin, "he's just barely out of cannon fodder territory?"
Grayfia gave a faint nod. "You could say that."
She stood gracefully, brushing off her uniform. "Kiba, Koneko, Issei—follow me. It's time for your magic training."
Bill stood as well, stretching his arms before motioning to the others. "Rias, Akeno—you're with me."
With a wave of his hand, the scenery around them shimmered and transformed into the dojo from Nioh 2, the air thick with the scent of old wood and faint incense.
Bill turned to Akeno first, summoning the Vajra Tempest split staff and handing it to her. "This," he said, demonstrating a stance, "is how you hold and move with it. Observe."
He showed her the proper form, the fluid motion of strikes and counters. "Alright," he said after a moment, his tone firm but encouraging. "Practice with it for three hours. Then everyone's rerunning the gauntlet."
Turning to Rias, he summoned another weapon—a crimson-edged sword pulsing faintly with power. "This," he explained, handing it to her, "is the Bloodskal Blade from Skyrim. It absorbs its user's magic and releases it in lethal waves of energy."
His expression turned serious. "You're going to use it to help manage your overconsumption of demonic energy. And before your training's over, you're going to achieve at least a basic level of swordsmanship."
Rias blinked at the blade in her hands, its weight and hum of energy foreign yet strangely familiar. Bill simply crossed his arms, watching her reaction with a calm but expectant look.
Bill showed her basic swordsmanship and, like Akeno, made her run through the drills for three long hours, hoping to drill every move into her head. Sweat dripped down her forehead as she repeated each swing and stance, her breathing growing heavier with every passing minute.
After the three hours were finally up, Bill said, "Alright, you two can stop."
Rias and Akeno both lowered their weapons, shoulders rising and falling as they caught their breath. Rias brushed a few crimson strands of hair from her face, her expression calm but exhausted. At the same time, Akeno gave a soft, tired smile, twirling her staff once before resting it against her shoulder, still maintaining her graceful composure even when exhausted. They both waited for Bill's next instructions in silence.
Then Bill said, "Alright, let's head out. It's time to run the gauntlet again."
They regrouped at the gate to the village where Grayfia and the others were waiting. Grayfia stood with her usual composed poise.
Bill looked at everyone and said, "Alright, let's run this again. Everyone who can get under an hour will be rewarded with better food going forward."
That immediately got everyone's attention. Issei's eyes lit up at the mention of food, excitement practically bursting from him as he pumped his fist. "Better food? Alright, I'm definitely beating it this time!" he said eagerly. Kiba smiled with quiet confidence, while Koneko's expression was still flat, but her eyes showed a spark of interest. Even Akeno's lips curved into a teasing smile, her tone light as she said, "My, my… now that's a bit motivating."
Grayfia nodded approvingly, then turned to one of them. "Kiba, start us off, please."
Kiba nodded eagerly, drawing his sword with smooth precision before entering the village. Unlike yesterday, he'd already improved enough to deal real damage to Gozuki. His strikes weren't just fast—they were sharp, deliberate, and heavy. Using a similar tactic as before, he achieved victory in only ten minutes, his refined movements and flawless footwork making the fight look almost effortless.
He practically breezed through the village afterward, cutting down his foes with graceful efficiency before facing Mezuki. Kiba's eyes stayed sharp and focused, his movements were fluid yet powerful. After a brief but fierce struggle, he finally defeated the beast in only fifteen minutes. In total, the entire gauntlet only took him thirty-five minutes.
Following him was Koneko. Her speed had improved drastically compared to the day before. She dashed through enemies like a blur, her small frame moving with precision and power. Despite her expression remaining calm and stoic, there was a clear sense of pride in her eyes as she achieved victory in forty-five minutes flat.
Then it was Issei's turn. This time, he looked more determined than ever, his grip tightening as he muttered, "Alright, let's do this."
When the fight started, he actually managed to put up a fight. He gritted his teeth, his body aching as he struggled against Gozuki's sheer power. But he didn't give up. With a loud yell and one final push, he managed to beat Gozuki after nearly an hour of back-and-forth battle.
Breathing heavily but grinning in triumph, Issei pushed through the village, sweat dripping from his face as he fought his way to Mezuki. Unfortunately, the victory didn't last long. After only a few heavy exchanges, Mezuki's blade flashed, and before Issei could react, he was cut in half after about three blows.
The others winced at the sight. Rias sighed softly, crossing her arms. "He did far better than yesterday," she said with a touch of exasperated fondness. Akeno giggled behind her hand, amused but sympathetic. "Fufu~ At least he's improving… slowly."
Even Bill shook his head, though a small smirk tugged at his lips. "I still don't like the kid but at least he's not completely hopeless," he said simply.
Then Bill said, "I think after another day or two, he'll manage to finish this. Then we'll move on to the next area."
Grayfia nodded in quiet approval. "That's acceptable," she said in her usual composed tone. "But how many stages are there, exactly?"
Bill folded his arms, a small grin tugging at his lips. "Quite a few," he replied. "But I don't need them to get through all of them—I just need them to improve."
Grayfia gave a slight nod of understanding.
Bill then had Rias and Akeno go through the gauntlet again, though this time, they did worse than yesterday. The reason was simple—Bill made them use weapons only, no magic or abilities.
Rias frowned slightly as she swung her sword, her movements sharp but visibly restrained without her usual demonic power. Her crimson hair clung to her face with sweat, and she let out a quiet, frustrated sigh. "This feels so limiting," she muttered under her breath, determination still burning in her eyes despite her exhaustion.
Beside her, Akeno struggled as well, her usual grace giving way to irritation as she tried to adapt to pure weapon combat. She smiled wryly, brushing a few strands of dark hair from her cheek as she exhaled. "My My… this is far less fun without lightning," she said teasingly, though the faint frustration in her tone didn't go unnoticed.
Afterward, Bill finally called for a break, and they all gathered around for dinner. The mood was tired but content; steam rose from their bowls as they ate beneath the fading light. Issei wolfed down his food like he hadn't eaten in days, while Kiba maintained his usual polite composure. Koneko sat nearby, calmly eating her meal in silence.
When the meal was over, they all turned in for the night, exhaustion taking over as they drifted off to sleep.
Like this, the training continued for the remainder of the week. The days were grueling but effective—each one filled with sweat, frustration, and steady progress. Finally, by the seventh day, the results spoke for themselves.
Kiba now wielded a nine-hundred-pound sword with surprising ease, his movements still fast and elegant despite the immense weight. His growth was clear, his confidence shining through every swing.
Koneko, on the other hand, had graduated to submachine guns—something she still struggled against with but was slowly beginning to dodge. Though her expression stayed calm and unreadable, there was a quiet satisfaction in her eyes that didn't need words.
And Issei—after days of being cut down again and again—finally managed to beat the gauntlet in under an hour. He dropped to his knees afterward, panting heavily but grinning from ear to ear. "Finally! I did it!" he said, pumping his fist into the air.
Bill clapped his hands together with a satisfied smile. "I'm very proud of the progress all of you have made."
Rias and the other members of her peerage—Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, and even Issei—looked genuinely happy at the praise. Rias' eyes softened, her lips curving into a graceful smile, while Akeno giggled lightly, her usual elegance returning. Issei beamed proudly, and even Koneko allowed herself a small, approving nod.
But then Bill continued, "However, now we're moving on to the next gauntlet—one that will be harder than this one."
The room fell silent.
Rias' smile froze, her expression falling as she sighed softly. "Of course… There had to be more." Akeno gave a nervous laugh, the corner of her mouth twitching. "My My~ Bill, you do love to ruin the moment, don't you?"
Issei's shoulders slumped instantly, his earlier enthusiasm evaporating. "Wait, harder than this? You've gotta be kidding me…" he groaned.
Even Kiba and Koneko looked less than thrilled—Kiba giving a resigned smile while Koneko simply lowered her gaze, her tone quiet but blunt as she said, "This is going to be rough."
Bill, however, only chuckled, clearly amused by their reactions.