Chapter 98
"Is this it? The power of the Crimson Princess of Ruin?" I asked, disappointed.
Rias and her peerage lay exhausted on the ground, gasping for breath.
To be honest, I expected more. But seeing them now, I realized how weak they were.
I said I would help them. I planned to train them hard. Still, I only had a month to make them strong enough to face Riser.
Seeing their strength now made things look grim. And without Issei as part of Rias's peerage, the situation was even worse.
Rias pushed herself up on shaky arms. "We're... not done yet."
I raised an eyebrow. "You can barely stand."
"I won't give up," she said through gritted teeth.
At least she had spirit. That was something I could work with.
With a snap of my fingers, the training area went back to normal. The simulated background faded away, revealing the plain room beneath.
A few weeks ago, I had E.V.E. modify the training room. She added improvements and new functions.
One of them was augmented reality.
The peerage could fight in any environment I created. Their bodies stayed here, but their minds experienced everything as real. Every strike, every wound, every drop of sweat.
Just like the legendary battle between Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis in FFVII: Crisiscore as they fought across a realistic digital landscape that felt as solid as the ground beneath their feet.
"Are we done?" Kiba asked, particularly exhausted.
"Done?" I snapped my fingers again. "We're just getting started."
Headgears appeared in front of them, floating in the air.
Rias's eyes widened. "Virtual reality gear."
The others stared at the devices, confused.
"What are these?" Koneko asked.
"Your new training tools," I said. "Put them on."
Akeno picked hers up, turning it over in her hands. "And these will do what exactly?"
"Simulate combat scenarios," I said. "Full immersion. You'll face enemies, practice techniques, and push your limits."
"You all have raw power inside you," I continued. "What you need is control."
"Think of it like this. You have a lake full of energy, but you're only using a few cups of it. It's a waste."
Rias frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Your demonic power, your magic—it's all there. But you're not using it efficiently. You leak energy with every spell. You waste movement in combat. You have no discipline."
Kiba looked down at his hands. "So we're strong, but..."
"But you don't know how to use that strength," I finished. "That's where this comes in."
I gestured to the VR gear.
"Control and combat training. That's what you need. And this virtual reality will give you both. You'll face opponents who exploit your weaknesses. You'll learn to channel your power without wasting a drop. You'll drill techniques until they become instinct."
Akeno tilted her head. "And you think one month is enough?"
"It's more than enough."
They looked at me, confused.
"One month here is a year in virtual reality."
Silence.
Rias's eyes went wide. "A year?"
"You mean time dilation?"
I nodded.
"You'll train for twelve months while only a month passes in the real world."
"That's... that's incredible," Kiba said.
Akeno's expression turned serious. "Is that safe?"
"Safe enough," I said. "But only for a year. Anything more than that and your psyche might break down. Your mind can only handle so much compressed time before it starts to fracture."
Koneko frowned. "Fracture?"
"Mental collapse," I said. "Confusion between what's real and what's not. Memory issues. Worse things if you push too far."
The room went quiet again.
"But a year?" Rias looked at the headgear in her hands. "A full year of training..."
"Is enough to beat Riser."
They fell silent for a moment.
"What about school?" Kiba asked, breaking the silence.
"Sona has that taken care of," I said. "Your absences are covered."
Kiba stepped forward. "And what about our bodies? A month without moving—"
"You don't need to worry about that," I said. "I have it taken care of."
I snapped my fingers. The floor opened up, revealing several sleek white pods rising from beneath. They hissed as they locked into place, their glass lids reflecting the ceiling lights.
"These are specialized pods," I said. "They are able to sustain long-term full dive immersion. Nutrients, hydration, muscle stimulation—everything your body needs while your mind is in the virtual world."
Koneko walked up to one, peering inside. "We'll be in these for a month?"
"Your bodies will," I said. "Your minds will be training."
Rias stared at the pods, then at me. "You really thought of everything."
"I don't do things halfway," I said. "Now get ready. Once you're in, there's no backing out until the training is done."
Rias gripped her headgear tighter. "Then let's begin."
I watched them climb into their respective pods, one by one. The lids closed with a soft hiss, sealing them inside.
To be honest, I could make a month in there equal to a decade. But I decided against it. A year was enough to whip them into shape.
Rias's peerage was talented. Very talented, in fact. Unfortunately, they lacked the drive to be truly strong. They coasted on natural ability, never pushing past their limits.
This training wasn't just meant to control their powers. It was meant to hone their minds.
Power without discipline was just noise. Strength without focus was wasted potential.
They needed to learn what it meant to struggle. To fail. To get back up and try again.
The virtual world would teach them that. It would break them down and force them to rebuild themselves stronger.
I walked to the control panel and initialized the system. The pods glowed with blue light as the connection was established.
"One year," I said to the empty room. "Let's see what you're really made of."
The simulation began.
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Kiba opened his eyes.
White. Everything was white.
He sat up, looking around. An endless white room stretched in every direction. No walls. No ceiling. Just pure, blank space.
He stood, his legs steady beneath him. At least his body felt normal.
A few meters away, he spotted supplies. Crates of food, bottles of water, neatly folded clothes. They sat there like someone had just dropped them off.
"Hello?" he called out.
Nothing. His voice didn't even echo.
He walked toward the supplies, his footsteps silent against the white floor. Or was it a floor? He couldn't tell. Everything blended together.
Kiba crouched down, checking the crates. Basic rations. Plain clothes. Enough to survive, but nothing else.
No weapons. No training equipment. No indication of what he was supposed to do.
"Is this the training?" he muttered.
The white void gave no answer.
He straightened up, scanning the endless space again. There had to be something. A clue. A direction. Anything.
But there was only white.
And silence.
Kiba clenched his fists. "Alright then. What now?"
As if on cue, someone appeared.
A tall man materialized in front of him. Lean, muscular build. Fair skin. Maroon eyes that seemed to pierce right through him. Long spiky hair with red tips, tied back in a ponytail. A distinctive flame-like mark spread across the left side of his forehead.
Kiba had no idea who the man was, but he realized one thing immediately—the man was strong.
Before Kiba could say anything, the man attacked.
Fast. Too fast.
Kiba barely had time to raise his arms. He was forced to defend, to retaliate on instinct.
He reached for his Sacred Gear, calling on Sword Birth.
But all that appeared was a simple katana.
"What—"
The man's blade cut through him.
Pain exploded across Kiba's chest. He gasped, stumbling back. Blood poured from the wound—or what felt like blood.
His vision blurred.
Then everything went black.
…
Kiba's eyes snapped open.
White room. Again.
He sat up, gasping for air. His chest—no wound. No blood. Nothing.
He looked down at his hands, trembling.
"I... died."
The supplies were still there. Untouched.
And standing a few meters away, the man with the ponytail waited.
Silent. Watching.
Kiba's grip tightened. "Again?"
The man raised his blade.
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