Chapter 43: Alduin-sensei Continues to Sensei!
In order for Kiba to create a "dragon-slaying sword," he would have to successfully harness an attribute known as Dragon Slaying Magic, renowned as the de facto strongest anti-racial magic in the entire supernatural world. When properly harnessed, someone with a draconic factor as potent as the one Alduin possessed could be rendered powerless in a single strike.
Even Sebastian would have to do everything in his power to avoid being afflicted if he came face to face with such a thing.
Of course, there was a reason the draconic race still thrived despite the existence of such a seemingly overwhelming counter. The number of people capable of wielding Dragon Slaying Magic throughout history could be counted on one hand.
It didn't matter if you were immensely talented, immensely fortunate, or immensely skilled. Unless you perfectly embodied all three, becoming a true dragon-slayer was naught but a pipedream.
The most notable ones being Saint George, who used the Holy Sword Ascalon to slay a dragon, or Sigurd, who wielded the strongest Demonic Sword ever created, Gram, to slay the Dragon King Fafnir.
Naturally, Kiba would never be able to wield Ascalon, considering his biology, let alone obtain one of the church's most prized possessions. And as for Gram, the current location of the sword was unknown to the Underworld's intelligence network.
Besides, even if it were to be found, Alduin had a strong feeling Kiba wasn't ready to handle that kind of firepower.
As a matter of fact, he doubted the Knight would manage to create such a sword with his Sacred Gear anytime soon, either. After all, it wouldn't be a stretch to say a dragon-slaying sword was the hardest weapon Kiba could attempt to conjure. It required a level of mastery and competence with Sword Birth he was nowhere near achieving. Especially when he had yet to even perform a successful Balance Break.
So why bother setting a goal he had no hope of accomplishing in any reasonable amount of time? Well, the point wasn't for Kiba to actually create a dragon-slaying sword, but to aspire and be motivated towards its creation. To focus on all the work needed to reach that apex with maximum drive and efficiency.
Alduin wanted him to increase his proficiency with Sword Birth as much as possible before the Rating Game with Riser began. He didn't see much of a reason to develop Kiba's physical conditioning or technique any further, since, in his honest opinion, they were more than adequate to take on Riser's peerage.
Granted, he did understand much about Sacred Gears, so he wasn't exactly the most qualified person around when it came to training a possessor, however, he did know one thing.
Sacred Gears responded to their users' will, or more specifically, their desire. If Kiba desired to reach a level of competency with Sword Birth that would allow him to create something as complex as a dragon-slaying sword, Sword Birth would respond to that desire. It wouldn't grant him that desire out of thin air, obviously, but it would "push" him in a sense.
He would obtain a more direct inclination to improve that he was lacking, something Rias had failed to give him as a result of her never personally involving herself in his training, or that of any of her subordinates.
Again, Alduin didn't hold her solely accountable for that, he believed most of the responsibility fell on Sirzechs' shoulders for spoon-feeding his sister a peerage one would normally need years upon years of experience to even begin managing.
If you thought about it logically, to properly train them, she needed to be heavily knowledgeable on Sacred Gears, Holy Power, Dhampir physiology, specific Yōkai physiology, Senjutsu, and to top it all off, have the necessary emotional intelligence to deal with all the mental walls plaguing her peerage.
Alduin himself only ticked two of the boxes with his Senjutsu training, and arguably effective ability to confront their personal issues.
Even though Thora could help him with Gasper's Dhampir composition, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't already beginning to feel a little overwhelmed.
Still, he had made a deal with Sirzechs, and he fully intended to follow through.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kiba asked hesitantly, only half-prepared to call upon Sword Birth and attempt to create a dragon-slaying sword like Alduin had suggested.
"Maybe, maybe not," Alduin shrugged with a sheepish grin on his face, chuckling to himself. "I still think you should give it a try, there's no better way to test your limits than giving the ceiling the best punch you can muster."
Besides, even if Kiba experienced a little recoil, Alduin could always heal him right up.
"I see," Kiba nodded somewhat apprehensively. "Yes, I suppose you're right." He wasn't sure how to explain it, but the hopeful smile plastered on Alduin's face filled him with a sense of self-expectation. Like he couldn't afford to let him down, or more specifically, like he didn't want to let him down.
It was different from what he felt towards his King, when it came to her, all he wanted to be was a Knight worthy of her compassion. But that was just a generalization, what did it mean to be worthy? Did it mean to simply get stronger? Did it mean being able to help Rias with certain issues? Did it mean to act a certain way befitting of a Knight?
There was nothing to truly aspire to because she had never given him anything specific or concrete. He just blindly did what he thought was expected of him, including wearing a mask of indifference and suppressing his emotions as much as possible. There was no real guidance.
Granted, Sirzechs' Knight, Souji Okita, had given Kiba a considerable amount of swordsmanship training, but he couldn't be there for Kiba as much as he wanted to. A lot of responsibility came with being the Satan Lucifer's Knight, he had duties that needed fulfilling. Which meant he couldn't really tackle Kiba's mental issues either, assuming he knew how, unlike Alduin, who had confronted them on their first day together.
All of a sudden, Kiba felt that ever-present state of aimlessness starting to fade.
He held his palms outwards, allowing Sword Birth to rest upon them in the form of a plain, dull-looking longsword that would remain a blank slate until he willed it to become otherwise.
Here goes nothing, he took a deep breath before beginning.
One moment, his face steeled with determination, and the next, a torrent of bright, red sparks erupted around the blade, like the brakes on a speeding train that had come to an abrupt halt.
Oh? Alduin hummed, putting his hand on his nape only to discover that the hairs on the back of his neck had begun to rise, responding to the feeling of instinctual danger they could sense in the atmosphere around himself and his student.
They were reacting to the "sparks" Kiba was creating, which were particles of Dragon Slaying Magic conjured out of thin air by virtue of his Sacred Gear's immense creative prowess. Of course, Alduin knew the Knight wouldn't be able to successfully merge them into his sword, but it was still a fascinating sight to behold.
Kiba's muscles reflexively began to tense, bulging veins visible on the surface of his skin, a clear sign that his body was struggling to contain the anti-draconic power he was attempting to control. He clenched his teeth, biting down as hard as he could as if he were trying to brute force himself towards success.
It wasn't long before the sparks around him started to grow violent, wild, and rampant, quickly slipping out of Kiba's clasp. Further and further away from his blade, refusing to submit to his willpower.
Yeah, I think that's enough. Alduin took a prepared step forward, sensing that his student was on the brink of collapse.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!" Sword Birth dematerialized all on its own as Kiba erupted into a hoarse coughing fit, clutching his chest as he was afflicted with a tight, searing pain that filled him with the urge to keel over and regurgitate.
"Relax, deep breaths," Alduin was quick to put his hand on Kiba's shoulder, immediately mending all of the damage done with his Dryadic Blessing.
"S-sorry, I wasn't able to—"
"There's nothing to apologize for, you were testing your limits, that's all. I had a feeling you wouldn't be capable of creating something that extreme anyway." Alduin patted him on the shoulder reassuringly. "Besides, your goal is to slay a Phoenix, not a Dragon."
"You're not going to ask me to try to create a Phoenix-slaying sword as well, are you?" He asked with a note of unease.
"Well, I won't ask you to, but you're welcome to take a crack at it if you're feeling up to the challenge." Alduin smiled knowingly.
"Uh, I think I'll pass."
"Suit yourself," Alduin shrugged. "Anyhow, now that we know your proficiency with your Sacred Gear is too low to create a dragon-slayer, or phoenix-slayer for that matter. We can start working on improving that proficiency."
Kiba's eyes widened. "How?"
"We're going to focus on your creativity," Alduin tapped his foot against the floorboard, using Wood Manipulation to cause one of the planks to rise and morph into the shape of a wooden spear. "I've had some time to ponder, and I think I've got just the exercise to help you with that."
While Kiba wasn't sure what Alduin had in mind, it was obvious that it was going to include sparring.
"You're trained in spearmanship?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Not formally, but I've experimented around with it enough to at least have a rough idea of what I'm doing." Makeshift weapons proved to be incredibly useful during his morning training sessions with his mother, especially against the grass puppets she created.
It wouldn't be a stretch to say that over time, Alduin had essentially created his own, unique weapon techniques. All of which were suited to his personal fighting style.
"I see," Kiba hummed. He had a plethora of questions regarding Alduin's abilities, especially considering how he got the jump on him and his peers with such ease. However, he decided to push his curiosity aside for the time being since it looked like he was about to experience more of Alduin's prowess first-hand. "And what exactly is this exercise you have in mind?"
Alduin smiled. "You're going to start abusing your Sacred Gear as much as possible."
"Eh?" Kiba blinked.
"You're too restrictive with how you utilize Sword Birth, too basic. You lack imagination and struggle with letting your creativity flow, because of that, you haven't developed your Sacred Gear's abilities nearly as much as you should've. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say your creative process itself is flawed."
"Care to elaborate?"
"For example, when I was fighting Shirone, why did you bother creating a sword with more destructive power?" Kiba's eyes widened, shocked that Alduin was able to decipher the nature of the sword he created back then despite not having been struck by it. "She's physically the strongest amongst you, isn't she? If she couldn't overpower me close-up, what made you think you'd be able to? In the first place, as a Knight, your specialty is speed, isn't it? Not brute force."
"I'm… not sure," Kiba dipped his head in embarrassment upon realizing the blunder he had made. Alduin was right, from a tactical standpoint, choosing his Destruction Sword out of all the blades in his arsenal was completely illogical. "Are you saying I should've confronted you with speed instead?"
"I don't know, should you have?" Alduin's objective was for Kiba to learn how to truly think with his Sacred Gear, not to do the thinking for him. "Judging from what you experienced against me, do you think attempting to out-speed me was an option?"
Once Kiba recalled how the battle had ended for him, the answer was obvious. Even with the speed-boosting effect of the Knight piece, Kiba wasn't even close to matching Alduin's pace.
And trying to use Sword Birth to increase his speed probably wasn't an option either, it was a versatile Sacred Gear, sure. However, the fact remained that the attributes it could create would only apply to the Demonic Swords themselves, not the user.
He let out a thoughtful hum. Approaching him with strength wasn't an option, nor was speed, which meant he needed to look for a different avenue.
"What about stealth?" Kiba proposed.
Was it possible for him to catch a Senjutsu practitioner like Alduin by surprise?
Probably not, but that didn't matter.
The point wasn't for Kiba to best Alduin, but to improve his ability to make use of Sword Birth's versatility as much as possible. As long as Alduin could get him to truly experiment with the limitations of his Sacred Gear, then progress would be made.
"Do you have a stealth-specialized sword?"
"No, but I could try creating one."
That's the spirit.
Alduin wore a satisfied smirk. "Then what are you waiting for? Get crafting, my dear disciple," he twirled his spear, resting it across the back of his shoulders. Deciding to be Kiba's guinea pig for all the swords he'd create until the Knight ran out of stamina.
===
Alduin brought Koneko outside to the schoolhouse's backyard, where she had fought him while he was in his cloaked form. Naturally, like the rest of her comrades, her initial response to his presence wasn't all that positive. Coupled with the unnerving sensation of not being able to perceive Alduin's aura with her Ki, a concept that hadn't even crossed her mind until now.
She always had an open window into the emotions of everyone around her, but Alduin's window was closed shut. Whether he was happy, sad, angry, disappointed, or ecstatic, she'd never know.
She'd always be left guessing, which was the norm for a normal person, but not for a Senjutsu practitioner. Especially one that had never been around another wielder for quite a while.
It was unnerving.
However, Alduin could relate to the feeling in a way. After all, he could read the emotions of almost everyone around him, except his mother's. Someone whose presence agitated him a thousand times more than his did Koneko.
"You know," Alduin began, meeting Koneko's suspicion-riddled glare with a soft one of his own. "Your case is pretty similar to Akeno's," he said while glancing at the rooftop where he and the Lightning Priestess' heated discussion transpired.
"What?" Koneko blurted out, taken aback by Alduin's seemingly placid demeanour.
"Both of you have chosen to hold out on your innate abilities for about the same reason, haven't you? Akeno does it out of spite for her father, and you, out of spite for your sister." He stroked his chin, offering her a one-eyed, knowing grin.
Koneko clenched her fists, her face tightening into a fiery scowl. "Don't mention Nee-sama, it's none of your business!"
"How so? She's an SS-Stray Devil, isn't she?" His words caused the memory of the incident to resurface in the Nekoshou's mind, resulting in a few stray droplets of cold sweat appearing across her face and quickened breathing. "She's one of the most wanted criminals in the Underworld, considering my employment under Serafall, and the fact that I'm working for Lord Lucifer as well. Don't you think I'd be obligated to bring her in if I were to encounter her?"
The frustration swelling in Koneko's chest worsened, which, of course, didn't go unnoticed by her teacher.
"That anger you're expressing, I wonder, is it because you resent her? Or because you're actually worried about her? She might be a criminal, but she's still your sister at the end of the day, isn't she?" Koneko's startled expression caused his smile to widen. "Maybe you're angry because you're worried for her? Despite you perceiving her as a monster, or more specifically, the fact that you perceive the power you two share as monstrous."
"I h-have no idea what you're talking about!" She insisted, almost snarling at him. Flickers of Ki flaring up around her as a result of her disquieted emotional state. "And I told you to stop talking about her already!"
"Make me," he snickered, clasping his hands behind his back and tilting forwards, daring Koneko to take a swing at him if she had the courage.
Mentally, she wanted nothing more, but physically, she just couldn't bring her body to move. Freezing up each time she contemplated approaching him, because deep down, she knew she didn't have a chance. The difference in power between them was far too vast, and she had experienced that first-hand.
"It looks like you're struggling. In that case, how about I offer you a little motivation?" He narrowed his eyes. "If you activate that fluffy form of yours like you did earlier, I'll let you take a free swing at me, as hard as you want."
He purposefully let down his guard, allowing Koneko to read his aura and sense that he was being genuine.
Yet, she still couldn't bring herself to move, let alone transform. Not just because she was afraid of him, but because of a much deeper-rooted fear that had been plaguing her ever since Sirzechs scooped her up and entrusted her to his little sister's care.
"I see, so it's true after all," Alduin leaned back, recalling what he had read on Koneko's file. "You really think you'll turn into a monster if you use your abilities, what a shame."
"That's easy for you to say," she scoffed, gritting her teeth. "You didn't see what I saw! You didn't see what my sister turned into!"
"No, but I saw what you turned into a short while ago when you used that power against me." He remained even-tempered. "Call me crazy, but you struck me as anything but a monster. If anything, you just seemed like a young girl trying to protect her friends. What's so monstrous about that?"
"You don't get it!" She yelled in an almost pleading fashion. "If I use that power, then it'll only be a matter of time before I…"
"Lose control?" He continued, causing her to look up at him with shocked, widened eyes. "Well, I guess I can relate to the feeling."
"W-what?"
"My paternal Clan Trait, Dragonification, comes with a huge risk called draconic deviation, which afflicts someone the instant their control over their draconic abilities slips." He breathed a low exhale. "Once that happens, not only will you go berserk, indiscriminately attacking everything in sight, you'll also start to burn your lifeforce until you perish. And the risk of deviating persists until you've 'mastered' the trait, hah, even to this day, I don't fully understand what that means. All I know is that the only ones to accomplish that are my father and my late ancestor."
With her mouth agape and a fixed gaze locked onto Alduin, Koneko began to mull over his words, soaking them up attentively, and coming to terms with the fact that she wasn't the only one who feared her blood.
"Does that mean you're also—"
"Yeah," he offered her a nod of resignation. "I'm also at risk of deviating. If I ever let my control falter, even for just a moment, I'll turn into a mindless killing machine and more likely than not end up hurting the people closest to me. I imagine that's also why you fear your Nekoshou blood, isn't it?"
She nodded intently, instilled with both a sense of understanding and pity towards Alduin, alongside one of overwhelming joy that she had found someone sharing the same problem as her.
"I don't blame you for that. Fear is a perfectly normal thing to feel, especially when the root of it comes from within." He crouched, coming down to eye-level with her. "However, Shirone, you can't let that hold you back. Fear is something you must fight, not let lord over you. I doubt your friends will ever say it aloud, but deep down, they're counting on you to do so."
She pressed her lips together, quivering a little. "B-but I don't know how…"
"Don't worry, I won't make you tackle it alone, otherwise would good would I be as a teacher?" He chuckled in a light, reassuring manner. "Have you ever received any formal Senjutsu training before?"
"Not really…" She shook her head.
"I see, then I guess you haven't been taught how to meditate properly either?"
"Meditate?"
"Yeah, and I'm not talking about just general meditation, I mean the kind specifically tailored for us Senjutsu practitioners." He tapped his temple. "Remember what I said? Emotional control is key when it comes to using Senjutsu, the less you let your feelings fluctuate, the easier it'll be to hone your Ki."
Martha had attempted to hone Alduin's Senjutsu through meditation, but thanks to his considerably rowdy temperament, it ended up bearing little fruit. Which is why he ended up learning the concept through Sebastian's teachings instead, a method which he had absolutely no intention of using on Koneko.
However, Alduin's mentality had changed quite a bit in the past month thanks to his reincarnation, and because of that, meditation had now become viable for him. He hadn't practiced it very much, but he still remembered all the theory Martha had imparted to him.
"Senjutsu meditation is all about learning to control your feelings when they start to run rampant, so when you find yourself in a similar situation during battle, you're able to keep a cool head, and keep your Nekoshou abilities tame as a result."
A hopeful glimmer appeared in her eyes. "How do I do it?"
"Just follow my lead," he said, sitting down cross-legged, adopting the lotus position. "You want to start by slowly circulating your internal Ki all around your body, except for your head. Channelling Ki directly to the brain is an unfathomably complex technique, and one that can easily backfire on you with serious repercussions." The only person he knew capable of pulling off such a thing was, of course, none other than his mother.
She replied with a firm nod, doing as he instructed and allowing cool, tranquil wisps of internal Ki to surge throughout her, spreading to every nook and cranny of her body save for her head. An act that came as easily as breathing to her.
Alduin hummed in approval, she's a Nekoshou, I suppose it's only natural for her to get the hang of it with such ease. However, the hard part had yet to come.
"Now, for the next step, activate that form you showed me earlier."
Koneko's face tightened with apprehension. "A-are you sure that's a good idea?"
"You'll be fine, you were able to keep yourself in check when you were battling me earlier, even if you haven't mastered it, you're more than capable of maintaining that form while you're meditating."
She fidgeted around a little, understandably anxious about using that form. Especially when she was doing so consciously, rather than activating it in a spur-of-the-moment scenario like she had done during the battle.
Nevertheless, with Alduin's guard still lowered and his Ki still perceivable to her, she had no choice but to face the truth that his belief in her was genuine.
It was a truly strange, nearly indescribable feeling. She had only just met Alduin, and his initial impression on her definitely wasn't positive by any stretch of the imagination.
Yet, his unwavering confidence and wholehearted desire to help her still managed to touch her in a way.
She just couldn't bring herself to betray that confidence.
With him around, she could feel the lingering fear that she'd inevitably end up just like her older sister start to dissipate, even if just a little.
All this time, she had always been told by her master that it was fine for her to bury her fears, ignoring the truth and importance behind them as much as she pleased. Rias would never think less of her for it, and she'd never push Koneko to face her Yōkai heritage. Even going as far as to slap an alias onto her, just like she did with "Kiba."
Alduin, on the other hand, wanted the exact opposite from her, however, not only did he still express genuine care for her despite her fears, but he actually shared them to a degree.
It was a truly, truly strange feeling for the young feline.
But not an unpleasant one.
She deepened her concentration and started the activation process for her Nekomata Mode, choosing to take her time unlike her latest demonstration.
Slowly but surely, the properties of her Ki started to alter, morphing from a signature you'd detect on any run-of-the-mill Yōkai to one more dense, rampant, and fierce. The kind deserving of one possessing such a potent bloodline.
A pair of snow-white, fluffy cat ears sprouted out of the top of her head, followed by a singular tail that protruded out of her skirt's waistband.
"Good, now for the next step," Alduin's voice lowered, his demeanour turning sombre. "Think of the most uncomfortable thing you can imagine. Though in hindsight, I don't think there's much of a point in me speaking all cryptic when we both know exactly what I'm referring to."
The incident that gave Kuroka Toujou the title of SS-Stray Devil, the root of the fear she was trying to fight with Alduin's help.
"W-why do I need to—"
"Don't speak, you'll lose focus." He was quick to admonish her, his senses laser-focused on the circulation of her Ki. "You can't learn emotional control without giving yourself something to temper it against. Normally, I wouldn't have you think of something so extreme, but because that incident is the root of your problem, I'm afraid there's no other choice."
For better or for worse, Alduin mentioning it alone caused the memory to resurface in Koneko's head regardless, made evident by the drastic fluctuation in her Ki, and beads of agitated sweat cascading down her skin.
"You're wavering Shirone, you're allowing your fears to disrupt your command over your Ki."
Noticing that Koneko's status would soon grow dangerous if she didn't keep herself in check, he patted the centre of his kimono, signalling for his serpentine companion, Sylvie, to slither out and heed his call.
He pointed at Koneko's trembling figure. "Mind shutting her down before she implodes?"
"Mmm. I sssuppose one with her level of Sssenjutsu prowess and potential is worth asssisting." She coiled the base of her ten-foot-long body around Alduin's arm, extending her head outwards and promptly sinking her fangs into Koneko's shoulder, dominating the Nekoshou's Ki with her own and cancelling out both her Nekomata Mode and her Ki Circulation.
Slowly, Koneko's eyes opened, a dejected look appearing on her face once she noticed that she had failed.
"I—"
"Relax, I didn't expect you to get it down on your first try." He clapped his hands together. "Try again, you're a talented little one, so it's only a matter of time before you succeed. Trust me." He said with a warm smile.
===
"A-are you s-sure it's a-alright for me to be here?" Gasper stammered, clinging to the fabric of Thora's skirt harder than ever, experiencing what it was like to roam around in public for the first time in quite a while as they arrived on the doorstep of her and Alduin's villa, which was not only where the Buné had decided to begin Gasper's training, but also the place where the Dhampir would be staying as long as he remained under Alduin's tutelage.
A decision he had totally made with Rias' prior knowledge.
"Of course it is," Thora offered him a warm, almost motherly smile as she ruffled his hair. "The Young Lord believes you have a great deal of potential, but he also understands that you're uncomfortable with using your power around your peers, which is why he wants you to reside here for your training."
And more importantly, it meant that Gasper wouldn't have to reside in a dark, hollow wooden box anymore. A child like him deserved a proper living space, and someone that'd be around to properly take care of him, a role an older, more experienced Dhampir with a wealth of knowledge when it came to taking care of children like Thora was practically perfect for.
"B-but won't I be a b-bother? My power m-might end up affecting you two as well!" His demeanour grew panicky. Rias and his peers aside, even the thought of accidentally freezing total strangers was enough to cause him a significant amount of distress.
"Gasper," Thora's voice lowered, her tone tranquil. "This is the first time you're truly attempting to grasp the abilities of your Sacred Gear, it's only natural that you're going to struggle with it, and both the Young Lord and I are well aware that the two of us might end up being affected."
"T-then—!"
"However," Thora interrupted before he could protest further. "That's a risk all three of us must take if we're going to help you control your Sacred Gear. There's no way around that. If you're expecting me to admonish or chastise you simply because you're having trouble managing a power, I doubt most could even begin to fathom, then I'm afraid I'll have to sorely disappoint you."
Like Alduin, Thora believed most of the responsibility regarding Gasper's situation lay on Sirzechs and Rias' shoulders. Locking Forbidden Balor View's wielder away, especially when their grasp over the Sacred Gear was unstable, was both incredibly irresponsible and potentially dangerous to Gasper if his situation were ever to worsen.
Nonetheless, the past was the past, dwelling on it wouldn't amount to anything. All they could do was try their best to help Gasper in his current state and hopefully give him the freedom to move as he pleased without having to worry about a potential time-stopping mishap.
"I d-don't understand," Gasper muttered under his breath, dipping his head. "A-aren't you scared of me?"
Thora breathed a deep sigh, the mentality Gasper was displaying was an obvious product of Sirzechs' isolation order, and Rias' inaction, that led him to believe everyone wanted nothing more than to keep him as far away from them as possible, causing him to struggle with processing the fact that she and Alduin genuinely wanted to help him, despite knowing the risks of being around him and his Sacred Gear.
She couldn't help but feel immense pity for the younger Dhampir, a feeling that boosted her motivation to help him to the best of her abilities tenfold.
"Of course not, I'm insulted that you even felt the need to ask." She huffed, resting her palm against his back and pushing him closer to her. "As long as you remain under this roof, we'll do absolutely everything in our power to assist you regardless of the risks, it'd do you well to remember that."
With a dazed look and a faint red flush on his face, Gasper let out a hum of acknowledgement.
He entered the living room alongside her, taking a moment to pause and marvel at the furniture and the area's general interior. Immediately realizing how drastic of an upgrade their home was in comparison to where he had been stashed in the old schoolhouse.
"Where's Alduin?" He asked.
"He should be in the backyard," she led him through a sliding glass door connected to the living room, which led to a lush, expansive garden that had been installed by Serafall at Thora's request. Filled with all sorts of vegetation, flora, and biodiversity found in the human world rather than the Underworld.
And more importantly, she had asked for the installation of a large, glassy structure in the center of the garden, one Alduin was extremely familiar with.
A greenhouse.
Despite the nature of Alduin's relationship with his mother, she knew he genuinely enjoyed gardening. It was an activity that offered him a pleasant, much-needed sense of ease and tranquillity while he trudged through the hectic maelstrom that was his life.
The Dhampir duo entered the greenhouse, their nostrils immediately met with the smell of freshly planted soil, fertilizer lingering in the atmosphere, and the sweet, fruity aroma of jasmine flowers being planted at the farthest end of the structure by none other than Alduin, who was equipped with a pair of gardening gloves and a trowel.
So, this is what it feels like, he smiled, observing the fruits of his labour as he finished planting the last of the pink, tubular-shaped flowers. I guess I can't blame her for spending most of her time here, especially when the alternative is being around the shitty old man.
Alduin turned to face them, removing his now-soiled gloves. "It's about time you arrived," he smirked, using Wood Manipulation to create a wooden stool beside him. "Come, there's something I'd like you to try for me."
Gasper looked up at Thora, silently asking for permission to part from her.
"Go on," she nodded her approval. "The Young Lord will take care of you for now. I'll come back to fetch you once lunch has been prepared." She proceeded to take her leave, but not before exchanging a wry, knowing look with Alduin.
As it would seem, Gasper had already started to get quite attached to Thora, which, of course, neither of them minded in the least.
Alduin was glad that Gasper was being given an opportunity to bond with one of his kind and had full confidence in her ability to act as a guardian figure for his student. And he had a feeling Thora was also looking forward to forming a relationship with another Dhampir.
"Here," Alduin reached down and lifted Gasper by the shoulders, positioning him on the stool. "Before we start, are there any concerns or issues you'd like to bring up? I understand it's been a hot minute since you've been in public, but I'd like you to be as comfortable as possible during your stay here."
"U-uhm, there is one thing," Gasper began, causing Alduin's eyebrows to raise attentively. "I have a few contracts I maintain through my laptop, w-will I still be able to manage them here?"
"Sure, I don't see why not," Alduin shrugged. "Anything else?"
Even though the amount of time he'd have to train Rias and her peerage was uncertain, he had no other choice but to take things slow when it came to handling Gasper. Leaving plenty of time for Gasper to focus on the commitments he already had, and anything else that caught his attention.
Compared to the rest of the group, his mentality was by far the most fragile, which meant a strong-armed approach like the one he used on Akeno just wasn't an option, it'd more likely than not just cause him to crumble under the pressure and segway into a mental breakdown.
When it came to Gasper, building up his confidence was the utmost priority.
"N-no, that's all."
"I see, in that case, let's get started," to Gasper's confusion, Alduin started to raise his finger towards his mouth, pricking his index finger against his canine and drawing out a droplet of blood. "Drink up." He held his finger out towards the Dhampir.
"W-W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Gasper panicked once more, nearly stumbling backwards and falling off his stool.
"According to Thora, consuming my draconic blood might make it significantly easier for you to control Forbidden Balor View," he explained. "Don't worry, my blood's perfectly safe for you to consume. It's diluted because I'm not 100% dragon, and I've also got some special cells in me that keep them from acting up. Now hurry up and drink." He insisted, placing absolute confidence in Thora's hypothesis.
"N-n-no way! I can't! Blood is s-s-scary!" He fervently shook his head, turning away from Alduin and closing his eyes.
Good grief, I guess I'll have to push him a little, but I need to be careful not to overdo it. Also, what kind of Dhampir's scared of blood?
"I see," Alduin let out a slow exhale. "Then I suppose you'll have no other choice than to use your Sacred Gear as is."
"H-huh? B-but that's dangerous!"
"Yeah, it is," he affirmed, carefully observing Gasper's emotional state to make sure he didn't go overboard. "However, if you don't want to entertain this method, then what other choice is there?"
I can't afford to let him avoid this. Blood consumption might not be essential for a Dhampir survival-wise, but it's still incredibly important for their physical growth. As a matter of fact, Gasper's lack of consumption is probably why he's so small despite being old enough to be a high school student.
"I-I…" Gasper trailed off, his eyes darting from side to side in deliberation. "I'll do it…" Unsurprisingly, he chose to accept. There was nothing he feared more than losing control over his Sacred Gear, so once when he was offered a possible solution to that lack of control, it was only natural that he'd want to place his faith in it, just like Alduin had chosen to.
Hesitantly, Gasper leaned forward and stuck his tongue out under Alduin's finger, allowing a single droplet of his draconic blood to fall into his mouth.
And in an instant, a rush of fierce, coursing adrenaline surged through Gasper's body, exposing the Dhampir to a feeling of empowerment unlike anything he could've dreamed of. Washing out any feelings of uncertainty, weakness, and insecurity, even if only temporarily.
"W-what is this…?" Gasper murmured in a somewhat drowsy state of mind.
"That's your vampiric side flaring to life, I'm not sure how long it's been since you last consumed blood, if ever, but clearly it was long enough to warrant quite the reaction," Alduin concluded, unbothered by the change since the effect coursing through Gasper showed no signs of growing harmful. "Now then, while you're riding that high, I want you to use Forbidden Balor View to freeze me."
"E-eh? I-is that really a good idea?"
"It'll be fine, if Thora's assumption proves correct, you should be able to deactivate it at will." He folded his arms, patiently waiting for Gasper to make his move.
"A-alright then…!" Gasper pumped his fists, gathering up as much of his sparse confidence as he could.
Gasper's eyes began to morph, the pink hue of his irises intensifying, overlapping the violet and spreading outwards to consume the rest of his sclera, followed by an oval set of black lines that pattered the surface of his eye, connecting to a shining, bright-yellow diamond situated where his pupils were supposed to be.
Immediately, Alduin felt his body stiffen. His raw power was strong enough to keep him conscious while entrapped in Gasper's world of stopped time, however, he could do little more than shift his eyes around and twitch some of his appendages. All it had taken was a single glance from the Dhampir, and Alduin, the strongest devil of his generation alongside Sairaorg, had been left completely helpless.
Haha! That's one terrifying power alright!
Withal, he didn't express so much as a lick of fear or disdain towards Gasper. Only fascination and wonder towards the immense potential and promise his student held.
And a few seconds later, Alduin felt his mobility start to return to him.
"I… I d-did it!" Gasper stammered in sheer disbelief that he had pulled off what he thought was impossible throughout his entire life.
He had resumed time, completely of his own will.
"Yeah, you did." Alduin let out a proud chuckle. "Well done, Gasper."
"Mm!" His student cheered.
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AN: Next chapter is 9000 words, so get ready for that. :)
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