From the edge of the training field, Koneko and Rias continued to watch closely.
Koneko's eyes widened slightly, a reflexive reaction, much like a cat catching sight of something intriguing.
Her face remained calm, but that subtle change alone was enough to show her interest.
The training went on.
No one knew how many times Issei had been thrown — from heavy impacts to lighter falls that still left him staggering.
Yet behind all of it, progress was slowly becoming visible. From the sequence of movements Rian had taught him, Issei had begun to grasp one or two of the basic patterns.
And for someone like Issei… that was already a pretty impressive improvement.
Meanwhile, the number of onlookers by the field gradually grew.
Akeno and Asia, who had originally been in the mansion's living room, were drawn outside by Issei's fiery determination — the fact that he kept getting up, no matter how many times he was efficiently knocked down.
The two of them, who had been watching through the window at first, now chose to sit by the edge of the field, observing with a mix of admiration… and a little worry each time Issei's body once again kissed the ground.
Not long after, Gasper and Kiba arrived—initially drawn by Issei's loud shouts that echoed all the way to the back courtyard.
But once they saw firsthand who was training and how Rian used his martial techniques, their curiosity quickly grew.
Seeing the movements, Kiba couldn't help but recall their sparring session from a few days ago.
It was no wonder Rian's techniques were that efficient… though, well, it still didn't excuse the part where he had slapped emoji stickers on Kiba's face and the others back then.
Two hours passed.
After finishing the intensive training session with Issei, Kiba—driven by curiosity—finally spoke up and asked for a chance to spar as well.
Hearing the request, Rian didn't hesitate to agree. His purpose wasn't to show off strength, but to study the basics of swordsmanship.
Rian believed that sword techniques would prove useful later in mastering the Simple Domain technique: Shadow Moon Style.
For the next hour, the field turned into a place of refined combat. It wasn't a duel of power, but an exchange of experience—between a swift swordsman and a gravitational fighter with absolute precision.
Only after that did Rian return to his final task of the day: personally guiding Koneko in her Senjutsu training.
The location was the same as yesterday—far from the mansion, near a small hidden waterfall and river, surrounded by lush trees and calming air.
But this time, something was different.
Instead of immediately resuming her Ki control training like before, Koneko made a special request. She wanted Rian to teach her his martial art technique.
According to Koneko, Rian's fighting style was… strange, yet mesmerizing.
It wasn't like the wild, instinct-driven style powered by brute strength, nor was it the swift, precise elegance of swordsmanship.
Rian's movements almost looked like he wasn't fighting at all.
Every motion was light yet heavy, relaxed yet striking, slow yet perfectly timed.
Rian clearly didn't waste any energy—no unnecessary gestures, no wasted movement.
Even when Rian was merely dodging, Koneko could feel a pressure that made her entire body tense—as if the space around him obeyed its own set of laws.
To the nekomata girl's eyes, Rian looked like someone walking calmly through a raging storm… without a single drop of rain ever touching him.
For someone like Koneko, who possessed a solid foundation in Senjutsu and an acute sensitivity to the flow of energy, it wasn't just a fighting style.
It was art.
On the other hand, Koneko's sudden request to learn his martial art had caught Rian a bit off guard.
But, as usual, he didn't refuse. Without hesitation, he began teaching her the fundamentals of his techniques.
The results… exceeded expectations.
Koneko absorbed every move with astonishing speed—throws, locks, kicks, sweeps, and strikes—all studied with sharp focus and flawless precision.
Her natural talent for close combat, combined with her Senjutsu foundation, made each lesson from Rian feel like filling in the missing pieces of her fighting style.
***
Day after day passed.
Before anyone realized it, the ten days of training had slipped by like a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves.
Under Rian's guidance, the progress of each member of Rias's peerage felt as though they had undergone a full month of intense training—when, in truth, it had only been ten days.
Although Rian's primary focus remained on Koneko, he also took the time to help Akeno refine her Fallen Angel powers whenever possible.
As for the others, Rian provided personal training sessions as well, though he limited them to about two sessions per person each day.
That was more than enough for him to effectively monitor their growth without compromising the quality of their training.
In addition to individual sessions, Rian also introduced a rotating partner system for their practice.
In this way, they didn't just grow stronger — they also learned to understand each other's rhythm and develop better teamwork instincts for real combat situations.
However… there was one thing that kept making Rian shake his head.
Issei.
Not because of his enthusiasm.
Not because of his effort.
But because… where on earth did the concept of Dress Break even come from?
And to make matters worse, Issei seemed to consider it his "ultimate secret technique."
Of course, that kind of move was very Issei-like.
But over the past ten days, Rian had discovered that Issei had been secretly training Dress Break — and even worse, he was using Asia as his practice target.
Secretly, yes.
But not invisible, not to Rian's Six Eyes.
Ironically, around the same time, Rian himself was also secretly training something: the Reverse Cursed Technique.
He always chose a quiet, secluded place, usually at night when everyone else was fast asleep.
There, as usual every night, Rian sat in silence with Ophis, focusing his mind to refine his control over positive-charged energy.
His training wasn't merely about healing physical wounds, but about channeling that energy with precision into specific parts of his body—particularly the brain, where the formulation of the Limitless technique was rooted and operated most intricately.
In other words, Rian was training both his body and mind to endure the euphoric side effects that emerged when using Reverse Cursed Technique, especially when generating Red.
That feeling… wasn't something ordinary.
It was like having pure adrenaline injected directly into his brain.
His thoughts sharpened, his body felt lighter—yet dangerously close to losing control.
And Rian knew: if he wanted to last longer in a large-scale battle, he had to grow accustomed to that sensation.
So, one could say the two of them were "training in secret." The only difference was… their goals and methods were vastly different.
***
The night sky stretched dark and vast—like a window draped in black curtains, silent, dense, and starless.
Inside the dim and quiet Occult Research Club room, a faint glow illuminated the space.
A holographic magic screen shimmered steadily, displaying the ongoing Rating Game between Rias Gremory's peerage and Riser Phenex's.
Several auxiliary panels floated in the air, showing multiple camera angles, individual movements, combat statistics, and even real-time energy graphs.
Altogether, the setup made the room feel like a high-level tactical command center.
The battle between the two peerages unfolded with palpable tension, as if it were a duel that would decide pride and destiny alike.
On the screen, members of Rias's peerage—Koneko, Akeno, Gasper, and Issei—appeared to be struggling to hold their ground… or at least, that was how it seemed on the surface.
But for those who knew the story behind it—especially the ten days of grueling training under Rian's guidance—one question inevitably arose:
Were they truly being pushed back?
Or was this merely part of a much larger game?
Only Rian and the members of Rias's peerage knew the truth behind the game. To everyone else, it looked like a grueling, evenly matched battle.
Rian sat casually on the sofa, his body leaning back lightly, as if the world demanded nothing from him.
His face was covered with a rose-scented herbal mask, and fresh cucumber slices rested over his eyes.
The scene created a striking contrast to the serious atmosphere of the Rating Game playing out on the holographic screens.
Rather than watching the match tensely, Rian chose to indulge in a skincare session.
Skincare first, everything else later—at least, that seemed to be the style of this handsome young man.