CH.5 The Training Continues

I held up my hands proudly, each of my fingers was playing with a strand of mana, looking triumphant. I was covered in sweat, bruises, and scratches, but I felt victorious. It's been roughly a month? I don't know how much time had passed.

Rayleigh looked up at me, the moonlight shone on him and power seems to radiate from him. He may have been an old man, but there were times I seems to forget about that. For a brief moment, I wouldn't see a frail and tired, old man. Instead, I found myself looking at him as a young, strong, vibrant Rayleigh in his prime.

"Took you long enough. Come back down now."

Walking down the tree, I dismissed the mana and wiped my sweat.

"Had you been following the book that I gave you?"

"Yes, I had trained in several occasion," I answered, suppressing a yawn. One of the advantages of being a beast is that I don't need a large amount of sleep, which were a large help for my training routine. When I'm not training with Rayleigh, I took this time to read, train or sleep. Occasionally I would re-enact the previous training.

Rayleigh usually gives me specific routines to do outside the training. It's usually subtle control exercise, but lately, it had transitioned to reading books. The books contain different fighting styles, technique, and magic spells. Sometimes he even gave me strategy books. Most importantly it seems most of the books he gave me focus on a one-vs-many situation.

Which were kind of unnerving, if you ask me.

"Now, we'll start at training your magic spells." He declared, pointing at the lake. Which I didn't even know existed before. "I suggest you keep your guard up in case anything happens. When you can cast spells without getting distracted, we will move on to controlling your mana while evading."

I suppressed a sigh and moved towards the lake.

I stood on top of the lake for a minute before I felt that he would hit my head, I dodged but I failed to cast my spell. When I turned around, I see him smirking at me, "You failed, now try again."

"Shouldn't that count as dodging you?" I got annoyed.

"It isn't my fault that you're within my reaching distance, try going to the middle of the lake."

"You're just going to throw stuff at me," I accused him as I walked towards the middle of the lake, freezing the water as I walked.

He just shrugged and gestured for me to get going, "..." I sighed, "... yes, yes."

-Line Break-

The training is progressively getting harder. It probably took me about half a year? to finally able to control my mana and cast spell adequately that I won't be able to be disturbed in battle. My mana also had an increase in its density. I could feel the coldness coming from it getting stronger, I also found out that my chakra is melded together with my magic. Making my basic mana stronger than anyone else.

What surprises me the most is that my Hakis had finally reached 4th Dan, 'Specialization of a Haki Shade'. I was able to more easily contract and expand my Armament Haki, enhancing the speed at which Haki expands and contracts when being imbued into a weapon or the body. With the control over Haki that is acquired by this stage, I was even able to control how much armament Haki is put out.

My Observation Haki has reached a point where I can begin to further expand the scope of my senses while still maintaining detailed perception. I can easily pick up on emotions and thoughts, even intentions, while also determining strength levels. It is at this stage where I start to learn about the potential to use precognition through Kenbunshoku, even allowing me to use it with some reasonable expectation of success.

Well, I didn't know how much my Conqueror's Haki had improved but if it's according to the strength of user will the I'm probably decent.

According to what Rayleigh had told me there are 10 levels of Haki, (A/N source: https://oproleplaying.fandom.com/wiki/Haki_Development_System)

-1st Dan "Exposure of Haki"

-2nd Dan "Understanding of Haki"

-3rd Dan "Imbuing of Haki"

-4th Dan "Specialization of a Haki Shade"

-5th Dan "Haki Internalization"

-6th Dan "Haki Immersion"

-7th Dan "Haki Kata"

-8th Dan "Merging of Haki Shade"

-9th Dan "Haki Grasping"

-10th Dan (Complete Mastery)

-Line Break-

I was getting up earlier than I usually does because today... today is the day where the combat training would start.

I was excited. I would be beaten up, that's given but the thrill from fighting my mentor it just... just excite me.

He asked for me to wait near the lake where I trained, not long after that Rayleigh appeared with a weapon rack, ranging from swords, spears, to weird-looking spear.

"What's that one?" My eyes eyed the long blade on the extended handle.

"That's a sword-spear, a weapon with few that could master it." Rayleigh picked up two swords and thrown me the second one.

"We'll see what you're capable at combat before we can establish a weapon of choice," He moved towards the lake. "You had read the books about weapon that I gave you right?"

I nodded my head, "Great now familiarize yourself with the weapon before getting into the lake."

Holding the blade it gave me a small sparking sensation from my hand to my shoulder, it felt odd at first but it quickly fades. Forgetting the oddity, I took a stance with my legs shoulder-width apart, elbows squared and knees slightly bent.

"Good form," Rayleigh nodded, "Have you trained before?"

I shook my head slightly, "I think it's just common sense that I've gotten from reading the books you gave me."

"I see... if you find the weapon lacking you could switch the weapon of your choice." Expectation laced in his voice.

I nodded and tried swinging the other weapon on the rack trying to feel what's the best for me. After going through about 10 different weapons. I grasped on a katana.

When I gripped it on my hand, I could feel a sensation. It felt... right, that the weapon I should hold is a katana. I swung it around, this... this is it the weapon that I'm looking for.

I walked towards the lake with my katana in tow, Rayleigh who looks at my weapon choice sighed in relief. I don't know why but he probably knows that I would pick this.

"Are you ready, young man?" He got into a stance.

I replied with pointing my katana, "I'm ready,"

And the fight began, a spar between master and disciple on a frozen lake.

*Author's note*

For those wondering why Shiro didn't know the time, it's because there isn't any definitive proof for time on the place he's currently in. The moon always shines.

Also, take note that every action that Shiro takes would inevitably affect the DxD canon that's why I'm starting before the great war. Heck, even the creation of earth hasn't begun. I'm trying to mould DxD into my own story. That's why any critique and suggestion is accepted.