How to train your human (with a touch of sadism)

As the morning sun gently glowed into the room with its golden hues, the small bob cut hair girl stirred in her cozy bed, the soft sheets clinging to her as she reluctantly left the embrace of sleep. But knowing her responsibilities she forced herself out with a sleepy stretch and a quiet yawn, she blinked away the remnants of dreams and greeted the new day.

Slipping her feet into the warm embrace of slippers, she tiptoed across the room, leaving the comfort of her bed behind. The cool floor met the soles of her feet as she navigated towards the window, drawing back the curtains to let the morning light spill into the room. The soft glow illuminated the space, revealing a room adorned with personal touches—a mix of colors and decorations that reflected her unique personality.

With a flick of the switch, the room was bathed in the warm glow of artificial light. She stared at the reflection in the mirror, hinted at the promise of a new day, and she raked her fingers through tousled hair, gently coaxing it into some semblance of order.

She stood before her wardrobe, contemplating the day ahead. Her school uniform, neatly pressed and hanging in pristine order, awaited its turn to become part of the day's narrative. She dressed in her school uniform, a navy pleated skirt, white blouse, tie, socks, and polished shoes, ready for the day.

But something took Saji Kaho out of her rhythmic morning routine as a delightful aroma wafted through the air and into her nose as she finished adjusting her school uniform which caught her off guard. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she glanced around the room, trying to pinpoint or rather discern the source of the enticing scent.

Perplexed, she stepped into the kitchen, where the fragrance seemed to be most potent. To her surprise, a full breakfast for two was placed on the table. It was nothing completely spectacular. A few fried eggs and bacon along with toast all in all it was passable if amateurish but that doesn't change the feelings of bewilderedness as she walks towards the kitchen and sees the back of someone she should've expected but refused to believe cooking the last set of eggs and bacon for the youngest out of all of them. He moved with a purpose, gathering ingredients and utensils. The sizzle of a pan and the rhythmic clink of cutlery harmonized as he prepared the simple meal.

The first word that came out of her mouth was blunt and somewhat distant like it has been for a while. 

"Gen" 

The blond paused from the sizzling eggs and turned to look at the 12 year old not even surprised at her appearance nor the extreme awkwardness he was held to yesterday. It almost feels welcoming even as he showed off a bright grin. 

But that made the young girl's suspicion grow even more. 

"Up and early like always Kaho?"

She ignores the question with one of her own, "why are you cooking?"

As breakfast neared completion Saji chose to multi-task focusing on not getting anything burnt while answering. "Well I know we set up a system for it but I think as your big brother I should handle more of the weight sometimes and don't worry about lunch that on me too!" This cause her glare to grow

"You already done enough you idi-" With a swift small shake of the head she crushed that thought and even with that his answer still pissed her off. 

With a sharp intake of breath she turned away and towards the youngest of three's room not giving her brother as he hum a tune any retort–except in a hush tone she said to herself frustration evident.

"You're always working too hard you big idiot…" 

A certain someone chooses to give her take on that entire back and forth while Saji starts to make finishing touches on the meal.

"She's mad." 

While displaying no outward physical response apart from the cessation of his monotonous hum, he mentally acknowledged the painfully obvious statement as he diligently set the table.

"I know." 

"Are you going to do anything about it?"

"You've watched me, you know I have no idea why she starts acting like that for no reason." 

"It's better to try if anything."

"... Since when do you start giving out good advice?" 

"Advice? No, I just want to see what happens." 

The sheer honesty and genuine confusion from her voice led to Saji taking a sharp intake of air in through his nose and out his mouth. 

"So how does it feel to not sleep for an entire night finally after practice." 

After Saji put the meal out he stared at his hand forming a fist trying to form an answer.

"Like it's still yesterday and my body hasn't even realized an entire 12 hours has passed." 

Engrossed in thought, he settled at the table as the morning soundscape embraced the background—the city's distant sounds and the chirping of birds. His mind drifted back to the transformative events of that night as he took a small bite out of his toast.

X-X-X 

In the dimly lit house, Saji's body moved with an almost hypnotic rhythm on the floor. Each controlled descent and powerful push-up reflected perfect harmony and unwavering focus. Adorned with glistening beads of sweat, Saji's body was a testament to the exertion and determination fueling each repetition.

Beneath the skin, muscles rippled, flexing and contracting with precision. Push-ups were executed with a fluidity that showcased both strength and discipline. The quiet room echoed with the steady cadence of their breath, synchronizing with the rhythmic up-and-down motion of their body.

With an unwavering gaze fixed on a point on the floor, Saji's focus remained unbroken. The repetition of the push-ups became almost meditative, a physical mantra of resilience and perseverance. Each repetition brought them closer to their limits, embraced with determination as the quiet solitude of the exercise continued.

"641... 642... 643... 644..."

The numbers echoed in Saji's mind, a relentless countdown that marked their progress and pushed them to keep going. The rhythmic dance of push-ups became a means of self-discovery, a journey of physical and mental transformation.

With every push-up, Saji's mind became clearer, their focus sharpened. The rhythmic movement became a form of meditation, a way to access a deeper state of consciousness. And then, with a final push, Saji reached their goal - 1000 push-ups.

"Aaaand... sensual limiter off."

Saji's body collapsed to the ground, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle upon them like a sack of potatoes. The heaving pile of flesh, formerly known as the pawn of Sona Sitri, lay sprawled on the ground, experiencing the pleasantness of complete physical exhaustion hammered into him in a millisecond. Even for a devil that type of experience would make them weak in the knees. 

Gasping for breath, Saji managed to wheeze out a single question, their voice strained, "Wwwwhhhhyyyy?"

Vritra, apathetic as always, answered dismissively, "Can't have you forget the feeling of bodily pain, can we?" There was a muttered comment under her breath that Saji wasn't meant to hear, "...also, wouldn't be as fun."

"III heard ttthhhhat!" Saji retorted, managing through the pain.

"Well, unhear it."

"I hate you... I hate you so much."

Desperately seeking solace, Saji reached into his wallet and pulled out a picture of Sona. He opened it slowly, his gaze fixated on the image, finding a fleeting moment of comfort amidst the pain that plagued him.

However, his moment of solace was abruptly interrupted because unfortunately, he wasn't alone.

"Wow, you have a picture of your crush without her permission? Gross," Vritra remarked, offhandedly.

"Shut up! I thought you barely knew about cultural norms anyway!" Saji retorted, his voice filled with a mix of defensiveness and frustration.

"I am learning," was Vritra's response.

"Learning, you say..." Saji couldn't help but roll his eyes at her comment.

"Quit whining and get up," Vritra commanded, her words devoid of sympathy.

Without any sign of his control the purple cable that extended from the back of Saji's neck, connecting to his dominant arm instantly surged with energy and coursed through his body, relieving him of the pain and restoring his vitality.

"Gah!" Saji twitched uncontrollably at the sudden sensation, attempting to scratch his neck. "I can never get used to that. What were you doing again?"

"I am just manipulating your body's internal energy to speed up your muscle recovery by optimizing every function towards it," Vritra explained matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing in hindsight. Glad it's safe," Saji acknowledged as he stretched, his voice filled with a mix of awe and relief.

"..."

"..." Saji paused and waited, staring at the lizard-like gauntlet hoping for a response.

"..." Vritra remained silent.

"..." The silence continued, and Saji's frustration grew.

Finally, unable to contain his despair any longer, Saji almost burst into tears. "At least say something, you bird-brained dragon!" In his damned attempt to get it through the dragon thick he began to repeatedly shake the gear.

"Relax, relax, it'll all be fine so stop trying to mess with gear." She swatted away his worry in the same dismissive tone she always does.

Saji stops to remind himself that he asked for this as he sighs in resignation. 

Despite anticipating the conditions, the fact that he had to keep her existence a secret all while keeping the choice of whether she partakes in his fight or not completely up to her made him almost let a curse escape his lips in response to these demands.

But he cannot deny the results. 

"Listen if you're so concerned about that then learn how to do it yourself." 

The dragon let out a sigh at the sight of the boy's completely dumbfounded expression and he could feel the roll even without her physically having a face.

"None of the things I have done with this device is some out of realm impossibility, you're just dumb and lack control and knowledge." 

Saji sputtered at the insult not having really anything to counter with.

"This world's Vritra's four sacred gears are powerful techniques he created by himself to stand toe to toe with divinity of the demiurge class absorb line is not simply just drain of someone's stamina it is to absorb and redistribute anything and everything magical or not." 

The spiel Vrtria went on just left Saji in daze as he stared at the sacred gear, even though a few good phrases went over his head he understood the gist of it and after some time passed only one thing came to his lips. 

"Damn" 

"Indeed." 

Upon realization he then asked. "Is that the reason why you wanted an electrical generator?" 

"Yes, and a demonstration should be held." 

The lizard's gauntlet red eyes glowed purple and it opened its mouth zig zagging across the house until it reached its destination and Saji felt a jolt of energy.

"Wait wa-" 

But before he could finish that sentence he glowed with bright blue.

X-X-X 

Saji reminisces about that conversation which led to him being blinded and Vritra laughing at him. Again. Those types of discussion has been the norm the past few days and kind of wishes he slave driving of a gear didn't know restore his energy so that he allowed some mental rest before being thrown around like a rag doll. 

Genshirou sighed again as he waited for his two younger siblings. When they finally arrived, the older one was practically dragging the younger one, who seemed to be having one of those days where he couldn't even see where he was going without assistance. Despite this, the sister smiled warmly at the sight. They paused, looked at each other, and then looked away.

Because of the state of the youngest sibling, breakfast was silent, as it always was unless it was about Gengo or their responsibilities, the two siblings had nothing to say to each other.

After the meal, as the time for the two youngest to leave drew near, they stood at the door preparing to depart. Gengo still needed Kaho's assistance to ensure he could see left and right, a routine they had grown accustomed to. Once that was sorted, Saji arrived at the door with two lunch boxes in hand, only to be met with Kaho's dispassionate gaze. She scrutinized the food before shooting a quizzical look at him, causing Saji to twitch unconsciously, anticipating her next words.

"You better not have ruined this with that cigarette tongue of yours," Kaho remarked sharply.

Saji sighed, accustomed to this recurring accusation. "Again with that?"

"Hmph, come on, Gengo," Kaho huffed, brushing past Saji and out the door.

As the door closed behind them, Saji stood there scratching his head, pondering Kaho's persistent distrust. Despite his occasional retorts, he couldn't deny her concerns. After all, explaining his restored sense of taste due to reincarnation as a devil and the first few occasional mishaps with seasoning as a result of him being out of practice in the kitchen would only complicate things further and he wasn't exactly eager to have that conversation. 

He glanced up at the ceiling, a sense of resignation washing over him. "It doesn't matter either way. She will never forgive me, no matter what," he muttered under his breath. With another heavy sigh, he turned his attention to preparing himself for the challenge of the day that lay ahead.

"And that's fine," he reassured himself, his voice tinged with a mixture of acceptance and melancholy. "I don't need to be forgiven."

Living with the weight of his past sins had become a familiar burden for him. It was a path he had walked for years, carrying the guilt and remorse of his actions. In his mind, adding one more sin to the list seemed inconsequential, just another mark on his conscience.

But even then, in these moments the house feels significantly larger than it usually is. 

Ignoring the fact this place is made for at least five people and the only reason the house remains in their possession without an adult's presence was due to Sona and his work as a devil serves as additional income, enabling him to retain the house in his name.

The two story house was nothing extraordinary. The first floor consisted of a typical living room, with an average dining table and chairs. The living room was adjacent to an open kitchen, and sliding doors led to the backyard. On the second floor, there were five rooms, three of which were currently in use by the owner and his siblings. The other two rooms had remained unused since the previous occupants had departed.

It was your normal two story house and even if none of them would say it, it meant the world to them. Which was another thing he would be forever grateful for to Sona. 

Saji blinked, realizing he got lost in thought, something he was trying to avoid as he blots to his uniform trying not to miss the train.

X-X-X 

"Hey, doesn't Saji seem off to you lately?" Reya casually asked, breaking the silence as they sat on the bench in the schoolyard, enjoying their lunches. Tomoe turned to look at her friend, her brows furrowing inquisitively, while said friend stared vacantly into the sky.

Tomoe placed her thumb and index finger on her chin, signaling her deep contemplation. "Well, his walking posture has changed slightly, becoming more efficient with a neutral pelvis and tightened core," she offered, giving an almost clinical assessment. Reya rolled her eyes at the knight's response.

"No, not that, you combat freak. I mean stuff that normal people could pick up on," Reya insisted, seeking a more relatable observation.

Tomoe's expression turned gloomy, displaying a childlike sense of disappointment at having her answer dismissed. Reya let out a huff at her friend's dramatic shift in emotions.

"You know," Reya continued, "doesn't he seem lost in his own world lately? And have you noticed his dramatic improvement in magic?"

Indeed, in a matter of days following their last group test where Saji had fought, his overall magical abilities seemed to have hit their stride. The incompetence he once displayed in basic magic was now virtually non-existent. While it could be attributed to his personal development through training, both bishops expressed that his inability to do so had little to do with emotional issues.

Returning to her pensive expression, Tomoe raised a finger as she offered another suggestion. "Well, I've heard that he's been having trouble sleeping. Maybe that's a contributing factor?" Reya waved off the idea dismissively.

"That was something Sona mentioned, and when it comes to her, if she asked him to jump, he wouldn't bother asking how high," Reya remarked, emphasizing Sona's influence over Saji. Tomoe nodded in agreement, acknowledging the clear affection Tomoe held for the president, though the nature of that affection remained a topic of debate.

"But what really caught my attention was his recent choice in reading material," Reya remarked, her curiosity sparked.

"Have you seen the strange books he's been diving into lately? It's like he's preparing for some kind of bizarre exam: energy transition applications, nuclear physics, chain weapons, effigies, animal appendages, sensory organs... The list just keeps getting weirder, as if he's in a competition to outdo himself with every book he picks up."

Tomoe's eyes widened in clear shock, and she recoiled in disgust. "There must be something seriously off if he's delving into that kind of stuff." (Someone who thinks anyone who studies more than they need to is some type of crazy)

"Well, I'm glad you finally see my point," Reya exclaimed, (someone sensed that her friend was aligning with her perspective for the wrong reasons but likes it when people are on her side no matter the reasons).

Tomoe let out a yawn, expressing her growing sleepiness after finishing her lunch. "But you've been interested in Saji for a while now. Do you like him?" she asked, her tone devoid of mockery, reflecting her genuine curiosity. It was a characteristic impulse of someone who knew Tomoe well. As could be seen as she stared back at her fellow piece, with an empty expression and a smile widened so much that she seemed on the verge of swallowing a fly.

And what that question got was blank eyes with a plastered grin that almost screams "really?". Almost immediatelySuddenly, she dropped to her knees, going into an exaggerated display of apologizing.

"I'm sorry," Tomoe said, her voice laced with exaggerated sincerity.

"I didn't say anything," Reya closed her eyes trying her best not to react to the over the top apology. 

But Tomoe still persisted. "I don't know why, but I felt I should apologize."

Reya let out a sigh at her friend's bluntness and waved to dismiss the gesture. "It's not like that. It's just..." She paused, resting her hand on her chin as if her mind was idling in thought. "It's his eyes, you know? I just don't like what I see in them."

Tomoe listened attentively, her heart warming with empathy. She understood Reya's dilemma all too well. She had faced similar situations in the past, struggling to decipher the enigmatic depths of another person's gaze.

"Yeah… I get it, I get that a lot," Tomoe replied in a surprisingly calm and mature manner. "Something about his eyes, right? It's like they're saying something you don't want to hear."

Reya nodded, a mixture of relief and frustration etched on her face, the former being glad she got it and the latter from the fact it is an issue in the first place. "Exactly," she said. "It's like there's a whole other story hidden behind them, one I just can't access.It's like it all but saying "you cannot help me nor stop me from doing this". It's unsettling. I don't like those eyes on either one of them."

Tomoe's mind wandered back to Saji's empty gray eyes, their glass-like appearance, and the way they seemed so open and vulnerable, as if waiting to be filled with something. The fact that his comical inability to keep a secret worried her, hints at something she didn't quite like.

Reaching across the bench, Tomoe gently placed a comforting hand on Reya's, offering solace. "I know it can be tough," she said softly. "But sometimes, we have to accept that there are things we're not meant to know, at least for now. And along with that frustration comes with it. It's part of being hum–devil."

They shared a small chuckle as Tomoe stumbled over her words, momentarily slipping up. Their eyes met, understanding passing between them.

Reya gave Tomoe a pointed look. "I can't say I'm used to this mature and comforting side of you," she remarked, half-teasing.

Tomoe reflected on her friend's along with a gobsmacked mouth like she was hurt by that statement. "That's the first thing you took away from all this?" she quipped, playfully jabbing at her friend. Reya laughed, jumping off the bench.

"Hahaha, I'm just kidding," Reya replied, brushing off the comment. As the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of their lunch break, she stretched and declared, "Well then, enough of that. I'll head back to class." With that, she walked ahead, leaving Tomoe to gather her empty lunch box at her own leisure.

"But still," Tomoe thinks back to the man in question's walking posture. "That's not something you get a few days and if you do it's tell tale signs of brainwashing." 

The knight's eyes darkened cutting off any of the previous warmness she exhibited 

"Performing such a feat is beyond the capabilities of an ordinary mage. I might have to keep an eye on him and if I see anything…"

Killing intent starts speed from her body when the bell rings once more and she jumps up as if she wasn't planning someone else's death a second ago. 

"Ah crap I can't be late or else Sona is going to put me through the wringer! She is always in my butt about that~"

And with that she dashes to her class in panic. 

X-X-X

"And there we go," Saji said, placing the boxes of files in front of the teacher's lounge, right in front of his scruffy homeroom teacher's desk.

The teacher looked up, grateful. "Thanks for that," he said.

"No problem, it's not like it's anything new. And I still owe you for sleeping so much in your classes," Saji replied nonchalantly.

The teacher chuckled. "Glad to see that habit's changed."

There was a brief pause that the teacher noticed along with a flicker of discomfort on his face. "She yelled at you, didn't she?"

Saji turned, attempting to hide his expression. "No comment."

The teacher let out a knowing laugh. "Hahaha, but honestly, I didn't really mind. It was mostly for the sake of appearances since apparently, you've been working two or three semesters ahead. Kid, I don't know what I've gotten into, trying to keep ahead of the curriculum of the best school in the district. Not that I should complain, though..."

Saji let out a weak laugh at the remark. "What can I say? I seem to catch on to knowledge really well."

The teacher patted Saji's shoulder with a mix of pride and amusement. "Keep up the good work, kid. Just remember to take some time for yourself too. Don't let the pressure get to you."

Saji could help but let out a dry smile with a tinge of guilt thinking back on the last few days again

X-X-X

A few days ago

Saji jolted awake in bed, his right hand feeling slimy and uncomfortable. He immediately turned to see what was causing the sensation.

"What the hell is that, Vritra?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with surprise and disgust.

The sight of sixteen glowing blue, tape-like lines extending from each arm of the eight heads in many directions would, to any rational person, raise numerous questions. Vritra, however, responded nonchalantly to the spectacle, "Your sacred gear, duh."

Saji's eyes widened. "Yeah, but why are there so many of them? And why are they squirming like they're alive? I did not need to wake up to this!" 

Vritra explained, "Well, it turns out the absorption line in your sacred gear can actually process information like memories or words from a book and transfer them. It's almost on the level of a phonetic crystal."

Saji eye's narrow wondering what nonsense the dragon is going on about with said explanation leaving him even more lost . "What the heck is a phonetic crystal? And that still doesn't explain anything."

"Shut up and let the tentacles probe you," Vritra retorted, done with trying to pretend that they cared.

Saji's eyes widened even further, and he quickly grabbed his uncontrollable gauntlet-covered hand that was attempting to force itself, along with its many tentacles.

"No!" Saji protested, his voice filled with both fear and determination. He could sense the perverse satisfaction emanating from his sacred gear, almost like a perverted old man.

"Come on, don't be a wimp," Vritra whined in response.

But Saji stood his ground, refusing to give in to the unsettling demands. "No! And I feel like you're getting off on this!" Even from the sacred gear he could hear it huffing heavily.

"Obviously, now eat your poison!" Vritra exclaimed.

Saji let out a distressed sound to no one knowing that nobody will come to his aid, as he was about to be overwhelmed by the bizarre situation he found himself in. "Gaah!"

X-X-X

After that ordeal, Saji had gained knowledge of the next three years of school in just one night. However, it wasn't as straightforward as it seemed. Due to Saji's normal, average brain, the acquired knowledge was intentionally suppressed, preventing it from interfering with his daily life. It was like having a book in his head that he could access if he wanted the knowledge within it, but unless he repeatedly accessed it, both the knowledge and the book would eventually disappear. The exception to this rule was knowledge gained or used during highly impactful events.

"But still, I feel like I've just been stacking up traumatic experiences of late," Saji muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" the teacher asked.

"Nothing," Saji quickly replied.

"Alright then. But still, it's good to have males in the class to handle these kinds of things. No matter how long I've worked here, I'm still somewhat hesitant to ask the girls, you know? A guy has to have some pride in certain areas."

Saji nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's... wait, that's what you think every male student is here for?" More than anger, disappointment was evident in his voice.

The teacher rolled his eyes. "I mean, the only other reason you guys are here is to catch tail, isn't it?"

"Huh?" Saji was taken aback by the assumption.

The teacher raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

They stared at each other, growing increasingly confused by the second. The teacher pinched his brows and raised his hand, motioning for things to slow down.

"So you're not just here to find a girlfriend?" the teacher clarified.

This time Saji was clearly offended. "Huh? No! I thought that was just the perverted trio."

The teacher let out an amused snort. "Please, they're just the ones who are most obvious about it. I don't think any male student doesn't prioritize that as their number one reason." The teacher then blinked, realizing something else. "Wait, so that means you haven't heard the rumors?"

"Rumors?" Saji asked, bewildered.

"That you joined the student council and it became your exclusive harem," the teacher explained.

Saji's eyes widened in disbelief letting his bad habit slip. "...I'm sorry, what the hell?"

The older male placed his palm on his face, realizing that he was more in touch with the students' gossip than someone their own age should be.