DxD 0027: Training Camp (1/6)

“Hmm…” Abaddon looked around the training area that Rias had designated for the camp. “We got an inclined obstacle course on a mountain… More than enough flat land for fights that we can go all out on… Good enough. I just have to carve a resting room within the mountain for my own training…” He mused.

As he made the preparations, there was a flare of magic that came from a teleportation circle. When Abaddon looked in that direction, he saw that it was Rias, Akeno, Koneko, and Aika.

“Hi, girls.” He waved before getting back to the room that he was carving for his own training.

“Are you making a resting area?” Rias came up and asked curiously.

“It’s a spot for my own training. We’ll be staying here for the next 10 days or so. So I’m not planning on wasting my time.” He said.

“10 days?!” Rias was surprised. “Yeah,” He agreed, “I was thinking for more, but decided that I would be bored of training after 10 days.” He said. Giving Rias insight into just how lazy of a person he actually was.

‘This guy is so lazy and is still so strong… What would happen if he wasn’t lazy…’ She inwardly mused though didn’t mention anything.

“But what about school?” Rias asked. “It’s fine. They can manage.” He said. “But… 10 days?” Rias asked with a bargaining tone. “You want to beat the flaming chicken or not?” He looked at her with a deep look.

Rias sighed in defeat and said, “I wanna beat him.” She slumped her shoulders with a depressive atmosphere.

“Good. Now wait patiently.” He told her before getting back to his room-making task. She went back to Koneko and Akeno and said, “We’ll be staying here for 10 days.” She said.

“Oh… I thought it would be more.” Akeno said, “I guess he’s taking it easy for the start…” She said. Akeno was expecting the opposite of Rias since she remembered him saying that he would be doing the training for longer.

A while later there was another flash of light. This time it was Sona and her Queen, Tsubaki.

“Hi, Sona, Tsubaki. I didn’t think that you would be willing to come after I beat up Saji.” Abaddon greeted the newcomers.

Before they could say anything in greeting, “You beat up Sona’s new pawn?” Rias came up to him.

“Yeah. He had it coming.” He shrugged uncaringly.

“Hello, Abaddon-san,” Tsubaki greeted him with a bow. Sona just waved at him with a smile.

“Sona if you’re here and I’m also here. Who’s managing the territory?” Rias asked.

“I brought Tsubaki for a reason. I want to test the ability of my peerage to manage things in the absence of me and my Queen. And Kiba also asked to help out.” Sona told Rias.

“I feel like Kuoh might not exist when we come back…” Rias had a bad premonition. “You wanna pick a fight?” Sona looked at her Rias with an aggressive expression.

“No one’s going to pick a fight that’s not a practice spar.” Abaddon came in between them, “Trust Sona’s peerage and Kiba, Rias.” He said before turning to Sona, “My cousin can be a bit insensitive sometimes, I hope you can understand…” He told her gently.

“Hey! You’re discriminating. I want to be placated gently too…” Rias grumbled at him.

“Maybe after you go out on a date with me.” He smirked.

“You guys seem to be having fun…” With another flash of light, Seekvaira was also here. Seeing her, Abaddon clapped his hands, “Since everyone’s here. Let’s get this show on the road.” With his words, a red dome covered the entire training ground, trapping everyone inside.

“This dome will dissipate in 10 days. So let’s get started with training.” He said in a no-nonsense tone before turning to Koneko.

Meanwhile, Sona looked at him thoughtfully, remembering how he acted as if it was a big deal for him to set up that barrier in the abandoned graveyard where they beat the stray vampire-devil hybrid.

“Koneko, I want you to complete the obstacle course on the mountain. Go to the top and come back down. Beware the traps. I want 10 laps within the hour.” He gave Koneko her instruction and she promptly followed, disappearing from her spot.

“Akeno, do the same as Koneko. But you can be slower, 2 laps within the hour.” He instructed her to train the Rook aspect of her Queen piece.

“Sona, There is a lake there,” He pointed in a direction, “I’ve laced the water with my destruction energy. Practice your manipulation with that water. Try to make sure that the water isn’t destroyed. It’s extremely unstable. I want you to separate the water from my destruction energy.” He said to her and Sona nodded before going off to the pond.

“Seekvaira cast a 60 times time dilation in that room.” He pointed at the room he’d designated for his own training.

“Rias and Aika, you will be training with me in the room with time dilation. Wait there for me.” He told them and they promptly went there.

“Now… What to do with you?” He looked at Tsubaki with an inquisitive gaze that made her look down in embarrassment, “Although I agreed to Sona’s request to train you, I don’t actually know anything about your strengths and weaknesses. Can you tell me about your fighting style, Tsubaki?” He asked her.

“I’m primarily a Naginata user. I also have a sacred gear that can reflect attacks, Mirror Alice.” She said concisely.

“Naginata user, you say… Do you want to train your Sacred gear or the naginata, or some third aspect?” He asked her.

“I would like to train my Sacred Gear as well.” She said. “I see…Summon it.” He told her. She followed his words and summoned her Sacred Gear, “I can also call out to some abnormal beings through this mirror but I don’t know if they are of any use.” She told him.

“Would there be any issue if it gets destroyed?” He asked her. “Not really. It will reflect the attack that destroys it with double the intensity.” She said, “Though I’m sure there’s an upper limit to the ability.” She told him for safe measure.

“Don’t worry.” He lifted his arm in her direction and faced her with his palm. “Hakai.” He said with a voice that was infused with the power of Destruction and a torrent of crimson left his arm.

As that hit the mirror, it was indeed destroyed, but his attack was reflected back at him with double the intensity, ‘Interesting…’ He let the attack hit him, letting the Armor of Destruction manage everything.

When the dust settled, He was left with his flamboyant Armor of Destruction that seemed to be incomplete.

“How long before you can summon it again?” He asked.

“A couple of minutes,” Tsubaki answered with a shudder, still terrified by his attack that she felt was sure to have wiped her out of existence if it hit her.

“Hmm… You are also a Queen, right? You can do the same training as Akeno for now. I’ll come up with a way to help you train your sacred gear in a while. Two laps up and down the mountain in the next hour.” He told her before turning around.

With everyone busy with their tasks, Abaddon went to the indoor training area where he’d sent Rias, Aika, and Seekvaira.

Entering the room, he saw Rias and Seekvaira telling Aika something who was nodding with a serious expression on her face. “You girls talking about me?” He interrupted them.

“You wish.” Rias scoffed. “We were actually, we were telling your new pawn about you,” Seekvaira said the truth.

“Agares!” Rias turned to look at Seekvaira with an angry betrayed expression. “Trust me, Gremory. You don’t want to lie to him when he’s going to train you.” She said to Rias who promptly froze, “Is that so?” She asked in a small voice.

“It is. Now let’s get to training. Seekvaira, please activate the time ward.” He said and felt Seekvaira activating the time ward. The time they spent here was now going to be dilated and 1 minute outside would be equal to one hour here.

“First, Aika. You have a lot to learn. If you want to utilize your ability to see through complex structures, you need to know about the theories behind those complex structures.” He created a large magic circle and teleported a bookshelf with about a hundred different books into the room.

“Start learning.” He said and saw Aika’s face turn into a horrified frown, “Master, no!”

“Don’t worry, I give enough incentives with training. Since it’s a boring studying kind of training, I will give you very good incentives. Once you’re done with one book, I will test you on the theory behind that book and if I’m satisfied then you get a very nice reward.” He tempted Aika who instantly understood the reward that he was talking about and agreed, “Though, if you fail the test then you will have a punishment waiting for you.” He said. Aika didn’t dally and started browsing through the books that were about a lot of theories related to magic and the devil’s magic system.

He turned to look at Seekvaira, “As for you, the usual training. Develop your reserves while working on the new special attack that we came up with.” He said before turning to Rias. Seekvaira nodded and went to the training area that he’d designed for her.

“As for you… Are you familiar with Dual Cultivation?” He asked with an innocent face. “N-no!” She stepped back with a scared expression while covering her arms over her chest protectively.

“Ah, so you are familiar with the concept…” He developed a devious smile on his face while he walked towards her with slow steps. “Yes, and I don’t consent.” She said while stepping back. He walked to her until she was pushed up against a wall and couldn’t step back any further. “Stop it.” She said, but his smile only got wider as he got closer to her.

Just as he got close enough to touch her nose with his, he said, “Pity…” And he pulled back. “I guess we’ll have to train normally.” He had a mischievous smile on his face.

“You asshole!” Rias threw a full-powered punch at his chest.