When Leon and his group boarded the train to the Underworld, the sky above the capital was only just beginning to brighten with the first hints of dawn.
Consequently, by the time they arrived at their destination, it was still very early, even after accounting for the time needed to reorganize and take a short break.
Under Leon's direction, the members of the Eligos Familia began their morning basic training. However, the intensity of this training was cranked to the maximum from the very start.
Boom!
With a thunderous roar, a massive mana projectile suddenly plummeted from the sky, striking the ground and triggering a spectacular explosion.
Yukinoshita Yukino, Yuuki Asuna, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and Shiina Mahiru screamed in unison as they scrambled away in panic, narrowly avoiding a direct hit.
"Run, run! Faster!"
Leon, with his eight devil wings unfurled, soared in mid-air. He pursued the four girls, condensing massive mana projectiles in his hands and hurling them toward their position.
"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh—!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of loud blasts rang out one after another. Grand explosions erupted repeatedly behind the four girls, sending them fleeing in a state of sheer panic.
"Wh-what are you doing?!"
"Is it really necessary to go this far?!"
"This is too dangerous!"
"Stop it already, Senpai!"
Yukinoshita Yukino, Kasumigaoka Utaha, Yuuki Asuna, and Shiina Mahiru shouted their protests, but they were met only with Leon's cold, ruthless response.
"Wasn't it all written in the schedule? The purpose of basic training is to push you to your daily limits and then surpass them to reach a higher level."
"If I just let you go for a jog, it would indeed increase your basic physical fitness. But a devil's constitution is naturally much stronger than a human's. To reach your limit through jogging, how long would you have to run?"
"That's a waste of time! The efficiency is too low!"
Leon's idea was to use danger to stimulate the girls' bodies and awaken their latent potential. By forcing them to reach their limits quickly, the adrenaline rush would help them swiftly break through to the other side.
"This doesn't just increase physical stamina; it also boosts mana. After all, when you are at your limit, a devil's mana becomes exceptionally active, making it easier to train and easier to grow stronger."
Flapping his wings, Leon trailed the group of girls, several massive mana projectiles manifesting around him.
"If you want to get strong fast, stop complaining! Everyone, run! Run faster! Run at your top speed!"
"And remember to circulate your mana. Use it to protect your bodies and get it flowing as quickly as possible."
"Otherwise, you're going to have a very bad time."
With those words, Leon continued to rain down mana projectiles without a shred of chivalry, bombarding the girls and causing them to shriek repeatedly.
The girls loudly voiced their dissatisfaction, but it only served to make Leon's assault even more relentless. This game of cat-and-mouse continued for two full hours.
"This is too much!"
It wasn't until the girls were all gasping for breath, collapsing to the ground without a single ounce of strength left, that Leon finally stopped and landed in front of them.
"Don't relax yet. The physical training is done, but the mana training must continue."
Like a Spartan drill instructor, Leon began to lash out at the exhausted girls again.
"Now, continue to squeeze the mana out of your bodies. Release it and manifest it into the power you are best at. Hurry up!"
Under Leon's prodding, the girls gritted their teeth and forced themselves to stand despite their heavy panting. They began to release their mana.
Yukinoshita Yukino manifested her mana as ice, Yuuki Asuna shaped hers into swords, Shiina Mahiru manifested hers as flames, and Kasumigaoka Utaha simply released hers in its pure form, condensing it into a sphere.
But the moment they successfully completed their manifestations, Leon abruptly released his own mana. His massive power created a turbulent field that instantly interfered with the girls' released mana, causing it to explode in their hands.
"Kya!"
Amidst short screams, the exploding mana sent the girls tumbling back onto the ground in disarray.
"Again," Leon said expressionless. "You must be able to maintain a long-term state of mana manifestation and release under my interference. That is how you increase both your total mana capacity and your degree of control."
"Especially after experiencing intense physical exhaustion, when your mana is already in an active state, the trend for improvement will be even more pronounced."
"Hurry, don't waste time. Every second you waste is a second of growth you lose. Can you really accept that?"
Hearing this, the girls gritted their teeth in frustration, yet they persisted and stood up to release their mana once more. A series of mana explosions continued to occur, accompanied by the pitiable cries of the girls.
"I'm already starting to regret joining this Familia!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha even went as far as to shout this out, making it clear how grueling the training process was.
However, there was no such thing as regret medicine in this world. None of the girls were particularly fragile of heart, so they all gritted their teeth and persevered until noon arrived and Leon finally called a halt.
"Rest for an hour. After lunch, we will begin your individual specialized training."
The moment Leon finished speaking, every single girl collapsed onto the ground, looking utterly spent and unable to stand again. By now, their stamina and mana were completely drained; they were exhausted in both body and mind, lacking even the strength to get up and eat.
"It seems that training them this hard on the first day was a bit forced after all."
Leon scratched his head, though he had anticipated this might happen. He summoned several familiars to bring over the prepared lunch and feed it to the girls.
As they struggled to swallow the food, the girls were surprised to find their vitality returning rapidly.
"What is this?" Asuna asked, her interest piqued. "Why does it feel so warm after eating? Even the fatigue is disappearing fast."
"Is there something added to it?" Shiina Mahiru asked while taking a small sip of miso soup, looking astonished. "Is that the taste of medicinal herbs?"
The two girls most interested in cooking began to investigate, prompting Leon to smile slightly.
"This was also inspired by what Asuna gave me last time."
Previously, Yuuki Asuna had received tea from Miyamoto Musashi that could eliminate fatigue and restore energy. Musashi had mentioned using it frequently during training in the past to increase efficiency.
Leon remembered this before they set off and consulted with Miyamoto Musashi to see if he could obtain such tea for this special training camp. Musashi hadn't given Leon a definite answer right away, but she had reported the matter to the Underworld.
As it turned out, the next day, Musashi told Leon that the Four Great Satans were aware of his plan to bring his Familia back to the Underworld for a period of special training. They had decided to provide a portion of special resources to assist in their training.
The ingredients currently being used in their lunch were one such resource.
"Ingredients that can rapidly restore bodily vitality have been added. I guarantee you'll be back to full strength within five minutes," Leon said. "These ingredients will be added to your breakfast, lunch, and dinner from now on, so you won't be left immobilized for long periods due to the intense training."
"Eat up quickly. You'll need the strength for the rest of the special training."
Leon turned and left them. The girls looked at each other in silence for a while before taking their lunches from the familiars and eating quickly.
"Are we really going to live like this for an entire month?"
Yukinoshita Yukino inadvertently muttered to herself, causing all the girls to freeze mid-bite. However, they silently finished their lunch, allowing their bodies to return to perfect condition, and then rested where they were.
The hour passed quickly.
Leon's figure appeared before the girls with perfect punctuality, causing them to shudder in unison.
"Don't look at me like that. Next is the time for your individual specialized training; I couldn't interfere even if I wanted to," Leon said, rolling his eyes. "However, I have prepared suitable training grounds for each of you. Follow me."
Led by Leon, the girls of the Eligos Familia unfurled their wings and took to the sky, flying toward various parts of the camp.
Before long, the girls each arrived at their specialized training locations.
Yukinoshita Yukino's training ground was an ice cave with ultra-low temperatures and dense ice-attribute mana, which would help her better train her "Eternal Ice Princess" abilities.
Shiina Mahiru's training ground was an area filled with concentrated Light power. Staying here, the Purple Flame within her body could not be suppressed and would flare up on its own, forcing her to focus her mind to control it.
Yuuki Asuna's training ground was a field littered with broken, ancient blades. The mana of their original owners still lingered on those swords; as a swordswoman, she could gain insights through this mana.
As for Kasumigaoka Utaha, her training ground was simply an open space. However, Leon required her to use her own created barriers to set up the area, and each barrier she set up had to be different from the last, thereby honing her sensitivity to barrier construction.
With these arrangements made, Leon truly could no longer intervene in the girls' training; they would have to complete it on their own.
It was also from this moment that Leon's own training could officially begin.
"I have no intention of wasting this month."
Leon charged into the ancient battlefield. Not long after, the weather there began to be dominated by thunder and lightning.
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