One month had passed outside, while three months had slipped by within the pocket dimension. In that warped flow of time, Rihito's boot camp continued—merciless, unrelenting, and no less than torture. Yet beneath the pain and exhaustion, strength had bloomed. Everyone had clawed their way toward the goal I had set, and the results were undeniable: each of them had grown sharper, faster, stronger.
Shea, Hajima, Yue, and Tio now stood tall, their power honed enough to challenge even the apostles. Shizuku, Remia, and Kaori had also advanced, though their path was still incomplete. And then there was Myu…
I turned my gaze forward. Myu stood with her training gun, eyes narrowed in determination as she fired at targets darting unpredictably across the field. Their movements were erratic, without rhythm or pattern, yet she pressed on.
Bang! Bang! Bang!....
Six out of ten shots struck true. I reached out, ruffling her hair. "Six out of ten. You've improved."
"Hehehe~" she giggled, pressing closer, her cheeks flushed with pride.
Her progress was remarkable—her swordplay and marksmanship forming a solid foundation. Sometimes she pushed herself too hard, but her resolve never wavered.
"Papa?" she asked, eyes shining.
"Today is the last day of training. Now, go on with your sword practice."
"Yes!" she chirped, before sprinting off with renewed energy.
"She's working quite hard, isn't she?" Remia's voice came from beside me, her own training complete.
"Yeah," I nodded, glancing at her gravity bracelet. "And you? How's the increased gravity treating you? What about your mana core?"
"I can handle twenty percent increased gravity now," she replied with a smug smile. "And I can hold my own against you in hand-to-hand, can't I? As for mana…"
A surge of energy enveloped her body, shimmering like a second skin. Controlled, precise, powerful. She looked at me with a gleam in her eyes, fishing for praise.
I smirked. "You do realise I was holding back the whole time, right? If I wanted, I could've defeated you even faster."
Her cheeks puffed in indignation. "You…!"
I laughed, unable to resist her reaction.
A bit later, I found Shizuku and Kaori locked in a mock battle against Tohru. I stayed silent, observing.
Shizuku's blade shimmered with Spatial magic, her strikes timed with deadly precision. Kaori supported from the rear, weaving light magic to open windows of opportunity. Together, they fought with synergy, their rhythm almost flawless.
But against an apostle, their chances would be slim—especially if Disintegration came into play.
My eyes narrowed on Tohru. A thin veil of mana coated her fists, yet with that alone, she deflected their combined assault.
[Tohru, increase speed and power,] I commanded telepathically.
She obeyed without a glance. In an instant, the balance shattered. Her movements blurred, overwhelming Shizuku and Kaori. Even when Kaori joined the frontline with her polearm, trained under my guidance, it was futile. Within moments, both lay defeated.
I approached. "Good job," I said to Tohru.
She leaned closer, eyes gleaming, silently asking for head pats. I obliged. "You're the best, Master~" she purred.
Turning to the others, I softened my tone. "You two have improved greatly. Together, you can hold your own now."
Kaori smiled wryly, while Shizuku's glare carried both longing and jealousy.
I lifted Shizuku in a prince's carry, teasing, "Like it?"
Her face turned crimson, ponytail whipping to hide her blush. "Stupid… dummy…" she muttered, but made no effort to resist.
Tohru's envious gaze burned into me. "You can hug me again," I offered.
Before I finished, she was already behind me, arms wrapped tight, rubbing her face against my back like a dragon marking its treasure with its scent.
Moving on, I found Shea and Tio locked in fierce combat.
Shea's hammer swung with devastating force, her guiding each strike. Every blow carried the weight of inevitability; her efficiency sharpened to the point she could rival Hajime himself.
Tio, too, had changed. The beatings from Tohru had tempered her resilience. She fought with pseudo-transformation, her limbs shifting into draconic form, claws and scales gleaming.
"Take this!" Shea roared, her hammer descending like a meteor.
BOOOOM!
The ground trembled, shockwaves rippling outward. Their clash was no longer mere training—it was a battle that shook the pocket dimension itself.
Tio's body cut through the sky like a comet, hurled by Shea's hammer. She steadied herself midair, wings flaring, her Guardian-class resilience absorbing most of the blow. A faint bruise marked her cheek, but her eyes gleamed with defiance.
Even a Guardian's defence… broken by Shea's strike.
I then appeared between them, stopping the fight.
"Shea, you've improved," I said, my tone firm yet warm. "Your posture, footwork, and technique—all sharpened. Good job."
Her rabbit ears twitched, and in the next instant, she bounded into my arms, nuzzling against my chest with childlike eagerness.
"Rihito~ praise me more~ I worked so hard!"
I chuckled, patting her head. "Yeah, I know."
Her cheeks flushed as she pressed closer. "Want to do it?" she whispered, voice trembling with both nerves and desire.
I squeezed her lightly, whispering back, "Later. For now, behave."
"Fufufu~ I'll wait," she teased, retreating with a mischievous grin.
Elsewhere, Yue's training was a spectacle of precision. Above her head, mana constructs shifted seamlessly—spheres, blades, cubes—each morphing into the next with flawless rhythm. Her concentration was absolute, her control refined to artistry.
"The mana core increased my reserves," she explained without looking at me. "If I don't master the flow, my fine control over my spells might go lax."
I marveled seeing the display, nodding, keeping my own secret—that my training was on an even larger scale. If I told her, she'd sulk for days.
Nearby, Hajime stood in silence, his body glowing faintly as he maintained. His aura pulsed like a furnace, steady and unyielding.
He was deeply focused and maintaining his
"Look at you," I said with a smirk. "You've become strong." I looked at him like a proud father.
He rolled his eyes. "Will you ever stop annoying me?"
"Never. Where's the fun in that?"
He sighed, "So, what is it? You have something to say?"
"Naa, Nothing much. Today is the last day of the bootcamp. Just wanted to check over everyone's training," saying that, I walked away.
He shakes his head, but his gaze lingered—not on me, but on the faint distorting mana around my head.
"So, he sees it too," I thought, smiling as I walked away.
…
Seven hours later, I gathered everyone.
"Alright, guys. With this, the bootcamp ends today. I've seen how much each of you has improved." I clapped, my voice cheerful.
Their tired eyes met mine, dull from exhaustion—except Myu, who clapped with boundless energy. "Yeahh~!"
I cleared my throat. "Well, now. We have four days to rest before continuing our journey. Keep in mind—it will likely be war against Ehit in the truest sense." My tone hardened, my gaze sweeping across them.
"I have pushed you guys really hard. Some more than others, but there is no doubt that it caused you all to be stronger, and with that, the boopcamp comes to an end. Good job, everyone." I clapped, and this time, everyone followed in happiness that the brutal training camp had finally come to an end.
"That's why," I continued, my expression shifting to a grin. "How about we have fun while we can?"
Hajime nodded, his usual stoicism cracking into a faint smile. "About damn time."
Kaori raised her hand, eyes sparkling. "How about… a beach party?"
"Party! Yeah!" Myu cheered, throwing her arms up.
The proposal passed unanimously, laughter and cheers echoing through the pocket dimension. For the first time in months, the air was light—yet beneath it all, the shadow of war loomed ever closer.
…
Chapter end
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