A few hours later.
Alear silently appeared in his room alongside the three girls. They had just completed another two weeks of intensive training inside the [World Where I Can Personify God].
Maria, Mio, and Ravel were in a deplorable state.
All three wore training clothes that were completely torn and covered in dirt. Soil, grass, sweat, and dark stains marked the fabric so heavily that it was difficult to believe they had begun training in a presentable condition. Their hair was disheveled, their faces slightly flushed from physical exertion, and even their posture conveyed obvious exhaustion.
At first glance, they looked as though they had just survived a battlefield rather than a simple training period.
Unfortunately for the girls, that miserable condition was part of the training they had endured over the past two weeks. Unlike previous occasions, Alear had not used [Status Recovery] to completely restore them at the end of each session. As a result, even after leaving the [World Where I Can Personify God] and finishing their training, they still carried visible signs of accumulated wear and tear...
But what was the purpose of a training regimen in which they remained constantly injured? The answer was quite simple. During those two weeks, Alear had significantly improved their bodies' natural regenerative capabilities through various alchemical potions he had developed himself. Rather than relying on instant healing, he wanted to strengthen their own natural healing abilities. As a result, injuries sustained during training began recovering at a much faster rate than normal. Cuts, bruises, muscle strains, and other injuries gradually disappeared on their own without the need for outside intervention...
More importantly, the continuous process of taking damage, regenerating, and returning to combat functioned as an extreme form of physical conditioning. Each cycle forced their bodies to adapt, making them tougher and more efficient at recovery than before...
It was an incredibly brutal form of training, the kind of method only someone with masochistic tendencies would willingly subject themselves to. Even so, none of the girls seemed to truly mind. On the contrary, despite occasional complaints, they had all accepted the process without much objection, especially after they began seeing the results.
Mio and Ravel still leaned lightly against Alear, one on each side. Under normal circumstances, the two would take any opportunity to compete for his attention, but at the moment they were far too exhausted to even start an argument.
Maria was the last to enter the room. The moment she stepped through the door, she let out a dramatic groan and threw herself face-first onto the large bed, burying her face in the mattress while kicking her legs in the air.
"Finally out of that hell...!" she whined, her voice muffled by the mattress. "Alear-sama... next time, couldn't you go a little easier on the training? I'm a delicate succubus... I almost died in there!"
Despite her words, her tone contained far more dramatization than genuine suffering.
After all, if she had truly hated the training as much as she claimed, she would not have continued throwing herself into it so enthusiastically over the past two weeks.
Alear smiled wryly.
"Again with this? I've already told you that you need to become stronger. That's exactly why the training is so intense. You still have a long way to go."
Maria turned her face toward him with an expression of pure suffering.
"How cruel... At the very least, we could've had an orgy or something! What a waste, spending weeks inside a dimension with accelerated time and not being able to properly enjoy ourselves! Mio-sama, you think so too, don't you?"
Upon hearing that, Mio immediately blushed bright red and coughed several times while looking away.
"W-What are you talking about, Maria?! That place is for training, not for... for doing that kind of thing all the time!"
Maria blinked in surprise.
Hmm?
Mio's reaction seemed strange.
Lately, she had become far bolder than before, especially whenever Alear was involved. Normally, a tease like that would not have been enough to make her so nervous.
Watching the young woman's reddened face and the suspicious way she avoided eye contact, a spark of curiosity appeared in Maria's eyes.
"...Wait a second." Her gaze shifted between Mio and Alear. "Don't tell me something happened while I wasn't paying attention?"
Mio's face turned even redder.
To Maria, that reaction seemed to confirm the exact opposite of what Mio was trying to deny.
Her violet eyes widened, and she abruptly sat up on the bed.
"No way! So you and Alear-sama actually did it by yourselves over the past few weeks?! Mio-sama... you're cruel! You left us out?!"
Mio turned even redder and immediately began waving her hands in denial.
"You're talking nonsense! Not everyone is a pervert like you, you shameless succubus!"
"That wasn't a very convincing answer..." Maria muttered.
With a look of disbelief, she quickly turned toward Ravel, who had remained suspiciously silent until now.
"Ravel-sama! You couldn't have been left out too, right? We need to unite against this injustice!"
Ravel blinked several times before answering. Her cheeks took on a faint rosy hue, but her posture remained as elegant and composed as ever.
"I don't mind... As long as Alear-sama comes to see me from time to time, I'm satisfied."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Then Maria stared at Ravel with wide eyes.
"Ravel-sama! You too?!"
The young woman's calm expression only made her answer even more devastating to the succubus.
Ravel and Mio immediately denied it in unison. The two exchanged a quick knowing glance before, for the first time in quite a while, joining forces against the small succubus.
"I never said anything like that!" Ravel quickly added.
"Exactly! Stop trying to drag us over to your perverted side!" Mio reinforced.
Maria froze for a moment.
Then she looked at both of them with an expression of profound betrayal.
"Hey... did you two just team up against me?! That's unfair!"
Feeling completely cornered, she immediately turned her attention toward Alear. Pouting slightly, she crawled toward him on her knees atop the bed.
"Alear-samaaa~ You're cruel! You slept with both of them and completely forgot about me... I'm the most neglected one here!"
Alear crossed his arms and looked at her with an amused, thoroughly unconvinced smile.
"Don't lie so shamelessly, Maria. I divided my time between the three of you quite equally. You know that very well."
The moment he finished speaking, Mio and Ravel turned their gazes toward Maria.
"See? Even Alear-sama is calling you a liar," Mio said with a faintly satisfied smile.
"Indeed... how embarrassing, Maria," Ravel added calmly.
Maria placed a hand over her chest as though she had just suffered a fatal blow.
"Betrayed by my own team..."
The next instant, she dramatically threw herself against Alear's chest, hugging him tightly while whining.
"Alear-sama, save me! They're bullying me! I'm the victim here... save your poor succubus!"
Rubbing her face against his chest, Maria looked up at him with an exaggeratedly innocent expression, though the mischievous gleam in her eyes made it obvious that she was merely trying to escape the situation using her usual charm.
Unfortunately for her, nobody in the room seemed willing to fall for the act.
Mio rolled her eyes and extended a hand. Without the slightest ceremony, she placed her palm on the silver-haired succubus's head and pushed her face away from Alear's chest.
"Enough of the nonsense, Maria. You're being way too obvious."
"Uwaah~! Mio-sama, that hurts!" Maria complained, exaggerating her tone as she tried to resist the hand pushing her away. "Why are you being so mean to me today? I'm the victim here!"
Alear let out a tired sigh before intervening.
"That's enough, Maria. Stop the act. The three of you are exhausted. Go take a bath and rest for the remainder of the day. No more messing around today."
The three girls blinked almost simultaneously.
Although part of them wanted to protest and suggest something more "fun" before going to sleep, the truth was that their bodies had already reached their limits. Their muscles ached, their legs felt heavy, and their minds were still trying to process the intense two weeks of training. At that moment, even their accumulated desires were overshadowed by sheer exhaustion.
"All right..." Mio murmured with a resigned sigh, though her cheeks remained slightly red.
"As Alear-sama wishes," Ravel replied with her usual elegance, lightly inclining her head despite the deplorable condition of her clothes.
Maria puffed out her cheeks dramatically but ultimately gave in as well.
"Okaaay... I get it. Bath and bed... I get it..."
One by one, they approached Alear to say goodnight.
Mio was the first. Rising onto her tiptoes, she gave him a lingering kiss on the lips and whispered softly:
"Thank you for today's training, Alear-sama... make sure to rest as well."
Ravel came next. More delicate in her approach, she stepped forward and gave him a gentle kiss before speaking quietly:
"Good night, Alear-sama. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next training session... or whenever you decide to call for me."
Naturally, Maria had no intention of being left behind. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she gave him a quick kiss before flashing a mischievous smile.
"If you end up missing me during the night, you can call for me anytime, okay~?"
Mio let out an exasperated sigh.
"She really never gives up..."
"It's part of her charm, I suppose," Ravel commented.
The two exchanged tired looks before finally leaving the master bedroom and heading toward their respective rooms to bathe and rest. Maria quickly followed after them.
"Ravel, Mio-sama, wait!"
When the door closed behind them, the room fell silent.
Alear was finally alone. Letting out a long sigh, he ran a hand through his magenta-pink hair while slowly walking toward the bed, reflecting on everything that had happened over the past two weeks inside the [World Where I Can Personify God].
Essentially, this time he had followed a much more structured training method. The previous training period had been relatively chaotic and adapted to circumstances as they arose, but now he had clear objectives for every stage. First, he subjected the girls to a regimen focused on increasing their physical endurance, enhancing their natural recovery capabilities, and acclimating their bodies to prolonged combat while assisting them with several alchemical potions to accelerate their growth. Next, he taught them the fundamentals of martial arts while simultaneously refining their practical combat experience, much as he had done before. To solidify that learning, he repeatedly placed them in situations requiring quick thinking, adaptability, and teamwork. Finally, he worked extensively on their control and mastery of their demonic powers, correcting flaws, refining techniques, and gradually expanding their capabilities. Naturally, all of this was accomplished during the first week. During the second week, he shifted his focus toward individualized training, devoting attention to each girl's specific strengths, weaknesses, and talents, just as he had done on previous occasions...
As a result, all three had reached a fairly respectable level of strength...
As for himself, his focus had been directed almost entirely toward experimentation and training aimed at increasing his own power. Since he no longer needed to devote much time to physical training, and because his body would continue strengthening naturally as his [Demonic Power] increased, he decided to invest that time elsewhere. Most of his efforts were directed toward developing his Longinus and refining his various abilities. He felt that he was extremely close to awakening the Balance Breaker of both. It was a difficult sensation to explain, but the barrier seemed to be right in front of him, as though only a single final step remained before he could cross it...
Furthermore, the progress achieved during this process ended up unlocking new abilities related to his Sacred Gears...
Aside from training his Longinus, he also devoted a considerable portion of his time to refining the traits inherited from the Häagenti, Gäap, and naturally, Leviathan Families. In addition, he spent a great deal of time studying his own "Divinity." Unlike his other abilities, that was a far more abstract existence and much more difficult to comprehend. Even so, it was impossible to ignore the fact that it was slowly influencing both his body and soul as it continued to grow. The changes were subtle, almost imperceptible in daily life, yet they became obvious when compared to what he had once been...
As he reflected on this, he recalled a hypothesis he had been formulating for quite some time. His hereditary traits seemed to be gradually connecting to his Divinity, as though both were undergoing a process of fusion and mutual adaptation. If that trend continued, perhaps in the future it could give rise to something similar to an "Authority." However, that was completely uncharted territory for him. In the end, not even Alear himself could say with certainty what was happening or what the final result of that evolution would be...
After a few moments of contemplation, he simply shook his head.
There was no point trying to reach a conclusion right now. Too much information was missing, and there was too little experience to support any concrete theory. Continuing to speculate would get him nowhere...
"I'll leave that for later..."
Muttering to himself, Alear sat down on the edge of the bed and relaxed his shoulders.
His Divinity would continue evolving regardless of his concerns, and he already had enough projects to occupy his attention for the coming months. The alchemical trade, future political meetings, his research into Longinus, and the experiments involving the [World Where I Can Personify God] were all far more immediate priorities.
Besides...
There was something else he had almost forgotten.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Right... It's time."
In front of him, the familiar [Fate Gacha] interface silently appeared.
He rested his chin on his hand while observing the screen. To be honest, his expectations were not particularly high. Last time, he had obtained something as absurd as a Divinity; compared to that, almost any reward would seem ordinary. On top of that, his nearly legendary streak of bad luck did nothing to improve his optimism. Honestly, he still considered it a genuine miracle that he had obtained something so valuable in the previous pull. Precisely because of that, he believed the chances of receiving another extraordinary reward now were extremely low, which only lowered his expectations even further for this new attempt...
__________________________
(A/N: Want to get ahead?
This story is currently 65 chapters on Patreon — that's right, there's A LOT more waiting for you..
And on the 27th, there will be a mega release of 10 chapters on Patreon.
If you can't wait for what's coming next, the twists, and the insane Fate Gacha drops… then maybe it's time to take things a step further..
Get access now for just $5.99 USD and dive into the advanced chapters!
Light spoiler: his luck might be terrible… but the story? It only gets better.
For fans of the previous version, don't forget to leave your reviews and drop your Power Stones — your support makes all the difference!
Don't get left behind.
My Patreon: patreon.com/Adam_Kadmon
Thank you so much for your support — you make all of this worthwhile.)