After Shizu left, Lucian had been training under Hakurou — in both sword and focus.
Since obtaining the Essence of Blank, his growth had only accelerated. It wasn't just faster than before; it was smarter.
With the All Seeing Seer feeding him endless battle data and the subskill Battle IQ processing every micro-movement, his body was adapting like a weapon fine-tuned mid-fight. Analytic Assistant still wasn't at its full potential, but with other subskills constantly supplying information — trajectory, power, rhythm — his progress was staggering.
And yet, mastery wasn't measured in data.
It was measured here — in the dust, sweat, and the ringing of steel.
---
The training field shook under the pressure of three ogres clashing.
Lucian's blade intercepted Benimaru's fiery arc — sparks exploded, air twisting under the force. Benimaru didn't let up; his crimson sword blazed brighter, the temperature rising as he twisted his wrist, trying to unbalance Lucian's guard.
Lucian stepped in rather than back, redirecting the blow with the flat of his blade. A sharp clang echoed through the field as both swords whistled past each other. He countered with a quick upward strike — fast, precise — but Benimaru ducked under it effortlessly, his movements honed through years of battle.
Then came Shion.
She charged in like a storm, Odachi flashing with violet light, her strength shaking the ground on impact. Her fighting style was unpredictable — no rhythm, no pattern, just raw instinct and power. She spun with wild grace, a vertical slash cutting through the dust cloud Benimaru had stirred.
Lucian barely shifted his stance, parrying her heavy swing with his left arm reinforced by magic. Her raw power still forced him a step back.
Her grin was fierce. "You're getting slower, Lord Lucian!"
He smirked. "You're getting louder."
He let her overextend, stepped to the side, and countered — the blade skimming past her shoulder, close enough to slice a few strands of her lilac hair.
Before he could press the advantage, Benimaru was already there — his blade blazing with heat, a red arc descending from above. Lucian brought his sword up to meet it, the two edges locking in a shower of sparks. The air between them shimmered, fire and aura colliding.
Benimaru's voice was calm despite the pressure. "You're focusing too much on power again. You're overcommitting."
"Noted," Lucian grunted, twisting his wrist and pushing the sword aside just enough to break contact. He swung back in a clean diagonal slash that forced Benimaru to step back — but Shion was already behind him.
Lucian sensed her aura a second too late.
She swung downward — raw strength amplified by her odachi's weight — and Lucian had to twist his whole body, catching the strike on his blade. The ground cracked beneath their feet from the sheer impact.
For a few seconds, all three clashed in a deadly rhythm — strike, parry, pivot. Every movement felt calculated and desperate at once.
Lucian's blade flashed in the sunlight, his feet light despite his ogre form. His swordsmanship was elegant, practiced, and reactive — but his opponents were battle-born. Benimaru flowed like fire, each motion precise, each strike placed to herd Lucian into Shion's waiting range.
It wasn't power that overwhelmed him. It was synergy.
Benimaru feinted low, drawing Lucian's guard down — then twisted the hilt, his sword snapping upward. Lucian barely caught the move, deflecting with a grunt. That brief distraction was all Shion needed.
She roared, her blade descending in a wide arc. Lucian ducked — but his focus split between both sides. Benimaru's follow-up came instantly, his sword sweeping in from the flank.
Lucian had no choice. He raised his left hand, trying to parry bare-handed, channeling energy through his skin. The clash sent a shockwave through the clearing, rattling the surrounding trees.
And then — his blade went flying.
Disarmed, he stumbled back a step as both opponents froze, their blades inches from his chest.
"…Damn," Lucian muttered, chest heaving.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Hakurou's applause broke the silence, slow and deliberate.
"Lord Lucian has certainly come far," the old master said, his tone calm but his eyes sharp. "However, your use of your left hand is still lacking. You focus too much on the sword itself and neglect your body's natural balance."
Lucian caught his breath, retrieving his sword. "You mean I should've used it to block Benimaru instead of dodging Shion?"
"Exactly." Hakurou nodded. "A shallow cut on your arm would've been preferable to being disarmed. Sometimes defense is not about avoiding pain but minimizing loss."
Lucian smirked. "Noted. Again."
Benimaru sheathed his sword, grinning. "You're improving fast. A few more weeks, and even I might start to doubt my telent in sword."
"Don't flatter yourself," Lucian shot back. "You were sweating."
"From the heat of my flames," Benimaru retorted dryly.
Shion laughed, slinging her odachi over her shoulder. "Lord Lucian, you should change your form and then let's see how Benimaru feels about his sword doing anything to you."
---
After the session ended, Lucian joined Benimaru and Shion on their walk back toward the town. The training grounds stretched behind them, filled with the clang of swords and the shouts of younger ogres. Hakurou remained behind to instruct the next group — the goblins and orcs now eager to learn the art of battle properly.
Lucian exhaled, relaxing his shoulders. "So, how's the army formation going?"
Benimaru's tone shifted, growing serious. "The ogres are ready. The orcs are still rough, but their numbers alone make them a strong defensive force. Hakurou's training has the goblin riders improving — hit-and-run tactics mostly. They're good at running… the hitting part still needs work."
Lucian chuckled. "We'll call it progress. What about the lizardmen? We saved them; I'd assume they're grateful enough to ally with us."
Benimaru sighed. "They're divided. The chief and his son are in conflict — the son wants to form his own 'Lizardman Kingdom.' The father is open to joining us, but negotiations are stalled."
Before Lucian could comment, a faint shimmer appeared beside them. Souei stepped out of the shadows.
"Did you have to do that?" Lucian asked, hand over his chest. "You're getting too good at that, Souei."
The ninja-like ogre inclined his head respectfully. "My apologies, my Lord. I waited until you were free to report."
Lucian waved him on. "Alright, what did you find?"
"As you suspected," Souei began, his tone quiet but steady, "the Western Nations are forming a large army. I couldn't infiltrate deeply into human territory, but I confirmed that their main force consists of mercenaries and the Holy Church. The Church seems to be the one driving the campaign forward. Their staging ground is in the Falmuth Kingdom, where the bulk of soldiers are gathering."
Lucian's expression darkened. "So it's happening already…"
Souei nodded. "Until they march, details will be hard to gather. Their upper command has strong magical interference — even my dream threads couldn't pass through."
Lucian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "And Rimuru?"
"Lady Rimuru is currently unreachable. She and Lady Shizu have departed with the Otherworlder children for the Dwelling of Spirits."
Lucian sighed quietly. "Figures. Always moving around."
He wasn't particularly worried — he could crush most armies alone if it came to that — but that wasn't the point. He didn't want to crush anything. The people coming were soldiers following orders, not villains. Most were likely conscripts — humans who didn't even understand what they were fighting.
Shion, however, didn't share that concern. "Don't worry, my Lord. We'll fight to the death for you!" she declared, swinging her odachi for emphasis.
Lucian gave her a flat look. "That's the problem, Shion. I don't want any of you dying. Your lives are worth more than a war."
She blinked, confused. Benimaru smiled faintly but said nothing.
---
Later that night, Lucian sat in his office, buried once more in scrolls and maps. His mind wandered as he worked.
War. It was inevitable, yet it never sat well with him.
He leaned back in his chair, tapping a quill against the desk. "There has to be a smarter way…"
He remembered how monsters differed across worlds — not every world had the moral balance of Tensura. Some monsters were pure beasts, born from chaos and instinct. If he were to bring such creatures here, they could serve as a psychological weapon — terrifying but controlled. The kind of monsters that could end battles without shedding unnecessary blood.
Theoretically, it was simple. Practically, it was insanity. One mistake and they'd turn the battlefield into a massacre.
He smirked to himself. "Maybe I'll just make a monster that looks terrifying but does nothing but roar."
For now, though, all he could do was prepare. Train his troops. Fortify defenses. Keep watch.
And occasionally, check in on Kuoh Town — just to make sure the devils were safe.
The town had been quiet lately, ever since Issei had left. With Sona and Lucian cleaning up rogue devils before, peace had finally taken root there.
Of course, "checking in" on Kuoh also meant visiting Sona and Tsubaki — which always seemed to involve dinner dates, teasing remarks, and the occasional night where paperwork was replaced with far more entertaining activities.
Lucian smiled to himself at the thought. "Guess some duties are easier to handle than others."
A/n: How are you liking the fic so far? I've been getting a few bad reviews and quite a few readers complaining so just want to see if people are enjoying the fic.