"If you truly seek the discipline of the martial arts, you must demonstrate your commitment. Our training is not for the weak."
Lucifer didn't hesitate. He knew the cost of failure.
He wasn't just here to learn how to throw a punch; he was here to acquire the absolute peak of human physical discipline, a foundation necessary to wield his dimensional powers with grace and efficiency.
"I accept the test,"
Lucifer stated, his voice firm. He knew this would be less a training exercise and more a severe stress test for his recently acquired Healing Factor.
The Elder, Hayato Furinji, gave a silent nod of approval, his eyes twinkling.
"Very well. But you will not be trained by me, young man. I have other matters to attend to."
As if summoned, four figures emerged from the shadowy interior of the dojo, each radiating an aura of disciplined power that mirrored, though did not equal, the Elder's.
They were the masters of Ryōzanpaku.
Akisame Koetsuji, the Philosopher of Jujutsu, stepped forward first.
He was tall, calm, and his eyes, framed by his spectacles, were calculating, instantly assessing Lucifer's physique and Raven's aura.
"The boy needs grounding. He moves like a computer program, all vectors and efficiency, but lacks the internal flow of ki."
Kensei Ma, the Master of Chinese Martial Arts, sauntered out next, his eyes immediately fixated on Raven with an exaggerated, lecherous grin.
"Ah, but the girl! She has the look of a fine, dark blossom! Perhaps her training should be... hands-on?"
Raven's eyes flashed with annoyance, an external manifestation of her inner turmoil.
"I am here strictly as a tactical observer,"
She stated, her voice icy,
"And your suggested application of proximity is highly inefficient for skill transfer."
Shigure Kōsaka, the Weapon Master, was silent.
She simply observed Lucifer from behind a massive, sheathed sword, her expression unreadable.
Her focus was purely on his movement—the subtle lack of balance inherent in a fighter who relies on external power rather than internal strength.
Finally, Apachai Hopachai, the Muay Thai master, strode out, his energy loud and infectious, a stark contrast to the others.
"You want training? I will show you training! It is fun! I am strong!"
Akisame, ignoring Kensei's inevitable perversion, took charge.
"We will not teach you technique yet. First, we determine if your body can withstand our presence. You will begin with the Elder's basic conditioning program. If you break, we stop. If you quit, you leave."
Lucifer stripped down to his inner combat suit—a thick, resilient layer that provided minimal protection but allowed for full mobility.
He kept the comms active with Raven.
"Raven,"
Lucifer spoke quietly, ensuring the masters couldn't hear the specifics.
"Observe and report on the efficacy of the Healing Factor. This is a pure stress test."
"Acknowledged,"
Raven replied, still wrestling with the memory of the word "girlfriend." Focus, Raven. Observe the subject's biological resilience.
Emotional data is secondary.
Akisame began the first phase: The Test of Durability.
"You will begin with simple exercises. We will only increase the load when your body fails to respond,"
Akisame explained with chilling calm.
First Set: The Mountain Sprints. Lucifer was forced to sprint up a steep, muddy incline while wearing a weighted vest that felt heavier than a small car.
His legs, used to bursts of speed powered by his suit, instantly began to seize.
"Too slow!"
Kensei shouted, tapping a rhythm on a nearby drum.
"Your internal chi flow is blocked!"
Lucifer pushed, his heart hammering against his ribs. His lungs burned.
After five repetitions, his leg muscles tore, screaming in biological protest. Lucifer stumbled, his body collapsing.
[Healing Factor (Tier 5) Activated. Tissue Repair Initiated.]
Immediately, an intense, localized warmth—not unlike a fever—flowed through Lucifer's quads.
The agony subsided to a dull ache.
He stood up, muscles already knitting together
.
The Masters registered the change instantly.
"What was that?"
Apachai yelled, wide-eyed.
"He is not tired! He is not broken! He is a machine!"
Akisame frowned, adjusting his glasses.
"Fascinating. A regenerative component. Not ki-based. It is biological acceleration, likely tech-assisted, but the healing is genuine. The boy is hiding something big."
Second Set: The Master's Weights.
Next came the weights. Akisame chained a series of massive, jagged iron plates to Lucifer's back—weights that Kenichi, at the beginning of his training, wouldn't have been able to lift off the ground.
Lucifer was forced to perform deep squats.
The immense pressure on his spine and shoulders was agonizing. On the tenth repetition, a sharp crack echoed through the courtyard. His left humerus fractured under the pressure.
Lucifer grit his teeth, the pain momentarily overwhelming.
[Healing Factor (Tier 5) Activated. Bone Suture and Repair Initiated.]
The systemic warmth intensified, focusing on the bone.
Within seconds, the fracture was reduced to a deep soreness. He completed the set, though his form was terrible.
Shigure, the silent weapon master, broke her silence.
"He is durable. His pain tolerance is synthetic, but his will is not."
Third Set: The Endurance Run. The Elder himself appeared, throwing a massive, heavy truck tire in front of Lucifer.
"Run, young man. Flip this tire until the sun sets."
This was purely a grind. Hour after hour, Lucifer pushed the heavy tire, his skin tearing, his muscles shredding, his organs screaming for rest.
The Healing Factor worked overtime, keeping him from passing out, but it couldn't eliminate fatigue. The feeling of constantly breaking and re-forming his body was nauseating.
Raven stood aside, recording every data point with meticulous detail.
[Raven's Tactical Log - Entry 001, Ryōzanpaku]
Healing Factor (HF) Efficacy: Confirmed Tier 5 rating.
HF successfully repaired multiple muscle fiber tears, a compound fracture (left humerus), and stabilized exhaustion levels below critical threshold.
Conclusion: HF is a viable defensive asset and allows for continuous, high-intensity training that would be fatal to a Tier 1 human.
Master's Threat Assessment: Elder remains Tier 4. Other Masters (Akisame, Kensei, etc.) are stable Tier 3. Direct conflict is catastrophic. Training acquisition is the only safe strategy.
Subject Status (Lucifer): Currently operating at 100% systemic stress. Willpower remains absolute.
Raven then looked at Lucifer, his body slick with sweat, his face a mask of determined pain, and her internal monitor flickered back to the confusing emotional data.
Observed Data: Lucifer is demonstrating immense Commitment and Strength. This is attractive and logical.
Emotional Glitch: As he pushes past the limit, Kensei keeps making lewd comments about my presence, which Lucifer ignores. The Elder is focused only on Lucifer's strength. I feel Annoyance that Lucifer is not focused on my security, and Jealousy that the Elder is testing him so intensely.
She sighed, a purely human expression she now found herself making constantly.
This "girlfriend" emotion is proving to be a massive logistical burden. I cannot focus on my primary objective if I am constantly distracted by his proximity to other—
Her eyes darted to Shigure, the silent weapon master, who was watching Lucifer with a professional intensity that was somehow more threatening than Kensei's lechery.
Shigure saw Lucifer's pure combat potential.
Logistical Problem: Shigure Kōsaka is a formidable rival for Lucifer's attention and training focus. She is a master of weapons, a discipline Lucifer needs.
Emotional Problem: I feel a sudden, intense dislike for Shigure's interest in him. This is irrational. This is the jealousy that Harley provoked.
Raven crossed her arms tightly, trying to suppress the wave of possessiveness.
She had no choice but to stay, observe, and learn the rules of this emotional game while Lucifer was focused on the rules of survival.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the courtyard in a bloody orange light, Lucifer flipped the massive tire one last time before collapsing onto the ground.
His body was a tapestry of bruises, quickly fading, and extreme muscle fatigue, but his spirit was unbroken.
Akisame approached, examining the boy with clinical interest.
"You survived,"
He acknowledged.
"Your recovery is unnatural, but your will is genuine. Very well. You have proven yourself worthy of our time. Tomorrow, we begin your first technique training."
Lucifer gave a weak, breathless nod.
He was in. He had survived the first day, and his Healing Factor had passed the field test. Now, he would learn to fight.