11 Training ; Parting

-2 years later-

Kurama and Rias were now 6.

Kurama was being trained by Ito, Sun Wukong and the 4 Divine Beasts while going to school. Even though it's called school, it was more like of a one-on-one session with the teacher. Kurama ended up doing piano while Rias did the violin. They were taught about basic spells and flight. They were also taught basic etiquette befitting for noble Devils. After school would be the start of Kurama's harsh training.

His training with Ito was like hell, in contrast, Sun Wukong's was like heaven. Ito keeps pushing him to his limits until he passes out, and in the 1st year, Ito doesn't even let him touch a katana. Ito just made him do all the basic training until he got the fundamentals down. In the 2nd year, Kurama finally wielded a katana… but a wooden one (shinai). Ito just made him do basic stances and made him swing his sword a thousand times everyday.

Ito would sometimes spar with Kurama but, it always ends up Kurama getting beaten black and blue by his sensei. He would get so beat up that even Sun Wukong feels sorry for the young devil. Kurama knew that his sensei was doing this for his own good and he didn't even utter any complaint which made his sensei praise him in his mind, but will never say it in front of his student with how prideful he is.

Ito only hits Kurama's flaws and nowhere else, but his flaws were just too many that Ito ended up beating him black and blue. Ito was also doing this for the sake of making Kurama tolerant of pain which is important because pain tolerance would be important in a battle where you can be distracted just because of a little pain. He was also satisfied with Kurama's progress in swordsmanship which he didn't expect. Ito just didn't know that, while Kurama was sleeping, he was still practicing his swordsmanship in the Divine Gear's realm with the help of the Divine Beasts.

Sun Wukong's training was all about meditation and state of mind, in contrast to Ito's hellish training. He just made his disciple meditate everyday and to quietly release his own energy as well as to sense the natural energy of his surroundings. It is also the best way to develop one's skill in Senjutsu.

Sun Wukong needed to properly guide his disciple or else, Kurama may have gone to a deviant path as senjutsu has a fatal flaw. While it lets the user read and handle spirit power, it could also take in the malice and ill will that flows in the world therefore if an amateur used it in an incorrect manner, then the malice will end up corrupting the user.

Kurama however, shows great talent in senjutsu which greatly pleased Sun Wukong. Sun Wukong couldn't help but laugh and brag on how talented his disciple is which made Kurama's face turn red in embarrassment. Even though Kurama showed great talent in senjutsu, he still can't release his own touki which made him greatly frustrated as he really wanted to act cool in front of Rias. Sun Wukong also tried teaching Kurama a little about staff arts every once in a while. When Ito learned about this, he was so mad that he started a fight with Sun Wukong. Kurama watched their fight in awe and thought about when would he be able to fight like that.

It was fortunate that Sirzechs was there to mediate or else the whole Gremory residence would be wiped out on the face of the Underworld. Ito then settled that Sun Wukong can teach Kurama staff arts but he has to major in swordsmanship which Sun Wukong agreed as his goal from the start was to teach Kurama about senjutsu, not about the staff. It was also only a passing thought and didn't really plan to make Kurama master about it as he was afraid his disciple might collapse and break down because of all the things pushed onto him.

Everytime Kurama sleeps, he can always be found in his Divine Gear's realm and is being taught by the 4 Divine Beasts. Training in the gear's realm is beneficial as it doesn't exhaust or make him tired. Sadly, as much as Kurama wanted to train in the gear's realm, he can't just sleep all day. He was told not to say anything about his gear to anyone until the time is right or when it was necessary to do so.

Seiryuu was teaching him hand-to-hand tactics with Dragon Slayer arts. The Dragon Slayer arts has many moves like the [Azure Dragon's Steel fist], or the [Azure Dragon's Claw]. The Dragon Slayer arts can also be integrated with any equipment. As the name suggests, it is used to slay dragons.

Suzaku on the other hand was teaching Kurama magic. She's helping him control his [Power of Destruction] better and also helping him have greater imagination as magic is based on one's imagination. Suzaku also taught him her own magic, the World Lyric of the Phoenix. The World Lyric of the Phoenix has 10 stages. Suzaku was done teaching Kurama the first stage, namely the [Phoenix Flaming Lily]. Right now, she is currently teaching him the second stage [Phoenix Bullet].

Byakko was teaching Kurama movement techniques and assassination techniques. Byakko told Kurama that, if you can kill your target in one strike without him noticing, then why bother fighting, just go straight for the kill. Byakko was teaching Kurama how to properly use the [Shunshin] continuously, and while doing that, She's also training Kurama on how to hide one's presence.

While Byakko was teaching movement techniques, Genbu was tempering Kurama's physique and teaching him defensive techniques. Genbu wanted the very best for Kurama so, he is tempering his body with the Physique Scripture. Genbu first started with the [Indestructible Diamond God Physique] for better survivability. He also taught Kurama his own defensive technique, the [Genbu's Aegis].

Kurama wasn't the only one working hard in his training, Rias too. Rias was being trained by both Sirzechs and Venelana, and sometimes Ito, after Kurama begged him to at least teach Rias basic swordplay as Rias owned the crimson ruin sword. Ito relented as he was also interested in the growth of a soulbound weapon. Sirzechs taught Rias how to control her demonic power While Venelana taught Rias how to use her [Power of Destruction] properly.

…

Kurama can be seen meditating with Sun Wukong guiding him. As they were meditating, Ito suddenly appeared in front of them. Kurama still has his eyes closed while Sun Wukong looked at Ito.

"Come with me. I think it's time." Ito said as he glanced at Kurama.

Sun Wukong nodded as if he understood what Ito was talking about.

"Disciple, continue meditating. I need to talk with your sensei." Kurama's eyes still didn't open as he just nodded his head.

Ito and Sun Wukong went to a quiet place. They both sat down and stared at each other for a while.

Ito was the one who started talking as he said, "It's time to let my student roam the Underworld, and if he's ready, we can bring him to the human world where it is slightly more chaotic with all the Devils, Angels, Fallen Angels, Heroes and more."

"You're right. There is nothing more for him to learn in seclusion and just training. He needs experience, not just in combat, but also the ways of the world. And one thing, he is not your student, he is my disciple." Sun Wukong agreed but argued a little bit.

"Hmph! He calls me sensei and I am teaching him swordsmanship!" Ito snorted at Sun Wukong.

"But he also calls me master and I'm also teaching him senjutsu with a little bit of staff arts! It is clear who is more superior!" Sun Wukong retorted, clearly not willing to back down.

"But he acknowledged me as as his sensei first" Ito said with a smug look on his face, clearly proud of being first.

"You say you are first? Then I…"

Sun Wukong and Ito kept on arguing back and forth on who is superior than who for a whole hour before stopping when they heard a rustling sound nearby. They saw that it was Kurama so they naturally stopped. If it was someone else, they wouldn't even care and just continue on their petty bickering.

"Master, sensei, were you two arguing again just now? I was broken out of my concentration by the noises you produced." Kurama asked with a little frown on his face when he heard noises not too far away.

"Of course not my student/disciple." They both spoke at the same time as Ito reverted back to his indifferent demeanor while Sun Wukong also said with a 'solemn' look on his face.

"Really? But then just now I heard-" Before Kurama could finish his sentence, he was cut off by Sun Wukong skillfully.

"Oh, that was just me and Ito discussing about your next phase of training." Sun Wukong said as he blew out a cloud of white smoke.

"My training?" Kurama asked skeptically as he stared at the both of them.

Ito nodded with his usual characteristic indifferent face and said, "That's right, we were thinking of letting you roam the Underworld to gain some combat experience by fighting some stray devils."

"And some from the Old Satan Faction." Sun Wukong added as if it was a matter of fact.

Ito glanced at him and sneered, "If my student were to do that, won't he be stirring up unnecessary trouble?"

"Hmph!" Sun Wukong just snorted and looked away.

Kurama's eyes brightened after hearing that he can now try fighting somebody else other than his teachers. He always loses when he was fighting with his teachers and felt that he was too weak because he can't even touch Ito and Sun Wukong's sleeves. Ito always berated him for dishing out such weak power and sloppy movements. Making him think that he was useless, but he still continued training hard just to gain a single praise from his sensei. What he didn't know was that, Ito was already very satisfied with his performance and was even surprised at how fast he was at comprehending and mastering the things that he taught.

"Really?! Then can I bring Riccha- Rias with me?" After being taught basic etiquette befitting for a noble devil at school, he was told that a noble devil shouldn't speak so childishly. Because of that Kurama no longer calls Rias, Ricchan while Rias also stopped calling Kurama, Kuu-chan which made the both of them sad. Despite that, they still call each other their nicknames privately which made them feel guilty and excited for trying to break the rules for the first time.

Ito shook his head slightly while saying, "Unfortunately no. You need to focus and not get distracted by other things. Your twin being there with you would only make you distracted."

Kuraa bowed his head in sadness as he didn't want to part with his twin sister. They were always together for 6 years, never apart, always doing everything together except for that time when Rias ran away from home.

After seeing his student's expression, Ito took out two rings out of nowhere and handed out to him. "Here take this. Give the other one to that little girl while you hold on to that other ring."

Seeing the two identical rings in his hand, Kurama looked at Ito with a puzzled expression on his face and said, "What is this, sensei?"

"This is the Linking Heart Ring which allows you to communicate with each other no matter what realm or world you are in. I was supposed to give it to my… friend but didn't get the chance to." Ito was about to say wife but then remembered that they were not even married before he went 'missing'.

Kurama was surprised at the unusual demeanor exuded by Ito but didn't think too deeply about it while Sun Wukong just sighed sadly at the side which greatly irritated Ito.

"Anyway, let's go to your house and tell your family about your training." Sun Wukong immediately interjected after seeing Ito's expression.

Ito snorted while Kurama nodded his head at his master.

------

A few days passed by and several people could be seen outside the the Gremory house shedding tears especially Rias who was crying so loud while Venelana just had some small tears at the corner of her eyes. Sirzechs and Zeoticus just stood there silently. It took some time convincing Rias to finally let Kurama roam in the Underworld without taking her with him.

Kurama hugged them one-by-one. When it was Venelana's turn, she hugged him tightly while saying things like 'be careful', 'try to not get hurt' and more. After that was finally Rias' turn.

"Wait for me to come back, okay." Kurama said with a statement, not a question while hugging Rias tightly.

"Un." Rias replied silently while nodding her head as she hugged Kurama back.

The twins kept on hugging each other for a long time, and seeing that they were not stopping anytime soon, Ito broke them up while saying, "Okay, we need to go now." He then went and dragged Kurama by the hand and Sun Wukong followed soon after.

Seeing Kurama's fading back, she cried even more and shouted, "Don't forget to call me everyday, okaaay!"

Kurama just pumped his fist up in the sky and said, "I got it!"