37 03 – Training
After ending the talking, Rizevim go out of the room and leave the manor.
Nero starts to freak out after his grandfather left the mansion with his retainers.
He felt a surge of fear and anger. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, feeling his heart pounding in his chest along with a weight in the place with each beat.
Being aware that his dignity is of no use if he is dead, he knew acting as a obedient and interesting piece to entertain Rizevim doesn't hurt. He didn't fell ashamed, but relieved that he had interested the old bastard enough to be spared.
After some minutes he took a deep breath and tried to confort himself, reminding himself that it was over and that he was safe for now.
He hoped that his threatener would never bother him again, but there was no way things would happen as he wished.
"Damn it, that old bastard really needed to put a fucking bomb inside my heart? Oh, God…ahhhhh…I need to remember weak devils cannot openly say holy names." Nero puts his hands on his face remembering several events he experienced in his two lifetimes. "I miss my peaceful human life, at least I didn't need to worry about the world's destruction... Shit, I will never see the end of One Piece." Exaggerated anime tears fall when thinking about the only anime he was watching on his free time.
After changing his priority from the destruction of his current world to the incomplete anime of his past life he continued acting like an idiot for a few minutes until he relaxed and laughed.
"Since I am back at this world I vow to get rid of the main troublemaker. I definitely have to get rid of Rizevim if I want to relax in the future, an early retirement would be nice." Nero started planning how he would live after finding a way to get rid of the biggest troublemaker in this world.
He decided to organize his priorities in a way to focus on them, but was aware that their order could change at any time.
"First, I need to get stronger to keep the old man's interest. Second, I need to find a way to get rid of this explosive seal. Third, I have to get allies. Fourth, thwart that lunatic's plans. Fifth, kill Rizevim Livan Lucifer. Sixth, establishing a romantic relationship, it would be sad to spend my long life alone. Seventh, get a good territory to govern and retire."
Following his plan, he left his room and headed to the area of the mansion that was used to physically torture... train Vali.
The training area was a large white room with magical seals to suppress the energy that would cause the destruction of the structure. However, the resistant area had several cracks in its walls, probably the result of Vali's sacred gear or Rizevim's fury.
He ignored the damage and went to the center of the place to start training.
When he raised his hand, he raised his index finger and a small blue energy emerged from it that crackled like a flame. But when it touched something, it did not cause any burns.
This strange energy was the Satanachia family's legendary talent, soul manipulation.
The reason for molding the power into the shape of a small flame is that Nero does not know how to shape souls and control them like the clan's predecessors, after all he never had a teacher.
A soul is something intangible and invisible to normal eyes, the reason the flame took shape is that a fragment of the boy's soul was being used as fuel to create a flame that directly attacks the oponent.
The inability to modify souls does not prevent the young man from simply using brute force to burn souls in the form of an attack. But since the boy knows nothing about the powers of the Satanachia clan, he has no idea about the uses or functioning of the ability.
"This stupid flame is the only thing I got from my mother. How can I make this useful for anything... well maybe I should try using the other power." Nero sighs in disappointment as he looks at the small flame on his finger and returns his attention to the floor.
On the ground, his shadow began to move and shape his will, taking different shapes such as a line, a circle around him or the shape of his body in positions that contradicted the light source of the room.
The downside of his shadow tricks was that he could only manipulate shadows that already existed in the environment and has a short limit distance.
"At least the shadows are more useful than the soul. I can try to improve them, maybe it's better to start by emulating skills I've seen in anime or manga."
With this idea he shaped his shadow into the shape of a line trying to lengthen the line as much as possible, reaching five meters away.
After testing the distance he could manipulate the shadow, he used it to connect to the shadow of a near object. In this position he didn't know what the effect on his target would be if it was something animated, but he decided to take another step and force the shadow to emerge from the two-dimensional shape on the ground and shape itself three-dimensionally like spikes in the middle of the air.
On the first try the shadow simply bent. In the second, the tip of the shadow momentarily rose but quickly returned to its normal shape. On the third, the shadow lifted a little, but was unable to shape itself into a three-dimensional shape, forcing it to return to the ground.
This process continued for around three hours, until on the 22nd attempt he was able to emerge a single his shadow from the ground in a linear form.
He continued trying to shape the line that emerged to create branches that could be used to attack and surprise the opponent, but he was unsuccessful even with two hours of training.
"Well, at least I got the basics of Naruto's Shikamaru, but it would be cool to try something like the vice captain of the Black Bulls or imitate the great Shadow Monarch." Nero daydreamed about the possibilities and tried to put his plans into practice.
Nero spent a few hours trying to emulate Natch Faust's shadow teleportation, but was unsuccessful in his attempts. The training consisted of him standing still like an idiot waiting for something or slamming his face against the ground trying to dive onto a solid surface.
Disappointed with the previous failure, he decided to try to copy the powers of another character he found interesting, but the training was also fruitless. The most Nero achieved was improving shadow manipulation and forcing the shadow to momentarily emerge to attack.
The shadows that emerged took the same shape as the object that created them, whether humanoid or not, but they were unable to maintain their shape and returned to the ground. At most, he managed to make his own shadow grab himself him for a minute and a half.
After a few hours of frustration he returned to his other power. Again with the blue flame at the tip of his finger he noticed something.
"I feel a connection to the soul, but I don't have the same feeling when I use shadows. Well, that could be because I'm feeling my own soul, but what if there's something more." Nero began to mumble in a monologue trying to come to a conclusion to his problem. "I don't figure that out now, I have to remember to add that to my priorities. For now I can be satisfied with having managed to improve my control over the shadows a little, perhaps it is a result of my reincarnations and life experiences. Whatever, my focus now is on fortifying my body to be able to use my powers properly."
Nero stopped training his two powers and began a very familiar physical training routine: one hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, one hundred squats and running ten kilometers.
After finishing his physical training he felt less exhaustion than when he trained his skills. This type of routine exercise can be effective for humans, but for someone who is already at the mid-class level it becomes insignificant.
"I may be weak compared to other supernatural beings, but at least I'm still better than humans... superior to a normal human." Nero sighs, reaching this conclusion. He pauses for a moment, remembering monsters like Cao Cao and Vasco Strada, who, despite the limits of humanity, reached impressive levels. The former used a longinus, and the latter relied on his effort and the sacred sword Durandal.
Nero went to the bathroom next to his room to take a shower after finishing his training. While relaxing under the shower, he let his mind wander about his goals and problems.
"This mansion is in a secluded area of the underworld, so I'm free from the pressure of two of the three factions. I just need to beware of the remaining crazy people from the Old Satan Faction. That lunatic Rizevim is finally gone, and he took the strongest members of the Old Satan Faction with him." Nero's reasoning stopped when he remembered the last conversation with his grandfather. "I wonder who the devil that Rizevim will order to watch me is."
The young man knew that taking the strongest members would make the Old Satan Faction weaker as a whole. The advantage for himself was that the remaining members of the old faction were easier to manipulate and would be more honest without doing anything harmful to him.
"If they don't play dirty tricks, it will give me more time to get stronger. Temporarily being a spy for that old man won't do me any harm. I'll get inside information and select the information I want him to receive."
A strange smile appeared in Nero's face.
"I swear to get stronger and stab you in the back grandfather, it will be a fair repaiment for the seal bomb. You can only blame yourself for your future, Rizevim."
After finishing showering, the boy got dressed and decided to return to his room to sleep. On the way to his room he noticed that the sun was rising.
"Damn, looks like I overdid the training."
Upon entering the room he simply fell face down on the bed and after a few minutes he passed out.
After a few hours, he woke up to the sound of a knock on his door.
He got up and opened the door, he was immediately greeted by an elderly devil who emanated a similar level of power as himself.
The old man was one of the servants of the Lucifer family who joined the family after the marriage of Nero's parents. He used to serve the Satanachia family, but with his marriage he began serving the Lucifer clan.
Unlike most servants, the elderly man never showed contempt towards the boy, always treating him politely.
"Young master Nero, a devil sent by his majesty Lucifer arrived. He claims to be your temporary guardian until another devil is assigned to watch over you. Do you wish to see him now?"
Nero was stunned for a moment, he came to the conclusion that this devil must be someone trustworthy to send until another suitable person is appointed to the position. He was reluctant to go and meet a retainer of Rizevim, but he soon nodded to his servant.
"Take me there."
"I will guide the way young master." The old man spoke.
"How long has it been since the guest arrived?" Nero asked as they walked.
"It's been thirty minutes, but as you were sleeping after training in the early hours of the morning, I didn't let you rest. The guest decided to analyze some papers left by our majesty Lucifer until you arive."
The young Lucifer was surprised by the fact that his training was witnessed, after all he didn't feel anyone's presence. Well, he wasn't focused on the surroundings, but he should certainly be able to notice a devil whose power level was similar to himself.
He looked at the old man's back suspiciously. However, it didn't take long until they arrived at the guest room.
Upon arriving at the place, the servant knocked twice on the door to inform whoever was inside the room of their presence and opened the door.
Even after mentaly preparing himself to meet his temporarily guardian, he was still shocked at who was inside the room. It was someone he hadn't expected to meet, at least not so soon.
