Hunting

Edit: Changed Sage Art: Energy Sword to Ki Sword

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[So? Will you proceed to the second part of your training?] Ddraig asked his partner who was in deep thought.

"Right, now that my physical strength is hard to improve with simple physical training, I guess it's time to step it up by going into live combat," Issei nodded, "Though before I proceed to that, I'll try and use some sage arts first."

[Sage arts? Those techniques used by human sages? So you also know those techniques?] Ddraig asked curiously after all, his wielders did meet some human sages although they were extremely rare due to the harsh training requirements.

"I was taught by the human sages back in the buddhist heaven where they went. It's actually about ten years after the defeat of Regalzeva. Although we did defeat him, the sacrifices we needed were immense. It's also at that time, I actively tried finding ways to become stronger." Issei felt nostalgic about those times, that event was a tragedy. It also started a spark within the inhabitants of DxD.

[So in your search for ways to become stronger, you somehow got to learn senjutsu, huh.]

"Yes but nevermind that," Issei glanced at the boulder he splitted in two. "I should try some sage arts so my current body could familiarize with it."

Issei then looked around and saw a tree. He approached it and snapped off a dried branch with a length of 1.3 m and about 3 inch thick.

Issei removed some extra bits of it. He then gave it a few swings and let out a satisfied smile, "This should do, with this I have a weapon to use."

[Why don't you use the boosted gear?]

"Not right now, Ddraig. My current physique is still not enough to properly utilize balance breaker. It'll only slow down my training if I don't have balance breaker."

[You have a point, so you'll stick with that stick for now?]

"Haha~ Don't underestimate this stick, with proper use of sage arts, this stick would be deadly. Let me demonstrate," Issei concentrated and muttered, "Sage Art: Ki Sword"

The stick he held was coated in a white aura like his touki but it's different. Then he swung it towards some trees, a white colored crescent shaped aura was shot out which easily cut the trees.

[Quite good, at first I though you just used touki to reinforced the stick but it seems, I'm mistaken.]

"Well, it's extremely rare to encounter a sage but moreso to actually fight one as they usually don't pick a fight. So it's not rare for you to not know this art." Issei explained, "Although it may look like I jist used touki as enhancement, it's actually more than that. I did that sage art by gathering nature ki and coating the stick with it and if swung, it can let out that gathered ki to create powerful strikes."

[I understand now,]

After that, Issei tried out some more sage arts, he knew and went home when it's nearing morning.

He was not tired as by simply gathering nature ki into his body, he could heal all those fatigue.

.....

And so time passed by swiftly, and it's night time once again.

Issei has already decided to hunt some stray devils around town not only to test his strength but as precaution too.

Currently, he was traversing from roof to roof of the houses without much noise made.

It's thanks to one of the sage arts he knew, light steps. It's a technique where he lighten his body's weight which enables him to easily jump high or run while not making much noise.

[Partner, there's some demonic signatures, 100 meters ahead.]

"Thanks Ddraig," Issei smiled then fasten his speed. He was currently holding the stick from last night. He was wearing full on dark clothes and no, it's not because he's an edge lord or something.

He wore dark clothes to blend in the night to minimize someone from noticing him. The normal people that is, since supernatural beings can easily see in the dark or detect energy fluctations.

After running for a few more seconds, he finally arrived at an abandoned building near the outskirts of the town.

"The stench of blood is strong here, there's definitely a stray here." Issei frowned slightly after smelling the familiar smell.

The smell of blood is very familar to him as he smelled it for decades. Not only that, he was often bathed with it especially in that war.

[That stray should be inside, eating it's prey.]

"Indeed," Issei nodded, from the smell of blood, it's quite new. So without further ado, Issei entered the dark building.

This however didn't distract him as he used senjutsu to detect his surroundings. And along with it, he found where his target is.

*Swoosh!*

Using sage art: light steps, Issei swiftly arrived in the room where the stray is. Entering, he saw a monster with grosteque appearance.

It's body was huge, standing about 3 meters with thick flabs of fat. It's back was turned away from Issei as it ate some human which only has half it's body left.

Issei wasn't pertrubed by the sight as he has seen far more disturbing sights.

'Sigh' Without waiting, Issei once again used ki sword and swiftly appeared near the abomination.

*Swish!* *Slash!*