[82] Bunny

"Alright." Aiden picked up the wooden sword with a serious expression.

The rest of the afternoon, man and god spent their time in the training room.

Takemikazuchi's guidance addressed Aiden's final weaknesses.

Although the immediate improvement in Aiden's strength wasn't substantial... mastery over combat techniques and control over his power would require time, the session broadened his horizons.

The swordsmanship Takemikazuchi taught differed significantly from the modern kendo techniques Aiden had whimsically watched videos of back on Earth.

For instance, in modern kendo, the grip on the sword is more flexible, with one hand providing power and the other controlling the direction of the sword. In Orario, however, the grip is firm, emphasizing lethality.

On Earth, real sword fights, limited by human constitution, are often decided in an instant, with no prolonged battles. Orario is different.

But this disparity is expected. One world is dominated by science, the other is a fantasy world with gods and magic. The physical attributes of humans in both worlds are on entirely different levels, as are the lengths and weights of their weapons. The presence of numerous monsters in Orario means the enemies faced are vastly different, making it only natural that swordsmanship techniques would differ.

"Aiden, I have high hopes for you. I believe you can become the next Sword Saint1, surpassing even the Sword Princess." Takemikazuchi walked up to Aiden and gave his shoulder a gentle pat.

Aiden continued practicing one of the techniques Takemikazuchi had taught him, raising the sword above his head at a 45-degree angle, stepping forward while slashing downward, and then retracting to the 45-degree mark. In kendo, it is one of the most fundamental and core exercises... suburi.

Practicing this simple suburi had a complex purpose; training arm strength, endurance, and the ability to exert and retract force. For Aiden, the most crucial aspects were exerting and retracting force.

Especially retracting force, since, unless constantly fighting weaker opponents, one would eventually face equally or more powerful adversaries. There will always be times when a strike misses its mark. The point of retracting the force quickly is to recover the sword in time, preventing the opponent from exploiting an opening and counterattacking. This allows for continued offense, defense, or evasion.

Whether it was the fantasy world's swordsmanship or Earth's kendo, the ultimate goal was to kill the opponent while protecting one's own life. In essence, both were inherently aggressive.

This point was indeed similar.

For Aiden, who had yet to awaken as a demon, it was even more relevant.

Thus, Aiden decided it was best not to be reckless for now.

When Takemikazuchi and his Familia had already left.

Aiden wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead and switched to another technique and continued swinging his sword.

Meanwhile, Hestia, having finished her part-time job, was walking home, carrying groceries and greeting acquaintances along the way. Suddenly, a young boy collapsed right in front of her.

He had white hair, similar to Aiden's, rare crimson eyes, a handsome and cute face, a slender build, and wore simple clothes, resembling a white rabbit.

"Help... help me." The boy weakly raised his hand before it fell limply to his side.

This rabbit-like boy was none other than Bell Cranel.

As if by fate, even though Hestia had moved out of the dilapidated church, Bell, having been repeatedly rejected by other Familias and at his wit's end, still encountered her.

Hestia first froze, her eyes widening as her twin tails stood on end. She quickly stepped back, then, realizing it was a person in front of her, she slowly approached, crouched down, and looked at the barely breathing Bell. Holding her groceries in her left hand, she extended her right hand, covered in a white silk glove, to check for his breath.

"He's alive. A white-haired boy, just like Aiden-kun." Feeling his faint breath and noticing his white hair, which reminded her of Aiden and increased her goodwill, Hestia immediately called for help from acquaintances.

With their assistance, Hestia brought Bell home. Not long after, Bell woke up.

Perhaps both his body and mind were consumed by hunger, for the first thing Bell did upon waking wasn't to ask where he was or who had saved him, but to weakly raise his hand and repeatedly murmur that he was hungry. The timely rumbling of his stomach made Aiden, who had just walked out of the training room, burst into laughter.

Aiden had never imagined meeting Bell in such a manner. He had expected that he might find Bell himself, but under the guidance of fate, Hestia had ended up finding Bell. Only a few gods like Hestia would do such a kind deed.

To be honest, Bell was one of the few harem protagonists Aiden admired. Bell had dreams, the determination, actions, and strength to pursue those dreams, and embodied the "friendship, effort, victory" trio of shonen main character. It was no wonder he was so popular with many female characters in the original story.

"H-Hello." Bell greeted nervously, his voice trembling despite his weakened state. Aiden's recent growth in height and muscle mass over the past month seemed to have intimidated him greatly.

"Hello." Aiden responded, noticing Bell's nervousness. It reminded him of his former self. He offered a gentle smile.

Aiden's friendly demeanor helped to ease Bell's anxiety somewhat. Bell struggled to stand up and introduce himself.

With a continuous smile, Aiden gently pushed him back into his seat and softly said, "Whatever you want to say can wait until after you've eaten."

"Yes." Bell replied weakly, realizing he couldn't resist Aiden's insistence.

"Hestia, where are you?" Aiden then called out.

"Coming." Hestia replied, carrying a tray laden with food from the kitchen. She placed it in front of Bell with a warm smile. "Please, eat."

"But... but I don't have any money." Bell stammered, fighting back his drool as the delicious aroma of Hestia's cooking filled the air. Her culinary skills had significantly improved over the past month.

"It's fine, you don't need to pay. Just eat." Hestia reassured him with a smile.

"Eat up." Aiden echoed.

"Thank you. I'll dig in, then." Bell said gratefully. With permission from both Hestia and Aiden, he picked up a knife and fork.

Hestia and Aiden sat opposite each other on two sofas, watching Bell devour the food with the voracity of a starving man. They exchanged knowing smiles.

He must have been starving for days, Aiden thought, reflecting on an experience he had never personally faced.

Hestia, meanwhile, watched Bell eat with a tender smile.

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