A New Type of Training

"So this is how it'll work." Admin started.

She pointed her finger over at Axel. "You. You'll spend half the day on the obstacle course." She then pointed to Iris. "And you'll spend the first half of the day mediating and increasing your system connection. Then you'll both come together to do a special type of training that will utilize your Divine Connection."

"Which is?" Axel asked.

"The Divine Connection is more than just a window into each other's energy. It would normally be impossible to traverse into another's energy - to essentially walk within their mindscape. Even I can only see parts of this through the system, but I can't change anything about your divine energy. This gives you the chance to do just that."

Admin looked upon all their confused faces and realized something simpler was in order.

"Divine energy is complex. Even more so for damned souls that are later given it. There's so much guilt and pain wrapped up in the human soul that resides in the Underworld. It's impossible to just shed it when you come back here. It sticks with you and lingers in the back of your mind. It's the thoughts that pop up when you let your mind wander for too long. Human emotions are like fodder for the God Core System - the stronger the emotion the more it affects the system. Things like guilt and regret can stunt your own progress and affect your connection to the One Core."

Each of them looked away as this was clearly not something new to them. Even Axel seemed slightly unsettled.

"But what if you could fix all that?" Admin continued. "What if you could just go in and wipe all that away? All the things that you brought with you from the Underworld. From your previous lives. And create a Pure Connection to the One Core."

"Pure Connection?" Axel asked.

"It's the type of connection that all regular divine beings have. Slayers usually can't achieve this for...what I just went through basically. So - Axel and Iris now have that a very rare chance to perform this. Using their Divine Connection to cleanse their own connections to the One Core...thereby creating a much stronger Pure Connection. The strength that can be achieved through that connection is more than worth it."

"It can really do all that?!" Axel said as he seemed ready to jump for joy. "Well we should've tried this from the beginning then."

"It's not that easy, I'm afraid."

"The harmony part of it all." Admin answered. "In order to cleanse those human attachments in your energies, you must both assist each other in cleansing the sources of those emotions. As the Divine Connection is not something only one person can achieve alone - you must both traverse through each other's memories...together.

They looked at each other as if still confused.

"The experience you had within Iris's mind, Axel? You guys will need to replicate that. Every day. Exploring each other's energy is very much like bonding and sharing the burden that the other carries. Only by doing so will you truly benefit from the power of the other."

Iris put a hand up, "Wait, Admin. I don't know about that. I mean...there's things I don't even talk to my comrades about. But I'm just going to give Axel a free all-entry pass into my mind? I'm not sure it's worth it."

"Well I don't think you could handle going through my mind anyways." Axel shot back. "The life of a freelancer like me...comes with plenty of dark corridors."

"Please, I'm sure you're made up of mostly talk anyways." Iris answered in turn.

That's...weird, Jun thought. Those two barely would interact with each other and now they're bickering like an old married couple. What happened during that connection exactly?

"Enough you two. Iris, you would also greatly benefit from this. More so than Axel, creating a Pure Connection would greatly increase your ability to handle your cursed armor which has such a toll on the mind. This would increase your mental stability as well as your soul's overall divine energy - this would make you more than formidable enough to tame the spirit of the armor."

"But Admin, I-"

"You can't, Iris. Not alone. Don't forget, I monitor all your systems. I know exactly the current status as well as what intentions might be fueling them..." She said that last part while glancing over at Jayden who appeared oblivious of that fact.

"It's decided then!" Axel exclaimed with a grin. "We're going to take the short way to the top!" He then ran off away from them.

"Where are you going?" Admin asked.

"To the obstacle course! I need to get busy if I wanna start cracking away at this seal!" He ran at full speed towards the course as he felt a new sense of confidence erupting in him. They had found a way to cheat the power grind and coast to the finish line.

**********

* 1 hour later *

Death # 15: Axel is pierced by the archangel's trident.

Death #17: Axel is caught rushing through the angel section to go to the archangel, and is pierced by the angel's blades.

Death #22: Axel gets past the archangel, but in his happiness he accidentally trips and pierces himself with his own blade.

Axel throws his sword on the ground in anger. "What the actual FUCK, Admin?!"

Admin, who had been patiently waiting in the same spot through his many runs. "What?"

"Why does everyone of them just stab me to death with something?? I mean, I've faced a lot of angels in my short time here and they could at least punch me or something, damn!"

"Oh, that. That's because I have it in easy mode."

Axel was stunned. This meant that he had now died 22 times fighting angels on...easy mode. He stumbled back a couple of steps as the haunting thought crept into his ego and started to burrow out a home.

I've never went down this many times, Axel thought to himself. But it doesn't matter. I've never backed down from a challenge!

"Would you like me to increase the difficulty? Would add more variety." Admin offered.

Axel threw a thumbs up. "I want it on hard mode! The hero never starts off on easy."

Death #32: A horde of angels in quick succession cut off all 4 of his limbs and then burn his body with holy fire.

Death #41: An archangel rips him in half with a single swing.

"Ok. Ok. I get the point." Axel said as he stood up from yet another trip around the life and death cycle.

"Which is what?" Admin asked.

"I need a break." Axel then turned and left Admin in his wake. She watched him walk off and let out a deep sigh.

"He still doesn't see it."

Later in the day, Axel and Iris met in a new space created by Admin - it was an enclosed room with a large area rug and two pillows. The walls were also a dark color so little light reflected in there. There were special candles in a circle surrounding the area the rug took up with a crimson flame on each one. The flame was actually divine energy that would act as a containment for their energies - so they could release as much as they wanted and it wouldn't break past the candle lit circle.

Admin stood outside the circle of candles as Axel and Iris knelt down on each pillow.

"For the record this is weird." Axel stated.

"....."

Iris didn't respond. Her thoughts were elsewhere as she still had great concern for letting Axel take an unlimited peek into thoughts that she didn't want anyone else to ever see. Things that she had swore to never speak of.

Admin pointed to each of their arms. "Now grab the inside of each other's forearms."

Do we seriously have to touch each other? Axel thought as he reached his arm out. But, this will all be worth it.

They reluctantly grab each other's arms.

"Now," Admin continued, "release your energies while focusing on the energy you sense from each other. This should theoretically reactivate the connection and send you back to that mentally constructed space inside one of your minds."