Chapter 14: Outstanding Increase
Chapter 14: Outstanding Increase
It has been two days since Ren last trained with the clan members, and his life hasn't been exactly calm. Every morning, he woke up early, reviewed administrative tasks, and delegated missions. But what he enjoyed most was undoubtedly his time in the dojo, where he dedicated himself to "training" the clan members... although they probably had a different word to describe it.
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During those two days...
Ren entered the dojo each afternoon, greeting the members with his usual relaxed smile. However, most of them already knew what awaited them: Hits. There was no pretty way to put it; Ren hit them like they were punching bags. Every time they tried to attack him, he simply knocked them down with quick, precise movements, almost as if he were doing it effortlessly.
"Here we go again!" thought Taro Matsuda (Grade 3) as he prepared for the inevitable. Sweat was already trickling down his forehead even before it began. "I just have to endure... Just one hit."
Some tried to dodge, others formed teams, but Ren always found a way to neutralize them, all while maintaining a relaxed expression, as though he were playing with them.
"Are we really calling this training?" complained Yuko Kurogane (Grade 4) as he lay on the floor after one of Ren's "intensive training" sessions. "I would call it collective punishment."
But despite the internal complaints, the clan members couldn't deny that they were improving, and Ren was having... a lot of fun.
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After two days, Ren reviewed his cursed energy increases and combat points, calculating his progress. In his calculations, the increase in CE would be between 150% and 200% per day, while the CP would rise between 1500 and 2000 daily, all depending on the clan members.
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Day 1:
Total CE: 14,677 + 168% = 39,334
Total CP: 3,770 + 1,740 = 5,510
Day 2:
Total CE: 39,334 + 172% = 106,988
Total CP: 5,510 + 1,880 = 7,390
---
Ren smiled as he saw the figures. "I think I'm accumulating too much energy," he thought to himself. "Maybe I should hold back a little... or maybe not."
---
(Meeting of the Clan's High Command)
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the premises, the clan leader, Kaito Kurogane, along with the high command, was discussing Ren's progress. Sitting around a table, everyone exchanged serious glances, but underneath that seriousness was an air of astonishment they could not hide.
"It's impressive how Ren has managed the administrative tasks; I've never seen the members so organized and motivated," said Asami, the chief strategist. She didn't expect someone his age to be so efficient.
"And not just that," interjected Haru, the weapons master; his training in the dojo has transformed the other members. Though..." he paused, "I must admit his methods are... how should I put it? A bit brutal."
"Brutal, but effective," added Asami. "The other members, though they seem to have come out of a brutal battle, have shown significant improvements in a short amount of time."
Kaito nodded, but there was something else that troubled him.
"What worries me the most," he finally said, crossing his arms, "is the increase in his cursed energy. It's as if it expands more each day. At this rate, not only has he caught up to me... he's already surpassed me."
The other members at the table looked at him in shock. That Kaito, the leader and grade 1 strongest sorcerer, admitted that Ren's cursed energy had overtaken him was something no one expected to hear.
"I'll need to talk to Ren soon", Kaito continued. "He's growing too quickly. Perhaps... perhaps we should start considering him as the next successor of the clan." Though he maintained a calm expression, internally he had already made a decision. Ren was more than ready for a bigger role within the clan.
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(Back to Ren...)
Meanwhile, Ren was outside the dojo, stretching his arms and looking at the sky, clearly satisfied with the events of the past few days. "It's been good training", he thought, although for the others, it had been more of a constant beating.
But then something made him frown. He looked at his own cursed energy, which was now stronger than ever, almost tangible in the air; it was so high that anyone approaching would likely feel it from a distance.
"Maybe..." he murmured, "maybe I went a bit overboard." He scratched his head with an ironic smile. "I'm going to need a way to hide this before anyone starts asking uncomfortable questions."
"Maybe there's something in the system's shop that can help me" , he thought with a smile. "We don't want to draw the attention of the albino and that Buddhist too soon..."