Mushoku Impact

Feeling a sudden and intense surge of pain, Paul awoke to find himself being lowered into a pool of hazy, glowing green liquid. His arms felt like they were burning from the inside out, but he did his best to force a smile as Ganyu stared down at him with teary eyes and a concerned look on her face.
Understanding that Paul couldn't speak due to the clenching of his jaw, Ganyu took the initiative to say, "Please, don't force yourself...just let me care for you..."
Nodding his head, Paul closed his eyes and did his best to relax as Ganyu channeled Healing Magic into his body. The rapid regeneration of his flesh and nerves caused his body to seize against his will, followed by an itchy feeling emanating from his very bones, but Paul was well-acquainted with such sensations. After all, hardly a day went by where he wasn't severely injured during his training with Atofe...
With the pain gradually giving way to a pleasant numbness, Paul was able to mutter, "Sorry...I know you hate seeing me like this, but I can't afford to quit...I need to get stronger..."
"..."
Though she wanted to argue there were significantly less destructive methods he could employ, Ganyu elected to remain silent and comb her fingers through Paul's hair. She knew he felt an 'obligation' to pay some kind of price for the power and authority granted to him as Champion of the Intersection of Fate. He hadn't asked to bear their burden, but as he enjoyed having sex and spending time with them, he constantly pushed himself to feel 'worthy' of their sacrifice and companionship...
Unable to contain the feelings bubbling within her, Ganyu lowered her head to press her lips to Paul's. He was a little surprised by her actions due to having his eyes closed, but he readily reciprocated until a voice suddenly interrupted them, asking, "Oh~? Should I step back outside?"
Separating from Paul's lips, a pouty expression marred Ganyu's face as she looked towards the bath's entrance to find Kishirika standing in her birthday suit. Instead of saying anything, however, she waited for Paul to sit up and ask, "What's up?" with a conflicted look on his face.
Crossing her arms under her well-developing breasts, Kishirika retorted, "Your beloved fiancee went out of her way to come and check on you. At least pretend to be pleased."
Though she had a ways to go before reaching full maturity, Kishirika had sprung up to 150cm, roughly the same height as Sucrose. More notably, her waist had narrowed into a toned hourglass shape while her breasts, butt, and thighs had developed to the point she could directly compete with Venti in terms of raw sex appeal.
Shaking his head, Paul adopted a helpless smile as he replied, "Given your propensity to burst out laughing every time I get smacked around or sent flying, I seriously doubt you came here to check on me..."
Instead of refuting Paul's words, Kishirika adopted a playful smile before making her way over to join him in the bath. Ganyu narrowed her eyes, but Kishirika willfully ignored her as she raised Paul's left hand from the water and began peppering his fingers and knuckles with kisses.
"..."
Not sure what to make of Kishirika's behavior, Paul just shook his head and allowed the violet-haired Demoness to do as she pleased. More than three months had passed since their initial encounter, but there were still occasions when he had no idea what the odd-eyed woman was thinking. She was kind of like a cat in the way she came and went as she pleased, sometimes avoiding him for the entire day while others, she wouldn't let him out of her sight...
Matching Paul's expectations, nearly an hour passed with Kishirika doing nothing by kissing, licking, and sucking the fingers of his right hand. Most people might assume she was trying to seduce him, but Paul knew better. There were times when Kishirika just felt like performing a specific action, and until she was satisfied, she would basically be oblivious to everything in her surroundings.
With her eyes abruptly regaining their focus, Kishirika pulled Paul's finger from her mouth, an alluringly seductive smile developing across her face as she sensuously purred, "You have delicious fingers..."
Returning a smile of his own, Paul replied, "Thanks?" as if he were asking a question rather than responding to a compliment.
Blinking her narrowed eyes, Kishiriked mused, "My pleasure..." before lowering Paul's hand and resting her head against his shoulder. Her goat-like horns got in the way, but Kishirika either didn't notice or didn't care as she nestled closer to Paul, making herself comfortable before revealing, "I think that shitty God has started to take action...I'm not sure if he has contacted Badi, but someone fairly troublesome should be arriving in the next couple of days..."
Furrowing his brows, Paul asked, "Who is it?" before following it up by adding, "Don't tell me it's that wannabe Hero, Kalman the Third..."
Unsurprised by Paul's accurate guess, Kishirika adopted a broad smile as she replied, "That's right. I'm not sure what that piece of shit told him, but he's on his way here with five others. I doubt they pose a threat to your summons, but you, that cat woman, and that weakling Maid should be on your guard."
"..."
Though he didn't doubt Kishirika's words, Paul couldn't understand why Hitogami would employ someone like the North God from the very start. As far as he was aware, Kalman III was immune to Hitogami's influence since his Grandfather was a Hero from another world. In other words, he could only be influenced second-hand, making him significantly easier to manipulate than the average Apostle...
Seeing through Paul's thoughts, Kishirika's expression became serious as she warned, "You should never attempt to comprehend that piece of shit's way of thinking. For all we know, he could be sending that idiot here to be defeated, setting him up to become your ally. Then, when the time is ripe, he will say or do something to convince even your closest allies to betray you..."
"Right..."
Staring up at the ceiling, Paul recalled how Hitogami had manipulated Rudeus over several years, often giving advice and helping him out in precarious situations. Were it not for his future self sacrificing himself to travel back in time to warn him, Rudeus would have lost everything, his family, friends, and even his children. In the end, he even became the most wanted criminal in the world, destroying entire kingdoms and killing countless people in his efforts to try and 'fix' things.
Fortunately for Paul, his way of doing things was significantly different from Rudeus. He had a much better understanding of what Hitogami was capable of and countless allies who were immune to his influence. Rudeus only started forming an organization and support group after the warning of his future self. Paul had been building his from the moment he obtained Ningguang. The only things he was still lacking were individual power and the support of Orsted...
Since it was too dangerous to confront Orsted directly, Paul had decided to wait until Nanahoshi was summoned during the Metastasis Event. She was the reason Rudeus had been spared during his initial encounter with the overly-cautious Dragon God, so Paul was hoping her presence would make Orsted more open to discussion. The issue was that the Metastasis Event was at least fifteen years in the future...
Realizing that Hitogami wasn't going to ignore them for the next fifteen years, Paul closed his eyes, countless thoughts racing across his mind as he asked, "How soon until Kal and his companions arrive?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Kishirika replied, "They're currently waiting for transport between Zant and Wind Port. Since the rainy season is about to begin, it could be anywhere between three days or three months. There is even a chance they could turn around or travel somewhere else to recruit additional allies. Unlike that hateful piece of shit, I can't see days, weeks, or even decades into the future..."
Believing he could see where Kishirika was going with her grumbling, Paul opened his eyes and asked, "Let me guess...you want us to hurry with the reclamation of your castle?"
Exhaling a throaty and sensual chuckle, Kishirika brought her lips to Paul's ear and whispered, "You're cute when you're quick on the uptake..."
As Kishirika extended her inordinately long and pointed tongue to lick in and around his ear, Paul recalled their initial conversation about retaking her castle. They had agreed to wait until he was approaching the end of his stay in the Demon Continent, kind of like a 'final challenge' before his return home. If they attempted to reclaim it now, he would, once again, be forced to stand in the background as Ei did most of the work...
Sensing Paul's apprehensions, Kishirika retracted her tongue, licked her lips, and revealed, "My castle is protected by a powerful Guardian Spirit, Fayde of Twilight. You'd like her. More importantly, it's the perfect place to begin spreading the influence of your Elemental Energy without having to worry about people getting up and arms..."
"..."
Resisting the urge to ask why he would like Fayde, Paul allowed his body to sink into the hazy, glowing green water. Kishirika initially interpreted this as a refusal to continue the conversation, but before she could begin to pout, Paul replied, "Fine...but if we're going to do this, we going to do it right..."
Before explaining his plan, Paul allowed his head to sink beneath the surface of the water, remaining there for several seconds before rising to a seated position, turning to Ganyu, and asking, "I know you just returned the other day, but can you go pick up Zhongli, Kusanali, and whoever else Ningguang recommends?"
Chiming in before Ganyu could follow her affirmative nod with a verbal response, Kishirika said, "Don't forget, it's my castle. I don't mind letting your people explore, but it's not a playground. Anyone who intends to stay there for an extended period will need to become my servant. My people may have forgotten me, but I'm still the Great Demon Empress, Kishirika Kishirisu...!"
Since Ganyu didn't take orders from Kishirika, Paul supplied a nod of his own and asked, "Can you relay those words to Ningguang? I'm sure she has people prepared for this kind of thing."
Adopting a faint smile, Ganyu replied, "Leave it to me." before rising to her feet as if she was prepared to depart immediately. That was certainly her intention, but Paul grabbed the wrist of her left hand and said, "You don't have to leave this instant. I'd have to be a pretty massive asshole to send you off without thanking you for carrying my body and nursing me back to health..."
Understanding how Paul intended to 'thank' her, a broad smile developed across Ganyu's face as she narrowed her eyes and whispered, "Master..." in an audibly impassioned tone. The presence of Kishirika bothered her a bit, but she wasn't going to pass up on an opportunity to spend time with the man she had dedicated her everything.
Fortunately for Ganyu, Kishirika was aware that most of the girls in Paul's entourage weren't particularly fond of her. She got along decently with Venti and, to a lesser extent, Xinyan, but the rest hadn't reacted favorably to the revelation she had 'forced' Paul into an engagement. Thus, to avoid generating too much animosity between her and the more over-protective members of Paul's entourage, she tried giving them space whenever they wanted some alone time with their beloved 'Master.'
Rising to her feet, Kishirika teased, "Try not to lose track of time. I doubt Atofe will be too enthused if you're delinquent to your afternoon training. She might enjoy keeping others waiting, but she hates it when others do the same."
Without waiting for Paul's or Ganyu's responses, Kishirika exited the bath and departed with slow and graceful steps, her waist and bottom snaking in a naturally seductive manner. It was a mesmerizing sight to behold, at least for Paul, but he was eventually able to tear his eyes away and meet Ganyu's watery and impassioned gaze...
"Master..."
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"It's a pleasure to see you again, Master Paul. I trust your stay in the Demon Continent has been fruitful?"
Though he adopted a faint smile, Paul didn't immediately respond to the buxom brunette that had just descended from Ganyu's back. Instead, he looked to see who else had tagged along, his smile becoming noticeably more sincere when he spotted a familiar, mint-haired girl with glasses.
Unbothered by Paul's apparent apathy, Zhongli maintained a professional smile as she explained, "Kusanali was unable to make it. She has been on an important assignment these past few months, so I brought along a few of your favorite people as consolation."
Since it was an opportunity for them to spend time with Paul, Zhongli had brought along Sucrose, Diona, and Lynette. Ningguang was a little worried about Paul's mental health, so she had dispatched the animalistic trio as a form of therapy. Alongside them were Yae, Shenhe, Yunyun, and Sayu, the former to check on Ei and the rest to assist in the exploration of Kishirika's castle.
As the girls descended from Ganyu's back, Kishirika couldn't help pointing out, "You really know how to pick 'em, huh? Too bad the soldiers manning the fortress are going to resent you even more once they realize there are even more beautiful women they can't lay their hands on."
With Kishirika's words serving as a reminder of her presence, Paul's smile turned slightly awry as he gestured toward her and said, "This is Kishirika Kishirisu, the former and soon to be modern Great Demon Empress. She's also my fiancee..."
Though she rolled her eyes due to Paul's lackluster introduction, Kishirika managed one of her characteristically toothy grins as she said, "That's right! I'm your Master's fiancee, so be sure to treat me with the respect I deserve~!"
Catching Kishirika a little off guard, Zhongli immediately offered a low and respectful bow as she said, "It is an honor to be of service to Her Imperial Majesty. Though my broader responsibilities will make it difficult for me to serve you to the utmost of my abilities, please do not hesitate to call upon me during our time together."
Feeling as though she had just walked face-first into a wall, Kishirika's face scrunched up slightly before she instinctually placed Paul between herself and Zhongli. She enjoyed being recognized and revered, but the impression Zhongli gave off was like an adult politely tolerating the whims of a child. It made her indescribably uncomfortable...
Whispering so that only Paul could hear her, Kishrika muttered, "We need to have a long talk about the nature and personality of the Spirits serving you. I don't like getting caught off guard..."
With Zhongli raising her head, Paul adopted a somewhat amused smile as he replied, "I'll keep that in mind." before punctuating his statement with a wink. In response, Zhongli covered her mouth as if to stifle a chuckle, but their interplay was interrupted by Atofe abruptly stating, "You didn't tell me so many people would be arriving. Fort Necross isn't a vacation home, you know?"
Though she knew why Paul had called in reinforcements, Atofe couldn't help feeling agitated. She was charged with the protection of the Demon Continent, and while Paul and his companions were technically allies, she wasn't comfortable letting them do as they pleased. It would be one thing if Paul chose to remain in the Demon Continent, but she knew it was only a matter of time before he returned 'home' and permitted Kishirika to run rampant...
Instead of responding to Atofe's words, Paul gestured toward her and said, "Allow me to introduce Atoferatofe Raibaku, the Immortal Demon King and the most powerful Demon Lord in existence."
As she had always been weak to compliments, Atofe regained her usual smile as she crossed her arms and puffed out her voluminous chest with pride. She knew there was a good chance that some of Paul's allies were more skilled than her, but not even Badi could compete with her in terms of raw power.
With the intention of eliminating the remainder of Atofe's apprehensions, Paul extended his left hand toward Diona. The latter was a little surprised but offered no resistance as he pulled her to stand in front of him, placed his hands on her shoulders, and said, "And this is Diona K&auml;tzlein. She's the one that's been mixing all those drinks you've been raving about."
As Atofe's pupils suddenly dilated, Diona felt goosebumps develop across her body as she involuntarily trembled. She was accustomed to tolerating the ravenous stares of drunkards addicted to her cocktails, but the auras of Atofe and Kishirika were unlike anything she had experienced.
Though she usually tried to present herself as a mature and somewhat fierce woman, Diona unexpectedly turned around and buried her face into the fabric of Paul's tunic. He was a little taken aback by her unanticipated reaction but responded by quickly enveloping her in his arms, adopting a serious expression, and stating, "She's mine. Don't even think about trying to order her around or demanding she prepares drinks for you..."
Hearing Paul mention she belonged to him, much of the fear Diona was experiencing vanished into thin air, her tail curling into an s-shape as she squeezed his body and nuzzled against his diaphragm.
Feeling the gazes of several women lock onto him, cracks appeared in the mask of severity Paul was wearing. Fortunately, he didn't have to give an impromptu speech about how nearly everyone present was an important, irreplaceable facet of his life.
Narrowing her eyes, Atofe maintained her cross-armed posture as she mused, "There it is. I was starting to worry that you had given up being a Hero. It's good to see you haven't completely lost your convictions."
Though Paul had never made excuses or attempted to skip out on his training, it was evident to everyone that it had been wearing him down both mentally and physically. Atofe wasn't particularly concerned about him, but his increasing indifference was one of the reasons Kishirika felt compelled to recapture her castle sooner. If Paul simply 'gave up' after a particularly challenging day, she would have sacrificed her anal virginity for nothing...
Exhaling a faint yet relieved sigh, Kishirika gave Paul's group a quick once over before looking to Atofe and assuring, "You don't have to worry. Even if we reclaim my castle, it will be some time before I announce my return to the throne. The Demon Continent isn't prepared for such an event, so I intend to remain low-key for a while longer."
Shrugging her shoulders, Atofe lied through her teeth, stating, "I honestly don't care. Even if you did announce your return, no one would be foolish enough to follow or support you. I only listened to you this far because of my father's final request and because our resident Hero decided to spare my men in his assault. If you weren't leeching off of them like a parasite, I would have locked you in the dungeon or kicked you out months ago..."
Though it was only for a brief moment, Kishirika's expression revealed a hint of pain as she winced in response to Atofe's harsh words. There were a few instances over the past few months where she tried to rekindle her relationship with the blue-skinned Demoness, but she had been shunned on every occasion. She did her best not to let it bother her, but it was still painful to hear her former best friend regard her as a little more than trash to be tossed aside...
Forcing a shark-toothed grin, Kishirika retorted, "Well, you're in luck. Once we reclaim my castle, you'll no longer have to worry about me. I'll just-"
Before Kishirika could say something she would regret, Paul surprised her by placing his hand on her shoulder. The brief contact made him aware of just how tense the violet-haired Demoness was, but he pretended not to notice as he gave her an assuring smile before stepping in front of her and staring into Atofe's glowing red eyes.
Eliciting mixed responses from the group of girls in his surroundings, Paul said, "When I first arrived here, you were prepared to go as far as bearing my child to ensure peace between human and demonkind. I understand-"
As she had always hated speeches, Atofe interrupted Paul with an audibly annoyed groan before stating, "Just tell me what you want. In the Demon Continent, we respect the strong. As chicken-shit as you might be, you're surrounded by monsters that could run rampant throughout the continent. So long as you aren't too unreasonable, I'll abide by your demands."
"..."
Though Atofe's response left him at a momentary loss for words, Paul wasn't too surprised by them. The Aristocracy of the Demon Continent was a lot more pragmatic than their counterparts in Kingdoms such as Asura. Where humans would remain obstinant and talk about things like birthright and other insensible notions, as if their rule over others was ordained by fate, most Demon Lords only cared about whether or not you were stronger than them.&nbsp;
After closing his eyes and running his fingers through his hair in a self-calming gesture, Paul met Atofe's carmine gaze and declared, "Once I'm strong enough to defeat you in single combat, I intend to make you mine. After that, I'll have you work alongside Kishirika as her sister-wife until my final breath...I expect the two of you to get along..."
Unable to contain herself, Atofe burst out laughing. She did not doubt that Paul would one day surpass her, but he had already made it apparent that he had no desire to rule. In other words, he intended to defeat her for the sole purpose of smoothing things over between her and Kishirika.
Though she didn't burst out laughing like her silvery-haired contemporary, Kishirika's smile became wry as she looked up at Paul and said, "You're an idiot..." in a soft, audibly moved tone. Everything would have worked out so long as Paul kept enabling her, but she still appreciated him speaking out and confronting Atofe on her behalf.&nbsp;
Suppressing her laughter after nearly a full minute, Atofe wiped away a tear from her eye before smiling broadly and replying, "Very well! If you manage to defeat me one day, I'll not only marry you, but I'll put up with this violet-haired fool for as long as the Demon Empire endures!"
As her penultimate goal was ensuring the prosperity of Demonkind, Atofe had no problem at least pretending to get along with Kishirika. She would prefer it if Paul installed himself as the next Emperor, but she understood why he wouldn't want to. After all, before the emergence of Laplace, both the moderate and progressive factions had been pushing to nominate her as Empress, something she had vehemently opposed.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Paul was about to suggest they relocate to the Lord's Hall, the location within the Keep where feasts and banquets were held. However, before the words could reach his lips, Diona tugged on the fabric of his tunic, forcing him to turn around and make eye contact with the visibly annoyed cat girl.
Getting straight to the point, Diona asked, "Why are you making promises to marry other women when there are several others still waiting for your proposal? Weren't you trying to avoid political marriages!?"
Not sure what else to say, a befuddle, "Uh..." emanated from Paul's throat as conflicting thoughts invaded his mind. He knew that girls like Barbara were pretty serious about marrying him. It made sense that others were just as serious, but he had done his best to avoid such discussions since the annulment of his engagement to Ningguang...
Fortunately for Paul, he was far from alone in the courtyard. The moment she realized Diona might throw a tantrum, Yae took it upon herself to step forward and muse, "Come now, Diona. You know our Master cares for you very dearly. We'll discuss this matter in greater detail once we get settled in, okay~?"
Realizing she had nearly caused a scene, Diona's ears lay flat against the top of her head as she nodded and suppressed a few sniffles. It had only been a short while since Paul's departure from the Strife Zone, but nary a &nbsp;day went by where she didn't think about him excessively. It was selfish of her, but now that they were together again, she wanted him to focus on her, not make promises to other girls...
...
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In the weeks that followed his arrival at Fort Necross, Paul's life became a veritably living hell.&nbsp;
Under normal circumstances, those that had undergone a pilgrimage to Fort Necross would find themselves involuntarily drafted into the lowest rungs of Atofe's Elite Guard. Their training involved fighting against their fellow members for everything from food and water to accommodation. If they were powerful, they would quickly move up the ranks and be allowed to stay in the lodges closer to the keep. If they were weak, they would be forced to become servants, subject to the whims of their betters.
Only the most capable individuals were given a chance to train under and potentially receive Atofe's attention. Those that performed exceptionally would even be given an opportunity to warm her bed, though, more often than not, they would come to regret the encounter. Afterward, they would keep their heads down and focus solely on their training, refusing to stand out for fear of being chosen a second time.
Despite being much weaker than the men Atofe preferred, Paul had the 'fortune' of receiving the legendary Demoness's attention on a near-daily basis. His usual schedule involved waking up before dawn, sparring until breakfast, fucking until lunch, getting his ass kicked until dinner, and then falling asleep in the middle of fucking.&nbsp;
Though Atofe had given him weekends off, that didn't mean Paul was free from the tyrant's intrigue. Words such as boundaries and restraint didn't exist in her private dictionary, so she would periodically show up while spending time with the girls from the IOF or barge into his room when he was trying to sleep. The only way he could avoid her was by sneaking out of the fort while she was busy, but then she would be in a bad mood upon his return...
Fortunately, as oppressive as Atofe's behavior was, Paul couldn't deny he had was growing stronger. More importantly, Kishirika's theory regarding his ability to absorb the essence of others proved true. It didn't manifest in his physical appearance, but his strength and regenerative abilities had improved noticeably. By the end of his third month of training, he didn't even need to rely on Lesser Regeneration as he could recover from most minor injuries and bone fractures in a few hours.
On the topic of Kishirika, Paul was surprised to see how rapidly the impish Demoness was growing. He was partly responsible for this, but Kishirika had also revealed that one of the reasons for her stunted growth was her reliance and production of Demon Eyes. Every time she developed a new one, she basically had to invest all of her reserves into its production. This was a permanent investment, so as long as she continued producing and making use of her Demon Eyes, Kishirika simply didn't age.
Now that she could travel freely, eat whenever she wanted, and generally do as she pleased, Kishirika could stockpile her Mana and allow her body to develop. This had always been an option for her, but maturing rapidly without possessing the power to protect herself had ended badly on more than one occasion.&nbsp;
Like virtually every other race, Demons accumulated Mana more quickly when they were still in their growth period. After dying and resurrecting dozens of times, Kishirika had figured out that maintaining a physique on the cusp of maturation was the optimal condition for stockpiling Mana and producing Demon Eyes.
With Paul promising to provide her with a Vision and as much Mana as she needed once she had matured, Kishirika began spending her days eating until she resembled a pregnant woman, downing literal barrels of alcohol, and sleeping for upwards of fourteen hours a day. She would occasionally get into spats with Atofe, but Paul was able to prevent them from arguing about the fortress's food and alcohol stores by offering to foot the bill for everything Kishirika consumed. He also provided them with souvenirs obtained during Ganyu's periodic trips to the Central Continent, so they at least pretended to get along.
Unfortunately for Paul, his periodic 'offerings' to Atofe were the very thing that caused her to take his training seriously. Foreign luxury goods were nearly impossible to obtain in the Demon Continent as no one was foolish enough to attempt and import them. The few exceptions were preserved goods, so Atofe was like a kid in a candy store whenever Ganyu returned with bulk produce, a variety of alcohol, foreign spices, and even clothing.
Though he realized his gifts were one of the root causes of his suffering, Paul continued to provide them. His presence within Fort Necross hadn't been well-received by Atofe's men, not just because he was receiving 'special treatment' from the General they respected, but because he was 'monopolizing' the girls from the IOF.
As Atofe had pointed out during their first encounter, there were very few women living within Fort Necross. In fact, with the exception of Atofe and Bhathia, there were only seven other women present before the arrival of Paul's group. Since members of the Elite Guard were only allowed to leave the fort every ten years, it was impossible to describe just how frustrated the men were to have a bevy of beauties within their reach but be unable to touch them.
In the first few weeks of their stay, twenty-seven people had ignored Atofe's warning, either attempting to make a pass at one of the girls in Paul's Party or worse. Fortunately, Lilia had been smart enough to stay within the keep. As for everyone else, they always traveled in groups of three or more and were more than capable of fending off even the most powerful members of Atofe's Elite Guard.
Though he felt nothing but disdain toward the men that had targetted the girls, Paul allowed Atofe to deal with them. He also had Ganyu bring back more than enough food and alcohol to distribute among the troops, so, by the time a few weeks had passed, most of Atofe's men had quit resenting him. A few had even started to respect him, not because he was powerful but because they couldn't imagine enduring Atofe's training for more than a few days...
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..
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"How long do you intend to keep pretending? If you want, I can knock you out for real."
Raising his head from the small crater formed when Atofe smashed his face into the ground, Paul stared back at her with a broken nose and a deadpan expression as he replied, "Don't tempt me..."
Amused by Paul's response, Atofe's smile widened as she mused, "Good. If you're able to banter, you should be able to keep fighting. Pick up your sword and come at me."
Though he closed his hand around the handle of his sword, Paul didn't abide by Atofe's request. Instead, he placed his right palm against the ground, his Dendro Vision releasing an intense light that caused the blue-skinned Demoness to leap backward, barely evading the spear-like vines that had attempted to skewer her body.
Unlike when he trained with Gal and Reida, Paul had been using his Vision liberally against Atofe. He had initially attempted to fight her using just his sword skills, but she had called him an idiot and criticized him for holding back against an immortal opponent. She also tossed aside her sword and gauntlets to beat him with her bare fists as a punishment, so he had been using everything available to him ever since.
"I've seen that attack dozens of times by now. How long are you going to keep repeat-"
Interrupting Atofe's reproach, Paul executed his Longsword of Light, the edge of his blade impacting the flat of the black, club-like pole she was wielding. Unfortunately, as he had failed to cut through her, the force of the impact fed back into his hands and arms, the muscles of his forearms practically erupting into a fountain of blood and gore.
Though she was blinded by the shower of blood and gore, Atofe could still sense Paul's movements, dodging his attempt to unleash a Fireball directly in her face. However, instead of counterattacking, she shook her head to clear her vision before staring down at Paul's collapsed figure and remarking, "This self-destructive style you've been developing might work against an opponent of similar skill level, but, in case you've forgotten, I'm God-Ranked in the North God Style. All you're-"
With his body in hypovolemic shock, Paul lost consciousness before Atofe could finish her speech. He had attempted to jumpstart his regeneration using Lesser Regeneration, but the pain of having his arms explode made it difficult to cast even the most elementary spells. If he hadn't developed the habit of emptying his bowels and bladder before his training, he might have shit and pissed himself from the pain.
Nudging Paul's head with the tip of her tapered sabaton, a disproving frown marred Atofe's face. While it was true that Paul was improving at a discernible rate, he was nowhere near the level she expected of a Hero. If she didn't hold back and focus on defense, she risked killing him with just a single, serious swing of her sword.
Shifting her attention to the trio of women observing the sparring session from the sidelines, Atofe stated, "Take this idiot and get him patched up. I want him fully healed before our lessons this afternoon."
Though she narrowed her eyes, Ganyu rose to her feet and hurried to her Master's side. She hated seeing him injured, but as Paul had asked them not to intervene, she could only observe from the sidelines with clenched fists.
While Ganyu carried Paul to a &nbsp;healing bath she had prepared in advance, Atofe focused on the remaining two girls, Ei and Ghislaine, smiling as she asked, "So, which of you is next?"
Rising to her feet, Ghislaine calmly replied, "I'll be in your care..." before immediately charging toward Atofe. Paul wasn't the only one focused on growing stronger these past three months. Virtually everyone, sans Venti and Kishirika, had been focused on improving their respective strengths and skills. They couldn't just remain idle while Paul pushed himself to the point of collapsing, so they had been training just as hard.
Evading Ghislaine's wild yet forceful strikes, the frown on Atofe's face gradually morphed into a smile. Ghislaine's swordsmanship was a lot more honest and straightforward than Paul's, making her attacks relatively easy to predict, but her adaptability and instincts made her a more interesting opponent.
Parrying Ghislaine's Sword of Silence, Atofe mused, "Not half-bad for a kitten! But you'll need to be a lot stronger if you want to keep following after that fool...!"
Punctuating her words with a backhand, Atofe was unsurprised when Ghislaine rolled with the punch, flipping backward several times before immediately lunging back at her despite a bloodied nose. She lacked the regenerative capabilities of Paul, but that didn't stop her from charging in without a moment of hesitation.
Feeling a shift in the surrounding air currents, Atofe swung her club to produce a gale-like shockwave, disrupting the Anemo Energy building around Ghislaine's sword and body. A tiny cut appeared on her face, but it immediately healed as she shifted her weight forward to meet Ghislaine's charge with a shoulder to the diaphragm. The latter did her best to keep her center of gravity low, but with a nearly fifty-centimeter difference in their heights, Atofe was able to keep hers much lower.
With Ghislaine sent skidding backward, cradling her stomach and doing her best to avoid vomiting, Atofe's laughter briefly reverberated through the parade grounds before she bellowed, "Serves you right for being so tall...!"
Clenching her teeth, Ghislaine dropped into a three-point stance with her left hand on the ground and sword held to the side. Anemo Energy began to swirl around her, but before she could execute a charging attack, Atofe swiped her club at the ground, producing a cloud of dust and peppering Ghislaine with stone shrapnel. Some might call such an attack dirty, but, as a God-Ranked practitioner of the North God Style, Atofe rarely, if ever, played fair...
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Chapter 166: MI166: Forewarning