Hell on Azaladan 2

Leo thought that he had been through the worst of Lula’s training. He had thought he had gotten used to the uncounted reps where she would randomly decide to tell him stop. He had thought he gotten used to the randomness that was thrown in, the waterfalls, him having to carry her while he jogged and the like. That was nothing compared to the revelation of him needing to practice his skills.

One time. She had only needed to see each of his combat skills once to understand what he needed to do with his body. The scary precision was bad enough for him to shudder anytime she spoke to get him to realign even the slightest degree. However she also forbade him from using his strength enhancing skill. Something he didn’t realize he had sometimes been applying. With Zen as his witness, she would either bop him whenever he accidentally trigger a skill or tell Lupa to do it.

That however wasn’t nearly as bad compared to the skills Lupa allowed him to use. Lupa wasn’t just throwing him into hell without a plan. That plan only adjusted when she saw his healing skills. True to her word, they got even more training done. She would push him further with each session and then once he was sufficiently worn out, Lupa ordered him to heal himself. His muscles torn from the exercise would be healed and grow tougher. Then he would have to immediately be told to do everything he just did over again.

Lupa had scary logic when it came to this. It was also admirable in a way to Leo. She picked up all of this from her travels as an adventurer. Fighting others, seeing what they did, asking questions. Lupa did have a genuine curiosity that just couldn’t be satiated by only staying in the village. She also didn’t keep it to herself and was more than willing to share what she learned. A fact that became apparent one day while he was (finally) allowed to rest.

“Hey… thanks.” Lupa said sitting next to a collapse Leo with Zen fanning him unenthusiastically.

“For what?” Leo said barely moving.

“For sticking it out.” She smiled, “No one ever sticks it out this long when they ask me to train them.”

“It is not like I got much of a choice.” Leo laughed as just to distract from the mental exhaustion from pushing his MP.

Lupa also joined in his laugh, “You say that, but you never truly said no. You may complain, but I still see you putting your heart into this. I seen complaints where they mean it. Yet you still want to be here.”

Leo stayed silent thinking. He did affirm himself back at the first waterfall training, but to be thanked for it? “Well yeah…” He then looked over at Zen who was still fanning him, “You were offering your time for me. It would be rude not to take you up on your offer. Besides… I need to be stronger.”

“And that’s why Leo you are my favorite student.” She then gave him a big toothy grin, “I can’t wait for a real fight with you when you can hold your own.”

Leo let out a nervous laugh not wanting to commit to the battle crazed wold girl. “Haha…”

“Now then, Zen.”

“Ready.” Zen said offering a salute. She was enjoying this too much despite her expression.

Lupa nodded, “Now that he has drained his mmps, we will move on to mana awakening.”

“Roger!” Zen nodded.

“What’s that?” Leo asked worryingly as he sat up.

“Normally people born in this world have an innate access to the mana within them. Only through years of exposure can they take in the surrounding mana and use it for themselves. This is strengthening themselves and by extension weapons in its more basic sense.” She then pointed at Leo, “But you say you are not from around here. Plus, as Zen sees it, you are borrowing mana from the ones who summoned you.”

“But I thought that this training was supposed to get me to use their mana as my own?”

“It is, but just like how I held on to you to follow me, you need to give their mana something to hold onto rather than just your body.”

“Ok…” Leo said nodding, “I follow so far.”

“Now cross your legs. and turn your back to me.” Lupa said and Leo followed, “We need to awaken your core, sure you are from somewhere else, but all bodies absorb mana, so you got a small core in you by now. We are going to use a mana technique that is used to heal cores and see if we can awaken yours.”

Nervous now Leo turned back, “Wait, this hasn’t been tested?”

“Nope!” Lupa said with a smile, “That’s why Zen is here. She will spot me to make sure I’m doing it right.” Then pupa placed her hand on his back.

Zen nodded, “Mission confirmed.”

“Wait guys, I don’t know about this.”

“No guts! No glory!” Lupa said as he felt a rush of something warm slam into is very being.

Leo let out a gasp of pain as he felt Lupa’s mana crash into him. He recognized the feeling, it was the same feeling that he always gets when he uses a skill. It just, it wasn’t as gentle. Instead of enveloping him and moving him, this felt like it was bombarding his heart. Demanding to be let in… Let in… could he do that?

He couldn’t figure why, but the pain he was feeling was drowned out as his mind went blank. Everything faded away and he was alone in a dark void in his mind. No… not just a void, but an area with chains. A landscape with chains and gates. Yeah… gates and locks that he put up. The same ones that he uses to tell himself to give up. He heard the pounding on one of them and knew it was Lupa’s mana trying to break in. It seems that his own personality has already shaped his mana core into this state. He couldn’t do it… he wasn’t ready.

“Stop!” Leo shouted as the pain was getting to him.

Lupa reflexively removed her hand and Zen looked on in surprised, “Why? We were so close.”

Leo shook his head and got up. “It… wasn’t going to work. Can I stop here for today?” He didn’t look at the two girls.

“Okay…” Lupa said sounding a little hurt.

Leo paid it no mind as he went to go take a shower. “Way to go Leo… you just can’t stop running things can’t you.” Was all he repeated as he walked inside.