(Sorry not much action yet because I'm still trying to develop relationships and the system power to assign Leo's ability. Next chapter will reveal his status and we are ready to set sail into the main plot I hope.)
"Not bad. You are learning fast."
A man with auburn hair with a golden circlet on his forehead and wearing ancient chinese armor holding a wooden staff while offering his hand to Leo who fell on the ground after being defeated again.
"Thanks, Bikou. But I think you are exaggerating your praise." Leo accepted the hand which pulled him up to his feet.
"I am telling the truth, Leo. You might be slow when compared to me, Kuroka or Vali. But for a normal human, you are learning and adapting too fast. That's terrifying." Bikou corrected Leo's misunderstanding.
"Adapting?" Leo confused Bikou's the choice of word.
"Yes. Adapting." Bikou nods and suddenly twirls his staff and stabs it at Leo's face but stops an inch before hitting his face.
"See. This is what I meant." Bikou smirked
What happened is the moment Leo consciously perceived Bikou's attack, his body already acted before his mind could process the information. An act that is impossible to humans as humans are not capable of complex involuntary actions such as defending an incoming attack using a weapon.
What Bikou means by Leo is learning fast?
It isn't the fact that he learns martial arts from him at a very fast rate. No. In fact, Leo has neither the foundation or talent for martial arts that Bikou has to offer. But what Leo has instead of martial arts talent.
When Leo asked Bikou to train him in his free time. Bikou discovered Leo has a very sharp instinct. It's almost like there is another person who controls his instinct and it fights like a beast.
"Anyway, this is the most I can teach you and there's nothing else I can teach." Bikou said with some pride that he can now boast he trained a disciple.
"Your fighting style is completely different from mine and to be honest, I think your fighting style didn't need a teacher at all. What it needs is constant improvement through live combat. Only through such trial and error can it improve." He said before waving Leo a goodbye and left the training ground.
Hearing the piece of advice Bikou left with him, he sighed.
"I know. He told me the same thing before." Leo lowered his head with a sigh and grip his fist tight as he remembered the words of that old man in his dream.
(Flashback)
"A new hunter? No. You are not the one chosen by the Moon. You are…" The old man on a wheelchair said before going into a deep thoughts.
"Aha! I remember now. My oh my, it's been quite a long while I had forgotten my real task." The old man suddenly lift his head and laughed jovialy but sudden choked and coughed his lungs off.
"Ah, I remember. I remember. You are one of those Type RAY right? It's been almost few millennia since I last received one of you to guide." The old man give a chuckle before telling him to follow after him.
"This is the Hunter's Workshop. This will be yours until you finish your coming of age ceremony." The old man led him into the Victorian era house.
"This Workshop will now be yours until you complete your training to master your heritage."
"What heritage you ask? Well, that is for you to discover yourself. I am merely a guide and not the answerer to your questions. However, if you need any help in regard to your hunt, I would be delighted to assist."
"Now choose one of these weapons and go out into the city and hunt a few beasts. Perhaps you might find an answer to your questions." The old man shows Leo a cane, a saw that looks very similar to the one that killed him and another saw with a thinner blade that looks like a spear.
"Who am I, you ask?"
"I am Gehrman, a retired hunter and now simply a humble caretaker and guide for the new Hunters that came to this dream." The old man said with a genial smile yet hidden within it is a faint and well hidden bloodthirst that Leo cannot sense.
(Flashback End)
———
After his training with Bikou, Leo returns to his home. He obtained a room for himself with Ophis and Mittelt because he wouldn't want to impose on Vali and the others by freeloading on theirs.
Leo navigates through this massive castle. It's hard to justify the scale of this castle that is probably as big as an entire town. Yes, it's that big and imagine how Leo constantly gets lost in the hallway in the first few days of living here until he is familiar enough to navigate through these places.
He arrived at his door and then twisted the knob with his hand before pushing the door open.
"Fa- Leo! Welcome back!" A blond girl rushes to Leo like a cannonball and hugs him.
"Oh, Mittelt. Don't stick to me now. My body is dirty from my morning training." Leo sighed helplessly before prying Mittelt off his legs.
"I don't mind!" Mittelt hugged tighter and start throwing a tantrum while whining.
'Goddamn it, I'm bad with dealing with children.' Leo sighed mentally. He didn't know what to do in this situation but to forcefully pry her away or scold her but that is the worst way to deal with a child.
"Haah… Let go of me now, Mittelt. I need to take a bath and cook breakfast soon. We can play as much as we want later, okay?" Leo refuses to use forceful methods and opt for a more gentle way which is by coaxing her.
"Really? Fa- Leo won't leave me at home and do work today?" Mittelt raises her head looking doubtful at Leo's claim.
"Really, I wanted to take a break today anyway. I will be at home for the rest of the day. So, please let me go already."
"Really? You can't go back on your words right!"
"Yes. Yes. I know." Leo sighed again and Mittelt let go of him before happily hopping off to her room in a hurry and almost slammed the door in excitement.
He finally won. But at what cost? He simply hopes that Mittelt won't give him a hard time…
"Now. Take a shower and make breakfast as usual." Leo made a quick note in his head and went to grab a towel and enter the bathroom.
———
Hurray for technology!
Leo finally finished making breakfast. It's just a simple waffle. But without the machine he bought from Earth, it would take hours to make the portion for Ophis.
"I need to get someone to help. I can't keep doing this alone." Leo reminded himself again.
Then Leo enters the living room with a large tray for waffles, then repeats two more times to carry Ophis' portion of food. Mittelt insisted on helping but he only allowed her to carry the portion for him and herself. Then they eat.
While eating, Leo observed the reaction of both girls and found them quite pleased by their meal.
[+20 Affection], Mittelt.
[+10 Affection], Ophis.
Leo opens their profile and checks their thoughts.
The first is Ophis.
[Current Thoughts: Food is delicious. Om nom nom.]
That's cute and it's the usual Ophis.
Next is Mittelt… Somehow, Leo is hesitant to open her profile.
[Current Thoughts: Food made by Father! He… hehehe… Hahahaha! It's mine! It's mine!]
Yeah… Leo always felt spooked by what was going on inside her head.
"Oi! Stop licking the plate! I'll make you more if you want more." Leo felt creeped out when he closed the profile and saw Mittelt licking the plate for every last scrap of the food.
'Why do I feel like I'm running a daycare for a problematic child?' Leo wondered as he went back to the kitchen and made three more waffles with the leftover batter.
[The System had done nothing wrong.]
"Huh? I'm not even blaming you and yet you are suddenly pleading for innocence? It's suspicious." Leo frowned and waited for a reply but the System went silent and did not respond anymore.
Leo returned to the table with another plate with freshly made pancakes and gave it to Mittelt before continuing eating with a blank mind.
He is mentally exhausted. He has been dealing with Ophis and Mittelt, raising their affection, working hard on the side to learn about Khaos Brigade and finding ways to take over it. What is even worse is his sleep, the only time to relax is deprived away.
Whenever he goes to sleep, he will be thrown into a strange haunted city and told by an old man to hunt beasts. The only good thing about it is he gets stronger the more he hunts. But this left him constantly and mentally exhausted.
After they finished eating, Leo did the dishes while the two watched TV since there was nothing better to do. Leo also joins them after finishing the dishes.
After a while, Leo becomes curious about what Mittelt usually does in her free time. For Ophis, she usually just lounges around or freeloading in Vali's house unless there is a meeting of the Khaos Brigade that specifically requires her to be present. But Mittelt, he still knows nothing much about her.
"Eh? What do I usually do in my free time?" Mittelt was surprised and stunned when Leo asked the question. She looked oddly afraid to answer the question even which made Leo even more curious.
Her face was overwritten with terror while being overwhelmed with guilt and hate for herself. It's obvious for most that Fallen Angels are a species that like to indulge in debauchery. Even more than Devils. Now imagine how Mittelt would explain that to Leo considering who she sees him as.
She can't explain it. Not without drowning herself in guilt and self hate.
Leo didn't know such a simple question he asked to get to know her better would cause such a reaction to Mittelt.
"It's alright if you don't want to answer the question. You don't have to force yourself." Leo consoles her and gives her some head pat to calm her down.
Mittelt nods and quietly sniffles and sobs.
'I feel like walking on a minefield.' Leo sighed and continued to watch the TV while waiting for Mittelt to calm down.
Meanwhile on the TV.
"Here comes Miracle Levia-Tan! Be prepared, you evil monster! I will defeat you and protect the safety of the Underworld!"
Yes, the TV channel to Dimensional Gap isn't from Earth because it's impossible to connect. Instead, it's connected to the Underworld and the Miracle Levia-tan is none other than Satan Leviathan, one of the supposed leaders of the Devil race.
It's ironic that a Satan is playing the role of Magical Girl and defeating evil when their race itself is the origin of Sins.
"Is it fun to watch?" Leo asks Ophis who seems to be very focused on the TV although her expression shows no reaction.
"She looks strong. But not strong." Ophis explains with a face that shows confusion and frustration.
What Ophis meant probably is that Miracle Levia-tan looks strong on TV but not strong in real life. Maybe Ophis had once tried to recruit Satan Leviathan but was disappointed by her strength when meeting in real life.
When Leo turned back to Mittelt, she already stopped sobbing and now calmly watching TV but immediately noticed his gaze when he turned to her.
"I'm sorry for asking something insensitive." Leo apologized because he admits that he is tactless to ask something that would make her react to that extent.
"No! It's not Fath- It's not Leo's fault." She stuttered and almost called Leo father again.
'I'm too young to be a father damnit! I'm not even married yet!' Leo shout in his mind
"I…" Mittelt paused before she could say a complete word. "Would Leo hate a dirty woman that breaks the rules and enjoys debauchery?" She asked before diverting her head away but stole glances at Leo to see his reaction.
Before Leo could say his response. His System suddenly butt in.
[Please wait, Host. Before you answer her question. Please know that this is a turning point event of the relationship. The answer the Host gives will either massively affect her affection. So, please choose wisely.]
Leo gulps after hearing what his System has to say.
From the question alone, Leo can guess the woman Mittelt is mentioning is herself. As for the act of debauchery…
Premarital sex is prevalent in the modern world. As religion and morals lose their grip on society. It's hard to even find a partner that is still virgin unless he looks at the eastern nations or nations with strong religious practices and beliefs.
So, the answer to Mittelt's question would be no. Because he would be a hypocrite to say yes when he himself had gone to a brothel numerous times when he first hit puberty. Does he even have the right to judge her?
"No. I will not hate you for that." Leo replied.
"Really? You are not lying to me?" Mittelt shivered and immediately turned her heat to stare at Leo with disbelief.
"Do you think I would lie to you about something like this?" Leo flick her head lightly with a frown.
'No, Father wouldn't lie.' Mittelt answers it to herself and then feels relief wash over her body as if a big knot in her heart were untangled.
She has this constant fear that her 'Father' would hate her for being drenched with sins she indulged. Her Father is forgiving but also very strict and firm or else Adam and Eve would be given forgiveness instead of banished.
"Hehe. I am glad." Mittelt hugs his side and nuzzles on his arm.
"Ophis?" Leo felt surprised when Ophis also copied Mittelt and hugged his other arm.
Well, at least both were happy and making them happy gives Leo more power.
[+340 Affection]
[Affection: 700/1000 (Adore)]
[Congratulations for reaching Level 3 Affection with Mittelt. Host obtained Holy Power(Novice)]
[Host completed an achievement for reaching Level 3 Affection with one Conquest Target. Host obtained x1 Random Skill Gem.]
Well, Leo is also happy looking at his efforts being rewarded quite handsomely too.
—————
(I was thinking of giving Leo Electrokinesis because it fit him considering he would also be mastering Bloodborne Hunter's technique like other earlier RAYs. Electrokinesis can be imbued to his weapon and armor to be used offensively. Then with Holy Power, he can add it to his Electrokinesis to make Holy Lightning that is unique to Baraqiel and Akeno. In the future maybe Pyrokinesis too.)
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