Training Yasaka

Pov Dia,

Yasaka lunged at me, or at least that's what she wanted me to believe with her illusions. The real Yasaka stood behind me, preparing to launch an attack.

I dodged gracefully, my movements resembling a dance.

Yasaka: "Come on, let me catch you just this once!"

She puffed her cheeks in a pout. I vanished from her sight, reappearing behind her to give her a gentle head pat.

Dia: "It wouldn't be proper training if I just stood still like a mannequin without dodging your attacks."

Yasaka: "But you could at least try not to humiliate me with your dance-like dodges."

Dia: "What can I say? I'm someone who loves the beauty of different kinds of art."

I had already trained Yasaka in various dance and music performances. Apart from traditional festival dances, she wasn't particularly fond of them. But I was determined to keep encouraging her, hoping to lure her into the world of diverse artistic expressions.

This training session before our date is meant to help Yasaka get accustomed to the energy of the Ley Line she absorbed.

Of course, I wasn't using my full strength — even so, according to Yasaka, my power was enough for my heterochromatic eyes to turn red.

Dia: "Try to defend yourself better and be more cunning. After all, it's in your fox nature to act that way."

Yasaka: "You think I'm not trying? The problem is that you seem omniscient, dodging all my tricks effortlessly."

Despite her frustration, she was gradually finding satisfaction in the challenge, learning not to let anger dictate her actions.

Dia: "So that's what you were aiming for from the start? I thought it was just a basic attack. Are we sure you're really a nine-tailed Kitsune? That wasn't a very clever trick."

She backed away with a look of frustration before taking a deep breath and summoning a blue flame in her hand.

Yasaka: "How about this? Is it imaginative enough for you?"

She hurled it at me, infusing the flame with her essence.

I deflected it effortlessly, only for the flame to loop back toward me.

Without even glancing at it, I redirected it repeatedly, testing the endurance and mentality of this now diminutive Kitsune.

After a minute, she stopped, panting heavily.

Yasaka: "Damn, don't you ever get tired?"

Dia: "I've been training for as long as I can remember to develop endurance and mental strength beyond any limit. Even if I'm not the strongest of the ten, I possess the greatest energy reserves."

Soon, I would challenge Scathach-sensei again, determined to finally defeat her and fulfill the promise I made to myself long ago — to destroy Gáe Bolg, her supposedly indestructible spear.

Just imagining her reaction filled me with joy at the thought of finally avenging all the torment Scathach-sensei had put me through. I was sure Sera and Rimuru also wanted to wipe that smug expression off her face.

Dia: "Well, I think we've sweated enough. Time to wash up."

Yasaka: "Should I wash you, or do you wash me first?"

Dia: "I'm sorry, but now that there's a chance our relationship might deepen, we should maintain some modesty between us."

We used to bathe together as a shared bonding moment, but now that wasn't possible. I wasn't allowed to see my future wife's body before marriage.

Of course, she wasn't happy about it, but I pointed out that she had nothing to complain about to Inari, given her position as a high authority figure upholding such traditions. Naturally, she couldn't argue but promised to change those laws — though I suspected it wouldn't happen until after our marriage.