Chapter 135 - Pre-War Training(II)

The following morning, a frigid breeze swept through the hills, sending dry leaves dancing across the ground. The sky was tinged with a pale blue, and the sun struggled to pierce the thin mist blanketing the training fields and cabins. The lake reflected the dull morning glow, its tranquil waters rippling gently with the breeze. Campers were bundled up, some emerging from their cabins yawning, others already training or heading towards the dining pavilion for breakfast.

The arena was more crowded than usual for that time of day. Several campers had gathered to watch an unusual duel.

Ikki stood in the center, facing two opponents at once: Nico and Bianca di Angelo, who had made enormous progress since yesterday.

Both wielded shadow manipulation with precision. Nico advanced with a celestial bronze sword, attacking with speed and accuracy, disappearing and reappearing through shadows to catch Ikki off guard. Bianca complemented his attacks, moving fluidly around the battlefield, her daggers flashing as they struck Ikki's bare hands, which blocked each strike.

The air around them seemed heavier, charged with the cold energy of the underworld that the siblings evoked with their lineage.

Ikki, however, remained serene. His sharp gaze followed every movement of Hades' children, predicting their intentions before they could execute them. His body moved automatically, dodging blows by inches, blocking at the last instant, and counterattacking with equal ease. Each exchange of blows echoed through the arena, the sound of clashing metal cutting through the morning silence.

Around them, campers watched intently, some murmuring to each other about the intensity of the fight. Percy stood among them, arms crossed as he observed his friend fight.

As he fought the two, Ikki realized they had become overly reliant on the power to move through shadows, a skill he had suggested they learn if they wanted to survive in the illusory world he'd created with [Subtle Immersion] for them yesterday.

"You're relying too much on that trick," he commented, dodging Nico's downward strike and pivoting to avoid Bianca's side thrust. "It's useful for surprise attacks, but when someone can predict your patterns, it becomes predictable."

Nico gritted his teeth and disappeared again, appearing behind Ikki in a blink with a precise strike. Bianca seized the opportunity to attack from the front, her daggers glinting as she aimed for his neck.

Ikki didn't seem worried. He ducked quickly, allowing the blades to pass through the empty space where his body had been a second before, while simultaneously contorting to avoid Nico's attack.

"See?" Ikki said, raising an eyebrow. "Even when you attack together, you're still too dependent on shadow movement. You need to diversify your approaches."

He slid back, creating distance between them, and crossed his arms as the two siblings caught their breath.

"Try mixing direct attacks and feints. If I know you're going to move through the shadows every time you disappear from my sight, it becomes easy to anticipate your next move."

In truth, it was easy due to his [Divine Sense] or his other heightened senses; he had more than one way to anticipate teleportation.

Bianca wiped the sweat from her forehead and exchanged a quick glance with Nico. She knew Ikki was right. Even with the training they'd received, they still relied too heavily on the powers of the underworld. If they wanted to improve, they would need to adapt their style.

"Right. Ikki!" Nico muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Then let's try something else."

He and Bianca advanced again, this time without immediately resorting to the shadows.

But it didn't help much.

Ikki deflected Nico's attack, spinning fluidly as he disarmed Bianca with a swift, precise movement. His hand slid along the hilt of her dagger, and in an instant, he held it. With his other hand, he dislodged Nico's sword with a well-placed strike to the wrist, sending the blade flying through the air before it stuck in the sand of the arena.

Both siblings fell to their knees, panting. Sweat dripped down their faces as they tried to catch their breath.

"Another important fact is that moving through the shadows consumes a lot of stamina, as you may have noticed. So, you need to work on your endurance and refine your control over this ability." Ikki commented, casually twirling the dagger before tossing it back to Bianca. He picked up Nico's sword and handed it to the boy, who perked up and peppered him with questions between gasps.

As he answered, Ikki raised a hand towards them and cast a spell. A soft glow enveloped the di Angelo siblings, spreading a revitalizing sensation through their bodies.

Their fatigue vanished almost instantly, and the ache in their muscles dissipated.

Bianca blinked, surprised, while Nico flexed his fingers.

"That's…" Bianca began, but Ikki raised an eyebrow.

"A simple healing spell. Brings you back to peak condition."

Nico looked up, animated.

"So we can fight again?!"

Ikki crossed his arms and looked around. During Nico and Bianca's training, the arena had filled with campers, he noticed. He thought about his conversation with Chiron about training the campers when he had time to prepare them. He decided to lend his immortal teacher a hand.

"No," he then replied, "Now it's everyone else's turn."

An excited murmur rippled through the campers as Ikki called for the next volunteers, quickly filling the arena with people eager to train, including Percy.

He corrected postures, pointed out flaws, and taught combat techniques, tailoring the training to each individual. With Bianca and Nico, he focused on coordination and endurance, as they relied too heavily on the power of shadows. With Percy, he worked on precision and taught subtle tricks on how to use his powers. For the other campers, he taught everything from basic fundamentals to advanced tactics.

After an hour, he moved to the next stage.

The rumor about [Subtle Immersion] had already spread throughout Camp Half-Blood. At some point, Nico, excited by his progress, let slip details about the intensive training within the illusory world, and Percy, unconcerned with secrecy, confirmed everything. The result was a flood of campers knocking on the Zeus cabin door the previous night, begging to be included. Ikki, still immersed in his meditation, told them to wait until the following morning in the arena.

Earlier that day, before starting the training, Chiron had called him for a conversation. The centaur wanted to better understand the effects of the ability and if there were any consequences for the campers.

Ikki explained that the illusory world was indistinguishable from reality. For those with a weak mind, it could be traumatic. If subjected to extreme situations, the experience could genuinely scar them.

Chiron pondered for a moment before establishing some rules. To preserve the campers' sanity, Ikki could only use [Subtle Immersion] once per day on each person. For some targets, Ikki realized he would have toThe next morning, a cold breeze blew between the hills, making the dry leaves of the trees dance across the ground. The sky was tinged with a pale blue, and the sun struggled to break through the thin fog that covered the training fields and cabins. The lake reflected the muted glow of the morning, its calm waters gently rippling with the breeze. The campers were bundled up, some emerging from their cabins yawning, others already training or walking towards the dining pavilion for breakfast...

The arena was more crowded than usual for that time of day, with several campers gathered to watch an unusual duel.

Ikki stood at the center, facing two opponents at once: Nico and Bianca di Angelo, who had made enormous progress since yesterday.

Both were using shadow manipulation quite precisely. Nico advanced with a celestial bronze sword, attacking with speed and accuracy, disappearing and reappearing through the shadows to try to catch Ikki off guard, while Bianca complemented his attacks, moving fluidly around the battlefield, her daggers flashing as they struck against Ikki's bare hands that blocked her attacks.

The air around them felt heavier, charged with the cold energy of the Underworld that the siblings evoked with their lineage.

Ikki, however, remained calm. His sharp gaze followed every movement of the children of Hades, predicting their intentions before they could execute them. His body moved automatically, dodging mere centimeters from blows, blocking at the last moment and counterattacking with equal ease. Each exchange of blows echoed through the arena, the sound of metal clashing cutting through the morning silence.

Around them, the campers watched attentively, some murmuring among themselves about the intensity of the fight. Percy was among them, arms crossed as he watched his friend fight.

As he battled the two, Ikki noticed that they had become overly reliant on the shadow-moving trick he had suggested they learn if they wanted to survive in the illusory world he had created with the [Subtle Immersion] for them yesterday.

"You guys are relying too much on that trick..." he commented, dodging a downward strike from Nico and spinning to avoid Bianca's side thrust. "It's useful for surprise attacks, but when someone can predict your patterns, it becomes predictable..."

Nico gritted his teeth and disappeared again, appearing behind Ikki in the blink of an eye with a precise strike. Bianca seized the opportunity to attack from the front, her daggers gleaming as she tried to slice his neck.

Ikki didn't seem worried. He quickly ducked, allowing the blades to pass through the empty space where his body had been a second before, while simultaneously making a flexible move to evade Nico's attack.

"Look..." Ikki said, raising an eyebrow. "Even when you attack together, you're still too dependent on shadow movement. You need to diversify your approaches."

He slid backward, creating distance between them, and crossed his arms while the two siblings caught their breath.

"Try mixing direct attacks with feints. If I know you're going to move through the shadows every time you disappear from my sight, it becomes easy to anticipate your next move..."

In fact, it became easy due to his [Divine Sense] or his senses; well, he had more than one way to anticipate teleportation.

Bianca wiped sweat from her forehead and exchanged a quick glance with Nico. She knew Ikki was right. Even with the training they had received, they still leaned too much on the powers of the Underworld. If they wanted to improve, they needed to adapt their style.

"Alright. Ikki!" Nico murmured, narrowing his eyes. "Then let's try something else..."

He and Bianca charged again, this time without immediately resorting to shadows.

But it didn't help much.

Ikki dodged Nico's attack, spinning fluidly as he disarmed Bianca with a quick, precise motion. His hand slid along the hilt of her dagger, and in an instant, he was holding it. With his other hand, he knocked Nico's sword from his grasp with a well-placed strike to his wrist, sending the blade flying through the air before it embedded itself in the sand of the arena.

Both siblings dropped to their knees, panting. Sweat dripped down their faces as they tried to catch their breath.

"Another important fact is that moving through shadows consumes a lot of stamina, as you must have noticed. So, you need to work on your endurance and refine your control of that ability." Ikki commented, casually spinning the dagger before tossing it back to Bianca. He took Nico's sword and handed it back to the boy, who was excited and bombarded him with questions while panting.

As he answered them, Ikki raised his hand towards them and used a spell. A soft glow enveloped the di Angelo siblings, spreading a revitalizing sensation throughout their bodies.

Fatigue disappeared almost instantly, and the pain in their muscles dissipated.

Bianca blinked, surprised, while Nico flexed his fingers.

"That's…" Bianca started, but Ikki raised an eyebrow.

"A simple healing spell. Brings you back to your peak."

Nico looked up, excited.

"So can we fight again?!"

Ikki crossed his arms and looked around. During Nico and Bianca's training, the arena had filled with campers. He thought of the conversation he'd had with Chiron about training the campers when he had the time to prepare them. He decided to help his immortal teacher.

"No," he replied, "Now it's everyone else's turn."

An excited murmur rose among the campers as Ikki called for the next volunteers, quickly filling the arena with people to train, including Percy.

He corrected postures, pointed out flaws, and taught combat techniques, adapting the training to each individual. With Bianca and Nico, he focused on coordination and stamina, since the two relied heavily on the power of shadows. With Percy, he worked on the precision of his strikes and taught him subtle tricks on using his powers. For the other campers, he taught everything from basic fundamentals to advanced tactics.

After an hour, he moved on to the next stage.

Word of the [Subtle Immersion] had spread throughout Camp Half-Blood. At some point, an excited Nico had let slip details about the intensive training within the illusory world, and Percy, not one for secrets, had confirmed it. The result was a flood of campers at the Zeus cabin door the previous night, begging to be included. Ikki, still deep in meditation, told them to wait until the following morning at the arena.

Earlier that day, before starting the training, Chiron had called him aside. The centaur wanted to understand the effects of the ability and whether there were any consequences for the campers.

Ikki explained that the illusory world was indistinguishable from reality. For those with a weaker mind, it could be traumatic. If subjected to extreme situations, the experience could leave lasting scars.

Chiron considered this for a moment before establishing some rules. To preserve the campers' sanity, Ikki could only use [Subtle Immersion] once per day on each person. Ikki realized he would have to alter the time perception within the illusory world for some campers to allow for proper recovery within a single day, but he didn't mention this to the centaur.

With these restrictions in place, Chiron permitted the use of the ability on the volunteers. The war against Kronos was approaching, and the demigods needed every advantage they could get.

Back in the arena, Ikki surveyed the campers around him, all ready to begin.

Percy wore a determined look, while Nico and Bianca seemed a mixture of apprehensive and excited.

"Before we start, know that if you die, you'll revive instantly, but the experience isn't pleasant. And each of you will have your own world," he announced. "The setting and challenges will adapt to your skills and weaknesses. When you emerge, you will have trained for an entire year."

The campers gulped.

Without further explanation, Ikki activated [Subtle Immersion].

The air around them shimmered, as if folding in on itself. In an instant, the arena vanished, and each camper was transported to their own illusory world, designed to maximize their growth. Since his [Subtle Immersion] didn't require any energy to function, only stamina, he didn't need to worry about running out of energy to sustain so many worlds. And any burned stamina was quickly recovered through [God's Right Hand], so using the ability in this way required virtually no effort on his part.

Innate abilities were natural to his body and didn't require energy to activate.

Even if he *did* need an "energy" source, he had his [Authority of Magic], which granted him access to essentially infinite magical energy, as he could easily draw upon the magical energy of reality to fuel his spells.

Ikki remained in the arena, arms crossed, watching the campers' unconscious bodies. For them, the journey was just beginning.

While he waited, his mind didn't rest. He wanted something more than simply letting them train. If the war against Kronos truly was approaching, the demigods needed more than just raw skill; they needed genuine power.

He recalled [Heaven's Sense], the energy of a binding vow. Sacrifice something precious for something greater, a miracle in exchange for something valuable. A miraculous energy he could generate through his [Source]. The problem was that his [Source] was still under study as he tried to understand the concepts governing it.

However, this didn't mean he was completely unable to access [Heaven's Sense].

If he couldn't access it directly, he would create something that could and then throw it into the [Forge] to evolve it, unlocking access to that energy, which would then become an innate part of him. He pondered which direction he wanted to evolve the technique he would create.

*Bestowal of power.*

The idea came as a flash. It might not be permanent, but a temporary gift, like a divine blessing that could be granted and revoked. If successful, it could provide a means for anyone to achieve superior power, even for a limited time.

He began working immediately, visualizing the principles behind the technique. He carefully molded the foundation, experimenting with different approaches to make it viable. Soon the core was formed using [Heaven's Sense], and he threw it into the [Forge].

The [Forge] sprang into action, breaking down, refining, and enhancing his technique, consuming all his remaining energy as fuel.

When the process finished, Ikki felt something change within him. He realized his new innate ability had intertwined with his very soul, becoming an intrinsic part of his being. This ability allowed him to grant a portion of his soul to someone, infused with a specific power.

However, contrary to what might be expected, this didn't weaken him in the slightest. On the contrary, it was beneficial. It was as if his soul expanded and evolved with each shared fragment.

The true peculiarity of this power revealed itself when he understood its final effect: those who received a fraction of his soul and died would return to him, bringing with them all the knowledge and experience they had gained. He could also retract the portion of his soul at will, the cost being the death of the recipient.

Another aspect of this ability was that regardless of any sealing, draining, or negation of his physical and spiritual capabilities, he could restore them over time. The most frightening power of this ability was its capacity for absorption. If he touched another being, he could completely assimilate them, absorbing their abilities, their power, and everything about them. Weaker beings would be swallowed effortlessly, becoming part of him almost instantly. However, stronger beings would require more time and concentration.

After the initial surprise, a slight smile appeared on his face. He didn't mind the permanent loss of [Heaven's Sense] in exchange for this ability. It held far greater potential. And while assimilation seemed useless against gods at first glance, this power complemented that ability, as he could now consume existences *beyond* concepts, including god-like beings.

He named this ability [Fragmented King] because it felt right.

While he waited for his energy to recover and the campers to awaken, he pondered several things.

An hour later, Percy's eyes flickered open. He felt a slight sense of disorientation as he tried to understand what had happened. His last clear memory was of fighting a Kraken and a Titan who was using it as a mount.

Oh, right, he was in Ikki's illusory world!

He sat up quickly and looked around, seeing Nico still lying beside him with a mischievous grin on his face, and Bianca, who looked a bit disoriented but was quickly regaining her composure. Both were waking up, just like him, and all three were in the same spot where they'd been transported to the illusory world.

"Are you two alright?" Percy asked, rubbing his eyes and trying to dispel the strange sensation that lingered in his mind.

Living a year in an hour was strange by anyone's standards.

Nico, however, seemed much more energized. He sat up quickly, eyes shining with excitement.

"That was awesome!" Nico exclaimed, looking at the others. "A whole year in that world… and it felt so real! The feeling of training all the time…"

He grinned at Ikki, who was standing before them.

"The training was incredible! I could spend more time there!"

The boy seemed as energetic and cheerful as ever, but there was a calmer glint in his eyes.

Percy grimaced, still recovering from the feeling of being lost in time.

"I…" He thought for a moment. "I don't know, man. I think it was too intense for me. I spent so long training this time and… I don't know, it felt like time wasn't passing. It was like living another life…"

He didn't seem to have changed physically, but the way his body moved indicated that his senses were much sharper, and he seemed to have improved considerably. He now looked like a true warrior.

Bianca sighed and, characteristically, shook her head in disagreement.

"I just wanted to sleep." She stood up with a weary sigh, her shoulders slightly slumped with exhaustion. "Seriously, a lifetime of training? I'm good, but I'm not a robot! That was too much. And the feeling of not being able to escape… What a crazy idea!"

She appeared more confident, no longer a girl swallowed by responsibility.

"I said it would be intense," Ikki said calmly.

Percy sighed, still processing what had happened.

"Intense is an understatement. I… I don't know if that was right. I mean, it wasn't like a quick break, you know? It was like a whole lifetime in the blink of an eye."

"For me, it was perfect! I learned so much, and I really feel like I've improved. Everything becomes more real when you have so much time to train." Nico looked at Ikki with respect. "It was a great opportunity."

Ikki looked at him for a moment before simply nodding in approval. He obviously hadn't created a high-difficulty illusory world for Nico, which was why he was so excited about the experience compared to Bianca and Percy.

"Well, I guess… You're right, Nico," Percy said with a strained smile. "But seriously, I think I'm going to need some coffee after all that."

Nico laughed, clearly pleased with the results of the training, while Bianca still seemed exhausted but relieved to have survived.

Ikki observed the three with a slight smile before speaking.

"I want to test something. Stay still."

The three, still slightly weary from the previous experience, exchanged glances but didn't hesitate to follow his instructions. Ikki raised his hand, and with a precise snap of his fingers, glowing orbs appeared above his palm. Each one pulsed with a unique energy, carrying a fragment of his own soul.

Before they could react, the orbs shot towards them. Percy instinctively stepped back, Nico's eyes widened in surprise, and Bianca frowned, but none of them had time to avoid them. The orbs passed through their chests and merged with their very being.

Immediately, information imprinted itself onto their minds. They didn't need to ask what it was or how it worked. They simply *knew*.

Percy felt an immense weight settle over him, but without any negative impact. It was as if he'd become a part of the ocean itself: dense, implacable, yet still agile. His skin felt tougher, his balance perfect, and a deep instinct told him he could shape and manipulate water in ways he'd never imagined.

Nico felt his shadow expand, becoming *more*. He now possessed a space within it, a domain where he could move freely. With a mere thought, he knew he could become intangible by shifting parts of his body into the shadow or even conceal himself completely, dragging allies or enemies with him. Moreover, any place he'd visited before could be accessed again through this shadow space, far more easily than with his old shadow travel.

Bianca felt an instinctive understanding of her new ability. Her eyes fixed on Ikki, and her mind reflexively tried to analyze him, but something blocked the creation of poison. However, for any other being, mortal or immortal, she could now develop a unique, lethal poison tailored to her target. A touch, or even a scent, would be enough to imbue an enemy with a fatal toxin. Furthermore, any blow she struck would now carry a paralyzing effect similar to a spider's bite, severing neural signals for movement while leaving the sensation of pain intact.

They looked at each other, absorbing it all. There was no need for words or explanations—the connection to the power was instinctive.

Ikki crossed his arms and observed them silently. The powers he'd granted them were reflections of his own soul, tailored to them: shadows, weight, and poison, all stemming from the concepts he had materialized. His eyes scanned their reactions. Percy looked awestruck, Nico was brimming with enthusiasm, and Bianca was deep in thought.

Each of them began to test the limits of their newfound power.

Percy, the most curious, seemed to have the greatest immediate control over his ability. He experimented with adjusting his weight, starting with a slight pressure on his body that sunk his feet into the sand, then progressively increasing it until he felt his durability increase without losing mobility. It felt like becoming a moving ocean, but with complete control. The healing power seemed to flow through his skin and muscles, making him more resistant to any attack, and he could feel his connection to water was stronger than ever. He grinned, pleased with the new ability.

"I can control my weight? This is… amazing!" Percy said, his voice full of excitement. He adjusted his weight to a lighter level and grinned at the others. "Thanks, Superman. But since when can you give other people powers?"

"It's through magic. I learned it over time and wanted to test it now."

"..."

"..."

"That's so overpowered! You still have to teach me how to do magic, Superman."

Meanwhile, after testing his new capabilities, Nico was equally impressed, but he seemed more enthused, his smile lighting up his face.

"This is… incredible! I can teleport parts of my body into the shadows, and no one can touch me!" He said, laughing with excitement. "This is going to be so much fun!"

Bianca, on the other hand, was contemplative, silently testing her new powers by touching her own hands and feeling the poison already flowing within her. A lethal dose for her little brother was already formulated, which sent a shiver down her spine.

After a few moments of them testing their new abilities, Ikki sighed, watching Percy, Nico, and Bianca act like children who'd received Christmas presents.

"The rest of the day is yours. Experiment with your abilities, test the limits. I want to see how far you can go."

Percy raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously? *You*, Ikki, are giving us a day off?" He remembered the time his friend trained him during his first summer at Camp Half-Blood. There were no days off for the son of Zeus. Spartans were gentler in comparison.

"It's not a day off, it's training," Ikki corrected, crossing his arms. "But yes, enjoy."

Nico grinned, already imagining the possibilities of his new ability. Bianca seemed more focused, while Percy was already planning how to test his control over the "Oceanic Force," as he'd dubbed his ability.

Ikki simply nodded and walked away, waiting for the remaining campers to wake up.

When the others began to regain consciousness, the complaints were immediate.

"What… happened?" one of the Ares children groaned, rubbing his head.

"I had a really weird dream. I was running from the God of Erections," a Hermes kid mumbled, still dazed.

"It was Ikki," an Apollo child scoffed. "Of course it was Ikki."

Slowly, they remembered the year they'd spent in the illusory world. The campers then turned their gazes towards Ikki, waiting for instruction.

Ikki simply raised his hand, and once again, glowing orbs of light appeared in the air. This time, they were smaller fragments of energy, much less potent than those he'd given to Percy, Nico, and Bianca. They flew towards each of the demigods.

As soon as the particles touched them, a warmth spread through their bodies. Their muscles strengthened, their speed increased, and even their instincts felt sharper. They felt energy pulsing through their veins, as if they'd been rebuilt from the inside out.

Some clenched their fists, feeling their newfound strength, while others took small leaps, surprised by their agility.

"What the hell was that?" one of the campers asked, eyes wide.

"A gift," Ikki replied impassively. "You are now much stronger than before. You can lift cars or trucks effortlessly, reach a level where you can destroy buildings with punches or kicks, run faster than a bullet, even reach the speed of sound, heal from serious injuries in minutes… and your connection to your inherited powers from the gods has also been enhanced. You'll be able to use your powers more efficiently."

The silence was broken only by the sounds of campers experimenting with their new strength. An Ares child crushed a rock in his hand. A Hermes daughter vanished from sight in a blink, reappearing meters away.

"This is insane…" a camper murmured.

Ikki observed their reactions, satisfied. He had given a smaller portion of his soul to these campers compared to what he'd given Percy, Nico, and Bianca. It was an experiment, a way to test how far he could share his power without creating a specific ability. Still, the effect was clear: the demigods were on another level now.

"Train," Ikki said simply. "This can be improved over time."

With that, he left the arena, heading towards the remaining campers at Camp Half-Blood to bestow upon them similar gifts.

The campers in the arena were still absorbing everything, but one thing was certain: with this newfound power, they could crush any monster that crossed their path.