Chapter 11 - 11: Close Yet So Far

Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.

Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.

The familiar characters you see here belongs to their respected authors and owners.

'thoughts'

"Active skill name or magic spell"

'Active skill name or magic spell in thought'

"Activation phrase"

'Activation Phrase in thoughts'

"speech"

*action*

time*

noise*

Gaia/gamer system talking

[Skill Name] - Passive or Active - Lvl.1/100 - EXP: 0% - MP cost: or none

[Item Name] - Rank: F- to EX - Durability: 1 to Unbreakable - ATK: 0 to N/A

Description: Info on the item

[Title] - Info

Chapter 11: Close Yet So Far

The next day*

Day 57: Can't Believe It

(Continent: Europe: Country: Scandinavia)

After waiting for a long time after gaining [Qi]; well, [Sword Qi], I had stopped myself from trying to see if I could use those cultivation manuals from my clan, that I've read over the years before giving those to my little sister to learn. Since she already has the ability to gather [Qi] from the universe while I was crippled without the ability to cultivate.

Countless cultivation manuals, but none I couldn't train in, even the external body cultivation manuals that were infamous for its torture methods just to make the body produce its own [Qi]. But, failed me because some of those requirements are to eat spiritual herbs or pills filled with [Qi] to help jump-start the body to get the feeling of [Qi] before the body could produce its own.

Sadly, all items related to [Qi] didn't work on me. Making those infamous external body cultivation manuals useless to me as well.

Now, that my body contains the energy source known as [Sword Qi]. I wonder if I could train in those cultivation manuals, to improve my physical body without having to resort to extreme training methods and life-threatening just to increase those physical stats naturally.

But, I have no clue if these cultivation manuals would work for me. Since I don't possess these manual physically for me to absorb since I can't create my own skills at all. Which was one of the biggest restrictions placed on my Gamer's ability.

"Esdeath. Honey. Do you mind if I take one of your notebooks?" I asked my wife as a thought just pop up in my brain since I can't create any skill. Why not [Skill Book]?

"Hmm? Yeah, sure. Why do you need them for though?" Esdeath uses her limited access to the [Gate of Babylon] and hands me a blank notebook, along with a pencil to go with it.

"I want to see if I could create my own [Skill Book] for my Gamer's ability to absorb." I said to my wife, as I start writing down all the details about one of the skills I always wanted to get when I first read about it. And hope it would work or this would be a waste of time.

5 hours later*

If it wasn't for my INT and WIS stats higher than I had before. My memory unrelated to some subjects wouldn't be easy to memorize. So, it's a good thing I placed some stat points into those two stats as writing down all the information on the skill I wanted down wouldn't be too incomplete due to not remembering everything about it.

"And done." I put down the pencil, then activate [Fiction Adaption] right away as I pick up the notebook that maybe or maybe not turned into a [Skill Book] after writing down all the information on that skill I picked, with a few modifications so I can use it.

DING!*

For figuring out how to solve one of your restrictions placed on your version of the Gamer's ability. As a result, your wisdom increased by 3.

DING!*

You have acquired a [Skill Book]!

Would you like to learn a modified version of [Touki]?

[Yes/No]?

I gave the mental command of yes over a dozen times already once I got this notification pop-up.

DING!*

Due to the player using one of the hidden features to create their own [Skill Book]. The hidden feature's restriction is activated. The player can only create their own [Skill Book] every 20 levels.

I blankly stare at the last notification window and my left eye started to twitch. Just discovering another way to gain a skill was a big thing, but finding out the restriction afterward was a bitter pill hard to swallow.

"Something wrong, dear?" Esdeath notices the bitterness on my face and watches the whole thing as the notebook I used to write down the skill I wanted, turned into dust after using it with [Fiction Adaption].

"I found out I could have created my own [Skill Book] this whole time, but there is a restriction of how many time I could do it and when I can." I started explaining my guess is that I may have to be at least the minimum of level 20 before I could create my own [Skill Book] if the restriction made it so I could only make my own every 20 levels.

Similar to the skills I gained from the [Universe of Knowledge] inside my [Fiction Adaption], where I could only get each skill from different [Universe of Knowledge] every 10 levels.

Esdeath wince at this, seeing so many restrictions placed on her husband's Gamer's ability, but knew they couldn't do anything about it. So she just rubs her husband's back in comfort.

"So what kind of skill did you pick?" Esdeath's curiosity returns again and wonders what her husband wrote down a notebook before turning it into a [Skill Book].

Hearing Esdeath's question broke me out of my sad thoughts and bring up the new skill I just got.

[Touki - Gamer's Version] - Active - Lvl.1/100 - EXP: 0% - HP/Sword Qi cost: Varies

Description: This is an ability that allowed one to create an aura of life force that they will wear around their body or external objects, to increase their attack, defense, and speed tremendously. Training one's body to the uttermost limits will increase user's skills in manipulating their life force and can even allow the user to counter magic attacks by punching or otherwise striking them. Also, this skill was modified to include a few more effects.

1st Effect: Increase STR, END, and AGI by (level) per hour. Cost: (level/2)% HP per second.

1st Effect's Requirement: Require user to stay in motion the whole time.

2nd Effect: Increase STR, END, and AGI x (level). Cost: 1 [Sword Qi] per second.

3rd Effect: Increase object's attack, duration, and speed by (level)%. Cost: 100 [Sword Qi] per second.

4th Effect: Locked (Require level 100)

Other Effects: Locked (Require 4th Effect unlock)

I share what skill I picked to Esdeath, causing her to look at me with a blank expression. For some reasons, I did not like this at all.

"So it likes your [Meditation], but opposite and focuses more on your physical stats, with you losing your health point while using the skill. Are you sure your not a mȧsȯċhɨst?" Esdeath had this weird glint in her eyes once she heard about how harmful and helpful to her husband.

"Only towards training!" I quickly reply before Esdeath gets some bad thoughts about switching roles during our sėx time. I will not go through that path at all.

Esdeath smirk at this, but was just messing around with her husband. Maybe. "Now, that you have a skill to improve your physical stats. How about your mental one? Like INT and WIS stats? MAG you got that cover with [Meditation]."

"No clue. I guess I have to find a library or something to read who knows how many books to increase those stats of mine." I know that one of the methods I could try, but never got the chance to try it out.

"Now. How about dinner? I can work on my physical stats with [Touki] tomorrow." I said to my wife, where it's night time already and took me too long to make just one [Skill Book], but worth it.

"Alright. Hope you like steak for dinner." Esdeath walks over to the area, we placed a dinner table and two chairs near the left side of the log house, with a window next to it. As the couch is in the opposite of the area we mostly have dinner at. In the center of the log house is our bed.

"We always have steak for dinner, though. Almost the entire week, dinner is mainly steak or something with meat." I said to my wife, as I follow her to the dining area and sit in my chair, with the window on my left.

"I haven't heard any complaints from you before. Unless you want something else for dinner?" Esdeath sits in front of me in her chair, where she places place both her elbows on the table and fold her fingers together, then place her chin on them as she looks at me with an eyebrow raise.

"Nope. Just wondering if you were going to cook something else today since you got those cookbooks we got for you." I said to Esdeath, who looks like she considered the idea of making something else for tonight's dinner.

"Nah. I'm not in the mood making anything. So we just eat the one I've already made back in my universe. May as well when there are still more enough for us to eat for a while." Esdeath didn't really feel like cooking today and start taking out plates of food onto the table with her limited access to the [Gate of Babylon].

"Okay." I didn't really mind when I don't really need to eat and now only eating them for the taste. Since it looks like anything not made from the Gamer's ability wouldn't turn into an item with bonus stats attached to them. Like giving me a buff of HP regeneration increase or act like a potion for healing.

The next day*

Day 58: Shocking Result!

(Continent: Europe: Country: Scandinavia)

Last night, I didn't get the chance to use [Meditation] due to Esdeath's sėx drive acting up. Which led to a long session of sėx until it was morning. Worth it, though. No complaining from me as this is more sėx than I ever have back in my universe.

But, same as before only her mouth or on her body since she rather not have to continually deal with leaking spėrm coming out of her pussƴ and buŧŧhole.

Esdeath had decided to sleep in today while I made sure to cover her nȧkėd clean body, where she took a bath before going to sleep, with a blanket after Esdeath made me give her a morning kiss before doing my morning daily things to prepare myself for the day, then going outside to test out [Touki] for the first time. And wonder if the way to gain EXP for [Touki] would be the same for [Meditation] or not.

Checking for my HP and MP is full, then activate [Touki] while going through the katas of [Renewal Taekwondo].

DING!*

You lost 2.7 HP from using [Touki]!

I continue to gain the notification windows of losing 2.7 HP per second due to under the 1st Effect of [Touki].

Not bothered by this as I have a total of 540 HP, which would last me around 3 minutes before I need to eat the air to restore my HP back to 100%. Since I can't really use [Sky Dragon Slayer Magic]'s healing spells to heal myself and could only resort to eating the element of air as my own version of healing.

1 hour later*

DING!*

You have successfully activated the 1st Effect of the [Touki] skill and gained 1 STR, 1 END, and 1 AGI stats.

20 seconds of air I needed to eat in order to keep up this one hour of continue going through the katas of [Renewal Taekwondo] without stopping for a second. I didn't stop and continue using [Touki]. Furthermore, I gained 9 levels in [Renewal Taekwondo] without stopping for a single moment.

DING!*

You lost 2.75 HP from using [Touki]!

Yeah, the HP drain increased due to my HP max raised by a point. This makes the [Touki] draining my HP increase when my HP max increased. Making this a very dangerous skill use to train if I didn't have [Sky Dragon Slayer Magic] to help me out or I would have to find a way to heal myself through healing items. And those wouldn't last me that long afterward.

Furthermore, anyone could take advantage of me while I'm using the 1st Effect of [Touki], but it's a good thing I could pick which effects to activate for it. Same with the rest of my skills. Or else activating [Touki] would cause me to waste [Sword Qi] like nothing.

Doesn't matter; the rate I can eat the air while training is one second per minute. Which is plenty enough for me to train using [Touki]. My guess is that the rate for [Touki] to drain my whole HP is around 3 minutes. Even when my HP max continues to rise.

Sadly, that's only when [Touki] is at level 1. Once the level goes higher until [Touki] is at level 100. Then, the rate of the skill draining my HP won't be just small. It would be 50% of my HP per second as the result of having [Touki] at level 100.

Meaning, my life would be on the line every second. If I was too slow, I may end up dead at the end.

Lucky for me, that's a long way into the future. As the EXP I gain for [Touki] is same as [Meditation]. An hour per 1% EXP. Who knew that I would be so happy for leveling up one of my skills so slow. Then again, this skill is a double edge and could be one of the reasons for my death.

3 hours later*

I've already lost count of how many times I was close to death in so little time. Compared back in my universe; [Touki] gave me a new meaning of walking together with death. If I didn't keep track of how much HP I had remaining. I would be dead who know how many times now.

Under [Touki] I actually managed to level up [Renewal Taekwondow] to 41 shockingly. This by no means something possible in so little time. The only thing I could think this result was possible is under the effect of [Touki], with my life on the line. Even to the point of correcting my forms as I continue repeating some of the moves of [Renewal Taekwondo].

"Ragna! Lunchtime!" Esdeath broke me out of my focus into the training, causing me to stop for a moment and quickly deactivate [Touki] as I look where Esdeath is. Seeing her standing just at the front of the door, where she wears one of my black buŧŧon shirts she got me back in her universe. Since at the time, I didn't have anything else besides the clothes I wore when I came to her universe.

Right now, Esdeath wearing one completely unbutton, showing off her bȧrė brėȧsts, with only her nɨppŀės are hidden. Along with that, she wearing her blue pantie and that's it. Not even her socks as her feet are bȧrė.

"Coming." I said to my wife, as I walk back inside the log house once I eat another second worth of air to bring back my HP and MP to 100%.

1 hour later*

"So, is [Touki] any good?" Esdeath asks her husband while she enjoys the feeling of her fingers going through her husband's hair, with her husband's head on her ŀȧp.

"Dangerous. Very dangerous. Because if I'm not careful in the future. I may end up dead just because I wasn't paying attention at the time." I start explaining to Esdeath about how [Touki] drain me of my health point and I may end up dead within 3 minutes and the time would decrease further as the skill level increase later on. Furthermore, at max level. [Touki] would have a high chance of killing me due to 50% of my HP would be taken every single second while using [Touki] to train myself.

"Yike." Esdeath has knowledge over countless training methods and even go through some of them herself, but the [Touki] takes the cake. Just timing it wrong would lead to your death if you were careless. But, the benefits of going through it was worth the risk. As the saying goes, "The larger the risk, the greater the benefits. There is no free lunch. The effort might not reap the reward, but to gain reward, one has to invest first."

"Well, I won't stop you, but you must be very careful." Esdeath knew the risk, but she already has a good understanding of her husband's characteristic and she won't change that for anything. Better to be yourself than change for others.

"No problem. As long I'm outside in a clean air environment, then I have no worry beside making sure I don't miss my timing. Otherwise, I wouldn't train with [Touki]." I replied to Esdeath, to let her know I understood her worry.

"That's good." Esdeath smiles down at me as she continues running her right hand through my hair.

The next day*

Day 59: Hi New Pet

(Continent: Europe: Country: Scandinavia)

Yesterday, I didn't continue with [Touki] and resume creating more [Sword Qi]. Lucky for me, with an increased of my HP maximum capacity; I managed to create 400 [Sword Qi] bȧrėly. Double the result and with normal effort.

Of course, Esdeath chose to pick yesterday as her lazy/relax day and mostly just watch me while drawing a picture of me during the moment I was creating [Sword Qi].

Last night, there wasn't anything exciting and we just slept. Not even a quickie, which was a little weird, but we still held onto each other while we slept.

During the morning, I woke up to see Esdeath giving me a blowjob, which I was happy to receive and curious why Esdeath doing this. I got my answers afterward, where Esdeath just felt like it and the taste of my ċum actually calm her down for some reasons. So that's a thing. Weird, but something. Still weird though. But, I'm not complaining about getting a morning blow job today.

Afterward, we did our morning routine before start off our day. With me continue using [Touki] to increase my physical stats. While Esdeath, on the hand, decides to go on a little hunt for a few hours. Since she wanted to keep up her skills in hunting from rust.

Of course, this time I switch from [Renewal Taekwondo] with [Pumba]. Wanting to see if [Touki] would affect other skills' EXP gaining rate while training both skills together.

End Result: 9 hours; got [Pumba] to level 40 and stop gaining EXP afterward.

I honestly don't know if [Touki] is actually giving my skills bonus EXP while training them with [Touki]. But, I'm not complaining one bit. I just wonder why [Renewal Taekwondo] continues to gain EXP while [Pumba] stop at level 40.

But, I guess [Pumba] would need to be used on against others instead of just practicing with it, which I was mainly creating more [Sword Techniques] during those 9 hours while trying to get used to the improved version of my [Sword Techniques].

However, I made sure to keep it slow and only created two [Sword Techniques: Shatter Onslaught and Delusion Split].

Where [Shatter Onslaught] destroys a group formation and prevent them from reassembling that group formation that allows them to face a stronger opponent. For [Delusion Split]; this is similar to [Shatter Onslaught] and focus on destroying the enemy's defense and cause them to lose the flow of the battle. However, the [Delusion Split] is mainly used for single target unlike the first one.

Sadly, I had to quickly switch out countless of swords due to almost all of them being destroyed by these two [Sword Techniques] alone. And I couldn't use [Hundred Gauntlets] fast enough to prevent the swords destruction. As it was too fast before I could react and if I stop for a moment to use the [Hundred Gauntlets] to repair them. Then I would have to stop using [Touki] and wasted all that time. So, we're low on swords and may need to find a way to get more or just find a better training sword.

Well, at least I unlocked the next effect for [Pumba] at least upon entering level 40.

[Pumba] - Passive - Lvl.40/100 - EXP: 0% - MP cost: None

Description: This style covered a variety of weapons, including but not limited to: Staffs and Swords, along with other types of weapons. As long it can be counted as a weapon.

1st Effect: Gain [Basic Mastery] of all weapons the user's hand touches

2nd Effect: Give the user the ability to bend the weapon in impossible ways

3rd Effect: Gain access to [Weapon Technique Creation]

4th Effect: Gain [Intermediate Mastery] of all weapons the user's hand touches after 10 seconds.

5th Effect: Lock (Require level 60)

Other Effects: Locked (Require 5th Effect unlock)

Yup, thanks to the 4th Effect; I can now use moves of any weapons above the basics from this point on. As long as I hold it for 10 seconds, that is. If not, then just [Basic Mastery] only instead.

So after that was done. Esdeath returned the moment I leveled up [Pumba] to level 40. Where she returned with a grey wolf following behind her for some reason.

Now, I blankly stare at the grey wolf, which returns a stare of its own back at me.

Esdeath look amused at this. "You like my new pet? I named her Raubtier. Found her on the way back and she just starts following me after I treated her wounds when she just finishes going through a battle of multiple wolves by herself." Esdeath explains why there a female grey wolf follows her on the way home.

I look back down at the grey wolf and notice some bandages wrapped around the left ankle. Then, look back up at Esdeath with a blank expression.

"You name a female grey wolf, Predator?" I seriously wonder if all the names she planning to use for our future children would be related or just in a different language for the words: predator, hunter, or anything that sound strong in Esdeath's book.

"Of course, if I'm going to have a pet. Then, it will have a good name. Even if this pet is a little small." Esdeath looks down at the grey wolf, that lets out a whimper as if she understood Esdeath's words and trying to look pitiful. Like it wasn't her fault that she only at this size.

"Esdeath. This is a grey wolf. A normal animal, not a danger beast." I said dryly, causing Esdeath to snort at me for my comment.

"I know that. But, I feel like having a pet, and I can't just take you with me all the time to hunt and see how this little one decides to follow me. I found my hunting partner in this universe. Now, I just need to figure out how to train it without getting it kill midway into training." Esdeath looks offended at first, then explained her reasons why she wanted to keep it, and then, near the end, Esdeath wonders what types of training she would put the poor wolf through just so it could be at Esdeath's standard.

"So...are you planning to go out hunting pretty much every day then? Since this wolf needs to eat and I don't think we have any raw meats in the [Gate of Babylon] that won't kill it." I was talking about the danger beasts' corpses, still fresh, inside the [Gate of Babylon]. Ready whenever Esdeath dėsɨrė to use them to make something out of them for us to eat.

"Why do you always ask dumb questions when you already know the answers to them?" Esdeath place both hands on her hɨps and stare at her husband with a bit of annoyance shown on her face.

"Sorry. I'm still stuck on the thoughts about how in the world you got a wild, untamed grey wolf to follow you without spending time with it for who knows how long to gain its trust. In fact, why is this grey wolf not afraid of you or me?" I ask in a disbelief tone of voice, and who can blame me when wild animals should have a better instinct compared to a human and should be running away from Esdeath the moment it felt Esdeath's presence.

"Who knows." Esdeath didn't know and don't care about it. She just happens to have an animal partner to help her out during her hunts. Since her husband would be busy training his skills. And she rather makes sure her husband become strong enough to give her a challenge later in the future. Oh, yes, she can't wait.

"Well, okay then, just make sure it doesn't leave any mess in the house. Because I rather not clean after it. Unless you want me to put the log house back in the [Gate of Babylon] so I could use the [Dismantle] feature to clean up everything." I said to my wife, ignoring the growl coming from the grey wolf, who clearly could understand my words somewhat. Maybe this female grey wolf possesses more intelligent compared to common animals around this area.

"No worry, dear. Now, if you excuse me. I need to take a bath and Raubtier does as well. Come along now, Raubtier. It's time for your first-time bath." Esdeath said to me, before ordering her new pet to come with her inside the log house to take a bath with her.

The female grey wolf, now named: Raubtier, look like she wonders what a bath is and cautiously follow her new master into the weird den made out of trees.

Ignoring those two; I resumed my training and decide to stop training my swordsmanship and work on [Renewal Taekwondo] again with [Touki]. At least, with [Renewal Taekwondo] I can still earn EXP for it with the help of [Touki] and wonder what level would be at the limit until I need to use it to fight others.

End Result: 6 hours; got [Pumba] to level 50 and stop gaining EXP afterward.

The next day*

Day 60: Train Like No Tomorrow

(Continent: Europe: Country: Scandinavia)

Last night was a little awkward; and by that, I mean it was weird Esdeath's pet grey wolf sleeping on the bed with us. Thankfully, the wolf slept on our legs, but still weird.

In fact, the grey wolf even looks at us before it goes to sleep. Making it hard to sleep due to the grey wolf not blinking for a few minutes, and by then, it was almost morning before I could go to sleep.

It's a good thing I have [Gamer's Body] or I would be tired from the lack of sleep last night. Esdeath didn't seem to have any trouble, then again, she did had a danger beast as a pet back in her universe that slept near her tent almost all the time. So it wasn't that surprising.

"So, Ragna. How's your training going and when are we going to spar again? I'm itching to face you again. And I mean fighting, not sėx. Unless you want to later." Esdeath smile at me as she cleans up all the plates and places the dirty plates in the [Gate of Babylon] for me to clean in just a few seconds later.

"Pretty good. Just need to get my END stat into the 100s first before I could continue with my [Sword Qi] creating. Then, I have to work on my [Sword Intent] later. I've been leaving that alone for too long. As for our sparring match. I would say tomorrow or the day after tomorrow." I give Esdeath my estimate of how long I need before I could face her again.

"I see." Esdeath nod to herself, "Alright. I'll be out for a few hours. If you need me. Just use your title. I'll be back by lunchtime. Mind watching over Raubtier, for me? She still injures and will take a few days before it could be in good condition before I start her training." Esdeath looks at me with a small smile, showing that she won't take a no for an answer.

"Sure." I didn't really have a choice and just agree with my wife. Better agree with Esdeath for now and later she will take her pet with her once it all heals up.

"Wait!" I stop Esdeath before she leaves, causing Esdeath to sit back down as she looks at me with a confused look on her face. Waiting for me to speak about why she wanted me to stop her from leaving.

"I can just heal her. Forgot to do it last night, but I can do it now and you can take her with you without having to wait for Raubtier to recover." I just remember I have [Sky Dragon Slayer Magic] and could speed up the time for one's healing.

Esdeath blankly stares at me, then at Raubtier and back at me. "I forgot about that. I'm so used to waiting for others to heal. Either way, this is good. Go ahead. I guess I could train Raubtier's training today." Esdeath whistles her pet grey wolf to come over to her side, causing the grey wolf to perk up and carefully move towards us.

I raise my right hand towards Raubtier, causing the grey wolf to tense as my hand slowly get closer. Just as I was about to place my hand on the grey wolf's head; Esdeath's left hand caught the back of the grey wolf's neck, forcing it to stay still when it looks like the grey wolf was about to attack.

"Don't cause any problem now." Esdeath whispers to her little pet, causing it to whimper at this and accept its fate.

I place my right-hand on top of Esdeath's pet grey wolf and cast [Tier 1: Healing Wounds] and [Tier 1: Healing Body Stress]. Leaving out the [Tier 1: Healing Fatigue] as the grey wolf won't need that.

A few minutes later*

Both Esdeath and I stare at the grey wolf looking at me like I'm some divine being; well, that's what Esdeath and I got the way the grey wolf's mouth is still open a little and hasn't moved after Esdeath release the grey wolf's neck.

"Well, I have done my job. I'll be outside training. Good luck, Esdeath." I said to my wife, as I ignore the still shocked grey wolf and give my wife a kiss on the lip before going outside to start with my training.

"Kay." Esdeath said to her husband, then look down at her pet wolf and think up a few training methods.

Seeing how I can't level up my [Renewal Taekwondo] any longer by going through the katas alone, even with the help of [Touki]. Looking through my skills list to see which I could level upon without the resort of having to kill something or sparring with my wife to gain EXP for them.

'Stupid.' I slap my forehead once I look at my [Nabong Needle Ryu] skill and remember I could level it up if I were to use it similar to [Pumba]. After all, I just need to use those techniques I created from that skill. Too bad, the [Slayer Magic] doesn't follow this method to gain EXP.

Well, I hope it does. Since I remember an old manga/anime, that included using pressure points in their fighting styles, which is why I picked pressure points together with my family's martial arts back in my universe before gaining the Gamer's ability.

Then, I feel even more stupid at having these thoughts, because [Nabong Needle Ryu] still require using it on something. Even if it's not used on a human. It needs to be living beings, even animals, which I didn't think they had pressure points until [Nabong Needle Ryu] proved me wrong back in Esdeath's universe against those danger beasts.

So that's out as well. Closing down the window of [Nabong Needle Ryu] and look back at the other skills. Scrolling down, to check which one I should train in next with [Touki].

Ignoring the sound of the door opening and closing, where Esdeath and her pet walk off somewhere in the area around here.

Sadly, it looks like I ran out of skills to level up with [Touki]. Where some skills require special ways to gain EXP and others require using it on another living being or something that act as an enemy, to gain EXP for those skills.

So instead of wasting any more time. I train with [Renewal Taekwondo], even when I can't get anymore EXP for it while just practicing the katas. I'll continue to do them until I could do them by instinct alone and refine all of the movements until I switch between with just a thought.

The next day*

Day 61: Almost Over

(Continent: Europe: Country: Scandinavia)

15 hours into training yesterday. Even after 15 hours of using [Touki]; [Renewal Taekwondo] still didn't gain any EXP, not even 1%. Nonetheless, I continue on until Esdeath return and we had dinner before we go to bed.

Esdeath didn't say much about her training with her pet grey wolf, saying it's a secret for now and will tell me later on once I've finished my training and we could go out to hunt down Akuma. After all, even Esdeath won't be able to stay in a single place for too long.

Which is why we will come back here in this area every one or two months from now and stay just a week or so. Just to relax and maybe some extra training without any problems nearby interrupting our training.

After both Esdeath and I did our things together; we did our thing separate from each other. Not worry about the safety of each other from the absence of one presence.

12 hours total and I finally manage to raise END stat to 100.

The next day*

Day 62: Too Short, But Still Good

(Continent: Europe: Country: Scandinavia)

"You ready, Ragna?" Esdeath already has her ice sword made and ready to attack at any moment's notice.

On the side, there Esdeath's pet grey wolf, watching the two humans facing each other in a practice match.

"Yeah, I'm ready." I said to my wife as I limit myself to [Renewal Taekwondo], [Shundo], and [Time Alter]. Not like I haven't fought unarmed and without any special abilities before. Now, that I have them. I'll train myself with them until I master them to the point of being able to use with other skills without any problems.

So instead of Esdeath delivering the first attack like always.

I strike first and I've already appeared in front of her, much to her surprise at my shockingly fast speed.

[Shundo] with my current AGI stat; this would be more surprising to me if I couldn't even manage to catch Esdeath off guard with my speed. In fact, I would be disappointed with myself if I can't do something like surprise my wife.

[Renewal Taekwondo: Fist Strike: Spearfinger Version]. Fist strike is a [Renewal Taekwondo] version of a basic punch and can be used in rapid succession, but I changed to using with a single finger.

Breaking Esdeath's ice sword before she could even use it by pure brute force. This is to give Esdeath the hint to increase the durability of her ice weapons' thickness and make them keep their original shape without changing them too much. Which Esdeath have already done already from the last sparring match, but only making some ice weapons' sharpness better, not the durability.

Even now, Esdeath's ice sword look closer and closer to the same appearance of her long rapier. But, still, end up broken by just a single finger of mine.

I didn't allow Esdeath to catch her breath as I follow up with a [Renewal Taekwondo: Front Kick]. An upward kick with a lot of power behind it. But, I exchange power for speed, causing the power behind it to become less powerful than it should.

Kicking Esdeath right in the stomach, lifting her off the ground, where I should have aimed for her head instead like it was supposed to for lethal damage. Well, not like it would be that much lethal to Esdeath when I decreased the power in the kick for pure speed. But, enough power behind it to kick Esdeath off the ground.

I felt something cold behind. Not bother to turn around as I use [Shundo: Bo-Bup] to appear in front of Esdeath once, but in midair, as I use [Renewal Taekwondo: Scissor-Kick].

A jumping side kick, with the kick diagonally like a motion of scissors closing in. Landing in Esdeath's stomach once more, but instead of sending her back into the air, I send her back to the ground. Hard.

Activating [Time Alter: Double Accel], where I slowly watch ice spike coming from the ground around Esdeath's body, coming in fast and right at me, where I'm still in the air.

[Koku Shundo: Bo-Bup] solved that problem as I disappeared from Esdeath's views and appear next to her ice cage, protecting at the same time delivering an attack where I was at a moment ago.

[Renewal Taekwondo: Hwechook]. A kick that has gathered force through rapidly spinning on a central point and hits the opponent with balls/front of the foot.

However, I didn't need to gather the force in the first place due to the effect of [Koku Shundo: Bo-Bup] gathered the force for me already as I bring my right leg towards Esdeath's ice cage, sending a shockwave due to the power behind my spin kick.

However, Esdeath wasn't in her little ice cage. In fact, in the middle, there was a sign of an ice pillar made.

Multiple dots of shadow shapes appear around me and use [Shundo: Bo-Bup] to get out away from this spot, where multiple icicles rain down where I was at a second ago.

"Not bad." Esdeath's voice came from above me, where I notice Esdeath is using her Teigu to cover her arms and legs with ice to levitate herself above ground.

"Now, try dodging this!" Esdeath shouts in an excited tone, as she created more icicles from thin air, but hundreds of them instead of just a few dozens like before and fires them at me with just a thought from her mind.

Seeing all these icicles coming at high speed in a single area, with me in the center. I use [Sword Intent: Renewal Taekwondo: Dragon Sign Hwechook].

A heavily modified version of the original [Renewal Taekwondo], where the user concentrates their force on the foot which will execute the technique, crushing the ground, then channels the power to the tip of the user's foot. It would manifest itself as the wind that surrounds the user's leg that is used for the technique. Where if released upward, this technique becomes a whirlwind that surrounds the opponent.

Of course, I changed this part, where instead of just a whirlwind made from the wind from the surroundings. I pour 50 [Sword Qi] into this, which should be enough when I tested it a few days ago. Where 10 [Sword Qi] was enough to destroy a dozen trees from afar.

Now, with [Sword Intent] merged with this technique; I throw my kick upward, causing a whirlwind similar to the original technique, but within the whirlwind is the [Sword Intent] I managed to release outside my body. By using [Wave Swordless Form] and [Raise Swordless Form] together, with [Sword Qi] to stabilize them together without the help of [Pumba]'s ȧssistance.

Destroying all of Esdeath's icicles without any problem, as the whirlwind contains with [Sword Intent] slice through all the icicles like nothing.

However, I didn't pay attention to this and use [Renewal Taekwondo: Rising Back Kick], a technique that is performed when the user turns or has their back at their opponent. Where the user turns while kicking the opponent in the head.

And it just happens that Esdeath is behind me due to her using the first trump she created days ago. [Mahapadma]. The first trump card of [Demon's Extract], which froze space and time.

Sadly, Esdeath created an ice wall in front of her, to take the kick for her. As my kick destroyed the ice wall, leaving me temporarily defenseless at Esdeath's mercy, where she produced an ice spear and thrust it straight at my back.

Nonetheless, I just had to raise [Time Alter: Double Accel] to [Time Alter: Triple Accel] and use [Renewal Taekwondo: Lowest Hwechook] with my increased speed.

A technique that compensates for [Hwechook]'s primarily middle-upper body targeting, which made it predictable. This move is usually performed to dodge an opponent's attack at the upper body by ducking to the ground. Using this force the user does a 180-degree spin sweep kick that is parallel to the ground aimed at the opponent's feet.

Kicking Esdeath off her feet with a left spin sweep kick, who look at me with another shocked look on her face when she saw me increased my speed again. Leaving her open for me to sweep her off her feet.

Where I follow up with a [Renewal Taekwondo: Halla]. A technique that was performed by the main character used against another opponent, but was countered before it could show its effect. However, I discover it was an upward kick that's prepared for a powerful dropkick. But, the weakness of this technique is that it's too slow. Therefore, [Time Alter: Triple Accel] is the best counter to this weakness.

Slamming the right heel of my feet down on Esdeath's stomach, which I pretty much aimed for throughout this entire match. Sending Esdeath back to the ground like I did before.

Continue on my attacks; I move to Esdeath's left and use [Renewal Taekwondo: Fangs]. A technique attack performed by attacking with the elbows in a downward direction.

However, an ice wall appears before I could land another hit on Esdeath, but wasn't enough to stop me as my elbows broke down the ice wall without any problem.

Much to my confusion and shock; I found Esdeath missing and find my stomach pierced by a giant icicle, causing me to puke out blood.

"Huh, so blood does still show up when the damage is high enough. Good to know." I ignore the notification window popping up about telling me, that I'm losing HP at a fast rate due to a giant icicle stuck in my stomach.

"Yup. Good to know." Esdeath's voice came from my right, where Esdeath looks at me with narrow eyes and a smirk on her face. "Now, would you like to give up or should I start picking up the pace?"

Looking down at the giant icicle still stuck in my stomach, then at Esdeath. "Yeah, you win." The moment those words left my mouth. The giant icicle disappears and [Gamer's Body] quickly repairs the hole in my stomach instantly. Even my shirt was repaired too, but is covered in my blood.

"Okay, good. I can't use [Mahapadma] a third time and I could bȧrėly use my Teigu right now." Esdeath crossed her arms underneath her ċhėst, pushing up her bust.

"Wait. So that means I gave up when I had the chance to win, but only to give up because you were bluffing?" I look at my wife with a dumbfounded expression, causing Esdeath to laugh at me.

"Yup!" Esdeath knew her limit and using [Mahapadma] a second time, less than a few seconds after the first one would take a lot out of her and she just bȧrėly won this. Showing that her husband's training wasn't a wasteful time, even if it was a bit shorter than usual.

"Hmm. Well, I would have to say you need to work more on your speed in producing those icicles and make them even sharper than already are. Furthermore, try limiting to less than a dozen to improve your aim first. Along with that, if I'm guessing correctly. You trained yourself in using [Mahapadma] more after creating it instead of developing your other trump cards?" I look at my wife, who had this thoughtful look on her face as she thinking about my words and how to make them true.

"Yeah. If my prime version dies because of the duration of [Mahapadma] is limited enough for me to not find the enemy above me. Then, it would be a fatal weakness later on. So I trained myself to be able to use it more than once after the first ones and allowing myself to move faster than I could under the effect of [Mahapadma]." Esdeath knew she couldn't really move at her max speed while using [Mahapadma] and is working on it before she develops the other two trump cards for her Teigu.

"Anything, you want to say about me?" I ask Esdeath for her advice on what I need to work on while I have already got something in mind. It's good to have the opinion of others to give some insight for something to work when I can't see it myself.

"Yeah. You need to be more ruthless. I saw all your attacks always aiming for my stomach." Esdeath said this to me before she pukes up blood, but she still keeps her smile on her face like she saw this coming already.

I've already placed my hands over Esdeath's stomach and casting the three healing spells on her.

"The stomach is a bigger target for me to aim and could still kill someone by hitting there. The organs in the stomach would be fatal to you if I were to aim there with enough force repeatedly. All I did was send a bit of shockwave to your stomach more than once already. In fact, I'm surprised you were able to continue fighting after the first one. Usually, some people would die in just a few minutes and couldn't fight back at all due to the pain." I replied to Esdeath's unspoken question.

"I know that already. But, you already saw how I could still fight you even with this internal wounds you inflicted on me. And I still kept on going. So you need to be more ruthless and deal the maximum of pain while fighting. This way, the enemy could be easily captured due to not being able to fight back from the pain and be tortured for information." Esdeath still trying to make me a sadist like her.

When I would try my best to go for the finishing blow all the time, instead of trying to capture an enemy alive. Kill or be killed is the best motto I follow back in my universe.

"Okay." I decide not to argue with Esdeath, who nods in satisfaction. "Feel any pain?" I kept my hands on Esdeath's stomach while continuing using the three healing spells on her and ignore how my MP is already below 40% and going down fast.

"Just a little." Esdeath is willing to reveal how weak she is to her husband, after all, with the way she acts during their sėx time. Then, this shouldn't be any problem for her to accept the moment of being weak when she should always show to the world she's strong.

I stare at Esdeath for a few seconds before Esdeath looks at away, blushing a little.

"Okay, a lot." Esdeath mumbles to me, as she not used to acting like a weak person still and finally accept the feeling of being one of the weak like she was as a child.

I didn't say anything further and send all the remaining [Mana] into the three healing spells, causing Esdeath internal injuries to be healed up in a matter of seconds.

"Come on, let's go inside and get something to eat. I'll even come with you and your pet on a hunt. I'm pretty much-done training beside the need to create more [Sword Qi]. But, I can do that later." I notice how Esdeath is pouting that I forced her to feel weak when I knew she hated feeling weak, even if it with me, as she is a strong woman and not some defenseless one that needs to be saved.

"Oh, don't be like that, honey." I pull Esdeath into a hug, then give her a kiss on the lip, which she returns after I continue to keep my lip on her's until she makes it into a tongue kiss. And that last for a few seconds longer than it should.

"You still mad at me, for making you show a sign of being weak?" I look at Esdeath with my left eye and smile at her, causing Esdeath to blush again, but didn't look away as that would be a sign of weakness to her and she already shows herself being weak enough for today.

Esdeath keeps quiet and didn't say anything, in fact, she wanted to see what her husband would say to make her happy. Lucky for her, she good at memorizing things, or else, her husband would have found those books she read in the past and would have kept them in the [Gate of Babylon] for her to remember a few things, but since she doesn't need them. She doesn't have to worry about her husband finding out about those books.

Seeing how Esdeath still not speaking to me, then I guess I have to offer something better than going on a hunt with her later today or tomorrow.

"I'll let you pick when we come back here?" I said the first thing that pops up in my mind. "And let you keep more pets?" I honestly don't if letting Esdeath get more pets from this universe or not, because we may not be able to take them with us to the next universe once we gain control over an [Ark].

"Deal." Esdeath knew her husband had a hard time thinking about other things besides fighting, not like she could complain, but even she has other things to do than fight all day. Which are hunting and torturing living beings.

"By the way, was that [Sword Intent] you used together that whirlwind you use to counter my hundreds of icicles?" Esdeath remembers feeling like she getting stabbed by countless of swords when she saw the wind gathering around her husband's right foot before throwing a giant whirlwind at her before she had to use her trump card to move out of the way.

"Yup." I simply reply to my wife, who was surprised at this before she just shrugged her shoulders before dragging me to the log house, with the grey wolf following behind.

"Remind me again why you didn't use [Korosu] with your [Sword Intent]?" Esdeath ask me, as we enter the log house and had this thought on her mind for a few minutes after seeing me use the [Sword Intent] with my [Renewal Taekwondo].

"I tested it out yesterday, and I wasn't really surprised when [Korosu] devour the [Sword Qi] I tried to infuse it with [Sword Intent]. So yeah, pretty much useless to use [Korosu] with my [Sword Intent] if it just eats it before I could use it to attack." I replied to my wife's question with a bitter expression.

"Oh." Esdeath didn't think that would happen, but then again, the Teigu is known to devour all life force around it. So it wasn't that shocking, and so, Esdeath didn't bother to ask any other questions.

The next day*

Day 63: We Go And We Arrive

(Continent: Europe: Country: Scandinavia)

"Did you forget anything?" I ask my wife, as I have just finished putting the log house in the [Gate of Babylon]. No matter how much regret I have for picking this skill when it doesn't come with the treasures inside it. At least, it's great for upgrading my [Inventory] into a [Gate of Babylon] with other features to go with it.

"Nope." Esdeath replied to me, as she adjusts her long rapier on her hip. "Anyway, do you think the people we meet up during our journey would care about little Raubtier's presence?"

"Maybe?" I don't about the people in this universe would react to wild animals. "Who knows, but just to be safe. Make sure your pet stays within a few feet away from you at all time when we enter a town." Better be safe than sorry. Sorry for those town folks, because Esdeath would clearly kill them for trying to stop her from bringing her pet with her.

"Fine." Esdeath rolls her eyes at me, then whistle at her pet grey wolf to follow. And I guess she trained the grey wolf well enough to know some simple commands.

"Let's go. I want to see if we can find some higher level Akuma. Also, don't you need level 2 Akuma to rank up your [Dark Matter]?" Esdeath looks at me, with an eyebrow rise while she crossed her arms underneath her ċhėst, causing me to look at her brėȧsts when they're pushed up.

"Yup. Either one level 2 Akuma or a hundred of level 1 Akuma." I replied to Esdeath once I did a recheck on what I need to do in order to upgrade my [Dark Matter] to the next tier.

"What would happen if you ate like for example, 50 level 1 Akuma, then afterward, eat a level 2 Akuma? Would you advance to the next tier in your [Dark Matter]?" Esdeath wanted to be sure, then she would kill all the level 1 Akuma while leaving the level 2 Akuma to her husband to eat.

I tap my chin with my right index finger, thinking about it for a moment. "I'll say yes. Since either way, as long I have eaten the level 2 Akuma. It will automatically raise to the next tier, even if I'm just missing a single level 1 Akuma." I give Esdeath my honest guess, which could be the truth. Sadly, neither Esdeath or I could really tell with my Gamer's ability having who know how many restrictions placed on it before I got it somehow.

"We can test it out later in the future. Now, we resumed our journey." Esdeath picked a random direction and start walking towards that direction, with the grey wolf following Esdeath. Where we're heading east.

"Alright." I follow along and wonder what types of place we may end up in the future from now.