Igor heard no more. Only felt the ever-expanding distance. The world was dark and the only light was him. The hourglass had fallen beyond his range, but something else had entered. It was faint, but he saw a myriad of colours coalescing like spilled paint.
It was a doming boundary that formed what Igor believed was the chamber's end. It would take him a long time, but he wanted to see that boundary with his own eyes before he left. The end was near.
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|DxD|- Chapter 83- Days Come Closer
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Time Chamber, 3 Months Later, 14 Years + 3 Months After Entry
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Vitality was a powerful energy intrinsic to humanity. It gave them power, speed, and durability to contend with the rest of the world. As a High-Class, Igor knew very well his strength was above the average. It was not arrogance nor was it confidence. It was an established fact.
Vital energy was extremely dense for it was lifeforce mechanised. What would be waste was turned into a weapon, and to make that weapon stronger, an even stronger foundation was needed.
Vitality came from blood, and the cells strengthened it. There was no meditation method or secret technique to improve it. Only forging the body through blood and sweat could strengthen it, for the stronger the body was, the stronger the vital energy it would produce.
Deeper than he'd ever ventured before, Igor was awash in a hailstorm of erratic weather that followed no laws. Blizzards and heat waves were constants. The temperatures could make the blood freeze or boil on a whim.
There was no rhyme or reason. Frost and thaw were like revolving doors. There was no gradual heating or cooling. Cold would strike with the same momentum of an ice age, even when an astonishing heat occurred just seconds ago. The weathering of hot and cold had nearly driven Igor to madness for his body once could not endure…once.
"Hhup!"
Igor pushed himself off the ground with great difficulty. He was doing single-armed pushups and was facing great struggle. His body was impervious to the roaring thunder and lightning. What once chipped his skin could barely graze it.
It was gravity that gave the biggest obstacle. Muscle and bone could be strengthened, but internal organs would always lag behind.
"S-Siixxx!"
Igor grit his teeth and pushed up once more. He rose, yet his heart wanted to stay behind. It pressed his lung and pushed against his chest. His vitality was ever-busy healing the little tears in his veins and arteries. A little internal bleeding never hurt the same way as giving up when he had the means. Otherwise, why would he waste so many months learning to heal himself?
"S-Se….seven!!!"
His arm wobbled and his muscles were tense. Veins across his bare chest to his thighs bulged.
"I'm not getting to ten."
He squeezed out those words, hypocritical as they were, and switched to his left arm. He did more pushups, just barely managing to get to five, and switched again to equalise. He succeeded in the last repetition and let himself fall flat on the ground. He was grateful that it had a layer of ice, because his body was running hot.
"Curse you for ever starting this, Igor. You could've been in the cabin. But no. You wanted gravity training. Now look at yourself. You can't stop."
Indeed he couldn't. Whether it was childish aspiration or foolish pride, he wanted to emulate the gravity training of Dragon Ball. But he had no regrets. Two years since that decision, and today marked the day he finally reached a hundred-times gravity. He couldn't quite reach Vegeta's level, but fictional characters were always absurd.
"At least I reached Goku's level. If I had a power level, it should be close to a hundred-thousand, right? Hehehe…"
He laughed weakly. He really was becoming delusional for comparing himself to a manga character. The gravity was to blame for scrambling his brain.
Igor laid there for the next coming minutes. Vitality was hard at work rejuvenating him. Training never ended, and he wouldn't stop. There were nine months remaining. What surprise would his family have if they saw him. They'd definitely be proud. That, he was sure of.
"Let's do one more, Igor. Then we call it a day."
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|DxD|
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19/Oct/1997- February 2, 1998, Kuoh Town, Japan
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A calendar was nothing more than an inanimate object. It hung on the wall of a hallway, fulfilling its duty of showing dates and holidays.
But this calendar wished it could grow legs and run for a bright girl had her face pressed against it. Violet eyes sparkled on this Monday morning, her excitement so palpable even school could not quell it.
"Akeno!"
"Coming, mama!"
Akeno gave one last look at the calendar and then ran outside. It was a cold winter morning and the car rumbled in the quiet. Shuri closed the garage door and motioned for Akeno to come over.
"Were you looking at the calendar again?"
"Yes! Big brother will be coming back very soon!"
"Mn. He will."
Akeno quickly entered the car and Shuri took the driver's seat soon after. She was so excited she couldn't sit still. As Shuri reversed, she stood up from the back seat and excitedly proclaimed.
"Apu will be coming in…TWELVE days!"
"Yes he will, Akeno. You won't cry when he comes, right?"
Shuri asked teasingly and Akeno puffed her cheeks.
"Hmph. I won't cry. I'll blast him with my lightning—ow!"
Akeno held her nose and had a face full of grievance.
"Mama…"
"Don't 'mama' me, Akeno. Igor is your big brother and you will respect him as such. So don't talk badly, okay? Otherwise I'll tell him not to come back."
"No!"
Akeno grabbed Shuri's shoulder.
"I'll…I'll be good, mama. So please tell big brother…please tell him to come back. I won't hit him…"
"My baby girl."
Shuri straightened her steering and quickly turned back to peck Akeno on the forehead.
"Big brother Igor loves you very much. So always know he will never leave you, Akeno."
"But he did leave, mama…"
"Oh, sweetie…"
Shuri sighed.
"You'll grow up and understand some day. Igor had to do it. But he won't do it again. Once he comes back, he won't need to leave again. So chin up, alright? What would he think if he saw you sulking? He might even run away."
"Noooo, mama. Stop teasing me."
"Fufufu~."
The drive to school was long, but the days until Igor's return shrank. The 14th of February was a date Shuri and Akeno firmly kept in their hearts. Her daughter wanted to see her big brother. And she only wanted to see her little boy. Her only hope, was the time he spent did not change him too much.
Chapter 83
END