Duality (DxD) (Part 1)

Ch 124 - The Journey

The train arrived and all the students pilled on with haste. Everyone took their seats, sitting next to their friends as the train departed. The teachers were sitting in a different compartment from the students and a single compartment was full of students. Extending to other compartments, so everyone in the compartment full of students could be as loud as they wanted talking to friends.

Jin was sitting at the end of that compartment. Looking out of the window with Mittelt on his lap and Akeno sitting beside him. Rias was sitting with Sona and the rest of her peerage were sitting behind her. They had all spoken before and made plans of what to do in Kyoto, but now, despite all the talking and shouting among other students. There was silence in Jin's mind. Looking out of the window of the fast-moving train.

However, Jin didn't get much silence nowadays.

Mittelt: Jin.

Mittelt said looking at Jin leaning on the window and looking out of it. It wasn't a large window, but he could see enough to be taken by the scenery. A scenery he missed the first time he travelled this path.

Mittelt: Jjjjjiiiiinnnnnn.

Mittelt poked Jin's cheek as his eyes slowly moved to look at her. Looking at her smile and giggle. Slowly he turned around and looked at her, looking at her bright smile.

Jin: Yes?

Mittelt: Could you help me with something I've been struggling with?

Jin: More homework?

Mittelt: No not that! I mean I've been struggling to improve lately.

Jin: With your spearmanship?

Jin said looking confused as Mittelt had been doing very well on her spearmanship. It was made for her. She was doing extremely well learning it and she was very good at using it while fighting. But it wasn't that as she shook her head.

Mittelt: It's not that I'm having a problem with it. The opposite actually. I'm doing well and I don't know how to improve further. It feels like my improvement is getting slower and slower.

Jin: That's because you're reaching a wall on your spearmanship.

Mittelt: A wall?

Mittelt said tilting her head and looking in confusion. Personally Jin had never reached this wall. He had points of struggle creating new techniques, but he never struggled to work hard and grow stronger. Jin did not doubt that Mittelt was working hard. He saw her training often. Mittelt was struggling with growing stronger.

Jin: Ban told me it happens when someone reaches a point of no further improvement. Where you become so good at a technique, there's no room for improvement. I'd say you're getting close to that wall, but you're not there yet. However, there are always methods of improving.

Mittelt: How?

Jin: There's no such thing as a perfect technique. There will be weak points or openings. Areas of improvement. You could try and improve on your technique, improve on those openings and weak points. But many times it causes more problems. Covering one weak point can lead to two more.

Mittelt listened to Jin but didn't hear much hope on how to improve. She wasn't like Jin. She could learn martial arts and learn methods of fighting but she wasn't a martial artist. She couldn't cover "weak points", she didn't know the first thing about improving martial arts. She knew how to exploit weak points but that's as much easier than improving on them.

But there was hope for her.

Jin: However, for you, I wouldn't consider trying to improve your martial arts. It was made for you and your spear. I wouldn't consider trying to learn other techniques, doing so can often cause you to stray from your roots. You gained your new pair of wings developing your understanding of your spear and using techniques with it instead of just throwing it. You constantly solidified your magic power into a tough spear. I would say it's time to go in the opposite direction, expanding on your view.

Mittelt: The opposite direction?

Jin: You could say the number of spears a Fallen Angel can summon at one time decides their power, correct?

Mittelt: Stronger Fallen Angels can summon more spears at the same time, yes.

Mittelt said as that was a good measurement of a Fallen angel's power. Not just how many wings they had, but how many light weapons they could create at one time. More wings indicated high levels of power and more strength. So did the quantity of light weapons created, at one time.

Jin: But that is only when you consider creating them at their base power. A standard amount of power you need to summon your standard spear. But what I'm thinking of is summoning many small spears, at less power. It's something that requires finer control over your magic. Creating something small is a lot harder in magic than creating something big or making something denser. When you get used to summoning many small spears at that small level of power, you can put more power in. Compare it to making many needles, and then increasing the density of those needles. I think it would be an effective method of training your magic power, your control over magic and getting used to summoning many spears at the same time. A method to further improve, without taking away from your Raven Inscription style.

Mittelt looked at and in a few blinks, there was silence. But that wasn't because Jin was saying something otherworldly to her, it was because she was amazed by Jin. If she didn't already know him, she might have assumed he was a Fallen Angel giving away high-level training secrets. Because she couldn't find a single flaw in his idea. In fact, it was genius. Jin understood the standard attack, creation and abilities of Fallen Angel's light weapon. But out of that basic information, Jin had made a great training regiment. One that would help any Fallen Angel, grow stronger.

Improve.

For it, he received a small smile from Mittelt and a kiss. Leaving her to sit back down on Jin's lap properly. Getting comfortable on it so she could think over ways she could practice that and her Raven Inscription style, together.

Akeno: Now I'm feeling left out, how do you think I should improve~?

Akeno said holding onto Jin's arm. Pressing her breasts onto him. But as he turned to her, he only had a few words to say.

Jin: Learn how to fight.

Akeno: Huh?

Jin: You're a queen piece. As a queen piece you not only have the strength of a rook, but the speed of a knight and the increased magic of a bishop. Yet you only perform long-distance combat with magic. My biggest recommendation to you is to take advantage of your strength. You're much stronger than any normal supernatural being and you can be a lot faster if you train.

Akeno looked at Jin unable to say anything. He caught up on the fact she completely neglected close combat fighting just from seeing her fight once. Pointing out where she was lacking. If she improved on it, she could become a lot stronger.

Akeno: Well I'll try. Maybe... we can work out in bed together~.

Rias: Back off Akeno!

Rias said leaning over past Sona and looking at Akneo giggle and pull in closer to Jin. Teasing Rias at where she sat, because she got to sit right next to Jin. Showing all the perks of it. Hugging close to Jin.

Sona: How can I improve Jin?

Sona asked curious to see if there was a way a king like her, a tactical magic user like her could improve. Even if Jin didn't use magic by Youjutsu, he used it in a similar form. Sona knew Jin was much better at Youjustu than he actually showed. Jin just preferred close combat.

Yet with Sona asking how to improve, a wave of people wanting to improve, and grow stronger came to Jin.

Rias: Me too!

Tsubaki: I wouldn't mind hearing how I can improve.

They all said as Jin spent the whole time telling people how to improve. Telling them ways they could get stronger.

He would get his relaxation during the school trip.

At least, that's what Jin thought.