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High School DxD Fanfic: Chapter 8 - Baptism of Steel (Part 2)
(POV: Kai)
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The next day, I could barely stand.
Every muscle in my body screamed.
Cuts, bruises, and broken bones layered my skin like battle medals.
But I was smiling.
I had felt it yesterday — a new sense awakening inside me.
Observation.
Awareness.
Haki.
The beginning of something greater.
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Azazel stood at the center of the training field, arms crossed, looking at me like a strict mentor... or an executioner.
"Good morning, future conqueror," he smirked.
"Ready for your next lesson?"
I nodded grimly, stepping into the center of the field.
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Azazel's face grew serious.
"Yesterday you awakened the ability to feel the flow of battle with your soul. That's just the first step."
He snapped his fingers.
A black sphere floated into the air.
It pulsed with dense, oppressive energy.
"Today," Azazel said, "you'll learn how to harden your soul into armor."
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I stared at the orb.
It gave off a feeling that made my skin crawl.
"What is that?"
Azazel smiled.
"A little toy I created. It's designed to strike directly at your spiritual body.
No physical damage.
Only soul-level destruction."
I paled.
He laughed.
"Don't worry. You'll survive... probably."
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Without warning, he tossed the orb at me.
BOOM!
It struck my chest like a freight train.
I dropped to my knees instantly, gasping.
It felt like something was trying to rip my very spirit apart from the inside.
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"Defend," Azazel said lazily, hands in his pockets.
"Use your will. Harden it. Coat your soul like steel."
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Gritting my teeth, I forced myself up.
The Frost King Sacred Gear flared weakly, trying to heal me, but it wasn't enough.
This wasn't an attack against my body.
This was war against my spirit.
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I closed my eyes.
I remembered the feeling yesterday — sensing the world around me.
I dug deeper.
I visualized my soul.
I imagined it like a blade — pure, cold, unbreakable.
I poured my will into it.
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Another orb smashed into me.
I staggered but remained standing this time.
A faint shimmer — barely visible — covered my chest where the impact landed.
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Azazel grinned.
"There it is," he said, clapping once.
"Armament."
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But it wasn't perfect.
The coating was thin.
It flickered under pressure.
I had a long, long way to go before it could protect me fully.
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"Don't get cocky, kid," Azazel said, tossing another orb higher into the air.
"Until you can harden your entire body at will..."
He snapped his fingers.
"...you don't graduate."
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Montage of Hellish Training (next days):
I spent hours standing still while Azazel bombarded me with spiritual attacks.
Days of focusing all my energy on one arm, trying to solidify the soul coating.
Nights spent collapsed in the dirt, the Frost King spirit humming quietly to mend my broken will.
Every failure made the Golden Portals around me grow more restless — the treasures vibrating, urging me to get stronger.
Every small success made my Sacred Gear's mist grow denser, colder, more majestic.
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I was evolving.
Not just physically.
Not just mentally.
But spiritually.
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Mini Flashback Insert: (During training, Kai recalls Azazel's words.)
> "In ancient times," Azazel had said one night, tossing a bottle of sake at me,
"there were warriors who could fight armies with just their spirit. Who could shatter mountains, sunder seas, and crush the weak without lifting a finger."
"These arts aren't written in any magic books. They aren't part of the Devil or Angel systems. They're more primal."
"I call it... Soul Domination."
"But you..." he grinned.
"You might just be the first devil to master it."
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Scene Break: One Month Later
I stood shirtless in the middle of the field.
Scars covered my body.
Golden portals floated behind me like a royal procession.
Azazel smirked.
"Alright, King of Ice," he said, cracking his knuckles.
"Let's see it."
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I breathed in deeply.
Focus.
Frost King Sacred Gear activated — a slow, misty glow surrounding me.
Golden Portals rotated gently.
And then — I summoned all my will.
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A shining, invisible armor coated my body.
It wasn't magic.
It wasn't physical.
It was my soul, hardened into a shield.
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Azazel punched me in the gut at full speed.
BOOM.
The ground cracked beneath me.
But I didn't move an inch.
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I exhaled slowly, mist escaping my mouth.
Azazel whistled.
"Congratulations," he said.
"You've mastered beginner Armament Haki."
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(End of Chapter 8)
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