Devils Don't Fall in Love, Ch 132-136

Chapter 132 - The Devil Train

Chiba Prefecture, Nishi-Funabashi Station.

Located in Nishi-Funabashi Fourth District, Funabashi City, this station was jointly operated by East Japan Railway, Tokyo Metro, and the Toyo Rapid Railway. Five different rail lines stopped here, making it one of the most important transportation hubs in western Chiba Prefecture and even the eastern outskirts of the Tokyo metropolitan area. It was also the largest and busiest station in Chiba Prefecture.

Just as dawn was beginning to break, the station had already started operating, though its main entrances hadn’t fully opened yet.

Under such circumstances, Leo and his group appeared here.

“Haaah—”

As soon as they arrived, the servants from the Eligos House all yawned in unison, looking like they’d barely woken up and were still half-asleep.

“Do we really need to leave this early?” Utaha complained while yawning, dragging a large suitcase behind her. She was dressed in an academy-style outfit, looking every bit like a beautiful young artist heading out to gather inspiration.

“It’s not even light out yet.”

Yukino rubbed her eyes as well. Like Utaha, she was pulling a huge suitcase, but she wore a floral one-piece dress and high-heeled sandals, making her look as though she was about to head off on a seaside vacation.

“Looks like everyone’s exhausted.”

“We really should’ve had some tea first.”

Asuna and Mahiru seemed slightly better off than Yukino and Utaha, but they still looked like they’d just rolled out of bed, smiling wryly.

Naturally, they were also dragging suitcases. One was dressed in a more sharp, practical style suitable for movement, while the other was dressed conservatively, showing only her ankles. Even so, both were undeniably eye-catching beauties.

Leo, on the other hand, was yawning too—but he looked energetic and alert.

“What’s wrong?” Leo asked in confusion. “Did none of you sleep last night?”

At that, the girls all shot him resentful looks.

“How could we sleep?” Yukino said bluntly. “You suddenly told us to take leave for special training, didn’t explain anything clearly, and then just left. I spent the whole night tossing and turning, thinking about it.”

Utaha, Asuna, and Mahiru all nodded in agreement.

Because of what Leo said the day before, all four of them had requested long-term leave from school and even suspended their devil-related work. Yet none of them could fall asleep, left alone with their thoughts all night.

It was all Leo’s fault—for dropping a single line and walking away without explaining where they were going or how the training would work.

“That’s not really my fault, is it?” Leo said, spreading his hands. “For this training, I needed to communicate with the Underworld first and confirm the schedule before deciding on anything.”

“So it’s not that I didn’t want to tell you. At the time, nothing was even settled yet. I planned to explain everything after confirming the itinerary.”

Hearing that, the girls’ resentment eased quite a bit.

“Then you can tell us now, right?” Utaha said, looking toward Nishi-Funabashi Station. “You rushed us to pack and dragged us all the way to the station. Are we heading to some remote mountain village or forest?”

“That sounds like a school trip,” Asuna said, tilting her head. “Or maybe some small island overseas?”

“We didn’t have time to prepare properly at all,” Mahiru said worriedly. “It would’ve been better if we’d planned this in advance.”

The girls talked over one another, breaking the quiet air with constant chatter.

It was obvious they were curious and uneasy at the same time—excited, yet confused—which made them more restless than usual.

“Alright, stop guessing,” Leo cut in. “We’re not going to some mountain wilderness, and we’re not heading to an uninhabited island overseas either.”

“We’re going to the Underworld.”

The moment he said that, the girls froze.

“The Underworld?” Yukino, Asuna, and Utaha all looked surprised.

“The… Underworld?” Mahiru, the only one who hadn’t been there before, looked downright shocked.

“That’s right,” Leo said, resting one hand on his hip as he stood before them. “I’d rather not hide away in the Underworld, but given the current situation, if we want to train properly without being disturbed, leaving the human world and going there is the best option.”

“You haven’t been to the Eligos Territory yet, have you?”

“This time, I’ll take you back and show you what our family’s territory really looks like.”

The girls exchanged glances.

“If we’re going to the Underworld, why not teleport there with a magic circle like last time?” Yukino asked calmly.

“I already explained that back in the Familiar Forest, didn’t I?” Leo glanced at her. “New servant devils like you aren’t allowed to jump directly to the Underworld using a magic circle. Otherwise, you’d be treated as illegal intruders.”

“Last time was only possible because I made a special request and got an exception.”

“If you want to use magic circle teleportation to the Underworld, you first need to enter through the official human-world channel and complete the entry procedures. Otherwise, you’ll be treated as illegal immigrants.”

“This time, I’m taking you through the official route from the human world.”

At his words, all three girls except Mahiru recalled their previous trip to the Familiar Forest.

“So how do we use the official route?” Utaha pointed toward Nishi-Funabashi Station. “Don’t tell me we’re taking a train.”

The others also looked at the station, their expressions subtle.

Taking a train to the Underworld from a station?

That sounded completely unreliable.

“It is a train,” Leo said casually, ignoring their looks. “Relax. I already bought the tickets. We’ll just head to the platform and wait.”

With that, Leo took the lead and walked toward Nishi-Funabashi Station.

The four girls looked at one another before following him.

As they walked, they noticed that Leo didn’t enter through the main entrance. Instead, he led them to a hidden corner.

There was a passageway there that led directly into the station, but it was sealed off with notices and secured by a rusty lock, clearly unused for a long time.

Leo stepped forward, took out a card, and lightly swiped it.

Click—

The lock sprang open, the seals peeled away on their own, and the door slowly swung open.

“Come on. Follow me.”

Leo led the girls through the passage and into the station, but instead of heading to the main waiting hall, they stopped in front of an elevator.

It didn’t look like one that was used often, and it was fairly small. With five people and their large suitcases squeezed inside, it quickly became cramped, to the point where Asuna and Mahiru were almost pressed against Leo.

“Why did you bring so much luggage?” Leo said helplessly. “Didn’t I say just bring a few changes of clothes?”

The girls all rolled their eyes at him.

“We’re going on a long trip and taking extended leave. How could we only bring a few outfits?”

“Girls already have a hard time just going out, let alone traveling.”

“I still have lots of things I didn’t bring.”

“Same here. If this suitcase weren’t big enough, I’d want to bring another one.”

They all complained at once, including Asuna and Mahiru, who had been shy about being so close to Leo just moments ago.

“Alright, alright,” Leo said quickly, sensing he’d angered everyone.

He changed the subject, took out the card again, and swiped it across the electronic panel next to the elevator buttons.

Beep!

With a soft electronic sound, the elevator began to move—not upward, but downward.

It kept descending for several full minutes, giving the unsettling feeling of sinking deep underground.

When the elevator finally stopped and they stepped out, the girls were stunned.

Before them was an enormous artificial space.

Its structure resembled a station platform, but the design was clearly different from the human world. It was far larger than Nishi-Funabashi Station’s waiting hall—several times larger, in fact—so vast that the ceiling felt impossibly distant.

Despite its size, the place was completely empty. The lighting was dim, with only eerie demonic power glowing from the walls, illuminating the space.

“W-What is this place?” Utaha said in disbelief.

“There’s something this big under Nishi-Funabashi Station?”

Even Yukino, a local elite, was shocked by the existence of such a space.

“I can feel demonic power fluctuations,” Asuna said, looking at the walls.

“A… devil station?” Mahiru murmured.

And somehow, she was right.

“This is a secret station that only local devils know about,” Leo explained, raising the card in his hand. “It’s a Devil Train route. Ordinary humans can’t enter, even with a pass.”

“From here, we can take a train coming from the Underworld straight into it. Judging by the time, it should be arriving soon.”

No sooner had Leo finished speaking than a train emerged from the depths of the tracks.

Its appearance was ferocious, covered in sharp angles, with demonic patterns carved across its body—like something straight out of hell.

“Come on. I’ll take you to handle the entry procedures first.”

Leo led the stunned girls toward the Devil Train.

Chapter 133 - The Trial Awaiting You

The so-called entry procedures were actually quite simple. The conductor used a special device to verify each passenger’s identity. Once the check passed, the entry procedures were completed at the same time.

As for how that confirmed their identities—it was because after being reincarnated using Evil Pieces, a servant devil’s information was already registered in the Underworld. A quick scan with the device was enough to confirm whether it was truly them.

Naturally, there were no issues with the identities of the Eligos servants. Their verification was completed quickly, and the entry procedures were finished without incident.

“From here until we reach the station at your destination, you’re free to move around the train cars,” the conductor said. “There are sleeping compartments and dining areas available. Please feel free to make use of them during your journey.”

After greeting Leo’s group with a professional smile and guiding them into the carriage, the conductor disappeared, leaving the girls with an even stronger feeling that they were riding a train straight out of hell.

“If I hadn’t already been reincarnated as a devil, I’d never dare get on something like this,” Utaha muttered under her breath, earning unanimous agreement from the others.

That said, the interior of the train was unexpectedly normal. Unlike its terrifying exterior, it looked more like a banquet hall used by medieval nobility. Red carpets covered the floor, the decor was elegant, and there weren’t many seats, giving the impression of riding in a luxurious first-class cabin. There was even a bar counter and a tea cart.

“Woo—”

Not long after, the train’s horn sounded, and it began to move slowly, pulling away from the station.

“Where is this train heading?” Yukino asked, glancing out the window.

After leaving the station, the train followed dark tracks, but instead of heading into a city or residential area, it seemed to be traveling through a strange, warped world. There were no proper buildings or scenery in sight.

“Alright, stop looking,” Leo said, motioning for the girls to sit down as he explained again. “There’s nothing out there—just distortion.”

“Once we leave the station, we officially enter the gap between the human world and the Underworld. That’s why you can’t see anything beyond the tracks. There’s literally nothing there.”

“In about thirty minutes, we’ll encounter the Dimensional Gap and pass through it, officially entering the Underworld.”

“And this train will take us directly to the Eligos Territory, where we’ll get off.”

The seats were arranged face-to-face. Sitting across from Leo were Yukino and Utaha, while Asuna and Mahiru sat beside him, one on each side.

“That place is both the Eligos family’s territory and land waiting to be developed.”

“In the future, I’ll grant part of that territory to you. You’ll need to develop it properly and restore it to prosperity.”

“Of course, that’s something for later. We haven’t officially debuted yet. We’ll only need to think about reviving the territory after that.”

Leo’s explanation cleared up some of the girls’ doubts—but also raised more questions.

“So what you’re saying is that the Eligos Territory hasn’t been fully developed?” Yukino asked, puzzled. “Why?”

It was a reasonable question.

The Eligos family was one of the Seventy-Two Pillars. Even if the bloodline had once been cut off, as long as the land remained, there was no reason for it to be completely undeveloped.

Unless it had been abandoned.

“That’s right—it was abandoned,” Leo said with a shrug. “The land was once prosperous, but after the Eligos family fell, all the devils living there left. It eventually turned into ruins.”

The Underworld was different from the human world. There were no oceans, and the land was vast. Even after devils and fallen angels divided it up, land utilization was still extremely low compared to the small population of devils.

As a result, land in the Underworld wasn’t particularly valuable unless it had additional worth—such as rare resources. Once no one managed it, the land was quickly discarded without hesitation.

That was why the former residents of the Eligos Territory had left, moving on to more prosperous regions.

Leo had returned before, but all he saw was a massive stretch of abandoned land. Cities had crumbled into ruins, vegetation overtook what used to be urban areas, and various monsters roamed freely. It wasn’t a place anyone could live.

“You’ll understand once you see it for yourselves.”

Seeing how intently the girls were listening, Leo shared a bit more about the Eligos Territory to help them better understand the situation.

Even so, after hearing everything, the girls all had the same thought.

“How are we supposed to revive a place like that?”

The current state of the Eligos Territory was that bad—definitely not something a group of young girls could develop.

“Don’t rush it. Our future is still long,” Leo said casually, clearly having already thought it through. “There’s no way we could revive it with just the few of us.”

“But once we debut and start participating in Rating Games, we’ll make a name for ourselves in the devil world. When that happens, even if we do nothing, people will come seeking us out.”

“That’s when the revival of the territory truly begins.”

As for now…

“Just treat it as a place for us to train.”

Leo unfolded a magic circle in his hand, projecting a detailed map.

It was a map of the Eligos Territory. It was very detailed, but most areas were marked as barren—mountains and forests everywhere, hardly looking like places anyone had lived.

“Our destination is here,” Leo said, pointing to one corner of the map. “This used to be an Ancient Battlefield where the Eligos family trained soldiers. The outer area has a barely usable camp, while the interior is filled with dangerous terrain.”

“Some areas are perfect for training, with great results—but stay too long, and you’ll die.”

“I’ve trained there before,” Leo continued. “Not for long, though. The environment was too harsh.”

Back then, Leo had only been one of the stronger Mid-Class Devils, nowhere near a High-Class Devil. Naturally, the place had been too dangerous for him.

Now, however, he could move through it freely.

“My plan is to train all of you there for one month,” Leo said, his gaze sweeping over the girls. “I’ve already prepared a detailed training plan. Once everything’s ready, I’ll hand it to you.”

The girls nodded, showing they understood.

They weren’t without anxiety, but they suppressed it.

After experiencing two attacks, they were painfully aware of how lacking their current strength was. They wanted to become stronger.

So even knowing they were heading to a harsh environment, they mustered their courage and raised no objections.

“Don’t worry,” Leo said, as if seeing through their thoughts. “With me here, nothing will happen to you.”

The girls nodded again, finally relaxing.

The train continued on, traveling endlessly through the warped, eerie world.

About thirty minutes later, an announcement echoed through the carriage.

“Approaching the Dimensional Gap. Approaching the Dimensional Gap.”

Hearing that, the girls rushed to the windows.

“There’s a hole!” Asuna cried out.

Ahead of the train, a black cavern appeared in the twisted world, spinning slowly in the void like a black hole.

The train plunged straight into it, then emerged moments later, carrying the Eligos servants into the Underworld.

The scenery outside changed completely. The warped world vanished, replaced by an unfamiliar landscape.

A purple sky stretched overhead, and endless land spread out below—mountains and forests everywhere. There was no sea, but massive lakes dotted the terrain.

“Th-this is the Underworld?” the girls murmured, their eyes shining with wonder. Even Yukino, Asuna, and Utaha were no exception.

It couldn’t be helped. The last time the three of them had been to the Underworld, it had already been dark, and all they saw was the Familiar Forest.

This time was different. There was no sun in the sky, but the light was plentiful, clearly illuminating the mountains, rivers, lakes, and forests. The view was undeniably beautiful.

“Is this really the hell from the legends?” Mahiru said softly. “It doesn’t look like it at all.”

The others nodded instinctively.

“What you’re seeing now is just the surface of the Underworld,” Leo explained with a smile. “This part isn’t much different from the human world. There are towns and cities, and it’s quite developed—at least in the devil world.”

“As for the hell you imagine, that’s actually underground, much deeper.”

“That’s where the souls of the dead go. Even deeper still live the gods who manage the Underworld and the gods of death. They’re part of a different system from us, and we rarely interact with them, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Look—the Eligos Territory is coming up.”

Following Leo’s lead, the girls looked ahead.

The land was full of mountains and forests, with the faint outlines of towns and cities—but all of them were abandoned, reduced to crumbling ruins.

The train crossed ruins, mountains, and forests before finally reaching the boundary of the Eligos Territory and entering a stretch of wasteland.

At the edge of the territory stood a camp made up of rows of tents.

“We’re here,” Leo said as he stood up, a strange smile on his face.

“Come on, girls. It’s time to face your trial.”

Chapter 134 - Targeted Training

This camp inside Eligos Territory hadn’t been used for a long time. Its exterior looked a bit run-down, but unlike abandoned towns or cities, it hadn’t fallen completely into ruin.

Because it was close to the battlefield, the entire camp had been reinforced with protective measures. Even after all these years, it only looked worn on the surface—its actual functions were still intact.

At the very least, all the tents were still usable. The interiors looked as if they’d just been set up. They weren’t spotless, but they were clean enough to meet basic standards.

Under Leo’s guidance, the members of Eligos’s servants settled into the tents one after another.

They chose three large tents near the center of the camp. Not only were these tents spacious and well-equipped, but stepping outside led directly to the central plaza.

In the middle of the plaza stood a massive bonfire pit. Once night fell, it would ignite automatically, the flames burning all the way until dawn.

As for how the tents were divided—Leo took one large tent for himself. Yukino and Utaha shared another, while Asuna and Mahiru stayed in the last one. The tents were close to each other, so if anything happened, no one would miss it.

They gathered in the plaza.

Once everyone had settled in, Leo called them all out and stood before the bonfire.

“Ready?”

Leo smiled slightly as he looked at the four girls standing in front of him.

“Of course.”

“I’m ready.”

“Bring it on anytime.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Yukino, Asuna, Utaha, and Mahiru all wore serious expressions, their resolve clear.

They had changed into athletic clothes suitable for movement. If not for the setting, it would’ve looked like they were about to head to a PE class.

Leo, on the other hand, was still dressed casually, looking relaxed and almost lazy.

If this were the past, he would’ve needed to take things seriously too. But now, he barely cared about the dangers lurking in this Ancient Battlefield, so his attitude naturally became much more laid-back.

“All right. First, take these. Look them over carefully.”

Leo took out four sets of documents and handed them to the girls one by one.

“These are…?”

They accepted them with puzzled looks.

“These are training plans I made specifically for each of you, based on your physical condition and demonic power,” Leo explained. “They include both physical training and demonic power training. The workload increases day by day, and as long as you complete the assigned amount each day, you’ll steadily push past your limits. Your bodies and demonic power will grow stronger very quickly.”

“Don’t underestimate physical strength and demonic power. Even though you’re all Sacred Gear users and mainly rely on your Sacred Gears in battle, you still need a solid foundation in both.”

“After all, a Sacred Gear runs on stamina and demonic power. Every time you use one, you consume both. The more you have, the longer you can keep your Sacred Gear active. Only with enough stamina and demonic power can you support stronger Sacred Gear abilities.”

“Without that support, even if you possess a powerful Sacred Gear, you won’t last until the end of a fight. Mahiru and Utaha-senpai should understand that better than anyone.”

At his words, Utaha and Mahiru fell silent.

During the attack by the Old Maou Faction, both of them had performed exceptionally well. Their powerful Sacred Gears protected their teammates, leaving the enemy helpless. But if the battle had dragged on and Leo’s group hadn’t arrived in time, their fate would have been just as grim.

Utaha had maintained her barrier nonstop, blocking enemy bombardment until she nearly collapsed from exhaustion.

Mahiru had completely run out of stamina and demonic power by the time they reached the third room, forcing her to rely on her teammates for protection.

If Leo and the others hadn’t arrived when they did, neither of them would have made it to the end.

But if their stamina and demonic power had been more abundant, they could’ve maintained their Sacred Gears longer. Breaking through might have been unrealistic, but at least they could have protected themselves.

Yukino also recalled her first fight against Sharon. Back then, she had used her Sacred Gear without regard for consumption, draining herself too heavily. When Sharon unleashed her killing move, Yukino didn’t even have the strength left to dodge.

If not for Leo stepping in, she would have been dead.

“In the future, all of you may reach the ultimate realm of your Sacred Gears—Balance Breaker.”

“And using Balance Breaker consumes an enormous amount of stamina and demonic power.”

“If you don’t have enough, even after reaching that realm, you won’t be able to maintain it for long. You’ll be forced to carefully restrain your power to reduce consumption. But doing that lowers output, preventing you from unleashing Balance Breaker at full strength.”

Leo tapped the training plans in their hands.

“That’s why this plan exists. If you can complete it, one month from now you’ll be reborn. Conservatively speaking, you’ll be several times stronger than you are now—if not more.”

The girls nodded in unison and began reading the plans seriously.

As they read, something caught their attention.

“The training schedule here seems to only cover the mornings,” Utaha said, the first to notice. “What about the afternoons and evenings?”

Indeed, Leo’s plan only included morning training.

The reason was simple.

“This is just basic physical and demonic power training,” Leo said matter-of-factly. “You can’t spend all your time on fundamentals, right? That’s why the plan only covers mornings. From the afternoon onward, you’ll each do targeted training.”

“For example, Asuna, you’ll continue training your swordsmanship. I don’t need to teach you how to do that, do I?”

Asuna nodded without hesitation.

Her sword training was handled by Miyamoto Musashi, who had already told her exactly what to do before they set out. She knew her path clearly.

She had more or less mastered the techniques of Niten Ichi-ryū. What she needed next wasn’t new moves, but something deeper.

All of that had already been arranged by Miyamoto Musashi. Leo, an outsider in swordsmanship, had no need to interfere. Asuna could handle her afternoon training on her own.

That left the other three.

“Yukino,” Leo said, turning to his first recruited servant. “After you finish your morning basics each day, you need to focus on how you use your Sacred Gear. Do you know what your biggest problem is right now?”

“My biggest problem…” Yukino frowned, hesitating before answering. “My mastery over the Sacred Gear isn’t high enough?”

“That’s right.” Leo nodded, then continued, “But do you know why that is?”

“That…” Yukino fell silent.

“Because you’re using it the wrong way,” Leo said bluntly. “‘Absolute Demise’ is an Independent Avatar Type Sacred Gear. Do you know the defining trait of Independent Avatar Type Sacred Gears?”

“That they’re alive,” Leo continued without waiting. “They can act and fight on their own.”

“Their greatest advantage is that the host doesn’t need to control them directly. Instead, the host can fight alongside them, achieving a result greater than one plus one.”

“But think about your battles so far. Every time you summon your Sacred Gear, haven’t you been controlling its power yourself?”

At those words, realization struck Yukino like a bolt of lightning.

He was right.

Every time she summoned the Ice Princess, she instinctively controlled it, forcing it to fight according to her will. She became a puppeteer, pulling strings, instead of fighting together with it.

“What you need to do now is completely grasp your Sacred Gear’s combat style,” Leo said. “Don’t control it. Let it coordinate with you—or you coordinate with it. Fight together. That may increase consumption, but your combat power will double.”

“This will be your targeted afternoon training for the next month. Understand?”

Yukino nodded silently.

She was exceptionally sharp. Once Leo pointed it out, she immediately understood what she needed to do.

She wrote her afternoon training goals onto her plan, refining it.

Meanwhile, Leo turned to Utaha and Mahiru.

“Utaha, you’re the most talented when it comes to using your Sacred Gear. Your wild imagination is your greatest asset. Your afternoon training should focus on turning that asset into reality—constantly experimenting with different barrier setups, expanding their applications and possibilities.”

“And Mahiru,” Leo continued, “you need to deepen your understanding of the Holy Cross. You wield Holy Power and Purification Power. These two forces place extremely high demands on your mental state—your mindset. As long as you maintain a pure and upright heart, you’ll be able to grasp and strengthen these powers quickly.”

It was clear Leo had already thought all of this through. His guidance flowed smoothly.

“That covers your afternoon training.”

“As for the evenings, that’ll be combat practice. You’ll cross the Ancient Battlefield and endure its environment.”

“Now then—let’s get started.”

Chapter 135 - Spartan Training

When Leo and his group boarded the train to the Underworld, the sky was only just beginning to brighten.

So even after arriving at their destination and taking some time to rest and reorganize, there was still plenty of time left in the day.

Under Leo’s instructions, the members of the Eligos servants began their morning foundational training.

Only—right from the start, the intensity was cranked all the way up.

“Boom!”

With a thunderous roar, a massive blast of demonic power came crashing down from the sky, slamming into the ground and triggering a huge explosion.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

Yukino, Asuna, Utaha, and Mahiru screamed as they scrambled to escape, barely avoiding a direct hit.

“Run! Run faster! Don’t slow down!”

Leo, his eight devil wings spread wide, hovered in the air as he chased after the four girls. At the same time, he kept forming enormous demonic power blasts in his hands and hurling them in their direction.

“Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!”

Explosions erupted one after another behind them, forcing the girls to flee in panic, their screams filled with fear.

“What are you doing?!”

“Is this really necessary?!”

“This is way too dangerous!”

“Stop it already, senpai!”

Yukino, Utaha, Asuna, and Mahiru shouted their protests, but all they got in return was Leo’s merciless response.

“Wasn’t it written clearly in the plan? The purpose of basic training is to force out your daily limits—and then surpass them, reaching a higher level.”

“If I just had you run laps, sure, it would improve your stamina. But devils have far stronger bodies than humans. How long would you have to run to actually hit your limit?”

“That would be a waste of time, and the efficiency would be terrible.”

So Leo chose to use danger to stimulate their bodies, to force out their latent potential—pushing them to their limits faster, then breaking past those limits under the surge of adrenaline.

“This doesn’t just improve stamina, it boosts demonic power too. When you’re pushed to the brink, a devil’s demonic power becomes extremely active—much easier to train, and much easier to strengthen.”

Leo flapped his devil wings as he pursued them, massive demonic power blasts forming around him.

“If you want to get strong fast, stop complaining! Run! Faster! As fast as you can!”

“And don’t forget to circulate your demonic power—use it to protect your bodies and activate it as quickly as possible!”

“Otherwise, you’re going to suffer.”

As he spoke, Leo showed absolutely no mercy, continuing to bombard them with demonic power blasts, sending the girls into even louder screams.

“This is insane!”

“This is way too much!”

Their complaints only made Leo’s assault even fiercer.

This deadly game of chase continued for a full two hours.

Only when all four girls were gasping for breath, collapsing onto the ground with no strength left, did Leo finally stop and land in front of them.

“Don’t relax yet. Physical training is done, but demonic power training is still going.”

Like a true Spartan drill instructor, Leo pushed them without mercy.

“Now, keep squeezing out your demonic power. Release it outside your bodies and manifest it in the form you’re best at. Move!”

Under his urging, the girls forced themselves back to their feet despite barely being able to breathe, gritting their teeth as they released their demonic power.

Yukino manifested hers as ice.

Asuna shaped hers into blades.

Mahiru manifested flames.

Utaha simply released her demonic power directly, condensing it into a dense mass.

But the moment they succeeded, Leo suddenly released his own demonic power. The overwhelming surge formed a chaotic force field that instantly disrupted their control, causing all of their manifested demonic power to explode.

Short, sharp screams rang out as the backlash sent all four girls tumbling to the ground.

“Again,” Leo said coldly. “You must be able to maintain long-term demonic power manifestation and release even under my interference. That’s how you increase both your total demonic power and your level of control.”

“Especially after intense consumption, when your demonic power is already active—progress will be even faster.”

“Hurry up. Don’t waste time. Every second you waste is a second of growth you lose. Are you really okay with that?”

Grinding their teeth in frustration, the girls still forced themselves up again and continued releasing demonic power.

Explosions echoed again and again, mixed with the girls’ pained cries—it sounded pitiful.

“I’m already starting to regret joining this servant team!” Utaha even shouted, making just how brutal the training was painfully clear.

But there was no such thing as regret in this world.

None of them were mentally fragile, so they all endured, pushing on until noon finally arrived and Leo called a halt.

“Rest for an hour. After lunch, you’ll begin your individual targeted training.”

The moment those words left his mouth, the girls all collapsed flat onto the ground, completely spent and unable to stand.

Their stamina and demonic power were utterly drained. Body and mind exhausted, they didn’t even have the strength to sit up and eat.

“Looks like going this hard on the first day might’ve been a bit too much,” Leo muttered, scratching his head—though he had already expected this outcome.

He summoned several familiars and had them bring over the prepared lunch, feeding the girls directly.

As they swallowed the food with difficulty, they quickly noticed something surprising—their bodies were rapidly recovering.

“What is this?” Asuna asked curiously. “Why does it feel so warm going down? Even the fatigue is disappearing really fast.”

“Did you add something special?” Mahiru asked in surprise, sipping her bowl of miso soup. “It tastes like medicinal herbs.”

The two girls most interested in cooking immediately pressed him for answers, prompting a small smile from Leo.

“This was inspired by something Asuna gave me before.”

Previously, Asuna had obtained tea leaves from Miyamoto Musashi—tea that could eliminate fatigue and restore energy. Musashi had used it frequently during her own training to improve efficiency.

Remembering this before they set out, Leo discussed it with Miyamoto Musashi to see if it could be used for this special training.

Musashi didn't give a direct answer, but she did report the matter to the Underworld.

The next day, Musashi informed Leo that the Four Great Maou were already aware of his plan to bring his servants back to the Underworld for special training, and had decided to provide them with some special resources to assist.

The ingredients used in today’s lunch were part of those resources.

“Food that quickly restores physical vitality has been added,” Leo explained. “You’ll be back to full strength in five minutes. From now on, breakfast, lunch, and dinner will all include this, so you won’t be immobilized for days after intense training.”

“Eat up. You’ll need the energy for the rest of the training.”

Leo turned and left, while the girls stared at each other for a moment before hurriedly taking their lunches from the familiars and eating.

“Do we really have to live like this for a whole month…?” Yukino muttered without thinking.

The others froze.

Even so, they quietly finished their meals, let their bodies fully recover, and rested where they were.

An hour passed quickly.

Right on time, Leo appeared in front of them again, making all four girls shudder.

“Don’t look at me like that. Next is your individual targeted training. Even if I wanted to interfere, I couldn’t,” Leo said, rolling his eyes. “But I’ve prepared suitable training grounds for each of you. Follow me.”

Under Leo’s lead, the girls spread their wings and took to the air, flying off in different directions around the camp.

Before long, each of them arrived at their assigned training area.

Yukino’s was an ice cavern, filled with extreme cold and dense ice-attribute demonic power, perfect for training with Absolute Demise.

Mahiru’s training ground was an area saturated with intense light power. Simply being there caused the purple flames within her to surge out uncontrollably, forcing her to calm her mind and maintain control.

Asuna’s training field was a land littered with broken ancient swords. Each blade carried the lingering demonic power of its former wielder—something any swordsman could draw insight from.

As for Utaha, her training area was just an empty field. Leo required her to fill it entirely with barriers she created herself, and every setup had to be different, honing her sensitivity to barriers.

With that done, Leo truly had no way to interfere further. These trainings could only be completed by the girls themselves.

Only then could Leo finally begin his own training.

“I’m not wasting this month,” he said quietly.

And with that, Leo charged into the Ancient Battlefield.

Before long, thunder and lightning began to roar in the distance.

Chapter 136 - The Weakness of Eligos’s Servants

The Ancient Battlefield within Eligos Territory was filled with all kinds of bloodthirsty creatures.

Since this place had once been used by the Eligos family to train soldiers, the creatures here weren’t just ferocious—they were downright eerie.

When night fell, and the girls arrived after finishing their individual training and dinner, dragging their exhausted minds behind them, the first thing they saw was the countless pale figures drifting through the sky above.

“Th-Those are… what exactly?”

At that moment, whether it was the usually cold and aloof Yukino, the ever-arrogant Utaha, or even the gentle Asuna and Mahiru, all of them turned pale at the same time.

“Oh, those?”

Leo was naturally present. He even yawned, looking like he had just woken up, and answered casually.

“They’re the resentful spirits of soldiers who died here.”

The instant those words came out, the girls’ faces—faces that hadn’t gone pale even after a full day of Spartan training—turned completely white.

“Th-Those are ghosts?!” Asuna screamed, spinning around as if she were about to run.

“Hey, what are you scared of?” Leo grabbed her by the arm and said impatiently. “They’re just ghosts. This is the Underworld, you know. It’s where the dead are supposed to gather. A bunch of unwanted spirits wandering around a special place like this—how is that strange?”

“You seriously think that’s normal?” Utaha’s lips twitched as she stared at Leo like he was a monster. “What kind of sane person thinks running into ghosts is normal? We’re not exorcists!”

“But you are devils,” Leo shot back. Then he glanced at the silent Yukino and Mahiru, raising an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of ghosts too?”

Their bodies trembled violently—far worse than they had during training earlier that day.

“Ohhh…”

A playful smile crept onto Leo’s face.

He remembered now. None of the girls here were actually good with ghosts.

Yukino might look cool and composed, but she was the type who got scared even going into a haunted house—let alone facing real ghosts.

Mahiru had been lonely for too long. She was actually afraid of the dark; even a nighttime power outage could make her shake in fear. Encountering ghosts was far beyond her comfort zone.

As for Asuna, the thing she feared most in the death game was undead-type monsters. She who was known as the "Clearing Demon" had fled in panic from floors filled with undead. Forget seeing ghosts at night—she'd be terrified even seeing them in broad daylight.

And Utaha? No matter how sharp-tongued or bold she acted, she clearly wasn’t immune to the fear ghosts inspired.

“Well now, this is a problem,” Leo said cheerfully. “I didn’t plan on keeping you in there all night, but I was thinking two or three hours would be good—enough to really experience combat.”

“But if you’re this scared of ghosts… that makes things difficult.”

“Very difficult,” he added thoughtfully.

That teasing tone immediately filled the girls with a sense of impending doom.

Sure enough, the next words they heard were—

“Decision made. From now on, you’ll stay in there for four hours every night. And I won’t accompany you—I don’t want to interfere with your training.”

The moment Leo said that, the girls’ faces turned deathly pale all at once.

“No no no no no!”

Asuna completely lost her composure. She clung tightly to Leo’s arm like her life depended on it and screamed.

“Anything but that! Please! President! Let’s train somewhere else!”

The others also protested fiercely.

“I think we could go to the Familiar Forest instead! We can do combat training there too!” Yukino said, trying to sound calm.

“I’d rather fight the Old Maou Faction terrorists again than deal with a bunch of ghosts!” Utaha declared flatly.

“I-I’m not scared,” Mahiru insisted stiffly. “I just think fighting ghosts is too absurd. I can’t accept it.”

The three girls exchanged a look—and then, unbelievably, all spread their devil wings at once, preparing to fly away.

Unfortunately, Leo caught all of them, one in each hand, and hauled them back.

“What’s with this fear? This cowardice?” Leo said sternly, though his eyes were full of amusement. “You’re devils. You don’t fear angels or fallen angels with light power—so why fear mere ghosts?”

“Do you know that sometimes, during devil contracts, we even take souls as payment? Are you scared of that too?”

“That’s not the mindset a proper devil should have. It needs to change.”

With that, Leo dragged the girls toward the Ancient Battlefield.

“No! Don’t go in there!” Asuna’s face turned green as she clung to Leo desperately. “I can’t do it! My Holy Sword definitely can’t cut something like that!”

“L-Let go of me, senpai!” Mahiru struggled, panic obvious in her voice. “Humans don’t walk toward ghosts after seeing them! That’s not normal!”

“That’s exactly why I keep saying—you’re devils,” Leo said helplessly. “And honestly, you two are the ones who least need to fear ghosts.”

Whether it was Asuna’s Holy Sword or Mahiru’s Holy Cross, both were extremely effective against ghosts. Just releasing a holy aura would send spirits fleeing in all directions.

And yet these two were afraid to even get close?

This was an insult to the Holy Sword and the Holy Cross.

“Don’t get any closer!”

“This is illegal!”

As the Ancient Battlefield drew nearer and the countless ghosts seemed to stir and drift toward them, even Yukino and Utaha could no longer stay calm, shouting out in panic.

To be honest, seeing how terrified the girls were did soften Leo’s heart.

Especially watching the usually gentle and composed Asuna and Mahiru clutching him tightly, faces white, eyes shut tight—he almost gave up, thinking it might be better to change locations.

But in the end, he hardened his resolve.

“If you’re scared even of ghosts, what will you do when you face the reapers of the underworld in the future?”

Thinking of what was yet to come, Leo firmed his decision.

“It’s understandable for girls to fear ghosts. But for the sake of your future, this weakness must be overcome.”

“So don’t blame me.”

“When you come out of the Ancient Battlefield, I’ll prepare a surprise for you.”

With that, Leo grabbed the girls by the backs of their collars and threw them straight toward the sea of ghosts.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh—!”

Even more piercing screams than during the daytime Spartan training echoed through the Ancient Battlefield, instantly sending the ghosts into a frenzy as they swarmed toward the girls.

Soon, screams rang out again, followed by raging blizzards, countless swords, multicolored barriers, and violent purple flames erupting all at once. With a ferocity never seen before, they desperately attacked and defended against the ghosts coming from every direction.

“Grrr…”

“Roar…”

The massive commotion stirred the other creatures of the Ancient Battlefield. Some watched cautiously; others rushed in directly, plunging the entire battlefield into chaos.

Leo hovered in the air, his eight devil wings spread, arms crossed as he watched.

“I hope they’ll be okay.”

That was all he could do.

Four hours passed quickly.

When the time was up, Leo immediately flew into the battlefield.

Lightning crackled around his body as he charged in headfirst.

“Boom!”

In an instant, countless bolts of lightning exploded outward, driving back the ghosts and all the creatures that had gathered there.

A short while later, Leo emerged from the battlefield with the four girls and returned to the camp.

Their clothes were in tatters, large patches of skin exposed—some in places that really shouldn’t have been—but they showed no reaction at all, standing there in a daze.

“Uh…”

Leo waved a hand carefully in front of them and lowered his voice.

“Y-You girls okay?”

His cautious question was met with total silence.

They remained motionless, eyes vacant, like their souls had been left behind in the Ancient Battlefield. Their faces looked completely drained of color, making Leo’s heart sink.

“Did I push it too far…?”

He was genuinely worried now.

Before he could do anything else, the girls slowly lifted their heads and looked at him.

Those eyes.

Those expressions.

Pure killing intent.

“Um… I’ll go get that surprise ready for you now!”

Leo instinctively took a step back, laughed awkwardly, and bolted.

“Don’t run!!!”

The girls’ furious shouts soon echoed through the night sky, bringing an energy that absolutely didn’t belong to such a lonely night.