The Sponsored Heroines Are Coming for Me

Chapter 252

Since my possession, I have undergone countless training sessions.

Sitting cross-legged in the middle of a forest, focusing on my breath.

Expending all my mana until the brink of death.

Meditating beneath a waterfall.

And now, even secluded training.

Secluded training had a distinct advantage over other forms of training.

Namely, it lasted for a significant period, and during that time, I was utterly alone.

Why is solitude an advantage?

Because it means I don’t have to worry about my current life.

To truly focus on training, one must distance oneself from all distractions and worries.

How the story will unfold from here, who needs to do what, and if things don’t go as planned, how I should intervene.

Not to mention, I still need to make those Snowflake Tomatoes for Elena, but I heard fresh tomatoes haven’t arrived yet... what should I do...?

No matter how much I try to concentrate on training outside, something always happens that’s more interesting than training, making it impossible to stay focused.

But in secluded training, that’s not an issue.

I could immerse myself entirely in training.

At a rough estimate, I spent over a month in isolation.

That had never happened before.

“Hoo...”

But does this kind of focus guarantee growth?

“Of course not.”

Even though I consider myself somewhat of a training expert, there is one common truth I’ve realized no matter what type of training I do.

Training is like gambling.

Just because you bet a lot of money doesn’t mean you’ll win.

Likewise, no matter how hard you train, growth is not guaranteed.

On the other hand, even those who started with nothing can strike it rich through gambling.

Training is the same.

There are days when I gain insight without even training.

“...”

So how should I evaluate this training?

I looked down at the table in front of me.

[Blood Demon’s Heart Refinement Technique]

[Blood Demon’s Shadow Arts]

[Blood Demon’s Step]

The secret techniques of the Bloodstone Cult.

Just now, I had finished reading the final chapter of Blood Demon’s Shadow Arts, completing all volumes.

Of course, simply reading them doesn’t mean I fully understood everything.

[Blood Demon’s Heart Refinement Technique]

A secret technique detailing the circulation and accumulation of life force within the body, drawing power from the blood and darkness of others.

[Blood Demon’s Step]

A fundamental martial technique covering movement principles, including Shadow Step, which allows for rapid movement over long distances.

[Blood Demon’s Shadow Arts]

A secret art that builds upon the Heart Refinement Technique and Step, explaining various applications of life force manipulation—essentially, an advanced combat methodology. rÄNǒꞖËŜ

Each one of them was of the highest caliber.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they were the finest skill books available in Fantasy X Academy.

“Honestly, I wasn’t expecting much.”

It’s not that I doubted their value.

I just didn’t think they would suit me.

Why?

Because the Bloodstone Cult primarily relies on extracting life force from others.

Their techniques are fundamentally built upon consuming external vitality.

That approach is vastly different from mine, which harnesses the elements of the earth.

In other words, our sources of power are entirely different.

It would be like trying to fuel a coal power plant with oil—it shouldn’t work properly.

That was the logical assumption.

But I had overlooked something.

All things ultimately converge into one.

This truth applies equally to magic, martial arts, and sorcery.

Even if it were a secret technique from the Bloodstone Cult, if it had reached the ultimate level, then it must inevitably align with other ultimate truths.

That was how advanced these techniques were.

“Just reading through them once...”

And already, so much had changed.

I felt as though I had glimpsed the heights I needed to reach.

As if the path forward had suddenly become clear.

That alone was a revelation.

It was brilliant.

The first smile I had seen in a month.

But that wasn’t what made it special.

It was a smile filled with the satisfaction of finally being acknowledged.

“At last, you’re truly looking at me.”

“It’s just that now, I can see.”

“Feel it a little more.”

Blood Witch’s face drew closer.

Her forehead pressed against mine.

The tips of our noses touched.

Her crimson eyes appeared larger than ever.

Burning with fervent desire and longing.

“Ian, you have finally stepped onto the same path as me.”

Chuckle.

Her laughter, deep and rich, resonated through the point of contact between our foreheads.

The same path.

I understood what she meant.

Both she and I were part of the Bloodstone Cult, yet neither of us relied on the life force of others.

Perhaps my enlightenment through the secret arts of the cult wasn’t entirely my own doing.

Maybe Blood Witch had played a part in it.

She asked.

“What further enlightenment are you seeking?”

“I think... I can unify two opposing forces into one.”

“Your mana and life force?”

“Yes.”

“Ahh...”

She let out a soft sigh.

Sweet and warm, her breath carried a trace of excitement.

I could feel her thrill, raw and unfiltered.

“You truly stand at the same precipice as me.”

Thump. Thump. Thump.

A heartbeat.

But not mine.

Through the contact of our skin, I could feel her rising body heat.

Swish.

Her hand traced along my back.

With a slight tug, she pulled herself closer, pressing into me.

“Haaa...”

Her half-lidded eyes, trembling faintly, gazed into mine.

A deep crease lined her thick double eyelids.

Pure.

A pure and unadulterated desire.

That was who the Blood Witch was.

And in that moment, I realized something.

The strongest people I had ever known—every one of them pursued something with a singular, undiluted intensity.

Like madmen.

Blood Witch’s lips quivered as she spoke.

“...I told you before, didn’t I? You are radiant.”

“Now that I stand at a similar level as you, do you feel no jealousy?”

“Ahaha.”

She laughed.

“On the contrary, I will push you forward as much as I can. The birth of a true powerhouse is always exhilarating. And if that person walks the same path as me? Ahh...”

Hot.

From where our abdomens touched, her warmth surged even further.

“My dear Ian, you said you wish to unite two opposing forces into one?”

At this distance, even the subtlest movement of my eyes was enough of an answer.

Blood Witch stared at me.

Her pupils, hazy with feverish excitement, seemed as though they might melt.

Even the slight misalignment of her focus was entirely fixated on me.

When she finally spoke, her voice was thick with something unshakable.

“To unite... means to become one.”

That was the last thing she said.

A hint of blood’s metallic scent lingered in the air, teasing my senses.

Then, her lips pressed against mine.