YM778.TV Chapter 37: Lineage Techniques
Vergil nodded, his eyes fixed on Katharina\'s face as he tried to manage his excitement and anxiety.
"To begin," Katharina said, raising one hand and creating a small sphere of Demonic Energy in her palm, "you need to understand the essence of Demonic Energy. It is the foundation of all your powers and must be manipulated with precision. How you control this energy can determine how effective you are in combat."
The energy was raw and made the environment feel slightly heavy, almost turning the air negative.
Vergil watched intently, his gaze fixed on the dark red sphere of energy Katharina had created. "How do you maintain control over it?" he asked, curious.
"It\'s a combination of concentration and understanding," Katharina replied. "You must connect with your own Demonic Energy and learn to direct it in a controlled manner. This requires practice and a good dose of self-awareness. Let\'s start with something simple. Focus on your own internal energy and try to create a small sphere, just like I did."
"You already have this notion; you did it during the fight against Leon and that strange kidnapper. Try to remember what triggered it. Recall the energy flowing through your veins," she said with a smile, crossing her legs mischievously, almost teasing him again.
Vergil closed his eyes for a moment, diving into his own demonic essence.
He felt the flow of energy inside him, a warmth that seemed to pulse in sync with his heartbeat.
He concentrated, trying to shape this energy into something tangible.
After a few moments of effort, a small sphere of Demonic Energy appeared in his palm, glowing with a faint but visible intensity.
Katharina raised an eyebrow, \'That was extremely fast... It took me a day to do this... and I\'m the daughter of that monster,\' she thought, surprised but unable to show it directly.
"Well done, Vergil. You managed to create an energy sphere. It\'s a good start."
Vergil opened his eyes and smiled, a bit surprised by his own progress. "That was easier than I expected."
"Don\'t get too confident yet," Katharina warned with an amused smile. "The next step is to control the intensity and shape of the energy. If you can\'t adjust the energy as needed, you might end up using more power than necessary or, worse, losing control."
She demonstrated, varying the intensity of the energy sphere in her hand. "See how the energy can be manipulated. Sometimes, you\'ll need it to be strong and concentrated, other times, more dispersed and diffuse. Try adjusting the energy in your sphere to make it more intense and then more gentle."
Vergil attempted to adjust his own Demonic Energy sphere, starting to increase its intensity until it began to shine brighter. The energy became warm and pulsating, almost blinding. Then, he focused on softening it, making it less intense and more fluid.
\'What bizarre control... This was supposed to be difficult, especially for someone who\'s been a demon for less than two weeks...\' Katharina observed with a mix of surprise on her face. \'Well, he\'s my husband, so he has to be strong... that crazy woman won\'t let anything happen until she approves of him...\'
"You\'re doing very well. The way you adjusted the intensity is impressive, especially considering we\'re just getting started."
Vergil felt a surge of pride at the compliment. "Thank you. It just... feels intuitive, as if I\'ve always done this... it\'s a strange sensation."
Katharina smiled and moved a little closer, her presence almost palpable. "Now let\'s move on to controlling energy in motion. Sometimes, you\'ll need to use your energy for quick and precise attacks. So, we\'ll do an exercise to test your ability to control the energy while moving it."
She extended her hand and created a small floating target in the room. "The goal is to direct your energy sphere toward the target, but you must control the force and direction with precision. If you miss, don\'t worry. The important thing is to adjust and try again until you get it right."
Vergil took his position and prepared his energy sphere.
He focused, visualizing the target and trying to adjust the force and direction of the launch.
When he launched the sphere, it hit the target with precision, but the energy still seemed a bit unstable.
"Good job," Katharina said, tilting her head and assessing Vergil\'s performance. "You hit the target, but the energy was still a bit unstable. Try to improve the control so that the energy doesn\'t disperse after impact."
Vergil nodded and prepared for the next launch.
\'Stronger...\' He focused more deeply, adjusting his breathing and trying to control the energy with greater precision.
When he launched the sphere again, this time the energy hit the target with a controlled explosion, without dispersing.
"That was much better!" Katharina exclaimed, visibly impressed. "You\'re starting to understand how to control energy in motion, and that\'s crucial for combat."
Vergil smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "There\'s still a lot to learn, but I\'m beginning to understand how it works."
Katharina took a step back and sat on the table again, looking at Vergil with a satisfied smile.
Katharina gave a slight nod, still with that pleased smile on her face. "Now that you\'ve mastered the basics, let\'s advance a bit more," she said, rising from the table and walking around Vergil.
"When you fought Leon, you did something very difficult—you executed a projected Cut, remember?" Katharina asked, genuinely curious about something she wanted to understand.
"Yes, I remember..." Vergil murmured, recalling the man being cut in two with just a wave of his hand.
"That technique you created, is it still in your mind?" she asked. "Search for it, remember the feeling, what you wanted, and try to achieve it." She created a Demonic Energy target again.
"I-I\'m not sure if that\'s a good idea," Vergil said, looking at Katharina with some concern. "Hmm? What do you mean?" she asked, confused.
"W-Well..." Vergil said, waving his hand nonchalantly, without even concentrating the energy...
SWIIIN!
A cut appeared in mid-air, slicing through the target without marking the environment with demonic energy...
"W-What?" Katharina stammered, seeing what had just happened. \'LINEAGE TECHNIQUE??!!\' she screamed internally, \'He was human! How does he have a lineage technique!\' She was left speechless.
"What... what was that?" Katharina asked, still a bit stunned. She had seen many demonic techniques in her life, but nothing had prepared her for what she had just witnessed. Vergil, on the other hand, looked a bit puzzled by her reaction.
"I... I don\'t know. It was just a movement I made instinctively," Vergil said, his tone laden with uncertainty. He was beginning to grasp the impact of his abilities, but what he had just done seemed to surpass any immediate understanding he had.
Katharina looked at the sliced target, examining it closely. "You... you managed to use a lineage technique." She murmured, more to herself than to Vergil. "But you\'re not a demon of lineage... How did you develop something like this?"
Vergil furrowed his brow. "Lineage technique? What\'s that?"
Katharina took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. "Lineage techniques are innate abilities passed down through specific demonic bloodlines. They are extremely rare and typically only those with pure and ancient blood have access to them. Yet here you are, displaying what seems to be one of these techniques."
Vergil still looked a bit lost, so Katharina decided to explain in more detail. "A lineage technique is a unique ability that a demon can inherit from their ancestors. It\'s something that manifests naturally in some individuals, allowing them to access skills usually exclusive to their lineage. How you managed this is a mystery, but..."
Katharina paused, reflecting on the situation. "This means you have potential that might be deeper than we initially thought. There may be something in your past or in your nature contributing to this. You need to explore this ability further and understand how to control it."
"I... I didn\'t realize it was so significant," Vergil said, looking at his hands with a newfound sense of determination. "If this is what I have, then I need to learn to use it as best as I can."
"But... how do I say this..." Vergil continued murmuring before raising his hand, and three powers emerged...
A sphere of Wind, a sphere of Flames, and a sphere of Blood...
"M-m-more??!! And wait! That\'s mine!" Katharina shouted in confusion as she saw something resembling her own energy circulating in Vergil\'s hands... The fire sphere was...
"Oh no... damn it... what did I do!" She thought, seeing the other two. "The lineage techniques of Ada and Roxanne!" She roared, her shock evident.
"How is this possible?" Katharina murmured to herself, her face showing bewilderment. The blood and wind spheres also caught her attention, and the unease in her gaze could not be hidden.
Blood, the technique of the Baal Clan, and Wind, the technique of the Sitri Clan... at least the demonic energy capable of using such elements...
\'What have I created?\' She murmured, remembering the day of the Ritual...
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<Author\'s Note>
Hey, remember to use your Golden Tickets and Power Stones to help the work reach new heights!