DxD: Lost in Time

It had been a year since I arrived in the underworld, and everything still felt so bizarre. The sky, an unsettling shade of purple, hung heavy over the land like a constant reminder of the strange world I now found myself in.

There was a nostalgic eeriness to it, as though this was the backdrop to countless canon events that shaped the very nature of this place. The devils here were as troublesome as they were infamous—living up to their names in every way.

Despite the chaos around me, I couldn't help but wonder about the peculiar nature of Grigori's actions. Or rather, the lack of them. The Grigori, creatures of sin themselves, should've been stirred into chaos when Kokabiel fell. But no, they were eerily silent, too quiet for my taste.

It struck me as odd, almost like they were biding their time or waiting for something. Maybe it was fear, the kind that came when one of their own was sent to the deepest pits of Grigori, frozen in time.

"Ah, right," I mused silently. "The rebels probably cowered in fear when they heard about Kokabiel's fate. Makes me wonder if I should just deal with that psycho myself in the future."

I shook off the thoughts for now. There was no time to dwell on it. It was training time.

I couldn't shake the oddity of Grigori's reaction, or lack thereof, after Kokabiel's death.

For a faction steeped in sin and rebellion, you'd think they'd have caused an uproar. After all, Kokabiel had been one of their own, a dangerous force whose death should have ignited something, anything. Yet, nothing. Silence.

"Maybe fear's the reason," I mused. "When they heard Kokabiel was frozen in the deepest depths of Grigori, the rebels probably went into hiding, too scared to act."

It made me wonder if I should just finish off that lunatic myself in the future. Kokabiel was a psycho, and if he ever got out, there was no telling what kind of chaos he'd bring.

But for now, I pushed the thought aside. There were bigger things to focus on, like my training.

Training today was simple, yet challenging. Ki control. The ability to shape and manipulate Ki effectively. It wasn't a concept that was hard to understand in theory, but putting it into practice was another story.

The first exercise involved forming a sphere of energy. It seemed easy enough–just visualize and inject Ki into it, slowly shaping it into a ball of power. Simple in concept, but Ki was an unstable force, unruly and difficult to control. At first, the sphere flickered and wavered, refusing to hold its form.

But with enough patience, focus, and willpower, I managed to create a stable orb of energy. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress.

Next came the challenge of shaping Ki into more complex forms. A Ki blast, for example, was simple to create, but it had to be sharpened to become effective. This was the real test. One wrong move, and the blast could explode in my face.

Safety was paramount. I shielded myself with my aura to avoid collateral damage from my mistakes. After a lot of painful trial and error, I finally managed to form a decent Ki disk, akin to the Destructo Disk technique. It wasn't perfect, but it was a useful move to have in my arsenal.

The real challenge, however, was learning to shape Ki into various complex forms: spheres, pyramids, rectangular prisms, and even octahedrons. It sounded easy in theory, but trust me—it wasn't. I spent weeks trying to master a simple pentagon, and I still struggled to form a hexagon.

It all seemed trivial, but in truth, every shape I could form represented another step toward control. Every advance was a chance to increase my strength. The last time I had a massive power surge, I wasn't even conscious of it. I wasn't about to let that happen again.

It was frustrating, though—knowing my body wasn't fully under my control, that my every movement was influenced by someone else's will.

"My hollow..." I thought bitterly. "I need to train harder if I ever want to tame of that guy."

As I sat there, training my body and mind, frustration started to set in. Every advancement in my training felt like a small victory, but it never quite erased the deeper resentment I felt. The more I trained, the more I came face to face with my limitations.

The only thing that pushed me forward was the reminder of what I had to overcome: my hollow.

I clenched my fists, the very thought of my hollow stirring the dormant fury within me. It was a constant struggle.

If I couldn't control my own power, how could I ever hope to control my own life? The last time I faced it, I lost... badly. The hollow had outmaneuvered me, throwing me into a pit of self-doubt and weakness.

"I can't afford to lose again," I muttered to myself, eyes narrowing.

Serafall's words echoed in my mind. She believed I had the potential to reach the peak of High Class.

But that achievement felt empty when I knew how far I had fallen since the battle with my hollow. I was stuck at the Middle Class, and it was painfully obvious that I was weaker than before.

But even in this state, there was one thing I had to hold onto.

Progress.

I took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as I centered myself. Today wasn't about reaching the peak; it was about pushing past my limits, one breath at a time.

The training continued, pushing me to my limits. Every day felt like an endless cycle of repetition. But something was different today.

As I focused on my Ki, I felt a shift, a slight tingle running through my body. It was subtle at first, a whisper in the back of my mind. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it was there.

I continued my Ki Breathing and Sensing, the foundation of cultivation. My movements became more fluid, more in tune with the flow of energy inside me. The air around me seemed to hum, as if responding to the rhythm of my breath.

Slowly, I synchronized my Ki with my own body, letting it circulate, feeling the warmth build in my Dantian.

"This... this is different," I thought, heart racing in anticipation.

It wasn't just about breathing anymore. It was about something deeper. I was finally beginning to harmonize my Ki, to make it mine. The foreign energy I had been working with was no longer a separate force; it was part of me.

As I breathed in, I felt an influx of energy, stronger than before. It was intoxicating, overwhelming in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying. The power surged through my body, rushing through my meridians, but this time, I was prepared. I was in control.

It was a strange sensation, like breaking through a barrier that had been holding me back. I could feel the energy flooding into my Dantian, building, accumulating. The breakthrough was minor, but it was enough to send a wave of elation through me.

"I'm getting stronger... It feels great each and every single time."

The breakthrough wasn't just about power. It was about understanding. I had gained insight into the flow of energy, into how to control it, how to make it bend to my will. The more I absorbed, the more I could sense the deeper layers of my cultivation, the subtle shifts in the energy around me.

The process wasn't over. It never truly was. But today, I had made progress.

Now that I had made some headway with my Ki cultivation, I could finally start experimenting with Aura Control. This was an entirely new and tricky part of my training, but it was necessary. I needed to be able to control my aura, to expand and retract it at will, without losing control of my energy.

I took a deep breath and focused, trying to center myself. Slowly, I extended my aura, feeling it expand outwards from my body like a second skin. It was a strange sensation, like pushing a dense force into the air around me, creating a barrier, but also a presence that rippled through everything in its path.

The difficulty, of course, was control. Aura wasn't something you just released casually. If you let it slip beyond your grasp, it could cause a massive imbalance, potentially leading to a Ki overload. That could cripple me, or worse.

I flexed my fingers, feeling the energy as it pooled just beneath my skin. With a slight push, I felt my aura extend outward again, just a little further this time. I focused on the fine balance required to keep it from spiraling out of control. For the most part, I kept the expansion slow and steady, allowing the Ki to settle in the areas I needed it.

I could feel it tugging at my body, trying to push further than I allowed. But I refused to let it.

The pressure was building. I had reached the edge of my limits. My breathing began to quicken. Sweat dotted my forehead. My muscles ached with the effort, but I kept my focus.

"I can't afford to let this slip," I reminded myself, pushing through the discomfort.

Then, I felt it. A breakthrough, of sorts. A subtle shift in the flow of energy around me. The pressure eased, and for a brief moment, I felt like I was in perfect harmony with my aura. It was a delicate balance, one I could only hold for a few seconds. But it was enough to make my heart race in exhilaration.

I pulled my aura back in, feeling the energy settle back within me. The experiment had been a success, but I knew this was just the beginning. Controlling my aura was going to be a long, difficult road.

But I had learned something invaluable today. I wasn't just using my Ki now. I was learning how to channel it more effectively, how to manipulate it, how to make it bend to my will. This was another piece of the puzzle, another step closer to regaining control over my body.

And one step closer to beating that white balled bastard.

"Shit! Now I sound like Saiororg." My eye twitched at that. 'The again, I wasn't lying.'

White Hisashi: Oh fuck off and suck your own balls!

Hisashi: Like, BRUH!!!

(A/N: Like, BRUH!!!)

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This is a poll on a future event, in the next volume actually. Our MC will encounter Grayfia in the future so I want you know what you guys think. Should I:

1. Follow Canon and hand her over to Sirzechs for now.

2. Forget about Sirzechs, MC needs to get her as his girlfriend.

3. Let Grayfia join the Anti-Satan Faction early, this way, you have a powerful ally.

Reader's choice, Your move...