Dante had been under constant stress for over a year, battling Valentina, who now used about 3% of her current strength. Their battles could be described as massacres.
Valentina stopped merely attacking and started using dirty strategies, such as throwing sand and even summoning fire spirits to overwhelm Dante, who was now close to ten years old.
Dante began constantly changing weapons, using Great Swords, Spears, Straight Swords, Whips, Odachi, Katanas, and Triple Nunchakus that turned into staffs, among several other weapons available in Valentina's training field.
Valentina taught him only the first technique she created, the "Fiery Steps of the Fire Queen."
When Dante questioned why the technique had such an extravagant name, Valentina shrugged and said, "A stubborn phoenix refused to lower her arrogance," in a neutral tone.
At this point, Dante could only use half of the capacity of this technique. Still, it was a celestial grade technique, so any slight advancement was better than a King-level technique.
Valentina explained that there are certain types of techniques: Beginner, Apprentice, Warrior, Specialist, King, Emperor, and Celestial, with Celestial being the highest category that encompasses the strongest techniques of all.
At that moment, Valentina was lying in the bathtub with Dante resting on her body like a baby. Valentina missed these reactions from the little boy. She had always been loving with Dante but became afraid of being too soft on him and gradually started pushing him away.
She used his motivation to reward him; every time he managed to surpass her expectations, she would reward him. And now, he was enjoying his reward—lying with one of the most beautiful women in the supernatural world in a bathtub.
"Dante," Valentina said, waking him up. They had been resting for too long.
"Just five more minutes..." Dante murmured, lying on Valentina's soft bosom.
"None of that, young man. You're going to train," Valentina said, getting up and easily dropping Dante underwater, waking him up with a start and almost drowning him in the process.
Valentina inwardly let out a hearty laugh but showed nothing but a serious face. A still sleepy Dante got up, soaked, and grabbed a towel to dry off.
Valentina observed and noticed that the training had begun to take effect. Even the small movements to dry himself were more precise and didn't waste energy.
"Good," she murmured, using magic to dry herself, something Dante could do but refrained from because although he knew about magic, he usually didn't trust it for simple things. He might end up trying to dry himself and burning his entire body.
The training resumed, and Valentina now changed weapons for the first time. Gungnir disappeared, and a longsword appeared.
"Never trust a weapon," Valentina said, throwing the longsword at Dante as she ran towards him.
He dodged the sword and did something Valentina hadn't anticipated: he caught the sword in mid-air with one hand and threw it back at Valentina before lunging forward.
Both fists clashed, and for the first time in several months of confrontation, Dante managed to hold on. This time, he didn't simply get thrown back when their fists met.
Then, with the experience of overcoming a massive barrier, he smiled as if he had just won a prize. Unnoticed by him, Valentina's eyes started to burn like flames of pure and complete satisfaction.
"Nine years old, and already handling 3% of my power," she said with satisfaction, knowing that by thirteen, he could reach 10%.
It might seem small, but 10% is a lot considering who holds that 10%. Valentina is a battle monster and a grandmaster with the spear and almost a grandmaster with the greatsword.
For the first time, Dante felt satisfied facing his mother in combat, but none of it truly mattered. His ambition was to reach the top and step out of her shadow.
And the path toward the end of that goal was as extensive as his mother's life. He could have his path facilitated by Morgana and Valentina, but the reality was: no effort, no gain. Using the "cheat" of having the experience of these women would only delay his evolution.
Gradually, Valentina's warrior gene awakened in Dante, and in a few years, another being that would shake the balance would arise—a maniac of battle who would set the whole world ablaze with his frenetic flame.