A break of about thirty minutes was given to Trey just to recover his strength. The fact he had breaks at all was something new to him.

"I'm ready now, Lucy let's continue. I can't be sitting around when I could be one step closer to controlling my power" Trey jumped up and down as he spoke showcasing his eagerness.

Lucy who was leaning a gainst a tree just a few meters infront of Trey, didn't waste a second to walk towards him almost as if he was expecting Trey to be ready.

"Well, you have basic mana control down, but we need to flush out that mana that you wield. It belongs to Yama. We need to bring out your own mana."

Lucy pointed her staff at Trey's stomach as she spoke. "All mama gathers at the center, for most that's either their stomach or heart. Based on what I'm sensing, yours is your stomach. You need to Try to draw out as much mana from your stomach as possible, for that you'll need to deplete the mana you are using right now."

Trey always felt like his energy was being limited, even after he went all out with his mana. Usually ually he'd feel like he could tap into more power and this just proved it. All this time he was just accessing a tiny amount of Mana that was not even his own.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, he tried to find the source In his stomach. He felt like his stomach was a raging ocean and to find the source of his mana, he needed to dive deeper into that ocean.

The more he concentrated, the more of Yama's mana he managed to draw out. Although Yama's mana felt intense it was just the tip of the iceberg. It wasn't even a percentage of Yama's true power.

"Don't try to force it out, we can always draw it out through battling. " Lucy said.

Trey's own eyes flashed open, they were somewhat red in colour and he felt like Yama's mana was just leaking out of his body, it felt overwhelming but somehow he maintained control.

With a smirk on his face he rocketed towards Lucy, it took less than a second for him to close the distance and already his sword was in motion ready to decapitate Lucy in one strike.

Lucy almost instinctively, used her own staff to block the assault. The clanging sound was followed by Lucy's body being forcefully pushed backwards.

Her body slid back uncontrollably, she raised her eyes trying to keep her balance while keeping her eye on Trey. Even as she desperately trie to find her feet, she just couldn't stop herself.

Her eyes found nothing were Trey previously stood. When she darted her gaze to her left side she found Trey next to her with a sadistic smile on his face. His blade swung again, and Lucy could once again only shield herself.

Her body was sent plummeting and smashing against a tree, the damage was visible to all. Even with its size and sturdiness, the tree had multiple cracks begin to form.

"Surely you can to better than that Lucy" Trey's voice was different again, it was more of a mixture of two individuals.

He dragged his feet towards, Lucy who was on her knees. He swung his blade to his sides showcasing his intent before he launched himself foward again.

He appeared infront of Lucy and pulled down his blade in descending slash.

Lucy jumped to her feet, raising her arms in the process, the two weapons made contact once again. Lucy felt the pressure exuding from Trey slowly overwhelm her shoulders. Her staff wobbled as it seemed like Trey would just overpower her.

"What's wrong Lucy, can't handle the heat" Trey laughed to himself maniacally.

Lucy simply smiled, a black aura started dripping from her body.

"You know Trey, only weaklings lose themselves in a fight!"

After uttering those words, Lucy's mana skyrocketed and with just a forceful swing of her staff. She deflected Trey's blade to the side, the act robbed Trey of his balance.

What Trey felt next was an iron staff that connected with his stomach. With just a swing of her staff Lucy smashed Trey to the other side of the field. His body collided with a tree and just like that, he was on his knees and desperate for air.

Blood poured from his mouth as he tried desperately to find breathing room. He had dropped his blade and most of his mana had vanished around his body.

"You did well, drawing out so much of Yama's mana but you need to be careful. His spirit can be overwhelming. That wasn't too bad though, you actually forced me to use my own mana which is good"

Trey could only watch while Lucy took casual steps towards him. Normally his body would heal right away considering Lucy used mana but this time, his body refused to regenerate. Blood leaked our of his stomach despite being struck by a staff you would think Lucy was using a sword.

Lucy saw the expression on Trey's face when he realized his body wasn't healing.

"That's the power of corrupted mana" Lucy said, coming to a stop a few meters away from Trey.

"Corrupted mana can be only be accessed by Demons.." she trailed off for a second before finally continuing, "and us Witches"

Trey had a pleased expression after he heard that word "I knew it"

Lucy decided to let his conment disappear without entertaining it with an answer.

"Corrupted mana is a form of mana that can not be regenerated from. As Its name suggest it is a corrupted energy that annihilates everything In its path. Although Witches use it as well, its most powerful when being used by a Demon. Since you have Yama inside you. It means you can also access it"

Trey somehow found himself on his feet again, everything Lucy said was enlightening yet frightening. If corrupted mana could not be healed from, then those people in the village never stood a chance. It was a dangerous form of mana, too dangerous.

"So I have to draw out as much of my own corrupted mana as possible?" He asked, having picked up his blade. He was still bleeding and his vision was a little hazy, but other than that he felt in control. His voice had also returned to its regular sound, the same was true for his eyes which were blue once more.

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"Yes, draw as much out of it as possible. It should be easier considering how much of Yama's mana you've used up so far, just flush it out and draw out your own mana. It won't heal you but it will limit your bleeding."

Trey nodded, before he forcefully dug deep inside him. He could feel a foreign energy just finger tips away, it felt like Yama's own but different some how. It felt warm yet cold at the same time. It was something he never once experienced.

Just as his body and mind began drawing their power from this source, Lucy appeard infront of Trey, she swung her staff once more but Trey I instinctively ducked before leaping back to create some distance.

Lucy would not let him, she charged foward and swung her staff multiple times. Just barely, Trey was able to deflect each assault to the sides, he then felt a kick to his stomach which forced him back while opening his wound.

"Draw it out as you fight!" Lucy yelled, she attacked Trey once again.

It was clear to Trey that Lucy was not going to give him a break. He needed to control himself.

If he didn't learn how to draw out his own mana, then all that training would've been for nothing and those villagers would've died for nothing.

His eyes were fully resolved, as Lucy brought down her staff. A black aura exploded out Trey. His blade made contact with Lucy's staff but a kick that followed sent Lucy flying. She had to use her staff as a way to break her momentum by digging it into the earth. It worked, and as she stopped herself she couldn't believe what she was looking at.

Trey's mana was black, but it had little spots of white mana. Lucy had never seen something like it. It was both corrupted but also pure, it was a kind of mana unlike anything In the world.

"That mana, how does it feel kid?" She asked, her eyes laced with concern.

"I don't know how to describe it really, it feels weird. It feels darker than the Demon King's mana but it also feels clean and pure. I don't know how to explain it.."

A smile dominated his curled lips, "suddenly I feel like I could take on anyone"

Trey appeard above Lucy in a split a second and he dropped down his blade like a hammer.

Lucy leaped back allowing the blade to pass her face just barely, it's glinting light almost blinding her. She landed a few meters away, trying to create some distance but Trey was already on top of her. He thrusted his blade looking to pierce her stomach.

Lucy yanked her body to the side, the blade missing her just barely. It tore through part of her dress in the process.

Trey smirked realizing how close he was, he then pulled his blade to follow Lucy looking to sever her into two halfs.

Almost instinctively, shadows leaked out Lucy's body and they encased her figure acting as a second layer of skin.

Trey's body made contact with the shadows and he felt like he just stuck iron. The recoil forced him to stagger backwards.

Using the brief opening, the shadows around Lucy retreated and it allowed her to smash her staff against Trey, her staff fully cloaked by the shadows. Trey was sent plummeting to a tree.

His mana died down and his lights went out.

When Trey came to, they were inside the house. His eyes although blurry could make out Lucy's body moving about, he got

up and realized he was back in his room.

"You did well today, I didn't think you'd actually unlock your mana that quickly" Lucy complemented, before handing him a bowl.

Trey made sure he was sitted upright when he received it. Its sweet aroma already made his nose excited. When he saw the contents of the bowl he found that it was a warm bowl of soup with meat and some vegetables. Never In his life had he smelled something so good.

He couldn't stop himself and he devoured the bowl, chugging down the soup like it was some refreshing drink. Even as it scorched his throat, he was willing to accept the pain because the taste was just that good.

Lucy decided to head for the exit, leaving Trey to enjoy his meal but as she reached the door. Trey spoke.

"Hey Lucy," Lucy turned to see what he wanted but was met with the most heartwarming smile she's ever seen.

Tears streamed down Treys cheeks In the middle of that smile

"Thank you"

Even with how gloomy the room was, for a second Lucy thought his face was glowing.

Lucy immediately turned the other way.

"Stop being such a crybaby and eat your meal already "

Lucy couldn't help but release a faint smile as she closed the door.

A few more days, turned to weeks as the two continued to train. Trey could now tap into his mana more easily and he could use it for a much longer period. It was still its weird black and white colour but at least it had no traces of Yama's mana. Trey also started to develop something else.

"What is this?" Trey questioned Lucy, as he found his blade enveloped by pure darkness. Unlike his mana there were no traces of white just black.

Lucy was actually surprised to see it develop so fast. She was surprised to see it develop at all, "that's the element of darkness, it's something most common to demons since it comes with corrupted mana but Witches use it as well. Manipulating darkness is a rare thing even among witches, I'm surprised a warrior type like you was able to awaken it."

She took a few steps towards Trey, "I guess it should be expected considering you have the most powerful Demon inside of you, but still..." she halted a few meters infront of Trey.

"The next part of our training will be about teaching you how to control that darkness, but it won't be easy"

Trey simply smiled after hearing Lucy's words, "I'm ready to give it everything I've got!"

A few weeks turned to a couple years as the years rolled by. Trey had better control of his element but overall it still needed some work. His body just could not handle it for excessive periods of time. Lucy attributed it to Trey's young age.

Trey couldn't believe it himself, two years after escaping the castle, he was now celebrating his twelfth birthday.

When he woke up that morning Trey found Lucy already pacing up and down the room.

"Do u feel different? Do you feel any taller?" She asked, with lively eyes.

"No, it's just my birthday I won't suddenly grow older taller you know. We went through this last year"

Trey's mind wondered to the year before when he celebrated his eleventh birthday. Lucy was such a mess that day, she brought all sorts of food, from goblin meat to Lizardmen tails, she brought anything she thought was good. She even brought snailer mucus which tasted like Ice cream. The house was a mess.

Lucy and Trey spent the entire day together, and even though it was chaotic. It was a memory Trey would never forget.

His mind trailed back to his current situation and he just smiled looking at Lucy's puzzled expression.

"We Witches don't celebrate things like birthdays so I don't know how any of this works okay, but I think I learned something from the last one."

Lucy clapped her hands and a dark shadow loomed above Trey's bed. From the shadows a cloak would fall from above and lend on Trey's lap.

The cloak had grey fur and it was black with parts if it being made out of leather. It had a hoodie and from the inside Trey could tell he was warm.

He picked up and a huge smile was visible on his face. He promised himself he wouldn't but he found himself teary eyed again.

"I made it myself" Lucy said, with a satisfied look on her face.

Trey jumped out of the bed and pounced on Lucy before pulling her closer into a warm hug. He buried his face into her shoulder hiding the tears on his face.

"Thank you so much!"

Lucy simply smiled and comforted Trey.

"I'll get you a present to! I promise!" Trey shouted, still embracing Lucy.

"You don't need to do that, I'm already really happy"

Lucy flashed a smile of her own, a smile she thought she could hide.

The day went by In a flash and Trey enjoyed his second birthday with Lucy.

Morning came and once again Lucy was no where to be found. This was common as she frequently disappeared for hours or even days. Trey would usually train by himself during those days but this time he had other intentions.

Trey opened the door out of the house, the wind brushed past his face as usual. He looked down down below him and his heart fluttered with excitement.

He smiled before he rushed down. The house was held up by a tree several meters tall and several meters thick.

Trey rushed down without fear or hesitation. The tree was sturdy, he could dig his foot into it and it didn't move an inch.

His mana cloaked his body as he rushed to the surface. Half way through his descent he jumped.

The wind brushed past his face, his new cloak billowed In the breeze. With the biggest smile on his face he landed on the ground. The surface cracked as it welcomed his landing, he crouched slightly upon making contact before he got up straight.

A year ago a fall like that would've shattered his legs.

He stood up looking at the shadowy forest infront of him. His cloak smothered his body and was even dragging on the ground, it was way too big for him, but Trey didn't care.

"I know Lucy doesn't want me to go and would prefer I just trained, but I'm getting her that present!"

With a fearless look in his eyes, Trey ventured deeper into the forest