You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

A simple relationship between ruler and subject would naturally not require such worries, but Akame did not regard Iori as a high and mighty emperor. The girl wanted to establish a relationship with him that was closer than that between ruler and subject or friends... For this reason, she always demanded strict standards of herself, and even in her semi-retired life, she did not forget to exercise every day, hoping that one day she could fight alongside Iori again and become his strength.

She no longer wanted to be a mere recipient of salvation!

What's disheartening is that she doesn't possess Esdeath's extraordinary talent that transcends the limits of the world. As the user of the Teigu (Imperial Arms) of the demon sword Murasame, no matter how much she trains using conventional methods, she cannot break free from the shackles of mortals.

The Third Law, Heaven's Cup, a body materialized from the soul... She didn't quite understand what this meant, but since even Iori said it could "transform a person," it couldn't be false.

This was something she had been looking forward to for a long time, so she accepted the spot without hesitation, which was rare for her.

"Alright, quickly stand in the corresponding positions as I told you before, the ceremony is about to begin."

As the officiant of the ceremony, Sera coldly and ruthlessly drove Kurohime off the platform. After ensuring that there were no irrelevant people within the magic circle, she checked Esdeath and Kurohime's positions again, then returned to Iori's side and grabbed the Holy King's hand in front of the other two.

"This is?"

"Next, we need to join forces, like a throttle valve, to control the two surging streams of earth energy from the north and south, allowing them to flow smoothly into the Greater Grail for fusion, and then transforming them into purer magic power to be input into the 'Dragon Vein Eye' beneath the capital, forming a main vein that runs through the north and south, and making it operate automatically with the Greater Grail as its hub... We will need about seven days to stabilize the Dragon Vein."

After Sera finished speaking, she added, "Just in case, we need to keep our minds and bodies in 'synchronization' during this period. Holding hands is just to synchronize our body temperatures, which is a relatively conservative action."

Can I interpret your words as 'there are even more extreme behaviors'?

Iori raised an eyebrow, and couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth upward: "Are you asserting your sovereignty?"

"...Yes, is that not allowed?"

Sera tilted her head slightly, tilting it up towards Iori, revealing her swan-like neck as she strolled along the street. A mischievous smile played on her lips, making Iori momentarily feel as if she were seeing another Berserker's Master...

Sera is much more mature than that little princess now—at least in terms of appearance.

“Of course.” Iori shrugged. Even though Esdeath and Akame’s gazes were piercing, he didn’t let go of Sera’s hand.

When you decide to date multiple people at the same time, you should be prepared to pay the price for enjoying the benefits of having multiple partners.

"...Did you feel it?"

"Yes...what immense power!"

As the invisible essence of the earth gathered and concentrated in the hall, Iori rarely showed an expression of shock:

The power of nature is indeed incomparable to that of an individual. In addition to its enormous quantity, its incessant momentum, like a mountain torrent, can truly overwhelm everyone!

Previously, Iori had only encountered relatively stable magical energy. Even the ley lines were something that magical families had carefully cultivated and maintained for generations. But this time, she was facing a violent herd of wild horses... Before forming a true ley line/dragon vein, it was bound to cause a huge disturbance!

No wonder... no wonder even with the Greater Grail, a top-tier magical core, Sera still insisted on operating it herself to feel at ease, as the slightest mistake in the process could lead to fatal consequences.

"This is the main channel, so put in a little more effort... it will be much easier later."

Sera took a deep breath: "Let's begin, Iori!"

hum!

hum!

On that day, in His Majesty the Holy King's palace, two dazzling beams of light pierced the ceiling of the audience chamber, leaving countless people inside and outside the court dumbfounded, all believing it to be a miracle...

Ding!

[CG included]

On my shoulders rest the weight of two capitals and thirteen provinces.

Type: Art style & Normal

quality:--

grade:--

Rewards Overview:

Art style value +4;

Additional draw:

[Legendary EX (Limited)]

• Create and control a large-scale ley line, thus gaining absolute sovereignty over a piece of land from a mystical perspective.

Fighting on this land naturally grants the highest level of fame bonus, and regardless of the mystery encountered, one can be immune to unfavorable affinity traits to a certain extent, retaining only favorable ones.

• Continue to expand the scale of the ley lines; the CG can be upgraded to "A Heart That Holds the Nine Provinces and Myriad Lands," and the skill effect will also be enhanced to cover the entire country.

Chapter 240: The Man Who Carries a Nuclear Reactor (4K)

Clang!

The sounds of steel intertwined into a stirring melody. With a series of sparks flying, an agile, tall figure drew an elegant curve in mid-air, leaping dozens of meters backward. Her long, icy blue hair was blown about like a flag by the strong wind, but it was scattered by the burst of cold air after the figure landed, highlighting a chilling aesthetic in the mess.

call!

In an instant, the entire hill was covered in frost, and a vast expanse of shimmering white ice appeared under the blazing sun. Then, one after another, "ground spikes" more than ten meters long pierced out like giant spears.

Click! Click! Ah!

The ice spikes pierced directly into the scabbard of the Ama-Kusama sword, and then emerged one after another, like a mountain of knives spread out, forcing Iori's body to retreat continuously.

Instead of using his spirit form to avoid the damage, he took the blow head-on with his physical body. His limbs, forged through countless trials, were imbued with the power of the ghost path. His punch collided head-on with the ice spikes, and the moment they made contact, a huge sonic boom erupted, sweeping out countless tiny ice crystals.

But only a moment later, an even thicker ice spike pierced through the debris, gleaming with a metallic sheen in the sunlight as it hurtled toward Iori!

It's as if the movement of glaciers has been materialized. It's not as simple as just a few ice spears and ice spikes. No matter how much destruction or resistance there is, the endless ice layers will continue to crush until the enemy is completely annihilated!

"Huh?" Iori raised an eyebrow slightly. Although this still posed no threat to him, the strength and power of these ice crystals were much stronger than before, and the difference was quite obvious!

Range, destructive power, durability...

If we consider the Kido system in "Bleach," its effect is probably even higher than the 75th Kido, "Hyouga Seiran," which is a high-level Kido that only a senior lieutenant can master. For Esdeath, this is just a small test.

"You've already adapted to your current body after only one day?" Iori asked, slightly surprised.

Although she specializes in ice-type magic, this fully demonstrates Esdeath's strength and talent.

"Hado Chapter 78: Slaying the Wheel of Light"

break!"

Facing the towering spikes and the incredibly thick ice, Iori calmed his mind, drew his Zanpakuto, and swung it down with a shout!

The spiritual pressure gathered on it was released in one breath, and the huge energy was compressed into a thin blade, as if the blade had been infinitely extended. In a flash, it cut through the entire ice field!

It's fortunate that this was a deserted wilderness that Iori specifically chose. If it had been a training ground in the imperial palace... these two would probably have turned the entire capital into ruins if they had started causing trouble!

"It's still not enough!"

Esdeath's voice rang out from high above, carrying a hint of barely concealed excitement.

"Then let's try this!"

Iori looked up, the dazzling sun making him squint slightly. Suddenly, hundreds of dark dots of varying sizes appeared in the once vast sky, casting sparse shadows on the ground. As he descended, the dots gradually revealed their true forms—

"this!"

Even the well-informed Third Division Captain couldn't help but show surprise: "Shadow Reflection... no, Ice Mirror Image?"

Those descending from the sky were none other than Esdeaths, each with an identical appearance and demeanor!

"Even though it's a mirror image, don't underestimate us—"

With strong wind pressure, Esdeath, who landed first, swung her saber at Iori, which clashed with the Ama no Kusanagi with a crisp sound. Iori retaliated with her hand, but was blocked by a saber that appeared from another direction. Then, the next Esdeath continued to pursue Iori.

Clang!

Bang!

Snapped!

Whether it's slashing or kicking, or the endless stream of ice-based skills, these mirror images are not only as agile as real humans, but also possess considerable combat skills.

Instead of attacking all at once, they worked in groups of four or five, taking turns attacking Iori in perfect coordination. No matter which member was lost, someone would quickly take their place, ensuring that Iori was always under continuous attack, giving him no time to think about his next strategy.

"So fast... As expected of 'my woman'!"

Iori emphasized the last few words, a competitive smile playing on her lips: "You've developed such an interesting move, you must have put in a lot of effort!"

It's impossible to learn advanced mirror clone techniques out of thin air in just one day. Iori speculates that Esdeath must have been practicing this technique for a long time and was working hard to improve it, but she was unable to complete it for some reason.

After achieving the Third Law, the materialized body of the soul is freed from the constraints of the human body and advances further in many aspects than before.

Putting aside everything else, the human body is certainly inferior to the soul in terms of subtle manipulation and perception of energy.

Perhaps it was the Third Law that filled in a certain gap, allowing Esdeath's power to finally be born!

This was probably developed based on the [Ice Storm General], whose skill effect was to summon a huge blizzard and a massive army of ice knights, overwhelming the enemy like a flood.

Now it's clear that Esdeath's frost power is more concentrated, the blizzards that could affect the weather have disappeared, and only about a hundred ice statues are summoned, making her seem much smaller than before.

But only those who have personally fought Esdeath know just how different the two really are:

Ultimately, the Ice Knight is only extremely lethal to ordinary soldiers; it poses no threat to experts.

However, "Esdeath Clone" possesses remarkable abilities, including physical attributes, energy levels, and combat skills. Even as a single individual, she can take on a thousand opponents and move freely across the battlefield.

In Iori's opinion, these clones are no less powerful than ordinary officers in the Gotei 13!

There were over a hundred of these combat units, and they could coordinate tactical actions with each other... No wonder Iori was so "impressed".

However, Esdeath was not happy when she heard Iori's words. Instead, her phoenix eyes narrowed and her heroic eyebrows rose like sharp blades.

"My woman? That sounds really unpleasant!"

call out!

The icy blades grazed Iori's body as the agile female generals launched a relentless barrage of attacks, leaving Iori seemingly only able to passively dodge and parry.

"I don't remember when I became 'your woman'. Even if it were a public declaration, it should be 'General Esdeath and her man'!"

"The main body?"

Clang!

The saber and the Kusanagi sword clashed fiercely, and the force of their impact created a semi-transparent wind pressure that swept across the surroundings.

"Recognize your place, Your Majesty the Emperor!"

"Ah!"

Iori laughed heartily, his expression was very cheerful, and it was rare for him to have such a pure smile without any other meaning.

Esdeath is different from most people; her mind is very pure. In a sense, she is the same kind of person as Minoru Kageno, except that their specific goals are different, and Esdeath is more common-sense.

If you find the right approach, interacting with someone like that can be a very pleasant experience.

"I admit you've gotten a lot stronger, but if that's all you've gotten, I suggest you stop talking big."

He swung his sword earnestly, without using any Kido enhancements, simply releasing spiritual pressure through swordsmanship. The sweeping "blade" sliced ​​through the air, severing a clone who couldn't dodge in time at the waist!

"Although it's done very well, it's ultimately just a clone. Its individual strength is far lower than the original body, so it won't be easy to trap a real expert."

Secondly…

Iori suddenly disappeared from her spot and reappeared inside the group of clones. Although the surrounding "Esdeath" launched an attack immediately, for some reason it seemed to be a step too slow. In the blink of an eye, she was swept away by the powerful Kido power and sword pressure, destroying more than ten clones in one go!

After that, the combat team that had been entangled with Iori arrived and coordinated to launch surprise attacks from different directions to distract Iori.

"As expected... this is the second weakness."

Although you created clones that were indistinguishable in appearance, they ultimately only had one consciousness. Even if you could multitask, you couldn't make each body possess high-level combat skills.

The reason for maintaining a combat team of four or five people to take turns attacking is twofold: firstly, this number will not cause mutual interference during the siege, and can maximize the use of the combat space; secondly, it is a necessary measure!

You can only achieve exquisite teamwork by focusing your attention on controlling these few clones; the other clones are just at an average skill level, slightly better than the Ice Knight but not by much!

"A troublesome man... But even knowing that, what do you plan to do?"

"You can destroy as many of those clones as you want, thanks to this body... I can replenish the lost parts at any time, it's practically an unlimited force!"

Esdeath was clearly unconvinced, and Iori smiled slightly upon hearing this.

"Don't forget, I'm not afraid of a war of attrition either."

The man wielded the Kusanagi sword, his sharp strikes constantly reducing the number of clones. His calm and unhurried demeanor was just like a farmer cutting grass!

Logically, the battle should have been decided by this point, and continuing would only result in one-sided crushing. However, Esdeath's clones continued to rush forward like moths to a flame, and not a single one could injure Iori. Yet, the Queen never lost heart.

Hidden among her many clones, the main body witnessed Iori's rampage and felt quite pleased, even a smile of delight appeared on her lips.

As time went on, Iori also noticed something was wrong:

The air around us seemed a little too "heavy".