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

Frost and lightning, sabers and rain, a clash of skills accompanied by intense magical collisions, causing the atmosphere of the training ground to seem to be torn apart and scatter in all directions.

"Amazing, in less than half a month, he's practically a completely different person." Sera looked at the scene with a mixture of envy and complicated emotions.

"Even with the blessing of the Third Law, their natural talent is indeed rare."

And this lightning... you gave her your Noble Phantasm?

"It's not a Noble Phantasm, strictly speaking it's a modified Imperial Arms... Now it seems like it was the right thing to give it to her; this thing is much more useful in her hands than in mine."

The Teigu that Iori mentioned is naturally the [Thunder Emperor Gauntlets]. Ordinary people are limited by physical strength and affinity, making it impossible for them to use multiple Teigu at the same time, but this is naturally not a problem for Akame at present.

The ability of this gauntlet is to release and control lightning, but in Iori's hands it is just a support item, and as his strength increases, the effect becomes less and less obvious... In the end, Iori himself doesn't really like lightning-type Kido, and the storm divinity of "Ama-no-Kurakumo" has a similar effect.

This Imperial Arm, which had become useless to Iori, gave Akame a powerful boost, opening another door—energy manipulation!

Originally, Akame was just a pure assassin-style swordsman who had never been involved in any energy system. However, after being sublimated by the Third Law, she obviously had enough aptitude in this area. With just a little practice under Iori's guidance, she successfully developed her own way of using Imperial Arms.

Unlike Iori, who prefers to release magic, Akame prefers to imbue herself with the power of lightning, elevating her mobility to a new level. When she goes all out, she can almost teleport, and her attacks are infused with lightning damage, making them quite powerful.

Although she is not yet comparable to Esdeath now, she is definitely capable of assassinating the "strongest Teigu user of the Empire" before she met Iori!

Swiftness + assassination swordsmanship + deadly poison curse – this combination is quite terrifying for flesh and blood.

"Giving away personal belongings so readily...how generous."

Sera felt a little jealous for some reason: "She's never given me a gift like that before."

"Ok?"

Iori turned her head and smiled knowingly: "Jealous?"

"No way!" Sera looked away, turning her head away in a huff to avoid seeing Iori's mischievous expression.

"Then I'll give you a gift later too," Iori said, half-jokingly and half-seriously. "How about a 'successor'?"

"Well……"

Just as Sera's cheeks flushed slightly, and Iori pressed her advantage by teasing her further, the battle situation suddenly changed—

Zheng!

The seemingly invincible Ice Queen was momentarily distracted during the high-speed battle, allowing Akame to glide across her shoulder with a slash that sent a trail of ice shards flying...

This doesn't even qualify as a "minor injury." Not to mention that the blade was already blocked by the ice on her body, even if she had been stabbed, the effects of the Third Magic wouldn't have made her care about any curses or poisons... But this wasn't a life-or-death duel, and Akame hadn't gone all out either. Using this as a period to draw a conclusion would be just right.

The battle ended there. Esdeath frowned, looking at her shoulder with a displeased expression.

Akame looked at her with a puzzled expression: "You didn't lose on purpose, did you?"

"Of course not...it was my mistake." Esdeath feigned indifference, turning to look at Iori and Sera, who were behaving intimately in the stands. The Ice Queen's face was truly frosty.

Akame followed her gaze, feeling a little uncomfortable but unable to explain why, which only added to her confusion: "What's wrong?"

“I just hate the feeling of being looked down upon,” Esdeath said unhappily. “Someone thinks flirting is more important than our fight.”

"..."

Akame blinked, puzzled. She knew Esdeath had special feelings for Iori, but... was it really that strict? From her perspective, there hadn't been anything inappropriate between Iori and Sera.

"You don't understand. That man is like a hungry beast; he won't let go of prey that's been delivered to his mouth... He was definitely going to be devoured!"

Esdeath glanced at it coldly, then turned away and snorted, "Boring! I have no interest in this kind of thing!"

"...I don't understand. What are you talking about?" Akame asked hesitantly. "Is there something you're not interested in?"

"Ok?"

Esdeath looked at Akame with some surprise, her gaze softening considerably: "I see... In that case, it's none of your business. Don't ask any more questions; this is a private matter between the three of us."

"Hmm? What is it...wait! Could it be...um!"

Akame belatedly realized what was happening and instinctively gripped the hilt of Murasame's sword, staring down at her toes, her pupils trembling.

While feeling ashamed, she also felt resentful:

So it turns out that Sera and Esdeath had already... and she was the only one excluded?

No! Of course it's not envy or anything; she has absolutely no interest in that kind of thing!

But... but... she was the one who first met Iori!

Whether it was a chance encounter, a battle, getting to know each other, supporting each other, or even falling in love with that guy, she was the one who started it all!

Chapter 243: Beatrice on the Run

Esdeath and Akame have undergone a complete transformation, but they still have a lot to learn. At the very least, after achieving the Third Magic, they should learn some basic magic, just like Iori did back then—don't underestimate the "basic magic" in Type-Moon.

Strengthening, projection, transformation, absorption, and flow (transfer) are the basic skills of a magician, but because they are simple, they are close to the essence. Each one is easy to learn but difficult to master, and has almost infinite possibilities.

In the original Fate manga, each of the three starter families chose one of their traits as the foundation of their family, thereby developing more complex and powerful spells.

For example, the Einzberns are known for their expertise in "transfer" and "flow". This race is not good at fighting, so their expressiveness is not very strong. But if you look at their otherworldly counterpart "Einzworth" in "Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya", you will understand the power of this technique.

If an individual possesses an exceptionally special talent, it can combine with basic magic to create a unique and powerful ability that can be sealed away—for example, Emiya's cheat-level projection.

Iori studied the Einzbern family's techniques to conduct a more in-depth study of the nature and flow of magic.

He was able to develop techniques like "Shunko Nidan" and "Hado Zero-shiki" by combining knowledge from magic, Kido, physics, and other fields.

—Yes, in order not to waste this brilliant brain, besides using spirit technology, this guy also teaches himself physics through the "Crown's" knowledge base in his spare time.

As it turns out, learning from others can be beneficial. After learning to a certain level, Iori realized that many things are interconnected, and combining them makes research much smoother.

If magic reactors were truly based solely on luck, Iori would have killed himself multiple times over by now...

Esdeath and Akame are definitely not the scholar type—from childhood to university, they've always focused on how to kill people more efficiently, and have never tried any other career paths.

Sending them to learn is just to give them a basic understanding of the subject; otherwise, it would be a waste of their innate ability to "materialize their souls."

The teaching and nurturing work was naturally entrusted to Sera. As for what kind of brilliant sparks would fly when these three got together... that's another matter.

Iori decided to let them resolve their internal conflicts internally and not get involved herself. She then returned to "Bleach" and, after a short detour, arrived at "Kagemi".

Two or three months had passed since he instructed Minoru Kageno to build "Lexusion Palace," and it was time to check on the progress!

He didn't make a grand appearance, but instead quietly revisited the place. Even the greatly improved Kageno Minoru didn't realize that his teacher had actually returned!

Logically speaking, Minoru Kageno had not received any education in imperial studies, had never cooperated with others, and had no experience in leading a team.

In order to maintain his "shadow-like strength" persona, he was not an active figure at school or in his neighborhood, and never became a leader in the center of a group. He was a lone wolf most of the time.

Aside from her family, Minoru's contact with others is almost entirely limited to "survival needs"...

With this kind of "lifestyle," Minoru Kageno's level of reclusivity is almost on par with the abstract rock master next door. Forget about building a faction, he can hardly even have normal conversations with people.

Surprisingly, despite its many flaws, he still managed to establish the "Hollow Night Palace" and it is thriving!

The high school he originally attended established a shelter base under the leadership of the local prestigious "Nishino family," and Minoru Kageno spent his days in the shelter as an ordinary logistics staff member, providing support to those who went out to find supplies and serve as guards of the base.

But at night he transforms into "Shadow," where he commands the respect and awe of his many subordinates in his secret base inside an abandoned television tower.

Among these superpowered individuals who received the "Magic Fluid (Modified)" enhancement, the one ranked first was none other than Nishino Akane, the young lady of the Nishino Zaibatsu and one of the leaders of the shelter base!

Out of curiosity about how Minoru Kageno managed the organization, Iori secretly listened to the conference proceedings for a while outside the TV tower called "Hollow Night Palace." She discovered that Kageno hadn't said anything particularly clear from beginning to end. Although it sounded impressive, upon closer inspection, it seemed unlikely to have any significant impact on the situation.

But what's amazing is that these superpowered individuals listened, nodded, and exclaimed in admiration, as if they understood what they were hearing...

Especially Nishino Akane is the most outrageous. After listening to An Ying's words, she would mutter to herself, connecting those mysterious statements with current affairs, and then interpreting them according to her own logic.

Don't say it! Really, don't say it!

After she "translated" it, it actually made some sense!

Iori was stunned outside:

Is this organization running on "not speaking human language" and "filling in the blanks"? How can it grow and thrive without collapsing?!

hiss!

It seems the world is far more tolerant than we realize, even capable of producing miracles created by such fools…

Hearing the repeated phrases "As expected of Lord Shadow," Iori wore a wry smile, along with a strange sense of envy.

If only his subordinates had such strong initiative and the ability to fill in the gaps in their imagination!

—If you look closely, you'll notice that most of Minoru Kageno's subordinates are high school students, an age when they are hot-blooded and easily swayed.

The Shinigami under Iori's command are mostly one or two hundred years old, mature old men who have experienced a lot before meeting Iori and have their own independent understanding of the world. It's easy to imagine that this situation wouldn't occur.

By the way, many of the characters in the original work probably weren't even born yet or were still little kids at this point.

For example, Byakuya, Toshiro, Momo Hinamori, Rukia... Among them, Byakuya is probably the only one who has already been born. Should we go and train him?

After all, Iori has a pretty good relationship with Ginrei and Yoruichi, so it's perfectly reasonable for her to help them take care of the kids.

—Putting that idea aside for the time being, Iori quietly left after gaining a general understanding of the current organizational structure and scale of "Lex Netherworld".

Firstly, this organization is still a makeshift operation, and secondly, the current situation is relatively stable, and it's a stage of development and growth. Under the premise that everything goes smoothly, there is no need for Iori to show her face.

The sudden appearance of a "boss's boss" is baffling, but if he steps in to turn the tide in a crisis, he will naturally be seen as a reliable ally.

In his perception and calculations, the spatial rift in the Earth plane has not stopped expanding, but is silently destroying the barrier between the two worlds, brewing a second demonic tide... At that time, Iori will not lack an opportunity to make his appearance.

After checking the "homework" assigned to Minoru Kageno, Iori found the Flame Dragon, who was sleeping soundly inside Mount Fuji, through the soul contract. The perfect life form complained as soon as they met, saying that Iori hadn't shown up for so long that it thought it had been abandoned on Earth.

Moreover, although Earth now possesses magic, it is neither pure nor concentrated enough compared to the other world. It is actually quite uncomfortable to stay there. You can't see anything in the short term, but once you stay there for a long time, you will feel a kind of "culture shock". The only way to balance it out is to rely on the physical environment in the volcano.

simply put--

It misses home!

Iori readily agreed, having brought the Flame Dragon here to clear maps and eliminate monsters. Now that the first Demon Tide has passed early and there's still a buffer period before the next one, there's really no need to keep the Flame Dragon here indefinitely.

The man and the dragon flew to outer space, found one of the largest spatial rifts and entered, arriving in that hellish other dimension after a long absence.

Compared to before, Iori keenly noticed this time that the concentration of magic in the atmosphere had changed, and its nature seemed much more peaceful than before... In fact, the number of monsters had decreased significantly, and it no longer felt like a swarm of locusts.

It seems that the demonic tide not only destroyed Japan, but also affected the interior of Purgatory.

To use an imperfect analogy, the demonic tide is roughly equivalent to a flood... A flood of magic rushes into the other world and Earth, permanently altering their environments. Consequently, the "water level" here in Purgatory will drop considerably.

...But if we compare Purgatory to a dammed lake and the other world and Earth to depressions, then where does Purgatory's endless water (magic) come from?

It's important to understand that Purgatory almost unilaterally supplies magic to the other two worlds, rather than circulating spiritual energy like the three worlds in Bleach. After being in contact for countless thousands of years, Purgatory still has such a high concentration of magic... So what was it like in the beginning?

Because she was particularly concerned, while Iori and the Flame Dragon were searching for a spatial rift leading to another world, Iori also made a special record of the changes in the concentration of magic power in the atmosphere in addition to fighting monsters. She discovered that as time went by, the concentration of magic power in Purgatory was slowly recovering—although it could only be considered a trace amount on a macroscopic scale.

Will it continue to increase, or will it plateau at a certain point and remain at a constant concentration?

But in any case, this means that the world of Purgatory must have some kind of rule that constantly generates magic!

Iori didn't tell Flame Dragon about this guess, but just kept a close eye on it. When Flame Dragon's realm is higher in the future and he can see the essence of the world, he can explore this secret and maybe he will have some unexpected gains.

After all... Purgatory doesn't look like a normal world at all; it's more like it's in the process of collapsing. Even if some natural disaster is accidentally caused during the exploration, only the monsters will suffer, and Iori won't feel any guilt.

Keeping this matter to herself, Iori wandered around for a while before finally finding the correct passage and sending the Flame Dragon back to the other world where it was born.

Upon returning here, the Flame Dragon couldn't wait to spread its wings and fly to an altitude of ten thousand meters, soaring through the clouds and fully enjoying the familiar magical "scent" to relieve the pressure and fatigue accumulated on Earth over the past few days.

The exhilarating roar of the dragon and its meteor-like figure caused the human kingdoms it passed through to think that some kind of calamity had occurred, triggering alarms in countless cities along the way... Fortunately, no one dared to come out and stop the Flame Dragon.

Iori sat on the back of this perfect creature, flying back to the Gobi Desert where they first met—a place that the Flame Dragon had cultivated for a long time, and it had grown attached to it, treating it as half of its lair.

"what?"

Just a few more leaps over the mountains and the conspicuous Gobi Desert on the land came into view. But just as they were getting close to their destination, Iori suddenly exclaimed in surprise and gestured for the Flame Dragon to adjust its direction slightly.

Although the Fiery Dragon was puzzled, it obeyed the command, but after a moment it understood:

Such a strong magical reaction! There's a battle going on nearby, and the people above are all quite powerful!

Iori sensed more than the Flame Dragon. He frowned slightly, staring at a spot on the ground, and muttered, "Is this just a coincidence?"

-

A gray shadow flashed swiftly through the dense forest, its agility enough to make any wild beast tremble with fear. Yet, even so, it could not shake off its enemies' pursuit. No matter where it ran, if it paused in one place for even a moment, its pursuers could quickly find it!

Firstly, the enemy was numerous, and secondly, they had some special means to lock onto the gray figure long ago, and could track it down by following its aura no matter where it went.

However, despite having the overall advantage, the gray-clad figure's combat strength should not be underestimated. The five or six skirmishes in the dense forest all ended with their own defeat and the enemy breaking through... which was truly embarrassing for the leader of the team.

However, both sides knew in their hearts that if things continued like this, the gray figure was destined to be surrounded and killed, because one side was a powerful and mysterious organization, while the other side was isolated and helpless and had a burden to carry.

boom!

A large tree fell under the impact of the shockwave. The gray figure dodged in time but was grazed by the aftershock. Unsteady on his feet, he tumbled backward several times before finally landing on the ground.