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

This wisdom is indeed beyond what ordinary beastmen can match—most beastman girls express their love by saying, "I want to have kittens with Lord Aizen," which is even more straightforward than the heroes of the Water Margin.

As one of the few intelligent people among the beastmen, she may have been the weakest in combat, but she used the power of the Seireitei to integrate the Great Forest. She then successfully consolidated her position and established her authority through a strategy of division and checks and balances. In turn, she relied on the resources of the Great Forest Alliance to make herself a pivotal figure within the organization.

Iori glanced at her briefly, then gave her a "deep" look, nodded slightly, and sighed with emotion at how her casual act had yielded such a sweet reward... It's always said that good deeds are rewarded!

In contrast, Alpha is just a child under ten years old. Although he is precocious and tries to dress in a way that blurs his age, the gap in hardware is not easy to bridge.

Of course, Iori wouldn't look at her with strange eyes; it was just an objective evaluation.

After all, this is the little girl he has watched grow up since she was a child, who even called him "Dad" back then. It would be unbelievable if she had any other thoughts!

Furthermore, Iori isn't some lecherous glutton. While food and sex are indeed basic human needs, he has his own tastes and aesthetics. Having already savored luxurious dishes like Esdeath and Sera, how could he possibly be interested in dry, bland ribbonfish slices?

To win over Iori, I'd need at least another five or six years, until I've developed to the same level as her aunt.

"No need for formalities. You've done a very good job lately. I'm not here to inspect you, but to offer my condolences."

As Iori raised her palm upward, everyone in the arena felt a gentle magical force supporting their bodies. They dared not resist and naturally stood up. Then, pure, compressed magical force fell on everyone like spring rain, merging into their bodies and nourishing their meridians and internal organs.

The magic in this world has a near-omnipotent nature. The magic that Iori injected was highly pure compressed magic without any attributes, which was equivalent to casting a great healing spell and a magic activation buff on each of them.

The fatigue and hidden injuries accumulated during battles and training were now swept away by the warm currents. The tingling and soothing sensations spreading through their bodies made the girls' faces flush, and they almost couldn't help but groan aloud.

So many beautiful girls couldn't control themselves, suppressing their emotions and enduring the pain, occasionally letting out soft moans, with fine beads of sweat on their faces... Just looking at this scene, people would probably mistake it for some kind of filthy and improper party.

After a long while, the girls came to their senses. The strange sensations in their bodies had subsided, but a faint blush remained on their faces. Calming down and sensing their surroundings, they found their bodies much lighter and their magic flowing more smoothly. They couldn't help but look up at the "Aizen Daishin," who exuded a kingly aura, and their expressions were filled with admiration and excitement!

In "Shadow Reality", being able to manipulate magic outside the body is already a master's skill, but Iori's ability to do so at will is unprecedented and will never be repeated!

The girls trained by Esdeath all bear some resemblance to the Queen, such as a reverence for strength and a sadistic nature... though the degree varies from person to person.

Those who most closely resembled Esdeath practically idolized her, and to fully utilize their talents, they even set up a special "torture class"...

Perhaps that's why quite a few people have taken a liking to Iori, with orc girls making up the majority of them...

Alpha is one of the few who was not poisoned by the Queen. As the future leader of the executives, her education was personally overseen by Iori, who cultivated her into a well-rounded, all-around warrior like herself (childhood version).

Despite being under ten years old, her strength has already surpassed that of her aunt "War God Beatrice" when she first met Iori.

Only high-ranking members of the Diablo Order, such as the Knights of the Round Table, could pose a threat to Alpha. Apart from them, she could run rampant in this world.

"We have only done our duty. To serve under you and for your cause is the greatest happiness for us. Lord Aizen, there is no need for further reward," Yuki said meekly.

Alpha glanced at her, and although he was about to speak, he kept his mouth tightly shut: Yuki had already said everything she wanted to say.

What a cunning fox...

"Alpha, it's been a while, you've grown quite a bit taller." Iori said with a smile as the blonde girl looked disappointed. "It's a pity you're all grown up now, I can't pat your head like I used to."

"Well……"

Alpha blushed slightly, then quickly regained his composure: "My aunt still touches my head occasionally... If Lady Iori is interested, it's not impossible."

"Haha~"

Iori chuckled and skipped the question: "How long will it take Esdeath to return?"

“That’s not necessarily true. Ever since we killed a senior Round Table member not long ago, the rats in the Order have been hiding and have not dared to show their faces. Lady Esdeath has not found any prey for a long time... This time we finally found a base, and we must vent our anger properly.” Alpha hesitated and said, “Hopefully there aren’t many people in that base, so that Esdeath can kill them all as soon as possible and return sooner.”

“Is that so? Well, that’s hard to say…” Iori stroked his chin, then noticed the person behind Alpha and became interested.

"Alpha, what's behind you?"

"Quickly, come up and stand properly... Lady Iori, these are the demon-possessed infected people we encountered outside, and we selected them from among them... There are three in total."

Alpha stepped aside, revealing the silver-haired, blue-eyed elf, the cheerful canine beastman, and the dignified and elegant human young lady to Iori.

The three individuals mentioned above are all around the same age as Alpha, and they are all exquisitely beautiful and adorable, making them irresistibly pleasing to the eye.

“Even among our compatriots, their magical power and aptitude are outstanding, and they have extremely high potential for growth in the future. I believe they can all become the backbone of the organization... Therefore, I would like to bestow upon them the ‘codename after Alpha’ that you have reserved.”

The blonde elf looked at Iori with anticipation, just like a child who had done chores and was waiting for praise from their parents. It was truly heartwarming and endearing.

Iori also smiled and said generously, "I trust your judgment, Alpha. In that case, let's train them as future captains and bestow upon them the names Beta, Delta, and Gamma respectively."

"Yes!"

"From now on, you will have to learn to train and guide them as a leader. It will be even more difficult than it is now, understand?"

“I understand, but it’s impossible to defeat the Diablo Order and reshape the world into a new form without paying a price!”

Alpha's behavior was nothing like that of a child; he spoke like an adult, even with a hint of authority, which was truly remarkable.

"If you can achieve your goal simply by sweating and enduring hardship, then the price you pay is incredibly low!"

"..."

Iori stared at her intently, then nodded slightly, as if she had made a decision.

Alpha was puzzled: "Your Excellency... Lady Iori, is there something you're trying to say?"

"I did have some things to say, but for someone as enlightened as you, they seem somewhat superfluous."

Iori smiled and said, "I'll announce it after Esdeath returns."

"Ok."

hum~

Said Cao Cao, Cao Cao.

The surface section of the headquarters was opened, and the girls in charge of guarding let the newcomer in. He swaggered in unimpeded and entered the courtyard, only to be Esdeath leading a group of her subordinates back in triumph.

"I heard you were back, so I sped things up a bit... These rats are getting harder and harder to find these days."

Esdeath reached out and unfastened her white cloak, which was stained with a few drops of blood. It was left behind by her swift and decisive steps, and her subordinates caught it with practiced ease.

"Long time no see, Esdeath... According to the time flow of this world, has it been a month or two?"

Iori smiled and said to Esdeath, who was walking over, "I have something to discuss with you, if it's convenient—oh?"

"Convenient, convenient. Everything will be convenient once I finish my business."

Esdeath didn't stop walking. She stepped onto the platform, placed one foot on the throne, grabbed Iori's face, and kissed her hard... Iori was stunned and didn't even have time to dodge.

"Well……"

"call!"

"What are you doing in front of so many people... We have important business to attend to."

"They wouldn't dare to object!"

Esdeath looked back proudly, her imposing presence making her appear like a predatory predator on the hunt, her prey cornered and left to be slaughtered.

Facing a large number of surprised, shocked, and excited gazes, the Ice Queen said contemptuously, "Since you have all followed me, you should understand that this organization is pyramid-shaped, with the strong at the top and the weak at the bottom. As long as you have the ability, no one can stop you from doing whatever you want."

"Beauty is only meant for the strong, understand?!"

These words stunned everyone present, including Iori, though they were all affected by different things.

Iori was shocked to find herself being regarded as a "beauty," and was furious at Esdeath's audacity. She decided to give Esdeath a good beating when no one was around.

The girls below had many more ideas:

"Um... what you just said, can I understand it as... as long as I can climb to your position, I can 'get close' to Lord Aizen like this?"

Iori: "Huh?"

"Exactly!"

Iori: "...Huh?"

"it is good!!!"

"Sparashi..."

"It's so good that I'm still alive... It's true that as long as you're alive, good things will happen to you."

"Suddenly I feel full of fighting spirit!"

"…………………………ah?"

"What are these guys so excited about? I haven't even said anything yet," Iori muttered to herself.

"Speaking of which, what is the important matter you wanted to discuss?" Esdeath only now remembered to ask Iori.

The man glanced at the slightly angry little Alpha below and smiled: "This organization is quite mature now. In terms of military force, we have Beatrice and many Grim Reapers. In terms of connections and financial resources, we have a hidden strength that spans major countries. And Yuki is an outstanding management talent..."

I think it's time to share some of the responsibility with them. Besides, you've been feeling bored lately, haven't you?"

"You mean... you want me to relinquish my position and no longer interfere in the organization's management?"

Esdeath narrowed her eyes: "I just said..."

"It was just a coincidence!"

Iori immediately said seriously, "I've come to invite you to go hunting, Esdeath."

"Hunting?" The Ice Queen's eyes lit up.

“That’s right, and it’s even more challenging than the Order.” Iori smiled slightly. “However, before that, you’ll need to undergo a little training.”

-

"The shape, state, and abilities of a Zanpakuto are modeled after the soul of a Shinigami (death god).

A Shinigami gains power by knowing the name of the Zanpakuto bestowed upon them and by engaging in a spiritual dialogue with it—that is the Zanpakuto.

After Iori finished speaking, she spread her hands: "Of course, this is a rather formulaic way of putting it. You just need to remember one thing: the Shinigami training system is basically about two aspects: 'spiritual pressure' and 'mental state'."

"I feel a bit lost. All my training has been focused on living people that I can touch. As for the soul, I started learning about it from 'Heaven's Feel'... In the end, I have no concept of 'spiritual pressure'. If you're talking about magic power, I'm more familiar with that."

In the spacious outskirts of Rukongai, Iori was teaching Akame and Esdeath how to train their Shinigami powers, but the female assassins were clearly somewhat bewildered, as this was a completely new field for them.

"Death is also a kind of spirit, and it is not fundamentally different from the ordinary souls that can be found everywhere."

However, the latter hardly needs to eat, surviving on water alone, while Death must obtain food from the outside world like humans.

Iori patiently explained, "Do you know why this is?"

Before they could answer, Iori said directly, "This is because the spiritual particle density—spiritual pressure—of ordinary souls is very low, not much different from inanimate objects like stones and trees. Their daily activities do not consume much spiritual particle, so they naturally do not need to replenish it."

Souls at the level of death consume a lot of spiritual particles, whether in battle or in daily activities. The most obvious manifestation of this is the need to eat... In other words, the spiritual particles that make up a soul are also in a constant state of renewal (metabolism), similar to the cells of a living person.

Living people can strengthen their muscles through exercise and increased nutrition, and the same applies to Shinigami. However, the specific methods are not so simple. After all, even if you have seven or eight stomachs, you can't possibly consume enough spiritual energy for your Shikai and Bankai.

The specific training method involves consuming one's own spiritual particles through the practice of slaying white fleeting demons. By combining meditation and physical sensation, one gradually masters the technique of increasing spiritual particle density, achieving the effect of increasing the total amount of spiritual particles while maintaining the same body size..."

In the distance, under a large tree, Aizen Yuuki stood in the shade, quietly watching this scene. Her eyelids were slightly lowered. After a short while, she turned and left without saying a word.

Chapter 273: Loneliness is Yours [Mirror Flower Water Moon] (4.5K)

Ever since Nimaiya Oetsu created the nameless Zanpakuto called "Asauchi," this basic weapon, which has no special attributes but is versatile and adaptable, has become the sword of all Shinigami inside and outside the Seireitei.

The soul must live and eat with the "Asauchi" and, through accumulation and tempering, infuse the essence of one's own soul into it, shaping and naming it, in order to create "one's own Zanpakuto".

The most crucial element in this process is "living and eating together." This doesn't mean you have to be inseparable from the sword. Theoretically, it simply means that you need to improve your compatibility with the sword during the birth of the sword spirit, and living together day and night is the simplest way to do that.

In Japanese folklore, there is a story about "tsukumogami" (spirits or spirits). One theory is that objects become spirits over time, developing a kind of spirituality after being placed for about a hundred years. Another theory is that objects resemble their owners; objects that are worn or cherished by their owners become guardian spirits because of the love and care they have given them.

In fact, such legends are common throughout history and across the world. Even in fantasy novels, there is the saying that "magical treasures can nurture spirits." Cultivators who are ruthless in the Dao may not care about their disciples or relatives, but they certainly value their natal magical treasures that they have been with for a long time.

In a sense, a Zanpakuto is a Shinigami's (death god's) signature weapon, and one that is even linked to their life!

"But we don't have the Asauchi you mentioned?" Akame sat cross-legged on the ground, placing Murasame on her lap, examining the demonic sword that had drunk countless lives, while looking at Iori with a puzzled expression.

"The purpose of asabu is to make the awakening of Zanpakuto easier, but it is not necessary. Otherwise, before the appearance of 'swordsmiths', were all Shinigami boxers?"

Furthermore, the Asauchi are distributed uniformly by the upper echelons of the Seireitei, and their source is an extremely mysterious and powerful entity. This thing can unleash the power of Shinigami, but from another perspective, it is also a way to restrain and control Shinigami, so it has a backdoor.

Iori laid out her Ama-Kusana horizontally to show the two of them: "But there are exceptions, for example, my [Ama-Kusana: Mirror Still Water], it is not awakened with a shallow strike."

"So, does that mean I can use 'Muramasa' instead of Asauchi?" Akame asked thoughtfully.

"That's right, and in terms of effectiveness, it's even better than shallow injections."

Iori nodded approvingly: "As mentioned before, the most important thing in awakening a Zanpakuto is the compatibility with spiritual pressure and the spiritual realm."

Red Eyes, with your talent and experience, achieving 'enlightenment' should not be a problem.

The fact that Murasame was chosen by you as an Imperial Arms already indicates that you have a good compatibility with it, and since you've used it for so long, you've already achieved a high level of understanding and adaptation. Furthermore, being able to develop Murasame's unique hidden technique (Ennoku Kozuno) means that you've reached the state of perfect harmony between man and sword.

With so many factors combined, switching to a shallow shot now would actually be giving up your advantages.

“I see… That’s perfect. It would be a real shame to abandon Murasame.” Akame carefully stroked the blade of Murasame, a look of reminiscence in her eyes.