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

grade:--

quality:--

Reward: Art style value +2

...The former, needless to say, comes from the decisive battle between Iori and the Azure Dragon, but the latter is a little strange, as Iori doesn't remember ever being called that before.

After careful recollection and serious consideration, he guessed that the people of the island nation might have learned of his "dragon-slaying" feat and thus bestowed upon him this title with reverence.

It's not surprising, given the scale of that battle and the subsequent torrential rains and persistent cloud cover. Knowing something serious had happened, the islanders would certainly investigate. They couldn't find the Azure Dragon's corpse, but they could understand by observing the reactions of the large, dangerous creatures.

Speaking of which, without the threat of the Azure Dragon, those dangerous species will surely unleash their long-suppressed nature, and the island nation may usher in a chaotic period like a hundred demons walking at night... This is something no one could have predicted.

However, this has nothing to do with Iori. He doesn't have a strong sense of responsibility and won't blame himself for the negative consequences of the chain reaction. After all, slaying the Azure Dragon was something the islanders were looking forward to... It can only be said that every advantage has its disadvantage.

He was focused on his own gains:

With the increase in art style value and his own breakthrough, his spiritual pressure limit has now reached an astonishing "690"!

He went from being slightly below the level of a vice-captain to a fairly senior level in an instant, and this was achieved in just one battle, less than ten days from the perspective of Soul Society...

However, Iori's current spiritual pressure is only a little over 500. One reason is that his art style value has increased too quickly and he hasn't caught up yet, and another is that he is in a weak state, not at his peak.

By the way, when Iori returned to Akame ga Kill! to check on his Zanpakuto these past two days, he discovered something very interesting: after activating Shikai, a status marker "(Shikai)" appears after the Spirit Pressure value.

Iori was initially puzzled by this, but after repeatedly reflecting on the changes after the initial release based on her own experience, she finally understood:

After the true name of the Zanpakuto is called out, the spiritual particles that constitute the Shinigami itself will change in their form and combination, just like turning from scattered soldiers into a regular army, becoming more compact and solid, thereby increasing the intensity of spiritual pressure and making it much more efficient to use, and can exert several times the power before Shikai!

This finally made Iori understand what the original work meant by the increase in spiritual pressure from Shikai and Bankai—it was a reorganization and strengthening at the level of basic particles. Although the total amount was also increased, it was not a simple expansion of mass. Saying it was "increased by four or five times" was just for ease of understanding.

And so, Iori stayed in Soul Society for a few more days, spending a long time with her grandmother in Rukongai, and told her that she was going to work as a manager in a town in the human world. Her grandmother was reluctant to let her go, but she only gave Iori a lot of advice and told her to be careful in everything she did.

Time flew by, and the day finally arrived for their journey to Hueco Mundo. Iori, whose injuries were just beginning to heal, looked slightly pale, but was in exceptionally good spirits.

As he stepped forward to get his number, an unexpected thought popped into his mind:

~CG Update~

Sword Saint Martial Venerable

Art style score: 2+1

-

Iori: Huh? What's going on!

Chapter 46: I'm just a legend~

The CGs that had already been extracted were being updated again, increasing the art style value... This was the first time Iori had encountered such a situation, but he quickly realized that this was a rare opportunity and he had to figure out the mystery behind it, which might open up a new path.

He followed the army through the portal, from Soul Society to Hueco Mundo, which was shrouded in darkness all day long. There were no large cities or orderly streets like those in the human world or Soul Society, only barren white desert-like ground and dead trees that looked like quartz everywhere. It was a completely barren land.

However, compared to the human world and Soul Society, there is one advantage here:

The concentration of spiritual particles in the atmosphere is extremely high, allowing Shinigami to increase their spiritual pressure recovery speed and even enhance the power of their released Kido.

Of course, the Hollows will also become stronger, and since this is their home turf, they have a greater home advantage than the Shinigami.

The Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force, led by the immortal Saito, joined forces with the remaining personnel and comprised approximately 150 Shinigami, of whom more than 20 were capable of Shikai, making it a remarkably elite force.

With Bankai masters and numerous veterans stationed there, and relying on the enchanted camp, they could easily handle even an attack by an Adjuchas-class Hollow leading a Hollow horde, as long as they didn't provoke Vastodes.

Vastods are extremely rare in Hueco Mundo, and Saito has only seen a handful in all his years of life—but if one were to actually appear, he would have to consider abandoning the camp and retreating back to Soul Society.

It was in this perilous environment that Iori quickly overcame her weakness with the help of abundant spiritual energy, adapting to life in the expeditionary force while also exploring the secrets of that special CG. Time flew by in her busy schedule...

"Kill the Red," an island in the far east, in Omi Province.

With a bloodcurdling howl, the nearly fifty-meter-long silver-blue giant wolf crashed to the ground, its massive body breaking trees and its blood soaking the land.

Looking around, half of the forest was in ruins. Trees that had been cut down by the wind blades were lying in disarray, and the ground was covered with cracks. One wonders what kind of fierce battle had left such a scene.

As the silver wolf lost its life, excited cheers erupted. One by one, the wounded or exhausted samurai helped each other up, raised their cross-shaped spears and katanas, and praised the name of "Martial Sovereign" in unison.

That kind of fervor is what every great general who leads troops into battle hopes to achieve, because it means that his subordinates will follow him wholeheartedly, and that they will be willing to die for his orders!

However, Iori, who was standing in front of the Silver Wolf's corpse and enjoying the cheers, only glanced back and gave a friendly but distant smile.

This, however, only excited the samurai even more.

They weren't even considered samurai to begin with. If they wanted to join the army and make a name for themselves, they could only start from the lowest rank of foot soldier. It was almost impossible for them to climb to the position of samurai general in their lifetime. This was undoubtedly a tragedy for them, who were born in the Sengoku period and had ambitions.

But the strongest swordsman, who appeared as a young boy, changed their fate. How could they not yearn for him from the bottom of their hearts?!

Compared to these excited people, Iori's expression was relatively calm. She quickly suppressed her smile and ordered people to go forward and collect materials. Soon, someone took a special underworld artifact to cut the silver wolf's fur and claws.

He watched as the once majestic wolf king now resembled a dead insect, torn into pieces of varying sizes by the swarming ants... At first, such a scene would have moved him, but now, having seen it so often, he felt little emotional.

After the fall of the Azure Dragon of Izumo, the large dangerous species that had been forced to submit before indeed became restless and couldn't wait to come out and define their own territories. However, most of these places now have human villages, so many tragedies inevitably occurred.

Many small countries even abandoned these mountain people out of fear of the monster.

Under these circumstances, Iori returned with the Dragon Slayer Blade, eliminating the dangerous species that plagued the area one by one and saving village after village. Before long, the title of "Martial Sovereign" spread and became a consensus among everyone.

In the Warring States period, it was only natural for the weak to rely on the strong, and generals and daimyo always spared no expense in recruiting strong people. However, this martial lord who suddenly appeared repeatedly refused the opportunity to become the lord of a city or region, which made outsiders very puzzled.

He never pursued any material enjoyment, nor did he show any ambition. He simply kept killing wild animals, and the reward he received from the mountain people was sometimes just a rice ball, but he never complained.

Gradually, he became a legend in this land, making people believe that there really are warriors in this world who are as pure and flawless as moonlight, and who are invincible in every battle!

From a certain day onwards, some people volunteered to follow him, risking their lives to hunt down dangerous species. Iori did not drive them away, but simply let everything develop naturally. After each dangerous species was killed, he would share the materials with the followers who participated in the battle and entrust craftsmen to help them forge them into Netherworld Treasures.

As more and more people joined, they gradually formed a sizable team. However, some people left the team during this process, but they were persuaded by Iori to leave after they obtained the Netherworld Treasure and pursue their own future.

Some returned to their hometowns to protect the peace of their region, some joined the king's army and became fierce generals, and some chose to wander around like Iori, continuing to hone their martial arts skills... But no matter which choice they made, they all made the name "Martial Master Iori" spread even further!

Back to the present, the Silver Wolf that just fell was the last of the infamous overlord-level scourges in the world, and it too was defeated by Iori.

At this time, there were no fewer than dozens of samurai who had left his school and opened martial arts schools and dojos in various places, and who also regarded him as their master. Almost the same number had joined the armies of various countries. In addition, there were countless ronin samurai who were chasing after his shadow.

It can be said that Iori has spread his name throughout the Far East and become a "model for all" here!

With such power, if he wanted to raise an army to contend for supremacy, he could certainly sweep across the world. It's just a pity that Iori's ambitions lie elsewhere—conquest is not difficult, but ruling is too exhausting.

In this process, Iori validated her hypothesis:

The art style and CG can definitely be updated!

However, this is related to its sustained influence. Iori's slaying of the Azure Dragon has left behind the legend of the Dragon-Slaying Sword Saint in the Far East. As more and more people become aware of it, the influence of this event gradually ferments and then causes a qualitative change, which will further enhance the art style value.

To obtain similar CG, several conditions must be met. For example, the scope of influence must be large enough, not just a few people or a group of people, but a city, a country, or even a world, large enough to form a "legend" or "myth"!

As proof, Iori's reputation grew further as he began eliminating pests in various places, allowing more people to witness it firsthand and experience it for themselves, which led to a slow increase in his art style value... By the mid-to-late stages, his image had become fixed, and he gradually stopped updating it.

Today, he is revered as "Wu Zun" by the samurai class and is the strongest exorcist among the common people. Some have even begun to write supernatural stories based on him, referring to dangerous creatures as "Hyakki" (Hundred Demons), while he is the reincarnation of Myō-ō/Tōjin (Thunder God) who came to subdue demons.

The CG of "Sword Saint Martial Venerable" has now completely changed to something else:

【Aizen Myōō - Takeru Iori】

Category: Art Style (Legendary)

Level: ~

Quality: ~

reward:

Art style rating +11!

Spiritual pressure limit: 780

Current spiritual pressure: 741

-

I spent almost eight months in the world of Akatsuki, but only two weeks in Hueco Mundo, most of which was spent returning to "recharge." Meanwhile, Iori's spiritual pressure skyrocketed from a meager 500 to 740... The contrast between the two makes one marvel at the convenience of time acceleration.

Isn't this equivalent to having your own personal time capsule?

A barrier that allows time to flow two thousand times faster is truly a wonderful thing!

"Well……"

Back in his tent, Iori stretched. He had spent a whole month in the Far East before returning to recharge, and his spiritual pressure was almost depleted. The special environment of Hueco Mundo made him feel like he had just received rain after a long drought, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of joy.

In a good mood, he lifted the tent flap, stepping onto the barren ground covered in white sand. Looking out, he saw only a crescent moon in the eternal night sky, and the massive black shadows that had gathered once again outside the barrier—the Hollow King Gillian.

So, Iori, who had just returned from the Far East battlefield, said from the bottom of her heart:

"Ah, praise to the Spirit King, another harmonious and beautiful day!"

Chapter 47: The Four Heavenly Kings are never at full strength.

Hueco Mundo is truly a wonderful place, rich in spiritual energy and teeming with large, black-and-white wild animals that come to pet you every day. I'll definitely recommend it to my relatives and friends when I get back!

Ignoring the dozen or so towering Hollows lingering outside the barrier, Iori leisurely walked to her work station.

In theory, he was an assistant sent by the 12th Division. Specifically, he was responsible for checking whether the communication and positioning equipment was working properly, making regular contact with the Soul Society every once in a while, and recording and archiving any Hollows with unusual forms... In short, he did a lot of odd jobs.

"Ang~~~Ang—"

"Tsk!"

Outside, the Hollow was making incomprehensible calls again. Iori impatiently covered her ears, ruining her good mood for the day.

For the entire day, these things seemed to be possessed by some evil spirit, constantly making noises. Iori's spiritual pressure was almost fully restored, but they kept making noises!

But getting angry won't help. These black beasts are mindless; they only rely on instinct to hunt and fight.

This type of Hollow is called "Killian". It is created by the fusion of hundreds of low-level Hollows. Most of them have a uniform appearance, and their shape is like No-Face with a pointed nose, and then enlarged to the height of an office building.

Lacking independent consciousness and combat skills, its only advantage is its considerable spiritual pressure, which usually requires multiple officers or vice-captains to handle reliably.

If this kind of thing were placed in the Rukongai of Soul Society, any one of them could cause a horrific massacre, but in Hueco Mundo, it can only be considered a "large monster," ranking at the bottom among the three types of Hollows.

With Iori's current strength, even weak Hollows and Killian are no match for him; he could even easily mow down enemies.

If he were to encounter a mid-level Hollow [Adjuchas], he would have to take it seriously, but with his Shikai ability, an ordinary Adjuchas wouldn't pose much of a threat.

As for the highest-ranking Hollow [Vastow]... well, it's probably best to avoid encountering it.

These things are even rarer than giant pandas in Hueco Mundo. Each one is incredibly powerful. In the original work, even the proud and arrogant Aizen had to look at Vasto Lorde with respect!

However, Vastods are generally rational, unlike their lower-level counterparts who only know how to kill. They are usually not interested in Shinigami or Soul Society, and many captains of the Gotei 13 never even see a Vastod in their entire lives.

Even in the textbooks of the Shinigami Academy, Vasto Lorde is only introduced to students as a legendary humanoid Hollow.

"hold head high……"

Damn it! This is never going to end!

In a foul mood, Iori estimated her spiritual pressure and, confirming that it had recovered to about 70-80%, stood up and headed toward the "door," only to bump into Amagai Shusuke, who was leading a small squad of Shinigami.

"Yo~ Senior Tenbei~"

"That's too frivolous. I'm your boss, after all. Watch your words, Iori."

"After all, we're in Hueco Mundo, so saying 'good morning' just feels a bit odd." Iori looked up at the crescent moon that always hung in the sky and pouted.

Amaga was speechless for a moment, and upon reflection, Iori's comment was indeed remarkably accurate...

For a newcomer like Iori to act so casually towards his superiors would be a taboo in any army, but from Amagai to the members of his squad, no one showed any displeasure; instead, they all acted as if it were perfectly normal.

What earned their trust was Iori's admirable strength, for he had done something truly remarkable upon arriving in Hueco Mundo:

When her squad was unexpectedly separated and attacked by a group of Hollows, Iori released three Hollows of level 50 or higher in succession without even having to chant, turning the tide of the entire situation!

Even so, Iori still had the energy to spare, and she took the lead in the subsequent breakout battle. She was adept at all kinds of techniques for slaying white ghosts, and even more skilled and professional than the teachers in the academy!

As a result, he managed to preserve his squad with his impeccable strength, achieving the feat of no casualties, and finally successfully reunited with reinforcements!

After that, Iori also had the feat of killing Killian on his own in a certain battle, and although he was a newcomer, he was highly anticipated.

It is said that the squad leaders believe that even without Shikai, Iori possesses the strength of a third or fourth seat captain or even a vice-captain, and will soon become one of Saito's Four Heavenly Kings!

Yes, these "Four Heavenly Kings" refer to the company commanders under Saito, most of whom are vice-captains or have similar strength, including Amagai Shusuke.

Before Iori arrived, there were only three company commanders in total; they were only called the "Four Heavenly Kings" because it sounded nice...

"What are you guys going to do?" Iori asked, looking at Amagai and the others fully armed. "Are you perhaps driving away Hollows?"

Having said that, Iori was eager to try. He had already established his basic image and was just waiting for an opportunity to reach the pinnacle of his power, completely conquer these veterans, and incidentally reveal his Shikai.

Tenbei was speechless in the face of Iori's attitude:

Could this kid have come to Hueco Mundo because he's a born battle maniac?