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

However, his mastery of Shunpo has now surpassed that of Kido, making him the leader among the four.

Furthermore, from then on, the techniques of swordsmanship (insight and prediction), the techniques of demonic arts (breaking incantations), the techniques of hand-to-hand combat (stat-based attacks), and the techniques of instant step (personally taught by Saito) –

With the four basic skills of a Shinigami now on the right track, Iori's talent will likely lead to even faster progress!

"With this speed, many captains wouldn't be able to stop you if you wanted to run... I originally thought you would need at least ten years of training to reach this level, but it seems I underestimated you."

Saito, who was neither old nor dead, grinned, revealing a smile that was a mixture of amazement and pride: "To have achieved this in just one month... what an incredible monster!"

Chapter 91: What, you have a problem with that?

Iori calmed down and honed his skills in Hueco Mundo. It has to be said that this place is indeed a good place to fight monsters and level up. Although he didn't manage to get many CGs, his combat skills and spiritual pressure rose rapidly and soon reached their current limit, and even started to loosen up.

If she continues to train diligently, even without the assistance of "art style value," Iori can break through the shackles and continue to improve, although the speed will not be faster than before.

According to Saito, without using Bankai, Iori is already roughly equivalent to a captain-level fighter, at least not worse than a fool like the current Kenpachi "Oni Genjo"...

Furthermore, Saito always believed that Iori was hiding a trump card, and that he might have underestimated Iori's strength. Even if Iori claimed to have mastered Bankai, Saito might find it quite reasonable.

Anyway, this expeditionary force captain had a very high opinion of Iori, believing that he could completely succeed him in the future. However, if that were to happen, it would be a waste of Iori's talent. Someone like him would definitely be able to make a name for himself on the Seireitei stage in the future, instead of being abandoned in this desolate desert...

Putting aside his admiration for Saito's immortality, Iori himself didn't care much about the so-called "future prospects." As soon as he thought of Aizen, Hogyoku, Yhwach, Soul King, Ichigo, and the Eye Monk, he would instantly forget about worldly fame and fortune. Even the "captain" position, which was highly coveted by many Shinigami, was nothing special to him.

If you're already familiar with the plot, then making the "captain" your role model is just too pathetic.

Therefore, Iori did not become complacent because of her leap in strength. She continued to hone her skills in Hueco Mundo, and often traveled through Akame ga Kill! to handle important matters, while continuing her research on Teigu.

Overall, the journey was quite fulfilling, and time passed by day by day. Only after Iori felt that the pace of progress was gradually slowing down and that he had passed the explosive period did he officially begin to prepare to enter "Type-Moon".

Coincidentally, this was also the time when the expeditionary force received logistical supplies and replenished combat personnel. Iori, as a technician sent by the 12th Division, watched the entire process of the gate opening and recorded the quantity of supplies in the documents.

But when he took the document to someone for signature and filing, he was stunned by the other person's appearance!

It's not that the person looked particularly ferocious or menacing; quite the opposite, their features were refined and beautiful, their demeanor was dignified and graceful, and their raven-black hair added to their mysterious and elegant air.

Aizen Yuuki!

"Lan... Sister, why are you here?"

Iori blinked, finding it hard to believe that he had met an unexpected person at an unexpected time and place.

"This is Hueco Mundo, you know. Aren't you working in the 13th Division?"

"Don't look so incredulous. I'm here on a mission."

Come on, it's been so long! Let me see if your skills have gotten worse~

Aizen Yuuki, then the third seat of the 13th Division, smiled and reached out to ruffle Iori's hair. The boy instinctively wanted to dodge, but in the end he held back and let Yuuki have her fill.

Little did they know that this scene was being observed by the surrounding Shinigami soldiers. The members of the 13th Division were fine with it; in their eyes, Yuuki was a very gentle person, and it was normal for her to be a little intimate with her younger brother who was on the front lines after a long separation.

But the expeditionary force was dumbfounded!

While Iori is generally easy to talk to, as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings," he commands great respect among ordinary soldiers. Especially after witnessing his heroic figure on the battlefield, everyone knows how terrifying this seemingly delicate-looking boy is.

But now... even the strongest Four Heavenly Kings are obediently letting others pat their heads!

Oh my god, what's going on...?

"Tsk!"

"Haha, sorry, sorry, I accidentally started hitting you. Did I embarrass you?"

Yuuki gave a mischievous smile, saying sorry, but her expression showed no remorse whatsoever.

Iori sighed and asked irritably, "Explain yourself, why did you come to Hueco Mundo?"

"You know that the 13th Division is the cleanup unit responsible for 'purification', right?"

The body of a Shinigami is composed of spiritual particles, and after death, it gradually dissipates back into spiritual particles, returning to the great cycle of spiritual particles in the three realms. However, the 'quality' of the spiritual body varies, and the rate of dissipation also varies. It can be roughly understood as 'the stronger the spiritual pressure (spiritual power), the more difficult it is for the corpse to decompose naturally'.

Especially for corpses of the third-level spiritual power or above, without external force, it can be considered that they cannot dissipate at all.

"Of course, this is the standard in Soul Society."

"Soul Society... Oh, so the standards in Hueco Mundo are different from those in the human world?" Iori raised an eyebrow, roughly understanding what kind of mission Yuuki was on this trip.

"That's right. Because of the different concentration of spiritual particles, the corpses of Shinigami are more difficult to decompose in Hueco Mundo and will remain in this desert for a long time... If you've ever worked in the Human World, you'll understand that Hollows disappear quickly after being killed there, but in Soul Society or Hueco Mundo, their corpses will slowly dissipate, sometimes leaving behind some remains, such as masks."

Yuuki showed Iori the team members she had brought; they were all dressed in solemn white uniforms and holding some peculiar tools.

“If a powerful spirit does not return to the natural cycle for a long time after death, it will cause changes in the concentration of spiritual particles in the three realms over time.”

Although not as fatal as the balance of souls, it still has some consequences. Therefore, the Seireitei specially established the Thirteen Divisions to patrol the three realms and send the remains of those spirits back into the cycle through rituals.

If a corpse of the third-tier Spirit Might level is found, then even half of the Thirteenth Division would need to be mobilized to perform a memorial service, otherwise it would be difficult to purify it.

"I see... So you guys have been very busy lately, haven't you?" Iori understood why.

"The Seireitei and the Quincy are at war, so there must be a lot of corpses that you need to deal with. Not to mention ordinary Shinigami and Quincy, there are probably even those with a Spirit Power of Rank 3 or higher, right?"

Not only that, because their two arch-enemies are preoccupied with their own problems, the Hollows in Hueco Mundo are also very active, and the expeditionary force has encountered Hollow tides much more frequently lately... Battlefields are everywhere in the three realms, and those who clean up the mess are destined to have a very tough time.”

"That's right! I've been suffering from severe sleep deprivation lately, so I've come to Hueco Mundo to stay with you. Please take good care of me, okay? You can do any of the heavy lifting for me, right?"

Yuuki raised her hand, hesitated for a moment, and then smiled as she placed her hand on Iori's shoulder.

"After all, you're a capable man who can stand on your own."

"...Alright, alright, I'll obey, Big Sister." Iori sighed, seemingly helpless.

The two siblings walked towards the campsite, talking as they went...

"By the way, I have awakened my Shikai."

"Oh? That's fast. No wonder you're my brother. I also awakened in the second or third grade."

I'll show you my initial interpretation later; it's beautiful, isn't it? It's called 'Flowers in a Mirror, Moon in Water'.

"Oh, what a coincidence! My initial interpretation is also very beautiful, called 'Clear Mirror Still Water'."

"..."

Yuuki was silent for a moment, then said, "Good name... It sounds like a very interesting sword."

"Really? I think it's just so-so, but it sounds quite symmetrical with your Shikai, sister." Iori said with a cheerful smile.

Symmetrical? Quite the opposite!

"Flowers in a mirror and the moon in the water" refers to illusions that seem to exist but are actually nonexistent, while "a clear mirror and still water" represents a clear mind that accepts the true nature of all things like a still surface of water, facing everything with a calm and detached mind.

"Compared to these two, doesn't my Zanpakuto seem like I'm just deceiving myself?"

"How could that be? It's just a name. Sister, you're overthinking it."

Iori calmly explained, "People often say that when a couple lives together for a long time, their facial features will become more and more alike, which is commonly known as 'couple's resemblance.' Family members who live together also often have the same habits and speech patterns."

It is not uncommon for relatives to have similar Zanpakuto attributes, and the Shinigami Academy has recorded many examples, especially among noble families.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the names of Zanpakuto correspond to each other.

This only proves... there is indeed an unseen bond connecting us siblings—even though we are not related by blood.

"Perhaps..." Yuuki thought for a moment, and thought that was a good idea, then asked, "What kind of Zanpakuto is it?"

"It's just an ordinary water system, sister. What about your illusory dreams?"

"It's also a water-based ability; its power is to create water mist illusions."

"oh oh."

"..."

After they finished speaking, they both fell silent. Only when they were almost inside Saito's tent did they turn and exchange a glance, their expressions both calm.

"Water system?"

"What, you have an opinion?"

Chapter 92: If you're talking about this, then I'm not sleepy anymore.

When Iori returned to Type-Moon, she naturally appeared in Chaldea in a twisted world line. It was still that Japanese-style room, but this time no other Servants appeared.

Iori didn't rush to find anyone else. She sat alone at the kotatsu, peeling oranges and turning on the TV. She then discovered that it wasn't a regular drama, but rather a variety show featuring Servants, such as "Red Archer's Baking Class," "Semiramis Teaches You How to Concoct Poisons," and "Sima Yi's Health Preservation Experience"...

Overall, it was quite interesting. Iori thoroughly enjoyed every program, and it felt like she could easily come up with hundreds of comments to make.

According to a report from our correspondent St. George, with the Eastern New Year approaching, many Chinese Servants are in high spirits and have held various celebrations, but this has also affected the rest of other Servants.

A certain Persian hero, who wished to remain anonymous, once protested, demanding a ban on Chinese followers setting off fireworks at night, which seemed to trigger some kind of PTSD symptoms in him...

Iori was enjoying the show when the wooden door was pulled open, and Merlin, dressed in a magnificent white robe, hurried in.

"Oh my, you've finally shown up again! You only showed up briefly last time before going back to cultivate, and you haven't come for so long. I thought you... Hmm~" Merlin spread his hands, indicating that he had always trusted Iori and had never doubted him, and then the words naturally dissipated!

"In short, welcome back to Chaldea, Phantom Spirit Iori~"

"Hello, Lord Merlin, we meet again." Iori smiled. "But this time it seems rather deserted."

"After all, many world lines have been detected recently, and everyone is busy 'destroying the world,' so Chaldea has become much quieter."

Merlin scratched his head: "Actually, even I'm going to cause trouble at some singularity. If the central command hadn't detected an unknown magical reaction and insisted I come check it out, I would already be..."

"That must have been tough," Iori replied dismissively, showing little enthusiasm. He had already seen through the eccentric nature of this fujoshi from their last meeting.

"Guda... Is Fujimaru Ritsuka alright?"

"Master is in good health. Her condition has been stable recently, which has put the Servants at ease and made them more proactive in their work."

Merlin sat down at the kotatsu table, happily peeling an orange: "Anyway, Chaldea is in its peak season right now, and we need help everywhere. It's so great to have you back."

“After all, I’ve already made a promise with Ritsuka.” Iori’s expression was calm, but his tone was unusually serious. “Of course I won’t go back on my word.”

"That's what everyone in Chaldea thinks too." Merlin's frivolous tone became three points more composed.

"Being able to 'form bonds' with all the Heroic Spirits and keep the promises made to each other... There are countless Heroic Spirits, each with different personalities and hobbies, but Ritsuka is able to get along well with all of them and gain their trust. This is what makes our Master so remarkable~"

Given Merlin's personality, the fact that he would praise Gudako so openly shows just how outstanding he thinks of her.

However, what he said does make sense. Fujimaru Ritsuka's behavior in forming a bond with Heroic Spirits is extraordinary, and it is no exaggeration to say that she is unique in the entire history of humankind!

It should be noted that the true form of a Heroic Spirit is stored on the [Boundary Recording Belt (Throne of Heroes)]. The form that appears after being summoned to the mortal world—the Servant—is merely a reflection of oneself at a certain point in one's life, and strictly speaking, it is like an avatar.

Therefore, for most Heroic Spirits, the experiences of Servants in the mortal world are like a series of adventure movies, adding a touch of fun to their eternal lives... Often, after a Servant dissipates, the original body on the throne does not accept this memory; it is simply stored as a movie rather than becoming a true experience of one's own.

In this way, it's impossible to form a 'connection' with them.

Only in very rare cases, when the memories with the Master are so profound that they touch their souls, will the Servant directly alter the data of their original body, turning it into their own precious memories.

This is why some Servants, even when summoned multiple times and their class and timeline have changed, still remember a particular Master.

The time of heroic spirits is infinite, and they have witnessed all kinds of worldly turmoil, but there are always some people and events that they cannot and do not want to forget...

Even if they join the Holy Grail Wars in different ways, they will always remember the person who moved them.

What makes Fujimaru Ritsuka remarkable is that she can make almost all the Servants she contracts remember her, making her someone they don't want to forget!

This bond deeply moved the Heroic Spirit herself, so much so that when she was in dire straits in the Temple of Time, many Servants transformed into a meteor shower across the sky to come to her aid!

This can no longer be described as talent; its very existence is a miracle.

Although Iori wasn't a genuine Heroic Spirit and had only met Gudako once, he had to admit that she had left a deep impression on him... Perhaps it was his sympathy that was at play, but in any case, he really didn't want to break his promise to Ritsuka.

"Oh dear, you probably won't be able to see Master this time. She's been spending all her conscious time lately in some Lostbelt, causing trouble for another 'self.' She really doesn't have time... If you're free, how about I show you around?"

"Alright, you don't need to hint like that. I was planning to help anyway."

Iori smiled: "Are there any missions within my capabilities?"

"There are some!"

Merlin didn't even need to check; he agreed immediately. It seems that, as he said, Chaldea is currently in its "peak season," with no shortage of missions.

Without further ado, Merlin immediately got up and led Iori out of the room.

There is a huge contrast between the inside and outside of this room. Iori was just sitting in a warm, Japanese-style room eating citrus fruits, but in the blink of an eye, she stepped into a futuristic polar observatory (Chaldea) made of steel and composite materials.

He followed Merlin to the command center, the same place where Leonardo da Vinci and Roman were stationed in the games and animations, where they would provide various forms of assistance and advice to the masters in the singularities.

When Iori arrived, she saw neither the unscrupulous merchant nor the doctor, only busy technicians and various operating machines, especially the huge globe hanging in the very center—

【Simulated Planet Chaldea】!

With the help of the magic lens, technicians can use this giant globe to observe human history at different times, thereby finding the "points" that affect the continuation of human reason and providing spatiotemporal coordinates for the Master's subsequent spiritual transfer.