Under Yukari Endō's lead, Kaiser stepped into the antique shop, arriving in what seemed to be a guest reception area.
"Where's Silver Radiant Qilin?"
Perched before him, the black cat that Yukari was controlling with her shikigami form crouched elegantly and spoke.
"That Godslayer Armament, custom-made specifically for you—why didn't you bring it?"
Kaiser didn't answer immediately. He simply extended a hand and clenched his fingers.
In the next instant, a silver blade engraved with intricate, arcane patterns appeared in his grasp.
"Oh?" Yukari's brows arched, genuine surprise flickering in her golden eyes. "A spatial technique? I didn't expect you to pick that up after leaving High God Forest."
"No choice," Kaiser replied casually, setting the blade down. "Since Master Yukari refused to teach me sorcery or magic, I had to learn on my own."
"I would've taught you—but the higher-ups wouldn't allow it," Yukari deflected without hesitation. "A teacher only wants to see their disciple grow stronger. The rest isn't for me to meddle in."
Clearly unwilling to dwell on the topic, Yukari narrowed her eyes and examined the silver blade before her.
Her expression shifted to one of faint surprise.
"Hm… almost no wear at all. The triple-layered techniques embedded within are still perfectly integrated, as pristine as the day it was forged. It doesn't look like it's been used at all—yet from the activation traces, it's clear it's seen plenty of action. You haven't had it long, but there are obvious signs of multiple activations. And this aura… you handle it like it's second nature."
Kaiser couldn't help but marvel inwardly at her keen insight.
Just from the faintest marks and residual aura, she could deduce his habits and frequency of use. That kind of eye for detail was exactly why she'd been qualified to train High God Forest's elite.
Of course, there was no way she could know that Silver Radiant Qilin had already been bound to him as his personal Armament—accepted by its very core. Any damage or wear it sustained would simply restore itself to its original state.
Still, aside from wear, Yukari had noticed plenty.
"The pseudo-spatial severance array's been reinforced… its output's much stronger than before," she said, genuinely astonished as her gaze flicked back to him. "Don't tell me you've somehow gained the ability to improve a Godslayer Armament yourself?"
This was no ordinary weapon—its creation had been so difficult that producing a second had been abandoned altogether.
That such a rare, near-irreplaceable Armament not only obeyed Kaiser's will but had also been enhanced was enough to startle anyone.
"It was just a natural result of… certain circumstances," Kaiser said, still offering no real explanation. "I don't have the skill to reforge it."
"Mm?" Yukari gave him a doubtful glance but didn't press. "Fine. It's yours now, and only you can use it. As long as you don't break it, do whatever you like—I won't interfere."
Godslayer Armaments were priceless—each one a strategic weapon. Normally, even if one was entrusted to someone, it was only on loan; ownership remained with the Lion King Organization.
Take Sayaka Kirasaka's Type-6 Heavy Armor Anti-Demon Bow—it was merely on loan, subject to recall at any time. Every activation was logged, and misuse could see her punished or stripped of it. That was why she never used its bow form's wide-area magic barrages recklessly—too much scrutiny.
Kaiser's case was different.
Due to Silver Radiant Qilin's unique nature, it was effectively his personal weapon. No one would try to take it back. It had been forged from the start as a parting gift—acknowledging that once he left High God Forest and came to Itogami Island, meeting the Fourth Progenitor, he would be a force beyond their ability to leash.
If they couldn't control the dragon, they might as well offer a token to keep relations amicable. Yukari understood this better than anyone—so she treated the matter lightly.
If it were anyone else, tampering with a Godslayer Armament would be unthinkable. Kaiser alone could do so without repercussions.
"You putting it to good use is already more than I expected," Yukari said with a sigh. "Frankly, I thought you no longer had any need for such a weapon."
A Godslayer Armament was powerful, yes—but still within the realm of comprehension. The mythical beasts he commanded, however, were another matter entirely—beings beyond human understanding.
If possible, the Lion King Organization would rather study those creatures than his weapon. If they could recreate and mass-produce the bioweapons of the mythic age, even ruling the world wouldn't be out of reach.
Yukari remembered well: back when Kaiser was still at High God Forest, many had proposed dissecting him, trying to find a way to mass-produce Leviathans. Some even wanted to abduct him outright, causing no small amount of unrest. But after he defeated Dimitrie Vattler and unleashed his mythical beast army, all such voices had gone silent overnight.
When the Three Saints sent him to Itogami Island, contingency plans had been drawn up to prevent opportunistic attacks. Now, those precautions were pointless.
That battle had made it clear to the world: this man—this vessel from the mythic age—was not someone to be toyed with.
He was as strong as any Progenitor. Perhaps stronger.
To strike at him unprovoked was suicide.
"…Master Yukari?"
Her disciple's voice broke her thoughts.
"It's nothing," Yukari said, shaking her head. "Put your weapon away."
Kaiser nodded, lifting Silver Radiant Qilin and recalling it into himself.
Again, Yukari found herself musing at the mystery—she couldn't detect even the faintest residue of a magic array.
"How's the mission to monitor the Fourth Progenitor going?" she asked.
"You should already have the intel," Kaiser replied with a faint smirk. "Aside from one initial stir, the Avrora inside Nagisa Akatsuki has stayed sound asleep. Her consciousness hasn't surfaced once."
He leaned back slightly. "For all the talk about her being the Fourth Progenitor, she's just an ordinary girl. Neither that snake-charmer nor the Artificial Angel mess ever touched her."
The implication was clear: Nagisa's peaceful life was no accident—he'd made sure of it.
"You're quite protective of her," Yukari noted.
She knew full well it was because of him that Vattler hadn't targeted Nagisa—or the Avrora inside her—and that the Artificial Angel incident hadn't pulled her in.
The world's strongest vampire was a magnet for trouble. Without Kaiser's intervention, Nagisa would inevitably have been caught up in something.
Kaiser didn't deny it.
"The sleeping beauty inside her isn't completely unrelated to me," he said—referring to their shared status as vessels and the resonance they'd once experienced.
"As long as you understand that," Yukari said, her gaze intent. "The Lion King Organization's stance is clear: we don't intend to interfere too much in your… mutual development. As long as you're aware of that, you won't have to worry about us making trouble for you."
Kaiser's expression didn't change. He wasn't sure if they'd truly stay out of his way—but if they thought he was still as easy to handle as back at High God Forest, he'd have no problem teaching them otherwise.
Mythic beasts? That was just one of his authorities. His true trump cards—the god-slaying Armaments—no one in this world had even seen yet.
He was about to speak when a voice came from behind him.
"Senpai?"
The voice was filled with surprise—and delight.
(End of Chapter)
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