Dainobya's Magic-Penetration Staff (Not Really) (Continued)

"Then how should I address you from now on?"

"Normally, you can just call me Hasegawa. As for when you're acting as a bodyguard, just do what the other members do."

Taking into account the Girlish Heart, Hasegawa Izumi gave her some space.

"Yes, I understand."

"Now let me teach you how to control spiritual power and cultivate actively."

The two went outside to give instructions during this last bit of time.

Kato Megumi suggested leaving before dinner.

"By the way, Hasegawa-kun, about that dream I had before..."

Suddenly, she remembered something, turned around, and asked.

"I don't know the content of the dream either; I just triggered your subconscious."

Hasegawa Izumi responded.

"I'll be going now. Please take care of me in the future, Hasegawa-kun."

Afterwards, Kato Megumi returned home with slightly lighter steps.

"Hui, why are you back so late? Where did you go? Do you know how unsafe this area has been lately?"

"Remember to message your mom next time you're late coming home."

She was greeted with long-awaited care from her parents, and her somewhat desolate heart was filled with a long-lost surge of emotion.

"Yes, I understand. I'm sorry to have worried you."

The girl sat down at the table, a faint smile playing on her lips.

The next day, I arrived at school.

Kato Megumi's existence was finally widely recognized by her classmates, and even some of her former friends came to apologize, saying that they had neglected her recently.

"That's wonderful, Xiaohui... From now on, I won't have to worry about this kind of thing anymore."

Sakurai even gave her a dramatic hug after class, excitedly saying...

Kato Megumi silently accepted it, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

"Thank you, Hasegawa-kun."

The news that Kato Megumi had become a member of the bodyguard quickly spread within the Far East Magic Society.

This angered the girls, who then launched a fierce attack on one of the initiators.

After all, in some ways, although the identity of the bodyguard is not as high as theirs, they are clearly closer to someone!

Weekend.

Nibuya Morika arrived at a desolate wilderness and used various Kido to test their power.

However, the results were only mediocre.

If it can be fully chanted, its power is indeed very strong, but if it is used without chanting, its power will be reduced by at least half.

This kind of Kido is somewhat difficult to adapt to compared to enemies of higher strength.

After all, it's difficult for her to chant when she's fighting alone.

"The rate at which you become stronger has slowed down."

"It seems it's time to forge my own 'Zanpakutō'."

Nibuya Morika has a deep understanding of the system of her own power.

For most Shinigami, their fighting power primarily lies in their Zanpakuto (Zanpakutō). If they lose the power of their Zanpakutō, their strength usually decreases several times over.

She hadn't considered forging before because her foundation wasn't solid enough, making her easily distracted and unable to focus on one thing at a time.

Now she can shift her focus.

"... Seeker of Truth, I beg you."

"Good."

Nibuya Morika picked up her phone and dialed Hasegawa's number.

Unfortunately, she wasn't capable of Zanpakutō herself, so she had no choice but to trouble the other party.

Anyway, it's not like we're short of gratitude; if we can't repay it all, so be it!

After a while.

What are your thoughts on your Zanpakutō?

Hasegawa Izumi, hands in his pockets, strolled leisurely towards her.

"What are your thoughts? Isn't Zanpakutō Asauchi by accumulating experience and honing one's skills, infusing the essence of one's soul into the Zanpakutō?"

Nibuya Morika recalled the memories she had received.

"I was referring to the shape of the knife. Aren't you a 'magician'?"

His expression remained unchanged, but his tone carried a hint of mockery.

Nibuya Morika immediately understood what he meant, and blushed with embarrassment.

Although her profession is 'Shinigami', she has always acted like a magician. She can fool others in front of them, but she looks ridiculous to those in the know.

"Isn't a knife just a knife? Can it be modified into a 'magic wand'? If it were modified like that, wouldn't its combat power decrease significantly? I think I'll pass."

In the girl's eyes, combat ability was still more important than her so-called self-perception.

For the Shinigami Reaper, swordsmanship is an extremely important tool.

"I do have an idea."

Hasegawa Izumi smiled.

"Just make the exterior look like a magic wand, and hide the real knife inside."

"Seeker of Truth, you are too professional!"

Nibuya Morika mentally simulated the scene, disguising herself as the seemingly fragile mage everyone expected, and then, as the opponent charged at her, suddenly gripping her wand and drawing her Zanpakutō...

Just imagining the enemy's expression is quite amusing.

After agreeing on the appearance of the 'wand', the two set off.

In the original world, the forging of Zanpakutō required the fusion of the souls of many Shinigami (death gods), but in the present world, it is impossible to create them using the same method.

However, once its essence is understood, the same thing can be created.

First and foremost, the material must possess sufficient spiritual energy, much like the treasured sword 'Lion King' that Miss Isayama possesses.

However, he couldn't just take it by force, so he had to do it himself, starting with the raw materials.

"The recent meteor shower brought not only aliens, but also some rare Meteorite iron."

With these thoughts in mind, Hasegawa Izumi headed towards the location she had deduced where the meteor had fallen.

The most recent one landed in the sea near Kanagawa Prefecture.

It is in places like these that Meteorite iron is not so easily taken away.

After trekking through mountains and rivers, we arrived at the seaside.

Nibuya Morika is certain that if her physical strength were the same as before, she would have been exhausted to death.

But for her right now, it's just a warm-up.

"You stay by the beach, I'll go get it myself."

"Hasegawa Izumi gave the order."

"Um."

As he entered the sea, Nibuya Morika gave a bitter smile.

Every time I feel strong enough to stand on my own, I find that I'm still a burden in front of Hasegawa.

This feeling of powerlessness... how to put it...

It's pretty good.

Because only the enemy will feel despair.

Beneath the sea.

A figure fell like a plummeting meteorite, seemingly unaffected by any resistance.

Such speed would leave even the world's fastest swimming fish in awe.

"Found it."

Hasegawa Izumi's gaze pierced through the deep seabed without hindrance, landing on a pile of jet-black, iron-like substances.

This is the Meteorite iron he is looking for.

Around the Meteorite iron, seemingly sensing some benefit, unwanted fish swarmed around Meteorite iron, forming an ecosystem.

It was his unexpected arrival that shattered the tranquility of this sea area.

"Gurgle..."

A gigantic octopus crawled out of the trench, blocked his way, and spat out a mouthful of black liquid.

The attack was not slow at all in the seawater; it was even close to the speed at which a pistol bullet leaves the barrel.

"I don't need your ink."

Hasegawa Izumi casually dodged its attack, and with a wave of her hand, she channeled spiritual energy into the Meteorite iron, lifting it up and startling the surrounding fish into fleeing.

The giant octopus was still not convinced and swung its tentacles at him.

"Roll!"

He shouted in a deep voice, the sound penetrating the water and entering its ears, directly stunning it.

The Meteorite iron was originally ownerless, but considering the order in which it arrived, he ignored this spontaneous protector.

But since it didn't know what was good for it, he didn't hold back.

Soon, Hasegawa Izumi emerged from the sea carrying a huge piece of Meteorite iron.

"Let's go, we've got the stuff."

After landing, he led Nibuya to their next destination—

An active volcano.

Flames roared, and scorching lava spewed out from the mountain pass.

Nibuya Morika followed behind him, walking on a scorched earth, a journey fraught with peril.

Such a spectacular sight, unless one becomes an Ability User, is something one would likely only ever see in videos throughout their life.

Meteorite iron is merely a raw material; further processing is required to forge it into Zanpakutō.

The power of a volcanic eruption could be of help to him.

It's not because the temperature of the volcano is particularly high—after all, it's far lower than the temperature generated when a meteorite falls—but because active volcanoes possess a certain spirituality, allowing them to forge special qualities into the Meteorite iron while smelting it.

The two had unknowingly arrived at the crater.

It's still terrifying.

Nibuya Morika glanced inside at the scorching lava, feeling the hot wind blowing in his face, and couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.

Upon arriving here, her spiritual energy was being consumed at a much faster rate, and she couldn't sustain it for long. Therefore, it was Hasegawa who used his power to protect her.

"Moreover, heaven and earth are the furnace, and creation is the craftsman."

"Yin and Yang are like charcoal, and all things are like copper."

Hasegawa Izumi chanted some incomprehensible phrases before throwing the Meteorite iron into the lava. Then, using the volcano as a furnace, she used her spiritual power to create a giant hammer and hammered it. Amidst the clanging of metal, the wand-shaped Zanpakutō gradually took shape.