So Taking on Disciples Really Does Give You Experience!

Kage no Minoru suddenly became excited. "Alright, in that case, let's do it, Master!"

"Master, apprentice, story... tsk!"

Iori clicked her tongue and said, "I never took you as my apprentice."

The next instant, Iori appeared leisurely beside Kage no Minoru as if he had just taken a step.

The boy turned his head in shock, his body instinctively shifting, but compared to Iori's movements, it was as sluggish as if it had been slowed down.

"Your death will be meaningless; it's just what a fool deserves!"

Sizzle!

As Iori raised her hand, a sharp pain struck, leaving Kage no Minoru stunned.

Completely unable to keep up with Iori's movements, he almost thought he was going to die for Flash Step, until the pain made all his muscles tense up, and he realized that he was still alive.

Thump!

Her legs buckled and she fell to her knees. Kage no Minoru looked up at Iori.

"Any last words?"

Iori drew the Ama-no-Murakumo and held it against his neck. A faint magical power lingered on the blade, piercing his skin and drawing out fresh blood.

"What are you really thinking? Is it really worth it for such an elusive power?"

"I don't know, but Master..."

Kage no Minoru pursed her lips, looking at Iori with eyes full of intense longing and resentment. "Is it really impossible to use magic?"

Iori's eyes twitched slightly, but her expression remained unchanged. "Is that all?"

Having said that, he raised the Ama-no-Murakumo without hesitation, then swung it down—

Laugh!

The sword sliced through flesh, Kage no Minoru closed his eyes...

"Um?"

A moment later, Kage no Minoru opened his eyes in surprise and doubt, staring blankly at Iori, while a thin wound appeared on his face, slowly bleeding.

"This is?"

"If you want to become my disciple, then you must walk with death. You must be prepared to step into the Asura hell. You cannot do it without the awareness that you must die."

Iori looked down at Kage no Minoru: "You passed!"

"—!"

So that's the trick?!

Kage no Minoru was overjoyed. With his extensive knowledge of chuunibyou (middle school syndrome), he instantly understood the situation and shouted from the bottom of his heart:

"Master! I want to learn True Magic!"

[CG included]

Magic Infusion Master

Category: Art Style

Art Style Value +3...

As always, she was "prolific" —Iori's lips curled up slightly.

"State your name."

"...oh oh!"

Then Kage no Minoru realized that he hadn't even said his name: "My name is Kage no Minoru!"

"This name is too troublesome. Let's drop two characters. From now on, you'll be called 'Shadow' to me."

"Film!"

The boy was jolted. The name was like a bullet piercing his heart, making his soul tremble, as if it were his destined true name.

Written as 'shadow', pronounced as Shadow! Sparasi!

Bite!

[CG included]

[Shadows and Kage no Minoru]

Category: Bonds & Art Style

Quality: Legendary

Grade: A

Rewards Overview:

Spirit - Slightly increased;

Far East - Slight increase

Art Style Value +5!

Chapter 216: As expected, taking on apprentices increases experience!

Iori wasn't just all talk. Once he decided to take on a disciple, he started teaching her seriously. And because of Kage no Minoru's special qualities, he could adopt some training methods that ordinary people simply couldn't accept.

Over the course of several days, Kage no Minoru was covered in wounds almost Tenten, and his strength was increasing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Interestingly, although the experience was undoubtedly painful, he seemed to be enjoying it immensely...

"Oh, oh, it's working! It's working! It actually cured it!"

Inside the hunter's cabin, Kage no Minoru watched as the wounds on his body slowly healed, until only a white mark remained, and he couldn't help but exclaim with excitement.

He couldn't resist scratching the itch, and looked at Iori with admiration. "Master, how did you do that?"

"Want to learn? I'll teach you~ Magic is almost omnipotent."

Iori laid Kage no Minoru flat, placed his hand on her forehead, and squinted as he carefully examined the boy's body from head to toe.

"Feel it deeply, learn it well..."

His mental strength far surpassed that of Kage no Minoru. With the help of the insightful ability of [Mirror Water], he could clearly see the magical power flowing within the other's body and clearly reflect the complex and chaotic so-called "meridians" in his mind.

At a glance, Iori could tell that this was not some "orthodox Masamune of metaphysics." Its operation was haphazard, consisting of multiple intertwined systems, much like a computer case.

Let alone coordination and planning, such a complex system consumed almost half of the magic power, and the remaining power did not short-circuit and can still be used normally, which is a small the Miracle!

Iori tried to find a way out, but touching one problem would trigger a chain reaction, making him quite hesitant.

What exactly is the working principle behind this thing...?

However, this was no obstacle for Iori. He condensed a wisp of pure magic and quietly channeled it into the Kage no Minoru, firmly controlling its movements and causing it to probe into a certain magic node and then flow throughout its body in accordance with the flow.

After repeating this process four times, Iori finally grasped the main operating principle and then ruthlessly increased her magic output, crushing all the unnecessary branches!

This process naturally affects the physical body. Kage no Minoru's blood vessels, muscles, and nerves are damaged to varying degrees, but are then slowly and rapidly healed in the gentle magic surrounding him.

--pain!

It was indescribable, as if every part of my body, inside and out, was being bitten by insects!

Kage no Minoru's skin turned bright red, his veins bulged and twisted, and his body trembled rapidly involuntarily... But he didn't scream or try to stop it, which made Iori nod in approval.

Destruction, repair, reconstruction, connection—a continuous cycle.

Beatrix was right. Although the magic in this world has great flaws in stability, it is indeed almost "omnipotent" in nature.

In terms of "healing", Iori simply guides magic to repair her body without using any special techniques, but her recovery speed far exceeds that of the Reincarnation in Bleach or the Magecraft in Type-Moon!

He also tried to physically modify Kage no Minoru, such as increasing the density of his muscles and bones. The result was much easier than he expected. As long as he constructed a complete image in his mind and channeled magic into the target tissue, the area would naturally change in the direction he wanted—of course, this was limited and not an unlimited enhancement.

It was certainly not easy for Kage no Minoru to go through such a transformation, especially since Iori had made many adjustments and attempts to collect data... By the time it was over, the sky was already turning pale, and the bed beneath the boy was soaked with sweat and a faint blood.

In return, his physical body is now completely different from what it was before:

His exaggerated muscles have "shrunk," transforming him from someone resembling a bodybuilding coach to someone of average high school level, showing that he has undergone training but within a reasonable range.

Even his skin and appearance have changed; he's much more refined than before, giving off a traditionally gentle and kind male lead vibe.

The boy, wearing only boxer shorts, stood in front of the mirror, observing his current appearance. The muscles he had worked so hard to build over the years had vanished overnight, leaving him with an undisguised sense of desolation.

She was his only confidante. No matter how many childish ideas she heard, she would never laugh at or refute him. She would only silently support him and accompany him to become stronger.

Through countless lonely nights, he has relied on his muscles to comfort and encourage each other, which has allowed him to persevere in his dream of becoming a "The Eminence in Shadow" until now!

Now that his old friend has suddenly turned out like this, Kage no Minoru feels the same pity that longtime fans feel when they see Jotaro the Sixth Step.

I clenched my fist, and a strong pulling force traveled through my muscles. A sense of tension made my whole body feel like a finely tuned machine, and the magic that flowed through me like a lubricant was incredibly clear!

Although he looks much thinner, his strength is more than twice as strong as before!

Even so, Kage no Minoru couldn't let it go...

"What's wrong? You look so lost."

"It's nothing, it's just that these muscles have been with me for many years..."

"It's a pity, but this way no one will recognize you, right?"

"Well!"

"My dear disciple, didn't you want to become one of those behind-the-scenes big shots?"

Iori thought for a moment, "If you go out like this, even your classmates and relatives won't know who you are, right? It saves you the trouble of hiding your identity."

Uh, not satisfied? Then I'll adjust your body type back—"

"No!"

Kage no Minoru's eyes lit up. "That's it! This is perfect! Fantastic!"

Sorry, Muscle Guy, let's break up!

For the sake of his "greater good," the boy abandoned his close companions without any hesitation.

This guy is so easy to understand— Iori smiled subtly.

"By the way, when will we start learning True Magic, Master?"

"Don't call me master. My name is Iori Aizen. Just call me Teacher Aizen."

My Kido aren't strictly speaking True Magic, and it's not appropriate to teach you at this time... You've already learned the basic magic techniques on your own. I'll prepare targeted intensive training for you later, so get ready first.

But before that, I'll leave this city and spend some time traveling the world.

Iori turned and walked out of the hut, and half-naked Kage no Minoru followed her out.

"Travel around the world? Take me with you!"

"That won't do. The place I'm going to is completely beyond your physical capabilities."

"What does this mean..."

"Shadow, remember what I'm about to say."

With the sun rising gradually over the forest behind them, at the moment when light and darkness meet, Iori solemnly gave the boy some instructions.

"In the not-too-distant future, the world will be swept up by a huge wave, and everyone will be caught in it, and I suppose you will be no exception... The weak will drift with the tide and have no one to rely on, while the strong will be arrogant and domineering and unscrupulous."

But even heroes in the shadows can find their value in such chaotic times, if all you seek is that shining moment, and nothing else in life.

Then I can be certain that the stage prepared for you is about to arrive as promised—

Rejoice, young man, your wish is finally about to come true!

"Hmm!"

Kage no Minoru should have been incredibly excited, but looking at Iori's eyes, he couldn't utter a word.

The teacher is serious... Something big is definitely going to happen!

Was it war? Was it a natural disaster? Was it a man-made catastrophe?

I can't think of anything, or rather, there are too many possibilities to be certain. From a Japan perspective, there are just too many dangers in the world. If it were Third Shinobi World War, it would undoubtedly become a battlefield. If it were a global natural disaster, Japan would be a prime target for various earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions.

... Faced with a disaster of that magnitude, even with magic, can an individual's power truly stop it?