Holographic Interface Log: KAGESHIKI DATABASE ENTRY — ID: (0)11
ACCESS LEVEL: CLASSIFIED // VISUAL FEED: ACTIVE
>> Kageshiki Name: Ishigo Nakano
>> Biological Age: 19 Solar Cycles
>> Designation Code: Kageshiki No. (0)11
>> Ability Code: BLUE FLAME REQUIEM
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> ABILITY CLASSIFICATION:
Category: Advanced Elemental Manipulation // Tier: Type-Z [Restricted]
> PRIMARY EFFECT:
Generates anomalous blue flame energy capable of erasing Type-V Shikiban matter at 127x natural decay rate. The manifested flame exhibits no oscillation or thermal flicker.
Its physical form resembles flowing mercury laced with refracted light. Auditory anomaly detected: flame emits constant layered hum — tonal signature consistent with "whispers from multiple interlinked consciousnesses."
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> ACTIVATION PROTOCOL:
> INITIATE SEQUENCE:
Grasp primary weapon
Vocalize command phrase: "Blue Flame Requiem"
Core energy will channel into flame conduit
> SECONDARY MODE:
If weapon unavailable: contact-based activation via skin-to-skin transfer permitted.
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> SYSTEM WARNINGS // LIMITATIONS:
Ability draws bio-ether from central nervous matrix — NOT oxygen.
Extended deployment leads to:
Hyperthermic organ degradation
Muscular microfractures
Cerebral misfires and fatal core collapse
Max safe usage threshold: 57.3 seconds per cycle.
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> HISTORICAL ORIGIN RECORD:
Linked to Higanryu Sect — ancient warrior lineage erased from timeline circa 1103 AS.
Scroll Fragment #47b suggests "Blue Flame Requiem" is an incomplete construct.
Hypothetical final evolution:
AZURE INFERNO — a catastrophic flame matrix theorized to transcend physical law.
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> STATUS:
Ability Registered. Monitoring Neural Sync.
Ishigo Nakano (0)11 remains under observation.
Potential Classification Upgrade: Level Oblivion-Class pending.
[END OF LOG // SEALING ENTRY]
---
Ishigo Nakano sat silently, reading the holographic log on the screen. The words stared back at him, but they didn't feel like just information. They felt like an inevitability. This was his power.
His fingers trembled slightly as he closed his fist. "Blue Flame Requiem." The words echoed in his mind, and something in his chest seemed to tighten. This wasn't just a technique—it was a part of him now. But at what cost?
His voice barely rose above a whisper. "Blue Flame Requiem."
Instantly, the air around him thickened with heat. He gasped, feeling the burning sensation creep up from his core, and then the flames—no, the liquid fire—poured through his hands. The intense blue light enveloped him, but he didn't recoil. He stood frozen, mesmerized by the sensation. The flames didn't burn him; they sank into him, like part of his soul was intertwining with the fire.
He glanced at his friends, Daigo and Yeaga, who took a step back, stunned.
"What the hell was that?" Daigo's voice cracked, his usual confidence shattered by the raw power that Ishigo had just unleashed.
Ishigo stood still, not fully understanding what he had done. My unlocked power. It should have felt like a triumph, but instead, it felt like an anchor tied to his chest.
"Blue Flame Requiem."
He spoke the words again, but this time, his voice was steadier. As the flames flickered around his hands, he could sense their strange harmony—the cold, searing heat that hummed within him. It wasn't just fire. It was something… more.
With determination, he extended his hand toward a nearby ice pillar. The flames flared. And when they touched the ice, the solid structure didn't melt in a conventional sense. No, it disintegrated—shattering into fine particles. Nothing remained.
"Amazing…" Ishigo breathed out, but there was no thrill in his voice. There was only a lingering sense of unease.
Daigo, still in shock, slapped Ishigo's back with a grin. "Bro, you literally just turned ice into nothing!"
Yeaga, however, stood silent, his eyes narrowing. "If that's just your base power, what's its true form?"
Before Ishigo could respond, the holographic screen chimed with a warning:
[HOLOGRAPHIC INTERFACE: TEMPORARY SYSTEM INTERRUPTION]
> SYSTEM ALERT
BLUE FLAME REQUIEM USAGE DETECTED
— Current Output: 6.02%
— Core Heat Levels: Rising
— Biological Damage Threshold: EXCEEDED
WARNING: Neural strain and internal degradation imminent.
Recommendation: Immediate cessation of technique advised.
[...Resuming Visual Feed...]
Ishigo's breath hitched as he wiped sweat from his brow. So, it's not just a weapon. It's a curse. His chest felt tight as if something inside him was burning—not from the flames, but from the weight of what he had unlocked.
"So, if I don't use it, I die. And if I use it too much… I still die." Ishigo's voice was hollow, almost mechanical. The implications of his power were far from a blessing.
Daigo, ever the optimist, whistled. "That's one hell of a gamble."
But Ishigo wasn't listening. His mind was already elsewhere, on the Ice Shikiban's remains scattered before them. Daigo nudged one of the bodies with his boot. "Why aren't they turning to flames? I need to absorb their energy into my blade."
Ishigo crossed his arms, his gaze never leaving the corpse. "They're Ice Shikiban. Their bodies are frozen constructs—fire alone isn't enough. You need to wait for them to decay."
The body slowly began to disintegrate, particles floating up and funneling into Daigo's weapon.
"Woooh! My blade's gonna be unstoppable!" Daigo shouted, a grin spreading across his face.
Ishigo didn't smile. He barely even acknowledged the moment. The weight of his own power felt heavier by the second. How long can I last with this?
"Hey, what about Reika?" Ishigo's voice broke the silence. "Is she alright?"
Yeaga let out a sigh. "The Icy Queen is doing what she does best—staying away from all of us."
Daigo chuckled. "She ditched us at Level 3. Typical."
Ishigo clenched his fists. Level 4 awaits. But first… I need to find her.
"After Level 4, I'm going to find her," he said firmly.
Daigo raised an eyebrow. "How? We haven't even seen another Kageshiki here."
Yeaga smirked. "You're underestimating her. She can handle herself."
But Ishigo wasn't so sure. Can she?
The thought of Reika alone out there gnawed at him. But his thoughts were interrupted as he turned back to Daigo and Yeaga. He knew what he had to do.
And he had to do it quickly. The Blue Flame Requiem was calling for him—and it wasn't asking for mercy.
---
Elsewhere...
Reika lay on the frozen ground, her dark eyes watching the drifting snowflakes. The cold stung, but she didn't flinch. It was just another sensation, one she'd grown used to.
Tch. Where the hell did those idiots go?
She exhaled, adjusting her katana and standing up slowly, her limbs stiff from the cold.
The Level 4 gate stood ahead of her, looming like a portal to whatever awaited. She ran her fingers over the icy metal, a slight shiver crawling up her spine—not from fear, but from the anticipation of what lay beyond.
When will I unlock my power?
Her hand tightened around her katana, and with one final look back, she stepped forward.
Level 4 would be hell.
But Reika had survived worse. And she was ready