Nightfall.
Inside the castle training grounds, despite being time for rest with only a few sentries patrolling the perimeter, three figures entered and walked straight toward the center of the largest clearing.
At the lead was a blue-and-white girl who appeared to be a mere child. Though adorable, she exuded an indescribable majesty. Following behind her were two beautiful girls of entirely different temperaments.
"To think your recovery speed reached such heights. You healed completely by nightfall... It seems you have quite the talent, Dux Alptraum!"
"As the Imperator commanded, I will do my utmost to train you. Prepare yourself, Blue Fish."
"Understood. I will work hard, Imperator, Lady Hysilens!"
The trio entering the training grounds consisted of Cerydra, Hysilens, and Esdeath. Their purpose was to test Esdeath's newfound strength.
A few hours prior, to verify her hypothesis, Cerydra had Esdeath consume golden blood that did not belong to this world. Despite several complications, Cerydra's goal was ultimately realized. A native Chrysos Heir had appeared in the world of Akame ga Kill!—Esdeath.
What happened next surprised even Cerydra. The blood vessels inside Esdeath's body had been utterly destroyed by the golden blood just hours ago. However, as time passed, her body displayed an extraordinary regenerative capacity. In just a few hours, she returned to a perfect state, becoming even more powerful than before.
To test the capabilities of this brand-new Chrysos Heir, Cerydra brought Hysilens and Esdeath to the open training field.
"I will be watching closely from the sidelines. Do not hold back!"
Cerydra retreated to the edge of the field, observing the imminent battle as a spectator. Hysilens and Esdeath stood ten meters apart, ready to strike at any moment.
"Yes! Please keep your eyes on me!"
Esdeath didn't know the extent of her current strength, but since the Imperator was watching, she couldn't afford to lose face—even if her opponent was the formidable Hysilens.
"Begin!"
At Cerydra's signal, Esdeath immediately lunged forward. The moment she stepped out, she felt unprecedented power surge through her body.
Boom—!
That single step cracked the ground with a visible fracture. Esdeath's body shot forward like a cannonball, the speed catching even her by surprise.
Without a doubt, Esdeath became stronger. She was dozens of times more powerful than her former self. Yet, facing the person before her, she still felt as powerless as an infant.
Her rapier pointed directly at the space between Hysilens' brows, but Hysilens seemed to have predicted everything, parrying the strike with her own sword.
'I became stronger, so why does the gap between me and Lady Hysilens feel even wider?'
The question flashed through her mind, but she soon found the answer. Her previous self was simply too weak to even witness Hysilens' true strength. Now, having become a Chrysos Heir, Esdeath finally caught a glimpse of a fraction of Hysilens' power. Even so, the disparity remained vast.
If this weren't a test but a life-or-death struggle, Esdeath could already imagine her own head rolling on the ground.
'But I am still growing. There is still room for improvement!'
'I will let Lady Hysilens and the Imperator see my everything!'
As a member of the northern tribes, Esdeath wasn't naturally skilled with longswords; she was better suited for daggers. Back when she faced Danger Beasts in the snowy plains, she usually opted for ambushes followed by a single, lethal strike. The grand, sweeping combat style of dropping giant ice boulders was something she only adopted in the future after obtaining her Teigu.
Seeing that the sword didn't yield the desired results, Esdeath discarded it without hesitation and dropped to the ground like a feline predator.
Swoosh—!
In an instant, Esdeath vanished from her spot. Just as she once stalked Danger Beasts, she no longer chose a frontal assault, opting instead for a blind spot.
In the next second, Hysilens turned around and caught Esdeath's ambushing palm with her left hand.
"Dux Alptraum, is this the extent of your attack? Did the golden blood only grant you... a boost in physical stats?"
Whether it was Hysilens currently in combat or Cerydra watching from afar, both frowned simultaneously.
If the improvement was merely physical, what use was such a Chrysos Heir? She would be inferior to a Teigu of the Empire! Cerydra hoped to see a Chrysos Heir with unique abilities, not a brute who relied solely on physical force.
Sensing Cerydra's dissatisfaction, Esdeath's gaze grew sharp.
"No, my power is more than this!"
Esdeath didn't panic when Hysilens caught her. Instead, she seized the opportunity to wrap her legs around Hysilens' left arm, attempting to use her weight to pull her down.
But Esdeath seemed to forget that Hysilens still had her other hand free, and that hand held a lethal longsword.
Without any hesitation, Hysilens swung her sword toward Esdeath. However, just as the blade was about to make contact, an anomaly occurred on Esdeath's body.
Frigid air erupted from within Esdeath. It didn't just form a layer of protective ice over her skin; it caused Hysilens' sword swing to go sluggish.
Taking advantage of this opening, Esdeath released her grip and performed a backflip to distance herself from Hysilens. Her goal was achieved.
"Indeed, not bad!"
Hysilens didn't pursue. Instead, she focused entirely on her left hand—the one Esdeath had just clung to. In just a few seconds, Hysilens' hand completely turned into an ice sculpture, making movement incredibly difficult.
'The power to control ice?'
It was hard to believe. After becoming a Chrysos Heir, Esdeath gained power nearly identical to her future Teigu.
Cerydra felt a sense of irony. She had altered the plot beyond recognition, yet the events surrounding Esdeath seemed to tell her that destiny never changed.
Esdeath became a Chrysos Heir, but she remained Esdeath.