The "Complete Book of the World" looked like a square beast-hide tome.
Its surface was smooth to the touch, with fine, pore-like textures clearly visible. At the center of the cover was a massive beastly eye, its pupil occasionally shifting as if alive.
In fact…
The "Complete Book of the World" did possess a degree of sentience, much like the Teigu "Specter Shroud."
According to Najenda, its crafting material came from an extinct deer-like magical beast renowned for its unparalleled perception and memory. This creature could scan vast areas with its eyes, recording details like terrain, species distribution, river paths, and even underground mineral deposits. When turned into a Teigu, these abilities were preserved and enhanced.
Under normal circumstances, the book's pages were blank.
Only when the user channeled mental energy would it respond, displaying the desired information on its pages.
It could also be manually updated—
By pouring in more mental energy, the beastly eye on the cover would "awaken," scanning the surrounding hundred miles in real-time and updating its database with new information.
Additionally…
The final pages, made of special material, could "predict" natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, or volcanic eruptions, though it couldn't foresee man-made calamities like wars.
In short, it was a map navigation system with an built-in encyclopedia and early warning function.
"…The super Danger Beasts of the Akame ga Kill! world are something else," Hikari mused to herself.
In theory, the "Complete Book of the World" should work in other worlds too.
She just didn't know its storage capacity or whether it could ever hit a "memory full" limit…
"According to the book, it should be in this direction."
Hikari looked up at the sky.
The clouds above this sea were thicker and denser than elsewhere, resembling a white ocean mirroring the sea below. When she focused, she could faintly make out a massive silhouette flickering through the clouds, accompanied by occasional rolling thunder echoing toward the ground.
"Hmm… Let's check it out."
Hikari pointed to a mountain thousands of meters high, its peak piercing the clouds. "That's the highest point around. We should get a clearer view from there."
"Alright," Esdeath replied with a casual nod.
She wasn't particularly invested in this trip, mainly here to fulfill her agreement with Hikari, so she adopted a nonchalant attitude.
With that, Hikari activated Shangri-La, teleporting them to the upper slopes of the mountain. After a short trek, they entered the sea of clouds.
Above the cloud sea…
Were even denser, more substantial clouds.
About a thousand meters above the peak, a massive cloud cluster loomed like an enormous bed spread across the heavens. And on that "bed" lay a figure so colossal it defied comprehension.
"This is…" Hikari's mouth fell open, her face etched with shock.
Esdeath's expression tightened beside her.
Before them, amidst mist-shrouded mountains, sprawled a body as vast as a mountain range… no, an entire range of mountains.
—The East Sea Cloud Dragon, known as "Cross Tail."
This super Danger Beast was even larger than Hikari had imagined, its size beyond mere measurement—stretching endlessly. Its massive form rested within the dense clouds above the peak, the earlier thunderous roars merely its breathing.
"…This thing is your target?" Esdeath turned to Hikari, narrowing her eyes. "You really are like me, always chasing strong opponents… Are you killing it or capturing it alive?"
"Just keep it breathing," Hikari said softly. "It's the source material for the Teigu 'Cross Tail.' Every hair on its body is as sharp as a blade, and one in particular, the 'World-Severing Thread' on its spine, is said to be so tough even space itself can't tear it. Even with our strength, we might not be its match, so no need to hold back."
The super Danger Beasts of the Akame ga Kill! world varied wildly in strength.
Weaker ones, like Destaghoul, could be slain single-handedly by Black Pupil and turned into a puppet, only to be defeated again by the biological Teigu Susanoo.
Stronger ones, like the dragon-like Tyrant, could have its juvenile hide crafted into "Specter Shroud," preserving a soul for a millennium. Or the ice-based Danger Beast behind "Demon's Extract," whose refined blood granted Esdeath near-invincible power.
As for the East Sea Cloud Dragon…
It might be the strongest super Danger Beast, aside from the one used for the "Supreme Throne."
Without having tamed Esdeath, Hikari might've considered bringing Xia Mi from Dragon Raja to handle this beast.
—After all, a Dragon King taking on an Eastern dragon should be right up her alley, right?
But now…
"Let's say hello first."
Hikari drew her dragon bone sword, gathering momentum before unleashing a slash. "Crescent Moon Heavenly Rush!"
Swish—!!
A massive blade of light shot from the mountaintop, piercing the clouds and striking the dragon's spine, scattering into countless shards of light.
"…Roar!!!"
The dragon hesitated for a moment before awakening from its slumber. Its thousands-of-meters-long body merely rolled over in the sky, yet it altered the weather for hundreds of miles around. Its horned, mountain-like head emerged into view, its breath exuding suffocating pressure.
In just a dozen seconds, its dull yellow eyes locked onto Hikari and Esdeath from amidst the rugged peaks, letting out another roar.
This time, thunder exploded through the clouds, faint purple lightning flickering.
"…Not bad," Hikari and Esdeath both narrowed their eyes, their robes and hair billowing in the fierce wind.
"Let's do this."
After exchanging a glance, Hikari activated her Mangekyo Sharingan and went all out!
"…Susanoo!"
A dark red aura flared.
In a few breaths, Susanoo lifted Hikari and Esdeath hundreds of meters into the air, enveloped in thick chakra. The "Fire-Thunder God" transformed into a halberd, twirled effortlessly in the dark red giant's hand.
—Complete Susanoo!
Since she'd split off a shadow clone, Hikari only had half her chakra, but as the main body, she had no issue using advanced ocular techniques or her Mangekyo's spiritual weapon.
Even at two hundred meters tall, like a towering mountain, the Complete Susanoo looked small compared to the Cloud Dragon—not even as big as its head.
But at least the size gap wasn't too absurd…
Esdeath, still in a playful mood, quipped, "Heh, you dare put me inside this red giant? Aren't you afraid I'll use 'Mahapadma' to kill you?"
"Would you?" Hikari smiled faintly.
She trusted Esdeath's character enough to take her in. After losing to Hikari, Esdeath would only focus on growing stronger to defeat her honorably, not resorting to cheap sneak attacks. If Hikari died here, Esdeath might even grieve, having lost a worthy rival…
"…Tch." Esdeath clicked her tongue.
As they spoke, Hikari maneuvered Susanoo into the air, soaring thousands of meters from the peak. The Cloud Dragon lazily swiped a claw, as if to swat her away.
"Hundred-Eightfold Star Halberd Slash!"
"Amaterasu!"
Hikari first parried the dragon's claw with a horizontal slash, then, as the recoil sent her flying, spun the tomoe in her right eye. Black flames erupted on the dragon's body, burning fiercely even as it plunged its claw into moist clouds, unable to extinguish them!
"Hm?" Esdeath's expression sharpened.
This was a new ability—
"Was she holding back during our fight?"
—Indeed, Hikari had held back. Amaterasu was a first-strike killer like Murasame. With preparation, ice or armor could block it briefly, but if it touched the body, only immediate amputation could save the victim. Since Hikari aimed to defeat, not kill, Esdeath, she hadn't used it.
But the Cloud Dragon…
With its near ten-kilometer-long body, Amaterasu could burn for a day and not finish. Best to apply the debuff early.
"…Ice Inferno!"
Esdeath, taking a deep breath, went all out.
As the "Demon's Extract" mark on her chest glowed, the surrounding temperature plummeted.
In the dense clouds, countless icicles, spikes, and shards formed—small ones meters long, large ones tens to hundreds of meters—raining down on the Cloud Dragon like a storm!
Most shattered on impact.
A few left white scratches on its scales but failed to break through.
The Cloud Dragon, enraged, coiled its neck and opened its maw. A massive roar, laced with chaotic storm currents, swept across dozens of miles, blowing Susanoo far away. A nearby peak crumbled in moments, its fragments scattering everywhere!
"Wow…"
This power rivaled the Eight or Nine-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb.
And the Cloud Dragon's strength clearly went beyond that.
As it stretched its body, the surrounding clouds churned violently, sparking lightning that struck downward like it was free.
Then, it charged.
Amid a rain of lightning, Hikari maneuvered Susanoo, weaving and spinning, swinging the "Fire-Thunder God" and dragon bone sword.
Honestly, the Cloud Dragon's strength was extraordinary.
Its mountain-like body moved with surprising agility, creating milky-white shockwaves near sonic speed. With its millions of tons, a sonic charge could obliterate anything in its path.
Hikari didn't dare let Susanoo take a direct hit, dodging instead.
As for its durability…
The "Crescent Moon Heavenly Rush," capable of killing General Budou, couldn't pierce the dragon's metallic, steel-forged black scales.
The "Hundred-Eightfold Star Halberd Slash," which shattered ice meteors, only left shallow wounds, with blood barely staining its fur.
In terms of defense, even a peak Dragonbone Spirit would pale in comparison.
—The Empire's founding Emperor, a thousand years ago, likely failed against it, settling for collecting its hairs for Teigu material.
Only the "Fire-Thunder God"…
Each swing carved a deep gash, instantly cauterizing the torn flesh.
On the other side, Esdeath, after a few exchanges, got serious, unleashing her full power. She conjured massive ice formations, freezing the dragon's body and claws.
Though its sheer size let it break free with a few rolls, over time, the surrounding ice grew thicker, stretching for kilometers. Even the Cloud Dragon struggled to break free, its movements slowing as frost coated its body, especially the wounds from Amaterasu and the "Fire-Thunder God."
"Keep it up!"
Hikari gauged her remaining chakra, popped a Senzu Bean into her mouth to hold, and drove Susanoo toward the dragon, swinging her halberd.