Chapter 122: Esdeath's Favor
"E-Esdeath-sama, the lake is... is too dangerous."
Nyau stammered.
He truly couldn't comprehend how Esdeath's training kept becoming increasingly brutal.
Witnessing this, even the experienced Mahiro felt thoroughly impressed.
Who but Esdeath could conceive of making people swim in a pond teeming with various Danger Beasts?
Although these fish were merely Class-3 Danger Beasts, their numbers were overwhelming, and being underwater made them no less dangerous than Class-2 Danger Beasts.
If you threw a piece of raw meat into the water, it would probably be devoured instantly.
No wonder Nyau turned out so twisted in the original story. While family factors contributed somewhat to his warped personality, it seemed most of the credit should go to this woman, Esdeath.
Adhering to her so-called principle of strength, she trained others using the same methods she experienced growing up.
Even if her methods could indeed cultivate powerful warriors, most people simply couldn't endure them.
"Hehe, as long as your movements are vigorous while swimming, it should be fine. For this hundred-meter-wide lake, if you can reach the opposite shore within twenty seconds, you'll be guaranteed safety."
"Who wants to go first?"
Esdeath turned around, her sharp gaze sweeping over the six people before her, eventually lingering on Mahiro for a moment, seemingly with a hint of anticipation.
This time, however, the others didn't throw Mahiro under the bus.
Instead, they cautiously approached and asked, "Hey, this time... can you do it?"
It was Nyau who asked the question, and the others also looked at him with expectant eyes.
"Alright, alright, I'll go first then."
In the end, Mahiro stepped up to take the lead.
"Hmm, commendable courage. Would you like me to give you some guidance on what to do? You can make use of the surrounding environment, you know."
Even though she had chosen such a dangerous training exercise, as an instructor, she thoughtfully offered a strategy for reference.
For example, using alkaline plant roots from the forest, grinding them into a paste, and applying it to clothes and the body could help avoid attacks.
But Mahiro waved his hand and said, "No need. You can save that strategy for when you're bored and use it along with that collar."
Esdeath wasn't exactly a normal person to begin with—what kind of normal strategy could she possibly offer?
Obviously, none.
"Hehe."
Yet, Esdeath showed no sign of anger. Instead, she laughed, her beautiful blue eyes narrowing into crescent shapes, looking exceptionally lovely.
"If you don't need it, then let's begin."
Splash—
The moment Esdeath finished speaking, Mahiro had already leaped out and plunged into the lake.
With a single jump, he covered over fifty meters across the hundred-meter-wide lake—half the distance.
That works too?!
The others' understanding was once again challenged, but they silently noted this method, thinking they might try it later to reduce some of the suffering and danger.
Strangely enough, though.
After Mahiro jumped in, aside from the initial ripples, there was no further movement. There were no signs of blood from being bitten by the carnivorous fish in the lake.
It was as if he had turned into a stone and sunk to the bottom.
"Dammit, can he not swim?!"
Seeing the bizarre scene before her, Esdeath froze for a moment before realizing—these were signs of drowning!
Though she didn't understand why he hadn't floated back up.
Without another word, Esdeath immediately took off her military cap and tall boots, preparing to jump into the lake to rescue him.
Although the training was extremely harsh, Esdeath always ensured there was no life-threatening danger. Deep down, she cared deeply for her subordinates—just like the safety measures from the day before. Though filled with twisted humor, if real danger arose, she would definitely pull the chain to save her subordinates.
If any harm came to them due to her own mistakes, rather than their lack of effort in training, Esdeath would take full responsibility.
However, just as she was about to jump into the lake, bubbles suddenly began to rise from the center of the lake.
Starting with one or two, they gradually multiplied, becoming more and more abundant. Soon, the entire calm surface of the lake began to tremble.
Bubbles churned violently, releasing large amounts of steam, as if the lake were boiling.
A swirling vortex gradually formed, churning up air currents that extended toward the bottom of the lake.
Countless carnivorous fish-like Danger Beasts floated up from beneath the lake's surface, their bodies deep red and clearly already cooked.
One could even clearly see that within the dark, abyssal depths of the lake, a crimson-orange glow was now radiating.
"Muspelheim."
Mahiro walked along the lakebed, the extreme light and heat radiating from his body making him resemble a fire deity. The intense heat evaporated the surrounding water into vacuum zones, while azure electrical arcs swept across the lake bottom, leaving behind trails of magma-like scarlet marks.
It even formed a scorching giant storm that shot straight into the sky, blowing against the several people at the lakeshore.
The violent wind scraped against their cheeks like hot blades.
It was intensely hot.
Even from such a distance, they couldn't help but break out in sweat—partly due to the terrifying scene they would remember for the rest of their lives, and partly because the spreading steam was nearly scorching them.
Even the ultimate firepower among Teigu—Lævateinn—probably couldn't surpass this.
Only Esdeath remained unaffected, allowing the gales to toss her ice-blue hair.
A strange light flickered in her gaze as she looked toward the lakebed, her expression resembling that of a little girl who had found her beloved doll... no, if it were Esdeath, it would be more accurate to say she had found a toy that could satisfy her desires!
Thus, what was originally meant to be swimming training was turned by Mahiro into a racewalk across the lakebed. By the time he returned from the opposite shore, the lake had completely evaporated.
A hero!
He was an absolute hero!
The five people on the shore were nearly moved to tears.
For their sake, Mahiro had actually revealed his trump card and deliberately evaporated the entire lake to spare them from training.
They were practically ready to kneel and cling to his legs, begging him to take them under his wing.
In reality, it was simply because Mahiro didn't know how to swim.
Otherwise, why would he have spent the entire beach vacation lounging on a deckchair sleeping?
So this time, he simply evaporated the lake entirely—this way, he could still complete the training.
"Are you a Teigu user?"
As Mahiro had just leaped from the lake bottom onto the shore, Esdeath approached him barefoot, stepping on the soft yet faintly steaming soil.
"I wish I were."
Mahiro shrugged.
He wasn't lying—Esdeath could tell, as there was no scent of deception about him.
But her gaze toward Mahiro grew even more satisfied, as if she couldn't wait to claim him for herself right then.
The reason was simple: Esdeath herself knew little about Teigus and looked down on them as mere tools for gaining strength through external means—hardly a proper path.
But innate abilities were different; they were skills that could be honed through persistent effort over time.
Thus, she was thoroughly pleased to witness Mahiro's display and learn it wasn't from a Teigu.
However...
"General Esdeath, why did you take off your shoes?"
He lowered his head to look at her feet, which were pressed into the soil—delicate, pearl-like toes, rosy and smooth, set against cool, pale skin that resembled fine jade.
It was hard to imagine these belonged to a female general who had fought in countless battles; they were even more exquisite than those of nobles.
"Oh? Do you like my feet?"
Noticing his fixed gaze, Esdeath's tone took on a teasing lilt.
"Yes, I really do."
Mahiro answered bluntly.
Such flawless jade-like feet were a rare sight.
To put it simply, Esdeath has a pair of feet, and I happen to have a mouth.
I am Naruto Uzumaki's brother, Zuili Uzumaki.
"Heh, then become my pet. As long as you stay by my side, you can admire these feet anytime you wish."
"Ah? I'll have to pass on that."
Just as bluntly as before, he refused outright.
Leaving aside whether he had any habit of becoming someone else's pet, he certainly wouldn't abandon the entire forest for the sake of Esdeath alone—after all, there were so many girls waiting for him.
Moreover, conquering Esdeath didn't need to be so complicated.
Just beat her up once.
Subdue her with sheer strength.
But faced with his refusal, Esdeath didn't seem bothered. She merely smiled faintly and murmured, "It's fine. I can give you time to think it over."
As she spoke, she bent down to pick up her boots, cleaned the soil from her jade-like feet, and slowly put them on before replacing her military cap.
She was as dashing and natural as ever, her blue hair flowing behind her like a cape.
Though he knew she wasn't doing it intentionally, her movements while putting on her shoes were undeniably alluring.
Femininity dialed up to the max.
Even her chest, which hadn't yet reached its ultimate form, appeared exceptionally full and rounded from that angle, emphasizing its plump curves.
Due to his influence, the training for the remaining five shifted to navigating through dense forests.
While there was still the risk of encountering Danger Beasts along the way, it was much safer than swimming in that lake.
In the following days, however, Esdeath seemed to give him special treatment.
She separated his training entirely from the others', and the others' sessions no longer carried the same life-threatening intensity as before.
In contrast, Mahiro's training escalated into sheer hellish difficulty.
Like capturing Danger Beasts barehanded, for instance.
And the levels kept increasing, from the initial Level 2 to Level 1, then to Special Grade.
The only things left were capturing those Super Danger Beasts and the legendary super species used as sources for Teigu creation.
Each time, Esdeath was extremely satisfied, even giving him the illusion that it felt like dating this woman.
After all, with Esdeath's sadistic personality, dating probably really only meant hunting Danger Beasts.
He remembered in the original story, she did exactly this with Tatsumi...
Though she might be easy to win over, it probably wouldn't be that simple. Besides, he didn't possess any pure smiles—instead, he'd learned Maya's smile to perfection.
Mahiro temporarily dismissed this foolish thought. To conquer Esdeath, he'd need to surpass her in combat at least once.
As for the remaining five, without his assistance, they weren't faring particularly well.
They returned battered and bruised every time.
This time was the worst—Esdeath and he had captured a Level 1 Danger Beast for them to handle, just like in the gladiator arena.
The result? These people got mauled so badly by the Danger Beast that Mahiro eventually had to step in and eliminate it, saving their lives.
"My goodness, what happened this time? You all look like you've been chewed up by dogs."
As the Imperial City military's only doctor, Dr. Stylish covered her mouth in surprise at their miserable state.
Since Mahiro had changed her gender, Dr. Stylish had completely embraced her identity as a woman—a bespectacled beauty in a white lab coat.
Her feminine aura grew stronger by the day, moving with seductive grace and calculated charm.
"Are you questioning my methods?"
At the sound of Esdeath's authoritative voice, Dr. Stylish immediately sealed her lips.
Better not provoke her.
She then examined their wounds, carefully bandaging them with gauze and medicinal powder.
"General Esdeath, their injuries are quite severe this time. I'm afraid they won't be suitable for continued training for at least ten days to half a month."
After finishing the bandaging, Dr. Stylish delivered this verdict, much to Esdeath's disappointment.
"Ten days of recovery? How useless... But fine, your training ends here for now. Rest well and report to the military after you've healed. I'll arrange positions for you."
Though they hadn't met Esdeath's expected standards, she was still quite satisfied with them. At the very least, their perseverance deserved corresponding rewards.
Hearing this, even lying in their sickbeds, their eyes faintly lit up.
They had gained Lady Esdeath's recognition!
Their suffering all this time hadn't been in vain!
Even the girlish Nyau nearly burst into tears.
This was truly wonderful.
Only Dr. Stylish rolled her eyes slightly.
What kind of training methods had this sadistic queen used to reduce them to such a state? Except for that young girl, every man here looked so robust—such a waste of fine specimens!
But then, as if remembering something, she turned her gaze toward Mahiro and reminded him:
"By the way Mahiro, your appointment letter has arrived—you've been appointed as the Deputy Chief of the Imperial Capital Guard. Really now... Why didn't you tell me about such good news earlier? I could have helped arrange a celebration for you."
Dr. Stylish wore a resentful expression, while Esdeath furrowed her brows.
"Deputy Chief of the Guard appointment letter?"
"That's right. Mahiro is about to be promoted to Deputy Chief of the Imperial Capital Guard, a position on par with yours, Deputy General Esdeath," Dr. Stylish said with a smile.
The five people on the sickbeds all looked surprised.
On one hand, they were shocked that Mahiro dared to leave the training squad without Esdeath-sama's knowledge.
On the other hand, they never expected his promotion to be so rapid!
How much money and connections must have been spent to pull this off!
However, Esdeath lowered her head, her expression darkening as she stepped forward, grabbing Dr. Stylish by the collar and demanding in a low voice, "Explain yourself clearly."
"Th-this has nothing to do with me! Mahiro was originally the captain of the Guard, and his military training was just a formality... A-and besides, this was the decision of the Guard Chief..."
"Of course I know that!"
Faced with Esdeath's imminent outburst, Dr. Stylish broke into a cold sweat.
This is terrifying...
This is why I hate women—so rough!
Esdeath casually tossed Dr. Stylish aside and turned her fierce gaze toward Mahiro, sternly asking, "Mahiro, why are you leaving my side without my permission?"
Although Esdeath's words could easily be misinterpreted, no one found them ambiguous. Those who had trained together had long noticed Esdeath-sama's favor toward Mahiro.
And given his abilities, even if he received such favor, there was nothing for them to envy.
It was only natural.
"If you just put in the effort and followed me into battle for a few years, you could definitely become an outstanding general. Why waste your talent by staying in a place like the Guard and giving up such a promising future?"
"Everyone has their own ambitions, General Esdeath."
In response to Esdeath's questioning, Mahiro smiled and offered an excuse: "It's true that my goal is to climb higher, but progressing through the military would be too slow. Moreover, General Esdeath, your aura is far too dazzling—any talent would likely be overshadowed by your brilliance."
On this point, Dr. Stylish agreed wholeheartedly.
She already knew that Mahiro had spent 100,000 gold coins to secure the Deputy Chief position.
With the wealth Mahiro had displayed—enough to win people over with money—and skills that were no less impressive than her own, it was only a matter of time before he climbed to the position of Chief.
But staying by Esdeath's side? That would truly be an uncertain path.
Under the cover of such a powerful aura, it would be very unfavorable for Mahiro's development!
"Are you saying that I'm hindering your progress?"
"More or less."
"Bastard, what nonsense are you spouting!"
Esdeath was angry—or rather, she was experiencing such fury for the first time.
It felt as if her most beloved toy had been taken away!
Her snow-white knee-high boots stomped down hard, instantly shattering the floor tiles beneath her.
Her ice-blue eyes fixed intently on Mahiro as she spoke, word by word:
"Listen carefully, I absolutely will not allow you to leave my side, understand?!"
After saying this, Esdeath turned to leave, but paused briefly at the doorway before adding:
"Mahiro, don't think this matter will be settled easily!"
Watching her departure, Dr. Stylish let out a breath and laughed heartily, "My, my, it seems your future days will be quite something to behold, Mahiro. To think you've caught the attention of our empire's most sadistic Esdeath."
"Really? I actually think it's quite nice."
Mahiro smiled faintly, "Well then, I'll go report in now~"
"Hey, don't forget what you promised me earlier about helping with my medicine research!"
Dr. Stylish reminded him as he was leaving.