Unable to untangle the questions racing through his mind, he settled on the simplest one.
"Can you dig a little deeper?"
The Shogun gave a small nod.
"Think of it as a sixth sense. It heightens every one of your senses beyond ordinary human limits, allowing you to perceive subtle patterns, read a person's emotional and physical state, and greatly expand your spatial awareness. Even then, that is only scratching the surface."
Levi listened without interrupting.
"For centuries, those born with Super Intuition have recognized three states of mastery. The first is Kakusei—Awakened. It is the moment one becomes consciously aware of the gift that has always existed within them. Most spend years learning to trust what they perceive before they can truly wield it."
The Shogun paused briefly before continuing.
"The second is Chōwa—Harmony. At that stage, the mind, body, and intuition cease to compete with one another. Thought no longer delays action, and instinct no longer acts alone. The two become one. The third is Shikō—Supreme, the highest state ever recorded. Throughout history, only a handful have ever been acknowledged as having reached it."
The names lingered in Levi's mind. They carried a strange weight, as though they belonged to an era long before either of them had been born.
"The depth of Super Intuition depends entirely on its user," the Shogun continued. "As one's understanding deepens, so too do its applications. Some masters can perceive another's intent before a single movement is made, giving the illusion that they can read minds or see fragments of the future."
Levi instinctively drifted back through his memories. Figuring out Triumphant's hidden adaptability. The way he had somehow uncovered Kayo's ability weakness without consciously thinking about it. Then Rumbler, where it had felt as though his body had begun fighting on its own the moment he stopped forcing every movement. One memory after another surfaced until an uncomfortable realization settled over him.
Maybe... it hadn't been coincidence after all.
The Shogun watched him in silence before speaking again.
"Super Intuition is an exceptionally delicate gift, one greatly influenced by both intelligence and personality. The way a person thinks determines how they interpret what they perceive, while the kind of person they are shapes how they act upon those perceptions."
His gaze settled firmly on Levi.
"As for you... you are an anomaly."
Levi frowned.
"Most awaken to Super Intuition before they ever approach Harmony. You did the opposite. For most of your life, you've relied upon Super Intuition without ever realizing it existed. Then, during your battle against the Seraphim, you stopped suppressing it."
Levi's expression slowly stiffened.
"You believed your instincts had taken over," the Shogun said.
He gave a small shake of his head.
"No."
A faint breeze swept across the summit.
"For the first time in your life... your instincts were finally allowed to flow."
The battlefield replayed itself inside Levi's mind. Every impossible dodge. Every movement that had felt as though his body already knew the answer before his thoughts could reach it. Every decision that had seemed to emerge naturally, without hesitation.
"It wasn't merely instinct," the Shogun said quietly.
"It was Chō Chokkan."
Levi lowered his eyes, struggling to fit everything together.
"So..." he murmured. "What stage am I?"
"You have only just entered Kakusei," the Shogun replied. "However, because of your intelligence, your relentless pursuit of battle, and the countless years you've unknowingly relied upon Super Intuition, you were able to touch Chōwa for a single fleeting moment."
He let the words settle.
"It should not have been possible."
...I think he just complimented me.
The thought caught Levi off guard. It wasn't every day the Shogun praised someone, especially not him. Still, one question continued to nag at him.
"How'd you know I'm a user?" he asked. "What happened back there could've just been coincidence. Any skilled fighter could've done the same thing."
His argument wasn't without reason. Experience alone could often explain a person's instincts in battle. Plenty of veteran warriors made split-second decisions that appeared almost supernatural to those watching from the outside.
"That's true," the Shogun replied with a small nod. "However, let me ask you something instead."
His eyes met Levi's.
"Can you not tell that I possess it as well?"
Levi's expression froze.
He didn't know what surprised him more—the question itself or the revelation that the old man standing before him belonged to the same impossibly rare group. Narrowing his eyes, he studied the Shogun more carefully than ever before, searching for something—anything—that would distinguish him from before.
At first, there was nothing.
Then...
A strange sensation washed over him.
It wasn't pressure. Nor was it Stardust.
It felt more like an invisible thread quietly linking the two of them together, as though they had recognized something within each other that no one else could perceive. The feeling lasted only an instant before disappearing entirely, but it had been enough.
"You knew..." Levi muttered, unable to hide the surprise in his voice.
The Shogun gave a slow nod.
"The moment you stepped foot into these headquarters, I recognized it immediately. Though I already suspected as much before then."
Levi blinked.
"...Before then?"
"My Fifth Blade informed me."
"Nury knew too?" Levi asked, the surprise in his voice growing even stronger. "Does that mean she's also...?"
"She does."
The answer came without hesitation.
"That is why I accepted her request to bring you into the Red Moon. And it is why I appointed you as one of my Blades." The Shogun rested both hands atop his staff once more, his gaze returning to the mountains stretching beyond the monastery.
"There is no denying your skill, Seventh Blade. The world is filled with talented warriors, gifted strategists, and extraordinary fighters. Those people are uncommon, but they are not irreplaceable."
A brief silence settled between them before he continued.
"People like us, however, are different. The chances of encountering another wielder of Super Intuition are extraordinarily small. When fate places one before you, letting them slip away would be far greater foolishness than overlooking even the strongest warrior."
Levi remained silent.
For the first time since arriving at the Red Moon Headquarters, he felt as though he understood why the Shogun had accepted him so readily. It hadn't been because of his strength. Nor because of his accomplishments.
The old man had seen something in him long before Levi had ever recognized it himself.