Under Kaiser's control, Ser-Veresta reverted to its activator state, the blade dissolving completely.
Feeling the weakness emanating from the sword, Kaiser sighed.
"You really went too far, Ser-Veresta."
He hadn't expected that merely complaining about his lack of Prana would prompt Ser-Veresta to sacrifice its own power for his sake.
This was… reckless.
Even though a personally bound Orga Lux like Ser-Veresta could merge into his body and regenerate from damage, the extent of the damage affected the recovery time.
A mere depletion of energy was one thing. But if someone else were to drain it completely, restoring it would become a difficult process.
Especially since the speed of recovery depended on Kaiser's own strength. The stronger he became, the more energy he possessed, the faster his weapon would heal. The weaker he was, the longer it would take.
At his current level, if Ser-Veresta suffered a severe depletion, it could take an indefinite amount of time to fully recover.
"Zing—"
At Kaiser's reprimand, the red Urm-Manadyte embedded in Ser-Veresta's activator pulsed weakly.
Kaiser immediately sensed the sword's will.
It… no, perhaps she—
She was displeased with his interference!
"You…"
Kaiser was momentarily at a loss for words.
Every Orga Lux had its own independent will.
And where there was a will, there was personality.
Some Orga Lux had rather agreeable temperaments. Others were outright malicious—more akin to dangerous entities than mere weapons.
Ser-Veresta fell into the better category.
She was unpredictable at times, occasionally stubborn, but she didn't interfere with humans excessively. Even if someone mildly offended her, unless she was truly provoked, she would usually ignore them.
Like during the compatibility test—when she detected that Kaiser's power was pitifully low, nowhere near the threshold required to wield her, with a compatibility rate below 10%.
And yet, she did nothing to reject him outright.
Unless someone tried to forcefully subdue her, disrespecting her will, Ser-Veresta typically remained indifferent.
Compared to some Orga Lux that actively tormented their wielders, her attitude was considered quite mild.
But at the same time—she was incredibly stubborn.
She didn't favor those who disrespected her, but once she acknowledged someone, she refused to be treated differently.
What she demanded wasn't reverence.
Not trust.
Not admiration.
She only wanted to be treated as a sword.
In her view, she was merely a weapon. A tool.
And the purpose of a weapon was to fight.
The purpose of a tool was to serve its master.
It was this perspective, this conviction, that led Ser-Veresta to immediately sacrifice herself the moment she sensed Kaiser's desire to grow stronger.
If it had been any other wielder, she wouldn't have gone so far.
They were just temporary owners—passing figures in her existence.
As a weapon, she could always be given to someone else.
But Kaiser was different.
Ser-Veresta knew she had permanently merged with this person.
She was no longer just a borrowed weapon.
She belonged solely to Kaiser.
From now on, she would only fight for him.
If Kaiser died, then—
As his bound weapon, she and all his other exclusive arms would be destroyed alongside him.
They would grow together.
Fight together.
Face every enemy together.
And ultimately—die together.
So why hesitate?
If sacrificing herself could be of use, then what was there to fear?
This was the will Kaiser felt from her.
But—
"If I want to become stronger, I can train. I can find other ways. There's no need for anyone to sacrifice themselves."
Kaiser had his own principles. His own beliefs.
"You're my first exclusive weapon. You're going to fight by my side for a long time—how could I let you disappear over something like this?"
Ser-Veresta was powerful. Her abilities were unique. She would be indispensable in battle.
Losing her just for a temporary increase in strength?
Ridiculous.
"From now on, without my permission, you are not allowed to do something like this again. Understood?"
Kaiser didn't want to force control over Ser-Veresta.
He wanted to fight alongside her.
That was why he spoke so seriously.
"—"
The red Urm-Manadyte dimmed completely.
She was… sulking.
Kaiser couldn't help but chuckle.
But he knew—she had listened. She wouldn't do it again.
Storing Ser-Veresta's activator away, Kaiser suddenly fell into thought.
"If I can't absorb Ser-Veresta's power… what about other sources?"
Yes.
Even if he wasn't willing to take her energy, there were other options.
"Ser-Veresta could manipulate the Mana within its Urm-Manadyte to influence my Genestella abilities. That means… other Urm-Manadytes should be able to do the same, right?"
"Even if I can't get my hands on another Orga Lux or Urm-Manadyte right now—there are still Lux weapons and Manadytes."
"And those… should work too, shouldn't they?"
Unlike Orga Lux, Lux weapons didn't require binding authority.
As long as he touched one, he could fully control it.
So theoretically—he could extract its stored Mana.
If he could extract the Mana from a Manadyte, then—
Wouldn't he be able to replicate the strengthening effect?
Even if he didn't know how to directly modify his Genestella abilities, Ser-Veresta could help guide the process.
Absorbing her energy was out of the question.
But using external Manadytes, with her assistance?
No problem.
"Let's test it."
Kaiser could barely sit still. He immediately pulled out one of the Lux weapons he had previously used.
"Ser-Veresta, work with me."
One hand gripped the Lux's activator.
The other held Ser-Veresta's activator.
Focusing his will, he reached into the Lux's Manadyte core, drawing out its stored energy.
"Zing!"
Ser-Veresta, still in a sulking mood, hesitated for a moment—then complied.
Her Urm-Manadyte glowed red, resonating with the extracted Mana, shaping it—
And guiding it directly into Kaiser's body.
Moments later—
The Lux's Manadyte shattered.
Kaiser grinned.
His physical abilities and Prana reserves had increased again.
The boost wasn't nearly as large as what Ser-Veresta had given him earlier.
But that was just from a single ordinary Manadyte.
Urm-Manadytes were rare.
But regular Manadytes?
They were everywhere.
"Looks like I need to find a way to get my hands on a lot of Manadytes."
But how?
A few wouldn't be a problem. But a large quantity—that would definitely attract attention.
Even if the academy permitted it, they would demand an explanation.
And Kaiser wasn't about to reveal his secret.
He pondered for a long moment.
Then—
"No choice…"
He would need help.
Seidoukan Academy, Student Council Office
"You need a large amount of Manadytes?"
Seated behind her desk, Claudia raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Yes."
Kaiser stood before her, his expression firm.
Claudia, unsurprisingly, looked intrigued.