[Quest Complete: Heal the Rogue Devil Kuroka]
[Reward Obtained: Skill – Bukūjutsu (Flight Technique)]
[Skill: Bukūjutsu (Signature Crane School Technique – enables aerial movement by channeling internal ki energy)]
[Note: Modified to consume personal energy instead of "ki." You can fly even if you're out of ki.]
As the system notification faded, Rod felt a new force awaken within him.
It was a flying technique straight out of the Dragon Ball universe.
Originally, it was a unique Crane School secret, only used by Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu early on. But by mid-series, it had become so common that even background characters were zipping around in the sky like it was nothing.
An overused skill, but surprisingly useful.
After all, Rod hadn't been able to fly until now.
He had genuinely been worried about facing airborne enemies who relied on hit-and-run tactics. Now, no more kiting threats.
And of course, a new skill had to be tested.
With a thought, Rod's body lifted into the air, gravity be damned.
Seeing him suddenly hover, Lavinia widened her eyes. She looked at Rod, who showed no signs of using magic, and muttered in astonishment, "What kind of power is this? A human flying without external assistance…?"
In a world full of divine beings, devils, and mythic species, humans were undeniably on the back foot.
Sure, there had been heroic humans in history, but none could truly compare to gods or devil kings. And more often than not, those "humans" had some divine sponsor behind them.
Yet here was Rod ,clearly not relying on magic or special race attributes ,and still breaking the rules.
"Maybe I'm just a genius who figured it out on my own," Rod said, deadpan.
It wasn't exactly a lie. After all, the system was him, and he was the system. There was no separation. Its rewards were his by right.
"You two stay and rest. I'm going for a little flight."
And with that, Rod soared upward.
Since the dawn of humanity, flying had been a dream, and Rod was no exception.
He quickly got the hang of Bukūjutsu. No, he couldn't circle the Earth in five minutes like Goku yet, but he was at least on par with the average flier in this world.
That said, he soon discovered the downside of flying: the wind.
The moment he picked up speed, it felt like razors slicing across his face. And his hair, well…
By the time he landed, Rod was sporting a full-on slicked-back look.
"How the hell do those guys keep their hair intact? Do they just drown themselves in hair gel?"
After a few more loops through the sky, he returned to the girls.
Kuroka, now fully healed, remained in her cat form nestled in Asia's arms. When she saw Rod, she meowed once, a gesture of cautious acceptance. For now, this human seemed trustworthy.
"Lavinia, can you set up a barrier that blocks magical and energy leaks?"
Rod had recalled something important during his flight, his God-Slaying Tool: Incinerate Anthem.
Its core ability involved sealing and harvesting powerful souls to fuel its flames.
And Rod just happened to have three high-value souls in his inventory:
Shuten Dōji, Ōtakemaru, and Tamamo-no-Mae.
Back in Kyoto, he'd held off on absorbing them to avoid alerting the Five Great Clans. But now that they were hundreds of kilometers away, this was the perfect opportunity.
Add a good barrier on top? Risk-free.
"I can, but… what exactly are you planning to do?" Lavinia asked, wary.
Rod gave her a simple explanation.
Lavinia's expression instantly turned complicated.
"…When I left the Inner Sanctuary, Suzaku mentioned that the sealed treasures had been stolen. The remains of Japan's Three Great Youkai, piles of gold and jewels, and countless historical relics, all vanished."
"I'd thought the attack from Satanael was to blame, but now… the thief was you?"
"She even asked me if I suspected you, but I defended you, saying you weren't that kind of person…"
The look she gave him could pierce stone.
"Now hold on. 'Stolen'? That's a bit unfair." Rod raised his hands innocently. "If I hadn't been there, Satanael would've taken everything. What I did was prevent a loss. I saved them a disaster. Those relics are far safer in my hands than in the Sanctuary."
"…You really have no shame."
Lavinia stared at him for a long moment.
But, he did have a point.
If Satanael had gotten his hands on the Three Youkai's remains, the outcome could've been catastrophic.
"The barrier will take about ten minutes to set up. Please wait."
With that, Lavinia found a clearing and began carving magical inscriptions with her staff.
Soon, a high-level containment spell enveloped a five-kilometer radius.
"It'll hold for five hours. Is that enough?"
"Plenty."
Rod nodded, then had the girls step back.
He summoned the Incinerate Anthem.
The deep purple cross hovered in front of him, pulsing ominously.
He checked his status, his Balance Breaker progress bar was already at 10%.
At this rate, he'd be able to activate its true form in under a week.
Compared to other Sacred Gear users, especially the Hero Faction's descendants, who barely managed pseudo-Balance Breaker Rod was moving at warp speed.
Time to stop thinking and act.
Rod retrieved a sealed box from his inventory.
Inside it were the remnants of the Three Great Youkai.
And the moment they left the spatial vault, the sinister aura of the spirits stirred, hungry, violent, and oh-so-ready to be consumed.
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~ A Certain Magical Index: Keyaru Template
[The MC's personality is not the same as Keyaru]
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