Lily had become the host of the King's Heart, achieving an unprecedentedly high compatibility. This not only unsealed the Sword in the Stone but also catapulted her personal strength to its peak. After forming a contract with Lin Luo, it was only natural that he advanced to a Level 4 Walker.

With this development, the personnel required for the journey to Gensokyo was settled. Given Lily's current power, augmented by her Noble Phantasm, she could likely hold her own even against figures like Yukari Yakumo or Yuuka Kazami. However, Lin Luo did not immediately depart for Gensokyo; instead, he chose a period of secluded cultivation.

Lily's power had clearly reached the Earth rank, and his own strength should also be at that level, yet both remained stubbornly at the peak of the Spirit rank. Lin Luo could not ignore such a bizarre phenomenon. If any flaw existed, he was determined to uncover it before setting foot in Gensokyo.

The girls offered no objection to Lin Luo's decision. In fact, they themselves desired seclusion, especially Misaka. As Lin Luo's first contractor, she should have been the first to learn about the World Heart, the first to understand it, and the first to break her seal—she ought to be the strongest. Yet now, she was repeatedly falling behind; she wasn't just failing to rank first, she probably couldn't even crack the top five. This stagnation simply could not continue.

Thus, while Lin Luo was in seclusion, Misaka decided to venture out alone to seek whatever enlightenment she might find, temporarily leaving the Sky City. This world was vast, mysterious, and full of unknowns. Despite having been in this world for a long time, they had rarely ventured outside. Misaka felt that traveling the outer world might bring her the fresh inspiration she needed.

Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, Misaka transformed into a bolt of lightning and shot out of the Sky City. Moments later, she was hundreds of miles away; looking back, the silhouette of the Sky City was nowhere to be seen.

With a crisp snap, the lightning dissipated, revealing her true form as Misaka landed on the ground. She found herself in a sprawling jungle, visually pristine and primal, occasionally revealing glimpses of bizarre, strange creatures.

"Changing the environment once in a while is nice, isn't it," Misaka murmured, surveying her surroundings with wide-eyed curiosity. However, she hadn't forgotten her purpose. "I'm not out here to play. Movies and novels all say the same thing: those who train outside progress faster than those who stay home. I've maintained the same persistence that got me from LV1 to LV5. I absolutely won't go back until I reach a level that satisfies me."

Misaka smiled faintly, her expression brimming with confidence. She had left completely alone, carrying nothing, but this world would never lack what she needed: food, water, trials, and... potential.

"I know. Everything exists; the key is simply whether one can find it."

Yes, everything existed. Life, death, time, space, spirit, power, even the unknown mysteries, human imagination, and infinite existence... All of it was tangibly present everywhere.

The only difference was whether someone could discover it.

"If I find it, I should become stronger, don't you think?" Misaka turned slightly to her side and asked with a smile, but there was no one or any creature beside her, as if she were addressing the empty air.

Then, the young woman walked step by step forward. The jungle's inhabitants seemed intensely curious about this human trespassing in their domain. Countless small animals observed her, either perched on tree trunks or hiding in the undergrowth, watching the trail she left behind... a line of shallow footprints interspersed with faint hoof prints.

...

Lin Luo spent a full fortnight in his private space before emerging. During these fifteen days, his overall power hadn't increased drastically, but he had gained a much more detailed comprehension of his own abilities.

Blade Mastery had advanced to LV2, evolving into Weapon Mastery, which, beyond the inherent enhancement, allowed him to wield all melee weapons as if they were extensions of his own limbs.

Fixed-Point Teleportation leveled up to LV3, evolving into Dimensional Teleportation. This allowed him to transport himself or anyone else to any location within the current world, bypassing dimensional barriers, with a limit of five uses.

Divine Healing had ascended to LV4. Beyond physical restoration, it could now mend the spirit as well—meaning, it could potentially restore an idiot to normalcy. Naturally, this demanded significantly more Life Force Points, as the spirit was always more complex than the body.

Mist Incarnation rose to LV3, enabling the creation of several external avatars simultaneously. These avatars possessed 30% of the main body's combat power (excluding Rule Power) and maintained a shared sensory link.

Other skills, such as Elemental Mastery, Aura Sensing, Innate Divine Strength, and Aura Alteration, all reached LV2. Alongside strengthening his current capacities, this advancement spurred the nascent generation of several inherent abilities.

Furthermore, Lin Luo absorbed the Grimoire of Ghosts, gaining the new ability—Netherworld Prosperity. Perhaps this ability would allow him to become good friends, or even intimate companions, with Yuyuko.

The only thing that showed no progress was the power of the Mind's Eye. After half a month of research, he still hadn't grasped the fundamental nature of this ability. Hearing rumors was no substitute for personal enlightenment, but since he couldn't grasp it himself, no amount of hearsay mattered.

However, Lin Luo was not discouraged. His greatest gain during this seclusion was a profound grasp of Rule Power and a clearer understanding of his current realm. Even without utilizing Rule Power, he could now fully unleash the destructive Black Flames. While it couldn't yet leave him unscathed, he could finally control it completely. Most crucially, he had found the key to unlocking the Earth rank.

As for LV5, the requirements were too steep, demanding ten contractors—a feat that couldn't be accomplished overnight. Lin Luo wasn't banking on that yet.

"All set, just waiting for the east wind—perhaps this is the state I was aiming for." As he stepped out of his private space, a confident smile graced Lin Luo's face. If any anxiety lingered before, it was completely gone now, for he had attained sufficient understanding of himself... He was undeniably strong.

Upon entering the main hall, he found everyone absent except for a few maids. A quick inquiry revealed that the girls were all engaged in their own training.

Some had entered Eirin's scroll world, others had gone to Dragon City, and some were sparring in the training grounds. Even Chou Suzune had been buried in the seventh layer of the main hall for the entire half-month. Everyone was striving so hard, which deeply moved Lin Luo.

Lin Luo certainly knew the reason for the girls' diligence. Ultimately, his core was not the world itself; it was the contractors. If the world was lost, they could simply win another one. But if the contractors were lost, it would be a fatal blow.

Lin Luo chose not to interrupt their training. Instead, he made the necessary preparations. Based on his knowledge of Gensokyo, many items would be essential: money, alcohol, books, and electronic games. But the most vital, he suspected, would still be money.

"Master, these are the items Miss Chou Suzune prepared for you." Just as Lin Luo was stuffing large amounts of cash and liquor into his storage space, the young maid Wei approached and presented him with a katana nearly a meter long. In addition, Anno and Hisa were holding two large bundles.

Before entering seclusion, Lin Luo had asked Chou Suzune to prepare some gear, such as weapons and tools. After all, without Rule Power, many tasks, including combat, were inconvenient. He had learned his lesson in the Shokuhou World and didn't want to repeat the mistake in Gensokyo.

Lin Luo took the sword, flicked the blade lightly, causing it to vibrate intensely, a faint magical aura rippling outward.

"A fusion of technology and magic—nice," Lin Luo smiled slightly. This sword might not be the absolute best, but it was undoubtedly the most suitable for him, having been custom-made by Chou Suzune incorporating all his capabilities.

Lin Luo didn't examine the other items closely, tossing them all into his storage space. He had a general idea of what they were and could retrieve them if needed later.

"Master, here is a letter for you." Wei then presented another item.

"A letter?" Lin Luo blinked, wondering what era still used handwritten letters. Upon receiving it, he noted the signatures: Schwarzwald and Evangeline. Since those two were deep in training, they likely couldn't come out and had resorted to writing to explain something.

Lin Luo started to open it, but Wei informed him that the letter was to be read only after arriving in Gensokyo and being able to summon contractors. This left him somewhat speechless, but considering the identities of the writers, he could guess the general nature of the contents. He nodded and placed the letter into the storage space as well.

"Master, there are two other matters. First, Miss Misaka Mikoto left the Sky City half a month ago and has not yet returned. How do you wish to proceed?"

"Mikoto left the Sky City?" Lin Luo paused, frowning slightly at the news. "Did she say anything before she left?"

Wei shook her head. "No, only left a message saying we shouldn't look for her."

"I see..." Lin Luo stroked his chin in thought. While Mikoto could be haughty, she wasn't the type to run away, and there seemed no reason for her to flee. Her objective, then... There was no real danger in this world, so he would respect her choice.

"Let her do what she wants; you all don't need to worry."

"Yes."

"And the second matter?"

"The second matter is that Miss Lily and Miss Sakuya Izayoi are waiting outside. They said if you are ready, it is time to set off."

"Is that so? It seems they are even more eager than I am," Lin Luo chuckled softly. Before his seclusion, the travel party for Gensokyo had already been decided; among everyone, only Lily and Sakuya had not undergone special intensive training.

Seeing the maids off, Lin Luo left the main hall. In the central courtyard, Lily leaned on her sword, and Sakuya stood with her hands clasped behind her back, both in a state of readiness.

"Then... let's depart. Target: Gensokyo!"

P: The next volume will feature the highly anticipated Touhou Loli Brigade. A