Since Haruki had already promised Ice Phoenix that he would take her with him the next time they met, he had no intention of going back on his word.
However, given her current massive size, bringing her into the Imperial Capital was clearly out of the question. After some thought, Haruki decided to consult the System. Following its suggestion, he spent some exchange points to acquire a Shape-Shifting Pill.
A thousand years ago, Haruki had slaughtered countless Danger Beasts and eliminated many enemies while founding the Empire. Now, with his strength far surpassing most beings, he rarely needed to spend his exchange points. As a result, he had accumulated enough to use freely.
As its name implies, the Shape-Shifting Pill allows non-humanoid creatures to take on human form. It was extremely rare and valuable.
"Here, eat this!"
Haruki casually pulled the pill from his Storage Ring and tossed it to Ice Phoenix.
She eyed the pill, which to her looked no bigger than a grain of sand, with some confusion. But she trusted Haruki completely and had no doubt he wouldn't harm her. So she opened her beak and inhaled sharply, instantly drawing the pill into her mouth.
There was none of the dramatic flair you'd expect from cultivation or fantasy novels—no raging winds or lightning tribulations. Instead, the transformation began gently, with a soft glow enveloping Ice Phoenix's body.
Under Esdeath and Gin's stunned gazes, her enormous body rapidly shrank. The vast wings that once blanketed the sky folded neatly away.
Akame ga Kill was never a world steeped in mystery. Outside of the Teigu—those weapons of strange power crafted by Haruki a millennium ago—people's understanding of the world remained largely grounded. This is why any inexplicable phenomena were typically attributed to Teigu.
But now, seeing Ice Phoenix's body undergo such a dramatic change from a single small pill left both Esdeath and Gin in shock.
As for Ice Phoenix herself, the moment she swallowed the pill, she felt a wave of comfort wash over her. Then, she could sense her massive body shrinking rapidly. At the same time, her control over her physical form improved significantly, making it easier to manage her strength. This was normal—after all, a smaller body is easier to control.
For most shape-shifting beasts, the humanoid form and the original beast form each offer distinct advantages. In human form, they gain precise control over their power, enhancing their endurance and agility in battle. More importantly, the human shape is best suited for cultivation—one reason why many powerful beasts eventually choose to take human form.
On the other hand, reverting to their original form offers greater explosive power, allowing them to deal devastating blows in a short period. Their sheer size can also create an overwhelming sense of pressure for their enemies.
Under Esdeath and Gin's curious gazes, Ice Phoenix's form continued to shrink until the soft light faded, and her new appearance was fully revealed.
But when they finally saw her transformed form, not only were Esdeath and Gin stunned—even Haruki was taken aback.
It wasn't because she looked strange—on the contrary, she was stunningly beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that she looked almost exactly like Gin.
That's right. After her transformation, Ice Phoenix looked as if she had been molded from the same template as Gin. Aside from the fact that Ice Phoenix wasn't wearing any clothes, the two were practically identical.
They shared the same tall figure, waist-length silver hair, and icy blue eyes. Anyone who didn't know better would've thought they were twin sisters.
Haruki swore it had nothing to do with him. Just like a human's appearance is fixed, the form a beast takes upon transforming is uniquely tied to its original body.
While her pre-transformation appearance had already suggested she would be a beauty, no one had expected her to end up looking exactly like Gin.
"Master, do I look pretty?"
Stretching out her newly transformed body, the Ice Phoenix felt an incredible sense of lightness and joy. She bounced over to Haruki, spinning around excitedly as she asked.
Just then, a flash of white swept past. Gin, who had been standing beside Haruki, suddenly appeared next to the now-human Ice Phoenix, a piece of clothing in hand. Without hesitation, she draped it over the Ice Phoenix's bare shoulders.
Even though it wasn't technically her, Gin still felt awkward seeing someone who looked exactly like her standing naked in front of Haruki and Esdeath.
"You are beautiful," Haruki said, "but why do you look exactly like Gin?"
"I don't know. I just ended up like this after transforming," Ice Phoenix replied innocently.
"Well, alright then."
Haruki couldn't do anything about it. He wasn't about to tell her to change how she looked. Besides, Gin was already an exceptionally rare beauty, and Ice Phoenix—now in human form—was just as pleasant to look at.
As for any confusion this might cause in the future, Haruki wasn't worried.
Sure, the two looked identical when just standing there, but only as long as they didn't speak. Their personalities were completely different. Gin was cold and detached, while Ice Phoenix was bubbly and pure-hearted. That said, don't mistake Ice Phoenix for a fool—any creature who's lived for a thousand years is bound to be sharp in her own way.
"Master, they all have names. Can you give me one too?"
Ice Phoenix looked at Haruki with wide, hopeful eyes.
Seeing that expression, Haruki's heart nearly melted. Getting that kind of look from Gin was nearly impossible—so seeing it on Ice Phoenix's face, even if it looked just like Gin's, was a delightful surprise.
"Alright, let me think..."
He couldn't just keep calling her Ice Phoenix, especially now that she'd be staying by his side. She needed a proper name.
"How about you take my surname? Your feathers were pure white in your original form, so… let's go with Yuki."
"Yuki … Yuki… I have a name now—and it's the same as Master's. Thank you, Master!"
Repeating the name to herself with clear delight, Ice Phoenix—now Yuki —ran circles around Haruki, radiating happiness.
Watching her, Haruki smiled. Her childlike personality was a refreshing contrast to Gin's icy demeanor. It was like seeing a completely different side of someone who looked exactly the same.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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