[Location: Code Geass – Area 11 – Ashford Academy – Private Building.]
Lelouch Lamperouge stared at his reflection in the mirror, an ironic smile forming on his lips.
"Jee…" he murmured. "My nerves still aren't strong enough for this…"
It hadn't been long since he had returned from the so-called "White World."
And as he reflected on what had happened, the repulsive image resurfaced in his mind: lifeless bodies, severed heads rolling across the floor, blood spreading without restraint.
Even now, he could swear he could hear the dull sound of them hitting the ground.
That memory alone was enough to trigger another wave of nausea, forcing him to lean over the sink.
The fact that he had managed to suppress the nausea until then was, in itself, a blessing. Even more so, that he had maintained a calm demeanor in front of the others.
…
"None of them are normal…" he murmured, wiping his mouth.
He was not the only one who had witnessed that grotesque scene, yet most of them had appeared disturbingly unfazed.
He recalled the boy with glasses—Keima Katsuragi. Of them all, he had shown the most obvious reaction. He had even seemed terrified.
Lelouch had assumed he would eventually snap under the pressure.
However, against all expectations, Keima had simply pulled a handheld console from his pocket and begun pressing buttons without a word.
With that single action, his expression relaxed, and the trembling of his body ceased.
As if he had retreated into a world of his own.
"…Truly… abnormal…" Lelouch muttered, letting himself fall onto the bed.
Midnight had long passed, and both his mind and body yearned only for rest.
Lacking the strength to continue thinking, he closed his eyes.
And fell asleep.
_____
[Location: Code Geass – Area 11 – Ashford Academy – Classroom.]
"Kallen Stadtfeld," Rivalz Cardemonde commented, mentally reviewing everything he knew about her.
Only moments earlier, upon returning to the classroom, he had caught Lelouch watching her.
Kallen—a girl with red hair tinged with pink—remained seated beside her friends, calm as ever.
There was no doubt about it: Lelouch was interested.
And as a good friend, Rivalz couldn't let an opportunity like that slip by.
Besides, it never hurt to have Lelouch owe him a favor.
"She seems to have rather delicate health," he continued, adopting a sympathetic tone. "Last year she only attended classes sporadically."
Lelouch didn't appear particularly interested in that information, though Rivalz couldn't be entirely sure.
For someone her age, being limited by a condition she couldn't control was, frankly, unfortunate.
Still, Rivalz doubted that it mattered much to Lelouch. He had known him long enough to be certain that Lelouch wasn't the type to judge someone for that.
If anything mattered to him, it was intelligence.
"But her grades are excellent!" he added immediately, as though presenting a rare and valuable artifact. "And she's from the Stadtfeld family, so she's wealthy—and has quite the personality."
And of course, there was her appearance.
Kallen Stadtfeld stood out even among the very best in the entire school.
"Hyaaa~ You have refined taste," he joked, smiling playfully.
"It's not that…" Lelouch replied, sounding slightly tired.
He had told him that before, but Rivalz never listened.
"Don't hide it, don't hide it~" Rivalz insisted, unconvinced.
Then he remembered another detail.
"Though she's always surrounded by her friends… I'd say they're quite protective of her…"
"That's true. Do you know any animal shelters?" Lelouch asked suddenly, changing the subject.
Beyond the possibility that their conversation might be overheard, he had far more pressing matters on his mind. He needed to conduct tests with his new ability.
As for Kallen, he would speak to her later.
"Hm… yeah, I know one," Rivalz replied, somewhat surprised. "But why all of a sudden? I mean, you never seemed particularly interested in having pets before…"
"I have my reasons," Lelouch said calmly. "I'll explain later…"
_____
[Location: Code Geass – Area 11 – Ashford Academy – Private Building.]
That night, Lelouch lay back on the soft, silent bed of his dormitory, reviewing the day's events.
In simple terms, it had been a chaotic mix of situations and variables.
The incident involving Kallen still lingered in his thoughts. Depending on how his reasoning unfolded, he would have to address it.
To that end, he had already taken some initial precautions.
The voice recorder he held between his fingers was proof enough.
As for the true problem, he had a fairly clear hypothesis.
Even so, to avoid further accidents, he would have to wait before conducting additional tests.
For now, patience was required.
His gaze drifted to the elegant silver ring adorning his hand.
The so-called "additional rewards" had proven more useful than he had expected.
Hours earlier, while adjusting his plans around the variable named Kallen and commissioning a suit from a tailor to protect his anonymity, he had visited an animal shelter.
By a bitter coincidence, the staff had just euthanized an elderly dog. As was common in many shelters, older animals rarely found homes and were quietly discarded.
It was a lamentable reality.
Still, that dog would not be forgotten.
The image of its body resurfaced from time to time, causing a persistent discomfort. Of course, had he not decided to obtain its memories, those sensations would not exist.
But there was no turning back now.
The shelter was under his control; the staff would obey his orders without question.
Everything had been made possible by a single, carefully worded instruction:
"From now on, whenever you hear me introduce myself as Lelouch Lamperouge, you will obey all my orders."
At first, he had doubted its effectiveness. However, there was no time to test hypotheses or waste effort.
He even had a reasonable excuse prepared, just in case.
But fortunately, it worked.
Now, completing the counter was merely a matter of time.
Lelouch closed his eyes, inhaling slowly to calm his mind.
"Store," he whispered.
Suddenly, the recorder vanished from his hand.
"Retrieve."
An instant later, it materialized once more between his fingers.
Little by little, he was beginning to understand how the ring functioned.
As with the other artifacts, the keyword alone was not enough—clear intent to activate it was required.
Even so, many unknowns remained.
The item's description was open to interpretation: Allows you to use a cubic space from the White World as storage. You can store almost anything. Edge length: 1000 yards. Keywords: Store / Retrieve.
"Almost anything…" he repeated softly.
That simple phrase concealed numerous restrictions.
He had already attempted to store the surrounding air without success, indicating that not all forms of matter were valid—or, at the very least, that gases were excluded.
It was reasonable to assume that the rest of its limitations followed a similar pattern.
Further experimentation would be necessary.
With a single thought, a holographic window appeared, blocking part of his field of vision.
[You have completed the counter!]
[Reward: Knowledge of Total Concentration Breathing (全集中の呼吸).]
[Description: This technique consists of: Absolute control of breathing rhythm. Precise synchronization between breathing, posture, and movement. And maximum use of oxygen to enhance: muscular strength, endurance, speed, recovery, and mental focus.
In other words, it allows the human body to: Operate near its biological limit. Endure extreme exertion. Increase muscle density and efficiency. Withstand impacts and injuries that would normally be incapacitating.
Important: The "styles" fire, water, lightning, rock, and wind are artistic representations of movement flow and the user's intent.]
Lelouch narrowed his eyes. "Too long…" he muttered.
It wasn't the first time he had seen it.
Since completing the counter for the first time, he had developed a certain… inclination to repeat the process.
It hadn't been difficult to supply himself.
At the supermarket, in the preserved foods section, he purchased 300 grams of shirasu—sardine fry, vacuum-packed and perfectly sanitized.
A common product in Japanese cuisine, exotic by Britannian standards, but ideal for experimentation.
150 grams of kama-age shirasu (釜揚げしらす), lightly boiled. 150 grams of chirimen-jako (ちりめんじゃこ), even smaller and completely dried.
Enough for a family's weekly consumption.
Surprisingly, both were recognized without issue as "targets."
For obvious reasons, he had to "devour" them in the nearest public restroom. There, he discovered something additional: he could dismiss the holographic windows with a mere thought.
For safety's sake, he decided to review the options calmly once he was alone.
A new interface appeared before him.
[Select one of the following Total Concentration Breathing styles.]
Several options appeared, each accompanied by a brief description.
[Total Concentration Breathing: Flame (炎).]
[Description: High offensive power with broad, precise movements. Attacks in this style tend to be powerful and decisive, reflecting the user's emotional intensity.]
[Total Concentration Breathing: Water (水).]
[Description: Excellent balance between offense and defense, with fluid movements. Based on adaptability and calmness. Focuses on smooth, continuous motions to deflect attacks or counter with precision.]
[Total Concentration Breathing: Lightning (雷).]
[Description: Maximum attack speed. Focused on velocity, precision, and explosive force. Relies on extremely fast strikes.]
[Total Concentration Breathing: Rock (岩).]
[Description: Heavy, powerful, defensive movements. Based on stability, brute strength, and toughness. Mimics the solidity and endurance of rock, using high-impact attacks.]
[Total Concentration Breathing: Wind (風).]
[Description: Fast, wide, and chaotic attacks. Based on wild strength and unpredictable movements. Utilizes rapid, violent slashes.]
Lelouch read each one carefully, unable to suppress his doubts regarding their effectiveness.
From a rational standpoint, breathing as a martial technique had clear benefits. Breath control, oxygen optimization, concentration—those were acceptable.
But taking it that far…
'Excessive,' he thought.
Still, recalling Zefir, he dismissed the objection.
If there was one thing he had learned so far, it was that underestimating Zefir's words was a mistake.
Whether it seemed fantastical or not, time would tell.
He sighed, unwilling to dwell on it any longer.
He extended his hand—and selected the style that best suited his nature.
[Total Concentration Breathing: Water (水). (Selected).]
At once, a flood of memories poured into his mind.
It took him several minutes to process them.
Unlike the previous time, these memories were complete—clear, overwhelmingly real. They did not feel like foreign fragments, but like experiences lived firsthand.
However, there was a clear division between them: each memory had a distinct beginning and end.
Lelouch clenched his fists, slightly unsettled by the sensation of "remembering" something he knew, with absolute certainty, he had never lived.
But he soon stopped questioning the feeling and focused on the content.
The art of Total Concentration Breathing was, without a doubt, astonishing.
And yet, useless.
At least for him.
The difference between the body he felt in those memories and his own was abysmal. There, every movement was supported by extraordinary physical resilience; here, his body could barely withstand a fraction of that strain.
He grasped the principle quickly.
The human brain unconsciously limits how much force the body can exert to prevent self-destruction. Using one hundred percent of muscular strength leads to tears, fractures, irreversible damage.
Total Concentration Breathing forced that limit.
It did so by regulating breathing, synchronizing the body to endure—and survive—the self-inflicted damage.
But the premise was clear: to achieve it, one needed an exceptionally resilient body.
Lelouch sighed.
The sensation of physical power still coursed through him—persistent, tempting. Even so, he forced himself to suppress it.
His gaze shifted to the counter located in the upper-right corner of his field of vision
[1063. / 10000.]
With another thought, a new holographic window appeared.
[You have completed the counter!]
[Reward: Weapons.]
[Description: High-quality weapons. You will be granted one at random from my storage. Best of luck!]
"…? At random?" he murmured, raising an eyebrow.
[Congratulations on obtaining: Yubashiri (雪走)!]
[Description: One of the 50 Meito (名刀) of the Ryo Wazamono (良業物) grade. A Meito is a class of bladed weapons recognized for exceptional forging quality.]
Immediately, a black-sheathed katana appeared, floating above his face.
Lelouch barely managed to sit up before it fell onto him.
Ignoring the description, he took the weapon and examined it himself.
Yubashiri was a long katana with a black hilt. It featured a cross-shaped guard and a black scabbard. The blade itself appeared normal at first glance, though its predominant black tone stood out. Both the scabbard and the hilt were adorned with fine gold designs.
Lelouch had to admit it—it was elegant. And, for now, useless.
Like Total Concentration Breathing, the katana represented potential, not immediate power.
As for the inherent benefits of "devouring," he felt none. Unlike the first time, subsequent targets granted him no noticeable improvements, nor did any window offering memories appear.
The reason was obvious.
They were small preserved fish, long dead.
The only inconvenience caused by all of this was arriving late to dinner with his younger sister.
With quiet resignation, he stored the katana within the storage ring.
At least this time, he wouldn't have to sacrifice hours of sleep.