After Gouken developed the Power of Nothingness, the essence of its power gradually became understood by him as well.
It was the manifestation of mental will, using "nothingness" to contain and neutralize killing intent.
The Power of Nothingness(Kyoi no Hado) was undoubtedly the bane of the Surge of Killing Intent(Satsui no Hado), though due to Gouken's original level limitations, it certainly couldn't compare to Akuma, that cheating guy.
Akuma developed Satsui no Hado to a world-destroying, god-like level, while his Power of Nothingness did not reach its true extreme.
Since the Power of Nothingness was said to counter Satsui no Hado, there must be a path forward. Gouken didn't accomplish this, but Raize really wanted to continue down that path.
The Power of Nothingness could also be used to temper the body for extraordinary enhancement. The most classic example was the Kongoshin (Diamond Body) by Gouken using the Power of Nothingness.
It was a physical power that even Akuma's full-power Shun Goku Satsu couldn't damage, so its strength was undeniable.
Boom boom boom boom boom boom—!!!
Killing intent devoured the light within Raize's calm and empty gaze, followed immediately by a storm-like barrage of attacks.
In Raize's mirror-like, still-water perspective, the ferocious strikes coming from the darkness were incredibly obvious.
With his mind in a state of serene clarity, Raize's consciousness seemed to enter an empty, ethereal realm—no sky, no earth, no air, no light, not even a sense of self.
The only thing that existed here was "nothingness."
So, although the terrifying, tsunami-like strikes of the Shun Goku Satsu were fearsome and invisible to the eye, they could be clearly seen.
With such unmistakably obvious trajectories, Raize could move freely amidst the attacks, like dodging bullet hell in a Touhou Project shooting game.
For those he couldn't dodge, he could withstand them with his Kongoshin and use the power of nothingness to dissolve and absorb the killing intent.
Swish!
Bang!
Thud!
The sounds of strikes, high-speed movements, and evasive clashes rose and fell incessantly.
Raize had taken quite a few punches now because he had chosen to endure them all while preparing for an almost instinctual counterattack, striving to refine the 'nothingness' even further.
At the very least, he needed to touch the threshold of the embryonic form of Ultra Instinct.
He aimed to rely entirely on his body's reflexes for movement, without any conscious thought, maximizing his speed and reaction capabilities.
This was the direction in which he was developing the Power of Nothingness.
To transform the Power of Nothingness into true Great Freedom Intent, perfectly separating body and consciousness, allowing every part of his body to perceive danger beyond instinct, eliminating the need for his brain to think before acting.
"But… it's still hard to reach the threshold."
As the barrage of killing intent strikes ended and the Doppelganger returned to their origin, Raize stood calmly on the pockmarked ground, sighed, and looked down at his body.
The faint, sky-blue glow of the Power of Nothingness shimmered on his skin before receding beneath it, flowing condensed and unbroken.
Raize didn't deactivate the Power of Nothingness but instead treated it as daily training, continuously using this energy to temper his body and spirit.
As he pondered how to refine this power further, a pure, fragrant black shadow swiftly darted toward him from behind.
"Cheshire's loving pounce! Da~r~ling~, hug hug!!!"
A voice full of joy and attachment came from behind. Raize felt two immense softnesses press tightly against his robust back. He glanced down expressionlessly to see a pair of slender, delicate hands wrapped around him.
And these small hands were moving up and down erratically, like a pampered kitten's.
A cute and beautiful girl, whose attire and exquisite, makeup-free face made her look like an adorable big cat.
"Da~r~ling~, nuzzle nuzzle. Da~r~ling~, nuzzle nuzzle."
The girl hugging him from behind had a voluptuous and alluring figure. Her short black-gray hair swayed casually with her kitten-like nuzzling against his back. The two strands of sea-blue hair on her forehead added a touch of playfulness to her cuteness.
Most noticeable were the cat-ear-like hair clips on her head and the perfectly fitting maid outfit she wore. Her face, rubbing against Raize's back, was filled with a joyful and lively smile.
She seemed pure, innocent, and a bit… silly.
Despite wearing a beautiful maid outfit, she was neither strict nor serious. Instead, she acted like an innocent, naive child, exuding an endearing, simple-minded charm.
"Cheshire, stop fooling around."
Raize's tone carried a hint of helplessness but also a touch of fondness, as one would have for a child. With a gentle move, he freed himself from the big cat's nuzzling and patted her head soothingly, like calming a playful kitten.
"Darling's finally done training~ Here's a towel~ Wipe your sweat~"
The big cat Cheshire enjoyed Raize's affectionate petting, her face beaming with a carefree smile. She reached behind her back and produced a pure white towel, handing it to Raize.
Shipgirl Cheshire—a Priority Heavy Cruiser shipgirl from the Royal Navy faction in Azur Lane, belonging to Raize's third phase of research shipgirls.
In the game, she had decent strength, anti-air capabilities, and endurance. Azur Lane players often prioritized obtaining her for her cuteness.
As a ship that never existed historically—not even as blueprints—Cheshire wasn't heavily modified by Raize at birth. She only received general enhancements and minor adjustments.
Her attributes weren't as impressive as Laffey's.
[Name]: Cheshire
[Type]: Heavy Cruiser—Shipgirl
[Contract]: Raize
[Level]: 20
[Talent]: Steel Body (damage reduction, top-tier defense)
[Skills]: Sacred Zeperiom Beam, Reflect, All out Assault, Grin and Fire
[Standard Equipment]: Prototype Triple 203mm SKC Main Gun T0, Hexagonal 40mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft Gun, High-Performance Radar...
[Enhanced Equipment]: White Dragon Emperor's Light Armor, Charged Particle Cannon, Force Field Energy Shield, Land-Sea-Air Combat Boots
[Firepower]: A++
[Durability]: S+
[Anti-Air]: S
[Mobility]: B++
[Aviation]: B+
[Torpedo]: S+++
Raize never neglected the progress of casual games, but Azur Lane had limitations like Oil energy.
He had already reached the third phase of research. The first phase randomly yielded two specified shipgirl Wisdom Cubes, the second phase yielded one, and the third phase also yielded one—Cheshire here.
Research shipgirls had no prototypes, not even blueprints. Raize had to rely on himself to arm and modify his newly born combat spirits.