Back during the events of Pristella, what happened to Rem in the original timeline happened here as well.
Her memories and name were eaten.
Eventually, by the end of Arc 6, her name returned.
People remembered Rem once more.
However, her memories never came back.
And at the conclusion of those events, Rem was transported to the Vollachian Empire alongside Subaru.
Ironically, this created a strange parallel.
While Subaru journeyed east toward the Pleiades Watchtower during Arc 6, Tanaka traveled west into Kararagi.
Now, at the beginning of Arc 7, that parallel continued.
Subaru would find himself thrown into the chaos of the far south, within the Vollachian Empire.
Meanwhile, Tanaka's next destination would be the far north.
The Holy Kingdom of Gusteko.
Subaru would undoubtedly have his own share of suffering waiting for him in Vollachia.
But Tanaka...
Tanaka's struggle is the meanest, most sad shit my mind could ever think of.
The challenges waiting for him in Gusteko were unlike anything he had faced before.
The Witch Cult.
Sin Archbishops.
The City States.
Compared to what lay ahead, all of it would feel like merely the opening act.
That was not to say the story would become endless suffering.
In truth, what awaited in Gusteko would become one of the most important parts of the entire narrative.
The saga is so significant that everything written so far would seem small by comparison.
The road ahead would be merciless but overcoming impossible odds was what shapes great heroes.
And at the very least, Kazuki Tanaka would not be walking that road alone this time.
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Current Status — Kazuki Tanaka
Cursed Blood:
Although it is still there and his appearance is the same as Stride Vollachia. After absorbing Zarestia's light sphere, Tanaka used most of it to seal Abhor again but he still maintained a portion of it within his gate.
And because of that, the cursed blood was suppressed a bit, his features were a bit softer and his hair didn't grow back immediately after being cut.
This hints that, if Tanaka didn't use the light sphere to save the city, the energy he absorbed would have ended up suppressing the cursed blood, giving back his original appearance.
But good luck finding out another nuclear core like that lol. That's why his only hope now is Halibel.
Magic:
Following the events in Kararagi, Tanaka is capable of utilizing all six elemental affinities.
His greatest limitation remains unchanged.
His Gate possesses no Od of its own.
As a result, he cannot naturally replenish mana and must rely on external sources.
His proficiency with each attribute can be roughly summarized as follows:
Fire — B Rank
A solid understanding of the element.
He possesses the theoretical knowledge and practical capability to utilize it effectively, but he never got to use it so far.
Water — S Rank
Without question his strongest element.
His knowledge, constant experimentation and repeated use have elevated his mastery to a level where he has created spells that do not officially exist within recorded magical theory.
Most notably:
Blood Manipulation.
Earth — A Rank
Extensive combat experience has given him excellent control.
Whether consciously or instinctively, he has repeatedly relied on earth magic in battle.
Wind — A Rank
Comparable to his Earth affinity.
Frequent usage and practical combat application have refined his proficiency considerably.
Yang — B Rank
While capable of utilizing Yang Magic, his understanding remains focused on a relatively narrow range of applications.
Mass manipulation.
Heat generation.
Energy projection.
The potential exists for further growth.
Yin — B+ Rank
More versatile than Yang in his hands.
Tanaka has already demonstrated advanced applications involving gravity manipulation, weight reduction, and spatial interference.
Among all his secondary affinities, Yin likely possesses the greatest room for future development.
In summary:
If Tanaka can logically understand the mechanism behind a magical phenomenon, he can usually reproduce it.
Conversely, abilities that rely on concepts beyond his understanding remain inaccessible.
This is why he can imitate complex magical principles, yet cannot reproduce techniques such as Emilia's Ice Soldiers.
Spirit Contracts:
The conclusion of the Kararagi Arc brought two new spirit contracts.
One with Zarestia.
One with Hugo.
This significantly altered the way Tanaka manages his mana.
While he still possesses freedom over the mana collected through their contracts, excessive consumption now directly impacts his companions.
For that reason, wasteful expenditure has become far more dangerous.
Zarestia:
The Great Spirit of Wind.
Following the loss of the Light Sphere, Zarestia was separated from a substantial portion of her original existence.
Temporarily, this places her below the other Great Spirits in terms of overall power.
Ironically, she may currently be the weakest Great Spirit.
Though "weakest" remains a relative term when discussing beings capable of reshaping landscapes.
When supplied with mana through Tanaka's Gate, she can temporarily approach her former strength.
In practice, she often absorbs far more mana than necessary whenever combat begins.
Abilities
Exceptional Wind Magic; High-Speed Flight;
Enhanced Olfactory Senses
Her sense of smell is particularly extraordinary.
Especially when it comes to blood.
A trait that will become increasingly important in the future.
Hugo:
Technically speaking, Hugo has only existed as a spirit for a few days.
At present, he is stronger than a Minor Spirit but not by much.
His current classification would be:
Quasi Spirit.
What separates him from ordinary spirits is his complete self-awareness and individuality.
Unlike most newborn spirits, Hugo possesses a human perspective. But he possesses almost no understanding of magic whatsoever.
Affinity
Yang Magic.
For now, his knowledge remains elementary.
Fortunately, traveling with Tanaka means he has access to the basics as he will become his teacher.