[Hand on his chin, Rei takes in the scene carefully. The difference between the two attacks is stark, particularly its visuals; the second one looks like nothing, as if they are simply acting upon a stage. The smoke and mirrors is just a bonus, though: the real issue is whether the upgrades actually managed to restore any amount of power, of uniqueness, to the weapon.

It's not a perfect experiment-- Hitoya is right to think that the same verse wouldn't be as effective; this would not hold up in to peer review-- but it should be enough.]

Well, I think we can call this build a success. [Rei smiles again, stepping back within conversational distance.] If she wasn't frozen in time back home, I'd bet whichever Chuuoku missy invented these things would be rolling over in her grave right now!

[Leave it to Rei to crack an inside joke with himself, and laugh at it.]