Chapter 23,5: Their flames. 

"Umm... The more energy the more heat they take and their color seems to be a clear indication of this."

Speaking in a completely confident manner as if he were stating a fact, which he is, as in front of him are some four branches sticking into the ground and on which different colored flames are perched, Christopher looks to the side as if seeking expert help. 

"I have never seen anything of these characteristics, normally fox demons use fox flame for their defense and attack."

"Fox flame? What an unoriginal name. If I may say so~"

Stroking his long beard that reaches his chest, Saya starts to do a few laps around the four flaming branches, then after a few seconds he gives an explanation to Christopher. 

"Yeah, it seems to me that it used to have another name... something like... Magical fire, although then it was changing or was it that the technique opened into two different paths at some point, well I don't remember, but I"

"Saya. ¡Please just get to the point!"

Raising his tone of voice causing the surrounding insects to fall silent, Christopher's attention is again drawn to the branches as he notices that the fire on them changed both in size, color and even damaged the branches on which they rested. 

"Oh, it seems that in addition to the amount of energy you inject into them, your emotions also have an effect on their qualities. See they can even destroy now, which they couldn't before or maybe it was simply because you didn't want to destroy anything... Okay, okay, I'll explain."

Finishing a cursory analysis of Christopher's ability, Saya lets a branch pass through her body before giving him a look of "I already told you I'm immaterial in this form" though upon seeing the small flame created on Christopher's finger she raises her hands in clear surrender. 

"The most marked difference between the two lies in their usefulness, while the fox flame is primarily a perfect spiritual attack against other youkais, the magic flame is more destructive to the environment and the enemy making it very useful in combat"

"I see, I see... Well, I don't really see anything, it's literally night and the only source of light is these things. On the other hand I guess it aligns more with the characteristics of magic flame though... I'll be right back."

Lifting his body from the seated position he's been in all this time, Christopher lets out a few bad jokes before he starts walking towards the dark forest and disappears into it in a few moments. 

"¿Which way did he go and what is this?"

Appearing from another direction with silent steps, Kikyo who has her black hair clearly wet and wears the classic priestess outfit, appears in the area illuminated by the flames before looking towards Saya in search of an answer. 

"Those flames are from the ability of, of, because it must have such a strange name... whatever. ¿Can you tell if they are influenced by the pearl shards?"

Taking on a serious face and looking towards Kikyo as if searching for any ups and downs on her face, Saya looks disappointed to notice that no emotion is reflected on Kikyo's face, though he shrugs it off as he is used to it by now. 

"No, when it comes to using shards to enhance spiritual abilities, only these cases can happen. Create a new ability, awaken a latent ability, and enhance an existing ability. I would never twist the root of the ability itself, all these flames share the same output, only some go further thanks to more energy in them."

"So they're all the same then, only their heat and color differ thanks to the large amount of energy put into them... like the difference in heat between a small campfire and a thick burning forest, it all comes down to the amount of material burned."

Nodding to himself as if he had arrived at a satisfactory answer, Saya and Kikyo's attention is drawn to the forest, from where a few explosions are heard before a shrill scream rings throughout the place and in a moment Christopher emerges from there with a strange yokai under his arm. 

"Welcome. Saya. ¿Can you pass me one of those?"

Giving a glance to Kikyo who stares at him, no more exactly she is looking at the youkai now under her foot. Christopher gives her a quick wave before speaking to Saya who snaps out of her stupor and tosses him one of the branches. 

"You gave me the most normal one... However, from the lowest to the highest."

Stomping harder on the youkai who squirms under his foot, Christopher pulls the red flaming branch closer to him, even though he lets out a few screams the flames don't hurt him in any way. 

"Okay, these don't work. Next."

Tossing aside the branch he had in his hand, he squeezes the youkai harder again before asking Saya for the next one and Saya hands him one that carries a bright orange color... These tests went on for quite a while, until a white flame was found to be the victor.