Chapter 65
Chapter 65
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Dream Demon User Manual (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the pristine white space, a world devoid of anything else, we quietly faced each other.
A beautiful woman with golden hair and golden eyes—outwardly she appeared to be in her early twenties, but the vibe she gave off was more like that of a girl.
*Hard to believe she's actually over seventy.*
It was probably because Gransesia exuded such a straightforward and innocent aura despite her age.
"So, how'd you end up here?"
Gransesia plopped down onto the blank white floor and asked.
"Hell if I know. Didn't you drag me in here?"
"What? Why would I?"
I could sense the conversation going nowhere.
I'd figured Gransesia had summoned me using the Eye of Simosa.
But she seemed to think I'd come looking for her.
An indescribable awkwardness hung in the air, leaving us sitting there silently, staring at each other for a moment.
"...I'm not trapped here too, am I?"
"Beats me."
Gransesia's sullen response only made her look more catlike the longer I watched.
Maybe it was the sharp upward slant of her eyes.
I hadn't noticed it when she was lying in the casket.
Sensing my unabashed stare, Gransesia pouted her lips.
"What's with you staring at my face like that? Shocked by my beauty now that you're seeing it up close?"
"Yeah."
"R-Really? Ahem, ahem."
My curt reply left her blushing a bit, coughing awkwardly into her fist. Then, irked by my straight face, she snapped.
"You're not even embarrassed saying that?"
"Just stating facts. What's to be embarrassed about?"
"Ugh, uuuugh."
I had no desire to deny it or tease her about it.
Gransesia, meanwhile, buried her face in her knees, completely avoiding my gaze. She seemed awfully weak to direct compliments like that.
"No helping it."
After trying a few things while sitting, with no changes, I slowly stood up.
Gransesia looked up at me curiously.
"What? Find a way out already?"
"Nah. But since we're here, why don't you teach me Holy Heaven Martial Extreme properly?"
"...Huh?"
My outfit was the light cotton clothes I'd worn to bed, but it wouldn't hinder training.
"Who knows when or how we'll get out anyway? Might as well not waste time. Figured I'd take this chance to learn from you for real."
"You're ridiculously positive."
"Just don't wanna waste time."
No point frittering away hours when I couldn't find a way out on my own. I could worry if this dragged on forever.
*Who knows when I'd get another shot at learning directly from Gransesia.*
As I stood and assumed a stance, Gransesia sighed, eyeing me like I was absurd, then rose to her feet.
"Fine, whatever. I'm sick of just sitting here zoning out too."
Facing me, Gransesia straightened her posture and raised both hands upward.
"Holy Heaven Martial Extreme is a form I perfected after throwing billions of punches. The key isn't what results it produces, but how those results come about."
Gransesia relied solely on her body as a weapon.
Not because she couldn't handle others, but because it was more than enough.
Holy Heaven Martial Extreme could be applied not just to fist techniques, but to any martial art, optimizing its movements to perfection.
In essence, it 'perfected' martial arts.
"First off... yeah, best way is to experience it firsthand."
Gransesia slowly raised her hand, palm up, and beckoned me lightly with her fingers.
"Come at me."
Holy Heaven Martial Extreme.
I'd only glimpsed fragments of it once I could finally circulate mana, but I could already tell it was an insane technique.
Still, it was just a vague impression—my level was far too low to truly grasp it.
*...I've got a long way to go.*
And today.
The first time facing the 'real' thing, it was on a whole different plane from what I'd been using.
Gransesia didn't budge a single step from her spot, deflecting all my attacks with one hand.
"There, instead of that, twist your waist a beat faster. Yeah, like that."
"Like I said before, your center of gravity shifts too quick during Thousand Armies. Slow it down a bit—that'll bring out the real power."
Her guidance was spot-on too.
The instant I executed a technique, she'd pinpoint the issue and detail exactly how to fix it.
*Damian's words are hitting home all of a sudden.*
Damian had said he wanted to at least graze Gransesia's shadow.
I'd thought he was over-deifying her at first, but now that I'd experienced it myself, I got why.
*But.*
It didn't feel impossible.
Laughable as it might sound, I wanted to reach that level too.
"Not bad."
Gransesia flashed her pearly whites in a broad grin.
*...Not bad?*
"Yeah."
I couldn't smile back. My body was a total wreck. Bruises covered me from head to toe, and my split lips were swollen.
At first, Gransesia had just blocked. But soon she went on the offensive—said it was the best way to grow when your life hung in the balance.
Rubbing my throbbing body, I muttered.
"Guess... this isn't a dream after all. Hurts too damn much."
"I went easy."
"Two more 'easy' ones and I'd be dead, seriously."
No joke—I half-thought I might actually die.
*Still, it helped. A lot.*
Replaying the spar in my head, I sank into thought.
Plenty of shortcomings left, but a few I could fix right away.
*Might need to level up more first, though...*
Take No-Self, Five Skandhas, or Yusik.
Mastering even one of those keys to Holy Heaven Martial Extreme's logic would massively expand what I could do.
"Weird."
As I pondered, Gransesia tilted her head.
"What?"
"You really only see the goal, huh?"
"What else is there to think about?"
I knew my talents were lacking.
No room for distractions.
To scrape together even a sliver of possibility, I had to charge straight at the target.
"...Yeah. You're right."
Gransesia smiled, but it tasted a little bitter somehow.
I couldn't figure out why she'd react like that or say such a thing.
"Anyway, wanna rest a bit, then I'll teach you something else...?"
After a pause, she spoke up.
"Something else?"
"Yeah. Like applying Holy Heaven Martial Extreme to that Single Moon Divine Sword Damian mentioned. I can break it down simply."
*She'd already thought of that too?*
Excitement bubbling up, I opened my mouth to ask—then Gransesia's eyes went wide.
What the—?
"Y-Your body's going transparent!"
"What?"
I looked down in shock. She was right—my body was fading.
Even I couldn't stay calm in this.
"H-Hey, this isn't... okay..."
Panicking, I tried calling out to Gransesia.
My vision went entirely white.
* * *
...
I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar inn ceiling.
Blinking dazedly for a second, I bolted upright.
"What the hell happened?"
My mind was still foggy.
Then I remembered Gransesia, the one I'd just been talking to.
"Was that all a dream...?"
I raised my right hand, fitted with the Eye of Simosa, to speak to her—but it felt heavy.
Turning slowly, I spotted a girl half-propped against the bed, asleep.
"...Maria?"
For some reason, Maria was in my room, leaning against the bed in slumber.
That's why my right hand felt heavy—her head was resting right on it.
I yanked it back in startled haste.
"Maria!"
"Ah... G-Good morning."
Rudely awakened, Maria peered at me sleepily and replied.
I checked her face first.
Her soft cheek bore a red ring mark from the ring.
*...She okay?*
I'd panicked because she was half-demon.
Other demons had their skin melting just from touching the Eye of Simosa—same risk for half-demon Maria.
[*Why's she in here?*]
As I eyed the yawning Maria, Gransesia's sharp voice rang out.
*'How should I know? She was right there when I woke up.'*
[*You didn't notice?*]
*'And you? I was asleep, but you weren't.'*
[*I can't see outside unless I'm using Insight Eye. No clue what happens out there otherwise.*]
Right—the ring's interior was a blank white void, no external view.
Meaning Gransesia actively used Insight Eye to peek out.
*Damn. All day?*
I'd feel like dying after thirty minutes.
[*Plus, I was asleep too.*]
*'Asleep?*]
[*Yeah. Woke up and there you were.*]
Something about that bugged me.
It was almost like...
*Wait.*
I whipped around to Maria.
Now fully awake, she looked utterly flustered.
"Maria."
"Y-Yes... I-I was gonna head out early... overslept a little, but..."
Fully alert, Maria dropped her usual blank expression and started babbling excuses.
"Guys kept lurking around my room, knocking... felt threatened, so..."
"Nah, not blaming you."
There had to be a reason she came to my room at dawn.
And yeah, plenty of shady stares at her since we arrived—her caution made sense.
*Whatever, not important.*
[*Wow. 'Whatever' to that? You're something else.*]
*'...What?*]
[*Girl sleeps right next to you, wakes up, and you just roll with it. Impressive.*]
*'You're talking fine.'*
Anyway, ignoring Gransesia, Maria's situation mattered.
"Maria, did you do anything while asleep, by chance?"
"Y-Yes?! I swear, nothing! Just leaned on the bed and slept!"
"I see..."
Lost in thought, I met her puzzled gaze.
"Were you... hoping for something?"
"Hm? No, just weighing some conditions."
"C-Conditions?"
"Yeah. If you're up for it... your ability might be the key."
"My... ability?"
Maria tilted her head, baffled.
[*Key how?*]
*'Remember who we're up against?*]
[*Phantasmic Disaster... and demons.*]
*'Bingo. And no way to beat those demons yet.'*
[*True.*]
By my recent experience, meeting Gransesia in the dream tied to Maria.
Nothing else explained it but the 'dream demon' power dormant in her blood.
*Need to verify details, but...*
If I was right, we had a slim shot at handling those demons.