Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Let's Settle This
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After the simultaneous brain activation area broke through 30%.
Going beyond the world simply slowing down, I had reached another realm.
'I can see it.'
The world one second into the future.
The potion had temporarily expanded the brain's domain.
Normally, it would just be a fleeting phenomenon.
But surprisingly, once expanded, the domain persisted.
'Nanobio.'
It was thanks to the Nano Machines, their efficiency boosted by nanobio.
Zero had precisely extracted only the nanobio from the potion and fed most of it to the Nano Machines handling the brain.
This was an extremely special case.
For others, pouring or consuming the potion only accelerated regeneration in that area.
There was no case like mine, where the brain itself improved.
Because others didn't have Zero.
The downside was that even drinking more potion wouldn't push it beyond 30%, but having felt and experienced it once was enough.
Every movement one second ahead appeared like an afterimage.
What should I call this?
'Super senses.'
I dubbed this sensation super senses.
Activating all brain areas at full would last mere seconds at best. But on a battlefield where life hangs in the balance, or in 'augmented reality,' I could probably sustain it longer.
[Lv 110. 'Croft's' avatar has been generated.]
There stood Croft before his awakening.
Not the youthful form after the mana shower, but as a wrinkled old man.
Yet even in that state, he was the strongest.
[Simulation beginning.]
[Activating 'Combat Assistance Program.']
Combat Assistance Program. That was the name of the new program Zero had compiled.
As his authority level rose, the scope of programs he could create expanded—it utilized the body's Nano Machines in tandem with my movements.
It greatly activated cells where needed, allowing faster, stronger motion.
But even with the Combat Assistance Program, I couldn't block Croft's attacks until now.
You can't block what you can't see.
'Now, though.'
I had entered the 30% super senses domain.
And then Croft moved.
'I can see it.'
I could see it.
Croft's afterimage.
The path he would take!
I drew my sword.
Splat!
[You have died.]
[Simulation terminated.]
The sword came exactly along the path I'd seen, but I couldn't dodge.
My reaction was too slow.
'I need to move while dodging.'
Not reacting within one second, but dodging while reacting.
I wasn't sure what that even meant myself, but it signified that when my body instinctively sensed danger and moved, I had to use super senses to set its direction.
'If I can see it, there's no reason I can't dodge.'
A smile crept onto my face unbidden.
If I could see it, practice would overcome it.
The weakest me blocking the sword of the supreme Croft.
Something unimaginable in the past.
I had no intention of just coasting on inherited glory.
I would prove myself and rise on my own.
The process alone was thrilling to imagine.
I wiped the smile away, composing my expression, and spoke calmly.
"Again."
[Lv 110. 'Croft's' avatar has been generated.]
[Simulation beginning.]
[You have died.]
"Again."
[Lv 110. 'Croft's' avatar has been generated.]
[Simulation beginning.]
[You have di...]
"Again!"
*
"..."
Croft stared at me with incredulous eyes.
He looked frozen like Kai Chel at first.
'He blocked the sword?'
It had been ages since he'd last instructed in swordsmanship.
At Reinhardt's request, they had sparred.
Yet his strike had been blocked.
No matter how transcendent his talent, this was too fast.
He'd learned the sword for barely a month.
And lately, there hadn't even been time to teach.
Yet now, Reinhardt had blocked his sword.
'He anticipated my movement in advance.'
Moreover, it wasn't just checking the path of his swing and reacting.
He predicted it ahead and thrust precisely there.
Even if it wasn't full power, Croft never held back to his old standards.
Mercy wasn't in his dictionary.
There had been no condition that Reinhardt block the sword.
He was just guiding him to get accustomed to a master's movements.
'Has he awakened his instincts?'
Instincts beyond the five senses.
Those who reached Sword Master honed them acutely.
Enabling preemptive movement.
The precision varied by instinct development, but otherwise, this motion was inexplicable.
'Not a hair's breadth off—he predicted and moved exactly. Developing instincts to that level requires immense asceticism.'
This could only be described as 'seeing it.'
Unless he read the future.
'Even if he saw it, his body shouldn't have kept up.'
His physical abilities had leaped forward too.
He had long surpassed elite knights.
Comparable to the decade-honed skill of so-called sword geniuses.
Factoring in variables, he could even face the 1st Prince.
Of course, now that he knew, he wouldn't fall for it twice.
Predict and react accordingly.
But on a first encounter, even a Sword Master would falter badly.
It wasn't luck.
At least not before Croft.
"You've grown, Your Highness."
"I still can't block it twice."
"Once is enough, Your Highness."
Reinhardt pressed a hand to his forehead, head spinning.
Tossing his sword to the ground as if done—utterly unknightly, but then, Reinhardt wasn't a knight.
'He grows on his own without instruction. Like the great heroes of myth.'
Mythic beings grew and proved themselves without teachers.
That was the feeling.
'He inherited the founding emperor's blood most purely.'
Reinhardt's explosive growth defied any other explanation.
The founding emperor, called the absolute one.
He clearly bore that blood thickest, unlike the other princes.
'He's become the god of the north on his own. Can't publicize it officially due to status, but it'll spread eventually.'
Croft pondered what came next.
Reinhardt was proving it.
The empire's crown prince had become the north's god.
Once known, chaos would ensue.
Official recognition might backfire: "The crown prince a barbarian god? Absurd!"
But unofficial ambiguity would suffice.
Fueling misconceptions and delusions.
'Barring Carlos and his nobles, pro-crown prince faction is nil. However...'
What if Carlos Grand Duke's northern expedition failed?
And he clashed with the crown prince?
Normally, depose and crown a new prince.
But if Reinhardt built his own prestige and power, things changed.
Defections would arise among Carlos's nobles.
Others would line up.
The imperial family's support was key, but princes and empresses aiding Reinhardt was uncertain.
Yet Croft stood by Reinhardt.
He could persuade the emperor. True endorsement would secure his position.
'Whatever happens, he'll break through.'
Even Croft couldn't predict Reinhardt's path.
Then Reinhardt's expression hardened.
"Prepare. They're coming."
"What's coming, Your Highness?"
"Corpses."
Croft tilted his head at Reinhardt's words.
Corpses coming? Unclear.
But the next words snapped him alert.
"The undead legion approaches. Summon all lords."
*
After hacking Daemon's right eye, I could 'see' his movements in real-time via Zero.
Daemon was a lich.
Not just seizing the minds of the living—he could raise dead corpses as undead under his command.
With Carlos Grand Duke allied to the lich confirmed.
'Remnants of the Demon Church.'
Liches were Demon Church remnants.
They birthed demon deaths, expanded, then crushed to dust by the empire.
Black mages dominated, worshipping liches as gods.
Thought eradicated, but Daemon survived uniquely—he could possess living bodies too.
Or Carlos smuggled him out.
Rumors true: a lich backed the grand duke.
'Liches aren't human.'
Zero's hack proved it.
Humans can't be hacked.
Daemon was an A.I.
If he'd become lich from human black mage, unhackable.
But hackable meant A.I. from the start.
Demon King Gaph's 'Gluttony' unmasterable because he gained power as human, not A.I.
Zero can't hack or control humans.
But A.I.s? Fully hackable and controllable.
'A.I. inheriting human memory is a lich.'
Lichdom, black magic's pinnacle.
The human pours all in and truly dies; A.I. takes over, mistaking itself for the human—that's the lich.
Lichdom itself an epic irony.
Black mages break taboos for eternal life as lich, yet lich proves no eternity.
Just passing memory and power to A.I.
'Black magic might link to awakening [Nano Machine] A.I.s.'
I'd investigate later. Stopping Daemon now was priority.
"The legion of death targets the holy land. Great warriors, crush and slay them all."
Strike undead before they mass.
All Daemon's undead creation sites transmitted real-time.
*
Something's wrong.
Truly bizarre—no other words.
'All undead creation sites attacked.'
Especially pagans swarming like berserkers, turning areas to ruin instantly.
Impossible without prior knowledge.
Deploy undead zones, and they ghost in, pulverizing in blinks.
North teems with corpses.
Revive them, shake the holy land.
But picked off piecemeal before rising.
'How did they know the locations?'
No clue.
Even a sacred emperor couldn't without presence there.
No such viscous holy power bearer anyway.
"What a mess."
Bragged big to Carlos in their deal.
Yet failed before starting.
'No choice. Use the reserves.'
Centuries-hoarded strong corpses.
Minimum knight-grade undead aces, saved up.
Undead shelf life short, so stored.
Then it hit him.
These were last-resort treasures.
Not for mere Carlos deal.
'No, can't waste my treasures here.'
Daemon devised a ploy.
'Carlos has prisoners today. Use them first?'
His underground dungeon captives.
Hadn't checked, but heard strong.
Descending, he nodded approvingly.
'Oh ho.'
Phoenix-emblazoned armor, superior mana quality.
Carlos said use freely, so undead-ify them—decent results expected.
'At least one death knight.'
Some very strong.
Not Sword Masters, but just below.
One nearly matched.
Sword Master corpses became death knights, stronger than peak.
Even non-Masters with potential could.
"..."
Eyes met a prisoner's.
Unyielding gaze even now.
Gutsy. All the more appealing.
"Do you know who this is? Release him at once!"
"His Majesty the Emperor won't stand for this!"
Knights clamored.
Daemon spoke.
"You think the empire's emperor will really save you? When he doesn't even know you're here?"
Crack!
One knight, locking eyes with Daemon, snapped his own neck.
Dungeon fell silent instantly.
Daemon smiled.
"Give up. No savior exists in this world for you."
Let's Settle This
End