Chapter 61
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: One Step
A single step.
A space where even death wasn't real. A superior foe right in front of him. The clairvoyant eye settled in his left eye. Even a guardian ready to handle any surprises.
Wasn't this basically them laying out the perfect training ground?
Sure, the pain felt real, and a single mistake could lead to actual death—but that wasn't a big deal. Worrying over something so trivial and missing this chance would be idiotic.
He already knew he could achieve steep growth in real combat. And now he had the opportunity to fight and survive against a Grandmaster brimming with killing intent toward him? This was a stroke of fortune beyond comparison to any supreme elixir. Passing it up would make him a total fool.
But the final hurdle wasn't so easy.
"No. It's too dangerous."
"Lione, this is actually the safest chance we'll get."
"Don't underestimate illusions, Enoch. Even if they lack substance, if you start thinking 'what if,' the illusion can turn real more often than you'd think."
"Still, it's safer than real combat."
He shot her a sullen look, and she pressed a hand to her forehead.
"...In real combat, you shouldn't run into a Grandmaster."
"But I did."
"...That's true, but."
A gap. Enoch pressed in while she hesitated.
"Lione, no one knows when the final moment will come."
"......"
"Hell, maybe gods do... but at the very least, we don't."
Lione clamped her lips shut in silence. He didn't even need to convince her in the first place. She was just worried he'd get hurt. She had to know this was an incredible opportunity.
So what should he do? The answer was simple. Instead of struggling to persuade her, he just needed to speak from the heart. She'd believe in him.
"So..."
"B-But still, no! You've got plenty of time, Enoch. You might not feel it yet, but you've got over a thousand years left. You don't need to take this risk!"
...Or not? He'd underestimated how much she worried about him.
"I don't think so."
"Huh...?"
"I doubt I've got a full thousand years."
Setting everything else aside, dawdling for a millennium would drive the Thousand Killer Star mad. And that thousand years was based on the assumption he could reach Grandmaster anyway.
"...St-Still."
"I'm confident. As long as death isn't set in stone, I won't die."
Unless it was a fight out of ten thousand where he died every single time with no escape, he could survive.
"That's why now is crucial. So that when inevitable death comes someday, I can use this moment as a springboard to make it no longer inevitable."
To escape that inevitable death, wasn't enduring a few minor crises like this just par for the course?
"So, Lione. Trust me."
That way, he could spend just a little more time with her. Nothing could make him happier.
*
[Hey! When the hell are you two finishing up!? You dumped everything on me—are you having fun without me!?]
Undine was beyond exasperated. They'd suddenly shoved it all on her—what the hell were they doing? She'd nearly smashed the demon in front of her on impulse.
"You...! Don't block my path, you elf's lackey...!"
[Argh, seriously! You pathetic worm, all talk!]
Undine casually swatted away the charging demon and spat on the ground. Phlegm from a top-tier water spirit. Good luck finding purer water anywhere in the world.
The demon, struck flush in the face, went berserk with glee.
"I'll kill you...!"
'Doesn't seem all there mentally.'
Not that she was mocking him—it was like his mind was clouded somehow. She didn't know why.
Was this something Enoch could handle? The math was quick.
'Not even close.'
Grandmasters weren't called that for nothing. There was a clear divide from Masters, which was why they had a separate name.
Otherwise, it'd all be vague nonsense like "high-grade Master" or "top-grade."
Enoch hadn't even hit mid-grade Master by realm alone. Normally, it'd be suicide... but.
"I've got permission."
Undine could only watch quietly as Enoch strode forward confidently.
[Do good, huh? Don't make Lione cry.]
"Mm..."
Enoch's reaction made her glance at Lione—tears already welled up in her eyes. Her cheeks were even a bit puffy from the chill wind. Did she ever think about her age?
Feeling secondhand embarrassment, Undine squeezed her eyes shut and waved him off.
[...Just don't make her cry more.]
"Yeah."
*
Enoch stood before the demon. His Thunder God Transformation was already pushed to its sustainable max. Mana roiled wildly around the snorting demon as it eyed him.
"You lowly human...! You dare stand in the way of a great demon!"
What set a Master apart from a Grandmaster? The fundamental difference lay in their interference with external mana.
"Die!"
The demon swung its sword. Enoch's left eye widened, taking in everything.
A concise sword path. Mana bursting along its trail.
He calculated and thrust out his hand. It struck the flat of the descending blade precisely.
Thung-!
The sword's path veered. But Enoch was the one grimacing. He'd clearly severed the line his clairvoyant eye showed, yet the path reformed toward his arm.
"Hup!"
He countered instantly. Sword aura wrapped his hand to deflect the blade, while his other hand aimed for the demon's chest.
A sneer curled the demon's lips. In an incomprehensible twist, it burrowed into Enoch's guard.
"Die!"
Its sword aura glowed dark crimson. Enoch's eye read the path. But the attack landed first.
Kwaduk-!
The blade buried into his shoulder. He'd barely twisted to save his life, but it was as good as dead.
"Urk...!"
But this was an illusion. He wouldn't die. Chanting it like a mantra, he pulled back.
In that brief instant, swords had pierced his throat, heart, and dantian—but aside from searing pain and fading consciousness, nothing else mattered.
"Hoo..."
He exhaled deeply, repeating his thoughts. Why'd he get hit? How to counter?
He clashed once more, paying extra heed to instinct for quicker reactions.
Kwaaang-!
Fingertips met blade. Numb pain sent one arm reeling. But hey, progress—the power gap wasn't enough to shatter it.
How would it come now? His widened left eye captured the demon.
Kiiing-!
Time stretched as he read the sword's trajectory. Shoulder, leg. He twisted midair in response.
Shiiik-!
The sword sliced empty air. At the same instant, Enoch kicked out...
Kwajik-! The curved blade pierced his skull.
Consciousness flickered. His vision blackened. When he came to, pain exploded across his body from fresh slashes.
Hooook- Hooook-
Panting, he reflected. What was the problem? Speed gap wasn't huge. It was a Grandmaster wielding external mana, but he had Pathos, so mana quantity meant zilch.
So why couldn't he respond properly?
The next sword strike came faster than his answer. Treating it like a sacrificial life, he poured everything into his left eye.
Kiiing-!
The rings in his left eye spun furiously. Clairvoyant eye. Seeing with the mind. Building on what he heard to capture more in his vision.
"Hueup...!"
The demon inhaled. Muscles twitched, surrounding mana flowed.
Lines extended from the sword tip toward his body. The clairvoyant eye's read of the demon's—or the sword's—intent.
He countered as before. Slid his hand into the thrusting path. Kaang-! The sword bounced, arcing back in a bizarre loop.
Expected so far. So now, he did nothing—just glared at the blade.
Shiiik-!
Sword incoming at his brow. The line from his clairvoyant eye linked straight there. Was that it? Then why couldn't he dodge?
In the last moment, he jerked his head desperately. As if waiting, the trajectory shifted.
Weird. The clairvoyant eye's line still pointed to his brow. But no matter how he looked, it'd pierce his heart.
He hurriedly blocked his chest with his hand. Kwaduk-! Then his throat was slashed, head soaring upward...
"Hooook...!"
He gasped awake. Illusion. His head wasn't falling.
Drip— For some reason, blood trickled from a thin cut on his neck, but it was fine. He wouldn't die.
More importantly...
"Got it."
His lips split in a grin. Thump! Thump! His heart pounded wildly. Even childish illusion play ignited the thrill of battle.
"That regeneration! What are you!?"
The demon thrust. This time, a massive diagonal slice from low left to high right. Enoch drew a small breath.
"Sip!"
A flash gleamed from his left eye. He struck the blade's flat as before. It arced oddly. Clairvoyant eye traced it to his chest.
But Enoch stepped back, raising his leg.
Kwaaang-!
The shin-targeting blade halted at his toe. He withdrew his trembling leg and smiled.
"One step."
How many more until he surpassed this thing? He wasn't particularly curious.