Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Fox and Cat
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‘That little...!’
Leonne’s brow furrowed at the sight of Tsukiyo launching an attack before the sparring had even begun.
She wanted nothing more than to flick that tiny head of hers right then and there...,
“Hmm.”
But seeing Enoch’s eyes sparkle with interest made her swallow the urge. Fine, it was a good opportunity for him too.
Leonne held back with effort and asked Enoch,
“Enoch, you okay with this?”
“Yeah. Let’s do it.”
Leonne nodded.
Her opponent was a great warrior of the beastkin tribe—one of the seasoned fighters who bore the same title among elves as high elves did.
Naturally, like a high elf, she was a grandmaster as well, making her a tough matchup for Enoch, who hadn’t reached that level yet.
‘The demon last time was one we’d fought multiple times to figure out. And it didn’t look to be in great shape either.’
In a way, this spar was his first true clash with a grandmaster. But as for whether Enoch would lose helplessly...? Well...
“Enoch Estor versus Tsukiyo of the Black Cat Tribe—sparring begins!”
That remained to be seen.
*
Enoch stared quietly at Tsukiyo. Judging by that initial strike and the aura she exuded, she was a martial artist who had reached the grandmaster realm. Better to go all out from the start.
So, how much power did he have right now? With that fleeting thought, he unleashed his full strength.
Rumble────────!!!
Purple lightning roared alongside thunder. Amid that storm of electricity, Enoch felt a twinge of regret.
‘Stabilizing the Thunder Deification while crafting pathos has really settled things down.’
The strain on his body was noticeably less than before. That meant he had some leeway—and if he pushed a bit, he could climb even higher.
[Let’s see...]
His mind overlapped with Eri’s. Fox ears sprouted atop his head, and five tails emerged near his hips.
Kyiiiing-!
The ring in his left eye spun as his divine sight activated. The pupil in his right eye slit vertically. The pathos in his chest rotated, and the halo above his head did the same.
This was his stable full power. So what could he do from here to rise further?
‘Rings.’
Enoch currently had three rings: one in his eye, one above his head, and one in his chest. The two excluding his eye substituted for the upper and middle dantians.
So next? No need to think. Replace the lower dantian with a ring too.
“Oho, impressive. Those ears and tails are definitely beastkin. But surely you’re human...”
As his eyes met Tsukiyo’s, who was staring intently at him, Enoch clapped his hands together in front of his chest.
Crackle-!
Between his parting palms, a ring gradually expanded into view. It was the pathos from his chest.
In response, the halo above his head expanded massively too, soon encasing Enoch’s body between the two rings.
“E-Enoch...?”
Leonne’s eyes wavered, sensing something off. Enoch glanced her way briefly and continued.
Kiiiiing──────────!!!
The halo spun clockwise, the pathos counterclockwise. He controlled the repulsion between them to forge yet another ring.
“Kid...? That looks dangerous...”
Flash────────!!
Light brighter than the sun illuminated the arena. A small ring formed between the halo and pathos, linking them. Soon, all three rings rotated around a single origin, forming a sphere.
[Ah.]
It wasn’t intentional. Cold sweat trickled down inside, but even a passing dog would know stopping now would spell disaster.
Enoch rode the momentum and drew the unified ring into his body.
Wooong────────
Heaven and earth trembled. The triune essence forged by human hands dwelled within a mortal frame, and though unstable, the union of refined spirit, vital energy, and body elevated his soul to new heights.
But that was the limit. He couldn’t climb higher by luck alone. Enoch let go of his greed and slowly opened his eyes.
[Exhale...]
His exhaled breath scattered as purple starlight. His vision brimmed with lines. He realized a new ring had formed around the slit pupil in his right eye.
[Heaven’s will yields not to the triune essence; the triune essence yields not to the true self.]
As the incantation escaped his lips, a rainbow aurora burst behind him. They swirled without blending, forming a ring at his back. Enoch levitated a single star above his palm.
This star was his true self. The star etched upon reaching master, his unadulterated will imprinted on the world. Today, he finally unleashed the power he’d never properly used.
“Wh-what...? What’s going on, nya...?”
While Tsukiyo gaped up at the floating Enoch, he sent the star from his hand toward the ring at his back.
Like a leaf drifting on a river, the star assimilated into the ring’s flow and shone brightly.
‘The star embodies the deepest wish I held when ascending to master.’
Enoch had forged his star during the battle with the forest lord, when his greatest desire had been to see Leonne once more.
The star granted the power to fulfill that vital wish, to overcome that ordeal.
Power to overcome ordeals. Unlike Adolf’s gravity or Gray’s stealth he’d witnessed before, it was profoundly abstract. That’s why the star had always merely supported him, never advancing further.
So now, he’d imbue it with clear meaning. The name for the star most needed where he was headed.
[Heavenkiller]
It would slay the heavens and one day even the Heavenkiller Star above. This was the star forged for that purpose—a dagger to check the Heavenkiller Star until then.
[Alright, let’s begin.]
Seated in midair, Enoch looked down at Tsukiyo. Since killing her in a spar would be trouble, he shelved Heavenkiller’s power and kept only the true self’s form.
“No way, nya...! Hmph! If it’s a challenge, I accept.”
Composing herself, Tsukiyo instinctively unleashed her full power. Losing carelessly would be an utter humiliation.
Swish-. Tsukiyo’s cat tail split into two. Her nekomata form.
Golden slit pupils fixed on Enoch.
“Let’s see if that flashy show matches your substance.”
『Cat Illusion - Mist』
Tsukiyo deeply inhaled from her pipe and exhaled smoke. White mist blanketed the area, dyeing it in illusion.
Crackle-!
But the matchup favored him. Piercing the illusion with divine sight, Enoch appeared right before Tsukiyo.
“What!?”
He thrust his fist toward the startled Tsukiyo. Demon’s Calm. A single strike mimicking Adolf pierced the air.
Boom────────!!
Space warped under the gravity-laden blow. As Tsukiyo flexibly twisted away and slashed with her claws, Enoch scattered into lightning and reformed, levitating a star on his palm.
Surpassing gravity and Adolf’s strike, he copied the star’s underlying power. The unstable star flowed into the ring at his back.
This time, in place of the shelved Heavenkiller, he shaped his own authority—electromagnetism—into a star’s form. Sending it to the ring made two stars float above it.
[I’ve always wanted to try this.]
The technique he’d miserably failed at the mage tower. Taking it further, he orchestrated a star’s birth and death in his grasp.
『Supernova』
Forge a star with electromagnetism and gravity, then artificially end its life in explosion.
Realizing the human brat before her was up to madness, Tsukiyo frantically wove her two tails into a bizarre shape.
『Cat Jutsu - Curse Doll』
Straw dolls blocked her front. Their mouths—meant to transfer damage to that human brat..., no, that might hurt too much? She hastily redirected the target to the high sky.
──────────────!!!!
The eruption filled the arena. The sky, bearing some of the damage, tore apart. It would’ve obliterated the village otherwise. Leonne, who’d appropriately blocked it, bristled her brows.
“...I specifically told you not to do anything dangerous!”
He’d even nodded in agreement! She’d tan his hide later.
Absolutely not for any selfish reasons!
As Leonne nodded resolutely, the explosion’s aftermath faded, revealing the arena’s interior.
“You mad old... Nyack!?”
[Got you.]
“Nonsense, nya!”
They’d already been trading blows before the blast cleared, locked in offense and defense.
Tsukiyo dodged Enoch’s frenzied barrage with eerie flexibility. Then, in an instant, her eyes flashed.
『Cat Brawl - Claw Moon』
A concise snap slash tore into Enoch’s chest. Unlike its cute nyanny punch appearance, the power was vicious.
Crunch-!
Enoch instantly cloaked himself in aura to block, then moved his five tails.
“That’s...!”
Just as Tsukiyo had substituted her two tails for a magic circle, his five intertwined into a unique pattern.
Layering his familiar Heavenkiller Thunder God Art atop it elevated the magic’s hierarchy, reaching the limit for chantless casting.
『Blue Variable Star』
A hypergiant blazing at extreme temperatures materialized in the air. The ever-shifting blue star was threatening in itself. But seeing Enoch’s expression, Tsukiyo realized.
Ah, he’s gonna blow that up?
“Crazy bastard...!”
If it detonated, even the caster wouldn’t survive unscathed. Beneath its hypnotically beautiful glow, the star’s aura was terrifyingly intense. Death was a real risk.
And yet...,
“I like it, nya!”
For some reason, it stirred waves in Tsukiyo’s heart. Grinning ear to ear, she cloaked her hands in aura.
『Cat Brawl - Star Smasher』
Dangerous. A clash would badly injure one of them. As Leonne moved to intervene,
Plop-
“E-Enoch!?”
Enoch collapsed flat. Power drained, he crumpled limply. Leonne rushed over in panic.
“Enoch...! You okay!?”
“Urgh...”
Regaining his senses, Enoch blinked. Ah, overdid it. Still, honestly, wasn’t that about grandmaster level?
Glancing up at Leonne, he asked,
“...How strong is that little one?”
Leonne’s face crumpled. Her eyes twitched in anger—or so it seemed—but her lips slowly parted as if to answer.
“...She’s a veteran great warrior, so not your average grandmaster.”
“Oh.”
Tsukiyo wasn’t an average grandmaster. He’d held the edge against her, even briefly. Therefore, he was above average grandmaster.
Reaching that perfectly logical conclusion via syllogism, Enoch smiled in satisfaction.
“Yahoo.”
“Yahoot my ass! Enoch, you. When we get home today, you’re getting——”
“Human brat.”
Tsukiyo, who’d approached unnoticed, peered down at Enoch with jet-black eyes. Her golden slit pupils dilated and contracted like a predator eyeing prey.
“Enoch’s a patient right now, so later——”
Tsukiyo fiddled with the sleeve of her black silk robe. Slightly charred with holes. Smiling contentedly, she pointed her pipe at Enoch.
“Become my butler.”