Several minutes passed before they turned their attention toward Yuta, their curiosity piqued regarding the person ranked among the five strongest students at Verslekin Academy.
"What were you expecting? I spent my break resting and reading some novels. I was reading a 'crazy' story—it's truly a fantastic book."
Yuta's tone remained calm, standing in stark contrast to the frustrated expressions on their faces. Choosing to ignore them, he headed toward his classroom.
"Hey! Wait up, you arrogant, lazy scoundrel!"
Grey's voice was laced with anger and indignation as he glared at Yuta, who had already walked past them.
Yuta cast a glance back, his gaze as sharp as a sword's blade.
"If anyone wants to get kicked out of Ms. Yoshika Kiyotowa's class, by all means, stay right here. There are only fifteen minutes left until her lesson begins; we don't have time for idle chatter."
Yuta's tone remained composed as he continued on his way, not once looking back.
Everyone—save for Beatrice—wore a look of mild shock. They quickly hurried to catch up with Yuta, who was moving at a brisk pace.
"You rascal! Why didn't you say that from the start?!"
Their voices bristled with irritation toward Yuta, who simply ignored them and picked up his pace even further. Stunned for a few seconds, they scrambled to keep up with him.
[Returning from the flashback]
A look of astonishment washed over Lucy's face. He realized that Grey, Roichi, Tom, Beatrice, Armin, and Yuta had all developed significantly over a period of no more than two weeks.
Grey's ability to control the power he had received from the Beast Sovereign—at such a tender age—was something Lucy had yet to achieve. As for manipulating the concept of time, that was an immensely difficult feat, far from something easily grasped or understood.
Grey launched an assault on the followers of the Scorpion Organization, wielding bear-like claws forged from the aether that manifested between his horns—horns which had ceased their growth at a length of 34 centimeters.
"Arghhhhh!"
"Arghhhhh!"
"Arghhhhh!"
Piercing screams echoed through the area as Grey sent the Scorpion Organization's followers flying several meters into the air at the speed of light.
Some collided with the rocks, their bodies reduced to pools of blood, with their limbs left plastered against the stone.
Grey's expression remained cold and unchanged. He chose to loosen the seal that suppressed the power of the "Blessing Wing," allowing its influence to intensify.
His energy regeneration rate began to climb noticeably, as did his capacity for absorption. Even so, he did not weaken the seal any further; doing so risked fatal injury—much like what had occurred during his battle against William Falcona, where he had suffered both physical and spiritual trauma, including damage to his Dantian roots and mana core, alongside other grave wounds. Were it not for Yuta—who possessed a terrifying healing ability—Grey would have either ended up disabled or dead. But Yuta was not present, and there was no other healer available to treat him had he sustained a fatal injury.
For this reason, he decided against attempting to loosen the seal any further. Unlike Jiya—who held the rank of High Sovereign and could wield the "Wing of Blessing" with ease and without risk of injury—Grey was still only at the rank of Saint.
A chilling smile spread across Grey's lips, revealing sharp, pointed teeth capable of slicing through the hardest metals with absolute ease.
"Time for you to die!"
Grey shot forward at the speed of light toward Yao Zi, who parried the assault effortlessly before stepping back a few paces.
"Impressive! Is this your true power, 'Master of the Berserkers'? You're quite like a barbarian—you even possess their very abilities."
Yao Zi's tone carried a hint of mockery before he launched a fierce counterattack.
Grey blocked the strike with his body, which was encased in a layer of aura and aether—a defense several times stronger than that of an ordinary fighter at his level.
Grey thrust his fist forward, imbuing it with both aura and fire magic; having lost the ability to cast elemental spells in the traditional sense, these powers now remained bound directly to his hands.
As his fist collided with Yao Zi's, a massive wave of fire erupted, surging outward for several meters. Grey seized the moment to distance himself from Yao Zi, then concentrated his ether into a single point, manifesting a colossal sword—as large as a grown man.
Though the blade weighed several tons, in Grey's grip, it felt no heavier than an ordinary sword.
As the dust settled, Yao Zi emerged, his body marked by several burns; the attack had been too direct to block or evade.
A sinister smile spread across Yao Zi's face as he shattered the organization's mask, revealing his features—jet-black hair and brown eyes.
Yao Zi possessed a natural, striking beauty, and the mask had effectively shielded his face from the burns.
Yao Zi raised his hand, and the surroundings grew strange and distorted; the sky and the ground swapped places.
The world then began to collapse inward, shrinking down to an infinitesimal point, while beyond it, an entirely white expanse emerged.
Grey, Lucy, Beatrice, and Roichi were left bewildered by their sudden change in circumstances.
With a faint smile, Yao Zi offered an explanation.
"We are now at a point known as 'Outside the World.' We have stepped beyond our own realm—or, more precisely, we stand at the threshold between existence and non-existence. From here, we can depart our world and venture into the infinite array of other, ordinary worlds."
Grey narrowed his eyes, studying Yao Zi, who appeared far too calm and confident. Yao Zi was able to reach the edge of the ordinary world—a realm of infinite scale—with ease. This demonstrated that his power was truly terrifying and not to be underestimated.
Grey lunged toward Yao Zi at the speed of light; Yao Zi, showing not the slightest concern, easily parried the attack and sent him flying several meters away.
Yao Zi then moved with insane speed toward Grey, delivering a kick to his midsection that caused him to vomit blood.
"Arghhhhh!"
As he was sent hurtling backward at high speed, a sinister smile spread across Grey's lips. He muttered under his breath:
"What a complete fool."
Bringing his momentum to a halt, Grey wiped the blood from his lips and chin, then began to gather aether between his horns.
"In this world, there exists mental power, spiritual power, and physical power—each of which is further divided into several types.
Mental power consists of mana, abilities, skills, and—in extremely rare cases—aether.
Spiritual power comprises *qi*, the roots of the *dantian*, and the primordial sea.
Physical power manifests as *ki* and aura.
These are the forms of power found in humans and entities of lower existential rank.
However, for higher entities—such as Overlords, demons, rulers of the underworld, supreme dragon sovereigns, and beast monarchs..."
"...things are different. They possess mental power in the form of sacred or chaotic aether, spiritual power in the form of the 'Origin,' and physical power in the form of the 'power of the Origin' or the 'power of the Self.'"
"It seems I have finally come to realize that I do not truly know who I am. My life has always felt incomplete, for some strange reason I cannot fathom. I am constantly left with the unsettling feeling that something is fundamentally wrong. Who am I, really? Am I Ghry de Molière? In truth, I do not know.
The progression of my abilities defies all logic: a lazy child who trains for only two hours a day, yet—at the age of fifteen—reaches the rank of 'Saint' and nears the level of a 'novice Sovereign' in a mere matter of days.
And yet, there are others who have surpassed me—Armin, Tom, Gia, Jian, and Beatrice. But I do not find them strange; it is myself that I find strange.
I know nothing of my own power; it churns within me, ceaselessly and without rest.
And I do not even know why I am saying any of this." "Is it because being outside the world I was born into has caused my heart to open, revealing something hidden deep within my true self? I do not know."
"But I am certain of one thing: there is a power seeking to emerge into this world. I suspect this experience has been more beneficial to me than I ever anticipated."
Grey mused to himself, his heart a complex tangle of sorrow, regret, and confusion.
His own life felt alien to him; he was constantly haunted by the sense that something was missing—an incompleteness that permeated his memories, his actions, his very existence, and even the way he spoke.
He felt a persistent sense of deficiency, compounded by strange, incomprehensible dreams—visions of entities, warriors, and wars he had never heard of, existing in realms entirely unknown to him.
His strength, his expertise, and his combat mindset were undergoing a fundamental transformation; with every dream, his very essence was being refined.
Through these dreams, he had learned how to increase his mastery over the "Berserker" form and how to loosen the constraints placed upon the "Wing of Blessing."
Moreover, the technique he had employed during the tournament—a technique both he and Grey had witnessed in one of these dreams—was one they had subsequently put into practice.
Grey let out a sigh as he recalled a specific vision from one of his dreams.
Aether energy began to seep into his body, moving at a glacial pace. Meanwhile, Beatrice was locked in combat with Yao Zi, striving to buy Grey more time. She was the only one among them capable of wielding the "Wing of Blessing" without any hindrances; indeed, given that she had attained the rank of "Supreme Sacred Ruler," she appeared—or so they felt—to be the only one truly capable of defeating him. Aetheric energy flowed through the Dantian roots, the nerves, and the Primordial Sea with a quiet smoothness that belied the magnitude of what was occurring. Grey's very presence had undergone a total transformation—shifting from that of a mere human to that of an absolute entity. In the end, Grey was… [the description remains incomplete in the original text]. The same held true for Ruichi, Lucy, Jian, Armin, and Beatrice.
Thus, his sense of incompleteness—and the aura he projected—made perfect, logical sense.
The energetic structure of Grey's body began to evolve, growing ever more potent. His mana core merged with the Aether, amplifying its strength tenfold. The same process unfolded within his Primordial Sea, his Dantian roots, and his *Qi*; the De Molière family, after all, possessed inherently perfect physiques.
This was because the "Venerable One"—the "Blessing of the Heavens"—had once bestowed a benediction upon the founder of the De Molière lineage, aiding him in his quest to defeat a Demon King who sought to annihilate the mortal realm.
This blessing was passed down through the generations within the De Molière family—a process facilitated, in part, by unions between family members—as the energy they wielded far exceeded what an ordinary woman's body could endure.
Furthermore, they feared losing the very advantage that had kept them at the pinnacle of the world for millennia—a legacy that ensured the head of the family would, every thousand years, emerge as the most powerful individual in existence.
Grey opened his eyes, then swept his hand in an arc, transporting everyone back to the mortal realm.
Upon their return, it became clear that the bodies of the Scorpion Organization's followers were not entirely intact; Grey had transported only their upper torsos. After a few seconds, Grey's body began to return to its normal state. Had it not been for his clothing—specially designed to expand along with his body whenever he activated his ability—he would have been left completely naked.
Grey collapsed to the ground as warm, crimson blood gushed profusely from openings on his face.
He had completely exhausted his mental energy while manipulating the Aether to evolve his mana core, Dantian roots, and primordial sea.
In the process, he had broken through directly to the rank of Novice Sovereign. Yet, his condition remained critical; his energy continued to drain away—and once it ran out entirely, he would surely die.
Beatrice let out a sigh of annoyance and moved toward Grey, watched by a worried Ruichi and Lucy; neither of them possessed any means to treat an injury of this nature.
This continuous energy drain is a dangerous state that occurs when a fighter's energy centers suffer severe trauma. Because Grey had transitioned them from the "End of the World" realm to his own internal space without any rest, his body had been unable to properly assimilate the evolution it had undergone.
This had sent both his body and soul into a state of profound shock, causing his energy to bleed away—as his body still perceived itself to be in the midst of battle.
Beatrice glanced at Grey for a split second before rolling him onto his back.
"What are you doing? Do you have a way to treat his condition?"
Ruichi asked anxiously, his eyes fixed on Beatrice as she carefully examined Grey's body.
"I do," she replied calmly, placing one hand on his head and the other over his navel. Because the head is the center of *mana*, and the navel is the point where physical and spiritual forces converge:"Yes, I know how to treat it. I've experienced this condition several times myself during my training, which is why I always carry an antidote with me."
A sigh of relief escaped Ryuichi as he watched Beatrice administer the antidote—a liquid potion—into Grey's mouth to help quell his berserker power.
A few seconds passed, and the energy draining from Grey's body finally began to subside. However, Beatrice narrowed her eyes slightly, signaling that the news she had to share was not good at all.
"That said, there's some bad news—two pieces of it, in fact—and some good news."
Ryuichi moved toward Grey and Beatrice, followed by Lucy, and they sat down beside her.
"What do you mean, two pieces of bad news and one piece of good news?"
Ryuichi's gaze darted between Grey and Beatrice, his mind consumed by anxiety. Had Grey's level dropped back to Rank F, erasing all the progress he had made over the past few years?
Had he lost his ability to evolve? Or, worse yet—had he been left permanently disabled?
The mention of "good news" offered a sliver of relief, though it couldn't entirely stop their minds from drifting toward dark, grim possibilities regarding Grey's fate.
Beatrice looked at them with a sympathetic expression, then spoke in a calm tone, tinged with a hint of dry irony:
"The first piece of bad news is that he's unconscious and won't wake up for several days. The second piece of bad news is that he won't be able to use his power until two days after he wakes up." "The good news is that he has broken through to the rank of Novice Sovereign."
"However, had he not belonged to the De Moliar family—whose members are accustomed to enduring intense pressure from birth—he would have died long ago. Even if he had survived, he would have fallen into a coma for years, losing all his progress and his ability to harness his energy for at least two full decades."
Ruichi and Lucy swallowed hard as they listened. Bloodlines and innate constitution played a crucial role; it is impossible for a human to withstand the same magnitude of energy that a dragon can endure.
Genetics are paramount here. This is not a fairy tale where a protagonist can transcend the limitations of their species through sheer training or the power of friendship. In this world, if you are a dragon, you can only be defeated by someone with a genetic makeup that rivals that of a dragon, someone who has received a blessing from a Sovereign, or someone who possesses a powerful avatar. Anything less, and your opponent faces certain death.
Ruichi opened a gateway to his spiritual realm—for living beings cannot be placed within a standard dimensional storage space.
After placing Grey inside his private palace within that spiritual realm, Ruichi stepped back out, his expression blank—showing no sign of the concern one might expect for Grey.
The group had shrunk from five members to four; Grey had lost consciousness, and Armin had reverted into an egg.
Yet, this did not mean Ruichi harbored any ill will toward Grey. In truth, Ruichi viewed him as a brother; they had grown up together, weathered countless scrapes, and—with the help of Lucy and Beatrice—always managed to pull through. Each of them let out a deep sigh, then returned their swords to their sheaths—ignoring the repulsive stench of blood that still permeated the air, even though the source itself was gone.
"The world is full of the weak, and recklessness leads only to death."
Beatrice muttered to herself.
"Haa... I must become stronger. Even with the 'Ruler's Blessing'—which boosts my power by two ranks and elevates my evolutionary stage—my body remains frail."
Ruichi's tone was filled with determination; in this world, it doesn't matter who you are—only what you are capable of doing.
As for Lucy, she seemed lost in her own world, staring intently at the 'Bracelet of the Time Ruler' before a faint smile graced her lips.
"Companions, I have an idea—a way to wake Grey up sooner, without shaving a single minute off his lifespan."
Beatrice and Ruichi turned their gazes toward her, puzzled by her words.
"Are you certain about what you're planning?"
Ruichi's tone betrayed his confusion; he couldn't fathom how one might rouse Grey without costing him any of his remaining time.
A confident smile spread across Lucy's lips as she looked at Ruichi and Beatrice, and then she let out a soft, quiet laugh.
"Just watch—you'll soon see how I wake that fool up!"