It felt like something out of a documentary.
Whether it was about ants carrying many times their own weight or the incredible vision range of a lobster’s eyes surpassing any other animal on Earth, it was a documentary revealing the unique and extraordinary abilities of animals.
Interestingly, this broadcast also compared human abilities, excluding intelligence, with the pure physical abilities of other animals.
Human physical strength ranked fairly high. However, in terms of combat prowess, humans fell below wolves and, naturally, were incomparable to giant terrestrial animals like tigers or elephants. Let alone compete with dragons or wyverns that prey on cattle and soar through the sky. Well, except for magical or supernatural powers, excluding unknown forces, it was a purely fundamental comparison.
But humans had superior abilities compared to any other animal. I transformed Lamelstar into a sleek-bodied spear with a sharp tip. The ability to throw—humans, with their developed arm muscles and excellent cognitive abilities, could “throw” something better than any other animal.
The wyvern saw Lamelstar as prey hanging on the cliff. It folded its wings, opened its mouth wide, and charged. The sound of air tearing was fierce. It seemed like hunting prey, akin to a hawk’s, but it was a powerful assault that could snap a bull’s spine in one go.
If I faced it head-on, I could kill it, but I could also fall off the cliff. Falling from a cliff without wings meant death. What was needed was a long-range attack.
Through the real battle with Ranista, I learned a lot. He imitated dozens of martial artists, each with different weapons and martial arts. So, I knew well the level of my own strength and the limits of Lamelstar’s transformation. I wrapped the end of the spear with wire, Lamelstar’s transformation limit, around my wrist, but its length could only reach six meters at most.
When it approached within a few meters, I thrust Lamelstar with all my strength behind me. My posture was awkward, but it wasn’t a big problem. Thanks to the skills of the twins, my body was far superior to that of an ordinary person in physical abilities.
“Damn it!”
With a roaring battle cry, I threw the spear. The sound of tearing through the air was deafening. The charging wyvern had no way to dodge. The thrown spear pierced its head precisely. Combining the force of the throw with the wyvern’s falling force, its sturdy skull shattered, and the spear stopped only after partially burying itself in the wyvern’s head. As soon as the wyvern died, I transformed Lamelstar again. The wyvern fell beside me.
If I hadn’t adjusted the distance, I wouldn’t have killed the wyvern, or my wrist would have been cut off.
Lamelstar shrank in an instant. I made a hanger for the stick form and tied it to my waist.
“Wyvern.”
I watched closely as the wyvern’s body fell into the darkness below.
I killed the wyvern. Hanging on the cliff, no less.
Now, who’s the monster?
—
I wasn’t surprised.
Even if another wyvern, seemingly a friend of the one I killed, appeared.
Unlike the one I killed earlier, its skin color was a dark green, like eyes. As far as I knew, the color of a wyvern’s skin was considered very important. I calmly prepared to throw the spear again. Instead of charging at me like the previous one, it didn’t rush. Instead, it waited for an opportunity from afar.
Thud!
The silent moon cried out. The power of the meteor was undoubtedly strong, but it wasn’t a useful technique in a situation where it was hanging on the cliff. I calmed down the moon and watched the wyvern carefully. Damn, wouldn’t it help me at this point? No, don’t expect it. This is also an experience. Killing it and escaping from danger is meaningful.
The wyvern swimming nearby flapped its wings in place.
As the change began to occur in its mouth, I quickly extended the spear.
Kwah!
It was an opportunity for both of us. It was an opportunity for it to shoot the icy breath that would freeze me, and for me to hit it with the spear as it stopped flapping its wings. The spear pierced the wyvern’s head, but at the same time, the icy breath it shot hit me. The white wyvern was a mutant, a monster using “magic.”
I didn’t think the magic the wyvern cast would be more powerful than Melissa’s magic.
The power of the sphere protected me from the magic. A shield formed with a reddish hue, blocking all the breaths. I didn’t suffer any injuries. However, I could guess the destructive power by looking around. The cliff froze instantly. It turned into an ice wall. If it weren’t for the power of the sphere, it would have frozen and fallen.
“What a hellish place.”
Damn it, this wasn’t just any ordinary canyon.
Before another wyvern came, I tried to climb up the cliff quickly.
However, the cliff face instantly froze like an ice wall when the wyvern’s breath hit it. Coming down was easy, but with the ice wall frozen, it seemed like I might slip and fall.
As I pondered for a moment, a brilliant idea came to me.
Perhaps I had been thinking of Lamelstar too much as just a weapon. I took it out from my waist and transformed Lamelstar into an ice pick. I roughly imitated what I had seen somewhere, but it should be fine. The ice pick was a tool with the function of a sickle and hammer, breaking through the ice. All I needed to do was to break the ice and create a gap to put my hands and feet in.
Thinking how resourceful I was, I vigorously swung the ice pick.
“Ugh.”
Then, the cliff collapsed.
Losing control and endlessly falling feels surprisingly not that bad.
As long as it doesn’t culminate in death, the sensation of plummeting seemed exhilarating enough to rival the unparalleled ecstasy enjoyed by wingless humans. Down, down, down I went. Urge to pee. Sure, it would’ve been refreshing to just let it all go if I were truly dying, but that wasn’t an option. Damn it.
“You.”
I shrugged at the sight of Melissa, who appeared beside me.
Even as we plummeted, she chewed gum nonchalantly.
“So, you’ve been watching.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re quite nonchalant. You’re falling towards death right now.”
“Yeah.”
“You reckless fool.”
As Melissa placed her hand on my shoulder, I floated up, just like during our last freefall.
As we soared back up the cliff, Melissa initiated conversation.
“Why bother ignoring me till the end? What’s the plan?”
“You couldn’t have stayed away, Melissa.”
Melissa had been watching from the sidelines the entire time. She pretended to leave me alone and trailed me with magic. It was all part of the show. My eyesight was exceptional. I even discovered I could see through magic, but that wasn’t much of a surprise. They don’t call me ‘Hawk Eyes’ for nothing.
Melissa probably monitored me as part of her research.
It was rather satisfying to deceive Melissa.
But unlike me, Melissa didn’t seem to be in high spirits.
As soon as we reached the top of the cliff, she dispelled the magic. I almost fell again but managed to survive with a flexible landing. I raised my thumb towards Melissa, and her tail drooped like a soaked dog’s.
***
Even if the stem is broken, the wind doesn’t wither the flower.
There was no response when I called out to Mom in front of the recovery room. I cautiously opened the door. Mom seemed to be asleep in the chair. With a troubled expression as if having a nightmare, she looked distressed. I gently placed the flower of wind on her lap. Gradually, her furrowed expression softened.
“Sleep well, Mom.”
It doesn’t matter who brought the flower.
Until that day, peace be with you.
***
The more I faced the threat of death, the stronger my will became.
I had doubts about getting stronger. But the real battles with Ranista provided me with unimaginable combat experience, yet there was a limit to simply getting stronger. I wanted to stand by the twins faster. Unlike the previous life where I gave up because it was impossible, this time, there were plenty of enticing prey around.
Since accepting the natural energy, I felt my body becoming stronger, but it wasn’t satisfying. Surely, it would be more efficient and quicker to increase the performance of the ‘charger’ in collecting natural energy. However, like the Terrin Lake fish swallowed by Dalbi, I wasn’t a monster devouring any prey indiscriminately.
According to the legend of Artemis and my father’s words, I should gather the spirits corresponding to the ‘pieces of God.’ And according to what is known, those spirits corresponding to the pieces are in the land of the Ain, which is currently beyond my reach.
So, what is the best way to get stronger without time and effort?
The answer is simple.
‘Talent.’
The power of the relics of Azhibita, which saved me from demons, wyverns, and Melissa.
Twelve relics, and I have the power of the void.
If the other relics possess power as outstanding as the power of the void, it would be the fastest way to become stronger in my situation. The only problem is the ‘crisis.’ Since I want to become stronger without time and effort, inevitably urgent and dangerous situations will arise. So, shouldn’t I prepare for the storm that will inevitably come?
Before Melissa left, I headed to the Garden of Spirits to conclude negotiations.
***
“To distinguish impostors, you’ll continue to need my help.”
“How so?”
“You want the various and amazing powers my eyes possess, Melissa.”
“You’ve gone mad, Cantavia.”
“I’ll cooperate. In exchange, provide information about the relics of Azhibita. You must know something.”
Melissa stared at me as if I were some crazy lunatic, but then casually mentioned that she happened to be investigating one particular relic. Unusually, Melissa expressed concern for my well-being first.
“It’s still early, but if that’s what you think. It might be quite a challenge for you at your level. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
I replied confidently.
“Of course.”
***
“The peak of the Blue Tower, the treasure sealed on the profound floor, there’s a possibility that it’s one of the relics of Azhibita Church.”
This was big trouble.
He brought up the topic of the ‘Tower’ right from the start.
Seven towers in the Kingdom of Sternil, but separate from the kingdom, they were sanctuaries of independent authority and power for the wizards.
Wizards came from beyond the continent of Kynakhan, even from the Far East, making them a formidable force comparable to a nation.
Each tower had a different color, and each wizard had different magic. Wizards of the Blue Tower wielded magic of physical destruction, while those of the Navy Tower had defensive… Anyway, it was a place more shittier than the Grand Canyon.
Moreover, the way she spoke, it seemed like she was implying stealing the treasure of the Tower, wasn’t she?
Anyway, I decided to listen to all that was said.
“‘Gain? What kind of relic is that?”
“The legendary Archmage Maje reportedly said on his deathbed that after obtaining ‘Gain,’ he could get everything he wanted. It’s not just the ramblings of a senile old man; Maje’s achievements serve as evidence.”
“Everything? Like wishing ball or something? If such a great item exists, why haven’t the wizards been using it until now?”
“Perhaps there was no one capable of handling it.”
I shrugged. Whether it was because of this eye effect or the souls of a thousand-year-old priests I had devoured, I could wield the power of the relics of Azhibita Church.
“I was really curious whether it granted wishes or functioned as some other kind of relic.”
“If it were you, you could have easily stolen it.”
“…I couldn’t get it. Even though it was easy to get to the profound floor, there was some invisible magic… there.”
“Eh? You couldn’t? The legendary Archmage, the supreme of the Yoma Realm, Melisa, couldn’t get it? Eh?”
My sister seemed to be suppressing her anger as her nine tails thrashed fiercely. Unlike Wooshas and Ranista, Melissa was somewhat easygoing to tease, but I knew I had to keep my boundaries.
As she tightly shut her mouth, my sister continued.
“The Tower Masters, those old bastards, would have seen through any magic they cast. But that magic isn’t from this era. No, it can’t even be called magic.”
She stared at me intently. It wasn’t just looking at me; it was more like observing my two eyes.
“If it’s your eyes, it might be possible. The eyes that dared to gaze beyond my magic, those unsettling eyes.”
I had prepared myself, but I couldn’t help but hesitate.
Infiltrating a tower, especially its summit, was no small feat.
“…The relic, mine?”
“What?”
“It’s mine, right? Gain’s relic, you’re going to give it to me?”
My sister frowned and nodded, and I got up from my seat.
“Let’s go.”
Living with the twins, I learned something I lacked.
Damn, were my brother and sisters that strong from the beginning?
No.
Because crazy people make crazy moves, they become so strong.
What you absolutely need is madness, the straight-line style of madness.
