Chapter 63 Breaking the Limit


    Since acquiring the Lunar Body, Kraush had been able to maintain the Annihtion Erosion at a certain level without penalties. It was precisely because he could sustain Annihtion Erosion that he was able to confront Adolf directly. However, Kraush had a different true reason for wanting the Lunar Body.


    The range of my limits has expanded.


    Annihtion Erosion is a secret technique that burns the power of world erosion within ones Ignis, storing that energy within the flesh. The downside is that the burning energy also damages Kraushs body. Thus, Kraush could only use Annihtion Erosion for a mere three seconds.


    Now, with the Lunar Body, that range had significantly widened. At least duringbat, he was able to maintain Annihtion Erosion at will. This meant he could potentiallypress time back to three seconds and break even higher limits than now.


    Ive never tried it before.


    But it wasnt impossible.


    Kraush threw away the respirator he had been wearing. It was more of a hindrance to his breathing. Then, he sheathed his sworda seemingly insane act in the midst of battle. Even so, Kraush fearlessly took a deep breath and summoned his aura from within.


    At that moment, the power of world erosion in his body met the Ignis and began to burn. It was hot. Yet bearable.


    More, just a bit more.


    The power of world erosion within him red up even more fiercely. The heat seemed as if it would set his entire body aze, growing stronger by the second. Kraush bit his lip. His mind felt clouded with heat, but the Lunar Body barely kept the heat at bay. Smoke trickled from Kraushs lips, and mes flickered in his eyes as his surroundings started to distort with the intense heat.


    Adolf, too, sensed his anomaly.


    What is he trying to do?


    While considering how to subdue Kraush without inflicting harm, Adolf noticed a bizarre shift in Kraushs energy. The heat emanating from Kraush now surpassed even the surrounding fireballsit was as if his body was striving to surpass its own limits.


    And Adolfs thoughts aligned with that notion.


    More!


    With a blood-spitting effort, Kraush once again stoked his body. The distant heatbusted, surging throughout his entire being. The heat permeated every muscle and nerve, and in an instant, Kraushs hair tips and fingers ckened with dark mes.


    He had definitively breached his limits, and his domain expanded to an extreme. The heat engulfing his bodypressed his consciousness to its utmost brink. The aura within him,bined with world erosion, swelled his body as he geared up for the next move.


    Crash!


    Suddenly, Kraush felt something breaking in his mind. It was a wall. The wall that had seemed insurmountable shattered in an instant as Kraush broke through to a new realm with his limit surpassed: the highest rank of Expertise, just before reaching Mastery, the divide between genius and the average.


    His eyes, reddened from the heat, burned with an intensity never seen before.


    Three seconds? Dont make meugh. Its barely one second.


    However, that one second was enough.


    Boom!


    The impact from Kraush stamping his foot echoed a beatter. By the time the shock settled, his sword had already been drawn from its sheath. Adolf btedly raised his hand in response, but Kraush was faster.


    The swirling heat surged from Kraushs sword, alighting upon meeting the Ignis, ring up into dark mes. Kraushs sword stretched forward.


    Sword and Spirit Fusion.


    In this moment, Kraushs mind reached the domain faster than anyone else. As the ripples in the mentalke were engulfed by the fierce mes, the ascent consumed the fire.


    A single downward strike.


    One Sword.


    With that strike, the technique merged with the Sword Demons fusion art and Annihtion Erosion, reaching new heights. The fusion arts One Sword had now evolved beyond its constraints into a new secret technique.


    Annihtion Erosion, Second Form: Sky Annihting Sword.


    When the dark mes cut through the Spirit Kings Forest, a brief pause of silence filled the space. Soon after, everything started to twist as if cleaved in half, and in an instant, an overwhelming st filled the area.


    Kaboom!


    Within the zing dark mes, Adolf looked down upon Kraush with wide eyes. Blood trickled down his cheeks, and his hand, raised toote, was reddened with burns as well.


    The injury was minor. Facing world erosion, even one of the Ten Great Lords would consider such wounds trivial.


    But never had he expected to receive such a wound from a mere youth, barely of age, and a Onmyoji at that.


    Adolfs eyes slowly looked downward.


    Kraush, maintaining the stance of his sword strike, gasped for breath, barely standing. His fingertips were ckened, and the sweat pouring like rain clearly indicated his limits. Moreover, Kraushs sword, due to the heat, was cracked all over.


    ng!


    And unable to withstand the heat, his sword shattered.


    However, his gaze, fixed directly on Adolf, remained undefeated.


    Adolf slowly clenched his burnt hand.


    He never thought it could pierce his protective magic. Simultaneously, his expression changed.


    You are Balheims direct descendent.


    Upon hearing Adolfs deration, Kraush struggled to keep his eyes open with sheer determination.


    It seemed like he had a veterans tenacity at such a young age.


    What is your rtionship with An?


    Kraush couldnt understand Adolfs question. But he was certain of one thing.


    Just a damned acquaintance.


    He was the one who had selfishly died first, leaving Kraush to struggle alone.


    Adolf fell silent upon hearing that. Kraush was certainly going to grow, perhaps to a stature known by all someday. And those who stood beside him would belong to a new generation. Adolf glimpsed that future in this moment.


    If An could stand beside him, the story might change. Of course, the process of getting there would be a challenge.


    After going through the trouble to retrieve Abe, who had suddenly vanished


    In the meantime, this rascal had acquainted himself with such individuals.


    Kraush!


    At that moment, a gigantic wall of ice rose between Kraush and Adolf. Ans magic.


    Having hidden Dorothy in the water to avoid detection by Adolf, Kraush smirked.


    Thud!


    Then, a vibration echoed from the far reaches of the forest. Kraush and Adolf knew exactly what it meant. An upper-rank spirit, stirred by themotion Kraush had caused, was heading their way. If an upper-rank spirit started rampaging, it could damage even the city walls.


    An upper-rank spirit must be taken down at all costs.


    Both of you!


    Adolf was about to seize them and send them outside when the magic circle beneath Kraush and Ans feet began to glow.


    me Emperor, Adolf Igrit.


    Adolfs eyes widened at the sight. But Kraush looked at him with a sardonic smile.


    Have fun with the upper-rank spirit.


    Adolf realized that Kraush had intentionally caused the disturbance.


    Damn you!


    The moment Adolf shouted in anger, Kraushs vision had already turned white.


    Transported outside to the Spirit Kings Forest in an instant, Kraush felt his copsing body being caught by someone.


    It was Crimson Garden.


    Did you want to wreck your body that badly?


    As Crimson Garden spoke, Kraush strained to hold onto consciousness.


    Cant help it with such an infuriating old man. Had no choice.


    Werent you just curious to see if your power would work even against one of the Ten Great Lords?


    Kraush turned his head with a sheepish expression. Watching this, Crimson Garden sighed.


    An and Dorothy came into view, with An holding Dorothys hand as if hed never let go again. She still seemed bewildered by the situation.


    Thanks, Kraush. I owe you a debt I can never repay.


    Is that so.


    Kraush responded nonchntly.


    An, bereft of the Lunar Body, would continue to grow stronger. He might even surpass the strength Kraush knew from before.


    An, what will you do now?


    Now that An no longer possessed the Lunar Body, Adolf wouldnt try to kill him. Plus, An could now learn the Igrits me magic. Whether he would reveal that fact immediately was uncertain, but at least he was no longer under Igrits pressure.


    That didnt mean the narrow-minded old man would view An favorably. An had provoked Adolf with talks of Igrits lineage. And Dorothy was there, too. The Igrit family would never tolerate the presence of a spirit.


    All of these were not issues that could be resolved in a day or two.


    Ill learn the Igrits me magic.


    Ans eyes shone a clear red. Despite suffering under the Igrit name his entire life, he chose to enter their realm once more. It meant he was willing to tread a difficult path on his own initiative. To protect Dorothy, he was determined to be stronger, regardless of the hardships.


    Seeing this, Kraush sensed the stubbornness of the An he once knew.


    Thats more like An.


    In the end, protecting Dorothy and bringing down the me Emperor were tasks for An alone.


    An,e to Rahelrn Academy next year.


    Thus, Kraush made him an offer.


    You can dy dealing with Igrits issues there, and youll have time to grow stronger and protect Dorothy.


    If during that time, An could refine both Igrits magic and himself, leaving Igrit might not be so difficult.


    Kraush, youll enroll in Rahelrn Academy too, right?


    Yeah.


    Hearing Kraushs answer, An smiled slowly.


    It was the first genuine smile Kraush had seen from him, as his face had always been covered in burns and bandages.


    Not a bad smile, Kraush thought.


    Ill enroll. Lets definitely meet up there.


    With that promise made to An, Kraush gave a wryugh and turned his recovered strength towards leaving.


    Go sort out your own problems.


    Just as An hesitated, wanting to repay Kraush in some way, he turned his head.


    There was Dorothy, wearing an embarrassed expression.


    Even in her crystal state, Dorothy faintly heard themotion outside. Realizing this, An cleared his throat just as Kraush departed with Crimson Garden.


    Uh-hem, hem, An.


    Having returned from death, the spirit Dorothy called out to him, sheepish yet determined to speak her mind, since she too had something she wanted to say at the end.


    Ans and Dorothys eyes met.


    They were surely feeling the same, but sometimes words had to convey what was unspoken.


    An, I thought you hated magic.


    So An spoke first.


    Due to the Lunar Body, I couldnt wield me magic, and magic became nothing but shackles to me. The Igrit family was the entirety of my life.


    Within the Igrit, An was slowly dying. He knew it well enough.


    If he hadnt met Dorothy, he would havepletely broken down in the end.


    But after meeting you, things began to change. Seeing you so happy over a single spell, using magic to alleviate my pain, and because of you, for the first time in my life, I could use magic for someone else at the dorm.


    Romantic or poetic words were beyond Ans repertoire. He simply conveyed his thoughts honestly.


    Yet, every time he spoke, tears gradually welled up in Dorothys eyes.


    Its all thanks to you.


    Whether she was a spirit not human, an enemy of humans, or anything else, it didnt matter to An.


    The one thing that mattered was Dorothy.


    Dorothy, I like you.


    If the world were to denounce Dorothy and he became an enemy of the world, so be it. After all, it was Dorothy who had made his world.


    At that moment, as tears fell from Dorothys eyes, she closed her fluttering eyelids.


    I am a spirit.


    I know.


    My name might be false, my appearance, maybe even my memories could be fabricated by world erosion.


    But to me, you are still Dorothy.


    That would never change.


    An, have you heard about the very first spirit mage?


    Of course, he had. The first spirit mage was from the Igrit family.


    Maybe the end for spirits and humans is such an oue.


    An lifted his hand to sp Dorothys.


    As she trembled at the warmth, An spoke.


    Even if a certain end is toe, I want to be by your side throughout the journey before that end.


    Ans red eyes met Dorothys blue ones.


    That was enough.


    Dorothy, with tears streaming down, now wore a bright smile.


    Perhaps spirits were destined to love humans, she thought.


    I like you too.


    The tear-stained bright smile Dorothy returned was more than enough of an answer An had been waiting for.


    Having left space for An and Dorothy, Kraush moved away with an almost deathly expression.


    A bed called out to him.


    Wake up. You have to take responsibility for what youve done.


    Crimson Gardens remark, sharp as ever, echoed. She may as well be a demon. At least for now, he wished shed refrain from perching on his shoulder.


    Mr. Kraush!


    Mr. Kraush.


    At that moment, Kraush heard two voices calling him. One was filled with surprise, the other as calm as ever.


    When Kraush looked in their direction, there they were: one, a maid with incredibly light blonde hair; the other, a small girl with white hair.


    Kraush tilted his head. It made sense for Lirina to be there, but why Bianca?


    Mr. Kraush, Ive always been watching you.


    It seemed Bianca had read his thoughts. A slight frown on her face suggested she was somewhat angry.


    Why are you here, Lirina?


    Avoiding Biancas gaze, Kraush asked Lirina. He thought she would have returned to the mansion by now or gone to An.


    Well, the mansion is in chaos, so I thought there would be a lot to do.


    One reason was dereliction of duty.


    And Im not so clueless as to intrude between Mr. An and Miss Dorothy.


    The second reason was simply tact.


    Kraush couldnt disagree; he understood. In the meantime, Lirina nced at Bianca and then spoke to Kraush.


    To think you had such a cute fiance, yet you tried to lure me away.


    Kraush was dumbfounded by her words. What was she talking about? Sure, Bianca was his first love, but that was a long time ago, and even as an ice sculpture, he had repressed his feelings.


    However, Kraush caught on to Lirinas teasing nce at Bianca.


    Her temper was the same as always.


    Youre toying with a girls heart, truly a wicked man.


    I am not a wicked man.


    But Bianca objected to a different part.


    Mr. Kraush is a good person.


    Her eyes were filled with sincerity.


    Lirinas eyes widened, then she looked at Kraush and covered her mouth.


    Youre really cute. Its a pity for Mr. Kraush.


    Kraush decided to just ept it.


    I want to take her home in my pocket. Can you give me your fiance?


    Dont even think about getting your saliva on her.


    As Kraush pulled Bianca towards him, she opened her eyes wide, then rolled them around before slyly clinging to Kraushs arm.


    Lirina, smiling contentedly, let out a faint sigh.


    I got ahead of myself for no reason.


    After the inexplicable remark, Lirina bowed politely to Kraush.


    Thank you very much for helping Mr. An and me. I will never forget this kindness.


    It wasnt that big of a favor. Kraush had received so much from her before regressing that it helped him stay who he was.


    But it was hard not to feel a bit relieved. Saving someone he couldnt had always been important to Kraush.


    Thats good to hear


    As he spoke, Kraushs vision suddenly cut out.


    Ah, this is the limit.


    And with that, Kraush lost consciousness.