Journey to Become the Zenith

Crimson Drift

Then—

Azriel took a single step forward.

”Voidstep: Crimson Drift.”

BOOOOM!

The air exploded.

The ground beneath Victor shattered apart instantly as cracks spread outward like spiderwebs across the earth. Dust and broken stone burst into the air while crimson Zenith Aura erupted around his body in violent waves.

And with that one step—

He vanished several hundred meters away.

The trees bent violently from the pressure alone.

Lane’s black hair whipped across her face as the shockwave slammed into her body. Her eyes widened in disbelief while her dress fluttered wildly in the wind left behind by that single movement.

Clara was equally stunned.

Neither of them had even properly seen Victor move.

One moment he was standing there casually.

The next—

Only broken ground remained.

Lane who had seen most of Victor’s techniques was surprised to see him move that way. This was the first time she had ever seen him move like that. If he was able to travel that fast, then it would have taken Victor only a few hours to get from their village to Fantom City.

The realization struck her harder than expected.

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hilt of her sword.

A complicated emotion surfaced inside her chest.

Frustration.

Admiration.

Weakness.

This made Lane question why Victor hadn’t taught her and Videl that movement technique. When she came to the only conclusion she could think of, she bit her lower lip in frustration. It was a simple answer.

She was weak.

Not weak compared to ordinary people.

Weak compared to him.

Her eyes lowered slightly.

The gap between them felt impossibly large sometimes.

Even after everything they had gone through together... Victor still kept reaching heights she could not even comprehend.

Clara noticed the expression on Lane’s face and sighed softly.

”You’re overthinking again,” Clara muttered while wiping sweat from the corner of her lips.

Lane shook her head slowly.

”No... I’m just realizing how far behind we really are.”

The silver-blonde woman stared at the shattered earth where Victor once stood.

”He’s always protecting us.”

A brief silence followed.

The wind rustled through the trees around them.

Clara clicked her tongue before grabbing her sword again.

”Then stop making that depressed face and get stronger already.”

Lane blinked.

Clara pointed her blade toward her.

”You think standing around feeling sorry for yourself is going to help?”

Despite the harsh words, there was no cruelty behind them.

Only determination.

Lane slowly smiled.

A small one.

But genuine.

”You really don’t know how to comfort people.”

”Tch. Didn’t ask to.”

The two girls looked at each other for a moment before both quietly assumed their stances once more.

Then—

They charged simultaneously.

CLANG!

Steel collided violently.

Lane spun low while Clara stepped forward aggressively, their swords scraping against one another as sparks flew into the air. Clara’s fighting style was direct and overwhelming, relying on pressure and powerful strikes, while Lane moved more fluidly—more precise.

Clara swung downward heavily.

Lane twisted sideways narrowly avoiding the blade before retaliating with a slash toward Clara’s ribs.

Clara blocked instantly.

The impact numbed her arms.

”She’s faster again...” Clara thought while gritting her teeth.

Lane had clearly improved after training with Diana.

But Clara refused to lose.

She stepped in close suddenly and slammed her shoulder into Lane’s body.

”Oof—!”

Lane stumbled backward.

Clara immediately followed with another attack.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Their blades danced repeatedly beneath the moonlight.

Sweat dripped down their skin.

Their breathing became heavier.

Yet neither stopped.

Pain no longer mattered.

Because for the first time...

They truly understood what it meant to chase after someone like Victor.

...

Meanwhile—

Azriel who was dashing toward the area where he felt the surge of mana was finally beginning to feel the strain ”Voidstep: Crimson Drift” had on Victor’s body.

His muscles screamed in pain.

Tiny tears formed across his legs and arms from the overwhelming pressure.

The veins around his calves bulged unnaturally.

”Tch.”

Azriel clicked his tongue in annoyance.

When he felt that the body could no longer handle the stress of the technique, he started running normally instead.

Even then—

His speed remained monstrous by ordinary standards.

The forest around him blurred.

Leaves exploded apart as he passed.

’Just how weak is this body?’ Azriel thought while flexing his fingers slightly.

There was irritation in his crimson eyes.

Not toward Victor.

Toward the world itself.

’Is the cycle of death and reincarnation used by the original becoming weaker... or is it because we were finally able to damage the Universal Emperor?’

His gaze narrowed.

Either possibility carried dangerous implications.

If their incarnations were weakening generation after generation...

Then the final battle waiting in the future would become even more troublesome.

Still—

A faint grin slowly appeared on his face.

”Heh... whatever.”

The Blood Monarch laughed softly to himself.

”I’m sure whatever comes... Victor will be able to handle it.”

There was absolute confidence in that statement.

Not blind faith.

Experience.

Azriel had lived countless battles.

He had witnessed heroes fall.

Empires collapse.

Gods scream.

Yet among all incarnations—

Victor possessed something frightening.

Potential.

The terrifying kind.

The kind that evolved under pressure.

The more impossible the wall before him became...

The faster he grew.

”That brat is absurd...”

Azriel muttered while jumping over a massive fallen tree.

”If he survives long enough... he might actually surpass all of us.”

A nostalgic expression briefly crossed his face.

”How annoying.”

Yet despite the words—

There was pride hidden underneath them.

...

It took Azriel a few minutes to finally get near the area where he felt the surge of mana.

The air here still carried traces of spatial distortion.

Teleportation.

A high-level one at that.

On the way there he spotted Videl.

Azriel who was watching Victor’s life every now and then knew who this was.

One of Victor’s lovers.

One of the people closest to him.

One of the few women capable of understanding the loneliness hidden beneath Victor’s calm exterior.

Videl stood beneath the trees quietly.

Her long blonde hair moved gently with the wind while her sapphire-blue eyes scanned the surroundings cautiously. Her fitted white sleeves and black leather pants accentuated her athletic body, but her expression right now carried worry more than confidence.

Azriel slowed his steps.

For a brief moment—

The Blood Monarch simply observed her silently.

This was a person who shoulders a similar fate as he and all of Victor’s other incarnations. Even though the weight of their burdens were different, she was still someone who shared the same journey of hero.

Someone walking beside the monster destined to challenge fate itself.

Azriel could see it clearly.

The exhaustion hidden behind her eyes.

The fear she tried not to show.

The determination to remain beside Victor no matter what happened.

Eventually, Azriel smiled faintly.

”This girl is good...”

The Blood Monarch’s dangerous expression slowly disappeared.

The crimson tint hidden deep within Victor’s eyes faded completely.

His face returned to Victor’s usual calm expression.

Warm.

Relaxed.

Human.

Then he walked toward her casually.

”Hey Videl, what are you doing here?”