Enrico had his eyes half-open, looking at Valença, who was covering her head, looking to the side and then hiding her face between her arms again—even after thirty minutes.
'Damn it, she has way higher compatibility than me.'
While she had reached eighty percent of the circle in that time, he was still at seventy-three.
"I'm going out for a moment, I'll be right back..."
Valença, still with her arms covering her head, waved, trying to hide what was happening to her. Val'Drakar had already gone to the place where the Elves were sealed, and they were supposed to meet him again after defeating the other two Faizes-ranked Nartheis.
'This can't be... it can't be... I don't want to have this feeling.'
She was thinking a lot—after all, she couldn't fall for someone who used to annoy her so much and was now just her rival.
'Of course, he changed. And besides that, he's more handsome, smarter, stronger, handsome... no, Valença, stop thinking like that.'
She started to lightly bang her forehead on the ground. He had changed, but still, this wasn't the time to feel that way. Valença had a determined look—she was sure Enrico wouldn't go back to how he used to be, and she'd help make sure of that.
'That's right, Valença, this is just to make sure you won't fall into something that could hurt you. Remember, you're someone calm.'
From a distance, when Enrico looked back and saw Valença rocking quickly with a neutral expression, it was strange—but what mattered to him was that he needed to reach circle two before her and was about to do something dangerous.
"I'm going to fight a boss while I'm still like this."
[Idiot, stop this madness. The boss is Faizes Level—facing it alone while still in circle one is suicide.]
It was risky, but if the fruit really increased with time, then it was possible that by going through difficulties, his circle percentage would rise by taking advantage of the fruit's effects.
'I know, but I have to stay ahead of them.'
[To me, it'd be better if they found out you're not a genius—things will only get more dangerous for you if this keeps up.]
He thought that too and would prefer they knew, but if they did, some might think surpassing him would be easier—hindering how strong he wanted them to become. So his strategy was simply to be a genius who trained hard.
'I'll do everything I can to increase my potential so this can become reality.'
[Idiot...]
Passing through many trees and animals, Enrico arrived at the river where several rocks were scattered. He approached and touched the water, releasing several humanoid fish Nartheis, blue in color with a core on their foreheads.
[There are at least ten, and all are Zara level two.]
"I'll need to defeat several of these to awaken the boss."
He jumped into the middle of the Nartheis, and as soon as he stepped on a rock, it was destroyed by one that came from beneath.
"Charged Boost."
Boosting in the air, Enrico kicked the Nartheis downward and positioned himself midair, creating ten fireballs—not to hit them, but to strike the river, generating a lot of steam that spread like smoke.
"Fire Bow..."
Creating two arrows, he activated Crimson Eyes, improving his vision, aimed both arrows, and fired—piercing straight through the cores of two Nartheis.
"Bo—"
He was hit in the ribs by a water ball that exploded a second later, creating a mist.
"I can't feel where they are."
A person with magic can naturally hide how much mana they have—as if their body or mana instinctively protects them. That's why, unless someone has an item or natural ability to see mana, no one knows how much magic another user has.
'What they're doing now isn't just hiding mana—it's hiding their entire presence.'
Enrico couldn't see the stats of the Nartheis, which made the system even more useless than it already was.
[Hey, why do I feel like you're mocking me in your head, Enrico?]
'Because I am.'
He was struck from behind, pushed forward into a waiting bubble, but Enrico jumped into the air just before it exploded, which it did right after.
Thinking of another way to detect their movements, he activated Extreme Crimson Eyes, trying to see not just traces of fire mana but the mana within the mist and air. Soon after, his eyes started to burn from the strain.
'My eyes feel like they're on fire. If I keep this up at my current level, I'll go blind.'
Crimson Eyes had an upgrade, but it would only be possible in the third circle upon reaching fifty percent. So Enrico gave up—he couldn't afford to lose his vision, not now. He'd need it to go to the church and ask the saint for healing, and that required a lot.
'You don't need to rush... you're not like this... there's a much better way.'
He had panicked for a second because it was something new, but now he was excited again. Without needing mana, just with Crimson Eyes active, he spotted movement in the mist and ducked as a Nartheis passed by.
'Zero Impact.'
The Nartheis's head exploded, and as the mist moved behind him, Enrico stayed alert and used Charged Boost to jump, turning upside down and spotting the enemy passing below him.
'Zero Impact.'
That Nartheis's head disappeared too. Enrico was adapting again, and like before, he loved this feeling.
'This feels so good.'
He took a headbutt to the stomach from a Nartheis thrown by another, but Enrico held firm, planting his feet and raising both arms. Then, he brought his hands down together, breaking the core.
Another Nartheis appeared behind him, biting his shoulder, drawing blood and starting to drain mana. Enrico, realizing it, placed his hand on the Nartheis's forehead and created a fireball that destroyed the core.
'I need to be faster.'
His fire clone appeared and started fighting alongside Enrico against the remaining four. The clone couldn't do much since it was weaker compared to Enrico.
"Now."
They both jumped, fire bows in hand, and fired arrows. Enrico destroyed his target, while the one hit by the clone's arrow only cracked—but it was enough. Enrico placed his hands together, and the clone stepped into them, getting boosted toward the enemy's head.
Enrico switched places with the clone, pointed at the head, and created a fireball in his palm.
"With this one down, two will be left."
Before he could fire the ball, Enrico's body failed, and he felt like he was falling apart. The two remaining Nartheis ran to where the third one was and created water claws, striking Enrico and sending him flying out of the mist into a rock.
The clone vanished, and Enrico's eyes began to dim, unable to understand.
"Why—"
[Looks like the time has come—I can see your body has hit its absolute limit.]
Enrico's head felt like it was spinning, but he gave one last smile when he understood.
"So it's time? I hope this works..."
Three water spells struck Enrico, embedding him even deeper into the rock. The three Nartheis approached to deliver the final blow, but when one got close, its claw raised, it was grabbed by Enrico's hand.
"KHRR-RAAHHH!"
The Nartheis screamed in pain as its hand was burned by fire. Immediately after, its head disappeared, and the body collapsed.
The two remaining Nartheis stepped back upon seeing Enrico get up—but there was something different.
They prepared to attack again, but the person in front of them vanished and reappeared behind them, hands on both their heads. The Nartheis tried to grab his arms, but the cores on their foreheads were destroyed by fireballs that pierced through their skulls.
Enrico stood silently, and behind him appeared fifteen more Naturals of the same type—the only difference being they were even more blue.
"Khra."
"Khra."
They all prepared to attack but stopped when they saw that Enrico's eyes were completely dim—like there was no life in them.
Enrico had finally entered the Limit Break state.