After a few hours, Rio finally woke from his coma. By the time he opened his eyes, it was already early morning.
The first thing he noticed was Lia, asleep on the sofa beside his bed.
He quietly got up, gently draped a blanket over her, and left the room.
Outside, the sky was still dark. The crimson sun hovered just above the horizon, slowly rising.
As always, the air of this world felt pure—clean in a way Earth never was. The freshness alone was enough to calm his mind. He brewed himself some tea and stood there, enjoying the rare moment of peace.
The ship should reach shore soon, he thought. That means another event is coming. I should prepare.
If he wanted to maintain his lead over Fade, he needed to continue taking opportunities that wouldn't alter the main story too drastically.
It's been a while since I resumed the stealing sessions…
I'll have to wait until we reach land.
Stormwalker continued forward with its usual power. A few hours later, the shoreline finally came into view.
Excitement erupted among the students.
They had remained on constant alert throughout the journey, terrified of another attack. Now that land was in sight, the tension they'd been suppressing finally collapsed. Some students even fell to the ground, their bodies giving out after releasing all that pent-up stress.
The ship docked at the same port. As the students disembarked with their luggage, a collective sigh of relief escaped them.
Rio glanced back at Stormwalker.
A complicated feeling surfaced in his chest as memories of the journey replayed in his mind. If he hadn't obtained True Immunity, he would have already died—reduced to a living corpse with no soul or will.
In the end… I made it back alive.
The students boarded the buses and returned to the academy. By evening, Rio stood in front of his dorm room once more.
Ms. Anna announced a one-week holiday, with classes resuming the following week.
The reaction was unanimous joy.
Finally, they could rest.
Rio entered his room, took a long bath, and collapsed onto his bed. As he lay there, he began organizing his thoughts.
That octopus was an anomaly.
It shouldn't have existed—at least, not according to the novel.
Or perhaps its existence was because he was the anomaly.
Either way, it doesn't matter.
One truth was now undeniable: this world wouldn't always follow the story he remembered. Unexpected variables would appear. After all, this wasn't a novel anymore—it was a real world, where events happened independently of any script.
It's time to start stealing Fade's chances again.
With his next plan set, Rio fell asleep.
The next morning, he completed his usual exercise routine before leaving the academy by bus. No one questioned him—during holidays, students were free to go wherever they pleased.
This journey took longer than expected. By the time he arrived, evening had already fallen. He booked a room for the night and rested.
The following day, he headed toward the most famous landmark in the city.
Lake of Sean.
The largest and most beautiful lake in the area, its waters were crystal clear. Tourists crowded its shores, drawn not only by its beauty but also by a popular legend.
It was said that if you made a wish here, it would come true.
Of course, it was nothing more than a legend.
If wishes alone could solve everything, the protagonist wouldn't have needed to struggle through countless life-and-death battles. Not even heaven-defying luck worked that way—let alone a lake with no connection to fate or fortune.
Still, belief was belief. And no one bothered to deny it.
There was a time, long ago—when dungeon gates first appeared—when belief itself held power. Some humans had awakened abilities that gathered faith and converted it into strength.
But those people vanished.
Now, there was no divine power. Only mana ruled this world.
Enough thinking, Rio decided. Time to focus.
He crossed the bridge at the center of the lake and entered the forest beyond. Without looking back, he walked deeper among the trees.
A few minutes later, he arrived at an open clearing—an unnatural gap where no trees grew, as if the land itself rejected life.
Rio stepped into the center and sat down.
He relaxed completely, lowering his guard as though nothing in the world concerned him.
Just as expected.
After about half an hour, fog began creeping in from all directions. It thickened steadily until visibility shrank to barely one meter.
Rio stood and walked toward the direction where the sun had been before it vanished.
Two hours passed.
Yet he was still standing in the same spot.
So this is the Endless Path of Perseverance, he thought. Interesting.
In the novel, Fade had come here on a date with Kira. Seeking privacy away from the crowds, they wandered into the forest and—by sheer heavenly luck—found this place.
When they tried to leave, fog enveloped them.
No matter which direction they walked, they returned to the same spot. It was Kira who suggested following the sun's direction, knowing her father's guild office lay that way.
By doing so, they obtained the hidden treasure.
Rio followed the same method.
He walked.
Again and again.
Even when the scenery refused to change, he kept moving forward.
Eventually, something shifted.
His surroundings felt different.
He immediately quickened his pace.
Then—
"WHO ARE YOU, HUMAN? YOU POSSESS GREAT PERSEVERANCE. I AM IMPRESSED BY YOUR BOLDNESS!"
The fog vanished.
A colossal snake emerged before him.
Even though Rio had read about this scene, witnessing it firsthand left him shaken.
The snake was impossibly massive—so large that Rio couldn't see the end of its tail. Its eyes alone were twice the size of his entire body. Compared to this creature, even the S-rank octopus seemed insignificant.
Its scales were jet black, its pupils blood red.
An unfathomable pressure radiated from its mere presence.
So this is the presence of an SS-rank monster, Rio thought. Wonderful.
"My name is Rio Flash."
"WHY HAVE YOU COME HERE TO DISTURB MY REST?"
"I lost my way in the fog," Rio replied calmly.
"I didn't know your excellency was resting here. Please forgive my intrusion."
"HMM. YOU SPEAK FAR TOO CALMLY. YOU ARE A STRANGE CHILD."
"I'm simply telling the truth, your excellency," Rio said.
"I would be grateful if you could guide me… Great Marik, the Illusionary Holy Beast."
"OH? YOU KNOW MY NAME?"
"TELL ME—HOW?"
"How could I not?" Rio replied.
"The legend of you trapping the Fourth Demon General's army in an infinite illusion is recorded in human history. I enjoy reading historical records."
"HAHA! YOU HUMANS DO RECORD SUCH THINGS."
"VERY WELL. YOU HAVE IMPRESSED ME."
"AS PROMISED—I SHALL SHOW YOU THE WAY."
Marik opened a portal in the air and gestured toward it.
Rio entered without hesitation.
When he emerged on the other side, the portal closed behind him.
Only then did he release a long breath.
His clothes were drenched in sweat.
Standing before that monster—even for a few minutes—had felt like an eternity. One wrong word, and his life would have ended instantly.
But he survived.
And he had arrived.
Before him stood an ancient tomb.
A smile slowly formed on Rio's face as he stepped forward.
Only half the journey remains.