Chapter 331

"You must be the friend Yuna mentioned."

Standing before Kanzaki Rei was a woman dressed in a pristine white scholar’s robe. On the left side of her chest, seven stars were arranged in a precise pattern—an unmistakable symbol of a Level 7 Polymath, someone whose knowledge far surpassed that of ordinary people.

"Mm."

"Yuna said she wanted to leave only after seeing you."

Kanzaki Rei gave a slight nod, offering no further explanation. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Yuna. She, however, averted her face to the side.

Seeing this, the tower master couldn’t help but smile faintly, a trace of helpless amusement in her expression... the emotions of children.

She had heard that this boy—Kanzaki Rei—was no ordinary individual. At such a young age, he was already a Root Mage.

And yet... beyond that, very little information about him could be found. It was as if some force was deliberately shielding his details.

Even with her status as a Level 7 Polymath and the master of the White Tower of Atlant City, she couldn’t uncover more.

All she knew was that he currently held the rank of a Tier 4 Scholar within the White Tower, with authority equivalent to that of a Level 4 Polymath.

Not long ago, he had submitted a number of cutting-edge magical theories. The review council was currently evaluating him for promotion to a Tier 5 Scholar.

And as of today, the cross-review results had already been finalized.

Kanzaki Rei should be able to advance smoothly to Tier 5 Scholar...

If his age truly matched Yuna’s, then perhaps... he was an even better candidate than her.

"Kanzaki Rei."

"Would you like to go to the Tower of All Sages and participate in the Sage selection?"

Kanzaki Rei raised his head and looked at the woman.

He shook his head. "No... I’m not interested in becoming a Sage."

Primarily because he still needed to go to the World Center Tree and rendezvous with Iz and the others... and also because advancing from Level 7 to Level 8 required seeking answers there.

He believed that during his journey, he would reach Level 7.

If he went to the Tower of All Sages, who knew how much time it would take... and what awaited him there might not even be what he needed.

If it were something along the way, that would be one thing.

But making a deliberate trip? Not worth it.

"I see..."

"Well, I won’t force you."

There was a hint of disappointment in the woman’s voice. For most people, the opportunity to become a Sage was something they might never encounter in their lifetime. Even she had once longed for such a chance—only to miss it.

Now, watching someone else reject what she had once dreamed of... left her with a strange sense of loss.

She gently patted both of their heads and walked between them.

"You two talk. Yuna, I’ll wait for you outside."

"We’re not in a hurry. Even if we leave a day later, it doesn’t matter."

Yuna nodded softly. The woman stepped out of the room.

"Kanzaki Rei, um..."

The atmosphere grew awkward.

"Kanzaki Rei... thank you for coming to see me off."

"I’ve already spoken with my parents. They respect my decision."

"Lily and Qingying came to see me yesterday as well."

"Mm..."

Kanzaki Rei already knew all of this. His perception covered the entire city—Yuna’s actions had never escaped his awareness.

With a single thought, he could have teleported directly into the White Tower to see her.

But...

The emotions in his heart were difficult to put into words.

It wasn’t that he was naïve or inexperienced—if anything, it was precisely because he wasn’t truly a child that he felt this conflicted, this awkward.

He still hadn’t figured out what kind of attitude he should take toward Yuna.

In the end, his choice had been simple: bury himself in studying magic, combat techniques, forging equipment... focusing entirely on becoming stronger.

Yuna rubbed her hands together nervously.

"Kanzaki Rei, about what I said before..."

"I scared you, didn’t I...?"

Kanzaki Rei thought for a moment before answering.

"A little."

Yuna lowered her voice. "Sorry... for distracting you."

"Not really. You don’t need to apologize."

"I just... couldn’t think of how to respond at the time. My mind has been focused on advancement—on becoming stronger."

"You know what I’ve been through recently."

He was referring to Earth.

Its destruction had indeed left a trace of pain in his heart. He had simply suppressed it with overwhelming rationality and spiritual clarity.

He had found "home."

But he could never return.

Now, he was just a wandering soul in a foreign land—uncertain even of his own true nature.

Most of what once anchored his heart was gone.

What remained... was only the desire to grow stronger.

Strong enough to stand before Yuechen without bowing his head.

And so, Yuna’s confession had thrown his heart into yet another kind of turmoil.

"Mm..."

"You told me before. I understand... so I’m sorry for troubling you."

"But I felt that if I didn’t say it now... I might never get the chance again."

"You also said my choice is dangerous."

"If I leave and never return... you might never know how I feel."

"Mm. I understand. I’m not blaming you."

"Actually... I don’t have much else to say."

"So... this is goodbye."

"I’m leaving."

The conversation ended abruptly.

Fragments of memory flickered through Kanzaki Rei’s mind.

The days when he had first arrived at the White Tower... when everything about this world fascinated him... the time he spent with Yuna.

Researching countless new and curious things—from morning until night.

It felt like they would never run out of things to talk about.

Everything in this world had been fresh to both of them.

Back then, their roles had been perfectly aligned.

Yuna found the questions, explored possibilities...

And Kanzaki Rei solved them, uncovering the answers.

But he had grown too fast.

His pace of growth meant he would inevitably surpass her—learning more, knowing more.

Before he realized it, he no longer needed to exchange ideas with her.

A sudden sense of loneliness welled up inside him.

He thought of Xu Zhou... of Jie Zhu... of Hun Mu...

His path seemed destined to be a solitary one.

Others couldn’t keep up with him—and that, in itself, was dangerous.

The stronger he became, the more dangerous the things he faced.

He couldn’t bring along those who couldn’t help him—not only would they slow him down, they would also be placing themselves in danger.

In the end... everyone around him would drift away.

Loneliness took root.

He had no home to return to.

And no way to keep companions by his side.

Kanzaki Rei raised his head.

"Yuna."

Yuna stopped in her tracks. "Mm?"

"Take these."

He handed her a storage pouch.

"What’s this?"

"Some items that can save your life. I don’t need them anymore, but you might."

"There are also some rare materials. If you come across something you really want but can’t buy with money, try trading with those."

"But remember—don’t reveal your wealth. Don’t let others know you have valuable items."

"You don’t know how to fight. Be extremely careful."

"There are also some magic books and combat techniques, along with my notes on magic... if you ever want to take up a combat class, they might help."

"I think it’s safer to have at least one combat class when traveling."

"But of course, that’s up to you."

Pfft—

Yuna covered her mouth and laughed.

"Kanzaki Rei, you really are awkward."

"You always act like helping is a hassle, but you can’t bear to ignore someone in need."

"And then you go on and on about how you don’t actually want to help, how other people’s lives have nothing to do with you."

"The reason Kumironi accepted you as a Death Priest must be because she saw the kindness in your heart."

Kindness?

I wouldn’t call myself kind... I’ve done plenty of things that aren’t moral—things the law wouldn’t allow.

"Kanzaki Rei, I’ll accept these."

"I’ll definitely... be waiting for you in the future."

Yuna smiled brightly.

Kanzaki Rei smiled as well.

"Mm. Once I’ve become truly strong, I might go to the Tower of All Sages to find you."

"I’ll look forward to it."

Yuna clasped her hands behind her back, turning away from him.

"Let’s leave the anticipation for the future—for the day we meet again."

She pushed the door open without hesitation.

The woman outside looked slightly surprised.

"That was quick."

"It seems you’ve truly resolved your feelings..."

"That’s good. Those with determination have a better chance of becoming a Sage. I have high hopes for you, little one."

She gently patted Yuna’s head.

The two of them walked away.

Kanzaki Rei watched their departing figures.

He let out a long sigh.

That woman... wasn’t a bad person.

The feedback he received when he sensed her held no irregularities.

Whoosh—

In the next instant, Kanzaki Rei teleported back to his residence.

Qingying was hanging upside down from the chandelier.

"I thought you weren’t going to see Yuna off."

Kanzaki Rei sighed. "Do I look that heartless?"

"You seem more like an assassin than I do. I thought you didn’t have emotions at all."

Qingying swayed upside down. Though she was only ten years old, her figure was already starting to develop.

There really are a lot of kids around me...

Though I’m a kid myself.

Kanzaki Rei extended his perception toward Lily. She was currently gazing into the distance, practicing a sensory enhancement technique.

"How long are we staying here?"

"A couple more days. I’ll leave once I reach Level 2 Blacksmith."

Then he shifted the topic.

"You’ve been killing people these past few days, haven’t you?"

Qingying didn’t deny it. "Yeah."

"Who?"

"Cultists."

"Lily found traces of the Molting Rose. I went and killed them."

When Qingying had killed Luo Yan, she had taken advantage of the situation. The target had been in the chaotic state between monster and human—Qingying had seized the weakness and eliminated her instantly.

In a direct fight, Qingying wouldn’t have stood a chance.

After all, Luo Yan was someone who could defeat Yelia—a Level 6 class-changer—while Qingying was two levels below.

"You’re close to meeting the requirements for Level 5 Assassin advancement, right?"

She had killed quite a few people recently—many of them notable figures. Frequently fighting above her level, and having spent so much time with Kanzaki Rei, her understanding of assassination techniques had deepened significantly.

"Yeah. I think I can advance now."

"In that case, I’ll help you with it."

Originally, he had brought Yuna and Qingying along because he had promised Kumironi he would look after them.

Kanzaki Rei considered himself someone who repaid kindness—especially promises made to Kumironi.

As long as Qingying didn’t cause trouble, he didn’t mind keeping her around.

Though... whether she could survive the dangers ahead was another matter.

"Alright."

Clang—

The moment she finished speaking, Kanzaki Rei caught the incoming dagger between two fingers.

"I told you not to ambush me."

Qingying tilted her head. "Was that sudden?"

"Not really... forget it. I’ll play along."

Whoosh—

Her figure vanished from his sight.

In the next instant, multiple afterimages appeared from all directions.

Boom!

They all exploded at once!

"Heavenly Flow—Third Form: Phantom Strike."

Yet amidst the collapsing illusions, a streak of cold light shot straight for Kanzaki Rei’s throat.

Truth hidden within falsehood.

He could see the logic behind her attempt.

Clear thinking.

Knowing her speed couldn’t match his, she used misdirection... her technique had improved significantly.

Kanzaki Rei’s perception shifted behind him.

The dagger from the front was a feint.

The real strike came from behind.

Qingying had learned his Heavenly Flow.

She couldn’t replicate it entirely—but she had developed her own variation.

"Heavenly Flow—Fourth Form: Void."

She’s got a bit of my style now.

As the strike from behind approached, Kanzaki Rei simply sidestepped—

Whoosh!

The slash from the void missed completely.

But then—

He felt high-frequency vibrations erupt from all directions.

The air pulsed like a drum. Sound and airflow became chaotic.

Like a racing heartbeat, echoing endlessly.

Thump-thump-thump—

By manipulating aura, she altered the environment... simulating tension to disrupt instinctual judgment.

Assassins feared opponents with sharp intuition—those who could sense danger before it arrived.

Disrupting that intuition was a fundamental skill.

Otherwise, how could you assassinate high-level targets who could predict danger in advance?

Kanzaki Rei sensed the disturbance.

Even he found it difficult to distinguish between genuine instinct and environmental interference.

A faint unease crept in.

Clang!

A flash of steel appeared before his eyes.

But he simply reached back—

Snap!

He grabbed a slender wrist.

She tried to push forward, to drive the dagger deeper—but it wouldn’t budge.

Bang—

With no choice, she dispersed into an illusion.

"Your Heavenly Flow has improved."

"You even developed your own assassination style based on mine. Not bad."

"You’re doing well in every aspect."

"But your physical strength is still too weak. Your speed and power aren’t enough."

"Technique matters—but without a solid foundation, everything collapses."

Kanzaki Rei looked toward an empty spot in the room.

Whoosh—

His gaze shifted again.

Qingying, still in stealth, felt a chill run down her spine.

How is he seeing through this?

But now that she was fully exposed—

She had no choice but to go all out!

Whoosh—

In an instant, she appeared before him, her dagger striking like a silver serpent toward his throat.

Crack—

A crisp sound echoed.

It felt like striking a mountain.

Though she targeted a vital point, she couldn’t penetrate at all.

Kanzaki Rei hadn’t used any technique—he had blocked it with his bare body.

"That’s what I mean. Your strength is too low."

"With your current power, if you fought a Golden Dragon of your level, you wouldn’t even pierce its scales."

Qingying gritted her teeth.

"That example isn’t fair! That’s a Golden Dragon—renowned for unmatched physical strength!"

"I think if you’re aiming for the strongest, defeating a Golden Dragon should be the minimum."

"If you think you’re good enough now, that’s fine too."

Qingying clenched her jaw. "Then what should I do?"

"I’ve pointed out the problem. How you fix it is up to you."

"I have some potions that can help strengthen your body. You’re not even using your current physical potential to its fullest."

"For that strike you just made, this is how I’d apply force."

A dagger materialized in his hand.

He thrust forward—

Boom!

Even though it struck only air, it felt like space itself had been pierced.

In that instant, Qingying sensed every cell in his body moving—his entire flow of blood aligned into a single line, all force converging into that thrust.

Completely different from her own attack.

This was Kanzaki Rei’s body now.

Not just raw strength—but absolute control.

"Practice."

"Tomorrow, I’ll help you advance to Level 5 Assassin. You’ll understand more then."

Teaching Qingying also fulfilled part of his own advancement requirements toward Level 6 Warrior.

Though Assassin and Warrior differed, many techniques overlapped.

...

April 28.

Yuna had already left yesterday.

Kanzaki Rei had nearly fulfilled the principles required for blacksmithing advancement.

Without guidance from a high-level blacksmith, he had been feeling his way forward—progress far slower than expected. Most of his time had been spent probing for hidden intricacies within the craft.

Combining magic and combat techniques, he had even begun developing his own forging methods.

After advancing to Level 2 Blacksmith...

He should finally be able to forge equipment suitable for himself.