Chapter 46: Chapter 46 – The Path Beyond Mortality

Eternia walked through the inner halls of the Sinclair estate while quietly questioning every life decision that had led her to this exact moment.

Actually no.

Correction.

She was questioning Godfrey’s life decisions.

Because normal people—

Normal sane people—

Did not summon fifteen year old girls for "training" with the same tone executioners used before public beheadings.

The deeper she walked into the estate, the quieter things became.

The luxurious corridors vanished.

The servants disappeared.

Even the guards stationed around the estate became fewer and fewer.

Only silence remained.

And somehow—

That silence felt dangerous.

Eternia narrowed her eyes slightly.

Something about Godfrey Sinclair always felt strange to her.

Not evil.

Not cruel.

But terrifyingly focused.

Like a blade hidden beneath cloth.

Every word he spoke sounded calm, yet every movement carried pressure heavy enough to make experienced mages nervous.

Which made one question very important.

Why exactly did a monster like him suddenly decide to take interest in her?

Her thoughts drifted briefly toward the conversation she overheard previously.

Her mother.

Soul scripts.

The First Dream.

Just remembering those fragments made her head hurt slightly.

And every time she tried focusing too hard on those memories—

Something inside her mind felt foggy.

Like thoughts slipping away before fully forming.

Annoying.

Very annoying.

Eternia sighed quietly.

Maybe I’m overthinking things.

Probably.

Hopefully.

Because if not—

Then she had a feeling her second life was about to become very complicated.

Again.

At the end of the corridor stood Godfrey.

Tall.

Still.

Silent.

The man stood with one hand behind his back while staring toward the distant mountain ranges beyond the estate walls.

His silver hair moved slightly in the wind drifting through the open archways.

Without turning around, he spoke.

"You have wasted enough time already."

Eternia blinked.

"...Hello to you too."

No response.

Typical.

Godfrey finally turned.

In his hand rested a weapon wrapped in black cloth.

"Get ready for training."

Eternia immediately felt suspicious.

Very suspicious.

Because in her experience—

The calmer someone sounded before training—

The worse the training usually became.

Godfrey tossed the wrapped object toward her.

Eternia caught it instinctively.

The moment she removed the cloth—

Her eyes widened slightly.

Beautiful.

The weapon was beautiful.

A dark silver spear roughly as tall as she was stood before her, its surface engraved with intricate runic pathways glowing faintly blue beneath sunlight. Near the center of the weapon rested a high-grade mana crystal embedded directly into the shaft itself, pulsing softly like a living heart.

But more importantly—

The shape.

The structure.

It wasn’t just a spear.

It was both spear and staff.

Balanced perfectly between close combat and spellcasting.

Eternia stared.

Then slowly smiled.

"...This is expensive."

Godfrey nodded once.

"You are under my banner now."

Pause.

"You will need proper gear."

Eternia lightly spun the weapon.

Perfect balance.

Perfect weight.

The mana circulation through the weapon felt absurdly smooth.

This thing was leagues beyond anything she had used so far.

Actually—

Selling this could probably buy several mansions.

Interesting idea.

Very tempting idea.

Godfrey suddenly moved.

Eternia didn’t even see when.

One moment he stood several meters away.

Next—

A massive hand grabbed the top of her head.

"...Huh?"

Godfrey looked down calmly.

"Brace for impact."

Eternia blinked.

"...What imp—"

BOOOOOOOOOOM!!

The world vanished.

Her vision exploded upward.

Wind roared past her ears.

Sky.

Only sky.

"...AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!"

Godfrey threw her.

Actually threw her.

Like a spear.

Like a cannonball.

Like an object.

Eternia soared hundreds of meters into the air while screaming internally.

THIS OLD MAN IS INSANE.

Below—

Leon and Kael stared from nearby bushes.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Then Kael slowly whispered—

"...I think I just witnessed attempted murder."

Leon nodded immediately.

"...We should never upset him."

"...Agreed."

Far above them—

Eternia continued flying.

"...I TAKE BACK EVERYTHING GOOD I SAID ABOUT THIS FAMILY!"

The wind slammed against her face violently as she continued ascending.

Then finally—

She stopped rising.

Silence.

Stillness.

And then—

Gravity remembered she existed.

"...Oh no."

She began falling.

Fast.

Very fast.

The massive private training grounds beneath her rapidly grew larger.

A gigantic circular arena surrounded by cliffs and reinforced barriers spread below like a battlefield made for monsters rather than humans.

Eternia stared downward.

Then immediately started panicking.

WHY IS THE GROUND GETTING BIGGER SO FAST?!

Meanwhile—

Godfrey calmly crouched.

Then jumped.

BOOOOOOM!!

The earth beneath him exploded.

His figure crossed the distance instantly using reinforcement magic so absurdly efficient that Eternia barely tracked his movement.

Before she crashed—

A hand caught her effortlessly.

Godfrey landed smoothly in the center of the training grounds while still holding Eternia by the collar like an annoyed cat.

He set her down.

"Your training starts today."

Eternia stared blankly.

"...I miss Kael and Leon already."

Godfrey ignored her entirely.

Because internally—

His thoughts were elsewhere.

She must reach the Awakened Rank quickly.

Before the others move.

Before the mission gets delayed any further.

Before the old bloodlines begin their games again.

Godfrey narrowed his eyes slightly.

And most importantly—

Before that thing fully awakened inside her.

He looked toward Eternia.

"Tell me."

"What do you know about the ranks beyond the Tenth Circle?"

Eternia blinked.

"...Very little."

Godfrey nodded.

"Most nobles don’t."

He stepped forward slowly.

"The Tenth Circle is merely the final realm of mortals."

Silence spread through the massive training grounds.

"The moment one surpasses it..."

His voice lowered slightly.

"They become something else entirely."

Eternia listened carefully.

Godfrey raised one finger.

"Tenth Circle."

Second finger.

"Awakened Rank."

Third.

"Eclipse Sovereign."

Fourth.

"Astral Tyrant."

Fifth.

"Celestial Saint."

Sixth.

"Void Monarch."

Seventh.

"Godling."

The air itself felt heavier with every title spoken.

Even Eternia instinctively felt pressure hearing those names.

Godfrey continued calmly.

"Only four Godlings have ever existed."

Eternia narrowed her eyes.

"...And you?"

Godfrey stared silently for moment.

"...Celestial Saint."

Eternia immediately almost choked.

THIRD HIGHEST?!

THIS MAN THREW ME LIKE A ROCK.

Suddenly many things made sense.

Terrifying sense.

Godfrey continued.

"To reach the Awakened Rank..."

He formed a sphere of mana above one hand.

Then golden aura above the other.

"Mana."

"Aura."

"Magic and martial force."

The two energies slowly merged together.

The resulting power changed instantly.

Neither mana.

Nor aura.

Something greater.

Something denser.

Something terrifying.

A silver-gold energy pulsed between his fingers.

"Ether."

The pressure exploded outward.

The entire training ground trembled.

Eternia’s eyes widened.

Because even standing nearby felt overwhelming.

Godfrey closed his hand.

The energy vanished instantly.

"Ether is required to activate a Soul Script."

"Without Ether..."

"You will never transcend mortality."

Eternia stared quietly.

Soul Scripts again.

Every path seemed leading toward them.

What exactly would hers become?

Would it resemble Shatter?

Would it resemble Eternia?

Or—

Something entirely different?

Godfrey studied her silently.

What kind of monster will you awaken into?

Then—

He pointed toward the spear.

"Pick it up."

Eternia slowly grabbed the weapon.

Then looked toward him suspiciously.

"...Wait."

"...Do you mean training now?"

Godfrey said nothing.

Eternia continued nervously.

"...Shouldn’t I become stronger first?"

Silence.

Then—

Godfrey disappeared.

Eternia’s instincts screamed instantly.

BOOOOM!!

The ground exploded where she previously stood.

Eternia barely avoided the strike using Wind Burst.

Shockwaves erupted across the arena.

She stared in horror.

HE ACTUALLY ATTACKED.

Godfrey calmly stood where she had been.

"No amount of theory matters if you cannot survive."

Then—

He charged again only using the physical power of an Awakened rank.

BOOOOM!!

The training grounds shattered beneath each step.

Eternia reacted instantly.

Compressed Air.

Wind Burst.

Water Shield.

Multiple first-tier spells layered simultaneously as she desperately repositioned.

Godfrey punched.

Not even using weapon.

Just punched.

The resulting shockwave shattered part of nearby reinforced wall.

Eternia narrowly dodged.

"...THIS ISN’T TRAINING THIS IS ASSASSINATION!"

Godfrey answered calmly.

"Good."

"What."

"You still have enough energy to complain."

"...I HATE THIS MAN."

Godfrey moved again.

Fast.

Too fast.

Eternia blocked instinctively using her new spear.

CLAAAAANG!!

Pain exploded through her arms.

She got launched across the arena like a ragdoll before crashing against stone pillars.

CRASH!!

Dust exploded everywhere.

Eternia coughed violently.

"...Ow."

Pause.

"...Definitely ow."

Godfrey slowly approached.

"No hesitation."

"No wasted movement."

"No fear."

"If you hesitate in real battle..."

"You die."

Eternia stood shakily.

"...Very motivational speech."

Then immediately ducked.

BOOOOM!!

Another shockwave exploded overhead.

She retaliated instantly.

Water Stream.

Cold Air.

Fusion.

Second Tier:

Ice Prison.

Massive ice erupted upward around Godfrey instantly.

Silence.

Eternia panted heavily.

"...Got him?"

CRACK.

The entire prison exploded instantly.

Godfrey walked through the debris unharmed.

Eternia stared.

"...That’s illegal."

Godfrey raised hand.

A tiny mana bullet formed.

Small.

Simple.

Harmless looking.

Then he flicked it.

BOOOOM!!

Eternia barely redirected herself with Wind Burst before the projectile erased an entire section of reinforced arena wall.

She froze.

HE THREW A PEBBLE.

The fight continued.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Godfrey completely overwhelmed her.

Not just strength.

Everything.

Timing.

Positioning.

Movement.

Control.

Even breathing.

Every motion felt perfected.

And despite the overwhelming difference—

Godfrey never slowed.

Never held back enough to make things comfortable.

Because his goal wasn’t sparring.

It was survival.

Eternia barely blocked another strike.

Pain shot through entire body.

Her muscles screamed.

Her mana nearly depleted already.

And somehow—

Godfrey still looked completely calm.

Monster.

Actual monster.

Yet slowly—

Very slowly—

Something changed.

Her movements sharpened.

Cleaner.

Faster.

Instinctive.

Because Shatter’s old battle experience started resurfacing under pressure.

Godfrey noticed instantly.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Meanwhile—

Elsewhere inside the estate—

Etherius trained alone.

The massive indoor training hall remained silent except for mana explosions echoing softly across reinforced walls.

Sweat dripped down his face.

Magic circles rotated rapidly around him.

One.

Two.

Three.

Third Circle achieved.

In a single day.

Absurd.

Terrifying.

Yet Etherius merely exhaled slowly.

Not enough.

Far from enough.

Previous life memories remained advantage.

But advantage meant nothing if strength failed to keep pace.

Then suddenly—

A voice echoed behind him.

"Impressive."

Etherius froze instantly.

His instincts exploded.

Someone approached without him noticing.

Impossible.

Etherius jumped backward immediately while summoning dark mana around his hands.

"Who are you?!"

Then—

He saw her.

A woman stood near the entrance silently.

Tall.

Covered in scars.

White hair.

Golden eyes.

And an overwhelming gaze sharp enough to feel like blades pressing against skin.

Even standing casually—

She radiated battlefield terror.

The kind only real monsters possessed.

Etherius recognized her instantly.

His eyes widened.

"...Impossible."

The woman tilted her head slightly.

"Forgot your savior already?"

Silence.

Then realization struck.

The unknown helper.

The hidden presence from the ruined estate.

Etherius stared.

"...You."

She smirked faintly.

"So you figured it out."

Etherius immediately became cautious.

Very cautious.

Because the woman before him was famous.

Infamous even.

Seraphine Valecross.

The White Warmage.

The Battlefield Reaper.

One of the strongest combat instructors within the Sinclair family.

A woman who never accepted disciples lightly.

Only six in total.

And every single one became monsters.

Awakened Rank or higher.

Combat Soul Scripts.

Living weapons.

Seraphine slowly walked closer.

Scars covered her arms.

Her neck.

Even parts of her face.

Not ugly.

No.

Terrifyingly beautiful.

Like a sword sharpened through endless war.

Golden eyes studied Etherius carefully.

"Third Circle in one day."

"Interesting."

Etherius narrowed eyes.

"...Why help me?"

Seraphine smiled slightly.

"Because you looked fun."

Silence.

"...What."

"You heard me."

"...That’s your reason?"

"Partially."

She stopped directly before him.

Then her gaze sharpened.

Dangerous.

Predatory.

"You fight like someone who remembers dying."

Silence fell instantly.

Etherius froze completely.

Because for first time since regression—

Someone said something truly terrifying.