The night is long, and the morning is short.
It was because it was the dead of winter.
It was cold enough already, and with even the sun lazing about, there were hardly any people coming or going despite the sky having begun to brighten faintly.
The piled snow was deep enough to cover one’s ankles, and those who moved about wrapped themselves in thick clothing. It was the kind of winter where people warmed their hands with their breath and focused on the ground beneath their feet, struggling forward one step at a time.
Of course, there also existed worlds utterly removed from such things.
Winter this, cold that.
People who burned with passion at all times, regardless of whether the night was long or the day was short.
The places where such people gathered were like that.
Naturally, the Royal Knights’ outdoor training ground was one of them.
Paak—!
The snowfield that had piled up all night soared high into the sky with a single stamp of Claire’s foot.
As Claire leapt as if taking flight, blazing flames accompanied her on all sides.
Her figure shot forward, melting all the nearby snow, like a meteor shower across the night sky, but—
Kwaaaang—!
It was blocked by two swords made of snow and ice.
“That’s hot.”
It was Melissa.
The two had been sparring since the crack of dawn in the outdoor training ground reserved for the Royal Knights.
Because of them, most of the snow piled around the area had vanished, and even the winter cold could not pierce through the heat.
“Winter finally came, and yet it’s this hot.”
Even so, however, it was still winter.
For Melissa, who controlled snow and ice, winter was the optimal season.
No matter how hot and high Claire’s flames burned, as long as she could not drive away winter itself, this place was no different from Melissa’s domain.
Before long, snowflakes began to fall from the sky one by one.
The very fact that they came down through that searing heat meant they were no ordinary snowflakes.
As if to prove it, each and every one of them became a tiny blade and rushed toward Claire.
There seemed to be at least a hundred blades of snow.
They were small and sharp, and Melissa’s mana was imbued in them, so if Claire simply wrapped herself in fire as before, she would be pierced through.
Thus, Claire responded in the same manner.
She separated her fire into small pieces, one by one, and moved them.
Their number matched the blades of snow exactly.
All of this happened in the brief moment after the two clashed and drew back again.
Kwaaaang—!
The snow blades and the fragments of fire collided head-on.
Dense steam billowed up and obscured sight, while scattering mana made it difficult to focus one’s senses.
Even so, Claire pinpointed Melissa’s location precisely and was even preparing for the next attack.
Seeing that, Melissa let out a small, empty laugh and withdrew her skill.
“The assault is coming up soon, so let’s stop here. Claire.”
At any other time, they would have continued sparring until a conclusion was reached, and as always, it would have ended in Melissa’s victory.
But the assault on the 58th floor was not far off, so they had to end it at a reasonable point.
“……Yes.”
And so Claire, too, withdrew her skill with a look of regret.
With that, the steam began to clear.
The flow of energy, which had been unstable from the collision of skills, settled, and as Claire’s figure was revealed, Melissa let out another hollow laugh.
It was because her appearance was far too intact.
Not only was there no sweat, but not even a single part of her attire was disheveled, meaning she had blocked all hundred or so blades.
How could that be an ordinary feat?
No matter if it was her own skill, subdividing it so minutely, imbuing each piece with power, and controlling them one by one could not be explained unless it was talent taken to an extreme.
Compared to a few months ago, it was a growth rate that would have been unimaginable.
The reason was, as expected, the real combat experience she had gained while going through the 55th, 56th, and 57th floors.
Claire grew stronger rapidly the more real combat she experienced.
Moreover, the 55th through 57th floors were not types with many variables, like the breakthrough floor where they were scattered at random or a labyrinth.
Only combat.
Floors where combat continued without end.
That was why Claire had been able to grow so quickly.
“I’m still…… nowhere near enough.”
Claire approached as she extinguished her flames.
Perhaps there was nothing she could do about her ragged breaths, for hot air poured white from her mouth.
Unlike Claire, Melissa’s breathing was the same as it had been at the start, so had the spar continued, the result was obvious.
“If you’ve caught up this much in just a few months, that’s enough. How much further are you trying to go?”
“Is that…… so?”
“Yes. To begin with, your goal is too high. So don’t think about reaching it all at once, and don’t be impatient. That could end up holding back your growth.”
The amount of time Claire could continue sparring with Melissa was growing longer and longer.
It meant she was more frequently responding to Melissa’s skills and counterattacking.
The hundred or so fragments of flame she had used just now were also a skill she had thought of after watching Melissa’s snow blades.
She had received direct instruction from Melissa, who ranked within the top five in the empire when it came to handling and utilizing skills, and sparred with her every day, so in a way, it was only natural.
There was not the slightest reason to be impatient.
No matter what anyone said, Claire was growing stronger at a rapid pace.
If she maintained this growth rate, she would be able to enter the ranks of the truly powerful within a few years.
Therefore, it was more important to have composure and look further ahead rather than grow impatient.
That was what Melissa thought, and so she gave Claire that advice.
“I understand.”
Claire nodded.
She herself was well aware of the speed of her growth.
It only did not stand out because her goal was so impossibly high.
Still, if she continued growing like this, she would certainly reach that goal someday.
She would be able to be of help to him.
There was still plenty of time.
“Let’s go back. It’s time to prepare.”
One exceptionally cold midwinter day.
Just before the assault on the 58th floor began.
That was what Claire thought.
* * *
「Point Shop」
「Stamina +1 : 10 pt」
「Strength +1 : 10 pt」
「Agility +1 : 10 pt」
「Mana +1 : 10 pt」
……
「Remaining Points : 27 pt」
[Name: Zlzon☆Heavenly Demon★]
[Strength: 250]
[Agility: 250]
[Stamina: 500]
[Mana: 500 (+77)]
[Spiritual Power: 103]
[Divine Power: 421]
[Main Trait: Genius of Mana Sensitivity]
[Sub Trait: Can’t Live Without Style!]
[Support Trait: Everything’s Double!]
[Hidden Trait: No Violence! (Patience: 271 / 1000)]
[Trait: Ghost Eyes]
[Trait: Etherealization]
[Skill: Thunder Emperor (雷帝)]
[Skill: Azure Flame (靑炎)]
[Skill: Summon Death God (死神)]
[Skill: Heaven (天上)]
[Skill: Domain of Void (空)]
The season that had been at the tail end of autumn when he cleared the 54th floor, the breakthrough floor, had at some point become the dead of winter.
Over the past few months, fame points had steadily accumulated.
When he looked through the records to see what events had caused so many points to pile up, the largest portion, as expected, came from clearing the Abyss.
Because the basis for the rumors was certain, and because its danger had been clearly revealed through the previous failed assault, most people on the continent were paying attention to the empire’s expeditionary force and knew of its existence.
Naturally, Hio’s fame, as one of those playing an active role, rose high.
On top of that, rumors of previous incidents spread once more, earning him fame points again.
Of course, the amount of points gained was not as large as when the rumors had first spread, but even so, when they accumulated, it was quite a substantial amount.
As if that were not enough, even in the outside world—in other words, Earth—rumors about Hio still had not died down and were granting him fame points little by little.
The first thing he did with the points he had accumulated that way was raise his stamina stat.
After mana, divine power was the next most important, but he thought raising his basic stats came first, and that decision had certainly been effective.
Now, at the very least, he would not have to shrink back anywhere because of lacking stats.
“Hmm……”
After filling in the stats he had been short on, he immediately returned to immersing himself in magical research.
From Blink to the Coffin of Death, and even the Book of Dragon Summoning.
He had learned all the 5th Circle magic he had wanted to obtain, so now what he had to do was ascend to the 6th Circle.
However, from this point on, it was not a problem that could be solved simply by having an absurd amount of mana.
In other words, the 5th Circle was the limit for holding down mana rings that had grown endlessly broad and thick with only the power of sigils.
Even if the center had been firmly anchored in the first ring, the 1st Circle, from the sixth onward, it became unstable in proportion to how far it was from the center.
That was why what people commonly called enlightenment was necessary.
The reconstruction of the body in order to enter the realm of the superhuman.
Only after undergoing that could one finally enter the complete 6th Circle, or so he had heard.
“It’s difficult.”
Even after asking Regarda for advice, it was not easy.
To begin with, was the intent handled by knights even the same thing as a mage’s enlightenment?
Since he had no one to ask, he was stuck here.
Furnell in life also seemed not to have reached the 6th Circle, for he could not give an answer to such questions.
“Well, it’s not something I can solve just by racking my brain over it right now.”
For the time being, he was investing his time in finding another divine mage’s house.
The capital of the Divine Kingdom of Hiberunia.
A priest and mage who had served the Goddess of Hope.
The third underground floor of the house of the divine mage of Hope.
For nearly two months, he had perused the books here, and the parts he could not understand, he had researched directly.
And with the final book he had just closed, he had now read every book that filled the third underground floor.
After putting the book down and blinking his stiff eyes several times, Hio turned to look beside him.
“How is it?”
Airaitz was sitting beside him.
Her mouth was slightly open, as if she were deeply focused.
Her fingers moved busily through the air.
“Mm…… I think I’m almost there……”
Others would not be able to see it, but Hio could see it clearly.
The shape of mana being drawn out in fine strands, trying to form a sigil.
Airaitz’s skill in handling mana had also developed by leaps and bounds, and at last, she had reached the state just before completing a complex sigil.
“Good. If you keep going just a little more like that……”
But soon after, perhaps because her concentration had reached its limit, the mana flinched, and the sigil on the verge of completion scattered in vain.
Hio had the trait Genius of Mana Sensitivity, and on top of that, Everything’s Double.
If he concentrated, he could not only feel mana with his entire body but even visualize it with his eyes.
That was why, from the moment he had first encountered sigils, he had been able to imitate Verga’s magic without any difficulty.
But Airaitz had no such trait.
Even so, the fact that she had achieved this much in less than half a year meant she had considerable talent.
Though the person herself did not seem to think so, judging from the hollow expression she wore.
“……I failed again.”
It was the expression she made because she could not see mana with her eyes.
Because she could not know how close she had come, or how beautiful the nearly completed sigil made from hundreds of delicate strands of mana had been, she felt empty.
“You’re really almost there. If you’re fast, you might be able to complete the sigil by tomorrow.”
“Really?”
Seeing Airaitz brighten, Hio smiled and nodded.
“More than enough. If you’re fast, tomorrow; if late, then by the day after tomorrow, you’ll be able to make your first ring. You’ll become an apprentice mage.”
Once she made the first ring, there would be many things she could do.
First, she could go down to the fourth underground floor and use the portal together with Hio, and she would also be able to go to Tetradia.
On top of that, since Hio was there, advancing to the 2nd and 3rd Circles would not be difficult either.
“Then I really can go with you starting from the next assault!”
“I suppose so.”
Hio slowly rose from his seat.
It was the appointed time.
In other words, it was time to move for the assault on the 58th floor.
“What about what you were looking for, Hio? You said it was a new divine magic, right? You were trying to find it by going through all the books here. Did you find it?”
At Airaitz’s question as she rose after him, Hio took out a pale green necklace and nodded.
“I found a clue.”
Hio turned his gaze to the book he had read last.
The hint about another divine mage’s house had been written in that final book.
“That’s a relief. Then after this assault is over, let’s go there together. By then, I’ll be able to follow you and use the underground portal too.”
Airaitz spoke with a hehe laugh, as if the mere thought put her in a good mood, and Hio nodded once more as he brought the Pavlenko family necklace to the wall.
Rumble— With a heavy sound, the door to the fourth underground floor opened. Beyond it was a stairway plastered with all kinds of protective magic.
As Hio descended along it, she smiled and waved her hand.
“Have a safe trip. When you come back, I’ll be a proper mage too, just like you!”
With Hio’s faint smile as the last thing she saw, the door to the underground stairway closed again.
Silence settled over the space of the third underground floor, and Airaitz was left alone once more, but it did not matter.
Once this 58th floor was over, she, too, would set out on the assault again.
She would go to Tetradia, which she had only heard about, and visit the other divine mage’s house where Hio said he had found a clue, and in earnest, she would help Hio.
At last, she would be able to be of help.
By then, it would probably not be the cold winter of now, but warm spring.
It would surely be such a spring day.
For that, she quickly approached the desk again and concentrated on making the sigil.
Unaware of just how cold the wind outside was blowing.
“Good.”
Thinking it would pass anyway, she focused on the task before her eyes.
Because the warm spring day was not far away.
Because the future she had longed for so dearly shimmered before her, almost within reach.
“Not much longer now.”
The night is darkest just before the sun rises.
And winter is coldest just before spring comes.
“Let’s concentrate and succeed in one go!”
Now was the winter just before spring arrived.