Chapter 248

Chapter 249. You Can’t Pass (4)

Keter knows Minerva’s secret.

Inside her massive, over-two-meter-tall frame lies a small, delicate young girl.

And that armor is an artifact called “Brunhild,” which grants the wearer strength and abilities rivaling an ogre, no matter who wears it.

In short, it’s an unfair battle of strength. In the sacred grounds of the royal palace, Keter, being human, cannot use aura or mana and relies solely on physical strength, while Minerva uses the power of the artifact.

But Keter doesn’t care and clasps hands with Minerva. Due to their height difference, it naturally looks like Minerva is pressing Keter down.

At this moment, Minerva had no ulterior thoughts. Her mind was focused solely on the idea of “testing strength.”

The spectators, seeing the height difference, probably thought it was natural for them to compete in strength like that—but that wasn’t the case.

It was all part of Keter’s plan.

“Pressing down only uses upper body strength, but pushing up can utilize the lower body and even the repulsive force of pushing against the ground with both feet.”

Many called Keter crazy. When he was younger, he used to explain things out of frustration.

But no matter how much he explained, people didn’t believe him.

“You calculated all that? In less than 10 seconds?”

“You’re a genius who knows everything, huh? Well done, well done.”

Even when he kindly explained, they didn’t believe him and instead cursed him for being unlucky.

When he realized that revealing his plans to others was foolish, Keter understood the truth: “Eloquence is a lesser strategy; silence is the superior one.”

“I do it because I can.”

Killing the queen called a god, saving the politically isolated House of Sephira, standing in the royal palace blocking the bridge.

“And defeating a Titan in a battle of strength.”

He channels the strength gathered from his toes into his arms.

*Boom!*

Just exerting force creates a thunderous sound.

Minerva’s massive frame is slightly pushed back. Her eyes widen as she thought she could easily push Keter away.

Keter smiles at her and says, “Didn’t have breakfast?”

In response, Minerva releases steam from her armor.

*Whoosh!*

Minerva’s Brunhild glows red. Simultaneously, Keter is pushed back two steps.

*Sssss!*

Smoke rises from the ground due to friction. A heat haze shimmers around their clasped hands.

Minerva is genuinely shocked.

“He withstood 70% of Brunhild’s output with human strength?”

70% of Brunhild’s output is enough to throw a boulder the size of a carriage. That a human could withstand it was unbelievable to Minerva.

But it was too early to be shocked. Keter maintains “Heavenly Power Stage 1” at all times. Now, he had raised it to Stage 3.

Minerva is pushed back three steps.

*Sssss!*

The queen’s bridge, made of silver, crumples under the friction, creating a metallic tearing sound.

Minerva couldn’t understand how a human could push back Brunhild with sheer strength, but losing to Keter in strength was unacceptable.

“Output 100%.”

She unleashes 100% output against a human with no aura or mana.

Brunhild, glowing red, turns blue. Simultaneously, Keter raises his Heavenly Power to Stage 5.

*Boom! Crack!*

The sheer force creates shockwaves, and the bridge supporting them sinks.

“……”

-……

Minerva couldn’t comprehend the current reality. She rarely used 100% output with Brunhild, but even after doing so, she couldn’t gain the upper hand in a battle of strength?

100% output can only be maintained for 10 minutes. If she doesn’t win within that time, Brunhild enters forced cooling, reducing output to 20%.

“Am I losing in a battle of strength, of all things?”

Since boarding Brunhild, she had always been invincible. She had always won, no matter the situation or opponent. There were crises, but she always overcame them.

But now?

Her opponent isn’t a strong enemy. Not a monster. Not even a 7-Star Prime. Just a “human.”

Losing to a pure “human” was, for Minerva, more than humiliation—it was a denial of her very existence.

From another perspective, Keter had no intention of losing this battle either. Even though he had received help from Minerva and wanted to be on good terms with the Aegis family—the concept of “holding back” or “letting someone win” didn’t exist for Keter.

– Ah, ahhh!

Minerva lets out a battle cry first. Her voice, originally that of a delicate girl, becomes a roar akin to a raging beast through Brunhild.

*Whoooosh!*

Brunhild responds to her will. Anger, competitiveness, the desire to win—these emotions amplify Brunhild’s original power.

At this moment, Minerva didn’t notice, but Brunhild’s output increased exponentially.

-[Output 300%.]

The blue light emitted by Brunhild turns yellow.

Simultaneously, Keter realizes.

If this continues, he’ll lose.

“She’s surpassed her limits, huh? Then I’ll surpass mine too.”

Keter recalls the words of his Heavenly Power master.

“Don’t attempt Stage 6 with just any mindset!”

“Why? Will I die?”

“Who cares about life! You’ll lose something far more important!”

“So, what is it?”

“Look!”

The master pointed to his own head. It was bald. Not a single strand of hair.

“My hair will fall out? That’s definitely a no.”

“It’s not just hair! Hair somewhere on your body will fall out, and if you’re unlucky, it could be your head!”

“But is that the only side effect?”

“Nine out of ten who attempted Stage 6 died. Is that not important to you?”

“Ah, that’s true.”

Heavenly Power is a technique that dismantles human limits. At Stage 5, it draws out all of a human’s strength.

From Stage 6, it enters the realm of “transcending humanity,” unleashing power beyond human capability. In other words, a human body can never surpass Stage 6.

But Keter had already transcended the human body. Through body modification, he had incorporated the genetic material of other humans, as well as the organs and blood of monsters and other races.

Not only that. Through metamorphosis, his body’s structure was completely different from a human’s. The number of bones, range of joint movement, regenerative abilities—all were altered.

Keter already met the conditions to reach Stage 6.

Which means—

-[Heavenly Power Stage 6.]

Keter can now draw out over 500% of a human’s strength.

To win, both had surpassed their limits, and the result was…

*Crack!*

The queen’s bridge, their stage, begins to groan under their power.

The cracks caused by the two spread uncontrollably.

“You’ve crossed the line of play, both of you.”

A black-clad woman appears between them and pushes them apart with just her fingers.

* * *

The sudden appearance of the black-clad woman was Lilie, the sword instructor and advisor to the Second Prince, Rakan.

Pushed back by just her fingers, Minerva and Keter stood like statues, unmoving. It wasn’t because of Lilie but due to the side effects of surpassing their limits.

Minerva had raised Brunhild’s output to 300%, and Keter had surpassed the wall of Heavenly Power Stage 5.

If Lilie hadn’t intervened, the queen’s bridge would have collapsed under their power.

Neither the First Prince nor the Second Prince wanted that. After all, this was the royal palace.

The queen’s bridge is the only passage connecting to the palace. If such a passage collapsed due to mere “play,” the royal family’s dignity would crumble with it.

‘How on earth?’

Meanwhile, Minerva was shocked that even after surpassing her limits, she couldn’t decisively push Keter back.

Of course, she knew. When she surpassed her limits, Keter had done the same.

But the world of competition is cruel. Even if both are outstanding, there must be a winner and a loser. And the winner should have been her.

Because she was aboard Brunhild. Because she had the artifact’s help.

‘It wasn’t a fair fight. Even if I won, it wouldn’t have been a clean victory. And yet…’

She lost a battle she should have won. That fact left her in despair.

On the other hand, Keter wasn’t thinking about Minerva. She was already out of his mind. All his focus was on the newly appeared woman.

‘A dark elf, as rare as a high elf?’

Generally, elves are known for their skin, clearer than the blue sky and brighter than jewels.

But dark elves have black skin. The most beautiful black in the world.

The difference between dark elves and elves ends there. It’s just that their skin is black.

But the world doesn’t see it that way. Fallen elves, evil elves, elves who consort with demons… Just because their skin is black, they’re labeled as “evil.”

This prejudice has persisted for hundreds, thousands of years, to the point where even other elves treat dark elves as fallen. In reality, there’s no connection.

Regardless, Keter felt intrigued by the dark elf before him.

Was it because he was seeing a dark elf for the first time? Because her skin was so mesmerizing? No. It was because of the “miracle” she had shown.

‘Authority, right? As expected of the royal palace? A 7-Star Prime just popped out.’

There are many types of authority symbolized by Primes, but the most common is the “formula-type authority,” which enforces one’s own laws upon the world.

‘Is it a formula that makes her twice as strong as her opponent? Or one that lets her push anything away with a finger? I want to test it.’

Authority plays a huge role in battles with Primes. Knowing or not knowing the opponent’s authority can determine victory or defeat.

For Keter, who was considering a full-scale war with the queen in the future, understanding the authority of a dark elf who seemed to be from the royal palace was both interesting and practical.

Lilie, unaware that Keter was looking at her with such thoughts, introduced herself before the lords.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Lilie, the Royal Sword Instructor.”

After stating who she was, Lilie shot a sharp remark at Keter.

“Damaging the queen’s bridge is prohibited. Understood?”

“It’s public property, so let’s treat it with more care.”

Keter responded with a jest, causing Lilie’s delicate brow to furrow.

Originally planning to leave after a single remark, Lilie seemed to sense something from Keter and stepped closer, scanning his entire body. Then, in a low voice so others wouldn’t hear, she asked,

“What’s your relationship with Kadia?”

Keter let out a hollow laugh at Lilie’s question. He hadn’t expected to hear that name in the royal palace, let alone from a dark elf.

“Does my wife have some business with you?”

He simply stated the truth, but Lilie’s expression turned fierce.