Chapter 68

After Rize literally smashed the sky, Rod took charge of the cleanup.

Rod casually poked the sky with his sword in various directions, and before long, it returned to its original state.

According to Rod, it wouldn’t have been a problem to leave it as is, but since it could draw unnecessary attention, he decided to take action.

Rize could handle anything fine but claimed she was totally devoid of talent for delicate work, so it was best that she was the one doing it.

“Who is this muscle-bound human? I hurried back because the sky was acting strange, and now there’s this weird guy here.”

As I pondered whether it was truly right to leave this to Rize, Porori returned home.

It seemed like Porori rushed back the moment the sky started to act up. Given Porori’s sensitivity to the sky, that reaction was probably expected.

“Hmm? A talking squirrel? Are you a spirit creature?”

Rize was slightly surprised by Porori’s presence but didn’t make a fuss about it.

Having traveled around the world for decades like Rod, encountering a spirit creature wasn’t such a big deal for her.

“I can strongly feel Gulrak’s energy from you. Did you perhaps receive a blessing from him?”

“Uh… for now? I can use lightning just like that red-haired lady.”

Porori pointed at Kara while responding. That reminded me of the time when Kara first realized Porori was present.

It was bizarre enough that Porori had saved Hector, but also that Porori seemed amazed by how well Kara managed lightning compared to herself.

I felt a sense of defeat from Porori in several aspects, and I believed Kara felt similarly.

“But what exactly are you? You look like a male, but why do you reek of female essence? Is my nose acting up?”

Porori circled around Rize, trying to figure her out.

Porori, like me, seemed to have a distinct instinct. It probably quickly noticed that Rize was biologically female.

But Rize appeared like the very picture of a man. It’s a physique that’s hard to come by, even for most men.

“Biologically speaking, yes, I am female. However, I am blessed by Chaos, and I can confidently say I surpass anyone in physicality.”

“Oh, I see. That makes sense. Chaos is the same God as that guy, right?”

Porori pointed at me, still seated on the sofa. I was, indeed, sitting on the sofa.

Next to me was Eli, who lovingly patted my head.

Normally, I wouldn’t act like a spoiled child with so many eyes on me and a nagging conscience, but after witnessing Rize’s extraordinary strength just now, my thoughts shifted.

I realized I would have to endure physical hypnosis multiple times ahead of me, and my worries were more than a bit overwhelming. Eli noticed that and was comforting me.

“Yes. Sivar also received the selection of Chaos. That’s why I wanted to help.”

“What help?”

“I thought of giving you the ability to control your nature, so you can master Berserk at will.”

“Hmm. If that’s the case, I can understand.”

Porori nodded with crossed arms in response to Rize’s explanation. It was a clear sign of comprehension.

Porori has the most experience fighting me when I’m Berserk. They must have felt the need for control.

Didn’t they tell me before to do something about my red eyes? In the wilderness it might be fine, but in civilization, control is essential.

“If that’s the case, then why did you smash the sky earlier? You really startled me out of nowhere.”

“Oh. That was due to hypnosis. I was set to help Sivar starting this weekend.”

“…Is smashing the sky related to hypnosis? Is my vision messed up?”

Still baffled, Porori mumbled, not knowing the meaning of physical hypnosis.

I wasn’t keen on being a victim of physical hypnosis, but I had no choice because other methods were not feasible.

‘They say there’s no direct damage, but what does that even mean?’

Most importantly, Rize emphasized that smashing the sky was merely an example, and there would be no direct damage.

If it involved smashing space and using that shockwave to attack, then it made sense. It wasn’t a direct hit, after all.

But it’d hurt like hell. Generally speaking, attacks related to space make defense meaningless.

In the Soul World, there’s a special ability called ‘damage ignoring,’ or simply ‘damage ignoring.’

Steel King, Shield, Solid Body Technique, etc. They all ignore defense, and the damage lands straightforwardly.

‘Are they planning to literally disassemble my bones and flesh from within?’

I’m used to pain, but I still hated the thought. The next day is the weekend, and I already worry.

“Are you sure you can handle it? You seem stronger than that old fellow, but he’s no pushover either?”

As I sighed to myself, Porori asked Rize with a worried tone.

Porori had barely managed to take me down with Hector’s help. In fact, Rod had to deliver the final blow.

Before learning various techniques, it was a pretty even match with Porori, but I was gradually growing, and now it felt like it’d be a struggle for Porori.

“Don’t worry. You don’t have to go Berserk. For now, all you need to do is awaken the feeling just before it activates.”

“Hmm. I can’t quite grasp it by just hearing it. Since it’s the weekend, I guess I should go see it myself.”

Rize seemed to have gotten friendly with Porori before I knew it. She was giving off strong human vibes instead of animal tendencies in conversation.

Porori seemed to notice this belatedly, asking Rize in a voice full of curiosity.

“Come to think of it, you seem familiar with talking to spirit creatures? That red-haired lady was reluctant to even chat with me.”

“Huh? Me?”

Porori was pointing at Kara. Kara, suddenly called out, showed a flustered reaction.

Indeed, Kara appeared to hesitate in talking to Porori. More accurately, they found it tough to speak due to the awkwardness.

Kara’s reaction was the normal one; the rest of them felt quite off. Talking to a talking squirrel, after all, would feel strange.

Even in a fantasy world, awkward remains awkward. Especially considering spirit creatures are not something you come across every day.

“I’m used to it. I’ve met deer spirits protecting the forest and even a white tiger watching over the area. I’ve also encountered spirit creatures that took on human forms.”

“Human forms? Are you saying I could turn into something like those guys?”

“I thought it was just a story from legends.”

After Porori’s startled reaction, Rod asked if that was for real.

Considering Rod had lived a lifetime as a rogue, being shocked speaks volumes about the rarity of such cases.

Spirit creatures like Porori are already quite rare, and evolving into a human form is a really unique case. It’s the closest to ‘blue paint’ among spirit creatures.

“I also met one by chance. It was a fox spirit with eight tails.”

Rize crossed her arms, emphasizing her impressive biceps as she dug into her past memories.

Based on age and experience, she was likely more seasoned than Rod. She knew the world widely and had even visited areas inhabited by demons.

“Except for the ears, it looked no different from a human. However, it was on the verge of walking a wicked path.”

“Wicked path?”

“It was contemplating whether to absorb the life energy of humans like a succubus. I realized that and led it onto the right path. By now, it must have taken on an entirely human form.”

I could guess who it might be. The spirit creature closely associated with Rize, the Gumiho, could only be one of them.

By now, she would be traveling through the Eastern Empire, brimming with deep gratitude toward Rize.

‘Leading it back to the righteous path is still a fancy way of saying I beat the crap out of it.’

Of course, the Gumiho had attacked first, and Rize had merely responded in kind.

Perhaps Rize’s words during that retaliation served as her realization. It’s certainly an intriguing story.

“So you too could certainly become a spirit creature. Legends in the Hwan Empire say that someone became human just by eating mugwort and garlic inside a cave.”

“…Are you telling me to live off mugwort and garlic?”

“That’s merely an example. Living on mugwort and garlic emphasizes ‘perseverance.’ You already know well what patience is, don’t you?”

“That’s true. It’s tough just to offer up the acorns I struggle to gather daily to the sky. I should probably start by practicing to lift my thumb.”

Porori extended both hands, wiggling their fingers. Still, it couldn’t bend the thumb.

What would happen if that thing transformed into a human? I knew Gumiho was a beautiful lady.

“But, uh… Gwonseong, will you be staying at the Academy for a while?”

While Porori was fiddling with its thumb, Luna spoke up. She was asking if Gwonseong would be staying at the Academy for a time.

Rize turned around to face Luna. The moment she did, Luna flinched.

Just turning around wielded an immense aura of pressure.

“I think so. However, I can’t be away too long, either. After assisting Sivar, I’ll return to Byzantium.”

“Hmm…”

Upon hearing Rize’s response, Luna glanced at Rod. It seemed like she was wondering if it was okay to mention anything related to the ‘demon’ at the Academy.

Rod seemed to understand Luna’s glance, shaking his head. It was a sign that now wasn’t the time.

Since even Rod wasn’t entirely sure, it seemed wise to avoid unnecessary confusion. Demons could catch on, after all.

‘Rize, being the being the demons feared most…’

Rize’s reputation was so imposing that she earned the nickname ‘Demonic War Machine’ due to her absolute superiority against demons.

The combination of ‘Gwonseong’ and ‘Saint’ made it fair to call her the nemesis of demons.

From her power, which greatly undermined the demons to her space-destroying capabilities that ignored all defenses, she’d raise alarms at the Academy simply by being present.

‘If the timing were to align perfectly, clearing the Academy collapse chapter would be a breeze, but…’

The chance of that nearing 0% made it practically impossible. The demons were meticulously tracking Rize’s movements down to the last detail.

If Rize were around at the time of execution? They would abort the idea altogether and push it back.

That just goes to show how powerful Rize’s influence is, meaning it’s best to steer clear of her.

“I see. So, it seems you’re staying here for a while… where will you be eating and lodging?”

“I’ve already arranged a place for that. My aide worked hard. But instead…”

Puh-woosh!

Rize trailed off, and a very minor explosion occurred. It sounded like popcorn popping, with thick smoke spiraling up.

Then amidst that smoke, Rize appeared in her Saint mode. Instead of her massive pecs, a lush bosom like Eli’s stood out.

Unlike the macho Gwonseong mode, she looked just like a heavenly woman. Rize made a somewhat dissatisfied smile, mumbling to herself.

“I’ll have to be this way. I came here as a Saint, not as Gwonseong.”

“…Is there a difference?”

“Of course. If I came in Gwonseong’s form, it would be as if I was here to conduct heresy trials.”

Rod answered Luna’s question. It would be akin to announcing that Gwonseong had come to show strength.

From the Academy’s perspective, it would be confusing to see what kind of strength was being brought in, making the Saint mode the fitting choice.

“…What? Where did that other guy disappear to? Why is there a real lady here?”

“Same person.”

“You’re kidding… No. Forget it. With those kinds of people, there’s all sorts in this world.”

Rize even made Porori give up on her thoughts. She truly embodied ‘chaos.’

“…What exactly is your real form? Is it this, or was it just now?”

After seeing both the Saint and Gwonseong, Kara asked with a baffled tone.

She, like the others, looked utterly lost trying to understand.

What could possibly be Rize’s true form, perhaps even lingering in their thoughts.

Rize seemed to know it too, responding with her signature refreshing smile.

“Both are my true forms. When I put power into this state, it transforms into that one. In fact, I prefer my Gwonseong form, but my aide pressures me to maintain this form.”

“What’s the principle behind it?”

“It’s nothing special. It just changes when I put power into my body.”

Oh, how simple that sounds. Others held expressions that mirrored my inner thoughts.

Rize seemed to think her explanation was lacking, placing a hand atop her ample bosom while adding more.

“To clarify further, this form is convenient for storing power. That previous form is the opposite.”

“…I still don’t get it.”

“Hmm. If I say this form is for preventing muscle loss, would that be easier to understand? It turns breast muscles into fat, and it’s easier to contain divine power too.”

She emphasized her unusually ample bosom while elaborating, and, naturally, no one else could quite grasp it.

“…So does that mean I can become like the Saint too?”

Except for Eli. Perhaps because she too had a notable size, that question came out of her.

In response, Rize gazed intently at Eli’s chest, then shook her head. A sign meaning it wasn’t possible.

“I’m sorry, but it won’t work for you, Eli.”

“W-why not?”

“It’s a natural thing. The only thing that can be contained is divine power.”

Darned if I knew what that even meant.

“And besides, you could grow bigger from there. You okay with that?”

“…Only if Sivar is okay with it?”

“?”

Why me?

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