Chapter 332

"Are you sure this will be fine?" Kiyomi asked, standing beside the ritual formation Kanzaki Rei had drawn.

Advancement was no longer done in a formal Ascension Hall.

Now, every ritual was personally inscribed by Kanzaki Rei.

And truthfully, he was the only one who could.

Luluvi had no interest in learning it. Kiyomi didn’t want to either—she saw no point. The gap in spiritual perception between them and Kanzaki Rei was simply too vast. Even if they tried, mastering it would take far too long. Their learning capacity alone lagged far behind his.

"No problem," Kanzaki Rei replied calmly. "I’ve already foreseen it."

He had reviewed Kiyomi’s future, run simulations through his future projections—

There were no issues.

Kiyomi stepped into the very center of the ritual.

Kanzaki Rei stood before her, voice even and steady.

"For this advancement... I’ll be your opponent."

Just like when he advanced to a Level 4 Warrior, when Akagi had stood as his opponent.

Now, for Kiyomi to demonstrate her assassin’s path—

Kanzaki Rei would be the one to test her.

"Go all out."

Kiyomi let out a cold snort. "Then be careful you don’t slip up... and get killed by me."

A low hum spread outward.

A faint barrier rose in all directions, sealing the ritual space.

[Origin Magic — Genesis]

A root-level spell from Mese.

A magic without rank.

And among all the Origin Magic Kanzaki Rei had mastered—

This one was the most peculiar.

"I declare—the beginning of the advancement."

Buzz—

In the sky, a pitch-black vertical eye manifested.

The symbol of the Assassin’s Origin.

—

Gone.

Kiyomi vanished instantly.

Yesterday’s probing exchange hadn’t even counted as a real fight.

But today—

She was fully equipped.

Her dagger had been replaced with her finest weapon:

The blade seized from the Dark Church.

Sss—

The dagger sliced through space, leaving behind a thin trail of darkness.

Kanzaki Rei felt shadows spiral from every direction, coiling toward him like a vortex.

Since this is her demonstration... best not interrupt.

She was faster.

He could sense the subtle improvement.

After yesterday’s fight, she had immediately corrected her flaws.

Today’s Kiyomi—

Was stronger.

Her growth rate isn’t bad.

Kanzaki Rei flicked a finger.

Clang!

[Shatterstone Flow — Second Form: Crushing Flick]

A common, almost laughably widespread combat technique in Atlant City.

Shatterstone Flow.

Bang!

Finger met blade.

Kiyomi felt a violent recoil surge through her arm—numbness spreading instantly!

But—

At the very next moment—

Kanzaki Rei felt a slicing sensation across his right shoulder.

[Void Assassination Art — Displacement]

A flicker of surprise crossed his mind.

...I underestimated her.

He had always believed himself far ahead of Kiyomi—

That every one of her techniques had already been seen through.

Looks like I’ve grown arrogant again.

This world’s strength lay in unique ways of thinking.

That strike posed zero threat. It hadn’t injured him in the slightest.

But—

It had undeniably hit.

What exactly am I so proud of?

In that instant, Kanzaki Rei corrected his mindset.

—

Wind-like slashes surged from all directions.

He released a slight aura, forming a defensive shield.

But—

The expected attacks never came.

His intuition—

Had been disrupted.

Kiyomi’s assassination techniques had advanced further than he realized.

She was simply too weak—

So weak that he had overlooked her skill.

Now that he truly observed—

Her technique deserved recognition.

Thud—

He looked down at his chest.

Kiyomi struck.

But in the next instant—

He caught her.

Then—

Behind him.

Left. Right.

Phantom images flickered. Reality and void interchanged.

Within a confined space—

Killing intent came from every direction.

But Kanzaki Rei simply formed a blade of magic—

And casually swept it outward.

Whoosh—

All surrounding phantoms were instantly cleared.

And just as the area seemed empty—

He curled his fingers and reached sideways.

[Void Flow — Fifth Form: Dual Severance Aspect]

Crack—

Black and white split like space itself had been divided.

His fingers passed between the divide—

And he felt a powerful strike collide with his knuckles.

A sharp sting.

A shallow cut appeared on his skin.

—

Kiyomi’s eyes flashed with unwillingness.

Whoosh—

The moment her strike finished, she vanished again!

But this disappearance lasted only an instant—

Like a shutter snapping.

[Finishing Technique — Absolute Void]

Slash!

Kanzaki Rei felt a boundary form—

Between reality and nothingness.

A dividing line of existence itself.

Like two identical poles of a magnet repelling—

Touch meant separation.

But the target—

Was not his throat.

It was—

His finger.

Clang!

Kiyomi landed behind him.

She sheathed her dagger at her thigh.

"This... is my answer."

Tap—

Kanzaki Rei’s finger remained intact.

But that strike—

Had indeed cut into his flesh.

—

To break his defense with such meager strength—

That was impressive.

Kiyomi was only Level 4.

She was already fighting beyond her rank.

Yet he could feel her frustration clearly.

That all-out strike—

And she couldn’t even sever one of his fingers.

The gap was overwhelming.

She couldn’t even see his back anymore.

—

Kiyomi presented corpses to the sky.

Not monsters—

Humans.

Skinless corpses.

Skin-Stealers.

Her Assassin’s Path—

Was flawless.

She had become a Level 5 Assassin.

"And now... my turn."

Kiyomi nodded and stepped aside, quietly sensing the changes within her after advancement.

—

Level 2 Blacksmith.

Level 2 Enchanter.

These advancements held no suspense at all.

In truth, Kanzaki Rei had long been qualified to advance.

He had only delayed it—

To verify certain hypotheses.

Just like Iz had once developed Mana Tides at Level 1.

Some things could only be grasped at specific stages.

After several final tests—

He confirmed:

There were no such restrictions for Blacksmiths or Enchanters.

—

Molten metal surged.

Flames roared.

Three hours passed.

Before him—

A flawless masterpiece took shape.

A delicate, compact dagger.

[White Venom Edge]

During this time—

Kanzaki Rei had not followed conventional forging methods.

He didn’t rely on inherited knowledge.

Instead—

He forged based on his own understanding.

His battle against the Golden Dragon had made one thing clear:

He was fundamentally different from ordinary people.

Not just in God-Tier talents—

But in every aspect.

Origin Magic. Combat Techniques. Physical body.

All far beyond normal.

Creating techniques based on others’ experience—

Simply didn’t suit him.

So this time—

He chose his own path.

[Skyforge Hammer Art — Hundred Refinements, Thousand Strikes][Origin Magic — Myriad Grid Transmutation][God-Tier Talent — Calamity of Poison]

—

He took a brittle material:

Poison Crystal White Iron.

It shattered easily—

But possessed extraordinary toxicity affinity.

Normally used for disposable poison weapons.

Unable to handle potent toxins—

Or it would corrode itself.

But—

Kanzaki Rei changed that.

He removed its fragility.

And through Calamity of Poison, infused it directly with poison—

Without altering its structure.

No fire.

Instead—

He liquefied it using Myriad Grid Transmutation.

Then reforged it through hammering.

[Technique: Hardening Forge (LV: 501)]

Blacksmithing had its own skills—

Hardening, softening, sharpening, toughening—

All applied through hammering.

Impossible on Earth.

But what Kanzaki Rei was doing—

Was beyond even normal blacksmiths.

—

The final blade—

White with a violet sheen.

Its poison—

Capable of killing a Level 7 class-holder.

[White Venom Edge (+2)]Tier: 1Quality: Perfect

Forging Effect: Poison potency increased by 50×Forging Effect: Sharpness and hardness enhanced

Enchantment Effect:Tier 6 Deadly Poison — Rot-type poison effects doubled

This—

Was his current pinnacle.

Hard. Sharp.

And lethally toxic.

Even a newly class-changed Level 1 Assassin—

If they could land a hit—

Wouldn’t need strength.

The blade alone could pierce a Tier 5 Cataclysm-class monster’s hide—

Deliver poison—

And kill instantly.

No ordinary weapon—

Not even those forged from Tier 6 materials—

Could grant such power.

—

Ding—

The violet dagger floated in midair.

From his Origin—

A feedback returned.

No increase in spiritual power.

But—

A new perception.

A deeper understanding of metal itself.

Now—

He could fuse different metals together.

No longer bound to single-material forging.

—

He had become—

A Level 2 Blacksmith.