To go beyond one’s limit.
It was a sentence those who showed extreme effort often adhered to. Most people were incapable of performing feats that went beyond common sense and even the thought of achieving surprising feats not expected by anyone was ridiculous to normal people. This was the case for the normal populace.
How many would actually push themselves to their utmost limit?
‘It would be very few.’
This was Bratt Lloyd’s honest thought.
Right. It wasn’t that they weren’t able to cross their limits. It was just that the innate limit was too high. He didn’t intend to undermine the efforts of others.
But it was still the truth. Most of the people who were said to have reached the peak through relentless effort were geniuses from birth, and they devoted themselves to strictly training their bodies to achieve it. But they wouldn’t be able to break through the limits either. They would just be able to touch the ceiling.
‘Of course, a lot of people cannot even do that. Touching their limit… even that itself is a wonderful thing. But…’
“But that wouldn’t do.”
In the room inside the sorcery sphere, Bratt had thought about this.
It wasn’t just some motivation to the mind.
He was smart and was also good at objectifying himself. So, he knew. Even compared to Judith, Ilya and Airn were putting in an effort that wouldn’t disappoint anyone… but something else was still lacking.
Talent.
The mark of a genius who would be passed down from generation to generation going beyond the concept of time and being engraved in history.
But Bratt didn’t have that, and yet he had to stand before the Demon King.
‘Even if we try our best, it wouldn’t work.’
‘To transcend oneself.’
‘If I cannot do that, I will end up being a burden to my friends.’
‘If that is the case, it would be better to be tied up here for the rest of my life.’
‘With my other self whom I can never defeat.’
“…don’t joke.”
Bratt shook his head chasing away the darkness which lingered in his ears. It was funny. If he was a normal person, he would’ve long lost his motivation and drowned under all the frustration he felt.
But if standard methods didn’t work, he had to use a trick.
If a trick didn’t work, then he would have to gamble. If he still couldn’t surpass himself with that, he would have to risk his life to achieve it!
Bratt Lloyd, who found a new method of thinking, continued the dangerous training… the training that was actually closer to self-experimentation on his body.
Pung!
“Kuak…”
He kept trying to find efficient ways to use aura.
Crr..
“Ugh… my side…”
There were times when his heart had shattered into pieces due to the accelerated regulation of blood. There were countless other failures where he lost his life, but it didn’t matter. Because he was able to survive indefinitely in the sorcery training sphere.
Right. For Bratt, this place was nothing more than somewhere where he could gamble with his life on the line. Of course, in the process, his body had accumulated a lot of pain and suffering… most of which was now engraved into his soul.
But he had to endure… he had to push through
Because he couldn’t afford the alternative.
He would gladly throw away his life to save the world, his territory, his family, and his friends… he would do it to protect his lover.
‘This much sacrifice makes sense…’
Pung!
Swish!
“Ack… kuak…!”
He had failed again. In his attempt to excessively strengthen his body, his right arm was blown apart. Due to the power of sorcery, his arm had returned almost right away, but the wounds that his mind remembered weren’t easy to erase. Unable to move immediately, Bratt held his breath.
Of course, it wasn’t just that.
“Haa, haa…”
When the breathing stabilized… No… Bratt Lloyd had gotten up even before he could stabilize his breathing and had already grabbed his sword. He took his stance and focused.
Ching!
There was a sharp gleam in the eyes of the man as he prepared to gamble with his life again.
…recalling what happened inside the sorcery sphere, Bratt closed his eyes.
This was a way to transcend oneself.
It was a story that he couldn’t speak about to his family, friends or his lover. It had been painful, but it was something that had to be done to overcome even a bit of suffering in the future.
‘If I don’t have enough strength to protect my people, then dying is the best way.’
Of course, he wasn’t going to say that to others. Even if he risked his life so that he could grow as to prepare for the battle with the Demon King and decided to sacrifice himself for the sake of his loved one, none of it needed to be mentioned. Rather, he needed to pretend to be bold and relaxed. That way, he could lessen their worries.
But…
‘Quincy Myers… How did you know? My condition?’
“Because I have been through it once.”
“…”
“What is with your expression>”
“No, it feels like you read my thoughts…”
“Because it is obvious.”
“Is that so?”
Bratt, who spoke to Quincy, frowned.
‘Was it because he is an old knight? Or maybe it is due to some supernatural powers of a priest?’
As he was thinking about it, the Red Knights commander spoke again.
“A few months before you came, I went through something similar. I met a powerful devil in an unexpected place and the subjugation team was on the verge of annihilation. If it had just been me, I probably wouldn’t have been able to overcome it. But when all of us put our strength into the sword with the determination to make it through… a miracle happened.”
Quincy Myers recalled what happened.
Right. It was a true miracle that couldn’t be described. When he was determined to sacrifice everything for his crew, the power he was able to exert from his body crossed its limits. Although he had lost his strength in return, the old man didn’t regret it.
Bratt nodded as he heard it.
Now he understood. Quincy Myers was just like him. That was why he could understand Bratt’s condition with a glance, and was even able to give him advice…
As he thought more about it, he became puzzled.
As the former Red Knights Commander said, the act of risking their lives had created a miracle. It had broken the limits of their birth and reality and had achieved something more.
“Don’t do that Bratt.”
Quincy Myers urged him to not walk that path. But he didn’t understand. It was absurd for Bratt to do it but it wasn’t absurd for him?.
What was he trying to say?
Was it something similar to when people said ‘If I do it , it is romance but if you do it, you are being a third wheel’?
Why had he sacrificed himself for his squad but advised Bratt not to do anything like that…
“Because you and I are different?”
“…”
“Why aren’t you speaking?”
“It feels like you are reading my thoughts…”
“They are obvious thoughts.”
“Is that so?”
“A child’s thoughts are obvious. After all, you and I are different.”
Quincy Myers paused for a moment and then spoke as he closed his eyes.
“I will be 127 years old this year. Even if I don’t fight the devils, I will soon enter the arms of God. If I could save the bright lives of my juniors who wanted to sacrifice their lives, it would be quite profitable for me. But you aren’t old or on the verge of death. You are a man who will live and develop even more in the future. You will become the huge sea that embraces people. But now here you are thinking of embracing death… so don’t do it.”
“….”
“I am well aware of your concerns. You know your own shortcomings better than anyone else and nevertheless you don’t give up. You always will find a way to stand with your comrades and block the Demon King’s offence. However…”
Quincy Myers stood up. With all his muscles lost, even standing seemed difficult for his shabby body.
But he still looked bright like he had been when he was an active commander of the Avilius knights. He touched Bratt’s shoulders and said.
“…to break through your limit, being ready to die isn’t all that you need. Conversely, you can break through that wall with the intense desire to live.”
“Desire to live…”
“Right. The desire to live. You have to create the right chance and amplify it. And you should do that before you face the Demon King.”
“…”
“Find a reason for crazily holding on to your life. Why do you have to come back alive? Remember, the battle with the Demon King doesn’t have to end with your death. Heed my words. Uhgh…”
Thud!
Quincy Myers fell back on the bed after he finished speaking. He didn’t look too good. Just standing for a while had pushed him to exhaustion. Overwhelmed by his words, Bratt had realized too late and stood up immediately.
“Mister Myers!”
“It is fine. I am fine. Uh, uh… it is just a little too much. A little rest will cure everything.”
“…”
“I will tell you again. I have no regrets. I still remember it all very clearly. The sword which shone on the last page of my life, that brilliant aura…”
“,,,”
“But not you. Your life has just begun. Death and life is always present but your body is leaning towards one of the two…. Death isn’t desirable, lean for life more and more, to do that…. uh, uh… I need to lie down.”
“I can he…”
“Enough. I have enough energy to do that.”
As soon as he said that, Quincy Myers adjusted himself. Slowly, his trembling legs moved forward. There was sweat was dripping down his forehead. But Bratt didn’t support him, he couldn’t.
“Phew… go, go and work.”
“…yes, thank you.”
Bratt Lloyd couldn’t even properly respond to the old man and was kicked out.
“…a willingness to die, and a desire to live.”
His head and stomach felt heavy. He left the room to get some night air and wandered around through the palace.
To be honest, he knew that Quincy Myers was right. The present self was centered towards death. It had been that way throughout his training. Because it was a sword that he made to cut down himself, it made him overcome his barrier. But without Quincy Myer’s words, he would have met the Demon King with that thought in his mind.
“Desire to live, the desire to live, an opportunity to amplify it…”
How much power will it give?
Bratt wasn’t sure if it would allow him to break through his limits like being ready for death would.
However, he wasn’t going to ignore the words of that old man. The words of a senior who was 100 years older than him. Regardless of whether it was right or wrong, he was going to take the words seriously. There were 10 days left for the fight. If something happened, he would certainly be able to understand it.
‘Of course, it isn’t only that. I will have to make up my mind first…’
It was when he was thinking about it that he heard a voice.
Familiar faces and familiar voices.
“What? Is brother really…”
“No, my son was like that?”
“I-Is that weird? No, am I wrong now? Uh, no if I take back what I said, I…”
“Huhu, to have such a side to him.”
But the combination was unfamiliar.
As always, Bratt’s parents and his younger brother were talking as they were walking.
But the appearance of Judith talking with them with an awkward expression, awkward voice and awkward walk…
…
…
…
‘Did you mean this?’
Watching his lover approaching him…
Seeing the woman who could be more than just a lover, Bratt thought.
‘Family.’
‘Future.’
And…
“…”
As he saw the sight in front of him, a bright smile appeared on the young man’s face.
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