Chapter 338: Monstrous Strength
Godfrey cracked his neck, flexed his arms, and began a stationary jog. At first, it was light and slow, but pressure quickly built up.
His feet slammed the floor in order to propel him into the air, and when he landed, the force was sent into the floor once more.
Rick’s expression changed when cracks appeared on the platform. His eyes grew wider as the crack spread out, much faster than before.
Cracks spread throughout the platform and beyond, like the place had been affected by a tremor.
The trembling made Isolde unable to take it anymore. They had to stop. She was about to order Rick to stop. But when she opened her eyes, Isolde saw why the others were suddenly silent.
"Frey..." Her voice trembled. The raw energy emanating from his movement alone was spine-tingling.
Neila’s mouth hung open. "That can’t be a being from this world anymore," she gasped.
At that moment, Godfrey opened his eyes and exhaled. His sudden stomp caused an explosion, and he reappeared before Rick, throwing a fierce punch.
The punch landed on a humanoid dragon with four red eyes and dark red scales. ’If I did not take on my true form... I might have actually been killed by that blow.’
To think a man who wasn’t using mana would make him switch to his main form.
Rick never expected this.
Godfrey looked at the butler who had turned into a bipedal dragon. "I guess the spar is over."
Rick gazed at him like he was mad. Couldn’t Godfrey see what he had done to the gym, and he expected him to block that blow?
"That’s a yes then," Godfrey said. Inwardly, he was astounded by the strength Mastery gave him. Not even the creator of the skill guessed someone like him would learn it one day. He was definitely strong enough to face a King Tier!
This was insane!
He never knew his body possessed such strength without mana.
Upon touching his sweat-covered face, Godfrey sighed. It looked like he would get exhausted much faster without mana. This meant he was really powerful without mana, but his stamina wasn’t as monstrous as his strength.
"Maybe I’m not strong enough," Snow muttered to himself.
***
Hours later, after the excitement of the spar had settled, the night air was cooler on the lawn outside the mansion.
Godfrey, clad in a white long-sleeved top and gray pants, stood on the lawn with Snow and Isaac seated on the ground, panting heavily.
"It’s enough," he advised.
"No. I need to grow," Snow replied defiantly.
Godfrey almost face-palmed. Wasn’t he the same man saying he was satisfied with being at the Origin Tier?
He was at the limit of his potential. Unless the mana tree saw use in him and decided to make him a player in this new age, Snow would be stuck at the Origin Tier forever.
Isaac rose to his feet, but when Snow tried, he fell back on the grass and lay flat.
Seeing Snow had given up, Isaac fell on his butt and also lay flat. "I’m so tired."
Godfrey shook his head and sat beside them.
"Do you know that I walked out of my family? You all have families, but I can’t speak to mine," Snow suddenly said.
"I had no idea about that," Isaac said, turning his head toward Snow, who for some reason began to open up.
Maybe being with friends and feeling this warmth made him remember his family.
"My parents are annoying, to be honest, and they want me to be this perfect, excellent son, but that wasn’t me. What they wanted was a monster who sees those weaker as people who should know their place as a less important part of society.... I still visit them in disguise, though."
Snow sighed heavily. "Apparently, my parents are softening up. Evolution, huh. I think they miss me, but I’m afraid if I go back, they will force me back into that same thing I left behind."
"You mean the perfect boy? Maybe you were born to be one... without the looking down on people part," Isaac chipped in.
Godfrey entwined his hands behind his head as he lay on the grass, staring at the sky, which had a sparse number of stars. "Isaac might not be wrong. There are a lot of mistakes if you stick to how your parents want you to be, but if you take the good part, together with your current ideal... you’re the perfect guy. Second only to Percival, of course."
"Certainly," Isaac nodded.
"I’m better than Percival," Snow sat up.
"Yeah, sure," Isaac snickered. "That dude barely uttered a word, yet he was one of the most attractive boys in school. And that wasn’t his real appearance. He’s ten times more good-looking than the fake everyone in school knew about."
Snow clicked his tongue.
"Even if you’re more good-looking, your bad mouth ruins it," Isaac added, forcing Snow to pull out the grass and toss it into his mouth.
It made Isaac jerk up, spitting out the sand and grass while glaring at Snow.
Snow ignored him and turned to Godfrey. "What do you think I should do about my family? Do you think I should at least meet them? Honestly, it’s been a while."
"How about tomorrow?" Godfrey answered. He was about to unleash his knights to start clearing dungeons since they were quite rampant, and he also wanted to see them in action. As their king, delegating tasks to his knights was part of his duty.
But first, he would accompany Snow to see his family.
"Tomorrow." Snow smiled. "I suddenly feel afraid." He looked at his hands. "Is this normal?"
***
Three individuals sat at a dining table. Aurelia, Snow’s sister, had eaten earlier but still wanted to eat with her parents, who returned from work late.
They worked for the authorities, and the rising number of dungeons made them so busy they barely had enough time for themselves.
Agents were in high demand now. Powerful summoners were sought after, as the death rate of summoners had increased. This evolution meant death to some, even fishermen who suddenly discovered gigantic sea creatures that weren’t as big before.
Dungeons were dangerous, but so were earth’s beasts.