Chapter 124. The Ultimate State
Combination Skills and Super-Combination Skills.
They were not merely combinations or fusions of abilities.
They were abilities developed by perfectly understanding the mechanisms behind each ability and then improving upon the possibilities and limitations of the corresponding Genetic Factors.
But Memoria did not possess Predation [S+].
Memoria had merely replicated my abilities without understanding them.
Therefore, Memoria could only use what I had already created.
It could only transcend the skills I had already made.
That was why—
“The combat style you copied from me is incomplete.”
Memoria was incomplete.
My combat style.
The so-called Predator’s way.
It was an incomplete combat system.
That wasn’t merely because there were still biological evolution abilities I hadn’t absorbed with Predation [S+].
It was also because I had yet to “understand” a certain person’s combat style.
It was a memory that Memoria had been unable to replicate.
When had it been?
Ian had once said to me—
—Adrian, would you like to learn my swordsmanship?
He had asked whether I wanted to learn his swordsmanship.
As always, I was training that day.
A combat style constructed upon biological evolution abilities.
The Predator’s way.
A combat style that rejected fighting like a human.
But while that sounded simple, it was incredibly difficult.
How could someone born human possibly fight in an inhuman manner?
Still, what choice did I have?
I sought a great deal of advice from Iliana.
“Evolution isn’t perfect. It’s a clumsy tinkerer. So, if you want to compensate for its shortcomings—”
She sincerely taught me a great deal of knowledge.
But understanding something and applying it in actual combat were entirely different matters.
I gained practical combat experience by sparring with Isolde.
“I have no intention of going easy on you.”
....Isolde beat me up an awful lot.
As expected, she truly despised me.
From Rielin, I learned how to use the surrounding environment and nature.
“What a bother.”
She complained every single time.
But whenever she taught me, she did so diligently.
From Brumbar, I learned how to temper my body until it was as hard as iron.
“Bwahahaha! Arms harder than metal are the true symbol of a Blacksmith!”
....This was the hardest training of all.
Brumbar hammered metal with his fists and forearms instead of a hammer, so that was only natural.
Little by little, I learned how to fight in an inhuman manner.
After countless efforts, I finally succeeded in creating the Predator’s way.
But now, out of nowhere—
“Ian, you want me to learn your swordsmanship?”
“Yeah.”
“Didn’t you say before that you wouldn’t teach me?”
“I think it’ll be fine now.”
Why was he suddenly offering to teach me now?
“Didn’t you tell me not to fight like a human?”
“That still applies.”
“Then why?”
“I’m not telling you to use my swordsmanship.”
“....?”
“I mean exactly what I said. I want you to ‘learn’ my swordsmanship.”
Wasn’t that the same thing?
“Ian, I can’t control or even perceive Mana.”
“I know.”
“But you still want me to learn your swordsmanship? Do you seriously think I can learn it?”
“It has nothing to do with Mana.”
“Bullshit.”
“I’m not lying.”
Ian was serious.
“Even so, is there any reason I need to learn it?”
“Adrian, the place you must reach is the ‘pinnacle of all living creatures’.”
“What do you mean?”
“To become the ultimate living creature, you must surpass humanity.”
The pinnacle of all living creatures, surpassing even dragons.
Ultimate Lifeform.
Naturally, I would have to transcend the species known as humanity.
“So I’ll show you the pinnacle of humanity.”
The pinnacle of humanity.
That was how Ian described himself.
It was arrogant.
But I soon had no choice but to reconsider that opinion.
What I witnessed through Ian—
What Ian showed me—
Was not the pinnacle of humanity—
....I couldn’t remember it.
No.
I had erased it from my memories.
What Ian showed me that day—It was a wall I could never overcome.
A perfect “wall” that wouldn’t even permit me to understand it.
No matter how hard I tried. No matter how desperately I struggled. I could never reach Ian.
Unable to bring myself to accept that fact, I erased those memories from my mind as a defense mechanism.
The current me had surpassed the Predator from my previous life.
I had acquired the abilities of rare monsters that I had failed to absorb with Predation [S+] in my previous life.
I had acquired the Authorities of Legion Commanders that I had failed to absorb with Predation [S+] in my previous life.
I had also acquired Ian’s abilities, which I hadn’t possessed in my previous life.
I had worked tirelessly, and I would continue to work hard.
But no matter how much I imagined it—
No matter how hard I tried to picture it in my mind—
I couldn’t envision myself approaching Ian’s strength. I couldn’t picture myself standing shoulder to shoulder with Ian.
And so, even now—
I was still “afraid” to recall that memory. I was afraid to confront the painful truth that, compared to Ian, I was nothing.
If it were something I could reach through effort, I wouldn’t have felt this hopeless.
Ever since returning to the past, I had constantly wondered—
Why had Ian tried to pass everything on to me?
Solo Level Up [EX].
Player’s Will [EX].
I wasn’t strong enough to wield Ian’s abilities.
I couldn’t do what Ian had done.
Commander-in-Chief of the Coalition Forces.
Special Warfare Unit’s Covert Operations Commander.
After shouldering those responsibilities, even if only briefly, I finally understood.
The weight carried by those two positions was far too different. And I understood that even you, Ian, had struggled beneath that weight.
But Ian—
—Adrian, sometimes….don’t you wish the world would yield to you, just a little?
—What are you talking about all of a sudden?
—I just wish it wouldn’t keep telling me that nothing is possible. That it wouldn’t always demand that I try even harder. I wish it would yield to me, just a little. I’ll keep working hard, so….
Despite that, you endured.
You neither ran away nor turned your eyes from it. You silently bore that weight.
Therefore, I would do the same. I would face it. I would look directly at it instead of turning away.
Even if it was a wall I could never overcome, I would remember it.
That day—
—The swordsmanship I use is called Ultima Veritas.
What I witnessed through Ian—
What Ian showed me—
Was not the pinnacle of humanity.
—It consists of six basic sword forms, and each form contains six principles of martial arts.
It was Martial Ultra Instinct.
—You don’t need to overcomplicate the principles of martial arts.
Speed was swiftness.
But long before Ian understood and established the principle of Speed, the concept of swiftness had already existed in this world.
Ian had merely given it a name and embodied it within the “sword”.
The first language was not born from writing.
That meant—
—Adrian, you can embody those principles within your biological evolution abilities as well.
My scattered memories slowly began fitting together. The things I had failed to understand began taking shape.
—Flow is movement. Imagine water.
Water neither suppresses force nor destroys it. Instead, it naturally receives that force and allows it to flow onward.
Flexible movement without interruption. A current that connects everything as one.
An unwavering steadfastness that could not be shaken by anything.
Even if the wind blew and the waves crashed down—
A rock would never be moved.
◆ The skill, Hardened Skin [B], is evolving!!
◆ You have acquired the Evolution Skill, Rigid Body Transformation [U]!
—See? Easy, isn’t it?
◆ The skill, Slime Cell [B-], is evolving!!
◆ You have acquired the Evolution Skill, Slime Fluid [U]!
—Stiffness is steadfastness. Imagine a rock.
A rock neither moves nor bends. It refuses to yield before any impact. It wasn’t mere stubbornness.
Adrian had responded with something incomprehensible.
It was like something lying so far beyond Memoria’s reach that nothing could be perceived.
Memoria clenched his teeth.
“Those are still abilities you haven’t transcended!!”
They were merely ordinary biological abilities.
Abilities that Memoria also possessed—
“They’re nothing more than abilities with clearly defined limitations!!!”
Slash-slash-slash—!!
Every movement Memoria made produced another slash.
Adrian changed his movements.
He boldly plunged into the storm of blades.
Was he trusting in Slime Cell?
Memoria’s eyes gleamed as he read Adrian’s movements.
“He’s coming!”
Memoria’s eyes flashed.
Adrian pulled one foot back and created some distance.
Right.
You must have predicted my move as well.
“Not a chance!”
Slash!
The Bone Blade tore through the space ahead.
Adrian did not retreat completely. The foot he had extended backward moved forward again.
He sharpened his Dragon’s Claw—
His movements surged, broke off, and slowed—
Then explosively accelerated once more.
Booom! Rumble—!!
“What?!”
The exclamation of astonishment escaped involuntarily.
It made no sense.
That movement just now... What was it?
Dragon’s Claw swung toward him again.
From above to below.
There was no time to remain bewildered.
Memoria raised the Bone Blade.
The Bone Blade’s edge was made from a new material created through Nutrient Creation.
Not even Dragon’s Claw should have been able to penetrate it.
Without question—
That was how it should have been.
Claaaaang—!
His defense was torn apart.
The tremendous impact left his mind reeling as though he had been struck with a hammer.
Could he continue fighting like this?
Could he maintain his advantage through the transcended abilities of Berserk?
An ominous premonition arose within him.
Memoria ground his teeth.
“Don’t make me laugh!!!”
….He couldn’t accept it.
Adrian closed in like lightning. The distance between them was short.
Slash-slash-slash!
The Bone Blades swung in every direction, cutting apart all the surrounding space.
Adrian didn’t dodge.
He couldn’t dodge.
As expected—
Memoria smiled.
Claaaaang—!
A thunderous roar erupted. Adrian received the attack head-on.
But it wasn’t Dragon’s Skin that surrounded Adrian.
‘Hardened Skin?’
It was an ability Memoria also possessed.
A biological evolution ability with clearly defined limitations. And yet the Bone Blade failed to penetrate deeply.
‘It surpassed a transcended ability?’
That was….impossible.
That was—
A memory he could not replicate. A wall he could not overcome. A world beyond his reach that he could never attain.
“That’s impossible!! I refuse to accept it!!!”
Memoria roared, his eyes trembling.
“I! Surpassed you!! I surpassed your very existence!!”
Rumble-rumble-rumble—!!
Enormous power surged like a raging vortex.
Distortions spread as though his very existence was about to transform—
“I surpassed you!!!”
Perhaps you did.
No—
You undoubtedly surpassed me.
But Memoria—
You never possessed Ian’s abilities. You never shouldered Ian’s burden—
You represent the limit that the person I was in my previous life could reach.
You are the person I was in the past—
Or perhaps the person I might have become in another future.
Therefore, you—
No.
Even I—
Might never reach the distant realm of Martial Ultra Instinct.
But—
—Adrian, do it in your own way.
I will do it in my own way.
◆ You have acquired the Ultimate Skill, Predator [M]!!
I would surpass the person standing before me. I would surpass the person I was in my previous life. I would surpass the limitation known as myself.
◆ Predator [M] : When this skill is activated, the instincts of the player’s Predation [S+] reach the [Ultimate State], causing the player to [evolve] into a [Predator] completely governed by instinct.
While the skill remains active, the player can execute the optimal [instinctive] combat response [without conscious judgment]. By completely [omitting] the [decision-making process] based on [perceptual information from the five senses], the player can engage in instantaneous and efficient combat at the [maximum biological level].
And someday—
—Surpass me, Adrian.
Ian, I will reach you as well.
“Here I come.”
◆ Activating the Ultimate Skill, Predator [M]!!
He couldn’t comprehend it.
Memoria staggered several steps backward. He couldn’t feel his heartbeat.
....What?
Memoria lowered his gaze toward his chest. But the heart that should have been there was gone.
His chest had been savagely torn open.
Beyond the gaping wound was an empty cavity.
He wasn’t regenerating.
The power of Berserk scattered and vanished in an instant.
Splatter—!
Only after droplets of blood scattered through the air did Memoria understand.
He could do nothing.
In the end….you surpassed yourself.
But I….could not surpass myself.
I tried to become infinitely close to that realm—
I struggled desperately to reach its end—
But ultimately, I failed to reach it.
This is my complete….defeat.
“Cough!”
He repeatedly coughed up the blood surging from within him.
Even when he bit his lip tightly to suppress it, crimson blood continued streaming between his lips.
With trembling eyes, he looked at Adrian.
It was only for a brief moment....but he felt as though he had seen it.
The distant place you seek—
The place you wish to reach.
That path will likely be arduous and difficult.
I would even dare to declare it impossible.
Just as I ultimately failed to reach it, I am certain that you will also fail to reach that place—
But once I lose my heart, I can no longer use Regeneration [B+].
The same applies even to Hyper-Regeneration [A], transcended through Berserk [A].
Nevertheless—
“It may be strange….for me to say this to you....”
As someone who was once also you—
“I hope your dream....”
And my dream—
“Reaches….its destination....”
I sincerely hope it does.
◆ You have defeated Adrian White Wolf (Memoria)!
◆ You have obtained 545,000 Combat Experience Points!
◆ Your level has increased!
As though announcing the victor of the battle against myself, translucent messages appeared.
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