(Inside the One-Life Barrier)
Socrates' senses screamed in alarm as he watched Alee create another polearm without hesitation.
He knew for sure that the battle had now turned into a fight to the death.
Either he would die, or his opponent would die. Either way, between the two of them, someone was surely dying here today. Only one of them would walk out alive.
"…And that will be me."
Slash. Slash.
Two green energy lines tore toward Socrates' direction. He was already on the move, dodging both attacks without hesitation and heading toward Alee from a roundabout direction.
His plan was to close the distance on the Energy Condenser. Only then would he be able to fight effectively.
Alee understood his plan very well and kept his distance, continuously slashing out energy strikes. But Socrates kept dodging all of them.
Although Socrates' energy was not condensed enough for him to create external material or tangible attacks, he could still use it within his body or amplify parts of his body.
This time, he had amplified his legs, and his speed could actually rival that of Alee.
So he kept dodging.
Dodging and dodging.
Weaving through attacks.
The Energy Booster worked methodically within his body as it made him feel lighter than ever, allowing him to dodge without getting hurt.
An attack that should have been a direct hit—his reflexes were so sharp that he managed to scrape through it, with the attack only grazing part of his face.
"What? Is that all you've got? I thought you were more than this," Socrates taunted.
"Don't get cocky, you brat, just because you drank some potion. The effect will soon wear off, and you'll be as good as dead."
"Yeah… but before then, I'll kill you first."
Socrates crouched lower as he directed energy to the back of his feet and his palms. His fingernails were coated with blue energy.
He jumped at once, covering the space between him and Alee within seconds.
Alee smirked as he sidestepped, dodging the claw attack. But Socrates did not stop there. He turned to slash again with his claws.
He was too slow.
The polearm in Alee's hand had already penetrated his left rib.
"You're too foolish to come close," Alee smirked as he coated his hand with condensed energy, forming a fist before smashing it directly into Socrates' face.
The attack flung Socrates backward. He crashed into the very edge of the barrier, his body tossed like a rag doll before hitting the ground.
Alee formed an energy palm and lifted Socrates by the leg, raising him into the air so his body dangled helplessly.
"You're nothing more than trash," Alee said as he controlled the palm and slammed Socrates' face into the ground.
He lifted him again and looked at him. Socrates' nose was broken, and blood streamed from it.
"Your father is dead. My father is also dead. They both died on the warfront."
"Although our parents were friends, it's unfortunate that we cannot be. As much as I don't want to kill you, it's impossible now. If I don't kill you, people will begin to look down on the House of Ashur."
Alee slammed Socrates into the ground again with the energy palm.
Socrates bit his lips.
He bit them hard so he would not scream. He bit them hard so he would not fall unconscious.
Because he knew that the moment he lost consciousness, it would be over.
"Your sister… I never loved her from the beginning. She's too dull, too innocent… too green. I only wanted to exploit her, and I did," Alee taunted as he pulled Socrates closer with the energy palm.
Since he was holding Socrates, he could already feel how weak the latter was and how dispersed his energy had become.
He brought Socrates closer and conjured a short dagger.
Socrates hung upside down in the air, held by the palm. His legs faced upward while his head was at Alee's level.
"You're a strong warrior. I commend you. If you were allowed to grow, you would become a thorn in my side."
"Don't worry. To give you the accolade you deserve, I'll accept your sister as my slave… and she'll use your skull to serve me coffee."
"NOW, SOCRATES… DIE FOR ME!"
Alee screamed as he plunged the dagger toward Socrates' neck.
But at that very moment—
That same moment when the dagger was about to reach Socrates' neck, another dagger appeared in Socrates' own grip.
He held it tightly and used it to deflect Alee's dagger. With the last ounce of energy he had left, he directed everything into the dagger in his hand.
A peak Grade-1 artifact given to him by the Dojo Master.
Socrates had pulled it out at the very last moment as a trump card in his fight against Alee.
He could have drawn it earlier, and the battle might have dragged on longer.
But then it would not have been a trump card.
Drawing it at the final second, deflecting Alee's attack, infusing all his remaining energy into the blade, and striking toward Alee's neck—
All of this sounded simple.
But it was incredibly complex and required absolute precision.
Everything had to occur in the final second.
At the exact moment Alee believed he had already won.
Socrates had been planning this moment from the beginning—the moment when it would be impossible for Alee to dodge.
The moment he struck, Alee's face stiffened.
He tried to condense energy and send it toward his upper body.
But the curved blade had already kissed his skin.
A straight line cut across his neck as the blade swept through.
Before Alee could conjure anything, the blade had already severed his neck.
His head shifted slightly before rolling down from his body.
'How… how… how…'
That was the only thought in Alee's mind as his head rolled across the ground while his eyes stared at Socrates.
'He's just a kid at the Apprentice Realm… How on earth did he defeat me? I'm a realm above him… Is he truly a genius?'
'I've been defeated… What will become of me? The House of Ashur…'
'Amelia… you have a powerful brother.'
'Only if he survives today… Although he defeated me, he will also die. The Energy Booster will destroy his meridians.'
Those were the last thoughts he had before his head finally hit the ground.
His body collapsed with a loud thud.
Moments later, Socrates' body also fell as the energy palm crumbled.
At that moment, Socrates cried out loudly as the backlash of the Energy Booster finally struck him.
His veins bulged as his bones produced cracking sounds.
His limbs twisted before snapping back into place as green liquid oozed from his body.
The moment the liquid touched the ground, it sizzled and turned into smoke that spread everywhere.
Socrates forced himself to stand, but he could only drop to his knees as every part of his body screamed in pain.
'My meridians… they have truly been destroyed…'
Socrates held his head as he realized the grim reality of his situation.
At that moment, the One-Life Barrier crumbled as the smoke dispersed.
Silence.
The entire place went silent as they saw the scene before them.
"Socrates… is alive," someone whispered.
"Is this a dream?" another person cried.
"How is this even possible?"
"Isn't this some kind of show? Socrates can't be the one kneeling there, right?"
Whispers and murmurs spread everywhere as everyone stared at Socrates, who let out a shrill cry and pulled at his red hair.
"Oh no… he's damaged."
"I can see it… his meridians have been destroyed. He can no longer cultivate."
"Socrates… he was supposed to be the genius of the Trueblood House."
"A genius that appears once in an era."
"I can't believe he wasted his talent just for his sister."
"The House of Trueblood has lost a talented individual."
"This is a huge blow to the house. With Socrates' talent, he could have even reached the Grandmaster Realm."
"Grandmaster? Defeating a Late-Stage Apprentice and killing an Early-Stage Energy Condenser… he might have even reached the King Realm. Unfortunately, all of that is gone."
"And it's the fault of the House of Ashur."
Many people looked at Socrates with pity as they whispered among themselves.
The two men assigned to safeguard Alee were shocked, terrified, and utterly stunned.
"This wasn't supposed to happen."
"The young master can't be dead…"
"We're as good as dead."
"We must return the killer to the House."
The two men rushed toward Socrates from different directions, releasing their pressure.
Suddenly, the Patriarch appeared in front of Socrates, countering their pressure with his own.
"Take that body and get out of my manor. If you stay another second, both of you will die with your bodies fed to the beasts."
The Patriarch's roar sent the two men staggering backward.
They exchanged glances before carrying Alee's body and retreating from the manor.
"Boy… you're just as brave as my elder brother. Not just brave, but reckless. You've achieved the impossible, and your name will forever be recorded."
The Patriarch looked at Socrates, but the boy did not reply.
Only then did he realize Socrates had already fallen unconscious.
"LET'S GET YOUR TREATMENT STARTED IMMEDIATELY!"
The Patriarch grabbed Socrates by the hair and leaped away toward the inn while the rest of the crowd watched in silence.
Among them was Amelia.
"Brother… please be safe," she prayed quietly.