Rebirth From Ordinary Person To The Strongest

"Magnificent. That was truly magnificent."

The World's Master coughed up a froth of blood as he spoke words of praise.

Even as I listened, I launched another kick toward him.

However, he avoided it with a quick backstep, leaving me to land on the ground. Seeing he didn't counterattack with Silveit, I spoke up.

"…Thank you."

My slashing strike had landed squarely on its mark, a clean hit. Black blood poured from the wound, staining the ground before the bleeding stopped almost instantly. The reason was obvious—Silveit threads sewed the World's Master's injury together as if stitching up a surgical wound.

"You're thanking me? You're quite an odd one, boy."

Indeed, I had just attempted a new combination: integrating magic into close-quarters combat.

It sounded simple when put into words, and even I thought it might be doable. But in reality, it was far from easy.

The Two Problems

First, high-powered magic comes with recoil.

Take my Flame Spear, for example. It's a spell that condenses flames into a spear and launches it, only to explode upon impact, maximizing its damage against monsters.

But what would happen if I used it in close combat? That's obvious—I'd get caught in the blast and die.

The same goes for Oboro-tsuki. There's no way I'd use that spell near myself. The collateral damage could easily include me.

Second, I'm simply not used to it.

The Night Blade Style that my father taught me integrates magic into its techniques, but it relies almost exclusively on Body Reinforcement. I was never trained to combine it with other forms of magic.

So, I lack experience. Maybe "unfamiliarity" is a better way to describe it since I've never even attempted such a thing before.

"…Hm."

Ultimately, the only thing I can rely on is the feeling I just grasped for the first time.

"Your expression has changed. Planning something, are you?"

The World's Master observed me with a knowing look, prompting me to harden my expression. I wasn't planning anything nefarious.

I simply wanted to expand what I could do.

I wrapped Silveit threads around both legs and added four more threads, two on each arm, wrapping them tightly like tape.

Preparation complete.

"…Alright."

I exhaled lightly, then kicked off the ground.

Accelerated by Body Reinforcement, my body closed the distance in an instant.

The slash I had landed earlier, which had taken just one breath to inflict, was now 90% healed. Within moments, the World's Master's wound, clothing included, had fully regenerated. His magic was powerful, and his healing magic was even more so—exceptionally advanced.

I exhaled and used Body Reinforcement again, launching a Wind Cutter toward him, fully expecting him to dodge.

As anticipated, he leaned to the side, easily evading the strike.

I took advantage of that brief hesitation to leap forward.

Both arms wrapped in Silveit were infused with Attribute Change: Water. The additional weight dragged on my movements, but I forced them to comply using Body Reinforcement. I drove a dropkick—Body Slam—toward the Master with all my weight behind it.

"…Impressive."

The Master caught the kick with his arms, a hint of surprise in his voice.

If I lacked the necessary weight, I simply needed to use magic to add it. That was the idea behind creating those massive water masses. But, of course, that alone wasn't enough to faze the Master.

He grabbed my legs mid-air.

"Adding weight through magic is clever. But your invisible slash was far superior."

Dangling from his grip, I allowed gravity to pull me downward.

As I fell, the water masses I had conjured shifted unnaturally, adhering to the Master's body. It made sense—it was magical water under my control.

"—?"

The Master seemed momentarily puzzled.

Unbeknownst to him, the water masses weren't the only things attached to my hands. Hidden within them were Silveit threads, acting as fuses connected to the water.

Much like a detonator's cord.

"Hey," I said, tightening my grip on the threads.

Not "like" a fuse—it was a fuse.

"This is gonna hurt."

With those words, the water masses detonated.

BOOOOM!

The magical water encasing the Master exploded inward, sending a deep, resonating shockwave through his body. A muffled groan of pain escaped his lips.

"…Tsk!"

The grip on my legs loosened. Seizing the opportunity, I twisted free and landed on the ground.

I immediately retreated, creating distance between us. There stood the Master, grimacing yet grinning as if to maintain a facade of strength.

"That was… effective."

"I told you it would hurt."

I recalled something I had once seen on YouTube—a banned fishing technique called "dynamite fishing." The method used underwater explosions to kill fish en masse, illegal because of its devastating impact on ecosystems. A comment explained how shockwaves in water are far more potent and faster than in air.

It must've been true. The Master's reaction confirmed it.

By using magically conjured water to contain the explosion, the force remained focused entirely on his body.

"You're kind."

"You've taught me a lot. Consider it a thank-you."

"What an extraordinary response…"

The Master staggered, spitting out a thick stream of black blood.

It's a simple fact that Body Reinforcement enhances only the body's exterior. No exorcist fortifies their internal organs; it's unnecessary. That's why attacks that reach the inside are particularly devastating.

With the Master still reeling, I distanced myself further.

Standing behind him was my summoned thunder demon, Raikou Douji.

"A splendid curse, boy!"

Raikou Douji bellowed and delivered a powerful kick to the Master, who was too injured to properly defend. The Master's body flew through the air like a soccer ball, bouncing several times before coming to a halt.

Harunaga's magic followed up immediately. The same explosive spell the Master had stolen earlier detonated on his prone body.

The resulting shockwave rattled the earth, and I conjured a whirlwind using Attribute Change: Wind to clear the black smoke.

What emerged from the dissipating smoke was a figure barely standing. His left arm was gone, his left eye and ear charred black, and Silveit wrapped around his leg barely kept him upright. His torn clothing revealed a sword tucked at his side.

He must've twisted his body mid-explosion to shield his core at the expense of his left side.

Despite his battered state, the Master smiled defiantly.

"This battle… has been delightful. Truly, my heart danced. To spar with a promising child, in any era… Ah, it's truly marvelous."

Raikou Douji charged in for the finishing blow.

"Let me end this properly."

I summoned five more Silveit threads, ready to deliver the final strike. No matter how experienced the Master was, he couldn't recover from this.

Yet my instincts screamed otherwise. My heartbeat quickened, warning me of imminent danger. The one-eyed monster's words—"invincible"—resurfaced in my mind.

"Raikou Douji!"

I shouted, but before my voice reached him, the Master's remaining hand gripped the hilt of his sword.

"Reverse the cut— Shadowlight Kagemitsu."