Journey to Godhood Begins in Frieren

Shichen naturally refused Serie's challenge.

Breakfast was more important, and Frieren's stomach mattered more. Besides, there was a certain happiness in rejecting Serie over and over.

Leading Serie through the forest, the two walked in single file, with no conversation.

Following behind Shichen, Serie found his back increasingly displeasing to look at. In all her years, this was the first time someone kept refusing her—especially someone who was her student's student.

Although she had guessed he would refuse, his straightforward bluntness still irritated her. He really was not taking her seriously.

Very well!

Since he wasn't from this world, she was even more eager to see just how capable he was.

Shichen, however, had no clue about Serie's thoughts, and wouldn't have cared anyway. She was just a conceited old elf, arrogant and sharp-tongued. It was only because she was close to invincible that she hadn't been put in her place already.

But that was a job for him, because he wasn't from this world. Age and seniority meant nothing to him here.

Just as Serie had said, there really weren't many animals around in this nearby forest. Perhaps she had eaten them all, given how long she'd lived.

Shichen led Serie deep into the woods for a good while before finally spotting a few small animals.

"Grandmaster, please watch carefully what I do with these hands," Shichen said, picking up a stone from the ground and turning back to Serie.

"What are you picking up a rock for?"

"Of course, to...like this!"

As he spoke, Shichen hurled the stone at a small deer not too far ahead.

Whoosh!

With a sharp whistle, the stone shot forward, piercing straight through the deer's body before it even realized what was happening.

Plop!

The deer collapsed to the ground, blood beginning to flow out, covering the area. Only then did the rest of the group realize what was happening, each one fleeing in alarm and quickly vanishing from sight.

Serie stared at the fallen deer, now unable to move, and only then did she grasp Shichen's meaning.

"Such strength... Are you a warrior? But you can use magic... Something unique to an otherworlder, I suppose? Not bad!" A light gleamed in Serie's golden eyes as her interest in Shichen grew ever stronger.

"Heh..." Shichen chuckled, walking toward the deer as he replied: "Grandmaster, you should have something else on your mind, right?"

"Huh?" Serie countered with a question.

"You must remember the magic I showed you earlier, yes? Adding on my physical abilities, do you think you can win?"

"Heh!" Serie laughed coldly, shooting back: "You think I have no way to handle you? Are you underestimating me?"

"Not really." Holding the deer up, Shichen turned to Serie, shaking his head. "With Grandmaster's mastery of all magic, naturally there's a way."

"Then what are you trying to say?"

"Since Grandmaster is so confident, how about we make a bet?"

"A bet?"

"It's simple: in today's showdown, the winner can do whatever they want with the loser."

"'Do whatever they want?'" Serie furrowed her brow, staring at him intently.

Shichen showed no fear, even egging her on: "What's the matter, Grandmaster? You scared?"

"Hmph, hardly. I just realized something."

"What is it?"

"You—like elves, do you?"

"...Huh?" Shichen froze for a moment. "How'd you draw that conclusion?"

"Look how nice you are to Frieren. Obviously you like her, right?"

"I won't deny that."

"And I, who am also an elf, you surely like as well?"

Seeing Shichen's silence, Serie thought she had him pegged. Smugly, she went on: "No wonder you're behaving so flippantly. You don't see me as your grandmaster at all. Liking elves is a fine hobby, but we elves have very long lifespans, while you humans have just a few decades. Liking us—what's the point?"

"Heh, Grandmaster is quite self-assured." Shichen forced a laugh.

He'd only proposed that wager so it would be easier to teach her a lesson later, but how did it end up like this?

Apparently he'd been too obvious in showering Frieren with care?

"Unless I'm wrong, then why did you suggest that bet?" Serie pressed.

"You'll figure it out soon enough," Shichen evaded.

"Oh, too embarrassed to say it outright? I see. Fine, I'll accept. If you defeat me, I don't mind being your companion."

Shichen couldn't help tugging at the corner of his mouth, speechless. "Grandmaster, you're misunderstanding something big here."

"Heh, don't feel awkward. A strong man can have beauties, and if you can beat me, possessing me isn't a problem. Even if it's just for a few decades... Of course, first you must actually win."

At that point, Serie's fighting spirit rose once again, seemingly eager to duel on the spot.

"Whatever..." Shichen shook his head. "Grandmaster can think what you like. Let's head back."

Given how arrogant she was, if she misunderstood him, she'd confidently keep misunderstanding; aside from proving it to her directly, there was no talking sense into her.

When they returned to the stone cave, they found Frieren still sound asleep, albeit sprawled in a rather graceless posture. Yet because she was so endearingly small, her unrefined sleeping position somehow became cute.

"What are you going to do? We only got this one deer—how do we eat it?" Serie asked.

"In high-end cuisine, the simplest preparation is best. Just watch," Shichen said.

Walking to one side, he suspended the deer in midair with a bit of magic, intending to roast it with Ho-Oh's holy flames. Then he realized he hadn't even dressed the deer yet.

"Grandmaster, you got a spell to handle the dressing process?"

"I do."

"All magic in the world is at your command—impressive. Then I'll take that one."

"You sure?" Serie's expression was odd. Such a trivial spell?

"Any problem with that? No magic is worthless. Don't look down on any magic," Shichen lectured.

"Is it your place to say so?"

Nevertheless, Serie was quite willing to "transfer" that cleaning/dressing spell to him. After all, it was hardly a critical piece of magic.

So in an instant, Shichen learned the "dress-animal" spell, then swiftly finished preparing the deer and started roasting it in his holy flames. Outside of that, they had nothing else for seasoning, but the local creatures were quite tasty by nature.

The radiant golden flame wrapped the deer, producing that appetizing aroma once more.

By the time breakfast was ready, Frieren woke up from the smell. Without a word, she used magic to tidy herself, then came to Shichen's side, eyes half-open, staring longingly at the hovering roast deer as though about to drool—though she couldn't even fully open her eyes.

Shichen found it quite amusing.

Off to the side, seeing him behave like that, Serie nodded, further convinced about her guess.

The deer meat finished cooking quickly, and with no sign of Flamme's return, the three of them ate among themselves. Starting the morning with roast deer felt odd, but then again, none of them were ordinary humans.

Though it was just a small deer, they only finished off two legs. Shichen used magic to preserve the rest for lunchtime. Deer here was truly delicious even without seasoning.

After breakfast, Serie wanted to fight Shichen immediately, wanting Frieren to pick a magic to be gifted to her first. Of course, she turned it down—she preferred discovering magic on her own. So that was another refusal. Were it not for her impatience to fight Shichen, she'd have spewed sarcasm at Frieren.

Frieren, meanwhile, had little interest in their duel, not even wanting to watch. But Shichen insisted on grabbing her like a child around the waist and bringing her along.

They left the cavern, following Serie to an open clearing protected by her barrier, so the duel could begin. Frieren stood at the edge, languidly watching them stand opposite each other.

"All set, Shichen?" Serie struggled to hide her excitement.

"Of course," Shichen beamed.

"Then... take this!"

Without warning, a thick blast of flame shot toward Shichen, scalding heat assaulting him. Before the flames reached him, their glow lit up his face—yet his expression was unchanged.

Just as the flames approached him, he abruptly disappeared.

Serie wasn't surprised. A smirk curved her lips as she turned around.

"Grandmaster," Shichen said, "Take a punch from me."

He had reappeared behind her. Without restraint, he threw a punch at her. Right then, a blue glow manifested between them, as if to block Shichen's fist—but strangely, when his punch made contact, it seemed to pass through like nothing.

"What—?!"

~~~

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