Journey to Godhood Begins in Frieren

A light wind seemed to stir as Shichen's fist stopped just before Serie, the breeze gently ruffling her golden hair.

Her unbridled smile stiffened a bit, as if unable to comprehend how Shichen's fist had ended up right before her eyes.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything at all," Shichen chuckled, withdrawing his fist.

"Impossible. Why did my barrier magic fail? Did you use some sort of spell to nullify it?" Serie asked.

Her expression was still calm, as though unruffled—like the composure of a seasoned strong fighter.

Shichen recalled that people in this world tended to be that way: no matter the situation, they always put on an air of poise, like it was all within expectation. Especially mages.

Only certain few people were extremely expressive, practically comedic in their over-the-top reactions.

Well, all the better. He planned to see more variety from Serie's repertoire of expressions.

"I can't do that kind of magic," Shichen replied, palms up, sounding entirely genuine.

"Really? Then let's continue," Serie said, her fighting spirit undiminished.

"Wait, Grandmaster, you already lost just now," Shichen quickly reminded her.

"No, I haven't had my fill. I haven't enjoyed myself yet."

"Isn't that basically cheating?"

"Hmph, if you won't let me fight to my heart's content, you won't get anything from me."

"Fine, let's keep going."

"That's more like it—take this!"

At Serie's words, the gravel behind Shichen suddenly rose into the air and shot toward him like a salvo of bullets. Shichen vanished again, returning to his original spot, once more creating distance between them.

"Just as I thought..." Serie turned, gazing at Shichen. She gave a faint smile.

"Grandmaster, you noticed?" Shichen asked with a smirk.

"I just guessed by intuition."

"As expected of Grandmaster," Shichen gave her a thumbs-up.

"No need for your praise. Let's continue!"

Serie extended a finger, and this time the ground began to quake, especially beneath Shichen's feet, where cracks appeared as if the earth itself opened its jaws to swallow him.

She no longer used purely magical attacks. Instead, she manipulated something real—thus circumventing direct magical assault.

Clearly, Serie had realized Shichen's peculiar trait, that magic wouldn't work on him.

Such insight—unsurprising for the supreme mage, who had lived countless years. With just an instant's observation, she had guessed the situation.

But that posed no trouble for Shichen. As the fissures under his feet grew larger, like a giant maw in the earth, his expression remained unchanged. Once again, he vanished.

Serie frowned. She found this spell of his somewhat vexing—he leaped around unpredictably, with no sign, making it impossible to counter. And each time, he expended barely any mana, so he could theoretically keep doing it forever.

If not for the fact that she was the one who set up the barrier, she wouldn't even know where he would appear next.

It was basically cheating.

So this was magic from another world? Indeed more potent, and far more interesting.

How thrilling!

"You're over there, aren't you?" Though Shichen had yet to reappear, Serie sensed a disturbance in the air off to one side. Without hesitation, she flicked her hand, launching stones on the ground in that direction.

Whoosh!

At that moment, Shichen finally showed himself, hearing the sound of the projectile. In a flash, golden flames surged all around him—like a protective shield fully engulfing his body.

The mass of stone shards, akin to bullets, all converged upon him simultaneously. Yet the moment they touched the flames, it was as though they had been cast into magma—instantly dissolving without even leaving ash.

The air around Shichen returned to calm, and he was now hovering in midair.

"That's also magic?" Serie looked at him, floating there, her tone laced with curiosity.

"It's a kind of magic," Shichen explained simply.

He himself couldn't truly fly—he had no flight ability, nor had he learned any flight magic; after all, in this world there was no real flight magic.

But by using Spatial Manipulation, he could remain aloft.

"Is that so?"

Serie seemed to comprehend what he meant and continued, "Are you just planning to hang out up there?"

"Isn't that letting you enjoy yourself? Otherwise, if I attacked, you'd lose immediately," Shichen replied calmly, flashing a slight grin—unapologetically brazen.

"Heh..." Serie sneered, "Then I'll knock you down from there."

She raised her hand. This time, she concentrated her mana within her palm, compressing it like a condensed sphere of energy. The power contained within made Shichen's brow quiver.

"Grandmaster, are you trying to kill me?"

"I believe in you."

"And what if it hits Frieren? She's liable to be caught in the aftermath," Shichen asked with mild irritation.

"She won't die so easily."

Looks like she really didn't care about collateral. Perhaps she needed a lesson in caution.

Serie's face bore a near-frenzied grin, then released the condensed sphere toward Shichen.

Mana erupted instantly, forming a massive beam racing toward him. The barrier likely couldn't withstand it, and if he dodged, Frieren—currently yawning nearby—could be struck.

Serie was being reckless. So Shichen decided to show his true strength, to teach her a good lesson.

Shichen hovered in midair, unmoving, and on his hands gathered copious golden flame. Pointed toward the torrent of mana, two arcs of flame coiled forward like fiery dragons, clashing with the enormous mana beam.

There was no deadlock, nor any explosion; instead, the mana beam looked as if it had been devoured by the fiery dragons, gradually vanishing.

"What?" Serie stared in disbelief.

"Grandmaster, you forced my hand," Shichen said.

He stood aloft, hands blazing in golden fire. Right then, the flames surged forward, swallowing up the remnants of Serie's magical attack and continuing straight toward Serie, coiling around her.

Serie's expression was calm. She calmly glanced left and right at the fire snaring her, but felt no heat at all. That was Shichen's control.

However, Shichen wasn't planning to frighten her alone. The flames leaped onto her cloak, burning it away in an instant, then began creeping over her clothes.

Sensing something was amiss, Serie attempted her "Curse Reversal" magic—this magic would reflect any effect recognized as a "curse." It was a product of humanity's ancient wisdom from the mythic era, beyond normal magical logic.

Yet it had no effect on these flames! They continued steadily consuming her clothing at the shoulder and near the legs.

"Grandmaster," Shichen flashed to her front, smiling. "Gonna give up now? If not, you'll be out of clothes to wear."

"You brat..." Serie stared at him impassively. Finally, she sighed.

"You win."

"Hehe." Shichen laughed smugly and withdrew his flames.

At this moment, Serie looked rather disheveled. Although her figure was petite, she was an elf, and her pale, delicate skin was astonishingly smooth. With the shoulders of her clothing burned away, her fair collarbones and slender white thighs were almost fully exposed.

Her skin glowed milky white, indeed eye-catching.

"Hmph, looks like you're good," Serie said in annoyance, not caring about her partial nudity.

"Grandmaster, my truly impressive side is yet to come," Shichen suddenly smirked wickedly.

"W-What, you're that impatient to lay hands on me?" Serie's expression froze.

"No."

"Then what are you—?"

"Educating you properly, of course."

As he spoke, Shichen grabbed Serie around the waist, lifting her up without hesitation. Then, with his right hand raised, he struck her petite backside with a resounding smack.

Pa—!

~~~

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