How To Beat God's Eyes
God's Eyes was at the pinnacle of all Gifts.
It was beyond powerful, granting its wielder the ability to see and perceive everything while aiding in the effective control of mana. This broken Gift had produced the strongest mages across generations, cementing its place in history.
The Kagu family, renowned for this genetic Gift, had risen as one of the world's superpowers thanks to it. Liam Kagu, the most powerful user of God's Eyes, had wiped out the vampire race and the Demon Sect 160 years ago.
Currently, the Gift belonged to Ren, and in terms of talent, he was second only to Lucifer Windward and Jack Blazespout.
There were no inherent weaknesses in God's Eyes; its strength lay in its user. However, Ren's inexperience meant he wasn't using the Gift to its full potential. Despite the wealth of information in the Kagu family, the rarity of the Gift—appearing once a century—left Ren to discover its uses on his own.
Even without mastering it, Ren was overwhelmingly powerful. At the end of the year tournament, he had nearly defeated Lucifer after reaching
As I noted down the strengths and weaknesses of God's Eyes, I focused on Ren's usage of it.
'There are no real weaknesses in the Gift itself,' I thought, 'but there are vulnerabilities in how Ren uses it.'
Ren's inexperience left openings I could exploit. His unfamiliarity with the full scope of his abilities provided a narrow window of opportunity.
The first weakness was his overreliance on visual information. Ren tended to focus solely on what he could see, which left him vulnerable to attacks from unexpected angles. If I could create enough visual chaos or blind spots, I could catch him off guard.
The second was his limited mana reserves. God's Eyes consumed an enormous amount of mana, and while Ren's control was impressive, it wasn't perfect. Prolonged battles would drain his mana quickly, especially if I forced him to use his Gift continuously.
Finally, there was the fact that Ren couldn't maintain God's Eyes at 100% all the time. The Gift's activation varied depending on the amount of mana infused into it. Due to the high mana demands, Ren often operated it below full capacity, which allowed him to see every detail perfectly in slow motion only when necessary. He had to consciously adjust the level of his Gift.
This variability opened a window for surprise attacks. If I launched an assault requiring full activation to foresee and avoid while Ren's Gift was barely active, I could catch him off-guard.
As I pondered this, a thought struck me. 'How did Lucifer defeat him in the novel?' I scratched the side of my face, recalling the epic battle.
Lucifer had ignored the fact that Ren could see through his moves and relentlessly attacked him with his Grade 6 art. It was a crazy feat, but it worked. Lucifer's sheer persistence overwhelmed Ren's defenses.
'I don't have a Grade 6 art, so I don't think I can replicate it,' I mused.
'God Flash could work,' Luna interjected.
'It didn't work last time though?' I asked, surprised.
'That was because your God Flash isn't ready yet,' she explained.
Her words gave me pause.
'What is wrong with my God Flash currently?' I asked.
'Why do you think your move isn't part of a Grade 6 art?' she replied, answering my question with another.
My brows furrowed at her question. In the future, Lucifer would create his own Grade 6 art, and one of its moves was God Flash. That's where I got the idea. Of course, I couldn't have recreated the move just from the description alone.
It was because of the godly martial talent I had in this world, a talent that even surpassed Lucifer's.
Creating arts didn't require mastery of a weapon; it required pure, raw talent. Very few people possessed this kind of talent. Currently, the only person who could create a Grade 6 art was the Martial King. Lucifer would be able to create one soon due to his immense talent, and Sun would expand on Mount Hua's Grade 6 art, the Violet Mist Divine Art.
But my move lacked something to be considered an official movement in a Grade 6 art.
Versatility.
'Correct,' Luna confirmed, 'Your movement is not nearly versatile enough to be considered complete.'
I leaned back, letting her words sink in.
Versatility.
The ability to adapt, to flow seamlessly from one form to another, to counter any move an opponent might make. My God Flash was powerful, but it was rigid, singular in its execution.
I remembered watching Lucifer in the novel, how his every move seemed fluid and adaptable, how his God Flash was just a single strike that could be executed at any moment perfectly.
I closed my eyes, visualizing the move. I needed to make it more than just a powerful strike. It had to be an extension of my will, my intent, my very being.
I opened my eyes, determination burning within them. 'Thank you, Luna,' I transmitted mentally. 'I know what I need to do now.'
I turned off the tablet and left my room, heading for the training hall. As I expected, it was empty. We had just returned to the Academy from Nimran, and most students were probably resting or catching up with friends.
But not me.
Training was my sanctuary, a place where I could channel my thoughts and frustrations into something productive. The echo of my footsteps was the only sound in the vast hall. I walked to the center, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes.
I visualized the God Flash, a single, devastating move. It wasn't just about power; it was about precision, timing, and adaptability. Each time I executed it, it had to be perfect, able to adjust to any opponent's counter.
I opened my eyes, determination surging through me. I summoned my sword from my spatial ring, feeling its familiar weight in my hand. I began to move, channeling mana through my body, focusing it into my blade.
I needed to perfect its execution, to be able to unleash it from any point, at any moment.
As I activated Lucent Harmony, sigils appeared on my arms, glowing with a soft, otherworldly light. Instead of the full power of the God Flash, I opted for the inferior 4-circle variant to conserve energy. Even in its weaker form, it required precision and control.
With each execution, I honed in on the contraction of every muscle, the flow of mana, the grip on my sword. The blade moved with blinding speed, slicing through the air with a sharp, resonant sound.
Again and again, I repeated the movement, my body moving in a seamless rhythm. Each time, I focused on a different aspect: the angle of the strike, the distribution of my weight, the timing of my breath.
"Ho, not bad," a voice rang out, breaking my concentration. I turned in surprise, my eyes landing on a figure standing at the entrance of the training hall.
She had long, flowing black hair and obsidian-like eyes that seemed to pierce right through me. Her clear, white skin contrasted sharply with the dark uniform of the Academy's professors.
Instantly, I recognized her.
The second
Valerie von Lampez.