Chapter 78: The Genius Awakens
🔥 Aether Academy's dorms were silent.
Everyone was exhausted from the tournament.Everyone was resting.
💀 Except for Rei Kurogane. 💀
He stood alone in the academy's abandoned training ground.
✔ The air was cold.✔ The sky was dark.✔ The only sound was his own breathing.
But his mind was sharper than ever.
Rei (thinking, serious): If I want to surpass Kozuki…
🔥 Then I have to erase my limits. 🔥
The First Step – Abandoning Human Thought
🔥 Kozuki's strength didn't come from technique.
✔ He didn't think before moving.✔ He didn't hesitate.✔ He let his instincts take over.
💀 That's what makes him dangerous. 💀
Rei closed his eyes.
✔ No overthinking.✔ No calculations.✔ Just movement.
💥 WHOOSH! 💥
🔥 He dodged—before his brain processed the attack. 🔥
✔ His body moved on its own.✔ Faster than before.✔ More efficient.
🔥 This… this is what Kozuki feels. 🔥
But it still wasn't enough.
The Second Step – Learning From Nature
🔥 Instincts aren't something humans are born with.
But animals?
✔ They survive using nothing but instinct.✔ They hunt, dodge, and attack without hesitation.✔ They don't need to think—they just know.
💥 Rei spent hours watching recordings of animals hunting. 💥
✔ A panther stalking its prey.✔ A falcon striking with perfect accuracy.✔ A snake coiling before a deadly strike.
Rei (thinking, focused): If I can imprint those movements into my body…
🔥 Then I can create my own instincts. 🔥
💀 A human who fights like a beast. 💀
The Third Step – Breaking His Limits
🔥 Rei had always relied on his mind.
✔ Perfect calculations.✔ Strategic counters.✔ Mastering techniques faster than anyone else.
But now—he needed something new.
💥 WHOOSH! 💥
🔥 Rei forced himself to fight—without thinking. 🔥
✔ He trained blindfolded.✔ He forced himself into high-pressure situations.✔ He pushed his body to its absolute limit.
💥 Dodge. Too slow.💥 Attack. Hesitated.💥 Counter. Still thinking too much.
🔥 Tch… it's not enough! 🔥
The Breakthrough – The Birth of the Silent Hunter
Rei stood still.
✔ His body was bruised.✔ His breathing was ragged.✔ His mind was empty.
And then—
🔥 He stopped thinking entirely. 🔥
💥 WHOOSH! 💥
🔥 A movement test. 🔥
✔ His body reacted instantly.✔ His attacks became smoother.✔ His instincts had sharpened.
Rei felt something change inside him.
💀 I understand now. 💀
🔥 Kozuki fights like a beast. But I…
💥 I will become the ultimate hunter. 💥
The Genius's Evolution – The Monster Who Thinks
🔥 Kozuki fights on pure instinct.
But instinct alone isn't enough.
✔ Rei would combine his mind with his instincts.✔ He would master the art of absolute reaction.✔ He would become something beyond both human and beast.
💀 The perfect hunter. 💀
Rei (smirking, whispering): "Kozuki… you won't be the strongest for long."
🔥 The genius had awakened. 🔥