Then, when he arrived, Liebe knocked on the door to Geno's office.
Geno said, "Come in."
Then Liebe entered.
Geno said, "Welcome, Liebe."
Liebe said, "Thank you for inviting me, sir."
Geno said, "Of course. Now sit down."
As Liebe sat down, Geno said, "Before we start, let me start with the fact that, no, I can't help you train."
Liebe said, "Then why did you call me in?"
Geno said, "Good question."
Aime said, "You called him in to tell him the truth."
Geno said, "Ohhhh, that's right. But what was it again?"
After hearing what Geno had to say, Liebe was shocked.
Geno said, "Now the question is, will you accept my offer or not? You have 24 hours to decide, Liebe."
Liebe stated, "It's not a decision for me; I must decline."
Geno just laughed and said, "It's been decades since someone declined my offer without any hesitation. But ok, I understand."
Liebe said, "Thank you for understanding."
Geno said, "You really are your mother's son, that's for sure. Just less of a problem child."
Liebe said, "Mother was a problem child?"
Geno said, "Why do you think I run away whenever she uses the term 'sparring'? It's a nightmare."
Liebe said, "That's good to hear."
Geno said, "Yeah, the philosophy 'if you can't beat them, annoy them to death' is tested when it comes to her."
Liebe said, "I can clearly see that."
Geno said, "You Fausts have been annoying me for the past 10 generations. Why the hell can't you find a better teacher to help you train?"
Liebe said, "Good question. Maybe because you are called humanity's greatest weapon."
Geno said, "Good point."
Liebe said, "By the way, can you teach me about the Afterglow and Rampage technique?"
Geno just laughed and said, "Nooo. What were you doing in the Abyssal Zone if you can't even learn that?"
Liebe said, "Well, I was fighting monsters up to 5.5 km, and yet, well, the monsters just died, and well, I can't even grasp the basic principle."
Geno said, "Ok then." As he took a marker and started to write on the wall. "Ok, so the Rampage and Afterglow techniques are— What are you staring at?"
Liebe said, "Well, just the fact that, sir, you are writing on the walls."
Geno said, "Yeah, so?"
Aime said, "Sir, you are ruining a wall made from pure Almium."
Geno said, "Anddddddd, listen, Liebe. Here is your first lesson: when you are one of the 25 Princes of Hell, no one gives a damn what resources you waste, simply because your time alone is a resource that's worth far more than anything else."
Liebe noted it down.
Geno said, "The time I would have wasted waiting for Aime to get a blackboard would mean wasting my time."
Liebe said, "Understood, sir."
Aime just punched Geno and said, "Sir, the Empire doesn't have enough to spare with your shenanigans. The Abyss takes more than enough."
Geno said, "Sorry." As he continued to write on the wall, he said, "Rampage is a technique that means allowing your magic to basically do its thing. Or, how do I put it? It has two parts: the first is yourself, and the second is the enemy."
Liebe said, "Sorry, what?"
Geno said, "For the part that means 'self' is easy. It means allowing your magic to take control of yourself and being one with it. Every attribute has a will of its own, and you must be one with that. That is 'self'. And for the 'enemy' part, it is to gather yourself and become one with your magic, and deliver devastation to ones that don't even have physical form, such as fire, shadow, air, etc. Make a note of that."
Liebe said, "Understood."
Geno said, "It's easy to understand, but applying it mid-battle is when it becomes hard, because maintaining a perfect state of mind is never easy, especially in the heat of battle. Now, for Afterglow, it has three parts: King's Roar, and understanding this intimidation is, well, simply something that divides the weak from the strong. This is something only those who have a strong heart and emotions can have; it's the apex of strength."
Liebe said, "Sorry, what?"
Geno said, "Basically, when you release your magic power, it, well, acts like a weapon itself, and when you use it, everyone knows who you are."
Liebe said, "I'm sorry, sir, I don't understand."
Geno said, "Simply put, it ensures anyone who is weaker won't be able to stand before you."
Liebe said, "I still don't understand."
Geno said, "Let me give you an example." As in an instant, Liebe could feel Geno's magic power. Feeling the power, the power was so much that Liebe was bleeding from his ears, nose, eyes, and mouth. Liebe thought to himself, I can't breathe. Is this death?
As Geno stopped, Geno said, "You see?"
Liebe said, "Yeah."
Geno said, "Now heal yourself, or do you need a healer?"
Liebe said, "I can heal myself."
After Liebe healed himself, Geno said, "Now the second part: Condense and Pierce. Here the point is, well, condensing your magic power into a single point and striking with it. It ensures every hit does far more."
Liebe said, "Ok."
Geno said, "Finally, Mana Sense."
Liebe said, "How does that work?"
Geno said, "Simple. You know sensing someone based on mana?"
Liebe said, "Yeah."
Geno said, "It's just an advanced version. Can you feel the mana and tell me how many people are in the other room and what are their genders?"
Liebe said, "I can feel it."
Geno said, "Close your eyes; it will help."
After concentrating, Liebe said, "From what I'm sensing, there are about 27 people: 13 males and 14 females."
Geno said, "You are wrong. There are 28 people: 13 male and 15 female. The reason you are incorrect is simply because there is an infant, and you couldn't sense it because of that infant. But for a first time, it's good."
Liebe said, "Thank you, sir. Now I have a question for you: do you have the King's Roar?" Liebe thought to himself, Can it be possible that what happened 9 years ago was it?
Liebe said, "Well, sir, there is something that happened 9 years ago."
Geno said, "The answer is yes, you do. Only one in a million have it, and you are one of them. The question is when will you unlock it?"
Liebe said, "What?"
Geno said, "Yes, it's true. Many have it but live their whole lives without being able to unlock it. Your mother herself unlocked it 9 years ago."
Liebe said, "I see."
Geno said, "If you are willing and have the time, take a year off and train in the Abyssal Zone. Then I can promise you will have unlocked all forms of Rampage and Afterglow."
Liebe said, "I want to, but I have far too many responsibilities."
Geno said, "It's your choice. But I can promise you something: you are in a state where you are either too strong or not strong enough."
Liebe said, "Pardon, sir, I don't understand."
Geno said, "The point you are at right now, you are strong enough—more than strong enough to face any challenge. But that's the problem. Power calls challenge, and those who will come for you won't be like the foes you face now. Some won't have physical form; some will have skin harder than steel. That's why I would say venturing any further in your journey is dangerous, because right now your foes aren't any regular humans; they are the Abyss, the 25 Princes of Hell, or the Supreme Devils. And those aren't forces that you can beat with brute force alone. It's been God's grace that you didn't face anything till now, but it won't last much longer."
Liebe said, "I have to think about it."
Geno said, "Ok then, let's practice in the Abyssal Zone. That's the best place to learn."
Liebe said, "Ok then, let's go."
Geno said, "Of course." And before Liebe could react, he was in a tundra.
Liebe said, "Sir, where are we?"
Geno said, "The Abyssal Zone, more than 300 km from the walls."
Liebe said, "Sir, what kind of magic do you have that you can teleport?"
Geno said, "Not teleport; it's warping. And my attribute is a secret. Now, this place is filled with monsters that can sense and use magic: from Ice Fangs, to Irinu, to even Goliaths, the boss of this 100 km area."
Liebe said, "Why are we here?"
Geno said, "It's the best place to train because here, if you can't deliver, you will die. I'm sure you realized it by now: you can't breathe properly because of the dense mana here. If you want to breathe, you don't just need to strengthen your body with mana; even your organs, from your lungs to your heart—if you can't, they will be crushed."
And Liebe was able to coat his organs in darkness.
Geno said, "Now, here is your goal: I'm 1 km north. Your job is simple: to survive and reach me."
Liebe said, "But sir, what if I can't? What if I die?"
Geno said, "I know you won't. I know about Vanadis Eilífa Áin."
Liebe said, "You know, sir?"
Geno said, "If it truly is what it claims to be, surviving will be easy. And good luck flying in the blizzard."