The Banished Villainous Noble Son Who Was Used as a Stepping Stone in the Original Work Awakens to Combat and Destroys the Laws of the World - Episode 52: Toward Further Beyond

Episode 52: Toward Further Beyond

――When I opened my eyes, the sky was still pale blue.

The faint light spilling in through the gap in the curtains cast slanted shadows across the floor. I sat up and took a deep breath.

There was no fatigue.

Despite yesterday’s relentless training, despite raising “Constant Activity” to Lv.2 in the middle of battle, my body now felt sharper—almost as if it were already seeking the next fight.

(“Constant Activity”… the effect of Lv.2 is something I can clearly feel.)

Especially with sleepiness. Normally, if my body had truly reached its limit, I should have collapsed for several hours. Yet now I had already passed through that stage. More than that—it felt as though even without sleep, my body could still maintain full performance.

Still, just to be sure, I had tried closing my eyes—and apparently, I “could” still sleep even without feeling drowsy. If raising its level further causes drawbacks, I might need to reconsider.

I got up from the bed, rolled my shoulders loose, and opened the window. Fresh morning air brushed coldly against my cheek.

“…Alright.”

Today’s goal was clear.

“Constant Activity: Lv.3″—I wanted to reach that domain. I wanted to grasp the sensation of “what lies beyond” through battle.

◆

After leaving the inn, I stopped by the apothecary.

Inside, the same strong, pungent smell as yesterday lingered. Pale green bottles lined the shelves. The shopkeeper frowned slightly. But they seemed to remember me well.

“You bought potions just yesterday… already used them up?”

“I was also testing things out. I’ll take the same ones again today.”

Saying so, I placed the recovery potion for fatigue on the counter.

“…If you collapse from overdoing it, don’t expect me to care.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

I answered with a wry smile, paid, and tucked the potion into my bag. Preparation for today was complete.

――The Miasma Plains. Just like yesterday, the land was shrouded in a dense, unchanging haze.

The ground was covered with dry grass. It was faintly veiled in mist. Each step on the brittle earth gave off a sharp crack.

Maybe because it was still morning, the presence of monsters felt sparse. Yet every now and then, I could catch glimpses of movement in the thickets.

I steadied my breathing and drew my sword.

Even small monsters, when hunted in numbers, would still bring in decent money.

“—Come.”

At my whisper, a Smog Rat leapt out from the underbrush.

My body moved on its own—step in, slash upward. That was all it took to cut the monster down and send it collapsing.

Every movement was carried out with “optimal efficiency.” How I used my muscles, how I breathed—everything felt unconsciously refined.

But it still wasn’t enough. To learn what lay beyond “Constant Activity”, I needed greater strain.

I harvested the rat’s parts and pressed deeper into the plains. Along the way, I encountered several more. But I dispatched them with ease. I gathered materials as I went.

And then—once again, I stood before the Maw of Misma, the grotesque beast from yesterday.

Yet now, watching it crawl before me, I felt a faint sense of familiarity.

(…Unchanged. No—different.)

Something about it felt unlike before.

Last time, I hadn’t been at full strength. My focus was split by the goal of raising skills.

But since then, I had trained repeatedly, honed “Constant Activity”, and refined my control over accumulating fatigue. Now, I could fight differently.

And perhaps the same was true for the beast.

Its massive body shifted slowly as it crawled across the ground. It immediately released “Dense Fog”—as though probing my movements.

(…Yes. Different. It’s clearly reading my “habits”.)

Same positioning, same spacing, same stance—I feinted deliberately along the same line. The Maw of Miasma reacted. It slightly shifted its course to evade, as if anticipating it.

(Learning… no, observing?)

It may not have true intelligence or memory. But it did have enough adaptability to grasp behavioral “patterns”. This wasn’t a simple rematch. This was “higher-level training.”

My heart raced. It felt like dueling a human opponent—forced to respond to the unknown.

The moment I shifted my weight forward, its reaction speed sharpened.

Right after dodging, its fangs snapped like a counterattack.

(Good. Come…!)

I twisted my body. I slipped through the narrow gap of its jaws. And I slashed in passing. A shallow cut, intentional—an attack for “information”, not damage.

(Just now—the timing of its dodge was shorter than before.)

The exchange continued. Dodge and strike, feint and counter. Each pressing for deeper, faster, sharper precision. All while slipping potions in between openings.

And then—

《Skill Level-Up Confirmed》

《Skill: Evasion Boost Lv.3 → Lv.4》

《Skill: Constant Activity Lv.2 → Lv.3》

—It came!

The level-up I sought. Seizing that moment, I used the beast’s snapping jaws as leverage to kick off and leap back. I widened the distance.

The Maw of Miasma continued to stare at me. I too met its gaze, retreating slowly.

When the fight was finally done, I calmed my breathing and searched within myself.

Something had “changed”.

The way my muscles moved, the flow of bl00d, the clarity of my vision—everything was smoother. It was more precise.

(This feels like… my body’s very “limits” have been raised.)

It wasn’t just fatigue control anymore. My sense of “tiredness” itself was fading. With this, I might be able to keep fighting one day, two days… maybe even three without stopping.

(So this is Lv.3…)

Now I understood. This skill wasn’t just about endurance. It was a “breakthrough” to push beyond the limits of the human species.

Suppressing the smile tugging at my lips, I murmured:

“…Good.”

I stood.

My vision was wide. My awareness, sharp.

Looking up, I saw that it was already past noon.

This was enough for today. The rest would be best spent organizing my gains after returning.

Before leaving, I glanced around one last time.

The miasma drifted as always. Silence. Only the sound of the wind rustling grass.

…But then—the wind stopped. No, the very “air” seemed to freeze for a moment.

Something cold crawled across the back of my neck.

(…Just now—)

I immediately tensed and scanned the surroundings. Nothing. Beyond, still nothing.

Yet for that brief instant… the air had been “cold”.

It was like that monster I had once seen… in the depths of the earth, the icy presence I fought beside.

But it was only for a moment. The air soon returned to normal. The miasma swayed as usual.

(…Lately, this has been happening often.)

I slowly exhaled, turned my back, and began walking.

Original Author’s Comment:

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