Journey to Become the Zenith

The Weight of Being Human

Finding quiet after the clash under the peak, and once their words reached the Guild Master’s ears, Victor stepped back. He suggested Lane and Clara move ahead with tasks on their own for some time. His presence wouldn’t be part of those steps just yet.

After a pause, he said he required some moments alone to reflect.

Time alone.

For now, he told Lane to stay out of his room. Still, it was clear that things had changed between them.

”Just stay with Clara for a few days,” he had said calmly. ”I need to sort something out.”

Frowning came over Lane then.

But she still nodded.

And so—

Victor locked himself in his room.

Days passed.

He didn’t leave once.

No tavern.

No training ground.

No guild hall.

Just silence behind a closed wooden door.

----------------

A shape in the shadows, Victor rested by the glass, eyes fixed on darkness above. The city lights blinked below while his thoughts drifted higher. A stillness hung around him like old dust. Night stretched wide beyond the pane, silent and deep. He did not move, just watched stars appear one by one. Time passed without sound. His chair stayed cold under tired hands.

Moonlight barely touched his gold-colored eyes.

His mind replayed the battle again and again.

The moment when the necromancer cast Ice Apocalypse.

It hit him then - victory wasn’t possible. Quiet settled where hope had been.

Victor exhaled slowly.

”I thought I had accepted it...”

Quietly, his voice came through. Quiet it stayed.

”But I really didn’t.”

Victor leaned his head against the wall.

Deep down—

He still saw himself as the Supreme Demon Emperor.

The Supreme Demon Emperor.

The strongest being in a world where power ruled everything.

Back then—

He stood at the top of the food chain.

No one above him.

No one stronger.

But here?

Victor clenched his fist slowly.

”I’m not that person anymore.”

Right now—

He was just a human boy.

A teenager whose body and mana were still growing.

His mana flow wasn’t mature.

His physical body hadn’t reached its peak.

Even his emotions were unstable.

Victor laughed quietly.

”Being a human kid...”

”...is way harder than being a demon king.”

Back in his old life, when he fought someone powerful—

He felt only one emotion.

Excitement.

The thrill of battle.

Nothing else.

But now?

Victor closed his eyes.

During the fight with Alibaba he felt—

Anger.

Fear.

Concern.

Responsibility.

All of those emotions tangled together.

And they slowed him down.

”I still don’t know how to control them.”

At first Victor thought he could stabilize himself by simply following his instincts.

Fighting.

Training.

Even indulging his desires.

But that wasn’t enough.

It didn’t fix the real problem.

Victor looked at his hand.

”...I’m weak.”

The truth was simple.

He wasn’t weak compared to ordinary humans.

But compared to what he once was—

He was painfully fragile.

Victor leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

”If my mana was denser...”

”If my body had fully matured...”

”...that battle would’ve ended differently.”

He exhaled slowly.

His thoughts drifted to something else.

The system.

It had appeared when he first arrived in this world.

Yet it remained silent.

Dormant.

”Still asleep...”

Victor muttered.

”...useless thing.”

If the system awakened, perhaps his growth would accelerate.

But for now—

Nothing.

Victor rubbed his temples.

”I just want to grow up faster.”

He wanted his mana to thicken.

To stabilize.

To become closer to what it once was.

Victor leaned back in his chair.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

”Humans and their emotions...”

He murmured.

”They’re both weakness and strength.”

His golden eyes narrowed slightly.

”I wonder what the heroes felt...”

”...when they faced the Supreme Demon Emperor.”

------------

Meanwhile, in the tavern below the guild.

Three women sat around a wooden table.

Lane.

Clara.

And Videl.

The atmosphere was unusually quiet.

Lane stared at the table with her usual calm expression, but her fingers tapped slowly against the wood.

Clara noticed it.

”You’re worried about him.”

Lane didn’t answer.

But the silence was answer enough.

Videl sighed softly.

Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders as she leaned forward.

”...Victor lost.”

Even saying it felt strange.

To Videl—

Victor was someone who never lost.

The man who stood above everyone.

Her man.

Her lips pressed together slightly.

”He must be blaming himself.”

Lane finally spoke.

Her voice was quiet.

”It’s my fault.”

Clara raised an eyebrow.

”How?”

Lane’s eyes lowered.

”If Clara and I weren’t there...”

”...Victor wouldn’t have retreated.”

She knew him.

If he had been alone—

He would have fought to the end.

Win or die.

Clara sighed.

”You’re giving him too much credit.”

Lane looked at her.

Clara shrugged.

”That idiot is reckless, sure. But he’s not stupid.”

She crossed her arms.

”If he stayed, we’d all be dead.”

Still—

The mood remained heavy.

Videl looked down at her drink.

She knew Victor better than most.

The man who smiled casually.

The man who flirted and joked.

That same man hated losing more than anything.

”Victor...”

She whispered softly.

”I hope you’re okay.”

At that moment—

A familiar voice came from behind them.

”Well.”

”Good thing you’re all here.”

The three women froze.

They turned simultaneously.

Victor stood near the tavern entrance, waving casually with that same carefree smile.

Lane stood up instantly.

Before Victor could react—

She rushed forward and hugged him tightly.

Victor blinked.

”...Lane?”

Her arms tightened around him.

She didn’t say anything.

But the emotion was obvious.

Videl walked over next.

She grabbed Victor’s arm and pulled him into another hug.

”Idiot...”

She muttered softly.

”You disappeared for two days.”

Victor chuckled.

”Well, I was thinking.”

His hands moved naturally.

One rested on Lane’s waist.

The other gently brushed Videl’s hair.

”You two missed me that much?”

Lane didn’t react.

But Videl snorted.

”Don’t flatter yourself.”

Victor grinned.

”I’m pretty sure you did.”

Clara walked over slowly.

Her purple eyes scanned him from head to toe.

”You look fine.”

Victor winked.

”Of course.”

Clara crossed her arms.

”Stop flirting and answer properly.”

Victor chuckled.

”What?”

”You worried about me too?”

Clara snorted.

”Don’t talk nonsense.”

Then she added quietly—

”...but yes.”

Victor smiled softly.

”I’m okay.”

There was a short silence.

Then Victor stretched his arms casually.

”So.”

Victor smiled softly.

”I came to tell you something.”

The three women looked at him.

Victor spoke with a relaxed smile.

”I’m going dungeon hunting.”

”Alone.”

The words hung in the air.

And the expressions of Videl, Lane, and Clara changed instantly.