It had been Blaine's first time crossing a spatial rift—and his first journey into the universe itself. With no direction or destination in mind, the initial tear he opened had barely taken him beyond the solar system.
The second attempt, however, brought him straight back to the same place. It was the only set of cosmic coordinates he knew, and it was the destination that had surfaced in his thoughts. This time, he had left the galaxy behind completely.
Gazing at the swirling expanse of the Milky Way in the distance, Blaine couldn't help but sigh.
"Compared to the solar system, Earth is tiny. Compared to the Milky Way, the entire solar system is tiny. Humanity really is so damn small—and so weak."
It sounded like nonsense, but anyone who had witnessed such a sight would understand. All the little worries, frustrations, and hardships that once felt so overwhelming suddenly seemed laughably insignificant.
People say that seeing the ocean once in your life reminds you how vast the world is and how narrow human hearts can be. To Blaine, that wasn't enough. A true revelation came not from gazing at the sea—but from standing in the middle of the galaxy itself. Only then could one understand what it meant to have a truly open mind.
Right now, Blaine felt as if something inside him had awakened. His thoughts were clearer, his spirit lighter—almost as though his very soul had been purified.
"Damn," he muttered. "If this keeps up, I'll end up a monk or something."
"Huh? Wait… something feels off."
Rolling his shoulders and twisting his neck, Blaine realized something was different. The last time he'd been here, the pressure had been unbearable—it was like carrying Stark Tower on his back. The crushing weight of cosmic energy had made it difficult even to breathe.
But now, that sensation was fading, little by little, until the oppressive heaviness was gone entirely. Either Blaine had adapted, or the pressure itself was dissipating.
"As expected of the Level 8 Diamond Body. This really is something else."
"With the extra fifty points added to my physique, I feel like my whole body's overflowing with power."
He clenched his fists, energy radiating outward from within. Taking several deep breaths—though there was no air in space—Blaine felt the last traces of pressure dissolve completely.
He wasn't bathing in sunlight, but even in this harsh environment, he felt completely at ease—as though he were standing in his own backyard.
With Earth's current technology, astronauts required specialized suits to withstand radiation in space, but even those couldn't eliminate the effects of zero gravity. Blaine, however, was different.
Though darkness stretched endlessly beneath him, it felt like he was stepping on something solid—like walking on soft cotton instead of floating helplessly. His body had perfectly adapted to the gravitational void.
Most people, if separated from their ship, would drift endlessly through space until they became cosmic debris. Blaine had no such concern.
Even here, he could control his body's movement freely, gliding through the vacuum without any external propulsion. For him, surviving in space wasn't a struggle—it was second nature. This was his playground.
After all, with a three-quarter god-tier physique, survival was never in question. And his Level 40 Hunter Suit not only shielded him from radiation but also maintained his basic physiological needs. Traveling through space was no more dangerous for Blaine than walking back into his own home.
"Let's see what's different about the Quick March boots," he muttered.
Every skill on his attribute panel was now upgraded—over a dozen new abilities, each one beyond the understanding of ordinary people. Calling them god-level wasn't an exaggeration.
Just enhancing the Quick March boots by three levels had boosted his maximum speed by about fifteen percent. At Level 15, the boost reached thirty percent.
"Thirty percent doesn't sound like much," Blaine mused. "That's what I thought too at first—until I realized, if it were that easy to get faster, everyone would be Quicksilver by now."
"Alright then, let's see just how fast this really is."
He bounced lightly on his feet, warming up.
The next second, a blinding flash erupted from beneath him—and Blaine vanished.
At full speed, ten seconds later, a dark spatial rift began to distort the space around him. He had reached his limit.
"...Still not enough. Nowhere near enough."
His upper body remained perfectly still, while his lower half blurred into twin streaks of invisible light. Normally, when a person ran at full speed, the body moved in coordinated rhythm. But Blaine had long surpassed human limits—he had broken every physical rule that once applied.
The first time he had reached this point, he'd thrown everything he had into it. Now, he was only using half his power.
After another five seconds of acceleration, that familiar, unyielding barrier appeared once again before him.
Last time, it had felt impossible—like a mayfly striking a mountain. He had known that forcing through it would cripple his legs at best.
But this time… it felt different. The barrier still loomed ahead, but now it seemed as thin as paper—ready to be pierced at any moment. It wasn't that the barrier had weakened; Blaine had grown stronger.
"I've come this far," he growled. "No way I'm stopping now. Let's see how much faster I can go!"
Gritting his teeth, Blaine closed his eyes and pushed his speed even higher.
'Thump…'
A deep, muffled sound echoed through the void, as if something had shattered.
Blaine didn't dare open his eyes. He could still go faster—he knew it.
He had already surpassed the speed of sound. Now, he was brushing the edge of light itself. Maybe even beyond it.
And beyond ultimate speed… there was no space.
Only time.
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